Re: IOD format

Björn Gimle (b_gimle@algonet.se)
Mon, 24 May 1999 22:34:02 +0200

----- Ursprungligt meddelande ----- 
Från: Curtis Haase <73007.2024@compuserve.com>
Till: SeeSat-D <SeeSat-D@blackadder.lmsal.com>
Skickat: den 24 maj 1999 18:31
Ämne: IOD format


> Where can I find a complete definition of the IOD format used to
> report positional observations?  I couldn't seem to find this information
> on the VSO web site.
> 
He has written a program which helps you maintain an observation log in this format, and a program to determine orbital elements from it.

Here is part of his documentation:

   Observation Format Description




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80
123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789 123456789

            AAAAAAA+EEEEEE
         YYYYMMDDHHMMSSsss tt ce RRRRRRR-DDDDDD pp
12345 98 123XYZ 2007 S 19981122112233444 56 14 1122334-112233 46 B+MMm Mm SSSsss

Examples:
12345 98 123A   2007 S 20081122112233444 56 14 1122334+112233 36
12345 98 123A   2007 S 20081122112233444 56 14 1122334+112233 36
12345 98 123A   2007 S 20081122112233444 56 14 1122334+112233 36 B+MMm Mm
12345 98 123ABC 2007 S 20081122112233444 56 14 1122334+112233 36 B+MMm Mm SSSsss
12345 98 123A   2007 S 20081122112233444 56                      B+MMm Mm  SSsss
12345 98 123A   2007 S 20081122112233444 56                      B+MMm Mm   Ssss
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cols   1- 15: Object number and international designation.

Cols  17- 20: Four digit station number.

Col       22: Station status code.

       Sky condition codes:

       E = excellent
       G = good
       F = fair
       P = poor
       B = bad
       T = terrible

       Station status codes:

       C = clouded out
       O = sky clear, but observer not available

       The purpose of the 'C' and 'O' codes is to enable reporting of
       "station unavailable" status to a network coordinator.

Cols  24- 31: UTC date. Four digit year, two digit month and day of month.

Cols  32- 40: UTC time. Two digit hour and minute. Seconds are reportable to
       a precision of 0.001 second (same as TLE precision). If
       significant digits are not available for columns 36, 37, 38,
       the unused columns should be blank or zero. Time uncertainty
       is specified in the next field.

Cols  42- 43: Time uncertainty. Expressed as MX, where M = mantissa, and X =
       exponent input. Evaluated as M*10E(X-8). Examples:

        MX = 15: 1*10E(5-8) =   0.001 sec
        MX = 56: 5*10E(6-8) =   0.05  sec
        MX = 17: 1*10E(7-8) =   0.1   sec
        MX = 97: 9*10E(7-8) =   0.9   sec
        MX = 18: 1*10E(8-8) =   1     sec
        MX = 28: 2*10E(8-8) =   2     sec
        MX = 58: 5*10E(8-8) =   5     sec
        MX = 19: 1*10E(9-8) =  10     sec
        MX = 29: 2*10E(9-8) =  20     sec
        MX = 99: 9*10E(9-8) =  90     sec  (largest)

Col       45: Angle format code. BLANK IF NO POSITION IS REPORTED.
       To allow for user preference, four RA/DEC and three AZ/EL
       formats are provided. The first six of these are the same
       formats as used in the OTWG system, with the exception that
       one less digit of precision is available in both position
       coordinates. Positional coordinates are reported in columns
       48-61. The positional uncertainty is reported in columns 63-64.
       The seven positional formats are:

         50        60
        89 123456789 1234

   Format 1: RA/DEC = HHMMSSs+DDMMSS MX   (MX in seconds of arc)
   2: RA/DEC = HHMMmmm+DDMMmm MX   (MX in minutes of arc)
   3: RA/DEC = HHMMmmm+DDdddd MX   (MX in degrees of arc)
   4: AZ/EL  = DDDMMSS+DDMMSS MX   (MX in seconds of arc)
   5: AZ/EL  = DDDMMmm+DDMMmm MX   (MX in minutes of arc)
   6: AZ/EL  = DDDdddd+DDdddd MX   (MX in degrees of arc)
   7: RA/DEC = HHMMSSs+DDdddd MX   (MX in degrees of arc)


Col       46: Epoch code. BLANK IF AZ/EL.

       0 = of date
       1 = 1855
       2 = 1875
       3 = 1900
       4 = 1950
       5 = 2000
       6 = 2050

Cols  48- 54: Observed RA or AZ

Col       55: DEC or EL sign

Cols  56- 61: Observed DEC or EL

Cols  63- 64: Positional uncertainty. Expressed as MX, where M = mantissa,
       and X = exponent input. Evaluated as M*10E(X-8). Given in seconds,
       minutes, or degrees of arc according to the format used. Assumed
       to apply equally to both components.

       Examples of positional uncertainty ("/" = "or"):

       MX = 34  3*10E(4-8) =  0.0003 deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 56: 5*10E(6-8) =  0.05   deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 17: 1*10E(7-8) =  0.1    deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 97: 9*10E(7-8) =  0.9    deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 18: 1*10E(8-8) =  1      deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 28: 2*10E(8-8) =  2      deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 58: 5*10E(8-8) =  5      deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 19: 1*10E(9-8) = 10      deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 29: 2*10E(9-8) = 20      deg/min/sec of arc
       MX = 99: 9*10E(9-8) = 90      deg/min/sec of arc (largest)


Col       66: Optical behavior code. BLANK IF NO DATA.

       Optical Tracking Working Group Codes:

       E = unusually faint because of eclipse exit/entrance
       F = constant flash period
       I = irregular
       R = regular variations
       S = steady
       X = irregular flash period

       Flash Period Codes:

       B = time zero for averaging several flash cycles
       H = one flash in a series
       P = end time for averaging several flash cycles. Time interval
    from last "B" report divided by flash period reported on
    this line gives number of flashes that occurred since "B".

       Miscellaneous Visibility Codes:

       A = became visible (was invisible); use E for eclipse exit
       D = object in field of view, but not visible
       M = brightest
       N = faintest
       V = best seen using averted vision


Cols      67: Visual magnitude sign.  BLANK IF NO DATA.

Cols  68- 70: Visual magnitude. Implied decimal point
       between cols 69 and 70. BLANK IF NO DATA.

Cols  72- 73: Magnitude uncertainty. Implied decimal point
       between cols 72 and 73. BLANK IF NO DATA.

Cols  75- 80: Flash period in seconds. Implied decimal point
       between cols 77 and 78. BLANK IF NO DATA.
   ----------------------------------------------------------------