Lensing, reddening and extinction effects of Mg ii absorbers from z= 0.4 to 2

Using a sample of almost 7000 strong Mg  ii absorbers with   W ₀ > 1 Å  and  0.4 < z < 2.2  detected in the SDSS DR4 data set, we investigate the gravitational lensing and dust extinction effects they induce on background quasars. After carefully quantifying several selection biases, we isolate the reddening effects as a function of redshift and absorber rest equivalent width, W ₀. We find the amount of dust to increase with cosmic time as  τ( z ) ∝ (1 + z )^−1.1±0.4  , following the evolution of cosmic star density or integrated star formation rate. We measure the reddening effects over a factor of 30 in E ( B − V ) and we find that  τ∝ ( W ₀)^1.9±0.1  , providing us with an important scaling for theoretical modelling of metal absorbers. We also measure the dust-to-metal ratio and find it similar to that of the Milky Way. In contrast to previous studies, we do not detect any gravitational magnification by Mg  ii systems. We measure the upper limit  μ < 1.10  and discuss the origin of the discrepancy. Finally, we estimate the fraction of absorbers missed due to extinction effects and show that it rises from 1 to 50 per cent in the range  1 < W ₀ < 6 Å  . We parametrize this effect and provide a correction for recovering the intrinsic  ∂ N /∂ W ₀  distribution.     

Grain alignment in dense interstellar environments: spectropolarimetry of the 4.67-μm CO-ice feature in the field star Elias 16 (Taurus dark cloud)

We present spectropolarimetry of the solid CO feature at 4.67 μm along the line of sight to Elias 16, a field star background to the Taurus dark cloud. A clear increase in polarization is observed across the feature with the peak of polarization shifted in wavelength relative to the peak of absorption. This shows that dust grains in dense, cold environments (temperatures ∼20 K or less) can align and produce polarization by dichroic absorption. For a grain model, consisting of a core with a single mantle, the polarization feature is best modelled by a thick CO mantle, possibly including 10 per cent water-ice, with the volume ratio of mantle to bare grain of ∼5. Radiative torques could be responsible for the grain alignment provided the grain radius is at least 0.5 μm. This would require the grain cores to have a radius of at least 0.3 μm, much larger than grain sizes in the diffuse interstellar medium. Sizes of this order seem reasonable on the basis of independent evidence for grain growth by coagulation, as well as mantle formation, inside dense clouds.     

Determining the interstellar extinction and distances for Galactic novae

Using photometric data for Galactic novae, we compared the Sharov (1963) and Schlegel et al. (1998) interstellar extinction maps. We found the distances and extinctions for 64 novae.     

当代生物多样性剧减与古-中生代之交生物绝灭的对比

18世纪以来人类活动对环境造成了强烈破坏,给生物多样性带来了巨大损失.为了了解生物多样性的变化趋势,利用"绝灭物种统计法"、"种-区曲线法"和化石记录对400年以来的生物多样性和古-中生代之交的生物绝灭进行了分析.当代生物多样性剧减表现为物种的快速绝灭(从8×104种/Ma增大到1.2×106种/Ma),而属的绝灭几乎为0;古-中生代之交生物绝灭的初始阶段也表现为物种的快速绝灭(从40种/Ma增大到150种/Ma),并且这个阶段的属的绝灭速率远低于绝灭高峰阶段的相应值(即66属/Ma远小于465属/Ma),可见当代生物多样性剧减相当于二叠-三叠系之交生物绝灭的初始阶段.     

下三叠统鲕粒灰岩中微生物矿化组构特征及意义 ——以川东北地区飞仙关组为例

PTB全球最大生物灭绝事件后,早三叠世被认为是微生物发育繁殖的黄金时期,浅水环境是微生物活动及微生物岩形成的最有利环境。借助高分辨率扫描电镜和能谱分析,在川东北地区开江—梁平海槽西侧下三叠统飞仙关组浅水碳酸盐岩台地边缘的鲕粒灰岩中发现了三种微生物矿化组构:空腔状微生物矿化组构、显微瘤状微生物矿化组构和纤状微生物矿化组构;通过沉积学、岩石学及地球化学的综合分析,认为显微瘤状微生物矿化组构是微生物新陈代谢时形成的纳米球状云质颗粒,纤状微生物矿化组构是微生物的胞外聚合物,而空腔状微生物矿化组构则属于微生物个体。这些微生物矿化组构的发现,为早三叠世微生物大爆发提供了一定的直观证据;推测大量的微生物活动是早三叠世碳酸盐快速沉积现象的直接诱因,并导致于二叠纪末发育的克拉通内裂陷——开江—梁平海槽在早三叠世被快速填平。     

绝对重力仪激光器光纤对准调节方法概述

绝对重力仪激光器光纤由于应力变化、形状改变、震动或耦合器维护等原因破坏了输出激光的偏振态,使其在光纤内的传输变得非常不稳定,导致光纤输出激光的消光比值小于100,无法满足绝对重力观测条件。针对该问题,介绍了光纤对准调节的方法,通过设计消光比检测装置检验消光比值是否大于100。对#181和#250两台WEO100型He-Ne激光器的光纤进行对准调节实验,并通过消光比检测装置实测,两台激光器输出的光束消光比值满足绝对重力测量的条件,表明该对准调节方法科学有效。