Soft X-Ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Excess Emission from Clusters of Galaxies

An excess over the extrapolation to the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray ranges of the thermal emission from the hot intracluster medium has been detected in a number of clusters of galaxies. We briefly present each of the satellites (EUVE, ROSAT PSPC and BeppoSAX, and presently XMM-Newton, Chandra and Suzaku) and their corresponding instrumental issues, which are responsible for the fact that this soft excess remains controversial in a number of cases. We then review the evidence for this soft X-ray excess and discuss the possible mechanisms (thermal and non-thermal) which could be responsible for this emission.     

Mean energy of response to galactic cosmic ray spectrum: IMP 8 and Climax neutron monitor

Solar modulations of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity contain a wealth of information about their transport in the heliosphere. To extract this information from the data one studies the dependence of the observed modulations on the mean energy of response of detectors providing data for the analyses. There is a great deal of confusion about the detector energy response to GCR spectrum in the literature. We present a preliminary report on the computations of the mean energy of response for the Climax neutron monitor (CL/NM) and IMP 8 cosmic ray nuclear composition instrument to GCR protons for 1973–1998, covering the solar cycles 21 and 22. We find that for penetrating proton channel on IMP 8 the mean energy changes by a factor of over two whereas for the neutron monitor the change is only 21%. However, the corresponding change for the computed modulation function is a factor of about 3.5.     

Indicators of black-hole mass and Eddington accretion ratio from QSO X-ray and UV spectra

The evolution of luminous QSOs is linked to the evolution of massive galaxies. We know this because the relic black-holes found locally have masses dependent on the properties of the host galaxy’s bulge. An important way to explore this evolution would be to measure dependences of black-hole masses and Eddington accretion ratios over a range of redshifts, i.e., with cosmological age. For low redshift QSOs (and their lower luminosity Seyfert galaxy counterparts) it has been possible to infer black-hole masses from the luminosities and velocity dispersions of their host-galaxy bulges. These masses agree with those virial black-hole masses calculated from the Doppler widths of the broad Hβ emission lines. The latter method can then be extended to more distant and luminous QSOs, up to redshifts of 0.6 with ground-based optical observations. We discuss ways to extend these explorations to higher redshifts – up to 3 using the widths of QSOs’ broad UV emission lines, and in principle, and to redshifts near 4 from ground-based infrared observations of rest-frame Hβ at 2.5 μm. We discuss the possibility of investigating the accretion history of the higher redshift QSOs using measures of Eddington accretion ratio – the soft X-ray spectral index and the eigenvectors of Principal Components Analyses of QSOs’ UV emission-line spectra.     

利用光谱拟合法反演中间层顶大气温度

本文提出了利用梳状函数进行模拟光谱计算的方法, 并根据在北京郊区观测的OHMeinel(9, 4)带夜气辉光谱, 利用加权最小二乘法与模拟光谱进行拟合, 得出了转动温度的最佳值, 同时还分析了OH(9, 4)气辉强度和转动温度随时间的变化特性.      

Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass for the International Space Station (ISS-CREAM)

The Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass (CREAM) instrument is configured with a suite of particle detectors to measure TeV cosmic-ray elemental spectra from protons to iron nuclei over a wide energy range. The goal is to extend direct measurements of cosmic-ray composition to the highest energies practical, and thereby have enough overlap with ground based indirect measurements to answer questions on cosmic-ray origin, acceleration and propagation. The balloon-borne CREAM was flown successfully for about 161 days in six flights over Antarctica to measure elemental spectra of Z = 1–26 nuclei over the energy range 10¹⁰ to >10¹⁴ eV. Transforming the balloon instrument into ISS-CREAM involves identification and replacement of components that would be at risk in the International Space Station (ISS) environment, in addition to assessing safety and mission assurance concerns. The transformation process includes rigorous testing of components to reduce risks and increase survivability on the launch vehicle and operations on the ISS without negatively impacting the heritage of the successful CREAM design. The project status, including results from the ongoing analysis of existing data and, particularly, plans to increase the exposure factor by another order of magnitude utilizing the International Space Station are presented.     

