基于LabVIEW的双通道太阳射电频谱观测系统设计

太阳射电爆发是太阳耀斑和日冕物质抛射等爆发过程的重要表现形式,是卫星通信和导航系统、地面电网系统、人类生活环境的潜在影响因素之一。对太阳射电爆发的监测与研究不仅可以预报空间天气,还可以作为太阳物理的研究工具。介绍了基于LabVIEW平台设计开发的双通道高速太阳射电频谱观测系统,针对太阳射电爆发具有随机性和持续时间短、变化快的特点实现对太阳射电爆发的监测。系统采用高速信号采集卡以1.5 GS/s的速率进行信号采集,系统时间分辨率可达4 ms,频率分辨率达45.776 4 kHz。采集的信号经过快速傅里叶变换(Fast Fourier Transform, FFT)功率谱分析处理后输出显示其频谱图和瀑布图,得到太阳射电爆发的频率、强度以及持续时间等信息。观测数据利用文件传输协议(File Transfer Protocol, FTP)上传至服务器,实现存储资源的优化,观测数据的共享。该系统集成度高,可以应用于分析澄江抚仙湖观测基地11 m太阳射电望远镜输出的70～700 MHz信号。     

明安图射电频谱日像仪图像的强度定标方法

明安图射电频谱日像仪(Mingantu Spectral Radioheliograph, MUSER)能够在0.4--15GHz超宽频带内实现高时间、高空间、高频率分辨率的太阳射电成像. 而射电亮温度是描述太阳物理过程的一个重要的参数, 在研究不同射电辐射机制、太阳磁场以及太阳爆发过程中非热粒子加速等问题上有着非常重要的作用, 因此必须对MUSER观测的图像进行亮温度定标. 将介绍一种适用于射电日像仪图像强度定标的方法. 太阳射电图像中包含着太阳圆盘的结构信息, 利用射电日像仪短基线的可视度函数拟合第一类贝塞尔函数, 可以得到图像中宁静太阳圆盘的射电半径和强度, 再利用瑞利-金斯定律和每天的太阳射电流量可以计算得到每天图像的定标因子$G_c$, 从而实现对MUSER图像强度的定标. 将该方法应用到MUSER的实际观测数据中, 包括宁静太阳和有太阳射电爆发等不同的情况, $G_c$的误差基本不超过10%, 得到的宁静太阳亮温度与其他宁静太阳的结果具有较高的相关性, 表明了此方法的可行性和有效性.     

蒙城太阳射电频谱仪的定标

太阳射电爆发的动态频谱观测是研究太阳活动的重要手段之一.基于对2015年8月27日蒙城太阳射电频谱仪(Mc SRS)所观测得到一个M2.9级太阳耀斑光变特征的分析,发现由于仪器电子学上的问题,传统定标方法给出的结果并不理想.利用日本野边山的射电偏振仪(NoRP)/射电日像仪(NoRH)以及地球静止轨道环境业务卫星(GOES)的观测数据,结合有关辐射机制可以对定标方法进行改进.和传统的定标方法相比,改进后的定标结果和NoRP/NoRH的观测结果显示出更好的相关性,更好地揭示了耀斑射电频谱的演化规律.     

太阳低频射电干涉阵的构建仿真

介绍了低频射电干涉阵的发展情况、研究领域,讨论了国际上的LOFAR、LWA和MWA等低频射电项目.借鉴当今的低频射电项目,结合云南的地理和太阳射电优势,设想在云南省内构建一个太阳低频射电干涉阵,观测频率在30 MHz～250 MHz范围内,文中仿真了太阳低频射电干涉阵(4台站),比较和分析了通过优化算法得到的阵列的UV覆盖、脏束(Dirty beam);讨论了低频射电干涉阵的观测模式、射电干扰、低频射电成像等问题;分析低频射电阵在观测太阳爆发性活动产生的日冕物质抛射(Coronal Mass Ejections,CME)、耀斑、射电爆发的可能性;通过上述的仿真和分析构建太阳低频射电干涉阵面临的问题,可以为今后建立阵列提供依据.     

紫金山天文台太阳射电频谱仪定标

定标是射电天文观测中基础而重要的工作.定标工作可以得到太阳观测中的一个重要物理量:太阳射电辐射流量,可以扣除射电频谱仪的通道不均匀性,清晰显示射电频谱特征.结合紫金山天文台射电频谱仪的观测数据,详细介绍了定标的基本方法,分析了定标常数的变化情况,最后给出了定标结果,并与野边山射电偏振计以及RHESSI(The Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager)卫星硬X射线波段的几个太阳耀斑的观测结果进行了比较,结果符合耀斑的光变特征.其中对一个耀斑脉冲相硬X射线流量和微波光变的相关性的分析表明这些观测可以用来研究有关的辐射机制以及相应的能量释放和粒子加速过程.     

