The Dust in Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) during Its Disintegration: Narrow-Band Images, Color Maps, and Dynamical Models

Comet C/1999 S4 was observed with the 2m-telescopes of the Bulgarian National Observatory and Pik Terskol Observatory, Northern Caucasus, Russia, at the time of its disintegration. Maps of the dust brightness and color were constructed from images obtained in red and blue continuum windows, free from cometary molecular emissions. We analyze the dust environment of Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) taking into account the observed changes apparent in the brightness images and in plots of Afρ profiles as function of the projected distance ρ from the nucleus. We also make use of the syndyne-synchrone formalism and of a Monte Carlo model based on the Finson-Probstein theory of dusty comets. The brightness and color of individual dust particles, which is needed to derive theoretical brightness and color maps of the cometary dust coma from the Monte Carlo model, is determined from calculations of the light scattering properties of randomly oriented oblate spheroids. In general, the dust of Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) is strongly reddened, with reddening values up to 30%/1000 Å in some locations. Often the reddening is higher in envelopes further away from the nucleus. We observed two outbursts of the comet with brightness peaks on July 14 and just before July 24, 2000, when the final disintegration of the comet started. During both outbursts an excess of small particles was released. Shortly after both outbursts the dust coma “turns blue.” After the first outburst, the whole coma was affected; after the second one only a narrow band of reduced color close to the tail axis was formed. This difference is explained by different terminal ejection speeds, which were much lower than normal in case of the second outburst. In particular in the second, final outburst the excess small particles could originate from fragmentation of “fresh” larger particles.     

东亚及西太平洋边缘海高分辨率面波层析成像

根据欧亚大陆及西太平洋地区58个数字地震台站约12000个长周期波形记录,挑选出4100条面波大圆传播路径,采用面波频散及波形拟合反演方法,对东亚及西太平洋边缘海地区(60°E-160°E,20°S-60°N)的地壳上地幔进行了高分辨率三维S波速度成像. 结果表明,从上地壳到70km深,在东亚东部及西太平洋边缘海地区为高速分布,西部以青藏高原为中心呈极低速分布. 自地中海经土耳其、伊朗、喜马拉雅山到缅甸、印尼群岛的特提斯汇聚碰撞带,显示为低速异常链. 从85km至250km深,在东亚东部及西太平洋边缘海,自北向南显示出一条巨型低速异常带,西部地区为高速异常分布.以东经110°E为界,东西两部分岩石圈、软流圈的结构与深部动力过程有着巨大的差异. 此界线以西主要是印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞引起的岩石圈汇聚增厚区,东部则主要是由于软流圈上涌(地幔热物质上升)引起的岩石圈拉张减薄区.     

滇西北兰坪盆地金顶超大型矿床有机岩相学和地球化学

云南兰坪金顶矿床是世界上形成时代最新且唯一陆相沉积岩容矿的超大型铅锌矿床,也是中国目前最大的铅锌矿床,有机物质在金属成矿中可能发挥重要作用,受人关注。矿石及矿化岩石中产有包括干酪根、轻油、烃类气、重油、沥青及方解石中石油、甲烷包裹体等多种形式、产状和成熟度的有机物质,油气显示突出,古油气藏遗迹明显,是金顶古油气藏在铅锌成矿过程中热成熟、裂解和被改造、破坏不同阶段的产物。有机物质的氯仿沥青"A"变化大(72×10~(-6)～395415.42×10~(-6))。"A"的族组分中,总烃(58.47%)大于"非烃 沥青烯"(41.53%),饱和烃/芳香烃比值大于1,具Ⅰ型有机母质特征。有机转化率(A/C=0.5%～7.2%)较矿床外围岩石低,有机热成熟度高。矿石及矿化岩石中有机质的饱和烃包括正构烷烃、Pr、Ph和iC_(18)等化合物,碳数分布介于C_(10)～C_(34)之间,C_(21 22)/C_(28 29)=0.78～3.582,Pr/C_(17)=0.25～0.646,Ph/C_(18)=0.39～1.57,有机母质为海相菌藻类。有机质中检测出萘、菲、三芳甾烷、联苯、荧蒽等芳香烃类化合物,菲系列化合物最为明显,MPI_1 =0.215～0.434,MPI_2=0.252～0.588,菌藻等有机母质发育在高盐度还原沉积环境,烃源岩主要是三叠系残留海相碳质泥岩和泥灰岩。伴随金顶局部穹隆过程,很可能在金顶穹隆中形成油气藏,它是矿区铅锌快速大规模集中成矿的重要还原剂之一。     

