Gravimetric Station at the Svetloe Observatory of the Quasar Network
Transactions of IAA RAS, issue 74, 3–15 (2025)
DOI: 10.32876/ApplAstron.74.3-15
Keywords: gravity measurements, free fall acceleration, absolute gravimeter, seismic noise, vibration isolation system
About the paper Full textAbstract
Within the framework of the federal project “Development of Advanced Infrastructure for Research and Development in the Russian Federation” (part of the national “Science” project) and in accordance with the development plans for the instrumental base of the “Quasar-KVO” radio interferometric complex, a decision was made in 2020 to establish a high-precision gravimetric site (GS) for continuous gravity monitoring at the “Svetloe” Observatory. This decision also aligns with the initiative of the International Association of Geodesy (Resolution No. 2, 2015) to establish a globally distributed absolute gravity reference system. This system is based on absolute measurements of the free fall acceleration and its temporal variations using modern high-precision instruments: absolute ballistic and relative superconducting gravimeters. A crucial link between this system and the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) is provided by core stations equipped, based on the principle of collocation, with all modern space geodetic observation techniques. The observatories of the “Quasar-KVO” complex represent such stations, as they are operational core sites of the international Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). Therefore, a natural development for the observatories of the “Quasar-KVO” complex, in accordance with GGOS requirements, is the collocation of coordinate measurement systems with highprecision systems for measuring local gravitational field parameters. These parameters include the spatial distribution of the free fall acceleration and its temporal variations, measured using absolute and relative gravimeters. Preliminary seismic investigations were conducted at the “Svetloe” Observatory to select a location for the new GS. These investigations were necessary due to the significant anthropogenic seismic noise generated by the operational 32-metr radio telescope (RT-32). Recently, the intensity of radio interferometric observations has increased significantly, making it difficult to find a suitable time window for conducting precise absolute gravity measurements. Furthermore, a second radio telescope (RT-13) was commissioned at the observatory in 2019. Based on the results of the seismic investigations, an optimal location for the GS was selected. A special pavilion with an isolated foundation was constructed, allowing for the simultaneous installation and operation of multiple gravimeters. A Russian-made laser-interferometric absolute gravimeter, featuring an active vibration isolation system for the reference reflector of the laser displacement interferometer, has been installed at the new GS. Analysis of a measurement series demonstrated the capability to determine the free fall acceleration with a standard deviation of 4 μGal, even while the radio telescope antennas are operational.
Citation
L. F. Vitushkin, I. S. Gayazov, D. V. Ivanov, A. V. Ipatov, E. P. Krivtsov, P. P .Krolitsky, V. V. Nalivaev, O. A. Orlov, I. A. Rakhimov, S. G. Smolentsev. Gravimetric Station at the Svetloe Observatory of the Quasar Network // Transactions of IAA RAS. — 2025. — Issue 74. — P. 3–15.
@article{vitushkin2025,
abstract = {Within the framework of the federal project “Development of Advanced Infrastructure for Research and Development in the Russian Federation” (part of the national “Science” project) and in accordance with the development plans for the instrumental base of the “Quasar-KVO” radio interferometric complex, a decision was made in 2020 to establish a high-precision gravimetric site (GS) for continuous gravity monitoring at the “Svetloe” Observatory. This decision also aligns with the initiative of the International Association of Geodesy (Resolution No. 2, 2015) to establish a globally distributed absolute gravity reference system. This system is based on absolute measurements of the free fall acceleration and its temporal variations using modern high-precision instruments: absolute ballistic and relative superconducting
gravimeters. A crucial link between this system and the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) is provided by core stations equipped, based on the principle of collocation, with all modern space geodetic observation techniques. The observatories of the “Quasar-KVO” complex represent such stations, as they are operational core sites of the international Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). Therefore, a natural development for the observatories of the “Quasar-KVO” complex, in accordance with GGOS requirements, is the collocation of coordinate measurement systems with highprecision systems for measuring local gravitational field parameters. These parameters include the spatial distribution of the free fall acceleration and its temporal variations, measured using absolute and relative gravimeters.