Structural and collisional data for Mg III and Al IV

We present in this work energy levels, oscillator strengths, radiative decay rates and fine structure collision strengths for the Mg III and Al IV ions. The 11 configurations: (1s²) 2s²2p⁶, 2s²2p⁵3l, 2s2p⁶3l, 2s²2p⁵4l   (l?n-1$l?n-1$, where n is the principal quantum number), yielding the lowest 75 levels are used. The collisional data for these two ions are missing in the literature, especially the database CHIANTI, this is the principal motivation behind the present work. Calculations have been performed using the AUTOSTRUCTURE code. AUTOSTRUCTURE treats the scattering problem in the distorted wave approach. Fine structure collision strengths are calculated for a range of electron energies from 10 Ry to 240 Ry. The atomic structure data are compared to available experimental and theoretical results.     

HMX炸药特性的密度泛函理论

应用密度泛函理论(DFT)的B3LYP方法,在6-31G(d)和6-31++G(d)基组水平上对HMX炸药进行了研究,计算得到了中性分子和离子的稳定构型,并确定了分子的电离能。通过对HMX红外振动光谱的理论计算和研究,发现振动光谱主要分布在I(0~1 750 cm-1)和II(3 000~3 250 cm-1)两个区域,且整个红外光谱中振动峰的实际数目远小于简正振动的数目。此外,与中性分子的红外光谱相比,HMX+的谱线强度整体要大于HMX分子的谱线强度,且最强峰和次强峰与中性分子相比出现了明显的红移。     

高纬极区电离层中离子声波谱线增强的解释

大量的实验研究表明, 在顶部极光区电离层, 利用EISCAT非相干散射雷达和Millstone Hill雷达可以观测到不对称、增强的离子声波谱线. 考虑到低能H+离子束沉降到背景电离层, 以及电离层顶部O+离子的外流事件, 采用含有场向热流项的双麦克斯韦分布描述H+离子束的分布函数, 进而基于离子－离子双流不稳定性理论来解释增强的离子声波谱线. 场向热流的引入可以减小离子声波谱线的不对称现象, 这样得到的结果更符合实际.      

Changes in hyperspectral reflectance signatures of lettuce leaves in response to macronutrient deficiencies

The adaptation of specific remote sensing and hyperspectral analysis techniques for the determination of incipient nutrient stress in plants could allow early detection and precision supplementation for remediation, important considerations for minimizing mass of advanced life support systems on space station and long term missions. This experiment was conducted to determine if hyperspectral reflectance could be used to detect nutrient stress in Lactuca sativa L. cv. Black Seeded Simpson. Lettuce seedlings were grown for 90 days in a greenhouse or growth chamber in vermiculite containing modified Hoagland’s nutrient solution with key macronutrient elements removed in order to induce a range of nutrient stresses, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Leaf tissue nutrient concentrations were compared with corresponding spectral reflectances taken at the end of 90 days. Spectral reflectances varied with growing location, position on the leaf, and nutrient deficiency treatment. Spectral responses of lettuce leaves under macronutrient deficiency conditions showed an increase in reflectance in the red, near red, and infrared wavelength ranges. The data obtained suggest that spectral reflectance shows the potential as a diagnostic tool in predicting nutrient deficiencies in general. Overlapping of spectral signatures makes the use of wavelengths of narrow bandwidths or individual bands for the discrimination of specific nutrient stresses difficult without further data processing.     

再入体实验模型热化学非平衡绕流流场的数值分析

利用数值求解一个和多个振动温度热化学非平衡Navier-Stokes方程的CFD计算程序,对爆轰风洞球锥试验模型的热化学非平衡绕流流场进行了数值模拟,分析了分子组分振动温度在全流场(头身部流场和底部流场)中的分布规律.研究结果表明:(1)计算的压力、电子数密度以及流场的光辐射数据与试验数据符合较好;(2)在再入体身部,大多数分子的振动温度峰值大大高于平动温度的峰值;在再入体近尾出现振动温度冻结并大大高于平动温度的现象;CO2的两个振动态的振动温度分布非常接近平动温度分布.