海王星特洛伊:回顾与新成员

目前观测到的海王星特洛伊天体已有17颗并已积累了较为精确的轨道数据,系统分析了这些天体轨道的动力学稳定性.数值结果表明:除去两个寿命短到只有数万年和百万年的临时海王星特洛伊,大部分天体在其轨道根数不确定范围内都可以存活至45亿年.大约有一半的海王星特洛伊在45亿年的时间内离开共振区,而逃离的途径是复杂动力学机制下轨道根数空间内缓慢的扩散.在半人马小行星群中识别并证认了一个新的海王星特洛伊天体2012 UW177,数值模拟表明该天体目前正在围绕海王星L4点的蝌蚪形轨道上运动.该天体大约在23万年前进入当前轨道,且未来将在该轨道停留至少130万年.约54°的倾角使得它的轨道成为最倾斜的轨道,并且使得该天体展现经由拟卫星轨道的复杂有趣的共轨轨道转换.     

两个可能存在大质量类冥王星的区域

1992年以来，在海王星外的太阳系发现了近千个小天体，称为Kuiper带天体(KBO)或Edgeworth—Kuiper带天体，其中有一部分偏心率和倾角较大的小天体与海王星之间存在3：2平运动共振，轨道特征类似冥王星，命名为类冥王星，自KBO发现以来，天文学家们进行了多次小天区的搜索，发现了几个质量较大的KBO，通过数值计算，在轨道参数空间发现了两个和冥王星一样同时具有3种共振的区域，在这两个区域里的小天体既避免了海王星的强摄动又不会与冥王星密切交会，轨道非常稳定，因此有可能在其中发现质量较大的类冥王星。     

Kuiper带天体的轨道分布特性

1992年9月,夏威夷大学的D.Jewitt和加利福尼亚大学的J.Lun发现了海王星外绕太阳运行的第一个小天体1992QB1[1],开创了人类对于海王星外天体的实际观测的研究.近10年的接连不断发现,已经证实了海王星轨道外面存在着一个由大量的环绕太阳运动的小天体组成的环带[2].由于G.P.Kuiper曾在1951年的文章中提出过在冥王星的外边可能存在小天体的问题,因此人们一般把这个环带称为Kuiper带,你这些天体为“KuiperBelt　Objects”(KBOs),或从逻辑上称它们为“Trans-NeptunianObjects”(TNOs)[3]     

Kuiper带天体的轨道动力学

主要评述太阳系动力学研究的一个新方向——Kuiper带的轨道动力学。早期的研究是为了探讨短周期彗星的起源。在发现第一颗Kuiper带小天体之后，人们开始将注意力转到Kuiper带共振区的相空间结构上，Morbidelli和Malhotra分别采用不同的模型研究了这些共振区的大小。其中主要研究对象是3:2共振区。冥王星也处在这一共振区中。从冥王星的轨道特性来看，冥王星应是一颗较大的Kuiper带天体，它还拥有另外两种共振——Kozai共振和1：1超级共振。正是由于这些共振的存在，冥王星的运动才得以长期保持稳定。观测表明许多Kuiper带天体也处的海王星的平运动共振中。早期的理论认为这些平运动共振起源于灾难性事件，如碰撞。然而这都是一些小概率事件，无法对共振的形成进行合理的解释。Malhotra通过行星迁移成功地解释了冥王星被共振俘获的机制。这一机制的概率非常大，同样可以用来解释Kuiper带天体共振的形成。     

任意倾角的共轨运动研究

共轨运动天体与摄动天体的半长径相同,处于1:1平运动共振中.太阳系内多个行星的特洛伊天体即为处于蝌蚪形轨道的共轨运动天体,其中一些高轨道倾角特洛伊天体的轨道运动与来源仍未被完全理解.利用一个新发展的适用于处理1:1平运动共振的摄动函数展开方式,对三维空间中的共轨运动进行考察,计算不同初始轨道根数情况下共轨轨道的共振中心、共振宽度,分析轨道类型与初始轨道根数的关系.并将分析方法所得结果与数值方法的结果相互比较验证,得到了广阔初始轨道根数空间内共轨运动的全局图景.     

