相控阵馈源MVDR波束合成器缓解RFI仿真

相控阵馈源(Phased array feeds, PAFs)接收机作为下一代微波接收机,为大口径射电天文望远镜的射电干扰(Radio Frequency Interference, RFI)缓解工作带来了新的解决方法. PAFs接收机对射电望远镜焦平面的电磁波进行空域采样,返回时域阵列信号,使用最小方差无失真响应(Minimum Variance Distortionless Response, MVDR)波束合成器可以自适应地识别RFI的方向,同时抑制RFI在输出信号中的功率,从而达到提升射电望远镜灵敏度的效果.仿真结果表明MVDR波束合成器对有源高能量的射电干扰有很强的识别能力和一定程度的缓解能力,同时,该波束合成器对各阵元信道中加性噪声累积引起的无源干扰有很强的抑制能力,因此, PAFs接收机的MVDR波束合成器可以增强日益复杂电磁波环境下射电望远镜的抗干扰能力.     

孔径阵列技术及其在射电天文中的应用

该文概述了近十余年来得到较多研究和发展的孔径阵列技术及其在射电天文中的应用,如高效馈源照明、扩大单反射面射电望远镜的视场、高效多波束、射频干扰抑制、对射电望远镜反射面缺陷的补偿等.随着孔径阵列(Aperture Array Tiles,简称 AAT)技术的日益成熟和成本的降低,AAT技术有可能成为全新一代射电望远镜(例如无反射面射电望远镜和软件射电望远镜)的基石.     

射电频率干扰的消减

一直以来,射电天文装备不断得到升级和发展,以使其具有更好的观测性能,包括提高数据记录的时间和频率分辨率以及获得更高的接收和记录带宽等.然而与之形成矛盾的是:国际电信联盟(International Telecommunication Union,ITU)仅为射电天文分配了非常有限的频谱资源,导致的后果是射电观测设备不可避免地受到日益增强的非天文信号的影响,后者的来源主要是人类的通信活动和日常生活,这就构成了通常射电天文中所说的射频干扰(Radio Frequency Interference,RFI).射频干扰会降低数据质量甚至导致数据无效,对科学结果的影响越来越严重.对RFI消减的需求进行分析,总结了RFI的特性、抑制和消减的技术和方案,并介绍了一些有代表性的射电望远镜(或阵列)中采用的RFI消减方法;还分析比较了4种常用方案,即预防、预检测、预相关和后相关的优势和不足.对RFI进行准确的识别和标记是减少数据损失从而有效提高数据质量的关键,也是发展RFI消减技术的最终目的.通过研究不难发现,上述4种方案的组合运用将具有更高的实用价值.近几年来,随着高速数字信号处理和高性能计算的迅速发展,依赖大量计算的实时模式下的预检测以及离线模式下从大型望远镜阵列所产生的大规模干涉相关数据中检测RFI已经成为可能.     

基于小波变换的射频干扰消除方法的研究

在射电天文观测中,射频干扰(Radio Frequency Interference, RFI)会以多种形式混入望远镜接收系统,给观测带来误判或者降低观测信噪比.近年来国内国际射电天文快速发展,国内国际大型射电望远镜和阵列先后建设,观测灵敏度大为提高,射频干扰的影响尤为突出.随着科技发展和人类活动的加剧,射频干扰日益严重且不可逆转.提出利用2维离散小波变换的方法分析射电天文观测的数据,对望远镜系统输出的时间频率序列进行小波变换,根据小波系数分离出原始信号中各分量,每个分量统计得到相应的阈值,将各分量与阈值相比较识别干扰成分并标记去除.利用该方法对实际观测数据进行了处理,结果表明该方法能够很好地标记并消减干扰信号,且提高了观测的信噪比.     

太阳射电800~975MHz波段高动态范围模拟接收机的研制

介绍了云南天文台10 m太阳射电望远镜800~975 MHz模拟接收机的研制。接收系统采用射频-中频两级放大+远程控制步进衰减器模式,能方便地通过远程界面控制射频或中频链路的增益倍数,使得整个接收机动态范围在-35 dB-+25 dB。这样的设计防止在该频段强RFI信号造成的接收机饱和,并且获得了大动态范围,能够满足强射电爆发的要求,弥补了10 m射电望远镜的缺省频段。     

