Polar motion estimates from linear combinations of independent series

This paper describes methods for combining independent observations of polar motion into a single time series, and applies these methods to satellite laser ranging, Doppler, and astrometric polar motion data taken over the period 1981--1983. The polar motion data are treated as complex valued time series, yielding one estimate of the noise level for each series, rather than a separate estimate for X and Y components. Estimates of the noise level which take advantage of the existence of simultaneous observations are preferred. Linear combination of the data may be performed in both the time and the frequency domain, and examples of each are present. The results of analyzing three years of observations show little difference between the Allan and conventional variance. Present day Doppler determinations do not show marked improvement compared to classical astrometric results. Thus, the astrometric observations are still useful.     

High-precision VLBI astrometric observations of radio-emitting stars for detection of extra-solar planets

The displacement of a radio-emitting star around the barycenter of a possible planetary system can be measured by astrometric very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. We have observed the radio-emitting star ² CrB at 8 epochs over 5 years by VLBI and fitted its 5 astrometric parameters to the observed coordinates. The post-fit coordinate residuals have an rms scatter of 0.22 milliarcseconds and show no systematic behavior. We use this result to set a limit on the presence of planets around ² CrB and conclude that our present VLBI astrometric precision corresponds to the threshold to detect a Jupiter-like planet around this star. We also discuss the astrometric monitoring program of 11 radio-emitting stars that we are conducting for the Hipparcos space mission and its possible contribution to a long-term planet search program.Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.     

New photometry and astrometry of the isolated neutron star RX J0720.4–3125 using recent VLT/FORS observations

Since the first optical detection of RX J0720.4–3125 various observations have been performed to determine astrometric and photometric data. We present the first detection of the isolated neutron star in the V Bessel filter to study the spectral energy distribution and derive a new astrometric position. At ESO Paranal we obtained very deep images with FORS 1 (three hours exposure time) of RX J0720.4–3125 in the V Bessel filter in January 2008. We derive the visual magnitude by standard star aperture photometry. Using sophisticated resampling software we correct the images for field distortions. Then we derive an updated position and proper motion value by comparing its position with FORS 1 observations of December 2000. We calculate a visual magnitude of V = 26.81 ± 0.09 mag, which is seven times in excess of what is expected from X‐ray data, but consistent with the extant U, B, and R data. Over about a seven year epoch difference we measured a proper motion of μ = 105.1 ± 7.4 mas yr^–1 towards θ = 296.951° ± 0.0063° (NW), consistent with previous data (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Microarcsecond astrometry using the SKA

The sensitivity and versatility of SKA will provide microarcsec astrometric precision and high quality milliarcsec-resolution images by simultaneously detecting calibrator sources near the target source. To reach these goals, we suggest that the long-baseline component of SKA contains at least 25% of the total collecting area in a region between 1000 and 5000 km from the core SKA. We also suggest a minimum of 60 elements in the long-baseline component of SKA to provide the necessary (u–v) coverage. For simultaneous all-sky observations, which provide absolute astrometric and geodetic parameters, we suggest using 10 independent subarrays each composed of at least six long-baseline elements correlated with the core SKA. We discuss many anticipated SKA long-baseline astrometric experiments: determination of distance, proper motion and orbital motion of thousands of stellar objects; planetary motion detections; mass determination of degenerate stars using their kinetics; calibration of the universal distance scale from 10 to 10⁷ pc; the core and inner-jet interactions of AGN. With an increase by a factor of 10 in absolute astrometric accuracy using simultaneous all sky observations, the fundamental quasar reference frame can be defined to <10 μas and tied to the solar-system dynamic frame to this accuracy. Parameters associated with the earth rotation and orientation, nutation, and geophysical parameters, can be accurately monitored. Tests of fundamental physics include: solar and Jovian deflection experiments, the sky frame accuracy needed to interpret the gravity wave/pulsar-timing experiment, accurate monitoring of spacecraft orbits that impact solar system dynamics.     

An estimation of the oblateness of Sun from the motion of Icarus

From astrometric observations of minor planet (1566) Icarus from 1949 to 1987 were made solutions for improved orbital elements of Icarus and the quadrupole moment of the Sun. The formal result was J₂ = -0.6±5.8 &d 10^–6. From this we can conclude that J ₂ is very probably less than 2 · 10^–-5.     

