Density structure of the Sgr B2 molecular cloud probed by low-J lines of CS.

We have observed the CS (2-1) and (3-2), and 13CS (2-1) transitions toward the Galactic Center molecular cloud Sgr B2 which consists of several clumps with different chemical properties. We have newly identified a cloud at 30 km s-1 from a CS (2-1) optical depth map. This cloud lies 1.5' South from the Sgr B2 (M) position and has a diameter of approximately 2.5 pc and a total column density of 7 x 10(23) cm-2 assuming optically thin emission of the 13CS (2-1) line. Towards the 2'N Cloud no evidence for a density enhancement is found, which suggests that the strong emission from HNCO and HCO+2 is due to chemical effects. The main isotopic CS lines show broad wing components similar to previous studies, but we find rotational temperatures Trot(CS) < 10 K at this region.     

Indirect search for Dark Matter with H.E.S.S.

Observations of the Galactic center region with the H.E.S.S. telescopes have established the existence of a steady, extended source of gamma-ray emission coinciding with the position of the super massive black hole Sgr A^*. This is a remarkable finding given the expected presence of dense self-annihilating Dark Matter in the Galactic center region. The self-annihilation process is giving rise to gamma-ray production through hadronization including the production of neutral pions which decay into gamma-rays but also through (loop-suppressed) annihilation into final states of almost mono-energetic photons. We study the observed gamma-ray signal (spectrum and shape) from the Galactic center in the context of Dark Matter annihilation and indicate the prospects for further indirect Dark Matter searches with H.E.S.S.     

Mass estimation of cold matters in the Galactic Center region using bright hard X-ray sources

We report the column density distribution of X-ray binaries in the Galactic Center region using the X-ray satellite ASCA, and demonstrate a new method to determine the mass distribution of the cold interstellar matter near the Galactic Center. The column densities of these X-ray sources are given by a simple function of the angular distance from the Galactic plane. Assuming a disk-like mass distribution of 300 pc radius, we estimate the total cold mass to be ∼7 × 10⁷ M_⊙. We compare our results with the past results of other wavelength observations, and discuss physical conditions of the interstellar matter in the Galactic Center region.     

Constraints on injection parameters of cosmic rays in the Galactic center from resolved HESS observations

In this study, we investigate how restrictive the γ-ray emission from the Galactic center region, as seen by HESS and other Cherenkov air shower arrays, is against various models for cosmic ray injection. We derive diffusion coefficients which fit the observed spatial scales of diffuse γ-ray emission from the extended emission associated with the molecular clouds SgrA, B and C. Using these diffusion coefficients, we then obtain a limit for time scale of assumed recent proton acceleration near the SMBH, as the spatial size of SgrA^∗ in VHE γ-rays has to be consistent with the observed unresolved HESS point source size at this position. The signal from this hadronic component may be mixed with the expected VHE inverse Compton emission from the nearby unresolved pulsar wind nebula.     

Space and velocity distributions of neutron stars in the Milky Way

We study the long term dynamics of isolated neutron stars (NSs) for different initial conditions. From the resulting phase-space distributions, we estimate the fraction of NSs bound to the Milky Way. We also estimate the surface and spatial density of NSs in the solar neighborhood and the mean velocity of NSs in the Galactic disk. Estimates of the sky density of NSs towards specific lines of sight, i.e. the Galactic center and the Magellanic Clouds, are also given.     

A new eclipsing low-mass X-ray binary with a giant companion

We detected hard X-ray emission from the unidentified Galactic bulge source 1RXS J175721.2-304405 with ASCA. The observed absorption column, flux and power-law index led us to consider that 1RXS J175721.2-304405 may be a new low-mass X-ray binary located near the Galactic center. Furthermore, the X-ray light-curve shows a step-function-like time variability, which is likely due to the occultation of a companion star. Future follow-up observations by missions such as ASTROSAT may reveal a periodic eclipse from 1RXS J175721.2-304405 if it is covered long enough. Since the long orbital period suggests a giant companion, follow-up observations will give firm evidence that 1RXS J175721.2-304405 is a new and rare eclipsing low-mass X-ray binary with a giant companion.     

