Modifications to the Lick Automatic Measuring Engine

对 Lick 自动测量引擎的修改

• 批准号: 8821504
• 负责人: Burton Jones
• 金额: $ 8.43万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Cruz
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1989
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1989-03-01 至 1991-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8821504&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Modifications; Lick; Automatic; Measuring; Engine

The astrometric measuring engine (AME) at Lick Observatory is used to measure the positions of stars on photographic plates. These data have been used to study the motions of the stars, studies that have important implications for our knowledge of the structured of our galaxy. The AME has been a very productive instrument. The National Science Foundation provided the funds for the acquisition of the AME, and twice in the past has provided funds for partial support of modifications to the machine. It is now planned to replace the antiquated, failing PDP-8 computer that now controls AME with a modern, general purpose, computer. The PDP-8 will be replaced with a Sun 4/200-HM-p14 computer connected to a VME crate. This system will provide for control of the positioning of the AME, for data taking with the Reticon detectors, and for on line data reduction. This new powerful system will allow faster and more efficient operation, and will allow tasks to be done that are now impossible. The Sun will also provide computation facilities for members of the Lick astrometric group. At the same time, some optics on the measuring machine will also be replaced. This would allow alignment procedures to be done more quickly, and also allow plates to be measured with large images of stars.

利克天文台的天体测量引擎（AME）用于测量照相底片上恒星的位置。 这些数据已用于研究恒星的运动，这些研究对我们了解银河系结构具有重要意义。 AME 是一个非常富有成效的工具。 美国国家科学基金会为购买 AME 提供了资金，过去曾两次提供资金用于对该机器的修改提供部分支持。 现在计划用现代通用计算机取代现在控制 AME 的陈旧且出现故障的 PDP-8 计算机。 PDP-8 将替换为连接到 VME 板条箱的 Sun 4/200-HM-p14 计算机。 该系统将控制 AME 的定位、使用 Reticon 探测器获取数据以及在线数据缩减。 这个新的强大系统将允许更快、更有效的操作，并将允许完成现在不可能的任务。 太阳还将为利克天体测量小组的成员提供计算设施。 同时，测量机上的一些光学器件也将被更换。 这将使对准过程更快地完成，并且还允许用大的恒星图像来测量板。