Comet nuclei: Morphology and implied processes of surface modification

Surface morphology and related issues for nuclei of three comets: Halley, Borrelly and Wild 2, are considered in the paper. Joint consideration of publications and results of our analysis of the comets’ images led to conclusions, partly new, partly repeating conclusions published by other researchers. It was found that typical for all three nuclei is the presence of rather flat areas: floors of craters and other depressions, mesas and terraces. This implies that flattening surfaces or planation is a process typical for the comet nuclei. Planation seems to work through the sublimation-driven slope collapse and retreat. This requires effective sublimation so this process should work only when a comet is close to the Sun and if on the nucleus there are starting slopes, steep and high enough to support the “long-distance” avalanching of the collapsing material. If the surface had no starting slopes, then instead of planation, the formation of pitted-and-hilly surfaces should occur. An example of this could be the mottled terrain of the Borelly nucleus. Both ways of the sublimational evolution on the nucleus surface should lead to accumulation of cometary regolith. The thickness of the degassed regolith is not known, but it is obvious that in surface depressions, including the flat-floor ones, it should be larger compared with nondepression areas. This may have implications for the in situ study of comets by the Deep Impact and Rosetta missions.Our morphological analysis puts constraints on the applicability of the popular “rubble-pile comet nucleus” hypothesis (Weissman, 1986. Are cometery nuclei primordial rubble piles? Nature 320, 242-244.). We believe that the rubble pile hypothesis can be applicable to the blocky Halley nucleus. The Borelly and Wild 2 nuclei also could be rubble piles. But in these cases the “rubbles” have to be either smaller than 30-50 m (a requirement to keep lineament geometry close to ideal), or larger than 1-2 km (a requirement to form the rather extended smooth, flat surfaces of mesa tops and crater floors). Another option is that the Borelly and Wild 2 nuclei are not rubble piles.In relation to surface morphology we suggest that three end-member types of the comet nuclei may exist: (1) impact cratered “pristine” bodies, (2) non-cratered fragments of catastrophic disruption, and (3) highly Sun-ablated bodies. In this threefold classification, the Wild 2 nucleus is partially ablated primarily cratered body. Borrelly is significantly ablated and could be either primarily cratered or not-cratered fragment. Halley is certainly partially ablated but with the available images it is difficult to say if remnants of impact craters do exist on it.Recently published observations and early results of analysis of the Tempel 1 nucleus images taken by Deep Impact mission are in agreement with our conclusions on the processes responsible for the Halley, Borrelly and Wild 2 nuclei morphologies. In particular, we have now more grounds to suggest that decrease in crater numbers and increase of the role of smooth flat surfaces in the sequence Wild 2?Tempel 1?Borelli reflects a progress in the sublimational degradation of the nucleus surface during comet passages close to the Sun.     

由对FRⅡ射电星系的X射线观测试预言射电噪活动星系核的X射线喷流

在早期的文章中,基于耀变体(Blazar)的知识,我们预言了在射电噪活动星系核(AGN)中心10 kpc范围内X射线喷流的存在.钱得拉(Chandra)卫星最近对低功率射电星系的X射线观测与我们的预言相一致.在本文中我们研究了kpc尺度喷流中的电子加速,并建议通过对强的FR Ⅱ射电星系中所预言的X射线喷流的钱得拉卫星的X射线的观测,来研究红的耀变体中的康普顿冷却以及在内部致密喷流和大尺度延伸喷流间环境的不同.以上的研究可以进一步检验我们的关于射电噪活动星系核中kpc尺度X射线喷流的模型.     

