InfraRed Astronomy Satellite Swarm Interferometry (IRASSI): Overview and study results

The far-infrared (FIR) regime is one of the few wavelength ranges where no astronomical data with sub-arcsecond spatial resolution exist yet. Neither of the medium-term satellite projects like SPICA, Millimetron or OST will resolve this malady. For many research areas, however, information at high spatial and spectral resolution in the FIR, taken from atomic fine-structure lines, from highly excited carbon monoxide (CO) and especially from water lines would open the door for transformative science. These demands call for interferometric concepts. We present here first results of our feasibility study IRASSI (Infrared Astronomy Satellite Swarm Interferometry) for an FIR space interferometer. Extending on the principal concept of the previous study ESPRIT, it features heterodyne interferometry within a swarm of five satellite elements. The satellites can drift in and out within a range of several hundred meters, thereby achieving spatial resolutions of <0.1 arcsec over the whole wavelength range of 1–6 THz. Precise knowledge on the baselines will be ensured by metrology methods employing laser-based optical frequency combs, for which preliminary ground-based tests have been designed by members of our study team. We first give a motivation on how the science requirements translate into operational and design parameters for IRASSI. Our consortium has put much emphasis on the navigational aspects of such a free-flying swarm of satellites operating in relatively close vicinity. We hence present work on the formation geometry, the relative dynamics of the swarm, and aspects of our investigation towards attitude estimation. Furthermore, we discuss issues regarding the real-time capability of the autonomous relative positioning system, which is an important aspect for IRASSI where, due to the large raw data rates expected, the interferometric correlation has to be done onboard, in quasi-real-time. We also address questions regarding the spacecraft architecture and how a first thermomechanical model is used to study the effect of thermal perturbations on the spacecraft. This will have implications for the necessary internal calibration of the local tie between the laser metrology and the phase centres of the science signals and will ultimately affect the accuracy of the baseline estimations.     

Ka波段机载双模式干涉SAR系统设计及测量精度分析

为解决传统干涉合成孔径雷达(SAR)系统只能顺轨干涉或交轨干涉,无法兼顾高精度高程测量和速度测量的问题,开展了Ka波段机载双模式干涉SAR系统设计与干涉测量精度分析。基于Ka波段电磁波波长短、干涉相位敏感度好的特点,利用较短的干涉基线在同一干涉SAR系统中实现高精度干涉测高与测速,并介绍了所设计的Ka波段机载双模式干涉SAR验证系统。仿真结果表明:该系统具备高效率、高精度干涉测量能力,可获得亚米级的绝对测高精度和0.1 m/s的测速精度。     

基于蒙特卡罗方法的冷原子干涉仪物理仿真

由于现有的噪声分析方法无法很好地评估在复杂环境下冷原子干涉仪的输出特性,本文提出了一种新的冷原子干涉仪仿真方法,可以模拟大动态条件下各项噪声及其之间的耦合对冷原子干涉仪的影响。利用单粒子波包演化的处理方式对冷原子干涉仪进行全过程物理建模,并采取蒙特卡罗方法对大量确定初态的原子进行全过程统计,最终得到冷原子干涉仪在多种噪声同时存在的情况下的响应。该方法主要优势体现在能够对噪声耦合情形进行高精度仿真,并且可以根据实际数据对干涉仪输出进行实时处理,以提升冷原子干涉仪的性能指标。     

Measurement of mass diffusion coefficients of O_2 in aviation fuel through digital holographic interferometry

The experimental apparatus to measure the mass diffusion coefficients of O2 in aviation fuel was constructed based on the digital holographic interferometry method. The theory of mass diffusion coefficient and interference image processing were introduced in detail. The accuracy of the experiment was verified by measuring the mass diffusion coefficient of 0.33 mol/L KCl in aqueous solution at 298.15 K. The mass diffusion coefficients of O_2 in RP3 and RP5 aviation fuels were measured at temperature from 278.15 K to 333.15 K, and the Arrhenius equation was employed to fit the experimental data. In terms of the Stokes-Einstein equation, the viscosities of these two aviation fuels were tested to estimate the correlation among mass diffusion coefficient, viscosity and temperature. A uniform polynomial calculation correlation was proposed to predict the mass diffusion coefficients of O_2 in both RP3 and RP5 aviation fuels, and its accuracy is considerably higher than that of the Stokes-Einstein equation.     

