Modeling the broadband persistent emission of magnetars

In this paper, we discuss our first attempts to model the broadband persistent emission of magnetars within a self-consistent, physical scenario. We present the predictions of a synthetic model that we calculated with a new Monte Carlo 3D radiative code. The basic idea is that soft thermal photons (e.g. emitted by the star surface) can experience resonant cyclotron upscattering by a population of relativistic electrons treated in the twisted magnetosphere. Our code is specifically tailored to work in the ultra-magnetized regime; polarization and QED effects are consistently accounted for, as well different configurations for the magnetosphere. We discuss the predicted spectral properties in the 0.1–1000 keV range, the polarization properties, and we present the model application to a sample of magnetars soft X-ray spectra.     

The beaming of external Compton emission

We consider a relativistically moving blob consisting of an isotropic electron distribution that Compton-scatters photons from an external isotropic radiation field. We compute the resulting beaming pattern, i.e. the distribution of the scattered photons, in the blob frame as well as in the observer’s frame by using the full Klein–Nishina cross section and the exact incident photon distribution. In the Thomson regime the comparison of our approach with Dermer (1995) results in concurrent characteristics but different absolute number of the scattered photons by a factor of f_corr = 3.09. Additionally, our calculation yields a slightly lower boost factor which varies the more from the corresponding value in Dermer (1995) the higher the spectral index p of the electron distribution gets.     

WSO-UV project

During last three decades, astronomers have enjoyed continuous access to the 100–300 nm ultraviolet (UV) spectral range where the resonance transitions of the most abundant atoms and ions (at temperatures between 3000 and 300 000 K) reside. This UV range is not accessible from ground-based facilities. The successful International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) observatory, the Russian ASTRON mission and successor instruments such as the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission or the COS and STIS spectrographs on-board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) prove the major impact of observations in the UV wavelength range in modern astronomy. Future access to space-based observatories is expected to be very limited. For the next decade, the post-HST era, the World Space Observatory – Ultraviolet (WSO–UV) will be the only 2-m class UV telescope with capabilities similar to the HST. WSO–UV will be equipped with instruments for imaging and spectroscopy and it will be a facility dedicated, full-time, to UV astronomy. In this article, we briefly outline the current status of the WSO–UV mission and the science management plan.     

A constitutive model coupling damage and material anisotropy for wide stress triaxiality

A constitutive model that can describe the damage evolution of anisotropic metal sheets during the complex forming processes which experience wide stress triaxiality history is essential to accurately predict the deformation and rupture behaviors of the processes. In this study, a modified Lemaitre damage criterion which couples with the anisotropic Barlat 89 yield function is established. The effects of stress triaxiality, Lode parameter and shear stress on damage accumulation are considered in the constitutive model. The model is numerically implemented and applied to fracture prediction in tensile tests with different stress triaxialities and a complex deformation process with wide stress triaxiality history. The good consistency of predictions and experiments indicates that the modified Lemaitre damage model has excellent fracture prediction ability. Finally, the accuracy of the model is analyzed and discussed.     

A concept mission for the Stellar Population and Evolution with Cubesats (SPEC)

Binary or multiple stellar systems, constituting almost a third of the content of the Milky Way, represent a high priority astronomical target due to their repercussions on the stellar dynamical and evolutionary parameters. Moreover the spectral study of such class of stars allows to better constrain the evolutionary theories of the Galactic stellar populations. By resolving the members of stellar systems through photometric observations we are able to perform more detailed measurements to infer their mass. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of a cubesat based mission including an optical payload to directly optically discriminate the members of a selected sample of binary systems. The scientific targets, consisting 11?M class dwarf stars binary systems, have been extracted from the already studied Riaz catalogue. These subset has been selected considering the star distance, the members angular separation, and the distance from the Galactic plane (due to limit the background and foreground contamination). The satellite concept is based on a 6 unit Cubesat embedding some commercial off the shelf components and an ad hoc designed optical payload occupying almost 4 units. The optical configuration has been chosen in order to fit the angular resolution requirements, as derived from the target characteristics. Moreover, according to the optical analysis and the computed field of view some requirements on the attitude control system have been inferred and fulfilled by the component selection. The paper is organized as in the following: a brief scientific introduction is made; consequently the project is described with particular attention to the optical design and the standard sub-systems; finally the conclusions are drawn and the future perspectives are investigated.     

三脉冲冷原子陀螺仪中基于内态演化的拉曼光光强补偿算法

由于在复杂环境中拉曼光功率不稳定会导致原子脉冲的宽度发生改变,从而影响陀螺仪的测量精度.通过对冷原子干涉仪的干涉全过程进行建模,计算得出了陀螺仪在拉曼光改变情形下输出相位的解析表达式,即建立了拉曼光在非近共振条件下强度变化时陀螺仪的输出值与外界载体运动之间的关系.与此同时,基于该解析表达式提出了一种对拉曼光光强的补偿算...     

Ti6Al4V合金冷拔过程变形机制研究

研究了钛合金经冷拉后的变形组织和性能,金相、透镜观察表明,位错滑移是钛合金室温下塑性变形的主导机制.钛合金经过冷拉拔后的组织性能变化可分为3个阶段:第一阶段为快速硬化阶段,以大晶粒的变形为主,位错缠结形成;第二阶段其抗拉强度值增加趋于平缓,近乎于一个平台,部分小晶粒也开始参与变形,位错带形成;第三阶段为应变量大于0.6...     

Lithium Abundance in Pop.II Stars A post-HIPPARCOS discussion

The relation between the lithium abundance observed in Population II stars and the primordial abundance, is still an open question (see Cayrel and Duncan, this meeting). A few recent results are discussed. HIPPARCOS data show that the standard model of stellar evolution can explain the 6Li detection in HD 84937, suggesting a negligible depletion of 7Li. A slope in the Li/Teff relation for Pop II dwarfs and a spread of their Li abundance have been advocated, and both used as arguments in favor of Li depletion. The slope is not confirmed when two other independent temperature scales are used. The Li scatter around the plateau is hardly larger than the scatter predicted from determination errors. Hints from a scatter of Li in subgiants of the globular cluster M92 are not completely conclusive. The determination of more accurate Li abundances in the Pop II stars is an urgent but difficult task, requiring better model atmosphere (better convection treatment) and the help of observational data about Pop II stars (such as long base interferometry).