Formation of galactic subsystems in light of the magnesium abundance in field stars: The thin disk

Data from our compiled catalog of spectroscopically determined magnesium abundances in stars with accurate parallaxes are used to select thin-disk dwarfs and subgiants according to kinematic criteria. We analyze the relations between the relative magnesium abundances in stars, [Mg/Fe], and their metallicities, Galactic orbital elements, and ages. The [Mg/Fe] ratios in the thin disk at any metallicity in the range ?1.0 dex <[Fe/H] < ?0.4 dex are shown to be smaller than those in the thick disk, implying that the thin-disk stars are, on average, younger than the thick-disk stars. The relative magnesium abundances in such metal-poor thin-disk stars have been found to systematically decrease with increasing stellar orbital radii in such a way that magnesium overabundances ([Mg/Fe] > 0.2 dex) are essentially observed only in the stars whose orbits lie almost entirely within the solar circle. At the same time, the range of metallicities in magnesium-poor stars is displaced from ?0.5 dex < [Fe/H] < +0.3 dex to ?0.7 dex < [Fe/H] < +0.2 dex as their orbital radii increase. This behavior suggests that, first, the star formation rate decreases with increasing Galactocentric distance and, second, there was no star formation for some time outside the solar circle, while this process was continuous within the solar circle. The decrease in the star formation rate with increasing Galactocentric distance is responsible for the existence of a negative radial metallicity gradient (grad _R[Fe/H] = ?0.05 ± 0.01 kpc^?1) in the disk, which shows a tendency to increase with decreasing age. At the same time, the relative magnesium abundance exhibits no radial gradient. We have confirmed the existence of a steep negative vertical metallicity gradient (grad _Z[Fe/H] = ?0.29 ± 0.06 kpc^?1) and detected a significant positive vertical gradient in relative magnesium abundance (grad _Z[Mg/Fe] = 0.13 ± 0.02 kpc^?1); both gradients increase appreciably in absolute value with decreasing age. We have found that there is not only an age-metallicity relation, but also an age-magnesium abundance relation, in the thin disk. We surmise that the thin disk has a multicomponent structure, but the existence of a negative trend in the star formation rate along the Galactocentric radius does not allow the stars of its various components to be identified in the immediate solar neighborhood.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">r</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>-process contributions to heavy-element abundances in the halo star HD 29907

The abundances of 22 heavy elements from Sr to Pb have been determined for the halo star HD 29907 (T _eff = 5500 K, log g = 4.64) with [Fe/H] = −1.55 using high-quality VLT/UVES spectra (ESO, Chile). The star has a moderate enhancement of r-process elements (Eu-Tm) with [r/Fe] = 0.63. In the range from Ba to Yb, the derived abundance pattern agrees well with those for strongly r-process enhanced stars (r-II stars with [Eu/Fe] > 1 and [Ba/Eu] < 0), such as CS 22892-052 and CS 31082-001, as well as with the scaled solar r-process curve and the r-process model HEW. Thus, Ba-Yb in HD 29907 originate in the r-process. Just as other moderately r-process enhanced stars studied in the literature, HD 29907 exhibits higher Sr, Y, and Zr abundances than those for r-II stars. These results confirm the assumption by other authors about the existence of an additional Sr-Zr synthesis mechanism in the early Galaxy before the onset of nucleosynthesis in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. The same mechanism can be responsible for the enhancement of Mo-Ag in the star being investigated compared to r-II stars. There are no grounds to suggest the presence of s-nuclei of lead in the material of the star being investigated, because its measured abundance ratio log ɛ(Pb/Eu) = 1.20 lies within the range for the comparison stars: from log ɛ(Pb/Eu) = 0.17 (CS 31082-001) to < 1.55 (HE 1219-0312). Thus, even if there was a contribution of AGB stars to the heavy-element enrichment of the interstellar medium at the epoch with [Fe/H] = −1.55, it was small, at the level of the abundance error.     

A Hidden Radio Halo in the Galaxy Cluster A 1682?

High sensitivity observations of radio halos in galaxy clusters at frequencies ν ≤ 330 MHz are still relatively rare, and very little is known compared to the classical 1.4 GHz images. The few radio halos imaged down to 150–240 MHz show a considerable spread in size, morphology and spectral properties. All clusters belonging to the GMRT Radio Halo Survey with detected or candidate cluster-scale diffuse emission have been imaged at 325 MHz with the GMRT. Few of them were also observed with the GMRT at 240 MHz and 150 MHz. For A 1682, imaging is particularly challenging due to the presence of strong and extended radio galaxies at the center. Our data analysis suggests that thew radio galaxies are superposed to very low surface brightness radio emission extended on the cluster scale, which we present here.     

Temperature measurements of electrostatic shocks in?laser-produced counter-streaming plasmas

Collisionless shocks in counter-streaming plasmas, created by the high-power laser system Gekko XII HIPER, are investigated. The shock structure and density are measured by optical diagnostics such as shadowgraphy, interferometry, and streaked interferometry. The plasma density and temperature are estimated from self-emission measurements with visible light by streaked optical pyrometer and gated optical imager. Brightness temperatures are calculated considering the efficiency of the detectors, and electron temperatures are estimated.     