快速射电暴观测数据干扰缓解方法研究

从海量的天文观测数据中快速搜寻罕见的快速射电暴(Fast Radio Burst, FRB)事件, 干扰缓解是其中一项关键而具有挑战的工作. 射频干扰(Radio Frequency Interference, RFI)会淹没真实的天文事件, 还会导致搜寻管线输出大量的假阳性候选体. 由于干扰来源及其种类的复杂性, 目前并没有一种通用的方法可以解决这个问题. 为了降低干扰对FRB观测搜寻的影响, 分析和研究了南山26m射电望远镜L波段观测数据中的干扰情况, 针对主要的窄带干扰和宽带干扰建立了3层次的干扰缓解处理流程, 从而有效缓解了观测数据的干扰污染情况. 将该流程嵌入到FRB色散动态谱搜寻(Dispersed Dynamic Spectra Search, DDSS)管线中, 实验结果表明, 搜寻管线的检测率和检测精度得到了进一步的提高. 该方法为FRB观测数据干扰缓解处理提供了有价值的参考.     

射电望远镜远场区域强干扰源规避方法研究

随着频率使用率的提高, 射电天文台址地面或空间存在强电磁干扰致使望远镜接收机系统处于非线性状态. 为减少强电磁干扰的影响、提高天文观测效率, 提出了一种基于望远镜远场区域的强干扰源规避方法. 首先, 通过仿真分析确定的射电望远镜远场方向图, 结合望远镜与干扰源之间的位置关系, 分析了强电磁干扰到达射电望远镜焦点处的功率响应, 并依据接收机第2阶中频放大器性能参数, 确定射电望远镜处于非饱和状态的规避角度计算方法. 其次, 采用该方法计算分析了民航飞机对射电望远镜的影响, 若民航飞机上有主动发射的干扰源, 且不经过反射等传播现象, 当射电望远镜主波束轴偏开一定方向后, 可有效降低对射电望远镜的干扰强度.     

阵列接收系统的噪声温度分析

针对射电天文抗干扰技术对于射电天文观测设备灵敏度的影响,分析了评估自适应波束形成技术对阵列接收系统的噪声温度影响.首先通过噪声信号模型,获取了影响系统噪声温度变化的参数,并在此基础上研究了天线增益、接收机增益和耦合性等系统参数的不确定性对于噪声温度的影响,最后利用仿真实验分析了理想系统条件下当前主要的自适应波束形成算法对于系统噪声温度的影响.结果表明基于自适应波束形成的抗干扰方法在天文信号源和干扰信号源重合的情况下已不再适用.     

德令哈毫米波望远镜本振谐波干扰问题

射电天文中,射频干扰问题多样而复杂,面对不同的射频干扰问题,针对不同的干扰机制,采取针对性的方法。从器件阶段消减射频干扰,可以预防射频干扰进入望远镜内部。介绍了德令哈毫米波望远镜9波束边带分离型超导接收机, 1个本振链路系统分配18路本振信号方案,针对本振链路中信号发生器的谐波信号引起的中频窄带干扰,设计了注入模拟谐波信号的测试方案,确认了干扰产生机制并得出谐波信号频率与干扰信号频率和功率的对应关系,分析并验证了谐波干扰的传输路径。为了消减谐波干扰,利用YIG滤波器可变频段的带通特性,在本振链路上滤除谐波信号,防止谐波信号耦合到接收机系统,完成了谐波干扰的消减。     

射电日像仪灵敏度测量

灵敏度是射电望远镜的一个重要性能指标,它反映了望远镜监测弱信号的能力。基于明安图射电频谱日像仪(Mingantu Ultrawide Spectral Radioheliograph,MUSER)的调试观测,给出了日像仪灵敏度的测量方法,对天线系统以及整个阵列的灵敏度进行测量分析,得到了日像仪系统整体的灵敏度性能参数。测量同时给出了天线系统的效率以及接收机系统的增益,这将为下一步日像仪展开常规的科学观测提供参考。     

