Modern Numerical Ephemerides of Planets and the Importance of Ranging Observations for Their Creation

The JPL planetary and lunar ephemerides – DE200/LE200, DE403/LE403, DE405/LE405 and the planetary and lunar ephemerides, EPM87, EPM98, and EPM2000, constructed in the Institute of Applied Astronomy of RAS are described. Common properties and differences of the various ephemerides are given. Graphical comparisons of the DE ephemerides with each other and with the EPM ephemerides are presented. A fairly good agreement of planetary orbits is between DE403, DE405 and EPM98, EPM2000, respectively, over the interval of 120 years (1886–2006) covered by EPM98 and EPM2000. Some differences are explained by a slight disagreement in representing the orbits of Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta as they affect the planets. The accurate radar observations of planets and spacecraft make it possible not only to improve the orbital elements of planets but to determine a broad set of astronomical constants as well: km/AU, parameters of Mars rotation including its precessional rate, the masses of Jupiter, Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta, relativistic parameters of the PPN formalism, the variability of the gravitational constant G. These have been obtained in the fitting process of the DE405 and EPM2000 ephemerides to observational data, including nearly 80000 American and Russian radar observations of planets (1961–1997), ranging and doppler to the Viking and Pathfinder landers, and other miscellaneous measurements from various sources and spacecraft.     

A Disconnection Event of Comet Lulin†

The cometary disconnection event (DE) is the separation of the entire cometary tail or a part of it from the cometary head. It is one of the most spectacular phenomena of comets. The driving mechanism remains unclear, and at present there are many competitive theories to explain the onset of DE. However, the variable solar wind is suspected to play a major role. Comet Lulin exhibited a DE on 4th Feb. 2009. The data around this date are analyzed, and it is found that the comet Lulin had already endured a DE on 3rd Feb. 2009. By comparing the morphologies of the plasma tails in these two DEs, it is concluded that the DE which occurred on 3rd Feb. 2009 is another DE, which is distinct from that of 4th Feb. 2009. In this paper, we describe the results of analysis on the DE dated 3rd Feb. 2009. The measured velocity of disconnection motion is about 68 km/s, and the calculated onset time of this DE is 3.635 ± 0.215 Feb. 2009 in UT decimal date. Combining the orbital characteristics of Comet Lulin before and after the DE occurrence and the solar-wind data measured by the STEREO-A spacecraft, it is concluded that the DE which occurred on 3rd Feb. 2009 was probably caused by the magnetic reconnection due to the interaction between the comet and a coronal mass ejection (CME).     

Tracing the nature of dark energy with galaxy distribution

Dynamical dark energy (DE) is a viable alternative to the cosmological constant. Constructing tests to discriminate between Λ and dynamical DE models is difficult, however, because the differences are not large. In this paper we explore tests based on the galaxy mass function, the void probability function (VPF), and the number of galaxy clusters. At high z , the number density of clusters shows large differences between DE models, but geometrical factors reduce the differences substantially. We find that detecting a model dependence in the cluster redshift distribution is a significant challenge. We show that the galaxy redshift distribution is potentially a more sensitive characteristic. We do this by populating dark matter haloes in N -body simulations with galaxies using well-tested halo occupation distributions. We also estimate the VPF and find that samples with the same angular surface density of galaxies, in different models, exhibition almost model-independent VPF which therefore cannot be used as a test for DE. Once again, geometry and cosmic evolution compensate each other. By comparing VPFs for samples with fixed galaxy mass limits, we find measurable differences.     

鹿林彗星的断尾事件研究

鹿林彗星在2009年2月4日(UT)发生了一次断尾事件,通过对2月4日前后的观测数据进行分析,发现在2月3日鹿林彗星就已发生过一次断尾事件.对2月3日发生的断尾事件进行研究可得出断尾移动的速度为68 km·s-1,断尾事件发生的时间为2009年2月3日(15.24土5.16)时.结合断尾事件发生前后鹿林彗星的轨道特征和STEREO-A飞船所测量到的太阳风数据,鹿林彗星2月3日发生的断尾事件可能是由于日冕物质抛射和彗星相互作用导致的磁重联引起的.     

Dark energy and future singularity of the universe in Kaluza-Klein space time

The dark energy model with the equation of state \(p_{\mathit{DE}} = {-} \rho_{\mathit{DE}} - A\rho_{\mathit{DE}}^{\alpha} \) is studied in Kaluza-Klein space time. The model comprises and provides realization of several types of singularities in different parameter regimes. We discuss the finite-time singularities into four classes and explicitly present the models which give rise to these singularities by assuming the form of the equation of state of dark energy. Also, we discussed the models in terms of the cosmological redshift and some observational parameters.     

Comparisons and Evaluations of JPL Ephemerides

In the light of the wide applications of a series of ephemerides developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA to many aspects like the deep-space navigation and interplanetary exploration, it is necessary to make comparisons of their contents, applicable ranges, realizations and maintenances. In view of the fact that the explorations of the Venus and Mars are expected to carry out in China, their dynamical models and the adopted observational data are analysis by taking the DE405, DE421 and DE423 to be the examples. From the evaluations of the accuracies and performances of the above-mentioned ephemerides of different editions, their effects on the probes orbiting around the Venus or Mars are emphatically discussed, and a suggestion is given for their use that as far as the Venus missions are concerned, the use of the DE423 is recommend, and that the use of the DE421 or DE423 is recommended for the Mars Missions.     

