Wide-field VLBI imaging

We discuss the technique of Wide-field imaging as it applies to Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). In the past VLBI data sets were usually averaged so severely that the field-of-view was typically restricted to regions extending a few hundred milliarcseconds from the phase centre of the field. Recent advances in data analysis techniques, together with increasing data storage capabilities, and enhanced computer processing power, now permit VLBI images to be made whose angular size represents a significant fraction of an individual antenna's primary beam. This technique has recently been successfully applied to several large separation gravitational lens systems, compact Supernova Remnants in the starburst galaxy M82, and two faint radio sources located within the same VLA FIRST field. It seems likely that other VLBI observing programmes might benefit from this wide-field approach to VLBI data analysis. With the raw sensitivity of global VLBI set to improve by a factor 4–5 over the coming few years, the number of sources that can be detected in a given field will rise considerably. In addition, a continued progression in VLBI's ability to image relatively faint and extended low brightness temperature features (such as hot-spots in large-scale astrophysical jets) is also to be expected. As VLBI sensitivity approaches the μJy level, a wide-field approach to data analysis becomes inevitable.     

ALSEP-quasar differential VLBI

A program of ALSEP-Quasar Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is being carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. These observations primarily employ a 4-antenna technique whereby simultaneous observations with two antennas at each end of an intercontinental baseline are used to derive the differential interferometric phase between a compact extragalactic radio source (usually a quasar) and a number of ALSEP transmitters on the lunar surface. A continuous ALSEP-quasar differential phase history over a few hour period will lead to milliarcsecond angular accuracy in measuring the lunar position against the quasar reference frame if suitable calibration measurements are obtained. Development of this application of the 4-antenna technique has been underway at JPL for more than a year and is now producing high quality data utilizing Deep Space Network (DSN) stations in Australia, Spain, and Goldstone, California as well as the STDN Apollo station at Goldstone. These high accuracy observations are of value to tie the lunar ephemeris to a nearly inertial extragalactic reference frame, to test gravitational theories, and to measure the Earth-Moon tidal friction interaction.This paper presents the results of one phase of research carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under Contract No. NAS 7-100, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.     

实时VLBI技术

随着通信技术的发展出现了用数据通讯网络代替磁带记录与传输 ,将数据直接传至数据中心处理的实时VLBI技术 ,它包括准实时和真实时VLBI两个技术层次 ,是VLBI技术的一次飞跃。实时VLBI除具备传统VLBI的高精度、高灵敏度和全天候、全天时被动观测能力以外 ,还具有设备简化、自动化程度高、实时性、易于利用现代通信技术获得宽带能力与高灵敏度等突出特点。它在VLBI台站检测、航天器精密跟踪、UT1加强观测和传统的测地和天文学观测领域均有重要的科学意义和实用价值。     

Directions in VLBI technology

Magnetic tape recording, disc recording, and global electronic networks are advancing rapidly, promising both evolutionary and revolutionary impacts on the way VLBI is conducted. In this paper, we will examine the state-of-the-art technologies that may have application to VLBI and consider the current and projected costs in each of these areas.     

空间VLBI的研究现状

评述了过去近三十年中空间VLBI的发展．其内容包括空间VLBI的简短发展历史,空间VLBI与地面VLBI的不同、空间VLBI的目前状况和空间VLBI的未来展望。着重介绍了作为首次空间VLBI的VSOP的各个方面情况,并给出了VSOP的连续谱、谱线普查样本,供参考。     

VLBI spectral absorption in AGN

We present recent VLBI observations of HI and CO gas in AGN, emphasising the variety of phenomena probed by this technique. Broad (>100 km s⁻¹) HI absorption in ellipticals appears to be commonly associated with circumnuclear gas in a TORUS (Thick Obscuration Required by Unified Schemes) at radii of 50–500 pc from the central engine. Examples include Cygnus A and the CSO 4C31.04. In both of these sources recent HST imaging appears to confirm the presence of a TORUS. However, not all broad absorption HI is TORUS related. In 3C 236, for instance, it seems to be due to a jet-cloud interaction. Narrow <100 km s⁻¹ HI absorption lines also appear to be caused by a variety of different phenomena. For instance, VLBI observations show that the narrow, rapidly in-falling HI absorption gas in 4C31.04 is probably associated with High Velocity Clouds similar to those in-falling into our own Galaxy. In contrast, in 1413+135, the narrow HI and molecular absorption is probably due to a foreground molecular cloud in the host's galactic disk which fortuitously lies along the line of sight to the radio nucleus.     

VLBI记录系统的进展

本文介绍了VLB I记录系统在世界各主要台站的使用情况,对目前先进的VLBI记录系统的功能、记录格式等进行了比较和描述。     

地球同步卫星的VLBI观测

介绍了差分VLBI技术确定空间飞行器位置的原理。在上海、乌鲁木齐和昆明站开展了对地球同步卫星的首次国内差分VLBI观测 ,实验中选择 3颗角距小于 15°的ICRF射电源作为参考源 ,克服了卫星观测的特殊性带来的困难 ,成功地获得了卫星信号的干涉条纹。基于条纹拟合的结果和系统差分析 ,估计双差单向测距的总误差约为 4 1cm ,双差单向测速的总误差约为 0 .14 8mm/s,相当于在地球同步轨道上 8m的位置误差和 2 .8mm/s的速度误差     

EGRET活动星系核的VLBI观测研究

EGRET空间望远镜已检测到66颗高置信度的γ射线活动星系核，这些活动星系核都是射电强的，具有很高的光度，迅速的光学变化，有相当的比例是视超光速源，对γ射线 活动星系核的研究是目前世界上最活跃的前沿课题之一，为了完备EGRET活动是系统核的射电观测图像样本，以便进行更可信的统计研究，对一些缺少射电图像观测的EGRET活动量的核进行了多历元的VLBI和VLA的观测研究，得到了它们的射电结构图像。     

