Potential neutrino signals in a northern hemisphere neutrino telescope from galactic gamma-ray sources

Neutrino energy spectra have been calculated based on the recently measured energy spectra of Galactic very high energy γ-ray sources. Based on these neutrino spectra the expected event rates in the ANTARES neutrino telescope and KM3NeT, a future neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean Sea with an instrumented volume of one km³, have been calculated. For the brightest γ-ray sources we find event rates of the order of one neutrino per year. Although the neutrino event rates are comparable to the background from atmospheric neutrinos the detection of individual sources seems possible.     

Chandra observations of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 during the Deep Impact campaign

We present results from the Chandra X-ray Observatory's extensive campaign studying Comet 9P/Tempel 1 (T1) in support of NASA's Deep Impact (DI) mission. T1 was observed for ∼295 ks between 30th June and 24th July 2005, and continuously for ∼64 ks on July 4th during the impact event. X-ray emission qualitatively similar to that observed for the collisionally thin Comet 2P/Encke system [Lisse, C.M., Christian, D.J., Dennerl, K., Wolk, S.J., Bodewits, D., Hoekstra, R., Combi, M.R., Mäkinen, T., Dryer, M., Fry, C.D., Weaver, H., 2005b. Astrophys. J. 635 (2005) 1329-1347] was found, with emission morphology centered on the nucleus and emission lines due to C, N, O, and Ne solar wind minor ions. The comet was relatively faint on July 4th, and the total increase in X-ray flux due to the Deep Impact event was small, ∼20% of the immediate pre-impact value, consistent with estimates that the total coma neutral gas release due to the impact was 5×¹⁰⁶ kg (∼10 h of normal emission). No obvious prompt X-ray flash due to the impact was seen. Extension of the emission in the direction of outflow of the ejecta was observed, suggesting the presence of continued outgassing of this material. Variable spectral features due to changing solar wind flux densities and charge states were clearly seen. Two peaks, much stronger than the man-made increase due to Deep Impact, were found in the observed X-rays on June 30th and July 8th, 2005, and are coincident with increases in the solar wind flux arriving at the comet. Modeling of the Chandra data using observed gas production rates and ACE solar wind ion fluxes with a CXE mechanism for the emission is consistent, overall, with the temporal and spectral behavior expected for a slow, hot wind typical of low latitude emission from the solar corona interacting with the comet's neutral coma, with intermittent impulsive events due to solar flares and coronal mass ejections.     

Simulations for multi-object spectrograph planet surveys

Radial velocity surveys for extrasolar planets generally require substantial amounts of large telescope time in order to monitor a sufficient number of stars. Two of the aspects which can limit such surveys are the single-object capabilities of the spectrograph, and an inefficient observing strategy for a given observing window. In addition, the detection rate of extrasolar planets using the radial velocity method has thus far been relatively linear with time. With the development of various multi-object Doppler survey instruments, there is growing potential to dramatically increase the detection rate using the Doppler method. Several of these instruments have already begun usage in large-scale surveys for extrasolar planets, such as Fibre Large Array Multi Element Spectrograph (FLAMES) on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and Keck Exoplanet Tracker (ET) on the Sloan 2.5-m wide-field telescope.
In order to plan an effective observing strategy for such a program, one must examine the expected results based on a given observing window and target selection. We present simulations of the expected results from a generic multi-object survey based on calculated noise models and sensitivity for the instrument and the known distribution of exoplanetary system parameters. We have developed code for automatically sifting and fitting the planet candidates produced by the survey to allow for fast follow-up observations to be conducted. The techniques presented here may be applied to a wide range of multi-object planet surveys.     

