SAR回波信号及InSAR干涉相位的统计特性研究

分析了SAR回波信号的构成及干涉相位的统计特性,系统地研究了经多视处理后SAR干涉相位的概率密度函数与相干系数、视数的关系．明确了在不同视数下,噪声对干涉图质量的影响,为干涉图的质量评价和误差消除提供了理论依据．     

Gaussianity of the cosmic microwave background: smooth goodness-of-fit tests applied to interferometric data

We adapt the smooth tests of goodness-of-fit developed by Rayner and Best to the study of the non-Gaussianity of interferometric observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The interferometric measurements (visibilities) are transformed into signal-to-noise ratio eigenmodes, and then the method is applied directly in Fourier space. This transformation allows us to perform the analysis in different subsets of eigenmodes according to their signal-to-noise ratio level. The method can also deal with non-uniform or incomplete coverage of the UV plane. We explore here two possibilities: we analyse either the real and imaginary parts of the complex visibilities (Gaussianly distributed under the Gaussianity hypothesis) or their phases (uniformly distributed under the Gaussianity hypothesis). The power of the method in discriminating between Gaussian and non-Gaussian distributions is studied by using several kinds of non-Gaussian simulations. On the one hand, we introduce a certain degree of non-Gaussianity directly into the Fourier space using the Edgeworth expansion, and afterwards the desired correlation is introduced. On the other hand, we consider interferometric observations of a map with topological defects (cosmic strings). To these previous non-Gaussian simulations we add different noise levels and quantify the required signal-to-noise ratio necessary to achieve a detection of these non-Gaussian features. Finally, we have also studied the ability of the method to constrain the so-called non-linear coupling constant f _NL using χ² simulations. The whole method is illustrated here by application to simulated data from the Very Small Array interferometer.     

KAGRA引力波探测器中频率相关压缩态实验进展

随着技术的发展,下一代引力波探测器的激光功率将得到进一步提高。大光斑半径的应用也将使探测器的热噪声进一步降低,因此,量子噪声将成为在全频段限制引力波探测器灵敏度的首要因素。作为目前最有保障的一种降低量子噪声的技术,频率相关压缩态很可能将被应用于下一代所有引力波探测器中^[1]。频率相关压缩态可以通过将频率不相关压缩态与滤波腔相结合而产生。基于滤波腔具有的频率响应特性,这一技术的应用可以使低频波段的辐射压噪声有效降低,同时实现高频波段散粒噪声的降低,从而实现全探测频段灵敏度的提升。基于日本KAGRA引力波探测器的设计,我们预计将9dB压缩度的压缩态与周损失为8×10^-5的300m滤波腔相结合,可以使探测器灵敏度在全探测频段提高1倍。此实验于2015年开始,目前滤波腔的安装调试已经基本完成,得到的结果基本与实验前的模拟相符合。与频率不相关压缩态光学实验台的安装过程也已经过半,通过温度和控制回路的调制,二次谐波腔的转化率已经超过50%。     

Off disk-center potential field calculations using vector magnetograms

We investigate a potential field calculation for off disk-center vector magnetograms that uses all the three components of the measured field. There is neither any need for interpolation of grid points between the image plane and the heliographic plane nor for an extension or a truncation to a heliographic rectangle. Hence, the method provides the maximum information content from the photospheric field as well as the most consistent potential field independent of the viewing angle. The introduction of polarimetric noise produces a less tolerant extrapolation procedure than using the line-of-sight extrapolation, but the resultant standard deviation is still small enough for the practical utility of this method.National Research Council Resident Research Associate on leave from Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore 560034, India.     

Observational features of field line resonances excited by solar wind pressure variations on 4 September 1984

In the course of the magnetic storm of 4 September 1984, after an inverse sudden impulse (SI), geomagnetic pulsations in the Pc5-frequency range were observed at magnetometer stations in the local evening sector. They occurred at L-values of 6, and lasted for several hours, their period increasing from about 320 to 550 s. In this study, two events of enhanced activity are discussed in some detail. During the 16:00 U.T. event, a favourable position of the AMPTE/IRM spacecraft allows conjugate observations in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and in the magnetosphere. This constellation permits a precise determination of the wave mode. During a later intensification around 18:00 U.T., the AMPTE/CCE spacecraft near local noon monitored poloidal waves, obviously driving the pulsations on the ground. Generally, the observations are consistent with the theory of field line resonance. They are interpreted as being excited by pressure variations in the solar wind. The hydromagnetic cavity mode is assumed to link the magnetopause surface motions to the field line resonances.     

