相对论天文参考系的回顾与展望

国际天文联合会(IAU)在1991年和2000年分别通过了关于相对论天文参考系的重要决议。特别是2000年的决议,以两个互相等价的相对论N体多参考系理论:Brumberg-Kopeikin体系和Damour-Soffel-Xu体系为基础,构造了严格且自洽的一阶后牛顿(1PN)的局部参考系和全局参考系,并给出了相应的坐标变换规则。IAU2000决议发表后的10多年里,已经开始应用在一些高精度的天体测量数据处理模型中,但是其工程化应用还没有得到广泛实现,特别是目前为止我国没有将其应用到具体的天文观测或者空间探测计划中。因此有必要对IAU的相对论天文参考系理论做一个系统的解读。首先介绍了IAU在1991年给出的一个简单的相对论参考系决议;随后在第3章和第4章详细讨论了Brumberg-Kopeikin理论和Damour-Soffel-Xu体系;接着,详细给出了IAU2000年大会关于相对论参考系的决议内容;最后,讨论了IAU2000决议的工程化应用、近10多年来的理论发展以及对未来的展望。     

2000年以来国际天文学联合会(IAU)关于基本天文学的决议及其应用

1991年以来,在国际天文学联合会(IAU)全体大会上,通过了一系列关于天文参考系、时间尺度和地球自转模型的决议,其目的是为了适应不断提高的天文观测精度。其中最重要的3次,分别是在1997年的京都,2000年的曼彻斯特和2006年的布拉格通过的IAU 1997,IAU 2000和IAU 2006决议,主要的变化包括:从与历元有关的动力学参考系到与历元无关的运动学参考系,从参考系的恒星实现到河外射电源实现,从春分点到无旋转原点,以及岁差-章动模型的改进。由于这些决议在参考系转换等方面引入了很多新概念和新方法,对教学、研究和应用都产生了不小的影响,对它们进行解读,澄清概念,规范使用是有必要的。首先介绍IAU关于时间尺度和天文参考系的重要决议,并重点介绍IAU 2000和2006的每一条决议:然后详细介绍其应用:包括时间系统,国际天球参考系和岁差-章动模型,并和对应的旧系统进行比较;最后对这些决议的使用提出建议。     

相相对论性天文参考系研究进展

国际天文联合会(IAU)在2000年的决议上以两个互相等价的相对论N体多参考系理论——Brumberg-Kopeikin体系和Damour-Soffel-Xu体系为基础,构造了严格且自洽的一阶后牛顿(1PN)的局部参考系和全局参考系,并给出了相应的坐标变换规则。回顾了IAU2000决议关于参考系理论的核心内容,并指出该参考系理论的主要优点和理论不足。结合决议发表前后国际上对相对论参考系理论的一系列扩展研究,详细总结了在二阶后牛顿推广、参数后牛顿化以及太阳系非孤立引力系统等方面对参考系理论的研究进展,并讨论了未来的理论研究发展以及对实际天体测量的影响。     

天文地球动力学中的相对论效应

天文地球动力学利用空间与地面观测手段，监测和研究地球整体与各圈层的物质运动以及它们间的相互作用，这都离不开广义相对论及的时间与空间。随着空间对地观测精度的，为了充分利用高精度观测提供的信息，在天文地球动力学的研究中必须考虑相对论效应。所涉及的相对论效应包括：（1）相对论参考系的建立，（2）在恰当的参考系中对观测者和被观测对象的相对论运动方程（平动和自转）的描述，（3）观测者和被观测对象间的电磁信号传播，（4）依赖于坐标选择的结果与具有物理意义的可观测量的转换，（5）某些基本概念在定义在广义相对论框架下的重新确认。本文对天文地球动力学中的这些相对论效应作了简要的评述。     

地球四极矩定义及参考系转换的探讨

文[1]对地球四极矩在太阳系质心参考系（BRS）中影响人造卫星运动的相对论效应作了仔细的研究，引入相对经模型轨道的厘米级上符合。本文发现，利用文[2]得到的结果与此有矛盾。经过研究，我们认为其原因在于文[2]定义的均匀极矩及其转换上存在缺陷，在实际应用中应考虑其局了性。本文还将文[2]的方法与相对论参考系的最新结果DSX理论进行了比较。     