Reverberation time lags in the high luminosity quasar PG 1247+267

Virial estimates of the black hole mass in the center of AGNs, derived from single-epoch observations of luminosity and emission line widths, are now available for several thousands of objects at all redshifts and luminosities, so that studies of the cosmological evolution of the AGN mass function are becoming possible. These estimates are based on the empirical luminosity-size relation measured through reverberation mapping at low redshifts and luminosities. For this reason the spectrophotometric monitoring of 4 luminous quasars was started in 2003, with the 1.8 m telescope of the Asiago Observatory. To measure the reverberation time lag we adopt a method, recently introduced by Zu et al. (2011), which takes advantage of the available statistical information on variability autocorrelation and makes simple assumptions on the continuum-emission line transfer function. We present the estimate of the broad line region size for the quasar PG 1247+267, which is the most luminous object with reverberation measures to date. Virial products computed for C iv and C iii] emission lines provide consistent results. A possible flattening of the size-luminosity relation for C iv at high luminosity is suggested.     

Flux upper limits of diffuse TeV gamma rays from the Galactic plane using the effective area of the Tibet-II and -III arrays

We obtained new upper limits on the diffuse gamma rays from the inner Galactic (IG) and outer Galactic (OG) planes in 3–10 TeV region, using the Tibet air shower data and new Monte Carlo simulation results. A difference of the effective area of the air-shower array for observing gamma rays and cosmic rays was carefully taken into account in this analysis, resulting in that the flux upper limits of the diffuse TeV gamma rays were reduced by factors of 4.0–3.7 for 3–10 TeV than those in our previous results (Amenomori, M., Ayabe, S., Cui, S.W., et al. Observation of multi-TeV diffuse gamma rays from the Galactic plane with the Tibet air shower array. Astrophys. J. 580, 887–895, 2002.). This new result suggests that the inverse power index of the energy spectrum of source electrons responsible for generating diffuse TeV gamma rays through inverse Compton effect should be steeper than 2.2 and 2.1 for IG and OG planes, respectively, with 99%C.L.     

The nature of nonthermal X-ray filaments near the galactic center

Recent Chandra and XMM-Newton observations reported evidence of two X-ray filaments G359.88−0.08 (SgrA-E) and G359.54+0.18 (the ripple filament) near the Galactic center. The X-ray emission from these filaments has a nonthermal spectrum and coincides with synchrotron emitting radio sources. Here, we report the detection of a new X-ray feature coincident with a radio filament G359.90−0.06 (SgrA-F) and show more detailed VLA, Chandra and BIMA observations of the radio and X-ray filaments. In particular, we show that radio emission from the nonthermal filaments G359.90−0.06 (SgrA-F) and G359.54+0.18 (the ripple) has a steep spectrum whereas G359.88−0.08 (SgrA-E) has a flat spectrum. The X-ray emission from both these sources could be due to synchrotron radiation. However, given that the 20 km s⁻¹ molecular cloud, with its intense 1.2 mm dust emission, lies in the vicinity of SgrA-F, it is possible that the X-rays could be produced by inverse Compton scattering of far-infrared photons from dust by the relativistic electrons responsible for the radio synchrotron emission. The production of X-ray emission from ICS allows an estimate of the magnetic field strength of 0.08 mG within the nonthermal filament. This should be an important parameter for any models of the Galactic center nonthermal filaments.     

1E 1740.7-2942 revisited: Confirmation of its identification with the core of a double sided radio jet structure

After more than two years of successful in-orbit operations, the γ-ray coded aperture SIGMA telescope has accumulated 800 hours of live-time observations of the Galactic Center region, including the remarkable hard source identified with the X-ray source 1E 1740.7–2942. The long-term behavior of the soft γ-ray emission of 1E 1740.7–2942, as determined from the SIGMA survey, supplemented with previously available soft γ-ray data, leads to its identification with a singular radio source, which consists of a double sided radio jet emanating from a compact variable core whose variability is correlated with that of the soft γ-ray source. The compact radio core, which lies well inside the improved soft γ-ray (40–150 keV) error circle (27″ radius) derived from the high-resolution SIGMA survey, is also inside the ROSAT and TTM error circle derived respectively in the soft and hard X-ray bands.     

Dynamical analysis of a spinning solar sail

This paper discusses the orbit and attitude dynamics of a solar sail, and gives the sufficient conditions of a stable orbit and attitude coupled system. The stability of the coupled system is determined by the orbit stability and attitude stability. Based on the sufficient conditions, a spin-stabilized solar sail of cone configuration is proposed to evolve in the heliocentric displaced orbit. For this kind of configuration, the attitude is always stable by spinning itself. The orbit stability depends on the orbit parameters of the heliocentric displaced orbit, the ratio of the orbit radius to displaced distance and orbit angular velocity. If the center of mass and center of pressure overlap, it can be proved that the coupled system is stable when the orbit parameters are chosen in the stable region. When the center of mass and center of pressure offset exists, the stability of the coupled system can not be judged. A numerical example is given and the result shows that both the orbit and attitude are stable for the case.     

