Space-VLBI phase-reference mapping and astrometry
Astrophysics
2009-11-06 v1
Abstract
We present 5 GHz space-VLBI observations of the quasar pair B1342+662/B1342+663 that demonstrate the feasibility of phase-reference techniques using an antenna in space. The space-based data were taken by the satellite HALCA, of the space-VLBI mission VSOP. From residual (referenced) phases we derive an upper bound of 10 meters to the uncertainty of the spacecraft orbit reconstruction. An analysis of the phase-reference maps of the sources additionally suggests that the above mentioned uncertaintyis likely not larger than 3 meters. With errors of this magnitude, HALCA is a useful tool for astrometric studies of close pairs of radio sources.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0104365,
title = {Space-VLBI phase-reference mapping and astrometry},
author = {J. C. Guirado and E. Ros and D. L. Jones and J. F. Lestrade and J. M. Marcaide and M. A. Perez-Torres and R. A. Preston},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0104365},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
Accepted for publication in A&A, 5 pages, 5 figures, needs aa.cls