June 22nd, 2020 was an important day for nuclear test monitoring. The US undersecretary, Thomas DiNanno, made an official claim that a secret nuclear test was conducted at the Lop Nor testing site on that day. However, the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) reported that there were no seismic events consistent with a nuclear explosion on that date. This means that the event was either hidden under the threshold of the international monitoring system (IMS), or it was missed by the international data center (IDC). Alternatively, no event occurred. All scenarios are of interest to the scientific community. The routine processing of seismic data by the IDC is well documented in open sources. The threshold for detection is not uniform across the globe, especially in continental areas. Additionally, it is not low enough to detect weapon-sized explosions using the cavity decoupling method. There are methods to lower this threshold using waveform cross-correlation (WCC) techniques. On June 22th, 2020, the IDC ran a preliminary pipeline for processing seismic data from the IMS. This was done in a testing mode. Since 2020
Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) in large solar energetic particle (SEP) events is indicative of protons accelerated to GeV energies. Almost all GLE events are associated with sustained gamma-ray emission (SGRE) from the Sun because the latter require >300 MeV protons that are readily present during GLEs. Here we report on the 2024 June 8 GLE event, which has the distinction of not being associated with an SGRE event. All the associated phenomena typical of SGRE events were present: a fast and wide CME, a major solar flare, and an intense type II radio bursts that extend from the metric to kilometric wavelength domains. There was a data gap of ~51 min, but the SGRE is expected to last for hours. We suggest the east-west asymmetry in the flow of energetic particles from the shock is likely to be the reason for the lack of SGRE emission.
We present optical to very-high energy (VHE) gamma-ray observations of Mrk 421 between 2008 May 24 and June 23. A high-energy (HE) gamma-ray signal was detected by AGILE-GRID during June 9-15, brighter than the average flux observed by EGRET in Mrk 421 by a factor of approx. 1.5. In 20-60 keV X-rays, a large-amplitude 5-day flare (June 9-15) was resolved with a maximum flux of approx. 55 mCrab. SuperAGILE, RXTE/ASM and Swift/BAT data show a clearly correlated flaring structure between soft and hard X-rays, with a high flux/amplitude variability in hard X-rays. Hints of the same flaring behavior is also detected in the simultaneously recorded GASP-WEBT optical data. A target of opportunity observation by Swift near the flare maximum on June 12-13 revealed the highest 2-10 keV flux ever observed (>100 mCrab) and a peak synchrotron energy of approx. 3 keV, a large shift from typical values of 0.5-1 keV. Observations at VHE (E>200 GeV) gamma-rays during June 6-8 show the source flux peaking in a bright state, well correlated with the simultaneous peak in the X-rays. The gamma-ray flare can be interpreted within the framework of the Synchrotron Self Compton model in terms of a rap
We present results of multiband optical photometry of the black hole X-ray binary system V404 Cygni obtained using Wheaton College Observatory's 0.3m telescope, along with strictly simultaneous INTEGRAL and Swift observations during 2015 June 25.15--26.33 UT, and 2015 June 27.10--27.34 UT. These observations were made during the 2015 June outburst of the source when it was going through an epoch of violent activity in all wavelengths ranging from radio to $γ$-rays. The multiwavelength variability timescale favors a compact emission region, most likely originating in a jet outflow, for both observing epochs presented in this work. The simultaneous INTEGRAL/Imager on Board the Integral Satellite (IBIS) 20--40 keV light curve obtained during the June 27 observing run correlates very strongly with the optical light curve, with no detectable delay between the optical bands as well as between the optical and hard X-rays. The average slope of the dereddened spectral energy distribution was roughly flat between the $I_C$- and $V$-bands during the June 27 run, even though the optical and X-ray flux varied by $>$25$\times$ during the run, ruling out an irradiation origin for the optical a
