Celestial Reference Frame Research Articles

VLBI FOR GRAVITY PROBE B . III. A LIMIT ON THE PROPER MOTION OF THE “CORE” OF THE QUASAR 3C 454.3

We made VLBI observations at 8.4 GHz between 1997 and 2005 to estimate the coordinates of the "core" component of the superluminal quasar, 3C 454.3, the ultimate reference point in the distant universe for the NASA/Stanford Gyroscope Relativity Mission, Gravity Probe B. These coordinates are determined relative to those of the brightness peaks of two other compact extragalactic sources, B2250+194 and B2252+172, nearby on the sky, and within a celestial reference frame (CRF), defined by a large suite of compact extragalactic radio sources, and nearly identical to the International Celestial Reference Frame 2 (ICRF2). We find that B2250+194 and B2252+172 are stationary relative to each other, and also in the CRF, to within 1-sigma upper limits of 15 and 30 micro-arcsec/yr in RA and decl., respectively. The core of 3C 454.3 appears to jitter in its position along the jet direction over ~0.2 mas, likely due to activity close to the putative supermassive black hole nearby, but on average is stationary in the CRF within 1-sigma upper limits on its proper motion of 39 micro-arcsec/yr (1.0c) and 30 micro-arcsec/yr (0.8c) in RA and decl., respectively, for the period 2002 - 2005. Our corresponding limit over the longer interval, 1998 - 2005, of more importance to GP-B, is 46 and 56 micro-arcsec/yr in RA and decl., respectively. Some of 3C 454.3's jet components show significantly superluminal motion with speeds of up to ~200 micro-arcsec/yr or 5c in the CRF. The core of 3C 454.3 thus provides for Gravity Probe B a sufficiently stable reference in the distant universe.

VLBI FOR GRAVITY PROBE B . V. PROPER MOTION AND PARALLAX OF THE GUIDE STAR, IM PEGASI

We present the principal astrometric results of the very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) program undertaken in support of the Gravity Probe B (GP-B) relativity mission. VLBI observations of the GP-B guide star, the RS CVn binary IM Pegasi (HR 8703), yielded positions at 35 epochs between 1997 and 2005. We discuss the statistical assumptions behind these results and our methods for estimating the systematic errors. We find the proper motion of IM Peg in an extragalactic reference frame closely related to the International Celestial Reference Frame 2 (ICRF2) to be -20.83 +- 0.03 +- 0.09 mas/yr in right ascension and -27.27 +- 0.03 +- 0.09 mas/yr in declination. For each component the first uncertainty is the statistical standard error and the second is the total standard error (SE) including plausible systematic errors. We also obtain a parallax of 10.37 +- 0.07 mas (distance: 96.4 +- 0.7 pc), for which there is no evidence of any significant contribution of systematic error. Our parameter estimates for the ~25-day-period orbital motion of the stellar radio emission have SEs corresponding to ~0.10 mas on the sky in each coordinate. The total SE of our estimate of IM Peg's proper motion is ~30% smaller than the accuracy goal set by the GP-B project before launch: 0.14 mas/yr for each coordinate of IM Peg's proper motion. Our results ensure that the uncertainty in IM Peg's proper motion makes only a very small contribution to the uncertainty of the GP-B relativity tests.

Characterization of long baseline calibrators at 2.3 GHz

We present a detailed multi-epoch analysis of 31 potential southern hemisphere radio calibrators that were originally observed as part of a program to maintain the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). At radio wavelengths, the primary calibrators are Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), powerful radio emitters which exist at the centre of most galaxies. These are known to vary at all wavelengths at which they have been observed. By determining the amount of radio source structure and variability of these AGN, we determine their suitability as phase calibrators for long baseline radio interferometry at 2.3 GHz. For this purpose, we have used a set of complementary metrics to classify these 31 southern sources into five categories pertaining to their suitability as VLBI calibrators. We find that all of the sources in our sample would be good interferometric calibrators and almost ninety per cent would be very good calibrators.

OPTICAL SPECTRA OF CANDIDATE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE INTERNATIONAL CELESTIAL REFERENCE FRAME (ICRF) RADIO SOURCES

We present the results of spectroscopic observations of the optical counterparts of 47 southern radio sources from the candidate International Celestial Reference Catalogue (ICRC), as part of a Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) program to strengthen the celestial reference frame, especially in the south. The observations were made with the 3.58-meter European Southern Observatory New Technology Telescope (NTT). We obtained redshifts for 30 quasars and one radio galaxy, with a further 7 objects being probable BL Lac objects with featureless spectra. Of the remainder, four were clear misidentifications with Galactic stars and five had low signal-to-noise spectra and could not be classified. These results, in combination with new VLBI data of the radio sources with redshifts more than 2, add significantly to the existing data needed to refine the distribution of source proper motions over the celestial sphere.

