On the Spectral Index－Flux Density Relation for Large Samples of Radio Sources

We present new statistical results on the spectral index-flux density relation for large samples of radio sources using archival data of the most sensitive surveys, such as 6C, Miyun, WENSS, B3, NVSS, GB87. Instrumental selection effects and the completeness of the catalogs are discussed. Based on the spectral indices calculated for about 200 000 sources from the WENSS (327 MHz) and NVSS (1.4 GHz) catalogs, we obtained (1) The median spectral index increases from amed --0.9 toαmed --0.8 (Svαvα), while S327 flux densities decrease from 0.1 Jy down to 25mJy. The median spectral indices nearly show no variation within the error bars when the flux density is larger than 0.1 Jy. (2) A dependence of the fraction of ultra-steep spectrum sources (USS, -1.5 <α<-1.0), steep spectrum sources (SSS, -1.0 <α< -0.5) and flat spectrum sources (FSS, -0.5≤α≤0.0) is partly responsible for the spectral flattening. Another contribution to the spectral flattening comes from the variation of αmed of steep spectrum so     

地震动参数速报仪的研制

在出现区域大震后,为了迅速展开有效的应急救援行动,需要及时准确了解烈度分布.目前震动图的获得有震后人工调查、震源参数计算、地震监测台网、地震烈度速报台网等几种方式,其中最有效的是在重点监护区建立烈度速报台网.但烈度速报台网建设往往沿用地震监测台网的模式,建设成本高、台站密度有限、实时数据传输量大.本文研制的地震动参数速报仪采用MEMS加速度计为测震传感器和ARM+Linux嵌入式计算机技术,具有体积小、成本小、功耗低、一体化、智能化的特点;其内置地震信息实时处理算法,能够自动判别地震事件并计算地震动参数;在实际应用中安装简便.通过大量密集布设这种小型仪器而组建的地震动参数速报网络,具有数据传输量小、分布式计算、组成的速报网络可靠性高、能够快速产出高分辨率的精细震动图等特点.     

The OH Maser Line Receiving System for the Urumqi 25m Radio Telescope

A maser spectral line system is newly implemented on the Urumqi 25m Radio Telescope. The system consists mainly of a cooling receiver and a 4096 channels digital correlation spectrometer. The frequency resolution of the spectrometer at the maximum signal bandwidth of 80MHz is 19.5kHz. After careful calibrations observation at the 1665 MHz OH maser emission was made towards a number of sources, including W49N and W75N. The observed results demonstrate that the digital correlation spectrometer is suitable for astronomical spectral line observations.     

Observations of interplanetary scintillation with a single-station mode at Urumqi

The Sun affects physical phenomena on Earth in multiple ways.In particular,the material in interplanetary space comes from coronal expansion in the form of inhomogeneous plasma flow (solar wind),which is the primary source of the interplanetary medium.Ground-based Interplanetary Scintillation (IPS) observations are an important and effective method for measuring solar wind speed and the structures of small diameter radio sources.We discuss one mode of ground-based single-station observations: Single-Station Single-Frequency (SSSF) mode.To study the SSSF mode,a new system has been established at Urumqi Astronomical Observatory (UAO),China,and a series of experimental observations were successfully carried out from May to December,2008.     

Jovian decametric events during the period of the impacts of SL-9

Strong decametric narrow-band radio bursts, produced by impacts of fragments D, E, G, K, N, S and W of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 1993e (SL-9) on the Jupiter, have been detected during our observations from July 17 to 22, 1994 at the Xin-Xiang temporary Jovian Decametric Station of Beijing Astronomical Observatory. Plots of relative signal intensity of these bursts at 10 frequencies between 24.0 and 28.5MHz are presented. The major features of events are sumarized and discussed.The project is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.Correspondent of this paper. Dr. Han is leaving from Beijing for the Astronomical Center of Zielona Gora, Pedagogical University, ul. Lubuska 2, 65 265 Zielona Gora, Poland to be a post-doctor. Contact with him by email HJL@bao01.bao.ac.cn or by airmail to Poland.     

