Evolution of the Level of Sunspot Activity in Solar Cycles I. Evolution in the Descending Phase

Taking the 13-point smoothed monthly sunspot number, Ri, and the deviation of the 13 associated monthly sunspot numbers from the smoothed one, D_i, as a number-pair describing the global level of sunspot activity, the evolution of the level is statistically studied for the period from the month which is just 48 months before the minimum to the minimum in the descending phase, using the observed data of Solar Cycles 10 to 22. Our results show (1) for 46 months (94%) of the studied 49 months it is found that for a given month, the distribution of the 13 pairs which come from the 13 solar cycles on a log Ri-D_i plane may be fitted by a straight line with a correlation coefficient larger than the critical one at confidence level α= 5%, and for 36 months (73%) the fitting is even better, for α= 1%;(2) time variations of these two parameters and their correlations in the studied period can be described respectively by functions of time, whose main trends may be expressed by a linear or simple curvilinear function; (3) the evolutionary path of the level of sunspot activity may be represented by a logarithmic function as log R_i=0.704 In D_i-0.291.     

A Monte Carlo Study of the Evolution of the Scale Height of Normal Pulsars in the Galaxy

Based on the undisturbed, finite thickness disk gravitational potential, we carried out 3-D Monte Carlo simulations of normal pulsars. We find that their scale height evolves in a similar way for different velocity dispersions (σv): it first increases linearly with time, reaches a peak, then gradually decreases, and finally approaches a stable asymptotic value. The initial velocity dispersion has a very large influence on the scale height. The time evolution of the scale height is studied. When the magnetic decay age is used as the time variable, the observed scale height has a similar trend as the simulated results in the linear stage, from which we derive velocity dispersions in the range 70- 178km s-1, which are near the statistical result of 90 - 270km s-1 for 92 pulsars with known transverse velocities. If the characteristic age is used as the time variable, then the observed and theoretical curves roughly agree for t > 108 yr only if σv < 25km s-1.     

On the Evolution of the Lower Energy Cutoff of Nonthermal Electrons in Solar Flares

1 INTRODUCTION Gan, Li and Chang (2001a) proposed a quantitative method to obtain the lower energycutoff (Er) of power-law electrons from the observed broken-down double power-law hard Xray spectrum. Most recently Can et al. (2002) improved the method and let it be moreself-consistent. They applied their improved method to the 54 hard X-ray events observed withBATSE/CGRO and acquired more general results in comparison with those obtained by Canet al. (2001b). Despite the data is rel…     

Evidence of Evolution in the Dense Cores in Massive Star Forming Regions

The excitation of H2O masers usually needs very high density gas, hence it can serve as a marker of dense gas in HII region. We selected a sample of H2O maser sources from Plume et al. (four with, and four without detected CS(J = 7-6) emission), and observed them in 13CO(J=1-0) and C18O (J=1-0). C18O (J=1-0) emission was detected only in three of the sources with detected CS(J=7-6) emission. An analysis combined with some data in the literature suggests that these dense cores may be located at different evolutionary stages. Multi-line observation study may provide us clues on the evolution of massive star forming regions and the massive stars themselves.     

Evolution of the Electron Distribution Function in the Whistler Wave Turbulence of the Solar Wind

The electron distribution functions from the solar corona to the solar wind are determined in this paper by considering the effects of the external forces, of Coulomb collisions and of the wave – particle resonant interactions in the plasma wave turbulence. The electrons are assumed to be interacting with right-handed polarized waves in the whistler regime. The acceleration of electrons in the solar wind seems to be mainly due to the electrostatic potential. Wave turbulence determines the electron pitch-angle diffusion and some characteristics of the velocity distribution function (VDF) such as suprathermal tails. The role of parallel whistlers can also be extended to small altitudes in the solar wind (the acceleration region of the outer corona), where they may explain the energization and the presence of suprathermal electrons.     

On the Evolution of the Apparent Size of Gamma-Ray Burst Remnants

The remnants of two gamma-ray bursts, GRB 030329 and GRB 041227, have been resolved by Very Long Baseline Interferometry observations. The radio counterparts were observed to expand with time. These observations provide an important way to test the dynamics of the standard fireball model. We show that the observed size evolution of these two events cannot be explained by a simple jet model, rather, it can be satisfactorily explained by the two-component jet model. It strongly hints that gamma-ray burst ejecta may have complicated structures.     

