Hubble Space Telescope photometry of globular clusters in the Sombrero galaxy

We explore the rich globular cluster (GC) system of the nearby Sa galaxy M104, the 'Sombrero' (NGC 4594), using archive Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 data. The GC colour distribution is found to be bimodal at the >99 per cent confidence level, with peaks at     and     . The inferred metallicities are very similar to those of GCs in our Galaxy and M31. However, the Sombrero reveals a much enhanced number of red (metal-rich) GCs compared to other well-studied spirals. Because the Sombrero is dominated by a huge bulge and only has a modest disc, we associate the two subpopulations with the halo and bulge components, respectively. Thus our analysis supports the view that the metal-rich GCs in spirals are associated with the bulge rather than with the disc. The Sombrero GCs have typical effective (half-light) radii of ∼2 pc with the red ones being ∼30 per cent smaller than the blue ones. We identify many similarities between the GC system of the Sombrero and those of both late-type spirals and early-type galaxies. Thus both the GC system and the Hubble type of the Sombrero galaxy appear to be intermediate in their nature.     

Stellar Populations in Bulges of Spiral Galaxies

We present a few results of a work in progress tackling the radial spectroscopic properties of bulges of spiral galaxies. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Classical Cepheids in the Galactic outer ring R1R ′2

The kinematics and distribution of classical Cepheids within ∼3 kpc from the Sun suggest the existence of the outer ring R₁R ′₂ in the Galaxy. The optimum value of the solar position angle with respect to the major axis of the bar, θ_b, providing the best agreement between the distribution of Cepheids and model particles, is θ_b = 37° ±13°. The kinematical features obtained for Cepheids with negative galactocentric radial velocity V_R are consistent with the solar location near the descending segment of the outer ring R₂. The sharp rise of extinction toward of the Galactic center can be explained by the presence of the outer ring R₁ near the Sun. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A study of the kinematics of unusually H I‐rich galaxies

We examine the H I kinematics of the “Bluedisk” ensemble of 48 galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and observed in H I with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. The sample consists of 25 galaxies with a high H I mass fraction and a comparatively large control sample comprising 23 galaxies of comparable stellar mass, stellar mass surface density, redshift, and inclination. By studying the H I velocity fields of these galaxies, we investigate whether there are signatures of ongoing gas accretion: i.e. global asymmetries and indications for warping and kinematical lopsidedness. We find no enhanced kinematical asymmetries between the H I‐rich sample and the control sample galaxies, indicating no significant difference in kinematical signatures such as warping and lopsidedness. Furthermore, we find no difference in position angle and systemic velocity offset with respect to the optical between both sub‐samples. We therefore do not find compelling evidence for enhanced global asymmetry of the H I‐excess galaxies ensemble properties in comparison to the control sample galaxies. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

2011年长江中下游旱涝急转及汛期暴雨的对流条件研究

利用ERA-Interim及雨量和土壤水分观测资料,对比诊断了2011年5—6月长江中下游梅汛前极旱期急转为梅汛期洪涝的极端天气事件的对流条件（水汽、不稳定、抬升作用）差异及特征,并研究条件性湿位涡垂直通量（CMF）指数与暴雨之间的定量关系。结果表明:在极旱期,干冷的东北气流控制,西太平洋副热带高压偏东,低层水汽通量弱且以偏北风输送为主,中低层为下沉气流,无低空急流,等θ_se线稀疏,边界层抬升机制缺乏,是干旱加剧的主要因子;在梅汛期,西南气流增强,西太平洋副热带高压西伸,低层气流在长江地区辐合,低层水汽通量增加且转为西南和东南风输送为主,伴随高低空急流耦合和深厚的上升运动,等θ_se线密集形成梅雨锋,增强不稳定暖湿空气强迫抬升和垂直输送,造成暴雨频发,引起区域性洪涝。暴雨中心600 hPa以下为负湿位涡的不稳定层,对流不稳定与条件性对称不稳定共同作用是强降水发生的不稳定机制。CMF指数与旱涝变化、暴雨过程演变非常一致,在极旱（梅汛）期,CMF指数低（高）,变化平缓（剧烈）,CMF指数在暴雨开始时逐步剧增,结束时迅速减小。      

台风螺旋雨带云结构和降水形成机制研究

应用数值模式结果,选择台风登陆后两个不同时次螺旋雨带中两个强降水中心,对台风螺旋雨带的云结构和降水形成机制进行诊断分析.结果发现螺旋雨带云结构和降水形成机制有如下特点:在9～13 km高空范围内冰晶的非均质核化非常活跃,冰晶转化率高于台风眼壁暴雨数倍,但是冰晶通过贝吉龙过程生长为雪、雪通过凝华增长生长为霰的过程相对台风眼壁很弱,螺旋雨带雨水形成微物理机制以霰粒子融化成雨水(pgmlt)为主,冰相粒子转化率大值区位于垂直上升气流大值区,8 km高度霰收集雪(dgacs)干增长是最主要的冰相粒子生长过程,与北方层状云比较,螺旋雨带暴雨冷云中的凝华过程和撞冻过程非常活跃.螺旋雨带云水凝结过程呈双峰型,位于7～8 km高度冷云区的云水凝结峰值较大,暖云区0.5～1.5 km高度云水凝结峰值次之.