The inner Galaxy resolved at IJK using DENIS data

We present the analysis of three-colour optical/near-infrared images, in IJK , taken for the DEep Near Infrared Southern Sky Survey (DENIS) project. The region considered covers 17.4 deg² and lies within <5°, b <1.°5. The adopted methods for deriving photometry and astrometry in these crowded images, together with an analysis of the deficiencies nevertheless remaining, are presented. The numbers of objects extracted in I , J and K are 748 000, 851 000 and 659 000 respectively, to magnitude limits of 17, 15 and 13. Eighty per cent completeness levels typically fall at magnitudes 16, 13 and 10 respectively, fainter by about 2 mag than the usual DENIS limits as a result of the crowded nature of these fields. A simple model to describe the disc contribution to the number counts is constructed, and parameters for the dust layer are derived. We find that a formal fit of parameters for the dust plane, from these data in limited directions, gives a scalelength and scaleheight of 3.4±1.0 kpc and 40±5 pc respectively, and a solar position 14.0±2.5 pc below the plane. This latter value is likely to be affected by localized dust asymmetries. We convolve a detailed model of the systematic and random errors in the photometry with a simple model of the Galactic disc and dust distribution to simulate expected colourmagnitude diagrams. These are in good agreement with the observed diagrams, allowing us to isolate those stars from the inner disc and bulge. After correcting for local dust-induced asymmetries, we find evidence for longitude-dependent asymmetries in the distant J and K sources, consistent with the general predictions of some Galactic bar models. We consider complementary L -band observations in the companion paper.     

Estimates for the luminosity function of galaxies and its evolution

A new method is presented to obtain a non-parametric maximum likelihood estimate of the luminosity function and the selection function of a flux-limited redshift survey. The method parametrizes the selection function as a series of stepwise power laws and allows possible evolution of the luminosity function. We also propose a new technique to estimate the rate of evolution of the luminosity function. This is based on a minimization of the observed large-scale power with respect to the evolutionary model. We use an ensemble of mock surveys extracted from an N -body simulation to verify the power of this method. We apply our estimators to the 1.2-Jy survey of IRAS galaxies. We find a far-infrared luminosity function in good agreement with previously published results and evidence for rather strong evolution. If the comoving number density of IRAS galaxies is assumed to scale ∝ (1 +  z ) ^P , we estimate P  = 4.3 ± 1.4.     

一种新方法处理软玉的鉴定特征

首次报道了一种拼合处理的软玉及其鉴定特征。通过常规宝石学测试、红外光谱和X荧光能谱分析,对该类样品进行了鉴定。结果显示,从外观上,样品的＂皮＂与主体结合处的颜色分界截然,有明显的粘结痕迹和大量的蜡与气泡;拼合面两侧区域的红外光谱完全不一样;X荧光能谱显示,其＂皮＂较主体部分缺少Ca峰。根据测试结果认为,样品应为染色岫玉软玉拼合石。     

一个可供现代数学分析研究的气候动力学模型

针对以往大气动力学方程和气候动力学方程数学研究所使用模式的不足之处,本文作了改进,使数学模型更接近于实际情况。这些包括,（1）取大气上界气压为零,而非某个正的（小）常数;（2）消除了整层无辐散近似,从而使地面气压为直接的预报量,但在地面气压预报方程中加入了水平湍流扩散项（平滑）;（3）对大气运动的内热源的辐射传输过程和水汽相变过程作了合理的处理,而非看作已知的外强迫,用适当的方法可以用解析函数较好地逼近这些过程。另外还提出合理的边界条件。我们的目的是要证明这样提出的初—边值问题的解的存在性,以后还可研究其基本性质和长期行为。     

基于Clementine热红外数据的Apollo17登月点区域氧化钙含量反演

为了研究利用Clementine热红外数据反演月球表面岩石的氧化钙(Ca O)含量,论文选取了两景覆盖Apollo17登月点的Clementine热红外影像,将其覆盖的区域选为研究区。利用月球表面温度物理模型模拟月表温度,结合普朗克函数,完成发射率反演。在此基础上,对LPI中35个除Apollo17登月计划外所采集的样品Ca O含量与其热红外发射率特征做回归统计分析,发现存在很好的线性关系(R2=0.661)。由此,基于Clementine热红外发射率实现了研究区Ca O含量反演。通过利用LPI Apollo17月岩(壤)样品实际Ca O含量分析数据对反演结果进行精度评价,发现8组反演值与实际值的相对误差最小为1.77%,最大为9.29%,均方根误差为0.767。研究结果表明,使用发射率进行Ca O含量反演方法可行,为利用Clementine热红外数据对月表矿物成分含量定量反演提供一种新的思路。     

Two nearby M dwarf binaries from the Two Micron All Sky Survey

We report the discovery of two binary M dwarf systems in the immediate solar neighbourhood using the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). The first is an M6.5 companion to the nearby G star HD 86728 (Gl 376). The known properties of HD 86728 indicate that the M dwarf (Gl 376B) is old, metal-rich and only 14.9 parsec away. The M dwarf is highly active, with both H α and X-ray emission. Thus, Gl 376B offers the opportunity to study an old, bright, active M dwarf with known metallicity, age and luminosity. We show that it is probable that Gl 376B is itself an unresolved pair. The other system consists of an M6.5 and an M8 dwarf with 14.5 arcsec separation. We estimate a distance of ∼16 parsec for this very low-mass pair. Stronger activity is observed in the M6.5 dwarf, supporting evidence that chromospheric activity is weakening near the hydrogen-burning limit.     

Red companions to a z=2.15 radio-loud quasar

We have conducted observations of the environment around the z =2.15 radio-loud quasar 1550–269 in search of distant galaxies associated either with it or the z =2.09 C  iv absorber along its line of sight. Such objects will be distinguished by their red colours, R − K >4.5. We find five such objects in a 1.5 arcmin² field around the quasar, with typical K ' magnitudes of ∼20.4 and no detected R -band emission. We also find a sixth object with K =19.6±0.3, and undetected at R , just two arcsec from the quasar. The nature of all these objects is currently unclear, and will remain so until we have determined their redshifts. We suggest that it is likely that they are associated with either the quasar or the C  iv absorber, in which case their properties might be similar to those of the z =2.38 red Ly α emitting galaxies discovered by Francis et al. The small separation between the quasar and the brightest of our objects suggests that it may be the galaxy responsible for the C  iv metal line absorption system. The closeness to the quasar and the red colour might have precluded similar objects from being uncovered in previous searches for emission from C  iv and damped absorbers.     

Adaptive optics near-infrared imaging of NGC 2992 – unveiling core structures related to radio figure-of-8 loops

We present near-infrared adaptive optics, Very Large Array (VLA) radio and Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) optical imaging of the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 2992. Spiral structure and an extension to the west are traced down to the core region at the limiting resolution of our near-infrared images. A faint, diffuse loop of near-infrared and radio emission is also observed to the north, embedded within the prominent 2-arcsec radio loop previously observed to the north-west. Near-infrared colour maps and CO narrow-band imaging are then used to identify which regions may not be purely reddened stellar populations. Our new data provide evidence that the VLA radio-loop morphology in the shape of a figure of 8 represents two components superimposed: (1) outflow bubbles out of the plane of the disc, coincident with the extended emission-line region (EELR); (2) star formation along the spiral arm within the galaxy disc and through the dust lane. The near-infrared continuum emission associated with the outflowing radio bubbles suggests that the radio loops are driven by the active nucleus.