A Cosmic Microscope to Probe the Universe from Present to Cosmic Dawn:Dual-element Lowfrequency Space VLBI Observatory
|
摘要
A space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) program, named as the Cosmic Microscope, is proposed to involve dual VLBI telescopes in the space working together with giant ground-based telescopes (e.g., Square Kilometre Array, FAST, Arecibo) to image the low radio frequency Universe with the purpose of unraveling the compact structure of cosmic constituents including supermassive black holes and binaries, pulsars, astronomical masers and the underlying source, and exoplanets amongst others. The operational frequency bands are 30, 74, 330 and 1670 MHz, supporting broad science areas. The mission plans to launch two 30-m-diameter radio telescopes into 2 000 km×90 000 km elliptical orbits. The two telescopes can work in flexibly diverse modes,(i) Space-ground VLBI. The maximum space-ground baseline length is about100 000 km; it provides a high-dynamic-range imaging capacity with unprecedented high resolutions at low frequencies (0.3 mas at 1.67 GHz and 20 mas at 30 MHz) enabling studies of exoplanets and supermassive black hole binaries (which emit nanoHz gravitational waves),(ii) Space-space single-baseline VLBI. This unique baseline enables the detection of flaring hydroxyl masers, and more precise position measurement of pulsars and radio transients at mas level.(iii) Single dish mode, where each telescope can be used to monitor transient bursts and rapidly trigger follow-up VLBI observations. The large space telescope will also contribute in measuring and constraining the total angular power spectrum from the Epoch of Reionization. In short, the Cosmic Microscope offers astronomers the opportunity to conduct novel, frontier science.
A space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry(VLBI) program, named as the Cosmic Microscope, is proposed to involve dual VLBI telescopes in the space working together with giant ground-based telescopes(e.g., Square Kilometre Array, FAST, Arecibo) to image the low radio frequency Universe with the purpose of unraveling the compact structure of cosmic constituents including supermassive black holes and binaries, pulsars, astronomical masers and the underlying source, and exoplanets amongst others. The operational frequency bands are 30, 74, 330 and 1670 MHz, supporting broad science areas. The mission plans to launch two 30-m-diameter radio telescopes into 2 000 kmx 90 000 km elliptical orbits. The two telescopes can work in flexibly diverse modes.(i) Space-ground VLBI. The maximum space-ground baseline length is about100 000 km; it provides a high-dynamic-range imaging capacity with unprecedented high resolutions at low frequencies(0.3 mas at 1.67 GHz and 20 mas at 30 MHz) enabling studies of exoplanets and supermassive black hole binaries(which emit nanoHz gravitational waves).(ii) Space-space single-baseline VLBI. This unique baseline enables the detection of flaring hydroxyl masers, and more precise position measurement of pulsars and radio transients at mas level.(iii) Single dish mode, where each telescope can be used to monitor transient bursts and rapidly trigger follow-up VLBI observations. The large space telescope will also contribute in measuring and constraining the total angular power spectrum from the Epoch of Reionization. In short, the Cosmic Microscope offers astronomers the opportunity to conduct novel, frontier science.
A space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry(VLBI) program, named as the Cosmic Microscope, is proposed to involve dual VLBI telescopes in the space working together with giant ground-based telescopes(e.g., Square Kilometre Array, FAST, Arecibo) to image the low radio frequency Universe with the purpose of unraveling the compact structure of cosmic constituents including supermassive black holes and binaries, pulsars, astronomical masers and the underlying source, and exoplanets amongst others. The operational frequency bands are 30, 74, 330 and 1670 MHz, supporting broad science areas. The mission plans to launch two 30-m-diameter radio telescopes into 2 000 kmx 90 000 km elliptical orbits. The two telescopes can work in flexibly diverse modes.(i) Space-ground VLBI. The maximum space-ground baseline length is about100 000 km; it provides a high-dynamic-range imaging capacity with unprecedented high resolutions at low frequencies(0.3 mas at 1.67 GHz and 20 mas at 30 MHz) enabling studies of exoplanets and supermassive black hole binaries(which emit nanoHz gravitational waves).(ii) Space-space single-baseline VLBI. This unique baseline enables the detection of flaring hydroxyl masers, and more precise position measurement of pulsars and radio transients at mas level.(iii) Single dish mode, where each telescope can be used to monitor transient bursts and rapidly trigger follow-up VLBI observations. The large space telescope will also contribute in measuring and constraining the total angular power spectrum from the Epoch of Reionization. In short, the Cosmic Microscope offers astronomers the opportunity to conduct novel, frontier science.
