The relationship between the strength of the IMF and the frequency of magnetic pulsations on the ground and in the solar wind

It has been established for some time that there is a correlation between the frequency of Pc 3–4 geomagnetic pulsations observed on the ground and the strength of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The recent discovery of an apparently similar relationship between pulsations in the same frequency band in the solar wind and the strength of the IMF led to the suggestion that some magnetospheric Pc 3–4 pulsations have an exogenic source.In this paper we offer a statistical reappraisal of some of the earlier results, and an analysis of newly available ground and solar wind pulsation data sets, which suggest that on the basis of a frequency-field strength relationship alone, the case for an exogenic source is still unproven.We do, however, find support for the frequency-field strength relationship (for ground pulsations), which was the original basis for the Borok B index for prediction of the strength of the IMF. We also confirm that pulsation frequency is, at best, an imprecise predictor and show that any derived relationship is strongly dependent on the data sets used.     

1m红外太阳望远镜光电导行系统中像场旋转的分析

云南天文台1m红外太阳望远镜(YNST)光电导行系统是基于检测太阳像在面阵CMOS图像传感器上的偏移量作为反馈控制信号的高精度闭环跟踪系统[1]。由于YNST是一个地平式装置,在太阳像偏移检测量中存在着像场旋转量,为了获取稳定清晰的太阳像,必须对检测量进行消旋[2]才能达到光电导行系统的跟踪要求。根据球面天文学及天体测量学的知识并结合导行镜的光学系统,推导了光电导行系统中像场旋转的变化规律并对其进行模拟分析。     

Accounting for the viscosity of the fluid core in the problem of the physical libration of the moon

A two-component theoretical model of the physical libration of the Moon in longitude is constructed with account taken of the viscosity of the core. In the new version, a hydrodynamic problem of motion of a fluid filling a solid rotating shell is solved. It is found that surfaces of equal angular velocity are spherical, and a velocity field of the fluid core of the Moon is described by elementary functions. A distribution of the internal pressure in the core is found. An angular momentum exchange between the fluid core and solid mantle is described by a third-order differential equation with a right-hand side. The roots of a characteristic equation are studied and the stability of rotation is proved. A libration angle as a function of time is found using the derived solution of the differential equation. Limiting cases of infinitely large and infinitely small viscosity are considered and an effect of lag of a libration phase from a phase of action of an external moment of forces is ascertained. This makes it possible to estimate the viscosity and sizes of the lunar fluid core from data of observations.     

Influence of the random refraction of radio waves in the corona on the properties of solar noise storms

Scattering of radio waves on irregularities in the coronal electron density is inevitably accompanied by variations of scattered signal intensity. According to the probability theory, the scattered signal intensity distribution is described by an exponential law. The empirical intensity distribution in the majority of the observed noise storms is also adequately described by an exponential law, and this fact counts in favor of the hypothesis that the burst component of noise storms is formed as a result of the scattering of the radio radiation from quasi-stable point sources on coronal irregularities.     

On the possibility of the development of longitudinal wave instabilities on the background of the small-scale Bernstein turbulence in preflare chromosphere of a solar active region

The process of origination and development of instabilities of the longitudinal waves of two types, namely, low-frequency ion-acoustic and high-frequency (“electronic”) Langmuir waves, in the preflare atmosphere of an active solar region are studied. The area under study is located at the chromospheric part of the flare loop near its footpoint. A weak large-scale electric field of flaring loop is the main source of these instabilities. The velocity of an electronic flow in the preflare plasma is supposed to be much lower than thermal electron velocity. Instability development is considered against the background of small-scale Bernstein wave turbulence, which exists in the preflare plasma and has an extremely low threshold of excitation. The necessary conditions for the instability origination and development, as well as the boundary values of the main plasma and wave perturbation parameters, are calculated.     

Evolution of the Universe through the Planck epoch

The problem of the Universe emerging out of the Planck epoch is discussed. It is pointed out that an earlier exponential expansion phase well before the onset of the GUTs phase transition is essential. Such an expansion can occur owing to the breaking of scale invariance at Planck energies in a unified theory of gravity with other interactions.     

