11. Commission des Phénomènes Chromosphériques

Au cours des trois années 1932,1933 et 1934, les relevés et statistiques habituels des flocculi, des protubérances et de l’épaisseur de la chromosphère, ont été poursuivis et publiés régulièrement. Ils se répartissent de la manière suivante:</jats:p

10. Commission des Taches Solaires et des Figures Caractéristiques Solaires

Mr Royds writes: “The original scheme for daily character figures called for integers ranging from 0—5 to characterise the solar activity for bright and dark flocculi. Since then it has appeared to some observatories to be desirable, particularly as the spot cycle has approached its minimum, to quote character figures intermediate between whole integers. Many observatories have introduced 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, etc., in addition to whole integers, whilst others have also used 0.2, 0.7, 1.2, etc. It seems to me that sufficient experience has now been gained to decide how far this subdivision between whole integers is to be carried. Kodaikanal would be willing to revert to the original proposal of whole integers on the scale 0.5. If it is considered desirable to interpolate half integers, I suggest that whole integers on the scale 0-10 would be easier to print and to read.”</jats:p

10. Commission des Taches Solaires et des Nombres CaractéRistiques Solaires

Periodicity and new properties of the frequency curve. Bruno Hanisch uses the method of autocorrelation introduced by W. Pollack in geophysics for the discovery of periods in the frequency series of sunspots from 1794 to 1925. Dividing the whole interval into three sections he finds an eleven- and an eight-year period common to the three sections, whereas other periods found in the three sections differ widely from each other. The new method gives for the length of the main period II-8 years for the interval 1880 to 1925. This result agrees strikingly with the revolution period of Jupiter (Gerlands Beiträge zur Geophysik, 46, 1935).</jats:p

II. Commission des Phénomènes Chromosphériques

La Commission vient de subir une lourde perte en la personne de George Ellery Hale, Directeur honoraire de l’Observatoire du Mont Wilson, décédé le 21 février 1938, à l’âge de 70 ans.L’enregistrement des phénomènes chromosphériques qui sert de base aux relevés et statistiques publiés régulièrement par divers observatoires, a été poursuivi sans changements notables depuis le dernier congrès. Le tableau reproduit dans Trans. I.A.U. 5, 59, 1935 et dans lequel sont groupés les renseignements relatifs à ces travaux d’observation courante, est donc toujours valable.</jats:p

12. Commission de Physique Solaire

The president calls attention to the large and increasing membership of Commission 12 and the policy of concentrating in it all matters relating to the sun. The result makes it comparable in breadth of field and in membership to the former Union for Co-operation in Solar Research. The main point in favour of this policy is the increased interest in the meetings of the Commission and the larger number of individuals reached compared with the meetings of small committees. One recalls the general sessions of the Solar Union in which each one present felt himself a part of the Union and in real touch with the work of different sections and after the discussions went away with fuller knowledge of what it was all about. This was a valuable result not attained to the same degree from the general sessions of the present Union, but in a measure it does follow from the meetings of the Solar Physics Committee. On the other hand the question may be raised whether or not the merging of independent commissions into subdivisions of a large commission lessens their interest to an extent not balanced by the advantages. If the present policy holds, it seems to the president that a re-organisation of Commission 12 is advisable by which more responsibility is laid upon the directors of centres. The basis of membership in the Commission may well be considered and recommendations formulated for transmission to the Executive Committee.</jats:p

Immune boosting by B.1.1.529 <b>(</b> Omicron) depends on previous SARS-CoV-2 exposure

The Omicron, or Pango lineage B.1.1.529, variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) carries multiple spike mutations with high transmissibility and partial neutralizing antibody (nAb) escape. Vaccinated individuals show protection against severe disease, often attributed to primed cellular immunity. We investigated T and B cell immunity against B.1.1.529 in triple BioNTech BNT162b2 messenger RNA–vaccinated health care workers (HCWs) with different SARS-CoV-2 infection histories. B and T cell immunity against previous variants of concern was enhanced in triple-vaccinated individuals, but the magnitude of T and B cell responses against B.1.1.529 spike protein was reduced. Immune imprinting by infection with the earlier B.1.1.7 (Alpha) variant resulted in less durable binding antibody against B.1.1.529. Previously infection-naïve HCWs who became infected during the B.1.1.529 wave showed enhanced immunity against earlier variants but reduced nAb potency and T cell responses against B.1.1.529 itself. Previous Wuhan Hu-1 infection abrogated T cell recognition and any enhanced cross-reactive neutralizing immunity on infection with B.1.1.529.</jats:p