Scalable Dynamics of High Energy Relativistic Electrons: Theory, Numerical Simulations and Experimental Results

Similarity theory, which is necessary in order to apply the results of laboratory astrophysics experiments to relativistic astrophysical plasmas, is presented. The analytical predictions of the similarity theory are compared with PIC numerical simulations and the most recent experimental data on monoenergetic electron acceleration in diluted plasmas and high harmonic generation at overdense plasma boundaries. We demonstrate that similarity theory is a reliable tool for explaining a surprisingly wide variety of laboratory plasma phenomena the predictions of which can be scaled up to astrophysical dimensions.     

3-D Rpic Simulations of Relativistic Jets: Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation, and Emission

We have applied numerical simulations and modeling to the particle acceleration, magnetic field generation, and emission from relativistic shocks. We investigate the nonlinear stage of theWeibel instability and compare our simulations with the observed gamma-ray burst emission. In collisionless shocks, plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Weibel, Buneman and other two-stream instabilities) are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration and magnetic field generation. 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) simulations with three different electron-positron jet velocity distributions and also with an electron-ion plasma have been performed and show shock processes including spatial and temporal evolution of shocks in unmagnetized ambient plasmas. The growth time and nonlinear saturation levels depend on the initial jet parallel velocity distributions. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shocks accelerates jet and ambient particles both perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. The nonlinear fluctuation amplitude of densities, currents, electric, and magnetic fields in the electron-positron shocks are larger for smaller jet Lorentz factor. This comes from the fact that the growth time of the Weibel instability is proportional to the square of the jet Lorentz factor. We have performed simulations with broad Lorentz factor distribution of jet electrons and positrons, which is assumed to be created by photon annihilation. Simulation results with this broad distribution show that the Weibel instability is excited continuously by the wide-range of jet Lorentz factor from lower to higher values. In all simulations the Weibel instability is responsible for generating and amplifying magnetic fields perpendicular to the jet propagation direction, and contributes to the electron’s (positron’s) transverse deflection behind the jet head. This small scale magnetic field structure contributes to the generation of “jitter” radiation from deflected electrons (positrons), which is different from synchrotron radiation in uniform magnetic fields. The jitter radiation resulting from small scale magnetic field structures may be important for understanding the complex time structure and spectral evolution observed in gamma-ray bursts or other astrophysical sources containing relativistic jets and relativistic collisionless shocks. The detailed studies of shock microscopic process evolution may provide some insights into early and later GRB afterglows.     

变化磁场中相对论电子系集体的共振逆康普顿散射谱

强磁场中的共振逆康普顿散射(RICS)是产生伽玛射线的有效机制．在前文工作的基础上，导出强磁场中子星中具有幂律能谱的大量相对论电子沿中子星磁轴向外运动时在变化磁场中产生的集体RICS辐射谱(RICS谱光度)的基本公式．由此得到在中子星周边几种典型的低频辐射场中集体RICS辐射谱形的简单解析表示(如热轫致辐射场、黑体辐射场，以及非热低频幂律谱辐射场)，以便与实际观测谱形比较．计算表明：在满足匹配条件(即近似共振条件)下，RICS辐射效率很高，其谱形都是两段式(折断的)的幂律谱形式，与周边低频场性质无关．通过计算，再一次论证RICS机制是伽玛射线脉冲星和伽玛暴(GRBs)在高能射线段(硬X-射线和伽玛射线)辐射的一个理想的高效辐射机制。     

Maser Emission of Relativistic Electrons Spiralling and Drifting in Curved Magnetic Fields

Synchro-curvature radiation describes the emission from a relativistic charged par- ticle which is moving and spiralling in a curved magnetic field. We investigate the maser emission for synchro-curvature radiation including drift of the guiding center of the radiating electron. It is shown that under some conditions the absorption coefficient can be negative, so maser can happen. These conditions are different from those needed for maser emission of curvature radiation including drift of the charged particles. We point out that our results, in- cluding the emissivity, can reduce to these of curvature radiation. Previously it was found that synchro-curvature radiation can not generate maser in vacuum, but we argue that synchro- curvature radiation including drift can generate maser even in vacuum. We discuss the possi- bilities of the potential applications of the synchro-curvature maser in modeling gamma ray bursts and pulsars.     

