南极球载天文观测
doi: 10.11728/cjss2026.03.2025-0191 cstr: 32142.14.cjss.2025-0191
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程骏飞 男, 2002年3月出生于河北省沧州市, 现为中国科学院空天信息创新研究院研究生, 主要研究方向: 临近空间风速测量技术, 浮空器动力学控制 -
周江华 男, 1973年2月出生于江西省鹰潭市, 现为中国科学院空天信息创新研究院研究员, 中国科学院大学兼职教授, 博生生导师. 主要研究方向为临近空间飞行器飞行动力学与控制技术, 飞行任务规划和数字化仿真技术、自动驾驶仪与飞控系统工程研制. E-mail: Zhoujh@aircas.ac.cn
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Balloon-borne Astronomical Observations in Antarctica
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摘要: 南极大气凭借极低水汽含量和多种波段高透射率成为天文观测的绝佳地点之一. 尤其是其独特的极昼条件和稳定的极地涡旋, 为科学气球实现长时间定高飞行与绕极漂流提供了有利条件, 使科学气球成为低成本、高效率的观测平台. 1984年以来南极科学气球以美国麦克默多站为主要发放基地, 已完成数百项球载观测实验. 其中天文观测占主要部分, 涵盖粒子天体物理与非粒子天体物理两大领域, 涉及宇宙微波背景辐射测量, 星系太赫兹与宽波段光谱成像, 中微子与反物质观测等多项科学实验. 本文基于公开文献, 针对南极地区开展的高空球载天文观测实验进行系统综述, 并对中国南极气球基地建设进行展望: 开展环极长时间气球天文实验, 对提升中国的科学竞争力、增强南极地区的国际话语权具有重要意义.Abstract:
Antarctica is widely regarded as one of the most favorable natural laboratories for astronomy, owing to its exceptionally low atmospheric water vapor and correspondingly high transmittance across multiple wavebands. Beyond these radiative advantages, the Antarctic summer provides a unique operational regime for stratospheric scientific balloons: continuous daylight and a relatively stable polar vortex support long-duration, near-constant-float-altitude flights with circumpolar trajectories. These conditions enable balloon platforms to deliver space-like observing environments at substantially lower cost, with the added benefits of rapid iteration, recoverable payloads, and flexible mission design. Since 1984, the U.S. Antarctic balloon program - launched primarily from McMurdo Station - has carried out hundreds of balloon-borne experiments, with astronomical and astrophysical missions forming a major fraction of the overall portfolio. The resulting body of work spans two broad domains: particle astrophysics and electromagnetic (photon) astronomy. Representative themes include measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), terahertz observations and broadband spectral imaging of Galactic targets, and particle-oriented investigations such as neutrino-related observations and searches for antimatter components. Together, these missions have helped advance frontier science while simultaneously maturing key enabling technologies for near-space instrumentation, including long-duration platform operations, pointing and stabilization, low-noise detector readout, cryogenic subsystems, background suppression strategies, and robust telemetry, recovery, and reflight capability. Building on publicly available literature and mission records, this paper provides a systematic review of Antarctic balloon-borne astronomical experiments, organizing prior efforts by observing band, scientific objective, and payload and instrument class. By synthesizing the scientific drivers and the evolution of mission concepts, the review also highlights how Antarctic ballooning serves as a practical bridge between ground-based facilities and space missions-de-risking high-impact hardware and observation strategies in a repeatable, lower-cost environment. Finally, we discuss prospects for developing China’s Antarctic balloon infrastructure. Establishing a dedicated polar balloon capability and conducting long-duration circumpolar balloon astronomy campaigns would strengthen China’s competitiveness in near-space astrophysics, accelerate technology readiness through iterative fielding, and enhance China’s scientific visibility and influence in Antarctic research. -
图 1 Stratoscope系列球载望远镜实物
Figure 1. Photographs of Stratoscope series balloon-borne telescopes