Comparison of the four catalogues by pairs,the Hipparcos,new Hipparcos,EOC‐2 and IL,by using μδ for the common 1120 stars

We present comparison results of our Independent Latitude (IL) catalogue of μ_δ determinations for 1120 bright stars with the Hipparcos, new Hipparcos and Earth Orientation Catalogue (EOC‐2) values. Also, we took into consideration the EOC3 and EOC4 (recent versions of EOC catalogues). Our μ_δ values are based on zenith telescope observations from seven Independent Latitude (IL) observatories. The IL measures are spanning a time baseline of up to 90 years which is the key advantage to the accurate determination of μ_δ. The short interval of the Hipparcos satellite observations is a disadvantage for a good accuracy of stellar proper motion, especially in the case of double and multiple stars. For this reason many astrometric catalogues have appeared after the publication of the Hipparcos including our IL catalogue. These catalogues are an appropriate combination of the Hipparcos satellite and ground‐based data which yields more accurate stellar coordinates and/or their proper motions. Among various types of ground‐based observations the latitude and universal time variations obtained from several million observations of stars reduced to the Hipparcos reference system were used for this purpose. These observations were obtained during almost the entire last century and were originally used to determine the Earth Orientation Parameters. It is also possible to use these data in the inverse task of checking the accuracy of stellar coordinates and/or their proper motions listed in the Hipparcos Catalogue. Such latitude and universal time variations data are the basis of the EOC and IL catalogues. In this paper, we computed the differences in μ_δ values between pairs of catalogues and analyzed the results to characterize the μ_δ errors for the four catalogues with a special focus on our IL catalogue. The standard errors of μ_δ for IL stars observed over more than 20 years are mostly smaller than or equal to the Hipparcos errors, and close to the accuracy level of the EOC‐2 (EOC‐3, EOC‐4) and the new Hipparcos. The resulting investigations of errors of differences of μ_δ, show that all four catalogues have relatively small random and systematic errors which are close to each other meaning that the corresponding μ_δ values have a high accuracy. Our sample also contains detected double and multiple stars for which the effects of the orbital and proper motions are difficult to separate. The differences of μ_δ values for these stars generally exceed those obtained for single stars. Also, these discrepancies could be attributed to effect of possible, still unrecognized, astrometric binaries. These investigations about the proper motions and double stars are in line with the activity of the IAU Working Group on Astrometry by Small Ground‐Based Telescopes. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Mutual occultations and eclipses of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter in 2002–2003: final astrometric results

The photometry of mutual occultations and eclipses of natural planetary satellites can be used to infer very accurate astrometric data. This can be achieved by processing the light curves of the satellites observed during international campaigns of photometric observations of these mutual events.
This work focuses on processing the complete data base of photometric observations of the mutual occultations and eclipses of the Galilean satellites made during the international campaign in 2002–2003. The final goal is to derive new accurate astrometric data.
We propose the most accurate photometric model of mutual events based on all the data available to date about the satellites, and develop the corresponding method for extracting astrometric data. This method is applied to derive astrometric data from photometric observations of mutual occultations and eclipses of the Galilean satellites.
We process the 371 light curves obtained during the international campaign of photometric observations of the Galilean satellites in 2002–2003. As compared with the theory, the rms 'O-C' residuals with respect to theory is equal to 0.055 and 0.064 arcsec in right ascension and declination, respectively, for the 274 best observations. Topocentric or heliocentric angular differences for satellite pairs are obtained for 119 time instants during the time period from 2002 October 10 to 2003 July 17.     

Relativistic gravitational deflection of light and its impact on the modeling accuracy for the Space Interferometry Mission

We study the impact of relativistic gravitational deflection of light on the accuracy of future Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). We estimate the deflection angles caused by the monopole, quadrupole and octupole components of gravitational fields for a number of celestial bodies in the solar system. We observe that, in many cases, the magnitude of the corresponding effects is significantly larger than the 1 μas accuracy expected from SIM. This fact argues for the development of a relativistic observational model for the mission that would account for the influence of both static and time-varying effects of gravity on light propagation. Results presented here are different from the ones obtained elsewhere by the fact that we specifically account for the differential nature of the future SIM astrometric measurements. We also obtain an estimate for the accuracy of possible determination of the Eddington’s parameter γ via SIM global astrometric campaign; we conclude that accuracy of ∼7 × 10⁻⁶ is achievable via measurements of deflection of light by solar gravity. The article was translated by the authors.     

