Orbital Distribution Research Articles

Free-floating Planets, Survivor Planets, Captured Planets, and Binary Planets from Stellar Flybys

In star clusters, close stellar encounters can strongly impact the architecture of a planetary system or even destroy it. We present a systematic study of the effects of stellar flybys on two-planet systems. When such a system experiences flybys, one or both planets can be ejected, forming free-floating planets (FFPs), captured planets (CPs) around the flyby star, and free-floating binary planets (BPs); the remaining single-surviving planets (SSPs) can have their orbital radii and eccentricities greatly changed. Through numerical experiments, we calculate the formation fractions (or branching ratios) of FFPs, SSPs, CPs, and BPs as a function of the pericenter distance of the flyby, and use them to derive analytical expressions for the formation rates of FFPs, SSPs, CPs and BPs in general cluster environments. We find that the production rates of FFPs and SSPs are similar (for the initial planet semimajor axis ratio a 1/a 2 = 0.6–0.8), while the rate for CPs is a few times smaller. The formation fraction of BPs depends strongly on a 1/a 2 and on the planet masses. For Jupiter-mass planets, the formation fraction of BPs is always less than 1% (for a 1/a 2 = 0.8) and typically much smaller (≲0.2% for a 1/a 2 ≲ 0.7). The fraction remains less than 1% when considering 4M J planets. Overall, when averaging over all flybys, the production rate of BPs is less than 0.1% of that of FFPs. We also derive the velocity distribution of FFPs produced by stellar flybys, and the orbital parameter distributions of SSPs, CPs, and BPs. These results can be used in future studies of exotic planets (including FFPs) and planetary systems.

Visualization of Multiple-Resonance-Induced Frontier Molecular Orbitals in a Single Multiple-Resonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Molecule.

The spatial distribution and electronic properties of the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) in a thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecule contribute significantly to the TADF properties, and thus, a detailed understanding and sophisticated control of the FMOs are fundamental to the design of TADF molecules. However, for multiple-resonance (MR)-TADF molecules that achieve spatial separation of FMOs by the MR effect, the distinctive distribution of these molecular orbitals poses significant challenges for conventional computational analysis and ensemble averaging methods to elucidate the FMOs' separation and the precise mechanism of luminescence. Therefore, the visualization and analysis of electronic states with the specific energy level of a single MR-TADF molecule will provide a deeper understanding of the TADF mechanism. Here, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) was used to investigate the electronic states of the DABNA-1 molecule at the atomic scale. FMOs' visualization and local density of states analysis of the DABNA-1 molecule clearly show that MR-TADF molecules also have well-separated FMOs according to the internal heteroatom arrangement, providing insights that complement existing theoretical prediction methods.

The Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and DFT Calculation of a New Binuclear Gd(III) Complex with 4-Aacetylphenoxyacetic Acid and 1,10-Phenanthroline Ligands and Its Roles in Catalytic Activity.

A new binuclear Gd(III) complex, [Gd2(L)6(Phen)2]·4H2O, was synthesized via the reaction of gadolinium(III) nitrate hexahydrate, 4-acetylphenoxyacetic acid (HL), NaOH, and 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) in a solution of water-ethanol (v:v = 1:1). The Gd(III) complex was characterized using IR, UV-vis, TG-DSC, fluorescence, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The results showed that the Gd(III) complex crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P-1, and each Gd(III) ion was coordinated with two nitrogen atoms (N1, N2, or N1a, and N2a) from two Phen ligands and seven oxygen atoms (O1, O2, O7a, O9, O8, O8a, O10a, or O1a, O2a, O7, O8, O8a, O9a, and O10) from six L ligands, respectively, forming a nine-coordinated coordination mode. The Gd(III) complex molecules formed a one-dimensional chained and three-dimensional network structure via benzenering π-π stacking. The Hirschfeld surface analysis and the calculations of the electron density distributions of the frontier molecular orbitals of the Gd(III) complex were performed. The catalytic activities of the photocatalytic CO2 reduction and benzyl alcohol oxidation using the Gd(III) complex as a catalyst were performed. The results of the photocatalytic CO2 reduction showed that the yield and the selectivity of CO reached 41.5 μmol/g and more than 99% after four hours, respectively. The results of the benzyl alcohol oxidation showed that the yield of benzaldehyde was 45.7% at 120 °C with THF as the solvent under 0.5 MPa O2 within 2 h.

