Ska and Evla Computing Costs for Wide Field Imaging

I investigate the problem of high dynamic range continuum synthesis imaging in the presence of confusing sources, using scaling arguments and simulations. I derive a quantified cost equation for the computer hardware needed to support such observations for the EVLA and the SKA. This cost has two main components – from the data volume, scaling as D⁻⁶ (where D is the antenna diameter), and from the non-coplanar baselines effect, scaling as D⁻², for a total scaling of D⁻⁸. A factor of two in antenna diameter thus corresponds to 12 years of Moore’s law (18 month doubling time) cost reduction in computing hardware. For a SKA built with 12.5 m antennas observing with 1 arcsecond at 1.4 GHz, I find the computing load to be about 150 Petaflops (costing about $500 million in 2015). For 25 m antennas, the load is about 256 times lower, costing $2 million in 2015. This new cost equation differs from that of Perley and Clark (2003), which has scaling as D⁻⁶. This is because I find that the excellent Fourier plane coverage of the small antenna design does not significantly change the convergence rate of the Clean algorithm, which is already satisfactory in this regime.The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations of hyperluminous infrared galaxies

We present Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 I -band imaging for a sample of nine hyperluminous infrared galaxies (HLIRGs) spanning a redshift range     . Three of the sample have morphologies showing evidence for interactions and six are quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Host galaxies in the QSOs are detected reliably out to     . The detected QSO host galaxies have an elliptical morphology with scalelengths spanning     and absolute k -corrected magnitudes spanning     There is no clear correlation between the infrared (IR) power source and the optical morphology. None of the sources in the sample, including F15307+3252, shows any evidence for gravitational lensing. We infer that the IR luminosities are thus real. Based on these results, and previous studies of HLIRGs, we conclude that this class of object is broadly consistent with being a simple extrapolation of the ULIRG population to higher luminosities; ULIRGs being mainly violently interacting systems powered by starbursts and/or active galactic nuclei. Only a small number of sources, the infrared luminosities of which exceed 10¹³ L_⊙, are intrinsically less luminous objects that have been boosted by gravitational lensing.     

30m级光学/红外望远镜的宽视场多目标光谱仪

宽视场多目标光谱仪具有宽波段、多分辨率模式和高通光效率的特点,是极大望远镜终端仪器使用率最高的通用型仪器. 30 m级望远镜的宽视场多目标光谱仪因体量和成本急剧增加而面临重要挑战,同时天文学的不断发展对天文新技术的发展提出了更高的要求,尤其是多个巡天项目对于多目标光谱后随观测的迫切需求.综述了几类宽视场多目标光谱仪的发展现状,介绍了国际3架30 m望远镜宽视场多目标光谱仪概念设计的最新进展和仪器特点,着重介绍了中国参与研制的30 m望远镜(TMT)中的宽视场多目标光谱仪的相关进展.     

Limiting Magnitudes of the Wide Field Survey Telescope(WFST)

Expected to be of the highest survey power telescope in the northern hemisphere, the Wide Field Survey Telescope(WFST) will begin its routine observations of the northern sky since 2023. WFST will produce a lot of scientific data to support the researches of time-domain astronomy, asteroids and the solar system, galaxy formation and cosmology and so on. We estimated that the 5σ limiting magnitudes of WFST with 30 s exposure are u = 22.31mag, g = 23.42 mag, r = 22.95 mag, i = 22.43 mag, z = 21.50...     

大口径望远镜反射面日照温度场效应实验研究

针对大口径射电望远镜主反射面在日照作用下产生温度梯度及形变问题,建立了完整的温度测量及精度评估的系统。在特定的测量条件下,利用红外热像仪测量了望远镜主反射面的温度,获得了不同时刻的温度分布情况,并得到最大温差为7.8℃。采用全息法分析主反射面的精度变化情况,得到由于温度变化导致的最大误差为0.33 mm。结果表明:温度对望远镜主反射面的精度影响较大,需采取合适的测试系统实时监测温度,并调整主反射面板以提高精度。     

The Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS)

