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Proceedings of the Sixth General Meeting of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry

This volume is the proceedings of the sixth General Meeting of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS), held in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, February 7-13, 2010. The contents of this volume also appear on the IVS Web site at http://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/publications/gm2010. The keynote of the sixth GM was the new perspectives of the next generation VLBI system under the theme "VLBI2010: From Vision to Reality". The goal of the meeting was to provide an interesting and informative program for a wide cross-section of IVS members, including station operators, program managers, and analysts. This volume contains 88 papers. All papers were edited by the editors for usage of the English language, form, and minor content-related issues.

Behrend, Dirk↗

Ionospheric Response to the Total Solar Eclipse of 22 July 2009 as Deduced from VLBI and GPS Data

A total solar eclipse occurred over China at latitudes of about 30 N on the morning of 22 July 2009, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the influence of the sun on the earth's upper ionosphere. GPS observations from Shanghai GPS Local Network and VLBI observations from stations Shanghai, Urumqi, and Kashima were used to observe the response of TEC to the total solar eclipse. From the GPS data reduction, the sudden decrease of TEC at the time of the eclipse, amounting to 2.8 TECU, and gradual increase of TEC after the eclipse were found by analyzing the diurnal variations. More distinctly, the variations of TEC were studied along individual satellite passes. The delay in reaching the minimum level of TEC with the maximum phase of eclipse was 5-10 min. Besides, we also compared the ionospheric activity derived from different VLBI stations with the GPS results and found a strong correlation between them.

Guo, L.↗

Development of a New VLBI Data Analysis Software

We present an overview of a new VLBI analysis software under development at NASA GSFC. The new software will replace CALC/SOLVE and many related utility programs. It will have the capabilities of the current system as well as incorporate new models and data analysis techniques. In this paper we give a conceptual overview of the new software. We formulate the main goals of the software. The software should be flexible and modular to implement models and estimation techniques that currently exist or will appear in future. On the other hand it should be reliable and possess production quality for processing standard VLBI sessions. Also, it needs to be capable of processing observations from a fully deployed network of VLBI2010 stations in a reasonable time. We describe the software development process and outline the software architecture.

Bolotin, Sergei↗

Implementation and Testing of VLBI Software Correlation at the USNO

The Washington Correlator (WACO) at the U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) is a dedicated VLBI processor based on dedicated hardware of ASIC design. The WACO is currently over 10 years old and is nearing the end of its expected lifetime. Plans for implementation and testing of software correlation at the USNO are currently being considered. The VLBI correlation process is, by its very nature, well suited to a parallelized computing environment. Commercial off-the-shelf computer hardware has advanced in processing power to the point where software correlation is now both economically and technologically feasible. The advantages of software correlation are manifold but include flexibility, scalability, and easy adaptability to changing environments and requirements. We discuss our experience with and plans for use of software correlation at USNO with emphasis on the use of the DiFX software correlator.

Fey, Alan↗

Simulation of Local Tie Accuracy on VLBI Antennas

We introduce a new mathematical model to compute the centering parameters of a VLBI antenna. These include the coordinates of the reference point, axis offset, orientation, and non-perpendicularity of the axes. Using the model we simulated how precisely parameters can be computed in different cases. Based on the simulation we can give some recommendations and practices to control the accuracy and reliability of the local ties at the VLBI sites.

Kallio, Ulla↗

Round-Trip System Available to Measure Path Length Variation in Korea VLBI System for Geodesy

The construction project of Korea Geodetic VLBI officially started in October 2008. The construction of all systems will be completed by the end of 2011. The project was named Korea VLBI system for Geodesy (KVG), and its main purpose is to maintain the Korea Geodetic Datum. In case of the KVG system, an observation room with an H-maser frequency standard is located in a building separated from the antenna by several tens of meters. Therefore KVG system will adopt a so-called round-trip system to transmit reference signals to the antenna with reduction of the effect of path length variations. KVG s round-trip system is designed not only to use either metal or optical fiber cables, but also to measure path length variations directly. We present this unique round trip system for KVG.