舟山群岛一次"晴天暴"过程分析

主要使用常规填图资料计算各种物理量,对一次“晴天暴”大风过程进行诊断分析,结果表明此次大风的形成机制是:在强盛的西北急流作用下,急行性干冷锋快速东移南下,形成中低层的强温度梯度和地面气压梯度,高空冷平流与地面加热共同作用,形成大的温度层结递减率,产生不稳定层结,引起垂直动量交换,因此地面出现强风。最后总结出此类大风的预报思路。     

两次大风过程的对比分析

文章对两次冷空气结合低气压大风过程进行了对比分析,揭示了海上低压轴向的突然向西北转变而引起的地面气压梯度的迅速加大是造成浙北沿海大风的重要原因之一。同时,揭示了两次过程由于高低层辐合辐散差异而引起的大风区上空两类不同的高低空垂直下沉速度分布特征,指出动量下传作用在地面造成风速的加大主要决定于对流层低层下沉速度(而非中层),这可能是两次大风过程地面气压梯度接近,而实际风力却差一级的原因。     

一次造成乌鲁木齐市电网瑶线铁塔倒塌事故的气象原因分析

为了解2004年11月24日乌鲁木齐市两座电网瑶线铁塔倒塌事故的气象原因，通过实地调查，并对高低空环流形势场、加密气象站信息等进行了分析。结果表明，乌鲁木齐地区不同地理位置风速差异很大，红雁池和头屯河区瞬间极大风速分别比市区大12．8m／s和18．4m／s。纠正了过去认为东南大风的强中心只出现在红雁池附近的说法，为今后制作大风分区预报提供了参考，也可为城区高层建筑及相关设计规范的修正提供借鉴。     

旋转风螺旋度在广西春季一次冰雹大风天气分析中的应用

利用旋转风螺旋度对 2 0 0 1年 4月发生在桂中地区的冰雹大风天气进行分析 ,结果表明 :低层旋转风螺旋度对冰雹大风等强对流天气有一定的指示意义 ,冰雹大风天气易产生于低层正旋转风螺旋度大值中心与中低层对流性不稳定能量储存区所包围的区域 ,其上空 5 0 0 h Pa以下旋转风螺旋度为正 ,40 0 h Pa以上为负     

新疆大风的时空统计特征

统计了1961－1999年39a新疆90个气象观测站的气表－1资料，给出新疆大风的时空分布特征，结果表明：（1）年平均大风日数的高值区在北疆西北部，东疆和南疆西部，阿拉山口，达坂城大风最多，准噶尔盆地中心，塔里木盆地南缘最少。（2）大风年总日数的变化有明显的波动性，大部分地区80年代起大风日数有减少的趋势。（3）春，夏季大风最多，以5，6月最为频敏，大风主要出现在上年10时到午夜23时，半数以上的大风持续时间在1h以上，以0.5h以内最多。     

北京一次大风和强降水天气过程形成机理的数值模拟

利用3维强风暴冰雹分档模式(IPA—HBM)对2001年8月23日北京的一次伴有大风、暴雨和冰雹的强对流天气过程进行模拟和分析，并与部分观测资料进行了比较分析。结果表明，该模式对此次强风暴的生命史、降水分布、降雹的大小等要素做了较好的模拟，并能够模拟出伴随强风暴过程所产生的强下沉气流和及地面强风速切变(下去暴流)。从云微物理学角度分析了此次局地性大风的形成原因，认为由高空冰雹粒子的拖曳产生的负浮力作用是促发强下沉气流产生的主要原因，其次是冰雹的融化和雨水蒸发冷却对下沉气流起加速作用，冰雹的拖曳和融化作用对下沉气流具有决定性作用。强风暴所产生的爆发性强下沉气流最终导致了局地大风的形成。     

阿勒泰冬季西部区域性偏东大风的成因分析

通过对阿勒泰地区1991～2000年西部区域性偏东大风天气的气候特征、环流形势及地形进行分析，归结出产生西部区域性偏东大风天气的成因及预报指标。     

南海海岛自动气象站防护应用技术探索

立足海南及南海的自然条件,结合海岛自动气象站在南海高温、高湿、高盐雾、强辐射、强风等恶劣气候环境下使用情况,通过对历年来海岛自动气象站故障及失效模式的统计和分析,总结分析故障原因。根据设备维护人员多年气象设备保障工作积累总结的经验,从海岛自动气象站结构和防护要求出发,集成应用市场上优质材料、先进工艺和多种成熟、关键设备防护技术,形成一些气象设备防护的有效方法措施,以提高海岛自动气象站对海洋环境的适应性和性能,延长设备使用寿命。