球粒陨石难熔包体中贵金属的矿物岩石学分析:对太阳星云演化的启示

球粒陨石中的富钙富铝难熔包体(Ca,Al-rich Inclusion,CAI)是太阳系最早形成的物体,保留了太阳星云早期的原始信息,但深入研究发现许多难熔包体具有复杂的演化历史,包括部分熔融和后期变质作用等.针对难熔包体中更为难熔、化学性质更为稳定的贵金属颗粒进行天体化学研究,选取CV群碳质球粒陨石NWA 2140,对其CAI中的贵金属颗粒进行岩石学观察及化学成分测定.根据得到的成分分析结果,能大致推出包体经历过的热力学历程,辨识出两类贵金属合金颗粒,这两类贵金属分别为早期冷凝产物和原生金属的后期蚀变产物.     

云南西双版纳(曼桂)目击陨石的热变质和冲击变质研究

曼桂陨石是新近(2018年6月1日)陨落在云南西双版纳地区的目击球粒陨石,其中的主要矿物为橄榄石(Fa_(24.3±0.6))、斜方辉石(Fs_(20.6±0.5)Wo_(0.4±0.2))、长石(An_(11-12)Or_(2-4))、铁镍金属和陨硫铁,次要矿物为铬铁矿、白磷钙矿等.橄榄石和辉石的化学成分表明曼桂陨石属于L型普通球粒陨石.陨石中球粒很少且轮廓不清晰,基质矿物普遍经历过重结晶,重结晶矿物颗粒粒径较大,高钙辉石粒径25–30μm,长石颗粒大多超过50μm,说明该陨石属于6型岩石类型.橄榄石和辉石颗粒中发育有波状消光、嵌晶块状消光现象、平面裂隙和面状变形构造,长石熔长石化并不完全,陨石中观察到宽度不等且纵横交错的冲击熔融脉,表明曼桂普通球粒陨石受到的冲击变质作用可以达到S5级以上.通过熔融脉中的矿物组合推断出熔融脉中矿物经历的压力在15–16 GPa左右.     

火星陨石NWA 8716的岩矿学特征及粗粒橄榄石斑晶的来源

火星陨石可以为研究火星岩浆演化过程提供直接证据并限制其源区特征.通常认为含粗粒橄榄石斑晶辉玻无球粒陨石携带有火星原始地幔的信息,因此选取该类样品Northwest Africa (NWA) 8716为研究对象,进行岩相结构及矿物成分分析. NWA8716由橄榄石、辉石、填隙状熔长石以及其他次要矿物组成.其中橄榄石颗粒有两种级别的粒径,长轴分别约为0.5–1.8 mm和50–400μm.较小橄榄石斑晶内部的熔体包裹体和NWA 8716全岩成分(计算值)均显示明显的轻稀土元素亏损([La/Yb]CI值为0.06–0.1),说明NWA 8716源于一个亏损的火星岩浆池.粗粒橄榄石斑晶的来源对衡量该样品是否能够代表原始熔体成分非常重要.对橄榄石晶体的粒径统计分析发现,粗粒橄榄石斑晶应为堆晶.进一步对铁-镁以及稀土元素分配特征的计算表明NWA 8716并非形成于一个封闭系统,但是计算所得原始熔体成分与全岩成分差异不大,因此粗粒橄榄石斑晶应当来源于与母岩浆成分相似的熔体.总的看来, NWA 8716应当来源于亏损型火星幔源区且演化程度较低.     

碳质球粒陨石有机物红外光谱研究

碳质球粒陨石是太阳系中最原始的物质之一.通过对碳质球粒陨石的光谱分析,可以建立其与母体小行星之间的联系,有助于探测小行星表面物质成分、研究太阳系早期的演化历史.研究了6个CM2型碳质球粒陨石和11个煤炭样品(碳质球粒陨石所含有机质的地球类比物)可见-远红外谱段反射光谱特征,并分析了它们与有机组分的关系.结果表明,对于不同类型的煤样随着煤化程度的升高,各有机物碳氢基团的吸收峰深度逐渐降低, 3.41μm处脂肪族碳氢化合物的吸收深度与H/C比存在线性正相关,当H/C比小于0.55时, 3.41μm处无明显光谱吸收特征.在3–4μm区域, CM2陨石存在明显的脂肪族CH2、CH3吸收带,缺乏3.28μm芳香族CH吸收带,但在5–6.5μm区域存在微弱的芳香族C=C、CO吸收带,指示CM2碳质球粒陨石的有机组分含有脂肪族和芳香族.陨石红外光谱中3.28μm和5–6.5μm区域光谱特征不明显可能是因为在此波段区域存在含水矿物OH的重叠吸收或受到其他不透明矿物的影响,具体原因有待进一步研究.研究也说明,需要更长的波段范围才能够准确识别小天体有机质类型.     

