Deconvoluting measurement uncertainty from the meteor speed distribution

Debiasing the velocity distribution of meteors observed by the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) yields a distribution with large numbers of slow meteors. The distribution also contains significant numbers of hyperbolic meteors, in conflict with the expectation that interstellar meteors should be rare. In Moorhead et al. (2017a), we noted that measurement uncertainties were possibly smoothing the speed distribution and redistributing meteors to the extreme ends of the speed distribution. In this report, we use techniques analogous to image sharpening to remove the blurring caused by measurement uncertainties. The deconvolved speed distribution appears to have no meteors slower than 14 km s⁻¹ and none faster than 74 km s⁻¹. The result is to substantially raise the characteristic velocity of incoming meteoroids from 12.9 to 20.0 km s⁻¹.     

Achromatic interfero-coronagraph with variable rotation shearing for studying extrasolar planets

Direct observation of exoplanets will make it possible to clarify many principal questions connected both with extrasolar planets and planetary systems and to measure atmospheric spectra of the planets. Obtaining an exoplanet image not distorted by the light from a star is at the cutting edge of present-day optical technologies owing to the combination of tremendous brightness contrasts and small angular distances between the planet and star. To observe the exo-Earth, it is necessary to weaken the brightness of the parent star image by 9–10 orders of magnitude (in the optical and near-IR ranges). To compensate the influence of the atmosphere, ground-based (e.g., 8–10 m) telescopes intended for observing exoplanets are equipped with adaptive optics systems, the spatial and temporal resolutions of which are not yet sufficient. A meter-class space telescope equipped with a star coronagraph will make it possible to observe the nearest exoplanets. In this paper, an improved tool for star coronagraphy is considered, namely, the achromatic interferometric coronagraph with a variable rotational shear. It is fabricated according to the optical scheme of the common path interferometer for studying extrasolar planets by direct observations. Theoretical and experimental estimations for the main characteristics of the scheme were carried out. Laboratory experimental measurements were carried out on a coronagraph model.     

Properties of the population of classical Cepheids in the Galaxy

Based on our compiled catalogue of positions, velocities, ages, and abundances of nine chemical elements for 221 classical Cepheids, we analyze the dependences of the relative abundances of α-elements as well as rapid and slow neutron capture elements on metallicity, space velocity components, and Galactocentric distance. We have found that the relative abundances of all elements in Cepheids do not depend on velocity but increase with Galactocentric distance and decrease with increasing metallicity, just as in thin-disk dwarfs and giants. In Cepheids, however, the [α/Fe]-[Fe/H] relation lies below, while the [r/Fe]-[Fe/H] and [s/Fe]-[Fe/H] relations lie above the analogous sequences for dwarfs and giants. We hypothesize that upon reaching a nearly solar metallicity in the interstellar medium of the thin disk, the most massive stars ceased to explode as type II supernovae, which mostly enriched the interstellar medium with α-elements. As a result, an underabundance of α-elements and a slight overabundance of r-process elements, which are ejected into the interstellar medium by less massive (8–10 M _⊙) type II supernovae, were formed in the next generations of stars. The overabundance of s-process elements in Cepheids can be explained by the fact that some of the s-elements were produced in the weak s-process in the interiors of massive stars, which may be able to eject the upper parts of their envelopes even without any explosion like asymptotic giant branch stars. And since such massive stars, exploding as type II supernovae, also enriched the interstellar medium with a considerable amount of iron atoms, the [s/Fe] ratios (along with [r/Fe]) in the next generations of stars must be higher in their absence.     

Modelling the X-ray cluster dipole and cluster contribution to the soft X-ray background

We investigate the sampling and dipole convergence properties of flux-limited samples of mock X-ray clusters in relation to their underlying 'parent' cluster distribution. To this purpose, we resort to numerical simulations of the cluster distribution and extract samples resembling the main observational features of X-ray selected cluster samples. The flux-limited samples, being quite sparse, underestimate the amplitude of the 'parent' cluster dipole by ≈ 15 per cent on average for Local Group-like observers. However, the general shapes of their dipole amplitude profiles are in relatively good agreement. We also calculate the expected contribution of clusters, selected according to the relevant criteria, to the soft (i.e. 0.1–2.4 keV) extragalactic X-ray background (XRB), using the ESO Key Project X-ray luminosity function, assuming a flat universe with vanishing cosmological constant. We obtain a value of about 10 per cent of the observed XRB flux.     