第24届IAU大会决议和天体测量的前沿课题

阐明了IAU决议对天文学发展的作用，并扼要地介绍了第24届IAU大会通过的三项决议，简要评述了2000－2003年基本天体测量的前沿课题，并对我国基本天体测量未来的优先发展领域提出了几点建议。     

中国天文学会学术会议(序号90):天体测量、天体力学和大地测量中的相对论问题(1989年8月1—6日,嵊泗)

中国天文学会天文地球动力学专业委员会,上海市天文学会和江苏省天文学会于1989年8月1—6日在浙江嵊泗联合举办了“天体测量,天体力学和大地测量中的相对论问题”(Relativity in Astrometry,Celestial Mechanics and Geodesy)研讨会。来自天体测量,天体力学,大地测量和天体物理领域的专家35人参加了会议。会议就相对论时空观,相对论参考系和相对论天体力学三个专题作了系统综述和讨论,并结合科研工作进展就VLBI,激光测距在测地工作中应用所需考虑的相     

相对论框架中的时间计量

介绍了原时、坐标时等相对论框架中时间计量的基本概念，讨论了时间尺度的基本定义与实现，如地球时（TT）、国际原子时（TAI）、时钟调整和时间比对等。     

相对论天体力学

本文综合评述正在建立的一门新学科－相对论天体力学，其中包括基础理论课题（分为相对论质点组动力学和相对论伸体动力学）和具体天体运动理论课题（又分为相对论太阳系动力学和相对论恒星系统动力学）。最后对最新建立的系统理论ＤＳＸ方法作简短介绍。     

一种GCRS下Λ型双向频率传输的高精度相对论模型

高精度时频信号传递是现代物理学、天文学和计量科学所需要的重要技术.要实现空间高精度时频传递必须考虑相对论效应的影响.在IAU(国际天文学联合会)2000决议提出的相对论天文参考架下,结合当今国内外微波和激光链路传递技术,考察了在信号传递过程中涉及到的相对论效应,在地心天球坐标系下提出了超高精度的相对论理论模型(1/c~4量级),可用于未来高精度频率传递试验.并在该频率不确定度的前提下结合实例对定轨精度、信号转发间隔等技术指标给出了约束条件,对于国内未来空间超高精度时频传递以及开展相关的科研任务具有较重要的参考和应用价值.     

The General Method for Fixing the Gauges of Relativistic Astronomical Reference Systems

This article applies a new scheme of the first post-Newtonian theory (Damour et al., 1991–1994) to the problem of gauge in relativistic reference systems. Choosing and fixing gauge are necessary when the precision of time measurement and application needs to reach the 2PN level (10⁻¹⁶ or better). We present a general method for fixing the gauges of both the global and local coordinate systems, and for determining the expressions of gravitational potentials and coordinate transformations. The results relevant are consistent with the newest IAU resolutions, therefore they can be applied to astronomical practice.     

新参考系的引入对天体测量学的影响

由于观测、参考架、模型、时间尺度精度的不断提高和完善，国际天球参考系(ICRS)被引入使用，IAU2000年大会决定从2003年起采用新的天球中介极(CIP)、新的天球中介原点(CIO)、新的岁差一章动模型和新的UTI定义等，并定义了新的中介的运动参考架，由此给天体测量学带来很大的影响，天体测量学的内容和实践发生了许多重要的变化。据此，对天体测量学的术语、概念和定义的变化作了描述，并讨论了变化的原因和对天体测量学的影响。新的一套天体测量理论和方法正在变更之中，我们应及时跟上这个领域的发展步伐。     

一种GCRS下Lambda型双向频率传输的高精度相对论模型

高精度时频信号传递是现代物理学、天文学和计量科学所需要的重要技术. 要实现空间高精度时频传递必须考虑相对论效应的影响. 在IAU(国际天文学联合会)2000决议提出的相对论天文参考架下, 结合当今国内外微波和激光链路传递技术, 考察了在信号传递过程中涉及到的相对论效应, 在地心天球坐标系下提出了超高精度的相对论理论模型($1/c^4$量级), 可用于未来高精度频率传递试验. 并在该频率不确定度的前提下结合实例对定轨精度、信号转发间隔等技术指标给出了约束条件, 对于国内未来空间超高精度时频传递以及开展相关的科研任务具有较重要的参考和应用价值.     

