X-ray emission from accretion disks in active galactic nuclei

We constructed a grid of relativistic models for standard high-relative-luminosity accretion α-disks around supermassive Kerr black holes (BHs) and computed X-ray spectra for their hot, effectively optically thin inner parts by taking into account general-relativity effects. They are known to be heated to high (～10⁶–10⁹ K) temperatures and to cool down through the Comptonization of intrinsic thermal radiation. Their spectra are power laws with an exponential cutoff at high energies; i.e., they have the same shape as those observed in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Fitting the observed X-ray spectra of AGNs with computed spectra allowed us to estimate the fundamental parameters of BHs (their mass and Kerr parameter) and accretion disks (luminosity and inclination to the line of sight) in 28 AGNs. We show that the Kerr parameter for BHs in AGNs is close to unity and that the disk inclination correlates with the Seyfert type of AGN, in accordance with the unification model of activity. The estimated BH masses M_x are compared with the masses M_rev determined by the reverberation mapping technique. For AGNs with luminosities close to the Eddington limit, these masses agree and the model under consideration may be valid for them. For low-relative-luminosity AGNs, the differences in masses increase with decreasing relative luminosity and their X-ray emission cannot be explained by this model.     

Increase of the Magnetic Flux From Polar Zones of the sun in the Last 120 Years

Lockwood, Stamper, and Wild (1999) argued that the average strength of the magnetic field of the Sun has doubled in the last 100 years. They used an analysis of the geomagnetic index aa. We calculated the area of polar zones of the Sun, A _pz, occupied by unipolar magnetic field on H synoptic magnetic charts, following Makarov (1994), from 1878 to 2000. We found a gradual decrease of the annual minimum latitude of the high-latitude zone boundaries, _2m, of the global magnetic field of the Sun at the minimum of activity from 53° in 1878 down to 38° in 1996, yielding an average decrease of 1.2° per cycle. Consequently the area of polar zones A _pz of the Sun, occupied by unipolar magnetic field at the minimum activity, has risen by a factor of 2 during 1878–1996. This means that the behavior of the index aa and consequently the magnetic flux from the Sun may be explained by an increase of the area of polar caps with roughly the same value of the magnetic field in this period. The area of the unipolar magnetic field at the poles (A _pz) may be used as a new index of magnetic activity of the Sun. We compared A _pz with the aa, the Wolf number W and A^* -index (Makarov and Tlatov, 2000). Correlations based on `11-year' averages are discussed. A temperature difference of about 1° between the Maunder Minimum and the present time was deduced. We have found that the highest latitude of the polar zone boundaries of the large-scale magnetic field during very low solar activity reaches about 60°, cf., the Maunder Minimum. It is supposed that the _2m-latitude coincides with the latitude where _r=0, with (r,) being the angular frequency of the solar rotation. The causes of the waxing and waning of the Sun's activity in conditions like Maunder Minimum are discussed.     

Existence and amount of intergalactic dust

The existence of intergalactic dust has been proved by the following observational facts: the decrease of the numbers of distant galaxies and clusters of galaxies behind the central regions of near clusters of galaxies; the different distributions of RR Lyrae stars and galaxies near ι Microscopii (Hoffmeister's cloud); the dependence of colour excesses of galaxies on supergalactic coordinates as well as on the surface density of bright galaxies; the colour index vs redshift correlation of quasistellar objects. The densities of intergalactic dust are estimated to be between 5×10^?30 g cm^?3 (near the centers of clusters of galaxies) and 2×10^?34 g cm^?3 (in general intergalactic space). The grains may be formed either in the early phases of the Universe (25相似文献   

Collisional heating of interplanetary gas: Fokker-Planck treatment

Interstellar gas streaming through the solar system undergoes both elastic collisions with solar wind ions and destructive, ionizing processes. The Boltzmann equation is set up, with linear Fokker-Planck terms describing the glancing elastic collisions. Solutions combining the dynamical effects of the central force field and the diffusion in velocity space are derived, appropriate to cool gas.For the He component of the streaming gas, if initially at 100 K, the collisional heating dominates inside 2 a.u. upstream and 5 a.u. downstream. A modified formula is given for the density in the downstream wake, as enhanced by gravitational focussing. Calculations of the helium resonant radiation backscatter require substantial modification.     