大口径射电望远镜电磁兼容评估技术研究

电磁兼容性是设备或系统的重要性能指标, 也是保障系统的工作效能和提高系统可靠性的重要因素. 大口径射电望远镜运行阶段, 台址周围无线电业务及内部潜在的电磁干扰会降低观测系统灵敏度、影响天文观测的质量. 本论文针对拟建的新疆110 m全向可动射电望远镜(Qi Tai raido Telescope, QTT)开展了系统电磁兼容评估技术及控制方法研究, 具有重要的工程应用价值. 首先, 依据现有电波环境测量方法的不足, 深入分析了仪器设备的关键参数配置方法及测量时间计算方法, 采用Y因子法校准测量数据, 提出一种准实时电波环境测量方法. 面向高重复性宽带频谱, 分析了宽带频谱信号和噪声特征, 结合标准差理论, 提出一种基于邻值比较的信噪分离方法, 并采用邻值统计方法优化关键参数, 提高信噪分离精度. 针对QTT台址, 开发了自动化电波环境监测系统, 该系统6 GHz以下频段系统增益大于40 dB, 系统噪声系数小于2 dB, 测量不确定度小于1.49 dB, 具有极高的系统灵敏度和测量精度; 分析了频谱监测数据流, 设计了基于HDF5 (Hierarchical Data Format version 5)的数据存储格式, 开发了自动化电波环境测量和监控软件及数据处理软件. 依据QTT台址长期监测数据, 评估分析了台址电磁环境、主要干扰源特征及其影响. 其次, 提出大口径射电望远镜馈源口面干扰电平限值量化方法, 建立了基于台址地形的电波传播模型, 分析了现有电波传播模型的优缺点及适应性, 结合QTT台址实际地形及地质特征, 采用Longley-Rice和Two-Ray电波传播模型, 预测分析了QTT台址潜在干扰区域电磁干扰达到射电望远镜的电波路径衰减, 结合大口径射电望远镜天线增益量化方法, 提出设备所在位置干扰电平限值量化方法, 运用该方法对QTT台址潜在干扰区域的干扰电平限值进行量化. 依据设备所在位置干扰电平限值, 调研分析了国内外军用、民用电磁兼容测量标准, 结合电磁干扰对射电天文观测的影响, 提出一种大口径射电望远镜电磁兼容控制方法, 解决了现有电波暗室测量系统无法直接测量评估电子设备电磁兼容的问题, 该电磁兼容控制方法计划应用于QTT建设及运行阶段, 确保系统拥有良好的电磁兼容性. 最后, 依据QTT台址潜在干扰区域干扰电平限值, 结合典型电子设备电磁辐射频谱, 分析了QTT电磁兼容设计需求, 提出电磁兼容设计初步方案. 另外, 针对台址建筑设施内的中低电磁辐射干扰源, 提出一种低成本建筑屏蔽方法, 应用于QTT台址现有建筑.     

Research on Receiver Anti-RFI of Delingha 13.7 m Telescope

In astronomical observations, the radio frequency interference (RFI) will cause pseudo spectra and reduce the reliability and validity of observational data. The RFI mitigation, which includes many technical innovations of devices and the method studies of data processing, aims at reducing the influence of RFI on the radio astronomical observation. Various efforts were made to improve the anti-RFI capability of the multi-beam receiver (Superconducting Spectroscopic Array Receiver, SSAR) of the Delingha 13.7 m telescope. The interference transmission path was analyzed. The concepts of the device RFI direct coupling coefficient and the device RFI system coupling coefficient were proposed. The proportions of interference introduced in the receiver system by the different devices were quantified, and the interference-susceptible devices in the system were located. After the anti-RFI treatment of the interference-susceptible devices, the anti-RFI capability of the receiver system is improved by 30 dB in average, and the astronomical observation efficiency of the telescope is increased by more than 10%.     

Study of Radio Frequency Interference Mitigation Method Based on Wavelet Transform

In radio astronomy observations, radio frequency interference (RFI) is mixed into the telescope receiving system in various forms. The existence of RFI brings misjudgment to the observation or reduces the observational signal-to-noise ratio. In recent years, the domestic and overseas radio astronomy has developed rapidly. Large-scale radio telescopes and telescope arrays at home and abroad have been constructed successively. Observation sensitivity is greatly improved, and the influence of RFI is particularly prominent. With the development of science and technology and the intensification of human activities, the RFI has become increasingly serious and irreversible. We propose to use the two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform method to analyze the data of radio astronomy observations, and to perform wavelet transform on the time-frequency sequence output by the telescope system. According to the wavelet coefficients, the every component in the original signal is separated, and the corresponding threshold value is obtained by the statistics on each component. Each component is compared with the threshold to identify the interference component, and to mark it for removal. This method is used to process the actual observation data. The results show that this method can well mark and eliminate the interference signal, and improve the observational signal-to-noise ratio.     

A real-time software backend for the GMRT

The new era of software signal processing has a large impact on radio astronomy instrumentation. Our design and implementation of a 32 antennae, 33 MHz, dual polarization, fully real-time software backend for the GMRT, using only off-the-shelf components, is an example of this. We have built a correlator and a beamformer, using PCI-based ADC cards and a Linux cluster of 48 nodes with dual gigabit inter-node connectivity for real-time data transfer requirements. The highly optimized compute pipeline uses cache efficient, multi-threaded parallel code, with the aid of vectorized processing. This backend allows flexibility in final time and frequency resolutions, and the ability to implement algorithms for radio frequency interference rejection. Our approach has allowed relatively rapid development of a fairly sophisticated and flexible backend receiver system for the GMRT, which will greatly enhance the productivity of the telescope. In this paper we describe some of the first lights using this software processing pipeline. We believe this is the first instance of such a real-time observatory backend for an intermediate sized array like the GMRT.     

