~(12)CO,~(13)CO and C~(18)O observations along the major axes of nearby bright infrared galaxies

We present simultaneous observations of 12CO,13CO and C18O J=1-0 emission in 11 nearby(cz<1000 km s-1) bright infrared galaxies.Both 12CO and 13CO are detected in the centers of all the galaxies,except for 13CO in NGC 3031. We have also detected C18O,CSJ=2-1 and HCO+J=1-0 emission in the nuclear regions of M82 and M51.These are the first systematical extragalactic detections of 12CO and its isotopes from the PMO 14 m telescope.We have conducted half-beam-spaced mapping of M82 over an area of 4×2.5 and major...     

Measurements for the Performance of the Digital Autocorrelation Spectrometer

Injecting phase calibration (PCAL) signals to the feed horn of the observation sys- tem and analyzing the output response signals of the spectrometer, we measured the working performance of a 4096-channel digital autocalibration spectrometer. The results demonstrate that the spectrometer has a fine working performance: (1) the channels are distributed uni- formly in the spectrometer; (2) line drift produces little effect on the observation results; (3) spectral resolution shows little changes with observation time. The distribution of the fre- quency resolution in an 80 MHz bandwidth was measured. A trial observation on the two molecular spectral lines of H2CO and H110α taken with this spectrometer is described.     

Multi-wavelength study of triggered star formation around 25 H II regions

We investigate 25 H II regions that show bubble morphology in13CO(1–0)and infrared data,to search for quantitative evidence of triggered star formation by processes described by the collect and collapse(CC)and radiatively driven implosion(RDI)models.These H II regions display the morphology of a complete or partial bubble at 8μm,and are all associated with the molecular clouds that surround them.We found that the electron temperature ranges from 5627 K to 6839 K in these H II regions,and the average electron temperature is 6083 K.The age of these H II regions is from 3.0×105yr to 1.7×106yr,and the mean age is 7.7×105yr.Based on the morphology of the associated molecular clouds,we divide these H II regions into three groups,which may support CC and RDI models.We select 23 young IRAS sources which have an infrared luminosity of103L in 19 H II regions.In addition,we identify some young stellar objects(including Class I sources),which are only concentrated in H II regions G29.007+0.076,G44.339–0.827 and G47.028+0.232.The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions of the three H II regions all show a cometary globule.Comparing the age of each H II region with the characteristic timescales for star formation,we suggest that the three H II regions can trigger clustered star formation by an RDI process.In addition,we detect seven molecular outflows in the five H II regions for the first time.These outflow sources may be triggered by the corresponding H II regions.     

Possible evidence of destroying small PAH particles by radiation from AGNs

The issue of destroying small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH) particles by radiation from AGNs is examined through optical narrow-emission line ratios of a sample of type II AGNs. We find that narrow-line ratios [OI]λ6300/Hα and[SII]λ6716, λ6731/Hα have prominent correlations with the PAH 11.3/7.7 ratio in our selected sample of AGNs. Because of the marginal(and in some cases no) dependence of the PAH ratio on the gas metallicity, a possible explanation for the correlations is the destruction of small PAH particles by the hard ionizing field associated with the AGNs.     

Associations of decimetric type Ⅲ bursts with coronal mass ejections and Hα flares

We present a statistical study of decimetric type Ⅲ radio bursts,coronal mass ejections(CMEs),and Hα flares observed in the period from July 2000 to March2005.In total,we investigated 395 decimetric type Ⅲ radio burst events,21% of which showed apparent correlation to CMEs that were associated with Hα flares.We noticed that the Hα flares which were strongly associated with CMEs were gradual events,and82% of them took place before CMEs appeared in the field of view of LASCO C2;that most of the CME-associated radio bursts started in the frequency range around750 MHz with a frequency drifting rate of several hundred MHz s-1,of which both positive and negative ones were recognized; and that the correlation of type Ⅲ radio bursts to CMEs without associated flares is fairly vague,less than 9%.     

