scholarly journals CONFOR: A New Program for Determining the Connection Between Radio and Optical Reference Frames

1990 ◽  
Vol 141 ◽  
pp. 75-76
Author(s):  
V.S. Gubanov ◽  
I.I. Kumkova ◽  
V.V. Tel'Nyuk-Adamchuk

The program for establishment of a link between the fundamental system FK5 and the radioastronomical coordinate system is described. The program includes photographic and meridian observations of extragalactic radio/optical sources and intermediate reference stars. Observatories of the USSR, GDR and Yugoslavia are participating in the project.

1984 ◽  
Vol 110 ◽  
pp. 357-360
Author(s):  
Chr. de Vegt

Comparison of optical and radio positions in the northern hemisphere yields local systematic differences up to 0″.2, mainly due to combined systematic errors of current optical reference frame and contributing main catalogues. Interrelations of radio/optical frame and future developments are discussed.


1986 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 101-102
Author(s):  
C A Murray

Astrometry can be defined as the measurement of space-time coordinates of photon events. For example, in principle, in classical optical astrometry, we measure the components of velocity, and hence the direction, of an incoming photon with respect to an instrumental coordinate system, and the clock time, at the instant of detection. The observer’s coordinate system at any instant can be identified with a local inertial frame. In the case of interferometric observations, the measurements are of clock times of arrival of a wavefront at two detectors whose spatial coordinates are specified with respect to instantaneous inertial frames.


1990 ◽  
Vol 141 ◽  
pp. 194-194
Author(s):  
Tong Fu

Based on extragalactic radio sources, a new high precision extragalactic radio reference frame can be established from radio interferometric measurements. To link the optical fundamental reference frame presently represented by the FK4/5 to the extragalactic radio frame, the optical counterparts of extragalactic radio sources (quasars, BL Lac objects etc.) and radio stars are the most important classes of objects. Besides these two classes of objects, are there any other objects which can be used to link the optical and radio frames? A posible answer is that artificial satellites could be a candidate class of objects contributing to this subject.


1995 ◽  
Vol 166 ◽  
pp. 163-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. M. Kaspi

We present the technique of long-term, high-precision timing of millisecond pulsars as applied to precision astrometry. We provide a tutorial on pulsars and pulsar timing, as well as up-to-date results of long-term timing observations of two millisecond pulsars, PSRs B1855+09 and B1937+21. We consider the feasibility of tying the extragalactic and optical reference frames to that defined by solar system objects, and we conclude that precision astrometry from millisecond pulsar timing has a bright future.


1988 ◽  
Vol 128 ◽  
pp. 97-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. H. Kaplan ◽  
K. J. Johnston ◽  
P. K. Seidelmann ◽  
C. M. Wade ◽  
T. S. Carroll

The weak thermal emission from the largest minor planets can be detected in the microwave regime by the Very Large Array (VLA). Signal-to-noise ratios are sufficiently high to permit precise measurement of the positions of these objects at all points in their orbits with respect to background extragalactic sources. We are in the process of obtaining observations of astrometric accuracy for minor planets 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 4 Vesta, and 10 Hygeia.Minor planets have historically served as “test particles” in the solar system, and optical observations of these objects have been valuable in the determination of fundamental astronomical constants. In particular, optical observations of minor planets have played an important role in the establishment of the fundamental optical reference frame by permitting the determination of the orientation of the Earth's orbit relative to the stars defining the frame.Similarly, radio observations of these bodies can play a corresponding role in the establishment of a fundamental radio reference frame. Our observations will provide a direct link between the dynamical and radio reference frames, and provide important information on the relationship between the radio and optical reference frames.


1988 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 317-318
Author(s):  
K. J. Johnston ◽  
J. Russell ◽  
Ch. de Vegt ◽  
J. Hughes ◽  
D. Jauncey ◽  
...  

An almost inertial celestial reference frame based upon extragalactic sources is in the process of being established. This reference frame is to be global with a minimum density of one source/100 square degrees. The source positions will be based upon radio observations and will allow optical reference frames to be related to this frame at the 0.03 arc second level.


2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2094-2098 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Primdahl ◽  
P Brauer ◽  
J M G Merayo ◽  
J R Petersen ◽  
T Risbo

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S248) ◽  
pp. 348-351
Author(s):  
Y. Y. Kovalev ◽  
A. P. Lobanov ◽  
A. B. Pushkarev ◽  
J. A. Zensus

AbstractAccurate alignment of the radio and optical celestial reference frames requires detailed understanding of physical factors that may cause offsets between the positions of the same object measured in different spectral bands. Opacity in compact extragalactic jets (due to synchrotron self-absorption and external free-free absorption) is one of the key physical phenomena producing such an offset, and this effect is well-known in radio astronomy (“core shift”). We have measured the core shifts in a sample of 29 bright compact extragalactic radio sources observed by Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) at 2.3 and 8.6 GHz. We report the results of these measurements and estimate that the average shift between radio and optical positions of distant quasars could be of the order of 0.1--0.2 mas. This shift exceeds the expected positional accuracy of Gaia and SIM. We suggest two possible approaches to carefully investigate and correct for this effect in order to align accurately the radio and optical positions. Both approaches involve determining a Primary Reference Sample of objects to be used for tying the radio and optical reference frames together.


2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S248) ◽  
pp. 310-315
Author(s):  
N. Zacharias

AbstractA series of ground-based, dedicated astrometric, observational programs have been performed or are in preparation which provide a dense and accurate optical reference frame. Integral to all these programs are new observations to link the Hipparcos Celestial Reference Frame (HCRF) to the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF), based on compact, extragalactic radio sources.The U.S. Naval Observatory CCD Astrograph Catalog (UCAC) 3rd release is in preparation. A pixel re-reduction is in progress to improve astrometric and photometric accuracy as well as completeness of this all-sky reference catalog to 16th magnitude. Optical counterparts of ICRF radio sources have been observed with 0.9-meter telescopes contemporaneously. Scanning of over 5000 early-epoch astrograph plates on StarScan has been completed. These data will improve the proper motions of stars in the 10 to 14 mag range for the UCAC3 release.A 111 million-pixel CCD was successfully fabricated in 2006 and test observations at the USNO astrograph are underway. Four of such detectors will be used for the USNO Robotic Astrometric Telescope (URAT) focal plane assembly. Phase I of URAT will use the astrograph to reach 18th magnitude, while the new 0.85-meter telescope with a 4.5 deg diameter field of view will reach 21st magnitude. The URAT primary mirror has been fabricated.


1986 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 103-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. J. Johnston ◽  
Chr. de Vegt

The Very Large Array (VLA) has made possible the measurement of the precise positions of the radio emission associated with stars. This allows the direct comparison of the optical reference frame (FK4) with the radio reference frame which is defined by the quasi-absolute positions of extragalactic radio sources. This comparison is limited by the small number of bright stars that display detectable radio emission and the lack of knowledge of the precise coincidence of the radio emission with the optical photocenter of the star. Since the VLA is the most sensitive astrometrically capable radio telescope, positions of the largest number of stars north of declination -20 degrees can be measured. The accuracy of the positions on the extragalactic reference frame should approach a milliarcsecond.


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