COMPTEL results on the 1.809 MeV gamma-ray line from the Galactic-center region

The COMPTEL experiment on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory is designed to image celestial gamma radiation in the energy range from 0.75–30 MeV within a field of view of 1 steradian. It can locate stronger point sources with an accuracy better than 0.5° and is capable of mapping diffuse emission as well. The Galactic-center region was observed by COMPTEL for several 2-week periods in 1991/1992. These observations show evidence for 1.8 MeV line emission along the Galactic disk (attributed to radioactive ²⁶Al), extending over at least 40 degrees in longitude.     

Initial results from COMPTEL onboard GRO

COMPTEL is the first imaging telescope to explore the MeV gamma-ray range (0.7 to 30 MeV). At present, it is performing a complete sky survey. In later phases of the mission selected celestial objects will be studied in more detail. The data from the first year of the mission have demonstrated that COMPTEL performs very well. First sky maps of the inner part of the Galaxy clearly identify the plane as a bright MeV-source (probably due to discrete sources as well as diffuse radiation). The Crab and Vela pulsar lightcurves have been measured with unprecedented accuracy. The quasars 3C273 and 3C279 have been seen for the first time at MeV energies. Both quasars show a break in their energy spectra in the COMPTEL energy range. The 1.8 MeV line from radioactive ²⁶A1 has been detected from the central region of the Galaxy and a first sky map of the inner part of the Galaxy has been obtained in the light of this line. Upper limits to gamma-ray line emission at 847 keV and 1.238 MeV from SN 1991T have been derived. Upper limits to the interstellar gamma-ray emissivity have been determined at MeV-energies. Several cosmic gamma-ray bursts within the field-of-view have been located with an accuracy of about 1°. On 1991 June 9, 11 and 15, COMPTEL observed gamma-ray emission (continuum and line) from three solar flares. Also neutrons were detected from the June 9 and June 15 flares.     

Gamma-ray burst detection capabilities of comptel

The imaging gamma-ray telescope COMPTEL, capable of detecting gamma rays in the 1 to 30 MeV range, is one of four experiments onboard NASA's Gamma-Ray Observatory GRO. Besides its primary objectives COMPTEL will contribute to the understanding of cosmic gamma-ray bursts. Summarising, COMPTEL localises bursts (S (E > 1 MeV) ≥ 2.10⁻⁶ erg/cm²) within 1 sr FOV to better than 1° at medium gamma-ray energies, measures continuum energy spectra in the range 0.1 MeV to 20 MeV with fluence S ≥ 6.9 10⁻⁷ erg/cm² (5σ, E≥100 keV), measures gamma-ray lines with detector resolution 9.6% (at 0.5 MeV) and 7.0% (at 1.5 MeV) and determines time histories of both gamma-ray line and continuum emission with t ≥ 0.1 sec resolution.     

北斗卫星导航系统X射线脉冲星可见性分析

X射线脉冲星可以为深空乃至近地航天器提供全源、自主、高精度的导航服务.对近地航天器而言,由于中心天体的遮挡,脉冲星信号并非全程可见,所以X射线脉冲星的可见性成为近地导航应用中挑选脉冲星的关键因素,也是脉冲星导航的首要工作.本文对挑选出的30颗X射线脉冲星在北斗系统7个轨道面上的可见性进行了仿真分析,得出了一天内可见脉冲星数量的变化情况以及一年内太阳、地球和月球遮挡的仿真结果,总结了影响脉冲星可见性的天体的遮挡规律,为利用脉冲星对北斗卫星进行自主定轨和守时提供了数据支持.     

基于UKF和信息融合的航天器自主导航方法

X射线脉冲星导航利用X射线辐射脉冲到达时间 (Time of Arrival, TOA)作为信息输入,星敏感器导航利用星光角距等作为信息输入,是两种不同机理的天文导航方法。提出一种将脉冲星TOA和星敏感器星光角距测量结合的信息融合天文自主导航方法,设计了一种利用激光光量子模拟脉冲星X射线辐射光子的半物理仿真系统用于算法验证,并基于无迹卡尔曼滤波(Unscented Kalman Filter, UKF)使用真轨道参数做了仿真试验。结果表明,基于UKF的信息融合方法比基于EKF（Extended Kalman Filter）的信息融合方法性能更好,与仅使用脉冲星或星敏感器的导航方法相比,能将位置估计精度分别提高52.7%和43.6%,速度估计精度分别提高82.2%和70.5%。     

Production and evolution of millisecond X-ray and radio pulsars

Observations using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) have discovered dozens of accreting neutron stars with millisecond spin periods in low-mass binary star systems. Eighteen are millisecond X-ray pulsars powered by accretion or nuclear burning or both. These stars have magnetic fields strong enough for them to become millisecond rotation-powered (radio) pulsars when accretion ceases. Few, if any, accretion- or rotation-powered pulsars have spin rates higher than 750 Hz. There is strong evidence that the spin-up of some accreting neutron stars is limited by magnetic spin-equilibrium whereas the spin-up of others is halted when accretion ends. Further study will show whether the spin rates of some accretion- or rotation-powered pulsars are or were limited by emission of gravitational radiation.     

