In the golden autumn, a season of harvest, a group of scientists gathered at the Friendship Palace in Beijing to witness a grand moment for an award-giving ceremony. The meeting attendees are waiting with anticipation for the winners of the “Jeou-jang Jaw Award for Young and Middle-aged Scientists of Excellence”, a renowned academic award in the field of weather physics, geo-physics, space physics and space exploration.
Li Jing, a chief scientist from State Key Laboratory of Microwave and Remote Sensing, National Space Science Center, is one of the “lucky” four award-winners. However, the colleagues around him know that it is not “luck” that should account for the achievement. Emerging from 27 competitors who are excellent in their filed, Li Jing was nominated as one of the four final winners.
The award is named after Jeou-jang Jaw, a renowned meteorologist, geophysicist and space physicist in China. The award is established in 1989 and there are 79 scientists who have earned this special honor in the past 20 years. The award has significant impact on the scientists in space physics, geophysics, space physics and space exploration and the award has great inspirational role to play in the research of high tech innovation.
Knowledge Accumulation in the pursuit of academic career
Li Jing, born in May 1967 in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, is a person of decision-making. When it comes to his personality, he commented that “I would like to make decisions when I was very young”. After an arduous struggle for College Entrance Examination, which is deemed as “tens of thousands warriors and soldiers charging through a foot log-bridge, Li Jing chose the major of Radio Technology in the prestigious Jilin University. The feature of the major is the combination of science and engineering which lays a solid theoretical foundation for his future development. During his bachelor years in Jilin University, he never let a single day idle away. When the final result of the examination was unveiled, he always came as the top students. Upon graduation, he was the top 1 in his major and was sent to Chang Chun Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to pursue his master program majoring in Mapping and Remote Sensing.
As Li Jing proceeded the master program study from 1990 to 1994, he put the theory learning and practical study side by side by carrying out measuring the microwave and radioactive characteristics of ground typical objects in Jingyuetan Remote Sensing Experimental Station, a radioactive experimental zone with typical Northeastern ecological system. The station witnessed Li Jing’s busy work: studying soil moister in summer day,plant growth in spring and autumn, snow and lake ice in winter. A considerable amount of data and practical experience has been accumulated and the theoretical values tally perfectly with the measuring values, which improved and enriched Li Jing’s understanding of Remote Sensing.
Starting from 1994, Li Jing officially kicked off his PhD work under the supervision of Zhang Junrong, a distinguished professor of remote sensing. His research interest shifted a little bit to microwave radiometer design and he initiated and developed the real time calibration type microwave radiometer and Gain auto-compensation type microwave radiometer. Due to his academic excellence, he won the “CAS President Scholarship”, the highest reward in post-graduate education in Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In 1997, Li Jing came to Center for Space Science and Applied Research, CAS, for post-doc research in the design of high quality microwave radiometer and millimeter wave radiometer. His research contributed to the improvement of system sensitivity and system linearity which paved the way for satellite borne microwave radiometer application. Meanwhile, progress has been achieved in the design of millimeter wave band radiometer and microwave radiometer in W, F and G wave band, which is deemed as the first time in the history of China. In addition, the existence of reverse radiation has been proved which provides theoretical guidance to the design of microwave radiometer and improvement of calibration accuracy of microwave radiometer.
Self Actualization in Various Missions
Upon finishing his post doc research in 1999, Li Jing was offered to do research at Center for Space Science and Applied Research, CAS, mainly engaging in the design of millimeter wave band radiometer and the design of satellite borne microwave radiometer and quantitative application research, which ushers in his arduous work in the spaceflight.
From June 1999 to October 2002, Li Jing was responsible for the Sino-Korean scientific cooperation on “94 GHz Microwave Radiometer Design”. He teamed up the Chinese scientists to do the system design of receiver and the receiving calibration work. Through 3 years of hard work, the team produced the first microwave radiometer of the highest frequency which received overwhelming applause from the Korean side and promoted the Sino-Korean scientific exchanges.
Li Jing did not want to rest in laurel and dwell in the success of the Sino-Korean project. He also found no time for that, because he became the team leader for millimeter wave radiometer which is an integral part of an 863 project: Advanced Modularization Microwave Remote Sensor. His team produced the first ever picture in China of airborne W wave band microwave radiation.
Li Jing achieved technological breakthroughs not only in millimeter wave radiometer and high accuracy microwave radiometer but also in space borne microwave radiometer design. The study of space borne microwave remote sensing in China derived from the main payload of “Shenzhou 4”: Multi-mode Microwave Remote Sensor. At that time, Li Jing was the principle investigator of microwave front and ground check facilities, which is a comprehensive technical experimental system including a radar altimeter, a radar scatter meter and a multi-channel microwave radiometer. The demand of isolation of internal calibration of altimeter and scatter meter is larger than 120dB, which is a global technical difficulty. He tried to seek cooperation from an array of research institutes, but due to the task-demanding nature of the mission, the research institutes he contacted decline the offer. His team had to rely on its own and they initiated a new design to improve the isolation. Eventually, the team made it and this paved the way for the operation of multimode microwave remote sensing in orbit.
Forging ahead in the “FengYun” mission
If the Sino-Korean scientific cooperation, the 863 project, the manned spaceflight mission are the major milestones in Li Jing’s research career which enhanced his competence, another milestone could not afford to be neglected: the MicroWave Humidity Sounder(MWHS) for “FengYun 3” mission. The technical parameters set for MWHS reached the international level. Thanks to the outstanding work in previous years, the China Meteorological Administration decided to invite Li Jing as the principle investigator for the microwave humidity sounder for “FengYun 3” mission. Not having time for a break, he once again had heavy task on his shoulders. And this time, the challenge is unprecedented. As a young principle investigator, he has to deal with the overall plan of design and to finish the design with his team members punctually. The challenge is that the MWHS is added to the payload, so there is not enough time for design. The team members had to work around the clock.
In five years, Li Jing and his team members shoveled numerous difficulties under a pressing schedule. The five year witness countless night shifts and extra work. The team figured out the most rational design and finished the Bread Model (BM), Engineering Model(EM) and the Flying Model(FM). The FM was put in thermal vacuum calibration experiment which lays foundation for the quantitative application of the payload. In the end, they caught up the speed of the overall design of the “FengYun 3”satellite.
As the reprehensive of outstanding Chinese scientists, Li Jing with a team of 30 young scientists is striving for more innovation and breakthroughs. He intentionally cultivated an atmosphere of scientific seriousness and harmony, which is conducive to nurturing the next generation scientists.
(Supplied by Office of International Cooperation, NSSC)
