空间VLBI观测的（u,v）覆盖平面

一个专用VLBI研究的卫星－－VSOP将于1996年9月发射，根据该卫星的轨道根数，我们讨论空间VLBI观测中的（u,v）覆盖及它所受到的影响，以射电源Mkn421作为实例，给出了相应的计算结果。同时也给出了该源在15GHz和43GHz的最新的10台站VLBI观测结果。     

VLBI标准接口的发展

VLBI标准接口是近年来在VLBI技术中诞生的一个新概念,它旨在解决多年来各VLBI数据传输系统不兼容的问题．该文阐述了VLBI数据传输系统的发展历史,包括传统的记录／回放系统和新兴的网络数据传输两方面的内容;说明了VLBI标准接口的作用和意义;并分别介绍了VLBI标准接口规范3方面的内容:VLBI标准接口件规范(VSI-H)、VLBI标准接口软件规范(VSI-S)和VLBI标准接口网络规范(VSI-E)．     

国际VLBI计划及其对射电天文技术发展的影响

本文介绍了近年来国际上地面VLBI网和空间VLBI计划的概况和进展。并评述了这些计划对射电天文技术发展的影响。     

实时VLBI技术

随着通信技术的发展出现了用数据通讯网络代替磁带记录与传输，将数据直接传至数据中心处理的实时VLBI技术，它包括准实时和真实时VLBI两个技术层次，是VLBI技术的一次飞跃。实时VLBI除具备传统VLBI的高精度、高灵敏度和全天候、全天时被动观测能力以外，还具有设备简化、自动化程度高、实时性、易于利用现代通信技术获得宽带能力与高灵敏度等突出特点。它在VLBI台站检测、航天器精密跟踪、UT1加强观测和传统的测地和天文学观测领域的有重要的科学意义和实用价值。     

空间 VLBI

本文简要地论述了空间VLBI对于天体物理学研究的意义,对目前国际上正在进行的空间VLBI计划作了扼要的介绍。     

VLBI数字基带转换器测试进展

叙述了中国科学院上海天文台正在研发的VLBI数字基带转换器的最新测试进展。首先介绍了VLBI数字基带转换器的项目背景。接着介绍了VLBI数字基带转换器的设计指标和系统组成。然后介绍了利用VLBI长基线方法测试分析VLBI数字基带转换器性能的具体过程,并且通过在VLBI观测中与传统模拟VLBI基带转换器进行了性能对比,得出结论:目前VLBI数字基带转换器在以射电源为信号源的VLBI观测中,射电源流量高时条纹信噪比优于模拟VLBI基带转换器,射电源流量低时条纹信噪比与模拟VLBI基带转换器相当,且数字基带转换器带通特性好于模拟基带转换器。     

计算空间VLBI天线面有效截面程的数学模型

本推导建立了计算空间VLBI天线面有效截面的数学模型，它将适用于确定空间VLBI站轨道所需的太阳光压、大气阻力、地球反照压等非引力摄动模型中面质比的计算。     

空间VLBI与天文地球动力学

介绍了空间VLBI的精密定轨及其在天文地球动力学应用研究中的最新进展．指出因为空间VLBI的时延和时延率观测量同时涉及到射电参考系、动力学参考系和地固参考系,所以特别适合于参考系的直接连接工作．对为评价参考系连接的精度而发展的协方差分析理论也作了介绍,还分析了将时延和时延率资料用于精密定轨时遇到的困难及其解决办法．     

基于磁盘的新型VLBI终端系统--MK5A终端系统

阐述了国内外VLBI终端系统的发展历史；介绍了MK5A终端系统的概况、工作原理、工作模式和数据模式；展望了下一代VLBI终端系统MK5B和e-VLBI．     

VLBI台站监管系统的研制与应用

VLBI台站监管系统是绕月探测工程VLBI测轨分系统应用软件的一个重要组成部分。其主要功能是在VLBI观测期间实时监管各测站参试设备运行状况,采集参试设备数据信息并进行处理分析与存档,当系统出现问题时能立即指出问题所在;另外,还实时提供必要的有关数据给VLBI数据处理中心做相关处理。VLBI台站监管系统在嫦娥探月一期工程实施期间运行稳定、可靠,对VLBI测轨任务的圆满完成起到了积极的作用。目前,它仍在探月工程的常规观测中发挥作用。     

High resolution imaging of parsec-scale jets: the impact of the VSOP observations

Resolution improvements achieved with the ongoing space VLBI mission VSOP provide an excellent opportunity for studying compact, parsec-scale jets in active galactic nuclei. Visibilities on space baselines contain structural information that cannot be recovered by super-resolving ground-array data at the same frequency. We illustrate this by discussing the results of recent VSOP observations of parsec-scale jets in 0836+710 and 3C273.     

