地基雷达技术及其在太阳系天体探测中的应用

Ground-based Radar and its Applications in Remote Sensing of the Solar System Planets

人类利用雷达波进行天文研究距今已有40多年历史了。它是一种发射雷达波到目标天体,通过分析其回波特性来进行天文探测的技术。该文从地基雷达在太阳系天体探测中的应用出发,分析了地基雷达相比其他探测手段的优点;介绍了地基雷达的基本工作原理;给出了近年来地基雷达的发展情况和探测成果;最后从现有条件出发,探讨了我国开展地基雷达探测的设想。

Radar astronomy is a technique to observe nearby astronomical objects by reflecting microwaves off target objects and analyzing the echoes. Ground-based radar, as a certain observation method in radar astronomy, its properties and advantages are introduced in this paper. The detailed theoretical analysis of the planetary radar observation and data processing are presented here. Since ground-based radar have been used for a wide range of solar system studies, part of its achievements are listed here, including mapping the surface roughness of the solar system planets especially in the poles and the permanent shadow regions; detecting the regolith properties and depth of the Moon; testing the rotation period of Venus and Mercury; predictions of asteroid or- bits and etc. Because it is a very important and useful observation method in astronomy, China is planning to develop this technique for its solar system planets exploration. The circumstances right now in China, the assumption of how to develop ground-based radar and the problems will be met are presented here.