Effect of the Large Magellanic Cloud on the kinematics of Milky Way satellites and virial mass estimate

We present a study illustrating the effects of the passage of a Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) mass satellite on the distance and velocity distributions of satellites in Λ+Cold Dark Matter simulations of Milky Way (MW) sized halos. In agreement with previous studies, we find that during such a passage the velocity distribution develops a high-velocity tail, which can bias velocity-based virial halo mass estimates. When the velocity distribution of MW satellites is corrected for effects of the LMC passage, it is consistent with the distributions in halos of masses as low as and as high as 1.5×1012M⊙. We present a new halo mass estimator , where c is the coefficient calibrated using satellite systems in the simulated MW-sized halos, is the variance of 3D velocities taken with the sign of the radial velocity of each satellite, and is the median halocentric distance of the satellites. We show that the estimator has only s=8% scatter around the median relation of the estimated and true halo masses and deviates by <2s from the median during the pericentric passage of an LMC-like subhalo. This is because and deviate in the opposite directions during such passages. We apply the estimator to the MW satellite system and estimate the virial mass of the Milky Way of , in good agreement with several recent estimates using other methods.

The precautionary approach and challenges posed by mega‐constellations

AbstractThe advent and continuing deployment of mega‐constellations has brought new challenges, particularly increased risk of collision, proliferation of space debris, reduced numbers of launch windows and obstruction to astronomical observation. The precautionary approach, which is becoming part of customary international law, is instrumental in addressing these challenges. Although precautionary measures are incorporated in international treaties and soft law instruments regarding outer space, a full application of the precautionary approach is necessary to balance the need of innovation and the sustainable use of outer space. To this end, operators of mega‐constellations must keep the approach in mind and comply with its substantive obligations once it is triggered, including suspension of activities, risk assessment, mitigation and prevention, and notification and information. The possibility of new deployment of mega‐constellation being frozen at some point makes the equitable distribution of satellite orbits and radio frequencies a pressing issue.

Buoyancy torques prevent low-mass planets from stalling in low-turbulence radiative discs

ABSTRACT Low-mass planets migrating inwards in laminar protoplanetary discs (PPDs) experience a dynamical corotation torque (DCT), which is expected to slow down migration to a stall. However, baroclinic effects can reduce or even reverse this effect, leading to rapid inward migration. In the radiatively inefficient inner disc, one such mechanism is the buoyancy response of the disc to an embedded planet. Recent work has suggested that radiative cooling can quench this response, but for parameters that are not necessarily representative of the inner regions of PPDs. We perform global 3D inviscid radiation hydrodynamics simulations of planet–disc interaction to investigate the effect of radiative cooling on the buoyancy-driven torque in a more realistic disc model. We find that the buoyancy response exerts a negative DCT – albeit partially damped due to radiative cooling – resulting in sustained, rapid inward migration. Models that adopt a local cooling prescription significantly overestimate the impact of the buoyancy response, highlighting the importance of a realistic treatment of radiation transport that includes radiative diffusion. Our results suggest that low-mass planets should migrate inwards faster than has been previously expected in radiative discs, with implications for the formation and orbital distribution of super-Earths and sub-Neptunes at intermediate distances from their host stars, unless additional physical processes that can slow down migration are considered.