Astrometric and photometric studies of the 2009 WZ104 asteroid as it approached the earth

The astrometric and photometric observations of the potentially hazardous 2009 WZ104 asteroid were carried out at the MTM-500M and ZA-320M automatic telescopes of the Pulkovo Observatory in December 2009. A total of 686 observations were performed in the integral band and 146 observations with B, V, R, and I filters on an arc of the orbit of 17°; these accounted for about 77% of all worldwide observations (). On the basis of the obtained data, the orbit was improved and an estimation of the physical parameters of the asteroid was made. Estimates of the absolute stellar magnitude of the asteroid, H = (20.52 ± 0.04) ^m , as well as its size and mass, were obtained. The taxonomic class of the 2009 WZ104 asteroid (R or Q) was determined. A frequency analysis of the series of observations was carried out; periodicities in the asteroid’s light variation were revealed using this method.     

Astrometric results of observations of mutual occultations and eclipses of the Galilean satellites of Jupiter in 2002-2003

We suggest a new approach and develop an original method for deriving astrometric data from the photometry of mutual occultations and eclipses of planetary satellites. We decide to model not the relative apparent motion of one satellite with respect to another satellite but the deflection of the observed relative motion with respect to the theoretical motion implied by appropriate ephemerides.We have attempted to reduce the results of photometric observations of the Gallilean satellites during their mutual occultations and eclipses in 2002-2003. The data of observation for 319 light curves of 106 mutual events were received from the observers. The reliable 245 light curves were processed with our method. Eighty six apparent relative positions have been obtained.Systematic errors arise inevitably while deriving astrometric data. Most of them are due to factors that are unrelated to the methods for deriving astrometric data. The systematic errors are more likely due to incorrect excluding the effect of background on photometric counts. In the case of mutual occultations, the flux drop is determined to a considerable degree by the ratio of the mean albedos of the two satellites. Some mutual event observations revealed wrong adopted values of the mean albedos.     

The proper-motion signal of unresolved binaries in the Hipparcos catalogue

We present an investigation of the differences between quasi-instantaneous stellar proper motions from the Hipparcos catalogue and long-term proper motions determined by combining Hipparcos and the Astrographic Catalogue. Our study is based on a sample of about 12000 stars of visual magnitude from 7 to 10 in two declination zones on the northern and equatorial sky. The distribution of the proper-motion differences shows an excess of large deviations. This is caused by the influence of orbital motion of unresolved binary systems. The proper-motion deviations provide statistical evidence for 360 astrometric binaries in the investigated zones, corresponding to about 2400 such binaries in the entire Hipparcos catalogue, in addition to those already known. In order to check whether the observed deviations are compatible with standard assumptions on the basic parameters of binary stars, we model the impact of orbital motion on the observed proper motions in a Monte Carlo simulation. We show that the simulation yields an acceptable approximation of the observations, if a binary frequency between 70% and 100% is assumed, i.e.if most of the stars in the sample are assumed to have a companion. Thus Hipparcos astrometric binaries confirm that the frequency of non-single stars among field stars is very high. We also investigate the influence of the mass function for the secondary component on the result of the simulation. A constant mass function and mass functions with moderate increase towards low masses lead to results, which are compatible with the observed proper-motion effects. A high preponderance of very-low-mass or substellar companions as produced, for example, by a M^—1 power law is not in agreement with the frequency of proper-motion deviations in our sample of stars.     

On the Gaia Expected Harvest on Eclipsing Binaries

The space experiment Gaia, the approved cornerstone 6 ESA mission, will observe up to a billion stars in our Galaxy and obtain their astrometric positions on a micro-arcsec level, multi-band photometry as well as spectroscopic observations. It is expected that about one million Eclipsing Binaries (EBs) (with V ≤ 16 mag) will be discovered and the observing fashion will be quite similar to Hipparcos/Tycho mission operational mode. The combined astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic data will be used to compute the physical parameters of the observed EBs. From a study of a small sample of EBs, it is shown that the agreement between the fundamental stellar parameters, derived from ground-based and Hipparcos (Gaia-like) observations, is more than satisfactory and the Gaia data will be suitable to obtain accurate binary solutions.     

