From Molecular Cores to Stars and Brown Dwarfs

In this paper, we review the results from numerical simulations that investigate the evolution of molecular cores into stars and brown dwarfs. We begin by discussing the four main processes involved in this evolution, fragmentation, accretion, interactions with discs, and stellar dynamical interactions. We then discuss large-scale calculations in which all of these processes are model simultaneously. Finally, we review results that have been obtained from past magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) calculations of fragmentation and look towards future MHD calculations.     

Formation of Brown Dwarfs and Planets: Observations,Experiments and Theory

I01 NIR Imaging Spectroscopy of Extrasolar Planets I02 Eccentricity growth in protoplanetary disks with embedded planets I03 Brown dwarf atmospheres: the dust in the L – T transition region I04 Model Atmospheres of Substellar Atmospheres at a Young Age:Influence of Gravity and Dust I05 Detection of Planetary Transits using Wavelet Analysis and Genetic Algorithms I06 Automated Difference Imaging for Extrasolar Planet Searches I07 The formation of planets around stars with various masses I08 The Multiplicity of exoplanet host stars I09 Direct imaging of planets around young stars, the case of GQ Lup b I10 On the Nucleation of NH₃ under the Atmospheric Conditions of Jovian‐like Planets I11 Unveiling a new low‐mass star formation site in NGC 1333 with SCUBA I12 Linear analysis of the stability of protoplanets: Possible planetary evolutions and comparisons to the Jeans‐analysis I13 Triggered planet formation in young stellar clusters I14 Convective Radiation Fluid‐Dynamics: Formation and Early Evolution at the Substellar Limit and Beyond     

天体运动的轨道偏心率研究概述---从恒星系统到行星系统

偏心率是描述天体运动轨道的重要参数之一, 能够为揭示天体的动力学演化提供重要线索, 进而帮助理解天体形成与演化的过程及背后的物理机制. 随着天文观测技术的不断发展, 人们对于天体运动轨道的研究已经走出太阳系, 包含的系统也从大质量端的恒星系统延伸到了低质量端的行星系统. 聚焦天体轨道偏心率研究, 回顾了目前在恒星系统(包括主序恒星、褐矮星以及致密星)和行星系统(包括太阳系外巨行星以及``超级地球''、``亚海王星''等小质量系外行星)方面取得的进展, 总结了不同尺度结构下偏心率研究的一些共同之处和待解决的问题. 并结合当下和未来的相关天文观测设备和项目, 对未来天体轨道偏心率方面的研究工作进行了展望.     

Low-Mass Quark Stars or Quark White Dwarfs

An equation of state is considered that, in superdense nuclear matter, results in a phase transition of the first kind from the nucleon state to the quark state with a transition parameter > 3/2 ( = _Q /( _N + P ₀/c ²)). A calculation of the integrated parameters of superdense stars on the basis of this equation of state shows that on the stable branch of the dependence of stellar mass on central pressure (dM/dP _c > 0), in the low-mass range, following the formation of a tooth-shaped break (M = 0.08 M , R = 200 km) due to quark formation, a new local maximum with M _max = 0.082 M and R = 1251 km is also formed. The mass and radius of the quark core of such a star turn out to be M _core = 0.005 M and R _core = 1.7 km, respectively. Mass accretion in this model can result in two successive transitions to a neutron star with a quark core, with energy release like supernova outbursts.     

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.     

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。     

Models of Strange Stars with a Crust and Strange Dwarfs

Strange quark stars with a crust and strange dwarfs consisting of a compact strange quark core and an extended crust are investigated in terms of a bag model. The crust, which consists of atomic nuclei and degenerate electrons, has a limiting density of _cr=_drip=4.3·10¹¹ g/cm³. A series of configurations are calculated for two sets of bag model parameters and three different values of _cr (10⁹ g/cm³ _{cr drip}) to find the dependence of a star's mass M and radius R on the central density. Sequences of stars ranging from compact strange stars to extended strange dwarfs are constructed out of strange quark matter with a crust. The effect of the bag model parameters and limiting crust density _cr on the parameters of the strange stars and strange dwarfs is examined. The strange dwarfs are compared with ordinary white dwarfs and observational differences between the two are pointed out.     

Atmospheric Chemistry in Giant Planets, Brown Dwarfs, and Low-Mass Dwarf Stars: I. Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen

The chemical species containing carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in atmospheres of giant planets, brown dwarfs (T and L dwarfs), and low-mass stars (M dwarfs) are identified as part of a comprehensive set of thermochemical equilibrium and kinetic calculations for all elements. The calculations cover a wide temperature and pressure range in the upper portions of giant planetary and T-, L-, and M-dwarf atmospheres. Emphasis is placed on the major gases CH₄, CO, NH₃, N₂, and H₂O but other less abundant gases are included. The results presented are independent of particular model atmospheres, and can be used to constrain model atmosphere temperatures and pressures from observations of different gases. The influence of metallicity on the speciation of these key elements under pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions relevant to low-mass object atmospheres is discussed. The results of the thermochemical equilibrium computations indicate that several compounds may be useful to establish temperature or pressure scales for giant planet, brown dwarf, or dwarf star atmospheres. We find that ethane and methanol abundance are useful temperature probes in giant planets and methane dwarfs such as Gl 229B, and that CO₂ can serve as a temperature probe in more massive objects. Imidogen (NH) abundances are a unique pressure-independent temperature probe for all objects. Total pressure probes for warmer brown dwarfs and M dwarfs are HCN, HCNO, and CH₂O. No temperature-independent probes for the total pressure in giant planets or T-dwarf atmospheres are identified among the more abundant C, N, and O bearing gases investigated here.     

