捕捉宇宙线的中国身影

夜空中除了繁星,还隐藏着一个巨大的秘密。无数神秘的粒子正以接近光的速度在广袠的宇宙中飞驰,无时不在,无处不在。这些神秘的粒子就是宇宙线。自发现它们之曰起,科学家对宇宙线的研究一直推动着天体物理和空间物理的发展,丰富着人类对宇宙中天体演化现象的了解和认识。宇宙线给人们带来了太阳系以外的物质样本,携带着其产生地"源"天体及其经过的空间环境,乃至天体演化及宇宙早期的奧秘,是人类探索宇宙的重要途径。     

高能中微子和极高能宇宙线起源天体的理论研究

极高能宇宙线一般指来自地外的能量高于1018电子伏特(eV)的高能质子与原子核,其起源的研究一直是高能天体物理和粒子天体物理领域的热点问题.近年随着一些大型探测器(如Pierre Auger天文台)的运行,极高能宇宙线的研究取得很大进展.然而由于极高能宇宙线事例相对较少及其在从源到地球传播过程中的复杂性(如与宇宙微波背景辐射以及磁场的作用),需要通过观测这些宇宙线在强子反应中产生的次级粒子(如中微子)来获得其起源的额外信息.最近,位于南极的IceCube中微子天文台探测到了54个能量分布在60TeV{3PeV内的中微子事例,开启了高能中微子天文学的新时代.在本文中,我们研究了高能中微子、极高能宇宙线的天体物理起源以及它们之间可能的联系.     

甚高能γ射线的地面观测设备和分析方法

甚高能γ射线(E≥100 GeV)是全波段天文学的重要组成部分,是研究宇宙射线高能粒子的重要窗口.由于甚高能γ射线光子本身携带着重要的物理信息,对它进行研究将极大地拓展人们对宇宙演化、宇宙高能粒子、高能粒子源、高能粒子产生机制、产生环境和发射区几何形状、高能粒子之间以及高能粒子与星际介质间相互作用的认识.随着大有效面积、宽视场、较低能量阈值、较高角分辨率切仑柯夫望远镜的问世,甚高能γ射线天文学的研究取得了极大的成功,目前发现的甚高能γ射线源已经超过90个,证认了一些甚高能γ射线源的类型,包括活动星系核(AGNs)、Wolf-Rayet星、巨型分子云(GMcs)、壳层超新星遗迹(SNRs)、脉冲星风星云(PWNe)、双星系统等.介绍了甚高能γ射线的地面观测设备,并对分析方法进行评述.     

太阳系中太阳和行星的引力磁与Lense-Thirring效应

简述基本物理中引力试验的概况,特别是检测试验粒子绕中央旋转天体引起LenseThirring(LT)效应的研究进展。给出自旋质点在旋转体引力电磁(Gravitoelectromagnetism,GEM)中运动的Schiff公式。描述了检测地球LT效应的各种方法:激光测卫、GP-B、激光测月和环形激光陀螺,特别叙述了环形激光陀螺仪在地球科学上的应用,如地震、潮汐、地球自转、极移的检测,并给出了正在进行和未来更高精度测定LT效应的LARES、OPTIS等计划。叙述了检验火星LT效应的情况,包括用MGS测距资料、火星自然卫星Phobos和Deimos观测资料,以及今后发射绕火星探测器的建议。也谈及用太阳系行星(水星、金星、火星)测定太阳LT效应和未来采用国际空间站进行相对论检验的LATOR计划。最后,简述在脉冲双星、X射线双星和银心Sgr A*附近红外S系统恒星中引力场的广义相对论效应,以及我国开展该项工作的情况和提出的建议。     

高能粒子和潮汐可能影响地外生命

2016年,行星科学家发现恒星TRAPPIST-1拥有7颗地球大小的岩石行星,其中3颗位于宜居带中。最近,费德里科·弗拉切蒂(Federico Fraschetti)和来自哈佛大学史密森天体物理中心(Harvard & Smithsonian)的研究团队首次计算出高能粒子撞击行星的强度.     

天文教育I: 万有引力与天体物理

分别从物理学和天文学角度引申出天体物理学科, 特别关注万有引力在其中扮演的关键角色. 无论在综合性大学亦或理工科院校, 天文教育均有益于提高学生的科学和人文素养, 而天体物理则是天文学的主要内涵. 介绍了作者讲授``天体物理''课程的相关信息以及个人认识. 最后, 以大气簇射mu子产生、啾质量、宇宙加速膨胀等教学案例结束, 侧面诠释了作者的``天体物理''教育理念.     

