A new investigation of the secular drift of the Earth's pole

A new investigation of the secular drift of the Earth's pole was made based on nine long series of latitude observations. This led to the following conclusions: 1) During this century, the Earth's pole has been moving approximately along meridian 70 °W at a mean rate of 0.0016″/yr, much less than the 0.0035″/yr derived from the ILS sequence. 2) Relative to the North American Continent, the Ukiah Station located on the western shore of the U.S. shows a local drift of about 6 cm/yr toward north, in good agreement with the result from the new techniques. 3) Relative to the Europe-Asia plate, the whole North American Continent shows a northward drift of about 8 cm/yr. The Mediterranean shows a similar drift of about 6 cm/yr. 4) Three of five ILS stations, Ukiah, Gaithersberg and Carloforte, show significant drifts. Therefore, the Conventional International Origin (CIO), which is defined by the mean latitudes at 1903.0 of the five stations, is far from being fixed on the Earth's surface, and is not suitable as the origin of the Earth Reference System.     

Improvement of astronomical refraction by mapping function

In this paper we used the method of generator function to gave an improved mapping function of astronomical refraction, separately for optical and radio frequencies. We included a complete consideration of the corrections introduced by the physical and geophysical factors required in astronomy and space techniques. We used sounding balloon data to assess the actual accuracy of our corrected refraction formula. The result is 5″ at elevation 2° and 1″ at elevation 5°. We believe that the main factor that limits the accuracy is departure of the model atmosphere from the real atmosphere.     

Measurement of the absolute proper motion of M3 and its space motion

We have measured the absolute proper motions of 534 stars in a 1.5° × 1.5° region around the cluster M3, using 14 plates taken with a 40-cm refractor spanning 80 years. 24 stars in the ACT catalogue were used to define the reference frame and the reduction was made using the central overlapping technique. Using the new data, the membership probabilities were redetermined. The mean absolute motion of the cluster was found to be −0.3 ± 0.3 mas/yr in R.A., and −3.1 ± 0.3 mas/yr in declination. Combining the present data with the known distance and radial velocity, the three-dimensional galactic orbit of M3 was calculated for Allen's galactic potential.     

Les composantes du déplacement séculaire du pôle d'inertie de la Terre

After homogenizing the declination systems of the ILS Catalogue, the secular motion of the mean pole is studied. Our analyses leads to two components of this motion: a progressive component (already known) and an elliptical one.     

Measuring the proper motion of the pulsar Geminga using γ-ray data

We have measured the right ascension of Geminga at different epochs by comparing the absolute phases between the different γ-ray observations. These values show that the right-ascension component of the proper motion of Geminga is 0.226±0.03 arcsec per year, which is consistent with that of G″, the most probable optical counterpart, thus independently confirming the correspondence between G″ and Geminga.     

The spectrum of electron content fluctuations in the ionosphere

Continuous records of the electron content of the ionosphere, from 1965 to 1970, are used to obtain power spectra covering periods from 30 sec to 2 yr at latitudes of 34°S and 42°S. At periods up to 5 min, amplitudes were less than 0.2 per cent of the total electron content. Variations produced by gravity waves were very common in the range 20–80 min, with no preferred periods. The r.m.s. amplitude per octave A₀ was about 10¹⁵ electrons/m², or 0.6 per cent of the mean electron content. The amplitude increased during the day, particularly in winter when periodic components predominated. The cut-off at about 17 min was sharply defined, giving a mean scale height for the neutral atmosphere (at 300 km) of about 43 km in summer, 47 km on winter days and 42 km on winter nights.

From 12 hr to 1 month A₀ was about 12 per cent of the mean electron content in both summer and winter at 34°S, and 10 per cent at 42°S. The 24 hr and 27 day peaks were largest just before sunspot maximum, and almost disappeared near sunspot minimum. Variations between 1 and 27 days reflect the random occurrence of ionospheric storms and show no consistent peaks. Day to day and night to night variations were both about 10 per cent of the background content for periods from 2 days to 2 yr, apart from a slight decrease between 1 and 6 months.     

Methods to determine the angular resolution of the HEGRA extended air shower scintillator array

A precise knowledge of the angular resolution of scintillator arrays used to observe extended air showers (EAS) is of key importance in the search for VHE/UHE γ point sources. Four independent methods have been used to determine the mean resolution for which a value of ΔΘ₆₃ of 0.8°(1.0°) at a proton threshold of 50 (40) TeV has been found for the HEGRA EAS-array.     