On 2018 June 2, meteoroid 2018 LA became the third natural body ever to be observed before entering our atmosphere ---small asteroids 2014 AA and 2008 TC3 had stricken the Earth on 2014 January 2 and 2008 October 7, respectively. Here, we explore the pre-impact orbital evolution of 2018 LA and investigate the possible presence of known NEOs moving in similar orbits using N-body simulations and the D-criteria. We identify several objects moving in orbits similar to that of 2018 LA and focus on three of them: (454100) 2013 BO73, which is the largest of the group and a PHA, 2016 LR, and 2018 BA5, which follows a path very close to that of 2018 LA in terms of semimajor axis, eccentricity, and inclination. All these objects could be part of a dynamical grouping and their orbital evolution is rather chaotic, experiencing close encounters with Venus, the Earth-Moon system, and Mars. NEO encounters take place at the node and, on the short-term, the relative positions of our planet in its orbit around the Sun repeat every year. Besides the bright fireball observed over Botswana on 2018 June 2, three other bolides were observed early in June in recent years: Crete on 2002 June 6, Washington
BL Lacertae is a blazar at the redshift of z = 0.069, eponym of the BL Lac blazar type. It is also a prototype of the low-frequency-peaked BL Lac (LBL) subclass. It was first detected in sub-TeV gamma-ray range by MAGIC in 2005. In 2015, MAGIC observations of BL Lacertae were triggered by the Fermi-LAT analysis report in the MAGIC group, and were performed during 10 individual nights between 15th and 28th June for a total of 8.6 h. The measured gamma-ray flux varied from 40\% to 10\% of the Crab nebula flux above 200 GeV in the nights from 15th to 17th June. In particular, a fast variability was found during the nights of 15th and 17th June. % with a halving time scale of (33+/-9) minutes, statistical errors only. We also performed multi-wavelength (MWL) observations in the radio, optical, UV, X-ray and gamma-ray bands, and %the MWL light curves indicate that the very high energy gamma-ray flare was a so-called orphan flare, %i.e. no simultaneous activity in other wavebands was observed. the MWL light curves indicate that no apparent simultaneous activity in other wavebands accompanying the very high energy gamma-ray flare in June 2015 like an another occurrence of an orphan very h
The flat spectrum radio quasar 3C 279 was observed in an extremely high activity state on June 16, 2015 (MJD 57189). In this paper, we investigate the properties of this flaring episode in the high energy $γ$-ray and optical bands using data from the \emph{Fermi}-LAT, SMARTS, and SPOL observations during the period June 1-30, 2015 (MJD 57174-57203). The highest emission state in the $γ$-ray band detected by the \emph{Fermi}-LAT exhibits a peak flux of $\sim$ 2$\times$10$^{-7}$ erg~cm$^{-2}$~s$^{-1}$ which is more than 25 times the flux level measured in the low activity state of the source. The temporal analysis of the daily \emph{Fermi}-LAT light curve suggests that the giant flaring episode has characteristic rise and decay times less than one day. The optical daily light curves in B, V, R, and J bands also indicate the flaring activity from 3C 279 with flux levels peaking for two days on June 16-17, 2015 (MJD 57189-57190). The discrete correlation function analysis indicates a time lag of 1 day or longer between the $γ$-ray and optical peaks during the flaring episode. The $γ$-ray emission is also observed to show a harder-when-brighter behaviour whereas optical emission exhibit
This working paper analyzes the gold price dynamics on the basis of methodology developed by Didier Sornette. Our calculations indicate that this dynamics is close to the one of the "bubbles" studied by Sornette and that the most probable timing of the "burst of the gold bubble" is April - June 2011. The obtained result has been additionally checked with two different methods. First of all, we have compared the pattern of changes of the forecasted timing of the gold bubble crash with the retrospective changes of forecasts of the oil bubble crash (that took place in July 2008). This comparison indicates that the period when the timing of the crash tended to change is close to the end, and the burst of the gold bubble is the most probable in May or June 2011. Secondly, we used the estimates of critical time for the hyperbolic trend (that has been shown in our previous publications to be typical for many socioeconomic processes). Our calculations with this method also indicate May - June 2011 as the most probable time of the burst of the gold bubble. Naturally, this forecast should not be regarded as an exact prediction as this implies the stability of the finance policies of the USA,
