Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “VLBI”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 613 records · Page 34
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Geodetic measurement of deformation in California

The very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) measurements made in the western U.S. since 1979 as part of the NASA Crustal Dynamics Project provide discrete samples of the temporal and spatial deformation field. The interpretation of the VLBI-derived rates of deformation requires an examination of geologic information and more densely sampled ground-based geodetic data. In the first two of three related studies embodying this thesis triangulation and trilateration data measured on two regional networks are processed, one in the central Mojave Desert and one in the Coast Ranges east of the San Andreas fault. At the spatial scales spanned by these local geodetic networks, auxiliary geologic and geophysical data have been utilized to examine the relation between measured incremental strain and the accommodation of strain seen in local geological structures, strain release in earthquakes, and principal stress directions inferred from in situ measurements. In the third study, VLBI data from stations distributed across the Pacific - North American plate boundary zone in the western United States are processed. The VLBI data have been used to constrain the integrated rate of deformation across portions of the continental plate boundary in California and to provide a tectonic framework to interpret regional geodetic and geologic studies.

Sauber, Jeanne Marie↗
NASA NTRS1989

Plate motions and deformations from geologic and geodetic data

The very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) measurements made in the western U.S. since 1979 provide discrete samples of the temporal and spatial deformation field. The interpretation of the VLBI derived rates of deformation requires an examination of geologic information and more densely sampled ground based geodetic data. Triangulation and trilateration data measured on two regional networks, one in the central Mojave Desert and one in the Coast Ranges east of the San Andreas fault, were processed. At the spatial scales spanned by these local geodetic networks, auxiliary geologic and geophysical data were utilized to examine the relation between measured incremental strain and the accommodation of strain seen in local geologic structures, strain release in earthquakes, and principal stress directions inferred from in situ measurements. VLBI data was also processed from stations distributed across the Pacific-North America plate boundary zone in the western U.S. The VLBI data were used to constrain the integrated rate of deformation across portions of the continental plate boundary in California and to provide a tectonic framework to interpret regional geodetic and geologic studies.

Jordan, Thomas H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A statistical study of radio-source structure effects on astrometric very long baseline interferometry observations

Errors from a number of sources in astrometric very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) have been reduced in recent years through a variety of methods of calibration and modeling. Such reductions have led to a situation in which the extended structure of the natural radio sources used in VLBI is a significant error source in the effort to improve the accuracy of the radio reference frame. In the past, work has been done on individual radio sources to establish the magnitude of the errors caused by their particular structures. The results of calculations on 26 radio sources are reported in which an effort is made to determine the typical delay and delay-rate errors for a number of sources having different types of structure. It is found that for single observations of the types of radio sources present in astrometric catalogs, group-delay and phase-delay scatter in the 50 to 100 psec range due to source structure can be expected at 8.4 GHz on the intercontinental baselines available in the Deep Space Network (DSN). Delay-rate scatter of approx. 5 x 10(exp -15) sec sec(exp -1) (or approx. 0.002 mm sec (exp -1) is also expected. If such errors mapped directly into source position errors, they would correspond to position uncertainties of approx. 2 to 5 nrad, similar to the best position determinations in the current JPL VLBI catalog. With the advent of wider bandwidth VLBI systems on the large DSN antennas, the system noise will be low enough so that the structure-induced errors will be a significant part of the error budget. Several possibilities for reducing the structure errors are discussed briefly, although it is likely that considerable effort will have to be devoted to the structure problem in order to reduce the typical error by a factor of two or more.

Ulvestad, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Comparison of earth-based radio metric data strategies for deep space navigation

Spacecraft angular coordinates can be determined with a variety of radio tracking measurements, such as Doppler, range, and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)-derived data types. A relatively new interferometric tracking technique under development is Connected Element Interferometry (CEI), which uses a single frequency standard, distributed to two antennas spaced 10 to 100 km apart, to make highly accurate measurements of the phase-delay of incoming radio signals. The angular navigation accuracies attainable with Doppler, range, CEI, and VLBI data strategies are compared, using simple analytic models for these data types. The measurement accuracies assumed for Doppler, range, and VLBI data represent the performance expected from these systems in the Magellan and Galileo missions, while the assumed CEI data accuracy represents the anticipated performance of an experimental connected element system being constructed at the Deep Space Network's Goldstone, California complex. The results indicate that the Galileo VLBI system can deliver 20- to 25-nrad accuracy throughout the ecliptic plane. A hypothetical CEI dual-baseline sysem at Goldstone yielded accuracies in the 35- to 50-nrad range, while another hypothetical Goldstone-based system, consisting of a single CEI baseline and an X-band (8.4 GHz) Doppler system, produced accuracies of 25 to 100 nrad. Angular accuracies obtained from Doppler and range were found to be highly dependent upon the sensitivity of earth-spacecraft differential acceleration to small changes in geocentric spacecraft position.

