采用光学指向系统建立天马13m望远镜指向模型

描述了采用光学望远镜辅助天马13m射电望远镜进行指向测量以及建立指向误差修正模型的方法. 对于小口径望远镜, 指向校准目标源比较少, 用射电法建立指向模型难以覆盖全天区. 利用上海天文台天马13m射 电望远镜进行光学望远镜辅助射电望远镜指向测量研究, 在13m天线背架上安装一套光学指向系统, 获得了优 于3''的重复测量误差. 此外, 通过对影响天线指向因素的分析, 建立了包含8个误差项的指向误差修正模型以及 光轴和电轴偏差模型. 将指向模型代入天线伺服控制系统, 对校准目标射电源进行十字扫描, 得到指向样本残差约 为5''. 该研究可以为实现高精度指向建模提供一种参考方法.     

斜轴式太赫兹天线的卡焦近场全息测量研究

天线反射面的面形精度直接影响天线效率, 是望远镜的关键指标之一. 近场射电全息具有测量精度高, 便捷高效的优点, 是毫米波和亚毫米波射电望远镜面形检测最为常用的方法之一, 卡焦近场全息可以完整测量望远镜光路中整体的面形误差. 斜轴式机架结构能够更好地适应太赫兹望远镜在极端台址环境下的整体保温和热控需求, 但斜轴天线特殊的转动特性会在近场全息测量过程中引入额外的系统误差. 针对斜轴式天线的卡焦近场全息测量, 分析了数据处理中需要额外考虑的参考路接收机位置和副面衍射的影响, 并在1.2m口径斜轴式太赫兹天线上开展了测量实验. 实验结果表明, 卡焦近场全息测量的重复测量精度优于2.0μm RMS (Root Mean Square), 面形误差分布与摄影测量所得结果一致, 验证了误差分析与修正的正确性.     

南极5 m太赫兹望远镜指向与调焦校准精度分析

指向校准与副面调焦是天线测量的重要组成部分,对射电望远镜实际的观测性能有重要影响.根据南极5 m太赫兹望远镜(DATE5)指向精度和离焦增益损失的指标要求,计算得到了指向校准与副面调焦观测过程中对信噪比的要求,并以此为依据选取了若干可行的候选校准源,包括太阳系行星和超致密电离氢区.分析了大气吸收和校准源角直径对测量精度的影响.仿真分析结果表明:望远镜在南极工作时,这些校准源在一定的高度角范围内可以提供足够强的流量密度,用来验证预先建立的太赫兹和光学望远镜两光轴指向偏差模型以及副面调焦模型.     

天马13m射电望远镜高精度指向模型的建立

天马13 m射电望远镜是专为空间大地测量的新一代甚长基线干涉测量(Very Long Baseline Interferometry, VLBI)天线,即VGOS(VLBI Global Observing System)系统。VGOS观测将从调度、相关、观测策略到分析各方面改变甚长基线干涉测量。与传统测地观测相比,VGOS观测将数据精度提高1～2个数量级。天马13 m射电望远镜安装了3～15 GHz宽频制冷接收机,一般要求天线指向偏差小于最高频率波束宽度的1/10。为满足高精度指向要求,详细介绍了建立指向的方法和天线控制扫描策略,给出了系统误差修正模型的完全表达式,明确了指向修正模型中的参数意义。基于该天线指向扫描的实测数据,实测评估了望远镜的指向精度。采用最小二乘法对覆盖全天区的数据样本进行拟合,得到天马13 m射电望远镜指向模型,并加载到天线伺服控制系统进行验证,得到了优于10″的盲指误差。     

地平式望远镜轴系误差对指向精度和跟踪精度的影响

采用球面几何的方法推导轴系位置误差对地平式望远镜指向、跟踪精度影响的计算模型.介绍2米级地平式望远镜轴系误差检测及数据处理方法.通过对目标星体指向、跟踪仿真,得到轴系位置误差对指向、跟踪精度影响规律,为轴系精度及轴系位置要求提供理论依据,并为后续控制修正提供参考模型.     

斜轴式天文望远镜运动特性研究

相对于传统地平式或赤道式望远镜,斜轴式天文望远镜因其独特的机架结构形式更加适应例如南极等的极端台址环境.但由于这种望远镜形式的应用较少,针对其运动特性的研究还比较缺乏.首先详细讨论了斜轴式望远镜的优缺点,推导了斜轴坐标系与地平和赤道坐标系之间的坐标变换关系,在此基础上研究了斜轴式望远镜在进行恒星跟踪时的运动特性,并与地平式望远镜进行了比较.另外,还研究了斜轴式望远镜的像场旋转特性,并分析了像旋对望远镜天线全息测量的影响.最后,还针对斜轴式望远镜的特点,推导了一套包含7个误差项的指向误差改正模型.     

