二月的星空

一、昏中星觜宿和参宿二月的昏中星是觜宿和参宿。在中国古代,参宿(即西方白虎的主星)是冬季最明亮灿烂的星座,夏季则以苍龙星座最为显著。在上古《夏小正》、《月令》等文献中,参宿是正月昏中星。由于岁差的原因,今已成为二月昏中星了。觜宿三星,鼎足而居,位于参宿的正北方。其三颗星,均为4等小星,与参宿诸星相比,也较暗淡。参宿西方称为猎户座。其中间三颗为猎人的腰带,为参宿的主星。参宿之名,由此而得。参者,三也。参宿三星,就是指此。正因为这样,汉南阳画像石白虎星图,在虎像旁边     

岁差常数改正值的各种测定方法(Ⅱ)

1.相对于河外星系照相方法的应用 几何学方法的特点是利用不动的基准点方向的测量来确定天球坐标系的岁差旋转。在相隔20～30年的两个历元,对河外星系及其周围的恒星(定标星)作照相观测,通过两个历元河外星系和定标星之间相对位置的比较,得到定标星相对于河外星系自行μ_α’     

系外行星系统掩星周期变化研究进展

在掩星法发现的系外行星系统中,如果存在其他未知的伴星绕同一颗恒星运动,掩星行星由于受到伴星引力的影响,运动轨道将发生变化,轨道周期不再是常数,而是变化的。利用这种变化探测掩星系统中的其他行星,已成为一种新的方法。主要介绍了未知行星与掩星行星之间的引力作用引起的掩星周期变化效应,以及掩星周期变化法探测系外行星的理论和研究进展状况,最后简要讨论了几种影响掩星周期变化的其他因素:共轨行星、卫星、潮汐效应、相对论效应及恒星的引力四极矩等。     

环火卫星运动的坐标系附加摄动及相应坐标系的选择

与处理地球卫星相关问题类似,在研究和处理环火卫星(尤其是低轨卫星)的轨道问题时,宜采用火心历元平赤道坐标系,即火心天球坐标系,其xy坐标面和x轴方向就是相应的平赤道面和平春分点方向.与地球的岁差章动现象类似,在该坐标系中,火星赤道面在空间的摆动同样会引起坐标系附加摄动.采用类似对地球岁差章动的处理方法,在一定精度前提下,基于IAU2000火星定向模型,处理了火星赤道面摆动中的岁差效应,并在此基础上,研究岁差对环火卫星轨道的影响,给出了相应的火星非球形引力位的变化及其导致的卫星轨道的坐标系附加摄动解,其表达形式简单,引用方便.与高精度数值解的比对表明,该分析解能够满足通常的精度要求.因此,在处理环火卫星(即使是低轨卫星)轨道及其相关问题时,可以采用统一坐标系:火心天球坐标系.而不必像当初处理地球卫星那样,为了避免计算坐标系附加摄动而引进一种混合型赤道坐标系,即采用瞬时真赤道面和历元平春分点方向作为其xy坐标面和x轴方向.在统一坐标系的选择下,实际工作中就不会存在坐标系转换的麻烦.     

2000年以来国际天文学联合会(IAU)关于基本天文学的决议及其应用

1991年以来,在国际天文学联合会(IAU)全体大会上,通过了一系列关于天文参考系、时间尺度和地球自转模型的决议,其目的是为了适应不断提高的天文观测精度。其中最重要的3次,分别是在1997年的京都,2000年的曼彻斯特和2006年的布拉格通过的IAU 1997,IAU 2000和IAU 2006决议,主要的变化包括:从与历元有关的动力学参考系到与历元无关的运动学参考系,从参考系的恒星实现到河外射电源实现,从春分点到无旋转原点,以及岁差-章动模型的改进。由于这些决议在参考系转换等方面引入了很多新概念和新方法,对教学、研究和应用都产生了不小的影响,对它们进行解读,澄清概念,规范使用是有必要的。首先介绍IAU关于时间尺度和天文参考系的重要决议,并重点介绍IAU 2000和2006的每一条决议:然后详细介绍其应用:包括时间系统,国际天球参考系和岁差-章动模型,并和对应的旧系统进行比较;最后对这些决议的使用提出建议。     

