Coma Morphology of Three Non-periodic Comets     

R. Schulz  J. A. Stüwe  C. Erd 《Earth, Moon, and Planets》2005,97(3-4):387-397

The coma morphology and short-term evolution was investigated of three non-periodic comets in retrograde orbits, C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), C/2002 T7 (LINEAR), and C/2003 K4 (LINEAR). All three comets display distinct coma features, which were very different from one comet to the next and remained rather constant in shape during the observational period. A single, broad feature perpendicular to the sun-tail direction dominated the coma of C/2003 K4 in all used filters (B,V,R,I), whereas the coma of Comet C/2002 T7 exhibited different features in blue and red filters. C/2001 Q4 showed rather complex coma morphology with clear short-term variability in coma brightness. Therefore, these non-periodic comets neither show a featureless coma nor any similarities of the features detected. The overall distribution of coma material was investigated from the shape of radial coma profiles averaged around the comet nucleus. For C/2001 Q4 and C/2002 T7, the slopes fitted to the linear part of these profiles are flatter in the blue than in the red, which can be explained by the presence of coma gas. For C/2003 K4 no such difference is indicated in the May observations (r = 2.3 AU), while in July (r = 1.7 AU) the profiles in the B-filter are flatter than in V, R, and I, hence gas contamination was relevant at least in the B filter. The R and I filter images were used to determine approximate Afρ values of each comet as a function of time.  相似文献   

Is there a disc in the superluminal quasars?     

E. Rokaki  A. Lawrence  F. Economou  A. Mastichiadis 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2003,340(4):1298-1308

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The intracluster iron distribution around 4C+55.16     

K. Iwasawa  A.C. Fabian  S.W. Allen  S. Ettori 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2001,328(1):L5-L10

We report on the metal distribution in the intracluster medium around the radio galaxy 4C+55.16     observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory . The radial metallicity profile shows a dramatic change at 10 arcsec (∼50 kpc) in radius from half solar to twice solar at inner radii. Also found was a plume-like feature located at ∼3 arcsec to the south-west of the centre of the galaxy, which is mostly accounted for by a strong enhancement of iron L emission. The X-ray spectrum of the plume is characterized by the metal abundance pattern of Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa), i.e. large ratios of Fe to α elements, with the iron metallicity being unusually high at     solar (90 per cent error). How the plume has been formed is not entirely clear. The inhomogeneous iron distribution suggested in this cluster provides important clues to understanding the metal enrichment process of the cluster medium.  相似文献   

Porous interstellar grains     

M. A. Iatì  C. Cecchi-Pestellini  D. A. Williams  F. Borghese  P. Denti  R. Saija  S. Aiello 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2001,322(4):749-756

Recent observations of stellar composition suggest that elements in the Sun are significantly more abundant than in other stars. The reduction in the available element budget implies a drastic revision in current models of interstellar dust. Theoretical models are therefore exploring fluffy, porous physical structure for the grain material. Since a detailed exact treatment of extinction cross-sections is mandatory for a correct understanding of the nature of interstellar dust, we present a technique based on the multipole expansions of the electromagnetic field, which has proven to be general, flexible and powerful in treating scattering of light by porous, composite, arbitrarily shaped particles. The results of this study speak in favour of core–mantle structures characterized by the presence of porosities.  相似文献   

The Variabilities of the Soft and Hard X—ray Components of NGC 7314 and NGC 7582 and the Distribution of Absorbing Matter in Type Ⅱ AGNs     

Xiang－HuaZou  Sui－JianXue 《中国天文和天体物理学报》2002,2(4):352-360

ASCA observations of the two Type Ⅱ AGNs,NGC7314 and NGC 7582,show clear variations in the broad X-ray band(0.4-10keV)on short timescales-10^4s.Spectral analysis indicates that they bot have an absorbed hard X-ray component and an unabsorbed soft“excess” component.To clarify the origin of the latter,we made a cross-correlation analysis of the two components.The results show that,for NGC7314,the soft X-ray variability is proportional to that of the hard X-ray component.This indicates that the active nucleus of NGC 7314 must be partially covered and so the soft emission is a “leaking” of the variable hard component.For NGC 7582,there is no detectable variability in the soft component, although there is a definite one in the hard component.This indicates that the variable nucleus of NGC 7582 must be fully blocked by absorbing matter,and the soft emission is most likely the scattered component predicted by the AGN unified model.  相似文献   

A ROSAT WFC observation of SW UMa: the EUV behaviour of dwarf novae in superoutburst explained     

M.R. Burleigh  J.P. Pye  S.W. Poulton  K.B. Sohl  P.J. Wheatley  G.A. Wynn 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2001,325(4):1458-1462

