Close encounters in young stellar clusters: implications for planetary systems in the solar neighbourhood

The stars that populate the solar neighbourhood were formed in stellar clusters. Through N -body simulations of these clusters, we measure the rate of close encounters between stars. By monitoring the interaction histories of each star, we investigate the singleton fraction in the solar neighbourhood. A singleton is a star which formed as a single star, has never experienced any close encounters with other stars or binaries, or undergone an exchange encounter with a binary. We find that, of the stars which formed as single stars, a significant fraction is not singletons once the clusters have dispersed. If some of these stars had planetary systems, with properties similar to those of the Solar System, the planets' orbits may have been perturbed by the effects of close encounters with other stars or the effects of a companion star within a binary. Such perturbations can lead to strong planet–planet interactions which eject several planets, leaving the remaining planets on eccentric orbits. Some of the single stars exchange into binaries. Most of these binaries are broken up via subsequent interactions within the cluster, but some remain intact beyond the lifetime of the cluster. The properties of these binaries are similar to those of the observed binary systems containing extrasolar planets. Thus, dynamical processes in young stellar clusters will alter significantly any population of Solar System-like planetary systems. In addition, beginning with a population of planetary systems exactly resembling the Solar System around single stars, dynamical encounters in young stellar clusters may produce at least some of the extrasolar planetary systems observed in the solar neighbourhood.     

Dispersion relation for magnetosonic waves within the upper atmospheric plasma

The dispersion relation for magnetosonic waves within the upper atmospheric plasma has been derived. The result can be used to study the variation of the longitudinal and transverse component of velocities.     

Geochemical characterization of Archaean amphibolites from the eastern part of Anshan–Benxi iron producing area,northeastern China: implication for tectonic setting of BIFs

The Anshan–Benxi iron producing area, which is located at the northeastern margin of the North China Craton, is the main distribution area of Archaean BIFs in China. In their eastern part, including the Gongchangling and Waitoushan deposits, BIFs mainly are hosted in the Archaean middle Anshan Group. Amphibolites are widely distributed in the iron‐bearing rock series, reflecting the tectonic setting of BIFs. Amphibolites not only have MORB‐like compositional characteristics, but also have island arc‐like ones, and they are consistent with back‐arc basin basalts (BABB). In the study area, the protolith of amphibolites belongs to Okinawa‐type BABB; it indicates that tectonic setting of BIFs is the intra‐continental back‐arc basin. In the study area, the formation of sedimentary basins for BIFs had been associated with oceanic plate subduction. Amphibolites from Gongchangling deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE and LREE, and depletions in HFSE. This indicates that they had a relatively large influence of subduction in their formation. Amphibolites from Waitoushan deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE without conspicuous depletions in HFSE, indicating relatively low subduction rates. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fundamental physics and absolute positioning metrology with the MAGIA lunar orbiter

MAGIA is a mission approved by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for Phase A study. Using a single large-diameter laser retroreflector, a large laser retroreflector array and an atomic clock onboard MAGIA we propose to perform several fundamental physics and absolute positioning metrology experiments: VESPUCCI, an improved test of the gravitational redshift in the Earth?CMoon system predicted by General Relativity; MoonLIGHT-P, a precursor test of a second generation Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) payload for precision gravity and lunar science measurements under development for NASA, ASI and robotic missions of the proposed International Lunar Network (ILN); Selenocenter (the center of mass of the Moon), the determination of the position of the Moon center of mass with respect to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame/System (ITRF/ITRS); this will be compared to the one from Apollo and Lunokhod retroreflectors on the surface; MapRef, the absolute referencing of MAGIA??s lunar altimetry, gravity and geochemical maps with respect to the ITRF/ITRS. The absolute positioning of MAGIA will be achieved thanks to: (1) the laboratory characterization of the retroreflector performance at INFN-LNF; (2) the precision tracking by the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), which gives two fundamental contributions to the ITRF/ITRS, i.e. the metrological definition of the geocenter (the Earth center of mass) and of the scale of length; (3) the radio science and accelerometer payloads; (4) support by the ASI Space Geodesy Center in Matera, Italy. Future ILN geodetic nodes equipped with MoonLIGHT and the Apollo/Lunokhod retroreflectors will become the first realization of the International Moon Reference Frame (IMRF), the lunar analog of the ITRF.