Pilot HI survey of Planck Galactic Cold Clumps with FAST

We present a pilot HI survey of 17 Planck Galactic Cold Clumps(PGCCs)with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope(FAST).HI Narrow Self-Absorption(HINSA)is an effective method to detect cold HI being mixed with molecular hydrogen H2 and improves our understanding of the atomic to molecular transition in the interstellar medium.HINSA was found in 58%PGCCs that we observed.The column density of HINSA was found to have an intermediate correlation with that of 13CO,following log(N(HINSA))=(0.52±0.26)log(N13CO)+(10±4.1).HI abundance relative to total hydrogen[HI]/[H]has an average value of 4.4×10-3,which is about 2.8 times of the average value of previous HINSA surveys toward molecular clouds.For clouds with total column density NH>5×1020 cm-2,an inverse correlation between HINSA abundance and total hydrogen column density is found,confirming the depletion of cold HI gas during molecular gas formation in more massive clouds.Nonthermal line width of 13CO is about 0-0.5 kms-1 larger than that of HINSA.One possible explanation of narrower non-thermal width of HINSA is that HINSA region is smaller than that of 13CO.Based on an analytic model of H2 formation and H2 dissociation by cosmic ray,we found the cloud ages to be within 106.7-107.0 yr for five sources.     

The Filament Eruption of 1999 March 21 and Its Associated Coronal Dimmings and CME

We report a filament eruption near the center of the solar disk on 1999 March 21, in multi-wavelength observations by the Yohkoh Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT), the Extreme-ultraviolet Images Telescope (EIT) and the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The eruption involved in the disappearance of an Ha filament can be clearly identified in EIT 195 A difference images. Two flare-like EUV ribbons and two obvious coronal dimming regions were formed. The two dimming regions had a similar appearance in lines formed in temperature range 6×104 K to several 106 K. They were located in regions of opposite magnetic polarities near the two ends of the eruptive filament. No significant X-ray or Ha flare was recorded associated with the eruption and no obvious photospheric magnetic activity was detected around the eruptive region, and particularly below the coronal dimming regions. The above surface activities were closely associated with a partial halo-type coronal mass ejection (CME) observed by the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraphs (LASCO) on the SOHO. In terms of the magnetic flux rope model of CMEs, we explained these multiple observations as an integral process of large-scale rearrangement of coronal magnetic field initiated by the filament eruption, in which the dimming regions marked the evacuated feet of the flux rope.     

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.     

Molecular Cores in Different Evolutionary Stages near Luminous IRAS Sources and UC HII Regions

We report the results of 12CO and 13CO J=1–0 observations of eight candidates of Ultra-Compact (UC) HII regions with the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) Qinghai 13.7-m telescope, which resulted in revealing 11 molecular cores. Their masses range from 130 to 1.7×104 M , with different spatial scales (1 ～ 6 pc). Also presented are the relevant HCO J=1–0 maps, which enabled us to investigate more detailed structures of these cores. Further comparisons show that four of the cores deviated from the centers of infrared (MIR) emission of Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX), while others correspond either to bright MIR sources or diffuse MIR background. This indicates various evolutionary phases of the cores, including quite early ones for those without MIR sources.     

Hints of a second explosion(a quark nova) in Cassiopeia A supernova

We show that the explosive transition of the neutron star(NS)to a quark star(QS)(a Quark Nova)in Cassiopeia A(Cas A)a few days following the supernova(SN)proper can account for several of the puzzling kinematic and nucleosynthetic features that are observed.The observed decoupling between Fe and44Ti and the lack of Fe emission within44Ti regions is expected in the QN model owing to the spallation of the inner SN ejecta by relativistic QN neutrons.Our model predicts the44Ti to be more prominent to the NW of the central compact object(CCO)than in the SE and little of it along the NE-SW jets,in agreement with Nu Star observations.Other intriguing features of Cas A are addressed,such as the lack of a pulsar wind nebula and the reported few percent drop in the CCO temperature over a period of 10 yr.     

The comparison of H_2CO(1_(10)–1_(11)),C~(18)O(1–0) and the continuum towards molecular clouds

We present large scale observations of C18O(1–0) towards four massive star forming regions: MON R2,S156,DR17/L906 and M17/M18. The transitions of H2CO(110–111),C18O(1–0) and the 6 cm continuum are compared in these four regions. Our analysis of the observations and the results of the Non–LTE model shows that the brightness temperature of the formaldehyde absorption line is strongest in a background continuum temperature range of about 3 – 8 K. The excitation of the H2 CO absorption line is affected by strong background continuum emission. From a comparison of H2 CO and C18 O maps,we found that the extent of H2 CO absorption is broader than that of C18 O emission in the four regions. Except for the DR17 region,the maximum in H2 CO absorption is located at the same position as the C18 O peak. A good correlation between intensities and widths of H2 CO absorption and C18 O emission lines indicates that the H2 CO absorption line can trace the dense,warm regions of a molecular cloud. We find that N(H2CO) is well correlated with N(C18O) in the four regions and that the average ratio of column densities is N(H2CO)/N(C18O) ～ 0.03.     