月球物理天平动对环月轨道器运动的影响

月球物理天平动是月球赤道在空间真实的摆动，会导致月球引力场在空间坐标系中的变化，从而引起环月轨道器(以下称为月球卫星)的轨道变化，这与地球的岁差章动现象对地球卫星轨道的影响类似．采用类似对地球岁差章动的处理方法，讨论月球物理天平动对月球卫星轨道的影响，给出相应的引力位的变化及卫星轨道的摄动解，清楚地表明了月球卫星轨道的变化规律，并和数值解进行了比对，从定性和定量方面作一讨论．     

几何因素对脉冲星自转参数的影响

脉冲星自转参数是脉冲星最重要的参数之一,能反映脉冲星本身的物理性质.根据计时观测所得的自转参数除了包含脉冲星本身固有的部分,还受到几何因素的影响,例如地球自转参数、岁差章动模型、行星历表误差、脉冲星相对于太阳系质心(solar system barycenter,SSB)的速度和加速度.通过分析脉冲星计时观测模型,从而推导出这些因素与脉冲星自转参数的关系,进一步估计了这些因素对自转参数影响的量级大小.在现有的观测精度下,地球自转参数和岁差章动模型的误差对计时观测的影响可忽略,可以认为脉冲星自转参数不受其影响.行星历表误差对自转参数的影响远小于自转参数本身,同样可以忽略.脉冲星相对于太阳系质心的视向速度影响到脉冲星周期,该影响比脉冲星本身周期约小4个量级.值得注意的是,脉冲星横向速度和脉冲星相对于太阳系质心的视向加速度对周期变率的影响不可忽略,特别是对于周期变率较小的毫秒脉冲星来说,这两个因素的影响可能是脉冲星视周期变率中的主要成分.     

脉冲星观测中的日月岁差效应

脉冲星周期和周期变率的测量中存在着日月岁差效应.通过对日月岁差效应的分析,发现它已经影响到了某些脉冲星的周期的精密测量.在对1771颗脉冲星测量周期的分析和检测中,有81颗脉冲星的测量周期在它们的测量精度范围内受到日月岁差效应的影响.随着观测精度的提高,在以后的脉冲星周期和周期变率的精密测量中,这些影响应该得到相应的改正.     

半相接双星室女座UW轨道周期变化的物理机制研究

对大陵五型半相接双星室女座UW的轨道周期变化进行了分析.结果表明该星的轨道周期在长期快速增加(dP/dt=+1.37×10-6天/年)的同时也含有周期为62.3年的周期性变化.利用Brancewicz和Dworak在1980年给出的基本物理参量,对引起轨道周期变化的物理机制进行了分析研究.分析表明一个质量为Ms>0.94M⊙的第三天体的光时轨道效应能对轨道周期的周期性变化成份作出解释.由于在观测上没有发现这个第三天体存在的信息,它有可能是一个致密天体(如白矮星等).轨道周期的长期增加成份可解释为由次星到主星的物质交流引起(dM2/dt=1.43×10-7M⊙/年),这与该系统次星充满的半接几何结构是相一致的.但是,根据双星演化理沦,大陵五型半相接双星应该处于以次星的核反应时标进行物质交换的慢速物质交流演化阶段,而分析发现该星的轨道周期变化时标远小于次星的核反应时标,但接近于次星的热力学时标,揭示了(1)这颗双星处于以次星热力学时标进行物质交换的快速物质交流演化阶段;或(2)系统的星周物质要通过角动量交换对轨道周期的快速增加做贡献.     