Fluctuations in tidal (24-, 12-h) characteristics and oscillations (8-h-5-d) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (70–110 km): Saskatoon (52°N, 107°W), 1979–1981

An M.F. radar (2.2 MHz) operating at Saskatoon, Canada (52°N, 107°W) has been used to produce continuous wind data ( 80–110km) from September 1978–April 1981. The 24-, 12-h tidal oscillations reveal regular summer-winter transitions; in particular the semi-diurnal tide demonstrates strikingly regular and rapid equinoctial changes over the three years. The vernal and autumnal equinox changes are clearly different in morphology. Shorter term tidal fluctuations (2d τ 10d) are compared with mean winds and gravity wave amplitudes, as well as with satellite-derived stratospheric temperatures.

Spectral analysis of monthly data sets for 1980, from 90–105 km, reveal oscillations of the expected 8-, 12-, 24-h periods, but also of 10-, 16- and 2-, 5/6d. A modulation of the “2-d” wave by the 12-h wave is suggested as a possible cause of these surprisingly regular oscillations.     

Limits on the TeV flux of diffuse gamma rays as measured with the HEGRA air shower array

Using data from the HEGRA air shower array, taken in the period from April 1998 to March 2000, upper limits on the ratio I_γ/I_CR of the diffuse photon flux I_γ to the hadronic cosmic ray flux I_CR are determined for the energy region 20–100 TeV. The analysis uses a gamma–hadron discrimination which is based on differences in the development of photon- and hadron-induced air showers after the shower maximum. A method which is sensitive only to the non-isotropic component of the diffuse photon flux yields an upper limit of I_γ/I_CR (at 54 TeV) <2.0×10⁻³ (at the 90% confidence level) for a sky region near the inner galaxy (20°< galactic longitude <60° and |galactic latitude |<5°). A method which is sensitive to both the isotropic and the non-isotropic component yields global upper limits of I_γ/I_CR (at 31 TeV) <1.2×10⁻² and I_γ/I_CR (at 53 TeV) <1.4×10⁻² (at the 90% confidence level).     

Past and recent changes in air and permafrost temperatures in eastern Siberia

Air and ground temperatures measured in Eastern Siberia has been compiled and analyzed. The analysis of mean annual air temperatures measured at 52 meteorological stations within and near the East-Siberian transect during the period from 1956 through 1990 demonstrates a significant and statistically significant (at 0.05 level) positive trend ranging from 0.065 to 0.59 °C/10 yr. A statistically significant (at 0.05 level) positive trend was also observed in mean annual ground temperatures for the same period. The permafrost temperature reflects changes in air temperature on a decadal time scale much better than on an interannual time scale. Generally, positive trends in mean annual ground temperatures are slightly smaller in comparison with trends in mean annual air temperatures, except for several sites where the discordance between the air and ground temperatures can be explained by the winter snow dynamics. The average trend for the entire region was 0.26 °C/10 yr for ground temperatures at 1.6 m depth and 0.29 °C/10 yr for the air temperatures. The most significant trends in mean annual air and ground temperatures were in the southern part of the transect, between 55° and 65° N. Numerical modeling of ground temperatures has been performed for Yakutsk and Tiksi for the last 70 yr. Comparing the results of these calculations with a similar time series obtained for Fairbanks and Barrow in Alaska shows that similar variations of ground temperatures took place at the same time periods in Yakutsk and Fairbanks, and in Tiksi and Barrow. The decadal and longer time scale fluctuations in permafrost temperatures were pronounced in both regions. The magnitudes of these fluctuations were on the order of a few degrees centigrade. The fluctuations of mean annual ground temperatures were coordinated in Fairbanks and Yakutsk, and in Barrow and Tiksi. However, the magnitude and timing of these fluctuations were slightly different for each of the sites.     

On the efficiency of the Ultra Steep Spectrum technique in finding high-z radiogalaxies

In the last three decades, the Ultra Steep Spectrum technique has been exploited by many groups since it was demonstrated that radio sources with very steep spectra (<−1.0; S ∝ ν) are good tracers of high-z radio galaxies (HzRGs; z>2). Though more than 150 HzRGs have been discovered up to now with this technique, little is known about its real effectiveness, as most of the ongoing searches still have incomplete follow-up programs. By selecting a new appropriate sample of USS sources from the MRC survey, the true searching efficiency of the USS technique has been quantitatively demonstrated for the first time in this paper. Moreover, it was compared with that of an optical search of HzRGs based on a simple cut of the galaxies r-band magnitude distribution. When no bias other than the radio-spectrum steepness is applied, the USS technique may be up to four times more efficient in selecting HzRGs with respect to an optical search. Nevertheless, when the search is limited to objects fainter than the POSS-II plates (r21), the USS technique is still 2.5 times more efficient (ε_USS=0.52 vs. ε_OPT=0.19). For an optical search to reach a comparable efficiency it is necessary to select objects fainter than r=23, but this implies that about half of the HzRGs are lost because of the imposed magnitude bias. The advantage of the USS technique is that a 0.5 search efficiency is already reached at the POSS-II plates limit, where all the optical identification work is done without telescopes. However, this technique has the drawback that up to 40% of the HzRGs of the sample are lost simply because of the applied spectral index bias. Interestingly, the introduction of a strong angular-size bias such as θ<15″ can double the searching efficiency irrespectively of the adopted technique, but only in the case that no optical bias has been introduced first.     

