VLBI for Gravity Probe B. I. Overview
arXiv:1204.4630 · doi:10.1088/0067-0049/201/1/1
Abstract
We describe the NASA/Stanford gyroscope relativity mission, Gravity Probe B (GP-B), and provide an overview of the following series of six astrometric and astrophysical papers that report on our radio observations and analyses made in support of this mission. The main goal of this 8.5 year program of differential VLBI astrometry was to determine the proper motion of the guide star of the GP-B mission, the RS CVn binary IM Pegasi (IM Peg; HR 8703). This proper motion is determined with respect to compact, extragalactic reference sources. The results are: -20.833 +- 0.090 mas/yr and -27.267 +- 0.095 mas/yr for, respectively, the right ascension and declination, in local Cartesian coordinates, of IM Peg's proper motion, and 10.370 +- 0.074 mas (i.e., 96.43 +- 0.69 pc) for its parallax (and distance). Each quoted uncertainty is meant to represent an ~70% confidence interval that includes the estimated contribution from systematic error. These results are accurate enough not to discernibly degrade the GP-B estimates of its gyroscopes' relativistic precessions: the frame-dragging and geodetic effects.
Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
References in corpus (7)
- Gravity Probe B: Final Results of a Space Experiment to Test General Relativity
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. V. Proper Motion and Parallax of the Guide Star, IM Pegasi
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. III. A Limit on the Proper Motion of the "Core" of the Quasar 3C 454.3
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. IV. A New Astrometric Analysis Technique and a Comparison with Results from Other Techniques
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. VI. The Orbit of IM Pegasi and the Location of the Source of Radio Emission
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. II. Monitoring of the Structure of the Reference Sources 3C 454.3, B2250+194, and B2252+172
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. VII. The Evolution of the Radio Structure of IM Pegasi
Cited by in corpus (7)
- The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment
- Micro-Arcsecond Radio Astrometry
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B: The Guide Star IM Pegasi
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. V. Proper Motion and Parallax of the Guide Star, IM Pegasi
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. III. A Limit on the Proper Motion of the "Core" of the Quasar 3C 454.3
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. II. Monitoring of the Structure of the Reference Sources 3C 454.3, B2250+194, and B2252+172
- VLBI for Gravity Probe B. VII. The Evolution of the Radio Structure of IM Pegasi