RadioAstron and millimetron space observatories: Multiverse models and the search for life

The transition from the radio to the millimeter and submillimeter ranges is very promising for studies of galactic nuclei, as well as detailed studies of processes related to supermassive black holes, wormholes, and possible manifestations of multi-element Universe (Multiverse) models. This is shown by observations with the largest interferometer available—RadioAstron observatory—that will be used for the scientific program forMillimetron observatory. Observations have also shown the promise of this range for studies of the formation and evolution of planetary systems and searches for manifestations of intelligent life. This is caused by the requirements to use a large amount of condensedmatter and energy in large-scale technological activities. This range can also be used efficiently in the organisation of optimal channels for the transmission of information.     

A catalog of star-forming regions in the galaxy

This Catalog of Star-Forming Regions in the Galaxy contains coordinates and fluxes of young objects in the radio and infrared, as well as data on the radial velocities of recombination and molecular lines, for more than three thousand star-forming regions. In addition to photometric and kinematic data, we present information on diffuse and reflecting nebulae, dark and molecular clouds, and other objects related to young stars. The catalog consists of two parts. The main catalog lists star-forming regions in order of Galactic longitude and is supplemented by analogous information for star-forming regions in complexes of dark clouds with large angular sizes that are closest to the Sun. The main catalog is located at http://www.strasbg.-u.fr/pub/cats. In our preliminary study of the catalog data using a formal classification of the star-forming regions, we subdivided these objects into several classes and characterized them as being populated primarily by massive or low-mass stars at early or late stages of the star-formation process. We also distinguish between relatively nearby and distant complexes.     

Masses of protostars with methanol protoplanetary disks

The masses of 12 protostars assumed to be the central bodies in circumstellar protoplanetary disks are estimated based on analysis of their methanol maser spectra and fine spatial structure. The calculations are based on the hypothesis that the class II methanol maser lines are formed in an edge-on Keplerian disk, while the thermal methanol emission and CS lines are formed in a cocoon around the protostar. This provides information about the velocities of the protostar and the methanol maser condensations relative to the center. In most of the star-forming regions studied, the derived masses are within limits admissible for disks around massive OB stars. The masses are in good agreement with the calculations of other authors based on models of the velocity gradients of the maser features. It is suggested that the methanol spectra display a triplet structure in which the two lateral features are class II methanol lines and the central component is a class I methanol maser line or thermal methanol line. This is consistent with the fact that the correlation of regions of maser emission with regions of emission of dense molecular gas in the CS line is about twice as strong(about 100%) as the correlation with ultracompact HII regions (about 50%). This should be taken into account when modeling protoplanetary disks and star-forming regions.     

Modeling of the formation of complex molecules in protostellar objects

The results of molecular composition modeling are presented for the well studied low-mass star-forming region TMC-1 and the massive star-forming region DR21(OH), which is poorly studied from a chemical point of view. The column densities of dozens of molecules, ranging from simple diatomic to complex organic molecules, are reproduced to within an order of magnitude using a one-dimensional model for the physical and chemical structure of these regions. The chemical ages of the regions are approximately 105 years in both cases. The main desorption mechanisms that are usually included in chemical models (photodesorption, thermal desorption, and cosmic-ray-induced desorption) do not provide sufficient gasphase abundances of molecules that are synthesized in surface reactions; however, this shortcoming can be removed by introducing small amount of reactive desorption into the model. It is possible to reproduce the properties of the TMC-1 chemical composition in a standard model, without requiring additional assumptions about an anomalous C/O ratio or the recent accretion of matter enriched with atomic carbon, as has been proposed by some researchers.     

Possible observations of the epoch of reionization

We consider possibilities for presently operating and planned infrared, submillimeter, and millimeter telescopes for observations of the epoch of reionization in the Universe, i.e., of the sources of ultraviolet radiation that have caused the reionization (galaxies, quasars, etc.) and the ionized intergalactic medium. Along with direct observations of such sources in the optical and infrared, we analyze the feasibility of observations of the intergalactic gas, as well as fluctuations of the temperature and polarization of the cosmic microwave background due to inhomogeneities in the reionization process.     