考虑轨道不平度的射电望远镜指向修正方法

目前国内外射电望远镜指向修正大多采用线性修正模型,这种方法未考虑非线性偏差对指向的影响,其修正精度有一定局限,为此提出一种用于大型轮轨式射电望远镜考虑方位轴非线性倾斜偏差的指向修正方法。针对国家天文台密云50 m射电望远镜,对其进行全轨水平度测量,通过有限元建模并仿真计算天线方位轴的非线性倾斜偏差,同时通过实验测量了由于轨道不平度引起的俯仰轴角测量误差并进行了有限元仿真验证。应用天线指向试验数据进行考虑方位轴非线性倾斜偏差指向误差修正,得到新的指向辨识参数及指向残差分布。该修正方法与线性修正模型相比,总的指向精度提高了约0.578 3″。     

轨道不平度对天线指向的影响分析与修正

基于天线轨道不平度对望远镜指向的影响机理,测量并分析采用整体焊接轨道技术后的乌鲁木齐南山26 m射电望远镜(NanShan Radio Telescope,NSRT)天线轨道误差的分布情况及对指向的影响,从而对指向模型进行修正.采用移动最小二乘法(Moving Least-Squares,MLS)将测得的天线轨道高度差拟合成一个闭合的轨道高度分布曲线,确定因轨道不平度影响的天线方位轴偏差,对比实测天线座架变形的方位轴偏差,发现二者具有较强的相关性.考虑到天线座架重力变形的偏差包含南北向和东西向偏差,建立新的指向偏差模型进行校正.最后通过对已知校准射电源进行扫描测量,将指向偏差数据进行拟合.结果表明:新建的指向修正模型能够抑制已知指向模型偏差中的正弦分量,从而说明所建模型很好地反映了天线的指向偏差并对偏差具有一定修正作用.     

一种偏振定标单元方位角误差的约束非线性最小化优化定标方法

偏振定标单元(Polarization Calibration Unit, PCU)对于定标由偏振系统和天文望远镜产生的仪器偏振至关重要, 然而偏振定标单元 中偏振元件光轴的方位角误差是限制定标精度的主要因素之一. 为解决该问题, 提出了一种基于约束非线性最 小化优化的方位角误差定标方法, 该方法具有定标精度高、定标速度快的优点. 首先将偏振定标单元中的线性 偏振片和四分之一波片的光轴方位角误差设置为两个待优化的自由变量, 然后利用产生和测量的Stokes参数 以及偏振定标获得的响应矩阵定义优化目标函数, 最终使用约束非线性最小化优化方法来确定 两个偏振元件的方位角误差. 分别从理论模拟和实际测量两个方面对优化方法进行了验证, 实验结果表明, 该 优化方法能够成功获得上述两个方位角误差, 精度分别优于2.79$''$和2.72$''$. 此外, 从理论上 计算分析了不同方位角误差对各Stokes分量的影响情况. 该优化方法有望应用到我国太阳望远镜中偏振定标 装置的误差定标及研制之中.     

射电天线指向改正模型中轴系误差的完全表达式

为了提高射电天线的目标跟踪精度,采用直接法推导了射电天线轴系误差对指向的影响,并给出轴系误差指向改正模型的完全表达式,明确了指向改正模型中各轴系参数的定义,传统分项以及球谐函数所推导的轴系误差项为该模型的简化形式.基于此,评估得出基本参数改正模型中,因忽略轴系误差高次谐项而引起的指向精度损失可能达到1′′量级,具体需结合轴系误差大小而定;同时明确了基本参数改正模型(如22项指向模型)中与轴系误差有关的部分高次谐项系数的物理意义.为高精度轴系误差指向改正模型的建立提供了理论依据.     

Accuracy Analysis of the Pointing and Focusing Calibration of the 5 m Terahertz Telescope for Dome A in Antarcticatwo

Pointing calibration and sub-reflector focusing are an important task of antenna measurement, which significantly contributes to the observational performance of a radio telescope. According to the requirements on the pointing accuracy and defocusing gain loss of the 5 m Dome A Terahertz Explorer (DATE5), this paper has derived the requirements of signal-to-noise ratio for the pointing and sub-reflector focusing calibration observations, and selected several astronomical radio sources suitable for the pointing and focusing calibrations at the terahertz waveband in Antarctica, which include planets and ultra-compact HII regions. The effects of the atmospheric absorption and the source angular diameter on the accuracy of calibration measurements are analyzed. Simulations show that when the telescope operates in Antarctica, these sources can provide sufficient flux densities for verifying the pre-established pointing model and focusing model.     

