NASA takes first x-ray photo of star

The first x-ray picture of a star other than the sun is this one of Cygnus X-1 taken by the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's second High Energy As­tronomy Observatory, HEAO 2. The observatory, launched in mid-November (C&EN, Nov. 20, page 22), is in orbit 290 nautical miles above the earth—high enough to avoid the atmospheric interference that makes x-ray photography of celestial objects impossible from the ground. This image has been reconstructed by a computer from data from the satellite. Light dots represent x-rays. The raw data include scattered background radiation from other sources. Only the small white, central portion represents the x-ray counts received from the star itself. X-ray photographs of Cygnus X-1 are of particular interest because it is a "black hole candidate"—one of four stars considered most likely to contain black holes if black holes exist.

ministration had proposed a sub­stantial "tilt" toward basic research amounting to an increase of 12.2% over fiscal 1978, but it proposed to accomplish this largely by a reorien­tation from applied research and demonstrations within a total budget for NIH that would increase only 3.5%.

Congress enthusiastically accepted the new thrust for basic research, but as usual was reluctant to cut other NIH R&D funding. The result, ac­cording to the AAAS estimates, is that Congress has increased NIH appropriations for basic research 19% over the Administration's request and 33.6% over fiscal 1978.

The report points out that the combined basic research budget for the other agencies is 1.6% less than the budget requests. Total funding for basic research in these agencies is still 9.3% above fiscal 1978.

Perhaps hardest hit by the reduc­tions was the National Bureau of Standards. Congress reduced total appropriations for the group of agencies that includes NBS only $7.8 million, but it mandated a $7 million increase within the reduced total for the Federal Computer Standards Programs, which NBS runs, thereby putting a total squeeze of almost $15 million on all other activities.

In a significant but nondollar ac­tion relating to R&D, the report points out, Congress passed new leg­islation requiring the President and the Department of State to give spe­cial attention to science in the con­duct of U.S. foreign policy.

Title V of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for fiscal 1979 specifies at length the findings and policies of Congress on the impor­tance of science and technology in international affairs, lays down a number of reporting requirements, and authorizes the State Department to make grants or contracts for stud­ies and training with respect to the application of science and technology to foreign policy problems. Congress also stated its intention that at least $4 million be spent by the depart­ment on such activities. •

Purchasing managers optimistic about 1979 Next year generally will be a good business year, but there are some worrisome signs, according to E. F. Andrews, chairman of the Business Survey Committee of the National Association of Purchasing Manage­ment and vice president for materials and services at Allegheny Ludlum.

Speaking at NAPM's annual busi-

6 C&EN Dec. 4, I978

ness forecast press conference in New York City, Andrews said that the economy will be better in 1979 than in 1978, but the growth rate will be less. Andrews forecasts about a 2% or less growth in real gross national product next year. Last year at this time he forecast 4% real growth in GNP for 1978 over 1977.

The NAPM business forecast is based primarily on a survey of more than 200 purchasing managers in various industries. The survey is weighted so that the results reflect the relative importance to the econ­omy of each industry and each geo­graphic region.

Andrews says that he does not be­lieve that there will be a recession in 1979, but if it happens, it will be around midyear or beyond and it will be light and short and over by 1980. He also says that it will be spotty, af­fecting mainly large-value consumer items, such as housing and automo­biles.

One of the things that worries An­drews in his forecast is prices. A very high percentage—92%—of the re­spondents to NAPM's survey indi­cated that they believed that prices will increase in 1979. However, he finds some consolation in that 85%

said that they think that price in­creases will be moderate.

One of the responses in the survey that is affecting the forecast is that 52% in the November poll said that they are optimistic about the future. This is down substantially from 70% who said they were optimistic in NAPM's September survey.

Prices in 1979 will continue to rise, according to 92% of the purchasing managers surveyed, and the increase may be widespread, Andrews says. In the survey, 64% of the respondents thought that price increases will be "across the board," whereas 46% said that they believe increases will be "highly selective." However, 85% of the purchasing managers answering the survey said that they believe that price increases will be moderate.

Andrews took the opportunity of the press conference to warn against mandatory government price con­trols, in spite of his fear of continuing inflation. If the government puts limits on prices, he says, there will be greater exports of U.S. goods to un­controlled economies, which could result in shortages here. And imports of goods on which prices cannot be controlled will rise, thus increasing prices, despite controls. •