An x-ray nebula associated with the millisecond pulsar B1957+20

We have detected an x-ray nebula around the binary millisecond pulsar B1957+20. A narrow tail, corresponding to the shocked pulsar wind, is seen interior to the known Halpha bow shock and proves the long-held assumption that the rotational energy of millisecond pulsars is dissipated through relativistic winds. Unresolved x-ray emission likely represents the shock where the winds of the pulsar and its companion collide. This emission indicates that the efficiency with which relativistic particles are accelerated in the postshock flow is similar to that for young pulsars, despite the shock proximity and much weaker surface magnetic field of this millisecond pulsar.     

Relativistic spin precession in the double pulsar

The double pulsar PSR J0737-3039A/B consists of two neutron stars in a highly relativistic orbit that displays a roughly 30-second eclipse when pulsar A passes behind pulsar B. Describing this eclipse of pulsar A as due to absorption occurring in the magnetosphere of pulsar B, we successfully used a simple geometric model to characterize the observed changing eclipse morphology and to measure the relativistic precession of pulsar B's spin axis around the total orbital angular momentum. This provides a test of general relativity and alternative theories of gravity in the strong-field regime. Our measured relativistic spin precession rate of 4.77 degrees (-0 degrees .65)(+0 degrees .66) per year (68% confidence level) is consistent with that predicted by general relativity within an uncertainty of 13%.     

An eccentric binary millisecond pulsar in the galactic plane

Binary pulsar systems are superb probes of stellar and binary evolution and the physics of extreme environments. In a survey with the Arecibo telescope, we have found PSR J1903+0327, a radio pulsar with a rotational period of 2.15 milliseconds in a highly eccentric (e = 0.44) 95-day orbit around a solar mass (M(middle dot in circle)) companion. Infrared observations identify a possible main-sequence companion star. Conventional binary stellar evolution models predict neither large orbital eccentricities nor main-sequence companions around millisecond pulsars. Alternative formation scenarios involve recycling a neutron star in a globular cluster, then ejecting it into the Galactic disk, or membership in a hierarchical triple system. A relativistic analysis of timing observations of the pulsar finds its mass to be 1.74 +/- 0.04 M solar symbol, an unusually high value.     

Magnetar-like emission from the young pulsar in Kes 75

We report the detection of magnetar-like x-ray bursts from the young pulsar PSR J1846-0258, at the center of the supernova remnant Kes 75. This pulsar, long thought to be exclusively rotation-powered, has an inferred surface dipolar magnetic field of 4.9 x 10(13) gauss, which is higher than those of the vast majority of rotation-powered pulsars, but lower than those of the approximately 12 previously identified magnetars. The bursts were accompanied by a sudden flux increase and an unprecedented change in timing behavior. These phenomena lower the magnetic and rotational thresholds associated with magnetar-like behavior and suggest that in neutron stars there exists a continuum of magnetic activity that increases with inferred magnetic field strength.     

A transient radio jet in an erupting dwarf nova

Astrophysical jets seem to occur in nearly all types of accreting objects, from supermassive black holes to young stellar objects. On the basis of x-ray binaries, a unified scenario describing the disc/jet coupling has evolved and been extended to many accreting objects. The only major exceptions are thought to be cataclysmic variables: Dwarf novae, weakly accreting white dwarfs, show similar outburst behavior to x-ray binaries, but no jet has yet been detected. Here we present radio observations of a dwarf nova in outburst showing variable flat-spectrum radio emission that is best explained as synchrotron emission originating in a transient jet. Both the inferred jet power and the relation to the outburst cycle are analogous to those seen in x-ray binaries, suggesting that the disc/jet coupling mechanism is ubiquitous.     

Parameters of the plasma affecting the radiation of pulsar 1

Analysis of the relation between time delay and frequency for pulses from Pulsar 1 shows that the dispersive region of the ray path must exceed 300 astronomical units and have an average electron number density less than 8000 per cubic centimeter and average magnetic field strength less than 2 x 10(-3) gauss. These requirements almost guarantee that the observed dispersion takes place in the interstellar medium.     

Atmospheric Absorption Anomalies in the Ultraviolet near an Altitude of 50 Kilometers

Rocket-borne radiometer determinations of ozone distributions by absorption of ultraviolet sunlight show anomalous eflects near 3000 angstroms. The instrument uses four 40-angstrom filters in the spectral region between 2650 and 3300 angstroms. At altitudes below 40 kilometers, signals from filters centered near 3000 angstroms appear reduced at least 25 percent below calculated values. However, at higher altitudes an unpredicted sharp increase in signals is observed. These effects are inconsistent with ozone absorption and cannot be ascribed to instrument characteristics. A previously unobserved absorption band of an atmospheric constituent, possibly the metastable excited states of molecular oxygen O(2)((1)Delta(g)) or O(2)((1)Sigma(g)+) can account for the anomalous effects.     

