The design and flight performance of the PoGOLite Pathfinder balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter     

M. Chauvin  H.-G. Florén  M. Jackson  T. Kamae  T. Kawano  M. Kiss  M. Kole  V. Mikhalev  E. Moretti  G. Olofsson  S. Rydström  H. Takahashi  J. Lind  J.-E. Strömberg  O. Welin  A. Iyudin  D. Shifrin  M. Pearce 《Experimental Astronomy》2016,41(1-2):17-41

In the 50 years since the advent of X-ray astronomy there have been many scientific advances due to the development of new experimental techniques for detecting and characterising X-rays. Observations of X-ray polarisation have, however, not undergone a similar development. This is a shortcoming since a plethora of open questions related to the nature of X-ray sources could be resolved through measurements of the linear polarisation of emitted X-rays. The PoGOLite Pathfinder is a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter operating in the 25-240 keV energy band from a stabilised observation platform. Polarisation is determined using coincident energy deposits in a segmented array of plastic scintillators surrounded by a BGO anticoincidence system and a polyethylene neutron shield. The PoGOLite Pathfinder was launched from the SSC Esrange Space Centre in July 2013. A near-circumpolar flight was achieved with a duration of approximately two weeks. The flight performance of the Pathfinder design is discussed for the three Crab observations conducted. The signal-to-background ratio for the observations is shown to be 0.25 ±0.03 and the Minimum Detectable Polarisation (99 % C.L.) is (28.4 ±2.2) %. A strategy for the continuation of the PoGOLite programme is outlined based on experience gained during the 2013 maiden flight.  相似文献   

On the model structure of the gravity field of Mars     

V. N. Zharkov  T. V. Gudkova 《Solar System Research》2016,50(4):235-250

A discussion is presented about the constraints used in constructing a model for the internal structure of Mars. The most important fact is that the Martian chemical model proposed by Wänke and Dreibus (WD) has stood the test of time. This means that the chondritic ratio Fe/Si = 1.71 can be used as a constraint in constructing an interior structure model of the planet. Consideration is given to the constructing of the reference surface of Mars. It is concluded that the effectively hydrostatic-equilibrium model of Mars is well suited for this purpose. The areoid heights and gravity anomalies in the model of Mars are calculated. The results are shown in the figures (maps) and comments made. The results are compared with the similar data for the Earth. Mars deviates much more strongly from the hydrostatic equilibrium than the Earth. It is suggested that the average thickness of the Martian elastic lithosphere should exceed that of the Earth’s continental lithosphere.  相似文献   

On the Origin of Differences in Helicity Parameters Derived from Data of Two Solar Magnetographs     

Haiqing Xu  Hongqi Zhang  K. Kuzanyan  T. Sakurai 《Solar physics》2016,291(8):2253-2267

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Acoustic and Slow Sausage Oscillations in the Stratified Solar Photosphere: Hinode Observations and Phase Relationships     

Y. T. Tsap  A. V. Stepanov  Y. G. Kopylova 《Solar physics》2016,291(11):3349-3356

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H<Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis> Velocity Fields and Galaxy Interaction in the Quartet of Galaxies NGC 7769, 7770, 7771 and 7771A     

A. A. Yeghiazaryan  T. A. Nazaryan  A. A. Hakobyan 《Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy》2016,37(1):1

The quartet of galaxies NGC 7769, 7770, 7771 and 7771A is a system of interacting galaxies. Close interaction between galaxies caused characteristic morphological features: tidal arms and bars, as well as an induced star formation. In this study, we performed the Fabry–Perot scanning interferometry of the system in H a line and studied the velocity fields of the galaxies. We found that the rotation curve of NGC 7769 is weakly distorted. The rotation curve of NGC 7771 is strongly distorted with the tidal arms caused by direct flyby of NGC 7769 and flyby of a smaller neighbor NGC 7770. The rotation curve of NGC 7770 is significantly skewed because of the interaction with the much massive NGC 7771. The rotation curves and morphological disturbances suggest that the NGC 7769 and NGC 7771 have passed the first pericenter stage, however, probably the second encounter has not happened yet. Profiles of surface brightness of NGC 7769 have a characteristic break, and profiles of color indices have a minimum at a radius of intensive star formation induced by the interaction with NGC 7771.  相似文献   

North/South Hemispheric Periodicities in the >25 MeV${>}\,25\mbox{ MeV}$ Solar Proton Event Rate During the Rising and Peak Phases of Solar Cycle 24     

I. G. Richardson  T. T. von Rosenvinge  H. V. Cane 《Solar physics》2016,291(7):2117-2134

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Petrology and oxygen isotopic compositions of clasts in HED polymict breccia NWA 5232          下载免费PDF全文

