An attempt is made to derive a simple form of the collision integral of the kinetic equation for a plasma, by using Rostoker’s equation which expresses the pair correlation function in terms of the distribution functions of the particles, and the conditional probability of one particle shielding the other. The conditional probability function is assumed to be given by its equilibrium value. By taking first order velocity-moment of the resulting kinetic equation, the equation of momentum transfer has been obtained.

Within the framework of quasi equilibrium approximation, Josephson’s expression for current in a weakly coupled superconducting system is derived without the use of any specific microscopic model. It is based only on the existence of the off-diagonal long-range order in the two-particle reduced density matrix. Allowing for deviations from the quasi equilibrium approximation, generalised Josephson equations are obtained which include ohmic terms. The effect of relaxation and thermal fluctuations is examined in detail to emphasise the physical origin of various terms in the expression for current.

The variable moment of inertia (VMI) model proposed by Holmberg and Lipas has been shown to be a special case of the VMI model of Mariscottiet al. The solution of Mariscotti’s model is expressed in terms of hypergeometric functions, which directly give the rotational energies or their expansions in terms of the quantityF(F+1), whereF is the total angular momentum. The present way of looking at the VMI model also tells us how to write the general dependence of the vibrational energy and the moment of inertia on the energyE_J.

Studies on two rare cases of magnetic behaviour in basaltic rocks are reported. In both the cases a peak in susceptibility occurs at −160°C. However, one sample shows only normal hysteresis loops at low temperatures in a wide range of fields, while the other sample shows a constricted hysteresis loop in 1000 Oe at −190°C. Both types of behaviour can occur as a result of differing states of aggregation of interacting superparamagnetic particles in the respective samples.

The ternary oxides CrMnGaO₄, NiMnGaO₄, CuMnGaO₄ and ZnMnGaO₄, crystallize in the cubic spinel structure with lattice parametera=8.41±0.02 Å, 8.34±0.02 Å, 8.36±0.02 Å and 8.32±0.02 Å, respectively. The oxidation state of manganese in these spinels was determined x-ray spectroscopically. The site distribution was determined from the structural properties and calculated site preference energies of cations in the lattice. The ionic structures were found to be Ga³⁺ [Mn²⁺ Cr³⁺] O ₄²⁻ . Ga³⁺ [Cu²⁺ Mn³⁺] O ₄²⁻ , Mn²⁺ [Ga³⁺ Ni³⁺] O ₄²⁻ and Zn²⁺ [Mn³⁺ Ga³⁺] O ₄²⁻ .

The fractional ionic character of alkali and silver halide crystals is defined in terms of the deviations from the additivity rule for polarizabilities of ions. The electronic polarizabilities of ions are calculated using an empirical relationship according to which the electronic polarizability of an ion can be assumed to be directly proportional to the cube of its radius. The calculated ionicities indicate that the alkali halides are nearly or more than 90% ionic and silver halides are much less ionic which is also evident from the Phillips ionicity scale.

Isophotes obtained by equidensitometry techniques from four exposures of the March 7, 1970 corona are used for derivation of intensity distributions along the equator, poles, streamers and dark ‘gaps’ in the visible corona. The distributions differ from the van de Hulst curves for a maximum corona. The Kodaikanal measures agree well with the NRL measures of the outer corona made from a rocket coronagraph and together provide data from 1·2R_⊙ to 8·0R_⊙ along the solar equator. Radial intensity gradients for different position angles and the Ludendorff parameters obtained, characterize this corona as typical of the solar maximum.