During re-processing and analysis of the entire ROSAT Wide Field Camera (WFC) pointed observations data base, we discovered a serendipitous, off-axis detection of the cataclysmic variable SW UMa at the onset of its 1997 October superoutburst. Although long outbursts in this SU UMa-type system are known to occur every ∼ 450 d, none had ever been previously observed in the extreme ultra-violet (EUV) by ROSAT . The WFC observations began just ≈13 hr after the optical rise was detected. With a peak count rate of ∼ 4.5 count s⁻¹ in the S1 filter, SW UMa was temporarily the third brightest object in the sky in this waveband. Over the next ≈19 hr the measured EUV flux dropped to < 2 count s⁻¹, while the optical brightness remained essentially static at m _v∼11 . Similar behaviour has also been recently reported in the EUV light curve of the related SU UMa-type binary OY Car during superoutburst, as reported by Mauche & Raymond. In contrast, U Gem-type dwarf novae show no such early EUV dip during normal outbursts. Therefore, this feature may be common in superoutbursts of SU UMa-like systems. We expand on ideas first put forward by Osaki and Mauche & Raymond and offer an explanation for this behaviour by examining the interplay between the thermal and tidal instabilities that affect the accretion discs in these systems.  相似文献   

The Flared Disc Project: RXTE and ASCA observations of X 1822−371     

S. Heinz  M. A. Nowak 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2001,320(2):249-260

We present archival Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer ( RXTE ) and simultaneous Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics ( ASCA ) data of the eclipsing low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) X 1822−371. Our spectral analysis shows that a variety of simple models can fit the spectra relatively well. Of these models, we explore two in detail through phase-resolved fits. These two models represent the case of a very optically thick and a very optically thin corona. While systematic residuals remain at high energies, the overall spectral shape is well approximated. The same two basic models are fitted to the X-ray light curve, which shows sinusoidal modulations interpreted as absorption by an opaque disc rim of varying height. The geometry we infer from these fits is consistent with previous studies: the disc rim reaches out to the tidal truncation radius, while the radius of the corona (approximated as spherical) is very close to the circularization radius. Timing analysis of the RXTE data shows a time-lag from hard to soft consistent with the coronal size inferred from the fits. Neither the spectra nor the light curve fits allow us to rule out either model, leaving a key ingredient of the X 1822−371 puzzle unsolved. Furthermore, while previous studies were consistent with the central object being a 1.4 M_⊙ neutron star, which has been adopted as the best guess scenario for this system, our light curve fits show that a white dwarf or black hole primary can work just as well. Based on previously published estimates of the orbital evolution of X 1822−371, however, we suggest that this system contains either a neutron star or a low mass (≲2.5 M_⊙) black hole and is in a transitional state of duration shortward of 10⁷ yr.  相似文献   

富氏谱分析法模拟地壳垂直运动的地学依据及其策应力模型     

张勤  范一中 《大地测量与地球动力学》2001,21(4):76-80

应用地壳波浪与镶嵌构造学说对富氏谱分析法提取地壳垂直形变信息的科学性做了地质学意义上的阐释 ,并提出了根据多期形变资料提取特定波段上构造策应力的数学模型  相似文献   

Accretion stream mapping of HU Aquarii     

Sonja Vrielmann  Axel D. Schwope 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2001,322(2):269-279

We present a new mapping algorithm, the Accretion Stream Mapping (ASM), which uses the full phase-coverage of a light curve to derive spatially resolved intensity distributions along the accretion stream in magnetic cataclysmic variables of AM Herculis type (polars). The surface of the accretion stream is approximated as a 12-sided (duodecadon-shaped) tube. After successfully testing this method on artificial data we applied it to emission-line light curves of H β , H γ and He  ii λ 4686 of the bright eclipsing polar HU Aqr. We find hydrogen and helium line emission bright in the threading region of the stream where the stream couples on to magnetic field lines. It is particularly interesting that the stream is bright on the irradiated side facing the white dwarf, which highlights the interplay of collisional and radiative excitation/ionization.  相似文献   

An analytical expression for apsidal superhump precession and comparisons with numerical simulations and dwarf nova observations     

M.M. Montgomery 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2001,325(2):761-766

We compare analytical expressions of precession rates from apsidal (positive) superhumps in close binary systems with numerical disc simulation results and observed values. In the analytical expressions, we include both the dynamical effects on the precession of the disc and effects caused by pressure forces that have been theorized to provide a retrograde effect (i.e. slowing) on the prograde disc precession. We establish new limits on density wave pitch angle to a normalized disc sound speed 60≥Ω_orb  d  tan  i / c >2.214 . Using average values for the density wave pitch angle i and speed of sound c , we find good correlation between numerical simulations and the analytical expression for the apsidal superhump period excess, which includes both the prograde and retrograde effects, for mass ratios of 0.025≤ q ≤0.33 . We also show good correlations with the four known eclipsing systems, OY Car, Z Cha, HT Cas, and WZ Sge. Our analytical expression for apsidal superhump period excess as a function of orbital period is consistent with the trend found in observed systems.  相似文献