EChOSim: The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory software simulator

EChOSim is the end-to-end time-domain simulator of the Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO) space mission. EChOSim has been developed to assess the capability of the EChO mission concept to detect and characterise the atmospheres of transiting exoplanets. Here we discuss the details of the EChOSim implementation and describe the models used to represent the instrument and to simulate the detection. Software simulators have assumed a central role in the design of new instrumentation and in assessing the level of systematics affecting the measurements of existing experiments. Thanks to its high modularity, EChOSim can simulate basic aspects of several existing and proposed spectrometers including instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer, ground-based and balloon-borne experiments. A discussion of different uses of EChOSim is given, including examples of simulations performed to assess the EChO mission.     

The grain size distribution of matrix in primitive chondrites

The matrix of primitive chondrites is composed of submicron crystals embedded in amorphous silicates. These grains are thought to be the remains of relatively unprocessed dust from the inner regions of the protoplanetary disk. The matrix of primitive meteorites is often compared to chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles (CP-IDPs) which are believed to be of cometary origin, having accreted in the outermost regions of the solar nebula. Crystalline grains in CP-IDPs show evidence of a size–density relationship between the silicates and sulfides suggesting that these components experienced sorting prior to accretion. Here, we investigate whether such evidence of sorting is also present in the matrix constituents of primitive chondrites. We report findings from our study of grain size distributions of discrete silicate and opaque (sulfide and metal) grains within the matrix of the primitive meteorites Acfer 094 (C2-ung.), ALHA77307 (CO3), MIL 07687 (C3-ung.), and QUE 99177 (CR2). Mean radii of matrix silicate grains range from 103 nm in QUE 99177 to 2018 nm in MIL 07687. The opaque grains show a wider variation, with average radii ranging from 15 nm in QUE 99177 to 219 nm in MIL07687. Our results indicate that, in contrast to CP-IDPs, the size distribution of matrix components of these primitive meteorites cannot be explained by aerodynamic sorting that took place prior to accretion. We conclude that any evidence of sorting is likely to have been lost due to a greater variety and degree of processing experienced on these primitive chondrites than on cometary parent bodies.     

Virial oscillations of celestial bodies: V. The structure of the potential and kinetic energies of a celestial body as a record of its creation history

The physical meaning of the terms of the potential and kinetic energy expressions, expanded by means of the density variation function for a nonuniform self-gravitating sphere, is discussed. The terms of the expansions represent the energy and the moment of inertia of the uniform sphere, the energy and the moment of inertia of the nonuniformities interacting with the uniform sphere, and the energy of the nonuniformities interacting with each other. It follows from the physical meaning of the above components of the energy structure, and also from the observational fact of the expansion of the Universe that the phase transition, notably, fusion of particles and nuclei and condensation of liquid and solid phases of the expanded matter accompanied by release of energy, must be the physical cause of initial thermal and gravitational instability of the matter. The released kinetic energy being constrained by the general motion of the expansion, develops regional and local turbulent (cyclonic) motion of the matter, which should be the second physical effect responsible for the creation of celestial bodies and their rotation.     

A nonlinear tensor field and the second metric tensor

In our preceding paper {see [L. Sh. Grigorian and S. Gottlöber, Astrofizika (in press)]} we investigated a self-gravitating system consisting of a scalar field and a linear tensor field _ik= _ki with minimal coupling and with allowance for the action of vacuum polarization effects. In the present paper we investigate the case of a nonlinear tensor field _ik. The action S ⁽⁾ of the field _ik is determined by the difference R_ik — _ik, where R_ik is the space-time Ricci tensor and Rik is the analogous quantity constructed using the metric _ik=g_ik+_ik induced by _ik ( is a free parameter). Here S ⁽⁾ coincides with the previously known expression for the action of a linear field _ik. Equations of motion are derived for _ik in curved space-time. The energy-momentum metric tensor, determining the contribution of _ik to the gravitational field equations, is calculated.Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 135–144, January-March, 1996.     

First results from the Gauribidanur Radio heliograph

Observations of the Sun at two frequencies (51 and 77 MHz) using the East-West arm of the Gauribidanur Radio heliograph are presented.     

First Byurakan Spectral Sky Survey. Late-type stars. VIII. Zone + 80 ≤ δ ≤ + 90°

The eighth list of late-type stars of spectral classes M and C detected on the plates of the First Byurakan Spectral Sky Survey (FBS) in the zone +80 +90° is presented. Of the 79 objects detected, 67 are new discoveries (66 M stars and one carbon star); 16 objects are unidentified IRAS sources. The equatorial coordinates, spectral classes, and magnitudes are given.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 523–529, November, 1996.     

Late Cenozoic depositional history of the western Svalbard continental shelf, controlled by subsidence and climate

Based on a grid of high resolution, single channel seismic lines, this paper addresses the Late Cenozoic evolution of the western Svalbard continental shelf. The seismic structure of the shelf includes at least 16 erosional unconformities, each representing a glacial advance. The evolution during the last approximately one million years has been divided into six main erosional and depositional phases. Differential margin subsidence around a hinge zone is an important controlling mechanism for the accumulation of the sedimentary wedge at the outer shelf. The most significant depositional change appears to be related to a general climatic shift, globally recorded to be centred around 1 Ma. At this level, corresponding to the Upper Regional Unconformity (URU) on the shelf, the depositional regime changed from net erosion to net deposition and shelf aggradation. Of major significance is probably a shift from thick, eroding glaciers with steep ice profiles, to low profile fast flowing ice streams maintained by an increased amount of interglacial and interstadial sediments. The relationship between climatic fluctuations, glacial dynamics and depositional regime is discussed.     

Anatomy of individual agglutinates from a lunar highland soil

Abstract— We report results of our investigation of the relationship between values of I_s/FeO (relative concentration of nanophase Fe⁰ divided by total FeO content), glass abundance, total Fe content, and degree of digestion of <20 μm clasts for 22 individual agglutinates (250–1000 μm) from the mature Apollo 16 soil 61181 (I_s/FeO = 82 units in the <250 μm fraction). Agglutinates are important products of space weathering on the Moon, and they influence spectral observations at visible and near-IR wavelengths. Values of I_s/FeO for individual agglutinates (250–1000 μm) within this single soil span a range from 3 to 262 units which is larger than the range observed for all Apollo 16 bulk soils (～0 to 110 units). No correlation was observed between I_s/FeO and glass abundance and FeO concentrations for either agglutinitic glass or whole agglutinate particles under investigation. Our results suggest that the variation in I_s/FeO for agglutinates from a single soil may be in part a consequence of natural mixing processes on the Moon that produce highly-variable environments (with respect to surface exposure) for agglutinate formation and in part to variable kinetics of reactions in an agglutinate melt, which are influenced by a variety of factors including melt composition, temperature, impactor velocity, and quench rate. We cannot exclude but do not see evidence for other processes including addition of exotic agglutinates, micrometeoritic bombardment into compositionally-diverse microtargets, recycling of agglutinates, preferential melting of very fine soil particles, and production of nanophase Fe⁰ in amorphous rims of very fine irradiated lunar grains contributing to the observed variation of I_s/FeO.