星载氢钟VLBI观测实验及分析

中国计划于2025年左右建立月球轨道VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometer)测站,将会搭载被动型星载氢钟作为时间频率标准.由于是首次在VLBI观测中使用星载氢钟,需要研究和验证其可行性.因此,利用星载氢钟作为频率基准开展了VLBI观测.实验时,分别使用主动型地面氢钟和被动型星载氢钟作为频率基准,利用上海天文台佘山25 m射电望远镜和其他测站对我国火星探测器天问一号进行了交替VLBI观测.数据处理分析结果表明,基于地面氢钟与星载氢钟的VLBI残余群时延标准差均在0.5 ns以内,表明星载氢钟可满足深空探测VLBI测定轨的精度要求,验证了其作为月球VLBI测站频率基准的可行性.     

Space very long baseline interferometry observations of polarization in the jet of 3C 380

A comparison between low-frequency space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and high-frequency ground-based VLBI images can, in principle, be used to detect small variations in rotation measure (RM) on fine angular scales inaccessible to ground arrays alone. This paper reports an attempt to perform such a comparison using the jet in the quasar 3C 380. Observations made with the VSOP antenna HALCA together with a ground array at wavelength 1.6 GHz provide total intensity and polarization images of comparable resolution to those from the ground array alone at 5 GHz. The results provide an image showing derotated magnetic vector position angle of somewhat higher resolution than that available earlier. The results show variations in an RM around component A of the order of 10 rad m⁻² that could not have been detected with the ground array alone. It is concluded that satellite VLBI observations provide a promising means to study the distribution of matter and magnetic fields around parsec-scale jets.
The ground observations used here follow the steady outward drift of component A, which has approximately doubled its distance from the core since the first observations in 1982. They also reveal total intensity and polarization structure associated with a bright knot 0.7 arcsec from the core which is reminiscent of that expected for a conical shock wave.     

VSOP Space VLBI observations of Pearson-Readhead survey sources

The VSOP Space VLBI mission uses the HALCA spacecraft, launched from Japan in February 1997, in conjunction with ground radio observatories around the world to create a high resolution radio-wavelength imaging facility. We are using this unique facility to observe a sub-sample of Pearson-Readhead Survey sources at 4.8 GHz to determine core brightness temperatures and pc-scale jet properties. We will highlight one of the sources that has been observed using a combination of the HALCA spacecraft and the EVN, 1642+690, and describe the preliminary brightness temperature distribution for the sub-sample, based on all data analyzed to date.     

VSOP/global VLBI observations of 2021+614: Detection of hotspot advance

We have analysed VSOP and global VLBI data at 5 GHz and VLBA + Effelsberg data at 15 GHz for 2021+614. By identifying the core as being between two bright hotspots, we show that 2021+614 is a compact symmetric object of size 40 pc. From comparison with earlier observations we deduce an apparent age of 375 yr for 2021+614. This provides additional support for the contention that compact symmetric radio objects associated with galaxies are in fact young radio sources and the possible precursors of the classical FR I or FR II radio galaxies.     

Spine–sheath polarization structures in four active galactic nuclei jets

We present the results of multifrequency (15 + 8 + 5 GHz) polarization Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of the three BL Lacertae objects 0745+241, 1418+546 and 1652+398 together with 5-GHz VLBI Space Observatory Programme (VSOP) observations of 1418+546 and 1.6- and 5-GHz VSOP observations of the blazar 1055+018. The jets of all these sources have polarization structure transverse to the jet axis, with the polarization E vectors aligned with the jet along the jet spine and 'sheaths' of orthogonal E vectors at one or both edges of the jet. The presence of polarization aligned with the jet near the 'spine' may indicate that the jets are associated with helical B fields that propogate outward with the jet flow; the presence of orthogonal polarization near the edges of the jet may likewise be a consequence of a helical jet B field, or may be owing to an interaction with the ambient medium on parsec scales. We have tentatively detected interknot polarization in 1055+018 with E aligned with the local jet direction, consistent with the possibility that the jet of this source is associated with a helical B field.     

