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.     

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.     

佳木斯66m射电望远镜指向精度测量及改进

指向误差是射电望远镜运行的重要性能指标之一。为保证射电流量的测量精度,一般要求射电望远镜的指向误差小于十分之一波束宽度。对佳木斯66 m射电望远镜的指向进行了大量的测量,详细分析了指向误差的分布。利用新的基本参数模型进行误差修正后,佳木斯66 m射电望远镜的指向误差仍然随方位和俯仰有较明显的变化。分析认为,这种变化趋势是方位轴与俯仰轴夹角和重力变形两个参量对方位俯仰变化的高阶项引起的。通过引入两个误差源的一阶展开项对基本参数模型进行改进,使佳木斯66 m射电望远镜的指向精度有了明显的提升,从45″改进到20″以内。     

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.     

大型天线轮轨接触研究综述

大型天线的发展对指向跟踪精度提出更高的要求。当大型射电天线方位转动部分采用轮轨式结构时,轮轨精度对指向误差的影响、轮轨的磨损成了亟待解决的问题。首先论述了轮轨式天线座的优缺点．回顾了国内外现有典型的射电天线在轮轨结构系统方面以及指向误差修正方法的研究现状：并借鉴了轨道交通系统与轮轨式起重机系统的研究成果,介绍了轮轨接触理论自创立以来形成的经典理论及其存在的局限性．最后总结了轮轨式天线座轮轨接触研究存在的问题及研究方向。     

大型双反射面天线指向误差评估算法

针对天线变形耦合影响指向误差评估精度的问题,提出基于几何光学的大型双反射面天线指向误差评估算法。通过建立变形反射面天线的最佳吻合抛物面、偏移副反射面以及馈源在基坐标下的数学模型,计算反射面辐射区间并确定指向误差权重因子,最终建立天线的指向误差评估模型。为验证算法的正确性,应用该模型对一座在建70 m天线的多组虚拟变形工况进行指向误差评估,其结果与现有波束偏移因子算法以及电磁仿真算法的评估结果进行对比,结果表明,该模型评估的指向误差结果与电磁仿真算法以及波束偏移因子算法的评估结果吻合,所提算法正确。该算法为分析天线变形耦合对指向误差评估精度的影响提供了理论依据,在一定程度上提高了天线的指向误差评估精度。     

基于光学辅助指向测量的太赫兹望远镜指向误差模型研究

针对太赫兹波段天文点源目标较少, 指向测量相对困难的特点, 研究了利用与太赫兹天线共轴的小型光学望远镜来辅助太赫兹望远镜指向测量以及建立指向误差修正模型的方法. 依托紫金山天文台1.2 m斜轴式太赫兹天线开展了光学辅助指向测量的实验研究, 利用一台安装在天线背架上的100mm口径折射式光学望远镜获得了优于2$''$的指向测量精度. 此外, 通过对斜轴天线的结构分析以及大气折射和本地恒星时(Local Sidereal Time, LST)偏差等误差来源的分析, 建立了包含23个误差项的斜轴式光学指向修正模型, 实现了约3$''$的拟合精度. 最后, 借助高精度数字摄影测量对光电轴一致性进行了标定, 并针对其对指向模型精度的影响进行了讨论. 研究成果将为南极5 m太赫兹望远镜(The 5m Dome A Terahertz Explorer, DATE5)及其他太赫兹望远镜提供指向测量和指向修正模型方面的技术参考.     

基于FS系统对乌鲁木齐VLBI射电望远镜进行天线测量

在天文观测中射电望远镜性能参数的好坏直接影响到观测数据质量,为了保证观测质量,提高观测效率,需要对天线性能进行测量.当前进行天线测量的方法有场地测量法和射电天文法,不同的方法应用范围和效果不同.对于大型天线而言采用射电天文法进行天线测量高效快捷.针对VLBI射电望远镜,介绍了使用终端FS系统对天线参数进行测量（基于射电天文法）的方法和过程,以乌鲁木齐南山25 m天线增益和指向精度测量作为范例,重点叙述了测量的方法和步骤,并对该方法进行了讨论.     

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.     

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.     

A new calibration model for pointing a radio telescope that considers nonlinear errors in the azimuth axis

A new calibration model of a radio telescope that includes pointing error is presented, which considers nonlinear errors in the azimuth axis. For a large radio telescope, in particular for a telescope with a turntable, it is difficult to correct pointing errors using a traditional linear calibration model, because errors produced by the wheel-on-rail or center bearing structures are generally nonlinear. Fourier expansion is made for the oblique error and parameters describing the inclination direction along the azimuth axis based on the linear calibration model, and a new calibration model for pointing is derived. The new pointing model is applied to the 40 m radio telescope administered by Yunnan Observatories, which is a telescope that uses a turntable. The results show that this model can significantly reduce the residual systematic errors due to nonlinearity in the azimuth axis compared with the linear 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.     

基于CCD提高射电望远镜极轴校准精度及修正

射电望远镜极轴的安装定位是否准确直接影响其指向精度和成像质量,通过运用光学CCD原理精确测量射电望远镜极轴偏差角度,用以安装校准极轴,达到提高射电望远镜指向精度和成像质量的效果,并且结合计算机可实现多极轴同时校准,提高工作效率。同时,基于CCD技术可以及时发现天线极轴出现的偏差并进行修正,提高了数据的质量。     

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.     

Modeling and calibration of pointing errors with alt-az telescope

This paper presents a new model for improving the pointing accuracy of a telescope. The Denavit–Hartenberg (D–H) convention was used to perform an error analysis of the telescope's kinematics. A kinematic model was used to relate pointing errors to mechanical errors and the parameters of the kinematic model were estimated with a statistical model fit using data from two large astronomical telescopes. The model illustrates the geometric errors caused by imprecision in manufacturing and assembly processes and their effects on the pointing accuracy of the telescope. A kinematic model relates pointing error to axis position when certain geometric errors are assumed to be present in a telescope. In the parameter estimation portion, the semi-parametric regression model was introduced to compensate for remaining nonlinear errors. The experimental results indicate that the proposed semi-parametric regression model eliminates both geometric and nonlinear errors, and that the telescope's pointing accuracy significantly improves after this calibration.     

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.     

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。