Thurman, Sam W.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Atmospheric pressure loading parameters from very long baseline interferometry observations

Atmospheric mass loading produces a primarily vertical displacement of the Earth's crust. This displacement is correlated with surface pressure and is large enough to be detected by very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) measurements. Using the measured surface pressure at VLBI stations, we have estimated the atmospheric loading term for each station location directly from VLBI data acquired from 1979 to 1992. Our estimates of the vertical sensitivity to change in pressure range from 0 to -0.6 mm/mbar depending on the station. These estimates agree with inverted barometer model calculations (Manabe et al., 1991; vanDam and Herring, 1994) of the vertical displacement sensitivity computed by convolving actual pressure distributions with loading Green's functions. The pressure sensitivity tends to be smaller for stations near the coast, which is consistent with the inverted barometer hypothesis. Applying this estimated pressure loading correction in standard VLBI geodetic analysis improves the repeatability of estimated lengths of 25 out of 37 baselines that were measured at least 50 times. In a root-sum-square (rss) sense, the improvement generally increases with baseline length at a rate of about 0.3 to 0.6 ppb depending on whether the baseline stations are close to the coast. For the 5998-km baseline from Westford, Massachusetts, to Wettzell, Germany, the rss improvement is about 3.6 mm out of 11.0 mm. The average rss reduction of the vertical scatter for inland stations ranges from 2.7 to 5.4 mm.

Macmillan, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Plate Motions, Regional Deformation, and Time-Variation of Plate Motions

The significant results obtained with support of this grant include the following: (1) Using VLBI data in combination with other geodetical, geophysical, and geological data to bound the present rotation of the Colorado Plateau, and to evaluate to its implications for the kinematics and seismogenic potential of the western half of the conterminous U.S. (2) Determining realistic estimates of uncertainties for VLBI data and then applying the data and uncertainties to obtain an upper bound on the integral of deformation within the "stable interior" of the North American and other plates and thus to place an upper bound on the seismogenic potential within these regions. (3) Combining VLBI data with other geodetic, geophysical, and geologic data to estimate the motion of coastal California in a frame of reference attached to the Sierra Nevada-Great Valley microplate. This analysis has provided new insights into the kinematic boundary conditions that may control or at least strongly influence the locations of asperities that rupture in great earthquakes along the San Andreas transform system. (4) Determining a global tectonic model from VLBI geodetic data that combines the estimation of plate angular velocities with individual site linear velocities where tectonically appropriate. and (5) Investigation of the some of the outstanding problems defined by the work leading to global plate motion model NUVEL-1. These problems, such as the motion between the Pacific and North American plates and between west Africa and east Africa, are focused on regions where the seismogenic potential may be greater than implied by published plate tectonic models.

Gordon, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The Pearson-Readhead Survey from Space

The VSOP Space VLBI mission uses the HALCA spacecraft, launched from Japan in February 1997, in conjunction with ground radio observatories around the world to create a high resolution radio-wave length imaging facility. We are using this unique facility to observe a complete sample of Pearson-Readhead Survey sources at 4.8 GHz to determine core brightness temperatures and pc-scale jet properties. The Pearson-Readhead sample has been used for extensive ground-based VLBI survey studies. This sample is ideal for a VSOP survey because the sources are strong, the VSOP u-v coverages are especially good above +350 declination, and multi-epoch ground-based VLBI data and other existing supporting data on these sources exceeds that of any other possible sample. We have chosen to observe a complete subset of this sample that is most likely to show fringes on space-earth baselines. To date we have imaged a majority of the 31 sources in our sample. In addition, we are obtaining matched- resolution 15 GHz observations using the VLBA at epochs close in time to the space VLBI observations to investigate the spectral indices of the source components at high resolution. We gratefully acknowledge the VSOP Project, which is led by the Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in cooperation with many organizations and radio telescopes around the world. This research was performed in part at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract to NASA.

