Preface: Frontiers in Astrophysics(Ⅱ)——A special issue dedicated to the 20th anniversary of RAA(2001–2020)

On the arrival of the 20 th anniversary of the journal, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics(RAA), we see rapid progress in the frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics. To celebrate the birth and growth of RAA, a special issue consisting of 11 invited reviews from more than 30 authors, mainly from China, has been organized. This is the second volume of the special issues entitled Frontiers in Astrophysics published in RAA. The publication aims at evaluating the current status and key progress in some frontier areas of astronomy and astrophysics with a spirit of guiding future studies.     

NASA's Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy (IDEA)

We describe a progressive program in science education called the Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy (IDEA). IDEA represents a commitrnent by the Astrophysics Division of NASA Headquarters to pre-collegiate and public learning. The program enlists the full participation of research astronomers in taking advantage of the natural appeal of astronomy and the unique features of space astrophysics missions to generate valuable learning experiences and scientifically accurate and educationally effective products for students, teachers and citizens. One of the premier projects is called Flight Opportunities for Science Teacher EnRichment (FOSTER) — a program to fly teachers aboard the Kuiper Airborne Observatory during actual research missions. IDEA is managed by a visiting scientist with extensive educational background (each of the authors have served in this role), and the program is unique within NASA science divisions for having a full time scientist devoted to education. IDEA recognizes that the rapidly shifting social and political landscape has caused a fundamental change in how science is expected to contribute to society. It is in the enlightened self-interest of all research scientists to respond to the challenge of connecting forefront research to basic educational needs. IDEA is exploring the avenues needed to facilitate these connections, including supplementing research grants for educational purposes.Presented at the 2nd UN/ESA Workshop, held in Bogotá, Colombia, 9–13 November, 1992.     

V1589 Cyg=B19: A foreground dMe flare star in the direction of NGC 7000

Institute of theoretical Astrophysics, Oslo, Norway; Department of Astronomy and National Astronomical Observatory, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, Austin, Texas, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory Armenian Academy of Sciences, USSR. Published in English in Astrofizika, Vol. 19, No. 1, 67–73, July–August, 1988.     

Measurement of vector magnetic fields

The observations of Stokes line profiles require an accurate knowledge of the instrumental polarisation caused by optical components in the path of the light beam. In this context we present a theoretical approach to the instrumental polarisation caused by the 3-mirror coelostat system of the Kodaikanal Solar Tower.Collaborative Program in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 India.     

Chandra and his students at Yerkes Observatory

S. Chandrasekhar’s interactions with graduate students in his more than a quarter century at Yerkes Observatory are described. His graduate teaching, Ph.D. thesis students, colloquia and colloquium series, and seminar series were all important aspects of this side of his scientific research career. His managing editorship ofThe Astrophysical Journal, his one experience in observational astrophysics, a second paper he wrote describing some of the early observational work at Yerkes Observatory, and a third on “the case for astronomy” are all discussed. A famous myth about one of his courses is corrected, and the circumstances under which the “S. Candlestickmaker” parody was written are recounted. Chandra’s computers, recruited in the Williams Bay community, are mentioned. A complete or nearly complete table of all the thesis students who received their Ph.D. degrees under his supervision, at Yerkes and on the campus in Chicago up through his last one in Astronomy and Astrophysics in 1973, is presented, with references to their published thesis papers.     

天文教育Ⅰ:万有引力与天体物理

分别从物理学和天文学角度引申出天体物理学科,特别关注万有引力在其中扮演的关键角色.无论在综合性大学亦或理工科院校,天文教育均有益于提高学生的科学和人文素养,而天体物理则是天文学的主要内涵.介绍了作者讲授"天体物理"课程的相关信息以及个人认识.最后,以大气簇射μ子产生、啾质量、宇宙加速膨胀等教学案例结束,侧面诠释了作者的"天体物理"教育理念.     

天文教育I: 万有引力与天体物理

分别从物理学和天文学角度引申出天体物理学科, 特别关注万有引力在其中扮演的关键角色. 无论在综合性大学亦或理工科院校, 天文教育均有益于提高学生的科学和人文素养, 而天体物理则是天文学的主要内涵. 介绍了作者讲授``天体物理''课程的相关信息以及个人认识. 最后, 以大气簇射mu子产生、啾质量、宇宙加速膨胀等教学案例结束, 侧面诠释了作者的``天体物理''教育理念.     