A Possible Periodicity in the Radio Light Curves of 3C 454.3

During the period 1966.5–2006.2 the 15GHz and 8GHz light curves of 3C 454.3 (z = 0.859) show a quasi-periodicity of ～12.8 yr (～6.9 yr in the rest frame of the source) with a double-bump structure. This periodic behaviour is interpreted in terms of a rotating double-jet model in which the two jets are created from the black holes of a binary system and rotating with the period of the orbital motion. The periodic variations in the radio fluxes of 3C 454.3 are suggested to be mainly due to the lighthouse effects (or the variation in Doppler boosting) of the precessing jets caused by the orbital motion. In addition, variations in the rate of mass accreting onto the black holes may be also involved.     

Multifrequency Polarization Variations in the Quasar 0917＋624

We present a detailed analysis of multi-frequency observations of linear polarization in the intraday variable quasar 0917+624 (z = 1.44). The observations were made in May 1989 at five frequencies (1.4, 2.7, 5.0, 8.3 and 15GHz) with the VLA and the Effelsberg 100 m-telescope and in December 1988 at two frequencies (2.7 and 5.0 GHz) with the latter. It is shown that the relationship between the variations of the polarized and total flux density is highly wavelength dependent, and the multi-frequency polarization behavior may be essential for investigating the mechanisms causing these variations. It is shown that the variations observed at 20 cm can be interpreted in terms of refractive interstellar scintillation. However, after subtracting the variation due to scintillation, three 'features' emerged in the light-curve of the polarized flux density, indicating an additional variable component. Interestingly, these features are shown to be correlated with the variations at 2-6 cm, thus indicating that thes     

A new three-stage evolution model for millimeter to centimeter wavelength outbursts in BL Lacertae

The multi-frequency light curves of BL Lacertae during 1997.5 – 1999.5 have been modeled by four outbursts,each having a 3-stage evolution in the (S m,νm) plane with distinct rising–plateau–decaying phases.It is shown that the observed light curves can be well fitted for the eight frequencies from 350GHz to 4.8GHz.The main characteristics of the model-fitting are: (1) the outbursts are found to have very flat spectra with an optically thin spectral index α (defined as Sν∝ν-α) of about 0.15.This is consisten...     

Interstellar Refractive Scintillation and Intraday Polarization Angle Swings

Intraday polarization angle swings of ~180° observed in two sources (QSO 0917+624 and QSO 1150+812) are discussed in the framework of refractive interstellar scintillation by a continuous interstellar medium. Model-fits to the I-, Q- and U- light curves were made for both sources. It is shown that for the case of 0917+624 both the intraday intensity variations and the polarization angle swing of ~180° could be explained consistently in     

Refractive Focusing of Interstellar Clouds and Intraday Polarization Angle Swings

Intraday variations of compact extragalactic radio sources in flux density and po- larization are generally interpreted in terms of refractive scintillation from the continuous interstellar medium of our Galaxy. However, continuous polarization angle swings of～180° (for example, the one observed in the QSO 0917 624) could not be interpreted in this way. Qian et al. have shown that the polarization angle swing observed in the QSO 1150 812 can be explained in terms of focusing-defocusing effect by an interstellar cloud, which occults two closely-placed polarized components. Here we further show that the polarization angle swing event observed in the QSO 0917 624 can also be explained in this way. We also found evidence for the cloud eclipsing a non-polarized (core) component during a short period out- side the swing. A particular (and specific) plasma-lens model is proposed to model-fit the polarization swing event of 0917 624. Some physical parameters related to the plasma-lens and the source components are estimated. The brightness temperatures of the two lensed components are estimated to be ～1.6×1013 K. Thus bulk relativistic motion with a Lorentz factor less than ～20 may be sufficient to avoid the inverse - Compton catastrophe.