The quasar 3C454.3 underwent a uniquely-structured multi-frequency outburst in June 2016. The blazar was observed in the optical $R$ band by several ground-based telescopes in photometric and polarimetric modes, at $γ$-ray frequencies by the \emph{Fermi}\ Large Area Telescope, and at 43 GHz with the Very Long Baseline Array. The maximum flux density was observed on 2016 June 24 at both optical and $γ$-ray frequencies, reaching $S^\mathrm{max}_\mathrm{opt}=18.91\pm0.08$ mJy and $S_γ^\mathrm{max} =22.20\pm0.18\times10^{-6}$ ph cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$, respectively. The June 2016 outburst possessed a precipitous decay at both $γ$-ray and optical frequencies, with the source decreasing in flux density by a factor of 4 over a 24-hour period in $R$ band. Intraday variability was observed throughout the outburst, with flux density changes between 1 and 5 mJy over the course of a night. The precipitous decay featured statistically significant quasi-periodic micro-variability oscillations with an amplitude of $\sim 2$-$3\%$ about the mean trend and a characteristic period of 36 minutes. The optical degree of polarization jumped from $\sim3\%$ to nearly 20\% during the outburst, while the positio
A sequence of very bright noctilucent clouds (NLC) was observed in central Russia during the last decade of June, 2018. It followed the meteorite impact 300 km southwards from Moscow in the morning of June 21. Polarization measurements of NLC in a wide range of scattering angles allowed finding the effective size of ice particles forming the clouds. These estimations together with satellite data on gravity waves, temperature, and water vapor mixing ratio during these days help to understand the basic causes of the observed NLC brightness and particle size anomaly.
Prior to 2019, the June epsilon Ophiuchids (JEO) were known as a minor unconfirmed meteor shower with activity that was considered typically moderate for bright fireballs. An unexpected bout of enhanced activity was observed in June 2019, which even raised the possibility that it was linked to the impact of the small asteroid 2019 MO near Puerto Rico. Early reports also point out the similarity of the shower to the orbit of the comet 300P/Catalina. We aim to analyze the orbits, emission spectra, and material strengths of JEO meteoroids to provide a characterization of this stream, identify its parent object, and evaluate its link to the impacting asteroid 2019 MO. Our analysis is based on a sample of 22 JEO meteor orbits and four emission spectra observed by the AMOS network at the Canary Islands and in Chile. The link to potential parent objects was evaluated using a combination of orbital-similarity D-criteria and backwards integration of the orbit of comet 300P and the JEO stream. We confirm the reports of an unexpected swarm of meteoroids originating in the JEO stream. JEO meteoroids have low material strengths characteristic for fragile cometary bodies, and they exhibit signs
We report results from a Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) monitoring campaign on the black hole X-ray binary V404 Cygni during its 2015 June outburst. The GMRT observations were carried out at observing frequencies of 1280, 610, 325 and 235 MHz, and extended from June 26.89 UT (a day after the strongest radio/X-ray outburst) to July 12.93 UT. We find the low-frequency radio emission of V404 Cygni to be extremely bright and fast-decaying in the outburst phase, with an inverted spectrum below 1.5 GHz and an intermediate X-ray state. The radio emission settles to a weak, quiescent state $\approx 11$ days after the outburst, with a flat radio spectrum and a soft X-ray state. Combining the GMRT measurements with flux density estimates from the literature, we identify a spectral turnover in the radio spectrum at $\approx 1.5$ GHz on $\approx$ June 26.9 UT, indicating the presence of a synchrotron self-absorbed emitting region. We use the measured flux density at the turnover frequency with the assumption of equipartition of energy between the particles and the magnetic field to infer the jet radius ($\approx 4.0 \times 10^{13}$ cm), magnetic field ($\approx 0.5$ G), minimum total e