Magnetic activity of the spotted dwarf AP149 in the α Persei open cluster

The simultaneous photometric and spectroscopic observations of the spotted G dwarf AP149 in the young open cluster α Persei are analyzed here.We reconstruct the observed light curves with a two-starspot model by means of a light curve modeling technique,and find that the active regions shift oppositely along longitude on a time scale of one day.Combining with the observational data obtained by other groups,we discuss the evolution of spotted regions in the photosphere,and find that its starspots evolve not ...     

A multiwavelength view of the ISM in the merger remnant galaxy Fornax A

We present multi-wavelength imagery of the merger remnant galaxy NGC 1316 with an objective to study the dust content and its association with the other phases of the interstellar medium. Color-index maps as well as extinction maps derived for this galaxy reveal an intricate and complex dust morphology in NGC 1316, i.e. there is a prominent lane in the inner part, while at about 6-7 kpc it apparently takes the form of an arc-like pattern extending along the northeast direction. In addition to this, several other dust clumps and knots are also evident in this galaxy. The dust emission mapped using Spitzer data at 8 μm indicates even more complex morphological structures of the dust in NGC 1316. The extinction curve derived over the optical to near-IR bands closely follows the standard Galactic curve, suggesting similar properties of the dust grains. The dust content of NGC 1316, estimated from optical extinction, is ～ 2.13 105M⊙ . This is a lower limit compared to that estimated using the IRAS flux densities of ～5.17×106M⊙ and the flux densities at 24, 70 and 160 μm from MIPS ～3.2×107M⊙ . High resolution Chandra observations of this merger remnant system have provided an unprecedented view of the complex nature exhibited by the distribution of hot gas in NGC 1316, which closely matches the morphology of ionized gas and to some extent also the dust. X-ray color-color plots for the resolved sources within the optical D 25 extent of NGC 1316 have enabled us to separate them into different classes.     

Relations between stellar mass and electron temperature-based metallicity for star-forming galaxies in a wide mass range

We select 947 star-forming galaxies from SDSS-DR7 with [O III]λ4363emission lines detected at a signal-to-noise ratio larger than 5σ. Their electron temperatures and direct oxygen abundances are then determined. We compare the results from different methods. t2, the electron temperature in the low ionization region, estimated from t3, that in the high ionization region, is compared using three analysis relations between t2- t3. These show obvious differences, which result in some different ionic oxygen abundances. The results of t3, t2, O++/H+and O+/H+derived by using methods from IRAF and literature are also compared. The ionic abundances O++/H+are higher than O+/H+for most cases. The different oxygen abundances derived from Teand the strong-line ratios show a clear discrepancy, which is more obvious following increasing stellar mass and strong-line ratio R23. The sample of galaxies from SDSS with detected [O III]λ4363 have lower metallicites and higher star formation rates, so they may not be typical representatives of the whole population of galaxies. Adopting data objects from Andrews Martini, Liang et al. and Lee et al. data, we derive new relations of stellar mass and metallicity for star-forming galaxies in a much wider stellar mass range: from 106 M to 1011 M.     

Radio stars observed in the LAMOST spectral survey

Radio stars have attracted astronomers' attention for several decades. To better understand the physics behind stellar radio emissions, it is important to study their optical behaviors. The LAMOST survey provides a large database for researching stellar spectroscopic properties of radio stars. In this work, we concentrate on their spectroscopic properties and infer physical properties from their spectra,such as stellar activity and variability. We mined big data from the LAMOST spectral survey Data Release 2(DR2), published on 2016 June 30, by cross-matching them with radio stars from FIRST and other surveys. We obtained 783 good stellar spectra with high signal to noise ratio for 659 stars. The criteria for selection were positional coincidence within 1.5′′and LAMOST objects classified as stars.We calculated the equivalent widths(EWs) of the Ca II HK, Hδ, Hγ, Hβ, Hα and Ca II IRT lines by integrating the line profiles. Using the EWs of the Hα line, we detected 147 active stellar spectra of 89 objects having emissions above the Hα continuum. There were also 36 objects with repeated spectra,28 of which showed chromospheric activity variability. Furthermore, we found 14 radio stars emitting noticeably in the Ca II IRT lines. The low value of the EW8542/EW8498 ratio for these 14 radio stars possibly alludes to chromospheric plage regions.     