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.     

行星演化中“失踪的一环”

有史以来第一次,天文学家在太阳系的边缘发现了直径约为1.3千米的天体。70年前便有人预言了这种尺寸天体的存在。它被认为是宇宙中尘埃和冰逐步聚合,形成我们今天看到的行星的过程中的重要一环。埃奇沃斯-柯伊伯带是位于海王星轨道之外小型天体的密集区域。其中的小型天体被统称为柯伊伯带天体。     

Kuiper带小天体动力演化

Kuiper带是指太阳系内位于离太阳30－50AU一个区域。1992年该区域陆续发现了一群半径在几十到几百公里的小天体。这些小天体在Kuiper带的分布是极其不均匀的。Kuiper带小天体的发现对人们认识太阳系的形成与演化有重要的意义。本文回顾了近年来国际上在Kuiper带小天体动力演化方面的研究，着重分析了目前国际上几种用以解释其非均匀分布的动力学机制，并提出目前该领域的一些尚未解决的问题。     

Kuiper带小天体动力演化

Kuiper带是指太阳系内位于离太阳 30～ 50AU一个区域。 1 992年该区域陆续发现了一群半径在几十到几百公里的小天体。这些小天体在Kuiper带的分布是极其不均匀的。Kuiper带小天体的发现对人们认识太阳系的形成与演化有重要的意义。本文回顾了近年来国际上在Kuiper带小天体动力演化方面的研究 ,着重分析了目前国际上几种用以解释其非均匀分布的动力学机制 ,并提出目前该领域的一些尚未解决的问题。     

热海王星系统HD 106315的近$2:1$ 平运动共振捕获与轨道演化

通过结合理论分析和数值模拟方法,可以对热海王星系统HD 106315轨道迁移中的近2:1平运动共振捕获机制以及潮汐作用下的演化过程进行研究.在轨道迁移阶段,初始轨道半长径、初始偏心率以及行星c的偏心率衰减系数K会对系统轨道构型产生影响.数值模拟结果显示当初始轨道半长径分别为ab～0.4 au、ac～0.8 au,偏心率eb和ec均小于0.03时, HD 106315b和HD 106315c在中央恒星的引力作用以及原行星盘粘滞作用下向内迁移, 65000 yr左右两颗行星均可迁移至当前观测位置附近并形成近2:1平运动共振捕获.此外,中央恒星的潮汐效应也可能会对行星系统共振构型产生影响,理论分析表明当行星潮汐耗散系数Q=100时,潮汐效应造成的轨道半长径衰减使系统轨道周期比发生的变化可能是系统脱离共振构型的原因.数值模拟结果显示, HD 106315系统内两颗行星Q103时,来自中央恒星的潮汐效应并不会使行星系统产生明显的偏心率和轨道半长径衰减,不足以使HD 106315行星系统在剩余寿命内脱离2:1平运动共振轨道构型.     

Instructions for authors

正Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics publishes original research papers and reviews on all branches of astronomy and astrophysics.Reviews are by invitation only.Important new results that require rapid publication can be submitted as a Letter(Letters must be restricted in length to 6 printed pages).Authors who submit a paper are expected to be able to certify that the paper is original work,     

Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics CONTENTS

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Instructions for authors

正Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics publishes original research papers and reviews 011 all liranchcs of astronoiriy and astrophysics.Reviews arc by invitation only.Important new results that require rapid publication can be submitted as a Letter(Letters must be restricted in length     