Sources of the RCR catalog with normal and flat spectra according to data from the Planck microwave survey

Fields of the Planck cosmic-microwave background maps in the regions of radio sources of the RCR catalog have been studied. Using measurements from the Planck catalog, calibration curves have been plotted in order to determine the objects’ luminosities. The flux densities at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths of 83 objects with normal radio spectra have been estimated for the first time; their spectra have also been constructed, they have been optically identified, and information available in various databases has been collected. A statistical comparison with a sample of sources with steep radio spectra has been carried out. Faint, difficult to characterize microwave sources make an additional contribution to the secondary anisotropy on angular scales < 7′. An algorithm for selecting candidate objects with the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect has been proposed, based on the use of data on the radio spectral indices and the signal in cosmic-microwave background maps.     

Relation between the parameters of dust and of molecular and atomic gas in extragalactic star-forming regions

The relationships between atomic and molecular hydrogen and dust of various sizes in extragalactic star-forming regions are considered, based on observational data from the Spitzer and Herschel infrared space telescopes, the Very Large Array (atomic hydrogen emission) and IRAM (CO emission). The source sample consists of approximately 300 star-forming regions in 11 nearby galaxies. Aperture photometry has been applied to measure the fluxes in eight infrared bands (3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8, 24, 70, 100, and 160 μm), the atomic hydrogen 21 cm line, and CO (2–1) line. The parameters of the dust in the starforming regions were determined via synthetic-spectra fitting, such as the total dust mass, the fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), etc. Comparison of the observed fluxes with the measured parameters shows that the relationships between atomic hydrogen, molecular hydrogen, and dust are different in low- and high-metallicity regions. Low-metallicity regions contain more atomic gas, but less molecular gas and dust, including PAHs. The mass of dust constitutes about 1% of the mass of molecular gas in all regions considered. Fluxes produced by atomic and molecular gas do not correlate with the parameters of the stellar radiation, whereas the dust fluxes grow with increasing mean intensity of stellar radiation and the fraction of enhanced stellar radiation. The ratio of the fluxes at 8 and 24 μm, which characterizes the PAH content, decreases with increasing intensity of the stellar radiation, possibly indicating evolutionary variations of the PAH content. The results confirm that the contribution of the 24 μm emission to the total IR luminosity of extragalactic star-forming regions does not depend on the metallicity.     

Spectral scan of the star-forming region DR21(OH). Observations and LTE analysis

Seventy-eight molecules have been detected as a result of a spectral survey of the star-forming region DR21(OH) at 84–115 GHz. The abundances of most molecules are typical of those in the dense cores of molecular clouds. The rotational temperatures derived using the lines of most molecules fall in the range 9–56 K, which is also typical for dense cores. However, emission from high-lying levels of methanol and sulfur dioxide was detected; since the rotational temperatures for methanol and sulfur dioxide are 252 and 186 K, this indicates the presence of hot regions. Another fact indicating the existence of hot regions is the detection of CH₃OCHO, CH₃CH₂OH, and CH₃OCH₃, which have thus far been observed only in hot cores and shock-heated regions. An interesting result is the tentative detection of the J = 2 − 1, v = 1 SiO line, with the upper level energy of 1775 K. This is probably a maser line, similar to but weaker than the well-known SiO masers in the star-forming regions Orion-KL,W51(N), and Sgr B2(N).     

Gas kinematics in high-mass star-forming regions from the Perseus spiral arm

We present results of a survey of 14 star-forming regions from the Perseus spiral armin CS (2–1) and ¹³CO (1–0) lines with the Onsala Space Observatory 20 m telescope. Maps of 10 sources in both lines are obtained. For the remaining sources a map in just one line or a single-point spectrum is obtained. On the basis of newly obtained and published observational data we consider the relation between velocities of the “quasi-thermal” CS (2–1) line and 6.7 GHz methanol maser line in 24 high-mass star-forming regions in the Perseus arm. We show that, surprisingly, velocity ranges of 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission are predominantly red-shifted with respect to corresponding CS (2–1) line velocity ranges in the Perseus arm. We suggest that the predominance of the “red-shifted masers” in the Perseus arm could be related to the alignment of gas flows caused by the large-scalemotions in the Galaxy. Large-scale galactic shock related to the spiral structure is supposed to affect the local kinematics of the star-forming regions. Part of the Perseus arm, between galactic longitudes from 85° to 124° , does not contain blue-shifted masers at all. Radial velocities of the sources are the greatest in this particular part of the arm, so the velocity difference is clearly pronounced. ¹³CO (1–0) and CS (2–1) velocity maps of G183.35-0.58 show gas velocity difference between the center and the periphery of the molecular clump up to 1.2 km s^?1. Similar situation is likely to occur in G85.40-0.00. This can correspond to the case when the large-scale shock wave entrains the outer parts of a molecular clump in motion while the dense central clump is less affected by the shock.     

