空间目标的地基红外观测研究进展

作为一个新兴的研究方向,空间目标的地基红外观测能够与传统雷达和光学观测形成互补,完善空间监测机制。红外具有宽阔的波段范围和特有的热辐射波段,在光谱分析和白天观测方面蕴藏着更大的发展潜力。近年来美国开始征用大型的红外望远镜,或者通过改造光学望远镜,研究空间目标在红外波段的特性。综述了参与空间目标地基红外观测的望远镜工作状况,以及近10年来空间目标监测在红外巡天、白天观测、测光和光谱分析方面的研究进展,最后对空间目标的地基红外观测研究进行总结与展望。     

红外相机OASIS的偏振器设计

介绍为日本冈山天文台１．８８ｍ镜红外相机（ＯＡＳＩＳ）研制的红外偏振器．该偏振器与ＯＡＳＩＳ配备可实现～４．１′视场的近红外成像偏振观测．偏振器包括可旋转的消色差半波片和固定的致冷偏振片,通过旋转半波片对入射光的调制取得线偏振测量．实际观测给出ＪＨＫ波段的偏振效率分别为８６．３％、９７．０％和９７．５％．并给出了ＯＡＳＩＳ偏振观测与前人观测结果的比较     

红外波段太阳观测技术方法研究

1m红外太阳塔是我国未来重点发展的地面太阳观测设备，本文的所有工作均围绕着与此相关的红外波段太阳观测技术方法展开。1．针对望远镜实验平台－云台太阳光谱仪，建立了光谱仪分光流量,工用多种实验手段验证了其可靠性。利用该模型计算了Fe Ⅰ1.56μm红外太阳光 谱的分光流量，分析了实验观测的可行性及改进方案。2．针对探测器实验平台－PtSi红外焦平面阵列相机，建立了FeⅠ1.56μm光谱观测信噪比模型，模拟了各种噪声对观测的影响。在此基础上，在国内首次成功进行了FeⅠ1.56μm红外太阳光谱的面阵观测实验。3．在红外观测实验所处的高背景低对比度条件下，讨论了红外太阳光谱观测的图像处理方法，分析了观测中出现的干涉条纹的来源及解决办法，初步建立起了一整套红外太阳光谱与成像的定标方法和图像处理方法。4．首次利用PVA材料，设计研制了一套FeⅠ1.56μm近红外Stokes参量偏振仪，并将该偏振仪安装在美国国立天文台McMath望远镜上进行了观测实验。针对一太阳黑子，通过扫描进行了二维的Stokes参量观测。同时建立了一套从Stokes参量反演磁矢量场的方法，并将反演的结果与怀柔太阳磁场望远镜的观测结果进行了比对。5．针对1m红外太阳塔的太阳光谱仪系统，给出了垂直多波段光谱仪和红外大色散光谱仪的光、机初步设计。6．针对1m红外太阳塔的科学目标，提出了多波段光谱仪探测器系统方案，对红外大色散光谱仪所使用的红外探测器也进行了初步方案设计。     

红外波段太阳观测技术方法研究

1m红外太阳塔是我国未来重点发展的地面太阳观测设备 ,本文的所有工作均围绕着与此相关的红外波段太阳观测技术方法展开。1 .针对望远镜实验平台—云台太阳光谱仪 ,建立了光谱仪分光流量模型 ,并用多种实验手段验证了其可靠性。利用该模型计算了FeⅠ 1 .56μm红外太阳光谱的分光流量 ,分析了实验观测的可行性及改进方案。2 .针对探测器实验平台—PtSi红外焦平面阵列相机 ,建立了FeⅠ 1 .56μm光谱观测信噪比模型 ,模拟了各种噪声对观测的影响。在此基础上 ,在国内首次成功进行了FeⅠ1 .56μm红外太阳光谱的面阵观测实验。3 .在红外观测实验所处的高背景低对比度条件下 ,讨论了红外太阳光谱观测的图像处理方法 ,分析了观测中出现的干涉条纹的来源及解决办法 ,初步建立起了一整套红外太阳光谱与成像的定标方法和图像处理方法。4 .首次利用PVA材料 ,设计研制了一套FeⅠ 1 .56μm近红外Stokes参量偏振仪 ,并将该偏振仪安装在美国国立天文台McMath望远镜上进行了观测实验。针对一太阳黑子 ,通过扫描进行了二维的Stokes参量观测。同时建立了一套从Stokes参量反演磁矢量场的方法 ,并将反演的结果与怀柔太阳磁场望远镜的观测结果进行了比对。5.针对 1m红外太阳塔的太阳光谱仪系统 ,给出了垂直多波段光谱仪和红外     