Early VLBI in the USSR

This article gives story of interferometer with independent elements (Very Long Baseline Interferometer) in Russia. At the end of February 1962 the author discussed with G.Ya. Gus'kov, DSN Station, Evpatorija a new type of radio interferometer and proposed an experiment between two DSN stations. In September 1962 he reported the new method and proposed a VLBI experiment at seminar of Radio Astronomical Laboratory, Pushino, and then at a seminar of Astronomical Institute GAISH which recommended to take out a Patent. In December GAISH sent documents to the Patent Bureau. In summer 1963 the author discussed with B. Lovell in Evpatorija the VLBI method of and we signed memorandum an Ev‐JB experiment at λ = 32 cm. In December 1963 the Patent Bureau permitted publication, and the paper was sent to Radiofizika. Really VLBI in the USSR began with the proposal of M. Cohen and K. Kellermann, February 1968, to do an experiment between 22‐m antenna Pushino and 43‐m Green Bank. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Measurement of Zeeman pattern with VLBI

Magnetic field is believed to play an important role in the evolution of compact HII regions where massive stars are formed. In fact, it exists very few methods to measure it. One of the best method used, is based on the Zeeman effect: under the effect of the magnetic field, a line can be split into two separated lines of opposite circular polarization. The separation in frequency between the lines is directly proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field. One of the difficulty of the method, is to made a correct identification of the Zeeman pairs. The very high resolution achievable by VLBI allows us to demonstrate whether the pairs are spatially coincident (as expected in true Zeeman pairs) or not. The OH emission traces the densest pockets of the neutral gas environment. In addition, because of its non zero electronic angular momentum, the OH radical is a natural magnetometer allowing us to determine both the intensity and the direction of the magnetic field in the outer layers of the compact HII regions. In this poster I reported on the possibilities of VLBI observations of OH masers in the first excited state (J = 5/2) lying at 6 GHz.     

Solar VLBI of compact transient sources

Very Long Baseline Interferometry offers the only technique for resolving the transient compact sources which, according to an increasing weight of observational and theoretical evidence, occur during solar flares. In this paper we discuss the problems of applying VLBI to observing the Sun, the results obtained so far and how the technique may be effectively employed in future studies of compact emission structures in solar flares.Proceedings of the Workshop on Radio Continua during Solar Flares, held at Duino (Trieste), Italy, 27–31 May, 1985.     

VLBI标准接口的发展

VLBI标准接口是近年来在VLBI技术中诞生的一个新概念,它旨在解决多年来各VLBI数据传输系统不兼容的问题．该文阐述了VLBI数据传输系统的发展历史,包括传统的记录／回放系统和新兴的网络数据传输两方面的内容;说明了VLBI标准接口的作用和意义;并分别介绍了VLBI标准接口规范3方面的内容:VLBI标准接口件规范(VSI-H)、VLBI标准接口软件规范(VSI-S)和VLBI标准接口网络规范(VSI-E)．     

高灵敏度VLBI和FAST计划

概述了VLBI天体物理的近期发展，主要成就及其受到的灵敏度制约，简要地回顾的目前还处在不太成熟阶段的低频VLBI的探索及近十余牛对提高VLBI灵敏度的硬件和软件两方面的尝试，并在此基础上，着重讲座了我国坟划中的FAST射电望远镜对提高VLBI灵敏度的可能贡献，展望了因为FAST的参与而获得的中低频高灵敏度VLBI的天体物理课及其意义。     

Summary results of the shanghai-effelsberg VLBI experiment

The first VLBI experiment between Shanghai and Effelsberg, West Germany, was carried out at 1430 MHz in November 1981. The observations lasted 54 hours and the Mark II recording system and hydrogen masers were used at both stations. Fourteen extragalactic sources covering a wide range of declination were duly observed. The Shanghai-Effelsberg baseline vector was determined to an estimated formal precision of 2–3 metres and the positions of the sources 1739 + 52 and 1928 + 73, to $\text{0}\text{″}\text{.}\text{05 ? 0}\text{″}\text{.}\text{08}$ in each coordinate, with the effects of the ionosphere not removed. The source of 1928 + 73 was found to be double with a component separation of $\text{0}\text{″}\text{.}\text{0089}$.     

VLBI台站电磁兼容性评估

对VLBI(Very Long Baseline Interferometry)台站电磁兼容性的特点及其影响因素进行了分析;在对几种常用的评估方法对系统的适用性论证的基础上,借鉴网络层次分析法(ANP)中建模及求解权重的原理,结合理想点排序法(TOPSIS)的优点,并运用权系数确定的区间调整法降低主观因素的影响,提出一种适用于系统电磁兼容性的改进的ANP-TOPSIS综合评估方法;建立了系统网络层次评估模型;具有十分重要的理论及工程应用价值。     

空间VLBI研究的现状和未来

空间ＶＬＢＩ卫星ＶＳＯＰ／ＨＡＬＣＡ是日本宇航科学研究所（ＩＳＡＳ）的飞行任务,已经在１９９７年２月升空。它拥有８ｍ直径的射电望远镜,远地点达２２０００ｋｍ。和地面的射电望远镜联合观测（干涉观测）,其最高分辨率比地面ＶＬＢＩ提高了３倍。该项空间ＶＬＢＩ观测由ＮＳＡＳ的地面跟踪站支持。第一批ＶＬＢＩ图像已经在因特网上发表。ＲａｄｉｏＡｓｔｒｏｎ项目由俄罗斯科学院列别捷夫物理研究所天文空间中心（ＡＳＣ