The Radio Frequency Subsystem and Radio Science on the MESSENGER Mission

The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) Radio Frequency (RF) Telecommunications Subsystem is used to send commands to the spacecraft, transmit information on the state of the spacecraft and science-related observations, and assist in navigating the spacecraft to and in orbit about Mercury by providing precise observations of the spacecraft’s Doppler velocity and range in the line of sight to Earth. The RF signal is transmitted and received at X-band frequencies (7.2 GHz uplink, 8.4 GHz downlink) by the NASA Deep Space Network. The tracking data from MESSENGER will contribute significantly to achieving the mission’s geophysics objectives. The RF subsystem, as the radio science instrument, will help determine Mercury’s gravitational field and, in conjunction with the Mercury Laser Altimeter instrument, help determine the topography of the planet. Further analysis of the data will improve the knowledge of the planet’s orbital ephemeris and rotation state. The rotational state determination includes refined measurements of the obliquity and forced physical libration, which are necessary to characterize Mercury’s core state.     

从射电天文观测数据反演电离层行扰的相速

本文结合ＴＩＤｓ的形成机制及其测量技术，对它的传播特性作了有益于测量的讨论，指出：（１）ＴＩＤｓ是由两个正交波组成；（２）测量电子总含量所表征的ＴＩＤｓ与测量电子浓度所表征者同样有效，据此导出了从测量数据反演其相速的公式，并对波幅的抑制效应作了讨论。     

电波折射误差的经验-分层修正算法

建立了一种新的电波折射修正算法——经验-分层电波折射修正算法。经过与电波折射误差的经验修正和分层实测指数修正方法修正效果的比较，证实了该算法效果接近分层实测指数修正方法，明显优于经验修正方法。该方法为一些不其备提供分层电波折射参数的航天测控站电波折射误差修正问题，提供了行之有效的技术手段，对航天测控工程具有应用价值。     

基于射频的导航卫星星间链路信息传输与仿真研究

星间链路是导航卫星实现精密定轨和自主导航的关键技术之一。导航卫星通过星间链路完成伪距测量和数据交换,维持系统稳定运行的时空基准,保证系统持续提供精准导航服务。根据全球导航卫星系统的建设情况和发展趋势,首先介绍星间观测和信息传输频段,并从天线特征、多址控制方式和网络拓扑结构等角度分析了射频链路的工作体制。最后,针对实际导航卫星星座,应用OPNET平台建立导航信息传输仿真模型,通过分析信息传输效率,验证了基于射频链路导航信息传输的可行性和有效性,对全球导航卫星系统的星间链路研究具有一定的参考价值。     

Investigation of a plasma delivery system for optical figuring process

Plasma figuring process enables the correction of metre-scale optical surfaces, which has advantages such as rapid convergence to ultra-precision accuracy level, no subsurface damage, ease of upscale thanks to the conditions of operation at atmospheric. Such attributes make plasma figuring a highly competitive technology. To maintain a stable discharge of plasma for long period, a robust Plasma Delivery System (PDS) is required for large optics manufacturing. A dedicated PDS, mainly based on an L-type radio frequency (RF) network and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch, had been previously proposed and designed. This study addresses the requirement for improving the robustness and securing the performance of the plasma etching. Due to the complexity of interactions of PDS parameters, single variable optimization is conducted for adjusting the impedance of the plasma torch. The PDS optimization is analysed based on ignition power demand, test repeatability and reflected power values. The results show that reflected power values are controllable within 10 W, when the RF power is supplied from 200 W up to 800 W. Finally, plasma processing is carried out on fused silica glass, using the optimum parameters of the PDS.     

星基多普勒轨道确定和无线电定位组合系统（DORIS）

本文阐明ＤＯＲＩＳ系统的工作原理，系统结构组成，数据采集和处理过程，介绍了系统的运行性能，并进行了简要的误差分析，最后综合并展望了ＤＯＲＩＳ系统的应用前景。     

Solar wind velocity measurements near the sun using Ulysses radio amplitude correlations at two frequencies

Measurements of solar wind velocity have been derived from simultaneous coronal sounding observations of radio amplitude scintillations at both S-band and X-band during the solar conjunction of the Ulysses spacecraft in August 1991. The signal amplitude was recorded with an averaging time of 1 s. A cross-correlation analysis between S- and X-band amplitude fluctuations shows that the fluctuation signature at S-band appears to be shifted to earlier times with respect to the X-band recording. The time difference is proportional to the coronal separation of the ray paths and inversely proportional to the apparent velocity of plasma inhomogeneities across the ray paths. Preliminary estimates of solar wind speed obtained using model calculations of the differential refraction are found to lie near the expected transition from subsonic to supersonic velocities at solar offset distances of the order of 6–8 R. As a byproduct of the investigation, we find that the transition from weak to saturated scintillation occurs at about 16 R for S-band and 7 R for X-band.     

无线电计量微机辅助管理系统

介绍了用于无线电计量室的“无线电计量微机辅助管理系统”的设计思路和主要功能模块。实践表明：该系统功能强、使用方便，缩短了数据处理时间，使信息质量大大提高。     

Higher order ionospheric propagation effects on GPS radio occultation signals

With the increasing number of remote sensing satellites using the GPS radio occultation technique for atmospheric sounding, the estimation of higher order ionospheric effects and their mitigation have become relevant and important. Due to long ionospheric limb paths, GPS signals are strongly affected by ionospheric refraction during radio occultation. Standard dual-frequency GPS measurements may be used to estimate the first order term of the refractive index. However, non-linear terms such as the second and third order ionospheric terms and ray path bending effects are not considered in occultation measurements so far. Analysing selected CHAMP–GPS occultation events different higher order ionospheric terms are estimated and their effects on dual-frequency range estimation and total electron content (TEC) estimation are discussed. We have found that the separation between the GPS L1 and L2 ray paths exceeds the kilometer level during occultation for a vertical TEC level of more than 160 TEC units. Corresponding errors in the GPS dual-frequency range estimation and TEC estimation are found to exceed the meter and 10 TEC units level, respectively.     

Validation of FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC radio occultation electron density profiles by incoherent scatter radar data

Low Earth Orbiting satellites carrying a dual frequency GPS receiver onboard offer a unique opportunity to remote sensing of the global ionosphere on a continuous basis. No other profiling technique unifies profiling through the entire F2-layer with global coverage. The FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC data can make a positive impact on the global ionosphere study providing essential information about the height electron density distribution and particularly over regions that are not accessible with ground-based measuring instruments such as ionosondes and GPS dual frequency receivers. Therefore, it is important to verify occultation profiles with other techniques and to obtain experience in the reliability of their derivation. In the given study we present results of comparison of the electron density profiles derived from radio occultation measurements on-board FS-3/COSMIC and from the Kharkov incoherent scatter radar sounding.