IAU 2000和后IAU 2000岁差-章动模型中岁差量的二历元表达式

IAU第24届大会决议从2003年起采用IAU2000岁差－章动模型．IERS规范(2003)给出了上述岁差－章动模型中7个常用岁差量的单历元表达式；2003年，Capitaine等对上述模型进行了改进，改进后的新模型称为后IAU2000(post IAU2000)岁差一章动模型．在此基础上，分别得到了上述两种岁差一章动模型中相关岁差量的二历元表达式．应用到坐标变换中，该两种表达式与原模型的精度相当，在1800到2200年的时间范围内，分别达到～1毫角秒和～1微角秒．由于除展开阶数外所给出的岁差量表达式与IAU1976岁差模型具有相同的形式，因此为实际应用提供了便利．结果已用于中国天文年历的编算．     

On the origin of the solar system and the exceptional position of the Sun in the Galaxy

The solar system's position in the Galaxy is an exclusive one, since the Sun is close to the corotation circle, which is the place where the angular velocity of the galactic differential rotation is equal to that of density waves displaying as spiral arms. Each galaxy contains only one corotation circle; therefore, it is an exceptional place. In the Galaxy, the deviation of the Sun from the corotation is very small — it is equal to ΔR/R _⊙≈0.03, where ΔR=R _c ?R _⊙,R _c is the corotation distance from the galactic center andR _⊙ is the Sun's distance from the galactic center. The special conditions of the Sun's position in the Galaxy explain the origin of the fundamental cosmogony timescalesT ₁≈4.6×10⁹ yr,T ₂?10⁸ yr,T ₃?10⁶ yr detected by the radioactive decay of various nuclides. The timescaleT ₁ (the solar system's ‘lifetime’) is the protosolar cloud lifetime in a space between the galactic spiral arms. The timescaleT ₂ is the presolar cloud lifetime in a spiral arm.T ₃ is a timescale of hydrodynamical processes of a cloud-wave interaction. The possibility of the natural explanation of the cosmogony timescales by the unified process (on condition that the Sun is near the state of corotation) can become an argument in favour of the fact that the nearness to the corotation is necessary for the formation of systems similar to the Solar system. If the special position of the Sun is not incidental, then the corotation circles of our Galaxy, as well as those of other galaxies, are just regions where situations similar to ours are likely to be found.     

Perturbations by the oblateness of the Earth and by the planets in the motion of the Moon

Perturbations in the motion of the Moon are computed for the effect by the oblateness of the Earth and for the indirect effect of planets. Based on Delaunay's analytical solution of the main problem, the computations are performed by a method of Fourier series operation. The effect of the oblateness of the Earth is obtained to the second order, partly adopting an analytical evaluation. Both in longitude and latitude are found a few terms whose coefficient differs from the current lunar ephemeris based on Brown's theory by about 0.01. While, concerning the indirect effect of planets, several periodic terms in the current ephemeris seem to have errors reaching 0.05.As for the secular variations of and due to the figure of the Earth and the indirect effect of planets, the newly-computed values agree within 1/cy with Brown's results reduced to the same values of the parameters. Further, the accelerations in the mean longitude, and caused by the secular changes in the eccentricity of the Earth's orbite and in the obliquity of the ecliptic are obtained. The comparison with Brown shows an agreement within 0.3/cy² for the former cause and 0.02/cy² for the latter. An error is found in the argument of the principal term for the perturbations due to the ecliptic motion in the current ephemeris.Proceedings of the Conference on Analytical Methods and Ephemerides: Theory and Observations of the Moon and Planets. Facultés universitaires Notre Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium, 28–31 July, 1980.     

On the model of the accumulation of the moon compatible with the data on the composition and the age of lunar rocks

