A 59-second period in the very high energy gamma-ray emission from the Geminga pulsar

An analysis of our observations of the Geminga object with the GT-48 ground-based gamma-ray telescope has shown that its very-high-energy gamma-ray flux is modulated with a 59-s period. The 59-s period and its time derivative previously inferred from satellite data have been confirmed. According to our data, the period was 61.94 s in 1997 at MSD=50573. The statistical significance of this result is (1?4.5)×10^?4.     

河外H_2O超脉泽辐射

介绍了近年来河外Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽的主要观测结果。Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽通常起源于活动星系核中央的拱核盘。它们主要寄生在 Ｓｅｒｆｅｒｔ ２星系或低电离核区。至今为止，已有２０个星系探测到Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽。脉泽辐射的各向同性光度为１０～６０００Ｌ⊙。所有超脉泽星系显示出核的活动，显然，脉泽是由核活动所产生的射电和Ｘ射线光子或激波来抽运的。Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽倾向存在于高倾斜度的星系，这使得沿视线上的分子柱密度增高，产生足够大的放大光深。最有可能产生Ｈ２Ｏ超脉泽辐射的星系应有一个包含着射电源的侧向的分子盘以及一个适当的抽运机制。     

The Effect of Atmospheric Drag on Satellite Orbits During the Bastille Day Event

Geomagnetic storms driven by solar eruptions are known to have significant effects on the total density of the upper atmosphere in the altitude range 250–1000 km. This in turn causes a measurable effect on the orbits of resident space objects in this altitude range. We analyzed a sample of these orbits, both from sensor data and from orbital element sets, during the period surrounding the 14 July 2000 solar activity. We present information concerning the effects of this event on the orbits of resident space objects and how well accepted atmospheric models were able to represent it. As part of this analysis, we describe a technique for extracting atmospheric density information from orbital element sets. On daily time scales, the effect of geomagnetic activity appears to be more important than that of prompt radiation. However, the limitations in time and amplitude quantization of the accepted solar indices are evident. A limited comparison is also made with previous solar storm events.     

Structure of Early-Type Galaxies

We outline the results of a two-dimensional (2D) fit to the light distribution of early-type galaxies belonging to a complete volume-limited sample and discuss briefly the significant correlations among the structural parameters. In particular we reconfirm that the lack of structural homology is probably a characteristic of hot stellar systems. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dynamical History of the Earth–Moon System

Differential equations describing the tidal evolution of the earth's rotation and of the lunar orbital motion are presented in a simple close form. The equations differ in form for orbits fixed to the terrestrial equator and for orbits with the nodes precessing along the ecliptic due to solar perturbations. Analytical considerations show that if the contemporary lunar orbit were equatorial the evolution would develop from an unstable geosynchronous orbit of the period about 4.42 h (in the past) to a stable geosynchronous orbit of the period about 44.8 days (in the future). It is also demonstrated that at the contemporary epoch the orbital plane of the fictitious equatorial moon would be unstable in the Liapunov's sense, being asymptotically stable at early stages of the evolution. Evolution of the currently near-ecliptical lunar orbit and of the terrestrial rotation is traced backward in time by numerical integration of the evolutional equations. It is confirmed that about 1.8 billion years ago a critical phase of the evolution took place when the equatorial inclination of the moon reached small values and the moon was in a near vicinity of the earth. Before the critical epoch t _cr two types of the evolution are possible, which at present cannot be unambiguously distinguished with the help of the purely dynamical considerations. In the scenario that seems to be the most realistic from the physical point of view, the evolution also has started from a geosynchronous equatorial lunar orbit of the period 4.19 h. At t < t _cr the lunar orbit has been fixed to the precessing terrestrial equator by strong perturbations from the earth's flattening and by tidal effects; at the critical epoch the solar perturbations begin to dominate and transfer the moon to its contemporary near-ecliptical orbit which evolves now to the stable geosynchronous state. Probably this scenario is in favour of the Darwin's hypothesis about originating the moon by its separation from the earth. Too much short time scale of the evolution in this model might be enlarged if the dissipative Q factor had somewhat larger values in the past than in the present epoch. Values of the length of day and the length of month, estimated from paleontological data, are confronted with the results of the developed model.     

