Cosmic rays and other nonsense in astronomical CCD imagers

Cosmic-ray muons make recognizable straight tracks in the new-generation CCD's with thick sensitive regions. Wandering tracks (‘worms’), which we identify with multiply-scattered low-energy electrons, are readily recognized as different from the muon tracks. These appear to be mostly recoils from Compton-scattered gamma rays, although worms are also produced directly by beta emitters in dewar windows and field lenses. The gamma rays are mostly byproducts of ⁴⁰K decay and the U and Th decay chains. Trace amounts of these elements are nearly always present in concrete and other materials. The direct betas can be eliminated and the Compton recoils can be reduced significantly by the judicious choice of materials and shielding. The cosmic-ray muon rate is irreducible. Our conclusions are supported by tests at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory low-level counting facilities in Berkeley and 180 m underground at Oroville, California. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Terrestrial low-frequency bursts: Escape paths of radio waves through the bow shock

From the analysis of 119 low-frequency (LF) burst spectra observed onboard the Wind spacecraft, we propose an interpretation of the frequency-time characteristics including the low frequency cutoff of the LF burst spectra, and we use these characteristics to sound the bow shock structure at large tailward distances from Earth. When observed from within the solar wind, LF bursts appear to be made of two spectral components. The high frequency one is bursty and observed above twice the solar wind plasma frequency f_psw. The low frequency one is diffuse (ITKR) and its spectrum extends from about 2f_psw to a cutoff frequency f_c not much higher than f_psw; its onset time δt(f) increases as the frequency f decreases. For each of the 119 events observed from near the Lagrange point L1, the solar wind density variations were measured and the variations of the density jump across the shock calculated from plasma data all along a shock model over more than 2000R_E. But, except for a few events, neither the solar wind overdensities nor the shock density barrier can prevent waves with frequencies below f_c from reaching the spacecraft. Scattering on plasma density inhomogeneities was then introduced to account for the propagation of the LF burst waves in the magnetosheath, from near Earth to their escape point through the bow shock at a frequency-dependent distance |X_esc(f)| (GSE), and then in the solar wind to the spacecraft. In such media, at frequencies between 2f_psw and f_psw, the bulk speed of the scattered waves decreases rapidly as f decreases, and this accounts for the observed variations of the onset time δt(f). Angular scattering can also account for the observed cutoff at f_c if the distance |X_esc(f)| increases exponentially when f/f_psw decreases. As the shock model we used meets that requirement, we consider that this model is valid, which implies that the bow shock still exists beyond 1000R_E from the Earth. The observed decrease of the average spectral intensity of the LF burst between about 1.5f_psw and 2f_psw can also be explained by the scattering in the solar wind if we take into account the angular distribution of the rays when they leave the bow shock.     

微波目标散射特性全要素测量试验

合成孔径雷达SAR（Synthetic Aperture Radar ）以其全天时全天候的观测能力在地表目标识别、灾害监测等领域得到了越来越多的重视,高分辨率、全极化等各类先进SAR载荷卫星的发展日新月异。相对而言,微波与地物目标的相互作用机理仍有待深入研究。在可控无电磁干扰的测试环境下开展典型目标微波特性测量实验,可以再现SAR卫星电磁波与地物目标的相互作用过程,有效提升微波电磁波与典型地物目标相互作用机理的认知水平。本文基于“陆地目标微波特性测量与仿真成像科学实验平台”,在可控环境下对两种典型的人工目标（金属球与四旋翼植保无人机）以及典型自然地物（水稻）目标分别开展了全频段微波散射特性测量与多波段、多极化、多入射角、多方位角成像实验。实验结果表明,金属球的雷达散射截面积RCS（Radar Cross Section）测量值精度较高,在2.5 GHz以上与Mie级数模拟值的均方根误差分别为1.09 dBsm（HH极化）与1.00 dBsm（VV极化）;同时实验平台能够较好地呈现无干扰环境下目标多入射角、多方位角的散射特性。此外,由于结构特征的不规则性和介电特征的不连续性,水稻的0.8—18 GHz连续微波波谱曲线起伏变化较大,这也是导致对自然地物目标的SAR图像解译困难的主要原因之一。     