It is suggested that the overall early melting of the lunar surface is not necessary for the explanation of facts and that the structure of highlands is more complicated than a solidified anorthositic ‘plot’. The early heating of the interior of the Moon up to 1000K is really needed for the subsequent thermal history with the maximum melting 3.5 × 10⁹ yr ago, to give the observed ages for mare basalts. This may be considered as an indication that the Moon during the accumulation retained a portion of its gravitational energy converted into heat, which may occur only at rapid processes. A rapid (t < 10³ yr) accretion of the Moon from the circumterrestrial swarm of small particles would give necessary temperature, but it is not compatible with the characteristic time 10⁸ yr of the replenishment of this swarm which is the same as the time-scale of the accumulation of the Earth. It is shown that there were conditions in the circumterrestial swarm for the formation at a first stage of a few large protomoons. Their number and position is evaluated from the simple formal laws of the growth of satellites in the vicinity of a planet. Such ‘systems’ of protomoons are compared with the observed multiple systems, and the conclusion is reached that there could have been not more than 2–3 large protomoons with the Earth. The tidal evolution of protomoon orbits was short not only for the present value of the tidal phase-lag but also for a considerably smaller value. The coalescence of protomoons into a single Moon had to occur before the formation of the observed relief on the Moon. If we accept the age 3.9 × 10⁹ yr for the excavation of the Imbrium basin and ascribe the latter to the impact of an Earth satellite, this collision had to be roughly at 30R, whereR is the radius of the Earth, because the Moon at that time had to be somewhere at this distance. Therefore, the protomoons had to be orbiting inside 20–25R, and their coalescence had to occur more than 4.0x10⁹ yr ago. The energy release at coalescence is equivalent to several hundred degrees and even 1000 K. The process is very rapid (of the order of one hour). Therefore, the model is valid for the initial conditions of the Moon.     

On the theory of the oblateness of the Sun

In this paper we first emphasize why it is important to know the successive zonal harmonics of the Sun's figure with high accuracy: mainly fundamental astrometry, helioseismology, planetary motions and relativistic effects. Then we briefly comment why the Sun appears oblate, going back to primitive definitions in order to underline some discrepancies in theories and to emphasize again the relevant hypotheses. We propose a new theoretical approach entirely based on an expansion in terms of Legendre's functions, including the differential rotation of the Sun at the surface. This permits linking the two first spherical harmonic coefficients (J ₂ and J ₄) with the geometric parameters that can be measured on the Sun (equatorial and polar radii). We emphasize the difficulties in inferring gravitational oblateness from visual measurements of the geometric oblateness, and more generally a dynamical flattening. Results are given for different observed rotational laws. It is shown that the surface oblateness is surely upper bounded by 11 milliarcsecond. As a consequence of the observed surface and sub-surface differential rotation laws, we deduce a measure of the two first gravitational harmonics, the quadrupole and the octopole moment of the Sun: J ₂=−(6.13±2.52)×10⁻⁷ if all observed data are taken into account, and respectively, J ₂=−(6.84±3.75)×10⁻⁷ if only sunspot data are considered, and J ₂=−(3.49±1.86)×10⁻⁷ in the case of helioseismic data alone. The value deduced from all available data for the octopole is: J ₄=(2.8±2.1)×10⁻¹². These values are compared to some others found in the literature. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005238718479     

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.     

On some problems concerning the calculation of the form of the magnetopause and the electric field on the magnetopause in the framework of the continuum medium model

In order to understand the reason of the existence of the electric field in the magnetosphere, and for the theoretical evaluation of its value, it is necessary to find the solution of the problem of determination of the magnetosphere boundary form in the frameworks of the continuum medium model which takes into account part of the magnetospheric plasma movement in supporting the magnetospheric boundary equilibrium. A number of problems for finding the distribution of the pressure, the density, the magnetic field and the electric field on the particular tangential discontinuity is considered in the case when the form of discontinuity is set (the direct problem) and a number of problems for finding the form of the discontinuity and the distribution of the above-mentioned physical quantities on the discontinuity is considered when the law of the change of the external pressure along the boundary is set (for example, with the help of the approximate Newton equation). The problem which is considered here, which deals with the calculation of the boundary form and with the calculation of the distribution of the corresponding physical quantities on the discontinuity of the 1st kind for the compressible fluid with the magnetic field with field lines which are perpendicular to the plane of the flow in question, concerns the last sort of problems. The comparison of the results of the calculation with the data in the equatorial cross-section of the magnetosphere demonstrates that the calculated form of the boundary, the value of the velocity of the return flow and the value of the electric field on the magnetopause, agree satisfactorily with the observational data.