Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T01:57:00.219Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Mapping Coordinate System Irregularities On The Celestial Sphere

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 August 2017

Paul D. Hemenway
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department and Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
Arthur L. Whipple
Affiliation:
Astronomy Department and Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712
Raynor L. Duncombe
Affiliation:
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Center for Space Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Various techniques have been used to evaluate and describe coordinate system irregularities. The basic techniques have developed from simple differences to differences in coordinate “bins” to full spherical and cylindrical harmonic treatments. We are undertaking a 15-year program of minor planet observation with the express purpose of finding basic parameters of the adopted fundamental system with respect to a dynamical reference frame. The program is expected to provide a few hundred observations per year of 34 minor planets selected for their distribution of physical and orbital characteristics. The ability of the program to contribute to our knowledge of the rotation of the fundamental system and systematic irregularities within the system will depend on the accuracies of the observations and the distribution of the observations over the orbits and over the celestial sphere. We are considering the use of splines as a method of evaluating systematic corrections to the extant fundamental system. The initial development of the formalism and prospects for evaluation are presented.

Type
Part II: Current Research
Copyright
Copyright © Kluwer 1988 

References

Brosche, P. 1966 Veroff. des Astron. Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, #17.Google Scholar
Brouwer, D. 1935 Astron. J., 44, 1022.Google Scholar
Brouwer, D. 1941 in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, XLII, 133.Google Scholar
Eichhorn, H. 1974 Astronomy of Star Positions, Fredrick Ungar Publishing Co., New York.Google Scholar
Hemenway, P. 1980 Celest. Mech., 22, 89.Google Scholar
Jefferys, W. H. 1980 Astron. J., 85, 177.Google Scholar
Jefferys, W. H. 1981 Astron. J., 86, 149.Google Scholar
Pierce, D. 1971 Astron. J., 76, 177.Google Scholar
Schultz, M. H. 1973 Spline Analysis, Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.Google Scholar