Auroral displays near the ‘foot’ of the field line of the ATS-5 satellite

This paper presents a brief summary of an extensive correlative study of ATS-5 particle and magnetic field data with all-sky photographs from Great Whale River which is near the ‘foot’ of the field lines passing through the ATS-5 satellite. In particular, an effort is made to identify specific particle features with specific auroral displays during substorms, such as a westward travelling surge, poleward expansive motion and drifting patches. Some of the important findings are (i) in early evening hours, the first encounter of ATS-5 with hot plasma is associated with the equatorward shift of the diffuse aurora, but not necessarily with westward travelling surges (even when the satellite is embedded in the plasma sheet.) (ii) In the midnight sector, an injection corresponds very well to the initial brightening of an auroral arc. (iii) Specific features of morning sector auroras (for example, drifting patches) are difficult to correlate with specific particle features (gross features, but not specific).Comparing these results with particle data from low-latitude polar orbiting satellites, it is concluded that the plasma sheet near the earthward edge (consisting of plasmas injected during earlier substorms) is little affected during substorms.     

On the stability of the solar wind

The stability of the solar wind is studied in the case of spherical symmetry and constant temperature. It is shown that the stability problem must be formulated as a mixed initial and boundary-value problem in which are prescribed the perturbation values of velocity and density at an initial time and additionally the velocity perturbation at the base of the corona for all times. The solution is constructed by linear superposition of normal solutions, which contain the time only in an exponential factor. The stability problem becomes a singular eigenvalue problem for the amplitudes of the velocity and pressure perturbations, since additionally to the boundary condition at the base of the corona one must add the condition that the amplitudes behave regularly at the critical point. It is proved that only stable eigenvalues exist.     

Determination of the properties of Mercury's magnetic field by the MESSENGER mission

The MESSENGER mission to Mercury, to be launched in 2004, will provide an opportunity to characterize Mercury's internal magnetic field during an orbital phase lasting one Earth year. To test the ability to determine the planetary dipole and higher-order moments from measurements by the spacecraft's fluxgate magnetometer, we simulate the observations along the spacecraft trajectory and recover the internal field characteristics from the simulated observations. The magnetic field inside Mercury's magnetosphere is assumed to consist of an intrinsic multipole component and an external contribution due to magnetospheric current systems described by a modified Tsyganenko 96 model. Under the axis-centered-dipole approximation without correction for the external field the moment strength is overestimated by ∼4% for a simulated dipole moment of , and the error depends strongly on the magnitude of the simulated moment, rising as the moment decreases. Correcting for the external field contributions can reduce the error in the dipole term to a lower limit of ∼1-2% without a solar wind monitor. Dipole and quadrupole terms, although highly correlated, are then distinguishable at the level equivalent to an error in the position of an offset dipole of a few tens of kilometers. Knowledge of the external magnetic field is therefore the primary limiting factor in extracting reliable knowledge of the structure of Mercury's magnetic field from the MESSENGER observations.     

考虑地球扁率摄动影响的初轨计算方法

在二体问题意义下的短弧定轨,Laplace型方法是最主要最典型的一种初轨计算方法。若测角资料达到10^-4-10^-5精度(相当于2″—20″之间),那么要使定轨精度达到与其相应的程度,地球非球形引力位中的扁率项摄动应该考虑,在此前提下,同样可以采用相应的Laplace型定轨方法。即给出这种严格包含扁率摄动的初轨计算方法的原理和具体计算过程以及计算实例,除采用多资料定轨方法外,这种方法也是提高初轨计算精度的一种途径,它同样可用于多资料的情况,这种方法对于大扁率主天体(即中心天体)的卫星定轨将更有实用价值。     

Error propagation in the numerical solutions of the differential equations of orbital mechanics

The relationship between the eigen values of the linearized differential equations of orbital mechanics and the stability characteristics of numerical methods is presented. It is shown that the Cowell, Encke, and Encke formulation with an independent variable related to the eccentric anomaly all have a real positive eigen value when linearized about the initial conditions. The real positive eigen value causes an amplification of the error of the solution when used in conjunction with a numerical integration method. In contrast an element formulation has zero eigen values and is numerically stable.     

On the extension of the sensitive area of an extensive air shower surface array

A large distance between true and reconstructed core locations of an extensive air shower (EAS) may result in great systematic mis-estimation of EAS parameters. The reconstruction of those EASs whose core locations are outside the boundary of a surface array (outside EAS (OEAS)) results in a large distance of the reconstructed core location from the true one, especially when the true core is far outside the array. Although it may not be mentioned, the rejection of OEASs is a necessary and important step in the reconstruction procedure of an EAS. In this paper, an existing technique is optimized for the rejection of OEASs. The simultaneous use of this technique and a recently developed approach for reconstructing the core location of an EAS can significantly increase the sensitive area of a surface array.     

