基于现代天文行星历表的殷卜辞月食记载研究

殷卜辞中有5次纪日月食记载是目前已知的可为殷商时期天文定年的最确凿的资料,夏商周断代工程研究给出了5次殷卜辞月食的发生日期。利用美国航空航天局(National Aeronautics and Space Administration,NASA)喷气推进实验室(Jet Propulsion Laboratory,JPL)发布的现代天文行星历表DE422,解算这5次月食的主要参数,研究它们在地球表面的可观测情况,进一步确认5次月食在殷都安阳的可视性。研究结果支持夏商周断代工程给出的5次月食的发生日期,并可为殷卜辞月食的深入研究提供一定的参考。

Functions of retired GEO communication satellites in improving the PDOP value of CAPS

This paper briefly introduces the maneuverable feature of the slightly inclined geosynchronous orbit (SIGSO) satellites under a new control model degraded from the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) communication satellites which will retire as most of the fuel in these satellites has been consumed. Basing on the transmitting Chinese Area Positioning System (CAPS), the authors, by analyses, indicate that such satellites can make an improvement to CAPS constellation configuration, especially to the PDOP value from simulation. The results show that the use of SIGSO satellites can (1) actualize three-dimensional (3D) navigation and positioning compared with the situation, which, only using GEO satellites, cannot be carried out, and improve navigation and positioning accuracy to some extent; (2) reuse the communication services of these satellites for more years, and GEO communication satellites will be retired at a later time and delay their time to become space debris and reduce their pollution of the space environment, so that valuable space resources are maximally used. As for the use of these satellites in the transmitting positioning system, the authors present some views and suggestions in this work.

Selection of satellite constellation framework of CAPS

Based on the idea of transmitting the satellite navigation and positioning system, taking the distribution and variation of the Position Dilution of Precision factor (PDOP), which is closely related with the precision of navigation and positioning, within the China area as the primary criterion, we analyze and discuss the tentative plan of constellation configuration consisting of geosynchronous orbit (GEO) communication satellites and inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites for the transmitting Chinese Area Positioning System (CAPS). We emphatically consider the effect on the PDOP by the three major orbit parameters including the inclination, eccentricity and right ascension of the ascend- ing node (RAAN) of IGSO satellites, to research the strategies of the constellation configuration of CAPS through software emulation. Various constellation configurations are analyzed and compared and the results show that the constellation configuration, consisting of three IGSO communication satellites in three orbits with the same inclination as 50°, the difference in RAAN as 120° and the same "8" shaped ground track centered near 115°E and four or five GEO communication satellites within 60°E to 150°E, can satisfy the requirement that Chinese domain is availably covered and the navigation and positioning with high precision could be obtained. Three relatively excellent constellation configurations are initially suggested and some concerned issues are discussed in this work.

Records of solar eclipse observations in ancient China

Like ancient people at other places of the world, the ancient Chinese lived in awe of the Sun. As they felt solar eclipses extremely significant events, they closely observed the occurrence of solar eclipse. Ancient astronomers further realized very early that solar eclipses were one of the important astronomical phenomena to revise and improve the ancient calendar. Interestingly, ancient emperors regarded solar eclipses as warnings from heaven that might affect the stability of their throne. Consequently, observing and recording solar eclipses became official, which dated far back to ancient China when numerous relevant descriptions were recorded in historical books. These records contribute substantially to China as an ancient civilization, as well as to the research of the long-term variation of the rotation rate of the Earth during >2000 years before the 17th century. This paper briefly reviews the perception, observations and recording of solar eclipses by ancient Chinese astronomers.