Search for Magnetic Monopoles and for Nuclearites with the MACRO Detector

We discuss the searches for massive magnetic monopoles and for nuclearitesin the penetrating cosmic radiation performed with the MACRO detector. Independent monopole analysis were carried out using the scintillator, streamer tubes and nuclear track sub-detectors in different ranges of velocity. No candidates were found in several years of data taking; present upper flux limits are well below the Parker bound in a wide velocity range. For nuclearites only the scintillator and nuclear track sub-detectors were used.     

A Model of Quasars and AGNs with Magnetic Monopoles

An evolutionary model of quasars and AGNs with magnetic monopoles is proposed. Their energy source is due to nucleon decay induced by the monopoles. Both the mass and the luminosity of quasars and AGNs will gradually decrease in time because their constituent baryons are kept decaying and are transformed into radiation. The physical significance and theoretical predictions of our evolutionary model are stressed.     

Magnetic Monopoles in the Early Universe: Pair Production

Magnetic monopoles and antimonopoles with masses M=10¹⁶ Gev and charges q=68.5e in the early universe are considered. Pair production may occur as a result of their Coulomb interaction. Some conditions for formation of such pairs are discussed. In particular, numerical simulations of three particle collisions are carried out. Probabilities for pair production are found in terms of the N-body problem.     

Magnetic field decay of magnetars in supernova remnants

In this paper, we modify our previous research carefully, and derive a new expression of electron energy density in superhigh magnetic fields. Based on our improved model, we re-compute the electron capture rates and the magnetic fields’ evolutionary timescales t of magnetars. According to the calculated results, the superhigh magnetic fields may evolve on timescales ～(10⁶?10⁷) yrs for common magnetars, and the maximum timescale of the field decay, t≈2.9507×10⁶ yrs, corresponding to an initial internal magnetic field B ₀=3.0×10¹⁵ G and an initial inner temperature T ₀=2.6×10⁸ K. Motivated by the results of the neutron star-supernova remnant (SNR) association of Zhang and Xie (2011), we calculate the maximum B ₀ of magnetar progenitors, B _max～(2.0×10¹⁴?2.93×10¹⁵) G when T ₀=2.6×10⁸ K. When T ₀～2.75×10⁸?1.75×10⁸ K, the maximum B ₀ will also be in the range of ～10¹⁴?10¹⁵ G, not exceeding the upper limit of magnetic field of a magnetar under our magnetar model. We also investigate the relationship between the spin-down ages of magnetars and the ages of their SNRs, and explain why all AXPs associated with SNRs look older than their real ages, whereas all SGRs associated with SNRs appear younger than they are.     

Astronomical Searches for Nonbarionic Dark Matter

Astronomical methods of searching for light Goldstone bosons (axions and arions), which are candidates for dark matter, are briefly discussed. Three processes for the coupling between axions and photons are considered: (a) the decay of axions into two photons; (b) the conversion of photons into axions in the magnetic fields of stars and interstellar and intergalactic media; (c) the inverse transformation of axions generated inside the cores of stars. The intergalactic light of clusters of galaxies and the brightness of the night sky are good candidates for searches for an emission line arising from the radiative decay of axions. The results of observations made with the 6 m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory do not provide any evidence for the existence of the hadronic axion decay line. The best upper limit for the photon-axion coupling constant is derived from linear polarization observations of magnetic Ap stars.     

Searches for Planets Around Neutron Stars

We review the methodology of searches for planet-mass bodies around neutron stars observable as radio pulsars and discuss the current status of these searches. PSR B1257 + 12, a 6.2-millisecond pulsar, remains the only neutron star accompanied by confirmed planets. It is possible that there is a fourth distant planet in the 1257+12 system. The best of the other candidates for pulsar planets under consideration is a distant, possibly Jovian-mass companion to PSR B1620-26, a 11-millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster M4. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Searches for transplutonian planets using long-period comets

We discuss the dynamical connection of long-period and nearly parabolic comets with hypothetical transplutonian planets. The statistics includes 792 comets with periods P > 200 years. The orbital plane of the parent planet can be determined from the observed distribution of the perihelia and poles of cometary orbits. The radius of a planetary orbit can be calculated using the Radzievsky-Tisseran criterion. We calculated the minimum distance of each of the 792 orbits to 11 hypothetical planetary orbits. Testing for the kinematic connection of comets with transplutonian planets yielded a negative result. The presence of the nodes of cometary orbits in the transplutonian region is shown to be the result of a geometric effect. We found a high concentration of the nodes and perihelia of cometary orbits in the zone of the terrestrial planets.     

Searches for ultracompact dwarf galaxies in galaxy groups

We present the results of a search for ultracompact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) in six different galaxy groups: Dorado, NGC 1400, 0681, 4038, 4697 and 5084. We searched in the apparent magnitude range  17.5 ≤ b _J≤ 20.5  (except NGC 5084:  19.2 ≤ b _J≤ 21.0  ). We found one definite plus two possible UCD candidates in the Dorado group and two possible UCD candidates in the NGC 1400 group. No UCDs were found in the other groups. We compared these results with predicted luminosities of UCDs in the groups according to the hypothesis that UCDs are globular clusters formed in galaxies. The theoretical predictions broadly agree with the observational results, but deeper surveys are needed to fully test the predictions.     

Searches for bright-rimmed clouds with IRAS point sources

We have carried out systematic surveys for small bright-rimmed clouds associated with IRAS point sources in/around HII regions. They are candidate sites for star formation due to radiation-driven implosion.     