Time Evolution of the Turnover Frequency for Diagnosis of the Coronal Magnetic Field

Two impulsive microwave bursts observed by Owens-Valley Solar Arrays (OVSA)are studied.The fast time variation of the turnover frequency in these bursts is quite different from the constant value in the earlier conclusion.The observational turnover frequencies are consistent with the calculations using the non-thermal gyro- synchrotron radiation model.We find the turnover frequency may play an important role for calculating the coronal magnetic field on the basis of Dulk and Marsh's ap- proximations.     

Evidence for Lévy Random Walks in the Evolution of Comets from the Oort Cloud

With a simple map model, derived within the framework of the planar circular restricted three-body problem (SunuuJupiteruucomet), we study the dynamical evolution of near-parabolic comets under the perturbation of Jupiter. The commonly adopted random walk assumption about the energy evolution of the comets is examined. Numerical results show that for the comets on Jupiter-crossing orbits, due to the large energy changes with Jupiter per passage, the statistical evolution of the cometary energy follows a Lévy random walk, thus statistically the final energy parameter that a comet reaches is linked to the number of passages by a power law K _f n _f. The mechanism that generates the Lévy random walk is explained in this model.     

Structure and Evolution of the Transition Region Network Observed in he ii λ304

The length scale and life time of the transition region network cells were studied using Heii 304 filtergrams. The temporal structure function was calculated from spatially aligned Heii 304 images. The estimated life time of the network cell was about 27 hr. We compared this life time with the life time of photospheric magnetic network and of the extrapolated magnetic network. The spatial structure function was calculated from the Heii 304 filtergrams. The calculated spatial structure function saturates at 25000 km. The transition region network elements are bigger in size than the photospheric magnetic network element. The magnetic network element equals the size of the Heii 304 network element when the photospheric magnetic field is extrapolated to a height of 3000 km above the photosphere where the magnetic fluxes are deployed. The derived value of the diffusion speed of the network elements was 0.098 km s^–1.     

Thermal Evolution of the Phaethon–Geminid Stream Complex

The thermal evolution of the Geminid meteor stream and the Phaethon–Geminid stream Complex (PGC) are summarized. Sodium contents of Geminid meteor streams are altered thermally, perhaps during orbital motion in interplanetary space due to the short perihelion distance of the orbit (q ～ 0.14 AU). However, the temperature of meteoroids is less than the sublimation temperature of Na in alkali silicates, suggesting that the parent body 3200 Phaethon itself might have suffered from the thermal processing. On the other hand, a breakup event on PGC parent is suggested by the existence of dynamically associated asteroids (Phaethon, 2005 UD and 1999 YC) sharing pristine features (C, B types). A possible mechanism behind the breakup is the sublimation of ice inside the PGC parent due to its thermal evolution. It is tempting to guess that the PGC parent might be evolved dynamically from the outer part of the main asteroid belt where the residence of ice-rich asteroids (main belt comets) into current PGC-like orbit.     

Chemo–Dynamical Effects of Bars in Galactic Evolution

Some effects of a bar on stellar orbits and on chemical gradients are presented for spiral galaxies in general and for the Solar Neighborhood in particular. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spin Evolution of Neutron Stars in OB／X-ray Binaries

We have investigated the relation between the orbital period Porb and the spin period Ps of neutron stars in OB/X-ray binaries. By simulating the time-development of the mass loss rate and radius expansion of a 20A⊙ donor star, we have calculated the detailed spin evolution of the neutron star before steady wind accretion occurs (that is, when the break spin period is reached), or when the OB star begins evolving off the main sequence or has filled its Roche lobe. Our results are compatible with the observations of OB/X-ray binaries. We find that in relatively narrow systems with orbital periods less than tens of days, neutron stars with initial magnetic field B0 stronger than about 3×1012 G can reach the break spin period to allow steady wind accretion in the main sequence time, whereas neutron stars with B0 < 3×1012 G and/or in wide systems would still be in one of the pulsar, rapid rotator or propeller phases when the companion evolves off the main sequence or fills its Roche lobe. Our results may     

An Impulsive Heating Model for the Evolution of Coronal Loops

It was suggested by Parker that the solar corona is heated by many small energy release events generally called microflares or nanoflares. More and more observations showed flows and intensity variations in nonflaring loops. Both theories and observations have indicated that the heating of coronal loops should actually be unsteady. Using SOLFTM (Solar Flux Tube Model), we investigate the hydrodynamics of coronal loops undergoing different manners of impulsive heating with the same total energy deposition. The half length of the loops is 110 Mm, a typical length of active region loops. We divide the loops into two categories: loops that experience catastrophic cooling and loops that do not. It is found that when the nanoflare heating sources are in the coronal part, the loops are in non-catastrophic-cooling state and their evolutions are similar. When the heating is localized below the transition region, the loops evolve in quite different ways. It is shown that with increasing number of heating pulses and inter-pulse time, the catastrophic cooling is weakened, delayed, or even disappears altogether.     

