微孔光学阵列长宽比对X射线聚焦性能的影响

微孔光学阵列聚焦镜头是实现X射线探测系统高探测效率、轻小型化的有效手段,近年来得到了深入研究。X射线探测系统通过测量脉冲星辐射的X射线光子的到达时间,重构脉冲轮廓来实现航天器导航。为了获得更精确的脉冲星信号,必须尽可能多地收集X射线光子,因此探测系统的聚焦性能是X射线探测系统的核心指标,也是微孔光学阵列主要的设计目标。文章根据脉冲星能谱的分布特点,分析了微孔光学阵列通道长宽比对X射线聚焦性能的影响,提出了针对不同脉冲星选取特定长宽比的方法,实现了不同的脉冲星能谱分布下最优的聚焦效率,为后续微孔光学阵列的研制和工程搭载提供了参考。基于这种方法,文章对Crab脉冲星的能谱分布进行了微孔光学阵列设计,设计结果显示,其聚焦性能得到明显提高。     

一种基于石墨烯的脉冲星导航X射线探测器

针对脉冲星导航要求X射线探测器具有高能量分辨率和高时间分辨率的需求,研究基于石墨烯电场效应来实现X射线探测的可行性。通过蒙特卡罗方法模拟不同能量X射线和不同厚度探测器基底的相互作用过程,得到不同厚度探测器对X射线的探测效率。利用有限元方法分析X射线在探测器内电离产生载流子的输运过程,验证了X射线入射对石墨烯电学特性的影响。理论分析计算探测器的时间分辨率和能量分辨率等指标参数,结果表明：基于石墨烯电场效应的X射线探测器具有较高的能量分辨率和时间分辨率,是一种潜力巨大的X射线探测方式,可满足未来脉冲星导航的工程应用。     

利用S变换的X射线脉冲星信号恒虚警率检测算法

针对传统的X射线脉冲星信号检测算法计算量大及在低信噪比下检测性能差的问题,提出了一种结合S变换的恒虚警率检测算法。首先,根据高斯白噪声的S变换域功率谱分布特性对累积信号的时频功率谱进行阀值滤波;然后累加阀值滤波后的信号功率谱作为检测统计量,从理论上对检测统计量的分布特性进行分析,得出检测统计量服从高斯分布,并用蒙特卡罗方法进行了验证。在此基础上,利用检测统计量的概率密度函数计算判决门限,从而实现了恒虚警率检测。理论分析和实验结果表明,本文算法的检测性能优于同类基于高斯分布的恒虚警率检测算法,并且具有较低的复杂度。     

基于X射线脉冲星和星间链路的导航星座自主导航仿真研究

主要对基于X射线脉冲星和对基于星间链路的导航星座自主导航方法进行了仿真研究.同时提出了基于2种导航方法相融合的新方法,仿真研究证明两者融合的导航方法有效提高了位置估计精度,为导航星座自主导航研究提供了一种新的思路和实现途径.     

A synchrotron-based facility for the in-situ location,chemical and mineralogical characterization of ∼10 μm particles captured in aerogel

NASA’s Stardust mission collected dust from the coma of Comet Wild-2 on January 2nd, 2004, by direct capture into aerogel cells that flew through the dust coma at ∼6 km/s. Stardust collected several hundred comet particles >10 μm in size. These comet samples were delivered to Earth on January 15th, 2006. We developed a facility at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory (Upton, NY, USA) for the in-situ characterization of ∼10 μm particles collected in aerogel. These analytical instruments allow us to perform extensive chemical, mineralogical, and size-frequency characterization of particles captured in aerogel. These analyses are conducted without any invasive extraction, minimizing the possibility of contamination or particle loss during preparation. This facility was used to determine the chemical composition, the oxidation state, the mineralogy and to provide an indication of the grain size of the Wild-2 particles before they were removed from the aerogel. This information provides a catalog of particle types, allowing a more reasoned allocation of the particles to subsequent investigators based on a relatively detailed knowledge of the chemical composition and mineralogy of each particle. These measurements allowed a comparison of the chemical and mineralogical properties of the Wild-2 particles with other types of extraterrestrial materials, including interplanetary dust particles and meteorites. The success of in-situ analysis for Wild 2 particles demonstrates that synchrotron-based facilities will be important for the analysis of particles collected in aerogel on future earth-orbiting satellites and spacecraft.     

