Ari Mujunen

Overview of the coordinated ground-based observations of Titan during the Huygens mission

Coordinated ground-based observations of Titan were performed around or during the Huygens atmospheric probe mission at Titan on 14 January 2005, connecting the momentary in situ observations by the probe with the synoptic coverage provided by continuing ground-based programs. These observations consisted of three different categories: (1) radio telescope tracking of the Huygens signal at 2040 MHz, (2) observations of the atmosphere and surface of Titan, and (3) attempts to observe radiation emitted during the Huygens Probe entry into Titans atmosphere. The Probe radio signal was successfully acquired by a network of terrestrial telescopes, recovering a vertical profile of wind speed in Titans atmosphere from 140 km altitude down to the surface. Ground-based observations brought new information on atmosphere and surface properties of the largest Saturnian moon. No positive detection of phenomena associated with the Probe entry was reported. This paper reviews all these measurements and highlights the achieved results. The ground-based observations, both radio and optical, are of fundamental importance for the interpretation of results from the Huygens mission.

Water masers in the Kronian system

The presence of water has been considered for a long time as a key condition for life in planetary environments. The Cassini mission discovered water vapour in the Kronian system by detecting absorption of UV emission from a background star (Hansen et al. 2006). Prompted by this discovery, we started an observational campaign for search of another manifestation of the water vapour in the Kronian system, its maser emission at the frequency of 22 GHz (1.35 cm wavelength). Observations with the 32 m Medicina radio telescope (INAF-IRA, Italy) started in 2006 using Mk5A data recording and the JIVE-Huygens software correlator. Later on, an on-line spectrometer was used at Medicina. The 14 m Metsahovi radio telescope (TKK-MRO, Finland) joined the observational campaign in 2008 using a locally developed data capture unit and software spectrometer. More than 300 hours of observations were collected in 2006-2008 campaign with the two radio telescopes. The data were analysed at JIVE using the Doppler tracking technique to compensate the observed spectra for the radial Doppler shift for various bodies in the Kronian system (Pogrebenko et al. 2009). Here we report the observational results for Hyperion, Titan, Enceladus and Atlas, and their physical interpretation. Encouraged by these results we started a campaign of follow up observations including other radio telescopes.

Use of the Long Baseline Array in Australia for Precise Geodesy and Absolute Astrometry

We report the results of a successful 12-hour 22-GHz VLBI experiment using a heterogeneous network that includes radio telescopes of the Long Baseline Array (LBA) in Australia and several VLBI stations that regularly observe in geodetic VLBI campaigns. We have determined positions of three VLBI stations, atca-104, ceduna and mopra, with an accuracy of 4–30 mm using a novel technique of data analysis. These stations have never before participated in geodetic experiments. We observed 105 radio sources, and amongst them 5 objects which have not previously been observed with VLBI. We have determined positions of these new sources with the accuracy of 2–5 mas. We make the conclusion that the LBA network is capable of conducting absolute astrometry VLBI surveys with an accuracy better than 5 mas.

Ultra-Rapid DUT1-Observations with E-VLBI

Ultra-Rapid DUT1-Observations with E-VLBI We give a short overview about the achievements of the Fennoscandian-Japanese ultra-rapid dUT1-project that was initiated in early 2007. The combination of real-time data transfer, near real-time data conversion and correlation, together with near-real time data analysis allows to determine dUT1 with a very low latency of less than 5 minutes after the end of a VLBI-session. The accuracy of these ultra-rapid dUT1-results is on the same order than the results of the standard rapid-service of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Frame Service (IERS). The ultra-rapid approach is currently extended to 24 hour sessions and is expected to become an important contribution for the future next generation VLBI system called VLBI2010.

Water masers in the Saturnian system

Context. The presence of water has long been seen as a key condition for life in planetary environments. The Cassini spacecraft discovered water vapour in the Saturnian system by detecting absorption of UV emission from a background star. Investigating other possible manifestations of water is essential, one of which, provided physical conditions are suitable, is maser emission. Aims. We report detection of water maser emission at 22 GHz associated with several Kronian satellites using Earth-based radio telescopes. Methods. We searched for water maser emission in the Saturnian system in an observing campaign using the Metsahovi and Medicina radio telescopes. Spectral data were Doppler-corrected over orbital phase for the Saturnian satellites, yielding detections of water maser emission associated with the moons Hyperion, Titan, Enceladus, and Atlas. Results. The detection of Saturnian water molecules by remote astronomical observation can be combined with in situ spacecraft measurements to harmonise the physical model of the Saturnian system.

Ultra rapid dUT1 estimations from e-VLBI sessions

Promptness of the data processing of the international VLBI observations has been continuously improved in the past decades. In particular, e-VLBI technique has proved that it has a capability to shorten the latency by transferring the observed data to the correlator by using high speed communication networks. The method has been introduced to routine intensive VLBI sessions to monitor dUT1. To improve the promptness even further, we started an initiative to develop automated data transfer and data processing systems using Europe-Japan baselines. On February 21, 2008, we succeeded to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed systems and estimated the dUT1 parameter 3 minutes 45 seconds after the last scan of the one hour intensive style e-VLBI session. This achievement was realized by the developments of the K5/VSSP32 data acquisition terminal, automated data processing and analysis software.