Search for and study of hot circumstellar dust envelopes

Long-term (1984–2008) JHKLM photometry for 254 objects is presented. The observations were carried out in the standard JHKLM photometric system using an original method and a modern IR photometer designed and built at the Sternberg Astronomical Institute. Our program of studies included searches for and studies of relatively hot circumstellar dust envelopes. The most important results obtained using these observations include the following. We have detected relatively hot dust envelopes in a number of objects for the first time, including the RCB star UV Cas, RX Cas, several classical symbiotic stars, etc. A model has been calculated for the dust envelope of FG Sge, which formed around the star as a result of several successive cycles of dust condensation beginning in Autumn 1992. Several dust-condensation episodes have been traced in the envelopes of symbiotic systems (CH Cyg, V1016 Cyg, HM Sge, etc.), as well as the role of the hot component in the formation of the dust envelopes. We have established from variations of the IR emission that the cool components in the symbiotic novae V1016 Cyg and HM Sge, and possibly CH Cyg, are Miras. The binarity of V1016 Cyg and HM Sge has also been firmly established. The variability of a whole series of object has been studied, including the stellar components of close binary systems and several dozen Mira and semi-regular variables. The ellipsoidality of the components in the RX Cas system (a prototype W Ser star) and the cool component in the symbiotic systems CI Cyg and BF Cyg has been firmly established. We have obtained the first IR light curve for the eclipsing system V444 Cyg (WN5+O6), and determined the wavelength dependence of the obtained parameters of the WN5 star. Analysis of the IR light curves of several novae indicate the condensation of dust envelopes in the transition periods of Cygnus 1992, Aquila 1993, and Aquila 1995. The IR light curve of R CrB has been obtained over a long period and analyzed. IR observations of the nova-like variable V4334 Sgr have been carried out over four years, over which the star passed through four stages during its motion along its post-AGB evolutionary track; the star’s bolometric flux and optical depth of its dust envelope have been estimated, and the structure and mass of the dust layer determined. We have analyzed the IR variability of the symbiotic star V407 Cyg over 14 years, and found its cool component to be a Mira with a period of 745 days. The observed pulsations and trend are associated with the luminosity and temperature variations of the Mira, as well as the optical depth of the dust envelope. The size of the dust grains and mass-loss rate of the Mira have been determined. We have obtained JHKL light curves for the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 over 23 years. The IR brightness of the galaxy grew from 1985 through 1996 (by ∼0.9 ^m at 1.25 μm, ∼1 ^m at 1.65 μm, ∼1.1 ^m at 2.2 μm, and ∼1.3 ^m at 3.5 μm), while the galaxy simultaneously reddened. The “cool” variable source in NGC 4151 was still in the active state in 1998, although its luminosity had decreased by approximately 15%–20%. If the “cool” component of the variable source in this galaxy is a dust envelope heated by the central “hot” source, it should be optically thin to the radiation of this source: its mean optical depth is in the range 0.05–0.15. Emission from dust particles heated to temperatures of 600–800 K was observed in the near IR at a distance of several parsecs from the nucleus during the period of activity in 1995–1998; the inferred mass of emitting dust was 5–20 M _⊙. In 1994–2003, we observed a tendency for NGC 4151 to become bluer at 1.25–1.65 μm while simultaneously reddening at 2.2–3.5 μm. Beginning in Autumn 2000, the galaxy began to emerge from a minimum, which lasted from March 2000 through April 2001 in the IR; a flare of the galactic nucleus was observed and followed in detail in the IR in this same period. We confirm the IR variability of the nucleus of the Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, which can be located in various stages of activity. The variability of NGC 1068 is associated with a complex source. A periodic component has been detected in the J brightness variations of the oxygen Mira V2108 Oph; we have shown that this star is immersed in a fairly dense dust envelope, and have calculated amodel for this envelope. We have calculated an (axially symmetrical) dust-envelope model for the carbon semi-regular variable RWLMi with a density distribution characteristic for the “superwind” stage. This envelope model is able to reproduce the observed fluxes over the entire observable spectrum, and displays a good agreement with the observational data. The three hot supergiants V482 Cas, QZ Sge, and HD 338926 may be variable in the IR. Long-term photometry of eight planetary nebulae in the near IR (1.25–5 μm) has enabled us to firmly establish the IR brightness and color variability of these nebulae on time scales from several tens of days to six-to-eight years. We have analyzed long-term JK photometry of the X-ray binary Cyg X-1 (V1357 Cyg). Periodicity with a characteristic time scale of ∼11.5 years is visible in the JK brightness variations of Cyg X-1 in 1984–2007, possibly due to periodic variations of the temperature, radius and luminosity of the optical component of the binary with P ∼11.5 yr. Fourteen-year IR light curves of five RV Tau stars (R Sge, RV Tau, AC Her, V Vul, and R Sct) and the yellow supergiant and protoplanetary-nebula candidate V1027 Cyg have been analyzed. A spherically symmetrical dust-envelope model has been calculated for V1027 Cyg.     