Discovery of the 'missing' mode in HR 1217 by the Whole Earth Telescope

HR 1217 is a prototypical rapidly oscillating Ap star that has presented a test to the theory of non-radial stellar pulsation. Prior observations showed a clear pattern of five modes with alternating frequency spacings of 33.3 and 34.6 μHz, with a sixth mode at a problematic spacing of 50.0 μHz (which equals  1.5×33.3 μHz)  to the high-frequency side. Asymptotic pulsation theory allowed for a frequency spacing of 34 μHz, but Hipparcos observations rule out such a spacing. Theoretical calculations of magnetoacoustic modes in Ap stars by Cunha predicted that there should be a previously undetected mode 34 μHz higher than the main group, with a smaller spacing between it and the highest one. In this Letter, we present preliminary results from a multisite photometric campaign on the rapidly oscillating Ap star HR 1217 using the 'Whole Earth Telescope'. While a complete analysis of the data will appear in a later paper, one outstanding result from this run is the discovery of a newly detected frequency in the pulsation spectrum of this star, at the frequency predicted by Cunha.     

On the global solution of the N-body problem

In connection with the publication (Wang Qiu-Dong, 1991) the Poincaré type methods of obtaining the maximal solution of differential equations are discussed. In particular, it is shown that the Wang Qiu-Dong'sglobal solution of the N-body problem has been obtained in Babadzanjanz (1979). First the more general results on differential equations have been published in Babadzanjanz (1978).     

Thin electron beam propagation in plasmas

The propagation of dense electron beams and the interaction with the ambient plasmas are studied by using two-dimensional electrostatic simulations. When the width of the beam is of the order of electron gyro-radius, the beam electrons move across the magnetic field lines and the beam-plasma interaction becomes prominent with the reduced beam density. When the width of the beam is of the order of ion gyro-radius, the propagation of beam electrons is possible only with the formation of the ion channel. However, since the time scale of the ionic motion is much longer than that of the electronic motion, most of the beam electrons return back to the original beam injection region     

Non-equilibrium Condensation ina Primordial Solar Nebula: Formation of Refractory Metal Nuggets

We present a theoretical investigation of non-equilibrium condensation of refractory metalsinthe primordial solar nebula, in relation to the origin of “Fremdlinges” included inCAIs. Todescribe the nucleation process of grains from vapor, weadopted asemi-phenomenological modelmodified fromthe classical nucleation theoryby the introductionof the second virial coefficient of vapor. This modelachieves excellent agreement with nucleation rate experiment. However,the second virial coefficients are unknown for a vapor of refractory metals. To overcome this, weexpress the nucleation rate by theuse of the chemical potential of dimersinsteadof the second virial coefficient.On the basis of this new nucleation theory,we have performed numerical simulations ofnon-equilibrium condensation of refractory metals andfind thattheircondensation temperatures, T_c, decrease considerably in comparison withequilibrium condensation. Even if the characteristiccooling time scale is aslarge as 1×10⁵ years, the decrease in T_c isfrom 200 to 400 Kfor rare elements such as W, Re,and Os. This remarkablenon-equilibrium behaviormainly stemsfromthelow totalpressure in the primordial solar nebula. From our new modelwealso obtainthe typical size ofgrainsformed in condensation. We findthatthe cooling time should be ?1×10⁵ years for sub-micron-sized or largerrefractory metal nuggetsto form.     

Role of satellite remote sensing for monitoring of surface water resources in an arid environment

Abstract

Water bodies up to 0.9 ha surface area, which are indistinguishable by Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) due to the latter's poor spatial resolution of 80 m, can be identified and mapped reliably and reasonably within ±10% accuracy by Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) false colour composite because of its higher spectral and spatial resolution of 30 m. Comparative study of Landsat TM and the Survey of India topographical maps revealed reductions in the water surface and drainage basin areas up to 1.8 to 2.4 and 6.0 to 8.0 times, respectively, over a period of 28 years (1958–1986) due to the biotic interference resulting in desertification in the large adjoining areas.     

Abundances in intermediate-mass AGB stars undergoing third dredge-up and hot-bottom burning

High-dispersion near-infrared spectra have been taken of seven highly evolved, variable, intermediate-mass (4–6 M_⊙) asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud and Small Magellanic Cloud in order to look for C, N and O variations that are expected to arise from third dredge-up and hot-bottom burning. The pulsation of the objects has been modelled, yielding stellar masses, and spectral synthesis calculations have been performed in order to derive abundances from the observed spectra. For two stars, abundances of C, N, O, Na, Al, Ti, Sc and Fe were derived and compared with the abundances predicted by detailed AGB models. Both stars show very large N enhancements and C deficiencies. These results provide the first observational confirmation of the long-predicted production of primary nitrogen by the combination of third dredge-up and hot-bottom burning in intermediate-mass AGB stars. It was not possible to derive abundances for the remaining five stars: three were too cool to model, while another two had strong shocks in their atmospheres which caused strong emission to fill the line cores and made abundance determination impossible. The latter occurrence allows us to predict the pulsation phase interval during which observations should be made if successful abundance analysis is to be possible.