基于斩波轮技术的K波段接收机噪声校准研究

接收机是射电天文中用于探测微弱射电信号的重要接收设备.接收机的强度校准就是将接收机对射电源的响应转换为天文意义上的流量密度.常规方法就是使用经典的冷热负载法,将接收机自身的强度响应转换为一个等效的温度值,之后再据此对射电源做进一步标定.通过搭建基于斩波轮技术的K波段接收机强度校准平台,使用斩波轮法测试K波段常温接收机的噪声温度,并与传统冷热负载法的测试结果进行比对.结果显示,在晴好天气条件下,斩波轮法在30°、90°仰角下噪声温度的最大测试误差为7.5%和8.4%,可以很好地应用于实际噪声温度测试中;但在5°仰角测试中,由于过低仰角引入了地面噪声,使得斩波轮法的测试误差上升至20%–30%之间而无法使用.希望在此基础上进一步开展K波段天空亮温度的理论计算与实测,从而完善斩波轮技术的应用,使之可以满足在不同气象条件下的噪声校准测试需求.     

大质量恒星形成核区的特性：^12CO、^13CO和C^18O的谱线观测及统计比较

利用青海站的13.7米射电望远镜对河内24个与水脉泽源成协并有红外Spitzer数据的巨分子云核进行12CO(J=1→0),13CO(J=1→0)和C18O(J=1→0)的同时成图观测,平均的成图范围为81×81.并全部探测到了C18O的谱线发射,其中11个源有较大范围(51-81)的C18O成图,这些分子云核均观测到C18O(J=1→0)谱线积分强度极大值的一半处,其余的13个源由于信噪比低或者成图范围较大等原因,没有进行如此大面积的成图观测.对样本中的11个已成图的稠密核进行了云核特性的分析并统计比较了CO与13CO,13CO与C18O及CO与C18O谱线积分强度之比(R12/13,R12/13,R12/18),结果是,C18O是光学薄的,可以探测到云核更加细致的结构.从核中心到边缘,3种谱线积分强度比是逐渐增加的.CO与13CO的谱线积分强度比R12/13的范围在2-6之间;13CO与C18O的比值R13/18范围在4-20之间波动,中心区域其值大部分集中在6-12之间,变化范围波动不是很大;CO与C18O之比R12/18在13-90更大的范围内,在更加致密的云核中心该比值集中在13-50之间.     

1.56m望远镜新CCD相机MPP模式开与关的对比(英文)

1 .5 6m望远镜新CCD系统是在里克天文台用其控制电路组装而成的。该系统能在MPP模式与非MPP模式之间自由快速转换。我们比较了两种模式的性能差异 ,得到 :(1)增益和读出噪音不变。 (2 )在 - 10 0℃温度 ,MPP模式的暗流对短的或中等长度的露光可以忽略 ,并且暗流对CCD芯片的温度变化不太敏感 ;非MPP模式的暗流有确定的图案 ,对CCD的温度变化比MPP敏感。因此稳定的低温是必须的 ,并且使用时须减暗流。 (3)使用MPP的代价是 ,相对于非MPP模式 ,动态范围至少减小约 90 0 0adu(增益 4 .6e- /adu)。用户使用时应按照科学目的选择模式。     

脉冲星脉冲宽度的测量方法

脉冲宽度的测量方法有几种.最常用的脉冲宽度有W_pp（两峰值点的间距）、W₅₀（最高峰值强度50%处的宽度）和W₁₀（最高峰值强度10%处的宽度）.另外,还有测量两个最外成分各自强度50%处的宽度W_c50和各自强度10%处的宽度W_c10.利用16颗双锥峰脉冲星和7颗核锥三峰脉冲星样本在1.4 GHz的脉冲轮廓数据,测量了5种脉冲宽度.利用有磁倾角α和撞击角β数据的脉冲星,导出了对应的辐射束半径ρ,并验证其与脉冲星周期P之间的关系ρ∝P^-0.5.通过比较5种脉冲宽度导出的ρ与P关系的好坏,发现最外成分之间的宽度比前面3种宽度更好,其中W_c50宽度得出的相关关系最好.由此认为W_c50是最能反映辐射束宽度的测量值.还讨论了脉冲轮廓的对称性,发现后随的锥辐射成分与先导的锥辐射成分相比,更靠近核心辐射成分,两个锥辐射成分的宽度在统计上基本相同.     