Implementation of New OPAL Tables in Eggleton's Stellar Evolution Code

Based on previous works of OPAL, we construct a series of opacity tables for various metallicities Z=0, 0.000 01, 0.000 03, 0.000 1, 0.000 3, 0.001, 0.004, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1. These tables can be easily used in Eggleton's stellar evolution code in place of the old tables without changing the code. The OPAL tables are used for log10(T/K) > 3.95 and Alexander's for log10(T/K) < 3.95. At log10(T/K) = 3.95, the two groups' data fit well for all hydrogen mass fractions. Conductive opacities are included by reciprocal addition according to the formulae of Yakovlev and Urpin. A comparison of 1 and 5 M models constructed with the older OPAL tables of Iglesias and Rogers shows that the new opacities have most effect in the late stages of evolution, the extension of the blue loop during helium burning for intermediate-mass and massive stars.     

Evolution of hard gluons in a medium with q^(t)∼tn and the thermalization problem

We study the energy distribution of hard gluons traversing a dense quark-gluon plasma by comparing various transverse momentum broadening rates , using a probabilistic perturbative approach. These results were applied to address the thermalization problem in heavy ion collisions. Within the weak coupling model, thermalization follows a “bottom-up” process: early-formed high-energy partons emit low-energy gluons, leading to their equilibrium formation, creating a thermal bath that facilitates equilibrium in the high-energy sector. Under this scenario, we model the time dependencies of $$ as a power-law $$, and assess the impact of $$ on the distribution of hard gluons passing through the medium.     

Hydrodynamic Evolution of GRB Afterglow

1 INTRODUCTIONMom the detection at X-rap optical and radio wavelengths of ganuna-ray bursts (GRBs)since 1997 (Costa et al. 1997; van Paradijs et al. 1997; Sahu et al. 1997; Djorgovsld et al. 1997;Metzger et al. 1997; Frail et al. 1997; Taylor et al. 1997; Kulforni et al. 1998; Halpern et al.1998; Castro-Tirado et al. 1999; Kulkalni et al. 1999; Galama et al. 1999), we have come toknow that the GRBs can release 1051 ~ 1054 ergs in a few seconds and that the fireball modelcan describ…     

Evolution of a spherically symmetric dust-like cloud in ΛCDM models

We investigate the evolution of a spherically symmetric dust-like cloud at the linear and nonlinear stages in the framework of ΛCDM models of the universe with nonzero three-space curvature. The evolution conditions are expressed for any redshift z ≥ 0 in terms of the amplitude δ_min of the fluctuation which stops to expand at infinite time, the amplitude δ _ta of the fluctuation which stops to expand at a given moment, and the amplitude δ _c of the fluctuation which collapses at a given moment. These amplitudes are calculated as functions of cosmological model parameters and redshift. The ratios D _nl ^r /D _l of nonlinear amplitude estimates to linear ones and the typical fluctuation scales k _nl /k are approximated by a function of the linear amplitude δ _z .     

Implementation of New OPAL Tables in Eggleton＇s Stellar Evolution Code

Based on previous works of OPAL, we construct a series of opacity tables for various metallicities Z=0, 0.000 01, 0.000 03, 0.000 1, 0.000 3, 0.001, 0.004, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1. These tables can be easily used in Eggleton's stellar evolution code in place of the old tables without changing the code. The OPAL tables are used for log10(T/K) > 3.95 and Alexander's for log10(T/K) < 3.95. At log10(T/K) = 3.95, the two groups' data fit well for all hydrogen mass fractions. Conductive opacities are included by reciprocal addition according to the formulae of Yakovlev and Urpin. A comparison of 1 and 5 M models constructed with the older OPAL tables of Iglesias and Rogers shows that the new opacities have most effect in the late stages of evolution, the extension of the blue loop during helium burning for intermediate-mass and massive stars.     

Peculiarities of the variations in the coordinates of the Earth’s pole

The appearance of features with cusp points on the diagrams of changes in the coordinates of the Earth’s instantaneous pole (polhodes) is considered as the result of mapping onto the plane of its displacement over the surface during the Earth’s rotational-translational motion. The results of qualitative and quantitative analyses of the data on the coordinates of the Earth’s instantaneous pole are discussed. The basic principles of the theory of Whitney singularities and their application for explaining the bifurcations of the equilibrium positions for the Zeeman catastrophe machine (Arnold 1990) are used in the analyses.