89 research outputs found
General post-Minkowskian expansion of time transfer functions
Modeling most of the tests of general relativity requires to know the
function relating light travel time to the coordinate time of reception and to
the spatial coordinates of the emitter and the receiver. We call such a
function the reception time transfer function. Of course, an emission time
transfer function may as well be considered. We present here a recursive
procedure enabling to expand each time transfer function into a perturbative
series of ascending powers of the Newtonian gravitational constant (general
post-Minkowskian expansion). Our method is self-sufficient, in the sense that
neither the integration of null geodesic equations nor the determination of
Synge's world function are necessary. To illustrate the method, the time
transfer function of a three-parameter family of static, spherically symmetric
metrics is derived within the post-linear approximation.Comment: 10 pages. Minor modifications. Accepted in Classical and Quantum
Gravit
Testing Gravitation in the Solar System with Radio Science experiments
The laws of gravitation have been tested for a long time with steadily
improving precision, leading at some moment of time to paradigmatic evolutions.
Pursuing this continual effort is of great importance for science. In this
communication, we focus on Solar System tests of gravity and more precisely on
possible tests that can be performed with radio science observations (Range and
Doppler). After briefly reviewing the current tests of gravitation at Solar
System scales, we give motivations to continue such experiments. In order to
obtain signature and estimate the amplitude of anomalous signals that could
show up in radio science observables because of modified gravitational laws, we
developed a new software that simulates Range/Doppler signals. We present this
new tool that simulates radio science observables directly from the space-time
metric. We apply this tool to the Cassini mission during its cruise from
Jupiter to Saturn and derive constraints on the parameters entering alternative
theories of gravity beyond the standard Parametrized Post Newtonian theory.Comment: proceedings of SF2A 2011 - minor changes (typos corrected -
references updated
Direction of light propagation to order G^2 in static, spherically symmetric spacetimes: a new derivation
A procedure avoiding any integration of the null geodesic equations is used
to derive the direction of light propagation in a three-parameter family of
static, spherically symmetric spacetimes within the post-post-Minkowskian
approximation. Quasi-Cartesian isotropic coordinates adapted to the symmetries
of spacetime are systematically used. It is found that the expression of the
angle formed by two light rays as measured by a static observer staying at a
given point is remarkably simple in these coordinates. The attention is mainly
focused on the null geodesic paths that we call the "quasi-Minkowskian light
rays". The vector-like functions characterizing the direction of propagation of
such light rays at their points of emission and reception are firstly obtained
in the generic case where these points are both located at a finite distance
from the centre of symmetry. The direction of propagation of the
quasi-Minkowskian light rays emitted at infinity is then straightforwardly
deduced. An intrinsic definition of the gravitational deflection angle relative
to a static observer located at a finite distance is proposed for these rays.
The expression inferred from this definition extends the formula currently used
in VLBI astrometry up to the second order in the gravitational constant G.Comment: 19 pages; revised introduction; added references for introduction;
corrected typos; published in Class. Quantum Gra
Radioscience simulations in General Relativity and in alternative theories of gravity
In this communication, we focus on the possibility to test GR with
radioscience experiments. We present a new software that in a first step
simulates the Range/Doppler signals directly from the space time metric (thus
in GR and in alternative theories of gravity). In a second step, a
least-squares fit of the involved parameters is performed in GR. This software
allows one to get the order of magnitude and the signature of the modifications
induced by an alternative theory of gravity on radioscience signals. As
examples, we present some simulations for the Cassini mission in
Post-Einsteinian gravity and with the MOND External Field Effect.Comment: 4 pages; Proceedings of "Les Rencontres de Moriond 2011 - Gravitation
session
INPOP08, a 4-D planetary ephemeris: From asteroid and time-scale computations to ESA Mars Express and Venus Express contributions
The latest version of the planetary ephemerides developed at the Paris
Observatory and at the Besancon Observatory is presented here. INPOP08 is a
4-dimension ephemeris since it provides to users positions and velocities of
planets and the relation between TT and TDB. Investigations leading to improve
the modeling of asteroids are described as well as the new sets of observations
used for the fit of INPOP08. New observations provided by the European Space
Agency (ESA) deduced from the tracking of the Mars Express (MEX) and Venus
Express (VEX) missions are presented as well as the normal point deduced from
the Cassini mission. We show the huge impact brought by these observations in
the fit of INPOP08, especially in terms of Venus, Saturn and Earth-Moon
barycenter orbits.Comment: 14 pages. submitted to A&A. accepted in A&
Gravitational bending of light by planetary multipoles and its measurement with microarcsecond astronomical interferometers
General relativistic deflection of light by mass, dipole, and quadrupole
moments of gravitational field of a moving massive planet in the Solar system
is derived. All terms of order 1 microarcsecond are taken into account,
parametrized, and classified in accordance with their physical origin. We
calculate the instantaneous patterns of the light-ray deflections caused by the
monopole, the dipole and the quadrupole moments, and derive equations
describing apparent motion of the deflected position of the star in the sky
plane as the impact parameter of the light ray with respect to the planet
changes due to its orbital motion. The present paper gives the physical
interpretation of the observed light-ray deflections and discusses the
observational capabilities of the near-future optical (SIM) and radio (SKA)
interferometers for detecting the Doppler modulation of the radial deflection,
and the dipolar and quadrupolar light-ray bendings by the Jupiter and the
Saturn.Comment: 33 pages, 10 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev.
<i>Gaia</i> Data Release 1. Summary of the astrometric, photometric, and survey properties
Context. At about 1000 days after the launch of Gaia we present the first Gaia data release, Gaia DR1, consisting of astrometry and photometry for over 1 billion sources brighter than magnitude 20.7.
Aims. A summary of Gaia DR1 is presented along with illustrations of the scientific quality of the data, followed by a discussion of the limitations due to the preliminary nature of this release.
Methods. The raw data collected by Gaia during the first 14 months of the mission have been processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) and turned into an astrometric and photometric catalogue.
Results. Gaia DR1 consists of three components: a primary astrometric data set which contains the positions, parallaxes, and mean proper motions for about 2 million of the brightest stars in common with the HIPPARCOS and Tycho-2 catalogues – a realisation of the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS) – and a secondary astrometric data set containing the positions for an additional 1.1 billion sources. The second component is the photometric data set, consisting of mean G-band magnitudes for all sources. The G-band light curves and the characteristics of ∼3000 Cepheid and RR-Lyrae stars, observed at high cadence around the south ecliptic pole, form the third component. For the primary astrometric data set the typical uncertainty is about 0.3 mas for the positions and parallaxes, and about 1 mas yr−1 for the proper motions. A systematic component of ∼0.3 mas should be added to the parallax uncertainties. For the subset of ∼94 000 HIPPARCOS stars in the primary data set, the proper motions are much more precise at about 0.06 mas yr−1. For the secondary astrometric data set, the typical uncertainty of the positions is ∼10 mas. The median uncertainties on the mean G-band magnitudes range from the mmag level to ∼0.03 mag over the magnitude range 5 to 20.7.
Conclusions. Gaia DR1 is an important milestone ahead of the next Gaia data release, which will feature five-parameter astrometry for all sources. Extensive validation shows that Gaia DR1 represents a major advance in the mapping of the heavens and the availability of basic stellar data that underpin observational astrophysics. Nevertheless, the very preliminary nature of this first Gaia data release does lead to a number of important limitations to the data quality which should be carefully considered before drawing conclusions from the data
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