Error analysis of proper motions in decination obtained for 807 Hipparcos stars from PZT observations over many decades

After publication of the Hipparcos catalogue (in 1997), a few new astrometric catalogues have appeared (TYCHO‐2, ARIHIP, etc.), as a good combination of the Hipparcos satellite and ground‐based data, to get more accurate coordinates and proper motions of stars than the Hipparcos catalogue ones. There are also investigations on improving the Hipparcos coordinates and proper motions by using the astrometric observations of latitude and universal time variations (via observed stars referred to Hipparcos catalogue), together with Hipparcos data, carried out during the last few years. These kind of ground‐based data were collected at the end of the last century by J. Vondrák. There are about 4.4 million optical observations made worldwide at 33 observatories and with 47 instruments during 1899.7–1992.0; our Belgrade visual zenith telescope data (for the period 1949.0‐1986.0) were included. First of all, these data were used to determine the Earth Orientation Parameters – EOP, but they are also useful for the opposite task – to check the accuracy of coordinates and proper motions of Hipparcos stars which were observed from the ground over many decades. Here, we use the latitude part of ten Photographic Zenith Tubes – PZT data (more than 0.9 million observations made at 6 observatories during the time interval 1915.8–1992.0), and combine them with the Hipparcos catalogue ones, with suitable weights, in order to check the proper motions in declination for 807 common PZT/Hipparcos stars (and to construct the PZT catalogue of μ_δ for 807 stars). Our standard errors in proper motions in declination of these stars are less than or equal to the Hipparcos ones for 423 stars. The mean value of standard errors of 313 stars observed over more than 20 years by PZT is 0.40 mas/yr. This is 53% of 0.75 mas/yr (the suitable value from the Hipparcos catalogue). We used the Least Squares Method – LSM with the linear model. Our results are in good agreement with the Earth Orientation Catalogue – EOC‐2 and the new Hipparcos ones. The main steps of the method and the investigations of systematic errors in determined proper motions (the proper motion differences with respect to the Hipparcos values, the EOC‐2 ones and the new Hipparcos ones, as a function of α, δ, and magnitude) are presented here. A comparison of the four catalogues by pairs shows that there is no significant relationship between the differences of their μ_δ values and magnitudes and color indices of the common 807 stars. All catalogues have relatively small random and systematic errors which are close to each other. However, the comparison shows that our formal errors are too small. They are underestimated by a factor of nearly 1.7 (for EOC‐2, it is 2.0) if we take the new Hipparcos (or Hipparcos) data as reference (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Observations of asteroids in the infrared range (JHK) at the AZT-24 telescope

In 2007–2010, ten asteroids were observed in the JHK bands. The color indexes J-H and H-K were determined from the observations. Their positions in the two-color diagram generally correspond to the areas occupied by the asteroids of the corresponding taxonomic types. For two asteroids, (624) Hektor and (762) Pulcova, the light curves in the J and H bands and the curves of the color index J-H were constructed. The changes in the color index J-H from 0.05 ^m to 0.1 ^m were revealed; it may be supposed that they are caused by the heterogeneity in structure or mineral composition of the surface. For all of the asteroids, the astrometric positions were obtained. It was found that the best reference catalogue for the astrometric processing of observations of asteroids in the JHK bands under a small field of view is the 2MASS survey.     

Topocentric aberration of the moon

Aberrational displacement of the observed topocentric positions of the Moon differ from the aberrational effect in its apparent ephemeris geocentric coordinates. The differential aberrational corrections due to the mutual positions of the observer and the Moon, may account to 0 _. ^″ 3. The reduction method of astrometric observations of the Moon, which takes into account this effect, is proposed.     

Astrometric observations of the second, third, and fourth satellites of Uranus

The results of astrometric observations of three Uranian satellites, performed at the Ka-Dar observatory from August to October 2005, are presented. In total, 20 satellite positions in the equatorial frame and 14 “satellite minus satellite” relative positions were obtained.     

