Do accretion discs regulate the rotation of young stars?

We present a photometric study of I -band variability in the young cluster IC 348. The main purpose of the study was to identify periodic stars. In all, we find 50 periodic stars, of which 32 were previously unknown. For the first time in IC 348, we discover periods in significant numbers of lower-mass stars  ( M < 0.25 M_⊙)  and classical T Tauri stars. This increased sensitivity to periodicities is a result of the enhanced depth and temporal density of our observations, compared with previous studies. The period distribution is at first glance similar to that seen in the Orion nebula cluster (ONC), with the higher-mass stars  ( M > 0.25 M_⊙)  showing a bi-modal period distribution concentrated around periods of 2 and 8 d, and the lower-mass stars showing a uni-modal distribution, heavily biased towards fast rotators. Closer inspection of the period distribution shows that the higher-mass stars show a significant dearth of fast rotators, compared to the ONC, whilst the low-mass stars are rotating significantly faster than those in Orion. We find no correlation between rotation period and K – L colour or Hα equivalent width.
We also present a discussion of our own IC 348 data in the context of previously published period distributions for the ONC, the Orion flanking fields and NGC 2264. We find that the previously claimed correlation between infrared excess and rotation period in the ONC might, in fact, result from a correlation between infrared excess and mass. We also find a marked difference in period distributions between NGC 2264 and IC 348, which presents a serious challenge to the disc-locking paradigm, given the similarity in ages and disc fractions between the two clusters.     

东南极普里兹湾1990年1—2月大风过程与气旋和锋面活动分析

本文用澳大利亚墨尔本气象中心,苏联南极青年站地面天气图和NOAA-10,NOAA-11极轨卫星云图确定了东南极普里兹湾及其附近海域1990年1—2月份气旋中心位置;讨论了这些气旋的活动特征。分析了实测大风对应的天气系统,天气形势和卫星云图特征,指出普里兹湾沿海存在气旋、锋面以及锋面云和气旋先后相继的影响。锋面及锋面、气旋先后相继影响与500hPa上的强高压脊天气形势、强风与锋面带中纹理非常不均匀区域有密切关系。     

Cosmological variations in the space-time distribution of absorption systems in quasar spectra

Based on the catalog of Junkkarinen et al. (1991), we analyze the space-time distribution of absorption systems in quasar spectra at cosmological redshifts z=0–3.7. The z distribution of absorbing matter is shown to have a pattern of alternating maxima (peaks) and minima (dips). Within statistical uncertainty, the positions of such peaks and dips do not depend on the direction of observation. We have found a periodicity in the distribution of absorption systems in the functions ln(1+z) and (1+z)^?1/2. We show that the derived sequence of maxima and minima in the space-time distribution of absorbing matter is not a manifestation of the spatial large-scale structure alone, but it is more likely temporal in nature. The most probable source of the putative structure could be an alternation (in the course of cosmological evolution) of pronounced and depressed epochs with a characteristic time interval of 520±160 Myr, depending on the cosmological model chosen.     

Chemical evolution of the high redshift galaxies

We have tried to determine the rate of chemical evolution of high redshift galaxies from the observed redshift distribution of the heavy element absorption systems in the spectra of QSOs, taking into account the evolution in the intensity of the metagalactic UV ionizing radiation background, the radius and/or the co-moving number density of, and the fraction of mass in the form of gas in, the absorbers. The data for both the Lyman limit systems and the C IV systems have been fitted simultaneously. It seems that the abundance of carbon has possibly increased by about a factor of 5 to 20 from the cosmic time corresponding to the redshift ≃ 4 to 2. The data also suggest that either the radius or the co-moving number density of the galaxies increased with redshift up to z = 2.0 and decreased slowly thereafter. The total mass of the halo gas was higher in the past, almost equal to the entire mass of the galaxy at z = 4. The hydrogen column density distribution for Lyman limit systems predicted by the model is in agreement with the observed distribution.     

Regular and chaotic orbits in a self-consistent triaxial stellar system with slow figure rotation

We created a self-consistent triaxial stellar system through the cold disipationless collapse of 100,000 particles whose evolution was followed with a multipolar code. The resulting system rotates slowly even though its total angular momentum is zero, i.e., it offers an example of figure rotation. The potential of the system was subsequently approximated with interpolating formulae yielding a smooth potential stationary in the rotating frame. The Lyapunov exponents could then be computed for a randomly selected sample of 3,472 of the bodies that make up the system, allowing the recognition of regular and partially and fully chaotic orbits. The regular orbits were Fourier analyzed and classified using their locations on the frequency map. A comparison with a similar non-rotating model showed that the fraction of chaotic orbits is slightly but significantly enhanced in the rotating model; alternatively, there are no significant differences between the corresponding fractions neither of partially and fully chaotic orbits nor of long axis tubes, short axis tubes, boxes and boxlets among the regular orbits. This is a reasonable result because the rotation causes a breaking of the symmetry that may increase chaotic effects, but the rotation velocity is probably too small to produce any other significant differences. The increase in the fraction of chaotic orbits in the rotating system seems to be due mainly to the effect of the Coriolis force, rather than the centrifugal force, in good agreement with the results of other investigations.     