Space VLBI Geodesy: background of an experiment proposal

Space VLBI is a new observing technique which will be available in the second half of this decade by radio telescopes as interferometer elements in orbit. Besides the main astronomical interests, this new development has some very interesting potential applications in satellite dynamics, geodesy and geodynamical research which qualify space VLBI a potential new technique in space geodesy. A geodesy demostration experiment (GEDEX) is being proposed for the Japanese space VLBI satellite-VSOP, with the main objectives of reference frame interconnections and orbit accuracy improvement of the space radio telescope. The paper gives a review of the special characteristics of space VLBI and a general background of the GEDEX proposal.     

利用国内VLBI网跟踪大椭圆轨道卫星

2004年7月,昆明VLBI站经过改造,由上海、乌鲁木齐和昆明站组成的中国VLBI网(CVN)采用统一的MARK4格式编制器和CVN硬盘记录系统,对大椭圆轨道卫星“探测1号”的2圈轨道的共同可视弧段进行了跟踪观测．软件相关处理程序已成功地用于检测卫星遥测信号的干涉条纹和数据相关处理．采用基于条纹幅度的加权最小二乘条纹拟合方法,获得了卫星VLBI观测量及其精度估计,完成了卫星VLBI观测量的3基线闭合误差检验．应用河外射电源校准方法和多频点相位校正信号提取方法,进行了台站钟差和仪器延迟等系统误差改正．经系统差改正后的卫星VLBI观测量序列已用于“探测1号”卫星的轨道确定．     

The radio remnant of SN 1993J: an instrumental explanation for the evolving complex structure

We present simulated images of Supernova 1993J at 8.4 GHz using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) techniques. A spherically symmetric source model is convolved with realistic u v -plane distributions, together with standard imaging procedures, to assess the extent of instrumental effects on the recovered brightness distribution. In order to facilitate direct comparisons between the simulations and published VLBI images of SN 1993J, the observed u v -coverage is determined from actual VLBI observations made in the years following its discovery.
The underlying source model only exhibits radial variation in its density profile, with no azimuthal dependence and, even though this model is morphologically simple, the simulated VLBI observations qualitatively reproduce many of the azimuthal features of the reported VLBI observations, such as appearance and evolution of complex azimuthal structure and apparent rotation of the shell. We demonstrate that such features are inexorably coupled to the u v -plane sampling.
The brightness contrast between the peaks and the surrounding shell material are not as prominent in the simulations (which of course assume no antenna- or baseline-based amplitude or phase errors, meaning no self-calibration procedures will have incorporated any such features in models). It is conclusive that incomplete u v -plane sampling has a drastic effect on the final images for observations of this nature. Difference imaging reveals residual emission up to the 8σ level. Extreme care should be taken when using interferometric observations to directly infer the structure of objects such as supernovae.     

The Experiment and Analysis on VLBI Observations of Space Passive Hydrogen Maser

China plans to establish a lunar orbital VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometer) station around 2025, which will carry a space passive hydrogen maser as the time and frequency reference. Since it is the first time to use a space passive hydrogen maser for VLBI observation, its feasibility needs to be studied and verified. Therefore, we carried out VLBI observations using the space passive hydrogen maser as the frequency reference. In the experiment, the active hydrogen atomic clock and space passive hydrogen maser were used as the frequency standard, and the alternate VLBI observations of China’s Mars probe TW1 (Tianwen 1) were carried out using the 25 m radio telescope at Sheshan, Shanghai, and other VLBI stations. The results of data processing and analysis show that the standard deviation of VLBI residual group delay based on both active hydrogen atomic clock and space passive hydrogen maser are within 0.5 ns, which indicates that the space passive hydrogen maser can meet the accuracy requirements of VLBI measurement for deep space exploration, and verify its feasibility as the frequency standard of lunar orbital VLBI stations.