DebrisWatch II: Digging Deeper for Geosynchronous Debris

Area of Science:

• Space Debris Research
• Orbital Mechanics
• Observational Astronomy

Background:

• The geosynchronous (GSO) debris environment is dynamic and requires continuous monitoring.
• Detecting optically faint debris is challenging due to limitations in survey coverage and sensitivity.
• Large-aperture telescopes are crucial for characterizing faint debris populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve the detection and characterization of faint debris in the GSO region.
• To enhance astrometric calibration and object detection in existing survey data.
• To benchmark new algorithms against contemporaneous datasets from different instruments.

Main Methods:

• Revisiting a survey dataset from the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) with an overhauled analysis pipeline.
• Applying a blind stacking technique to enhance target recovery and sensitivity.
• Utilizing improved star trail centroiding and iterative distortion fitting for sub-arcsecond astrometric accuracy.
• Analyzing light curves of trailing detections to assess debris variability and tumbling behavior.

Main Results:

• Unearthing 25 previously missed tracklets of faint debris.
• Achieving a sensitivity improvement of 1 magnitude.
• Obtaining short arc initial orbit solutions with high astrometric accuracy.
• Observing that faint debris fragments are more variable, often exhibiting rapid tumbling.

Conclusions:

• The enhanced analysis significantly improves the detection of faint GSO debris.
• The study demonstrates the effectiveness of blind stacking and improved astrometry for debris characterization.
• Scientifically-driven surveys are essential for understanding high-altitude debris environments as space traffic management expands.