Theoretical modelling of X-ray fluorescence signals for different lunar compositions and dependence on solar activity

We present a forward modelling technique for calculating the surface X-ray spectra for a variety of lunar terrains. Our calculations considered variations in solar fluxes from solar quiescent condition to large flare activity (M1 flare), and expected elemental concentrations in the target, as well as yield, instrumental, and viewing geometry parameters for X-ray induced fluorescence from the lunar surface. Additionally, we present estimates of anticipated XRF signals from prominent K_α lines observable by a collimated 14 cm² X-ray detector from a 100 km lunar orbit with ∼20 km spatial resolution. Our results show that Mg, Al and Si characteristic K_α lines can be observed for all solar conditions. The Ca K_α lines line can be differentiated from a fixed background during more energetic solar conditions such as C1 and M1 flares, whereas Ti and Fe lines are identifiable only during C1 and M1 solar flare conditions for Apollo 12 site composition. Both the K_α X-ray intensity ratios of Mg/Si and Al/Si correlate well with concentration ratios of Mg/Si and Al/Si, respectively, for B1 and M1 solar conditions. The K_α X-ray intensity ratios of Fe/Si and Ca/Si correlates with concentration ratios of Fe/Si and Ca/Si, respectively, for M1 solar condition. In principle, the modelling technique outlined here can be used to determine absolute elemental abundances (Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti and Fe) from X-ray spectra measured during recent and future lunar missions.     

脉冲星导航试验卫星观测数据处理与分析

脉冲星导航试验卫星(X-ray Pulsar-based Navigation-1,XPNAV-1)的第一批观测数据公开发布,利用国际天文协会(International Astronomical Union,IAU)的标准基本天文程序库和喷气推进实验室(Jet Propulsion Laboratory,JPL)星历对数据进行处理,得到了35个光子到达太阳系质心时间序列的文件。基于历元折叠和已知的星历参数得到了35个脉冲积分轮廓,使用核回归法对轮廓进行了降噪处理,并分析了历元折叠时bin数对计时残差的影响。结果表明,观测数据有效,能够得到较好的脉冲积分轮廓,实现了对Crab星的观测,核回归算法有效改善了bin数对计时残差的影响,拟合前计时残差均方根约40 us。     

脉冲星导航的天体测量考虑

X射线脉冲星导航是基于X射线脉冲星观测,经过信号处理得到脉冲到达时刻序列,进而分析该时间序列提供导航相关信息的技术。为了分析脉冲星导航的可行性和依赖条件,从概念上描述了脉冲星的观测模型,并比较了射电脉冲星观测和X射线脉冲星观测数据处理过程;进而从天体测量的角度论述了脉冲星导航可行性的相关问题,主要包含观测量的获取、整周模糊度和应用范围3个问题。经分析可知:观测量的获取与观测者的速度有关,该速度可通过最大化观测轮廓法确定;对于深空和超深空导航,整周模糊度是首先需要解决的问题,脉冲星的位置精度也是需要考虑的因素。理论上X射线脉冲星导航可以应用于近地和深空探测。     

基于星联网的深空自主导航方案设计

为了降低地面测控系统的负担、提高深空探测器的导航效率,提出了基于星联网的航天器自主导航概念,对星联网的应用体系进行了设计。借助脉冲星、星间链路等手段实现星联网系统中基准航天器完全自主的高精度导航,用户航天器通过与基准航天器或其他用户航天器的交互通信与测量就可以实现自身状态估计。以地月转移任务为例,设计了星联网系统在地月空间的具体应用方案,分析了地月空间基准航天器的配置与自主导航方法,阐述了用户航天器的单层与多层导航策略。对基于脉冲星与星间链路观测的基准航天器自主导航进行了仿真,验证了观测基准航天器或者其他用户航天器时,地月转移段航天器自主导航的可行性。结果表明:基准航天器可以达到20 m的定位精度,用户航天器可以达到优于30 m的定位精度。基于星联网的航天器自主导航是可行的,发展星联网可以为我国构建天基自主基准导航系统提供有力支持。