Proper motion and densification of the International Celestial Reference Frame in the direction of the Galactic bulge

Context. The definition, construction and realization of a reference system is one of the oldest and most fundamental tasks of astronomy. Currently, the International Celestial Reference System (ICRS), realized by the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) or ICRF2, is the reference system adopted by the IAU. It is based on the very precise VLBI positions of a few hundred compact extragalactic radio sources. Despite its excellent precision, the ICRF is far from providing a reference system that is available for the entire sky and accessible to all observers. The ICRF has to be densified and extended to other wavelengths, mainly to the optical domain where the astronomical activities are more intense. For this reason, the IAU has recommended and encouraged works in this direction over the years. Many of them were developed to give sometimes good positions and proper motions, but they are very limited in magnitude, while others are extremely dense and deep in magnitude but have low accuracy, mainly for the proper motions. Nevertheless, all these contributions are very important because they are complementary. Aims. We present a homogeneous and precise optical astrometric catalog that extends the ICRF in the direction of 12 low-extinction windows of the Galactic bulge and provides at the same time a useful database for kinematic studies. Methods. The catalog was constructed on a total of 9 observational epochs spread over 15 years of observations with the CCD meridian circle of the Abrahao de Moraes Observatory (Valinhos – Brazil). The Galactic Bulge Valinhos Observatory Catalog (GBVOC) contains only those stars with at least 6 observational epochs and a time base of 10 years or more. We also imposed a minimum of 3 observations per star in each observational epoch and 20 observations in total. Results. The catalog provides positions and proper motions for about 11 600 stars with a mean internal precision of about 22 mas and 4.0 mas/yr, which ensures a high quality and reliable extension of the ICRF in this direction. The GBVOC is extremely dense with more than 3500 stars per square degree. Comparison of the GBVOC with other densification works allows us to estimate the external precision of the GBVOC to be better than 42.0 mas and 5.5 mas/yr in position and proper motion.

Rotational effects in the system of proper motions of the UCAC3 catalogue

A set of ≈8 million single stars of the UCAC3 catalogue has been analysed. It contains stars with reliable proper motions with not less than three epochs of observations used to compute the proper motion. Our main goal is to investigate the inertiality of the reference system defined by ‘good’ stars of the UCAC3 catalogue. The formalism of vectorial spherical harmonics has been applied to analyse the system of proper motions of the selected UCAC3 stars. A comparison between the results of solutions for several subsets of UCAC3 stars shows that the key parameters significantly change with stellar magnitudes, colours and average distances. The values of the components of the rigid-body rotation vector of the Hipparcos Celestial Reference Frame (HCRF) with respect to extragalactic sources were determined using ‘proper motions’ of more than 8000 galaxies of the UCAC3 catalogue. The values are ω1= 0.58 ± 0.15, ω2=−1.02 ± 0.15, ω3=−0.59 ± 0.17 mas yr−1 in galactic coordinates. Traces of the considerable magnitude equation are seen in the ‘proper motions’ of the UCAC3 galaxies. The most significant component derived from the analysis of the UCAC3 galaxies is ω2. It does not contradict the results of the analysis of the proper motions of selected stars (ω2=−1.09 ± 0.02 mas yr−1).

The influence of radio-extended structures on offsets between the optical and VLBI positions of sources in the ICRF2

Context. We investigate the differences between positions as determined by optical (direct imaging) and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) techniques of extragalactic sources listed in the second realization of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF2).

Residual rotation of the Hipparcos/Tycho-2 system as determined from the data of the XPM catalogue

