Transactions of the International Astronomical Union: Reports on Astronomy

This volume contains the fifteenth tri-annual reports of the Presidents of the forty Commissions of the International Astronomical Union; it refers to the progress in our discipline during the three years 1970, 1971 and 1972. As compared to earlier volumes a gradual change in character is unmistakable. The ever increasing flow of publications, combined with the obvious necessity to keep the Reports at a reasonable size and price level has gradually forced the Commission Presidents to be more selective than before in drafting their Reports. I have certainly stimulated them into that direction - in order that Reports like these be valuable and lasting, it seems imperative that the individual contributions have the character of a critical overall review, where a fairly complete summary is given of the major develop­ ments and discoveries of the past three years, and in which the broad developments and new trends be clearly outlined, while at the same time essential problems for future research are identified. With respect to the latter item I have suggested the Commission Presidents to add to their reports a brief section on scientific priorities for future research in the field of their Commissions. In order to save space I have suggested to Commission Presidents that references to published papers are given on the basis of their number in the published issues of Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts. For instance, the indication (06. 078. 019) or (AAA 06. 078.

Contenu

4. Éphémérides (Ephemerides).- - Groupe de Travail sur les Constantes de la Précession.- - Groupe de Travail sur les Unités et les Échelles de Temps.- 5. Documentation.- 6. Astronomical Telegrams (Télégrammes Astronomiques).- - Report of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.- 7. Celestial Mechanics (Mécanique Céleste).- 8. Positional Astronomy (Astronomie de Position).- 9. Instruments and Techniques (Instruments et Techniques).- - Joint Working Group of Commissions 9 and 46 for Exchange of Equipment.- - Groupe de Travail sur l'Emploi en Astronomie des Récepteurs Photoélectriques d'Images.- 10. Solar Activity (Activité Solaire).- - Working Group on Solar Activity Cooperative Programs.- - Working Group on Magnetographic Calibration.- 12. Radiation and Structure of the Solar Atmosphere (Radiation et Structure de l'Atmosphère Solaire).- - Working Group on the High Resolution Atlas of the Photospheric Spectrum.- - Working Group on Sunspot Spectra.- - Working Group on Solar Eclipses.- 14. Fundamental Spectroscopic Data (Données Spectroscopiques Fondamentales).- - Committee 1: Standards of Wavelengths.- - Committee 2: Transition Probabilities.- - Committee 3: Collision Cross Sections and Line Broadening.- Committee 4: Structure of Atomic Spectra.- - Committee 5: Molecular Spectra.- 15. Physical Study of Comets (L'Étude Physique des Comètes).- 16. Physical Study of Planets and Satellites (Étude Physique des Planètes et Satellites).- - Working Group on Martian Nomenclature.- 17. The Moon (La Lune).- - Inter-Union Commission for Lunar Studies.- - Working Group on Lunar Nomenclature.- - Groupe de Travail "Figures, Mouvements et Positions Observées de la Lune".- - Inter-Union Working Party on Lunar Laser Ranging Experiments.- - Working Group Geology and Geophysics of the Moon.- 19. Rotation of the Earth (Rotation de la Terre).- - International Polar Motion Service.- - Bureau International de l'Heure.- - Working Group on the Pole Coordinates.- 20. Positions and Motions of Minor Planets, Comets and Satellites (Positions et Mouvements des Petites Planètes, des Comètes et des Satellites).- 21. Light of the Night-Sky (Luminescence du Ciel).- 22. Meteors and Meteorites (Météores et Météorites).- - Report of the Meteorite Committee.- - Report of the Cosmic Dust Committee.- 24. Photographic Astrometry (Astrométrie Photographique).- 25. Stellar Photometry (Photométrie Stellaire).- 26. Étoiles Doubles (Double Stars).- 27. Variable Stars (Étoiles Variables).- - Report on Variable Stars in Globular Clusters.- - Report of the Working Group on Supernovae.- - Report on the Spectra of Variable Stars.- - Report of the Working Group on Flare Stars.- 28. Galaxies.- - Working Group on Galaxy Photometry and Spectrophotometry.- - Working Group on the Magellanic Clouds.- 29. Stellar Spectra (Spectres Stellaires).- 30. Vitesses Radiales (Radial Velocities).- 31. Time (L'Heure).- 33. Structure and Dynamics of the Galactic System (Structure et Dynamique du Système Galactique).- 34. Interstellar Matter and Planetary Nebulae (Matière Interstellaire et Nébuleuses Planétaires).- 35. Stellar Constitution (Constitution des Étoiles).- 36. Theory of Stellar Atmospheres (Théorie des Atmosphères Stellaires).- 37. Star Clusters and Associations (Amas Stellaires et Associations).- 38. Exchange of Astronomers (Échange des Astronomes).- 40. Radio Astronomy (Radio Astronomie).- 41. History of Astronomy (Histoire de l'Astronomie).- 42. Photometric Double Stars (Étoiles Doubles Photométriques).- 43. Astrophysical Plasmas and Magnetohydrodynamics (Plasmas et magnéto-hydrodynamique en Astrophysique).- 44. Astronomical Observations from Outside the Terrestrial Atmosphere (Observations Astronomiques au-dehors de l'Atmosphère Terrestre).- 45. Spectral Classifications and Multi-Band Colour Indices (Classifications Spectrales et Indices de Couleur à Plusieurs Bandes).- - Working Group for Collection of Photometric and Spectroscopic Data.- 46. Teaching of Astronomy (Enseignement de l'Astronomie).- 47. Cosmology (Cosmologie).- 48. High Energy Astrophysics (Astrophysique de Grande Energie).- Report of the Working Group on Numerical Data.