SSHG底片特性曲线制作的注记

本文将介绍在计算机上制作SSHG底片特性曲线的方法,并针对1991年4月12日无黑子耀斑光谱的底片特性曲线的制作,阐述几个易误解的物理问题。本文还将给出SSHG底片特性曲线的一个经验公式。     

On the planetary acceleration and the rotation of the Earth

We have developed a cosmological model for the Earth rotation and planetary acceleration that gives a good account (data) of the Earth astronomical parameters. These data can be compared with the ones obtained using space-base telescopes. The expansion of the universe has shown to have an impact on the rotation of planets, and in particular, the Earth. The expansion of the universe causes an acceleration that is exhibited by all planets.     

Exact and numerical solutions of the kompaneets equation: Evolution of the spectrum and average frequencies

The evolution of the spectrum of isotropic uniform radiation in an infinite space filled with a homogeneous, nonrelativistic electron gas is calculated by solving the Kompaneets equation. For an infinitely narrow initial spectrum, the time dependence of the average frequency and frequency dispersion is determined in a linear approximation of the equation. Characteristic times corresponding to changes in the character of this dependence are introduced. Two schemes are proposed for the numerical solution of the nonlinear equation: a nonconservative scheme with a grid that is uniform in frequency and a conservative scheme with automatic selection of an adaptive grid in frequency and time. For the linear equation the method yields results consistent with calculations of its solutions in terms of an eigenfunction expansion of the Kompaneets operator calculated in [D. I. Nagirner and V. M. Loskutov, Astrofizika, 40, 97 (1977)]. The influence of nonlinearity on the evolution of the spectrum of initially monochromatic radiation of various intensities is traced as an example of the application of the method.     

On the observability of the magnetic precession of the black hole accretion disks

The precession of a rotating charged black hole in an external magnetic field is considered. The possibility of observing the effect in black hole systems with magnetized accretion, disks is discussed.     

应用ATA的对数周期馈源方案于FAST的可能性探讨

介绍应用于美国凤凰计划的Allen望远镜阵(ATA)的对数周期馈源(LPA)概况，初步给出此种馈源的基本参数及性能，仿真估算了其驻波比和方向图，并结合正在进行中的我国500m孔径球面射电望远镜(FAST)计划，探讨了应用这种宽带馈源的可能性及其限制。     

Effects of capillary reflection in the performance of the collimator of the Large Area Detector on board LOFT

The Large Observatory For X-ray Timing (LOFT) is one of the candidate missions selected by the European Space Agency for an initial assessment phase in the Cosmic Vision programme. It is proposed for the M3 launch slot and has broad scientific goals related to fast timing of astrophysical X-ray sources. LOFT will carry the Large Area Detector (LAD), as one of the two core science instruments, necessary to achieve the challenging objectives of the project. LAD is a collimated detector working in the energy range 2-50 keV with an effective area of approximately 10 m ²at 8 keV. The instrument comprises an array of modules located on deployable panels. Lead-glass microchannel plate (MCP) collimators are located in front of the large-area Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) to reduce the background contamination from off-axis resolved point sources and from the diffuse X-ray background. The inner walls of the microchannel plate pores reflect grazing incidence X-ray photons with a probability that depends on energy. In this paper, we present a study performed with an ad-hoc simulator of the effects of this capillary reflectivity on the overall instrument performance. The reflectivity is derived from a limited set of laboratory measurements, used to constrain the model. The measurements were taken using a prototype collimator whose thickness is similar to that adopted in the current baseline design proposed for the LAD. We find that the experimentally measured level of reflectivity of the pore inner walls enhances the off-axis transmission at low energies, producing an almost flat-top response. The resulting background increase due to the diffuse cosmic X-ray emission and sources within the field of view does not degrade the instrument sensitivity.     

CCD离焦对现代日晕光度计测量结果影响分析

现代日晕光度计（Sky Brightness Monitor,SBM）是一种测定天文址点白昼大气参量的精密仪器,它已成为国际上太阳选址工作的重要设备之一。与国外同类设备不同的是,云南天文台研制的现代日晕光度计上的CCD相机系统可以被简单拆卸并保存,有利于选址踏勘阶段的携带和运输。为获取组装现代日晕光度计设备时可能存在的CCD离焦所导致的测量误差,于2011年6月在新疆奇台县和宁夏石嘴山市利用当地稳定的日照条件做了多次CCD大离焦量快变试验。统计结果表明,现代日晕光度计的CCD显著离焦可造成的相对测量误差约在6％之内。在正常情况下,即观测者基本按照物镜旋筒刻线标志在望远镜上安装CCD设备时,日晕测量的相对误差一般远小于6％。因此认为这种系统误差对优良址点的测量影响基本可以忽略。