Author: Badalian Vardan

LARGEST EVER CHERENKOV TELESCOPE SEES FIRST LIGHT

States News Service
July 26, 2012 Thursday

The following information was released by the InterAction
Collaboration:

On 26 July 2012, the H.E.S.S. II telescope started operation
in Namibia. Dedicated to observing the most violent and extreme
phenomena of the Universe in very high energy gamma-rays, H.E.S.S. II
is the largest Cherenkov telescope ever built, with its 28-meter-sized
mirror. Together with the four smaller (12 meter) telescopes already in
operation since 2004, the H.E.S.S. (“High Energy Stereoscopic System”)
observatory will continue to define the forefront of ground-based
gamma ray astronomy and will allow deeper understanding of known
high-energy cosmic sources such as supermassive black holes, pulsars
and supernovae, and the search for new classes of high-energy cosmic
sources.

With a mass of almost 600 tons and its 28-meter mirror – the area
of two tennis courts – the new arrival is just huge. This very large
telescope named H.E.S.S. II saw its first light at 0:43 a.m. (German
time zone) on 26 July 2012, detecting its very first images of
atmospheric particle cascades generated by cosmic gamma rays and
by cosmic rays, marking the next big step in exploring the Southern
sky at gamma-ray energies. “The new telescope not only provides the
largest mirror area among instruments of this type worldwide, but
also resolves the cascade images at unprecedented detail, with four
times more pixels per sky area compared to the smaller telescopes”
states Pascal Vincent from the French team responsible for the photo
sensor package at the focus of the mirror.

Gamma rays are believed to be produced by natural cosmic particle
accelerators such as supermassive black holes, supernovae, pulsars,
binary stars, and maybe even relics of the Big Bang. The universe
is filled with these natural cosmic accelerators, impelling charged
particles such as electrons and ions to energies far beyond what the
particle accelerators built by mankind can reach. As high-energy gamma
rays are secondary products of these cosmic acceleration processes,
gamma ray telescopes allow us to study these high-energy sources.

Today, well over one hundred cosmic sources of very high-energy
gamma rays are known. With H.E.S.S. II, processes in these objects
can be investigated in superior detail, also anticipating many new
sources, as well as new classes of sources. In particular, H.E.S.S. II
will explore the gamma ray sky at energies in the range of tens of
Giga-electronvolts – the poorly-explored transition regime between
space-based instruments and current ground-based telescopes, with a
huge discovery potential.

The most extreme gamma ray emitters – Active Galactic Nuclei – shine
in gamma rays with an apparent energy output which is one hundred
times the luminosity of the entire Milky Way, yet the radiation seems
to emerge from a volume much smaller than that of our Solar System,
and turns on and off in a matter of minutes, a strong signature
of supermassive black holes. For some of the objects seen with the
four H.E.S.S. telescopes in the last years, no counterpart at other
wavelengths is known; they may represent a new type of celestial object
that H.E.S.S. II will help to characterize. When gamma rays interact
high up in the atmosphere, they generate a cascade of secondary
particles that can be imaged by the telescopes on the ground and
recorded in their ultra-fast photo sensor ‘cameras’, thanks to the
emission known as Cherenkov radiation – a faint flash of blue light.

The high-tech camera of H.E.S.S. II is able to record this very
faint flash with an “exposure time” of a few billionths of a second,
almost a million times faster than a normal camera. The H.E.S.S. II
camera – with an area of the size of a garage door and a weight of
almost 3 tons – is “flying” 36 meters above the primary mirror in
the focal plane – at the height of a 20-story building when pointing
up. Despite its size, the new telescope will be able to slew twice
as fast as the smaller telescopes to immediately respond to fast and
transient phenomena such as gamma ray bursts anywhere in the sky.

The telescope structure and its drive system were designed by engineers
in Germany and South Africa, and produced in Namibia and Germany. The
875 hexagonal mirror facets which make up the huge reflector were
manufactured in Armenia, and individually characterized in Germany. The
mirror alignment system results from a cooperation of German and Polish
institutes. The camera, with its integrated electronics, was designed
and built in France. The construction of the new H.E.S.S. II telescope
was driven and financed largely by German and French institutions,
with significant contributions from Austria, Poland, South Africa
and Sweden.