On the radiative properties of ice clouds: Light scattering,remote sensing,and radiation parameterization

Presented is a review of the radiative properties of ice clouds from three perspectives: light scattering simulations, remote sensing applications, and broadband radiation parameterizations appropriate for numerical models. On the subject of light scattering simulations, several classical computational approaches are reviewed, including the conventional geometric-optics method and its improved forms, the finite-difference time domain technique, the pseudo-spectral time domain technique, the discrete dipole approximation method, and the T-matrix method, with specific applications to the computation of the singlescattering properties of individual ice crystals. The strengths and weaknesses associated with each approach are discussed.With reference to remote sensing, operational retrieval algorithms are reviewed for retrieving cloud optical depth and effective particle size based on solar or thermal infrared(IR) bands. To illustrate the performance of the current solar- and IR-based retrievals, two case studies are presented based on spaceborne observations. The need for a more realistic ice cloud optical model to obtain spectrally consistent retrievals is demonstrated. Furthermore, to complement ice cloud property studies based on passive radiometric measurements, the advantage of incorporating lidar and/or polarimetric measurements is discussed.The performance of ice cloud models based on the use of different ice habits to represent ice particles is illustrated by comparing model results with satellite observations. A summary is provided of a number of parameterization schemes for ice cloud radiative properties that were developed for application to broadband radiative transfer submodels within general circulation models(GCMs). The availability of the single-scattering properties of complex ice habits has led to more accurate radiation parameterizations. In conclusion, the importance of using nonspherical ice particle models in GCM simulations for climate studies is proven.     

南海深海声学散射层垂直分布和昼夜变化初步研究

2013-09利用船载Simrad EK60科学鱼探仪(38kHz)对南海深海声学散射层进行了连续监测,并结合变水层拖网采样分析了其垂直分布和昼夜变化。结果表明,南海深海存在2个明显的声学散射层,特征深度分别为0~100m和350~700m,并且2个散射层间存在较为明显的昼夜垂直移动现象。其随时间变化情况为:16∶00-19∶00,350~700m散射层中的部分生物逐渐向上移动到0~100m散射层;04∶00-07∶00,这部分上升的生物又逐渐移回至350~700m散射层。变水层拖网采样结果发现,白天0~100m散射层内渔获物数量较少,夜间0~100m散射层内渔获物较多,验证了声学映像所检测到的2个散射层间确实存在昼夜移动的现象。     

Hydroelastic analysis of fully nonlinear water waves with floating elastic plate via multiple knot B-splines

Hydroelastic analysis of fully nonlinear water waves with the floating elastic plate is a hard mission. Especially, the behavior of the wave would be more complex when water wave encounter the floating elastic plate. In this paper, the meshless numerical method is devoted to solve such a problem. Fundamental solution method is applied to approximate the velocity potential in the fluid domain. When the water wave encounters the plate, the wave function would not be enough smooth in the edge of plate compared to the other points. Hence, to analyze numerically the behavior of wave, the solution space should include the basis functions that are not enough smooth in the edge of plate. Moreover, to decrease computational cost significantly, the basis functions had better to have local compact support. The multiple knot B-spline basis functions are suitable that contain both properties. The number of repeated knots, the degree of B-spline and the spatial points are challengeable that are discussed in this paper. The results are in good agreement with those obtained from other numerical works.     

Our distorted view of magnetars: application of the resonant cyclotron scattering model

The X-ray spectra of the magnetar candidates are customarily fitted with an empirical, two component model: an absorbed blackbody and a power-law. However, the physical interpretation of these two spectral components is rarely discussed. It has been recently proposed that the presence of a hot plasma in the magnetosphere of highly magnetized neutron stars might distort, through efficient resonant cyclotron scattering, the thermal emission from the neutron star surface, resulting in production of non-thermal spectra. Here we discuss the Resonant Cyclotron Scattering (RCS) model, and present its XSPEC implementation, as well as preliminary results of its application to Anomalous X-ray Pulsars and Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters. N.R. is supported by an NWO Post-Doctoral Fellowship. S.Z. thanks the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, PPARC, for support through an Advanced Fellowship.