Optical properties of the circumstellar dust around stars with aperiodic fadings

Multicolor observations of 21 rapid, irregular variable stars with Algol-like fadings and of R Coronae Borealis are used to derive the optical extinction coefficients of the circumstellar dust associated with these objects, θ(λ). We used more than 3600 uniform multi-color brightness measurements obtained in a rigorous U BV R system at the Terskol High-altitude Observing Station. The mean extinction coefficient θ for the circumstellar dust for this sample of stars coincides almost exactly with the interstellar extinction coefficient, θ_is, but is somewhat higher in the ultraviolet. We suggest an explanation for this difference.     

Laboratory measurements and modeling of metal-humic interactions under estuarine conditions

Equilibrium dialysis was used to measure Co- and Cu-binding by an isolated peat humic acid (PHA) in controlled laboratory experiments under simulated estuarine conditions: ionic strengths of 0.005 to 0.7 M in NaCl and mixed Na-Mg-Ca chloride solutions, with trace metal concentrations of ∼5 × 10⁻⁷ M, a PHA concentration of 10 mg/L, and at constant pH values of ∼7.8 (Co and Cu) and ∼4.6 (Cu only). Generally, Co- and Cu-humic binding decreased substantially with increasing ionic strength and, in the case of Cu, with decreasing pH. The presence of seawater concentrations of Ca and Mg had a relatively small effect on Co-humic binding and no measurable effect on that of Cu under the experimental conditions. The binding data were well-described by an equilibrium speciation code (the Windermere Humic Aqueous Model, WHAM) after optimising the fits by varying the metal-proton exchange constants for humic acid within justifiable limits (i.e., within 1 standard deviation of the mean exchange constants used in the WHAM database). The main factor producing the observed variations in metal-humic binding at constant pH was the electrostatic effect on the humic molecule. WHAM was used to predict Co- and Cu-humic binding in simulations of real estuaries. Co-humic binding is predicted to be relatively unimportant (generally <5% of total Co), whereas the Cu-humic complex is likely to be the dominant species throughout an estuary. The main factors producing changes in Co- and Cu-humic binding in the real-estuary simulations are the electrostatic effect on the humic molecule, ligand competition (mainly from carbonate species) for metals, and to a lesser extent Ca and Mg competition for humic binding sites. Variations in pH are significant only at the freshwater end of an estuary. WHAM simulations also indicated that competition effects between metals are more likely to occur in freshwaters than in seawater, due to enhanced electrostatic binding at low ionic strength.     

伊通河冬季冰冻浓缩状态下无机污染物分配规律的室内模拟

为研究冬季冰冻浓缩状态下无机污染物分配规律,采集长春市伊通河冬季水样,在分析伊通河不同季节水质基础上,选取F －、TFe、TP、COD 四项指标进行冰冻浓缩状态下室内模拟实验。实验结果表明: 不同冰冻程度情况下,初次冰冻上层冰中的COD、TP、TFe、F － 值均低于河水和冰下层水; 用冰冻3 h 后的冰下层水进行二次冰冻,上层冰中的F －、TFe 值仍低于冰下层水,而COD 值高于冰下层水; 随着pH 值及离子初始浓度的不同,TFe、TP － 在冰上层离子含量有明显变化,说明在冰冻浓缩状态下,可以有效控制结冰层水质。     

Atmospheric boundary conditions of recent Saharan dust influx into Central Europe

During the period October 1987 to Oktober 1988 the exceptionally high frequency of eight cases of Saharan dust fallout was observed at Bochum University meteorological station, FR Germany. The main source areas of this long-range transport material were on both sides of the Atlas region, in the Algerian and Libyan Sahara and in various parts of the Sahelian zone. Surface and 500 hPa-layer chart analysis gives useful information on the trajectory evolution of the respective dust plumes. Once the material is lifted to this significant pressure level, upper tropospheric circulation leads to characteristic influx routes into Central Europe depending on the strength and position of the zonal wind component of the west wind drift in the Atlantic and European sectors. In both sectors a typical seasonal pattern of a meridional dust plume influx is confirmed. In this context, Saharan dust transport to Europe is not an anomaly in tropospheric circulation but an increased frequency of fallout events should have its reasons in variations of intercontinental atmospheric teleconnections.     