图 2 SUNRISE载荷与PoGOLite载荷实物
Figure 2. Physical images of SUNRISE payload and PoGOLite payload
图 3 搭载日冕仪吊舱整体结构与日冕观测图像
Figure 3. Equipped with the overall structure of the coronagraph pod and the coronal observation images
图 5 极昼期东风极涡下的气球飞行轨迹
Figure 5. Balloon flight trajectory under the easterly polar vortex during the polar day period
图 6 南极气球主要发放基站. (a)麦克默多, (b)昭和站
Figure 6. Major Antarctic balloon launching base station. (a) McMurdo station, (b)Showa station
图 7 麦克默多站自2016－2024年期间进行的气球发放情况
Figure 7. Balloon distribution at McMurdo station from 2016 to 2024
图 8 BOOMERANG吊舱. (a) 吊舱结构, (b) 实物
Figure 8. BOOMERANG pod. (a) Pod structure, (b) physical image
图 9 EBEX实验吊舱结构 (a) 以及由单个150 GHz探测器对天空进行24 h扫描得到的扫描图 (b)
Figure 9. EBEX experimental pod structure (a), and scanning map obtained by scanning the sky for 24 h with a single 150 GHz detector (b)
图 10 大角尺度微波观测. (a) SPIDER-1, (b) SPIDER-2
Figure 10. Large angular scale microwave observations. (a) SPIDER-1, (b) SPIDER-2
图 11 GRAD实验气球. (a)飞行路径, (b)飞行剖面
Figure 11. GRAD experimental balloon. (a) Flight path diagram, (b) flight profile diagram
图 16 XL-Calibur吊舱 (a)与X射线偏振仪剖面 (b)
Figure 16. Schematic diagram of the XL-Calibur module (a) , and cross-sectional view of the X-ray polarimeter (b)
图 17 混合信号差频放大器 (a)及性能曲线(b)
Figure 17. Mixed-signal heterodyne amplifier (a) and performance curve (b)
图 18 从浮标高度观测的朝向猎户座的13COJ=3-2线
Figure 18. 13CO J=3-2 line toward Orion observed from the float height
图 20 BLAST-Pol有效载荷部分(起飞前/着陆后)
Figure 20. BLAST Pol payload section (before takeoff/after landing)
图 21 BLAST-TNG碳纤维主镜/铝制副镜
Figure 21. BLAST-TNG carbon fiber primary mirror/aluminum secondary mirror
图 24 来自CREAM-III的质子(a)和氦(b)光谱(实心圆)与幂律拟合(线)
Figure 24. Proton (a) and helium (b) spectra from CREAM-III (solid circles) and power law fitting (lines)
图 27 Super-TIGER结构中的二个单独模块 (a) 及吊舱实物 (b)
Figure 27. Super TIGER structure diagram shows two separate modules (a) and actual pod diagram (b)
图 29 BESS-Polar II仪器的断面和侧视图
Figure 29. Sectional and side views of BESS Polar II instrument
图 31 劳厄透镜成像与能谱分辨
Figure 31. Schematic diagram of Laue lens imaging and spectral resolution
表 1 国内外南极地区主要站点位置与地面极昼时长对比(30 km高空会有延长)
Table 1. Comparison of the locations of major stations in Antarctica both domestically and internationally, and the duration of polar day on the ground (Extended at 30 km altitude)
站点 昭和(日本) 麦克默多(美国) 秦岭(中国) 中山(中国) 泰山(中国) 昆仑(中国) 位置 69°00'S
39°25'E77°51'S
166°40'E74°55′S 163°42′E 69°22'S
76°22'E73°51'S
76°58'E80°25'S
77°06'E极昼/d 46 115 102 51 89 130 起始日期 11.28 10.25 11.02 11.26 11.07 10.17 结束日期 01.12 02.16 02.11 01.15 02.03 02.23 中天高度角 42.6°－44.4° 25.0°－35.6° 29.3°－38.5° 41.9°－44.1° 33.0°－39.6° 19.7°－33.0° 
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表 2 南极气球发放基站
Table 2. Antarctic balloon launching base station
名称 地理位置 所属国家 McMurdo station 77°51′S, 166°40′E 美国 Halley Research station 75°35′S, 26°34′W 英国 Mario Zucchelli 74°41′S, 164°06′E 意大利 Antarctique Concordia 75°06′S, 123°20′E 意大利/法国 Showa station 69°00′15″S, 39°34′55″E 日本
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表 3 非粒子天体物理实验
Table 3. Non-particle astrophysics experiment
主要方向 已在南极成功实验 尚在计划中 大爆炸宇宙学 BOOMERANG微波背景观测
EBEX微波辐射偏振观测
SPIDER大角尺度微波观测BETTII远红外光谱采集
COFE-T宇宙前景微波探测X和γ射线源 GRADγ射线探测
HIREGSγ射线和硬X射线探测
X-Calibur高能X射线偏振测量系内外行星观测 STO平流层太赫兹天文台
BLAST望远镜红移/行星观测EXCITE系外行星观测
Zodiac II系外星尘盘探测
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表 4 粒子天体物理实验
Table 4. Particle astrophysics experiment
主要方向 已在南极成功实验 宇宙线起源和加速 ATIC宇宙先进薄型离子探测
CREAM宇宙线能量和质量探测
Super-TIGER银河全离子成分记录中微子天文 ANITA南极暂现脉冲观测 暗物质和反物质 BESS Polar气球超导磁谱仪实验
ATIC宇宙先进薄型离子探测
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