Proposal code

v046

Proposal title

Space-VLBI multi-frequency astrometry on the quasar pair 1038+528A/B

The

Investigators and their

Affiliations

P.I. Maria J. Rioja JIVE, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
Richard W. Porcas MPIfR, Bonn, Germany

Proposal Abstract

The pair of sources 1038+528 A and B, separated by 33'', have been monitored for a decade with dual frequency ground-VLBI for astrometric purposes. Their exceptionally small angular separation makes it possible to reach an astrometric precision limited only by the noise in the phase delay observables (at micro-as level). Nevertheless, an interpretation of results in terms of source structural variations with time and frequency is limited by the interferometer beam size. Space VLBI offers a unique chance to improve this resolution. We propose observations at 1.6 and 5 GHz. Even if the large uncertainty in the determination of the satellite orbit prevents any improvement over the astrometric precisions currently reached with GRT array alone, the higher resolution maps at each frequency will allow a much more precise interpretation of the astrometric results.

The full Cover Sheets (compressed post-script, typically 50kbytes) can be retrieved. Note that many proposals were reduced in extent by the Scientific Review Committee (e.g. by reducing the number of experiments), however the Cover Sheets contain the full proposal as submitted. Also note that AO1 proposals were submitted in November 1995, and information such as affiliations and contact details has changed for some proposers since that time. The Cover Sheets (and the details on this page, which were derived from the Cover Sheets) may therefore have changed.