Quantitative analysis of spatiotemporal coverage and uncertainty decomposition in OCO-2/3 XCO2 across China

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2/3 (OCO-2/3) employs a full-physics inversion algorithm and estimates the column-averaged dry air mole fraction of carbon dioxide (XCO2). This research focuses on the spatiotemporal coverage and associated uncertainties of OCO-2/3's XCO2 measurements within the Chinese region. We undertook an extensive statistical examination of the daily, weekly, 16-day, and monthly spatiotemporal coverage of XCO2 across China, employing data from both OCO-2 and OCO-3 and their amalgamated datasets. Additionally, we used a posterior error analysis method to rigorously evaluate the uncertainties induced by various input parameters in the XCO2 inversion model across different regions in China. Our findings reveal that OCO-2's spatial coverage spans 2.3–53.8% in China at a spatial resolution of 1° × 1°, and OCO-3's spatial coverage spans 3.3 and 47.4% across these time scales in China. Notably, the combined coverage rates of both satellites are significantly higher, ranging from 5.4 to 72.6%. Our analysis also reveals a gradual decrease in XCO2 coverage and inversion rates from north to south and west to east across China. A significant portion of the uncertainties in OCO-2/3 XCO2 measurements, over 90%, were attributed to primary error sources such as instrument, aerosol, and CO2 prior profile. Aerosol-induced errors show regional variations, with higher levels observed in Southeast China. Compared to TCCON data, the accuracy of XCO2 measurements in the two Chinese sites was lower than the global average. Our research identifies the spatiotemporal distribution and uncertainty decomposition of carbon satellites at a regional scale in China, providing an essential reference for future research.

An intelligent threshold selection method to improve orbital angular momentum-encoded quantum key distribution under turbulence

High-dimensional quantum key distribution (HD-QKD) encoded by orbital angular momentum (OAM) presents significant advantages in terms of information capacity. However, perturbations caused by free-space atmospheric turbulence decrease the performance of the system by introducing random fluctuations in the transmittance of OAM photons. Currently, the theoretical performance analysis of OAM-encoded QKD systems exists a gap when concerning the statistical distribution under the free-space link. In this article, we analyzed the security of QKD systems by combining probability distribution of transmission coefficient (PDTC) of OAM with decoy-state BB84 method. To address the problem that the invalid key rate is calculated in the part transmittance interval of the post-processing process, an intelligent threshold method based on neural network is proposed to improve OAM-encoded QKD, which aims to conserve computing resources and enhance system efficiency. Our findings reveal that the ratio of root mean square (RMS) OAM-beam radius to Fried constant plays a crucial role in ensuring secure key generation. Meanwhile, the training error of neural network is at the magnitude around 10−3, indicating the ability to predict optimization parameters quickly and accurately. Our work contributes to the advancement of parameter optimization and prediction for free-space OAM-encoded HD-QKD systems. Furthermore, it provides valuable theoretical insights to support the development of free-space experimental setups.

Circularly Polarized Electroluminescence from Intrinsically Axial Chiral Materials Based on Bidibenzo[b,d]furan/bidibenzo[b,d]thiophene

AbstractHerein, by connecting chiral bidibenzo[b,d]furan/bidibenzo[b,d]thiophene and multi‐resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR‐TADF) units, two pairs of intrinsically axial chiral MR‐TADF materials (R/S‐BDBF‐BNO and R/S‐BDBT‐BNO) realize mirror‐symmetric circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) and narrowband emission. The chiral moieties effectively engage in frontier molecular orbital distributions through the establishment of covalent bonds with boron atoms. The proportions of (1,1′‐bidibenzo[b,d]furan)‐2,2′‐diol in the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied natural transition orbitals (HONTO/LUNTO) are 25.3% and 64.7%, respectively. In addition, BDBT‐BNO processes a dual‐channel transition mode, thus the (1,1′‐bidibenzo[b,d]thiophene)‐2,2′‐diol constitutes 22.8%, 24.3% and 54.0%, 46.9% of the distributions of HONTO, HONTO‐1 and LUNTO, LUNTO+1, respectively. The high proportions endow R/S‐BDBF‐BNO and R/S‐BDBT‐BNO with good CPL properties with dissymmetry factors (|gPL|) of 1.7/1.8 × 10−3. Correspondingly, the circularly polarized organic light‐emitting diodes based on the enantiomers exhibit mirror symmetrical circularly polarized electroluminescence with |gEL| factors of 1.5/1.6 × 10−3. Furthermore, the introduction of sulphur atoms enables BDBT‐BNO to have a high maximum external quantum efficiency of 35.7% in device.