Radio continuum observations of the galactic supernova remnant Vela Z (G266.2-1.2)

We present multi frequency radio-continuum observations of Galactic SNR Vela Z (G266.2-1.2), associated with the prominent X-ray source RX J0852.0-4622 discovered in 1998. Our study of this Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) is based on low-resolution mosaic observations with the ATCA radio interferometer at 1384 and 2496 MHz, Parkes 4850 MHz and MOST 843 MHz survey data. We determine the radio spectral index for the most prominent features of this SNR and compare these features with X-ray observations. We note a sudden spectral turnover at higher then expected frequencies of ∼1384 MHz.     

小卫星动平衡研究--质心不对中对姿态的影响

首先定性分析质心不对中对星体动力学特性的影响，然后由拉格朗日第二类方程导出引力场下星体运动方程的矩阵表达式，最后以50kg级长方体3轴稳定小卫星为例，分析不同初角速度和不同时间历程情况下质心不对中对星体运动姿态的影响，并分析其对星体运动稳定性的影响．本文研究为同类品种小卫星的构型设计、姿态控制系统设计以及制定卫星动平衡精度提供依据。     

Results from the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Observatory

The Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory covers the high energy gamma ray energy range, approximately 30 MeV to 30 GeV, with a sensitivity considerably greater than earlier high energy gamma-ray satellites. Thus far, 4 pulsars have been detected and their properties measured, including in 3 cases the energy spectrum as a function of phase. The details of the galactic plane are being mapped and a spectra of the center region has been obtained in good agreement with that expected from cosmic ray interactions. The Magellanic clouds have been examined with the Large Magellanic Cloud having been detected at a level consistent with it having a cosmic ray density compatible with quasi-stable equilibrium. Sixteen Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN's) have been seen thus far with a high degree of certainty including 12 quasars and 4 BL Lac objects, but no Seyferts. Time variation has been detected in some of these AGN's.     

超宽带天线相位中心测量

快速有效的实现超宽带天线相位中心的测量,在超宽带天线研究和研制过程中非常重要。指出了天线相位中心与频率的关系,介绍了“三天线”测量超宽频带相位中心的方法,通过六次S参数的测量获得了天线在超宽频带内相位中心的变化规律。     

空间粒子辐射对卫星中集成芯片的影响

本文分析了在“风云一号(B)”气象卫星环境中各种粒子辐射在集成芯片临界体积中产生的能量沉积, 即LET(线性能量传输);得到了银河宇宙线1≤Z≤28、银河宇宙线异常成分(C、N、O、Ne、Ar、Fe)、内辐射带质子等产生的LET, 计算了其分别产生的单粒于事件(SEU)翻转率。      

Primordial black holes and Holeums as progenitors of Galactic diffuse gamma-ray background

Diffuse Galactic gamma-ray flux resulting from the evaporation of primordial black holes has been the subject of intensive research work during the last few decades. Theoretical work addressing this issue started in the 1970s whereas data started pouring in only in the 1990s. We discuss in this paper a model of the potential contribution to the Galactic gamma-ray flux of primordial black holes in binary systems and extend the argument to include stable gravitational bound states called Holeums. The model has a predictive power and can be tested by looking for gamma-ray excess in the vicinity of violent events occurring in the Galaxy such as supernova explosions.     

Pulsars and their nebulae as EGRET sources

At the end of the EGRET mission, only 6–8 Galactic sources had been identified as young pulsars. Since then, several energetic pulsars have been detected in EGRET error boxes along the Galactic plane, as well as several pulsar wind nebulae from which pulsations have not yet been discovered. Some of these nebulae are associated with moderately variable EGRET sources, suggesting that the γ-ray emission might be coming from the nebula rather than from the pulsar magnetosphere. There is also a population of unidentified EGRET sources at mid-Galactic latitudes which have been proposed to be either nearby middle-aged pulsars or millisecond pulsars. I review the current status of observational studies of pulsars associated with EGRET sources and what they suggest the upcoming AGILE and GLAST γ-ray missions might observe.     

How Galactic Cosmic Ray models affect the estimation of radiation exposure in space

The radiation environment in space is a major concern for human spaceflight because of the adverse effects of high levels of radiation on astronauts’ health. Therefore, it is essential to perform radiation risk assessments already during the concept studies of a manned mission. Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) have been identified to be one of the primary sources of radiation exposure in space.