The F-type asteroids with small inversion angles of polarization

UBVRI polarimetric observations carried out in 1997-2004 for the F-type Asteroids 302 Clarissa, 419 Aurelia, 704 Interamnia, and 762 Pulcova (V band only) are presented. Asteroid 419 Aurelia is characterized by a negative polarization branch which is unusual for low-albedo asteroids. Its depth is about 1%, while the inversion angle, close to 14°, reaches the smallest value ever observed for asteroids. This is the first definite example of a minor body exhibiting a considerable decrease of both the depth and width of the negative polarization branch in comparison with polarization properties of other low-albedo bodies, mimicking a behavior previously found in laboratory measurements of extremely dark surfaces. The F-type Asteroids 302 Clarissa and 704 Interamnia are also characterized by unusually small inversion angles compared to other asteroid types, while Asteroid 762 Pulcova seems to have an ordinary negative polarization branch. Laboratory measurements of low-albedo samples and computer simulations of light scattering by particles of irregular shapes were made to interpret observational data. We find that an optical homogeneity of regolith microstructure at scales of the order of visible light wavelengths may be responsible for relatively small values of the depth of the negative polarization branch and of the inversion angle. Peculiar features of the F-type asteroids compared to other taxonomic classes are discussed.     

Mars magnetic field: Sources and models for a quarter of the southern hemisphere

The heavily-cratered southern hemisphere of Mars encompasses the planet’s strongest, most widespread magnetization. Our study concentrates on this magnetized region in the southern hemisphere within 40° of latitude 40°S, longitude 180°W. First we rotate the coordinates to position the center at −40°, 180° and treat these new latitudes and longitudes as if they were Cartesian coordinates. Then, using an ordinary two-dimensional Fourier analysis for downward continuation, the MGS (MAG/ER) magnetic field data at satellite mapping elevation of ∼400 km are extrapolated to 100 km, sources are estimated and used to model the fields. Quantitative comparison of the downward continued field with the aerobraking field for bins having angular deviation within ±30° gives correlation of .947, .868, and .769 for the components, respectively. This agreement of the fields may result from most of the power in the magnetization resting in wavelengths ∼400 km, with comparatively little at ∼100 km. Over this region, covering nearly an octant of the planet, just a dozen sources can account for 94% of the variance of the magnetic field at the surface. In these models for the field an obvious asymmetry in polarity exists, with majority of the sources being positive. The locations of strongest surface magnetization appear to be near - but not actually within - ancient multi-ringed basins. We test the likelihood of this association by comparing the observed sources found within and near basins for two alternative basin location scenarios with random distributions. For both alternatives we find the observed distributions to be low-probability occurrences. If contemporaneous, this would establish that Mars’ magnetic field extended to the time of impacts causing these basins.     

Study of dispersion of mass distribution of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using a surface array of muon and electromagnetic detectors

We consider a hypothetical observatory of ultra-high energy cosmic rays consisting of two surface detector arrays that measure independently electromagnetic and muon signals induced by air showers. Using the constant intensity cut method, sets of events ordered according to each of both signal sizes are compared giving the number of matched events. Based on its dependence on the zenith angle, a parameter sensitive to the dispersion of the distribution of the logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is introduced. The results obtained using two post-LHC models of hadronic interactions are very similar and indicate a weak dependence on details of these interactions.     

The Lateral Trigger Probability function for the Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray showers detected by the Pierre Auger Observatory

In this paper we introduce the concept of Lateral Trigger Probability (LTP) function, i.e., the probability for an Extensive Air Shower (EAS) to trigger an individual detector of a ground based array as a function of distance to the shower axis, taking into account energy, mass and direction of the primary cosmic ray. We apply this concept to the surface array of the Pierre Auger Observatory consisting of a 1.5 km spaced grid of about 1600 water Cherenkov stations. Using Monte Carlo simulations of ultra-high energy showers the LTP functions are derived for energies in the range between 10¹⁷ and 10¹⁹ eV and zenith angles up to 65°. A parametrization combining a step function with an exponential is found to reproduce them very well in the considered range of energies and zenith angles. The LTP functions can also be obtained from data using events simultaneously observed by the fluorescence and the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory (hybrid events). We validate the Monte Carlo results showing how LTP functions from data are in good agreement with simulations.     

Polarimetric NIR reflectance measurements of regolith simulants at zero phase angle

Polarimetric reflectance measurements have been made at a wavelength of for a suite of predominantly lunar regolith simulants in support of development efforts for the BepiColombo Laser Altimeter (BELA). Measurements were made using an instrument at the University of Bern, Switzerland, that has been modified to accommodate photometric characterizations of laboratory samples down to 0^° phase angle (g) with linearly polarized illumination and a linearly polarized receiver. The data reveal opposition surges that are dominated by polarization state-conserving reflectance terms for all samples. Relative strengths of the trans-state reflectance terms are lowest for the darkest samples, suggesting that multiple scattering is responsible for state conversions. Normal albedo measurements of the lunar simulants range from 0.13 to 0.22 at zero illumination angle (i=0^°). The total reflectance of the regolith simulants at g=0^° were found to decrease with increasing i, which is inconsistent with predictions of reflectance models for Mercury. However, the g=0^° reflectance remains higher at i>0^° than would be expected for a gray Lambert surface that is scaled to the g=i=0^° reflectance value. Polarization ratios for reflectance under polarized illumination but unconstrained emission show that the samples scatter light in the in-plane polarization state more efficiently than in the transverse state at g=0^° and i>0^°. The opposite is true for g>0^° polarization ratios, which indicate that transverse polarized illumination scatters more efficiently at high g. The polarization effect appears to correlate with the sample's characteristic grain size, but the statistical basis of this trend is weak. The implications of these measurements upon the performance of the BELA instrument are discussed.     