基于Python的SKA-RASCIL中的天线增益校准实现

天线增益校准是射电天文观测数据处理过程中的一个关键步骤.分析了经典的天线增益校准算法Antsol的基本原理,并基于Python对Antsol算法进行了高性能实现,所完成的程序代码已经集成到平方公里阵列(Square Kilometre Array,SKA)的射电天文模拟校准成像软件(Radio Astronomy Si...     

基于容器技术的天文应用软件自动部署方法

平方千米阵列即将开始建设,各子工作包也进入关键设计评估阶段。基于云与容器技术是平方千米阵列科学数据处理器未来可能采用的平台技术。针对超大规模海量数据处理面临的天文应用软件快速部署、运行与实测要求,充分考虑天文应用软件运行环境复杂、云计算环境下超大规模计算集群部署困难等问题,系统研究并给出了一种使用容器技术的天文应用软件通用自动部署方法。以目前较为常用的可见度函数校准软件SAGECaL为例,首先分析了SAGECaL的相关特性和分布式部署方面存在的困难,进而给出了基于容器技术的SAGECaL分布式集群的自动部署方法。实验结果表明,自动部署方法极大地提高了SAGECaL分布式集群的部署效率,满足项目组承担平方千米阵列科学数据处理器相关测试工作所需要的基础平台部署与切换等需求,同时也为其它天文软件在云端的快速部署与执行提供了有益的思路。     

上海天文台天体物理研究室近10年科学论文产出及其分析

对我台天体物理研究室 1992 - 2 0 0 1年期间科学论文产出情况进行了定量统计和分析 ,对已发表的论文总数、国内外SCI论文数、学报及台刊 (包括会议集等 )文章、青年作者论文数及论文引用情况的变化 ,分类归纳并进行讨论。结果表明该研究室科学论文产出的数量和质量逐年提高 ,并已形成了一支以青年天文工作者为主的天体物理基础研究队伍     

基于OpenCL的射电干涉阵成像网格化算法实现

天文软件开发与应用中迫切需要在单机环境下进行高性能的科学数据处理,由于机器配置不同,采用传统的CUDA+GPU技术存在明显的局限,不利于天文软件的快速移植和无缝运行。针对明安图射电频谱日像仪数据处理中的网格化(Gridding)算法,采用并行计算OpenCL技术进行多线程编程实现。实验结果表明,基于OpenCL实现的网格化算法不仅能够在图形处理器上运行,而且能够在纯中央处理器上运行。当选择在图形处理器上执行时,算法的执行效率与基于CUDA实现的网格化算法执行效率大致相当,但算法不局限于NVIDIA GPU,解决了算法对CUDA+GPU的依赖;同时算法也能在纯中央处理器上较快速地执行,适用于单机模式下进行天文软件的开发和测试,也便于天文软件的应用与推广。     

基于ZeroMQ的观测控制系统底层通信架构分析与测试

观测控制系统是当前的一个研究热点,底层通信是观测控制系统架构的一个重要环节。但传统的观测控制系统一般采用裸套接技术实现,缺少统一的传输控制机制,在密集数据通信时经常存在延迟,影响实时控制的需要;同时缺少广播与组播机制,限制了观测控制系统的设计。针对观测控制系统的要求,研究了基于ZeroMQ不同通信模型及对应的天文控制模式,分析了不同的通信控制架构的可用性,在此基础上通过实验对相应的通信模型进行测试,验证其在天文仪器分布控制中的可用性。测试结果进一步说明,ZeroMQ构建观测控制系统的底层通信架构是可行的,能够满足观测控制系统对设备的各种控制需求。     

宽视场成像网格化算法中w-plane最优经验值研究

射电干涉阵列宽视场成像网格化处理过程中必须考虑w项的影响。w-projection和w-stacking是两种重要的宽视场成像网格化处理算法,w-plane参数是算法中影响计算速度和成图质量的一个重要因素。研究了w-projection和w-stacking两种网格化算法,利用SKA-1低频阵台站数据和ASKAP软件包进行模拟观测,对两种算法在不同w-plane参数取值情况下的成图速度和成图质量进行了定量分析对比。结果进一步表明,w-plane是性能改善的重要参数。针对w-projection算法,w-plane取值应比一般给定的经验值大才能得到较好的成像效果。w-stacking算法虽然有很大的速度优势,但算法实现中w-plane的影响更为显著,给出了推荐的w-plane取值。本文的工作是大视场成像算法的基础性研究工作,对未来平方千米阵列科学数据处理中的管线设计有较好的参考价值。     

