Evidence of herbivory on Laurasian Nymphaeaceae leaves from Lower Cretaceous (Upper Albian) deposits is presented for the first time. The types of damage on leaves consist of both hole feeding and margin feeding, which were found on foliar remains of the taxa Ploufolia cerciforme and Aquatifolia cf. fluitans. Within the first category of damage, the Damage Type 78 (DT78) type on Ploufolia leaves and type DT02 on Aquatifolia foliar lamina were recorded. The second category of damage has only been identified in Ploufolia leaves, and it corresponds to type DT12. The subsequent palaeoichnologic interpretation made it possible to compare these records with damage caused by the extant water lily pest to make a possible palaeoecological interpretation.

We conduct minimal-channel direct numerical simulations of turbulent flow over two-dimensional rectangular bars aligned in the spanwise direction. This roughness has often been described as $d$ -type, as the roughness function $\unicode[STIX]{x0394}U^{+}$ is thought to depend only on the outer-layer length scale (pipe diameter, channel half-height or boundary layer thickness). This is in contrast to conventional engineering rough surfaces, named $k$ -type, for which $\unicode[STIX]{x0394}U^{+}$ depends on the roughness height, $k$ . The minimal-span rough-wall channel is used to circumvent the high cost of simulating high Reynolds number flows, enabling a range of bars with varying aspect ratios to be investigated. The present results show that increasing the trough-to-crest height, $k$ , of the roughness while keeping the width between roughness bars, ${\mathcal{W}}$ , fixed in viscous units, results in non- $k$ -type behaviour although this does not necessarily indicate $d$ -type behaviour. Instead, for deep surfaces with $k/{\mathcal{W}}\gtrsim 3$ , the roughness function appears to depend only on ${\mathcal{W}}$ in viscous units. In these situations, the flow no longer has any information about how deep the roughness is and instead can only ‘see’ the width of the fluid gap between the bars.

Orbital elements for 8 non-Mira S stars (derived from CORAVEL observations and from Griffin 1984) are compared with those of barium stars. In all but one case, the mass functions are compatible with white dwarf companions. No periods shorter than 600 d are found, while the 5 orbits with 600 < P(d) < 900 all have e ≤ 0.1, in contrast with the situation prevailing for barium stars. It is suggested that the hypothesis of an evolutionary link between barium and non-Mira (no Tc) S stars can be reconciled with these differences provided that these S stars are low-mass stars populating the first giant branch instead of the asymptotic giant branch, as usually thought.

For normal giants, the only binary system known until recently with completely determined masses was Capella (αAur, GO III+G5III). Being non-eclipsing, its masses are, however, so uncertain (20% and 8%, respectively) that the properties of the corresponding range of theoretical models are considerably more uncertain than the observationally determined temperatures and luminosities. The discovery of the eclipsing nature of TZ For = HD 20301 (Olsen, 1977) thus provides a unique opportunity to obtain absolute parameters of much higher precision.

A spectroscopic survey of visual binaries with known orbital elements has been carried out with the radial velocity scanner CORAVEL at the Haute-Provence Observatory, since 1977, (Baranne, Mayor, Poncet, 1979). This survey of more than 100 visual systems, selected from Dommanget's catalogue (1967) (see also a new edition 1982) was first devoted to the determination of stellar masses. Several multiple systems were detected and have permitted also a study of the structure of triple systems. We have detected and measured in particular a class of triple systems with radial velocity variations of small amplitude. Taking advantage of the high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio accessible with the cross-correlation technique, such small amplitude radial velocity curves are sometimes derived only through the change of width and shape of the cross-correlation function. Let us recall that the cc-function of a SB2 (or SB3) system is only the weighted sum of the individual cc-functions (Mayor, 1985). This property of the cross-correlation combined with the linearity of the detector allow a very simple analysis of blended dips. The full width at half depth of the cross-correlation dip is about FWHD = 16 km/s (in absence of noticeable rotation). Analysis of blended systems allows a good determination of the two individual velocities if the difference |vr1 -Vr2| is equal or larger than about 0.15 *FWHD (about 2 km/s).

We have analyzed the orbital parameters of 33 red dwarf and 17 red giant spectroscopic binaries belonging to open clusters to deduce the time-scale for orbital circularization. The dynamical evolution of BD +23°635, a short period binary member of the Hyades, should result in the formation either of a cataclysmic binary or a WUMa system.