表面粗糙度参数的计算机辅助测量

介绍了一种用９Ｊ型光切法显微镜、６Ｊ型干涉法显微镜及电动轮廓仪，对ＧＢ１０３１—８３定义的表面粗糙度参数（Ｒａ，Ｒｚ，Ｒｙ，Ｓ．Ｓｍ）进行计算机辅助测量的方法。给出了有关计算公式，程序框图与测量实例。     

干、湿环境下中尺度对流系统发生的环流背景和地面特征分析

对2007～2010 年暖季(6～9 月)发生在江淮和黄淮流域46 个对流天气过程的环流背景和地面特征进行了统计研究。根据整层可降水量小于或大于等于50 mm 将这些个例发生的环境分成干环境(10 个个例)和湿环境(36 个个例)。干环境下发生强对流的天气形势可以分为槽后型和副高边缘型,湿环境下的天气形势可分为槽前型、副高边缘型和槽后型,湿环境下有明显的暖湿区配合。湿环境下槽前型发生的概率最高,地面系统较为复杂,有静止锋、倒槽、冷锋和暖锋,而干环境下在本研究的个例中无槽前型发生。干、湿环境下副高边缘型的对流,从地面到500 hPa 都发生在副高后部的“S”流型的拐弯处,但部分湿环境个例低层有切变线。干环境下槽后型的发生概率较高,而湿环境下发生概率则相对较少。由这些研究表明,干、湿环境下强对流系统的触发和维持机制存在明显的差异。     

Impact of terrain complexity on the turbulence drag coefficient: A case study from the Indian Himalayan region

The aerodynamic drag coefficient (C_D) is conjectured to change (or remains almost uniform) with the horizontal wind speed (U) over a flexible (or fixed) surface element, which is represented with the surface roughness (z₀). This conjecture is tested for the near neutral atmospheric turbulence (i.e. when surface stability z/L is almost equal to 0, where z is the measurement height and L is Obukhov length) of monsoon and winter season at an on-slope and a ridge-top site in the Indian Himalaya, wherein the ridge-top site is associated with a higher degree of sensitivity to the roughness element and terrain attributes. This hypothesis is successfully verified for two conditions, (i) the monsoon period observations of ridge-top site are found to have higher z₀ due to vegetative growth than the winter period for flows having similar terrain signature, and (ii) the monsoon and winter period observations of on-slope site are noted to have similar z₀ for flows having signature of steep terrain. Subsequently, constants (i.e. a and b) of the power-law relationships between C_D and U (i.e. C_D = aU^b), as a function of z₀, are optimized. It is noted that the relationship between C_D and U has higher sensitivity towards the terrain slope than the vegetative growth.     

对流移入杭州湾后飑线发展机制分析

利用多源观测资料,对2021年4月30日发生在黄淮地区的一次强对流过程中由不同类型风暴系统造成的极端对流大风进行了探讨。研究表明,此次强对流过程发生在东北冷涡背景下的强风垂直切变和层结不稳定环境中,地面气旋及锋面触发了初始对流,在之后近10 h的传播过程中经历了组织化发展、孤立风暴新生、发展、合并与重组等不同阶段。期间,由两种不同类型风暴产生了特征相异的对流性大风：第一阶段,以江苏淮安站为代表,苏中极端对流性大风（36.2 m/s）是由发展强烈的超级单体风暴引发下击暴流所致。对流风暴低层呈现出明显的钩状回波特征,对应深厚的具有显著气旋性旋转的中气旋,在地面极端大风临近时刻,中气旋存在同时向上和向下拉伸、水平尺度快速收缩过程。贯穿整个风暴的下沉气流位于风暴钩状回波后侧,这支强下沉气流至地面附近迅速向外辐散,伴随风暴内强反射率核快速下降,导致淮安产生时、空尺度小且空间分布显著不连续的极端大风。第二阶段,以江苏南通地区为代表,苏东南地区极端大风的发展过程涉及多尺度天气系统的相互作用。线状对流系统前部存在明显的阵风锋,造成较大范围10级以上的地面大风;南通通州湾极端大风（47.9 m/s）发生在阵风锋后侧,其形成一方面是由于线形对流风暴造成的强冷池与地面冷锋相叠加,形成更强的气压梯度,另一方面与地面中尺度气旋入海过程中的快速发展以及风暴后侧倾斜向前的下沉气流导致的高空风动量下传有关。     

中国春季沙尘天气频数的时空变化及其与地面风压场的关系

文中利用EOF和SVD方法分析了近半个世纪中国春季沙尘天气频数的时空分布特征及其与近地面风速和海平面气压的关系。中国北方大部分地区春季沙尘天气发生频数近半个世纪呈减少趋势 ,2 0世纪 70年代末以前沙尘天气发生频数较多 ,70年代末开始逐渐减少 ,1997年降到最低值 ,同期中国近地面风速也呈减小趋势 ,两者之间存在显著相关。春季海平面气压场与中国沙尘天气的发生频数有十分密切的联系 ,海平面气压在中高纬度地区降低 ,中低纬度地区升高 ,气压梯度发生改变 ,从而引起地面风速减小 ,进一步影响到沙尘天气发生频数减少