引文
[1] COHEN M H. High-resolution observations of radio sources[J]. Ann. Rev. Astron. Astronphys., 1969, 7:619-664
[2] BUYAKAS V, DANILOV Y I, DOLGOPOLOV G, et al.An infinitely expandable space radiotelescope[M]. Amsterdam:Elsevier, 1979:175-201
[3] ANDREIANOV V, KARDASHEV N. The project of a ground-space radio interferometer with a baseline of up to one million kilometers and coherent radio communication between the telescopes[J]. Kosm. Issled., 1981, 19:763-772
[4] BURKE B F. Orbiting VLBI:a Survey[R]. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1984:397-403
[5] SCHILIZZI R. Quasat[R]. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1988:441-446
[6] BURKE W. Quasat:a VLBI Observatory in Space[R].QUASAT:A VLBI Observatory in Space, 1984, 213
[7] ANDREYANOV V, KARDASHEV N, POPOV M, et al.Radioastron a radiointerferometer with an Earth-space baseline[J]. Astron. Zh., 1986, 63:850-855
[8] LEVY G, LINFIELD J, ULVESTAD G, et al. Very long baseline interferometric observations made with an orbiting radio telescope[J]. Science, 1986, 234:187-189
[9] SCHILIZZI R T. Quasta-a Space VLBI Observatory[M]//Mass Outflows from Stars and Galactic Nuclei.Belin:Springer, 1988, 142:425-432
[10] HIRABAYASHI H, HIROSAWA H, KOBAYASHI H, et al.The VLBI space observatory programme and the radioastronomical satellite HALCA[J]. Public. Astron. Soc.Jpn., 2000, 52:955-965
[11] HIRABAYASHI H, HIROSAWA H, KOBAYASHI H, et al. Overview and initial results of the very long baseline interfer-ometry space observatory programme[J]. Science,1998, 281:1825-1829
[12] KARDASHEV N, KHARTOV V, ABRAMOV V, et al.Radioastron-a telescope with a size of 300 000 km:main parameters and first observational results[J]. Astron. Rep., 2013, 57:153-194
[13] BAAN W A, ALAKOZ A, AN T, et al. H_2O Megamasers:a Radioastron success story[C]//Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Vienna:IAU, 2018,13:422-425
[14] GURVITS L. A concept of the second generation space vlbi mission[J]. Adv. Space Res., 2000, 26:739-742
[15] HIRABAYASHI H, MURATA Y, EDWARDS P, et al.Current status of the VSOP-2 mission[C]//Galaxies and their Constituents at the Highest Angular Resolutions.Manchester:IAU, 2001, 205:428
[16] HONG Xiaoyu, SHEN Zhiqiang, AN Tao, et al. The Chinese space millimeter-wavelength VLBI array a step toward imaging the most compact astronomical objects[J].Acta Astron., 2014, 102:217-225
[17] JONES D, ALLEN R, BASART J, et al. Space VLBI at Low Frequencies[R]. Japan:ISAS, 2000
[18] PALUMBO G. Astronomy from space:the design and operation of orbiting observatories by John K Davies[J].Planet. Space Sci., 1998, 46:1075
[19] COHEN A S, LANE W M, COTTON W D, et al. The VLA low-frequency sky survey[J]. Astron. J., 2007, 134:1245-1262
[20] SHIMWELL T W, ROTTGERING H J A, BEST P N, et al. The LOFAR two-metre sky survey:i. Survey description and preliminary data release[J]. Astron. Astrophys.,2017, 598:104-125
[21] WAYTH R B, LENC E, BELL M E, et al. GLEAM:the galactic and extragalactic all-sky MWA survey[J]. Public.Astron. Soc. Aus, 2015, 32:25-36
[22] BOONSTRA A J, GARRETT M, KRUITHOF G, et al. Discovering the sky at the Longest Wave-lengths(DSL)[C]//IEEE Aerospace Conference Big Sky MT.Montana:IEEE, 2016:1-20
