Proceedings of the Eighteenth General Assembly

The XVlllth General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union was held in Patras, Greece, from 17-26 August 1982. It was marked by the tragic death of the President of the IAU, Professor M.K.V. Bappu, on August 19, 1982. This sad event, without precedent in the history of the Union, posed serious problems to the organization of the General Assembly, which could only be overcome by the full collaboration of all members, the organizers, and the Executive Committee. A tribute to the memory of Prof. Bappu was paid during a plenary meeting on 23 August 1982. The full texts of the speeches are published in Chapter I of this . volume. The excellent scientific programme in Patras was organized by the Presidents of the 40 IAU Commissions and coordinated by the IAU General Secretary (1979-1982), Professor P.A. Wayman. The local arrangements were taken care of by Professor C. Goudas and his collaborators from the Patras University. Due to the unexpected withdrawal in 1979 of another invitation to host the 1982 IAU General Assembly, the organizers in Greece had less than two years available for the extensive preparations, and our hearty thanks are due to them for their persistent efforts, which made this General Assembly an outstanding success.

Contenu

I. Tribute to the Memory of Professor M.K.V. Bappu (1927 - 1982).- II. Inaugural Ceremony 17 August 1982.- Allocution de Mr John Xanthakis, Président du Comité National d'Organisation.- Allocution de Mr Constantine Karamanlis, Président de la République Hellénique (prononceé par Mr Constantin Goudas, Professeur à l'Université de Patras).- Allocution de Mr George Maniatis, Recteur de I'Université de Patras.- Allocution de Mr M.K.V. Bappu, Président de l'UAI (prononcée par Mr E.K. Kharadze, Vice-Président de l'UAI).- Allocution de Mr Periclés Théocaris, Président de l'Académie d'Athènes.- III. Report on XVIIIth General Assembly, 17 and 26 August 1982.- Agenda.- First Session (17 August 1982).- Presidential Address.- Representatives of other Organisations.- Members deceased since last General Assembly.- Report of the Executive Committee (1979-82).- Report of the General Secretary.- Resolution A1: Ratification of Change in Adhering Bodies for China.- Report of Special Nominating Committee (1979-82).- Official Representatives of Adhering Organisations and Representatives on Nominating Committee.- Appointment of Finance Committee.- Appointment of Resolutions Committee.- Resolutions submitted by Commissions or by Associated Inter-Union Commissions.- Second Session (26 August 1982).- Report of the Finance Committee.- Unit of Contribution.- Budget 1983-85.- Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly.- A2 - Support of Meteor Data Center.- A3 - Contract Scheme for Visiting Lecturers.- A4 - Creation of Commission 51: Search for Extraterrestrial Life.- A5 - Change of Names of Commissions 26 and 34.- R1 - Comet Halley Days.- R2 - International Halley Watch (IHW).- R3 - 1980 Theory of Nutation.- R4 - Synoptic Solar Observations.- R5 - MERIT Campaign.- R6 - AAVSO Data of Cataclysmic Variables.- R7 - Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts.- R8 - Very Long Baseline Interferometry.- R9 - Protection of Radio Frequency Bands.- R10 - Sydney Observatory Instruments.- R11 - Endorsement of Commission Resolutions.- Commission Resolutions C1-C16.- Appointment of Special Nominating Committee.- New Members of the Union.- Appointment of Commission Presidents and Vice-Presidents.- Place and Date of XlXth IAU General Assembly.- Election of New Executive Committee.- Address by the Newly Elected President.- Closing Ceremonies.- IV. Reports of Meetings of Commissions/Comptes Rendus des Seances des Commissions.- 4 Ephémerides/Ephemerides.- 5 Documentation et Données Astronomiques/Documentation and Astronomical Data.- 6 Télégrammes Astronomiques/Astronomical Telegrams.- 7 Mécanique Céleste/Celestial Mechanics.- 8 Astronomie de Position/Positional Astronomy.- 9 Instruments et Techniques/Instruments and Techniques.- 10 Activité Solaire/Solar Activity.- 12 Radiation et Structure de l'Atmosphère Solaire/Radiation and Structure of the Solar Atmosphere.- 14 Données Atomiques et Moléculaires/Atomic and Molecular Data.- 15 L'Etude Physique des Comètes, des Petites Planètes et des Météorites/Physical Study of Comets, Minor Planets and Meteorites.- 16 Etude Physique des Planètes et des Satellites/Physical Study of Planets and Satellites.- 19 Rotation de la Terre/Rotation of the Earth.- 20 Positions et Mouvements des Petites Planètes, des Comètes et des Satellites/Positions and Motions if Minor Planets, Comets and Satellites.- 21 Lumière du Ciel Nocturne/Light of the Night Sky.- 22 Méteorés et Poussière Interplanétaire/Meteors and Interplanetary Dust.- 24 Astrométrie Photographique/Photographic Astrometry.- 25 Photométrie et Polarimétrie Stellaires/Stellar Photometry and Polarimetry.- 26 Etoiles Doubles et Multiples/Double Multiple Stars.- 27 Etoiles Variables/Variable Stars.- 28 Galaxies/Galaxies.- 29 Spectres Stellaires/Stellar Spectra.- 30 Vitesses Radiales/Radial Veolocities.- 31 L'Heure/Time.- 33 Structure et Dynamique du Système Galactique/Structure and Dynamics of the Galactic System.- 34 Matière Interstellaire/Interstellar Matter.- 35 Constitution des Etoiles/Stellar Constitution.- 36 La Théorie des Atmosphères Stellaires/The Theory of Stellar Atmosphere.- 37 Amas Stellaires et Associations/Star Clusters and Associations.- 38 Echange des Astronomes/Exchange of Astromers.- 40 Radioastronomie/Radio Astronomy.- 41 Histoire de l'Astronomie/History of Astronomy.- 42 Etoiles Binaires Serrées/Close Binary Stars.- 44 L'Astronomie à partir de l'Espace/Astronomy from Space.- 45 Classification Stellaire/Stellar Classification.- 46 Enseignement de l'Astronomie/Teaching of Astronomy.- 47 Cosmologie/Cosmology.- 48 Astrophysique de Grande Energie/High Energy Astrophysics.- 49 Plasma Interplanétaire et Heliosphère/ The Interplanetary Plasma and the Heliosphere.- 50 Protection des Sites d'Observatoires Existants et Potentiels/ Identification and Protection of Existing and Potential Observatory Sites.- 51 Recherche de la Vie dans l'Univers/Search for Extraterrestrial Life.- Nomenclature du Système Planétaire/WORKING GROUP for Planetary System Nomenclature.- V. Report of the Executive Committee (1979-81).- VI. Astronomers Handbook.- 1. Short History of the International Astronomical Union.- 2. Administration and Finances of the Union.- 3. The International Scientific Unions.- 4. Services and Functions of the IAU.- 5. Publications of the International Astronomical Union.- 6. Meetings of the International Astronomical Union.- 7. Executive Committee 1982 - 1985.- 8. Statutes, By-laws.- 9. Working Rules.- 10. Rules for Scientific Meetings.- 11. List of Countries Adhering to the Union.- VII. Membership.- 1. Membership of Commissions.- 2. Alphabetical List of Members.