Toroidal versus poloidal magnetic fields in Sun-like stars: a rotation threshold

From a set of stellar spectropolarimetric observations, we report the detection of surface magnetic fields in a sample of four solar-type stars, namely HD 73350, HD 76151, HD 146233 (18 Sco) and HD 190771. Assuming that the observed variability of polarimetric signal is controlled by stellar rotation, we establish the rotation periods of our targets, with values ranging from 8.8 d (for HD 190771) to 22.7 d (for HD 146233). Apart from rotation, fundamental parameters of the selected objects are very close to the Sun's, making this sample a practical basis to investigate the specific impact of rotation on magnetic properties of Sun-like stars.
We reconstruct the large-scale magnetic geometry of the targets as a low-order  (ℓ < 10)  spherical harmonic expansion of the surface magnetic field. From the set of magnetic maps, we draw two main conclusions. (i) The magnetic energy of the large-scale field increases with rotation rate. The increase in chromospheric emission with the mean magnetic field is flatter than observed in the Sun. Since the chromospheric flux is also sensitive to magnetic elements smaller than those contributing to the polarimetric signal, this observation suggests that a larger fraction of the surface magnetic energy is stored in large scales as rotation increases. (ii) Whereas the magnetic field is mostly poloidal for low rotation rates, more rapid rotators host a large-scale toroidal component in their surface field. From our observations, we infer that a rotation period lower than ≈12 d is necessary for the toroidal magnetic energy to dominate over the poloidal component.     

The radio properties of the cD galaxy of Abell 2390

We present multifrequency, multi-epoch radio imaging of the complex radio source B2151+174 in the core of the cluster, Abell 2390  ( z ≃ 0.23)  . From new and literature data, we conclude that the Faranoff–Riley type II (FRII)-powerful radio source is the combination of a compact, core-dominated 'medium-sized symmetric object' (MSO) with a more extended, steeper spectrum mini-halo. B2151+174 is unusual in a number of important aspects. (i) It is one of the most compact and flat spectrum sources in a cluster core known; (ii) it shows a complex, compact twin-jet structure in a north–south orientation; (iii) the orientation of the jets is 45° misaligned with apparent structure (ionization cones and dust disc) of the host galaxy on larger scales. Since the twin-jet of the MSO has its northern half with an apparent 'twist', it might be that precession of the central supermassive black hole explains this misalignment. B2151+174 may be an example of the early stage (10³–10⁴ yr duration) of a 'bubble' being blown into the intracluster medium where the plasma has yet to expand.     

厚壳贻贝（Mytilus coruscus）McNF-κB基因的克隆及其在发育中的作用

核因子κB（Nuclear Factor kappa-B,NF-κB）具有免疫、炎症、凋亡、细胞增殖和发育的调节作用,目前NF-κB在脊椎动物和果蝇中的研究较为丰富,在贝类中的报道较少。为进一步探究NF-κB在厚壳贻贝（Mytilus coruscus）免疫和发育中的作用,本研究克隆了厚壳贻贝McNF-κB基因的序列全长,其全长为4 087 bp,开放阅读框为2 613 bp,编码871个氨基酸,具有典型的锚蛋白重复序列（ankyrinrepeat, ANK）结构域和死亡结构域。氨基酸序列分析结果发现,该基因与欧洲贻贝（Mytilus edulis）和地中海贻贝（Mytilus galloprovincialis）分别具有72.76%和66.58%同源性,且在系统进化树中与欧洲贻贝和地中海贻贝聚为一支。经实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）技术检验表明,McNF-κB基因于厚壳贻贝各组织均有分布,在鳃中表达最高;McNF-κB基因在厚壳贻贝眼点幼虫阶段和稚贝阶段均有表达,且在稚贝阶段表达量显著高于眼点幼虫阶段。利用RNA干扰技术沉默眼点幼虫McNF-κB基因后幼虫变态率显著下降,推测McNF-κB基因调控厚壳贻贝幼虫变态过程。本研究为探究McNF-κB基因如何调控厚壳贻贝发育奠定了基础。     

The Leonid meteor storms of 1833 and 1966

The greatest Leonid meteor storms since the late eighteenth century are generally regarded as being those of 1833 and 1966. They were evidently due to dense meteoroid concentrations within the Leonid stream. At those times, the orbit of Comet 55P/Tempel–Tuttle was significantly nearer that of the Earth than at most perihelion returns, but still some tens of Earth radii away. Significantly reducing this miss distance can be critical for producing a storm. Evaluation of differential gravitational perturbations, comparing meteoroids with the comet, shows that, in 1833 and 1966 respectively, the Earth passed through meteoroid trails generated at the 1800 and 1899 returns.     

Modelling the binary progenitor of Supernova 1993J

We have developed a detailed stellar evolution code capable of following the simultaneous evolution of both stars in a binary system, together with their orbital properties. To demonstrate the capabilities of the code, we investigate potential progenitors for the Type IIb Supernova 1993J, which is believed to have been an interacting binary system prior to its primary exploding. We use our detailed binary stellar evolution code to model this system to determine the possible range of primary and secondary masses that could have produced the observed characteristics of this system, with particular reference to the secondary. Using the luminosities and temperatures for both stars (as determined by Maund et al.) and the remaining mass of the hydrogen envelope of the primary at the time of explosion, we find that if mass transfer is 100 per cent efficient, the observations can be reproduced by a system consisting of a  15 M_⊙  primary and a  14 M_⊙  secondary in an orbit with an initial period of 2100 days. With a mass transfer efficiency of 50 per cent, a more massive system consisting of a  17 M_⊙  primary and a  16 M_⊙  secondary in an initial orbit of 2360 days is needed. We also investigate some of the uncertainties in the evolution, including the effects of tidal interaction, convective overshooting and thermohaline mixing.     

Spectroscopic binaries near the North Galactic Pole paper 6: BD 33° 2206

Photoelectric radial-velocity measurements have confirmed O. C. Wilson’s finding that BD 33° 2206, the secondary star in the wide visual binary ADS 8470, is a spectroscopic binary. It has an eccentric orbit with a period of 100 days. Its γ-velocity is close to the constant radial velocity of the visual primary, confirming the physical association of the stars.