Verification and recalibration of HY-2A microwave radiometer brightness temperature

HY-2A is the first one of the Chinese HY-2 ocean satellite series carrying a microwave radiometer(RM)to measure sea surface temperature,sea surface wind speed,atmospheric water vapor,cloud liquid water content,and rain rate.We verified the RM level 1B brightness temperature(T B)to retrieve environmental parameters.In the verification,TB that simulated using the ocean-atmosphere radiative transfer model(RTM)was used as a reference.The total bias and total standard deviation(SD)of the RM level 1B TB,with reference to the RTM simulation,ranged-20.6-4.38 K and 0.7-2.93 K,respectively.We found that both the total bias and the total SD depend on the frequency and polarization,although the values for ascending and descending passes are different.In addition,substantial seasonal variation of the bias was found at all channels.The verification results indicate the RM has some problems regarding calibration,e.g.,correction of antenna spillover and antenna physical emission,especially for the 18.7-GHz channel.Based on error analyses,a statistical recalibration algorithm was designed and recalibration was performed for the RM level 1B TB.Validation of the recalibrated TB indicated that the quality of the recalibrated RM level 1B TB was improved significantly.The bias of the recalibrated T B at all channels was reduced to<0.4 K,seasonal variation was almost eradicated,and SD was diminished(i.e.,the SD of the 18.7-GHz channel was reduced by more than 0.5K).     

Growth inhibition and oxidative stress in two species of marine diatoms exposed to 1-phenylethanol

1-phenylethanol (1-PEA) is a flavor extensively used in the production of cosmetics, beverages, and food. The release of 1-PEA into coastal environments has aroused great concern. However, its potential effects on marine organisms are still unknown. In order to provide a better understanding of the ecological risks of 1-PEA in marine environments, this study determined the toxic effects of 1-PEA on two marine diatoms (Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Skeletonema costatum). The diatoms were grown in culture medium containing different concentrations of 1-PEA for 96 h. The contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c, glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were measured at the end of the exposure period. 1-PEA was shown to significantly inhibit the growth of diatoms, with 96-h EC50 values of 257.14 mg/Land 126.46 mg/L in P. tricornutum and S. costatum, respectively. In P. tricornutum, the levels of SOD, CAT, GPx, GSH, and MDA were stimulated only when 1-PEA concentrations were close to or greater than the 96-h EC50 value. However, in S. costatum, the activities of SOD and CAT, and the syntheses of two chlorophylls were inhibited even at an exposure concentration below the 96-h EC50 value. Taken together, these findings indicate a potential ecological risk by discharging 1-PEA into coastal areas and its species-specific toxic effects on marine organisms.     

Research on the Method of De-noising the Short-wave Time Signal at Low SNR

A voice enhancement algorithm based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and the improved spectral subtraction is proposed for the low-SNR (Signal Noise Ratio) shortwave time signal. This method is proposed to solve the problem that the shortwave time signal cannot be used for timing in complex noisy environments. The core idea of this method is to use the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) algorithm to make the empirical mode decomposition on the noisy shortwave signal, and to select the intrinsic mode functions containing the shortwave signal information for the signal reconstruction by through the maximum correlation. Then, to make the spectral subtraction on the reconstructed signal to achieve the purpose of noise reduction. The experimental result shows that this method has a better noise reduction than the traditional methods.     

南山26米射电望远镜轨道高差测量及其对指向精度的影响

轮轨式天线的轨道作为承载整个天线重量的基础,其精度直接影响天线在方位方向运转的平稳性,引起天线轴系偏差从而影响天线的指向精度。介绍改造后的乌鲁木齐南山26 m射电望远镜(Nanshan Radio Telescope, NSRT)轨道结构以及轨道高差测量,并建立天线在不同方位、俯仰角下轨道高差引起天线指向偏差的数学模型。利用"十字扫描"法实测多颗标准源在相应位置的指向数据,并通过高斯拟合得到指向偏差。通过分析可知,轨道高差引起的指向偏差经过修正可以提高天线的指向精度。     

地月系L_2点中继星激光测距成功率的估算

为了模拟位于地月系L2点的中继星"鹊桥"与月球的位置关系,进而估算中继星激光测距的成功率,按照轨道周期约为14天的要求对中继星所在的晕轨道进行计算,建立了一个综合考虑望远镜抖动、大气抖动和预报轨道横向偏离的模型。从数值上给出了一条轨道周期为14. 78天,X方向(地月连线方向)振幅为12 493 km,Y方向为34 596 km,Z方向(垂直于地月轨道平面方向)为11 916 km的周期轨道。由于晕轨道的最小振幅远大于月球遮挡的临界振幅4 000 km,因此月球对中继星不存在遮挡问题。基于建立的测距成功率模型,根据昆明站(国际编号:7820)的激光测距系统对运行在该轨道上的中继星进行测距成功率分析,结果表明:测距成功率随着中继星横向轨道标准差的增大呈快速降低的趋势。对于中继星到测站的平均距离而言,当中继星没有横向偏离时,探测器产生的光电子数为0. 151,成功率为14. 07%;横向偏离2 km时,光电子数降为0. 035,成功率降为3. 46%。对比最近距离与最远距离的情况,无横向偏离的情况下,探测器产生的光电子数从0. 174降为0. 139,成功率从16. 01%降为13. 02%。该计算结果可为云南天文台1. 2 m望远镜实现中继星激光测距提供参考。     