From a comparison of absolute proper motions of stars from the XPM catalogue with those of the same stars from the PPMXL, UCAC3, Tycho-2 and XC1 catalogues, the equatorial components of the rotation vector of these coordinate systems are determined with respect to the coordinate system specified by positions and proper motions of XPM. These parameters are calculated with the use of about 90 million stars from the UCAC3 catalogue and about 300 million stars from the PPMXL catalogue. It is shown that the Hipparcos Celestial Reference Frame represented by the Tycho-2, PPMXL, UCAC3 and XC1 catalogues has a significant rotation component ωz = (−1.8 ± 0.16) mas yr −1 about the equatorial axis directed to the celestial pole. The result is confirmed by an analysis of the formal proper motions of the extragalactic sources contained in the considered catalogues. We investigate the problem of residual rotation of the Hipparcos/Tycho-2 system with respect to extragalactic objects by comparing the derived absolute proper motions of the XPM stars with those of the stars representing the Hipparcos Celestial Reference Frame system. The accuracy of the solution for this problem strongly depends on the accuracy of the proper motions used. In this case, systematic errors of the data in use are determinative rather than random ones. A correct solution is possible only under the condition that the systematic errors in the absolute proper motions of the XPM stars are eliminated. As was shown in Fedorov et al. (2011, hereafter Paper III), the magnitude equation in the XPM catalogue has been eliminated both in the bright and in the faint parts of the stellar magnitude range, while testing confirms the absence of the system rotation within an accuracy of several tenths of a milliarcsecond. This is a reason to treat the system of the XPM catalogue as an independent realization of the International Celestial Reference System, and to use it as a standard when comparing with other systems of coordinates.

Use of atmospheric angular momentum forecasts for UT1 predictions: analyses over CONT08

Real-time orbit determination and interplanetary navigation require accurate predictions of the orientation of the Earth in the celestial reference frame and in particular that for Universal Time UT1. Much of the UT1 variations over periods ranging from hours to a couple of years are due to the global atmospheric circulation. Therefore, the axial atmospheric angular momentum (AAM) forecast series may be used as a proxy index to predict UT1. Our approach taking advantage of this fact is based on an adaptive procedure. It involves incorporating integrations of AAM estimates into UT1 series. The procedure runs on a routine basis using AAM forecasts that are based on the two meteorological series, from the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction and the Japan Meteorological Agency. It is pertinent to test the prediction method for the period that includes the special CONT08 campaign over which we expect a significant improvement in UT1 accuracy. The studies we carried out were aimed both to compare atmospheric forecasts and analyses, as well as to compare the skills of the UT1 forecasts based on the method with atmospheric forecasts and that using current statistical processes, as applied to the C04 Earth orientation parameters series derived by the International Earth rotation and Reference Systems service (IERS). Here we neglect the oceanic sub-diurnal and diurnal variations, as these signals are expected to be smaller than the UT1-equivalent of 100 μs, when averaged over a few days. The prediction performances for a 2-day forecast are similar, but at a forecast horizon of a week, the AAM-based forecast is roughly twice as skillful as the statistically based one.

ON THE CONNECTION OF THE APPARENT PROPER MOTION AND THE VLBI STRUCTURE OF COMPACT RADIO SOURCES

Many of the compact extragalactic radio sources that are used as fiducial points to define the celestial reference frame are known to have proper motions detectable with long-term geodetic/astrometric Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) measurements. These changes can be as high as several hundred micro-arcseconds per year for certain objects. When imaged with VLBI at milli-arcsecond (mas) angular resolution, these sources (radio-loud active galactic nuclei) typically show structures dominated by a compact, often unresolved "core" and a one-sided "jet". The positional instability of compact radio sources is believed to be connected with changes in their brightness distribution structure. For the first time, we test this assumption in a statistical sense on a large sample, not only for individual objects. We investigate a sample of 62 radio sources for which reliable long-term time series of astrometric positions as well as detailed 8-GHz VLBI brightness distribution models are available. We compare the characteristic direction of their extended jet structure and the direction of their apparent proper motion. We present our data and analysis method, and conclude that there is indeed a correlation between the two characteristic directions. However, there are cases where the ~1-10-mas scale VLBI jet directions are significantly misaligned with respect to the apparent proper motion direction.

THE POSITION/STRUCTURE STABILITY OF FOUR ICRF2 SOURCES

Four close radio sources in the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) catalog were observed using phase referencing with the VLBA at 43, 23 and 8.6 GHz, and with VERA at 23 GHz over a one year period. The goal was to determine the stability of the radio cores, and to assess structure effects associated with positions in the ICRF. Although the four sources were compact at 8.6 GHz, the VLBA images at 43 GHz with 0.3-mas resolution showed that all were composed of several components. A component in each source was identified as the radio core using some or all of the following emission properties: compactness, spectral index, location at the end of the extended emission region, and stationary in the sky. Over the observing period, the relative positions between the four radio cores were constant to 0.02 mas---the phase referencing positional accuracy obtained at 23 and 43 GHz among the sources---suggesting that once a radio core is identified, it remains stationary in the sky to this accuracy. Other radio components in two of the four sources had detectable motion in the radio jet direction. Comparison of the 23 and 43 GHz VLBA images with the VLBA 8.6 GHz images and the ICRF positions suggests that some ICRF positions are dominated by a moving jet component; hence, they can be displaced up to 0.5 mas from the radio core, and may also reflect the motion of the jet component. Future astrometric efforts to determine a more accurate quasar reference frame at 23 and 43 GHz and from the VLBI2010 project are discussed, and supporting VLBA or EVN observations of ICRF sources at 43 GHz are recommended in order to determine the internal structure of the sources. A future collaboration between the radio (ICRF) and the optical frame of Gaia is discussed.