Testing MOND on Small Bodies in the Remote Solar System

Modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND), which postulates a breakdown of Newton's laws of gravity/dynamics below some critical acceleration threshold, can explain many otherwise puzzling observational phenomena on galactic scales. MOND competes with the hypothesis of dark matter, which successfully explains the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure. Here we provide the first solar system test of MOND that probes the subcritical acceleration regime. Using the Bekenstein–Milgrom “aquadratic Lagrangian” (or AQUAL) formulation, we simulate the evolution of myriads of test particles (planetesimals or comets) born in the trans-Neptunian region and scattered by the giant planets over the lifetime of the Sun to heliocentric distances of 102–105 au. We include the effects of the Galactic tidal field and passing stars. While Newtonian simulations reproduce the distribution of binding energies of long-period and Oort-cloud comets detectable from Earth, MOND-based simulations do not. This conclusion is robust to plausible changes in the migration history of the planets, the migration history of the Sun, the MOND transition function, effects of the Sun's birth cluster, and the fading properties of long-period comets. For the most popular version of AQUAL, characterized by a gradual transition between the Newtonian and MOND regimes, our MOND-based simulations also fail to reproduce the orbital distribution of trans-Neptunian objects in the detached disk (perihelion q > 38 au). Our results do not rule out some MOND theories more elaborate than AQUAL, in which non-Newtonian effects are screened on small spatial scales, at small masses, or in external gravitational fields comparable in strength to the critical acceleration.

The Distribution of Satellites in the TNG100 Simulation based on Time Spent in Halo

An important test of the Λ Cold Dark Matter model is the degree to which galaxy dark matter halos follow the predicted, characteristic density profile. In this Note, we explore the use of satellite galaxies as luminous tracers of halo mass density profiles as a function of the time since they joined the halos. We perform this investigation in the TNG100 simulation, where we can obtain precise locations of satellite galaxies and dark matter particles. We find that, by adopting a more accurate definition of joining redshift compared to a previous investigation, the oldest satellites are better, but not perfect tracers of the dark matter distribution.

Regulating the Critical Intermediates of Dual-Atom Catalysts for CO2 Electroreduction.

Electrocatalysis is a very attractive way to achieve a sustainable carbon cycle by converting CO2 into organic fuels and feedstocks. Therefore, it is crucial to design advanced electrocatalysts by understanding the reaction mechanism of electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) with multiple electron transfers. Among electrocatalysts, dual-atom catalysts (DACs) are promising candidates due to their distinct electronic structures and extremely high atomic utilization efficiency. Herein, the eCO2RR mechanism and the identification of intermediates using advanced characterization techniques, with a particular focus on regulating the critical intermediates are systematically summarized. Further, the insightful understanding of the functionality of DACs originates from the variable metrics of electronic structures including orbital structure, charge distribution, and electron spin state, which influences the active sites and critical intermediates in eCO2RR processes. Based on the intrinsic relationship between variable metrics and critical intermediates, the optimized strategies of DACs are summarized containing the participation of synergistic atoms, engineering of the atomic coordination environment, regulation of the diversity of central metal atoms, and modulation of metal-support interaction. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities of atomically dispersed catalysts for eCO2RR processes are discussed.

Experimental and theoretical studies on the compatibility of DNTF and typical hydrocarbon polymer binders.

