A Celestial Reference Frame at X/ka-Band (8.4/32 Ghz) for Deep Space Navigation

Deep space tracking and navigation are done in a quasi-inertial reference frame based upon the angular positions of distant active galactic nuclei (AGN). These objects, which are found at extreme distances characterized by median redshifts of z = 1, are ideal for reference frame definition because they exhibit no measurable parallax or proper motion. They are thought to be powered by super massive black holes whose gravitational energy drives galactic sized relativistic jets. These jets produce synchrotron emissions which are detectable by modern radio techniques such as Very Long baseline Interferometry (VLBI). We have constructed a reference frame based on sixty-seven X/Ka-band (8.4/32 GHz) VLBI observing sessions (2005 to present), each of ∼24 hours duration, using the intercontinental baselines of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN): Goldstone, California to Madrid, Spain and Canberra, Australia. We detected 482 sources covering the full 24 hours of Right ascension and declinations down to −45◦. Comparison of 460 X/Ka sources in common with the international standard ICRF2 at S/X-band (2.3/8.4 GHz) shows wRMS agreement of 180 μas in α cosδ and 270 μas in δ . There is evidence for systematic errors at the 100 μas level. Known errors include limited SNR, lack of phase calibration, troposphere mismodelling, and limited southern geometry. Compared to S/X-band frames (e.g. ICRF2 (Ma et al, 2009)), X/Ka-band allows access to more compact source morphology and reduced core shift. Both these improvements allow for a more well-defined and stable reference frame at X/Ka-band. In the next decade, the optically-based Gaia mission (Lindegren, 2008) may produce a frame with competitive precision. By accurately registering radio frames with Gaia, we could study wavelength dependent systematic errors. A simulated frame tie between our X/Ka radio frame and the Gaia optical frame predicts a frame tie precision of 10–15 μas (1-σ , per 3-D rotation component) with anticipated radio improvements reducing that to 5–10 μas by Gaia’s end of mission ∼2021.

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