An identification for GEMINGA: A review of all the available data

Dedicated X-ray, optical and radio observations aimed at the identification of the bright γ-ray source 2CG195+04 (GEMINGA) are presented. A very promising candidate is found and its properties are discussed in the context of possible astrophysical scenarios.     

Gamma rays from accreting matter onto collapsed objects

In the spherical accretion onto massive objects, the matter may be heated up to temperatures as high as 10¹² °K. In such a hot plasma, the thermal bremsstrahlung (e-e and e-p) and π° decay from inelastic collisions of protons are the main γ-ray sources. We determined the γ -ray production spectra from the π° decay and from bremsstrahlung for different temperatures. The expected γ-ray spectra were evaluated too in order to fit experimental data. We have fitted COS B data from 3C 273 using a two temperatures plasma model. The best fit is for

Full-size image (1K)

(M₈ is the black hole mass in 10⁸ M) which gives . The hard X-ray measurements do not contradict the bremsstrahlung spectrum.     

Rotational constants of linear and/or bent Cn+1H and CnN(n = 1–6): A DFT study

The geometries, dipole moments, and rotational constants for the linear and/or bent cations, C_n+1H⁺ and C_nN⁺(n = 1–6), were studied by the B3LYP method with the modest basis sets. For C_nH⁺(n = odd; 3, 5, 7) and C_nN⁺(n = even; 2, 4, 6), the theoretical rotational constants (B_es) of closed-shell singlet C₃H⁺, C₅H⁺, C₇H⁺, CCN⁺, C₄N⁺, and C₆N⁺ were calculated to be about 11,244, 2420, 885.2, 11,970, 2439, and 880.8 MHz, respectively. By contrast, the triplets are stable than the corresponding singlets for C_nH⁺(n = odd; 2, 4, 6) and C_nN⁺(n = even; 3, 5) except CN⁺.     

High-cadence Hα imaging of solar flares

The Hα observation is a powerful tool to study the high-energy aspect of solar flares. Spiky brightenings of flare kernels at the Hα center reflect the rapid fluctuation in particle acceleration; linear polarization of Hα emission might be evidence of accelerated protons; red-shifts of the Hα line are caused by the chromospheric evaporation. To study the spiky brightenings of flare kernels with high-cadence imaging at the Hα center, a high-speed Hα camera for the Solar Flare Telescope at Mitaka, NAOJ, had been developed and it started the regular observation in 2001 July. However, the polarimetry and the Dopplermetry are also important and they are required to be carried out in parallel with the high-cadence imaging at the Hα center. Then, we upgraded the original high-speed Hα camera to a new Hα camera system for the multi-aspect Hα observations, which performs all of the high-cadence imaging, the linear polarization measurements, and the off-band imaging for velocity measurements. The new system started the observation in 2002 July. In this paper, the multi-aspect Hα imaging system is described and sample Hα images are presented.     

Characteristics and performance of thin LaBr3(Ce) crystal for hard X-ray astronomy

We have developed a new detector using thin lanthanum bromide crystal (32 × 3 mm) for use in X-ray astronomy. The instrument was launched in high altitude balloon flight on two different occasions, December 21, 2007, which reached a ceiling altitude of 4.3 mbs and April 25, 2008 reaching a ceiling altitude 2.8 mbs. The observed background counting rate at the ceiling altitude of 4 mbs was ∼4 × 10⁻³ ct cm⁻² s⁻¹ keV⁻¹ sr⁻¹. This paper describes the details of the experiment, the detector characteristics, and the background behaviour at the ceiling altitude.     

Optimal H∞ robust output feedback control for satellite formation in arbitrary elliptical reference orbits

A two degree-of-freedom signal-based optimal H_∞ robust output feedback controller is designed for satellite formation in an arbitrary elliptical reference orbit. Based on high-fidelity linearized dynamics of relative motion, uncertainties introduced by non-zero eccentricity and gravitational J2 perturbation are separated to construct a robust control model. Furthermore, a distributed robust control model is derived by modifying the perturbed robust control model of each satellite with the eigenvalues of the Laplacian matrix of the communication graph, which represent uncertainty in the communication topology. A signal-based optimal H_∞ robust controller is then designed primarily. Considering that the uncertainties involved in the distributed robust control model have a completely diagonal structure, the corresponding analyses are made through structured singular value theory to reduce the conservativeness. Based on simulation results, further designs including increasing the degrees of freedom of the controller, modifying the performance and control weighted functions, adding a post high-pass filter according to the dynamic characteristics, and reducing the control model are made to improve the control performance. Nonlinear simulations demonstrate that the resultant optimal H_∞ robust output feedback controller satisfies the robust performance requirements under uncertainties caused by non-zero eccentricity, J2 perturbation, and varying communication topology, and that 5 m accuracy in terms of stable desired formation configuration can be achieved by the presented optimal H_∞ robust controller. In addition to considering the widely discussed uncertainties caused by the orbit of each satellite in a formation, the optimal H_∞ robust output feedback control model presented in the current work considers the uncertainties caused by varying communication topology in the satellite formation that works in a cooperative way. Other new improvements include adopting a new method to more accurately describe and analyze the effects of the higher-order J2 perturbation, combining all the uncertainties into a diagonal structure, and utilizing a structured singular value to synthesize and analyze the controller.     

Observations of non-migrating tides and ionospheric perturbations of O(D) airglow by ISUAL instrument

In this paper, we present the spatial variations of O(¹D) airglow observed by the ISUAL (Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning) instrument on board the FORMOSAT-2 satellite. With a CCD camera and a 630 nm filter, ISUAL can measure global atmospheric emissions lying between the heights of 80 and 300 km. In days of 3–6 September 2008 and 25–27 February 2009, ISUAL has measured the emissions of O(¹D) airglow with results showing strong longitudinal peak-3 and peak-4 structures. The Lomb-Scargle analyses for these two cases show periods of longitudes of 120° and 90° supporting the DE2 and DE3 non-migrating tides. The 630 nm emissions are enhanced in equatorial regions and are lying along the equator. Over Africa its intensity can sometimes increase up to 80% relative to other longitudes. The perturbation is so strong that non-migrating tides are erased. A case of bimodal distribution with strong emissions at latitudes in equator and mid-latitude in geographic coordinates was observed.     

Involvement of nitric oxide in the mechanism of biochemical alterations induced by simulated microgravity in Microcystis aeruginosa

Simulated microgravity (SMG) can inhibit proliferation and enhance microcystin production of Microcystis aeruginosa. We investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in regulating the SMG induced changes of proliferation, photochemical system II photochemical activity, pigment, soluble protein and microcystin production in M. aeruginosa. M. aeruginosa was exposed to 0.1 mM sodium nitroprusside (SNP, NO donor) or 0.02 mM 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4, 4, 5, 5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (c-PTIO, NO scavenger) alone or in combination with SMG for 48 h. SMG and SNP inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa while c-PTIO had no effect on cell number. As to yield, the negative effect of SMG was augmented by SNP and suppressed by c-PTIO. The intracellular concentrations of chlorophyll a, carotenoid, phycocyanin, soluble protein and microcystin were increased by SMG after 48 h. The effects of SMG on these metabolic processes could be enhanced by SNP and be partly eliminated by c-PTIO. Moreover, SNP and c-PTIO only functioned in these biochemical processes under SMG, unlike in the regulation of cell proliferation and yield. These results showed that the effects of SMG could be enhanced by adding exogenous NO and be mitigated by scavenging endogenous NO, revealing the involvement of NO in the changes in biochemistry processes induced by SMG in M. aeruginosa.