Preston, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Potential Refinement of the ICRF

The analysis and data used for the ICRF represented the state of the art in global, extragalactic, X/S band microwave astrometry in 1995. The same general analysis method was used to extend the ICRF with subsequent VLBI data in a manner consistent with the original catalog. Since 1995 there have been considerable advances in the geodetic/astrometric VLBI data set and in the analysis that would significantly improve the systematic errors, stability, and density of the next realization of the ICRS when the decision is made to take this step. In particular, data acquired since 1990, including extensive use of the VLBA, are of higher quality and astrometric utility because of changes in instrumentation, schedule design, and networks as well as specifically astrometric intent. The IVS (International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry) continues to devote a portion of its observing capability to systematic extension of the astrometric data set. Sufficient data distribution exists to select a better set of defining sources. Improvements in troposphere modeling will minimize known systematic astrometric errors while accurate modeling and estimation of station effects from loading and nonlinear motions will permit the reintegration of the celestial reference frame, terrestrial reference frame and Earth orientation parameters though a single VLBI solution. The differences between the current ICRF and the potential next realization will be described.

Ma, Chopo↗
NASA NTRS2010

RAEGE: An Atlantic Network of Geodynamical Fundamental Stations

Project RAEGE (Red Atlantica de Estaciones Geodinamicas y Espaciales) intends to set up a Spanish-Portuguese network of four Geodetic Fundamental Stations in Yebes (1), Canary Islands (1), and A cores Islands (2), as part of the developments needed for the IVS VLBI2010 scenario. It is envisaged that each Geodetic Fundamental Station will be equipped with one radio telescope of VLBI2010 specifications (at least 12-m diameter, fast slewing speed, but also able to operate up to 40 GHz), one gravimeter, one permanent GNSS station, and, at least at the Yebes site, one SLR facility. The National Geographical Institute of Spain (IGN) has experience in VLBI, having been a member of the European VLBI Network since 1993 and being one of the founding institutions of the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE), and it has been participating in geodetic VLBI campaigns with the 14-m radio telescope in Yebes since 1995. A new 40-m radio telescope has been built and was recently put into operation. It regularly participates in IVS sessions. There is infrastructure available for the new stations at Yebes and the Canary Islands. An agreement between IGN, the Portuguese Geographical Institute (IGP), and the Regional Government of the A cores ensures that the RAEGE project can become a reality by 2013.

Gonzalez, Jesus Gomez↗
NASA NTRS2013

IVS Technology Coordinator Report

This report of the Technology Coordinator includes the following: 1) continued work to implement the new VLBI2010 system, 2) the 1st International VLBI Technology Workshop, 3) a VLBI Digital- Backend Intercomparison Workshop, 4) DiFX software correlator development for geodetic VLBI, 5) a review of progress towards global VLBI standards, and 6) a welcome to new IVS Technology Coordinator Bill Petrachenko.

Whitney, Alan↗
NASA NTRS2013

Data Center at NICT

The Data Center at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) archives and releases the databases and analysis results processed at the Correlator and the Analysis Center at NICT. Regular VLBI sessions of the Key Stone Project VLBI Network were the primary objective of the Data Center. These regular sessions continued until the end of November 2001. In addition to the Key Stone Project VLBI sessions, NICT has been conducting geodetic VLBI sessions for various purposes, and these data are also archived and released by the Data Center.

Ichikawa, Ryuichi↗
NASA NTRS2013

Report for 2012 from the Bordeaux IVS Analysis Center

This report summarizes the activities of the Bordeaux IVS Analysis Center during the year 2012. The work focused on (i) regular analysis of the IVS-R1 and IVS-R4 sessions with the GINS software package; (ii) systematic VLBI imaging of the RDV sessions and calculation of the corresponding source structure index and compactness values; (iii) investigation of the correlation between astrometric position instabilities and source structure variations; and (iv) continuation of our VLBI observational program to identify optically-bright radio sources suitable for the link with the future Gaia frame. Also of importance is the 11th European VLBI Network Symposium, which we organized last October in Bordeaux and which drew much attention from the European and International VLBI communities.