土壤Cd、As、Pb在水稻植株中的吸收分布特征

通过对浙江宁绍水网平原区的银山、鲤鱼山、蓬里3个地点的土壤与水稻植株中As、Cd、Pb含量研究,结果表明,水稻植株对土壤重金属元素的吸收量,随土壤重金属元素含量的增加而明显增加,水稻对As、Cd有较强的吸收性,对Pb的吸收性相对较弱。土壤重金属元素进入水稻植物体后,大约有97%残存于水稻非食用部位,整体表现为由稻根>茎、叶>籽实的富集特征。     

Single crystals of transfer RNA: an x-ray diffraction study

Large single crystals of formylmethionyl transfer RNA have been prepared. An x-ray diffraction study shows that the material crystallizes in a hexagonal lattice with a equal to 170 angstroms, c equal to 234 angstroms. The diffraction pattern extends to spacings just under 20 angstroms at present. The crystals are heavily hydrated, containing 88 percent water.     

不同PM2.5污染区常见树种叶片对PAHs的吸收特征分析

采集了北京市奥林匹克森林公园和西直门北大街2个不同PM2.5污染区的6种植物叶片样品,应用高效液相色谱法测定叶片中多环芳烃(PAHs)的含量,比较6种常见树种叶片对PAHs的吸收特征,并对PAHs的成分具体分析。结果表明:不同树种吸收PAHs的能力有差异。在2个采样点,圆柏、油松针叶树种叶片对PAHs的吸收含量均高于阔叶树种;阔叶树种中碧桃叶片对PAHs的吸收含量最高,其次是毛白扬。此外,随着污染的加重,树种能够增强其吸收PAHs的能力以适应环境污染。6种树种叶片对PAHs的吸收含量均表现为污染较重的西直门高于污染较轻的森林公园。对6种树种叶片的PAHs成分分析表明,叶片中PAHs的主要成分为3环化合物,其次是2环、4环和5~6环化合物,叶片对不同环数化合物的吸收含量也表现为西直门高于森林公园。西直门样品中3环化合物的组分略多于森林公园样品,且组分的含量也高于森林公园样品。6种树种叶片对PAHs吸收含量的主成分分析指出,树种吸收PAHs能力大小依次为圆柏碧桃油松毛白杨榆树紫叶李。      

Jupiter: an unidentified feature in the 5-micron spectrum of the north equatorial belt

Grating spectra of the North Equatorial Belt of Jupiter 4.5 and 5.1 microns, obtained with a nominal resolving power of 180, are presented. An absorption feature centered at 4.73 microns and not due to a known constituent has been found. Its possible identification is discussed.     

Discovery of very high energy gamma rays associated with an x-ray binary

X-ray binaries are composed of a normal star in orbit around a neutron star or stellar-mass black hole. Radio and x-ray observations have led to the presumption that some x-ray binaries called microquasars behave as scaled-down active galactic nuclei. Microquasars have resolved radio emission that is thought to arise from a relativistic outflow akin to active galactic nuclei jets, in which particles can be accelerated to large energies. Very high energy gamma-rays produced by the interactions of these particles have been observed from several active galactic nuclei. Using the High Energy Stereoscopic System, we find evidence for gamma-ray emission of >100 gigaelectron volts from a candidate microquasar, LS 5039, showing that particles are also accelerated to very high energies in these systems.     

Detection of pulsed gamma rays above 100 GeV from the Crab pulsar

We report the detection of pulsed gamma rays from the Crab pulsar at energies above 100 giga-electron volts (GeV) with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) array of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The detection cannot be explained on the basis of current pulsar models. The photon spectrum of pulsed emission between 100 mega-electron volts and 400 GeV is described by a broken power law that is statistically preferred over a power law with an exponential cutoff. It is unlikely that the observation can be explained by invoking curvature radiation as the origin of the observed gamma rays above 100 GeV. Our findings require that these gamma rays be produced more than 10 stellar radii from the neutron star.     

Transformation of a star into a planet in a millisecond pulsar binary

Millisecond pulsars are thought to be neutron stars that have been spun-up by accretion of matter from a binary companion. Although most are in binary systems, some 30% are solitary, and their origin is therefore mysterious. PSR J1719-1438, a 5.7-millisecond pulsar, was detected in a recent survey with the Parkes 64-meter radio telescope. We show that this pulsar is in a binary system with an orbital period of 2.2 hours. The mass of its companion is near that of Jupiter, but its minimum density of 23 grams per cubic centimeter suggests that it may be an ultralow-mass carbon white dwarf. This system may thus have once been an ultracompact low-mass x-ray binary, where the companion narrowly avoided complete destruction.     

Observation of pulsed gamma-rays above 25 GeV from the Crab pulsar with MAGIC

One fundamental question about pulsars concerns the mechanism of their pulsed electromagnetic emission. Measuring the high-end region of a pulsar's spectrum would shed light on this question. By developing a new electronic trigger, we lowered the threshold of the Major Atmospheric gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) telescope to 25 giga-electron volts. In this configuration, we detected pulsed gamma-rays from the Crab pulsar that were greater than 25 giga-electron volts, revealing a relatively high cutoff energy in the phase-averaged spectrum. This indicates that the emission occurs far out in the magnetosphere, hence excluding the polar-cap scenario as a possible explanation of our measurement. The high cutoff energy also challenges the slot-gap scenario.