Improving dUT1 from VLBI intensive sessions with GRAD gradients and ray-traced delays

Exact knowledge of the angle of Earth rotation UT1 with respect to coordinated time UTC, dUT1, is essential for all space geodetic techniques. The only technique which is capable of determining dUT1 is Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). So-called Intensive VLBI sessions are performed on a daily basis in order to provide dUT1. Due to the reduced geometry of Intensive sessions, there is however no possibility to estimate tropospheric gradients from the observations, which limits the accuracy of the resulting dUT1 significantly. This paper deals with introducing the information on azimuthal asymmetry from external sources, thus attempting to improve the dUT1 estimates. We use the discrete horizontal gradients GRAD and the empirical horizontal gradients GPT3 as well as ray-traced delays from the VieVS ray-tracer for this purpose, which can all be downloaded from the VMF server of TU Wien (http://vmf.geo.tuwien.ac.at). The results show that this strategy indeed improves the dUT1 estimates when compared to reference values from multi-station VLBI stations, namely by up to 15%. When converted to length-of-day (LOD), the estimates can be compared to LODs from global analyses of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Here, the improvement amounts to up to 7% compared to neglecting a priori information on azimuthal asymmetry.     

The crustal dynamics data information system: A resource to support scientific analysis using space geodesy

Since 1982, the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) has supported the archive and distribution of geodetic data products acquired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as well as national and international programs. The CDDIS provides easy, timely, and reliable access to a variety of data sets, products, and information about these data. These measurements, obtained from a global network of nearly 650 instruments at more than 400 distinct sites, include DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite), GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), SLR and LLR (Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging), and VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry). The CDDIS data system and its archive have become increasingly important to many national and international science communities, particularly several of the operational services within the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and its observing system the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), including the International DORIS Service (IDS), the International GNSS Service (IGS), the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS), and the International Earth rotation and Reference frame Service (IERS). Investigations resulting from the data and products available through the CDDIS support research in many aspects of Earth system science and global change. Each month, the CDDIS archives more than one million data and derived product files totaling over 90 Gbytes in volume. In turn, the global user community downloads nearly 1.2 Tbytes (over 10.5 million files) of data and products from the CDDIS each month. The requirements of analysts have evolved since the start of the CDDIS; the specialized nature of the system accommodates the enhancements required to support diverse data sets and user needs. This paper discusses the CDDIS, including background information about the system and its user communities, archive contents, available metadata, and future plans.     

中国VLBI网火星快车卫星跟踪资料的定位归算

我国已经启动了火星探测计划, 中国VLBI网（CVN）将肩负起相关探测器的测轨与定位任务     

用于深空探测任务的先进通信与导航体制

介绍了一套用于深空探测的先进通信与导航体制.在综述美国国家航空航天局相关研究进展、讨论这套体制中的关键特征技术的同时,文章利用飞行在地月平动点L3/L4/L5的晕轨道上的中继通信和跟踪卫星,建议了一种超长距离干涉测量(ELBI)技术.探讨了ELBI技术对先进通信与导航体制进行增强的可能性和应用潜力.     

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.      

深空导航无线电干涉测量技术的发展历程和展望

结合世界各航天大国和组织所开展的深空探测活动和深空测控系统建设中,对无线电干涉测量技术的开发、应用以及深空导航技术试验验证情况,系统地梳理和总结了深空导航无线电干涉测量技术的发展历程,并通过该技术未来在国际上几个主要深空探测任务中的应用规划,分析了无线电干涉测量领域未来的发展方向.该领域技术的最新发展对我国深空测控网无线电干涉测量系统的后续建设也具有重要的借鉴意义.     

深空干涉测量天线G/T值指标设计

G/T是天线的一项重要技术指标,在综合考虑测地VLBI(Very Long Baseline Interferometry,甚长基线干涉测量)和航天器VLBI观测两者需求的基础上,提出了深空干涉测量天线的G/T指标设计方法.首先根据射电源的空间分布以及流量密度特性,确定了测地VLBI和航天器VLBI观测模式下射电源流量密度的要求.在此基础上建立了2种观测模式下时延误差与深空干涉测量天线G/T之间的关系模型.最后参考目前国际国内测地VLBI观测中的通用参数设置以及月球探测任务中航天器VLBI观测的参数设置,对不同观测任务、不同观测模式下的G/T要求进行仿真分析.综合测地VLBI和航天器VLBI观测仿真分析的结果,S频段G/T建议不小于32 dB/K,X频段G/T建议不小于43 dB/K.仿真分析结果可以作为后续深空干涉测量天线G/T设计的参考.     

Space VLBI: from first ideas to operational missions

The operational period of the first generation of dedicated Space VLBI (SVLBI) missions commenced in 1997 with the launch of the Japan-led mission VSOP/HALCA and is coming to closure in 2019 with the completion of in-flight operations of the Russia-led mission RadioAstron. They were preceded by the SVLBI demonstration experiment with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) in 1986–1988. While the comprehensive lessons learned from the first demonstration experiment and two dedicated SVLBI missions are still awaiting thorough attention, several preliminary conclusions can be made. This paper addresses some issues of implementation of these missions as they progressed over four decades from the original SVLBI concepts to the operational status.     

RadioAstron probes the ultra-fine spatial structure in the H2O maser emission in the star forming region W49N

H₂O maser emission associated with the massive star formation region W49N were observed with the Space-VLBI mission RadioAstron. The procedure for processing of the maser spectral line data obtained in the RadioAstron observations is described. Ultra-fine spatial structures in the maser emission were detected on space-ground baselines of up to 9.6 Earth diameters. The correlated flux densities of these features range from 0.1% to 0.6% of the total flux density. These low values of correlated flux density are probably due to turbulence either in the maser itself or in the interstellar medium.     

深空网干涉测量数据对嫦娥五号定轨能力分析

针对嫦娥五号探测器(CE-5)开展基于深空网测量数据的定轨能力分析.首先从测量原理分析了深空网VLBI数据的误差源,然后利用CE-5的精密轨道评估了 VLBI数据的误差,最后基于实测数据与协方差分析理论,分析UXB与VLBI数据的定轨能力.结果表明:转移阶段,单独利用深空网测量数据可以获取优于1 km的转移轨道精度,标...