空间红外天文台

美国东部时间8月25日凌晨1:35:39,美国宇航局在佛罗里达州卡纳维拉尔角空军基地,发射了空间红外天文台。红外天文台包括一架红外望远镜,口径85厘米,搭载红外阵列照相机、红外谱仪、多波段成像光电仪,总重865千克,是目前世界上发射的最大的红外望远镜。红外天文台的运行轨道为日心轨道,跟踪地球轨迹前进,周期372天。观测波段为3～180微米,由于地球大气的阻隔,在地面上是无法观测到这个波段的。     

地面红外天文的光度测量和仪器

本文作为调研报告,试图综述红外天文学的发展概况及其研究的意义;简要讨论红外天文学的观测方法,并对在地面光学望远镜上进行红外光度测量所用技术和仪器作详尽评述;并论述红外光度计的信号处理,最后扼要介绍红外天文观测技术的最新发展。     

太阳多波段同时快速扫描光谱仪

本文报告了云南天文台太阳多波段光谱仪通过技术改造把传统的光谱仪优点和二维单色像组成的视而光谱仪优点结合起来,采取高精度扫描方法同时获得10波段光谱,使之发展成为一种新型的光谱仪——太阳三维光谱仪。这种三维光谱仪的优点是可快速得到活动区中每一点多条谱线轮廓,从而得到它的物理量场,并且可观测这些物理量场时间和空间上的演化。 文中介绍了太阳多波段快速扫描光谱仪的光学系统和为实现三维观测而研制的可控制高精度45°镜转台,具有不同画幅面的专用照像机以及微机控制的自动化电器系统,望远镜电控系统。     

一种新的10米光学/红外望远镜

结合中国的实际情况提出了一 新的中国２１世纪的１０米光学／红外望远镜的方案,它是属于一种非常规概念设计的望远镜。这种新的大望远镜方案吸收了或主要参考了Ａｒｅｃｉｂｏ射电望远镜、美国的ＨｏｂｂｙＥｂｅｒｌｙ９米望远镜和ＬＡＭＯＳＴ方案的前身一光谱巡天望远镜方案。它的主镜是六角形子镜拼成的球面,在观测过程中主镜不动,由焦面的改正镜做跟踪,造价约为同样口径的常规设计望远镜的五分之一,并能满足绝大部分天文     

云南天文台水平式多波段太阳光谱仪的技术改造

本文报告云南天文台太阳多波段光谱仪通过技术改造,把传统光谱仪优点和二维成像光谱仪的优点结合起来,采用高精度扫描方法同时获得10波段光谱,使之发展成为一种新型的光谱仪——太阳三维光谱仪的研制过程。这种三维光谱仪的优点是可同时得到活动区中每一条谱线轮廓,从而可以得到它的物理量场,并且可以观测这些物理量场的时间和空间上的演化。 文中介绍太阳多波段快速扫描光谱仪的光学系统和为实现三维观测而研制的可控制高精度45°镜转台,具有不同画幅面的专用照像机以及微机控制的自动化电器系统,望远镜电控系统。     

构建实时三维太阳光谱望远镜的建议

提出了一种新型太阳光谱望远镜的建议，这种望远镜能够同时记录太阳日面观测区域的两维空间的色散（三维光谱），即一系列同步狭窄带通的光谱图像。借助该望远镜我们可以得到高时间分辨率的光谱图（10ms），进而能够做细致的光谱分析。该望远镜由一组子望远镜组成，每个子镜负责记录观测区域的一个事先设计好的透过带，所有透过带覆盖了所研究谱线的整个光谱波段，可以用来诊断不透明的低层大气物质流的三维速度场、重构太阳活动区（即太阳耀斑区）的三维结构。此外，若每个子镜都加栽上偏振仪时，则能够得到精确的矢量磁场，这种矢量磁场能够作为第二代视频磁场测量仪。此望远镜由一组紧密排列的子镜组成，文章分别给出了两种不同排列子镜的方式。描述了用来观测的每个子镜的透过带的样品光学表，并且提出了不同探测器的同时成像技术。最后，我们把该望远镜和ATST（Advanced Technology Solar Telescope）进行了比较。     