Comparing Solar Minimum 23/24 with Historical Solar Wind Records at 1 AU

Based on the variations of sunspot numbers, we choose a 1-year interval at each solar minimum from the beginning of the acquisition of solar wind measurements in the ecliptic plane and at 1 AU. We take the period of July 2008??C?June 2009 to represent the solar minimum between Solar Cycles 23 and 24. In comparison with the previous three minima, this solar minimum has the slowest, least dense, and coolest solar wind, and the weakest magnetic field. As a result, the solar wind dynamic pressure, dawn?Cdusk electric field, and geomagnetic activity during this minimum are the weakest among the four minima. The weakening trend had already appeared during solar minimum 22/23, and it may continue into the next solar minimum. During this minimum, the galactic cosmic ray intensity reached the highest level in the space age, while the number of solar energetic proton events and the ground level enhancement events were the least. Using solar wind measurements near the Earth over 1995??C?2009, we have surveyed and characterized the large-scale solar wind structures, including fast-slow stream interaction regions (SIRs), interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), and interplanetary shocks. Their solar cycle variations over the 15 years are studied comprehensively. In contrast with the previous minimum, we find that there are more SIRs and they recur more often during this minimum, probably because more low- and mid-latitude coronal holes and active regions emerged due to the weaker solar polar field than during the previous minimum. There are more shocks during this solar minimum, probably caused by the slower fast magnetosonic speed of the solar wind. The SIRs, ICMEs, and shocks during this minimum are generally weaker than during the previous minimum, but did not change as much as did the properties of the undisturbed solar wind.     

Simulation of the Unusual Solar Minimum with 3D SIP-CESE MHD Model by Comparison with Multi-Satellite Observations

The observations both near the Sun and in the heliosphere during the activity minimum between solar cycles 23 and 24 exhibit different phenomena from those typical of the previous solar minima. In this paper, we have chosen Carrington rotation 2070 in 2008 to investigate the properties of the background solar wind by using the three-dimensional (3D) Solar?CInterPlanetary Conservation Element/Solution Element Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. We also study the effects of polar magnetic fields on the characteristics of the solar corona and the solar wind by conducting simulations with an axisymmetric polar flux added to the observed magnetic field. The numerical results are compared with the observations from multiple satellites, such as the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), Ulysses, Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), Wind and the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE). The comparison demonstrates that the first simulation with the observed magnetic fields reproduces some observed peculiarities near the Sun, such as relatively small polar coronal holes, the presence of mid- and low-latitude holes, a tilted and warped current sheet, and the broad multiple streamers. The numerical results also capture the inconsistency between the locus of the minimum wind speed and the location of the heliospheric current sheet, and predict slightly slower and cooler polar streams with a relatively smaller latitudinal width, broad low-latitude intermediate-speed streams, and globally weak magnetic field and low density in the heliosphere. The second simulation with strengthened polar fields indicates that the weak polar fields in the current minimum play a crucial role in determining the states of the corona and the solar wind.     

Spectropolarimetric observations of active galactic nuclei with the 6-m BTA telescope

We present the results of our spectropolarimetric observations for a number of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) carried out at the 6-m telescope with the SCORPIO focal reducer. The derived wavelength dependences of the polarization have been analyzed by taking into account the Faraday rotation of the polarization plane on the photon mean free path in a magnetized accretion disk. As a result, based on traditional accretion disk models, we have determined the magnetic field strength and distribution and a number of physical parameters of the accreting plasma in the region where the optical radiation is generated.     

The quasar population density as a result of the formation rate and the evolutionary pathes II. Adaption to the observation

The continuity equation of CAVALIERE et al. (1971) generalized to age-dependent luminosity evolution (BOLLER and LIEBSCHER 1989) is used to calculate quasar luminosity functions. For some combinations of source functions S(L, t) and evolutionary pathes M(L) we discuss the resulting N — m relations and the amount of the X-ray background and compare them with actual results of observation. We can exclude certain models, (S(L, t), M(L)). We cannot yet decide what the actual source function and the actual evolutionary path are.     

Comets,Enceladus and panspermia

A growing body of evidence suggests the operation of life and life processes in comets as well in larger icy bodies in the solar system including Enceladus. Attempts to interpret such data without invoking active biology are beginning to look weak and flawed. The emerging new paradigm is that life is a cosmic phenomenon as proposed by Hoyle and Wickramasinghe (Lifecloud: the Origin of Life in the Galaxy, 1978) and first supported by astronomical spectroscopy (Wickramasinghe and Allen, Nature 287:518, 1980; Allen and Wickramasinghe, Nature 294:239, 1981; Wickramasinghe and Allen, Nature 323:44, 1986). Comets are the transporters and amplifiers of microbial life throughout the Universe and are also, according to this point of view, the carriers of viruses that contribute to the continued evolution of life. Comets brought life to Earth 4.2 billion years ago and they continue to do so. Space extrapolations of comets, Enceladus and possibly Pluto supports this point of view. Impacts of asteroids and comets on the Earth as well as on other planetary bodies leads to the ejection of life-bearing dust and rocks and a mixing of microbiota on a planetary scale and on an even wider galactic scale. It appears inevitable that the entire galaxy will be a single connected biosphere.     

Radioheliograph Observations of Microwave Bursts with Zebra Structures

The so-called zebra structures in radio dynamic spectra, specifically their frequencies and frequency drifts of emission stripes, contain information on the plasma parameters in the coronal part of flare loops. This paper presents observations of zebra structures in a microwave range. Dynamic spectra were recorded by Chinese spectro-polarimeters in the frequency band close to the working frequencies of the Siberian Solar Radio Telescope. The emission sources are localized in the flare regions, and we are able to estimate the plasma parameters in the generation sites using X-ray data. The interpretation of the zebra structures in terms of existing theories is discussed. The conclusion has been arrived at that the preferred generation mechanism of zebra structures in the microwave range is the conversion of plasma waves to electromagnetic emission on the double plasma resonance surfaces distributed across a flare loop.