The Chemical Evolution of the Universe on its Smallest Scales: Dust in Stars,Disks and Planets

D15 Dust and gas in the inner accretion disk around the Herbig star MWC 147 resolved with infrared spectro‐interferometry D21 The effective temperature of OGLE‐TR‐10 – The Balmer α line D29 Metal Injection into the Intracluster Medium D30 Eigenmodes of circumstellar dust shells D40 Numerical Modelling Approach of Circumstellar Dust Shells Around Pulsating AGB Stars Aiming at Multi Time Scale Processes D45 UV radiation induced CO molecule formation patterns in low density PDRs D46 IR properties of calcite and dolomite at low temperatures D47 Observations and Models of Dusty Giants – Past and Present D51 A multi‐method approach to the outer layers of AGB stars D53 On the convective energy transport in M‐type brown dwarf atmospheres D70 Structure and Dust Composition of the TW Hya Disc D75 Chemical Abundances in the Carina Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy D76 Kinematic and chemical constraints on the formation of M31's inner halo structures D77 IR band profiles of silicate and oxide dust obtained by laboratory measurements of free‐flying particles D98 Dust particle growth in protoplanetary disks D134 Comparative study of dust cloud modelling for substellar atmospheres D137 Photometric study of neglected binary DV Psc D154 Quantitative Spectroscopy of Deneb D160 Hot subluminous Ostars from the SDSS D166 Simultaneous Observations of Solar Ca II H and Ca II 8662 lines and Numerical Simulation of these lines D182 Present‐day carbon abundances in the solar vicinity D189 Detection of a giant planet around a pulsating extreme horizontal branch star: the oldest known planet? D200 Confirmation of a very young binary brown dwarf candidate with disk in Chamaeleon D208 Galaxy ages and metallicities in the cluster A1314 D217 Charge‐dipole induced dust gelation – fastening the process of dust growth in protoplanetary disks D246 Protoplanetary Disk Structure and Evolution     

On the Origin of the Spin of Planets and Stars and its Connection with Gravitomagnetism

The origin of the spin of planets and stars is, to a certain extent, still unexplained. In general, we attribute their rotation to the swirl of their constituent primitive gases. In this paper, we try to show that the rotation of celestial bodies depends only on their mass, apparent radius and tilt of their spin axes. We reach this conclusion within the framework of gravitomagnetism, implied by the Einstein’s general relativity theory (GR). Our results show that it might possible, in principle, to calculate the mass of spinning objects by measuring their apparent radius, the speed of rotation and the tilt of the axis of rotation.     

Analysis of the Spectra of Two Pleiades Brown Dwarfs: Teide 1 and Calar 3

Results of the numerical simulation of spectra of the Pleiades brown dwarfs Calar 3 and Teide 1 are discussed. Synthetical spectra were computed for several model atmospheres from a grid of Allard and Hauschildt (1995). From the comparison of computed and observed spectra we have found that: – the spectrum of Teide 1 may be reasonably well fitted by JOLA in the visible region, including the spectral regions around the Li I lines at λλ 670.8 and 812.6 nm. – The structure of absorption bands observed in the spectrum of Teide 1 and Calar 3 depends mainly on T_eff. The dependence on gravity is much weaker. – A comparison of observed and computed spectra shows that effective temperatures of these Pleiades brown dwarfs is T_eff ≈ 2900 K. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Limits on the Orbits of Possible Eccentric and Inclined Moons of Extrasolar Planets Orbiting Single Stars

Limits are placed on the range of orbits and masses of possible moons orbiting extrasolar planets which orbit single central stars. The Roche limiting radius determines how close the moon can approach the planet before tidal disruption occurs; while the Hill stability of the star–planet–moon system determines stable orbits of the moon around the planet. Here the full three-body Hill stability is derived for a system with the binary composed of the planet and moon moving on an inclined, elliptical orbit relative the central star. The approximation derived here in Eq. (17) assumes the binary mass is very small compared with the mass of the star and has not previously been applied to this problem and gives the criterion against disruption and component exchange in a closed form. This criterion was applied to transiting extrasolar planetary systems discovered since the last estimation of the critical separations (Donnison in Mon Not R Astron Soc 406:1918, 2010a) for a variety of planet/moon ratios including binary planets, with the moon moving on a circular orbit. The effects of eccentricity and inclination of the binary on the stability of the orbit of a moon is discussed and applied to the transiting extrasolar planets, assuming the same planet/moon ratios but with the moon moving with a variety of eccentricities and inclinations. For the non-zero values of the eccentricity of the moon, the critical separation distance decreased as the eccentricity increased in value. Similarly the critical separation decreased as the inclination increased. In both cases the changes though very small were significant.     