毫米波测云雷达的特点及其研究现状与展望

云在大气的能量分配、辐射传输,尤其是水循环系统中有不可忽视的作用。云探测对云物理、人工影响天气、气候变化和航空航天等领域有重要意义,是大气科学研究的热点之一。尽管目前已经发展了很多种遥感设备对云进行观测(如激光雷达、卫星、云幂仪等),但这些设备无法得到高时空分辨率的云水平和垂直结构,而毫米波雷达是云三维精细结构探测的重要工具。由于毫米波雷达具有更接近小粒子尺度的短波长,因此更适合用来探测弱云,同时毫米波雷达也存在衰减严重的缺点。介绍了毫米波雷达的特点以及其探测小粒子的优势;对比分析了其与新一代多普勒天气雷达、晴空风廓线雷达的差异,得出：毫米波雷达具有高时空分辨率,能够更精确地反映云的垂直和水平结构,比普通天气雷达更适合监测云的变化。概括了国内外毫米波测云雷达的发展现状以及在云物理研究方面的情况,并展望了国内毫米波雷达未来研究的方向。     

A magnetized disk around an O star in W75N. A VLBI map of the OH maser

W75N is a star-forming region containing ultracompact H II regions as well as OH, H₂O, and methanol masers. The VLBA maps obtained show that the masers are located in a thin disk rotating around an O star, which is the exciting star for the ultracompact H II region VLA1. A separate group of maser spots is associated with the ultracompact H II region VLA2. The radial velocity of the maser spots varies across the disk from 3.7 to 10.9 km/s. The disk diameter is 4000 AU. The maser spots revolve in Keplerian orbits around the O9 star.     

Catalog of Supermassive Black Holes for Interferometric Observations

The paper presents a catalog of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) sharpened for interferometric observations at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, based on open sources. The catalog includes the object’s name, coordinates, angular size, and mass, the angular size of the gravitational radius of the SMBH, and the integrated radio flux associated with the radiosource concluding the SMBH at 20?900 GHz, planned for the Event Horizon Telescope, the future space mission Millimetron, and others. The catalog is intended for use during planning of interferometric observations of SMBH shadows.

     

Search for main-line OH emission toward high-latitude IRAS sources in the southern hemisphere

We present the results of a search for the emission in the main OH lines toward high-latitude IRAS sources using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in Narrabri. A sample of 239 sources from the IRAS catalog selected with the color criterion for ultracompact HII regions and with no restriction on flux was studied. No maser or thermal emission or absorption was detected in these sources. The reason for this could be the low sensitivity of the ATCA to faint high-latitude objects. However, we have mapped the regions of eight known masers in star-forming regions in the plane of the Galaxy. The results are given in the form of spectra and maps.     

Expulsion of dust from dark-matter halos at high redshifts

The conditions required for the expulsion of dust grains from primordial galaxies (dark-matter halos) are considered. The initial configuration is taken to be a dark-matter halo with the profile of a modified isothermal sphere; the baryons are taken to be in equilibrium with the corresponding virial temperature. The baryon density profile is calculated assuming hydrostatic equilibrium. A star-formation rate corresponding to a star-forming efficiency of 10% is assumed. The dust is transported from the galaxy by the radiation of stars concentrated in the central regions. Due to friction via collisions with gas in central regions, a fairly high luminosity is required in order for the radiation pressure to be strong enough to expel dust from the galaxy—the ratio of the luminosity to the total mass of the galaxy can reach unity.     

Evolution of Maser Emission in the Region of Active Star Formation G43.8–0.1. I. OH Maser Emission at 18 cm

The results of observations of OH maser emission in the star-forming region G43.8–0.1 are presented. In spite of strong flux-density variations in the main lines at 1665 and 1667 MHz, the radial velocities of the spectral features varied only slightly. The main spectral features are identified with maser spots in previously published maps for epochs 1993 and 2001. It is suggested that the regions of OH maser emission may be elongated, nonuniform structures with weak radial velocity gradients (larger-scale analogs of water-maser filaments). The line-of-sight magnetic fields are determined for two Zeeman pairs, which remained essentially constant over at least 17 years.

