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NASA NTRS1996

Theoretical Modeling in Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Interferometry at radio frequencies between Earth-based receivers separated by intercontinental distances had made significant contributins to astrometry and geophysics during the past three decades, Analyses of such very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) experiments now permit measurements of relative positions of points on the Earth's surface, and angles between celestial objects, at the levels of 1cm and 1 nanoradian, respectively. The relative angular positions of extragalactic radio sources inferred from this technique presently form the best ralization of an inertial reference frame. This review summarizes the current theoretical models that are needed to extract results from the VLBI observables at such levels of accuracy.

interferometric VLBI extragalactic radio sources↗
NASA NTRS1987

Link calibrations for the TDRSS orbiting VLBI experiment

The first successful interferometric observations of extragalactic radio sources using an orbiting antenna as one of the observing stations were achieved in July and August 1986 using the TDRSS. The technical obstacles to maintaining phase coherence between the orbiting antenna and the ground stations are reviewed, with an emphasis on the effects of spacecraft motion. An analysis of the interferometric delay and phase reveals the signature of errors in the spacecraft ephemeris. Various calibration schemes are discussed, including the use of a ground beacon at White Sands to calibrate the communications link between White Sands and the TDRSE satellite. Using all available calibrations, coherence of 84 percent was achieved for 700-sec integrations.

Edwards, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Shuttle VLBI experiment. Technical working group summary report

The gain in interferometric resolution of extragalactic sources at radio frequencies which can be achieved by placing a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) antenna in space is quantitatively described and a VLBI demonstration experiment using a large deployable antenna, which if realized could be a very acceptable first venture for VLBI in space is discussed. A tutorial on VLBI, a summary of the technology available for the experiment, and a preliminary mission scenario are included.

Morgan, S. H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

JPL 1990-3: A 5-nrad extragalactic source catalog based on combined radio interferometric observations

A combined analysis merges 17,000 Deep Space Network (DSN) Very Long Baseline Interferometric (VLBI) observations with 303,000 observations from the Crustal Dynamics Project (CDP) and the International Radio Interferometric Surveying (IRIS) project. Observations from the Radio Reference Frame Development (RRFD) and Time and Earth Motion Precision Observations (TEMPO) programs through late 1990 form the DSN VLBI data set. The combined analysis yields angular coordinates of extragalactic radio sources with a precision of a few nanoradians, as compared with 5 to 10 nrad precision for coordinates derived in the past solely from DSN data. The improvement in the combined analysis is due to the new Mark III DSN data, as well as to increased statistical strength from the large volume of observations from non-DSN experiments. Such a unified analysis is made possible by recent improvements in parameter estimation software efficiency. The terrestrial reference frame is based on joint VLBI experiments using both DSN and CDP antennas, and on specifying the coordinates of VLBI antennas in a proper geocentric coordinate system by means of Global Positioning System (GPS) collocation of VLBI, LLR, and SLR (Laser Ranging) sites.

Sovers, O. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Determination of the extragalactic-planetary frame tie from joint analysis of radio interferometric and lunar laser ranging measurements

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of extragalactic radio sources provide the basis for defining an accurate non-rotating reference frame in terms of angular positions of the sources. Measurements of the distance from the Earth to the Moon and to the inner planets provide the basis for defining an inertial planetary ephemeris reference frame. The relative orientation, or frame tie, between these two reference frames is of interest for combining Earth orientation measurements, for comparing Earth orientation results with theories referred to the mean equator and equinox, and for determining the positions of the planets with respect to the extragalactic reference frame. This work presents an indirect determination of the extragalactic-planetary frame tie from a combined reduction of VLBI and Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) observations. For this determination, data acquired by LLR tracking stations since 1969 have been analyzed and combined with 14 years of VLBI data acquired by NASA's Deep Space Network since 1978. The frame tie derived from this joint analysis, with an accuracy of 0.003 sec, is the most accurate determination obtained so far. This result, combined with a determination of the mean ecliptic (defined in the rotating sense), shows that the mean equinox of epoch J2000 is offset from the x-axis of the extragalactic frame adopted by the International Earth Rotation Service for astrometric and geodetic applications by 0.078 sec +/- 0.010 sec along the y-direction and y 0.019 sec +/- 0.001 sec. along the z-direction.