[23] JIA Yingzhuo, ZOU Yongliao, PING Jinsong, et al. The scientific objectives and payloads of Chang'E-4 mission[J].Planet. Space Sci., 2018, 162:207-215
[24] AN Tao, HONG Xiaoyu, ZHENG Weimin, et al. Space VLBI in China[J]. Adv. Space Res., 2019(In press), arXiv preprint arXiv:1901.07796
[25] DODSON R, RIOJA M, ASAKI Y, et al. The application of multiview methods for high-precision astrometric space VLBI at low frequencies[J]. Astron. J., 2013, 145:147
[26] ZHANG Yingkang, AN Tao, FREY S, et al. J0906+6930:a radio-loud quasar in the early universe[J]. Mon. Not.Roy. Astron. Soc., 2017, 468:69-76
[27] KELLERMANN K I, PAULINY-TOTH I I K. Compact radio sources[J]. Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys., 1981,19:373-410
[28] AN Tao, MOHAN P, FREY S. VLBI studies of DUAL and SMBHB hosting galaxies[J]. Radio Sci., 2018, 53:1211-1217
[29] MOOLEY K, DELLER A, GOTTLIEB O, et al. Superluminal motion of a relativistic jet in the neutron star merger GW170817[J]. Nature, 2018, 561:355-359
[30] GHIRLANDA G, SALAFIA O, PARAGI Z, et al. Resolving the jet/cocoon riddle of the first gravitational wave with an electro-magnetic counterpart[J]. Science, 2019,363:aau8815
[31] ZARKA P, BOUGERET J L, BRIAND C, et al. Planetary and exoplanetary low frequency radio observations from the Moon[J]. Planet. Space Sci., 2012, 74:156-166
[32] AN Tao, LAO Baoqiang, WANG Junyi, et al. Space millimeter-wavelength very long baseline interferometry simulation software[C]//Communication Software and Networks(ICCSN), 8th IEEE International Conference on Communication Software and Networks. Beijing:IEEE,2016:274-279
[33] ZHAO Zhen, AN Tao, LAO Baoqiang. VLBI Network Simulator:an Integrated Simulation Tool for Radio Astronomers[R]. Korean:The Korean Astronomical Society,2018
[2] BUYAKAS V, DANILOV Y I, DOLGOPOLOV G, et al.An infinitely expandable space radiotelescope[M]. Amsterdam:Elsevier, 1979:175-201
[3] ANDREIANOV V, KARDASHEV N. The project of a ground-space radio interferometer with a baseline of up to one million kilometers and coherent radio communication between the telescopes[J]. Kosm. Issled., 1981, 19:763-772
[4] BURKE B F. Orbiting VLBI:a Survey[R]. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1984:397-403
[5] SCHILIZZI R. Quasat[R]. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press, 1988:441-446
[6] BURKE W. Quasat:a VLBI Observatory in Space[R].QUASAT:A VLBI Observatory in Space, 1984, 213
[7] ANDREYANOV V, KARDASHEV N, POPOV M, et al.Radioastron a radiointerferometer with an Earth-space baseline[J]. Astron. Zh., 1986, 63:850-855
[8] LEVY G, LINFIELD J, ULVESTAD G, et al. Very long baseline interferometric observations made with an orbiting radio telescope[J]. Science, 1986, 234:187-189
[9] SCHILIZZI R T. Quasta-a Space VLBI Observatory[M]//Mass Outflows from Stars and Galactic Nuclei.Belin:Springer, 1988, 142:425-432
[10] HIRABAYASHI H, HIROSAWA H, KOBAYASHI H, et al.The VLBI space observatory programme and the radioastronomical satellite HALCA[J]. Public. Astron. Soc.Jpn., 2000, 52:955-965
[11] HIRABAYASHI H, HIROSAWA H, KOBAYASHI H, et al. Overview and initial results of the very long baseline interfer-ometry space observatory programme[J]. Science,1998, 281:1825-1829
[12] KARDASHEV N, KHARTOV V, ABRAMOV V, et al.Radioastron-a telescope with a size of 300 000 km:main parameters and first observational results[J]. Astron. Rep., 2013, 57:153-194