VLBI observations of optically-bright extragalactic radio sources for the alignment of the radio frame with the future Gaia frame

Context. The European space astrometry mission Gaia, to be launched by 2012, will construct a dense optical QSO-based celestial reference frame which will need to be linked to the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF; the IAU fundamental frame), with the highest accuracy. However, it has been found that only 10% of the ICRF sources (70 sources) are suitable to establish this link. The remaining sources are not useful either because they are not bright enough at optical wavelengths or because they have significant extended radio emission which precludes reaching the highest astrometric accuracy. Aims: In order to improve the accuracy of this alignment, we have developed a program of VLBI observations based on three steps to detect, image and measure astrometric positions of weak extragalactic radio sources, with bright optical counterparts, from a sample of 447 candidate sources. Methods: The experiments devoted to VLBI detection, carried out with the European VLBI Network (EVN) in June and October 2007, were very successful, with 398 sources detected at both S- and X-bands. From these, 105 sources were observed in March 2008 with a global VLBI array (EVN and VLBA; Very Long Baseline Array) for imaging their VLBI structures. Results: All sources were successfully imaged in both bands and about 50% (47 sources) were found to be point-like on VLBI scales. These images are available at http://www.obs.u-bordeaux1.fr/BVID/GC030/. VLBI positions of these sources will be measured accurately in future astrometric experiments. Full Table 3 is only available in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/526/A102

VERY LONG BASELINE ARRAY ASTROMETRIC OBSERVATIONS OF THECASSINISPACECRAFT AT SATURN

The planetary ephemeris is an essential tool for interplanetary spacecraft navigation, studies of solar system dynamics (including, for example, barycenter corrections for pulsar timing ephemeredes), the prediction of occultations, and tests of general relativity. We are carrying out a series of astrometric VLBI observations of the Cassini spacecraft currently in orbit around Saturn, using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). These observations provide positions for the center of mass of Saturn in the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) with accuracies ~0.3 milli-arcsecond (1.5 nrad), or about 2 km at the average distance of Saturn. This paper reports results from eight observing epochs between 2006 October and 2009 April. These data are combined with two VLBA observations by other investigators in 2004 and a Cassini-based gravitational deflection measurement by Fomalont et al. in 2009 to constrain a new ephemeris (DE 422). The DE 422 post-fit residuals for Saturn with respect to the VLBA data are generally 0.2 mas, but additional observations are needed to improve the positions of all of our phase reference sources to this level. Over time we expect to be able to improve the accuracy of all three coordinates in the Saturn ephemeris (latitude, longitude, and range) by a factor of at least three. This will represent a significant improvement not just in the Saturn ephemeris but also in the link between the inner and outer solar system ephemeredes and in the link to the inertial ICRF.

Astrophotometric variability of CFHT-LS Deep 2 QSOs

Context. The current conventional realization of the ICRS (International Celestial Reference System) is, in the radio wavelength, the International Celestial Reference Frame 2 (ICRF2). The individual positions of the defining sources have been found to have accuracies better than 1 milliarcsecond (mas). In 2012, the European astrometric satellite Gaia will be launched. This mission will provide an astrometric catalog of an estimated number of 500000 QSOs. The uncertainty in the coordinates is anticipated to be 200 microarcsecond (μas) for the magnitude = 20. If this were achieved, the ICRF and the Gaia related reference frame could be related with a μas accuracy. Aims. The goal of this work is both to measure the photometric variability of a set of quasars in a given field, and search wether this variability can be related to an astrometric instability characterized by a motion of the quasar photocenter. If this correlation existed for some given QSO, then it would be inadequate to materialize the Gaia extragalactic reference frame at the level of confidence required, i.e. the sub-milliarcsecond one. This should be an important result in the scope of the Gaia mission. Methods. We use QSO CCD images obtained over 4.5 years with the Canada France Hawai Telescope (CFHT) in the framework of the CFHT-Legacy Survey (CFHT-LS). The pictures were analysed with both the SExtractor software and customised codes to perform a photometric calibration together with an astrometric one. A total of 41 QSOs in the Deep 2 field were analysed. Magnitude variations during more than 50 months are given at three different bandwiths G, R, and I. Among the set above, 5 quasars were chosen to test the ties between the postion of their centroid and their magnitude variations. For one of these 5 QSOs, the proximity of a neighbouring star allows the comparison between the PSFs. Results. We clearly show significant photometric variations reaching sometimes more than one magnitude, for a good proportion of the 41 quasars in our sample. We show that these variations often occur within a few months, and that the correlation between the photometric curves in the three bands, G, R and I is obvious. As a second important result, we show that with a reasonably high probability, photometric variations for one quasar in our sample are accompagnied by substantial modification of its PSF.