Preliminary seismic investigations were conducted at the “Svetloe” Observatory to select a location for the new GS. These investigations were necessary due to the significant anthropogenic seismic noise generated by the operational 32-metr radio telescope (RT-32). Recently, the intensity of radio interferometric observations has increased significantly, making it difficult to find a suitable time window for conducting precise absolute gravity measurements. Furthermore, a second radio telescope (RT-13) was commissioned at the observatory in 2019. Based on the results of the seismic investigations, an optimal location for the GS was selected. A special pavilion with an isolated foundation was constructed, allowing for the simultaneous installation and operation of multiple gravimeters. A Russian-made laser-interferometric absolute gravimeter, featuring an active vibration isolation system for the reference reflector of the laser displacement
interferometer, has been installed at the new GS. Analysis of a measurement series demonstrated the capability to determine the free fall acceleration with a standard deviation of 4 μGal, even while the radio telescope antennas are operational.},
author = {L.~F. Vitushkin and I.~S. Gayazov and D.~V. Ivanov and A.~V. Ipatov and E.~P. Krivtsov and P.~P. Krolitsky and V.~V. Nalivaev and O.~A. Orlov and I.~A. Rakhimov and S.~G. Smolentsev},
doi = {10.32876/ApplAstron.74.3-15},
issue = {74},
journal = {Transactions of IAA RAS},
keyword = {gravity measurements, free fall acceleration, absolute gravimeter, seismic noise, vibration isolation system},
pages = {3--15},
title = {Gravimetric Station at the Svetloe Observatory of the Quasar Network},
url = {http://iaaras.ru/en/library/paper/2219/},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR
TI - Gravimetric Station at the Svetloe Observatory of the Quasar Network
AU - Vitushkin, L. F.
AU - Gayazov, I. S.
AU - Ivanov, D. V.
AU - Ipatov, A. V.
AU - Krivtsov, E. P.
AU - Krolitsky, P. P.
AU - Nalivaev, V. V.
AU - Orlov, O. A.
AU - Rakhimov, I. A.
AU - Smolentsev, S. G.
PY - 2025
T2 - Transactions of IAA RAS
IS - 74
SP - 3
AB - Within the framework of the federal project “Development of Advanced
Infrastructure for Research and Development in the Russian
Federation” (part of the national “Science” project) and in
accordance with the development plans for the instrumental base of
the “Quasar-KVO” radio interferometric complex, a decision was made
in 2020 to establish a high-precision gravimetric site (GS) for
continuous gravity monitoring at the “Svetloe” Observatory. This
decision also aligns with the initiative of the International
Association of Geodesy (Resolution No. 2, 2015) to establish a
globally distributed absolute gravity reference system. This system
is based on absolute measurements of the free fall acceleration and
its temporal variations using modern high-precision instruments:
absolute ballistic and relative superconducting gravimeters. A
crucial link between this system and the International Terrestrial
Reference Frame (ITRF) is provided by core stations equipped, based
on the principle of collocation, with all modern space geodetic
observation techniques. The observatories of the “Quasar-KVO” complex
represent such stations, as they are operational core sites of the
international Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). Therefore, a
natural development for the observatories of the “Quasar-KVO”
complex, in accordance with GGOS requirements, is the collocation of
coordinate measurement systems with highprecision systems for
measuring local gravitational field parameters. These parameters
include the spatial distribution of the free fall acceleration and
its temporal variations, measured using absolute and relative
gravimeters. Preliminary seismic investigations were conducted at
the “Svetloe” Observatory to select a location for the new GS. These
investigations were necessary due to the significant anthropogenic
seismic noise generated by the operational 32-metr radio telescope
(RT-32). Recently, the intensity of radio interferometric
observations has increased significantly, making it difficult to find
a suitable time window for conducting precise absolute gravity
measurements. Furthermore, a second radio telescope (RT-13) was
commissioned at the observatory in 2019. Based on the results of the
seismic investigations, an optimal location for the GS was selected.
A special pavilion with an isolated foundation was constructed,
allowing for the simultaneous installation and operation of multiple
gravimeters. A Russian-made laser-interferometric absolute
gravimeter, featuring an active vibration isolation system for the
reference reflector of the laser displacement interferometer, has
been installed at the new GS. Analysis of a measurement series
demonstrated the capability to determine the free fall acceleration
with a standard deviation of 4 μGal, even while the radio telescope
antennas are operational.
DO - 10.32876/ApplAstron.74.3-15
UR - http://iaaras.ru/en/library/paper/2219/
ER -