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Quasi-Continuous VLBI observations
This work will explore the potential of greatly increasing the number of VGOS sessions per month by limiting the amount of recorded data.
Keywords: VLBI, VGOS
Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a cutting-edge technique in space geodesy. Through the synchronized observations of multiple globally distributed radio telescopes, VLBI attains unrivaled accuracy in determining the rotation angle of the Earth about its axis and in monitoring minute variations of the orientation of the Earth's rotation vector in space.
VGOS, or the VLBI Global Observing System, represents the next generation of VLBI technology. It's designed to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and global coverage of VLBI observations. The VGOS network aims to revolutionize VLBI operations by streamlining data processing, improving observation times, and enhancing the overall sensitivity of the system.
The VLBI community has outlined three key objectives for VGOS:
reaching 1-mm position accuracy on global scales,
continuous measurements for time series of station positions and Earth orientation parameters,
turnaround time to initial geodetic results of less than 24 hours.
While research has so far focused on reaching the mm-level accuracy, the goal of achieving continuous measurements is currently far out of reach. At the moment, only about three 24-hour VGOS sessions are observed per month. The immense volume of recorded data is the main obstacle to increasing the frequency of VGOS sessions. Each telescope records around 30 TB of data per day that needs to be transferred and processed.
This work will explore and evaluate new approaches to greatly increase the number of VGOS sessions per month. The basic idea is to limit the amount of recorded data by a smart selection of observations based on different distribution approaches. For example, instead of one full 24-hour session, it will be explored how the geodetic performance would be impacted when only observing four hours of data. Furthermore, alternative approaches, such as distributing observations in four 1-hour blocks distributed over the day, or eight 30-minute blocks will be evaluated. Additionally, investigating burst mode, where telescopes observe for short periods followed by idle time, and spreading observations continuously over 24 hours will be explored. The analysis will rely on simulations and real VLBI observations, leveraging state-of-the-art VLBI simulation and analysis software. Proficiency in Python is necessary, with Matlab skills considered advantageous.
Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a cutting-edge technique in space geodesy. Through the synchronized observations of multiple globally distributed radio telescopes, VLBI attains unrivaled accuracy in determining the rotation angle of the Earth about its axis and in monitoring minute variations of the orientation of the Earth's rotation vector in space. VGOS, or the VLBI Global Observing System, represents the next generation of VLBI technology. It's designed to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and global coverage of VLBI observations. The VGOS network aims to revolutionize VLBI operations by streamlining data processing, improving observation times, and enhancing the overall sensitivity of the system.
The VLBI community has outlined three key objectives for VGOS: reaching 1-mm position accuracy on global scales, continuous measurements for time series of station positions and Earth orientation parameters, turnaround time to initial geodetic results of less than 24 hours.
While research has so far focused on reaching the mm-level accuracy, the goal of achieving continuous measurements is currently far out of reach. At the moment, only about three 24-hour VGOS sessions are observed per month. The immense volume of recorded data is the main obstacle to increasing the frequency of VGOS sessions. Each telescope records around 30 TB of data per day that needs to be transferred and processed.
This work will explore and evaluate new approaches to greatly increase the number of VGOS sessions per month. The basic idea is to limit the amount of recorded data by a smart selection of observations based on different distribution approaches. For example, instead of one full 24-hour session, it will be explored how the geodetic performance would be impacted when only observing four hours of data. Furthermore, alternative approaches, such as distributing observations in four 1-hour blocks distributed over the day, or eight 30-minute blocks will be evaluated. Additionally, investigating burst mode, where telescopes observe for short periods followed by idle time, and spreading observations continuously over 24 hours will be explored. The analysis will rely on simulations and real VLBI observations, leveraging state-of-the-art VLBI simulation and analysis software. Proficiency in Python is necessary, with Matlab skills considered advantageous.
Evaluation of various observation strategies for VGOS.
Evaluation of various observation strategies for VGOS.