Post-sunset cooling behavior of the lunar surface

Differential infrared flux scans at 22m have been made across the nighttime lunar surface over a range of phases before and after new Moon. The differential chopping technique effectively cancels atmospheric emission in the beam path but records the flux difference between adjacent resolution elements on the lunar disk. The scans show that the brightness temperature gradient across the highlands after sunset is much greater than that across the western maria. The large gradients consistently disappear approximately 3.5 days after sunset. The post-sunset enhancement could be due to surface roughness in the highlands or to a significant surface rock population with a mean size of approximately 0.5 m. The effect can be seen in the 10m measurements of other investigators, but its global nature was not detected in their limited data sets.     

Observations of the eclipsing binary ζ aurigae during its 1979/1980 eclipse

This paper gives the results of our photometric observations of ζ Aur during its 1979/80 eclipse in 6 narrow wave bands and in the UBV colours. Useful data were obtained on 31 nights covering all phases of the eclipse. Our narrow band observations enable us to determine accurately the times of the second and third contacts, and hence a new formula for the epoch Minl = JD 2444219.643+972.176E. Our observations clearly show that eclipse depth increases with decreasing wavelength. Observations in the 3940 A band agrees with the variation in the spectral K-line of Ca II in showing a high chromosphere activity during this period. Our UBV results agree well with previous measurements.     

Anomalous X-ray pulsars: persistent states with fallback disks

The anomalous X-ray pulsar 4U 0142+61 was recently detected in the mid infrared bands with the SPITZER Observatory (Wang, Chakrabarty and Kaplan: Nature 440, 772 (2006)). This observation is the first instance for a disk around an AXP. From a reanalysis of optical and infrared data, we show that the observations indicate that the disk is likely to be an active disk rather than a passive dust disk beyond the light cylinder, as proposed in the discovering paper. Furthermore, we show that the irradiated accretion disk model can also account for all the optical and infrared observations of the anomalous X-ray pulsars in the persistent state.     

The metallicity of CM Draconis

We compare observations of the eclipsing binary system CM Draconis (hereafter CM Dra) with synthetic spectra computed using the stellar atmosphere code phoenix . High-resolution infrared spectroscopic observations of six 0.05-μm-wide regions between 1.51 and 2.45 μm, combined with previous work, particularly CM Dra's accurately known surface gravity, enable us to estimate its metallicity using detailed spectral synthesis. We find significant discrepancies between the observed and synthetic spectra throughout most of the region emphasizing the need for higher quality atomic data in the infrared. Nevertheless, the     CO bands beyond 2.3 μm seem to be well modelled and metal-sensitive, and thus high-resolution spectra should be a most powerful diagnostic tool for spectroscopic analyses for M dwarfs and brown dwarfs. The CO bands indicate a metallicity of around −1 dex for CM Dra. This result is supported by observations of two M dwarfs of similar spectral type, GJ 699 (Barnard's star) and GJ 725B. This result supports inferences from previous infrared work, although it does not agree with standard evolutionary models or optical analyses, which both suggest an abundance for CM Dra close to that of the Sun.     

The signs of non-periodic acceleration of electrons in solar active regions

The results of observations of type III bursts show that the modulation of the beam of accelerated electrons arises due to a random process with Poisson statistics (noise), but not due to resonant or periodic oscillations.     

Infrared observations of symbiotic stars

Near infrared measurements in the J, H and K bands have been carried out for a number of symbiotic stars with the 1.5 m telescope at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory (RAO). A comparison with the earlier observations shows that the S-type symbiotic stars do not have any significant variation in the infrared flux over the past five years. However a small variation ∼ 0.3 magnitude in the infrared flux has been detected for CH Cygni. The observations of HM Sagittae show large decreases in the infrared flux compared to the previous measurements. The variability in the infrared fluxes of both these objects could be attributed to a variation in the temperature due to the cooling of the dust shell. The variability observed for V1016 Cygni is found consistent with the previous measurements.     

The Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM): Early Observations

This paper presents and interprets observations obtained by the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) on the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) over a time period of several solar rotations during the declining phase of solar cycle 23. The time series of visible and infrared (IR) bands clearly show significant wavelength dependence of these variations. At some wavelengths the SIM measurements are qualitatively similar to the Mg II core-to-wing ratio, but in the visible and IR they show character similar to the Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) variations. Despite this overall similarity, different amplitudes, phases, and temporal features are observed at various wavelengths. The TSI can be explained as a complex sum of the various wavelength components. The SIM observations are interpreted with the aid of solar images that exhibit a mixture of solar activity features. Qualitative analysis shows how the sunspots, faculae, plage, and active network provide distinct contributions to the spectral irradiance at different wavelengths, and ultimately, how these features combine to produce the observed TSI variations. Most of the observed variability appears to be qualitatively explained by solar surface features related directly to the magnetic activity.     

A TiO study of the black hole binary GRO J0422+32 in a very low state

We present 53 simultaneous photometric ( I band) and spectroscopic (69009500 Å) observations of GRO J0422+32, taken during 1997 December. From these we determine that J0422+32 was in its lowest state yet observed, at I =20.44±0.08. Using relative spectrophotometry, we show that it is possible to correct very accurately for telluric absorption. Following this, we use the TiO bands at 7055 and 7589 Å for a radial velocity study and thereby obtain a semi-amplitude of 378±16 km s¹, which yields f ( M )=1.191±0.021 M and consistent with previous observations. We further demonstrate that this little-explored method is very powerful for such systems. We also determine a new orbital ephemeris of HJD=245 0274.4156±0.0009+0.212 1600±0.000 0002 E .
We see some evidence for an ellipsoidal modulation, from which we determine the orbital inclination of J0422+32 to be less than 45°. We therefore calculate a minimum mass for the primary of 2.22 M, consistent with a black hole, but not necessarily the supermassive one proposed recently (1997) by Beekman et al. We obtain an M45 spectral type for the secondary star, and determine that the secondary contributes 38±2 per cent of the flux that we observe from J0422+32 over the range 69508400 Å. From this we calculate the distance to the system to be 1.39±0.15 kpc.     

Infrared micro-spectroscopy of the martian meteorite Zagami: Extraction of individual mineral phase spectra

Zagami, a well characterized SNC meteorite, represents a reference sample to verify the feasibility of the non-destructive infrared micro-spectroscopy technique to extract spectral signatures from individual mineral phases in a meteorite sample. For the first time individual infrared spectra of the major mineral phases, in the 6000-600 cm⁻¹ (1.67-16.7 μm) spectral interval, whose identification is confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and backscattered imaging, are measured. The signatures of the main mineral phases we identified in the Zagami chip are: (1) maskelynite characterized by broad and smooth SiO vibrational bands in the 1000 cm⁻¹ spectral region; (2) crystalline pyroxenes showing well defined fine structures; and (3) an oxide mineral phase with an almost featureless and flat spectrum. In the part of the spectrum centered around 2 μm, by analyzing the different positions of the Fe²⁺ bands, we were able to discern the high-Ca from the low-Ca pyroxene phases. This result demonstrates that by means of the infrared micro-spectroscopy technique it is possible to retrieve directly the composition of pyroxenes in the En-Fs-Wo system, without relying on the use of deconvolution techniques. In addition IR signatures due to water and aliphatic hydrocarbons were observed to be more abundant in the pyroxenes than in maskelynite. This could be an indication that the organic and water signatures are due to indigenous compounds in Zagami rather than laboratory contamination, however, further investigations are necessary before this conclusion can be confirmed.     

Far-infrared detection limits – I. Sky confusion due to Galactic cirrus

Fluctuations in the brightness of the background radiation can lead to confusion with real point sources. This type of confusion with background emission is relevant when making infrared (IR) observations with relatively large beam sizes, since the amount of fluctuation tends to increase with the angular scale. To quantitively assess the effect of the background emission on the detection of point sources for current and future far-IR observations by space-borne missions such as Spitzer , ASTRO-F , Herschel and Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics ( SPICA ), we have extended the Galactic emission map to a higher level of angular resolution than that of the currently available data. Using this high-resolution map, we estimate the sky confusion noise owing to the emission from interstellar dust clouds or cirrus, based on fluctuation analysis and detailed photometry over realistically simulated images. We find that the confusion noise derived by simple fluctuation analysis agrees well with the results from realistic simulations. Although sky confusion noise becomes dominant in long wavelength bands  (>100 μm)  with 60–90 cm aperture missions, it is expected to be two orders of magnitude lower for the next generation of space missions (with larger aperture sizes) such as Herschel and SPICA .