云南天文台太阳射电频谱仪的网络系统

介绍云南天文台太阳射电米波 (2 30～ 30 0MHz)、分米波 (0 .7～0 .4GHz)频谱观测系统及 1 0m射电望远镜自动控制系统“星型拓扑”对等网的建立。通过该网络 ,不但实现了光盘刻录机、激光打印机等资源共享 ,而且还为解决由于太阳射电频谱高时间分辨率和高频率分辨率观测带来的大数据量处理和存储找到了解决途径     

2840MHz太阳射电辐射流量计的升级改造

叙述了国家天文台升级改造后的2 840 MHz太阳射电辐射流量计的设计特点、性能、结构及观测结果。升级改造后的太阳射电辐射流量计将在较高时间分辨率上实时得到2 840 MHz频率上的太阳流量,为太阳物理研究积累丰富的观测数据,是太阳活动监测和预报的重要参数之一。     

尖峰爆发标度律及其对新一代太阳射电望远镜参数的约束

射电观测是太阳物理和日地空间科学的重要探测手段,尤其是对于太阳爆发过程中的太阳非热粒子加速、发射和传播等过程.迄今,世界各地研制建成了上百台太阳射电望远镜,包括射电流量计、射电动态频谱仪和射电日像仪等.基于技术进步和新的科学设想,人们还在不断提出新的太阳射电望远镜计划.研制新的太阳射电望远镜时,需要考虑观测频率、带宽、时间分辨率、频率分辨率、空间分辨率、偏振精度等设计参数.事实上,过度追求高参数往往会无法实现期望的科学目标.如何合理地选择太阳射电望远镜的参数呢?长期的观测研究发现太阳射电爆发常常可分成一系列从长到短不同时标的爆发过程,其中,尖峰爆发是最小时间尺度的爆发现象,同时也是太阳上目前发现的最小空间尺度上的爆发过程,可看成一种元爆发过程,可能对应于单一的磁场重联和磁能释放.根据太阳射电天文学研究,识别尖峰爆发是对新一代太阳射电望远镜的基本要求.尖峰爆发的时间尺度和空间尺度又是随频率而变化的.从分析不同频段太阳射电尖峰爆发的时间和带宽的标度律来说明如何为新一代望远镜的设计选择合理的参数指标,并提出谱-像结合观测模式,最大程度地保证望远镜科学目标的实现.这种观测模式或将成为未来太阳射电观测的主要方式,对揭示太阳爆发现象中的非热过程的物理本质具有非常重要的意义.     

超宽带超高分辨率太阳射电频谱仪的研发

为完成对太阳射电爆发15 MHz～15 GHz频谱的监测,云南天文台研发4套太阳射电频谱仪,频率覆盖范围依次为15～80 MHz, 100～750 MHz, 600～4 200 MHz和4～15 GHz,分别称为十米波、米波、分米波和厘米波太阳射电频谱仪。十米波段太阳射电频谱仪的谱分辨率和时间分辨率分别为7.6 kHz和1 ms;米波段和分米波段太阳射电频谱仪的谱分辨率和时间分辨率分别为9.5 kHz和10 ms;厘米波段太阳射电频谱仪的谱分辨率和时间分辨率分别为76 kHz和10 ms。每套设备包括天线系统、接收机和数字频谱仪。为实现超高谱分辨率,需要的快速傅里叶变换(Fast Fourier Transform, FFT)点数最高达到262 144,在现场可编程门阵列(Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA)上,通过一个FFT IP核(Intellectual Property Core)不能实现如此高点数的快速傅里叶变换运算。对于大点数的快速傅里叶变换,需要对数据行列分解后做并行处理,从而将其转化为两个小点数的快速傅里叶变换。通过对并行算法的研究,...     

低频射电天线数字终端的设计与实现

自天文观测进入全波段观测时代以来,全波段中的低频射电信号是新的重要观测波段以及研究窗口。鉴于此波段的信息对于研究太阳以及行星的射电爆发具有重要意义,并且人类对此频段的研究几乎处于空白状态,现在欧美一些国家以及我国都已经适时地开启了相关研究。目前中国科学院云南天文台已经开启了此项目的建设,现已有4台低频射电天线可以测试使用。其低频射电天线阵可以和云南天文台已有的10 m太阳射电望远镜以及11 m太阳射电望远镜配合使用,用于更精确地观测太阳或者其他行星的射电信息。设计首先由A/D板卡接收来自低频射电天线的低频天文信号,接着A/D板卡把转换的数字信号以差分信号的形式传至现场可编程门阵列板卡;现场可编程门阵列对数据整合处理,通过异步先入先出队列(First Input First Output,FIFO)跨时钟域的形式把数据通过千兆以太网以UDP协议的形式传至PC端;然后PC端设计的软件对传输来的数据做加窗和快速傅里叶变换处理并显示。     