Folkner, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Earth rotation information derived from MERIT and POLARIS VLBI observations

Advanced methods involving observations of extraterrestrial objects, such as artificial satellites or quasars, may make it possible to monitor geometrical variations in survey networks of regional, continental, and global scale with a spatial resolution of a few centimeters and a temporal resolution of better than one day. However, in connection with a realization of this potential, it is necessary to account for variations in the orientation of the earth in space. The accuracy provided by the conventional approaches for determining the orientation of the earth is not sufficient in this case. However, an appropriate method could be based on the utilization of independent clock radio interferometry (commonly referred to as VLBI) observations of extragalactic radio sources. The project POLARIS (Polar-motion Analysis by Radio Interferometric Sampling) is concerned with an implementation of this method. The MERIT (Monitor Earth Rotation and Intercompare the Techniques of observation and analysis) observations represent an aid to project POLARIS. Attention is given to details regarding these programs and the results obtained thus far.

Robertson, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Radio reference frame stability from VLBI data

Intercontinental radio interferometric measurements between NASA's Deep Space Network stations yield a catalog of positions of 106 extragalactic radio sources, uniformly distributed between -45 and +85 deg declination. Almost all of the source positions have formal uncertainties between 0.5 and 3 milliarcseconds. Estimates of three independent sets of 32 source coordinates at average epochs 1980.0, 1983.2, and 1984.5 assess the level of stability of the reference frame over a five-year period. Comparisons of the three sets of source coordinates show a number of cases of greater than 2 sigma differences, particularly between the 1984-85 and 1981-83 periods. No sources, however, show 2 sigma shifts among both pairs of epochs. Upper limits of the order of 1 mas/yr can be placed on the time rates of change of the 32 source coordinates.

Sovers, O. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Results of the Australian geodetic VLBI experiment

The 250-2500 km baseline vectors between radio telescopes located at Tidbinbilla (DSS43) near Canberra, Parkes, Fleurs (X3) near Sydney, Hobart and Alice Springs were determined from radio interferometric observations of extragalactic sources. The observations were made during two 24-hour sessions on 26 April and 3 May 1982, and one 12-hour night-time session on 28 April 1982. The 275 km Tidbinbilla - Parkes baseline was measured with an accuracy of plus or minus 6 cm. The remaining baselines were measured with accuracies ranging from 15 cm to 6 m. The higher accuracies were achieved for the better instrumented sites of Tidbinbilla, Parkes and Fleurs. The data reduction technique and results of the experiment are discussed.

Harvey, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

ALSEP: Quasar differential VLBI

A program of Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP)-Quasar Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is being reported. These observations primarily employ a 4 antenna technique, whereby simultaneous observations with two antennas at each end of an intercontinental baseline are used to derive the differential interferometric phase between a compact extragalactic radio source (usually a quasar) and a number of ALSEP transmitters on the lunar surface. A continous ALSEP-quasar differential phase history over a few hour period leads to extremely high angular accuracy in measuring the lunar position against the quasar reference frame. This application of the 4 antenna technique has been underway for more than a year and is now producing high quality data utilizing Deep Space Network (DSN) stations in Australia, Spain, and Goldstone, California, as well as the Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network (STDN) Apollo station at Goldstone.