Charlot, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS2018

Modernizing and Expanding the NASA Space Geodesy Network to Meet Future Geodetic Requirements

NASA maintains and operates a global network of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), and Global Navigation Satellite System ground stations as part of the NASA Space Geodesy Program. The NASA Space Geodesy Network (NSGN) provides the geodetic products that support Earth observations and the related science requirements as outlined by the US National Research Council (NRC in Precise geodetic infrastructure: national requirements for a shared resource, National Academies Press, Washington, 2010. http://nap.edu/12954, Thriving on our changing planet: a decadal strategy for Earth observation from space, National Academies Press, Washington, 2018. http://nap.edu/24938). The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) and the NRC have set an ambitious goal of improving the Terrestrial Reference Frame to have an accuracy of 1 mm and stability of 0.1 mm per year, an order of magnitude beyond current capabilities. NASA and its partners within GGOS are addressing this challenge by planning and implementing modern geodetic stations colocated at existing and new sites around the world. In 2013, NASA demonstrated the performance of its next-generation systems at the prototype next-generation core site at NASA’s Goddard Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory in Greenbelt, Maryland. Implementation of a new broadband VLBI station in Hawaii was completed in 2016. NASA is currently implementing new VLBI and SLR stations in Texas and is planning the replacement of its other aging domestic and international legacy stations. In this article, we describe critical gaps in the current global network and discuss how the new NSGN will expand the global geodetic coverage and ultimately improve the geodetic products. We also describe the characteristics of a modern NSGN site and the capabilities of the next-generation NASA SLR and VLBI systems. Finally, we outline the plans for efficiently operating the NSGN by centralizing and automating the operations of the new geodetic stations.

Merkowitz, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Very long baseline interferometry /VLBI/ applications to secular geodynamics and earth strain measurement

An instrumental technique from radio astronomy known as very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) offers significant promise for the solution of the problem of accurate long-distance, three-dimensional surveying and determination of whole earth geodynamical phenomena. The methods of VLBI make it possible for receiving stations to be independently operated at arbitrary separations using extragalactic radio sources as their frame of time-invariant angular reference. Feasibility demonstrations at S-band (13 cm) wavelengths have been performed, and accuracies of a few centimeters for three-dimensional surveying over a short distance (16 km) have been demonstrated. VLBI operation on longer baselines (8400 km) has been performed between Goldstone, California, and Madrid, Spain, in order to develop the capability for determination of universal time variations, in addition to the measurements of this intercontinental baseline. Systems analysis indicates that necessary calibrations can be developed so as to make possible the implementation of a transportable radio interferometer station concept.

Macdoran, P. F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Application of very long baseline interferometry to Astrometry and Geodesy: effects of frequency standard instability on accuracy

The accuracy of geodetic and astrometric information obtained from very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations is dependent upon the stability of the frequency standard, or clock, used at each site of VLBI array. The sensitivities of two hydrogen maser frequency standards of different design to pressure, temperature, and magnetic field variations were measured; and, for one of the standards, sensitivity was found to be severe enough to degrade the information content of VLBI measurements. However, the effect on the geometric and astrometric information of such clock instabilities, with time scales of hours or greater, can be sharply reduced through the use of differencing techniques.

Clark, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Mission feasibility study of a very long baseline interferometer utilizing the space shuttle

An introductory overview of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) as it exists and is used today is given and the scientific advances that have been achieved with this technique in the past decade are described. The report briefly reviews developments now in progress that will improve ground station VLBI in the next few years, and the limitations that still will exist. The advantages and the scientific return on investment that may be expected from a VLBI terminal in space are described. Practical problems that have to be faced range from system design through hardware implementation, to data recovery and analysis.

Burke, B. F.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Tectonic motion site survey of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank, West Virginia

A geological and geophysical site survey was made of the area around the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) to determine whether there are at present local tectonic movements that could introduce significant errors to Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) geodetic measurements. The site survey consisted of a literature search, photogeologic mapping with Landsat and Skylab photographs, a field reconnaissance, and installation of a seismometer at the NRAO. It is concluded that local tectonic movement will not contribute significantly to VLBI errors. It is recommended that similar site surveys be made of all locations used for VLBI or laser ranging.

Webster, W. J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Radio interferometric measurements for accurate planetary orbiter navigation

The use of narrowband delta-VLBI to achieve accurate orbit determination is presented by viewing a spacecraft from widely separated stations followed by viewing a nearby quasar from the same stations. Current analysis is examined that establishes the orbit determination accuracy achieved with data arcs spanning up to 3.5 d. Strategies for improving prediction accuracy are given, and the performance of delta-VLBI is compared with conventional radiometric tracking data. It is found that accuracy 'within the fit' is on the order of 0.5 km for data arcs having delta-VLBI on the ends of the arcs and for arc lengths varying from one baseline to 3.5 d. The technique is discussed with reference to the proposed Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar mission.

Poole, S. R.↗