Impact of the seasonal variations of composition on the temperature field of Titan’s stratosphere     

Sébastien Lebonnois  Frédéric Hourdin  David Luz 《Icarus》2003,163(1):164-174

We investigate the role of seasonal variations of Titan’s stratospheric composition on the temperature. We use a general circulation model coupled with idealized chemical tracers that reproduce variations of ethane (C₂H₆), acetylene (C₂H₂), and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). Enhancement of the mole fractions of these compounds, at high latitudes in the winter hemisphere relative to their equatorial values, induces a relative decrease in temperature above approximately 0.2 mbar, with a peak amplitude around −20 K, and a relative increase in temperature below, around 1 mbar, with a peak amplitude around +7 K. These thermal effects are mainly due to the variations of the cooling to space induced by the varying distributions. The ethane, acetylene, and hydrogen cyanide variations affect the cooling rates in a similar way, with the dominant effect being due to ethane, though its latitudinal variations are small.  相似文献   

CCD联合平差方法及其初步实例检验     

YU Yong LI Jinling TANG Zhenghong WANG Guangli ZHAO Ming 《中国科学院上海天文台年刊》2003,(1)

在常规照相天体测量工作中 ,对暗天体的定位是采用逐级定标星过渡的方法实现的。由于星表系统差和局部差的存在 ,最终定位结果可能包含难以把握的误差积累。在CCD小视场观测情况下时常难以找到足够数量的定标星。鉴于此 ,推导了CCD观测联合平差方法的严格矢量表达式 ,以期通过共同星的过渡 ,实现大天区统一平差。原理上此方法可实现相对于河外天体的定位 ,以削弱星表系统差和局部差对定位结果的影响。讨论了CCD联合平差方法实现中的问题 ,包括底片常数模型选择、切点位置改正、共同星的较差改正和法方程解算方法等 ,并分析了具体的处理措施。用实例初步检验了CCD联合平差方法的效果 ,表明通过对多张CCD观测的联合平差 ,可以削弱单张CCD观测参考星数目过少、单张CCD观测参考星分布不均、个别参考星存在位置偏差和局部区域参考星存在系统性位置偏差等不利因素对归算结果的影响 ,进而达到扩大视场和提高归算精度的目的  相似文献   

The plane of the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt     

Simon J. Collander-Brown  Iwan P. Williams 《Icarus》2003,162(1):22-26

We examine possible locations for the primordial disk of the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (EKB), using several subsets of the known objects as markers of the total mass distribution. Using a secular perturbation theory, we find that the primordial plane of the EKB could have remained thin enough to escape detection only if it is clustered very closely about the invariable plane of the Solar System.  相似文献   

Photometry of pluto in the last decade and before: evidence for volatile transport?     

B.J. Buratti  J.K. Hillier  A. Heinze  K.A. Tryka  J. Ward  J. Young 《Icarus》2003,162(1):171-182

Photometric observations of Pluto in the BVR filter system were obtained in 1999 and in 1990-1993, and observations in the 0.89-μm methane absorption band were obtained in 2000. Our 1999 observations yield lightcurve amplitudes of 0.30 ± 0.01, 0.26 ± 0.01, and 0.21 ± 0.02 and geometric albedos of 0.44 ± 0.04, 0.52 ± 0.03, and 0.58 ± 0.02 in the B, V, and R filters, respectively. The low-albedo hemisphere of Pluto is slightly redder than the higher albedo hemisphere. A comparison of our results and those from previous epochs shows that the lightcurve of Pluto changes substantially through time. We developed a model that fully accounts for changes in the lightcurve caused by changes in the viewing geometry between the Earth, Pluto, and the Sun. We find that the observed changes in the amplitude of Pluto’s lightcurve can be explained by viewing geometry rather than by volatile transport. We also discovered a measurable decrease since 1992 of ∼0.03 magnitudes in the amplitude of Pluto’s lightcurve, as the model predicts. Pluto’s geometric albedo does not appear to be currently increasing, as our model predicts, although given the uncertainties in both the model and the measurements of geometric albedo, this result is not firm evidence for volatile transport. The maximum of methane-absorption lightcurve occurs near the minimum of the BVR lightcurves. This result suggests that methane is more abundant in the brightest regions of Pluto. Pluto’s phase coefficient exhibits a color dependence, ranging from 0.037 ± 0.01 in the B filter to 0.032 ± 0.01 in the R filter. Pluto’s phase curve is most like those of the bright, recently resurfaced satellites Triton and Europa. Although Pluto shows no strong evidence for volatile transport now (unlike Triton), it is important to continue to observe Pluto as it moves away from perihelion.  相似文献   

The Orion nebula (M42) Herbig–Haro object, HH 201, within the tip of a molecular finger     

M. F. Graham  J. Meaburn  M. P. Redman 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2003,343(2):419-426

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Dynamical implications of Jupiter's tropospheric ammonia abundance     

