INTER-UNIVERSITY CENTRE FOR ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS (An Autonomous Institution of the University Grants Commission) Annual Report (April 1, 2005 - March 31, 2006) Editor Design, Typesetting and Layout T. Padmanabhan Manjiri Mahabal e-mail : [email protected] e-mail : [email protected] Postal Address Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, India Location Meghnad Saha Road, Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007, India Phone (91) (20) 2560 4100 Fax (91) (20) 2560 4699 e-mail [email protected] Universal Resource Locator (URL) http://www.iucaa.ernet.in HIGHLIGHTS OF 2005- 2006 This annual report covers the activities of IUCAA during its eighteenth year, April 2005-March 2006. The endeavours of IUCAA span different fronts, as outlined in the pages of this report. Here is a quick summary and highlights. IUCAA has an academic strength of 15 core faculty members (academic), 15 post-doctoral fellows and 18 research scholars. The core research programmes by these academics span a variety of areas in astronomy and astrophysics. These topics include quantum theory and gravity, classical gravity, gravitational waves, cosmology and structure formation, cosmic microwave background anisotropy, observational cosmology, magnetic fields in astrophysics, active galactic nuclei, quasar and intergalactic medium, galaxies high energy astrophysics, stars and interstellar medium and instrumentation. These research activities are summarised in pages 15-39. The publications of the IUCAA members, numbering to about 75 in the current year are listed in pages 67-70. IUCAA members also take part in pedagogical activities, the details of which are given in pages 77-78 of this report. The extended academic family of IUCAA consists of about 90 Visiting Associates, who have been active in several different fields of research. Pages 40-57 of this report highlights their research contributions spanning gravitational theory and gravitational waves, classical and quantum cosmology, galaxies and quasars, compact objects and X-ray binaries, stars, stellar systems and interstellar medium, Sun and solar system, plasma physics, dynamics, theoretical physics, e-content development, instrumentation and radio astrophysics. The resulting publications, numbering to about 95 are listed in pages 71-76 of this report. A total of about 1216 person-days were spent by Visiting Associates at IUCAA during this year. In addition, IUCAA was acting as host to about 400 visitors through the year. IUCAA conducts its graduate school jointly with the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune. Among the research scholars, three students have successfully defended their theses and obtained Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pune during the year. Summary of their theses appears in pages 58-66. Apart from these activities, IUCAA conducts several workshops, schools, and conferences each year, both at IUCAA and at different university/college campuses. During this year, there were 7 such events in IUCAA and 6 were held at other universities/colleges under IUCAA sponsorship. Another main component of IUCAA’s activities is its programme for Science Popularisation. On the National Science Day, several special events were organised. There were posters displayed by the academic members of IUCAA, which elaborated on the research work at IUCAA and topics in the field of astronomy. There were public lectures given by the faculty members and programmes for school students consisting of quiz, essay and drawing competitions. During the Open Day, more than 3000 people visited IUCAA. These activities were ably supported by the scientific and technical, and administrative staff (20 and 33 in number respectively) who should get the lion’s share of the credit for successful running of the programmes of the centre. The scientific staff also looks after the major facilities like library, computer centre, and instrumentation lab. A brief update on these facilities is given on pages 101-106 of this report. A major milestone which we reached during the year is the successful completion of IUCAA Girawali Observatory and the installation of the Telescope. The final acceptance was done in early February and the Telescope was handed over to IUCAA on February 14, 2006. IUCAA scientists are actively involved in the task of making the Telescope ready for observations as soon as possible. T. Padmanabhan Editor CONTENTS The Council and the Governing Board ...........................................................................................................................1 The Council The Governing Board Honorary Fellows and Visiting Professors .................................................................................................................................2 Statutory Committees ....................................................................................................................................................2 The Scientific Advisory Committee The Users' Committee The Academic Programmes Committee The Standing Committee for Administration The Finance Committee Members of IUCAA ......................................................................................................................................................4 Visiting Members of IUCAA .........................................................................................................................................6 Organizational Structure of IUCAA's Academic Programmes ................................................................................ 11 The Director's Report .................................................................................................................................................. 12 Congratulations to ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Calendar of Events ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 Academic Programmes ................................................................................................................................................ 15 (I) Research by Resident Members .......................................................................................................................... 15 Quantum Theory and Gravity Classical Gravity Gravitational Waves Cosmology and Structure Formation Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropy Observational Cosmology Magnetic Fields in Astrophysics Active Galactic Nuclei, Quasar and Intergalactic Medium Galaxies High Energy Astrophysics Stars and Interstellar Medium Instrumentation (II) Research by Visiting Associates ......................................................................................................................... 40 (III) IUCAA-NCRA Graduate School....................................................................................................................................... 58 (IV) Publications ........................................................................................................................................................ 67 (V) Pedagogical Activities ........................................................................................................................................ 77 (VI) Colloquia, Seminars, etc. .................................................................................................................................... 79 (VII) Talks at IUCAA Workshops or at Other Institutions ......................................................................................... 81 (VIII) Scientific Meetings and Other Events................................................................................................................ 87 Public Outreach Programmes ..................................................................................................................................... 95 Facilities ..................................................................................................................................................................... 101 (I) Computer Centre (II) Library and Publications (III) Instrumentation Laboratory (IV) IUCAA Girawali Observatory (V) Virtual Observatory - India (VI) IUCAA Radio-Physics Training and Educational Facility IUCAA Reference Centres (IRCs) ........................................................................................................................... 107 Seventeenth IUCAA Foundation Day Lecture ......................................................................................................... 111 The Council Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai. and the Governing Board R.A. Mashelkar, Director General, The Council Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, (As on 31st March, 2006) New Delhi. President S. Mukherjee, Department of Physics, Sukhadeo Thorat, North-Bengal University, Chairperson, Darjeeling, West Bengal. University Grants Commission, New Delhi. K. Ramamurthy Naidu, Vice-President 506, Dwarakamai Apartment, Navodaya Colony, Hyderabad. V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai, Vice-Chairperson, G. Madhavan Nair, University Grants Commission, New Delhi. Chairman, Indian Space Research Organization, Bangalore. Members Rajaram Nityananda, N. Mukunda, Centre Director, (Chairperson, Governing Board), National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune. Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore. Deepak Pental,