潜在的500MHz雷达网及其应用

随着曲靖500 MHz非相干散射雷达的初步建成并投入使用,利用其开展雷达天文学的研究成为可能。基于雷达方程,假定曲靖雷达发射信号,分析了现有昆明40 m天线、密云50 m天线和贵州500 m射电望远镜作为接收器接收回波信号,构建潜在雷达网进行天文测量的能力,报道了探测空间碎片的初步成果,探讨了我国开展地基雷达观测近地小行星的设想。最后呼吁我国开展地基雷达和VLBI联合进行太阳系天体探测,开拓深空领域。     

太阳系外行星探测研究进展

太阳系外行星作为研究恒星演化重要的天体和探索生命起源的基础,多年来一直是天文学前沿研究的热点之一,目前已发展出近10种系外行星的探测方法.随着天文观测设备探测精度越来越高,自1992年至今,已发现4 000余颗系外行星.近几年天基天文观测手段日趋成熟,探测系外行星的精度与效率得到了极大提高,并带动着更多地基系外行星探测...     

表层穿透雷达在月球和深空探测中的应用

对月球以及更远天体或者空间环境的探测是人类航天活动的重要方向。开展月球和深空探测有利于研究太阳系起源、演化与现状,以及生命起源与演变等重大科学问题,有利于催生基础性、前瞻性的学科与技术。相比光学探测方法,雷达具有强穿透性、极化特性以及不受光照限制等优势,是探测天体特性的有效手段之一,在月球和深空探测中发挥了重要作用。电磁波能够穿透几米到几千米的次表层,可用于探测月球和深空目标的表层介电常数、次表层结构、电离层及水冰等。按照探测方式的不同,表层穿透雷达探测主要包括地基雷达、环绕器雷达及巡视器雷达3种方式。针对不同的科学目标,不同的探测方式具有各自的优势和不足。回顾了表层穿透雷达在月球、火星以及小行星等探测中的科学应用,总结了已经投入使用以及计划中的各种雷达科学载荷的探测任务、参数设计、工作原理和探测结果,展望了在未来利用表层穿透雷达进行月球和深空探测的发展趋势。     

吉林天文观测基地光学观测环境及相关研究进展

地基光学天文望远镜是人类探索与研究宇宙的重要手段, 对已有地基光学台址的光学观测环境进行监测分析, 可以为后期设备针对性改造以及观测者调整观测策略提供参考依据, 对提升地基光学设备的观测效能具有重要的意义. 吉林天文观测基地(简称``基地'')隶属于中国科学院国家天文台长春人造卫星观测站, 位于吉林省吉林市大绥河镇小绥河村南沟约5 km处(东经126.3^\circ, 北纬43.8^\circ, 海拔高度313m). 基地大气视宁度均值范围约为1.3$''$--1.4$''$、天顶附近V波段的天光背景亮度为20.64magcdotarcsec^-2、年晴夜数最高可达270余天, 具有良好的天文观测条件. 吉林天文观测基地于2016年投入运行, 现有1.2m光电望远镜、迷你光电阵列望远镜、大视场光电望远镜阵列、新型多功能阵列结构光电探测平台等多台(套)光电望远镜设备. 利用上述设备, 主要围绕空间目标探测与识别、精密轨道确定、光电探测新方法以及变源天体的多色测光等开展相关研究工作, 与多家国内高校及科研院所保持着良好的合作关系.     

空间碎片地基雷达探测综述

分析了空间碎片地基雷达探测的必要性和现实意义,介绍了国外有代表性的地基雷达工作概况,在此基础上,给出了描述空间碎片的轨道参量和物理参量,并对空间碎片地基雷达探测所需的关键技术进行了探讨。     

我国地基雷达观测月球的现状和研究进展

地基雷达观测可以提供太阳系天体目标的地形地貌、物理特征、轨道动力等信息。聚焦利用地基雷达天文技术开展月球观测的原理方法和科学意义,介绍了基于我国现有深空雷达上行装置、射电望远镜条件以及非相干散射雷达等系统,初步开展的特高频段(Ultra High Frequency,UHF)和X频段的地基雷达观测月球试验。通过月球反射回波的信号处理,获得了延迟、多普勒频移等参数,得到了一致的与近表层物质密度相关的月面雷达反射率,并得到了月球的左右旋圆极化率,反映了与波长同尺度的月球近表层结构。文章积累的数据处理经验将为我国的小行星预警、行星历表等地基雷达观测研究提供技术基础。     