Adam P. Showman  Imke de Pater 《Icarus》2005,174(1):192-204

Groundbased radio observations indicate that Jupiter's ammonia is globally depleted from 0.6 bars to at least 4-6 bars relative to the deep abundance of ∼3 times solar, a fact that has so far defied explanation. The observations also indicate that (i) the depletion is greater in belts than zones, and (ii) the greatest depletion occurs within Jupiter's local 5-μm hot spots, which have recently been detected at radio wavelengths. Here, we first show that both the global depletion and its belt-zone variation can be explained by a simple model for the interaction of moist convection with Jupiter's cloud-layer circulation. If the global depletion is dynamical in origin, then important endmember models for the belt-zone circulation can be ruled out. Next, we show that the radio observations of Jupiter's 5-μm hot spots imply that the equatorial wave inferred to cause hot spots induces vertical parcel oscillation of a factor of ∼2 in pressure near the 2-bar level, which places important constraints on hot-spot dynamics. Finally, using spatially resolved radio maps, we demonstrate that low-latitude features exceeding ∼4000 km diameter, such as the equatorial plumes and large vortices, are also depleted in ammonia from 0.6 bars to at least 2 bars relative to the deep abundance of 3 times solar. If any low-latitude features exist that contain 3-times-solar ammonia up to the 0.6-bar ammonia condensation level, they must have diameters less than ∼4000 km.  相似文献   

Dwarf nova oscillations and quasi-periodic oscillations in cataclysmic variables – IV. Observations of frequency doubling and tripling in VW Hyi     

Brian Warner  Patrick A. Woudt 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2006,367(4):1562-1576

We present new observations of the rapid oscillations in the dwarf nova VW Hyi, made late in outburst. These dwarf nova oscillations (DNOs) increase in period until they reach 33 s, when a transition to a strong 1st harmonic and weak fundamental takes place. After further period increase, the 2nd harmonic appears; often all three components are present simultaneously. This 1:2:3 frequency suite is similar to what has been seen in some neutron star and black hole X-ray binaries, but has not previously been seen in a cataclysmic variable. When studied in detail, the fundamental and 2nd harmonic vary similarly in phase, but the 1st harmonic behaves independently, though keeping close to twice the frequency of the fundamental. The fundamental period of the DNOs, as directly observed or inferred from the harmonics, increases to ∼100 s before the oscillation disappears as the star reaches quiescence. Its maximum period is close to that of the 'longer-period' DNOs observed in VW Hyi. The quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs), which have fundamental periods 400–1000 s, behave in the same way, showing 1st and 2nd harmonics at approximately the same times as the DNOs. We explore some possible models. One in which the existence of the 1st harmonic is due to the transition from viewing a single accretion region to viewing two regions, and the rate of accretion on to the primary is modulated at the frequency of the 1st harmonic, as in the 'beat frequency model', can generate the suite of DNO frequencies observed. But the behaviour of the QPOs is not yet understood.  相似文献   

Management of the UK mackerel fisheries: An economic perspective     

David J. Whitmarsh  James A. Young 《Marine Policy》1985,9(3):220-236

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The kinematics of the large western knot in the halo of the young planetary nebula NGC 6543     

Deborah L. Mitchell  M. Bryce  J. Meaburn  J. A. López  M. P. Redman  D. Harman  M. G. Richer  H. Riesgo 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2005,362(4):1286-1294

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Photometric distances to nine dark globules     

G. Maheswar  H. C. Bhatt 《Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society》2006,369(4):1822-1836

Distances to nine dark globules are determined by a method using optical ( VRI ) and near-infrared (near-IR) ( JHK ) photometry of stars projected towards the field containing the globules. In this method, we compute intrinsic colour indices of stars projected towards the direction of the globule by dereddening the observed colour indices using various trial values of extinction   A _V   and a standard extinction law. These computed intrinsic colour indices for each star are then compared with the intrinsic colour indices of normal main-sequence stars and a spectral type is assigned to the star for which the computed colour indices best match with the standard intrinsic colour indices. Distances ( d ) to the stars are determined using the   A _V   and absolute magnitude  ( M_V )  corresponding to the spectral types thus obtained. A distance versus extinction plot is made and the distance at which   A _V   undergoes a sharp rise is taken to be the distance to the globule. All the clouds studied in this work are in the distance range 160–400 pc. The estimated distances to dark globules LDN 544, LDN 549, LDN 567, LDN 543, LDN 1113, LDN 1031, LDN 1225, LDN 1252 and LDN 1257 are  180 ± 35, 200 ± 40, 180 ± 35, 160 ± 30, 350 ± 70, 200 ± 40, 400 ± 80, 250 ± 50  and 250 ± 50 pc, respectively. Using the distances determined, we have estimated the masses of the globules and the far-IR luminosity of the IRAS sources associated with them. The mass of the clouds studied are in the range  10–200 M_⊙  .  相似文献