Reconstruction of f(T) gravity from the Holographic Dark Energy

Among different candidates to play the role of Dark Energy (DE), modified gravity has emerged as offering a possible unification of Dark Matter (DM) and DE. The purpose of this work is to develop a reconstruction scheme for the modified gravity with f(T) action using holographic energy density. In the framework of the said modified gravity we have considered the equation of state of the Holographic DE (HDE) density. Subsequently we have developed a reconstruction scheme for modified gravity with f(T) action. Finally we have obtained a modified gravity action consistent with the HDE scenario.     

Nature of dark energy and polarization measurements

High sensitivity polarization measures, on wide angular scales, together with data on anisotropy, can be used to fix DE parameters. In this paper, first of all, we aim to determine the sensitivity needed to provide significant limits. Our analysis puts in evidence that there is a class of DE models that polarization measures can possibly exclude soon. This class includes models with DE due to a Ratra–Peebles (RP) potential. Using a likelihood analysis, we show that it is possible to distinguish RP models from ΛCDM and other dynamical DE models, already with the sensitivity of experiments like SPOrt or WMAP, thanks to their negative TE correlation at low-l, when the optical depth τ is sufficiently large. On the contrary, fixing the energy scale Λ for RP potentials or distinguishing between ΛCDM and other DE potentials requires a much lower pixel noise, that no planned polarization experiment will achieve. While reviewing this paper after the referee report, the first-year WMAP data were released. WMAP finds large positive anisotropy–polarization correlations at low l; this apparently excludes DE models with RP potentials.     

Comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2): Spectacular disconnection event and the latitudinal structure of the solar wind

Images of comet Hyakutake (C/1996 B2) are analyzed in conjunction with solar wind data from spacecraft to determine the relationship between solar wind conditions and plasma tail morphology. The disconnection event (DE) on March 25, 1996 is analyzed with the aid of data from the IMP-8 and WIND Earth-orbiting spacecraft and the DE is found to be correlated with a crossing of the heliospheric current sheet. The comet was within of Earth at the time of the DE and data from IMP-8 and WIND show no high-speed streams, significant density enhancements or shocks.The latitudinal variation in the appearance and orientation of the plasma tail are interpreted based on results from the Ulysses spacecraft. In the polar solar wind region, the comet has a relatively undisturbed appearance, no DEs were observed, and the orientation of the plasma tail was consistent with a higher solar wind speed. In the equatorial solar wind region, the comet's plasma tail had a disturbed appearance, a major DE was observed, and the orientation of the plasma tail was consistent with a lower solar wind speed. The boundary between the equatorial and polar regions crossed by comet Hyakutake in April 1996 was near 30°N (ecliptic) or 24°N (solar) latitude.     

The effect of various solar ephemerides on equator and equinox solutions from observations of the Sun with the reversible transit circle at Cape observatory from 1907 to 1959

Observations of the Sun were made with the Cape reversible transit circle from 1907 to 1959. We have made least squares solutions for six unknowns viz., equator and equinox corrections and corrections to earth orbital parameters including the ephemeris mean longitude of the Sun, the mean obliquity of the ecliptic, the mean longitude of perihelion, and the mean eccentricity of the earth's orbit based on Newcomb's, DE102, and DE200 Ephemerides for each of six catalogs of observations made during that period. The six unknowns are also determined simultaneously for the six catalogs taken together. The six catalogs are absolute, in that methods of observation and reduction were adopted in such a way as to produce a system of results not closely dependent on the adopted system of assumed clock and azimuth star positions.The observed equator and equinox corrections from a comparison of DE200 with the Cape Sun observations referred to an improved FK4 system are –0.07±0.01 arcsec and –0.20±0.04 arcsec, respectively, at the mean epoch of observation, 1933.02. The time rate of change of the equator correction was not significant. The time rate of change of the observed equinox is –1.02±0.30 arcsec per century.The observed equinox correction of the DE102 at 1933.02 is –0.41±0.04 arcsec, which is 0.5 arcsec less than the NEWCOMB (Herget) equinox correction. This confirms the result based on Washington Sun observations.     

Planetary elements for 10 000 000 years

In 1950 Brouwer and van Woerkom published a secular theory of the variations of the planetary elements in analytical form. In the present paper we provide a graphical representation of this theory in the form of element plots for a time span of ten million years.     