国内18块普通球粒陨石的岩石矿物学研究

描述了国内收集的18块普通球粒陨石的岩石矿物学特征,其中13块为新疆罗布泊地区的发现型陨石,1块为新疆库姆塔格地区的发现型陨石(Kumtag),1块为新疆阿克赛钦地区的发现型陨石(.Aksai Chin),另外3块分别为降落于青海省西宁市(Xining)、湖北省随州市(Fuhe)以及浙江省东阳市(Dongyang)内的降落型陨石.18块陨石均属于平衡型普通球粒陨石,其中H群8块(全部为H5),L群10块(1块L4,7块L5,2块L6).18块陨石所受冲击变质作用较弱,以S2、S3程度居多.大多数罗布泊陨石经历了较强的风化作用,仅有2块风化程度较低,分别为W1和W2,Kumtag与Aksai Chin陨石风化程度均为W2.在新疆塔克拉玛干沙漠东部的戈壁荒漠区发现的大量陨石表明该区域可能是欧亚地区重要的陨石富集区.     

寺巷口普通球粒陨石的热变质和冲击变质历史研究

寺巷口陨石是一块经历强冲击变质的普通球粒陨石.系统研究陨石主体和冲击熔融脉的岩相学和矿物学.该陨石中球粒较少且轮廓和内部结构均模糊不清,基质重结晶程度高,橄榄石和辉石的成分非常均一.单斜辉石-斜方辉石矿物对计算得到的平衡温度峰值为891 4-36°C.说明寺巷口陨石的热变质程度与6型一致.陨石主体中的橄榄石具有明显的波状消光和面状变形裂隙,熔长石广泛存在,在冲击熔融脉中含有粗粒的林伍德石和镁铁榴石以及细粒的高压矿物组合,这些特征预示了寺巷口陨石经历了S6级的冲击变质作用且形成冲击脉的峰期压力可能在20 GPa-24 GPa左右,而温度可能高于2000°C.冲击熔融脉中自磷钙矿和铬铁矿的存在可能是因为经历了较长的退火时间,导致其高压矿物的回退.     

亮红外星系NGC 1614中多谱线示踪的致密分子气体

利用高空间分辨率的¹²CO(1-0)、¹³CO(1-0)、¹²CO(3-2)、¹²CO(6-5)、HCN(3-2)、\lk HCN(4-3)、 HCO⁺(3-2)和HCO⁺(4-3)分子谱线的ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array)归档数据, 来研究近邻亮红外星系NGC 1614的分子气体性质, 尤其是致密分子气体的性质. 在高分辨率分子气体谱线的积分强度图中, 在星系中心区域($<$ 1kpc)可以看到环状结构, 分子气体主要分布于星系中心区域, 核区分子气体含量较少. ¹²CO(1-0)显示出向南部、 北部以及东南部的延展结构, 高阶的CO ($J \ge$ 3, J为转振能级量子数)分子谱线和致密分子HCN、HCO⁺谱线显示, 较致密的分子气体主要集中于星系中心区域. HCN(4-3)/¹²CO(1-0)和HCN⁺(4-3)/¹²CO(1-0)积分强度比值图显示, 致密分子气体主要集中于中心区域的环状结构上. HCN/HCO⁺强度比值的分布变化表明星暴环的不同区域可能具有不同的激发条件. HCN/HCO⁺(4-3)强度比值分布在环的东、西部(sim0.44 pm 0.04)高于环的南、北部(sim0.35 pm 0.03). HCN/HCO⁺(3-2)强度比值较高的区域(sim0.38 pm 0.04)分布在HCN(3-2)峰值位置, 而环的西北、东南部强度比值相对较低(sim0.3 pm 0.03). 对于中心不同区域 HCN/HCO⁺比值变化的原因进行了讨论.     

