Cluster Ion Reactions: Insights into Processes of Atmospheric Significance

Experimental results of ion cluster reactions withatmospherically relevant species are considered hereinto provide a unified overview of the current state ofunderstanding brought about through experimentalstudies of cluster ion reactions. This isaccomplished by first outlining the atmospheric issuesaddressed by cluster ion studies and then, summarizingthe results of numerous studies. The recent, as wellas previously published studies of cluster ionreactions, are considered in the context of gainingnew insights into the molecular details ofheterogeneous processes involving the interactions ofelectrolytes with cloud droplets, ice crystals andaerosol particles. In addition to elucidating themechanisms of these and other selected reactions andtransformations of atmospheric significance, thefindings of the uptake of acid molecules in waterclusters are shown to lead to the suggestion of a newmodel that accounts for the formation of reactioncenters involving charged sites at aqueous surfaces.     

A study of interstellar Na i D absorption lines towards the Lupus molecular clouds

Intermediate-resolution (60 000 R 120 000) observations of interstellar Na  i lines towards 29 stars in the general direction of the Lupus molecular clouds (330°≲ l ≲350°; 0°≲ b ≲25°) are presented. Previously published spectra towards an additional seven stars are also included. Based on the Hipparcos distances to these stars, and the minimum distance at which strong interstellar Na  i lines appear in the spectra, I obtain a distance of ~150±10 pc to the Lupus molecular complex. While in agreement with a number of other independent estimates, this result is at odds with the value of 100 pc recently obtained by Knude & Høg from a Hipparcos -based study of interstellar extinction. A possible explanation for this discrepancy is discussed, and it is concluded that the value of 150±10 pc obtained here is to be preferred. In addition, these observations have some other implications for the structure of the interstellar medium in this direction, and these are briefly considered.     

Effects of clumping on the observed properties of dusty galaxies

We present Monte Carlo radiative-transfer simulations for spiral galaxies modelled as a stellar disc and a two-phase clumpy dust distribution. We divide the volume occupied by the dust into a three-dimensional grid and assign each cell a clump or smooth medium status. Cell dimension, clump dust mass and spatial distribution are derived from the observed properties of giant molecular clouds and molecular gas in the Galaxy. We produce models for several values of the optical depth and fraction of the interstellar medium residing in clumps. As a general result, clumpy models are less opaque than the corresponding homogeneous models. For the adopted parameters, the increase in the fraction of energy that escapes the disc is moderate, resulting in surface-brightness profiles that are less than one magnitude brighter than those of the homogeneous models. The effects of clumping are larger for edge-on views of the disc. This is in contrast with previous preliminary results for clumping in the literature. We show how differences arise from the different parametrization and clump distribution adopted. We also consider models in which a fraction of the stellar radiation is emitted within the clumps. In this case, galaxies are less transparent than in the case when only dust is clumped. The opacity can be even higher than in the homogeneous case, depending on the fraction of embedded stellar emission. We point out the implications of the results for the determination of the opacity and dust mass of spiral galaxies.     

The Minispiral in the Galactic Center revisited

We present the results of a re-examination of a [Ne II] line emission data cube (λ 12.8μm) and discuss the kinematic structure of the inner 3×4 pc of the Galaxy. The quality of [Ne II] as a tracer of ionized gas is examined by comparing it to radio data. A three-dimensional representation of the data cube allows us to disentangle features which are projected onto the same location on the sky. A model of gas streams in different planes is fitted to the data. We find that most of the material is located in a main plane which itself is defined by the inner edge of the Circum-Nuclear Disk in the Galactic Center. Finally, we present a possible three-dimensional model of the gas streams.     

The role of the geometry and dust environment in stationary models of translucent interstellar clouds

A full radiative transfer model is presented for the ultraviolet (UV) radiation impinging on an interstellar cloud of spherical or finite plane-parallel slab geometry containing gas and dust. The penetration of the UV photons is coupled to detailed chemical processes. Photodestruction rates of atomic and molecular species are calculated from the corresponding cross-sections. We show that CO line intensities are quite sensitive to geometrical effects and to the extinction curve in the far-UV.     