约束条件对滑坡涌浪特征影响的室内试验研究

水库滑坡约束条件影响其运动过程的几何形态,是滑坡涌浪预测的重要参数之一.为了探究约束条件对滑坡涌浪特征(波高、波幅与周期)的影响,采用正交试验设计法开展了 54组滑坡涌浪室内模型试验,并基于统计学理论对约束散体和半约束散体的涌浪特征进行了分析.结果表明:涌浪波周期基本不受滑体约束条件的影响;而半约束散体模型的波高和波幅...     

Efficient flotation recovery of lead and zinc from refractory lead-zinc ores under low alkaline conditions

In this study, a new flotation approach, a low-alkaline and non-desliming process, was introduced for improving lead and zinc recoveries, lowering production cost and reducing environmental pollution. Lab-scale experiments results show that the new process contributed to the flotation of the complex mixed sulfide-oxide lead and zinc ore regarding two aspects: (1) High alkaline process (pH = 12±) was replaced by low alkaline process (pH = 9±) by using collector WS (a mixture of ethyl thiocarbamate, ammonium dibutyldithiophosphate and dithiophosphate-25) and combined depressant Na₂S/ZnSO₄/Na₂SO₃ for lead sulfide flotation; (2) Non-desliming process was successfully achieved by using collector MA (a mixture of ether amine, hydroxyethyl cellulose and polyacrylic acid) and combined depressant SHP/SS (sodium hexametaphosphate/sodium silicate) for zinc oxide flotation. And 43.37% Pb in the Pb concentrate was recovered, the corresponding Pb grade was 52.73%, total 84.42% Zn was recovered by the flotation of zinc sulfide minerals and zinc oxide minerals. Moreover, the two aspects of the new approach were systematically verified from lab-scale to industrial-scale application. The industrial-scale flotation tests show that Pb recovery in Pb concentrate increased by 1.86% compared with that of original system during industrial-scale tests period, and the Pb recovery increased by 4.09% compared with that of original system before industrial-scale tests period, while the Zn operating recovery in zinc oxide concentrate improved by 19.52%. Moreover, the total reagent cost of the whole new process significantly declined by 3.93 yuan per ton of ore.     

The detection of heavy metals in the circumstellar envelopes of post-AGB stars

A new kind of peculiarity is discussed: splitting or asymmetry of strong absorption lines in the optical spectra of selected post-AGB stars with carbon envelopes and atmospheres enriched in carbon and s-process heavy metals. This effect is strongest for BaII ions, whose lines can be split into two or three components. Infrared and radio spectroscopy data are used to demonstrate that the individual components of split absorption lines are formed in structured circumstellar envelopes. Thus, this effect reveals efficient enrichment of the envelope in heavy metals synthesized during the star’s earlier evolution. The nature of the strong absorption profile (split or asymmetric, number of components) could be related to the morphology and kinematical and chemical properties of the enenvelope.     

Laboratory modelling of shear behaviour of soft joints under constant normal stiffness conditions

Shear behaviour of regular sawtooth rock joints produced from casting plaster are investigated under constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions. Test results obtained in this investigation are also compared with the constant normal load (CNL) tests. It is observed that the peak shear stress obtained under CNL conditions always underestimates the peak shear stress corresponding to the CNS condition. Plots of shear stress against normal stress show that a nonlinear (curved) strength envelope is acceptable for soft rock joints subjected to a CNS condition, in comparison with the linear or bilinear envelopes often proposed for a CNL condition. Models proposed by Patton (1966) and Barton (1973) have also been considered for the predictions of peak shear stress of soft joints under CNS conditions. Although Patton's model is appropriate for low asperity angles, it overestimates the shear strength in the low to medium normal stress range at higher asperity angles. In contrast, while Barton's model is realistic for the CNL condition, it seems to be inappropriate for modelling the shear behaviour of soft joints under CNS conditions. The effect of infill material on the shear behaviour of the model joints is also investigated, and it is found that a small thickness of bentonite infill reduces the peak stress significantly. The peak shear stress almost approached that of the shear strength of infill when the infill thickness to asperity height ratio (t/a) reached 1.40. This paper also introduces an original, empirical shear strength envelope to account for the change in normal stress and surface degradation during CNS shearing. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

