Particle-mesh simulations of the Lyα forest

We have analysed short-exposure high-resolution images obtained on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT), Big Telescope Azimuthal (BTA) and CanadaFranceHawaii Telescope (CFHT) in order to investigate mechanical vibrations that are capable of reducing the high angular resolution allowed by speckle-interferometric methods. After filtering the photon noise we have computed power spectra of the image centres of gravity. In these spectra we have found vibration features that differ from one telescope to another and that vary in particular with the zenith angle. In the case of the WHT we discuss these results in terms of possible causes and in terms of degradation of the transfer function. We present some means to improve the data.     

Contact Binaries: A Study of the Proximity Effects and Gravity Darkening Based on Kopal’s Fourier Method

A new method for the determination of the proximity effects and gravity darkening exponents in contact binaries of W UMa type is presented. The method is based on Kopal’s method of Fourier analysis of the light changes of eclipsing variables in the Frequency Domain. The method was applied to 36 W UMa systems for which geometric and photometric elements have been derived by the most powerful techniques. The derived values are very close to those predicted by the existing theory of radiative transfer or convective equilibrium.     

现代天文选址中的视宁度（Ⅱ）

在文献」１「４ 基础上，根据近年文选址实践中提出的问题，先进一步讨论了大气相干直径和时间的的物理和意义，然后强调了自由大气湍流的天文成像效应及选址中进行研究和测量的重要性。最后对差分像运动方法测量视宁度的定标和系统误差等问题作了分析。     

彭州市立体农业气候资源的研究(二)热量资源分析

利用彭州市境内市气象站，新兴，白果坪的日平均气温资料，进行热量资源分析。结果表明，彭州市7－8月为最热月，多年平均温度低于24．9℃，12－2月为最冷月，多年平均温度高于1．7℃。大多数年全年稳定通过0℃，可一年四季进行农业耕作，有利于作物越冬和多年生作物的种植，生长期长，积温丰富。界限温度的初，终日期及持续日数变化较大，积温际变化显著，热量资源随海拔高度增加而减少，各界限温度的初日推迟，终日提前，持续日数和积温减少，温度强度也降低，形成显著的立体农业气候。     

CLIMATIC TREND INDICATED BY VARIATIONS OF GLACIERS AND LAKES IN THE TIANSHAN MOUNTAINS

ＣＬＩＭＡＴＩＣＴＲＥＮＤＩＮＤＩＣＡＴＥＤＢＹＶＡＲＩＡＴＩＯＮＳＯＦＧＬＡＣＩＥＲＳＡＮＤＬＡＫＥＳＩＮＴＨＥＴＩＡＮＳＨＡＮＭＯＵＮＴＡＩＮＳ￥ＨｕＲｕｊｉ；ＹａｎｇＣｈｕａｎｄｅ；ＭａＨｏｎｇ；ＪｉａｎｇＦｅｎｇｑｉｎｇ（ＸｉｎｊｉａｎｇＩｎ...     

彭州市立体农业气候资源的研究(一)降水资源分析

分析了彭州市境内位于不同海拔高度的4个观测站的降水资料，结果表明，彭州市雨量充沛，但降水量的年际变化显著，雨季起、止时间和雨季长、短的年际变化很大，降水的时间分配极不均匀，因为这4个站具有相同的气候背景、，降水量的年、季、月变化呈现基本一致的规律和趋势，但因为海拔高度不同等气候背的差异，4站的降水特点又显著不同。降水量随海拔高度的升高而增加，降水变幅和雨日也阴海拔高度的升高而增加，大降水过程具有明显的局地性，不同海拔高度的旱、涝情况亦有差异，降水的空间分布表现出明显的立体性特征。     

Potential of the VLTI for linking stellar frames to ICRF

The question of positioning the optical counterparts of the ICRF quasars is outlined in the perspective of future space astrometry missions, which ultimately will bring a new realization of the ICRS in the optical range. Ground-based interferometry with a dual-field observing mode (PRIMA/VLTI),together with the missions DIVA and FAME, will have a key role in building an extragalactic reference frame in the optical/near-IR range with about the same accuracy as that of the present (VLBI) primary frame. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Upper Pleistocene to Holocene sediments on the Mediterranean island of Lampedusa (Italy)

The island of Lampedusa lies on the northern edge of the African continental shelf, but during some Quaternary marine lowstands it was joined to the African continent. The study and dating of the aeolian, alluvial, detrital sediments, calcareous crusts and speleothems have established that the climatic–environmental variations recorded on the island can be related chronologically to those known for northern Libya, Tunisia and the Italian peninsula. During the Last Glacial Maximum, phases of Saharan dust accumulation on Lampedusa occurred, and were coeval with dust accumulation in crater lakes and on high mountains in central‐southern Italy, and with phases of glacial advance in the Apennines and in the Alps. During the late Holocene, accumulation of Saharan dust on Lampedusa occurred but there was little accumulation of dust on the northern side of the Mediterranean Sea. With the new data from Lampedusa, it is possible to envisage two different scenarios of atmospheric circulation relating to the Last Glacial Maximum and to the late Holocene. During the Last Glacial Maximum, southerly atmospheric circulation brought rainfall to the southern slopes of the Alps and to the Apennines. During the late Holocene, a prevalent westerly atmospheric circulation became established in the northern Mediterranean. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.