Pulsars and their nebulae as EGRET sources

At the end of the EGRET mission, only 6–8 Galactic sources had been identified as young pulsars. Since then, several energetic pulsars have been detected in EGRET error boxes along the Galactic plane, as well as several pulsar wind nebulae from which pulsations have not yet been discovered. Some of these nebulae are associated with moderately variable EGRET sources, suggesting that the γ-ray emission might be coming from the nebula rather than from the pulsar magnetosphere. There is also a population of unidentified EGRET sources at mid-Galactic latitudes which have been proposed to be either nearby middle-aged pulsars or millisecond pulsars. I review the current status of observational studies of pulsars associated with EGRET sources and what they suggest the upcoming AGILE and GLAST γ-ray missions might observe.     

基于X射线脉冲星的航天器自主导航数值分析研究

基于X射线脉冲星的天文自主导航方法稳定、可靠、精度高,是航天器自主导航领域重要的发展方向.论文介绍了基于X射线脉冲星导航的基本原理,给出了脉冲星自主定位的滤波模型;基于扩展卡尔曼滤波导航算法,以地球同步轨道为例,分析了不同初始误差、轨道倾角、轨道偏心率以及不同脉冲星方位误差下的导航精度.仿真算例表明,在脉冲星方位误差为0.001″、脉冲到达时间测量误差为0.1μs的情况下,导航定位精度优于1km,且对初始误差不敏感;脉冲星方位精度、脉冲计时精度、轨道面位置和轨道偏心率是影响导航精度的主要因素.      

X-ray pulsars observed from tenma

Eleven X-rays pulsars have been observed by TENMA between March 1983 and April 1984. Detailed structures in the energy spectra of these X-ray pulsars were obtained using a set of gas scintillation proportional counters aboard TENMA together with pulse periods and pulse profiles. Most of the X-ray pulsars exhibit iron emission lines with the center energy at 6.4 keV.     

基于X射线脉冲星的航天器自主导航数值分析研究木

基于X射线脉冲星的天文自主导航方法稳定、可靠、精度高.是航天器自主导航领域重要的发展方向.论文介绍了基于X射线脉冲星导航的基本原理,给出了脉冲星自主定位的滤波模型;基于扩展卡尔曼滤波导航算法,以地球同步轨道为例,分析了不同初始误差、轨道倾角、轨道偏心率以及不同脉冲星方位误差下的导航精度.仿真算例表明,在脉冲星方位误差为0.001"、脉冲到达时间测量误差为0.1μs的情况下,导航定位精度优于1 km,且对初始误差不敏感;脉冲星方位精度、脉冲计时精度、轨道面位置和轨道偏心率是影响导航精度的主要因素.     

X射线脉冲星/SINS组合导航研究

X射线脉冲星导航是一种新兴的天文导航方法, 该导航方法可靠、稳定, 不受近地空间的限制, 但在轨道机动过程中导航精度不高. 针对此问题提出了X射线脉冲星/SINS组合导航方法, 对该方法的应用效果进行了数值仿真分析. 结果表明, X射线脉冲星/SINS组合导航在轨道机动过程中具有较高的导航精度, 有效抑制了惯性导航误差随时间的漂移, 提高了X射线脉冲星导航方法的通用性, 为X射线脉冲星导航的工程应用奠定了理论基础.      

Binary and millisecond radio pulsars

Recent pulsar surveys, especially those using the multibeam receiver on the Parkes radio telescope, have more than doubled the number of known pulsars, bringing the current total to about 1720. Of these, 171 have millisecond periods, 126 are members of binary systems and 99 are associated with globular clusters. Binary pulsars may be divided into several distinct groups depending on their observed properties such as pulsar period and age, binary period, eccentricity and companion mass. These groups all have different evolutionary histories. Correlations between the various properties are discussed using the increased samples now available. The Parkes Pulsar Timing Array is a project which has the goal of using timing observations of millisecond pulsars to make a direct detection of gravitational waves. The parameters and present status of the project are briefly discussed.     