The photopolarimetric activity and circumstellar environment of the T Tauri star CO Ori

We present the results of simultaneous UBVRI photometry and polarimetry of the classical T Tauri star CO Ori carried out at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory during the 18 years between 1986 and 2004. We show that the variations of linear polarization accompanying the star’s brightness variations follow the law characteristic of UX Ori stars. This suggests that the brightness variations of the star are mainly due to changes of the circumstellar extinction due to non-uniform structure of the circumstellar environment, and to an “optimal” orientation of the circumstellar gas and dust disk relative to the observer, whose line of sight crosses the gas and dust atmosphere of the disk. We determine the star’s intrinsic polarization due to scattering of light in the circumstellar disk. The polarization position angle indicates the orientation of the disk’s symmetry axis in the plane of the sky. Our analysis of an archival light curve for CO Ori confirms the existence of a many-year cycle of photometric activity, suspected by us earlier. The refined period of this cycle is 12.4 years. The existence of such activity cycles of UX Ori stars testifies to considerable deviations of their circumstellar disks from axial symmetry, a reflection of either stellar binarity or the commencement of the process of planetary formation.     

循环与单调加载作用下冻结黄土的变形与损伤特性

针对冻土工程中地基冻土体受力形式复杂、常处于变应力路径、反复加卸载作用问题, 开展了冻结黄土静力条件下的三轴加卸载试验与单调加载对比试验, 研究了两种应力路径下冻结黄土的变形和损伤特性. 通过对比发现, 加载方式对冻结黄土变形特性随围压的变化规律影响不大. 循环加卸载作用下, 冻结黄土的压密变硬增强了其抵抗变形的能力. 卸载阶段, 冻结黄土表现出卸载体胀的弹性现象, 呈现出与融土不同的体变特征. 基于弹性模量的劣化定义了冻结黄土的损伤变量, 并根据试验结果得出了冻结黄土的损伤演化规律可用双曲线函数来描述. 在较低的围压下, 围压增加对冻土损伤的发展有抑制作用; 而当围压足够大时, 由于冰的压碎和压融的出现, 围压增大加剧了损伤的发展.     

Role of land surface parameter change in dust emission and impacts of dust on climate in Southwest Asia

Natural Hazards - Spatial–temporal changes of land surface parameters (land cover change, net primary production, and vegetation phenology) affect the characteristics of atmospheric dust....     

Aromaticity and degree of aromatic condensation of char

The aromatic carbon structure is a defining property of chars and is often expressed with the help of two concepts: (i) aromaticity and (ii) degree of aromatic condensation. The varying extent of these two features is assumed to largely determine the relatively high persistence of charred material in the environment and is thus of interest for, e.g., biochar characterization or carbon cycle studies. Consequently, a variety of methods has been used to assess the aromatic structure of chars, which has led to interesting insights but has complicated the comparison of data acquired with different methods. We therefore used a suite of seven methods (elemental analysis, MIR spectroscopy, NEXAFS spectroscopy, ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, BPCA analysis, lipid analysis and helium pycnometry) and compared 13 measurements from them using a diverse sample set of 38 laboratory chars. Our results demonstrate that most of the measurements could be categorized either into those which assess aromaticity or those which assess the degree of aromatic condensation. A variety of measurements, including relatively inexpensive and simple ones, reproducibly captured the two aromatic features in question, and data from different methods could therefore be compared. Moreover, general patterns between the two aromatic features and the pyrolysis conditions were revealed, supporting reconstruction of the highest heat treatment temperature (HTT) of char.     

Composition of eolian dust in southern Turkmenia,as in dust storm of January, 1968

Granulometrically, the dust collected at Ashkhabad is much finer than the dust laid down by the storms at Jerusalem and elsewhere in the Middle East and is relatively high in calcium, magnesium, carbonate, and sesquioxides of iron. Its origin is believed to be local, Turkmenian-Iranian. -- V.P. Sokoloff.     