3,4-bis(3-nitrofurazan-4-yl) furoxan (DNTF) is one of the third-generation energetic compounds with excellent comprehensive properties, which can be added to polymer bonded explosive (PBX) to improve energy levels and regulate sensitivity, so the compatibility of DNTF with other components in PBX, especially the binder, is the first question. Herein, two typical hydrocarbon polymers commonly used in PBX, which are hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and polyisobutylene (PIB), were selected as the binder, and the compatibility of HTPB and PIB with DNTF was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the vacuum stability test (VST), and in situ infrared spectroscopy (in situ IR). The results of compatibility experiments were verified by using the binding energy and solubility parameter criteria in molecular dynamics (MD). Experimental and MD simulation results showed that DNTF could be compatible with PIB but incompatible with HTPB. The frontier molecular orbital theory in quantum chemistry (QC) was adopted to explore the frontier orbital electron distribution and energy levels of DNTF/HTPB and DNTF/PIB composite systems to better understand the microscopic compatibility mechanism. The compatibility results of the two composite systems were explained from the perspective of electron transfer. All these can deduce that a hydrocarbon polymer binder with a saturated carbon-hydrogen bond at the end of the molecular chain has good compatibility with DNTF, compared with a hydroxyl group, which has bad compatibility with DNTF.

ALMA 2D super-resolution imaging of Taurus–Auriga protoplanetary disks: Probing statistical properties of disk substructures

Abstract In the past decade, ALMA observations of protoplanetary disks revealed various substructures including gaps and rings. Their origin of substructures may be probed through statistical studies of their physical properties. We present the analyses of archival ALMA Band 6 continuum data of 43 disks (39 Class II and four Herbig Ae) in the Taurus–Auriga region. We employ a novel 2D super-resolution imaging technique based on sparse modeling to obtain images with high fidelity and spatial resolution. As a result, we have obtained images with spatial resolutions comparable to a few au (${0_{.}^{\prime\prime}02}$–${0_{.}^{\prime\prime}1}$), which is two to three times better than conventional CLEAN methods. All dust disks are spatially resolved, with the radii ranging from 8 to 238 au with a median radius of 45 au. Half of the disks harbor clear gap structures, the radial locations of which show a bimodal distribution with peaks at ≲20 au and ≳30 au. We also see structures indicating weak gaps at all the radii in the disk. We find that the widths of these gaps increase with their depths, which is consistent with the model of planet–disk interactions. The inferred planet mass–orbital radius distribution indicates that the planet distribution is analogous to our solar system. However, planets with Neptune mass or lower may exist in all the radii.

Numerical simulations on loss of ICRF-heated NBI ions in EAST

The loss of ion cyclotron resonance frequencies (ICRF)-heated neutral beam injection ions in experimental advanced superconducting tokamak was numerically investigated by ORBIT code simulations. The effects of collisions and ripples on particle losses were taken into account, and the distributions of fast ions generated by different beams in combination with ICRF heating were calculated using the TRANSP code. Results showed that ICRF waves altered the orbital distributions of beam ions, causing an increase in trapped ions and fast ion losses. Additionally, for co-current injected beams, perpendicular injection resulted in higher fast ion losses in synergistic heating than tangential injection. The study also found that the synergistic effect of collisions and ripples enhanced fast ion losses, which were highly localized and generated a maximum heat load of 0.165 MW m−2 on the first wall. However, conducting synergy heating experiments at high plasma currents and low effective ion charge numbers can significantly reduce the loss of fast ions.

Three-body binary formation in clusters: analytical theory

ABSTRACT Binary formation in clusters through triple encounters between three unbound stars, ‘three-body’ binary formation, is one of the main dynamical formation processes of binary systems in dense environments. In this paper, we use an analytical probabilistic approach to study the process for the equal mass case and calculate a probability distribution for the orbital parameters of three-body-formed binaries, as well as their formation rate. For the first time, we give closed-form analytical expressions to the full orbital parameter distribution, accounting for both energy and angular momentum conservation. This calculation relies on the sensitive dependence of the outcomes of three-body scatterings on the initial conditions: here we compute the rate of three-body binaries from ergodic interactions, which allow for an analytical derivation of the distribution of orbital parameters of the binaries thus created. We find that soft binaries are highly favoured in this process and that these binaries have a superthermal eccentricity distribution, while the few hard three-body binaries have an eccentricity distribution much closer to thermal. The analytical results predict and reproduce simulation results of three-body scattering experiments in the literature well.