Predicted interplanetary distribution of Lyman-σ intensity and polarization

Our current understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of interplan etary neutral hydrogen is currently limited to a comparison of Lyman-σ photometric data with predictions of the solar backscattered radiation using theoretical models. In this paper, how the uncertainties in current model calculations could be reduced through the future use of polarization measurements made from interplanetary spacecraft is investigated. In particular, inquiry into how a mapping of the degree of linear polarization made from a spacecraft at various locations in the Solar System can improve knowledge of the interstellar wind parameters, number density, temperature, and velocity, is made. A polarization measurement can, in principle, be made with very high precision. In this regard, being a relative quantity, a polarization measurement can be made independent of instrumental calibration and long-term sensitivity degredation. Furthermore, the sky distribution of both intensity and polarization has been calculated using a variety of models for the neutral hydrogen. It is found that the polarization distribution over the sky is quite different from that of the intensity distribution. It is also showed that the maximum degree of polarization of the Laymam-σ line increases with heliocentric distance of the spacecraft, varying from 0 up to ～ 18% at 20 AU.     

Low energy ions in the shuttle environment: Evidence for strong ambient-contaminant interactions

The quadrupole mass spectrometer flown by the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory on STS-4 in 1982 detected large intensities of several ions, primarily O⁺, H₂O⁺ and H₃O⁺, with energies less than 1.5 e V with respect to the Shuttle Orbiter. Ion-molecule reactions and non-reactive scattering between the outgassing neutral flux from the Orbiter surfaces and the ambient ionic species are identified as the primary source of these low energy ions.     

A Critical review of theoretical models of negatively polarized light scattered by atmosphereless solar system bodies

About a dozen physical mechanisms and models aspire to explain the negative polarization of light scattered by atmosphereless celestial bodies. This is too large a number for the reliable interpretation of observational data. Through a comparative analysis of the models, our main goal is to answer the question: Does any one model have an advantage over the others? Our analysis is based on new laboratory polarimetric and photometric data as well as on theoretical results. We show that the widely used models due to Hopfield and Wolff cannot realistically explain the phase-angle dependence of the degree of polarization observed at small phase angles. The so-called interference or coherent backscattering mechanism is the most promising model. Models based on that mechanism use well-defined physical parameters to explain both negative polarization and the opposition effect. They are supported by laboratory experiments, particularly those showing enhancement of negative polarization with decreasing particle size down to the wavelength of light. According to the interference mechanism, pronounced negative branches of polarization, like those of C-class asteroids, may indicate a high degree of optical inhomogeneity of light-scattering surfaces at small scales. The mechanism also seems appropriate for treating the negative polarization and opposition effects of cometary dust comae, planetary rings, and the zodiacal light.     

The middle pleistocene deposits of Waverley Wood Pit,Warwickshire, England

A complex of channels underlying the Baginton-Lillington Gravel (Baginton Formation) at Waverley Wood Quarry, Warwickshire is described. Fossil pollen and plant macrofossils, Coleoptera, Ostracoda, Mollusca and Mammalia are described from the channel-fill deposits. Consideration of all the evidence allows the identification of four separate stages of channel fill which largely occurred under a cool temperate climate. At the top of Channel 2 evidence for a cold, continental climatic episode can be recognised, suggesting that the whole complex was deposited under a fluctuating climate at the end of a temperate stage. At two levels in the channels human artefacts were recovered confirming the presence of Palaeolithic people in Warwickshire during the deposition of the sediments. Amino-acid geochronology suggests an age within the ‘Cromerian Complex’ Stage for the channels. The small vertebrate and molluscan faunas indicate that the deposits are no older than the latter part of the ‘Cromerian Complex’ Stage of East Anglia. The regional stratigraphic significance of the Waverley Wood succession is outlined.     

Prognosis of pool phase state and hydrocarbon fluid composition for the Pre-Caspian OGP

The results of detailed studies and interpretations are presented for composition variations, structural properties and the phase state of hydrocarbon fluids from subsalt pools of the Pre-Caspian depression. These data serve as a basis for substantiating the existence of several types of condensate, and identifying the locations of the main centres of fluid generation. The basic geological-geochemical conditions controlling the composition of condensate and free gases have been determined as well as their present phase state. A set of basic criteria is proposed as well as prognostic maps for the condensate and free gas composition, and the pool phase states.