The possible variability of emission lines in the circumstellar nebulae of WR and O stars on time scales of several years

Using a two-component model for the structure of the circumstellar nebulae of WR and O stars, we predict that their emission may be variable on time scales from several months to several years. This variability should be manifest as an enhancement of the emission luminosities of separate compact regions in the hydrogen Balmer lines, HeII ion line, and nebular lines of the ions [OII], [OIII], [NeIII], and [NeIV]. In the model considered, this line variability reflects non-stationary ionization, cooling, and recombination behind a shock propagating inward in the cloud. The set of lines that are variable depends on the shock velocity, while the scale of the variability decreases with increasing cloud density.     

The evolution of hydrocarbon dust grains in the interstellar medium and its influence on the infrared spectra of dust

Computations of the evolution of the distributions of the size and degree of aromatization of interstellar dust grains, destruction by radiation and collisions with gas particles, and fragmentation during collisions with other grains are presented. The results of these computations are used to model dust emission spectra. The evolution of an ensemble of dust particles sensitively depends on the initial size distribution of the grains. Radiation in the considered range of fluxes mainly aromatizes grains. With the exception of the smallest grains, it is mainly erosion during collisions with gas particles that leads to the destruction of grains. In the presence of particle velocities above 50 km/s, characteristic for shocks in supernova remnants, grains greater than 20 Å in size are absent. The IR emission spectrum changes appreciably during the evolution of the dust, and depends on the adopted characteristics of the grains, in particular, the energy of their C–Cbonds (E₀). Aromatic bands are not observed in the near-IR (2–15 μm) when E₀ is low, even when the medium characteristics are typical for the average interstellarmedium in our Galaxy; this indicates a preference for high E₀ values. The influence of the characteristics of the medium on the intensity ratios for the dust emission in various photometric bands is considered. The I_3.4/I_11.3 intensity ratio is most sensitive to the degree of aromatization of small grains. The I_3.3/I₇₀₊₁₆₀ ratio is a sensitive indicator of the contribution of aromatic grains to the total mass of dust.     

Variation in the degree of aromatic condensation of chars

Char is ubiquitous in the environment and contributes significantly to the inert soil organic carbon pool. Its roles as a carbon sink and a strong sorbent of organic contaminants have come under increasing attention. However, quantifying these roles is difficult because properties such as degradability and sorption affinity vary greatly amongst chars, especially those produced at different temperatures. Here we describe a simple method for gauging the degree of aromatic condensation of chars, a molecular-scale property that affects both their degradability and sorption affinity. The method involves adding ¹³C₆ benzene directly to char. The ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift of the sorbed benzene is affected by diamagnetic ring currents in the fused aromatic structures in the char. These ring currents increase in magnitude with increasing extent of aromatic condensation. Seventeen heat-treated materials were analysed in this way. Our results confirm that aromatic condensation increases with increasing heat treatment temperature (HTT) and that activated chars contain the most highly condensed aromatic structures, but also show the importance of starting material and heat treatment time on aromatic condensation. We also show for four of the materials that the ring current effect on chemical shift was similar for other ¹³C-labelled molecules, including MeOH, CH₃CN and toluene.     

Dynamic changes in hydrogeochemical conditions caused by tunnel excavation at the Aspo Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL), Sweden

Hydraulic changes caused by tunneling at the Aspo Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) in Sweden have been investigated over a period of 2a using different hydrochemical approaches, i.e. noble gas content, isotopic measurements and major ion concentrations. The dissolved noble gases (⁴He and Ne contents, and the ratio of ³He/⁴He, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar), stable isotopes, chemical concentrations of major ions, and ³⁶Cl/Cl ratios, were determined in groundwater samples collected in the tunnel from borehole sections isolated by inflated packers. Groundwater was categorized into 3 groups based on ⁴He and Cl⁻ contents: undisturbed groundwater (i.e. prior to tunnel construction) with high ⁴He and Cl⁻ contents, groundwater that has been gradually changed by mixing with Baltic seawater and whose ⁴He and Cl⁻ contents have gradually increased with increasing depth, and groundwater that has been totally changed due to a rapid mixing of Baltic seawater and/or shallow groundwater and whose ⁴He and Cl⁻ contents are extremely low compared with other samples collected at the same surrounding depth. The oldest groundwater with a high salinity of more than 14,000 mg l⁻¹ of Cl⁻ is estimated to be more than 1.8 Ma old. The groundwater residence time ranges from 0.9 to 900 Ka in the mixing-zone. Groundwater in the disturbed zone where rapid mixing has occurred is hard to date reliably and its primary hydrochemical character has already been lost.