Celestial reference frames and the gauge freedom in the post-Newtonian mechanics of the Earth–Moon system

We introduce the Jacobi coordinates adopted to the advanced theoretical analysis of the relativistic Celestial Mechanics of the Earth–Moon system. Theoretical derivation utilizes the relativistic resolutions on reference frames adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2000. The resolutions assume that the Solar System is isolated and space-time is asymptotically flat at infinity and the primary reference frame covers the entire space-time, has its origin at the Solar System barycenter (SSB) with spatial axes stretching up to infinity. The SSB frame is not rotating with respect to a set of distant quasars that are assumed to be at rest on the sky forming the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). The second reference frame has its origin at the Earth–Moon barycenter (EMB). The EMB frame is locally inertial and is not rotating dynamically in the sense that equation of motion of a test particle moving with respect to the EMB frame, does not contain the Coriolis and centripetal forces. Two other local frames—geocentric and selenocentric—have their origins at the center of mass of Earth and Moon respectively and do not rotate dynamically. Each local frame is subject to the geodetic precession both with respect to other local frames and with respect to the ICRF because of their relative motion with respect to each other. Theoretical advantage of the dynamically non-rotating local frames is in a more simple mathematical description of the metric tensor and relative equations of motion of the Moon with respect to Earth. Each local frame can be converted to kinematically non-rotating one after alignment with the axes of ICRF by applying the matrix of the relativistic precession as recommended by the IAU resolutions. The set of one global and three local frames is introduced in order to decouple physical effects of gravity from the gauge-dependent effects in the equations of relative motion of the Moon with respect to Earth.

Achievements of the Earth orientation parameters prediction comparison campaign

Precise transformations between the international celestial and terrestrial reference frames are needed for many advanced geodetic and astronomical tasks including positioning and navigation on Earth and in space. To perform this transformation at the time of observation, that is for real-time applications, accurate predictions of the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) are needed. The Earth orientation parameters prediction comparison campaign (EOP PCC) that started in October 2005 was organized for the purpose of assessing the accuracy of EOP predictions. This paper summarizes the results of the EOP PCC after nearly two and a half years of operational activity. The ultra short-term (predictions to 10 days into the future), short-term (30 days), and medium-term (500 days) EOP predictions submitted by the participants were evaluated by the same statistical technique based on the mean absolute prediction error using the IERS EOP 05 C04 series as a reference. A combined series of EOP predictions computed as a weighted mean of all submissions available at a given prediction epoch was also evaluated. The combined series is shown to perform very well, as do some of the individual series, especially those using atmospheric angular momentum forecasts. A main conclusion of the EOP PCC is that no single prediction technique performs the best for all EOP components and all prediction intervals.

VLBI observations of optically-bright extragalactic radio sources for the alignment of the radio frame with the future Gaia frame

Context. The European space astrometry mission Gaia will construct a dense optical QSO-based celestial reference frame. For consistency between optical and radio positions, it will be important to align the Gaia and VLBI frames with the highest possible accuracy. It has been found that only 70 (10%) of the sources from the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) are suitable for establishing this link, either because they are not bright enough at optical wavelengths or because they have significant extended radio emission which precludes reaching the highest astrometric accuracy. Aims. In order to improve the situation, we have initiated a VLBI survey dedicated to finding additional suitable radio sources for aligning the two frames. Methods. The sample consists of 447 optically-bright (magnitude ≤18) extragalactic radio sources, typically 20 times weaker than the ICRF sources, which have been selected by cross-correlating an optical quasar catalog with the NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS). Results. This paper presents the observing strategy to detect, image, and measure accurate radio positions for these sources. It also provides results on the VLBI detectability of the sources, as derived from initial observations with the European VLBI Network in June and October 2007. Based on these observations, a high detection rate of 89% is found, which is promising for the continuation of this project. This high VLBI detection rate for sources from the NVSS catalog is probably due to the selection process, suggesting that optically-bright quasars have compact radio structures.

