STC ObservationLocation

[Ed Shaya]

Roy,

    We could add special software that allows one to drop location or 
other elements after the distance of the object has been confirmed.  For 
instance, it is now known that many of the gamma ray events detected are 
in fact terrestial in origin, in that they correlate with active 
thunderclouds.  These are now called TGF, terrestial gamma-ray flashes.  
One might suspect that Jupiter and Saturn which have lightning 
discharges that are millions of time more powerful than Earth lightning 
may also generate gamma-ray flashes.  These probably have not yet been 
detected because of the distances involved, but as sensitivity improves, 
as in GLAST, these may start showing up. The collisions of CME (coronal 
mass ejections) in random locations in interplanetary space has been 
correlated with the highest energy SEP (solar energetic particles) and 
therefore it is conceivable that some GRBs are actually this.
   I suspect that you do not like this option.

Ed

Roy Williams wrote:
>
>> If you say BARY, it means you have applied a transformation.  And that
>> transformation is based on model assumptions.
>> There are a number of applications where it is crucial that users can
>> undo that transformation (the obvious one being pulsar timing).
>
> So the obseratory location plays two semantic roles: one for TOPO 
> (where it is strictly necessary) and one for GEO, where it is 
> necessary to provide computational provenance in case of mistakes.
>
> In that case, I suggest that other elements be mandatory. Perhaps the 
> time-zone where the time measurement was made? It is possible that the 
> time-zone conversion was not done properly -- in which case it is 
> equally crucial that users can undo that transformation. I for one 
> never know whether we are on summer time or not.
>
> I suggest to you that in some cases the transformation from TOPO to 
> GEO is very simple, and in these cases it is not necessary to pass the 
> time-zone or the observatory location. Specifically, if the object is 
> distant and the error in timing of the event is much larger than 
> light-time across the Earth.
>
> Roy
>
>
>
> California Institute of Technology
>
> 626 395 3670
>
>