乌希里克铁陨石的组织结构、冷却历史和定量预测模型

铁陨石记录了陨石母体所经历的熔融、分异和冷却的热历史, 研究铁陨石内部的组织结构对理解陨石母体的热历史和内部圈层结构有重要的指导意义. 分析阿勒泰铁陨石个体-乌希里克(Wuxilike)铁陨石中铁纹石和镍纹石所构造的维斯台登(Widmanstatten)纹、梳状合纹石以及云状区等组织结构来探究其各自的形成过程. 通过热动力学计算软件和数据库, 建立了Widmanstatten经过取向校正的冷却速率计算模型, 并据此计算了该陨石在695℃–400℃区间内的冷却速率; 通过研究梳状合纹石内部铁、镍纹石中Ni元素的成分分布及其位相关系, 推理得到梳状合纹石的低温马氏体分解形成机制; 通过研究云状区域中颗粒大小和局部Ni含量的关系, 得出形成云状区域所对应的铁陨石在350℃下的冷却速率. 据此模拟计算出该铁陨石在695℃–200℃范围内形成Widmanstatten纹、各类合纹石和云状区的整个热历史. 基于固态相变所建立的定量模型可望为分析铁陨石的冷却历史提供更为准确的分析手段.     

X-Wind模式下对宁强碳质球粒陨石光学特征的重新认识

宁强碳质球粒陨石非偏振光、偏正光、反射光下的矿物、组构的光学特征中蕴藏着丰富的有关太阳星云演化初期不挥发组分吸积时的动力、温度、压力、介质信息．在宁强陨石双面抛光片中,矿物组构混杂堆积的构造反映了太阳星云吸积盘上极弱的机械动力环境和近物源吸积作用;外形不规则,边缘参差的矿物集合体和矿物碎片应该是抛落时碰撞破碎的球粒,这些球粒形成于X-Wind模式中的X-区,并被双极喷流抛落到太阳星云的不同部位;在透射光下,从宁强陨石中首次发现存在有玻璃、结晶、及气相包裹体,它们可以反映出太阳星云演化过程中的物质成分、热力学、动力学信息,应该引起重视．实验观察中还发现同一个球粒中锯齿状缝合线连接的橄榄石栅条和橄榄石颗粒．诸多现象需要理论物理、天体物理观察和天体化学实验的科学家共同努力去探讨.X-Wind模式中许多细节有待天体化学实验去检验、补充和完善．     

恒星尘埃的实验室研究--实验天体物理学

原始球粒陨石含有来自恒星的微小固体颗粒(微米级),这些尘埃的同位素组成与太阳系物质截然不同,它们是目前唯一能直接获得的恒星固体样品．已发现的恒星尘埃有金刚石、石墨、碳化硅、刚玉、尖晶石、氮化物、和硅酸盐等,它们的母体恒星包括红巨星,AGB恒星、新星和超新星．对恒星尘埃的研究,使得更深入地了解星系的化学演化历史、恒星内部的核反应和湍流机制、恒星大气中尘埃的形成、星际介质物理现象等．恒星尘埃把天体物理领域延伸到了微观世界,它有机地结合了地球化学实验技术和天体物理理论,开辟了一门崭新的天文学分支实验天体物理学．     

A thermodynamic model of high temperature lava vaporization on Io

We modified the MAGMA chemical equilibrium code developed by Fegley and Cameron (1987, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 82, 207-222) and used it to model vaporization of high temperature silicate lavas on Io. The MAGMA code computes chemical equilibria in a melt, between melt and its equilibrium vapor, and in the gas phase. The good agreement of MAGMA code results with experimental data and with other computer codes is demonstrated. The temperature-dependent pressure and composition of vapor in equilibrium with lava is calculated from 1700 to 2400 K for 109 different silicate lavas in the ONaKFeSiMgCaAlTi system. Results for five lavas (tholeiitic basalt, alkali basalt, Barberton komatiite, dunite, and a molten type B1 Ca, Al-rich inclusion) are discussed in detail. The effects of continuous fractional vaporization on chemistry of these lavas and their equilibrium vapor are presented. The predicted abundances (relative to Na) of K, Fe, Si, Al, Ca, and Ti in the vapor equilibrated with lavas at 1900 K are lower than published upper limits for Io's atmosphere (which do not include Mg). We predict evaporative loss of alkalis, Fe, and Si during volcanic eruptions. Sodium is more volatile than K, and the Na/K ratio in the gas is decreased by fractional vaporization. This process can match Io's atmospheric Na/K ratio of 10±3 reported by Brown (2001, Icarus 151, 190-195). Silicon monoxide is an abundant species in the vapor above lavas. Spectroscopic searches are recommended for SiO at IR and mm wavelengths. Reactions of metallic vapors with S- and Cl-bearing volcanic gases may form other unusual gases including MgCl₂, MgS, MgCl, FeCl₂, FeS, FeCl, and SiS.     