Statistical Test of the Correlation Between Earthquakes and Solid Tidal Waves: Implication to Hazard Prediction

The statistical correlation between earthquakes and the characteristics of solid Earth tide was investigated. Worldwide data on earthquakes (4018?M?≥?6.0) from January 1, 1973 to December 31, 2003 were analyzed. The distributions (D) of three relationships among earthquakes and solid tidal forces derived by composite force FI_i [D (FI_i)], azimuth A_i [D (A_i)], and elevation E_i [D (E_i)] from 1,200 waves were examined. These relationships indicate the probability of earthquakes. Twelve large-amplitude waves were investigated in detail to determine if earthquakes can be predicted. A test model P(t, λ, φ, d) consisting of three different wave groups was designed using these distributions. The values of tidal force, including the size and direction of tidal waves at any given time and place, were converted to test the probability of an earthquake. The converted values were then applied to trace and ascertain the great M?=?9.0 Northern Sumatra earthquake on December 26, 2004. Although the results selected from both the 12 maximum-amplitude waves or the 50 best correlation waves did not match well, the model can be significantly improved to produce only a day’s difference when all the 1,200 waves are employed. Therefore, further studies should be conducted to test if this method can be adopted in accurately predicting the occurrence of earthquakes, including time, relevant size, and location.     

Electromagnetic Radiation and Motion of a Particle

We consider the motion of uncharged dust grains of arbitrary shape including the effects of electromagnetic radiation and thermal emission. The resulting relativistically covariant equation of motion is expressed in terms of standard optical parameters. Explicit expressions for secular changes of osculating orbital elements are derived in detail for the special case of the Poynting-Robertson effect. Two subcases are considered: (i) central acceleration due to gravity and the radial component of radiation pressure independent of the particle velocity, (ii) central acceleration given by gravity and the radiation force as the disturbing force. The latter case yields results which may be compared with secular orbital evolution in terms of orbital elements for an arbitrarily shaped dust particle. The effects of solar wind are also presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Precise Synchrotron Radiation Spectrum of Fast-cooling Electrons and the Prompt GRB Emission

It is generally believed that the synchrotron radiation of electrons from the internal shock is the main radiation mechanism of the prompt GRB (gamma-ray burst) emission. However, what this model predicts can not explain observations well. In this paper, we confirm that electrons are quickly cooled due to radiation losses and also point out that the synchrotron radiation spectrum presented in previous papers is a relatively rough estimation. We get the precise synchrotron radiation spectrum of fast-cooling electrons by carrying out a numerical calculation, and thereby reasonably explain the observed distribution of low-energy spectral index (α) of long GRBs based on a unified model. In addition, we fit the correlation between α and the peak energy of the νFν spectrum (E_p).     

太阳射电分米波毫秒级尖峰辐射的寿命

太阳射电毫秒级尖峰辐射的寿命随频率增高而减小,长期以来这一直是个令人困惑的问题。本文从与Ⅲ型爆发相关的空心束分布的电子流所激发的回旋同步脉泽角度出发,详细讨论了尖峰辐射的寿命与特征频率比(ξ=ω_P/ω_B)以及波增长率的关系,最后得出:在分米波的不同波段,尖峰辐射是X模的不同次谐波,且寿命随频率增高发生相关的减小。     

Relativistic Rotational Darkening of Lightlike Radiation and Von Zeipel's Theorem for Radially Emitting Spheroids

It is shown that an outgoing null radiation field in the outer space of a Kerr-Newman black hole is darkened by the rotation of the black hole. This rotational darkening is calculated for a spheroid emitting null radiation normally to its surface, yielding the von Zeipel-like effectthat the equatorial region is darkened more strongly than the polar regions.This effect is not confined to the case of black holes but is also observable for relativistically rotating fluid spheroids such as atmospheres of pulsars or neutron stars. Moreover, application to Hawking radiation suggests that the black hole cannot be viewed as a classical black body but that the Hawking radiationis a global geometric effect. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Monte-Carlo Simulations of Cosmic-ray and Internal Radiation Effects on ISOCAM on Board ISO

One of the main limitations to the sensitivity of the infrared camera ISOCAM on-board the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) comes from responsivity variations and glitches caused by the impacts of charged particles in photo-detectors. Glitch rate measurements, glitch properties and removal methods have already been addressed during the first ISO detector workshop(Madrid, 1998) and published in a special issue of Experimental Astronomy. It appeared that glitch rate and most of glitch properties could be reproduced by Monte-Carlo simulations. This is very interesting in order to predict before launch the effect of charged particles in photo-detectors operated in space. This paper presents results of Monte-Carlo simulations of radiation effects on ISOCAM detectors. Glitch rates, spatial and energetic properties of glitches have been computed and are compared with measured values. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