Katrina D. van Drongelen  Douglas Rumble III  Kimberly T. Tait 《Meteoritics & planetary science》2016,51(6):1184-1200

Northwest Africa (NWA) 5232, an 18.5 kg polymict eucrite, comprises eucritic and exogenic CM carbonaceous chondrite clasts within a clastic matrix. Basaltic clasts are the most abundant eucritic clast type and show a range of textures and grain size, from subophitic to granoblastic. Other eucritic clast types present include cumulate (high‐En pyroxene), pyroxene‐lath, olivine rich with symplectite intergrowths as a break‐down product of a quickly cooled Fe‐rich metastable pyroxferroite, and breccia (fragments of a previously consolidated breccia) clasts. A variable cooling rate and degree of thermal metamorphism, followed by a complex brecciation history, can be inferred for the clasts based on clast rounding, crystallization (and recrystallization) textures, pyroxene major and minor element compositions, and pyroxene exsolution. The range in δ¹⁸O of clasts and matrix of NWA 5232 reflects its origin as a breccia of mixed clasts dominated by eucritic lithologies. The oxygen isotopic compositions of the carbonaceous chondrite clasts identify them as belonging to CM group and indicate that these clasts experienced a low degree of aqueous alteration while part of their parent body. The complex evolutionary history of NWA 5232 implies that large‐scale impact excavation and mixing was an active process on the surface of the HED parent body, likely 4 Vesta.  相似文献   

Editorial: 50 Years of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solar Physics</Emphasis>     

Paul Charbonneau  John Leibacher  Cristina Mandrini  Lidia van Driel-Gesztelyi  Michael S. Wheatland 《Solar physics》2016,291(12):3461-3465

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Probing Magnetic Fields with Square Kilometre Array and its Precursors     

Subhashis Roy  Sharanya Sur  Kandaswamy Subramanian  Arun Mangalam  T. R. Seshadri  Hum Chand 《Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy》2016,37(4):42

Origin of magnetic fields, its structure and effects on dynamical processes in stars to galaxies are not well understood. Lack of a direct probe has remained a problem for its study. The first phase of Square Kilometre Array (SKA-I), will have almost an order of magnitude higher sensitivity than the best existing radio telescope at GHz frequencies. In this contribution, we discuss specific science cases that are of interest to the Indian community concerned with astrophysical turbulence and magnetic fields. The SKA-I will allow observations of a large number of background sources with detectable polarization and measure their Faraday depths (FDs) through the Milky Way, other galaxies and their circum-galactic mediums. This will probe line-of-sight magnetic fields in these objects well and provide field configurations. Detailed comparison of observational data (e.g., pitch angles in spirals) with models which consider various processes giving rise to field amplification and maintenance (e.g., various types of dynamo models) will then be possible. Such observations will also provide the coherence scale of the fields and its random component through RM structure function. Measuring the random component is important to characterize turbulence in the medium. Observations of FDs with redshift will provide important information on magnetic field evolution as a function of redshift. The background sources could also be used to probe magnetic fields and its coherent scale in galaxy clusters and in bridges formed between interacting galaxies. Other than FDs, sensitive observations of synchrotron emission from galaxies will provide complimentary information on their magnetic field strengths in the sky plane. The core shift measurements of AGNs can provide more precise measurements of magnetic field in the sub parsec region near the black hole and its evolution. The low band of SKA-I will also be useful to study circularly polarized emission from Sun and comparing various models of field configurations with observations.  相似文献   

Line-of-Sight Anisotropies in the Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Reionization 21-cm Power Spectrum     

Suman?MajumdarEmail authorView author&#;s OrcID profile  Kanan?K.?Datta  Raghunath?Ghara  Rajesh?Mondal  T.?Roy?Choudhury  Somnath?Bharadwaj  Sk.?Saiyad?Ali  Abhirup?Datta 《Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy》2016,37(4):32

The line-of-sight direction in the redshifted 21-cm signal coming from the cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization is quite unique in many ways compared to any other cosmological signal. Different unique effects, such as the evolution history of the signal, non-linear peculiar velocities of the matter etc. will imprint their signature along the line-of-sight axis of the observed signal. One of the major goals of the future SKA-LOW radio interferometer is to observe the cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization through this 21-cm signal. It is thus important to understand how these various effects affect the signal for its actual detection and proper interpretation. For more than one and half decades, various groups in India have been actively trying to understand and quantify the different line-of-sight effects that are present in this signal through analytical models and simulations. In many ways the importance of this sub-field under 21-cm cosmology have been identified, highlighted and pushed forward by the Indian community. In this article, we briefly describe their contribution and implication of these effects in the context of the future surveys of the cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization that will be conducted by the SKA-LOW.  相似文献