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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1962

CELESTIAL GEODESY

Review of celestial geodesy and discussion of principles, and general theories

CELESTIAL GEODESY↗
NASA NTRS1995

Astrometric and Geodetic Properties of Earth and the Solar System

The mass, size and shape of planets and their satellites and are essential information from which one can consider the balance of gravity and tensile strength, chemical makeup and such factors as internal temperature or porosity. Orbits and planetary rotation are also useful clues concerning origin, internal structure and tidal history. The tables compiled here include some of the latest results such as detection of densities of Pluto-Charon from analysis of HST images and the latest results for Venus' shape, gravity field and pole orientation based on Magellan spacecraft data. Data concerning prominent asteroids, comets and Sun are also included. Most of the material here is presented as tables. They are preceded by brief explanations of the relevant geophysical and orbit parameters. More complete explanations can be found in any of several reference texts on geodesy, geophysics and celestial mechanics.

Yoder, Charles F.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The Southern Hemisphere VLBI experiment

Six radio telescopes were operated as the first Southern Hemisphere VLBI array in April and May 1982. Observations were made at 2.3 and 8.4 GHz. This array provided VLBI modeling and hybrid imaging of celestial radio sources in the Southern Hemisphere, high-accuracy VLBI geodesy between Southern Hemisphere sites, and subarcsecond radio astrometry of celestial sources south of declination -45 deg. The goals and implementation of the array are discussed, the methods of modeling and hybrid image production are explained, and the VLBI structure of the sources that were observed is summarized.

Preston, Robert A.↗
NASA NTRS2023

On More than Two Decades of Celestial Reference Frame VLBI Observations in the Deep South: IVS-CRDS (1995 - 2021)

The International VLBI Service for Geodesy & Astrometry (IVS) regularly provides high-quality data to produce Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP), and for the maintenance and realization of the International Terrestrial and Celestial Reference Frames, ITRF and ICRF. The first iteration of the celestial reference frame (CRF) at radio wavelengths, the ICRF1, was adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 1997 to replace the FK5 optical frame. Soon after, the IVS began official operations and in 2009 there was a significant increase in data sufficient to warrant a second iteration of the CRF, ICRF2. The most recent ICRF3, was adopted by the IAU in 2018. However, due to the geographic distribution of observing stations being concentrated in the Northern hemisphere, CRFs are generally weaker in the South due to there being fewer Southern Hemisphere observations. To increase the Southern Hemisphere observations, and the density, precision of the sources, a series of deep South observing sessions was initiated in 1995. This initiative in 2004 became the IVS Celestial Reference Frame Deep South (IVS-CRDS) observing program. This paper covers the evolution of the CRDS observing program for the period 1995 to 2021, details the data products and results, and concludes with a summary of upcoming improvements to this ongoing project.

VLBI↗
NASA NTRS1988

The southern hemisphere VLBI experiment (SHEVE)

Six radio telescopes were operated as the first southern hemisphere VLBI array in April and May 1982. Observations were made at 2.3 and 8.4 Ghz. This array produced VLBI images of 28 southern hemisphere radio sources, high accuracy VLBI geodesy between southern hemisphere sites, and sub-arcsecond radio astrometry of celestial sources south of declination -45 degrees. This paper discusses only the astrophysical aspects of the experiment.

Preston, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

The AuScope Project and Trans-Tasman VLBI

Three 12-meter radio telescopes are being built in Australia (the AuScope project) and one in New Zealand. These facilities will be fully-equipped for undertaking S and X-band geodetic VLBI observations and correlation will take place on a software correlator (part of the AuScope project). All sites are equipped with permanent GPS receivers to provide co-location of several space geodetic techniques. The following scientific tasks of geodesy and astrometry are considered. 1. Improvement and densification of the International Celestial Reference Frame in the southern hemisphere; 2. Improvement of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame in the region; 3. Measurement of intraplate deformation of the Australian tectonic plate.

