Cosmological parameters from velocities, cosmic microwave background and supernovae

We compare and combine likelihood functions of the cosmological parameters Ω_m, h and σ ₈, from peculiar velocities, cosmic microwave background (CMB) and type Ia supernovae. These three data sets directly probe the mass in the Universe, without the need to relate the galaxy distribution to the underlying mass via a 'biasing' relation. We include the recent results from the CMB experiments BOOMERANG and MAXIMA-1. Our analysis assumes a flat Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology with a scale-invariant adiabatic initial power spectrum and baryonic fraction as inferred from big-bang nucleosynthesis. We find that all three data sets agree well, overlapping significantly at the 2 σ level. This therefore justifies a joint analysis, in which we find a joint best-fitting point and 95 per cent confidence limits of     (0.17,0.39),     (0.64,0.86) and     (0.98,1.37). In terms of the natural parameter combinations for these data     (0.40,0.73),     (0.16,0.27). Also for the best-fitting point,     and the age of the Universe is 13.2 Gyr.     

北方农牧交错区干旱特征变化及其对植被总初级生产力的影响

北方农牧交错区地处半湿润/半干旱生态脆弱过渡带,干旱是影响该区植被生产力的关键因素之一。探究干旱对植被总初级生产力的影响,对深刻理解气候变化下生态系统生产力变化响应特征及优化区域碳水循环具有重要意义。为了更好地了解水分限制区不同干旱特征对GPP影响,本研究以北方农牧交错区为例,基于长时间序列的标准化降水蒸散发指数(SPEI3,1900—2020年)和植被总初级生产力(GPP,1982—2018年)等数据,首先采用小波分析明确SPEI3与GPP强相关周期,在此基础上利用游程理论识别干旱特征,进而分析了北方农牧交错区干旱特征与GPP的变化趋势,最后厘定了不同干旱特征对GPP的影响。结果表明:(1) 1982—2018年北方农牧交错区SPEI3与GPP在半年周期和年周期存在显著相关关系,滞后效应随时间变化而变化;年际分析能够减弱滞后效应对SPEI3与GPP相关性的影响;(2) 1900—2020年北方农牧交错区干旱历时、干旱烈度和烈度峰值均呈现显著增加趋势,干旱烈度随着干旱历时和烈度峰值的增加而加剧,干旱特征高值区往往具有更强的增加趋势;(3) 1982—2018年北方农牧交错区GPP总体呈...     

新四面体理论与磁极倒转

本文以最新修正了的新四面体理论模型来解释地球磁极倒转现象及其规律性。文章简要回顾了依附于收缩说的地球四面体理论的兴衰,接着简述了应归属于脉动说范畴的新四面体理论研究的最新进展——地球多级驻波(式)脉动演化模型。新模型可概括为:地球的形态在演化过程中呈“准球体→负准四面体→准球体→正准四面体→准球体→…”的驻波脉动;在呈每种形体的大阶段中,又包含着次级、更次级的驻波脉动。然后论述了地磁极性倒转的规律性(即多变→固定[正向]→多变→固定[反向] →多变→…)以及新模型对其所做的解释(即固定正向和固定反向阶段分别为负和正准四面体阶段,多变阶段为准球体阶段)。     

Formation Flying Satellites: Control By an Astrodynamicist

Satellites flying in formation is a concept being pursued by the Air Force and NASA. Potential periodic formation orbits have been identified using Hill's (or Clohessy Wiltshire) equations. Unfortunately the gravitational perturbations destroy the periodicity of the orbits and control will be required to maintain the desired orbits. Since fuel will be one of the major factors limiting the system lifetime it is imperative that fuel consumption be minimized. To maximize lifetime we not only need to find those orbits which require minimum fuel we also need for each satellite to have equal fuel consumption and this average amount needs to be minimized. Thus, control of the system has to be addressed, not just control of each satellite. In this paper control of the individual satellites as well as the constellation is addressed from an astrodynamics perspective.     

The Relegation Algorithm

The relegation algorithm extends the method of normalization by Lie transformations. Given a Hamiltonian that is a power series = ₀+ ₁+ ... of a small parameter , normalization constructs a map which converts the principal part ₀into an integral of the transformed system — relegation does the same for an arbitrary function [G]. If the Lie derivative induced by [G] is semi-simple, a double recursion produces the generator of the relegating transformation. The relegation algorithm is illustrated with an elementary example borrowed from galactic dynamics; the exercise serves as a standard against which to test software implementations. Relegation is also applied to the more substantial example of a Keplerian system perturbed by radiation pressure emanating from a rotating source.This revised version was published online in October 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The influence of central black holes on gravitational lenses

Recent observations indicate that many if not all galaxies host massive central black holes. In this paper we explore the influence of black holes on the lensing properties. We model the lens as an isothermal ellipsoid with a finite core radius plus a central black hole. We show that the presence of the black hole substantially changes the critical curves and caustics. If the black hole mass is above a critical value, then it will completely suppress the central images for all source positions. Realistic central black holes are likely to have masses below this critical value. Even in such subcritical cases, the black hole can suppress the central image when the source is inside a zone of influence, which depends on the core radius and black hole mass. In the subcritical cases, an additional image may be created by the black hole in some regions, which for some radio lenses may be detectable with high-resolution and large dynamic range VLBI maps. The presence of central black holes should also be taken into account when one constrains the core radius from the lack of central images in gravitational lenses.     

Evolution of the luminosity function and colours of galaxies in a Λ cold dark matter universe

The luminosity function of galaxies is derived from a cosmological hydrodynamic simulation of a Λ cold dark matter universe with the aid of a stellar population synthesis model. At     , the resulting B -band luminosity function has a flat faint-end slope of     with the characteristic luminosity and the normalization in fair agreement with observations, while the dark matter halo mass function is steep with a slope of     . The colour distribution of galaxies also agrees well with local observations. We also discuss the evolution of the luminosity function, and the colour distribution of galaxies from     to 5. A large evolution of the characteristic mass in the stellar mass function as a result of number evolution is compensated by luminosity evolution; the characteristic luminosity increases only by 0.8 mag from     to 2, and then declines towards higher redshift, while the B -band luminosity density continues to increase from     to 5 (but only slowly at     .