Probing clustering features around Cl 0024+17

I present a spatial analysis of the galaxy distribution around the cluster Cl 0024+17. The basic aim is to find the scales where galaxies present a significant deviation from an inhomogeneous Poisson statistical process. Using the generalization of the Ripley, Besag, and the pair correlation functions for non-stationary point patterns, I estimate these transition scales for a set of 1000 Monte Carlo realizations of the Cl 0024+17 field, corrected for completeness up to the outskirts. The results point out the presence of at least two physical scales in this field at 31.4^″ and 112.9^″. The second one is statistically consistent with the dark matter ring radius (75^″) previously identified by Jee [Jee, M.J., 2007. ApJ 661, 728]. However, morphology and anisotropy tests point out that a clump at 120^″ NW from the cluster center could be the responsible for the second transition scale. These results do not indicate the existence of a galaxy counterpart of the dark matter ring, but the methodology developed to study the galaxy field as a spatial point pattern provides a good statistical evaluation of the physical scales around the cluster. I briefly discuss the usefulness of this approach to probe features in galaxy distribution and N-body dark matter simulation data.     

A revaluation of the rotational speed of the upper atmosphere

In this paper the rotational speed of the upper atmosphere, mainly at heights of 200–300 km, is evaluated from the changes in the orbital inclinations of thirteen satellites. The values obtained represent the mean rotational speed over the latitudes covered by the satellites, at dates between late 1962 and early 1966, i.e. when solar activity was low.

If the angular velocity of the atmosphere is taken as Λ times that of the Earth, the values of Λ found are mostly between 1.0 and 1.6 with estimated S.D. between 0.1 and 0.25. If we exclude two values at heights above 300 km and one anomalous value, the mean of the remaining ten values of Λ obtained is 1.27, with r.m.s. scatter 0.18: this would correspond to an average west-to-east wind of about 100 m/sec in mid-latitudes.     

Gravity field of Mars from Mariner 9 tracking data

Further reduction of Doppler tracking data from Mariner 9 confirms our earlier conclusion that the gravity field of Mars is considerably rougher than the fields of either the Earth or the Moon. The largest positive gravity anomaly uncovered is in the Tharsis region which is also topographically high and geologically unusual. The best determined coefficients of the harmonic expansion of the gravitational potential are: J₂ = (1.96 ± 10.01) × 10^?3 ; C₂₂ = ?(5.1 ± 0.2) × 10^?5; and S₂₂ = (3.4 ± 0.2) × 10^?5. The other coefficients have not been well determined on an individual basis, but the ensemble yields a useful model for the gravity field for all longitudes in the vicinity of 23° South latitude which corresponds to the periapse position for the orbiter.The value obtained for the inverse mass of Mars (3 098 720 ± 70 M⊙^?1) is in good agreement with prior determinations from Mariner flyby trajectories. The direction found for the rotational pole of Mars, referred to the mean equinox and equator of 1950.0, is characterized by α = 317°.3 ± 0°.2, δ = 52°.7 ± 0°.2. This result is in excellent agreement with Sinclair's recent value, determined from earth-based observations of Mars' satellites, but differs by about 0°.5 from the previously accepted value. Other important physical constants that have either been refined or confirmed by the Mariner 9 data include: (i) the dynamical flattening, f = (5.24 ± 0.02) × 10^?3; (ii) the maximum principal moment of inertia, C = (0.375 ± 0.006) MR²; and (iii) the period of precession of Mars' pole, P ? (1.73 ± 0.03) × 10⁵ yr, corresponding to a rate of 7.4 sec of arc per yr.     

Motion of the Earth's inner core and related variations of polar motion and the rotational velocity

Correlations between the geomagnetic field parameters and polar motion were explained using the hypothesis of an inner core motion. For a number of periodic constituents of both phenomena it could be proved that this model works well. Secular variations of polar motion caused by inner core dynamics are in the same order of magnitude as the secular variation of the pole derived from pole coordinates of the International Latitude Service (ILS).     