UV Capabilities to Probe the Formation of Planetary Systems: From the ISM to Planets

Planetary systems are angular momentum reservoirs generated during star formation. Solutions to three of the most important problems in contemporary astrophysics are needed to understand the entire process of planetary system formation: The physics of the ISM. Stars form from dense molecular clouds that contain ∼ 30% of the total interstellar medium (ISM) mass. The structure, properties and lifetimes of molecular clouds are determined by the overall dynamics and evolution of a very complex system – the ISM. Understanding the physics of the ISM is of prime importance not only for Galactic but also for extragalactic and cosmological studies. Most of the ISM volume (∼ 65%) is filled with diffuse gas at temperatures between 3000 and 300 000 K, representing about 50% of the ISM mass. The physics of accretion and outflow. Powerful outflows are known to regulate angular momentum transport during star formation, the so-called accretion–outflow engine. Elementary physical considerations show that, to be efficient, the acceleration region for the outflows must be located close to the star (within 1 AU) where the gravitational field is strong. According to recent numerical simulations, this is also the region where terrestrial planets could form after 1 Myr. One should keep in mind that today the only evidence for life in the Universe comes from a planet located in this inner disk region (at 1 AU) from its parent star. The temperature of the accretion–outflow engine is between 3000 and 10 ⁷ K. After 1 Myr, during the classical T Tauri stage, extinction is small and the engine becomes naked and can be observed at ultraviolet wavelengths. The physics of planet formation. Observations of volatiles released by dust, planetesimals and comets provide an extremely powerful tool for determining the relative abundances of the vaporizing species and for studying the photochemical and physical processes acting in the inner parts of young planetary systems. This region is illuminated by the strong UV radiation field produced by the star and the accretion–outflow engine. Absorption spectroscopy provides the most sensitive tool for determining the properties of the circumstellar gas as well as the characteristics of the atmospheres of the inner planets transiting the stellar disk. UV radiation also pumps the electronic transitions of the most abundant molecules (H ₂, CO, etc.) that are observed in the UV.Here we argue that access to the UV spectral range is essential for making progress in this field, since the resonance lines of the most abundant atoms and ions at temperatures between 3000 and 300 000 K, together with the electronic transitions of the most abundant molecules (H ₂, CO, OH, CS, S ₂, CO ₂ ⁺, C ₂, O ₂, O₃, etc.) are at UV wavelengths. A powerful UV-optical instrument would provide an efficient mean for measuring the abundance of ozone in the atmosphere of the thousands of transiting planets expected to be detected by the next space missions (GAIA, Corot, Kepler, etc.). Thus, a follow-up UV mission would be optimal for identifying Earth-like candidates.     

From TTauri Stars to Black Holes: classical and relativistic models of jets

We have applied an axisymmetric self-similar model of outflows leaving from the central corona to TTauri jets and extend this model to include relativistic motions and temperatures. For CTTS we find that the stellar jet contributes to 10 % of the total mass loss rate while the rest is provided by the 3 first stellar radii of the inner disk. Our relativistic extension allows us to model jets from black hole magnetospheres assuming a Schwarzschild metric. We intend to generalize the criterion for collimation found in the classical limit to relativistic jets from AGN.     

Earth,Moon, And Planets

Instructions for Authors

Earth, Moon, And Planets     

轻夸克物质团、奇异子和致密矮星

相对于核物质和奇异夸克物质, 仅由两味夸克构成的轻夸克物质(即ud夸克物质)有可能更稳定. 而对于由这三类物质构成的典型物质集团, 研究发现如果ud夸克物质具有较大的对称能, 那么其物质团会在特定大小(重子数$A\approx1000$)时最稳定. 在这种情况下, 就可能存在由ud夸克物质团和电子构成的致密矮星, 即ud夸克矮星. 通过进一步研究这类ud夸克矮星的结构可知: 相较于传统的由原子核和电子构成的白矮星, ud夸克矮星通常具有较小的半径, 而被正常物质覆盖的ud夸克矮星的半径则在它们之间, 这与最近观测到的质量和半径都异常小的白矮星相符.     

An Upper Limit on the Ratio Between the Extreme Ultraviolet and the Bolometric Luminosities of Stars Hosting Habitable Planets

A large number of terrestrial planets in the classical habitable zone of stars of different spectral types have already been discovered and many are expected to be discovered in the near future. However, owing to the lack of knowledge on the atmospheric properties, the ambient environment of such planets are unknown. It is known that sufficient amount of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from the star can drive hydrodynamic outflow of hydrogen that may drag heavier species from the atmosphere of the planet. If the rate of mass loss is sufficiently high, then substantial amount of volatiles would escape causing the planet to become uninhabitable. Considering energy-limited hydrodynamical mass loss with an escape rate that causes oxygen to escape alongwith hydrogen, an upper limit for the ratio between the EUV and the bolometric luminosities of stars which constrains the habitability of planets around them is presented here. Application of the limit to planet-hosting stars with known EUV luminosities implies that many M-type of stars should not have habitable planets around them.