Citation

Abstract

The first in a series of very long baseline interferometry feasibility demonstrations for applications to Earth Physics was conducted on January 29, 1971. In this demonstration two Goldstone tracking stations, the 26-m Echo station and the 64-m Mars station, were equipped with JPL hydrogen maser frequency systems and operated in electrically independent, although coordinated, observing modes. S-band (2.3 GHz) radio signals from 14 celestial radio sources were recorded at each station on digital magnetic tape. Later, these tapes were brought together for computer cross-correlation to produce an interferometric observable. Using the interferometer fringe frequency, a measurement of the two equatorial baseline components was made. The discrepancy between these measurements and the inter-station geodetic survey was less than 30 cm in each of these two components.

Details

Volume
V
Published
October 15, 1971
Pages
45–57
File Size
1.4 MB