Oh, Hongjong↗

International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry 2011 Annual Report

This volume of reports is the 2011 Annual Report of the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS). The individual reports were contributed by VLBI groups in the international geodetic and astrometric community who constitute the components of IVS. The 2011 Annual Report documents the work of these IVS components over the period January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. The reports document changes, activities, and progress of the IVS. The entire contents of this Annual Report also appear on the IVS Web site at http://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/publications/ar2011.

Baver, Karen D.↗

Status of the TIGO VLBI Station in Concepcion

The main activities at the TIGO VLBI station during 2012 have been 120 successful VLBI sessions and the investigation of an alternate site for TIGO for future operation.

Hase, Hayo↗

Tsukuba 32-m VLBI Station

The Tsukuba 32-m VLBI station is operated by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan. This report summarizes activities of the Tsukuba 32-m VLBI station in 2012. More than 200 sessions were observed with the Tsukuba 32-m and other GSI antennas in accordance with the IVS Master Schedule of 2012. We have started installing the observing facilities that will be fully compliant with VLBI2010 for the first time in Japan.

Kawabata, Ryoji↗

SAI VLBI Analysis Center Report 2012

This report presents an overview of the SAI VLBI Analysis Center activities during 2012 and the plans for 2013. The SAI AC analyzes all IVS sessions for computations of the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) and time series of the ICRF source positions and performs research and software development aimed at improving the VLBI technique.

Zharov, Vladimir↗

Single-dish and VLBI Observations of Cygnus X-3 During the 2016 Giant Flare Episode

In 2016 September, the microquasar Cygnus X-3 underwent a giant radio flare, which was monitored for 6 d with the Medicina Radio Astronomical Station and the Sardinia Radio Telescope. Long observations were performed in order to follow the evolution of the flare on an hourly scale, covering six frequency ranges from 1.5 to 25.6 GHz. The radio emission reached a maximum of 13.2 +/- 0.7 Jy at 7.2 GHz and 10 +/- 1 Jy at 18.6 GHz. Rapid flux variations were observed at high radio frequencies at the peak of the flare, together with rapid evolution of the spectral index: α steepened from 0.3 to 0.6 (with Sν ∝ ν −α) within 5 h. This is the first time that such fast variations are observed, giving support to the evolution from optically thick to optically thin plasmons in expansion moving outward from the core. Based on the Italian network (Noto, Medicina and SRT) and extended to the European antennas (Torun, Yebes, Onsala), very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations were triggered at 22 GHz on five different occasions, four times prior to the giant flare, and once during its decay phase. Flux variations of 2 h duration were recorded during the first session. They correspond to a mini-flare that occurred close to the core 10 d before the onset of the giant flare. From the latest VLBI observation we infer that 4 d after the flare peak the jet emission was extended over 30 mas.

Egron, E.↗

Dissecting the AGN Disk-Jet System with Joint VLBI-Gaia Analysis

We analyze differences in positions of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) between Gaia data release 2 and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and compare the significant VLBI-to-Gaia offsets in more than 1000 objects with their jet directions. Remarkably at least three-fourths of the significant offsets are confirmed to occur downstream or upstream of the jet representing a genuine astrophysical effect. Introducing redshift and Gaia color into analysis can help distinguish between the contribution of the host galaxy, jet, and accretion disk emission. We find that strong optical jet emission at least 20-50 pc long is required to explain the Gaia positions located downstream fromVLBI ones. Offsets in the upstream direction of up to 2 mas are at least partly due to the dominant impact of the accretion disk on the Gaia coordinates and by the effects of the parsec-scale radio jet. The host galaxy was found not to play an important role in the detected offsets. BL Lacertae object and Seyfert 2 galaxies are observationally confirmed to have a relatively weak disk and consequently downstream offsets. The disk emission drives upstream offsets in a significant fraction of quasars and Seyfert 1 galaxies when it dominates over the jet in the optical band. The observed behavior of the different AGN classes is consistent with the unified scheme assuming varying contribution of the obscuring dusty torus and jet beaming.

