Proposal code

w039

Proposal title

Proper Motion in a Closely-Spaced Quasar Pair: 1342+662/1342+663

The

Investigators and their

Affiliations

P.I. J.C. Guirado Universidad de Valencia, Spain
R.A. Preston, D.L. Jones Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA
J.M. Marcaide, M.A. Perez Universidad de Valencia, Spain
J.-F. Lestrade Observatoire de Meudon, France

Proposal Abstract

Space-VLBI can provide immediate improvements on the ground-based astrometry of closely-spaced radio sources. The intrinsic resolution that VSOP brings to the radio maps offers the possibility to combine high-resolution maps with high-precision astrometry, producing a three-to-fourfold improvement in the relative position determination. We propose VSOP+VLBA 5 GHz observations of the closely-spaced quasar pair 1342+662/1342+663. The combination of this epoch with a previous VSOP observation will put a 10 microarcseconds/yr bound on the relative proper motion of this pair. With a third observation, this bound will be set at the submicroarcsecond level, a precision unattainable from ground-only observations. Knowledge of VSOP capabilities in astrometry is key to use this technique later in the mission and in future space VLBI missions.

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 AO2 proposals were submitted in May 1998, 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.