“The successful commissioning of the new H.E.S.S. II telescope
represents a big step forward for the scientists of H.E.S.S., for
the astronomical community as a whole, and for Southern Africa as
a prime location for this field of astronomy” – so Werner Hofmann,
spokesperson of the project – “H.E.S.S. II also paves the way to
the realization of CTA – the Cherenkov Telescope Array– the next
generation instrument ranked top priority by astroparticle physicists
and funding agencies in Europe”.

The H.E.S.S. observatory has been operated for almost a decade by
the collaboration of more than 170 scientists, from 32 scientific
institutions and 12 different countries: Namibia and South Africa,
Germany, France, the UK, Ireland, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic,
Sweden, Armenia, and Australia. To date, the H.E.S.S. Collaboration
has published over 100 articles in high-impact scientific journals,
including the top-ranked ‘Nature’ and ‘Science’ journals.

H.E.S.S. was awarded in 2006 the Descartes Prize of the European
Commission – the highest recognition for collaborative research –
and in 2010 the prestigious Rossi Prize of the American Astronomical
Society. In a survey in 2006, H.E.S.S. was ranked the 10th most
influential observatory worldwide, joining the ranks with the Hubble
Space Telescope or the telescopes of the European Southern Observatory
ESO in Chile.

EX-PRESIDENTIAL RUNNER SHOCKED BY ARMENIAN POLLSTER’S WORDING OF KARABAKH

tert.am
27.07.12

A defeated candidate in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) presidential
polls, Vitaly Balasanyan, has expressed his disappointment with
sociologist Aharon Adibekyan’s wording about the country.

In a Facebook post, Balasanyan says he is shocked by the pollster’s
statement characterizing Karabakh as a small community which may be
split up by the opposition.

Considering Adibekyan’s approach to the country’s opposition
ridiculous, the ex-presidential runner, who was formerly a deputy
defense minister of Karabakh, says the statement more reminds him of
the one-time unreasonable arguments voiced by Soviet authoritarian
lawyers. Such stance, according to him, could pose a threat to
Artsakh’s future.

“The Artsakh people have always been unanimous over the Artsakh issue,
and should, heaven forbid, a war begin, the same people will again
unitedly protect their country, Artsakh, from those wishing to see it
as a community. It is unacceptable that people, whose fate has been
on table for several years on end, are unaware of the process. So
the opposition is necessary in order to counteract this or be an
alternative to the authorities. The people of Artsakh must from now
on be rebellious for the sake of protecting their rights and building
an effective state,” reads Balasanyan’s statement.

SYRIAN ARMENIAN FAMILIES’ REFUGE GROUP LAUNCHED AT FACEBOOK

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 27, 2012 – 21:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Syrian Armenian Families’ Refuge group was launched
at Facebook social network.

“We aim to find volunteers ready to welcome our compatriots from
Syria who’re having problems with finding accommodation,” the group’s
post said.

Syrian rebel forces were bracing Friday, July 27 for the “mother
of all” battles in Aleppo, as Washington warned the army could be
preparing to carry out a massacre in the country’s second city. Waves
of troop reinforcements have been pouring into the northern city.

Early Friday, helicopter gunships strafed a string of rebel
neighborhoods in the southwest of the city. Clashes also broke out
in the Jamiliya district, adjacent to Aleppo’s historic old quarter,
a human rights watchdog said.

Three people were killed in shelling of the southern Fardoss district
and one was shot dead in the Maysaloon neighborhood, the Britain-based
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

In Salaheddin, a rebel bastion in the southwest of the city,
hundreds of opposition fighters were bracing for the threatened
counter-offensive by the embattled regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

18-METER WOODEN SHIP FOUND IN SEVAN LAKE BOTTOM

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 26, 2012 – 18:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 18-meter half-preserved sunken ship was recently
found at the bottom of the Lake Sevan, according to a member of
Armenia’s Underwater Research and Diving Center.

“The find was named “Vahe 1″ after the diver who discovered it. NAS
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography is currently in the process
of dating the wooden ship,” Stepan Kojayan said.