Thanks to numerous and accurate radial velocity measurements obtained with CORAVEL, the rotational velocity fields, the spatial velocity dispersions from the centre to the edge and the ordered to random motions ratios are deduced for two globular clusters: ω Cen and 47 Tuc. Masses through virial theorem and M/L ratios are also given. A more comprehensive study will be published in Astron. & Astrophys.

The complete radial velocity curve has been determined with CORAVEL for many pulsating stars of various classes: cepheid stars in the Galaxy and in the Magellanic Clouds, RR Lyrae, δ Scuti and SX Phoenicis stars. These measurements allow the determination of the radius variation and of the surface acceleration of these stars. In addition, the mean stellar radius of many of these stars has been determined by applying the Baade-Wesselink method.

Systematic surveys of definite groups of binary or multiple stars are in progress with CORAVEL in order to determine the distribution functions of the orbital parameters. The eccentricity distributions for the binaries in the open clusters Pleiades, Praesepe, Coma Ber and Hyades are presented and their dependence on the physical processes (star formation mechanisms, mass exchange, tidal circularization, dynamical evolution) is briefly discussed.

Six years ago an observational program on supergiant stars using CORAVEL was initiated at Geneva Observatory. About 1500 radial velocities were obtained out of a sample of 181 northern supergiants of F, G, K, M type. Nineteen new SB have been discovered and 16 others are suspected to be SB. The total rate of binary systems among northern supergiants is in the range of 31–38 % (Burki and Mayor, 1983). This value neither depends on spectral type nor luminosity class.

Roughness predominantly alters the near-wall region of turbulent flow while the outer layer remains similar with respect to the wall shear stress. This makes it a prime candidate for the minimal-span channel, which only captures the near-wall flow by restricting the spanwise channel width to be of the order of a few hundred viscous units. Recently, Chung et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 773, 2015, pp. 418–431) showed that a minimal-span channel can accurately characterise the hydraulic behaviour of roughness. Following this, we aim to investigate the fundamental dynamics of the minimal-span channel framework with an eye towards further improving performance. The streamwise domain length of the channel is investigated with the minimum length found to be three times the spanwise width or 1000 viscous units, whichever is longer. The outer layer of the minimal channel is inherently unphysical and as such alterations to it can be performed so long as the near-wall flow, which is the same as in a full-span channel, remains unchanged. Firstly, a half-height (open) channel with slip wall is shown to reproduce the near-wall behaviour seen in a standard channel, but with half the number of grid points. Next, a forcing model is introduced into the outer layer of a half-height channel. This reduces the high streamwise velocity associated with the minimal channel and allows for a larger computational time step. Finally, an investigation is conducted to see if varying the roughness Reynolds number with time is a feasible method for obtaining the full hydraulic behaviour of a rough surface. Currently, multiple steady simulations at fixed roughness Reynolds numbers are needed to obtain this behaviour. The results indicate that the non-dimensional pressure gradient parameter must be kept below 0.03–0.07 to ensure that pressure gradient effects do not lead to an inaccurate roughness function. An empirical costing argument is developed to determine the cost in terms of CPU hours of minimal-span channel simulations a priori. This argument involves counting the number of eddy lifespans in the channel, which is then related to the statistical uncertainty of the streamwise velocity. For a given statistical uncertainty in the roughness function, this can then be used to determine the simulation run time. Following this, a finite-volume code with a body-fitted grid is used to determine the roughness function for square-based pyramids using the above insights. Comparisons to experimental studies for the same roughness geometry are made and good agreement is observed.

The projected velocity dispersion in the core of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) intermediate-age globular cluster NGC 1978 is deduced from integrated light spectra. A numerical cross-correlation technique gives a projected velocity dispersion σp(core) = 5.8±1.2 km s−1. Multimass anisotropic King-Michie dynamical models are applied to the observational constraints given by the surface brightness profile and the above central projected velocity dispersion. Depending on the model, the values obtained for the total mass of the cluster range from 0.36 to 1.44 106 M ⊙, corresponding to mass-to-light ratios M/LV ranging from 1.2 to 4.2 (M/LV )⊙, values typical of galactic globular clusters.

