Primordial Helium and ΔY/ΔZ from H II Regions and from Fine Structure in the Main Sequence Based on Hipparcos Parallaxes

The primordial helium abundance YP is important for cosmology and the ratio Y/Z of the changes relative to primordial abundances constrains models of stellar evolution. While the most accurate estimates of YP come from emission lines in extragalactic H II regions, they involve an extrapolation to zero metallicity which itself is closely tied up with the slope Y/Z. Recently certain systematic effects have come to light in this exercise which make it useful to have an independent estimate of Y/Z from fine structure in the main sequence of nearby stars. We derive such an estimate from Hipparcos data for stars with Z Z and find values between 2 and 3, which are consistent with stellar models, but still have a large uncertainty.     

Standard Solar Composition

We review the current status of our knowledge of the chemical composition of the Sun, essentially derived from the analysis of the solar photospheric spectrum. The comparison of solar and meteoritic abundances confirms that there is a very good agreement between the two sets of abundances. They are used to construct a Standard Abundance Distribution. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Local Bubble and Interstellar Material Near the Sun

The properties of interstellar matter at the Sun are regulated by our location with respect to a void in the local matter distribution, known as the Local Bubble. The Local Bubble (LB) is bounded by associations of massive stars and fossil supernovae that have disrupted dense interstellar matter (ISM), driving low density intermediate velocity ISM into the void. The Sun appears to be located in one of these flows of low density material. This nearby interstellar matter, dubbed the Local Fluff, has a bulk velocity of ∼19 km s⁻¹ in the local standard of rest. The flow is coming from the direction of the gas and dust ring formed where the Loop I supernova remnant merges into the LB. Optical polarization data suggest that the local interstellar magnetic field lines are draped over the heliosphere. A longstanding discrepancy between the high thermal pressure of plasma filling the LB and low thermal pressures in the embedded Local Fluff cloudlets is partially mitigated when the ram pressure component parallel to the cloudlet flow direction is included.     

The Chemical Evolution of the Milky Way Disk

A brief review is presented of our current understanding of the evolution of the Milky Way disk and of its relevance to "cosmic chemical evolution" studies. The implications of this understanding for the evolution of deuterium are emphasized.     

Galactic Evolution of D and 3He

The most recent chemical evolution models for D and 3He are reviewed and their results compared with the available data.Models in agreement with the major galactic observational constraints predict deuterium depletion from the Big Bang to the present epoch smaller than a factor of 3 and therefore do not allow for D/H primordial abundances larger than 5 × 10-5. Models predicting higher D consumption do not seem to be able to reproduce other observed features of our galaxy (e.g. SFR, abundances, abundance ratios and/or gradients of heavier elements, metallicity distribution of G-dwarfs).Observational and theoretical 3He abundances can be reconciled with each other if the majority of low mass stars experience in the red giant phase a deep mixing allowing the consumption of most of the 3He produced during core-hydrogen burning.     

Element Separation in the Chromosphere Ionization-Diffusion Models for the FIP-Effect

Ionization-diffusion mechanisms to understand the first ionization potential (FIP) fractionation as observed in the solar corona and the solar wind are reviewed. The enrichment of the low-FIP elements (<10 eV) compared to the high-FIP elements, seen in e.g. slow and fast wind or polar plumes, is explained. The behaviour of the heavy noble gases becomes understandable. The absolute fractionation, i.e. in relation to hydrogen, can be calculated and fits well to the measurements. The theoretical velocity-dependence of the fractionation will with used to determine the velocities of the solar wind in the chromosphere. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

地球卫星星光折射导航量测量及其性能对比

星光折射天文导航是一种重要的地球卫星自主导航方式,量测量是影响其导航精度的重要因素。在地球卫星星光折射导航中,折射视高度、星光折射角、折射星像素坐标(折射星矢量)是3种常用的量测量,结合星光折射导航的基本原理重点介绍了这3种量测量的获取方法和量测模型,通过仿真和可观性分析比较了相同条件下3种量测量的导航性能。仿真结果表明,由于折射星像素坐标可以同时反映星光折射的大小和方向可观性高,而星光折射角和折射视高度仅能反映星光折射的大小,无法反映其方向可观性低,因此折射星像素坐标的导航性能优于星光折射角和折射视高度。此外,本文也对星敏感器精度、卫星轨道高度、星敏感器安装夹角3种因素对3种方法导航性能的影响进行了分析。     

