Pointing and tracking errors due to low-frequency deformation in inter-satellite laser communication

摘要

A Gaussian random-phase screen (GRPS) model is proposed to represent the low-frequency wave-front deformation in inter-satellite laser-communication links. The model is used to investigate mutual-alignment errors comprising pointing and tracking errors caused by the low-frequency deformation. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation show that the GRPS root-mean-square (RMS) value, pointing error, and tracking error increase with the amplitude factor and the scale length in the model. The expectation of RMS increases in the form of a linear function with and increases in the form of a cubic function with . The expectations of the pointing and tracking errors increase with increases in the expected values for and . For a specific pointing error or tracking error, the 99.5% confidence interval of the RMS of the low-frequency wave-front deformation is provided. From this confidence interval, the lower limit of the processing precision of optical antennas corresponding to certain mutual-alignment errors can be predicted. These conclusions are expected to be instrumental in designing inter-satellite laser-communication systems.