Exploring three faint source detections methods for aperture synthesis radio images

Wide-field radio interferometric images often contain a large population of faint compact sources. Due to their low intensity/noise ratio, these objects can be easily missed by automated detection methods, which have been classically based on thresholding techniques after local noise estimation. The aim of this paper is to present and analyse the performance of several alternative or complementary techniques to thresholding. We compare three different algorithms to increase the detection rate of faint objects. The first technique consists of combining wavelet decomposition with local thresholding. The second technique is based on the structural behaviour of the neighbourhood of each pixel. Finally, the third algorithm uses local features extracted from a bank of filters and a boosting classifier to perform the detections. The methods’ performances are evaluated using simulations and radio mosaics from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. We show that the new methods perform better than well-known state of the art methods such as SExtractor, SAD and DUCHAMP at detecting faint sources of radio interferometric images.     

The determination of vector magnetic fields from stokes profiles

The application of Unno's (1956) solution of the transfer equation for polarized radiation to the determination of thevector magnetic field is investigated. An analysis procedure utilizing non-linear least squares techniques is developed that allows one to automate the reduction of measured spectral profiles of the Stokes parameters to determine the field angles, strength as well as other parameters. The method is applied to synthetic spectra generated using a model solar atmosphere and yields results of remarkably high accuracy. The influence of additional factors upon determination of the vector field are also considered. These factors include effects of asymmetric profiles, magneto-optical effects, magnetic field gradients, unresolved field elements, scattered light, and instrumental noise.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Asteroseismology and interferometry

Asteroseismology provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Recent developments, including the first systematic studies of solar-like pulsators, have boosted the impact of this field of research within astrophysics and have led to a significant increase in the size of the research community. In the present paper we start by reviewing the basic observational and theoretical properties of classical and solar-like pulsators and present results from some of the most recent and outstanding studies of these stars. We centre our review on those classes of pulsators for which interferometric studies are expected to provide a significant input. We discuss current limitations to asteroseismic studies, including difficulties in mode identification and in the accurate determination of global parameters of pulsating stars, and, after a brief review of those aspects of interferometry that are most relevant in this context, anticipate how interferometric observations may contribute to overcome these limitations. Moreover, we present results of recent pilot studies of pulsating stars involving both asteroseismic and interferometric constraints and look into the future, summarizing ongoing efforts concerning the development of future instruments and satellite missions which are expected to have an impact in this field of research.     

Short period variation of the photospheric magnetic field

The photospheric magnetic data recorded from August 12, 1959 to September 29, 1967 and averaged over Bartels rotation periods are treated as zonal terms of the solar magnetic field which is expanded in a series of spherical harmonics. Numerical analysis of the reduced data gives seven periods. Three of these seem to be essential in the superposed variation of the solar magnetic field. The first of them (17.74 yr) is thought to be a contribution from the magnetic cycle for the determination of which the data covering only 8 yr interval are of insufficient accurity. For this reason, a 22.2 yr period is favoured by the computations. The numerical values of the two shorter periods are deduced as 2.557 yr and 4.194 yr. The amplitudes and phase angles of the periodic terms in question are determined.     

2.4m天文望远镜光学系统的设计及副镜检验的几种可能方案

详细说明了 2 .4m天文望远镜分别采用主镜焦比f/1 .5和f/3时光学系统的设计 :针对主镜焦比为f/3的凸非球面副镜 ,阐述了运用 4种不同检验方案的设计结果 ;重点介绍了计算全息法。并对几种方案作了比较     

The Measurement of the Orientation of the Magnetic Field in Molecular Clouds

We discuss how the combination of polarimetry and ion-to-neutral molecular line width ratio measurements permits the determination of the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field in the weakly ionized parts of molecular clouds. Polarimetry measurements give the field orientation in the plane of the sky and the ion-to-neutral molecular line width ratio determines the angle between the magnetic field and the line of sight. We show the first results obtained with this technique on the M17 and Orion A star-forming region using Hertz 350 μm polarimetry maps and HCO⁺-to-HCN molecular line width ratios to provide the first view of the spatial orientation of the magnetic field these molecular clouds.     