大质量分子云核的CO同位素搜寻

使用紫金山天文台 １３．７ ｍ望远镜上新安装的 ＳＩＳ系统,对 ６４个高色指数 ＩＲＡＳ源和水脉泽源进行了 ＣＯ同位素１３ＣＯ和 Ｃ１８Ｏ Ｊ＝ １－０的搜寻,并对部分源作了成图观测．结果在 ６４个源中全部测到了这一谱线对,而１３ＣＯ的辐射一般较强,说明与稠密分子区成协,其中约６０个源为首次作ＣＯ同位素谱线对巡测．用高斯拟会导出了天线温度、线心速度和谱线全半宽．对辐射强度、话线特征进行了初步分析．     

褐矮星的观测特征和搜寻

褐矮星是亚恒星天体,内核没有稳定的氢燃烧,其质量一般在13至75倍木星质量之间。本质上,褐矮星的内核物理演化过程不同于行星和恒星,观测上我们根据褐矮星不同于行星和恒星的测光和光谱特征来区别证认它们。由于质量小、温度低,在光学波段,它们测光特征表现为光度暗,颜色红;在近红外波段,受大气尘埃、金属丰度等影响,它们有不同寻常的星等、颜色。根据褐矮星的光谱形态与特征谱线,它们可以被分为M、L、T和Y矮星。现在己发现的全部T与Y矮星都是褐矮星,但不是所有的M与L矮星都是褐矮星。介绍了L、T和Y矮星的特征吸收线和光谱分类方法,回顾了早期在星团和双星系统中褐矮星的搜寻,以及现阶段用大视场、长波段深度巡天数据在近邻场区中褐矮星的搜寻。对目前已发现的晚型M和L、T、Y矮星的总数目、温度范围、距离及测量其年龄的方法等做了小结。最后讨论了如何判断L矮星是否为褐矮星,重力、金属丰度和大气尘埃对近红外波段光谱形状的影响,光谱型-J波段绝对星等图上L、T交接处"大鼓包"的形成原因等热点问题。     

Searches for large-scale anisotropies of cosmic rays: Harmonic analysis and shuffling technique

The measurement of large scale anisotropies in cosmic ray arrival directions is generally performed through harmonic analyses of the right ascension distribution as a function of energy. These measurements are challenging due to the small expected anisotropies and meanwhile the relatively large modulations of observed counting rates due to experimental effects. In this paper, we present a procedure based on the shuffling technique to carry out these measurements, applicable to any cosmic ray detector without any additional corrections for the observed counting rates.     

Problems of design and development of advanced superheavy launch vehicles

The article analyzes problems of design and development of advanced superheavy launch vehicles. Mass and energy characteristics and design layout of launch vehicles are substantiated. Delivery methods of bulky superheavy launch vehicle components to the spacecraft launch site are discussed. Methods of reduction of financial and technical risks of development and operation of superheavy launch vehicles are analyzed. The problem of environmental impacts of superheavy launch vehicle launches is posed.     

Searches for the shell swept up by the stellar wind from Cyg OB2

We investigated the kinematics of ionized gas in an extended (20°×15°) region containing the X-ray Superbubble in Cygnus with the aim of finding the shell swept up by a strong wind from Cyg OB2. Hα observations were carried out with high angular and spectral resolutions using a Fabry-Perot interferometer attached to the 125-cm telescope at the Crimean Observatory of the Sternberg Astronomical Institute. We detected high-velocity gas motions, which could result from the expansion of the hypothetical shell at a velocity of 25–50 km s^?1. Given the number of OB stars increased by Knödlseder (2000) by an order of magnitude, Cyg OB2 is shown to possess a wind that is strong enough [L _w ? (1–2) × 10³⁹ erg s^?1] to produce a shell comparable in size to the X-ray Superbubble and to a giant system of optical filaments. Based on our measurements and on X-ray and infrared observations, we discuss possible observational manifestations of the shell swept up by the wind.     

Equilibrium and decay of sunspots

We suggest a quantitative sunspot model developed in terms of mean-field magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The model consistently describes the distributions of magnetic field, fluid velocity, and thermodynamic parameters in a sunspot and the surrounding matter. Two versions of the model allow the MHD equilibrium in sunspots and their slow decay to be analyzed. The baroclinic flow converging to the sunspot plays an important role in the equilibrium. Several calculated characteristics—almost uniform distributions of brightness and magnetic field inside sunspots, their abrupt changes at the boundary, and nearly linear decreases in the area and magnetic flux of decaying sunspots with time—qualitatively agree with the observations.     

Magnetic Solitons: Unified Mechanism for Moving Magnetic Features

In a highly dynamic environment with sources and sinks of energy, flux tubes do not in general obey local conservation laws, nor do the ensembles of flux tubes that exhibit collective phenomena. We use the approach of energetically open dissipative systems to study nonlinear waves in flux tubes and their role in the dynamics of the overlying atmosphere. We present results of theoretical and observational studies of the properties of moving magnetic features (MMFs) around sunspots and the response of the overlying atmosphere to various types of MMFs. We show that all types of MMFs, often having conflicting properties, can be described on a unified basis by employing the model of shocks and solitons propagating along the penumbral filaments co-aligned with Evershed flows. The model is also consistent with the response of the upper atmosphere to individual MMFs, which depends on their type. For example, soliton-type bipolar MMFs mainly participate in the formation of a moat and do not carry much energy into the upper atmosphere, whereas shock-like MMFs, with the appearance of single-polarity features, are often associated with chromospheric jets and microflares.