Bioinspired axial S-coordinated single-atom cobalt catalyst to efficient activate peroxymonosulfate for selective high-valent Co-Oxo species generation

The efficient activation and selective high-valent metal-oxo (HVMO) species generation remain challenging for peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based advanced oxidation processes (PMS-AOPs) in water purification. The underlying mechanism of the activation pathway is ambiguous, leading to a massive dilemma in the control and regulation of HVMO species generation. Herein, bioinspired by the bio-oxidase structure of cytochrome P450, the axial coordination strategy was adopted to tailor a single-atom cobalt catalyst (CoN4S-CB) with an axial S coordination. CoN4S-CB high-selectively generated high-valent Co-Oxo species (Co(IV)=O) via PMS activation. Co(IV)=O demonstrated an ingenious oxygen atom transfer (OAT) reaction to achieve the efficient degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and this allowed robust operation in various complex environments. The axial S coordination modulated the 3d orbital electron distribution of the Co atom. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation revealed that the axial S coordination decreased the energy barrier for PMS desorption and lowered the free energy change (ΔG) for Co(IV)=O generation. CoN4S-PMS* had a narrow d-band close to the Fermi level, which enhanced charge transfer to accelerate the cleavage of O-O and O-H bonds in PMS. This work provides a broader perspective on the activator design with natural enzyme structure-like active sites to efficient activate PMS for selective HVMO species generation.

Regulating Surface Dipole Moments of TiO2 for the pH-Universal Cathodic Fenton-Like Process.

Although electro-Fenton (EF) processes can avoid the safety risks raised by concentrated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), the Fe(III) reduction has always been either unstable or inefficient at high pH, resulting in catalyst deactivation and low selectivity of H2O2 activation for producing hydroxyl radicals (•OH). Herein, we provided a strategy to regulate the surface dipole moment of TiO2 by Fe anchoring (TiO2-Fe), which, in turn, substantially increased the H2O2 activation for •OH production. The TiO2-Fe catalyst could work at pH 4-10 and maintained considerable degradation efficiency for 10 cycles. Spectroscopic analysis and a theoretical study showed that the less polar Fe-O bond on TiO2-Fe could finely tune the polarity of H2O2 to alter its empty orbital distribution, contributing to better ciprofloxacin degradation activity within a broad pH range. We further verified the critical role of the weakened polarity of H2O2 on its homolysis into •OH by theoretically and experimentally investigating Cu-, Co-, Ni-, Mn-, and Mo-anchored TiO2. This concept offers an avenue for elaborate design of green, robust, and pH-universal cathodic Fenton-like catalysts and beyond.

NEOMOD 3: The debiased size distribution of Near Earth Objects

Our previous model (NEOMOD2) for the orbital and absolute magnitude distribution of Near Earth Objects (NEOs) was calibrated on the Catalina Sky Survey observations between 2013 and 2022. Here we extend NEOMOD2 to include visible albedo information from the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. The debiased albedo distribution of NEOs can be approximated by the sum of two Rayleigh distributions with the scale parameters pV,dark≃0.03 and pV,bright≃0.17. We find evidence for smaller NEOs having (on average) higher albedos than larger NEOs; this is likely a consequence of the size-dependent sampling of different main belt sources. These inferences and the absolute magnitude distribution from NEOMOD2 are used to construct the debiased size distribution of NEOs. We estimate 830±60 NEOs with diameters D>1 km and 20,000±2,000 NEOs with D>140 m. The new model, NEOMOD3, is available via the NEOMOD Simulator — an easy-to-operate code that can be used to generate user-defined samples (orbits, sizes and albedos) from the model.

Distribution of periodic orbits in the homology group of a knot complement

AbstractConsider a transitive Anosov flow on a closed 3-manifold. After removing a finite set of null-homologous periodic orbits, we study the distribution of the remaining periodic orbits in the homology of the knot complement.