Orientation of the hipparcos frame with respect to the reference frames of the DE403/LE403 and DE405/LE405 ephemerides based on asteroid observations

Highly accurate observations of 116 asteroids are used to determine the orientation of the Hipparcos frame with respect to the reference frames of the DE403/LE403 and DE405/LE405 majorplanet ephemerides. These observations include the photographic observations of 15 asteroids obtained as part of the programs for observing selected asteroids and reduced to the Hipparcos frame using dependences, the space observations of 48 asteroids obtained by the Hipparcos satellite, and the presentday observations of 116 asteroid performed in the frame of the ACT catlog. The total number of observations used is more than 50 000 in the interval 1949–2007. Processing this series has yielded the following estimates of the orientation parameters: ω _x = 0.12 ± 0.08 mas yr^?1, ω _y = 0.66 ± 0.09 mas yr^?1, and ω _z = ?0.56 ± 0.16 mas yr^?1. This rotation may be attributable to a peculiarity of the transition from the reference frame of the DE200/LE200 ephemerides to that of DE403/LE403 ephemerides (since October 1, 1988, to J2000) that consists in the the assumption that the former reference frame has no rotation relative to the ICRF.     

Impact trajectories of the asteroid Apophis in the 21st century

The asteroid Apophis is one of the most hazardous near-Earth asteroids. As a result of the scattering of Apophis?? potential trajectories after its close approach in 2029, and its possible approach in 2036, there are many dangerous trajectories including impact trajectories after 2036. The purpose of this study is to identify and investigate these trajectories. We use the Everhart integrator; the DE405, DE423, and EPM2008 ephemerides; and two sets of initial data for Apophis (those collected by NASA in 2006 and by the IAA in 2010). More than 50 possible encounters in this century are presented, including 13 encounters between 2036 and 2050. The minimum geocentric distances obtained using a different ephemeris and initial conditions differ little between themselves. Analogous results in (Yeomans et al., 2009) are consistent with our results.     

Accurate analytical representation of Pluto modern ephemeris

An accurate development of the latest JPL’s numerical ephemeris of Pluto, DE421, to compact analytical series is done. Rectangular barycentric ICRF coordinates of Pluto from DE421 are approximated by compact Fourier series with a maximum error of 1.3 km over 1900–2050 (the entire time interval covered by the ephemeris). To calculate Pluto positions relative to the Sun, a development of rectangular heliocentric ICRF coordinates of the Solar System barycenter to Poisson series is additionally made. As a result, DE421 Pluto heliocentric positions by the new analytical series are represented to an accuracy of better than 5 km over 1900–2050.     

On the precession expressions based on the de ephemeris

Since 1984, the new IAU (1976) System of Astronomical Constants has become effective; meanwhile, the new lunar and planetary ephemerides (DE200/LE200) have been introduced into the Astronomical Almanac. In order to obtain the best fit of these ephemerides to the observational data, some modifications to the constants were made (Kaplan 1961). The modified values of these constants have been accepted by many users (particularly in the Merit Project), (Melbourne et al. 1983), although there has not been any new resolution of IAU. To avoid these inconsistencies, it seems to be necessary to rediscuss the adopted value of some astronomical constants in the new system. This paper discusses the problems for selection of the precession quantities and derives the precession expressions based on the motion of ecliptic from the DE ephemeris.     

月面反射器观测位置的高精度预报

本文利用JPL的DE303/LE303星历表建立了一套预报月面反射器相对于地面观测站位置的计算机程序,并对预报精度作了估计,结果表明预报精度达到毫角秒级。     

Compressed planetary and lunar ephemerides

A package of FORTRAN software has been developed which provides planetary and lunar positions, with respect to the solar system barycenter, for all times in the interval 1801–2049; positions agree to 1 milliarcsecond with those generated by Jet Propulsion Laboratory Development Ephemeris 200 (DE200). The system consists of approximately 800 kilobytes of ephemeris files and 40 kilobytes of programs, totalling 5% of the storage required by DE200. After removal of reference orbits, segments of DE200 positions were fitted by finite Chebyshev series of degree 40. The Chebyshev coefficients were rounded to integer multiples of a suitable unit and packed to form the ephemeris files.     

IERS1996规范在参考系方面的改进

对ＩＥＲＳ１９９６规范中有关参考系方面作了简单而系统的介绍，重点叙述了与ＩＥＲＳ１９９２标准相比ＩＥＲＳ１９９６规范在参考系方面的主要改进：天球参考架中的基本源从５７颗增加到２３６颗；动力学参考架采用ＪＰＬ ＤＥ４０３／ＬＥ４０３历表代替ＤＥ２００／ＬＥ２００历表；采用ＮＵＶＥＬ ＮＮＲ－１Ａ板块运动模型代替ＮＵＶＥＬ ＮＮＲ－１模型；变更了９个基本常数值；给出了天极坐标的观测和理论间差的经验模型     

Russian lunar ephemeris EPM-ERA 2012

The paper describes the lunar ephemeris EPM-ERA 2012. It is a part of the Ephemerides of Planets and the Moon (EPM) developed at the Institute of Applied Astronomy (IAA) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). In order to construct EPM-ERA 2012, 17580 lunar laser ranging (LLR) observations for 1970–2012 have been processed including 21 observations from the Lunokhod 1 reflector found by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) at the end of 2010. EPM-ERA 2012 is compared with American ephemerides DE403, DE405, DE421 ephemeris, and the French ephemeris INPOP10. The possibility of the use of the ephemeris EPM-ERA 2012 to address contemporary problems of ephemeris astronomy is considered.