Alkali and halogen chemistry in volcanic gases on Io

We use chemical equilibrium calculations to model the speciation of alkalis and halogens in volcanic gases emitted on Io. The calculations cover wide temperature (500-2000 K) and pressure (10⁻⁶ to 10⁺¹ bars) ranges, which overlap the nominal conditions at Pele (T=1760 K, P=0.01 bars). About 230 compounds of 11 elements (O, S, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, F, Cl, Br, I) are considered. The elemental abundances for O, S, Na, K, and Cl are based upon observations. CI chondritic elemental abundances relative to sulfur are used for the other alkalis and halogens (as yet unobserved on Io). We predict the major alkali species in Pele-like volcanic gases and the percentage distribution of each alkali are LiCl (73%), LiF (27%); NaCl (81%), Na (16%), NaF (3%); KCl (91%), K (5%), KF (4%); RbCl (93%), Rb (4%), RbF (3%); CsCl (92%), CsF (6%), Cs (2%). Likewise the major halogen species and the percentage distribution of each halogen are NaF (88%), KF (10%), LiF (2%); NaCl (89%), KCl (11%); NaBr (89%), KBr (10%), Br (1%); NaI (61%), I (30%), KI (9%). We predict the major halogen condensates and their condensation temperatures at P=0.01 bar are NaF (1115 K), LiF (970 K); NaCl (1050 K), KCl (950 K); KBr (750 K), RbBr (730 K), CsBr (645 K); and solid I₂ (200 K). We also model disequilibrium chemistry of the alkalis and halogens in the volcanic plume. Based on this work and our prior modeling for Na, K, and Cl in a volcanic plume, we predict the major loss processes for the alkali halide gases are photolysis and/or condensation onto grains. Their estimated photochemical lifetimes range from a few minutes for alkali iodides to a few hours for alkali fluorides. Condensation is apparently the only loss process for elemental iodine. On the basis of elemental abundances and photochemical lifetimes, we recommend searching for gaseous KCl, NaF, LiF, LiCl, RbF, RbCl, CsF, and CsCl around volcanic vents during eruptions. Based on abundance considerations and observations of brown dwarfs we also recommend a search of Io's extended atmosphere and the Io plasma torus for neutral and ionized Li, Cs, Rb, and F.     

Study on the Stressed Mirror Polishing with a Continuous Polishing Machine for Large Aperture Off-axis Aspheric Mirrors

A special stressed annular polishing technique is proposed to mill the off-axis aspheric sub-mirrors of a large segmented mirror with an annular polishing machine. Based on the basic principle of stressed annular polishing technique, a set of special stressing mechanisms are designed to convert milling the aspheric surfaces of sub-mirrors with different off-axis distances into milling the spherical surfaces with identical radii of curvature, so that they can be pol- ished simultaneously on a continuous polishing machine. It took about contin- uous 40 hours to polish a scaled-down mirror of the planning Chinese Future Giant Telescope (CFGT) using this technique. This mirror has the 330 mm di- ameter, 3.6 m off-axis distance, and the 21.6 m radius of curvature, and its max- imum asphericity is 16 micron. The experiment shows that this method has a high effciency, suits batch manufacturing, especially the batch manufacturing of aspheric sub-mirrors of the segmented primary mirror of an extremely large aperture telescope.     

The climatic and physiographic controls of the eastern Mediterranean over the late Pleistocene climates in the southern Levant and its neighboring deserts