武仙座1963年新星星云阶段的分光光度

本文叙述了以下内容: (1)对在1963年5月18日到8月8日拍摄的7条武仙座1963年新星的光谱作了发射带相对强度的测定(表2)。 (2)按新星光度变化的统计规律得到上述新星的距离模数值(10~m),用平均消光法求得目视总吸光值A_v=0~m.23,距离900秒差距,井由此得到改正星际选择吸光后的谱带的相对强度(表3)。 (3)由新星绝对星等M_B和发射带的相对强度求得了谱带的绝对强度(表4)。 (4)对于一些发射带的绝对强度作Δm-lgt图,发现发射带绝对强度的变化也存在Δm=blgt的线性关系。对于不同的谱线,系数b是不同的。 (5)根据测定的相对强度,用安巴楚勉和斯托伊两种方法求得核星温度,它们分别在150000°—160000°和30000°—60000°之间,由于前者是上限,后者是下限,真实的核星温度应当在两种方法求得的值之间。 (6)用H_β的绝对强度和[OⅢ]5007+4959对[OⅢ]4363的强度比两种方法分别求得不同电子温度T_e相对应的电子密n_e。并且用由上述两个方法求得的T_e—n_e曲线的交点,同时求得了T_e和n_e的值。由此法求得的结果是:在所讨论的期间内,T_e由10800°K逐渐上升到17500°K,然后又下降至13000°K。n_e则单调的由5.0×10~7cm~(-3)逐渐下降到7.0×10~6cm~(-3)。 (7)求得壳层质量约为2.3×10~(-5)M_⊙。 (8)初步分析了一些壳层物理参数变化的原因。     

红外暗云G79.2+0.38的性质

对MSX红外暗云G79.2+0.38的11'×7'的区域范围进行了12CO(1-0)、13CO(1-0)和C18O(1-0)谱线的同时观测.观测到的两个C18O(1-0)谱线所界定的云核峰值分布分别对应MSX A波段的两块高消光区域.该区域的氢分子柱密度N(H2)-(5-12)×1022 cm-2,平均密度n-(3±1)×104cm-3.两块分子云核的13CO的线尺度分别是1.7和1.2 pc,而C18O的线尺度分别是1.2和0.6 pc,它们包含的质量为2×102-2×103M(?).分子云核的视向平均密度结构可用幂函数(?)(p)-p-0.34±0.02表征. 13CO和C18O的丰度和典型的光学暗云相比低了4至11倍,但是目前还没有证据表明13CO和C18O的相对丰度比X13/18随柱密度有显著变化.     

回旋同步辐射自吸收的特性

详细研究了高能电子产生的回旋同步辐射自吸收的特性,并用磁偶极子场的 射电微波源模型计算了它的光学厚度.发现: (1)自吸率Kv随谐波数s的增加迅速地 下降,以致只有低次谐波(s<5)上的自吸收才会对微波爆发谱产生实质性的影响; (2) 自吸率κv随暗波数s下降的陡度还随高能电子的能谱指数δ的增加和其低能截止能量 E0的下降而迅速增加; (3)κv值还随传播角的增大而增加,并在70°至75°范围内达到 极值; (4)假设高能电子数密度为103cm-3,则在2≤s≤5范围内的自吸收的光学厚 度τvself在101-10-2之间变化,这些值约比回旋共振吸收的光学厚度τvgyro小3至4 个数量级.τvself在均匀磁场情况下可能被高估.只有当被加速的高能电子的数密度大于 104cm-3时,自吸收的光学厚度才开始能与回旋共振吸收的光学厚度相比较.     

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,     

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.     

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.     

Dynamical study of wide pairs of stars based on data from the WDS catalog

Using the method of apparent motion parameters, we have studied the relative motion of the components in 561 pairs of wide (ρ > 2″) and relatively nearby (Hipparcos parallaxes > 0.01″) visual double stars based on data from the WDS catalog. The minimum masses of the double stars have been calculated at given parallaxes. We have identified 358 optical pairs. For 11 stellar pairs, we have found the minimum mass to exceed the estimate corresponding to their spectral types and luminosities. This excess is 5–7 M _⊙ for two stars, ADS 7446 and 9701.     

Microscopic black hole detection in UHECR: the double bang signature

According to recent conjectures on the existence of large extra dimensions in our universe, black holes could be produced during the interaction of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays with the atmosphere. However, and so far, the proposed signatures are based on statistical effects, not allowing identification on an event by event basis, and may lead to large uncertainties. In this note, events with a double bang topology, where the production and instantaneous decay of a microscopic black hole (first bang) is followed, at a measurable distance, by the decay of an energetic tau lepton (second bang) are proposed as an almost background free signature. The characteristics of these events and the capability of large cosmic ray experiments to detect them are discussed.     

Solar-cycle Time Delay of Rotating Sunspots

As shown by statistical results, in the 23rd solar activity cycle the variation of the latitudes of rotating sunspots with time exhibits a butterfly pattern. We have studied the variations with phase for the mean square errors among the 4 fitting curves of the 2 wings of the butterfly diagram of sunspots and the 2 wings of the butterfly diagram of rotating sunspots in the 23rd solar activity cycle. The results show that a systematic time delay exists not only between the northern and southern hemispheres of the butterfly diagram of sunspots, but also between the northern and southern hemispheres of the butterfly diagram of rotating sunspots, even between the butterfly diagrams of the sunspots and rotating sunspots in the same hemisphere. This means that the 23rd-cycle sunspot activities in the northern and southern hemispheres happened not simultaneously, that a systematic time delay or advance (phase difference) exists between the northern and southern hemispheres, that the southern hemisphere lags behind the northern hemisphere, that a phase difference exists between the butterfly diagram of rotating sunspots and the butterfly diagram of sunspots in the 23rd cycle, and that the butterfly diagram of rotating sunspots lags behind that of sunspots. The observed delay is a little less than the theoretical value predicted by the dynamo model.