Lovell, Jim↗
NASA NTRS1980

Radio interferometry: Techniques for Geodesy

Progress in the development and application of radio interferometry as a tool for geophysical research is reported and discussed. Among the topics reviewed are: Surveys of is the Seventies, Movements, Terrestrial and Celestial, Degrees Kelvin and Degrees of Phase, the Mark 3 VLBI System, Waves of the Future and other Emissions, and Adherence and Coherence in Networks, and Plans.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1976

Geodesy and cartography

Geodesy and cartography provide the geometric framework on which most investigations of planets are ultimately based. Specifically, the products of these disciplines provide information on the following: (1) the dimensions of the planet, (2) a mathematical figure of reference for the planet, (3) the orientation of the body in the celestial coordinate system, (4) the rotational constants, (5) a defined system of coordinates, (6) the location of surface points in the defined coordinate system, (7) the gravity potential expressed in spherical harmonics, (8) topographic and thematic maps, and (9) surface albedo in various wavelengths. The relevance of geodesy and cartography to planetology is discussed, and the requirements of data acquisition and mission design are considered.

Batson, R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Geodetic and dynamical properties of planets

The study of planetary dynamics and geodesy is a difficult subject. This is so, not simply because of the complexity of the interactions between several scientific disciplines, including geophysics, geology, geochemistry, seismology, celestial mechanics, radar astronomy, and meteoritics, but perhaps more fundamentally, because of a lack of data. Although it is true that the space age has brought about important new observational techniques, which are responsible in large part for the rapid developments in planetary science over the past decade, and although we should expect to see significant progress in the field over the next few years, it is still a sad fact that data will be severely limited for an indefinite period of time in the future. The basic problem is that we can observe and study, at present, only one planetary system in the universe. This system, our solar system, contains only four major planets, five terrestrial planets, where we are inclined to include the moon but exclude Pluto, and a fairly limited collection of debris, presumably left over from some inadequately understood formation process. Thus it is impossible to base the study of planets on a significant statistical sample.

J. D.. Anderson↗
NASA NTRS1981

Development of a radio-astrometric catalog by means of very long baseline interferometry observations

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been developing a radio-astrometric catalogue for use in the application of radio interferometry to interplanetary navigation and geodesy. The catalogue consists of approximately 100 compact extragalactic radio sources whose relative positions have formal uncertainties of the order of 0.01 arcsec. The sources cover nearly all of the celestial sphere above -40 deg declination. By using the optical counterparts of many of these radio sources, this radio reference frame has been tied to the FK4 optical system with a global accuracy of approximately 0.1 arcsec. This paper describes the status of this work.

Fanselow, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Time, geodesy, and astrometry: Results from radio interferometry

The results from a total of a dozen transcontinental and intercontinental VLBI experiments are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on: (1) the inferred behavior of the frequency standards, usually hydrogen masers, on time scales from 10 to 100,000 seconds; (2) the estimated celestial positions of the observed radio sources; (3) the determinations of the vector baselines; and (4) the inferred values of polar motion and UT.1.

Clark, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Refinement of Models for VLBI Analysis

Continual refinement of models and estimation methods is an integral part of improving VLBI measurements of Earth orientation and position along with advances in instrumentation and observing strategy. The modeling of the troposphere continues to be challenging with recent improvements in treating the mean gradient and gradient variations affecting the terrestrial reference frame scale and celestial declinations near the current limits of accuracy. Revised models of nutation and solid Earth tides are implemented in CALC 9.0 to conform to the latest IERS Conventions along with other changes to facilitate use by VLBI correlators. Using data since 1995 the celestial reference frame has been extended and improved consistent with the definition and 0.25 mas accuracy limit of the ICRF. The current definition of the VLBI terrestrial reference frame places a floor on the accuracy of station velocities at the 0.4 mm/yr level. The establishment of the IVS (International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry) in the past year will provide a forum for further improvements of VLBI data analysis.

Ma, C.↗