Astronomy in the Elbrus Region

Astronomical research in the Elbrus Region are conducted in the wide international cooperation. They are implemented in under the aegis of the International Association of Academies of Sciences in collaboration with the Euro-Asiatic Association of Universities. Authors outline the important scientific results obtained in the fields of fundamental, applied, and search studies within the international astronomical programs at the Terskol Peak Observatory. They refer to the problem of the identification of diffuse interstellar bands, studies of the star light-curve, detection of optical residuals of gamma-ray bursts, determination of the kinematic and physical characteristics of minor bodies of the Solar System (asteroids and comets), as well as investigation of space objects of technogenic origin in the near-Earth space environment.     

ChemiX: a Bragg crystal spectrometer for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Interhelioprobe</Emphasis> interplanetary mission

Interhelioprobe (IHP), an analogue to the ESA Solar Orbiter, is the prospective Russian space solar observatory intended for in-situ and remote sensing investigations of the Sun and the inner heliosphere from a heliocentric orbit with the perihelion of about 60 solar radii. One of several instruments on board will be the Bragg crystal spectrometer ChemiX which will measure X-ray spectra from solar corona structures. Analysis of the spectra will allow the determination of the elemental composition of plasma in hot coronal sources like flares and active regions. ChemiX is under development at the Wroc?aw Solar Physics Division of the Polish Academy of Sciences Space Research Centre in collaboration with an international team (see the co-author list). This paper gives an overview of the ChemiX scientific goals and design preparatory to phase B of the instrument development.     

Determining the motion of the Solar system relative to the cosmic microwave background using Type Ia supernovae

We estimate the Solar system motion relative to the cosmic microwave background using Type Ia supernovae (SNe) measurements. We take into account the correlations in the error bars of the SNe measurements arising from correlated peculiar velocities. Without accounting for correlations in the peculiar velocities, the SNe data we use appear to detect the peculiar velocity of the Solar system at about the 3.5σ level. However, when the correlations are correctly accounted for, the SNe data only detect the Solar system peculiar velocity at about the 2.5σ level. We forecast that the Solar system peculiar velocity will be detected at the 9σ level by GAIA and the 11σ level by the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. For these surveys, we find the correlations are much less important as most of the signal comes from higher redshifts where the number density of SNe is insufficient for the correlations to be important.     

A concept of a space hazard counteraction system: Astronomical aspects

The basic science of astronomy and, primarily, its branch responsible for studying the Solar System, face the most important practical task posed by nature and the development of human civilization—to study space hazards and to seek methods of counteracting them. In pursuance of the joint Resolution of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and the RAS (Russian Academy of Sciences) Space Council of June 23, 2010, the RAS Institute of Astronomy in collaboration with other scientific and industrial organizations prepared a draft concept of the federal-level program targeted at creating a system of space hazard detection and counteraction. The main ideas and astronomical content of the concept are considered in this article.     

Highlights of the Flare Build-up Study

Years of preparation within the framework of the Flare Build-up Study culminated with intensive observations of solar flares during the Solar Maximum Year (1979–1981). Scientists operating several spacecraft and roughly 70 ground-based observatories participated in an internationally coordinated effort to observe flares with higher spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution over a wider range of wavelengths than heretofore. The FBS stimulated important advances in theories of magnetic reconnection and the growth of plasma instabilities under preflare circumstances. A series of international FBS workshops facilitated data exchanges and collaborative studies for interpreting and synthesizing the wealth of new information about flares. The FBS ended officially at the Symposium on Synopsis of the Solar Maximum Analysis held 2–5 July, 1986 at the COSPAR meeting in Toulouse, France. Here we summarize highlights of its progress towards an understanding of the storage and release of preflare energy.     

Development of solar scintillometer

The index of scintillation measurement is a good parameter to compare different sites for image quality or ‘seeing’. We have developed a scintillometer, which is deployed on the high resolution SPAR telescope in the island site of Udaipur Solar Observatory, for the site characterization to specify the proposed MAST (Multi Application Solar Telescope). The scintillometer consists of a miniature telescope, termed as micro telescope (4 mm aperture, 15 mm focal length) mounted on a drive which tracks the Sun continuously, associated amplifiers and a data acquisition system. A photodiode is used as the detector. The telescope along with detector was obtained from National Solar Observatory (NSO), and is similar to the one used for Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) site survey. At USO we developed the amplifier and data acquisition system for the scintillometer. A 24-bit analog to digital converter based system was designed, assembled, tested and used as the data acquisition system (DAS). In this paper, we discuss the instrumentation and present the initial results.     