     

The evolution of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O maser spots in star-forming regions

Strong flares of the H₂O maser emission in sources associated with active star-forming regions are analyzed. The main characteristics of 13 flares in nine sources selected using special criteria are presented. The observed phenomena are explained as flares in double emission features. The approach of two emission features in the spectrum with increasing flux and their recession with decreasing flux is explained using a model with two physically related clumps of material that are partially superposed in the line of sight. Calculations have shown that, in this type of model, exponential amplification (unsaturated maser emission) in the overlapping parts of the clumps can produce the observed line narrowing with increasing flux. In most cases, the maser spots are inhomogeneous. During the evolution of some flares, the maser condensations may split into separate fragments. A less catastrophic evolutionary path may be an initial stage of formation of chainlike structures, which are fairly widespread in envelopes around ultracompact HII regions.     

Numerical simulations of the initial mass function and star-formation history using a grid of evolutionary models for star clusters

Numerical simulations are used to investigate the possibility of determining the physical properties of young star-forming complexes by finding the global minimum of a so-called deviation functional, which assigns each evolutionary model for a stellar population a number characterizing the deviation of the observed photometric properties from their model values. The deviation functional is calculated using a grid of evolutionary models computed at the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The parameters of the initial mass function (IMF) and the age corresponding to the global minimum of the deviation functional are strongly correlated with the IMF and age of the test model. The accuracy of the parameters of the IMF and the age are related to the random errors of the colors of the test models and the number of input parameters. A special series of numerical simulations is used to demonstrate the possibility of using the deviation functional to determine the interstellar extinction and the fraction of Lyman photons that do not contribute to the ionization of gas in a star-forming complex. The simulation results can be used to assess the accuracy of the IMF parameters and ages of young star-forming complexes based on the observational data available.     

大坡度地质露头高分辨率无人机影像采集方法与建模实践*

野外地质露头的观察、研究能够最直接、最有效地获取地下地层信息,为地质科学研究提供最直观、最真实的一手地质资料。然而传统的露头研究,尤其针对大坡度、人员无法到达区域的露头研究,主要依赖坡底部考察、测量和拍照等方式记录露头信息,难以精细、准确地表征整个地质体。消费级无人机具有机动性好、适应性强和成本低等优势,且能够近距离、多视角、变高度地获取露头影像。本研究对无控制点情况下的大坡度地质露头影像采集方法与模型构建精度进行探讨,利用消费级无人机垂向航线采集影像,然后构建模型。结果证明倾斜摄影测量技术结合消费级无人机能够有效地构建具有毫米分辨率精度的大坡度地质露头模型。构建的模型具有分辨率高、分辨率均一、量测精度可达毫米等特点,可有效降低野外考察的工作难度,降低人员安全风险,真实准确地复现野外大坡度露头情况,为大坡度露头剖面解译、分析和量测提供真实可靠的数据基础。     

High resolution UAV image acquisition method and modeling practice for geological outcrop with a large slope

The observation on the outcrop in the field is one of the most direct and efficient methods to obtain the underground formation information, which provides the most direct first-hand geological data for geological science research. However, the traditional outcrop investigation, especially for the outcrop with a large slope and unreachable area, mainly relies on the inspection, measurement of the slope bottom, and photos to record outcrop information, making it difficult to accurately characterize the whole geological body. Consumer unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) with the advantages of good mobility, strong adaptability and low cost, can obtain outcrop images from a short distance, multiple perspectives and varying heights. In this paper, the image acquisition method and model construction accuracy without control points available for the geological outcrop with a large slope are discussed. Consumer UAVs is used to capture images through vertical route and then the geological model is set up. The results show that oblique photogrammetry technology combined with consumer UAVs can effectively build a large slope geological outcrop model with millimeter resolution. The model has the characteristics of high resolution, uniform resolution and high measurement accuracy up to millimeter, which can effectively reduce the difficulty of field investigation and the personnel safety risk, thus it accurately reproduces the outcrop situation with large slope in the field, providing a real and reliable data basis for the section interpretation, analysis and measurement of large slope outcrop.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">BVRI</Emphasis>Hα CCD photometry of the spiral galaxy NGC 3184

We have carried out BVRIHα CCD surface photometry of the spiral galaxy with active star formation NGC 3184 using the 1-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory. B and Hα data from the ING Archive (La Palma Observatory) were also used. We consider the structure and radial brightness distribution of the galaxy. Stellar populations in different regions of the galaxy are analyzed using two-color diagrams. We have identified and studied star-forming regions in NGC 3184 and estimated their ages based on evolutionary modeling.