Kojayan did not provide information about the specific location of
the discovery, stressing that the center is planning to initiate
underwater excavations.

THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION IS LED BY TURKEY: REUTERS

ARMENPRESS
27 July, 2012
YEREVAN

Yerevan, July 27, ARMENPRESS: “The Syrian armed opposition is led
by Turkey. A special headquarters has been established to lead the
Syrian opposition against Assad”, “Armenpress” reports citing “Reuters”
news agency.

The British news agency notes that this information comes from a
reliable source in Doha, according to which the headquarters of Adana
is under Turkey’s control, and Saudi Arabia and Katar are also in
the structure.

It is likely that the opposition’s terroristic act in Damascus
against the Syrian high-ranked officials was also guided by the Adana
headquarters: Syrian Ministers of Defense and Internal Affairs were
killed in the crime.

Turkey has previously denied selling arms to the opposition and the
role in the attack in Damascus.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN REFEREE DIES IN LONDON

news.am
July 27

Turkish-Armenian Olympic boxing referee Karnik Garip Erkuyumcu was
found dead in a London hotel room, Sport Express informs.

The 73-year-old referee had arrived in London to officiate in the
London 2012 boxing matches. According to preliminary data, Erkuyumcu
lost his life from a heart attack.

He was an International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) Refereeing &
Judging Commission member, and he was to help the ring referee during
the London Olympics.

Karnik Garip Erkuyumcu was found dead by his colleague, and his body
will be transferred back to Turkey next week. To note, the 2012 London
Olympics will officially kick off on Friday and come to a close on
August 12.

HOW CAN YOU SEND INNOCENT PEOPLE TO JAIL?

03:23 pm | Today | Politics

Human Rights Activist Vardan Harutyunyan has addressed a letter to
Serzh Sargsyan.

“Mr. Sargsyan

I spent the best years of my life in Soviet prisons and in exile to
be able to live in a free and independent Armenia and, if necessary,
to have a chance to write to the President of Armenia. The years of
my imprisonment are left behind. I have been living in independent
Armenia for twenty years but still I cannot address to you saying
‘Honourable President.’ It gives me a pain. I regret to say that
the controversial presidential elections in 2008, the post-election
bloodshed of March 1, 2008, and the ensuing political persecution
and violence initiated by you do not allow me to call you in that way.”

Mr. Sargsyan, regardless of my attitude towards you, today you are
sitting on the presidential chair. Much depends on you. You are a
prince in this small country. You are beyond and outside the law. If
your imaginations about the despotic ruler were such, then you are
realizing your ideas. You are almighty in this country and everything
depends on you. Both you and I know that we do not have and will not
have justice and free courts in Armenia as long as you wish it. This
is gospel truth. Given today’s bitter reality, I am writing to you
asking for mercy for the activists of the Armenian National Congress
(HAK) Everyone, including you, knows that those young people at bar
are not criminals. Everyone knows that the court does not have any
evidence proving their guilt. Everyone knows that they are promising
young people concerned about the country’s fortune. It is welcoming
that young people take interest in social and political affairs of
their country. I find it inexpedient to say more high-flown words. Now
I am applying to you as a human being.

Mr. Sargsyan these young people perhaps are the same age as your
children. You are their judge and you cannot prove the opposite. There
is no point in doing it. No one will believe you. How can you send [so
easily] to prison these innocent boys for their political viewpoints?

How can you [so easily] rig elections, distort justice, involve
criminal oligarchs into politics and protecting them destroy the work
on which you have spent so many years!

Mr. Sargsyan if you do not feel pity for your long-term work, do feel
pity for your children and grandchildren. Nothing is eternal in this
world. Nor can you be in power for ever. I call on you to be guided
for a moment by discretion, rather than by political expediency and
false revenge. These young people should have the right to live freely
after the end of you tenure in office. They should not be ashamed of
injustice, persecution, violence, as well as unjustified and arbitrary
sentencing of young people reported during your office.