Post-Newtonian Reference Frames for Advanced Theory of the Lunar Motion and for a New Generation of Lunar Laser Ranging

Post-Newtonian Reference Frames for Advanced Theory of the Lunar Motion and for a New Generation of Lunar Laser RangingWe overview a set of post-Newtonian reference frames for a comprehensive study of the orbital dynamics and rotational motion of Moon and Earth by means of lunar laser ranging (LLR). We employ a scalar-tensor theory of gravity depending on two post-Newtonian parameters, β and γ, and utilize the relativistic resolutions on reference frames adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2000. We assume that the solar system is isolated and space-time is asymptotically flat at infinity. The primary reference frame covers the entire space-time, has its origin at the solar-system barycenter (SSB) and spatial axes stretching up to infinity. The SSB frame is not rotating with respect to a set of distant quasars that are forming the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). The secondary reference frame has its origin at the Earth-Moon barycenter (EMB). The EMB frame is locally-inertial and is not rotating dynamically in the sense that equation of motion of a test particle moving with respect to the EMB frame, does not contain the Coriolis and centripetal forces. Two other local frames - geocentric (GRF) and selenocentric (SRF) - have their origins at the center of mass of Earth and Moon respectively and do not rotate dynamically. Each local frame is subject to the geodetic precession both with respect to other local frames and with respect to the ICRF because of their relative motion with respect to each other. Theoretical advantage of the dynamically non-rotating local frames is in a more simple mathematical description. Each local frame can be aligned with the axes of ICRF after applying the matrix of the relativistic precession. The set of one global and three local frames is introduced in order to fully decouple the relative motion of Moon with respect to Earth from the orbital motion of the Earth-Moon barycenter as well as to connect the coordinate description of the lunar motion, an observer on Earth, and a retro-reflector on Moon to directly measurable quantities such as the proper time and the round-trip laser-light distance. We solve the gravity field equations and find out the metric tensor and the scalar field in all frames which description includes the post-Newtonian multipole moments of the gravitational field of Earth and Moon. We also derive the post-Newtonian coordinate transformations between the frames and analyze the residual gauge freedom.

UCAC3: ASTROMETRIC REDUCTIONS

Presented here are the details of the astrometric reductions from the x,y data to mean Right Ascension (RA), Declination (Dec) coordinates of the third U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC3). For these new reductions we used over 216,000 CCD exposures. The Two-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) data are extensively used to probe for coordinate and coma-like systematic errors in UCAC data mainly caused by the poor charge transfer efficiency (CTE) of the 4K CCD. Errors up to about 200 mas have been corrected using complex look-up tables handling multiple dependencies derived from the residuals. Similarly, field distortions and sub-pixel phase errors have also been evaluated using the residuals with respect to 2MASS. The overall magnitude equation is derived from UCAC calibration field observations alone, independent of external catalogs. Systematic errors of positions at UCAC observing epoch as presented in UCAC3 are better corrected than in the previous catalogs for most stars. The Tycho-2 catalog is used to obtain final positions on the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF). Residuals of the Tycho-2 reference stars show a small magnitude equation (depending on declination zone) that might be inherent in the Tycho-2 catalog.

Spin axis orientation of Ajisai determined from Graz 2 kHz SLR data

The Graz 2 kHz Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements allow determination of the spin axis orientation of the geodetic satellite Ajisai. The high repetition rate of the laser makes it possible to determine the epoch time when the laser is pointing directly between two corner cube reflector (CCR) rings of the satellite. Identification of many such events during a few (up to 3) consecutive passes allows to state the satellite orientation in the celestial coordinate system. Six years of 2 kHz SLR data (October 2003–October 2009) delivered 331 orientation values which clearly show precession of the axis along a cone centered at 14 h56 m2.8 s in right ascension and 88.512° in declination (J2000.0 celestial reference frame) and with an half-aperture angle θ of 1.405°. The spin axis precesses with a period of 117 days, which is equal to the period of the right ascension of the ascending node of Ajisai’s orbit. We present a model of the axis precession which allows prediction of the satellite orientation – necessary for the envisaged laser time transfer via Ajisai mirrors.