Simultaneous COMPTON GRO and optical monitoring of AGN

During two 14-day periods in January 1992 and March 1992, several AGN which have been in the wide field of view of COMPTEL and EGRET at that time were monitored optically for variations in intensity and polarization. We report on first results of this correlated optical and CGRO observations.     

COMPTEL observations of AGNs

During the first part of the COMPTON Gamma Ray Observatory sky survey, COMPTEL has detected the quasars 3C273 and 3C279 and the radio galaxy Centaurus A. This paper summarizes the preliminary findings and gives an upper limit on the MeV flux of the Seyfert galaxy NGC4151.     

Optical/radio/pulsars integrated navigation for Mars orbiter

In this paper, we address the issue of the integrated navigation algorithm with different combination of measurements for Mars orbiter. First, system dynamic model and navigation measurement models using optical measurement information, radio measurement information and X-ray pulsars measurement information are respectively established. Second, optical/radio/pulsars integrated navigation algorithm is proposed, and observability analysis of the integrated navigation system is also conducted. Third, adaptive extended Kalman filter is adopted to fuse measurement information and suppress measurement and process noise to optimally estimate the state of Mars orbiter. Monte Carlo simulation results show that optical/radio/pulsars integrated navigation can effectively improve the navigation accuracy and satisfy the navigation requirements of Mars orbiter.     

脉冲星导航中最优脉冲星组合选取方法

分析了X射线脉冲星导航原理,发现脉冲星的位置和脉冲到达时间(Time of Arrival,TOA)的测量误差直接影响导航精度.为优选导航脉冲星组合,在误差协方差分析的基础上,提出了一种导航脉冲星组合优选方法.该方法分别定义了优选指标位置精度因子(Positioning Dilution of Precision,PDOP)和脉冲星优选指标(Pulsars Select Criteria,PSC),不仅考虑了脉冲星空间位置分布,还考虑了测量噪声差异对导航误差的影响.最后以25颗信号品质较好的脉冲星为例,仿真验证了所提方法的有效性.     

分时段实时观测脉冲星的单探测器导航方法

传统的X射线脉冲星导航系统需要同时观测3~4颗脉冲星,有效载荷的质量和功耗极大。针对航天器环地飞行中受地球遮挡、探测器可探测范围等因素影响,导致脉冲星并非所有时刻均可见的现象,提出了单探测器分时段实时观测脉冲星的导航方法。根据航天器的实际飞行情况,系统分析探测器在不同探测范围下对脉冲星实时的可见性状况,从每时段的可见星中选取单星进行导航。仿真表明,该方法可大大提高单探测器的导航性能,导航位置误差达到337m,同时有效地减小了导航系统的重量,为X射线脉冲星导航的工程实现提供了参考依据。     

Interplanetary spacecraft navigation using pulsars

We demonstrate how observations of pulsars can be used to help navigate a spacecraft travelling in the solar system. We make use of archival observations of millisecond pulsars from the Parkes radio telescope in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method and highlight issues, such as pulsar spin irregularities, which need to be accounted for. We show that observations of four millisecond pulsars every seven days using a realistic X-ray telescope on the spacecraft throughout a journey from Earth to Mars can lead to position determinations better than ∼20 km and velocity measurements with a precision of ∼0.1 ms⁻¹.     

Autonomous navigation of Mars probe using X-ray pulsars: Modeling and results

Autonomous navigation of Mars probe is a main challenge due to the lack of dense ground tracking network measurements. In this paper, autonomous navigation of the Mars probe Orbits is investigated using the X-ray pulsars. A group of X-ray pulsars with high ranging accuracy are selected based on their properties and an adaptive extended Kalman filter is developed to incorporate the Mars probe dynamics and pulsar-based ranging measurements. Results of numerical experiment show that the three-dimensional positioning accuracy can achieve 750m in X-axis, 220m in Y-axis and 230m in Z-axis, which is much better than the positioning results by current Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) or Doppler observations with the accuracy of 150 km or several kilometers, respectively.     

A study on emission geometry and the separation of peaks in the γ-ray pulse profiles of pulsar

In the inner annular gap (IAG) model the γ-ray radiation sources are suggested to be located close to the null charge surface (NCS). A method to explore two geometric parameters (κ, λ) of the IAG model is given in this paper. Pulsar population statistics are proposed to test the radiation locations of γ-ray pulsars. Within the IAG model, predictions for the GLAST observation of γ-ray pulsars are also made.