Non-intrusive measurements of crater growth

An experimental technique to measure crater growth is presented whereby a high speed video captures profiles of a crater forming after impact obtained using a vertical laser sheet centered on the impact point. Unlike previous so called “quarter-space experiments,” where projectiles were launched along a transparent Plexiglas sheet so that growth of half a crater could be viewed, the use of the laser sheet permits viewing changes in crater shape without any physical interference to the cratering process. This technique indicates that for low velocity impacts (<300 m/s) into 220 μm glass beads that are without cohesion and where the projectile is not disrupted, craters initially grow somewhat proportionally, but that later their depths remain essentially constant while their diameters continue to expand. In addition, these experiments indicate that as the impact velocity increases, the rate of growth and the transient depth to diameter ratio at the end of ejecta excavation decreases. These last two observations are probably due to the large time of penetration of the projectile, which becomes a significant fraction of the time of crater formation. This is contrary to the expectations for the scaling rules, which assumes a point source. Very high curtain angles (>45°) are also seen, and could be due to the low friction angle of the target. Significant crater modification, which is rarely seen in “quarter-space experiments,” is also observed and appears to be controlled by the dynamic angle of repose of the target. These latter observations indicate that differences in target friction angles may need to be considered when determining near rim ejecta-mass distributions and large-scale crater modification processes on the planets.     

Pulsations in the solar wind and on the ground

Measurements of the pulsation activity recorded by the HEOS-1 satellite in the solar wind upstream from the Earth's bow shock are compared with records of Pc 3–4 activity at the Soviet Borok Observatory. Selecting only events in the 0300–1000 U.T. range most suitable for observing at Borok, we obtained eight events with closely similar periods at the satellite and at Borok, while another event showed similar onset times but had rather different dominant periodicities at the two locations.The time delay between the start of the event at HEOS and at Borok depends on the distance between the satellite and the bow shock in a way which suggests that the pulsation activity at the satellite is produced by protons which are counter-streaming along the interplanetary field lines as a result of reflection or energisation at the shock. When the interplanetary field is directed away from the Sun, the period of the disturbance at Borok is most closely similar to the period at HEOS and both are inversely proportional to the magnitude of the interplanetary magnetic field. This coincident dominant periodicity at HEOS and Borok did not seem to exist during periods of Sunward directed interplanetary field.These results are discussed in terms of the possible generating mechanisms for Pc 3–4 activity.     

Zur Auswertung astronomischer Aufnahmen mit dem automatischen Flächenphotometer

By measuring astronomical plates point by point by a microdensitometer information of very high redundancy is provided together with considerable noise due to the grains of the emulsion. In order to get astronomically relevant parameters the signal has to be separated from this noise and the data should be compressed. A chain of processing steps is described and analysed the crucial part of which being a variable twodimensional filter. This filter fits automatically its own band width to the incoming signal and reduces the number of data considerably (up to a factor of about 100). It is based on a modified HAAR transform and can be implemented easily on a relatively small processor working on line with the microdensitometer. The optimal separation of the noise is accomplished by a further variable digital filter (twodimensional KALMAN filter performed on an universal computer) the band width of which is also steered by the HAAR filter. The stars and galaxies in a larger field of the plate are picked up in the domain of the HAAR transform. Finally, the astronomically relevant parameters (coordinates and brightness of stars; furthermore diameter, axial ratio, position angle, perturbation, bright core et al. for galaxies) are obtained from the expansion of the intensity distribution into potential moments. The method is applicable e.g. to the determination of the brightness or colour distribution in a single galaxy or to the photometry of all stars and galaxies in a large part of the plate. The star photometry is obtained by integrating the intensity distribution of each object, if the characteristic curve of the plate is known from a calibration wedge copied onto the plate. Then no photoelectric sequency across the whole brightness range under consideration is needed besides of the zero point of the magnitude scale.     