Determination of Sulfur Abundance in the Solar Wind

Solar chemical abundances are determined by comparing solar photospheric spectra with synthetic ones obtained for different sets of abundances and physical conditions. Although such inferred results are reliable, they are model dependent. Therefore, one compares them with the values for the local interstellar medium (LISM). The argument is that they must be similar, but even for LISM abundance determinations models play a fundamental role (i.e., temperature fluctuations, clumpiness, photon leaks). There are still two possible comparisons—one with the meteoritic values and the second with solar wind abundances. In this work we derive a first estimation of the solar wind element ratios of sulfur relative to calcium and magnesium, two neighboring low-FIP elements, using 10 years of CELIAS/MTOF data. We compare the sulfur abundance with the abundance determined from spectroscopic observations and from solar energetic particles. Sulfur is a moderately volatile element, hence, meteoritic sulfur may be depleted relative to non-volatile elements, if compared to its original solar system value.     

A spectroscopic analysis of B stars in the SMC cluster NGC 330

Medium resolution (2A/px) but high s/n spectra of approximately twenty of the brightest blue stars in the young open cluster NGC 330 in the SMC have been analyzed in order to determine their atmospheric parameters and the evolutionary status. Stellar parameters are determined by comparison with LTE and NLTE model atmosphere calculations and an HR diagram constructed. Luminosities of the sample stars lie in the range 4.0L _*/L )<5.0 and spectral types between O9 and late-B. The stars in our sample appear to define 4 groups: main-sequence B-stars (B2-B4), B-supergiants (B4) in a blue-loop phase of evolution, a small number of blue stragglers (O9-B0 near main-sequence stars) and a group of luminous giants (B1-B2) which reside in the so-called post main-sequence gap of the HR diagram. Furthermore, we have confirmed spectroscopically the very high incidence of Be stars in this cluster. Finally the almost complete absence of metal lines (at this resolution) is in keeping with the expected very low metallicity of the SMC.     

Diffusive fractionation in the chromosphere

A new mechanism for the FIP fractionation in the solar wind in the form of a stationary diffusion model is proposed. It is based on a weakly stratified chromospheric layer of constant density and temperature, permeated everywhere by ionizing photons and a homogeneous magnetic field. Our model does not invoke any particular geometry or special set up of the system and is founded solely on robust and well understood atomic collisonal physics. Technically, a boundary value problem of four coupled differential equations is solved for each chemical element, i.e. a continuity equation and a momentum equation for both atoms and singly ionized particles. For the main gas (hydrogen), an analytical solution can be found. This then serves as a background for the numerical integration of each trace gas system (several elements from He to Fe). We find that, after a few hydrogen diffusion lengths, each minor species asymptotically approaches a constant density. The ratios of these density values to some reference element reproduce the observed FIP fractionation pattern remarkably well.     

基于强度约束的复合材料机翼翼盒设计优化

提出了一个大型飞机复合材料机翼受强度约束条件下的优化问题,基于机翼结构的初步设计进行了设计优化。通过OptiStruct商业软件来完成优化过程,OptiStruct是一个效率高、精确独立的有限元求解器,目前也被广泛应用于航空航天工业中。根据设计目标,优化过程中将机翼上下蒙皮复合材料的层压厚度作为设计变量,优化后的结构重量减少了25.07%。在实际生产限制条件下,为了使设计结果趋于保守,对优化后的层板厚度进行了调整,适当增加了厚度,导致结构重量略有增加,但是最终的重量减少仍然超过20%,证明该方法在实现复合材料机翼结构的轻量化设计中具有实用性,可在机翼设计阶段的静强度评估中进行应用。     

Macroscopic Transport Large-scale advection, turbulent diffusion, wave transport

While the solar convection zone is very well mixed by its turbulent motions, chemical composition gradients build up in the radiative interior due to microscopic diffusion and settling, and to nuclear burning. Standard models, which ignore any type of macroscopic transport, cannot explain the depletion of lithium in solar-type stars, as they evolve; neither do they account for the observed profile of molecular weight at the base of the solar convection zone. Such macroscopic transport can be achieved through thermally driven meridian currents, through turbulent diffusion generated by differential rotation and possibly through gravity waves. These processes transport also angular momentum, and therefore the internal rotation profile of the Sun provides a crucial test for their relative importance. So does also the behavior of tidally locked binaries, which appear to destroy less lithium than single stars of the same mass. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

量子成像关键技术及研究进展

量子成像从1995年利用纠缠光源实现至今已有20多年的历史.目前,量子成像已经与压缩感知传感、激光雷达、结构光照明等各个领域形成了多学科交叉.本文回顾了量子成像技术的发展历程,列出了量子成像的关键技术及研究进展,展望了量子成像技术的发展趋势.