An orbital period investigation of the Algol-type eclipsing binary VW Hydrae

Orbital period variations of the Algol-type eclipsing binary, VW Hydrae, are analyzed based on one newly determined eclipse time and the other times of light minima collected from the literature. It is discovered that the orbital period shows a continuous increase at a rate of dP/dt = +6.34×10-7 d yr-1 while it undergoes a cyclic change with an amplitude of 0.0639 d and a period of 51.5 yr. After the long-term period increase and the large-amphtude period oscillation were subtracted from the O-C curve, the residuals of the photoelectric and CCD data indicate a small-amplitude cyclic variation with a period of 8.75 yr and a small amplitude of 0.0048d. The continuous period increase indicates a conservative mass transfer at a rate of dM2/dt = 7.89×10-8 M⊙ yr-1 from the secondary to the primary. The period increase may be caused by a combination of the mass transfer from the secondary to the primary and the angular momentum transfer from the binary system to the circumbinary disk. The two cyclic period oscillations can be explained by light-travel time effects via the presence of additional bodies. The small-amplitude periodic change indicates the existence of a less massive component with mass M3 > 0.53 M⊙, while the large-amplitude one is caused by the presence of a more massive component with mass M4 > 2.84 M⊙. The ultraviolet source in the system reported by Kviz & Rufener (1987) may be one of the additional components, and it is possible that the more massive one may be an unseen neutron star or black hole. The rapid period increase and the possibility of the presence of two additional components in the binary make it a very interesting system to study. New photometric and high-resolution spectroscopic observations and a detailed investigation of those data are required in the future.     

An unusual timing and spectral state of a black hole microquasar XTE J1550-564

An unusual timing and spectral state of a black hole microquasar XTE J1550-564 observed with RXTE is analyzed. Millisecond variabilities are found, which are significantly shorter than the minimum possible time scale in the light curves of black hole binaries, as suggested by Sunyaev & Revnivtsev (2000). The X-ray spectral fitting result indicates that there is an unusual soft component in the spectrum, which may be responsible for the millisecond variabilities. The millisecond variabilities as well as the unusual soft spectral component should be produced from some small, but independent active regions in the accretion disk.     

内蒙古苏莫查干敖包萤石矿区流纹岩锆石SHRIMP定年及地质意义

内蒙古苏查（苏莫查干敖包）萤石矿区晚古生代火山沉积岩分布广泛,主要岩石类型有碳泥质板岩、结晶灰岩、凝灰岩、千枚岩、英安岩和流纹岩,其中碳泥质板岩和流纹岩为苏查特大型萤石矿床的顶和底板围岩。采用锆石SHRIMP UPb铅法分别对底板围岩中蚀变流纹岩和顶板围岩中未蚀变流纹岩样品进行了同位素年代测定,所获数据分别为276±10 Ma和271±8 Ma。蚀变和未蚀变流纹岩的形成时间均为海西晚期（早二叠世）。苏查萤石矿区早二叠世流纹岩是华北陆台与西伯利亚板块从碰撞挤压到松弛张裂转折期,酸性岩浆喷发活动的产物,其成岩物质来自壳、幔混合源。早二叠世流纹岩的出现不仅标志着苏查到西里庙地区海西期构造岩浆活动的终结,同时也为苏查特大型萤石矿床的成矿作用提供了动力、热力和物质来源。早二叠世流纹岩成岩时代的厘定不仅为阐明华北陆台北缘西段构造演化历史提供了科学依据,而且对于查明流纹岩的原岩性质和圈定新的萤石矿床找矿靶区也具有重要意义。     

西秦岭北缘新阳—元龙韧性剪切带中花岗质糜棱岩黑云母40Ar 39Ar年龄及地质意义

西秦岭北缘新阳-元龙大型韧性剪切带是分划西秦岭造山带与祁连造山带的区域主构造边界,通过对其物质组成和构造特征的研究,结合两侧不同(洋-陆)构造环境下各类地质体的研究成果,重点对剪切带内花岗质糜棱岩中黑云母单矿物进行了~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar定年研究.在新阳镇和元龙北剪切带中分别获得(347.95±2.17)Ma (MSWD＝1.89)和(351.70±1.72)Ma (MSWD＝0.80)的坪年龄,分析确定其应为黑云母的冷却年龄,表明变形时代应在早石炭世早期之前;反映了最晚在早石炭世早期,该剪切带已横切秦岭与祁连造山带并发生强烈的右行走滑构造拼贴作用.