北京雷暴大风气候特征及短时临近预报方法

北京地区雷暴大风的预报准确率低而且时效短.为了提高对这种灾害性天气的预警能力,在气候统计的基础上,研究了潜势预报方法和临近预报算法.对1998-2007年134个雷暴大风过程的统计结果表明,北京地区绝大多数的雷暴大风具有下击暴流特征,而且冰雹的落区附近也是大风的爆发区之一.因此,负浮力的作用和对冰雹具有指示性意义的因子是研究雷暴大风预报方法应主要考虑的因素.500hPa环流背景分析表明,尽管绝大多数雷暴大风爆发时对流层中层有干空气侵入,但是还有少数个例产生在偏南暖湿气流中.目前,对后一类大风产生的机制仍然不清楚.研究表明,当对流层中层有干空气侵入时,有利于雷暴大风出现的环境条件是:下沉气流具有较大的不稳定性,同时对流层低层环境大气的温度直减率较大.此外,还讨论了经验指数--大风指数在北京地区的应用.基于上述的研究,形成了北京地区雷暴大风短时潜势预报方法,还使用相关分析和多元回归分析技术建立了基于雷达观测和环境条件的雷暴大风临近预报方程.个例分析表明,临近预报方程对于飑线和弓形回波等带来的地面大风具有一定的预报能力.     

Magnetosonic waveguide model of solar wind flow tubes

We consider solar wind flow tubes as a magnetosonic wave-guide. Assuming a symmetric expansion in edges of slab-modelled wave-guide, we study the propagation characteristics of magnetosonic wave in the solar wind flow tubes. We present the preliminary results and discuss their implications.     

Solar wind-magnetosphere interaction as simulated by a 3-D em particle code

We have studied the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction using a 3-D electromagnetic particle code. The results for an unmagnetized solar wind plasma streaming past a dipole magnetic field show the formation of a magnetopause and a magnetotail, the penetration of energetic particles into cusps and radiation belt and dawn-dusk asymmetries. The effects of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) have been investigated in a similar way as done by MHD simulations. The simulation results with a southward IMF show the shrunk magnetosphere with great particle entry into the cusps and nightside magnetosphere. This is a signature of a magnetic reconnection at the dayside magnetopause. After a quasi-stable state is established with an unmagnetized solar wind we switched on a solar wind with an northward IMF. In this case the significant changes take place in the magnetotail. The waving motion was seen in the magnetotail and its length was shortened. This phenomena are consistent with the reconnections which occur at the high latitude magnetopause. In our simulations kinetic effects will determine the self-consistent anomalous resistivity in the magnetopause that causes reconnections.Deceased January 24, 1993; R. Bunemanet al. 1993.     

Strong interplanetary field enhancements at Ulysses—evidence of dust trails' interaction with the solar wind?

Interplanetary field enhancements were first discovered in the vicinity of Venus. These events are characterised by an increase in the magnitude of the heliospheric magnetic field with a near-symmetrical, sometimes thorn-shaped profile, and last from minutes to hours. Surveys of the events near Venus and Earth indicated clustering of the events in inertial space, which suggested that their sources were Solar System objects other than the Sun. A survey is presented of strong events of this type detected by the Ulysses spacecraft from 1990 to late 2001. Most of the events are accompanied by a discontinuity in the field direction near the events' centres. Other discontinuities are often symmetrical about the enhancement. The majority of events last less than two hours. When examined as a whole, the events tend to be accompanied by subtle changes in some plasma parameters. The majority of the enhancements are accompanied by magnetic holes on their fringes. The enhancements' occurrence rate increases with decreasing heliocentric distance. Possible formation mechanisms are discussed. No link was found with solar, or solar wind sources. Several aspects of the survey results are consistent with an origin related to cometary dust trails. Possible processes associated with a dust-solar wind interaction are discussed.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 16: HD 116093

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements show that HD 116093 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary in a very eccentric 53-day orbit. Very little else is known about the system, but circumstantial evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that the components’ types are near to F3 V and F8 V. If that is so, the orbit must be seen very nearly edge-on; a search for eclipses is warranted and an ephemeris for them is given.     

The Subaru Telescope High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS)

The High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS) is the échelle spectrograph for an open‐use instrument of the Subaru Telescope. The current status of the instrument is reviewed. The new image slicers that significantly improve the efficiency of observations with very high resolving power have been installed in the past three years. Brief overview of recent science results is given on studies of early generations of stars and extra‐solar planets. An upgrade plan and future prospects of this instrument are discussed. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)