Slade, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

ALSEP-quasar differential VLBI

A program of ALSEP-quasar very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) is being carried out. These observations employ primarily a 'four-antenna' technique whereby simultaneous observations with two antennas at each end of an intercontinental baseline are used to derive the differential interferometric phase between a compact extragalactic radio source (usually a quasar) and a number of ALSEP transmitters on the lunar surface. A continuous ALSEP-quasar differential phase history over a period of a few hours will lead to milliarcsecond angular accuracy in measuring the lunar position against the quasar reference frame if suitable calibration measurements are obtained. Development of this application of the four-antenna technique has been underway for more than a year and is producing high-quality data utilizing Deep Space Network stations. These high-accuracy observations are of value to tie the lunar ephemeris to a nearly inertial extragalactic reference frame, to test gravitational theories, and to measure the earth-moon tidal friction interaction.

Slade, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Very-long-baseline radio interferometry - The Mark III system for geodesy, astrometry, and aperture synthesis

Up to 112 megabit/sec from each radio telescope of an interferometric array can be recorded and processed by the Mark III VLBI system. Sample results are given for baseline lengths between three antennas in the U.S. and three in Europe, as well as for the arc lengths between the positions of six extragalactic radio sources. No significant change is detected in any of these quantities. Signals of a given polarization or of pairs of orthogonal polarizations may be recorded in up to 28 contiguous bands, each nearly 2 MHz wide, for mapping the brightness distribution of compact radio sources. The demonstrated ability to record large bandwidths, and to link many large radio telescopes, allows compact sources with flux densities below 1 millijansky to be detected and studied.

Rogers, A. E. E.↗
NASA NTRS1991

An unusually strong Einstein ring in the radio source PKS1830 - 211

High-resolution radio images of PKS1830 - 211 are obtained to study the possibility that the double structure is a gravitationally lensed object. The VLBI observations, taken from interferometric radiotelescope networks, reveal an elliptical ring that connects two bright spots of similar composition. Because the lens and the lensed object are closely aligned, and because of the structure of the two spots, the source is concluded to be a radio Einstein ring. The source is found to be close to the galactic plane, and the lens and the lensed object are extragalactic. The source is also found to be unusually bright, suggesting that it is aligned with a bright background source or amplified by some mechanism related to a source that is not so bright.

Jauncey, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An extragalactic reference frame from DSN VLBI measurements - 1989

Assessment of the impact of recent improvements Deep Space Network (DSN) instrumentation, as well as of joint data analyses, provide a prognosis for the accuracy level to be expected in future realizations of an inertial radio reference frame. Intercontinental dual-frequency radio interferometric measurements during 68 sessions (including two recent sessions employing Mark III instrumentation) from 1978 to 1989 using NASA's DSN stations in California, Spain, and Australia give 8900 pairs of delay and delay-rate observations. Analysis yields a catalog of positions of 200 extragalactic radio sources north of -45 deg declination. The resulting source-position formal uncertainty distributions peak below 1 milliarcsecond, with 75 percent being smaller than 2 mas. Comparison with independent measurements shows some evidence for systematic errors at the milliarcsecond level.

Sovers, O. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Astrometric results of 1978-1985 Deep Space Network radio interferometry - The JPL 1987-1 extragalactic source catalog

An astrometric radio reference frame has been determined from intercontinental dual-frequency radio interferometric measurements. These measurements were carried out on a regular basis during 1978-1985 between NASA's Deep Space Network stations in California, Spain, and Australia. Analysis of 6800 pairs of delay and delay-rate observations made during 51 sessions produced estimates of 1300 parameters. The most significant of these are geophysical quantities and positions of extragalactic sources. The source catalog resulting from this analysis includes 106 sources fairly uniformly distributed over the celestial sphere, north of -45 deg declination. Almost all of the resulting source positions have formal uncertainties between 0.5 and 3 milliarcseconds (mas), with rms values of 2 mas in both angular coordinates. Internal consistency checks, as well as comparisons with independently determined source catalogs of comparable quality, indicate that relative source coordinates determined by VLBI contain systematic errors at the level of 1 to 2 mas.

Sovers, O. J.↗