中国及邻区瑞利面波高分辨率层析成像及其地球动力学意义

用分布于欧亚大陆及西太平洋地区106个宽频带数字地震台站约2万多个长周期波形记录,挑选出沿10600条大圆路径传播的瑞利面波,采用频散分析及波形拟合反演方法,对中国及相邻地区地壳上地幔进行高分辨率三维层析成像。瑞利面波高分辨率速度成像表明,从上地壳到70km深,在东亚东部及西太平洋边缘海地区均为高速分布,西部以青藏高原为中心呈极低速分布。从100～250km深,在东亚东部及西太平洋边缘海,自北向南显示出一条宽2500～4000km,长约8000km的巨型低速异常带。在深度300～400km的平面图上,速度差异幅度不大,塔里木—扬子地块仍然显示为高速分布。东西两部分岩石圈与软流圈的结构有着巨大的差异。西部主要是印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞引起的岩石圈汇聚增厚区,东部则主要是由于软流圈上涌(地幔热物质上升)引起的岩石圈拉张减薄区。古新世印度与欧亚大陆的碰撞汇聚,岩石圈板片以低角度下插到青藏高原之下,引起高原隆起和地壳增厚,西部地区成为岩石圈汇聚区。中生代中晚期东亚大陆东缘岩石圈解体,软流圈物质上涌,岩石圈减薄张裂,形成巨型低速带,并演化为东亚裂谷系。现今的西太平洋边缘海、沟弧盆体系是新生代中晚期太平洋板块、澳大利亚板块与欧亚板块相互作用形成的。     

巨型矿床与大型矿集区勘查地球化学

巨型矿床和大型矿集区有着巨量的成矿物质供应与聚集,表现为地壳上存在某些成矿元素含量高度聚集的地球化学块体．地球化学块体中只有一部分呈活动态易被各种流体携带的金属才能逐步浓集成矿,并在大矿、巨矿和矿集区周围留下一系列套合的地球化学模式谱系。文中阐述了发现和识别大矿、巨矿和矿集区四周套合地球化学模式的采样系统,研制了能觉察地下深部发出极微弱直接找矿信息的深穿透地球化学方法－－金属活动太测量与地球气纳微     

Radar observations of Comet 2P/Encke during the 2003 apparition

The nucleus of Comet 2P/Encke was detected with the Arecibo radar during the close approach of November, 2003, making this the first comet to yield radar detections at two different apparitions. Although the measured radar cross section of 1.0 km² was close to that obtained in 1980, the Doppler bandwidth was nearly four times larger. Most of this bandwidth difference can simply be attributed to a different observing aspect relative to the spin axis proposed by Sekanina [1988, Astron. J. 95, 911] and Festou and Barale [2000, Astron. J. 119, 3119]. Comparison of the 2003 Doppler bandwidth with infrared-based size estimates supports an 11-h dominant rotation period and excludes slower 15- and 22-h periods that have also been suggested. If one assumes a short-axis-mode rotation with an 11-h period, then the Doppler bandwidth indicates that the nucleus is an oblong object with a long-axis dimension of 9 km. The estimated radar albedo of 0.05 is similar to that measured for C/IRAS-Araki-Alcock, providing further evidence that comet nuclei have relatively low surface densities of ∼0.5-1.0 g cm⁻³. No broadband echo component was detected from large coma grains despite predictions, based on optical/infrared models, that such a component might be detectable.     

Detailed visual observations and modelling of the 1998 Leonid shower

We present a detailed activity profile for the 1998 Leonid shower from visual observations. The shower displayed at least two distinct components – a broad component peaking between 2344 and 2350, and two narrower filaments near 23521 and 23533 probably of younger origin based on modelling results. This dual-peaked structure in the flux profile has peak fluxes to a limiting magnitude of +6.5 of 0.03 Leonid km⁻² h⁻¹. The distribution of particles also changes dramatically across the stream in 1998, with large meteoroids dominating the early peak and smaller meteoroids relatively more abundant near the time of the nodal passage of the comet. Detailed comparison of the observed activity with models in 1998 shows that the early component comes from material ejected between 500 and 1000 yr ago. Our modelling results suggest that the later dual peaks are caused by high- β meteoroids with large ejection velocities released during the 1932 and 1965 passages of Comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle.     

Eugen Goldstein and his laboratory work at Berlin Observatory

At the end of the 19th century, the astronomer Wilhelm Foerster, director of Berlin Observatory, initiated an extraordinary research project: He asked the physicist Eugen Goldstein to examine experimentally the nature of electricity in space. Eugen Goldstein (1850–1930) was one of the most deserving pioneers in the field of electricity. He discovered, e.g., the canal rays, and he introduced the term cathode ray. He became assistent at Berlin Observatory, and his official duty was the research on relations between electricity and cosmic phenomena. As a result, Goldstein successfully reproduced comet tails in gas discharge tubes.     

Properties of the process of massive star formation

The dynamics of protostellar envelopes around forming massive stars is analysed and the main stages of the process of massive star formation are identified. It is shown that massive stars can be formed in the outer layers of giant molecular cloud cores. Special conditions are necessary for the formation of massive stars.     

The striae in the dust tails of great comets — a comparison to various theories

We reanalyse positions and motion of the striae in the dust tails of the bright comets Mrkos 1957 V and West 1976 VI. Two theories are compared to the data: the high speed particle ejection theory of NOTNI (1964) and the two-step kinematical sequence proposed by SEKANINA and FARRELL (1980) in their particle fragmentation theory. The final decision is in favour of the two step sequence, though the real situation may be a mixtum compositum of both. The parent clouds (first step) are found to have low lateral velocity dispersion and higher than expected acceleration. The question how these clouds originate remains unsolved. It is suggested that they comprise particles which left the coma into a tailward region of high magnetic field and plasma density. Another possibility, additionally accounting for the sometimes apparent duplicity, is an origin out of an optically thick coma at angles orthogonal to the radius vector.