On the size distribution of ice-supersaturated regions in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere

In order to determine typical sizes of ice-supersaturated regions (ISSRs) in the upper troposphere and lowermost stratosphere we set up the frequency distribution of path lengths flown by MOZAIC aircraft within ISSRs. The mean path length is about 150 km with a standard deviation of 250 km. We analyse the influence of a selection bias (viz. that large ISSRs are more often crossed by aircraft than small ones) on the obtained path length statistics and derive a mathematical equation that relates the path length distribution to the underlying size distribution of ISSRs, assuming that they have circular shape. We solve the equation (by trial and error) and test the result using numerical simulations. Surprisingly, we find that there may be many more very small ISSRs than apparent from the data such that the true mean diameter of the ISSRs may be of the order a few kilometres only. The relevance of the result is discussed and dedicated research flights to measure the true extension of ISSRs are recommended.     

达尔文气压变化与蒙古东北部降水的关系研究

达尔文港是气象工作者非常熟悉的地名,因为南方涛动就是由达尔文和塔希提岛两个站的气压之差来定义的,达尔文港的气压(DP)可以代表澳大利亚北部海洋性大陆地区的气压.因此,作者的研究目的就是揭示该区域气压系统的变化与蒙古东北部降水的关系.结果表明,DP的正位相和区域低层大气辐散、高层大气辐合环流相关连,在亚洲对流层上层是异常西南风,对流层下层是异常偏北风,东亚季风减弱,在蒙古东北部地区的异常风为西北向,即,由内陆地区吹向西北太平洋地区,这意味着水汽由海洋向蒙古地区的输送减弱了,从而造成了降水的减少.反之亦然.     

The alignment of clusters using large-scale simulations

The alignment of clusters of galaxies with their nearest neighbours and between clusters within a supercluster is investigated using simulations of 512³ dark matter particles for ΛCDM and τ CDM cosmological models. Strongly significant alignments are found for separations of up to 15  h ⁻¹ Mpc in both cosmologies, but for the ΛCDM model the alignments extend up to separations of 30  h ⁻¹ Mpc. The effect is strongest for nearest neighbours, but is not significant enough to be useful as an observational discriminant between cosmologies. As a check of whether this difference in alignments is present in other cosmologies, smaller simulations with 256³ particles are investigated for four different cosmological models. Because of poor number statistics, only the standard CDM model shows indications of having different alignments from the other models.     

The Observed and Simulated Major Summer Climate Features in Northwest China and Their Sensitivity to Land Surface Processes

Northwest China （NWC） is a typical arid and semi-arid region. In this study, the main summer climate features over NWC are presented and the performance of an atmospheric general circulation model （NCEP GCM/SSiB） over this region is evaluated. Satellite-derived vegetation products are applied in the model. Based on comparison with observational data and Reanalysis II data, the model generally captures major features of the NWC summer energy balance and circulation. These features include： a high surface tem- perature center dominating the planetary boundary layer; widespread descending motion; an anticyclone （cyclone） located in the lower and middle （upper） troposphere, covering most parts of central NWC; and the precipitation located mainly in the high elevation areas surrounding NWC.
The sensitivity of the summer energy balance and circulation over NWC and surrounding regions to land surface processes is assessed with specified land cover change. In the sensitivity experiment, the degradation over most parts of NWC, except the Taklimakan desert, decreases the surface-absorbed radiation and leads to weaker surface thermal effects. In northern Xinjiang and surrounding regions, less latent heating causes stronger anomalous lower-level anticyclonic circulation and upper-level cyclonic circulation, leading to less summer precipitation and higher surface temperature. Meanwhile, the dry conditions in the Hexi Corridor produce less change in the latent heat flux. The circulation change to the north of this area plays a domi- nant role in indirectly changing lower-level cyclonic conditions, producing more convergence, weaker vertical descending motion, and thus an increase in the precipitation over this region.     

A Catalog of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the IRAS Survey and Second Data Release of SDSS

We selected a sample of luminous infrared galaxies by cross-identification of the Faint Source Catalogue (FSC) and Point Source Catalogue (PSC) of the IRAS Survey with the Second Data Release of the SDSS. The size of our sample is 1267 for FSC and 427 for PSC by using the 2σ significance level cross-section. The "likelihood ratio" method is used to estimate the individual's reliability and for defining two more reliable subsamples (908 for FSC and 356 for PSC). A catalog of infrared, optical and radio data is compiled and will be used in further work. Some statistical results show that luminous infrared galaxies are quite different from ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. The AGN fractions of galaxies at different infrared luminosities and the radio-infrared correlations are consistent with the previous studies.     

Relativist ic Corrections to the Thermal Sunyaev-Zel''''dovich Power Spectrum

We present a quantitative estimate of the relativistic corrections to the thermal SZ power spectrum produced by the energetic electrons in massive clusters. The corrections are well within 10% for current experiments with working frequencies below v < 100 GHz, but become non-negligible at high frequencies v > 350 GHz. Moreover, the corrections appear to be slightly smaller at higher l or smaller angular scales. We conclude that there is no need to include the relativistic corrections in the theoretical study of the SZ power spectrum especially at low frequencies unless the SZ power spectrum is used for precision cosmology.     

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.     

Dynamical studies of cluster pairs in the Magellanic Clouds

We performed N -body simulations of star cluster encounters with Hernquist's TREECODE in a CRAY YMP-2E computer under different initial conditions (relative positions and velocities, cluster sizes, masses and concentration degrees). The total number of particles per simulation ranged from 1024 to 20480. These models are compared with a series of isodensity maps of cluster pairs in the Magellanic Clouds. Evidence is found that during the interactions, transient morphological effects such as an expanded halo, isophotal deformation and isophotal twisting can occur as a result of tidal effects and dynamical friction. The simulations also show that different outcomes are possible depending on the initial parameters: (i) long-standing changes of concentration degree can occur after the collision; (ii) one member can disaggregate; or (iii) the pair can coalesce into a single cluster with a distinct structure compared with the original ones. These simulations can reproduce a wide range of morphological structures in observed cluster pairs.     

Undamped oscillations of collisionless stellar systems: Spheres,spheroids and discs

The collisionless Boltzmann equation governing self-gravitating systems such as galaxies has recently been shown to admit exact oscillating solutions with planar and spherical symmetry. The relation of the spherically symmetric solutions to the Virial theorem, as well as generalizations to non-uniform spheres, uniform spheroids and discs form the subject of this paper. These models generalize known families of static solutions. The case of the spheroid is worked out in some detail. Quasiperiodic as well as chaotic time variation of the two axes is demonstrated by studying the surface of section for the associated Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom. The relation to earlier work and possible implications for the general problem of collisionless relaxation in self gravitating systems are also discussed