Trends of sea level variations in the South China Sea from merged altimetry data

In this study, more than 13 yr of merged altimetry sea level anomalies (SLA) data were used to analyze the trends of sea level variations in the South China Sea (SCS). The result shows that the mean sea level over the SCS has a rise rate of 11.3 mm/yr during 1993–2000 and a fall rate of 11.8 mm/yr during 2001–2005. The geographical distribution of the sea level variations over the SCS is asymmetric with a pronounced variation existing in the deep water. The trends of thermosteric sea level variations were also examined using Ishii data and MITgcm assimilation data. The result indicates that the thermal change of the upper layer of the SCS has a significant contribution to the sea level variations. Heat budget analysis suggests that heat advection may be a key factor influencing the thermal change. Apart from thermal contribution, the effect of water exchange on the sea level variations was also studied.     

Stereoscopic observations of gamma rays at the Whipple observatory

Observations of photons at E ≥ 550 GeV from the Crab Nebula are presented and used to assess the potential of multi-telescope systems for γ-ray astronomy.

The Whipple observatory 10 m and 8 m imaging atmospheric erenkov telescopes have been used to provide a stereoscopic view of air showers to make a more complete measurement of air shower parameters. Here we present a measurement of the spread in the arrival direction of primary γ-rays originating from a point source. The data show that the shower arrival direction can be reconstructed with an accuracy of σ = 0.°14.     

Neutrino-induced and atmospheric single-muon fluxes measured over five decades of intensity by LVD at Gran Sasso Laboratory

We report data taken by the LVD Experiment during a live-time period of 11 556 h. We have measured the muon intensity at slant depths of standard rock from about 3000 hg/cm² to about 20 000 hg/cm². This is an exclusive study, namely our data include only events containing single muons. This interval of slant depth extends into the region where the dominant source of underground muons seen by LVD is the interaction of atmospheric neutrinos with the rock surrounding LVD. The interesting result is that this flux is independent of slant depth beyond a slant depth of about 14 000 hg/cm² of standard rock. Due to the unique topology of the Gran Sasso Laboratory the muons beyond about 14 000 hg/cm² of standard rock are at a zenithal angle near 90°. Hence we have, for this fixed angle, a muon flux which is independent of slant depth. This is direct evidence that this flux is due to atmospheric neutrinos interacting in the rock surrounding LVD. The value of this flux near 90° is (8.3 ± 2.6) × 10⁻¹³ cm⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹, which is the first reported measurement at a zenithal angle near 90° and for slant depths between 14 000 and 20 000 hg/cm². Our data cover over five decades of vertical intensity, and can be fit with just three parameters over the full range of our experiment. This is the first time a single experiment reports the parameters of a fit made to the vertical intensity over such a large range of standard rock slant depth. The results are compared with a Monte Carlo simulation which has as one of the two free parameters γ_πκ, the power index of the differential energy spectrum of the pions and kaons in the atmosphere. This comparison yields a value of 2.75 ± 0.03 for γ_πκ, where the error includes the systematic uncertainties. Our data are compared to other measurements made in our slant depth interval. We also report the value of the muon flux in Gran Sasso at θ = 90° as a function of the azimuthal angle.     

Factors controlling Jovian decametric emission

Only those Jovian decametric storms whose maximum radio-frequency reaches or exceeds 30 Mc/s exhibit the strong well-known pattern of peak occurrence at Io phases 90° and 230°. The majority of storms, those which fail to reach 30 Mc/s, exhibit a weaker and more complex pattern.

The maximum radio-frequency of storms also determines the pattern of occurrence with Jovian longitude, though the structure of this pattern is tens of Mc/s wide. On a fine scale, it is not the radio-frequency, nor primarily the central time, but the commencement time of storms which correlates with Jovian longitude. Most main-source storms are first seen on Earth as Jupiter's Northern Hemisphere magnetic pole (λ_III = 200°) crosses the central meridian.

The current belief that Jupiter's radio rotation period has lengthened during the last few years is probably erroneous.     

Long-term Variability Properties of Mkn501

Optical photometric observations at the I and R wavebands were carried out towards Mkn501 using the 1.56 meter optical telescope of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory at Sheshan. Combining our new observations with the published historical data, we have obtained the light curves of Mkn501 at the optical, infrared and radio wavebands with a time coverage of nearly 80 years. The relationship between the light variability and the color index is discussed, it is found that a strong correlation exists between the color indices (B − V) and (B − R), with the correlation coefficient reaching r = 0.73. The correlations of multi-band light variabilities are analyzed by the DCF method, it is found that certain positive correlations of B-band light variability with the 4.8 GHz and infrared light variabilities exist. And the spectral analysis on the B-band light curve with the CLEANest method indicates that the light curve of Mkn501 contains probably two periodical components of (10.06 ± 0.04) yr and (21.60 ± 0.17) yr.