We are at the threshold of presidential elections. People cannot
forgive everything, including the rigged elections, the March
1 bloodshed, the existence of political prisoners, violence and
persecution by police, obscenity of oligarchs, humiliating electoral
bribes. Even a minor gesture can play a crucial role. Today you
can avoid committing another sin and I call on you to seize that
opportunity. Acquit the HAK activists, put an end to violence and
persecution. Who knows fortune may smile upon you this time and you
will not be forced to perpetrate another March 1 to maintain power.”

ZH. BABAZYAN: WORLD ADMIRES ARMENIAN CULTURE

Panorama.am
18:09 27/07/2012 ” Society

French – Armenian actor, director Zhirayr Babazyan (Papazyan) has
presented the reading – concert version of Karine operetta by Tigran
Chukhajyan in Paris in 2010. Now he is trying to perform it also in
Armenia after getting the corresponding financial means, said Zhirayr
Babazyan in the press conference.

According to him he tries to make ties between France and Armenia
in that way. He says that in case of receiving support “Karine”
operetta will be ready for Francophone days which usually are being
held in spring.

According to the director the Armenian culture should serve a tool
through which the Armenian case will be presented to the world. “The
world admires the heritage of the Armenian culture, which they are
not familiar with,” he said and stressed the financial need in that
sphere. Only high-quality culture should be presented in places where
they are not familiar. But for professional performances financing
is needed.

THE SYRIA SITUATION: NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY THAT WOULD INCREASE FLIGHTS FROM ALEPPO

News | 27.07.12 | 15:36

The Government of Armenia has once again addressed the issue of
Syrian-Armenians who have suffered because of the civil war in Syria.

Under a new decree issued on Thursday, the Government gives an
opportunity to all Armenians who are citizens of a number of countries
(including Syria) to get an entrance visa at border checkpoints of
Armenia. Previously citizens of other countries with Armenian origin
could get an entrance visa only in diplomatic representations and
consulates of Armenia in foreign countries and only based on an
invitation from Armenia.

The Government has also referred to the concerns voiced by
Syrian-Armenians, saying that in order to get an Armenian passport
they have to come and back and forth to Armenia several times. The
Government has approved the list of those countries the citizens
of which in some cases (in this case during wartime) can get an
Armenian passport for the first time in diplomatic representations
and consulates of Armenia in foreign countries; Lebanon and Syria
are on the list of those countries.

At the same time, the negotiations are underway between the Government
and Armavia Airlines to increase flights between Aleppo-Yerevan to
twice a week. A weekly flight also is carried out by Syrian Airlines.

Both have sold out all tickets up until September. Armavia has been
repeatedly criticized for having limited number of flights and raising
the ticket prices. The aviation company stated that the criticism is
baseless, because unlike many European countries Armavia continues
carrying out flights in the war zone, and it is connected with high
insurance risks and substantial expenses.

Armavia has officially stated that it will be able to add one more
flight a week if the Government supports them, providing the company
with subsidies (the Government did it in 2006 during the Lebanon-Israel
conflict).

“According to the international aviation legislation, the frequency
of flights is increased only in case governments agree; that is to
say, Armavia cannot increase the flights independently,” an Armavia
representative told ArmeniaNow.

RUSSIA’S ROSAGROLEASING TO OPEN SOON ITS ARMENIAN SUBSIDIARY

/ARKA/
27 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, July 26. /ARKA/. Armenian agricultural minister Sergo
Karapetian told a news conference today that Russia’s Rosagroleasing
enterprise that provides tractors and other equipment to farmers will
open very soon its Armenian subsidiary.

According to him, the subsidiary will lease agricultural machinery to
farmers at low interest rates and long repayable period. The minister
said also it would be beneficial to agricultural cooperatives, which
may upgrade their machinery for co-processing of lands.

Karapetian also informed that his ministry was negotiating supplies
of Armenian fruits and vegetables with peers in Russia and Belarus.

Rosagroleasing is the largest state owned agro industrial leasing
company in Russia, working on the leasing market of agricultural
equipment. It was established in February 2001. The main shareholder
of the company is the government of the Russian Federation. The company
is the leading company amongst Russia’s leasing companies on the value
of the concluded agreements and is one of the top 50 European companies
(judged by the European association of leasing companies).