Relativistic stellar aberration for the Space Interferometry Mission (2)

Abstract

We address the issue of relativistic stellar aberration requirements for the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). Motivated by the importance of this issue for SIM, we have considered a problem of relative astrometric observations of two stars separated by angle $θ$ on the sky with a single baseline interferometer. While a definitive answer on the stellar aberration issue may be obtained only in numerical simulations based on the accurate astrometric model of the instrument, one could still derive realistic conclusions by accounting for the main expected properties of SIM. In particular, we have analysied how the expected astrometric accuracy of determination of positions, parallaxes and proper motions will constrain the accuracy of the spaceraft navigation. We estimated the astrometric errors introduced by imperfect metrology (variations of the calibration term across the tile of interest), errors in the baseline length estimations, and those due to orbital motion of the spacecraft. We also estimate requirements on the data sampling rate necessary to apply on-board in order to correct for the stellar aberration. We have shown that the worst case observation scenario is realized for the motion of the spacecraft in the direction perpendicular to the tile. This case of motion will provide the most stringent requirement on the accuracy of knowledge of the velocity's magnitude. We discuss the implication of the results obtained for the future mission analysis.