The D-CIXS X-ray mapping spectrometer on SMART-1

The D-CIXS Compact X-ray Spectrometer will provide high quality spectroscopic mapping of the Moon, the primary science target of the ESA SMART-1 mission. D-CIXS consists of a high throughput spectrometer, which will perform spatially localised X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. It will also carry a solar monitor, to provide the direct calibration needed to produce a global map of absolute lunar elemental abundances, the first time this has been done. Thus it will achieve ground breaking science within a resource envelope far smaller than previously thought possible for this type of instrument, by exploiting two new technologies, swept charge devices and micro-structure collimators. The new technology does not require cold running, with its associated overheads to the spacecraft. At the same time it will demonstrate a radically novel approach to building a type of instrument essential for the BepiColombo mission and potential future planetary science targets.     

Ion Irradiation of Asphaltite: Optical Effects and Implications for Trans-Neptunian Objects and Centaurs

Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) and Centaurs show remarkable colour variationsin the visual and near-infrared spectral regions. Surface alteration processes such asspace weathering (e.g., bombardment with ions) and impact resurfacingmay play an important role in the colour diversity of such bodies. Ion irradiation ofhydrocarbon ices and their mixtures with water ice transforms neutral (grey) surfacecolours of ices to red and further to grey. Along with the ices, TNOs and Centaursprobably contain complex carbonaceous compounds, in particular, complexhydrocarbons. Unlike ices, such refractory organic materials have originally lowvisual albedos and red colours in the visible and near-infrared ranges. Here wepresent the first results of ion irradiation experiments on asphaltite. Asphaltite isa natural complex hydrocarbon material. The reflectance spectra of asphaltite inthe 0.4–0.8 μm range have been recorded before irradiation and after eachirradiation step. We demonstrate that irradiation of this red dark material with30 keV H⁺ and 15 keV N⁺ ions gradually transforms its colour from redto grey as a result of carbonization. A moderate increase in the visual albedo hasbeen observed. These results may imply that the surfaces of primitive red objectsoptically dominated by complex refractory organics may show a similar spaceweathering trend. Our laboratory results were compared with published coloursof TNOs and Centaurs. A broad variety of spectral colours observed for TNOs andCentaurs may be reproduced by various spectra of irradiated organics correspondingto different ion fluences. However, such objects probably also contain ices and silicatecomponents which show different space weathering trends. This fact, together with alack of information about albedos, may explain difficulties to reveal correlations between surface colours within TNO and Centaur populations and their other properties, such as absolute magnitudes and orbital parameters.     

The Kaidun meteorite: Clasts of alkaline‐rich fractionated materials

Abstract— Clasts of alkaline (the second find in meteorites) and subalkaline rocks were found in the Kaidun meteorite. One of them (#d4A) is a large crystal of albite with inclusions of fluorapatite, arfvedsonite, aenigmatite, and wilkinsonite. The two latter minerals were previously unknown in meteorites. Another clast (#d[3–5]D) has a melt crystallization texture of mainly feldspar (oligoclase) composition and contains relict grains of both high‐Ca and low‐Ca pyroxene and fluorapatite. The mineralogical characteristics of these clasts suggest a genetic relationship and an origin from the same parent body. The textural and mineralogical characteristics of the clasts indicate origin by extensive igneous differentiation. Such processes most likely took place in a rather large differentiated body. The material of clast #d(3–5)D is similar in some mineralogical respects to basaltic shergottites.     

Photospheric and chromospheric oscillations in the base of coronal holes

In this paper we carry out an analysis of the spatial–temporal line-of-sight velocity variations measured in the chromospheric (H, H) and photospheric (Fei 6569 Å, Fei 4864 Å, Nii 4857 Å) lines at the base of 17 coronal holes. Time series of a duration from 43 to 120 min were recorded with the CCD line-array and the CCD matrix. Rather frequently we observed quasi-stationary upward flows with a measured velocity of up to 1 km s^–1 in the photosphere and up to 4–5 km s^–1 in the chromosphere (equivalent radial velocity of up to 3 km s^–1 and up to 12–15 km s^–1 accordingly) near dark points on the chromospheric network boundary inside polar CH. Line-of-sight velocity fluctuation spectra contain meaningful maxima in the low-frequency region clustering around the values 0.4, 0.75, and 1 mHz. Usually, the spatial localization of these maxima mutually coincides and, in our opinion, coincides with the chromospheric network boundary. Acoustic 3- and 5-min oscillations are enhanced in the coronal hole region and reach 1 km s^–1 in the photosphere and 3–4 km s^–1 in the chromosphere. These oscillations are not localized spatially and are distinguished throughout the entire region observed.