Modern-day synoptic-scale eastern Mediterranean climatology provides a useful context to synthesize the diverse late Pleistocene (60–12 ka) paleohydrologic and paleoenvironmental indicators of past climatic conditions in the Levant and the deserts to its south and east. We first critically evaluate, extract, and summarize paleoenvironmental and paleohydrologic records. Then, we propose a framework of eastern Mediterranean atmospheric circulation features interacting with the morphology and location of the southeast Mediterranean coast. Together they strongly control the spatial distribution of rainfall and wind pattern. This cyclone–physiography interaction enforces the observed rainfall patterns by hampering rainfall generation south and southeast of the latitude of the north Sinai coast, currently at 31°15′.The proposed framework explains the much-increased rains in Lebanon and northern Israel and Jordan as deduced from pollen, rise and maintenance of Lake Lisan, and speleothem formation in areas currently arid and semiarid. The proposed framework also accounts for the southward and eastward transition into semiarid, arid, and hyperarid deserts as expressed in thick loess accumulation at the deserts' margins, dune migration from west to east in the Sinai and the western Negev, and the formation of hyperarid (< 80 mm yr^− 1) gypsic–salic soils in the southern Negev and Sinai. Our climatic synthesis explains the hyperarid condition in the southern Negev, located only 200–250 km south of the much-increased rains in the north, probably reflecting a steeper rainfall gradient than the present-day gradient from the wetter Levant into its bordering southern and eastern deserts.At present, the rainiest winter seasons in Lebanon and northern and central Israel are associated with more frequent (+ 20%), deeper Cyprus Lows traversing the eastern Mediterranean at approximately the latitude of southern Turkey. Even these wettest years in northern Israel do not yield above average annual rainfall amounts in the hyperarid southern Negev. This region is mainly influenced by the Active Red Sea Troughs that produce only localized rains. The eastern Mediterranean Cyprus Lows also produce more dust storms and transport higher amounts of suspended dust to the loess area than any other atmospheric pattern. Concurrent rainfall and dust are essential to the late Pleistocene formation of the elongated thick loess zone along the desert northern margin. Even with existing dust storms, the lack of rain and very sparse vegetation account for the absence of late Pleistocene loess sequences from the southern Negev and the formation of hyperarid soils.When the north Sinai coast shifted 30–70 km northwest due to last glacial global sea level lowering, the newly exposed coastal areas supplied the sand and dust to these active eastern Mediterranean cyclones. This enforced the latitude of the northern boundary of the loess zone to be directly due east of the LGM shoreline. This shift of coast to the northwest inhibited rainfall in the southern Levant deserts and maintained their hyperaridity. Concurrently, frequent deep eastern Mediterranean Cyprus Lows were funneled along the northern Mediterranean increasing (probably doubling) the rains in central and northern Israel, Lebanon, southwestern Syria and northern Jordan. These storms and rains formed lakes, forests, and speleothems only a short distance north of the deserts in the southern Levant.     

Active hot star shells

Interferometry in the visible provides milliarcsecond spatial resolution and thus has been used for studying the circumstellar environment of active hot stars. In this paper I will illustrate how the visibility modulus and phase can be used to better constrain the physics of Be disks through results from the VLA, the MkII and the GI2T interferometers. I will insist on the importance and the potential of coupling high angular resolution with high spectral resolution to the study of Be shells. Finally I will present a possible study of the circumstellar disk of Be stars using the VLTI. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Fitting X-ray Afterglow Light curves of Gamma-ray Bursts by Using the Magnetar Energy Injection Model

The central compact object for some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) may be a strongly magnetized millisecond pulsar. It can inject energy to the outer shock of the GRB by through the magnetic dipole radiation, and therefore causes the shallow decay of the early afterglow. Recently, from a large number of GRB X-ray afterglows observed by Swift/XRT(X-ray telescope), it is revealed that many of them exhibit the shallow decay about 10²∼10⁴ s after the burst prompt emission. We have fitted the X-ray afterglow light curves of 11 GRBs by using the energy injection model of a magnetar with the rotation period in the millisecond order of magnitude. The obtained result shows the validity and universality of the magnetar energy injection model in explaining the shallow decay of afterglows, and simultaneously provides some constraints on the magnetic field strength and rotation period of the central magnetar.     

我国新一代VLBI数字基带转换器研制进展

数字化是目前设备研制发展的趋势,介绍了中国科学院上海天文台利用超大规模集成电路结合软件无线电技术,自主研发的我国新一代VLBI数字基带转换器(Chinese Data Acquisition System,简称CDAS).文中描述了设备的工作原理及其组成,并以VLBI观测实验数据证明其可行性.与原有的模拟设备(Anal...