数字滤波技术在射电天文测量中的应用

随着数字技术的发展，数字信号处理芯片的速度越来越快，这为高速数字滤波的实时实现提供了可能。简要阐述了数字滤波的原理，并对两种数字滤波的实现方法进行了分析；给出了数字滤波较模拟滤波的优势；介绍了数字滤波在射电天文测量中的各种应用。     

Eagle Nebula Pillars: From Models to Observations

Over the past few years, our group has been developing hydrodynamic models to simulate formation of the Eagle Nebula pillars. The true test of any model is, of course, how well it can reproduce the observations. Here, we discuss how we go about testing our models against observations. We describe the process by which we “observe” the model data to create synthetic maps. We show an example of this technique using one of our model runs and compare the resultant synthetic map to the real one.     

对称模式下的CHAMP弯曲角掩星数据同化

简单介绍了无线电掩星技术探测行星大气的发展史,列举了该技术中存在的若干问题。从 Eyre提出的统计学的最优估计反演方法,比较了用相位、弯曲角和折射率作为同化因子时出现的问题和各自的优缺点。对弯曲角同化因子,以欧洲中期天气预报中心(ECMWF)资料为背景场,运用一维变分技术,进行CHAMP掩星观测资料变分同化反演,从而获得水汽和温度剖面。将反演获得的气象剖面与非同化的剖面作比较,并且采用相应的探空气球资料作为验证,可以看出变分同化技术比传统的标准反演技术反演误差小。证实掩星数据资料的一维变分同化技术可以改进目前的数值天气预报模式。     

Using large radio telescopes at decametre wavelengths

With the aim of evaluating the actual possibilities of doing, from the ground, sensitive radio astronomy at decametre wavelengths (particularly below ), an extensive program of radio observations was carried out, in 1999–2002, by using digital spectral and waveform analysers (DSP) of new generation, connected to several of the largest, decametre radio telescopes in the world (i.e., the UTR-2 and URANs arrays in Ukraine, and the Nançay Decametre Array in France).

We report and briefly discuss some new findings, dealing with decametre radiation from Jupiter and the Solar Corona: namely the discovery of new kinds of hyper fine structures in spectrograms of the active Sun, and a new characterisation of Jupiter's “millisecond” radiation, whose waveform samples, with time resolution down to 40 ns, and correlated measurements, by using far distant antennas (3000 km), have been obtained. In addition, scattering effects, caused by the terrestrial ionosphere and the interplanetary medium, could be disentangled through high time resolution and wide-band analyses of solar, planetary and strong galactic radio sources. Consequences for decametre wavelength imaging at high spatial resolution (VLBI) are outlined. Furthermore, in spite of the very unfavourable electromagnetic environment in this frequency range, a substantial increase in the quality of the observations was shown to be provided by using new generation spectrometers, based on sophisticated digital techniques. Indeed, the available, high dynamic range of such devices greatly decreases the effects of artificial and natural radio interference. We give several examples of successful signal detection in the case of much weaker radio sources than Solar System ones, down to the intensity level.

In summary, we conclude that searching for sensitivity improvement at the decametre wavelength is scientifically quite justified, and is now technically feasible, in particular by building giant, phased antenna arrays of much larger collecting area (as in the LOFAR project). In this task, one must be careful of some specifics of this wavelength range—somewhat unusual in “classical” radio astronomy—i.e., very high level and density of radio interference (telecommunications) and the variable terrestrial ionosphere.     

RFI Test Observations at a Candidate Ska Site in China

Radio frequency interference (RFI) test observations were carried out at one of the candidate Square Kilometre Array (SKA) sites in Guizhou province, following the “RFI Measurement Protocol for Candidate SKA Sites” (hereafter RFI protocol). All data (raw and calibrated) are preserved in some suitable format, such as that set by the international RFI working group of the Site Evaluation and Selection Committee (SESC). An RFI test in December 2003 was performed according to Mode 1 of the RFI Protocol, in order to identify technical difficulties which might arise during a co-ordinated RFI measurement campaign over a period of 1 year. In this paper we describe the current equipment, observational technique and data presentation. The preliminary results demonstrate that the RFI situation at Dawodang depression in Guizhou province makes it quite a promising location for the proposed SKA. Furthermore, the first session of the RFI monitoring program, which was made in May 2004, showed that a complete RFI measurement including both modes 1 and 2 of the RFI Protocol would take about 2 weeks. The possible ways to minimize some limitations of the current equipment are also discussed, which will enable us to meet the RFI protocol.