行星际电子及重核对ASTROD Ⅰ测试质量充电过程模拟的研究

在LISA,ASTROD I和ASTROD之类用于探讨引力波天文、天文动力学和相对论测试的深空激光探测计划中,暴露在空间粒子环境中的无拖曳测试质量将会受各种带电粒子的影响而带电,引起库伦力和洛伦兹力干扰,从而影响实验数据的精度.在先前的工作中,已用GEANT4工具包模拟了银河宇宙射线中质子和氦核以及太阳高能粒子事件对测试质量的充电过程.文章里,参数化了行星际电子和主要种类的重核,并模拟了由测试质量块在行星际电子和C,H,O等重核环境中的充电速率.行星际电子源主要是木星和银河,而重核主要来自于银河宇宙射线.经过模拟计算, ASTROD Ⅰ测试质量由行星际电子引起的充电速率大约是行星际质子在太阳活动最小值时的9%,在太阳活动最大值时的28%.行星际重核相对于行星际质子在太阳活动最小值和最大值时的贡献分别约是0.83%和1.64%.     

对相对论束模型的一种分类及相应的统计检验方法

本文根据视横向速度是否红移依赖对相对论束模型进行分类并提出对相应模型进行统计检验的方法 .作为应用的例子 ,本文利用前人文献所给视超光速样本进行统计分析 ,并对有关结果进行了讨论     

The Influences of Shock Thickness and Alfven Waves on the Particle Acceleration by Diffusive Shocks

The influences of the shock thickness and Alfven waves on the particle acceleration by diffusive shock waves are numerically studied through solving one-dimensional diffusive equation including the second-order Fermi effect. It is shown that the spectral index of the energetic particles strongly depends on the shock thickness. For example, the spectral index increases from 2.1 to 3.7 in the low energy range of 3—10 MeV and from 2.5 to 5.0 in the high energy range of 20—60 MeV as the thickness increases. The spectral index decreases from 4.3 to 3.1 as the particle injection energy increases. The spectral index decreases from 4.0 to 1.8 at the quasi-steady stage with the enhancement of the compression ratio from 2 to 4. The results indicate that under the influence of Alfven waves, the energetic particle spectrum at lower energy becomes flat and the spectral index decreases from 2.5 to 0.6 in the low energy range of 3—10 MeV and from 11.6 to 5.0 in the high energy range of 20—60 MeV. At the same time, the turning point energy reaches 19.6 MeV. The spectral index decreases from 5.8 to 2.9 as the energy density of Alfven waves increases. All these results are basically consistent with the theoretical models, as well as the observations of typical energetic particle events.     

高精度天体测量资料处理的相对论模型和引力理论的检验

随着科学技术的迅猛发展,现今的天体力学和天体测量已经发生了日新月异的变化.人类已经能够近距离探测太阳系内的一些天体,精度也达到了前所未有的程度.例如,激光测月(LLR)的精度已经达到了3 mm,正在向1 mm迈进;激光测卫(SLR),如激光地球动力学卫星(LAGEOS)的测轨精度已经达到了0.5 mas;甚长基线干涉测量(VLBI)的精度已经好于0.1 mas;对于未来的两个空间探测计划,全天天体测量干涉仪(GAIA)和空间干涉测量任务(SIM)都有望达到μas的精度.面对当前和未来如此高的精度要求,一方面已经认识到牛顿力学体系已经无法适用于高精度的天     

扩散激波加速过程中激波厚度和级联阿尔芬波对粒子加速影响的研究

通过数值求解包含二阶费米加速的一维扩散方程,探讨在准平行激波条件下激波厚度和级联阿尔芬波对粒子加速的影响,研究粒子分布函数的演化与激波厚度和阿尔芬波强度的内禀关系.计算结果表明:(1)考虑激波厚度时,谱指数明显依赖于激波厚度,随着厚度从0.32增大到2.56,低能端(3-10 MeV)谱指数逐渐从2.1增加到3.7,高能端(20-60 MeV)谱指数从2.4增大到5.0,能谱逐渐变软;当初始注入粒子动量增大1.3倍,质子能谱指数从4.3减小到3.1,且与零厚度激波加速的谱指数差值缩小;厚度不变时,随着压缩比从2增加到4,准稳态分布时低能端(3-10 MeV)粒子能谱指数逐渐从4.0减小到1.8谱变硬;(2)在级联阿尔芬波的影响下,随着时间的增大,粒子在低能处(3-10 MeV)的谱指数从2.5减小到0.6高能端(20-60 MeV)谱指数从11.6减小到5.0,能谱变硬,拐点能量值从7.5 MeV增大到为19.6 MeV;随着波的能量密度增大,谱指数从5.8减小到2.9,这表明阿尔芬波强度越大,加速效率越高.通过与激波厚度解析结果和高能粒子事件的观测能谱比较发现两者是一致的,说明数值模拟结果是可靠的.     

