Abstract

In this paper we evaluate the performance of a plausible configuration for the solar disk sextant, an instrument to be used to monitor the solar diameter. Overall system requirements are evaluated, and tolerable uncertainties are obtained. We conclude that by using a beam splitting wedge, a folded optics design can be used to measure the solar diameter to an accuracy of 10⁻⁶, despite the greater aberrations present in such optical systems.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Solar disk sextant

Sabatino Sofia, Hong-Yee Chiu, Eugene Maier, Kenneth H. Schatten, Peter Minott, and Andrew S. Endal
Appl. Opt. 23(8) 1235-1237 (1984)

Evaluation of the solar disk sextant concept

Hong-Yee Chiu
Appl. Opt. 23(8) 1226-1229 (1984)

Coaxial, Dual-Field Optics For a Space Sextant

H. E. Brunelle and R. R. Willey
Appl. Opt. 2(12) 1265-1269 (1963)

Solar magnetic and velocity-field measurements: new instrument concepts

Jan O. Stenflo
Appl. Opt. 23(8) 1267-1278 (1984)

Combined solar aureole and solar beam extinction measurements. 1: Calibration considerations

N. T. O’Neill and John R. Miller
Appl. Opt. 23(20) 3691-3696 (1984)