Resolution-dependent subsonic non-thermal line dispersion revealed by ALMA

We report here Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array(ALMA)N2H+(1-0)images of the Orion Molecular Cloud 2 and 3(OMC-2/3)with high angular resolution(3"or 1200 au)and high spatial dynamic range.Combining a dataset from the ALMA main array,Atacama Compact Array(ACA),Nobeyama 45-m Telescope and Very Large Array(VLA)(providing temperature measurement on matching scales),we find that most of the dense gas in OMC-2/3 is subsonic(σQNT/cs=0.62)with a mean line width(△v)of 0.39 kms-1 full width at half maximum(FWHM).This is markedly different from the majority of previous observations of massive star-forming regions.In contrast,line widths from the Nobeyama Telescope are transonic at 0.69 km s-1(σNT/cs=1.08).We demonstrated that the larger line widths obtained by the single-dish telescope arose from unresolved sub-structures within their respective beams.The dispersions from larger scalesσls(as traced by the Nobeyama Telescope)can be decomposed into three components such thatσls2=σss2+σbm2+σrd2,where small-scaleσss is the line dispersion of each ALMA beam,bulk motionσbm is dispersion between peak velocity of each ALMA beam andσrd is the residual dispersion.Such decomposition,though purely empirical,appears to be robust throughout our data cubes.Apparent supersonic line widths,commonly found in massive molecular clouds,are thus likely due to the effect of poor spatial resolution.The observed non-thermal line dispersion(sometimes referred to as’turbulence’)transits from supersonic to subsonic at~0.05 pc scales in the OMC-2/3 region.Such transition could be commonly found with sufficient spatial(not just angular)resolution,even in regions with massive young clusters,such as the Orion molecular clouds studied here.     

A Study of the Star-forming Dwarf Galaxy NGC 855 with Spitzer

We present a study of the dwarf elliptical galaxy NGC 855 using the narrow-band Hα and Spitzer data. Both the Hα and Spitzer IRAC images confirm star-forming activity in the center of NGC 855. We obtained a star formation rate (SFR) of 0.022 and 0.025M◎yr-1,respectively,from the Spitzer IRAC 8.0μm and MIPS 24μm emission data. The HI observa-tion suggests that the star-forming activity might be triggered by a minor merger. We also find that there is a distinct IR emission region in 5.8 and 8.0μm bands,located at about 10 away from the nucleus of NGC 855. Given the strong 8.0μm but faint Hα emission,we expect that it is a heavily obscured star-forming region,which needs to be confirmed by further optical spectroscopic observations.     

Solar Magnetism and the Activity Telescope at HSOS

A new solar telescope system is described, which has been operating at Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS), National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), since the end of 2005. This instrument, the Solar Magnetism and Activity Telescope (SMAT), comprises two telescopes which respectively make measurements of full solar disk vector magnetic field and Hα observation. The core of the full solar disk video vector magnetograph is a birefringent filter with 0.1  bandpass, installed in the tele-centric optical system of the telescope. We present some preliminary observational results of the full solar disk vector magnetograms and Hα filtergrams obtained with this telescope system.     

A brief report on the statistical study of net electric current in solar active regions with longitudinal fields of opposite polarity

Dynamic processes occurring in solar active regions are dominated by the solar magnetic field. As of now, observations using a solar magnetograph have supplied us with the vector components of a solar photospheric magnetic field. The two transverse components of a photospheric magnetic field allow us to compute the amount of electric current. We found that the electric current in areas with positive (negative) polarity due to the longitudinal magnetic field have both positive and negative signs in an active region, however, the net current is found to be an order-of-magnitude less than the mean absolute magnitude and has a preferred sign. In particular, we have statistically found that there is a systematic net electric current from areas with negative (positive) polarity to areas with positive (negative) polarity in solar active regions in the northern (southern) hemisphere, but during the solar minimum this tendency is reversed over time at some latitudes. The result indicates that there is weak net electric current in areas of solar active regions with opposite polarity, thus providing further details about the hemispheric helicity rule found in a series of previous studies.     

Short-Term Period Variation of Relative Sunspot Numbers

We use wavelet transform to analyze the daily relative sunspot number series over solar cycles 10-23. The characteristics of some of the periods shorter than ～ 600-day are discussed. The results exhibit not only the variation of some short periods in the 14 solar cy-cles but also the characteristics and differences around solar peaks and valley years. The short periodic components with larger amplitude such as ～27,～150 and ～360-day are obvious in some solar cycles,all of them are time-variable,also their lengths and amplitudes are vari-able and intermittent in time. The variable characteristics of the periods are rather different in different solar cycles.