We present radial-velocity data measurements for 4 solar-type stars (HD 6434, HD 19994, HD 92788 and HD 121504) harboring new detected planetary companions. The measurements were obtained with the CORALIE echelle spectrograph mounted on the 1.2–m “Leonard Euler” Swiss telescope at ESO–LaSilla Observatory (Chile). The minimum masses inferred for the planets are m 2 sin i = 0.48, 2.0, 3.81 and 0.89MJup, respectively.

Since the discovery of 51 Peg by Mayor & Queloz (1995) about 50 extra-solar planets have been discovered by means of the Doppler technique, and much more will follow. In future the goal will be to detect even lighter planets and/or planets with longer orbital periods, which may induce changes of only few m/s on the radial velocity of their parent star. Therefore very high performance instruments will be required. In view of the realization of HARPS (Pepe et al. 2000), the high-accuracy RV spectrograph for the ESO 3.6-m telescope dedicated to extra-solar planet search, we are investigating the accuracy limits and possible error sources. First results are presented in this paper.

We report the discovery of an extrasolar planetary system with two Saturnian planets around the star HD 83443. The new planetary system is unusual by more than one aspect, as it contains two very low–mass gaseous giant planets, both on very tight orbits. Among the planets detected so far, the inner planet has the smallest semi–major axis (0.038 AU) and period (2.985 days) whereas the outer planet is the lightest one with m2 sin i = 0.53 MSat. A preliminary dynamical study confirms the stability of the system.

6 new extra-solar planet candidates (HD 6434 b, HD 19994 b, HD 83443c, HD 92788b, HD 121504b, HD 190228b) are announced as part of our planet-search programmes in the northern and southern hemispheres. HD 83443 c is member of a 2-planet system with Saturnian and sub-Saturnian masses. Another system including a planet + a very low-mass brown dwarf orbiting HD 168443 is also presented. These 2 new systems and the new planetary detections rise to 25 the number of ELODIE and CORALIE candidates with minimum masses ≤20MJup. The orbital element distributions of giant-planet candidates, like the secondary mass function, the eccentricity and period distributions, compared to the equivalent distributions for spectroscopic binaries, strongly suggest different formation mechanisms for the two populations.

We present results based on a 6 year survey of a solar vicinity M-dwarf sample. We have obtained their multiplicity rate and orbital elements for the binaries. Such results could give us keys for a better understanding of stellar formation.

We present radial-velocity measurements for three solar-type stars (HD 127506, HD 174457 and HD 185414) hosting low-mass companions. The measurements were obtained with the ELODIE echelle spectrograph mounted on the 1.93–m telescope at Observatoire de Haute–Provence (CNRS, France) within the frame of the OHP-ELODIE Planet Search Programme. The inferred minimum masses of the detected companions are in the substellar mass range. Combining ELODIE radial-velocity data and HIPPARCOS astrometric data, the inclination angles of the orbital planes of HD 127506 and HD 174457 have been derived providing us with the de-projected masses of the companions: m 2 = 44MJup for the companion of HD 127506 and m 2= 0.13M⊙ for the companion of HD 174457. Moreover, using adaptive optics measurements, we show that HD 174457 is probably a (F8V + M7V + M3-4V) triple system. To date, only a minimal orbital solution is available for HD 185414.

In this contribution we present the results of the application of the bisector of the cross-correlation function as a diagnostic of activity-related radial-velocity variations. The results show that the technique is very effective. We present examples for which the application of the bisector analysis was essential to establish the planetary nature of the candidate or to exclude an orbital signature. An analysis of the behaviour of the bisector for active dwarfs of different spectral types shows that the relation between the bisector and the radial-velocity variation depends in a great extent on the v sin i of the star. The results may shed a new light on the intrinsic sources of radial-velocity variation for different types of solar-type dwarfs.

We present new accurate masses at the bottom of the main sequence as well as an improved empirical mass-luminosity relation for very low mass stars in the visible and near infrared. Masses were obtained by combining very accurate radial velocities and adaptive optics images of multiple stars obtained at different orbital phases.

We present our radial-velocity data for HD 190228. The measurements were obtained with the ELODIE echelle spectrograph mounted on the 1.93-m telescope at Observatoire de Haute-Provence. A 1100-day periodic low-amplitude radial-velocity signal is detected revealing the presence of a planetary companion with a minimum mass of 5 M Jup.