巡天发现暗加速器

包括莫达拉谟大学英国天文学家在内的一个国际天体物理学家小组,在2005年3月25日的《科学》杂志上报道,他们用高能体视望远镜系统(H.E.S.S)在甚高能(VHE)γ射线巡天时,发现银河系中心部分的新天体。新天体包括两个“暗加速器”——发射高能粒子,但似乎没有光学或 X 射线对应体的神秘天体。这次巡天使银河系中已知的8个新 VHEγ射线源一览无遗。这些结果将天文学推向一个以前未知的领域,扩展了我们在一个异常波     

双漏模式中的弥散宇宙γ射线

弥散宇宙γ射线产生于初级宇宙线的传播过程,本文利用宇宙线传播的“双漏模式”得出与实验观测谱接近的银河系弥散宇宙γ射线谱。     

基于暗物质粒子探测卫星的宇宙线直接探测研究

高能宇宙线的起源、加速和传播是重大的前沿科学问题,回答该问题需要对宇宙线的能谱、各向异性以及各类高能天体电磁辐射进行精确观测.通过空间粒子探测器对宇宙线各成分能谱的直接测量是研究宇宙线物理问题的重要手段.中国于2015年底发射并持续运行至今的暗物质粒子探测卫星以其大接受度、高能量分辨率等特点,在宇宙线直接探测方面取得了系列重要成果,揭示出质子、氦核、硼碳和硼氧比例等宇宙线能谱的新结构,为理解宇宙线起源等科学问题提供了新的依据.介绍了暗物质粒子探测卫星的仪器设置、运行状况、科学成果及其物理意义.     

费米耀变体喷流功率与多波段光度的相关性研究

耀变体的喷流辐射机制是一个非常重要的问题。从文献中收集了442个耀变体的数据,这些耀变体包括215个平谱射电类星体(Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars, FSRQ)和227个蝎虎天体(BL Lac),通过数据研究了耀变体的喷流功率与多波段光度的相关性。研究结果表明:(1)对于平谱射电类星体,喷流功率与射电波段、光学波段、X射线和γ射线的光度都有强相关性,且光度分布顺序为logL_γ logL_O logL_X logL_R。(2)对于蝎虎天体,喷流功率与射电波段、光学波段和γ射线的光度都有强相关性,但是喷流功率与X射线的光度只有弱相关性;蝎虎天体的光度分布顺序为logL_O logL_γ logL_X logL_R,而且蝎虎天体的各波段光度都小于平谱射电类星体。我们认为这些差异是由于平谱射电类星体与蝎虎天体的内禀属性不同导致的,即吸积模式不同和喷流辐射机制不同等。     

Recent Advances in Laboratory Astrophysics on Megajoule-class Laser Facilities

In recent years, with the development of megajoule-class laser, to create the physical conditions similar to those of extreme celestial environments in the laboratory has become possible. This makes scientists able to study some important astrophysical processes and physical phenomena in the laboratory. This paper briefly introduces several advances in the high energy density laboratory astrophysics driven by the National Ignition Facility (NIF), including the Rayleigh-Taylor instability in supernova remnants, the collisionless shock wave, the laser inertially-confined fusion detection of the thermonuclear reaction under the stellar core condition, the study of planetary interior state, the study of star formation, etc., which will provide a reference for the scientific experiments in the field of laboratory astrophysics performed by using the Shenguang IV laser facility under construction in China. Finally, the possible scientific issues relevant to the direction of laboratory astrophysics by using the Shenguang IV laser facility in the future are briefly discussed.     

The scalability of the accretion column in magnetic cataclysmic variables: the POLAR project

In this paper, theoretical and experimental laboratory astrophysics results are presented from the POLAR project, the main focus of which is to design and diagnose an exact scaled accretion column using powerful lasers. These measurements allow the testing of the astrophysical models of accretion processes present in magnetic cataclysmic variables.     

等离子天体物理学与现代等离子体宇宙观

现代科学表明宇宙中99%以上的可观测物质都处于等离子体状态,从小尺度的微观粒子动力学集体过程与能量转换机制到大尺度的宇宙等离子天体结构状态与爆发活动现象,都是等离子天体物理学的研究课题.从宇宙演化历史、大尺度结构形成以及爆发活动现象等方面,系统地论述了等离子天体物理学在现代天文学发展以及现代等离子体宇宙观形成中的重要作用.同时,结合空间卫星科学探测研究及其对现代天文学的巨大影响,进一步阐述了地球磁层和日球层等空间等离子体实地探测研究在等离子天体物理学研究中所扮演的“天然实验室”的独特作用.     