A very bright and fast varying gamma-ray flare has been detected from the blazar 3C 279 on June 16, 2015. We have studied the broadband spectral energy distribution of the source during the flaring episode and in the low activity state using a simple one zone leptonic model. We find that an electron energy distribution described by a broken power law can be used to reproduce the broadband emissions during the high and low activity states. The flux measurements at radio, infrared and optical frequencies are reproduced by the synchrotron emission resulting from the relativistic electrons in a jet magnetic field strength of 0.37 G. The gamma-ray emission from the blazar 3C 279 is attributed to the Comptonization of the IR seed photons from the dusty torus with a temperature of 870 K. The outburst from the source observed on June 16, 2015 can be ascribed to an efficient acceleration process associated with a sudden enhancement in the electron energy density in the emitting region with respect to the low activity state. The fast gamma-ray variability at a minute timescale implies that the emission during the flare originates from a more compact region and the size of the emission zone i
We report photometric observations for comet C/2012 S1 (ISON) obtained during the time period immediately after discovery (r=6.28 AU) until it moved into solar conjunction in mid-2013 June using the UH2.2m, and Gemini North 8-m telescopes on Mauna Kea, the Lowell 1.8m in Flagstaff, the Calar Alto 1.2m telescope in Spain, the VYSOS-5 telescopes on Mauna Loa Hawaii and data from the CARA network. Additional pre-discovery data from the Pan STARRS1 survey extends the light curve back to 2011 September 30 (r=9.4 AU). The images showed a similar tail morphology due to small micron sized particles throughout 2013. Observations at sub-mm wavelengths using the JCMT on 15 nights between 2013 March 9 (r=4.52 AU) and June 16 (r=3.35 AU) were used to search for CO and HCN rotation lines. No gas was detected, with upper limits for CO ranging between (3.5-4.5)E27 molec/s. Combined with published water production rate estimates we have generated ice sublimation models consistent with the photometric light curve. The inbound light curve is likely controlled by sublimation of CO2. At these distances water is not a strong contributor to the outgassing. We also infer that there was a long slow outburs
In this study, we present geometrical and kinematical analysis of Moreton wave observed in 2012 June 3rd and July 6th, recorded in H-$α$ images of Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) archive. These large-scale waves exhibit different features compared to each other. The observed wave of June 3rd has angular span of about $70^{\circ}$ with a diffuse wave front associated to NOAA active region 11496. It was found that the speed of the wave that started propagating at 17.53 UT is about $931\pm80$ km/s. The broadness nature of this Moreton wave can be interpreted as the vertical extension of the wave over the chromosphere. On the other hand, the wave of July 6th may be associated to X1.1 class flare that occurred at 23.01 UT around the 11515 active region. From the kinematical analysis, the wave propagated with the initial velocity of about $994\pm70$ km/s which is in agreement with coronal shock velocity derived from type II radio burst observation, $v\sim1100$ km/s. These two identified waves add the inventory of the large-scale waves observed in 24th Solar Cycle.
We report the AGILE detection and the results of the multifrequency follow-up observations of a bright $γ$-ray flare of the blazar 3C 279 in June 2015. We use AGILE-GRID and Fermi-LAT $γ$-ray data, together with Swift-XRT, Swift-UVOT, and ground-based GASP-WEBT optical observations, including polarization information, to study the source variability and the overall spectral energy distribution during the $γ$-ray flare. The $γ$-ray flaring data, compared with as yet unpublished simultaneous optical data which allow to set constraints on the big blue bump disk luminosity, show very high Compton dominance values of $\sim 100$, with a ratio of $γ$-ray to optical emission rising by a factor of three in a few hours. The multi-wavelength behavior of the source during the flare challenges one-zone leptonic theoretical models. The new observations during the June 2015 flare are also compared with already published data and non-simultaneous historical 3C 279 archival data.
Matroids are combinatorial abstractions of independence, a ubiquitous notion that pervades many branches of mathematics. June Huh and his collaborators recently made spectacular breakthroughs by developing a Hodge theory of matroids that resolved several long-standing conjectures in matroid theory. We survey the main results in this development and ideas behind them.
Volume polynomials form a distinguished class of log-concave polynomials with remarkable analytic and combinatorial properties. I will survey realization problems related to them, review fundamental inequalities they satisfy, and discuss applications to the combinatorics of algebraic matroids. These notes are based on lectures given at the 2025 Summer Research Institute in Algebraic Geometry at Colorado State University.