Instructions for authors

正Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics publishes original research papers and reviews on all branches of astronomy and astrophysics.Reviews are by invitation only.Important new results that require rapid publication can be submitted as a Letter(Letters must be restricted in length to 6 printed pages).Authors who submit a paper are expected to be able to certify that the paper is original work,     

Alkali and halogen chemistry in volcanic gases on Io

We use chemical equilibrium calculations to model the speciation of alkalis and halogens in volcanic gases emitted on Io. The calculations cover wide temperature (500-2000 K) and pressure (10⁻⁶ to 10⁺¹ bars) ranges, which overlap the nominal conditions at Pele (T=1760 K, P=0.01 bars). About 230 compounds of 11 elements (O, S, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, F, Cl, Br, I) are considered. The elemental abundances for O, S, Na, K, and Cl are based upon observations. CI chondritic elemental abundances relative to sulfur are used for the other alkalis and halogens (as yet unobserved on Io). We predict the major alkali species in Pele-like volcanic gases and the percentage distribution of each alkali are LiCl (73%), LiF (27%); NaCl (81%), Na (16%), NaF (3%); KCl (91%), K (5%), KF (4%); RbCl (93%), Rb (4%), RbF (3%); CsCl (92%), CsF (6%), Cs (2%). Likewise the major halogen species and the percentage distribution of each halogen are NaF (88%), KF (10%), LiF (2%); NaCl (89%), KCl (11%); NaBr (89%), KBr (10%), Br (1%); NaI (61%), I (30%), KI (9%). We predict the major halogen condensates and their condensation temperatures at P=0.01 bar are NaF (1115 K), LiF (970 K); NaCl (1050 K), KCl (950 K); KBr (750 K), RbBr (730 K), CsBr (645 K); and solid I₂ (200 K). We also model disequilibrium chemistry of the alkalis and halogens in the volcanic plume. Based on this work and our prior modeling for Na, K, and Cl in a volcanic plume, we predict the major loss processes for the alkali halide gases are photolysis and/or condensation onto grains. Their estimated photochemical lifetimes range from a few minutes for alkali iodides to a few hours for alkali fluorides. Condensation is apparently the only loss process for elemental iodine. On the basis of elemental abundances and photochemical lifetimes, we recommend searching for gaseous KCl, NaF, LiF, LiCl, RbF, RbCl, CsF, and CsCl around volcanic vents during eruptions. Based on abundance considerations and observations of brown dwarfs we also recommend a search of Io's extended atmosphere and the Io plasma torus for neutral and ionized Li, Cs, Rb, and F.     

Born–Infeld type phantom model in the ω–ω′ plane

In this paper, we investigate the dynamics of Born–Infeld (B–I) phantom model in the ω–ω′ plane, which is defined by the equation of state parameter for the dark energy and its derivative with respect to N (the logarithm of the scale factor a). We find the scalar field equation of motion in ω–ω′ plane, and show mathematically the property of attractor solutions which correspond to ω _φ ∼−1, Ω _φ =1, which avoid the “Big rip” problem and meets the current observations well.      

A Comparison of Several Image Locating Algorithms in Astronomical Instruments

In astronomical observations at optical wavelengths, a fast image tracking system can be adopted to reduce the effects of the atmospheric seeing and telescopic tracking error, and therefore improve the observing efficiency. Aiming at the need of astronomical observations, totally 5 kinds of algorithms in two categories were selected to make a comparative study on their accuracies and stabilities under different noise conditions by both numerical experiment and laboratory test. The results indicate that the normalized cross-correlation method and barycenter method have not only a higher accuracy but also a better reliability against interferences, they will be applied to the high-resolution spectrograph of the Xinglong 2.16 m telescope and the scienti?c instruments of the SONG (Stellar Observations Network Group) project, respectively.     

