PROCEEDINGS OF A CONFERENCE ON PROBLEMS OF LUNAR TOPOGRAPHY, HELD AT BAGNERES-DE-BIGORRE BETWEEN APRIL 19TH AND 23RD, 1960

Abstract

Consideration was given to some basic problems of lunar surface mapping encountered in connection with the current charting of the Moon by the U. S. Air Force. As a result of the discussions, it was recommended (1) to reduce anew all past heliometric observations of the crater Mosting A by a standard procedure which should improve our present knowledge of the libration constants of the Moon; (2) to set up, on the Moon, a system of 100-200 control points of second-order, defined by the positions of small craters (5-10 kms in diameter) which are sufficiently shallow and geometrically well-defined to enable us to measure their positions with sufficient accuracy; (3) to employ the lunar plates taken with the Markovitz cameras in the course of the recent IGY to determine the positions of such craters with respect to a fundamental frame of reference as represented by the neighbouring stars, in order to determine their absolute three-dimensional coordinates with respect to the Moon's centre; (4) to use the standard shadow method for the determination of relative heights above the osculating surface of the mean selenoid, between three or more adjacent points of secondorder; and (5) to employ purely photometric methods for the measurement of small gradients for contour maps of the Moon. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0277724

Entities

People

  • Ellen B. Finlay
  • Zdenek Kopal

Organizations

  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Air Force
  • Diameters
  • Geometry
  • Lunar Topography
  • Mathematics
  • Measurement
  • Observation
  • Physical Properties
  • Sizes (Dimensions)
  • Standards
  • Three Dimensional
  • Topography

Readers

  • Calculus or Mathematical Analysis
  • Geodesy
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris