Extragalactic radio sources

Some recent observational results on extended and compact extragalactic radio sources are described. Theoretical interpretations are critically examined.     

RadioAstron orbit determination and evaluation of its results using correlation of space-VLBI observations

A crucial part of a space mission for very-long baseline interferometery (VLBI), which is the technique capable of providing the highest resolution images in astronomy, is orbit determination of the mission’s space radio telescope(s). In order to successfully detect interference fringes that result from correlation of the signals recorded by a ground-based and a space-borne radio telescope, the propagation delays experienced in the near-Earth space by radio waves emitted by the source and the relativity effects on each telescope’s clock need to be evaluated, which requires accurate knowledge of position and velocity of the space radio telescope. In this paper we describe our approach to orbit determination (OD) of the RadioAstron spacecraft of the RadioAstron space-VLBI mission. Determining RadioAstron’s orbit is complicated due to several factors: strong solar radiation pressure, a highly eccentric orbit, and frequent orbit perturbations caused by the attitude control system. We show that in order to maintain the OD accuracy required for processing space-VLBI observations at cm-wavelengths it is required to take into account the additional data on thruster firings, reaction wheel rotation rates, and attitude of the spacecraft. We also investigate into using the unique orbit data available only for a space-VLBI spacecraft, i.e. the residual delays and delay rates that result from VLBI data processing, as a means to evaluate the achieved OD accuracy. We present the results of the first experience of OD accuracy evaluation of this kind, using more than 5000 residual values obtained as a result of space-VLBI observations performed over 7 years of the RadioAstron mission operations.     

Observations of extragalactic objects with telescope ART-P onboard Granat

During 1990–1991 more than two dozens of extragalactic objects were observed by X-ray instruments aboard the Granat satellite. Among them there were AGNs and Seyfert galaxies (NGC4151, NGC5548, MCG-30-15, IC4329 etc.), quasars (3C273, 3C390.3 etc.), radio galaxies (Cen A, M87 etc.) and clusters of galaxies (Virgo, Perseus, Coma etc.). We will discuss below the preliminary results obtained with the ART-P telescope during the observations of five sources: NGC4151, 3C273, Cen A and the galaxies M87 and NGC4388 on the Virgo cluster.     

Millimeter observations of variable radio sources in the Galactic plane

We report on multi-epoch millimeter observations of variable radio sources that were identified through the 6-cm Galactic plane survey by Gregory and Taylor. Although the aim of the original survey was to search for exotic galactic radio sources such as Cyg X-3, our multifrequency study in the past suggested that the majority of these sources are extragalactic. To explore intrinsic variability of these sources, we carried out monitoring observations at short millimeter wavelengths where the interstellar scintillation effects become less significant and stronger intrinsic variability is expected as the millimeter emission arises from deeper in the cores. Most of the observed sources show moderate degrees of millimeter variability indicating they are intrinsically variable. The spectra for some observed sources are flat out to millimeter wavelengths — similar to that of blazars. Thus the survey sample is likely to contain many unidentified radio-loud AGN behind the Milky Way.     

Gamma ray astrophysics and signatures of axion-like particles

We propose that axion-like particles (ALPs) with a two-photon vertex, consistent with all astrophysical and laboratory bounds, may lead to effects in the spectra of high-energy gamma-ray sources detectable by satellite or ground-based telescopes. We discuss two kinds of signatures: (i) a peculiar spectral depletion due to gamma rays being converted into ALPs in the magnetic fields of efficient astrophysical accelerators according to the “Hillas criterion”, such as jets of active galactic nuclei or hot spots of radio galaxies; (ii) an appearance of otherwise invisible sources in the GeV or TeV sky due to back-conversion of an ALP flux (associated with gamma-ray emitters suffering some attenuation) in the magnetic field of the Milky Way. These two mechanisms might also provide an exotic way to avoid the exponential cutoff of very high energy gamma-rays expected due to the pair production onto the extragalactic background light.     

基于紫外敏感器和星敏感器的卫星自主导航

卫星利用紫外敏感器和星敏感器进行自主导航的方法中地心矢量的测量精度是影响导航精度的重要因素之一,而地心矢量的测量又受到地球扁率的影响。在考虑地球扁率的前提下,研究了地球扁率对地心矢量测量的影响,给出了基于卫星姿态的地心矢量的补偿方法。仿真结果表明该补偿方法具有较高的补偿精度,并且能有效地提高卫星自主导航精度。     

WMAP extragalactic point sources as potential Space VLBI calibrators

The point source list of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) is a uniform, all-sky catalogue of bright sources with flux density measurements at high (up to 94 GHz) radio frequencies. We investigated the five-year WMAP list to compile a new catalogue of bright and compact extragalactic radio sources to be potentially studied with Very Long Baseline Interferometry at millimeter wavelengths (mm-VLBI) and Space VLBI (SVLBI). After comparing the WMAP data with the existing mm-VLBI catalogues, we sorted out the yet unexplored sources. Using the 41, 61 and 94 GHz WMAP flux densities, we calculated the spectral indices. By collecting optical identifications, lower-frequency radio flux densities and VLBI images from the literature, we created a list of objects which have not been investigated with VLBI at 86 GHz before. With total flux density at least 1 Jy and declination above −40°, we found 37 suitable new targets. It is a nearly 25% addition to the known mm-VLBI sources. Such objects are also potentially useful as phase-reference calibrators for the future Japanese SVLBI mission ASTRO-G at its highest observing frequency (43 GHz). The phase-referencing capability of ASTRO-G would allow long integrations and hence better sensitivity for observing faint target sources close to suitable phase calibrators in the sky.     

Radio-faint BL Lac objects and their impact on the radio/gamma-ray connection

Radio and gamma-ray emissions in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) are both related to the presence of relativistic particles in jets. With the advent of the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT), and thanks to its large sensitivity up to several GeV, many observational results are changing our understanding of these phenomena. BL Lac objects, which made up only a fraction of the known extragalactic gamma-ray source population before Fermi, have now become the most abundant class. However, since they are relatively weak radio sources, most of them are poorly known as far as their parsec scale structure and multi-wavelength properties are concerned. For this reason, we have selected a complete sample of 42 low redshift BL Lacs (independently of their gamma-ray properties) to study with a multi-wavelength (radio, optical, X-ray, gamma-ray) approach. Here, we present results and images of sources in the sample (most of which have never been observed before), using new VLBA observations at 8 and 15 GHz. Beyond this sample of BL Lacs, the population of gamma-ray AGNs has also dramatically enlarged in the Fermi era, permitting us to discuss the presence of a correlation between radio and gamma-ray properties with improved statistical significance. We explore the radio-gamma relation with several hundreds sources and using both simultaneous and archival radio data, thus tackling the impact of time variability.     

Active galactic nuclei imaging programs of the RadioAstron mission

Imaging relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) at angular resolution significantly surpassing that of the ground-based VLBI at centimetre wavelengths is one of the key science objectives of the RadioAstron space-VLBI mission. There are three RadioAstron imaging key science programs that target both nearby radio galaxies and blazars, with one of the programs specifically focusing on polarimetry of the jets. The first images from these programs reach angular resolution of a few tens of microarcseconds and reveal unprecedented details about the jet collimation profile, magnetic field configuration, and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities along the flow in some of the most studied AGN (3C 84, BL Lac, 3C 273, S5 0836 + 710). Here we give an overview of the goals and strategy of these three ongoing programs, highlight their early results, and discuss the challenges of space-VLBI imaging.     

宇宙黑暗时代探路者——鸿蒙计划

低频射电探测任务构想——鸿蒙计划旨在利用多颗卫星绕月编队形成超长波天文观测阵列,在月球背面开展空间低频射电天文探测。其科学目标是高精度测量全天射电频谱,揭示宇宙黑暗时代与黎明的演化历史;实现首次高分辨率超长波巡天,打开最后一个电磁窗口;观测太阳和行星超长波活动,揭示空间环境相互作用规律。该任务将获得超长波频段全天空图像,获取超长波波段天文射电源的强度、频谱、分布等信息。这些科学数据对于探索宇宙黑暗时代和黎明时代、研究银河系星际介质、宇宙线起源与传播、河外射电星系、类星体和星系团的演化、太阳活动与行星磁场等,具有重要的科学价值。     

卫星在轨故障案例与人工智能故障诊断

减少卫星在轨故障,使卫星按设计寿命要求在轨执行飞行任务是卫星设计的一个重要课题.为了分析在轨卫星故障的原因,探索最新的卫星故障诊断方法,首先收集了2003～2021年卫星典型在轨故障案例,然后对卫星故障从不同的维度进行统计分析和相关性分析,包括卫星平台与卫星故障的相关性、卫星在轨时长与卫星故障的相关性等,最后介绍了基于...     

仅地心矢量测量的卫星转对地定向姿态控制方法

摘要： 针对角速度过大且无其陀螺测量的姿态异常情况,开展仅依赖地心矢量的对地姿态快速恢复控制方法研究.基于地心矢量测量信息给出了天平角及天平角矢量定义,提出一种综合天平角抑制与能量耗散的对地姿态恢复控制方法;针对具有星体角动量偏置的闭环控制非线性系统,采用几何方法求解获取各平衡点,并由其特性分析表明通过参数合理选取可使得期望稳定对地姿态为系统唯一稳定平衡点;利用数学仿真方法验证了所提出方法的有效性.     

一种卫星天文自主定轨定姿方法研究

利用安装在卫星上的太阳敏感器和紫外敏感器测量出的卫星—太阳、卫星—地球和卫星一月球方向矢量，并利用雷达测高仪测出的地心距作为观测量，提出采用广义卡尔曼滤波方法实时地确定卫星绕地球飞行的轨道，同时确定出卫星的对地姿态．对自主定轨进行了数学仿真，分析比较了采样周期、轨道倾角、轨道偏心率和轨道高度等因素对定轨精度的影响．总结了其变化规律，该方法可用于提高卫星自主定轨精度．     

近圆低轨卫星星座相位保持方法

主要研究无轨道高度保持要求的近圆低轨卫星星座相位保持方法.首先根据轨道摄动理论，推导了考虑J2摄动和大气阻尼摄动的卫星相位漂移模型，分别给出基于固定基准星和基于虚拟基准星的相位偏差两种表达方法.在此基础上，按照星座各星轨道衰减一致和不一致两种情况，分别提出两种表示方法理论的和考虑实际控制误差的相位保持策略.通过一个walker星座仿真算例验证了两种方法的有效性.仿真结果显示，两种方法在各星轨道衰减一致和不一致两种情况均可有效完成相位维持任务，当各星轨道衰减一致时两种方法在控制次数和控制总量上无明显差异；在各星轨道衰减不一致情况下，基于固定基准星的相位保持策略更优.     

基准星辐射定标的辐射传递链路研究

为进一步提高遥感信息定量化应用水平,提高在轨辐射定标精度和定标频次,提出一种基于基准星的全谱段、全口径在轨绝对辐射定标方法,方法适用于可见近红外谱段;定标传递中辐射基准可溯源至SI(国际单位)。通过比较现有定标方法和基准星辐射定标的优缺点,分析基准星辐射基准溯源特性,建立太阳 基准星 遥感器的辐射传递模型,以高分一号和高分二号卫星为例,其作为待定标遥感器,对基准星定标的约束条件进行仿真分析,得出基准星辐射传递不确定度为13%。仿真结果验证了基准星定标方法的可行性,对遥感器辐射定标精度、频次的进一步提高提供了依据。     

A substitute for BOC modulation based on SS-CPM

CPM (continuous phase modulation) has been widely used in the field of satellite communication, which has high spectrum efficiency and constant envelope. This paper explores the applicability of CPM to satellite navigation. A SS-CPM (Spread-Spectrum CPM) modulation is investigated. The SS-CPM with tuned parameters can resemble the spectrum of Binary Offset Carrier (BOC) modulation and yields comparable performance in terms of tracking accuracy, multipath mitigation, anti-jamming, and compatibility. The BOC-like SS-CPM signal maintains the constant envelope at transmission and less out-band emission in radio determination satellite service (RDSS) band, which provides a reference modulation for COMPASS satellite navigation signal.     

双轴卫星天线扰动特性建模、仿真及试验

卫星天线微振动是影响卫星姿态控制精度的重要因素,卫星天线扰动建模的目的是掌握其扰动规律,进而采取相应的控制方法和隔离技术.综合考虑卫星天线扰动源步进电机的扰动力以及天线结构固有模态对星体的扰动影响,建立了卫星天线机构机电一体系统对星体扰动力的数学模型.通过仿真计算,设计试验测试卫星天线扰动力,比较仿真结果和试验结果,对所建模型进行验证.比较结果表明:建立的天线扰动模型准确可靠,对卫星指向控制精度和稳定性的影响提供了借鉴和参考.      

地心非旋转坐标系中的卫星双向时间比对计算模型

根据卫星双向时间频率传递 (TWSTFT)的基本原理 ,详细推导了地心非旋转坐标系中TWSTFT的计算模型 ,并与地固系中的计算模型进行了分析比较 ,证明了两种计算模型在亚纳秒量级上的等价性。     

等效地球半径法应用中的问题

为阐明等效地球半径法应用的范围和应用中应该注意的问题,从等效地球半径法的定义推导了等效地球半径模型与实际地球模型之间量的映射关系.给出并证明了等效过程中等效地球半径模型与实际地球模型下的射线高度、仰角、长度相等,而地心角在转换过程中约为3/4的映射关系.讨论了需要利用地心角映射关系进行计算时的两种情况,同时给出计算结果和误差分析.     

Extragalactic gamma-ray bursts

Several lines of evidence (the log N(>S)-log S curve and the spatial distribution of bursts) suggest that gamma-ray bursters may reside in an extended halo population, at distances of about 100 kpc from the Earth. Several recent models (e.g. the thermal synchrotron model and the extinct radio pulsar model) arrive at the same conclusion. We point out here that if bursters are indeed quite distant, then it may be possible to detect extragalactic GRB's under some conditions. Using simple scaling arguments, we calculate burst rates and intensities in two nearby galaxies, LMC and M31, and show that a variety of presently operational or planned experiments have sufficient sensitivity to detect extragalactic bursts. Even non-detection can be used to set interesting upper limits to the burster distance scale.