An Event Horizon Imager(EHI) Mission Concept Utilizing Medium Earth Orbit Sub-mm Interferometry

Submillimeter interferometry has the potential to image supermassive black holes on event horizon scales, providing tests of the theory of general relativity and increasing our understanding of black hole accretion processes. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) performs these observations from the ground, and its main imaging targets are Sagittarius A^* in the Galactic Center and the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. However, the EHT is fundamentally limited in its performance by atmospheric effects and sparse terrestrial (u,v)-coverage (Fourier sampling of the image). The scientific interest in quantitative studies of the horizon size and shape of these black holes has motivated studies into using space interferometry which is free of these limitations. Angular resolution considerations and interstellar scattering effects push the desired observing frequency to bands above 500 GHz.
This paper presents the requirements for meeting these science goals, describes the concept of interferometry from Polar or Equatorial Medium Earth Orbits (PECMEO) which we dub the Event Horizon Imager (EHI), and utilizes suitable space technology heritage. In this concept, two or three satellites orbit at slightly different orbital radii, resulting in a dense and uniform spiral-shaped (u,v)-coverage over time. The local oscillator signals are shared via an inter-satellite link, and the data streams are correlated on-board before final processing on the ground. Inter-satellite metrology and satellite positioning are extensively employed to facilitate the knowledge of the instrument position vector, and its time derivative. The European space heritage usable for both the front ends and the antenna technology of such an instrument is investigated. Current and future sensors for the required inter-satellite metrology are listed. Intended performance estimates and simulation results are given.     

编队飞行航天器测量通信一体化系统的交互链路技术

实现航天编队飞行需要有测量系统测定队列成员的相对位置、姿态和时间,还需要通信系统在编队成员间交换工程数据和科学实验数据。测量系统和通信系统都是实现航天编队飞行的核心技术。基于卫星导航技术,将卫星导航接收机、伪卫星发射机、伪码扩频序列通信和测距链路及相关数据处理模块组合,组成射频收发器,可以构成完成上述功能的测量和通信一体化系统。文中根据国外已有的实践经验阐明射频收发器设计中的交互链路设计技术,包括关于链路拓扑的考虑是采用星形网络还是网形网络;采用相控阵波束形成、分路多路径接收和多用户检测技术;采用半双工码分多址的多路传输体制和打包的信号结构;既可用兼用GPS和交互链路的相对导航,也可只用交互链路测距实现相对定位导航;在编队内外的星间通信乃至星地通信中引入移动IP功能等。航天器本身必须具备适应空间环境的耐辐射能力。     

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。     

The planetary–exoplanetary environment: A nonlinear perspective

A review of the fundamental physical processes in the planetary–exoplanetary environment is presented, with emphasis on nonlinear phenomena. First, we discuss briefly the detection of exoplanets and search for radio emissions from exoplanets. Next, we give an overview of the concepts of waves, instabilities, chaos and turbulence in the planetary–exoplanetary environment based on our present knowledge of the solar-terrestrial environment. We conclude by discussing cyclotron masers and chaos in nonthermal radio emissions in the planetary–exoplanetary environment.     

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.     

Heliospheric asymmetries due to the action of the interstellar magnetic field

We discuss the asymmetry of the heliospheric discontinuities obtained from the analysis of 3D modeling of the solar wind (SW) interaction with local interstellar medium (LISM). The flow of charged particles is governed by the ideal MHD equations and the flow of neutral particles is described by the Boltzmann equation. The emphasis is made on the asymmetries of the termination shock (TS) and the heliopause under the combined action of the interstellar and interplanetary magnetic fields (ISMF and IMF) in the presence of neutral hydrogen atoms whose transport through the heliosphere is modeled kinetically, using a Monte Carlo approach. We show that the deflection of neutral hydrogen flow from its original direction in the unperturbed LISM is highly anisotropic and evaluate a possible angle between the hydrogen deflection plane measured in the SOHO SWAN experiment and the plane containing the ISMF and LISM velocity vectors for different ISMF strengths. It is shown that the ISMF of a strength greater than 4 μG can account for the 10 AU difference in the TS heliocentric difference observed during its crossing by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, which however results in a larger discrepancy between the calculated and observed velocity distributions. The effect of a strong ISMF on the distribution of plasma quantities in the inner heliosheath and on 2–3 kHz radio emission is discussed.