Hydroxyl lines towards Puppis A

The 1667-MHz ground-state hydroxyl (OH) line has been observed towards positions on Puppis A as well as in the immediate vicinity of this supernova remnant (SNR). The spectra at two positions on Puppis A show absorption lines at velocities less than +7.6 km s¹, and emission lines above this velocity. Analysis of all four 18 cm OH lines indicates that Puppis A must lie between the OH clouds seen in absorption and emission, giving it a v _lsr of +7.6 km s¹. This implies that the kinematic distance to Puppis A is The OH clouds in front of Puppis A are slightly anomalously excited, as shown by analysis of the four 18 cm OH lines at the two observed positions on Puppis A. There is no evidence of any interaction of the SNR with the clouds in front of and behind it.     

Unlocking the Keyhole: H2 and PAH emission from molecular clumps in the Keyhole Nebula

To better understand the environment surrounding CO emission clumps in the Keyhole Nebula, we have made images of the region in H₂ 1–0 S(1) (2.122-μm) emission and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission at 3.29 μm. Our results show that the H₂ and PAH emission regions are morphologically similar, existing as several clumps, all of which correspond to CO emission clumps and dark optical features. The emission confirms the existence of photodissociation regions (PDRs) on the surface of the clumps. By comparing the velocity range of the CO emission with the optical appearance of the H₂ and PAH emission, we present a model of the Keyhole Nebula whereby the most negative velocity clumps are in front of the ionization region, the clumps at intermediate velocities are in it and those which have the least negative velocities are at the far side. It may be that these clumps, which appear to have been swept up from molecular gas by the stellar winds from η  Car, are now being overrun by the ionization region and forming PDRs on their surfaces. These clumps comprise the last remnants of the ambient molecular cloud around η Car.     

Gravitational instability in a system of particles with mass spectrum

We investigate the conditions under which a self-gravitating system of particles of different masses may be gravitationally unstable if there is a systematic correlation between the random velocity of a particle and its mass. For an isotropic uniform medium without rotation but with mass spectrum and velocity depending on the particle mass, a situation arises where the Jeans length for such a system may be significantly smaller than for the case when some mean values are used instead of mass and velocity spectra. For a differentially rotating medium, representing a spiral galaxy, we obtain the analogue of the Toomre parameter for a heterogeneous (multi-component) system. We demonstrate that the gas system in spirals represented by an ensemble of giant molecular clouds may be considerably less stable in the case of random velocity–mass correlation than for a system with unique velocity dispersion.     

H3+ in diffuse interstellar gas

A model is constructed of the material in front of the star Cygnus OB2 no. 12 in which dense cores are embedded in diffuse clumps of gas. The model reproduces the measured abundances of C₂ and CO, and predicts a column density of 910¹⁰ cm² for HCO⁺.     

祁连山地形云试验区自然地理和气候特征

对祁连山地形云民乐试验区的降水时空变化及夏季降水、云和风向的日变化进行分析发现,试验区降水随海拔升高由北向南递增,在祁连…北坡实测最大年降水量511 mm,出现在海拔2500 m的瓦房城.全年7月降水最多,6～8月降水量占年降水量的57%.夏季风向日变化明显,以山谷环流为主,白天多为NW风.夜间为SSE风,午后谷风使水汽向祁连山北坡汇集,气流抬升形成对流云,故山区16:00～20:00降水频率最高,有两个雨峰分别出现在午后和半夜,与低云量和积云、积雨云的日变化对应.近50年的气候变化表明,年降水量呈上升趋势,春、夏、秋季降水量均为上升趋势,冬季则下降.1957～2004年有两个枯水期,两个丰水期,1998年至今处于丰水期.年降水量和年径流量最大熵谱图分析表明,4.8年和3年周期较显著,民乐年降水量和莺落峡年径流量熵谱图对应较好,还存在9年的振动周期.