An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

Of, relating to, or being a delineation of the form of a solid body on a plane.

→ stereography; → -ic

A graphical method of depicting three-dimensional geometrical objects in two dimensions. In a → planispheric astrolabe, it is the projection of a point of the celestial sphere onto the equatorial plane, as seen from one of the poles. The center of projection is the South pole for the northern hemisphere, and the North pole for the southern hemisphere. In this operation the projection of any circle of the sphere remains a circle on the projection plane and moreover the projection does not alter angles.

→ stereographic; → projection

The process or art of depicting solid objects on a plane surface.

→ stereo- + → -graphy

An optical instrument for viewing an overlapping pair of photographs (or perspective drawings) in order to see a three-dimensional image.

→ stereo-; → -scope.

Incapable of producing offspring; not producing offspring (Dictionary.com).

M.Fr. stérile "not producing fruit," from L. sterilis "barren, unproductive, unfruitful," from PIE *ster- "stiff, rigid, firm, strong."

Satarvan, literally "mule-like, resembling a mule," from setar, variant of astar, → mule, + -van similarity and attribution suffix.

A hypothetical type of → neutrino which does not participate in the → weak interaction. It would arise only from ordinary neutrinos oscillating into a sterile form (singlet, right handed → helicity). The sterile neutrino is a candidate for the → dark matter. Sterile neutrinos might have been produced in primordial plasma in the → early Universe. The idea of sterile neutrino was first proposed by Bruno Pontecorvo (1967) in a paper which also discussed neutrino oscillations.

→ sterile; → neutrino.

An experiment devised for measuring the → magnetic moment of → silver atoms. A → beam of silver atoms is directed between the → poles of a non-homogeneous → magnetic field. Contrarily to the prediction of the classical theory, the atoms divide into two distinct parts. One half of atoms are deflected up, the other half deflected down. The amount of deflection up or down is exactly of the same magnitude. Whether an individual atom is deflected up or down appears to be random. From a measurement of the → deflection, one can find the strength of the magnetic moment. This experience provides proof that there exist only two permitted orientations, called the → quantization of → spin.

In honor of Otto Stern (1888-1969), German physicist, Nobel laureate in Physics 1943, and Walter Gerlach (1889-1979), German physicist, who carried out the experiment in 1922. They used a beam of silver atoms from a hot oven because they could be readily detected on a photograph emulsion. Moreover, the silver atoms allowed studying the magnetic properties of a single electron because the atoms have a single outer electron; → experiment.

Optics: A unit of luminance equal to one candle per square cm.

From Gk. stilbe "lamp."

To cause physical activity in something; e.g. → stimulated emission.

Verb from → stimulus.

The process by which an electron, which is already in an excited state (an upper energy level, in contrast to its lowest possible level or "ground state"), can "stimulate" a transition to a lower level, producing a second photon of the same energy. The quantum energy of the incoming photon should be equal to the energy difference between its present level and the lower level. This process forms the basis of both the → laser and → maser. Same as → induced emission.

Stimulated, p.p. of → stimulate; → emission.

A process in which a star is not formed spontaneously but is provoked by the action of external forces, such as pressure and shock on a molecular cloud by close-by → massive stars, → supernova explosions, etc. See also → sequential star formation.

Stimulated, p.p. of → stimulate; → star formation.

Something that incites or rouses to action; an incentive.
Physiology: Something that causes a physical response in an organism,

From L. stimulus "goad, spur;" cognate with Pers. tiz→ sharp.

Gavâz "goad, a stick with a pointed end, for driving cattle," Mid.Pers. *gawâz, lowned in Arm. gawazan "goad;" Av. gauuāza- "whip, stick for driving cattle," from gao- "cattle, cow" (→ Bootes) + āza-, from az- "to drive," azaiti "drives;" cf. Skt. aj- "to drive," ájati "drives;" Gk. agein "to lead, guide, drive;" L. agere "to do, set in motion," → act.

A mathematical formula yielding an approximate value for → factorial n, when n is large: n! ≅ (2πn)^1/2nⁿe^-n, where e is the base of → natural logarithm.

Named after James Stirling (1692-1770), a Scottish mathematician; → approximation.

Involving or containing a random variable or variables. A stochastic variable is neither completely determined nor completely random. A system containing one or more stochastic variables is probabilistically determined.

From Gk. stokhastikos "able to guess, conjecturing," from stokhazesthai "to aim at, guess," from stokhos "a guess, target," literally "pointed stake."

Kâturgin, from kâtur, kâturé, → random + -gin, adj. suffix, contraction of âgin "filled."

The mechanism arising from turbulent convection in the → convective zone of stars, which is responsible for the driving of stellar → pulsation modes. In stars cooler than typically ~ 7 500 K (→ F-type stars and cooler), the stochastic excitation occurs in the convection envelope. In massive stars, it may develop either in the → convective core or in the convective layer beneath the → photosphere. Recent studies suggest that in → Be stars stochastic excitation takes place in the convective core. The stochastic waves can transport → angular momentum from the core to the surface. Fast rotation, as in Be stars, amplifies the stochastic excitation.

→ stochastic; → mode.

Any process involving a sequence of random variables. The future evolution of a stochastic process is therefore described by probability distributions.

→ stochastic; → process.

A mechanism that could be responsible for global → spiral structure in galaxies either by itself or in conjunction with spiral → density waves. In this mechanism, star formation is caused by → supernova-induced → shocks which compress the → interstellar medium. The → massive stars thus formed may, when they explode, induce further → star formation. If conditions are right, the process becomes self-propagating, resulting in agglomerations of young stars and hot gas which are stretched into spiral shaped features by → differential rotation. Merging of small agglomerations into larger ones may then produce large-scale spiral structure over the entire galaxy. The SSPSF model, first suggested by Mueller & Arnett (1976) was developed by Gerola & Seiden (1978). While the → density wave theory postulates that spiral structure is due to a global property of the galaxy, the SSPSF model examines the alternative viewpoint, namely that spiral structure may be induced by more local processes. The two mechanisms are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but they involve very different approaches to the modeling of galaxy evolution. The SSPSF gives a better fit than the density wave theory to the patchy spiral arms found in many spiral galaxies. However, it cannot explain → galactic bars.

→ stochastic; → self; → propagate; → star; → formation.

1) The statement or discussion of the first principles of any science or art (1913 Webster).
2) Logic: The doctrine of the elementary requisites of mere thought (Sir W. Hamilton; 1913 Webster).

→ stoichiometry, → -logy.

1) Of or pertaining to → stoichiometry.
2) Pertaining to or involving substances that are in the exact proportions required for a given reaction.

→ stoichiometry; → -ic.

1) The branch of chemistry that studies chemical processes within the context of the laws of definite proportions and conservation of matter and energy.
2) The study of the quantitative relationships of two or more compounds in a chemical reaction.

From Gk. stoikheion "element, component, principle," Stoikheia "elements" (the title of Euclid's great collection of Gk. mathematics); loaned in Ar. and Pers. (9-th century A.D.) as ustuqus (اسطقس); akin to stoikhos "row, line, verse," steikhein "to go, march;" cf. Skt. stighnoti "rises, steps;" O.H.G. stigan; Ger. steigen; Goth. steigan "to go up, ascend;" O.E. stigan "to climb, go;" Ger. Steig "path;" O.E. stig "narrow path;" PIE base *steigh- "to go, rise, step, walk," + → -metry.

Stoyxiyosanji, from stoyxiyo loan from Gk., as above, + -sanji, → -metry.