Applications of laser-created dense e<Superscript>+</Superscript>e<Superscript>−</Superscript> pairs

We review the recent developments of laser pair creation in the laboratory and their potential applications to astrophysics and other frontiers. Many astrophysical phenomena involving e⁺e⁻ plasmas may be systematically investigated in the laboratory setting. We also discuss potential applications of dense positronium gas.     

Measurement of the Growth of Perturbations on Blast Waves in a Mixed Gas

We have performed a series of experiments examining the properties of high Mach number blast waves. Experiments were conducted on the Z-Beamlet laser at Sandia National Laboratories. We created blast waves in the laboratory by using ∼1000 J laser pulses to illuminate millimeter scale solid targets immersed in gas. Our experiments studied the validity of theories forwarded by Ryu and Vishniac (1987, 1991) and Vishniac (1983) to explain the dynamics of perturbations on astrophysical blast waves. These experiments consisted of a systematic scan of the decay rates of perturbations of known primary mode number induced on the surface of blast waves by means of a regularly spaced wire array. The amplitude of the induced perturbations relative to the radius of the blast wave was tracked and fit to a power law in time. Measurements were taken for a number of different mode numbers in a mixed gas consisting of 7.5 Torr xenon and 2.5 Torr nitrogen and the results are compared to theoretical predictions. It is found that two of the three mode numbers imply one polytropic index while the third case, which is the most complicated for several reasons, implies a higher polytropic index.     

New Scintillators for Focal Plane Detectors in Gamma-Ray Missions

Recent developments of cerium-doped lanthanum-halide scintillators like LaBr₃:Ce show a remarkable performance in gamma-ray spectroscopy. When high energy resolution in combination with stopping power is required they provide excellent gamma-ray detector candidates for the use in space missions. Moreover, irradiation tests have shown that such detectors are radiation tolerant. In this paper we discuss a possible application of LaBr in nuclear astrophysics missions. We show results on recent proton irradiation tests at KVI in Groningen (NL) and discuss the damage and activation effects after irradiation. A possible implementation for a focal plane detector in a gamma-ray telescope and the expected performance is presented.     

天文教育Ⅰ:万有引力与天体物理

分别从物理学和天文学角度引申出天体物理学科,特别关注万有引力在其中扮演的关键角色.无论在综合性大学亦或理工科院校,天文教育均有益于提高学生的科学和人文素养,而天体物理则是天文学的主要内涵.介绍了作者讲授"天体物理"课程的相关信息以及个人认识.最后,以大气簇射μ子产生、啾质量、宇宙加速膨胀等教学案例结束,侧面诠释了作者的"天体物理"教育理念.     

Laue diffraction lenses for astrophysics: Theoretical concepts

Beyond the present technologies, Laue diffraction lenses are very promising tools in the field of gamma-ray astrophysics. The theoretical concepts of this kind of instruments are based on the Laue diffraction in crystals, discovered almost 100 years ago. Though they are commonly used in crystallography, their application to γ-ray focusing in astrophysics requires some specific developments, e.g. in terms of energy and imaging responses. The present article describes the physics of X-ray diffraction in crystals. In the context of the Darwin model of mosaic crystals, some peculiar aspects, relevant to the astrophysical observation, are discussed. The evaluation and optimization of diffraction efficiency are discussed, especially with rigards to the crystal’s mosaicity and thickness, its spatial extent and deviations to the “ideally imperfect” Darwin model. PACS 95.55.Ka, 61.50.Ah, 61.10.−i, 41.50.+h     

Assessing Mix Layer Amplitude in 3D Decelerating Interface Experiments

We present data from recent high-energy-density laboratory experiments designed to explore the Rayleigh–Taylor instability under conditions relevant to supernovae. The Omega laser is used to create a blast wave structure that is similar to that of the explosion phase of a core-collapse supernova. An unstable interface is shocked and then decelerated by the planar blast wave, producing Rayleigh–Taylor growth. Recent experiments were performed using dual, side-on, x-ray radiography to observe a 3D “egg crate” mode and an imposed, longer-wavelength, sinusoidal mode as a seed perturbation. This paper explores the method of data analysis and accurately estimating the position of important features in the data.