Correlated and Zonal Errors of Global Astrometric Missions: A Spherical Harmonic Solution

We propose a computer-efficient and accurate method of estimating spatially correlated errors in astrometric positions, parallaxes, and proper motions obtained by space- and ground-based astrometry missions. In our method,the simulated observational equations are set up and solved for the coefficients of scalar and vector spherical harmonics representing the output errors rather than for individual objects in the output catalog. Both accidental and systematic correlated errors of astrometric parameters can be accurately estimated. The method is demonstrated on the example of the JMAPS mission, but can be used for other projects in space astrometry, such as SIM or JASMINE.
Published in The Astronomical Journal, v144 n22 p1-7, July 2012. The original document contains color images.