This paper describes the Wide Field Spectrograph (WiFeS) under construction at the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) of the Australian National University (ANU) for the ANU 2.3 m telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory. WiFeS is a powerful integral field, double-beam, concentric, image-slicing spectrograph designed to deliver excellent throughput, wavelength stability, spectrophotometric performance and superb image quality along with wide spectral coverage throughout the 320–950 nm wavelength region. It provides a 25×38 arcsec field with 0.5 arcsec sampling along each of twenty five 38×1 arcsec slitlets. The output format is optimized to match the 4096×4096 pixel CCD detectors in each of two cameras individually optimized for the blue and the red ends of the spectrum, respectively. A process of “interleaved nod-and-shuffle” will be applied to permit quantum noise-limited sky subtraction. Using VPH gratings, spectral resolutions of 3000 and 7000 are provided. The full spectral range is covered in a single exposure at R=3000, and in two exposures in the R=7000 mode. The use of transmissive coated optics, VPH gratings and optimized mirror coatings ensures a throughput (including telescope atmosphere and detector) >30% over a wide spectral range. The concentric image-slicer design ensures an excellent and uniform image quality across the full field. To maximize scientific return, the whole instrument is configured for remote observing, pipeline data reduction, and the accumulation of calibration image libraries.     

基于全息测量的佘山25 m射电望远镜远场分析

首先分析了佘山25 m卡塞格伦天线结构,形变与噪声这2个因素影响下的远场进行仿真分析,理想情况比较,分析这2个因素对全息测量的影响。然后利用天线结构参数分别对天线面板表面获得了二维远场的幅度和相位分布图,并与     

基于以太网的射电天文制冷接收机的监视系统

制冷接收机是射电望远镜的核心设备,它是否正常工作直接决定望远镜观测的效果。制冷接收机的制冷温度和杜瓦真空度是反映接收机是否正常工作的最重要、最直接的指标之一。因此实现制冷接收机制冷温度和杜瓦真空度的远程实时监控,及时了解接收机是否正常工作对保证射电望远镜正常运行、提高观测效率有重要意义。为乌鲁木齐天文站25m射电望远镜1.3cm制冷接收机研制的一套基于单片机和以太网的数据采集和数据传输的远程监视系统,实现了制冷接收机制冷温度和杜瓦真空度的远程实时监控。该系统采用了美国ATMEL公司生产的8位单片机AVR ATmega16、Microchip Technology公司生产的ENC28J60以及MAXIM公司生产的MAX7219,实现对射电天文制冷接收机制冷温度和杜瓦真空度的数据采集,并利用以太网传输数据实现了远程实时监控接收机的制冷状态。阐述了以太网数据采集及远程监控电路的设计原理及其实现方法。该系统首次在国内大型射电望远镜上实现了对制冷接收机工作状态的远程实时监控,对于保证乌鲁木齐天文站25m射电望远镜1.3cm波段的观测效果有重要作用。     

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.     

Interferometry with the Large Binocular Telescope

The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) will be the largest single telescope in the world when it is completed in 2005. The unique structure of the telescope incorporates two, 8.4 meter diameter primary mirrors on a 14.4 meter center-to-center mounting. This configuration provides the equivalent collecting area of a 12 meter telescope, and when combined coherently, the two optical paths offer very interesting possibilities for interferometry. Two initial interferometric instruments are planned for the LBT. A group based at the University of Arizona is constructing LBTI, a pupil-plane, nulling beam combiner operating in the thermal infrared N band. This instrument will search for and measure zodiacal light in candidate stellar systems for the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and Darwin missions. Expansion ports can accomodate additional instruments. A second group, based in Heidelberg, Arcetri, and Köln, is building LINC-NIRVANA, a near-infrared Fizeau-mode beam combiner. This type of observation preserves phase information and allows true imagery over a wide field of view. Using state-of-the-art detector arrays, coupled with advanced adaptive optics, LINC-NIRVANA will deliver the sensitivity of a 12 m telescope and the spatial resolution of a 23 m telescope, over a field of view up to 2 arc minutes square.     