The brown dwarf desert as a consequence of orbital migration

We show that the dearth of brown dwarfs in short-period orbits around Solar-mass stars – the brown dwarf desert – can be understood as a consequence of inward migration within an evolving protoplanetary disc. Brown dwarf secondaries forming at the same time as the primary star have masses which are comparable to the initial mass of the protoplanetary disc. Subsequent disc evolution leads to inward migration, and destruction of the brown dwarf, via merger with the star. This is in contrast with massive planets, which avoid this fate by forming at a later epoch when the disc is close to being dispersed. Within this model, a brown dwarf desert arises because the mass at the hydrogen-burning limit is coincidentally comparable to the initial disc mass for a Solar mass star. Brown dwarfs should be found in close binaries around very low mass stars, around other brown dwarfs, and around Solar-type stars during the earliest phases of star formation.     

塔里木盆地北部白垩系-古近系不同段、带沉积体系比较研究

塔里木盆地北部库车坳陷—塔北地区白垩系—古近系发育有冲（洪）积扇、终端扇、三角洲（扇三角洲、辫状河三角洲、正常三角洲）、湖泊、滨岸海滩、潮坪—潟湖等多种沉积相类型。研究区南、北带及东、中、西段在不同沉积演化时期发育的岩性组合、沉积相类型及沉积相平面展布规模方面也有明显差异,北带主体为粗碎屑沉积,发育扇三角洲沉积;南带沉积物粒级相对较细,主体发育辫状河三角洲,这种差异主要受当时古构造位置、古地形坡度、沉积物源远近及古气候控制。     

塔里木盆地志留纪沉积层序构成及充填响应特征

塔里木盆地志留系是由角度不整合面所限定的一个区域性（二级）的沉积层序,其内可划分出5个三级沉积层序。总体上显示一个从水进到水退的沉积旋回,可识别出曲流河三角洲—辫状河三角洲、滨外陆棚及较深水盆地、无障壁碎屑滨岸—无障壁碎屑潮坪沉积体系组合,它们代表了二级沉积层序中相对低位、海侵和高位的3个沉积体系组合。研究区构造、沉积、古生物和古气候资料表明,层序1底界面和层序5顶界面是塔里木周缘板块构造挤压、盆地隆升作用的结果;层序2底界面是周缘板块强烈挤压、盆地挠曲下降作用结果,同期全球海平面快速上升;层序3、层序4和层序5的底界面是在构造作用稳定、全球海平面下降背景之上由相对海平面次一级旋回变化形成的,是古气候变化、沉积物供给及构造沉降共同作用的结果。     

Shaking table tests of a resilient bridge system with precast reinforced concrete columns equipped with springs

This paper presents the shake table test results of a novel system for the design of precast reinforced concrete bridges. The specimen comprises a slab and four precast columns. The connections are dry and the columns are connected to the slab by an ungrouted tendon. One of the tendon ends is anchored above the slab, in series with a stack of washer springs, while the other end is anchored at the bottom of the column. The addition of such a flexible restraining system increases the stability of the system, while keeping it relatively flexible allowing it to experience negative post-uplift stiffness. It is a form of seismic isolation. Anchoring the tendon within the column, caps the design moment of the foundation, and reduces its size. One hundred and eighty-one shake table tests were performed. The first 180 caused negligible damage to the specimen, mainly abrasion at the perimeter of the column top ends. Hence, the system proved resilient. The 181^st excitation caused collapse, because the tendons unexpectedly failed at a load less than 50% of their capacity (provided by the manufacturer), due to the failure of their end socket. This highlights the importance of properly designing the tendons. The tests were used to statistically validate a rigid body model. The model performed reasonably well never underestimating the median displacement response of the center of mass of the slab by more than 30%. However, the model cannot predict the torsion rotation of the slab that was observed in the tests and is due to imperfections.     

乌干达Albert湖凹陷北部沉积特征及油气成藏模式

乌干达Albert湖凹陷是世界上最年轻的生烃凹陷,受构造和沉积控制,油气多分布于北部构造调节带。为分析Albert湖北部构造调节带内部油气成藏特征,笔者利用地震、钻井、测井和孢粉等资料,开展北部构造调节带沉积特征研究,进而分析北部构造调节带的油气成藏模式。研究表明,由于边界正断层持续活动,北部构造调节带两侧沉积特征存在差异,研究区西部发育曲流河-三角洲沉积体系;东部发育冲积扇-扇三角洲沉积体系。由于北部构造调节带西部三角洲砂体向南推进至湖盆中心,与深湖相烃源岩直接沟通,成为Albert湖盆最有利的油气汇聚区。