Analysis and Correction of the Influence of Track Irregularity on the Antenna Pointing

According to the influence mechanism of the antenna track irregularity on the telescope pointing accuracy, the distribution of the track errors and their influence on the pointing of the Urumqi Nanshan 26 m telescope are reanalyzed after the antenna track was reformed by using the whole-body welding technology, and hereby the pointing error model is correspondingly revised. By using the moving least-squares method, the measured height errors of the antenna track plane are fitted with a closed curve, and the tilt of the antenna azimuth axis caused by the track irregularity can be determined accordingly. Comparing it with the measured deviation of the antenna azimuth axis caused by the deformation of antenna pedestal, it can be found that both deviations are strongly correlated. A new pointing error model is established in view of the gravity deformation of antenna pedestal, which includes the north-south and east-west components, as well as the antenna track irregularity. Finally, by scanning a known calibration radio source at different positions in the sky, the measured pointing errors are fitted with the new pointing error model. The result shows that the sinusoidal component of the model error can be well constrained by the new pointing correction model, indicating that the new model can reflect very well the antenna pointing error, and can amend it to a certain extend.     

主反射面变形引起的天线指向误差修正方法

射电天线指向精度通常要求小于主波束宽度的1/10, 对于短厘米波段或毫米波段的大口径反射面天线, 指向精度要求高达几个角秒, 对于天线性能目标的实现是个巨大的挑战, 因此对于大口径高频段的反射面天线来说指向问题成为天线性能实现的重要关注焦点. 在众多影响天线指向精度的结构子系统因素中, 对主反射面变形因素的研究很少. 文章结合天线的结构特点建立了反射面空间坐标系统, 并基于变形后主面点的空间坐标值, 提出了3自由度下的非线性最小二乘吻合的方法去精准预测天线指向. 最后利用空间几何关系严格推导出了服务于天线指向误差修正的俯仰和方位的精确调整量, 从而构建了主面变形同指向误差之间的间接关系, 这对大型射电天线指向精度的提升具有一定的指导意义.     

PSD法测量大型射电望远镜副面位姿

指向精度是大型射电望远镜天线具有挑战性的关键技术指标.在望远镜运行中,方位俯仰角的变化、重力以及日照等对副面撑杆的综合影响会引起望远镜的副面位姿改变从而引起指向误差的增加和天线效率的降低.基于天马65 m射电望远镜,使用位置传感器装置(PSD)法构建了副面位置偏移量测定系统,可以实时采集副面的3维位移数据,构建重力模型,将测试结果与射电法构建的现有副面模型进行对比,有较好的一致性.此外,该系统可以分析日照(引起撑腿局部温度效应)引起的副面位移情况,也可以监视风载和瞬时启停对副面位姿的影响.     

Correction Method of Antenna Pointing Error Caused by the Main Reflector Deformation

The pointing accuracy of a radio telescope is usually less than one-tenth of its antenna beam width. For large-aperture antennas at the short-centimeter band or millimeter-wave band, the pointing accuracy must be as high as several arc seconds. Therefore, for large-diameter and high-frequency reflector antennas, the pointing problem has become an important focal point to realize the antenna performance. Among many structural subsystem factors that affect the antenna pointing accuracy, there has been only less study on the factor of main reflector deformation. Based on the structural characteristics of the antenna, a reflector space coordinate system is established in this paper. And based on the space coordinates of the main reflector surface points after deformation, a non-linear least squares fitting method with 3 degrees of freedom is proposed to accurately predict the antenna pointing. Finally, the space geometric relationship is used to strictly derive the precise adjustments on the elevation and azimuth in order for correcting the antenna pointing error, and the indirect relationship between the main reflector deformation and the pointing error is constructed. This has certain guiding significance for improving the pointing accuracy of large radio antennas.     

云台40m射电望远镜的指向误差校正

首先综述了射电望远镜指向误差校正的原理并对软件校准的两种方法进行了比较。其次阐述了利用软件校准的方法对云南天文台40m射电望远镜进行指向校正的过程,并给出其指向校正结果。结果是经过指向校正后该射电望远镜的指向精度达到观测要求。     

Pointing of HAGAR telescope mirrors

An array of seven atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes was commissioned at a high altitude site in Hanle in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas. The array called HAGAR has been designed to observe celestial γ-rays of energy >100 GeV. Each telescope is altitude-azimuth mounted and carries seven parabolic mirrors whose optic axes are co-aligned with the telescope axis. The telescopes point and track a celestial source using a PC-based drive control system. Two important issues in positioning of each HAGAR telescope are pointing accuracy of telescope axis and co-alignment of mirrors’ optic axes with the telescope axis. We have adopted a three pronged strategy to address these issues, namely use of pointing models to improve pointing accuracy of the telescopes, RA-DEC scan technique to measure the pointing offsets of the mirrors and mechanical fine-tuning of off-axis mirrors by sighting a distant stationary light source. This paper discusses our efforts in this regard as well as the current status of pointing and monitoring of HAGAR telescopes.