基于NGAS的多点观测数据存储与同步方法

平方千米阵列(Square Kilometre Array, SKA)望远镜建成后将具有超高的灵敏度、超快的巡天速度以及宽视场,进而产生超海量的观测数据。SKA天文台与各国区域数据中心间的海量数据同步传输是当前SKA建设中的一个难点。SKA先导项目使用的下一代归档存储系统(Next Generation Archive System, NGAS)在应用测试中存在效率低下,性能不足等问题。提出了一种基于ZeroMQ的数据存储与同步方法,通过采用更加高效的异步消息机制实现同步传输数据,回避了NGAS原有的采用HTTP协议的局限。实验结果表明,新方法在平均数据归档存储效率方面比原有方法快了近40倍,能够基本满足10 GB带宽的全速传输需要,取得了较好的使用效果。     

天文光子学研究现状及其应用展望

天文学是一门观测学科, 其发展受观测技术及仪器进步所推动, 而天文科学发展同样不断对观测仪器提出新的要求. 天文学发展至今, 对观测仪器的要求逐渐走向极致和极端, 这在实现成本及难度两方面均带来极大挑战. 为应对上述挑战, 基于新原理、新技术的下一代天文光学技术及观测仪器已成为天文学发展的内在需要. 近年来, 集成光子学的发展为天文光学技术带来了新的变革性机遇, 在此基础上产生的新兴交叉学科天文光子学(Astrophotonics)可为天文观测提供低成本、高度集成化(芯片化)的新一代高性能光学终端仪器, 这类仪器将在空间天文观测、大规模光谱巡天、高分辨高精度光谱成像等应用中起到关键作用. 主要从仪器/器件功能出发介绍天文光子学主要研究内容及现状, 并简要讨论其发展所面临的主要问题, 最后对其发展趋势做出展望.     

Research Status and Application Prospects of Astrophotonics

Astronomy is an observational discipline, and its improvement is driven by the progress of observation technology and instruments. The advancement of astronomy also constantly puts forward new requirements for observation instruments. Since the development of astronomy, the requirements for observing instruments have gradually become extreme, which brings great challenges in both cost and difficulty. In order to tackle the challenges, a future generation of astronomical optical technology and observation instruments based on new principles and technologies has become an inherent need to promote the advancement of astronomy. In recent years, the growth of integrated photonics has presented revolutionary opportunities for that of astronomical optical technology. On the basis, astrophotonics, an emerging interdisciplinary subject, can provide a new generation of high-performance optical terminal instruments with low cost and high integration (chip-based) for astronomical observation. Such instruments will play a vital role in space astronomical observation, large-scale spectral survey, high-resolution and high-precision spectral imaging, and other applications. This paper mainly introduces the main research contents and status quo of astronomical photonics starting from the instruments/device functions, briefly discusses the major problems in its development, and eventually forecasts its development prospect.     

Thermal overstability of hydromagnetic surface waves

We investigate the effects of radiative heat losses and thermal conductivity on the hydromagnetic surface waves along a magnetic discontinuity in a plasma of infinite electrical conductivity. We show that the effects of radiative heat losses on such surface waves are appreciable only when values of the plasma pressure on the two sides of the discontinuity are substantially different. Overstability of a surface wave requires that the medium in which it gives larger first-order compression should satisfy the criterion of Field (1965). Possible applications of the study to magnetic discontinuities in solar corona are briefly discussed.Collaborative programme in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.     

太阳和太阳系等离子体研究专辑:序言

宇宙中超过99.9%的可见物质处于等离子体状态,等离子天体物理是天体物理的重要分支,为理解天体系统的形成、演化及爆发现象提供着重要的理论基础.专辑通过14篇文章系统介绍了中国科学院紫金山天文台等离子天体物理团队在太阳和太阳系等离子体方面的研究成果,希望能帮助读者全面了解太阳与日球等离子体物理研究的重要进展及存在的问题.     

Ultraviolet Astronomy: Astrophysical Perspectives of the Spektr-UF Project (WSO-UV)

Astrophysics - The prospects for astronomical observations in the ultraviolet (UV) are discussed in a brief review and the areas in which UV astronomy is especially in demand are listed. Some...     

Molecular jets from low-mass young protostellar objects

The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review - Neutral-atomic and molecular outflows are a common occurrence in galaxies, near and far. They operate over the full extent of their galaxy hosts, from the...