深空探测器无线电干涉测量开源数据处理系统构建及试验

为更好地开展深空无线电干涉测量试验,基于DiFX(Distributed FX,分布式FX型相关处理)、SPICE(Spacecraft Planet Instrument Camera-matrix Events,航天器行星仪器照相机矩阵事件)、HOPS(Haystack Observatory Postprocessing System,Haystack克天文台后处理系统)及AIPS(Astronomical Image Processing System,天文图像处理系统)等开源软件,搭建了一套可用于深空探测器信号相关处理的无线电干涉测量数据处理系统。首先介绍了该系统的整体架构及组成,然后介绍了系统各组成模块的功能及工作原理,最后利用该系统对嫦娥三号着陆器开展了观测试验,并对观测数据进行了处理。试验结果表明,该系统能成功实现深空航天器信号的相关处理、条纹拟合,以及时延解算等功能,有望为我国嫦娥五号任务及火星探测任务数据处理提供支持。     

基于云纹干涉与钻孔法的等离子热障涂层残余应力实验研究

应用云纹干涉法与钻孔法结合的光测力学实验方法,研究了等离子热障涂层基体材料镍基高温合金DZ125的残余应力。通过实验和计算获得了等离子喷涂工艺下基体DZ125的残余变形场、残余应变场和残余应力,并描述了其主要特征。结果表明,采用云纹干涉法与钻孔法结合测定热障涂层残余应力具有全场测量和高灵敏度等优点,这对于采用光学手段研究热障涂层残余应力有着积极的意义。     

基于小卫星编队的稀疏孔径遥感技术

介绍了实现稀疏孔径系统的迈克尔逊干涉和斐索干涉的两种干涉成像原理,讨论了实现稀疏孔径探测和成像的子孔径的空间布局、相位一致和图像恢复,分析了载荷展开,卫星编队中的编队卫星轨道设计、空间基线测量与控制,以及光机技术等工程化实现的关键技术。     

连线干涉测量信号处理方法及实验验证

干涉测量技术是深空探测任务中高精度获取导航数据观测量的重要技术手段。阐述连线干涉测量原理,详细推导干涉测量信号处理算法,用于准确提取反映航天器测角信息的时延观测量。分析信号处理数学模型,通过仿真验证算法的有效性。由于连线干涉测量具有严格的时间同步特性,同时消除了传播介质公共误差对信号的影响,通过搭建连线干涉测量实验系统实际采集地球同步卫星信号进行分析,结果表明实验成功获取了清晰的干涉条纹,得到高精度的时延观测量信息,从而验证了连线干涉测量信号处理方法的有效性。     

曲面和任意取向表面表面摩阻油膜测量法的进展

本文叙述曲面和任意取向表面表面摩阻测量方法的进一步的发展。介绍用漫射照明获取薄油膜等厚度干涉条纹谱的理论根据和实验结果。讨论了通过油流显示图像的分析，自动探测表面流线方位的可能性。所得结论表明油膜法也能应用于复杂的三维流动。     

面向绕月交会对接的同波束VLBI研究

针对"嫦娥5号"(CE-5)探测器间高精度相对测量需求,设计了我国深空干涉测量处理中心框架下的同波束VLBI处理算法,分析了X波段同波束VLBI相位解模糊条件和结果;通过引入群时延辅助的相位干涉技术,大幅抑制了干涉时延随机误差,为同波束VLBI中相位解模糊提供了先验条件;利用CE-5对接实测数据验证了本文工作的有效性,为CE-5任务同波束VLBI的实施奠定了基础。