Satellite-Mounted Light Sources as Photometric Calibration Standards for Ground-Based Telescopes

TL;DR

Satellite-mounted light sources could significantly reduce systematic errors in astrophysical measurements by providing precise calibration standards, with initial atmospheric extinction measurements demonstrating promising potential for future high-precision astronomy.

Contribution

This paper presents initial measurements of atmospheric extinction using satellite-mounted light sources, proposing their use as calibration standards to improve astrophysical precision.

Findings

Initial atmospheric extinction measurements at 532 nm show promise.

Satellite-based calibration sources can enhance atmospheric characterization.

Further data collection can significantly improve calibration accuracy.

Abstract

A significant and growing portion of systematic error on a number of fundamental parameters in astrophysics and cosmology is due to uncertainties from absolute photometric and flux standards. A path toward achieving major reduction in such uncertainties may be provided by satellite-mounted light sources, resulting in improvement in the ability to precisely characterize atmospheric extinction, and thus helping to usher in the coming generation of precision results in astronomy. Using a campaign of observations of the 532 nm pulsed laser aboard the CALIPSO satellite, collected using a portable network of cameras and photodiodes, we obtain initial measurements of atmospheric extinction, which can apparently be greatly improved by further data of this type. For a future satellite-mounted precision light source, a high-altitude balloon platform under development (together with colleagues) can provide testing as well as observational data for calibration of atmospheric uncertainties.