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20040611 report
Test of empirical correction - results ambiguous
Tracking of Uranus with RxB and the
fives method
was performed for about 100minutes between HST 02:58 and 04:25.
Uranus moved from (az,el) = (120,46) to (148,57) passing through
azimuths 125 and 141 at elevations of approx 43 and 53, respectively.
At these azimuths the race defect
reveals itself.
An empirical correction based on the 1997 profile was used
with an amplitude at the horizon of 3.0". The tracking residuals
are plotted as a function of azimuth below:
Click on image for better view
The defect is essentially not detected at az=141,
although the azimuth tracking noise between az=139 & 142
sems to have increased, while the defect
appears to be largely uncorrected at az=125, although
increased elevation pointing noise at about the same time
casts some doubt upon that too.
The next test should be taken with the correction disabled to
try to establish the profile afresh.
Iain Coulson
Latest Update : 14 Jun 2004
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