银河系中心超大质量黑洞

通过对位于银河系中心的非热、致密射电源人马座A^＊（Sagittarius A^＊）的高分辨率甚长基线干涉（VLBI）观测,文章作者及其合作者成功地得到人马座A＊的固有辐射区域的直径仅为1个天文单位,支持其是超大质量黑洞的物理解释.文章在较详细地介绍此研究的同时,也简要提及了从黑洞概念的最早提出至今的200多年里人们在黑洞物理认知上的一些重大进展.可以预期,未来亚毫米波VLBI观测将有望揭示银河系中心超大质量黑洞的阴影结构.     

用于火星电离层探测的星-星无线电掩星技术

火星和地球类似,周围束缚了不同密度的电离层.利用无线电掩星技术可以对火星电离层进行观测.星-地无线电掩星在探测精度和探测区域方面都受到一定的限制.中俄联合火星探测计划将于2011年10月一箭双星发射俄罗斯的Phobos-Grunt探测器和中国的萤火1号火星探测器.该计划将开展国际上首次火星电离层的星-星无线电掩星观测试验,重点是对星-地无线电掩星无法观测的正午和子夜区域的火星电离层进行探测.星-星无线电掩星观测试验采用双频工作模式,接收机灵敏度为-145dBm,相位测量精度优于5%周.在地面对接收机进行了动态模拟测试,测试得到的相位数据能很好地反演出火星电离层电子密度廓线.     

开环多普勒技术用于火星快车的观测验证

利用中国甚长基线干涉(very long baseline interferometry,缩写为VLBI)网天线资源以及"嫦娥一号"(Chang'e-1,缩写为CE-1)32星观测试验,首次实现了中国深空任务的开环多普勒测量.这一新的测量技术应用于欧洲航天局(European Space Agency,缩写为ESA)的"火星快车"(Mars Express,缩写为MEX)探测器的观测实验中.实验结果显示,在1s积分情况下,开环多普勒(三程)测量精度随机误差达到1mm/s,这一精度与通常的闭环多普勒(双程)水平相当.开环多普勒(三程)数据已经开始尝试用于卫星的定轨,今后有关开环多普勒数据的科学应用也在准备中.     

用于"萤火1号"火星轨道器的开环电测技术

中国首个火星探测器"萤火1号"计划于2011年和俄罗斯的火卫一采样探测器一道发射升空."萤火1号"将探测火星的空间环境,并验证深空导航测控与通信技术.与常规的火星探测任务不同,该探测器的轨道与位置测量主要利用天文甚长基线干涉测量技术、开环跟踪测量技术、差分单程测距测速技术、同波束干涉测量技术以及单程多普勒(Doppler)测速技术.     

火星重力场研究现状及发展趋势

针对近年来月球与火星探测成为各航天大国的热点,以及中国首个火星探测计划"萤火1号"拟定的科学研究目标,文章对火星重力场模犁的历史、现状及展望做了简要描述.文中首先探讨了火星探测的多重意义和火星重力场在火星探测中起到的重要作用;接着介绍了火星重力场模型发展的历史和现状;最后介绍了利用中国"萤火1号"轨道跟踪数据对火星重力场模型的可能贡献,在此基础上对中国未来火星重力场探测提出了设想.     

基于两次谱分析的时延估计方法研究

时延估计是目标定位跟踪系统的关键技术之一,在水声、雷达、声探测等领域广泛应用。时延估计的基本方法是互相关法和相位谱法。互相关法时延估计分辨率与信号带宽近似成反比,因此很难估计多目标时延。相位谱时延估计只能估计单目标时延,并且存在相位解绕问题。本文提出了两次谱分析时延估计方法,即将互功率谱函数再次进行谱估计,二次谱峰值位置间距即为时延估计,这种方法既能够估计单目标时延,又能够估计多目标时延,并且不用相位解绕。仿真计算验证了两次谱时延估计方法的可行性。     

基于时延估计的分裂阵时域波束形成技术

大孔径拖曳线列阵受舰艇横向机动、洋流影响和水动力影响时会产生一定的阵形畸变,阵形畸变使得波束形成时阵列流型失配,进而降低了目标方位分辨率和阵处理的增益。在无法进行阵形估计时,基于时延估计的分裂阵时域波束形成技术将大孔径拖曳线阵分为左右两个子阵分别做波束形成,通过加权广义相关时延估计算法估算对应波束的时延差,再依据估算时延差对左右两个波束进行延时求和得到最终的波束信号。仿真和海试数据证明,相对于全阵直接做波束形成的方法,基于时延估计的分裂阵的时域波束形成技术有效提高了目标方位分辨率和阵处理的增益。     

折射率直流分量调制对光纤Bragg光栅的影响

从耦合模理论出发,推导了折射率直流分量调制函数与光纤Bragg光栅相位之间的关系式,分析了折射率直流分量调制对光纤Bragg光栅时延特性的影响.利用传输矩阵法进行了数值仿真,仿真结果与理论分析一致.在理论分析基础上,提出采用同一块均匀相位掩膜版灵活制作具有不同线性或非线性时延特性的啁啾光纤光栅的方法,可用于高速光通信系统中不同色散和色散斜率的补偿.     