Particles,space, and time

Our Universe consistes of particles, space and time. Ever since Descartes we have known that true emptiness cannot exist; ever since Einstein we have known that space and time are part of the stuff of our world. Efforts to determine the structure of particles go in parallel with the search for the structure of spacetime. Einstein gave us a geometrical answer regarding the structure of spacetime: a distance recipe (Lorentz-Minkowski) suffices. The theory boils down to a patching together of local Lorentz frames into a global whole, which gives it the form of a gauge field theory based on local Lorentz symmetry. On large scales, the Einstein Equation seems to work well. The structure of particles is described by a gauge field. too. On small scales the Standard Model seems to work very well.However, we know from Newtonian gravity that the presence of particles must be related to the structure of spacetime. Einstein made a conjecture for the form of this connection using the Newtonian limit of small speeds and weak fields. The right hand side of his equation for the bulk theory of matter (the energy-momentum tensor), is equated to the Einstein tensor from non-Euclidian geometry.But that connection is wrong. The structure of spacetime cannot be equated to the density of particles if we include the Standard Model in the matter tensor. In field theory a potential is not something that can be freely changed by adding an arbitrary scalar term; due to the local (as opposed to global) character of the fields, a potential becomes an entity in itself. Einstein's conjecture runs into profound trouble because the reality of potentials implies that the zero point energy of the vacuum must be included in the Einstein equation. The net result is the appearance of a term equivalent to a cosmological constant A of stupendous size, some 10¹¹⁸ times the critical cosmic density.The crisis due to the zero point fluctuations in the energy-momentum tensor is a clash of titans: Einstein's geometrical ideas on spacetime structure vs the behaviour of particles and the vacuum discribed by Dirac and followers. Someone, or everyone, is wrong. In my opinion the straightforward quantization of spacetime will always be impossible because the usual particle symmetries (U(1), SU(2), SU(3) and relatives) connect fermions and bosons, whereas relativistic analogies of these symmetries (the Lorentz symmetry) says something about spacetime and not about particles.     

tempo2, a new pulsar-timing package – I. An overview

Contemporary pulsar-timing experiments have reached a sensitivity level where systematic errors introduced by existing analysis procedures are limiting the achievable science. We have developed tempo2 , a new pulsar-timing package that contains propagation and other relevant effects implemented at the 1-ns level of precision (a factor of ∼100 more precise than previously obtainable). In contrast with earlier timing packages, tempo2 is compliant with the general relativistic framework of the IAU 1991 and 2000 resolutions and hence uses the International Celestial Reference System, Barycentric Coordinate Time and up-to-date precession, nutation and polar motion models. tempo2 provides a generic and extensible set of tools to aid in the analysis and visualization of pulsar-timing data. We provide an overview of the timing model, its accuracy and differences relative to earlier work. We also present a new scheme for predictive use of the timing model that removes existing processing artefacts by properly modelling the frequency dependence of pulse phase.     

A system of astronomical constants in the relativistic framework

The relation between the units and readings of time and space coordinates of terrestrial and barycentric reference frames is discussed from the viewpoint of general relativity. Attention is paid to the unit of space coordinates since the International Astronomical Union (IAU) regulates only the unit of time in the above two frames. Two definitions of unit of length are examined and their effects on the numerical expression of coordinate transformation, equations of planetary motions, and those for light propagation time are discussed. A clear conflict is found between the IAU (1976) recommendation on the definition of the time-scales in different frames of reference and the statement that all constants in the IAU (1976) new system of astronomical constants are defined in terms of the Internationsl System of units (SI units). One of the above two definitions is proposed to resolve this conflict by the least alteration to current procedures for analysing the recent astrometric observations such as the radar/laser rangings, the range and range-rate, and the very long baseline interferometric observations. Also, an interpretation of numerical values in the IAU (1976) new system of astronomical constants is presented. It is stressed that the definition proposed in this paper requires that a formula slightly different from that in current use be employed in the numerical transformation of readings of coordinates between the terrestrial and barycentric reference frames.     

Electron-positron pairs in a mildly relativistic plasma in active galactic nuclei

We investigate the electron-positron pair concentration in an optically thin mildly relativistic plasma which is supposed to exist in active galactic nuclei. Firstly the equilibrium concentration is calculated when copious soft photons are supplied through the cyclotron higher harmonics. It is shown that the attainable states of the plasma are strongly restricted. Secondly we examine the pair production in a hot accretion plasma around a massive black hole, comparing relevant time scales. We find that significant pair production occurs when the accretion rate is moderately high and the infall velocity is slow compared to the free fall.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984