Three dimensional simulation of fluid flow in X‐ray CT images of porous media

A numerical scheme is developed in order to simulate fluid flow in three dimensional (3‐D) microstructures. The governing equations for steady incompressible flow are solved using the semi‐implicit method for pressure‐linked equations (SIMPLE) finite difference scheme within a non‐staggered grid system that represents the 3‐D microstructure. This system allows solving the governing equations using only one computational cell. The numerical scheme is verified through simulating fluid flow in idealized 3‐D microstructures with known closed form solutions for permeability. The numerical factors affecting the solution in terms of convergence and accuracy are also discussed. These factors include the resolution of the analysed microstructure and the truncation criterion. Fluid flow in 2‐D X‐ray computed tomography (CT) images of real porous media microstructure is also simulated using this numerical model. These real microstructures include field cores of asphalt mixes, laboratory linear kneading compactor (LKC) specimens, and laboratory Superpave gyratory compactor (SGC) specimens. The numerical results for the permeability of the real microstructures are compared with the results from closed form solutions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulations of multimode bolometric interferometers

We describe a procedure for the numerical modelling of astronomical interferometers, with particular relevance to far-infrared and submillimetre wavelengths. The scheme is based on identifying a set of modes that carry power from the sky to the detector. The procedure is extremely general, and can be used to model scalar or vector fields, in any state of coherence and polarization, the only limitation being that the propagation of a coherent field through the system be described by an integral transform, a constraint that is in practise always met.
We present simulations of ideal, multimode two-dimensional interferometers, and show that the modal theory reproduces the correct behaviour of both Michelson and Fizeau interferometers. We calculate simulated visibility data for a multimode bolometric Michelson interferometer, with a synthesized source, and produce a dirty map, recovering the original source with the usual artefacts associated with interferometers.     

EUV and coronagraphic observations of coronal mass ejections

The Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) and Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) onboard Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) provide us with unprecedented multi-wavelength observations helping us to understand different dynamic phenomena on the Sun and in the corona. In this paper we discuss the association between post-eruptive arcades (PEAs) detected by EIT and white-light coronal mass ejections (CMEs) detected by LASCO/C2 telescope.     

Self-consistent response of a galactic disc to vertical perturbations

We study the self-consistent, linear response of a galactic disc to vertical perturbations, as induced, say, by a tidal interaction. We calculate the self-gravitational potential corresponding to a non-axisymmetric, self-consistent density response of the disc using the Green's function method. The response potential is shown to oppose the perturbation potential because the self-gravity of the disc resists the imposed potential, and this resistance is stronger in the inner parts of a galactic disc. For the   m = 1  azimuthal wavenumber, the disc response opposes the imposed perturbation up to a radius that spans a range of 4–6 disc scalelengths, so that the disc shows a net warp only beyond this region. This physically explains the well known but so far unexplained observation that warps typically set in beyond this range of radii. We show that the inclusion of a dark matter halo in the calculation only marginally changes (by ∼10 per cent) the radius for the onset of warps. For perturbations with higher azimuthal wavenumbers, the net signature of the vertical perturbations can only be seen at larger radii – for example, beyond 7 exponential disc scalelengths for   m = 10  . Also, for the high- m cases, the magnitude of the negative disc response due to the disc self-gravity is much smaller. This is shown to result in corrugations of the mid-plane density, which explains the puzzling scalloping with   m = 10  detected in H  i in the outermost regions ∼30 kpc in the Galaxy.     

The Relation between the Amplitude and the Period of Solar Cycles

The maximum amplitudes of solar activity cycles are found to be well anti-correlated (r = -0.72) with the newly defined solar cycle lengths three cycles before (at lag -3) in 13-month running mean sunspot numbers during the past 190 years. This result could be used for predicting the maximum sunspot numbers. The amplitudes of Cycles 24 and 25 are estimated to be 149.5±27.6 and 144.3±27.6, respectively.     

GPS/LEO掩星观测的变分同化技术

在简单介绍GPS/LEO掩星探测大气的发展历史和科学意义之后,详细阐述了反演的基本原理;分析了标准反演中存在的问题,并说明一维变分同化(1DVAR)在反演方法中的重要性;给出了一维变分同化中价值函数的求解,以及各种同化因子;简单介绍了对当前气象学中普遍使用的四维变分同化(4DVAR);重点讨论了各种同化方法,以及使用各种同化因子的优缺点。最后,通过CHAMP卫星的观测实例分析,验证了GPS数据在数值天气预报(NWP)中的作用,以及相对于标准反演法一维变分对气象要素的改进。     

Disk galaxy evolution: from the Milky Way to high-redshift disks

We develop a detailed model of the Milky Way (a `prototypical' disk galaxy) and extend it to other disks with the help of some simple scaling relations, obtained in the framework of Cold Dark Matter models. This phenomenological (`hybrid') approach to the study of disk galaxy evolution allows us to reproduce successfully a large number of observed properties of disk galaxies in the local Universe and up to redshift z ∼ 1. The important conclusion is that, on average, massive disks have formed the bulk of their stars earlier than their lower mass counterparts: the `star formation hierarchy' has been apparently opposite to the `dark matter assembly' hierarchy. It is not yet clear whether `feedback' (as used in semi-analytical models of galaxy evolution) can explain that discrepancy. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.