Effects of the Polarity States of the Heliospheric Magnetic Field and Particle Drifts in Cosmic Radiation

Forbush decrease (FD) events recorded at the ground-based neutron monitors (NMs) during the period 1961 – 1999, have been selected and recovery characteristic of these events have been analyzed. The average profile of FDs observed during different polarity states of the heliosphere is obtained by superposed epoch analysis separately for the periods 1961 – 1969 (A < 0), 1971 – 1979 (A > 0), 1981 – 1989 (A < 0) and 1991 – 1999 (A > 0). Hourly count rate of neutron monitors of different cut-off rigidities have been utilized. The results are compared with model predictions including drifts. No marked difference is observed in the amplitudes of FDs during A < 0 and A > 0. Rigidity spectrum fitted with a power law yields the values of spectral exponent that are closer to values predicted by two-dimensional models including drifts. The recovery rate of FDs varies with the polarity of HMF and the rate is higher (recovery time smaller) during A > 0 than during A < 0 epoch, consistent with the model predictions including the drift effects in the HMF. This difference in recovery time of FDs during A > 0 and A < 0 polarity conditions provides experimental evidence that drift plays an important role in cosmic ray modulation.     

Interaction of Weak Shock Waves with Current Sheets in an Active Region to Produce Nanoflares and Chains of Type I Radio Bursts

Interaction of weak shock waves with a current sheet is investigated by a two-dimensional numerical magnetohydrodynamic model. In accordance with solar coronal conditions, a ratio of thermal to magnetic pressures of 0.1 and a shock Alfvén Mach number slightly above 1 are considered. It is found that even weak shock waves trigger magnetic field reconnection in current sheets. Based on this result, it is suggested that drifting chains of type I radio bursts are radio manifestations of the interactions of weakly super-Alfvénic shock waves with pre-existing current sheets distributed in an active region. This model of type I noise storms is then discussed in connection with the concept of nanoflares (localized reconnections) and the heating of the solar corona.     

太阳常数的变化与太阳软x射线辐射流量及低频天波时延的关系

本文对1982年在陕西临潼接收的美国罗兰-C西北大平洋链Y台发射的100kHz低频一跳天波时延的实测资料及SMS－GOES测量的太阳1～8A软x射线的每日辐射流量与SMM／ACRIMI测量的太阳常数之间的关系进行了分析。结果表明：太阳1～8A软x射线辐射流量与太阳常数之间存在较强的负相关;低频一跳天波时延与太阳常数之间存在着较强的正相关。并对此进行了讨论。     

Correlation Analyses Between the Characteristic Times of Gradual Solar Energetic Particle Events and the Properties of Associated Coronal Mass Ejections

It is generally believed that gradual solar energetic particles (SEPs) are accelerated by shocks associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Using an ice-cream cone model, the radial speed and angular width of 95 CMEs associated with SEP events during 1998 – 2002 are calculated from SOHO/LASCO observations. Then, we investigate the relationships between the kinematic properties of these CMEs and the characteristic times of the intensity-time profile of their accompanied SEP events observed at 1 AU. These characteristic times of SEP are i) the onset time from the accompanying CME eruption at the Sun to the SEP arrival at 1 AU, ii) the rise time from the SEP onset to the time when the SEP intensity is one-half of peak intensity, and iii) the duration over which the SEP intensity is within a factor of two of the peak intensity. It is found that the onset time has neither significant correlation with the radial speed nor with the angular width of the accompanying CME. For events that are poorly connected to the Earth, the SEP rise time and duration have no significant correlation with the radial speed and angular width of the associated CMEs. However, for events that are magnetically well connected to the Earth, the SEP rise time and duration have significantly positive correlations with the radial speed and angular width of the associated CMEs. This indicates that a CME event with wider angular width and higher speed may more easily drive a strong and wide shock near to the Earth-connected interplanetary magnetic field lines, may trap and accelerate particles for a longer time, and may lead to longer rise time and duration of the ensuing SEP event.