Plavin, A. V.↗

International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry 2017+2018 Biennial Report

Since its creation in 1999, the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) has documented its progress and current status in the form of annual or biennial reports. The first sixteen years were recorded in the form of annual reports, while starting with the years 2015+2016 the rhythm was changed to two years. Hence, the 2017+2018 Biennial Report constitutes the second installment of the two-yearly reporting scheme, documenting the work of the IVS components for the calendar years 2017 and 2018. As a testament to its usefulness, the general structure of the reporting has remained stable over the years: the individual components of the IVS contributed short reports describing their numerous activities, progress, and future plans. Without the continued input from the VLBI groups of the international geodetic and astrometric community, this publication could not be compiled and the IVS itself would not be able to flourish. So, once again many thanks to all IVS components who contributed to this Biennial Report.

Armstrong, Kyla L.↗

Microarcsecond VLBI Pulsar Astrometry with PSRπ II. Parallax Distances for 57 Pulsars

We present the results of PSRπ, a large astrometric project targeting radio pulsars using the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). From our astrometric database of 60 pulsars, we have obtained parallax-based distance measurements for all but 3, with a parallax precision that is typically ∼45 μas and approaches 10 μas in the best cases. Our full sample doubles the number of radio pulsars with a reliable (≳5σ) model-independent distance constraint. Importantly, many of the newly measured pulsars are well outside the solar neighborhood, and so PSRπ brings a near-tenfold increase in the number of pulsars with a reliable model-independent distance at d > 2 kpc. Our results show that both widely used Galactic electron density distribution models contain significant shortcomings, particularly at high Galactic latitudes. When comparing our results to pulsar timing, two of the four millisecond pulsars in our sample exhibit significant discrepancies in their proper motion estimates. With additional VLBI observations that extend our sample and improve the absolute positional accuracy of our reference sources, we will be able to additionally compare pulsar absolute reference positions between VLBI and timing, which will provide a much more sensitive test of the correctness of the solar system ephemerides used for pulsar timing. Finally, we use our large sample to estimate the typical accuracy attainable for differential VLBA astrometry of pulsars, showing that for sufficiently bright targets observed eight times over 18 months, a parallax uncertainty of 4 μas per arcminute of separation between the pulsar and calibrator can be expected.

A. T. Deller↗

International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry 2021+2022 Biennial Report

Since its creation in 1999, the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS) has documented its progress and current status in the form of annual or biennial reports. The first sixteen years were recorded in the form of annual reports. Starting in 2015/2016 the cadence was changed to two years; hence, this Biennial Report marks eight years of using the two-yearly reporting scheme. The general structure of the reporting has remained stable over the years: the individual components of the IVS contributed short reports describing their numerous activities, progress, and future plans. Without the continued input from the VLBI groups of the international geodetic and astrometric community, this publication could not be compiled and the IVS itself would not be able to flourish. So, once again many thanks to all IVS components who contributed to this Biennial Report

Space Geodesy↗

Estimation of EOP From VLBI: Direct Approach

The currently adopted strategy of Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP) estimation from Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is to estimate six parameters: Universal Time 1 (UT1), UT1 rate, pole positions, and nutation offsets for each 24-hour session independently. Then the resulting time series of raw EOP are filtered and a regression analysis is performed to obtain nutation coefficients, polhode of the pole, and other physical parameters. Thus, the latter parameters are obtained indirectly in two stages. An alternative approach of direct estimation of the final EOP is presented. Pole coordinates and UT1 are considered as a sum of three components: the low-period component that is modeled by a cubic spline, the harmonic component that includes forced nutation, precession and sub-daily variations of EOP, and the stochastic component that is modeled by a linear spline with segment length 1-2 hours. All parameters are obtained in a single LSQ solution using all available data.

POLAR MOTION↗