德令哈13.7m望远镜接收机抗射频干扰研究

在天文观测中,射频干扰会造成假谱,降低数据的可靠性和有效性.射频干扰消减旨在减少干扰信号对射电天文观测的影响,包含器件方面的技术革新和数据处理领域的方法研究.针对德令哈13.7 m望远镜接收机中频部分引入的射频干扰,通过优化中频器件的抗射频干扰能力,提高了接收机的整体抗射频干扰能力,以主动消除方法来减少射频干扰耦合到接收机内部.分析了接收机干扰的传输路径,提出了器件射频干扰的直接耦合系数和器件射频干扰的系统耦合系数的概念,为定位干扰敏感器件并量化干扰引入比重提供了基础.经过抗射频干扰优化后,接收机抗干扰能力改善30 dB左右,望远镜的天文观测效率提高10%以上.     

基于自适应滤波的干扰消除方法研究

射电天文信号非常微弱,电磁环境对射电望远镜观测至关重要,通常可以利用地形、建立无线电宁静区、进行电磁屏蔽与防护等手段来减小电磁干扰.然而,仍有一些干扰难以屏蔽.故提出了一种基于自适应滤波的干扰消除方法,可用于复杂噪声环境中天文信号的提取.该方法借助自适应横向滤波器,采用最小均方(Least Mean Square, LMS)误差算法,以系统误差和收敛性为评判标准,通过改变步长与阶数对滤波效果进行优化,仿真结果显示该滤波器能在保证算法收敛的前提下有效提取信号.为了检验该算法的有效性,选取了新疆天文台南山26 m射电望远镜和Parkes 64 m射电望远镜记录的观测数据,采用设计的滤波器分别对不同的实测数据进行测试,验证了该滤波器的有效性.理论分析与实验结果一致表明该方法能有效消除天文观测中的干扰信号,具有一定的实用性.     

Interference coupling analysis based on a hybrid method: application to a radio telescope system

Working in a way that passively receives electromagnetic radiation from a celestial body,a radio telescope can be easily disturbed by external radio frequency interference as well as electromagnetic interference generated by electric and electronic components operating at the telescope site.A quantitative analysis of these interferences must be taken into account carefully for further electromagnetic protection of the radio telescope. In this paper, based on electromagnetic topology theory, a hybrid method that combines the Baum-Liu-Tesche(BLT) equation and transfer function is proposed.In this method, the coupling path of the radio telescope is divided into strong coupling and weak coupling sub-paths, and the coupling intensity criterion is proposed by analyzing the conditions in which the BLT equation simplifies to a transfer function. According to the coupling intensity criterion, the topological model of a typical radio telescope system is established. The proposed method is used to solve the interference response of the radio telescope system by analyzing subsystems with different coupling modes separately and then integrating the responses of the subsystems as the response of the entire system. The validity of the proposed method is verified numerically. The results indicate that the proposed method, compared with the direct solving method, reduces the difficulty and improves the efficiency of interference prediction.     

The radio environment of the 21 Centimeter Array:RFI detection and mitigation

Detection and mitigation of radio frequency interference(RFI) is the first and also the key step for data processing in radio observations, especially for ongoing low frequency radio experiments towards the detection of the cosmic dawn and epoch of reionization(Eo R). In this paper we demonstrate the technique and efficiency of RFI identification and mitigation for the 21 Centimeter Array(21CMA), a radio interferometer dedicated to the statistical measurement of Eo R. For terrestrial, man-made RFI, we concentrate mainly on a statistical approach by identifying and then excising non-Gaussian signatures, in the sense that the extremely weak cosmic signal is actually buried under thermal and therefore Gaussian noise. We also introduce the so-called visibility correlation coefficient instead of conventional visibility, which allows a further suppression of rapidly time-varying RFI. Finally, we briefly discuss removals of the sky RFI, the leakage of sidelobes from off-field strong radio sources with time-invariant power and a featureless spectrum. It turns out that state of the art technique should allow us to detect and mitigate RFI to a satisfactory level in present low frequency interferometer observations such as those acquired with the 21 CMA, and the accuracy and efficiency can be greatly improved with the employment of low-cost, high-speed computing facilities for data acquisition and processing.