Wide Field Imaging of Ion Tail of Comet C/Hale–Bopp

A sequential imaging observation of the ion tail of Comet C/Hale-Bopp 1995O1 was carried out in February–March 1997 with a wide-field CCD imaging camera using narrow band filters for two ion species; CO⁺ and H₂O⁺ along with those for blue and red continuum. From the surface photometry of the ion tail of two species, we derived a relationship between plasma density and distance from the nucleus. The local velocity of the ion flow as a function of the distance from the nucleus was also estimated on the basis of some assumptions. We report preliminary results of our analysis, and discuss some characteristics of cometary plasma and its interaction with interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). May the source be with you! This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

平场数据采集间隔对莱曼阿尔法太阳望远镜平场精度的影响分析

莱曼阿尔法太阳望远镜(LST)是先进天基太阳天文台(ASO-S)卫星的载荷之一,它包括白光太阳望远镜(WST),全日面太阳成像仪(SDI)和日冕仪(SCI)等仪器. 1991年Kuhn, Lin和Loranz提出的方法(简称KLL方法)是WST和SDI在轨平场定标的方法之一.为了研究WST和SDI的平场定标精度对KLL方法的相邻位置时间间隔的敏感性,使用太阳动力学观测卫星(SDO)的日震和磁成像仪(HMI)及太阳大气成像仪(AIA)的全日面成像观测数据测试和分析在使用KLL方法时相邻位置时间间隔对所得平场精度的影响.结果显示在LST使用KLL方法进行平场定标时,相邻位置时间间隔越短越好.具体分析表明,WST平场精度对相邻位置采样时间间隔不敏感,而SDI时间间隔需要在240 s范围内.分析结果对卫星姿态调整到稳定所需的时间给出了一定限制.     

一种扩大FAST视场的方法

所有的大口径射电望远镜都存在这样一个问题：在其分辨率和灵敏度提高的同时，视场变小．而且口径越大，视场越小．这成为大口径望远镜不可回避的矛盾．要解决这个矛盾，可以在望远镜的焦平面上放置Ⅳ个分立馈源．让它们同时工作，这样可以看作把视场扩大了Ⅳ倍．望远镜的工作效率提高Ⅳ倍．但是这样做的缺点是——视场不连续．且馈源数目Ⅳ受到望远镜焦比(F／D)的限制．采用致密焦面阵(dense focal plane array)就可以很好地解决这个问题．致密焦面阵的单元不是喇叭口天线，而是无方向性的Vivaldi天线(Vivaldi antenna)．要把Vivaldi阵列应用到望远镜上，需要对单个Vivaldi天线和Vivaldi阵列的电性能有清楚的认识，并能根据需要来设计照明方向图．还要知道大望远镜的焦面上电磁场的分布情况，借此判断能否应用Vivaldi阵列，以及给出Vivaldi单元的分路赋权网络．主要给出了FAST的焦面场的分布情况．并说明应用Vivaldi阵列的可能性．     

InFOCμS Hard X-ray Imaging Telescope

InFOCμS is a new generation balloon-borne hard X-ray telescope with focusing optics and spectroscopy. We had a successful 22.5-hour flight from Fort Sumner, NM on September 16,17, 2004. In this paper, we present the performance of the hard X-ray telescope, which consists of a depth-graded platinum/carbon multilayer mirror and a CdZnTe detector. The telescope has an effective area of 49 cm² at 30 keV, an angular resolution of 2.4 arcmin (HPD), and a field of view of 11 arcmin (FWHM) depending on energies. The CdZnTe detector is configured with a 12 × 12 segmented array of detector pixels. The pixels are 2 mm square, and are placed on 2.1 mm centers. An averaged energy resolution is 4.4 keV at 60 keV and its standard deviation is 0.36 keV over 128 pixels. The detector is surrounded by a 3-cm thick CsI anti coincidence shield to reduce background from particles and photons not incident along the mirror focal direction. The inflight background is 2.9 × 10⁻⁴ cts cm⁻² sec⁻¹ keV⁻¹ in the 20–50 keV band.     