关于天文折射

本文概述了天文折射产生的原因及其对天体测量观测的影响;天文折射的早期和近代的一些理论,以及依据这些理论建立的模型。同时指出,这些理论和模型所存在的问题,关键是不能客观地描述真实大气状况,这导致了折射表的不精确,尤其是在大天顶距的情况下。强调了从天体测量观测和研究大气状况本身的需要出发,用新方法及手段实时实地的对天文折射进行测量。     

近地小行星地基雷达探测研究现状

地基雷达探测是研究太阳系中小行星的重要方法。雷达探测主要有两种方式:(1)连续波探测,可得到小行星表面的粗糙度等参数;(2)延迟多普勒探测,用于反演小行星的三维形状模型并确定自转轴状态。与其他探测方法相比,雷达观测具有分辨率高等优势。简要介绍了地基雷达探测的原理和方式,以及通过雷达成像建立小行星形状模型的方法。同时举例说明了雷达探测小行星的成果,并对包括雷达在内的多种探测方法进行了比较。     

红外天文学的新进展

本文回顾了红外天文学的发展史,论述了天体红外探测在天文学中的重要性,较详细地介绍了包括红外天文卫星(IRAS)在内的现代红外天文观测技术的新进展,对我国红外天文研究的现状也作了简要评述。     

邮购信息

天文学物理新视野 这是一本综合介绍天体和天文现象的书。通过把一些基本的物理原理应用于各种情况,读者将学到如何把日常的物理知识与天文世界联系起来。本书从一些最基本的天体出发,透彻地解释天文现象如何发生,为什么发生,天文学家如何收集关于恒星、星系和太阳系的信息,并如何解释这些信息。     

Colour-differential interferometry for the observation of extrasolar planets

We present the high angular resolution technique of colour-differential interferometry for direct detection of extrasolar giant planets (EGPs). The measurement of differential phase with long-baseline ground-based interferometers in the near-infrared could allow the observation of several hot giant extrasolar planets in tight orbit around the nearby stars, and thus yield their low- or mid-resolution spectroscopy, complete orbital data set and mass. Estimates of potentially achievable signal-to-noise ratios are presented for a number of planets already discovered by indirect methods. The limits from the instrumental and atmospheric instability are discussed, and a subsequent observational strategy is proposed.     

Asteroid mass determination with the Gaia mission: A simulation of the expected precisions

The ESA astrometric mission Gaia, due for a launch in late 2011, will observe a huge number of asteroids (∼350,000 brighter than V<20) with an unprecedented positional precision (at the sub-milliarcsecond level). This precision will play an important role for the mass determination of about hundred minor planets with a relative precision better than 50%. Presently, due primarily to their perturbations on Mars, the uncertainty in the masses of the largest asteroids is the limiting factor in the accuracy of the solar system ephemerides. Besides, such high precision astrometry will enable to derive direct measurements of the masses of the largest asteroids which are of utmost significance for the knowledge of their physical properties. The method for computing the masses is based on the analysis of orbital perturbations during close encounters between massive asteroids (perturbers) and several smaller minor planets (targets). From given criteria of close approaches selection, we give the list of asteroids for which the mass can be determined, and the expected precision of these masses at mission completion. We next study the possible contribution of the ground-based observations for the mass determination in some special observation cases of close approaches.     

Space debris tracking based on fuzzy running Gaussian average adaptive particle filter track-before-detect algorithm

Although tracking with a passive optical telescope is a powerful technique for space debris observation, it is limited by its sensitivity to dynamic background noise. Traditionally, in the field of astronomy, static background subtraction based on a median image technique has been used to extract moving space objects prior to the tracking operation, as this is computationally efficient. The main disadvantage of this technique is that it is not robust to variable illumination conditions. In this article,we propose an approach for tracking small and dim space debris in the context of a dynamic background via one of the optical telescopes that is part of the space surveillance network project, named the AsiaPacific ground-based Optical Space Observation System or APOSOS. The approach combines a fuzzy running Gaussian average for robust moving-object extraction with dim-target tracking using a particlefilter-based track-before-detect method. The performance of the proposed algorithm is experimentally evaluated, and the results show that the scheme achieves a satisfactory level of accuracy for space debris tracking.     

