Optical monitoring of the quasar 4C 38.41

The results of a photometric monitoring of the quasar 4C 38.41, performed at the optical R and B bands in 2002 February–March, are presented. With a 60/90 cm Schmidt telescope at the Xinglong station of the National Astronomical Observatories of China, we observed the source exhibiting amplitude variations of up to 0.78 mag in both bands during the whole campaign. Intraday and even intranight variations are detected as well. A typical variability time-scale of about 36 d is derived from our 2-month observations at the optical bands, which is identical to that found at a radio wavelength of 92 cm, suggesting a common origin for the variations in 4C 38.41 from optical to radio bands.     

Infrared Afterglow of the Gamma Ray Burst GRB041219 as the Result of Reradiation from Dust in a Circumstellar Cloud

Observations of the afterglows of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) in different spectral ranges yield valuable information both about the nature of GRBs and about the properties of the surrounding medium. A powerful infrared (IR) afterglow has been observed at the site of the strong GRB041219. Here we interpret the observed IR afterglow as the result of a reprocessing of gamma radiation on dust in a cloud surrounding the GRB source. In this model we do not expect the appearance of a prompt optical afterglow which should be absorbed by the surrounding dust cloud. We estimate the collimation angle of the gamma radiation and obtain limits on the red shift (distance to the GRB source) by matching the model parameters to the experimental data.__________Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 439–444 (August 2005).     

Hydrated sulphuric acid in dense molecular clouds

We consider sulphur depletion in dense molecular clouds, and suggest hydrated sulphuric acid, H₂SO₄ ·  n H₂O, as a component of interstellar dust in icy mantles. We discuss the formation of hydrated sulphuric acid in collapsing clouds and its instability in heated regions in terms of the existing hot core models and observations. We also show that some features of the infrared spectrum of hydrated sulphuric acid have correspondence in the observed spectra of young stellar objects.     

A Unified Model for Black Hole X-Ray Binary Jets?

We have recently put forward a ‘unified’ semi-empirical model for the coupling between accretion and jet production in galactic black hole X-ray binaries. In this paper, we summarise this model and briefly discuss relevant considerations that have arisen since its publication.     

J1128+592: a highly variable IDV source

Short time‐scale radio variations of compact extragalactic radio quasars and blazars known as IntraDay Variability (IDV) can be explained in at least some sources as a propagation effect; the variations are interpreted as scintillation of radio waves in the turbulent interstellar medium of the Milky Way. One of the most convincing observational arguments in favor of a propagation‐induced variability scenario is the observed annual modulation in the characteristic time scale of the variation due to the Earth's orbital motion. So far there are only two sources known with a well‐constrained seasonal cycle. Annual modulation has been proposed for a few other less well‐documented objects. However, for some other IDV sources source‐intrinsic structural variations which cause drastic changes in the variability time scale were also suggested. J1128+592 is a recently discovered, highly variable IDV source. Previous, densely time‐sampled flux‐density measurements with the Effelsberg 100‐m radio telescope (Germany) and the Urumqi 25‐m radio telescope (China), strongly indicate an annual modulation of the time scale. The most recent 4 observations in 2006/7, however, do not fit well to the annual modulation model proposed before. In this paper, we investigate a possible explanation of this discrepancy. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

陕北地区动物骨骼的脂肪酸单体碳同位素分析

基于动物油脂的脂肪酸单体碳同位素模型开展古代样品的脂肪酸单体碳同位素分析可细化脂肪来源, 有助于探究动物资源的加工利用、相关载体的使用功能及先民饮食策略, 从而为古代人类的生活方式和古代社会的经济形态提供重要信息。目前该模型已得到国外诸多地区现代动物样品的验证, 但其在中国的适用性尚不明晰。文章对陕北地区石峁遗址和高家洼遗址出土的动物骨骼开展了脂肪酸分析, 并对其中1例缺乏形态鉴定特征的碎骨样本进行ZooMS(基于质谱的动物考古学)分析。结果显示, 该碎骨样本的一系列特征肽段与鹿和绵羊的部分肽段相匹配, 表明其为鹿或绵羊。家养动物(猪、普通牛、羊亚科)中, 除2例绵羊显现出较强的C4饮食信号, 应源于粟类作物副产品或人工采集的藜科植物消费; 其余动物均表现为C3/C4类混合特征, 意味着存在野生C3植物的摄入。相比其他遗址, 石峁遗址采取了相对粗放的家猪管理模式; 而牛、羊饲养模式的多样化可能是先民在当地自然条件下对新兴家畜品种开展探索性饲养活动的反映。野生动物(梅花鹿、马鹿)中, 2例鹿具有较高的δ13C16:0和δ13C18:0值, 应有C4植物的摄入, 表明龙山时代陕北地区先民与鹿存在互动关系。古代陕北地区C4植物对饮食的贡献使得该地区的动物脂肪酸单体碳同位素数据相对于前人建立的"δ13C18:0-δ13C16:0"分布模型存在正向偏移, 但仍可通过计算Δ13C值来区分该地区的动物脂肪来源(Δ13C>0‰为非反刍动物体脂, -3.3‰ <Δ13C <0‰为反刍动物体脂)。     

Time-dependent photoionization opacities in dense gamma-ray burst environments

The recent detection of a transient absorption feature in the X-ray prompt emission of GRB 990705 showed the importance of such observations in the understanding of gamma-ray bursts and their progenitors. We investigate the time dependence of photoionization edges during the prompt emission of bursts in different environments. We show that their variability can be used to infer the density and geometry of the surrounding medium, giving important clues to unveil the nature of the burst progenitor.