Scientific instrumentation for the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope in Big Bear

The NST (New Solar Telescope), a 1.6 m clear aperture, off‐axis telescope, is in its commissioning phase at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO). It will be the most capable, largest aperture solar telescope in the US until the 4 m ATST (Advanced Technology Solar Telescope) comes on‐line late in the next decade. The NST will be outfitted with state‐of‐the‐art scientific instruments at the Nasmyth focus on the telescope floor and in the Coudé Lab beneath the telescope. At the Nasmyth focus, several filtergraphs already in routine operation have offered high spatial resolution photometry in TiO 706 nm, Hα 656 nm, G‐band 430 nm and the near infrared (NIR), with the aid of a correlation tracker and image reconstruction system. Also, a Cryogenic Infrared Spectrograph (CYRA) is being developed to supply high signal‐to‐noise‐ratio spectrometry and polarimetry spanning 1.0 to 5.0 μm. The Coudé Lab instrumentation will include Adaptive Optics (AO), InfraRed Imaging Magnetograph (IRIM), Visible Imaging Magnetograph (VIM), and Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS). A 308 sub‐aperture (349‐actuator deformable mirror) AO system will enable nearly diffraction limited observations over the NST's principal operating wavelengths from 0.4 μm through 1.7 μm. IRIM and VIM are Fabry‐Pérot based narrow‐band tunable filters, which provide high resolution two‐dimensional spectroscopic and polarimetric imaging in the NIR and visible respectively. FISS is a collaboration between BBSO and Seoul National University focussing on chromosphere dynamics. This paper reports the up‐to‐date progress on these instruments including an overview of each instrument and details of the current state of design, integration, calibration and setup/testing on the NST (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

由对地全晕状日冕物质抛射诱发的地磁感应电流统计研究

太阳活动会引起输变电系统异常,特别是对超长距离输变电系统的危害尤其明显.根据SOHO/LASCO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph)的日冕物质抛射(Coronal Mass Ejection,CME)数据、华北电力大学和芬兰气象研究所获得的地磁感应电流(Geomagnetically Induced Current,GIC)数据以及地磁暴数据,分析研究了与GIC事件有关的对地晕状CME的重要观测特征和物理性质.按照对称性将晕状CME进行分类后,发现造成GIC事件的晕状CME主要有3类:完全对称型、亮度不对称型和外形不对称型.不同类型的全晕状CME驱动的GIC事件在强度、持续时间等方面特征各不相同.其中,亮度不对称型晕状CME很有可能对GIC事件影响最为严重.同时注意到GIC与地磁场随时间的变化率也具有较好的相关性.     

DeepSun:machine-learning-as-a-service for solar flare prediction

Solar flare prediction plays an important role in understanding and forecasting space weather.The main goal of the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager(HMI), one of the instruments on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, is to study the origin of solar variability and characterize the Sun's magnetic activity.HMI provides continuous full-disk observations of the solar vector magnetic field with high cadence data that lead to reliable predictive capability; yet, solar flare prediction effort utilizing these data is still limited. In this paper, we present a machine-learning-as-a-service(MLaa S) framework, called Deep Sun,for predicting solar flares on the web based on HMI's data products. Specifically, we construct training data by utilizing the physical parameters provided by the Space-weather HMI Active Region Patch(SHARP)and categorize solar flares into four classes, namely B, C, M and X, according to the X-ray flare catalogs available at the National Centers for Environmental Information(NCEI). Thus, the solar flare prediction problem at hand is essentially a multi-class(i.e., four-class) classification problem. The Deep Sun system employs several machine learning algorithms to tackle this multi-class prediction problem and provides an application programming interface(API) for remote programming users. To our knowledge, Deep Sun is the first MLaa S tool capable of predicting solar flares through the internet.     

A Heliospheric Imager for Deep Space: Lessons Learned from Helios, SMEI, and STEREO

The zodiacal-light photometers on the twin Helios spacecraft, the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) on the Coriolis spacecraft, and the Heliospheric Imagers (HIs) on the Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) twin spacecraft all point the way to optimizing future remote-sensing Thomson-scattering observations from deep space. Such data could be provided by wide-angle viewing instruments on Solar Orbiter, Solar Probe, or other deep-space probes. Here, we present instrument specifications required for a successful heliospheric imager, and the measurements and data-processing steps that make the best use of this remote-sensing system. When this type of instrument is properly designed and calibrated, its data are capable of determining zodiacal-dust properties, and of three-dimensional reconstructions of heliospheric electron density over large volumes of the inner heliosphere. Such systems can measure fundamental properties of the inner heliospheric plasma, provide context for the in-situ monitors on board spacecraft, and enable physics-based analyses of this important segment of the Sun-spacecraft connection.