VLT‐CRIRES: “Good Vibrations” Rotational‐vibrational molecular spectroscopy in astronomy

Near‐Infrared high spectral and spatial resolution spectroscopy offers new and innovative observing opportunities for astronomy. The “traditional” benefits of IR‐astronomy – strongly reduced extinction and availability of adaptive optics – more than offset for many applications the compared to CCD‐based astronomy strongly reduced sensitivity. Especially in high resolution spectroscopy interferences by telluric lines can be minimized. Moreover for abundance studies many important atomic lines can be accessed in the NIR. A novel spectral feature available for quantitative spectroscopy are the molecular rotational‐vibrational transitions which allow for fundamentally new studies of condensed objects and atmospheres. This is also an important complement to radio‐astronomy, especially with ALMA, where molecules are generally only observed in the vibrational ground state. Rot‐vib transitions also allow high precision abundance measurements – including isotopic ratios – fundamental to understand the thermo‐nuclear processes in stars beyond the main sequence. Quantitative modeling of atmospheres has progressed such that the unambiguous interpretation of IR‐spectra is now well established. In combination with adaptive optics spectro‐astrometry is even more powerful and with VLT‐CRIRES a spatial resolution of better than one milli‐arcsecond has been demonstrated. Some highlights and recent results will be presented: our solar system, extrasolar planets, star‐ and planet formation, stellar evolution and the formation of galactic bulges (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

日食的射电观测(英)

日食为射电天文提供了一维高空间分辨率太阳射电观测机会．日食射电观测在太阳射电物理的发展上起过重要的作用．文中对日食射电观测的若干重要因素作了介绍和分析．日食射电观测在我国太阳射电天文发展上也起了重要作用．文中简要介绍了在我国组织观测的1958年、1968年、1980年及1987年的太阳射电日食观测及其主要结果．     

太阳系探索和地外生命搜索

综述了国际上进行太阳系空间探测的现状，着重介绍了探测月球，火星，不星和外行星的意义，目的，手段和成就，择要介绍了美国宇般局，欧洲空间局，俄罗斯和日本近年来和下世纪初的空间计划，论及地外生命搜索，主要介绍了火星上水和生命搜索进展，地外生命搜索的的SETI计划及其发民菜，物理学家与生物学家有关搜索成功的可能性的争论，以及太阳系外行星系统的发现，太阳系外行星系统的发现是当代天文学最时髦的，也将是未来21世纪成果最丰富的研究领域之一，目前，已经发现了大约50个太阳系外行星系统，太阳系外行星系统的发现与地外生命搜索研究是密不可分的，这项研究近20年来发展较快，它的研究也促进了航天学，宇宙化学，天文生物学乃至哲学等其化学科的发展。     

Multiplex approach to the photometric detection of planets

If the hypothesis is correct that most solar-like stars have planetary systems and have planets in inner orbits, then approximately 1% of these stars should have planets with orbital planes close enough to our line of sight to show transits. To get a statistically significant estimate of the fraction of stars that have planets in inner orbits, it is necessary to monitor thousands of stars continuously for a period of several years. To accomplish this requires the use of a multi-channel photometer system. We present here several multi-channel methods that have been used for ground-based observations and a concept for applying multi-channel photometry to the detection of numerous Earth-sized planets.Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.     

The remote determination of the mean kinetic temperature of planets and satellites having a negligible atmosphere

A novel method, called the crossover technique, has been devised for the remote determination of the surface temperature of planets, satellites, and asteroids having a negligible atmosphere. The method is discussed using new spectra of Mars as an example, and it is shown how it might be extended to other solar system objects. The accuracy of the method, both absolutely and in comparison to other methods, is also considered.     

Exobiology, the study of the origin, evolution and distribution of life within the context of cosmic evolution: a review

The primary goal of exobiological research is to reach a better understanding of the processes leading to the origin, evolution and distribution of life on Earth or elsewhere in the universe. In this endeavour, scientists from a wide variety of disciplines are involved, such as astronomy, planetary research, organic chemistry, palaeontology and the various subdisciplines of biology including microbial ecology and molecular biology. Space technology plays an important part by offering the opportunity for exploring our solar system, for collecting extraterrestrial samples, and for utilizing the peculiar environment of space as a tool. Exobiological activities include comparison of the overall pattern of chemical evolution of potential precursors of life, in the interstellar medium, and on the planets and small bodies of our solar system; tracing the history of life on Earth back to its roots; deciphering the environments of the planets in our solar system and of their satellites, throughout their history, with regard to their habitability; searching for other planetary systems in our Galaxy and for signals of extraterrestrial civilizations; testing the impact of space environment on survivability of resistant life forms. This evolutionary approach towards understanding the phenomenon of life in the context of cosmic evolution may eventually contribute to a better understanding of the processes regulating the interactions of life with its environment on Earth.