Al andBe production in iron meteorites

We have measured by accelerator mass spectrometry the²⁶Al contents of 20 and the¹⁰Be contents of 14 iron meteorites. The²⁶Al contents are typically 30% or more lower than values obtained by counting techniques; the¹⁰Be contents are 10–15% lower. The production rates (P) of these nuclides decrease by more than a factor of two as the⁴He/²¹Ne ratio increases with increasing shielding from 200 to 400. For the lighter shielding conditions expected in stony meteorites we estimateP₂₆(Fe) as 3–4 dpm/kg andP₁₀(Fe) as 4–5 dpm/kg. The average P/₁₀P₂₆ activity ratio is close to 1.5. Exposure ages calculated from²¹Ne/²⁶Al ratios cannot be calibrated so as to agree with both⁴⁰KK/ ages and ages based on the shorter-lived nuclides³⁹Ar and³⁶Cl. If agreement with the latter is forced, then the disagreement with⁴⁰KK/ ages may signal a 35% increase in the cosmic-ray intensity during the last 10⁷ a.     

Spada: An Array of Spad Detectors For Astrophysical Applications

Astrophysical studies require accurate, sensitive and fast detectors to detect faint sources with high variability. Recently an array of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPAD), SPADA, has been developed. This array is suitable for competitive adaptive optics operations and fast transient image acquisition at a fraction of the current cost of imaging arrays. The fabricated solid-state photon counters are rugged, easily integrated with the optics, free from readout noise, and have very fast frame rates (> 10 kHz, for visible corrections) with nanosecond electronic gating. In this paper, the following are described: the development of silicon monolithic arrays of 60 photon-counters, the detection electronics (based on integrated active quenching circuits for each pixel of the array), the real-time data-processing board implemented into FPGA and some aspects of the mechanical housing.     

全新世东地中海的陆源碎屑输入及其水文气候变化:海盆尺度地球化学分析

地中海位于非洲季风气候和欧洲温带气候的交界处,同时接受周边地区岩石性质和风化状况差异极大的碎屑物质,所以是研究地球表层水文循环的理想区域。前人的认识集中于撒哈拉风尘和尼罗河输入,往往忽视了其他的陆源碎屑沉积,尤其对不同水文气候条件下的潜在变化缺乏考虑。针对形成于全新世非洲湿润期的腐泥层S1页岩沉积,并结合采自岩心顶部的晚全新世/现代沉积物,文章从18个站位选取了30个样品开展碎屑组分的地球化学分析,通过在具有不同干湿环境背景的时间片段上开展盆地尺度的对比(约9.5~8.9 ka vs. 约1.7~0 ka),探讨全新世东地中海的陆源碎屑输入模式。Ti/Al、Zr/Al、Ca/Al、Y/Al都清晰显示了经向和纬向上的梯度变化,可用作撒哈拉风尘的可靠指标;这些碎屑元素之间的差异反映了北非风尘来源和传送路径的变化。这些风尘指标在南-北向上的一致变化指示了副热带高压与西风带的交互界限为36°N,该界限在全新世应稳定存在。与风尘相反,河流输入的指标值在早全新世时显著高于现代,并呈现不同的地理分布。K/Al具有西高东低、北高南低的分布特征,指示了地中海北部沿岸地区的河流输入。根据与Ti/Al、K/Al的差异,利用(Cr+Ni)/Al可较好地识别被增强的季风降雨所激活的北非古河流沉积。河流输入在早全新世时显著上升,但不同河流系统的影响范围差异很大,受制于源区水文气候、表层洋流搬运等因素。     

Solar Dynamo and Toroidal Field Instabilities

The possibility of non-axisymmetric (kink) instabilities of a toroidal field seated in the tachocline is much discussed in the literature. In this work, the basic properties of kink and quasi-interchange instabilities, produced by mixed toroidal and poloidal configuration, will be briefly reviewed. In particular, it will be shown that the unstable modes are strongly localized near the Equator and not near the Poles as often claimed in the literature. Based on the results of recent numerical simulations, it is argued that a non-zero helicity can already be produced at a non-linear level. A mean-field solar dynamo is then constructed with a positive α-effect in the overshoot layer localized near the Equator, and a meridional circulation with deep return flow. Finally, the possibility that the solar cycle is driven by an αΩ dynamo generated by the negative subsurface shear in the supergranulation layer will also be discussed.     

Generation of magnetosonic waves and formation of structures in galaxies

We study the generation of magnetosonic waves in galactic gaseous discs taking account of the magnetic field, differential rotation and self-gravity. The special case of perturbations is considered with the wavevector perpendicular to the magnetic field. The necessary condition of the amplification of seed perturbations is the presence of differential rotation and non-vanishing radial component of the magnetic field that can easily be satisfied in galactic discs. Differential rotation stretches the azimuthal field from the radial one and, therefore, we consider the generation of waves on the time-dependent background magnetic field. Basically, an amplification is rather efficient, and seed perturbations become non-linear already after several rotation periods for a wide range of wavelength. The generated magnetosonic waves can be either non-oscillatory or oscillatory depending on the parameters of gas. If perturbations are Jeans stable, then typically non-oscillatory waves are amplified. However, interplay between self-gravity, magnetic field and rotational shear can change qualitatively the classical Jeans instability, so that the latter becomes oscillatory and tends to be suppressed in galaxies.