Interpreting the transmission windows of distant quasars

We propose the apparent shrinking criterion (ASC) to interpret the spatial extent, R _w, of transmitted flux windows in the absorption spectra of high- z quasars. The ASC can discriminate between the two regimes in which R _w corresponds either to the physical size,   R _{H  ii}   , of the quasar H  ii region or to the distance,   R ^max_w  , at which the transmitted flux drops to  =0.1  and a Gunn–Peterson (GP) trough appears. In the first case [H  ii region (HR) regime], one can determine the intergalactic medium mean H  i fraction,   x _H I  ; in the second [proximity region (PR) regime], the value of R _w allows one to measure the local photoionization rate and the local enhancement of the photoionization rate,  Γ_G  , due to nearby/intervening galaxies. The ASC has been tested against radiative transfer+smoothed particle hydrodynamics numerical simulations, and applied to a sample of 15 high-   z ( z > 5.8  ) quasar spectra. All sample quasars are found to be in the PR regime; hence, their observed spectral properties (inner flux profile, extent of transmission window) cannot reliably constrain the value of   x _{H  i}   . Four sample quasars show evidence for a local enhancement (up to 50 per cent) in the local photoionization rate possibly produced by a galaxy overdensity. We discuss the possible interpretations and uncertainties of this result.     

An implementation of radiative transfer in the cosmological simulation code gadget

We present a novel numerical implementation of radiative transfer in the cosmological smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulation code gadget . It is based on a fast, robust and photon-conserving integration scheme where the radiation transport problem is approximated in terms of moments of the transfer equation and by using a variable Eddington tensor as a closure relation, following the Optically Thin Variable Eddington Tensor suggestion of Gnedin & Abel. We derive a suitable anisotropic diffusion operator for use in the SPH discretization of the local photon transport, and we combine this with an implicit solver that guarantees robustness and photon conservation. This entails a matrix inversion problem of a huge, sparsely populated matrix that is distributed in memory in our parallel code. We solve this task iteratively with a conjugate gradient scheme. Finally, to model photon sink processes we consider ionization and recombination processes of hydrogen, which is represented with a chemical network that is evolved with an implicit time integration scheme. We present several tests of our implementation, including single and multiple sources in static uniform density fields with and without temperature evolution, shadowing by a dense clump and multiple sources in a static cosmological density field. All tests agree quite well with analytical computations or with predictions from other radiative transfer codes, except for shadowing. However, unlike most other radiative transfer codes presently in use for studying re-ionization, our new method can be used on-the-fly during dynamical cosmological simulation, allowing simultaneous treatments of galaxy formation and the re-ionization process of the Universe.     

Spectral analysis of the 91bg-like Type Ia SN 2005bl: low luminosity, low velocities, incomplete burning

The properties of underluminous Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) of the 91bg subclass have yet to be theoretically understood. Here, we take a closer look at the structure of the dim SN Ia 2005bl. We infer the abundance and density profiles needed to reproduce the observed spectral evolution between −6 d and  +12.9 d  with respect to B maximum. Initially, we assume the density structure of the standard explosion model W7; then we test whether better fits to the observed spectra can be obtained using modified density profiles with different total masses and kinetic energies. Compared to normal SNe Ia, we find a lack of burning products especially in the rapidly expanding outer layers  ( v ≳ 15 000 km s⁻¹)  . The zone between ∼8500 and 15 000 km s⁻¹ is dominated by oxygen and includes some amount of intermediate-mass elements. At lower velocities, intermediate-mass elements dominate. This holds down to the lowest zones investigated in this work. This fact, together with negligible-to-moderate abundances of Fe-group elements, indicates large-scale incomplete Si burning or explosive O burning, possibly in a detonation at low densities. Consistently with the reduced nucleosynthesis, we find hints of a kinetic energy lower than that of a canonical SN Ia: the spectra strongly favour reduced densities at  ≳13 000 km s⁻¹  compared to W7, and are very well fitted using a rescaled W7 model with original mass  (1.38 M_⊙)  , but a kinetic energy reduced by ∼30 per cent (i.e. from  1.33 × 10⁵¹  to  0.93 × 10⁵¹ erg  ).     

Monte Carlo Simulation of Lyα Line Profiles

In this paper, a code for simulating the Lyα line profiles by the Monte Carlo method is introduced. This code is developed on the basis of an idea given by Anne Verhamme et al. and by combining with another simulation method. For different models, the Lyα line profiles under different conditions are simulated. The simulation method of this code is given in detail, and the simulated results are discussed as well.     

基于伪距测量的钟差计算模型

基于伪距和钟差定义,讨论了无线电时间比对的基本原理。在此基础上,详细推导了地心非旋转坐标系中一般意义下基于伪码测距模式的钟差计算模型,并通过坐标变换,给出了地固系中的实用计算模型。对地回系计算模型的进一步分析表明：卫星在地固系运动速度引起的改正项与sagnac效应项是完全不同的两项改正;对于GEO卫星,sagnac效应项最大约为200ns,其地固系运动速度引起的改正约为1ns;而对于MEO卫星,sagnac效应项最大为120ns,其地固系运动速度引起的改正约为1200ns。     

联合卷积神经网络与集成学习的遥感影像场景分类

针对人工设计的中、低层特征难以实现复杂场景影像的高精度分类以及卷积神经网络依赖大量训练数据等问题，结合迁移学习与集成学习，提出了一种联合卷积神经网络与集成学习的遥感影像场景分类算法。首先基于迁移学习的思想，利用在自然影像数据集上训练好的多个深层卷积神经网络模型作为特征提取器，提取图像多个高度抽象的语义特征；然后构建由Logistic回归和支持向量机组成的Stacking集成模型，对同一图像的多个特征分别训练Logistic模型，将预测概率结果融合构建概率特征；最后利用支持向量机对概率特征训练和预测，得到场景影像的分类结果。利用UCMerced_LandUse和NWPU-RESISC 45两种不同规模的遥感影像数据集进行试验，即使在只有10%的数据作为训练样本情况下，本文方法能够分别达到90.74%和87.21%的分类精度。     

AIEM模型在积雪散射模拟中的应用

 介绍一种基于一阶辐射传输的积雪散射模型。该模型考虑了积雪覆盖地表微波散射的3种回波分量： 雪层表面散射、下垫面散射以及雪层体散射。对于其中2个面散射分量，文章中应用一种新的面散射模型——AIEM取代原有的IEM模型进行处理。最后，使用Michigan大学的实测数据对改进后模型的模拟结果进行验证，并与改进前的模拟结果进行了对比。     

BIFoR FACE: Water–soil–vegetation–atmosphere data from a temperate deciduous forest catchment,including under elevated CO2

The ecosystem services provided by forests modulate runoff generation processes, nutrient cycling and water and energy exchange between soils, vegetation and atmosphere. Increasing atmospheric CO₂ affects many linked aspects of forest and catchment function in ways we do not adequately understand. Global levels of atmospheric CO₂ will be around 40% higher in 2050 than current levels, yet estimates of how water and solute fluxes in forested catchments will respond to increased CO₂ are highly uncertain. The Free Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) facility of the University of Birmingham's Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR) is the only FACE in mature deciduous forest. The site specializes in fundamental studies of the response of whole ecosystem patches of mature, deciduous, temperate woodland to elevated CO₂ (eCO₂). Here, we describe a dataset of hydrological parameters – seven weather parameters at each of three heights and four locations, shallow soil moisture and temperature, stream hydrology and CO₂ enrichment – retrieved at high frequency from the BIFoR FACE catchment.