SLR Station Cagliari/Italy

Last update: April 24, 1995

Location

15 km from Cagliari, southern Sardinia, Italy

Agency

Stazione Astronomica di Cagliari

Address

Dr. Aldo Banni
Stazione Astronomica
Internazionale di Latitudine
Loc. Poggio dei Pini, str.54
09012 Capoterra (CA)
ITALY

Communication

Telephone         : (39) 70 725425
TELEX/TWX         :
Telefax           : (39) 70 657657
Electronic mail   : BANNI@CA.ASTRO.IT or BANNI@VAXCA2.UNICA.IT
                    LAS_GRP@CA.ASTRO.IT
GE/MARK III       :
SPAN              : VAXCA2::BANNI or VAXCA2::LASER
EARN/BITnet       :
Other networks    : http://caosun.unica.it/

Status

Operational since: December 1993

Schedule

Operation hours per day     : 8
Operation days per week     : 5
Satellite tracking capacity : AJISAI, ERS-1, LAGEOS-1 and -2, METEOR-3,
			      STARLETTE, STELLA, TOPEX
Comments                    :

System

CAGLAS (AOCagliari)

Number

Station number           : 7548
Instrument number        : 62
Instrument name          :
Actual occupation number : 01
Start date               : September 01, 1993

Tracking

Single shot precision    : 7 cm
Laser system             : Neodym-YAG laser
Wavelength               : 532.0 nm
Pulse width              : 100 psec
Pulse rate               : 10 pps
Beam divergence          : 0.5 mrad
Minimal elevation        : 0 degree
Tracking capacities      : 
Daylight                 : no
High flying satellites   : yes
Low flying satellites    : yes
Moon                     : no
ERS-1                    : yes

Site occupations

All occupations at the site including

Monument number          : 7545
Occupying System         : mobile laser
Starting date            : March 09, 1988
Ending date              :

Comments

Timing

Primary time standard       : three Cesium frequency standards
Time standard calibration   : GPS time, LORAN-C
Estimated time tag accuracy : 100 nsec

QL data                       1 microsec
FR data                       1 microsec

Time reference:

QL data                       UTC(CAO)
FR data                       UTC(CAO)

Station Computer

                                            real time Predict. and analysis

Computer type                               : PC     VAX 3100, SUN SPARK/20
Micro processor                             : 486
Operating System                            : DOS    VMS, UNIX
Capability of normalpoint generation at site: yes
Discette format used                        :
Tape drive available                        : cassette tape, 4mm, 114 MBPI

Prediction used

Prediction programme for               all satellites:  IRVINT

Input files and medium of reception    for all satellites: IRV's, electronical

State vectors for ERS-1
                                       rate
                                       coordinate system
                                       time reference

Required prediction accuracy           daylight tracking
                                       nighttime tracking   500 m

Calibration

Pre and post calibration to external ground target at 120 m
Flags regularly given in MERIT II format

System configuration             flag          1
                                 start date    November 08, 1993
                                 end date

Calibration method                             0
receiver correction                            230 nsec

Data delivery

Quick-look data                  medium        e-mail
                                 agency        EDC, DGFI/I

Full rate data                   medium        anonymous ftp
                                 agency        EDC, DGFI/I

Geodetic reference

Monument number                : CDP 7545, EUREF 69
type of monument               : Brass marker
Monument inscription           : concrete path
Coordinates on local datum     : N 39°08'05.597", E 08°58'24.048"
Elevation above mean sea level : 184.226 m
Elevation above ellipsoid      : n.a.
Survey source                  : Observatory survey
Date of survey                 : 1993
Datum/Ellipsoid                : IGM
Eccentricity to                  North    East  Up       geocentric coordinates 
Laser reference point          : -128.970 81.46 -22.143  50.774 90.556 -114.035

Geological Information

Tectonic plate                 : Eurasia
Geological province            : Corsica-Sardinia block, hercinian platform
Local geology                  : granite batholith


Comments to special geological characteristics:

Future Plans

• Observation of daylight passes

Site Sketch

Additionally you find here images of the SLR Site Cagliari and the laser.

Here you can receive information provided by the Astronomical Observatory of Cagliari.