Horizon synthesis for archaeo‐astronomical purposes

In this paper I describe a simple numerical procedure to compute synthetic horizon altitude profiles for any given site. The method makes use of a simplified model of local Earth's curvature, and it is based on the availability of digital elevation models describing the topography of the area surrounding the site under study. Examples constructed using the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) data (with 90 m horizontal resolution) are illustrated, and compared to direct theodolite measurements. The proposed method appears to be reliable and applicable in all cases when the distance to the local horizon is larger than ∼10 km, yielding a rms accuracy of ∼0.1 degrees (both in azimuth and elevation). Higher accuracies can be achieved with higher resolution digital elevation models, like those produced by many modern national geodetic surveys (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

冰雪灾害对吉安市青原区森林资源危害及恢复措施

2008年的低温冻雨冰雪灾害性天气对吉安市青原区林业生产造成了极大损失。以青原区8个乡镇森林为调查对象,调查不同区域、不同海拔、不同坡度、不同林种、不同树种的受灾若干特征,了解各种树种的防御雪灾的能力,提出恢复重建的具体措施,认为需要政府支持、科学经营和加强管护。     

雷电临近预警产品评估方法及其软件

为了适应雷电业务发展的需求,对已经投入业务运行试验的雷电临近预警系统的预警效果做出客观评估,中国气象科学研究院雷电物理和防护工程实验室开展了雷电临近预警产品评估方法的研究,并开发了配套的应用软件.评估方法通过雷电预警结果和实际监测结果的对比,得到命中率POD、虚警率FAR和TS评分三项指标,实现对雷电预警产品的评估.评估软件的实际运行表明:该方法不仅能够检验CAMS_LNWS预报雷电活动的能力,还能对预警方法的改进起到一定的指导作用,能够满足雷电业务产品评估的需要.     

2008年初云南低温雨雪冰冻天气的气候成因分析

2008年1月下旬~3月上旬云南出现了一次持续性的低温雨雪冰冻天气, 给交通、 电力、 通讯以及人民的生产、 生活带来了极大危害。本文首先对云南高低层大气的异常状况及大尺度环流背景场特征对这次天气过程的影响进行诊断分析, 然后进一步探讨了赤道东太平洋海温异常对东亚冬季风活动和云南天气气候异常的影响。结果表明, 这次低温冷害过程主要发生在冷空气由北至南逐渐加强南压, 南支西风波动配合, 以及西太平洋副热带高压减弱东退的大尺度环流背景之下。同时, 云南区域的大气异常状态表现出了明显的高湿、 强上升运动以及对流层中高层温度升高而低层温度降低。另外, 本文分析还进一步表明了2008年赤道东太平洋地区的冷海水异常对这次云南低温冷害天气过程的重要作用。     

Young eccentric binary KL CMa revisited in the light of spectroscopy

The absolute dimensions of the components of the eccentric eclipsing binary KL CMa have been determined. The solution of light and radial velocity curves of high ($\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda =0.14$ Å) and intermediate ($\mathrm{\Delta }\lambda =1.1$ Å) resolution spectra yielded masses M₁ = 3.55 ± 0.27 M_⊙, M₂ = 2.95 ± 0.24 M_⊙ and radii R₁ = 2.37 ± 0.09 R_⊙, R₂ = 1.70 ± 0.1 R_⊙ for primary and secondary components, respectively. The system consists of two late B-type components at a distance of 220 ± 20 pc for an estimated reddening of $E(B-V)=0.127$.The present study provides an illustration of spectroscopy’s crucial role in the analysis of binary systems in eccentric orbits. The eccentricity of the orbit ($e=0.20$) of KL CMa is found to be bigger than the value given in the literature ($e=0.14$). The apsidal motion rate of the system has been updated to a new value of $\dot{w}=0°.0199\pm 0.0002{\text{cycle}}^{-1}$, which indicates an apsidal motion period of $U=87\pm 1$ yrs, two times slower than given in the literature. Using the absolute dimensions of the components yielded a relatively weak relativistic contribution of ${\dot{w}}_{\mathit{rel}}=0°.0013{\text{cycle}}^{-1}$. The observed internal-structure component ($\log k_{2\text{,}\mathit{obs}}=-2.22\pm 0.01$) is found to be in agreement with its theoretical value ($\log k_{2\text{,}\mathit{theo}}=-2.23$).Both components of the system are found very close to the zero-age main-sequence and theoretical isochrones indicate a young age ($\tau =50$ Myr) for the system. Analysis of the spectral lines yields a faster rotation ($V_{\mathit{rot}1\text{,}2}=100$ km s⁻¹) for the components than their synchronization velocities ($V_{\mathit{rot}\text{,}\mathit{syn}1}=68$ km s⁻¹, $V_{\mathit{rot}\text{,}\mathit{syn}1}=49$ km s⁻¹).     