CCD astrometric observations of 2017 VR12, Camillo and Midas

We have observed three near-Earth objects(NEOs), 2017 VR12, Camillo and Midas, during 2018.The observations were made with the 1-m telescope, operated by Yunnan Observatories, over two nights.Their precise astrometric positions are derived from 989 CCD observations. The theoretical positions of asteroids are retrieved from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory(JPL) Horizons System and Institut de M′ecanique C′eleste et de Calcul des ′Eph′em′erides(IMCCE). The positions of three asteroids are measured with respect to stars in the Gaia DR2 star catalog. For 2017 VR12, the means(O-C) of right ascension and declination are -0.090′′and-0.623′′respectively based on the published JPL ephemeris, but the corresponding means(O-C) are 3.122′′and-0.636′′based on the published IMCCE ephemeris. The great difference in declination could be explained by several factors.(1) The degraded CCD images caused by the fast apparent motion of the objects lead to a reduction in positioning accuracy.(2) The poor timing system may introduce systematic errors, especially in the high speed direction.(3) The asteroid may be perturbed by Earth when it approaches the Earth too closely. These astrometric results demonstrate that the centroid centering method can reduce the dispersion of non-Gaussian images as compared with the PSF modeling method.For Camillo and Midas, the astrometric results are consistent based on the two ephemerides. Implementing a high-precision timing system, and analyzing some astronomical effects and geometric distortions in CCD images should be carefully considered in future works.     

Transition-region explosive events produced by plasmoid instability

Magnetic reconnection is thought to be a key process in most solar eruptions. Thanks to highresolution observations and simulations, the studied scale of the reconnection process has become smaller and smaller. Spectroscopic observations show that the reconnection site can be very small, which always exhibits a bright core and two extended wings with fast speeds, i.e., transition-region explosive events.In this paper, using the PLUTO code, we perform a 2-D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to investigate small-scale reconnection in double current sheets. Based on our simulation results, such as the line-of-sight velocity, number density and plasma temperature, we can synthesize the line profile of SiIV 1402.77? which is a well known emission line used to study transition-region explosive events on the Sun. The synthetic line profile of Si IV 1402.77? is complex with a bright core and two broad wings which can extend to nearly 200 km s^-1. Our simulation results suggest that the transition-region explosive events on the Sun are produced by plasmoid instability during small-scale magnetic reconnection.     

IU Cancri:a solar-type contact binary with mass transfer

We present new CCD photometry of the solar-type contact binary IU Cnc, which was observed from November 2017 to March 2018 with three small telescopes in China. BV light curves imply that IU Cnc is a W-type contact binary with total eclipses. The photometric solution indicates that the mass ratio and fill-out factor are q = 4.104 ± 0.004 and f = 30.2%± 0.3%, respectively. From all available light minimum times, the orbital period may increase at a rate of dP/dt =+6.93(4)× 10^-7 d yr^-1, which may result from mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one. With mass transferring,IU Cnc may evolve from a contact configuration into a semi-detached configuration.     

ALMA observations of the circumstellar envelope around EP Aqr

Atacama Large Millimetre/sub-millimetre Array(ALMA) observations of CO(1–0) and CO(2–1) emissions from the circumstellar envelope of the asymptotic giant branch(AGB) star EP Aqr have been made with four times better spatial resolution than previously available. They are analysed with emphasis on the de-projection in space of the effective emissivity and flux of matter using as input a prescribed configuration of the velocity field, assumed to be radial. The data are found to display an intrinsic axisymmetry with respect to an axis making a small angle with respect to the line of sight. A broad range of wind configurations, from prolate(bipolar) to oblate(equatorial) has been studied and found to be accompanied by significant equatorial emission. Qualitatively, the effective emissivity is enhanced near the equator to produce the central narrow component observed in the Doppler velocity spectra and its dependence on star latitude generally follows that of the wind velocity with the exception of an omni-present depression near the poles. In particular, large equatorial expansion velocities produce a flared disc or a ring of effective emissivity and mass loss. The effect on the determination of the orientation of the star axis of radial velocity gradients, and possibly competing rotation and expansion in the equatorial disc, is discussed. In general,the flux of matter is found to reach a broad maximum at distances of the order of 500 AU from the star.Arguments are given that may be used to favour one wind velocity distribution over another. As a result of the improved quality of the data, a deeper understanding of the constraints imposed on morphology and kinematics has been obtained.     

New photometric investigation of the low-mass-ratio contact binary star V1853 Orionis

Four-color charge-coupled device(CCD) light curves in the B, V, Rc and I c bands of the totaleclipsing binary system V1853 Orionis(V1853 Ori) are presented. By comparing our light curves with those published by previous investigators, it is determined that the O'Connell effect on the light curves has disappeared. By analyzing those multi-color light curves with the Wilson-Devinney code(W-D code),it is discovered that V1853 Ori is an A-type intermediate-contact binary with a degree of contact factor of f = 33.3%(3.7%) and a mass ratio of q = 0.1896(0.0013). Combining our 10 newly determined times of light minima together with others published in the literature, the period changes of the system are investigated. We found that the general trend of the observed minus calculated(O-C) curve shows a downward parabolic variation that corresponds to a long-term decrease in the orbital period with a rate of d P/dt =-1.96(0.46)×10^-7 d yr^-1. The long-term period decrease could be explained by mass transfer from the more-massive component to the less-massive one. By combining our photometric solutions with data from Gaia DR_2, absolute parameters were derived as M_1 = 1.20 M⊙, M_2 = 0.23 M⊙, R_1 = 1.36 R⊙and R_2 = 0.66 R⊙. The long-term period decrease and intermediate-contact configuration suggest that V1853 Ori will evolve into a high fill-out overcontact binary.