High energy phenomena in eta carinae

We have investigated with BeppoSAX the long term behaviour of the harder X-ray component of the supposed supermassive binary system η Car along its 5.52 year cycle. We have found that in March 1998 during egress from the last December 1997 eclipse, this component was the same as outside eclipse, but for a large (×3.5) increase of NH _h , that can be attributed to the presence or formation of opaque matter in front of the source near periastron. Unexpectedly, at that time the iron 6.7 keV emission line was 40% stronger. BeppoSAX has for the first time found ahard X-ray tail extending to at least 50 keV, that cannot be adequately fitted with an additional hotter thermal component. The 2–100 keV spectrum of η Car is instead well fitted with an absorbed powerlaw spectrum with photon index 2.53, suggesting non-thermal emission as an alternative model for the core source.     

Evolutionary Processes in Low-Mass Binary Systems

We consider the evolution of certain low-mass binaries, incorporating models of (a) internal evolution, (b) tidal friction, (c) dynamo activity driven by an elementary α,Ω dynamo, (d) stellar wind driven by the activity, and (e) magnetic braking as a consequence of wind and poloidal dynamo-generated magnetic field. In some circumstances the stellar wind is found to remove mass on a nuclear timescale, as is necessary to explain some observed systems. We can hope that various uncertainties in the model may be clarified by a careful comparison of the models with such observed quantities as rotation periods. These are modified by processes (a), (b) and (e). Assuming that stellar evolution is slow, rotation rate should in some circumstances represent a balance between magnetic braking trying to slow the star down and tidal friction trying to spin it up. Preliminary attempts are promising, but indicate that some fine tuning is necessary. When there is a third body present, in an orbit which is inclined but not necessarily of short period, the eccentricity of a close binary can be strongly modified by ‘Kozai cycles’. We show that this may complicate attempts to account for spin rates of stars in close binaries.     

辽东半岛南部寒武系与奥陶系界线

笔者(1989)在辽东半岛南部复州湾和金县七顶山寒武系与奥陶系界线附近发现一层笔石,它们为:Airograptus furciferus,Staurograptus sp.,Dendrograptus sp.,并且建立了 Airograptus furciferus-Staurograptus 带,该带相当于华北的 Dictyonema flabelliforme-Staurograptus 带,相当于华南东南区的Staurograptus-Anisograptus 带,其层位相当于英国的特马豆克阶。由于该区寒武系顶部已建立了笔石带Dictyonema kelanense 带,因此,笔者将辽东半岛南部寒武系与奥陶系界线划在 Airograptus furciferus-Staurograptus 带与 Dictyonema kelanense 带之间。     

Opening angles, Lorentz factors and confinement of X-ray binary jets

We present a collation of the available data on the opening angles of jets in X-ray binaries, which in most cases are small (≲10°). Under the assumption of no confinement, we calculate the Lorentz factors required to produce such small opening angles via the transverse relativistic Doppler effect. The derived Lorentz factors, which are in most cases lower limits, are found to be large, with a mean >10, comparable to those estimated for active galactic nuclei (AGN) and much higher than the commonly assumed values for X-ray binaries of 2–5. Jet power constraints do not, in most cases, rule out such high Lorentz factors. The upper limits on the opening angles show no evidence for smaller Lorentz factors in the steady jets of Cygnus X-1 and GRS 1915+105. In those sources in which deceleration has been observed (notably  XTE J1550−564  and Cygnus X-3), some confinement of the jets must be occurring, and we briefly discuss possible confinement mechanisms. It is however possible that all the jets could be confined, in which case the requirement for high bulk Lorentz factors can be relaxed.     

辽南早元古代花岗岩的变形温度及其构造意义

辽南早元古代辽河群中片麻状花岗岩的变形温度显示出645—690℃,550—610℃和485℃±三组温度值,表明花岗岩遭受了三幕构造变形。而区域构造解析亦表明辽河群在早元古时期经历了三幕构造变动。花岗岩的温度系列与区域变形序列具有一致性,排除了花岗岩晚期构造侵位的可能性。变形温度以550—610℃居多,意味着该幕构造形迹保存最好。第三幕变形变质作用相对较弱,仅局部出现485℃的温度值。