Discovery and characteristics of the Kuiper belt binary 2003QY90

We present photometric and astrometric results from four epochs of ground-based observations at the Magellan telescopes of the Kuiper belt binary 2003QY90. Resolved observations show both components to be highly variable and often of nearly equal brightness, causing difficulty in distinguishing between the primary and secondary components for observations spaced widely in time. Resolved lightcurve observations on one night show one component to have a single-peaked rotation period of 3.4±1.1 h and a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.34±0.12 mag. The other component exhibits a less constrained lightcurve, with a single-peaked rotation period of 7.1±2.9 h and a peak-to-peak amplitude of 0.90±0.36 mag. Under the assumption of equal albedos, the diameter ratio is 1.25±0.11 in the Sloan i^′ filter. While we cannot determine an orbit from our four distinct epochs of observation (due to ambiguity in component identification), we place limits on the orbital period of the system of 300-600 days, we find a minimum semi-major axis of 13,092 km for a circular orbit and a system mass range of (2.3-18.0)×¹⁰¹⁷ kg depending on the identification of components in our observations.     

Physical Characterization of the Binary Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt Object 2001 QT 297

Following our discovery of 2001 QT₂₉₇ as the second knownbinary Edgeworth–Kuiper Belt Object (EKBO) in October of 2001 [IAUC 7733], we havecarried out additional high spatial resolution ground based imaging in October andNovember of 2001 and July, August, and September of 2002. Using the Raymond andBeverly Sackler Magellan Instant Camera (MagIC) on the Baade and Clay 6.5 m telescopesat Las Campanas Observatory in Chile, we have obtained accurate astrometric and photometricmeasurements in the Sloan r’ i’ and g’ filters. Superb seeing conditions andPSF fitting allow an accurate determination of the binary component separation and positionangle over time as well as a detailed study of color and temporal variability of the individualcomponents. Here we present a physical characterization of the individual componentsof 2001 QT₂₉₇ based on these astrometric, color and variability measurements. We findthe primary to exhibit colors about 0.3 magnitudes redder than solar with no evidencefor variability. The secondary component, however, exhibits strong variability(～0.6 magnitudes) with a best fit period of 4.7526 ± 0.0007 h for a single peaklightcurve or 9.505 ± 0.001 h for a dual peaked lightcurve. The colors measured for thesecondary also suggest variability. Based on a preliminary orbit fit for thepair using observations spanning a one year arc, we are able to estimate a system mass of～ 3.2 × 10¹⁸ kg and provide constraints to the surface albedo of 9–14% for assumeddensities between 1 and 2 g/cm³.     

Investigation of the Mg XII 8.42 Å doublet in solar flare spectra

The intensity ratio of the components of the Mg xii 8.42 Å (1s ² S _1/2 – 2p ² P _{1/2, 3/2}) doublet in solar flare spectra has been investigated using observations recorded from the Intercosmos 7 satellite. The observed values of the ratio fall within the interval 0.38–0.66 and have been compared with recent theoretical predictions based on an optically thin collisional-radiative model. It has been found that for the flare plasma the low values of the ratio cannot be explained since they fall below the smallest theoretical value. The highest values on the other hand require that an unacceptably high electron density be postulated. It is suggested that both high and low values may be caused by the resonance line scattering of the Mg xii quanta in the flare volume, provided that the volume is elongated and not spherical.The intensity of the nearby satellite lines is also investigated. Good agreement between the theoretical and observed intensities is found.     

Treatment of star catalog biases in asteroid astrometric observations

In this paper, we discuss the detection of systematic biases in star positions of the USNO A1.0, A2.0, and B1.0 catalogs, as deduced from the residuals of numbered asteroid observations. We present a technique for the removal of these biases, and validate this technique by illustrating the resulting improvements in numbered asteroid residuals, and by establishing that debiased orbits predict omitted observations more accurately than do orbits derived from non-debiased observations. We also illustrate the benefits of debiasing to high-precision astrometric applications such as asteroid mass determination and collision analysis, including a refined prediction of the impact probability of 99942 Apophis. Specifically, we find the IP of Apophis to be lowered by nearly an order of magnitude to 4.5 × 10⁻⁶ for the 2036 close approach.