Electric field microfluctuations on the shock front in the model experiments

Fluctuations of the electric and magnetic field are studied in collisionless shock formed during plasma flow over a terrella. Spectra of magnetic fluctuations in the laboratory experiment and in space appear to coincide in dimensionless units. Electric field fluctuations appear at the shock wave formation, with frequencies in the hybrid Larmor frequency range. The appearance of noise is preceeded by the formation of positive potential maxima. The reflection of ions from the potential maxima must lead to two stream motion in a plasma with magnetized electrons. Such motion is unstable and excites longitudinal waves. Dissipation of energy of the directional motion after damping of electrical noises apparently occurs only through microfluctuations of the magnetic field.     

Experimental Radar Studies of Anisotropic Diffusion of High Altitude Meteor Trails

At altitudes above 93 km in the atmosphere, magnetic and electric fields can affect the modes and rates of non-turbulent diffusion of ionized meteor trails. Anisotropic diffusion is expected. Most theories of anisotropic diffusion, and indeed most experimental studies, have concentrated on the effects of the magnetic field in producing this anisotropy, and different rates of expansion are expected in directions parallel to and perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. In this study, we use interferometric meteor radars to investigate the dependence of the ambipolar diffusion coefficient on viewing direction relative to the magnetic field, and show that the dependence is at best weak when daily averages are used. We then demonstrate that the reason for this effect is that the positions of maximum and minimum diffusion rates varies as a function of time of day, and that daily averaging masks the anisotropy. One possibility to account for the observations is that this strong diurnal variation is a consequence of the electric fields in the upper atmosphere, which are often tidally driven. An alternative possibility is a diurnal cycle in mean meteor entrance speeds. We lean towards the first hypothesis, but both possibilities are discussed. We demonstrate our results with data from several sites, but particularly using the Clovar radar near London, Ontario, Canada.     

Scientific and technical results from VINCI using coherent estimation of fringe visibility

Although primarily intended as a test and alignment instrument in order to commission the VLTI, VINCI has taken useful scientific data in its first year and a half of operation. Our results employ coherent integration of fringe visibility in which the actual amplitudes of the raw scans are combined linearly after correcting for the position of the fringe within each scan. In addition to reducing the effect of noise compared to incoherent integration, the result contains a broader range of information, including an estimate of the complex visibility spectrum. Such an estimator is thus sensitive to instrumental phase and spectral characteristics, including the variable component of dispersion introduced by the excess air paths in the delay lines. Calibration of such instrumental effects demonstrates the ability to detect source phase at a fine level as will be required for direct interferometric detection of extra solar planets. We present diameters for five stars obtained by observing the visibility null in their correlated spectra. Using coherent integration we have also observed the peculiar correlated spectra seen in many Mira variables, possibly due to changes in the apparent diameter with wavelength. Calibration of the zero-baseline power from o Ceti is used with other interferometric observations of this star over a period of 90 days to plot diameter variations associated with its pulsation cycle. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal instability in turbulent models of the Interstellar Medium

We discuss numerical simulations (and issues) of the atomic ISM tailored to investigate the possible existence of significant amounts of gas in the temperature range between the warm and cold stable phases. We attribute the presence of this gas to two facts: the enhanced stability of moderate, adiabatic-like velocityfluctuations occurring when the ratio of the cooling to the dynamical crossingtime is large, and the recycling of gas from the denseto the diffuse phase by stellar energy injection. Weconclude by suggesting that the gas with unstable temperatures can beobservationally distinguished through simultaneous determination of twoof its thermodynamic variables.     

Radio pulses from ultra-high energy atmospheric showers as the superposition of Askaryan and geomagnetic mechanisms

Radio emission in atmospheric showers is currently interpreted in terms of radiation due to the deviation of the charged particles in the magnetic field of the Earth and to the charge excess (Askaryan effect). Each of these mechanisms has a distinctive polarization. The complex signal patterns can be qualitatively explained as the interference (superposition) of the fields induced by each mechanism. In this work we explicitly and quantitatively test a simple phenomenological model based on this idea. The model is constructed by isolating each of the two components at the simulation level and by making use of approximate symmetries for each of the contributions separately. The results of the model are then checked against full ZHAireS Monte Carlo simulations of the electric field calculated from first principles. We show that the simple model describes radio emission at a few percent level in a wide range of shower-observer geometries and on a shower-by-shower basis. As a consequence, this approach provides a simple method to reduce the computing time needed to accurately predict the electric field of radio pulses emitted from air showers, with many practical applications in experimental situations of interest.