Shear and vorticity in a combined Einstein-Cartan-Brans-Dicke inflationary lambda-Universe

A combined BCDE (Brans-Dicke and Einstein-Cartan) theory with lambda-term is developed through Raychaudhuri’s equation, for inflationary scenario. It involves a variable cosmological constant, which decreases with time, jointly with energy density, cosmic pressure, shear, vorticity, and Hubble’s parameter, while the scale factor, total spin and scalar field increase exponentially. The post-inflationary fluid resembles a perfect one, though total spin grows, but the angular speed does not (Astrophys. Space Sci. 312: 275, 2007d).      

The climatic and physiographic controls of the eastern Mediterranean over the late Pleistocene climates in the southern Levant and its neighboring deserts

Modern-day synoptic-scale eastern Mediterranean climatology provides a useful context to synthesize the diverse late Pleistocene (60–12 ka) paleohydrologic and paleoenvironmental indicators of past climatic conditions in the Levant and the deserts to its south and east. We first critically evaluate, extract, and summarize paleoenvironmental and paleohydrologic records. Then, we propose a framework of eastern Mediterranean atmospheric circulation features interacting with the morphology and location of the southeast Mediterranean coast. Together they strongly control the spatial distribution of rainfall and wind pattern. This cyclone–physiography interaction enforces the observed rainfall patterns by hampering rainfall generation south and southeast of the latitude of the north Sinai coast, currently at 31°15′.The proposed framework explains the much-increased rains in Lebanon and northern Israel and Jordan as deduced from pollen, rise and maintenance of Lake Lisan, and speleothem formation in areas currently arid and semiarid. The proposed framework also accounts for the southward and eastward transition into semiarid, arid, and hyperarid deserts as expressed in thick loess accumulation at the deserts' margins, dune migration from west to east in the Sinai and the western Negev, and the formation of hyperarid (< 80 mm yr^− 1) gypsic–salic soils in the southern Negev and Sinai. Our climatic synthesis explains the hyperarid condition in the southern Negev, located only 200–250 km south of the much-increased rains in the north, probably reflecting a steeper rainfall gradient than the present-day gradient from the wetter Levant into its bordering southern and eastern deserts.At present, the rainiest winter seasons in Lebanon and northern and central Israel are associated with more frequent (+ 20%), deeper Cyprus Lows traversing the eastern Mediterranean at approximately the latitude of southern Turkey. Even these wettest years in northern Israel do not yield above average annual rainfall amounts in the hyperarid southern Negev. This region is mainly influenced by the Active Red Sea Troughs that produce only localized rains. The eastern Mediterranean Cyprus Lows also produce more dust storms and transport higher amounts of suspended dust to the loess area than any other atmospheric pattern. Concurrent rainfall and dust are essential to the late Pleistocene formation of the elongated thick loess zone along the desert northern margin. Even with existing dust storms, the lack of rain and very sparse vegetation account for the absence of late Pleistocene loess sequences from the southern Negev and the formation of hyperarid soils.When the north Sinai coast shifted 30–70 km northwest due to last glacial global sea level lowering, the newly exposed coastal areas supplied the sand and dust to these active eastern Mediterranean cyclones. This enforced the latitude of the northern boundary of the loess zone to be directly due east of the LGM shoreline. This shift of coast to the northwest inhibited rainfall in the southern Levant deserts and maintained their hyperaridity. Concurrently, frequent deep eastern Mediterranean Cyprus Lows were funneled along the northern Mediterranean increasing (probably doubling) the rains in central and northern Israel, Lebanon, southwestern Syria and northern Jordan. These storms and rains formed lakes, forests, and speleothems only a short distance north of the deserts in the southern Levant.     

Active hot star shells

Interferometry in the visible provides milliarcsecond spatial resolution and thus has been used for studying the circumstellar environment of active hot stars. In this paper I will illustrate how the visibility modulus and phase can be used to better constrain the physics of Be disks through results from the VLA, the MkII and the GI2T interferometers. I will insist on the importance and the potential of coupling high angular resolution with high spectral resolution to the study of Be shells. Finally I will present a possible study of the circumstellar disk of Be stars using the VLTI. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.