Some characteristics of astronomical climate on Mount Koshka,Simeiz

Coefficients of atmospheric extinction in the Johnson-Cousins system are determined for the astronomical point at Mount Koshka (Simeiz, Crimea). The astronomical point is characterized by high transparency and frequent periods of low quality of the image, which is explained by its position between the Crimean Range and the Black Sea.     

Free convection effects on the oscillatory flow in the Stokes's problem past an infinite porous vertical limiting surface with constant suction — I

An analysis of Rayleigh's problem (also Stokes's problem) for the flow of a viscous fluid (e.g. of a stellar atmosphere) past an impulsively started infinite, vertical porous limiting surface (e.g. of a star) with constant suction, when the free stream velocity oscillates in time about a constant mean, has been carried out. On solving the coupled non-linear equations in approximate way, expressions for the mean velocity, the mean temperature, the mean skin-friction and the mean rate of heat transfer, expressed in terms of Nusselt number, are obtained. The effects of Grashof numberG, Eckert numberE and Prandtl numberP, on these quantities, is discussed for the cases of an externally heating and cooling of the limiting surface, by the free convection currents, and the variations of them are shown graphically.     

The non-linear redshift-space power spectrum of galaxies

We study the power spectrum of galaxies in redshift space, with third-order perturbation theory to include corrections that are absent in linear theory. We assume a local bias for the galaxies: i.e., the galaxy density is sampled from some local function of the underlying mass distribution. We find that the effect of the non-linear bias in real space is to introduce two new features: first, there is a contribution to the power which is constant with wavenumber, whose nature we reveal as essentially a shot-noise term. In principle this contribution can mask the primordial power spectrum, and could limit the accuracy with which the latter might be measured on very large scales. Secondly, the effect of second- and third-order bias is to modify the effective bias (defined as the square root of the ratio of galaxy power spectrum to matter power spectrum). The effective bias is almost scale-independent over a wide range of scales. These general conclusions also hold in redshift space. In addition, we have investigated the distortion of the power spectrum by peculiar velocities, which may be used to constrain the density of the Universe. We look at the quadrupole-to-monopole ratio, and find that higher order terms can mimic linear theory bias, but the bias implied is neither the linear bias, nor the effective bias referred to above. We test the theory with biased N -body simulations, and find excellent agreement in both real and redshift space, providing the local biasing is applied on a scale whose fractional rms density fluctuations are < 0.5.     

Exchange and correlation interactions in electron-positron plasma

The effect of particle-particle interaction on the adiabatic index γ for an electron-positron plasma is considered. An improved method for numerically calculating the Hartree-Fock exchange integral is presented and its relativistic asymptotics is determined. An approximation formula is derived for the correlation part of the interaction in the low-density limit. This formula includes degeneracy and the positron component.     

Evaluation of Interactions Between Oilfield Chemicals and Reservoir Rocks

Natural Resources Research - Sand failure and production occurs when the formation stress exceeds the strength of the formation, which is derived majorly from the natural material that cements the...     

Two new large-separation gravitational lenses from SDSS

We present discovery images, together with follow-up imaging and spectroscopy, of two large-separation gravitational lenses found by our survey for wide arcs [the CAmbridge Sloan Survey Of Wide ARcs in the skY (CASSOWARY)]. The survey exploits the multicolour photometry of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to find multiple blue components around red galaxies. CASSOWARY 2 (or 'the Cheshire Cat') is composed of two massive early-type galaxies at   z = 0.426  and 0.432, respectively, lensing two background sources, the first a star-forming galaxy at   z = 0.97  and the second a high -redshift galaxy  ( z > 1.4)  . There are at least three images of the former source and probably four or more of the latter, arranged in two giant arcs. The mass enclosed within the larger arc of radius ∼11 arcsec is  ∼33 × 10¹² M_⊙  . CASSOWARY 3 comprises an arc of three bright images of a   z = 0.725  source, lensed by a foreground elliptical at   z = 0.274  . The radius of the arc is ∼4 arcsec and the enclosed mass is  ∼2.5 × 10¹² M_⊙  . Together with earlier discoveries like the Cosmic Horseshoe and the 8 o'clock Arc, these new systems, with separations intermediate between the arcsecond-separation lenses of typical strong galaxy lensing and arcminute-separation cluster lenses, probe the very high end of the galaxy mass function.     

Effects of Kerr space–time on spectral features from X-ray illuminated accretion discs

We performed detailed calculations of the relativistic effects acting on both the reflection continuum and the iron line from accretion discs around rotating black holes. Fully relativistic transfer of both illuminating and reprocessed photons has been considered in Kerr space–time. We calculated overall spectra, line profiles and integral quantities, and present their dependences on the black hole angular momentum. We show that the observed EW of the lines is substantially enlarged when the black hole rotates rapidly and/or the source of illumination is near above the hole. Therefore, such calculations provide a way to distinguish between different models of the central source.     

Initiation of primary cell culture from amphioxus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense</Emphasis>

Amphioxus, a cephalochordate, is an important model fish for studies in evolution and comparative biology. A successful cell culture from amphioxus tissues in vitro would help understanding some basic issues. To determine the optimal culture conditions for proliferation of amphioxus cells, primary cultures were initiated from buccal cirri, tail, gill, gut and metapleural fold of amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense. The media tested were L-15, F-12, M 199, MEM, DMEM, PRMI 1640 and LDF, each was supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum. The optimal conditions include tail tissue cultured in L-15 or F-12 with supplement of 20% FBS and 1.5% NaCl at about 25°C. Supported by Doctoral Initial Fund of Ludong University (No.43304)