On the origin of warps and the role of the intergalactic medium

There is still no consensus as to what causes galactic discs to become warped. Successful models should account for the frequent occurrence of warps in quite isolated galaxies, their amplitude as well as the observed azimuthal and vertical distributions of the H  i layer. Intergalactic accretion flows and intergalactic magnetic fields may bend the outer parts of spiral galaxies. In this paper we consider the viability of these non-gravitational torques to take the gas off the plane. We show that magnetically generated warps are clearly flawed because they would wrap up into a spiral in less than two or three galactic rotations. The inclusion of any magnetic diffusivity to dilute the wrapping effect causes the amplitude of the warp to damp. We also consider the observational consequences of the accretion of an intergalactic plane-parallel flow at infinity. We have computed the amplitude and warp asymmetry in the accretion model, for a disc embedded in a flattened dark matter halo, including self-consistently the contribution of the modes with azimuthal wavenumbers   m = 0  and   m = 1  . Since the m = 0 component, giving a U-shaped profile, is not negligible compared to the m = 1 component, this model predicts quite asymmetric warps, maximum gas displacements on the two sides in the ratio 3 : 2 for the preferred Galactic parameters, and the presence of a fraction ∼3.5 per cent of U-shaped warps, at least. The azimuthal dependence of the moment transfer by the ram pressure would produce a strong asymmetry in the thickness of the H  i layer and asymmetric density distributions in z , in conflict with observational data for the warp in our Galaxy and in external galaxies. The amount of accretion that is required to explain the Galactic warp would give gas scaleheights in the far outer disc that are too small. We conclude that accretion of a flow with no net angular momentum cannot be the main and only cause of warps.     

Precise positions of Phoebe determined with CCD image-overlapping calibration

This paper presents 210 positions of Phoebe, the ninth satellite of Saturn, observed with the 1-m telescope at the Yunnan Observatory during the years 2003–2005, using a CCD image-overlapping calibration method proposed recently by Peng et al. After the observed positions of Phoebe are compared with its theoretical positions computed by the new JPL ephemerides DE405 and SAT199, the mean residuals (observed minus computed) are 0.21 and −0.05 arcsec in right ascension and declination, respectively, with a standard deviation of 0.06 arcsec.     

The radio properties of the cD galaxy of Abell 2390

We present multifrequency, multi-epoch radio imaging of the complex radio source B2151+174 in the core of the cluster, Abell 2390  ( z ≃ 0.23)  . From new and literature data, we conclude that the Faranoff–Riley type II (FRII)-powerful radio source is the combination of a compact, core-dominated 'medium-sized symmetric object' (MSO) with a more extended, steeper spectrum mini-halo. B2151+174 is unusual in a number of important aspects. (i) It is one of the most compact and flat spectrum sources in a cluster core known; (ii) it shows a complex, compact twin-jet structure in a north–south orientation; (iii) the orientation of the jets is 45° misaligned with apparent structure (ionization cones and dust disc) of the host galaxy on larger scales. Since the twin-jet of the MSO has its northern half with an apparent 'twist', it might be that precession of the central supermassive black hole explains this misalignment. B2151+174 may be an example of the early stage (10³–10⁴ yr duration) of a 'bubble' being blown into the intracluster medium where the plasma has yet to expand.     

时频测控技术的发展

目前，在所有的物理量中时间与频率标准的物理实现具有最高的准确度和稳定度，它们的发展不但在计量技术中，而且在几乎整个高科技领域中起着十分重要的作用。这方面的发展一直受到发达国家的高度重视。根据近年来与国外同行的技术交流和了解的情况，对时频测控技术的发展和影响等作了介绍。