[FPSPACE] Relativistic Reference Frames for Astrometry and Navigation in the Solar System

[LARRY KLAES]

Astrophysics, abstract
astro-ph/0610022

From: Sergei Kopeikin [view email]

Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 23:08:31 GMT   (73kb)

Relativistic Reference Frames for Astrometry and Navigation in the Solar 
System

Authors: Sergei Kopeikin (University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri, USA)

Comments: 16 pages, to appear in Proc. of the ASTROCON 2006 meeting 
(Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA) this http URL

Astrophysical space missions deliver invaluable information about our 
universe, stellar dynamics of our galaxy, and motion of celestial bodies in 
the solar system. Astrometric space missions SIM and Gaia will determine 
distances to stars and cosmological objects as well as their physical 
characteristics and positions on the celestial sphere with microarcsecond 
precision. These and other space missions dedicated to exploration of the 
solar system are invaluable for experimental testing of general relativity.

Permanently growing accuracy of space and ground-based astronomical 
observations require corresponding development of relativistic theory of 
reference frames, motion of celestial bodies, and propagation of light/radio 
signals from a source of light/radio to observer. Such theory must be based 
on Einstein's general relativity and account for various relativistic 
effects both in the solar system and outside of its boundary.

We describe a hierarchy of the relativistic frames adopted by the 
International Astronomical Union in 2000, and outline directions for its 
theoretical and practical extentions by matching the IAU 2000 reference 
frames in the solar system to the cosmological Friedman-Robertson-Walker 
reference frame and to the frames used in the parametrized post-Newtonian 
formalism.

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0610022