Digitization of sunspot drawings by Spörer made in 1861–1894

Most of our knowledge about the Sun's activity cycle arises from sunspot observations over the last centuries since telescopes have been used for astronomy. The German astronomer Gustav Spörer observed almost daily the Sun from 1861 until the beginning of 1894 and assembled a 33‐year collection of sunspot data covering a total of 445 solar rotation periods. These sunspot drawings were carefully placed on an equidistant grid of heliographic longitude and latitude for each rotation period, which were then copied to copper plates for a lithographic reproduction of the drawings in astronomical journals. In this article, we describe in detail the process of capturing these data as digital images, correcting for various effects of the aging print materials, and preparing the data for contemporary scientific analysis based on advanced image processing techniques. With the processed data we create a butterfly diagram aggregating sunspot areas, and we present methods to measure the size of sunspots (umbra and penumbra) and to determine tilt angles of active regions. A probability density function of the sunspot area is computed, which conforms to contemporary data after rescaling. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Coupling photochemistry with haze formation in Titan's atmosphere, Part II: Results and validation with Cassini/Huygens data

The new one-dimensional radiative-convective/photochemical/microphysical model described in Part I is applied to the study of Titan's atmospheric processes that lead to haze formation. Our model generates the haze structure from the gaseous species photochemistry. Model results are presented for the species vertical concentration profiles, haze formation and its radiative properties, vertical temperature/density profiles and geometric albedo. These are validated against Cassini/Huygens observations and other ground-based and space-borne measurements. The model reproduces well most of the latest measurements from the Cassini/Huygens instruments for the chemical composition of Titan's atmosphere and the vertical profiles of the observed species. For the haze production we have included pathways that are based on pure hydrocarbons, pure nitriles and hydrocarbon/nitrile copolymers. From these, the nitrile and copolymer pathways provide the stronger contribution, in agreement with the results from the ACP instrument, which support the incorporation of nitrogen in the pyrolized haze structures. Our haze model reveals a new second major peak in the vertical profile of haze production rate between 500 and 900 km. This peak is produced by the copolymer family used and has important ramifications for the vertical atmospheric temperature profile and geometric albedo. In particular, the existence of this second peak determines the vertical profile of haze extinction. Our model results have been compared with the DISR retrieved haze extinction profiles and are found to be in very good agreement. We have also incorporated in our model heterogeneous chemistry on the haze particles that converts atomic hydrogen to molecular hydrogen. The resultant H₂ profile is closer to the INMS measurements, while the vertical profile of the diacetylene formed is found to be closer to that of the CIRS profile when this heterogenous chemistry is included.     

High-mass star forming regions: An ALMA view

The advent of ALMA is bound to improve our knowledge of OB star formation dramatically. Here, we present an overview of this topic outlining how high angular resolution and sensitivity may contribute to shed light on the structure of high-mass star forming regions and hence on the process itself of massive star formation. The impact of this new generation instrument will range from establishing the mass function of pre-stellar cores inside IR-dark clouds, to investigating the kinematics of the gas from which OB stars are built up, to assessing or ruling out the existence of circumstellar accretion disks in these objects.     

Sources of SEP Acceleration during a Flare – CME Event

A high-speed, halo-type coronal mass ejection (CME), associated with a GOES M4.6 soft X-ray flare in NOAA AR 0180 at S12W29 and an EIT wave and dimming, occurred on 9 November 2002. A complex radio event was observed during the same period. It included narrow-band fluctuations and frequency-drifting features in the metric wavelength range, type III burst groups at metric – hectometric wavelengths, and an interplanetary type II radio burst, which was visible in the dynamic radio spectrum below 14 MHz. To study the association of the recorded solar energetic particle (SEP) populations with the propagating CME and flaring, we perform a multi-wavelength analysis using radio spectral and imaging observations combined with white-light, EUV, hard X-ray, and magnetogram data. Velocity dispersion analysis of the particle distributions (SOHO and Wind in situ observations) provides estimates for the release times of electrons and protons. Our analysis indicates that proton acceleration was delayed compared to the electrons. The dynamics of the interplanetary type II burst identify the burst source as a bow shock created by the fast CME. The type III burst groups, with start times close to the estimated electron-release times, trace electron beams travelling along open field lines into the interplanetary space. The type III bursts seem to encounter a steep density gradient as they overtake the type II shock front, resulting in an abrupt change in the frequency drift rate of the type III burst emission. Our study presents evidence in support of a scenario in which electrons are accelerated low in the corona behind the CME shock front, while protons are accelerated later, possibly at the CME bow shock high in the corona.     

Molecular lines from protoplanetary nebulae: observations with ALMA

Planetary nebulae (PNe) are formed in a very fast process. In just about 1000 years, the nebula evolves from a spherical and slowly expanding AGB envelope to a PN, with usually axial symmetry and high axial velocities. Molecular lines are known to probe most of the nebular material in young PNe and protoplanetary nebulae (PPNe), and are therefore very useful to study such an impressive evolution. Many quantitative results on these objects have been so obtained, including general structure, total mass and density distribution, kinetic temperatures, velocity fields, etc. Existing observations probe both the gas accelerated by post-AGB shocks and the quiescent components. But the study of crucial regions to understand PN formation (recently shocked shells, regions heated by the stellar UV and inner rotating disks) requires observations at higher frequency and with better spatial resolution.