Space Astronomy in China:2002-2004

More and more proposals, or potential projects have been proposed in recent two years. We try to briefly outline these new proposals, although most of them are in fact only in their conception studies. The progress of previously mentioned projects, like Space Solar Telescope (SST), the Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT), as well as newly initiated LUnar Resource Explorer (LUREX), will be introduced elsewhere.     

Water Cherenkov detectors:MILAGRO

This paper discusses the properties of using the water Cherenkov technique to detect air showers in the few hundred GeV to 100 TeV energy range. The responses of a 6 m² 2 m deep water Cherenkov counter and that of a 6 m² 10cm thick scintillator-lead sandwich counter to air shower electrons and photons is described. The advantages of water Cherenkov detector is outlined. Its application to do VHE gamma ray astronomy is discussed with particular reference to the MILAGRO telescope currently under construction. Milagro, a water-Cherenkov detector to do gamma ray astronomy above 100 Gev, uses an existing pool 60m × 80m by 8m, located in the Jemez mountains near Los Alamos, NM. The threshold of the MILAGRO detector is comparable to atmospheric Cherenkov detectors, however it has several advantages over these optical detectors. MILAGRO can operate 24 hours a day in all weather conditions and it has an open aperture which allows it to view the entire northern sky every day. These capabilities allow for a systematic all-sky survey to be done for the first time at these energies. MILAGRO will measure the Crab spectrum with high significance over a wide energy range, it will detect and measure the spectra from AGN's such as MRK 421 and it will search for short duration bursts from GRBs and possibly evaporating PBHs.     

首颗自主地月转移微卫星“龙江二号”

本文对世界首颗独立完成地月转移、近月制动、环月飞行的微卫星“龙江二号”进行了介绍。首先阐述了龙江二号的任务目标和总体方案；然后重点分析了轨道设计与控制、复杂电磁干扰的标定与抑制、宽视场三维基线干涉测量等关键技术难点；接着回顾了任务的实施过程；最后详细介绍了低频射电探测仪、沙特光学相机和VHF/UHF通信模块与学生微型CMOS相机等有效载荷，并展示了上述载荷获取的初步成果。     

Very low frequency interferometry for the Chang’E-2 project

Very low frequency interferometry among two astronomical experiments has been proposed and accepted for further study for the second phase of China’s lunar exploration programme (the Chang’E Programme), which is envisaged to operate a lander and a rover on the surface of the moon. This experiment is an interferometer experiment in the very low frequency (VLF, f < 15 MHz) regime of radio frequencies with at least degree-level angular resolution. The goals include observing solar storm activities, Coronal Mass Ejections, Auroral Kilometric Radiation, and planetary radiation in the solar system, studying the origin of Cosmic Rays, spectral properties of pulsars, surveying ionized hydrogen in the Galaxy, and exploring coherent radio emissions.     

Evolution of galaxy cluster scaling from XMM-Newton observation of the galaxy clusters at z ⩾ 0.4

We present here new XMM-Newton observations of 3 relatively cool clusters at z ≈ 0.4, complemented by archival observations of 3 other clusters at similar redshift. We derived the M–T and R–T relations from the hydrostatic equation using an isothermal temperature distribution.     

The evolution of the central component in SN 1986J

The unusual core-collapse supernova 1986J, in the nearby spiral NGC 891, is the first modern supernova in which evidence of a compact remnant of the supernova has been seen. This evidence comes from recent VLBI images, which show the emergence of a new radio component in the center of the expanding radio shell. The new component shows an inverted radio spectrum contrasting with that of the shell. The new component is likely radio emission associated with the black-hole or neutron star compact remnant of the explosion, which would mark the first direct observational link between a modern supernova and such a compact remnant. We report here on our recent VLBI images at 22 and 5 GHz, as well as on our monitoring of the integrated radio spectrum of SN 1986J. In the 22 GHz image, the central component is marginally resolved.     

机载蒸发循环系统结构的稳健性研究

机载蒸发循环系统结构的疲劳寿命易受外界和内部环境的影响,导致无法满足设计要求。采用随机有限元法,参照设计变量和随机变量的变异性,建立机载蒸发循环系统结构疲劳寿命稳健性优化的数学模型;通过引入权因子α,将稳健性优化问题转化为结构疲劳寿命均值和标准差的双目标优化问题。结果表明:合理设置疲劳寿命均值和标准差的权因子,可有效降低设计变量和随机变量对变异的敏感性,进而提高机载蒸发循环系统结构疲劳寿命的稳健性。     

The structure and effects of cooling flows in clusters of galaxies

Rapidly cooling gas is commonly found near the centres of clusters of galaxies. The structure of the resulting gas flows is reviewed. Total gas cooling rates of several hundred M yr⁻¹ have been observed in a number of cases. Thermal instability and the ultimate fate of the cooled gas are discussed. The cooled gas could easily have formed a massive central galaxy.     

RATAN-600 and RadioAstron reveal the neutrino-associated blazar TXS 0506+056 as a typical variable AGN

The possible association with the high-energy neutrino event IceCube-170922A has sparked interest in the blazar TXS 0506+056. We present 72 instantaneous 1–22 GHz spectra measured over the past 20 years with the RATAN-600 telescope and compare them with the results of observations of 700 variable Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) studied within the same program. The recent radio flare of TXS 0506+056 started from a minimum in 2013 and reached its first peak in December 2017 and a second peak in May-June 2018. This was the third strong radio flare in this source since 1997. The spectrum remains nearly flat during the flares. The spectral shape and variability pattern observed in TXS 0506+056 are typical for variable AGN. RadioAstron Space VLBI observations in 2013–2015 did not detect TXS 0506+056 on space-ground baselines of more than 9 Earth diameters. However, an observation on 23 September 2015 resulted in the detection of interferometric signal on 6 Earth diameter baselines at 18 cm close to the detection limit. We consider the possibility that TXS 0506+056 and other AGN may accelerate relativistic protons more efficiently than electrons. Relativistic protons are necessary to produce both the high-energy neutrinos observed in the IceCube Observatory and the high AGN brightness temperatures implied by the RadioAstron detection. They may also provide the main contribution to the observed synchrotron radiation of parsec-scale AGN jets. This supports the suggestion that relativistic protons may play a much more important part in extragalactic astrophysics than earlier anticipated.     

平台式重力仪航空重力测量数据后处理技术研究

针对航空重力测量对数据后处理的要求,结合平台式重力仪系统的组成与工作原理,在重力异常信号的频域特征基础上,设计出一套有严格频域规范的航空重力数据后处理流程,并对某海域实测数据进行了处理。结果表明,重力异常值内符合精度为12条东西测线达到0.43mGal/140s和0.84mGal/100s,4条南北测线达到0.39mGal/140s和0.79mGal/100s;以同测线GT-2A单次测量结果为标准值统计标准差,12条东西测线为0.72mGal/140s和0.98mGal/100s,4条南北测线为1.41mGal/140s和1.53mGal/100s。结果表明,设计的航空重力测量数据后处理方法可以实现重力异常信号的高精度提取。