Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 1987
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987baas...19r1120b&link_type=abstract
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 19, p.1120
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
1
Scientific paper
Solar diameter measurements made in 1983 at the Santa Catalina Laboratory for Experimental Relativity by Astrometry (SCLERA) have been analyzed for the Sun's quadrupole and hexadecapole shape terms. Expressing the Sun's apparent diameter as a Legendre series, these two terms represent the P2 and P4 coefficients, respectively. The theoretical framework used to provide a relationship between the observed shape of the Sun and the multipole moments of the solar gravitational potential fields has been improved to include in general the effect of differential rotation in both latitude and radius. The gravitational potential multipole moments, expressed as the P2 and P4 coefficients of a Legendre series, have been found to be J2 = (3.4 + or - 1.0) E-6 and J4 = (1.7 + or - 1.1) E-6, respectively. The total apparent oblateness delta R = (equator-polar radii) found from SCLERA observations is delta R = 13.8 milliarcseconds. The surface rotation contribution R' to the apparent solar shape is delta R' = 7.9 milliarcseconds. The quoted uncertainties represent formal statistical 1 sigma errors only. Evidence for periodic shape distortions near the equator have also been found.
Beardsley B. J.
Hill Adrian H.
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