用FIR数字滤波器实现高精度时延的一种新方法

本文提供了一种实现高精度、连续可变数字时延的新方法。该方法利用ＦＩＲ数字滤波器的线性相位特性，通过调节权向量，可连续改变信号时延。具有时延精度高、运算量小、可实现宽带时延等显著特点。该方法可用于宽带数字波束形成、自适应时延估计以及目标回波的时域分析等技术领域。本文对该方法的基本原理、设计方法及仿真结果进行了阐述，并给出了有关应用实例。     

基于时延估计的双子阵时域波束形成技术

大孔径拖曳线列阵受舰艇横向机动、洋流影响和水动力影响时会产生一定的阵形畸变,阵形畸变使得波束形成时阵列流型失配,进而降低了目标方位分辨率和阵处理的增益。在无法进行阵形估计时,基于时延估计的双子阵时域波束形成技术将大孔径拖曳线阵分为左右两个子阵分别做波束形成,通过加权广义相关时延估计算法估算对应波束的时延差,再依据估算时延差对左右两个波束进行延时求和得到最终的波束信号。仿真和海试数据证明,相对于全阵直接做波束形成的方法,基于时延估计的双子阵的时域波束形成技术有效提高了目标方位分辨率和阵处理的增益。     

Relative position determination of a lunar rover using high-accuracy multi-frequency same-beam VLBI

Multi-frequency same-beam VLBI means that two explorers with a small separation angle are simultaneously observed with the main beam of receiving antennas. In the same-beam VLBI, the differential phase delay between two explorers and two receiving telescopes can be obtained with a small error of several picoseconds. The differential phase delay, as the observable of the same-beam VLBI, gives the separation angular information of the two explorers in the celestial sphere. The two-dimensional relative position on the plane-of-sky can thus be precisely determined with an error of less than 1 m for a distance of 3.8×105 km far away from the earth, by using the differential phase delay obtained with the four Chinese VLBI stations. The relative position of a lunar rover on the lunar surface can be determined with an error of 10 m by using the differential phase delay data and the range data for the lander when the lunar topography near the rover and the lander can be determined with an error of 10 m.     

Applications of same-beam VLBI in the orbit determination of multi-spacecrafts in a lunar sample-return mission

Same-beam VLBI means that two spacecrafts with small separation angles that transmit multi-frequency signals specially designed are observed simultaneously through the main beam of receiving antennas. In same-beam VLBI,the differential phase delay between the two spacecrafts and the two receiving antennas can be obtained within a small error of several picoseconds. As a successful application,the short-arc orbit determination of several hours for Rstar and Vstar,which are two small sub-spacecrafts of SELENE,has been much improved by using the same-beam VLBI data together with the Doppler and range data. The long-arc orbit determination of several days has also been accomplished within an error of about 10 m with the same-beam VLBI data incorporated. These results show the value of the same-beam VLBI for the orbit determination of multi-spacecrafts. This paper introduces the same-beam VLBI and Doppler observations of SELENE and the orbit determination results. In addition,this paper introduces how to use the same-beam VLBI for a lunar sample-return mission,which usually consists of an orbiter,a lander and a return unit. The paper also offers the design for the onboard radio sources in the lunar sample-return mission,and introduces applications of S-band multi-frequency same-beam VLBI in lunar gravity exploration and applications during all stages in the position/orbit determinations such as orbiting,landing,sampling,ascending,and docking.     

Millimeter-wave Receiver Optics for Korean VLBI Network

Over the past several years the millimeter wave VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) observations have been intensively performed. However phase fluctuation due to troposphere is one of the key issue in terms of degradation of sensitivity and limits imaging capability in millimeter wave VLBI observations. We describe the details of designed receiver optics for the Korean VLBI Network to calibrate tropospheric phase fluctuation for the millimeter wave VLBI observation. These optics guide beams from one position on sky to 22, 43, 86, and 129 GHz-band receivers simultaneously. Several topics, such as the design principles of imaging and power loss due to phase errors on common ellipsoidal mirrors are discussed.     

Results obtained by geodetic instruments of SELENE (KAGUYA)

Japanese lunar explorer SELENE (KAGUYA) was equipped with 14 instruments for various measurements of the Moon. Three of these instruments took geodetic measurements of the Moon. These were two sub-satellites and a laser altimeter. The main results obtained by the instruments are: (1) precise orbit determination with an accuracy of ten meters by Doppler and same-beam VLBI; (2) the first precise gravity fields on the lunar far side by 4-way Doppler measurements; (3) the first topography in latitudes higher than 86 degrees; (4) a global map of the gravity anomaly by using the global topography and the global gravity fields; (5) a global map of the lunar crustal thickness and (6) an illumination rate map in the north and south polar regions.     

Orbit determination for Chang’E-2 lunar probe and evaluation of lunar gravity models

The Unified S-Band (USB) ranging/Doppler system and the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) system as the ground tracking system jointly supported the lunar orbit capture of both Chang’E-2 (CE-2) and Chang’E-1 (CE-1) missions. The tracking system is also responsible for providing precise orbits for scientific data processing. New VLBI equipment and data processing strategies have been proposed based on CE-1 experiences and implemented for CE-2. In this work the role VLBI tracking data played was reassessed through precision orbit determination (POD) experiments for CE-2. Significant improvement in terms of both VLBI delay and delay rate data accuracy was achieved with the noise level of X-band band-width synthesis delay data reaching 0.2–0.3 ns. Short-arc orbit determination experiments showed that the combination of only 15 min’s range and VLBI data was able to improve the accuracy of 3 h’s orbit using range data only by a 1–1.5 order of magnitude, confirming a similar conclusion for CE-1. Moreover, because of the accuracy improvement, VLBI data was able to contribute to CE-2’s long-arc POD especially in the along-track and orbital normal directions. Orbital accuracy was assessed through the orbital overlapping analysis (2 h arc overlapping for 18 h POD arc). Compared with about 100 m position error of CE-1’s 200 km×200 km lunar orbit, for CE-2’s 100 km×100 km lunar orbit, the position errors were better than 31 and 6 m in the radial direction, and for CE-2’s 15 km×100 km orbit, the position errors were better than 45 and 12 m in the radial direction. In addition, in trying to analyze the Delta Differential One-Way Ranging (ΔDOR) experiments data we concluded that the accuracy of ΔDOR delay was dramatically improved with the noise level better than 0.1 ns and systematic errors better calibrated, and the Short-arc POD tests with ΔDOR data showed excellent results. Although unable to support the development of an independent lunar gravity model, the tracking data of CE-2 provided evaluations of different lunar gravity models through POD. It is found that for the 100 km×100 km lunar orbit, with a degree and order expansion up to 165, JPL’s gravity model LP165P did not show noticeable improvement over Japan’s SGM series models (100×100), but for the 15 km×100 km lunar orbit, a higher degree-order model can significantly improve the orbit accuracy.

     

VLBI studies at the Radiophysical Research Institute

We consider the state-of-the-art of research in the field of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) at the Radiophysical Research Institute (Nizhny Novgorod, Russia). In the past decade, the team of the VLBI Laboratory at this institute used the extensive methodological and instrument basis and the accumulated experience of radio-interferometric observations to continue experimental and theoretical studies along several research lines including the studies of the solar wind and radio emission of the Sun, radar studies of the bodies in the solar system, and navigational measurements. We present the main experimental results obtained for the analyzed problems. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 50, No. 7, pp. 577–592, July 2007.     

Very Long Baseline Interferometry — a high precision tool for geodesy and astrometry

Very Long Baseline Interferometry is able to provide a direct geometrical tie to the extragalactic radio sources which represent the best possible realization of an inertial system. By this token, VLBI can measure Earth rotation and orientation as well as precise station positions and their velocities without involving the gravity field of the Earth. In the broader context of Earth observation and the monitoring of geodynamic processes, this one and many more unique features have allowed the VLBI technique to achieve pioneering feats such as the determination of present-day plate tectonic motions, post glacial rebound, sub-daily Earth rotation variations and parameters of general relativity. In this contribution, a brief outline of the VLBI technique and the models used in geodetic data analysis will be given before some of the most important achievements to date will be passed in review and future developments will be indicated.     

Geodetic VLBI data analysis using VLBI3 software

Summary VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) geodetic data have been analysed. Baseline, lengths of several thousands kilometers and their time rates have been estimated from a subset of data, spanning three years, of the IRIS project and using VLBI3 software. A weighted-least-squares estimation has been carried out with thea priori standard deviations of the data modified to account for systematic biases due to mismodelling of the clocks and atmosphere. Comparisons with independent analysis show an agreement to the cm level or better both in baseline lengths and rates.     

Single-shot measurement of a carrier-envelope phase by use of a time-dependent polarization pulse

We propose a method for single-shot measurement of the carrier-envelope phase of high-intensity laser pulses. The method is based on observation of the electrons' spatial distribution ionized by a time-dependent polarization pulse generated by a combination of replicas of the measuring pulse. The dependence of the electrons' angular distribution on carrier-envelope phase, pulse width, delay between two combining components, and a peak intensity is calculated. Important experimental issues such as broadening of the angular distribution, Gouy phase, difference between the two replicas, and asymmetric pulse shape are also discussed.     

Linear algorithms of multi-frequency image processing for VLBI

We consider linear algorithms of multi-frequency image synthesis and analysis for very-long baseline interferometry (VLBI). Compared with the existing algorithms of multi-frequency synthesis, the developed algorithm allows one to obtain the spectral-index map simultaneously with the map of a radio source for any value of the reference frequency within a given frequency band. In addition, there exists an opportunity to obtain a spectral estimate for any given part of the image. Some examples of the multi-frequency image retrieval for the quasar 3C84 are presented. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 49, No. 7, pp. 553–560, July 2006.