Simulation of hypervelocity impacts using a contact charge

Two sets of hypervelocity impact experiments have been performed in the open using a contact charge technique and recorded using fast-framing cameras. It has been possible to record the uninterrupted ballistic trajectories of fragments from the catastrophically disrupted targets, together with their velocity and rotational properties directly after the impact, as well as their size. By performing these experiments in the open and on fairly soft ground, secondary fragmentation normally caused by impact onto the walls or floor of a test chamber has been minimised. A total of 10 experiments have been performed using targets of artificial rock which were either homogeneous, cored or carefully pre-fractured. We report here on the analysis of some of these data using a computer and special software written and developed by our group, with an indication of the results obtained.     

Sunspot cycle variations of ensemble-averaged active regions

We examine published sunspot and calcium plage areas for 1620 solar active regions between 1974 and 1985. With these data we study the properties of ensemble-averaged active regions. The average sunspot area per region, the average plage to sunspot area ratio, and the average plage intensity of regions all vary significantly with the sunspot cycle and in correlation with one another. The average plage area per region varies significantly but is uncorrelated with the sunspot cycle and with the other quantities. While the plage and sunspot areas and the plage intensities of individual active regions observed over a two-year period are strongly correlated, the relationship among these quantities appears to change over an 11-yr period. These results suggest the existence of some energetic connection between active region sunspot areas and plage intensities. Further, if energy balance between sunspot luminosity deficits and facular luminosity excesses holds, then standard models relating these quantities to sunspot and plage areas will have to be modified. Overall energy balance can neither be established nor ruled out.Solar Cycle Workshop Paper.     

Non-Spherical Sources of Strong Gravitational Fields Out of Hydrostatic Equilibrium

We describe the departure from equilibrium of matter distributions representing sources for a class of Weyl metric. It is shown that, for extremely high gravitational fields, slight deviations from spherical symmetry may weaken its tendency to a catastrophic collapse. For critical values of surface gravitational potential, in contrast with the exactly spherically symmetric case, the speed of entering the collapse regime decreases substantially, at least for specific cases. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determination of Galaxy Members in Clusters

A new empirical procedure is introduced to determine the confirmed galaxy members of a cluster. The method depends on both the projected distances of galaxies in the cluster field from the cluster centre and their radial velocities. Galaxies of the main body of the cluster are selected first, then the method works iteratively by increasing the standard values of the relative radial distance and velocity until all galaxies belong to the cluster are included. The general apparent shape of the cluster will result from the distribution of the celestial coordinates of the cluster members. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Geometrical Properties of Galaxy Clusters

Empirical and analytical procedures are developed to determine the morphological properties of galaxy clusters. The apparent orientations and shapes are obtainted in two dimensional space while the direction towards the cluster pole is found in three dimensional space. These properties were determined for three Abell clusters and found to be strongly related. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Flexural response of the Venetian foreland to the Southalpine tectonics along the TRANSALP profile

The Venetian Basin was affected by flexure related to the Southalpine shortening phase during the Middle Miocene – Early Pliocene. This downbending is quantified here using a two‐dimensional flexural model. A recently improved data set on basin geometry based on the bottom of the Serravallian–Tortonian clastic wedge, on palaeobathymetry and gravity anomalies is used to constrain the components of flexure and to test the importance of the initial bathymetry in evaluating the contribution of surface loads to deflection. A good fit is obtained assuming a northward broken plate configuration of the downbent Adriatic plate with an effective elastic thickness of 20 km. Results highlight that, in the studied region, flexure related to the Eastern Southern Alps is totally due to surface loads (topographic load partly replacing initial bathymetry) and that no hidden loads are required. Furthermore, the palaeobathymetry contributes up to 50% to the total flexure in the studied region.     

Visible and near-infrared spectroscopic investigation of near-Earth objects at ESO: first results

Near-Earth objects (NEOs) represent one of the most intriguing populations of Solar System bodies. These objects appear heterogeneous in all aspects of their physical properties, like shapes, sizes, spin rates, compositions etc. Moreover, as these objects represent also a real threat to the Earth, a good knowledge of their properties and composition is the necessary first step to evaluate mitigation techniques and to understand their origin and evolution. In the last few years we have started a long-term spectroscopic investigation in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) region of near-Earth objects. The observations have been performed with the 3.5 m NTT of the European Southern Observatory of La Silla (Chile). The data presented here are a set of 24 spectra, 14 of which are both visible and NIR. We discuss the taxonomic classification of the observed NEOs, resulting in 13 S-type objects, 1 Q-type, 2 K-types, 3 C-types, 5 Xe-types (two of these, (3103) Eger and (4660) Nereus, are already known as E-types). Moreover, we discuss their links with meteorites and the possible influences of space weathering.     

Linux嵌入式系统根文件系统的选择与制作

Linux操作系统做为嵌入式系统近年应用越来越广泛，Linux根文件系的装载是Linux内核启动期间进行的最后操作之一，它是Linux嵌入式系统的一个重要组成部分，系统地分析了Linux嵌入式系统根文件系统的类型，内容选择以及制作方法。