A New Magnetically Active Binary System Discovered in Yunnan-Hong Kong Wide Field Survey

We present a newly discovered magnetically active binary system detected by Yunnan-Hong Kong wide field survey, with an orbital period of 0.60286 days. Two color photometry for the system was performed using the 1 m Cassegrain telescope of Yunnan Observatories with its CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) camera. In the observed light curves, there are clearly different light maxima existed in the out-of-eclipse regions. We made spectroscopic observations for the binary system using the 2.4 m telescope and YFOSC (Yunnan Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera) of Lijiang station of Yunnan Observatories, China. The radial velocity curve was derived for primary star of the binary system. The primary star exhibited strong chromospheric activity, which confirms that the distortion of the light curves results from the starspot activity on the primary star. Through analyzing the light curves and RV (Radial Velocity) curve mentioned above by means of the W-D (Wilson-Devinney) code, orbital parameters and starspot configuration of the binary system are obtained. Finally, we have discussed the properties of the binary system, and given the prospects on the future work.     

30m环形干涉望远镜

简要介绍了云南天文台对下一代地面大型天文光学望远镜进行的初步研究，依据这些研究结果我们提出研制一个新概念的大型地面望远镜：30m环形干涉望远镜（Ringy Interferometric Telescope），它既有单口径望远镜那样的直接成像能力和分辨率，又可以进行综合孔径模式的高分辨率成像，该计划显著地不同于经典的地面大型望远镜，对其中关键技术的研究正在积极进行之中。     

云南-香港宽视场巡天新发现的一个磁活动双星系统

云南-香港宽视场巡天新发现了一个磁活动双星系统,其轨道周期为0.60286 d.利用云南天文台1 m光学望远镜附加CCD (Charge-Coupled Device)相机,观测得到了这个双星系统的V、Rc双色光变曲线,结果表明该系统食外存在明显的测光畸变.借助云南天文台丽江2.4 m望远镜附加云南暗弱天体光谱成像仪(Yunnan Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera, YFOSC)对该双星系统的分光观测,测定了该双星系统主星的视向速度曲线并发现该系统的主星表面存在着强烈的色球活动,从而证明系统的光变曲线畸变源自主星的黑子活动.使用W-D (Wilson-Devinney)程序分析上述观测得到的光变曲线和视向速度曲线,得到了该双星系统的轨道参数以及黑子参数.最后,对该系统的特性进行了讨论并对未来的工作进行了展望.     

Evolution of Wide Star Pairs Owing to Irregular Forces

The dynamic evolution of wide star pairs (separated by 10⁴ AU for typical galactic conditions) under the influence of random interactions with background stars during transits is studied theoretically. Transits which form a roughly equilateral triangle at some time are considered. The combined effect of many transits can be separated into systematic heating of the pair plus random diffusion over the Kepler elements a and e. The corresponding Fokker-Planck equation is derived and its range of validity indicated. A steady state distribution over a and e is obtained.     

An Australia Telescope survey for CMB anisotropies

We have surveyed six distinct 'empty fields' using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in an ultracompact configuration with the aim of imaging, with a high brightness sensitivity, any arcminute-scale brightness-temperature anisotropies in the background radio sky. The six well-separated regions were observed at a frequency of 8.7 GHz, and the survey regions were limited by the ATCA primary beams which have a full width at half-maximum of 6 arcmin at this frequency; all fields were observed with a resolution of 2 arcmin and an rms thermal noise of 24 μJy beam⁻¹. After subtracting foreground confusion detected in higher resolution images of the fields, residual fluctuations in Stokes I images are consistent with the expectations from thermal noise and weaker (unidentified) foreground sources; the Stokes Q and U images are consistent with expectations from thermal noise.
Within the sensitivity of our observations, we have no reason to believe that there are any Sunyaev–Zeldovich holes in the microwave sky surveyed. Assuming Gaussian-form CMB anisotropy with a 'flat' spectrum, we derive 95 per cent confidence upper limits of Q _flat<10–11 μK in polarized intensity and Q _flat<25 μK in total intensity. The ATCA filter function peaks at l =4700 and has half-maximum values at l =3350 and 6050.