[13] BAAN W A, ALAKOZ A, AN T, et al. H_2O Megamasers:a Radioastron success story[C]//Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Vienna:IAU, 2018,13:422-425
[14] GURVITS L. A concept of the second generation space vlbi mission[J]. Adv. Space Res., 2000, 26:739-742
[15] HIRABAYASHI H, MURATA Y, EDWARDS P, et al.Current status of the VSOP-2 mission[C]//Galaxies and their Constituents at the Highest Angular Resolutions.Manchester:IAU, 2001, 205:428
[16] HONG Xiaoyu, SHEN Zhiqiang, AN Tao, et al. The Chinese space millimeter-wavelength VLBI array a step toward imaging the most compact astronomical objects[J].Acta Astron., 2014, 102:217-225
[17] JONES D, ALLEN R, BASART J, et al. Space VLBI at Low Frequencies[R]. Japan:ISAS, 2000
[18] PALUMBO G. Astronomy from space:the design and operation of orbiting observatories by John K Davies[J].Planet. Space Sci., 1998, 46:1075
[19] COHEN A S, LANE W M, COTTON W D, et al. The VLA low-frequency sky survey[J]. Astron. J., 2007, 134:1245-1262
[20] SHIMWELL T W, ROTTGERING H J A, BEST P N, et al. The LOFAR two-metre sky survey:i. Survey description and preliminary data release[J]. Astron. Astrophys.,2017, 598:104-125
[21] WAYTH R B, LENC E, BELL M E, et al. GLEAM:the galactic and extragalactic all-sky MWA survey[J]. Public.Astron. Soc. Aus, 2015, 32:25-36
[22] BOONSTRA A J, GARRETT M, KRUITHOF G, et al. Discovering the sky at the Longest Wave-lengths(DSL)[C]//IEEE Aerospace Conference Big Sky MT.Montana:IEEE, 2016:1-20
[23] JIA Yingzhuo, ZOU Yongliao, PING Jinsong, et al. The scientific objectives and payloads of Chang'E-4 mission[J].Planet. Space Sci., 2018, 162:207-215
[24] AN Tao, HONG Xiaoyu, ZHENG Weimin, et al. Space VLBI in China[J]. Adv. Space Res., 2019(In press), arXiv preprint arXiv:1901.07796
[25] DODSON R, RIOJA M, ASAKI Y, et al. The application of multiview methods for high-precision astrometric space VLBI at low frequencies[J]. Astron. J., 2013, 145:147
[26] ZHANG Yingkang, AN Tao, FREY S, et al. J0906+6930:a radio-loud quasar in the early universe[J]. Mon. Not.Roy. Astron. Soc., 2017, 468:69-76
[27] KELLERMANN K I, PAULINY-TOTH I I K. Compact radio sources[J]. Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys., 1981,19:373-410
[28] AN Tao, MOHAN P, FREY S. VLBI studies of DUAL and SMBHB hosting galaxies[J]. Radio Sci., 2018, 53:1211-1217
[29] MOOLEY K, DELLER A, GOTTLIEB O, et al. Superluminal motion of a relativistic jet in the neutron star merger GW170817[J]. Nature, 2018, 561:355-359
[30] GHIRLANDA G, SALAFIA O, PARAGI Z, et al. Resolving the jet/cocoon riddle of the first gravitational wave with an electro-magnetic counterpart[J]. Science, 2019,363:aau8815
[31] ZARKA P, BOUGERET J L, BRIAND C, et al. Planetary and exoplanetary low frequency radio observations from the Moon[J]. Planet. Space Sci., 2012, 74:156-166
[32] AN Tao, LAO Baoqiang, WANG Junyi, et al. Space millimeter-wavelength very long baseline interferometry simulation software[C]//Communication Software and Networks(ICCSN), 8th IEEE International Conference on Communication Software and Networks. Beijing:IEEE,2016:274-279
[33] ZHAO Zhen, AN Tao, LAO Baoqiang. VLBI Network Simulator:an Integrated Simulation Tool for Radio Astronomers[R]. Korean:The Korean Astronomical Society,2018