2.1.9 sso_source
This table contains data related to Solar System objects observed by Gaia. The quantities in the table are derived from data reduction and are associated with single objects.
Columns description:
solution_id : Solution Identifier (long)
All Gaia data processed by the Data Processing and Analysis Consortium comes tagged with a solution identifier. This is a numeric field attached to each table row that can be used to unequivocally identify the version of all the subsystems that were used in the generation of the data as well as the input data used. It is mainly for internal DPAC use but is included in the published data releases to enable end users to examine the provenance of processed data products. To decode a given solution ID visit https://gaia.esac.esa.int/decoder/solnDecoder.jsp
source_id : Source identifier (long)
A unique single numerical identifier of the source obtained from the Gaia DR3 main source catalogue (for a detailed description see gaiadr3.gaia_source.source_id). Note in particular that these identifiers are by convention negative for SSOs.
num_of_obs : number of observations (int)
Number of CCD-level observations of the asteroid that appear in the sso_observation table.
number_mp : Minor Planet number (long)
Minor planet number attributed by the Minor Planet Centre (MPC). It is set to zero for the natural planetary satellites.
denomination : standard MPC denomination of the asteroid (string)
Name of the object. It follows the Minor Planet Centre convention for the minor planetsand natural planetary satellites.
epoch_state_vector : TCB epoch for the state vector (double, Time[Julian Date (day)] )
Reference epoch of the state vector, mid-point of the time interval spanned by the observations of the Solar System Object (TCB). It is expressed in days, with origin at the epoch JD2457907.5 TCB.
orbital_elements_var_covar_matrix : var-covar matrix on elliptical elements at reference Epoch (double[21] array)
Covariance uncertainty matrix of the osculating orbit at reference epoch (epoch_state_vector) (heliocentric). In the order, the values correspond to the following elements of the matrix, representing the upper triangle (indices are given):
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00 = variance(a)
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01 = co-variance(a, e)
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02 = co-variance(a, i)
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03 = co-variance(a, node)
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04 = co-variance(a, peri)
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05 = co-variance(a, M0)
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11 = variance(e)
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12 = co-variance(e, i)
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13 = co-variance(e, node)
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14 = co-variance(e, peri)
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15 = co-variance(e, M0)
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22 = variance(i)
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23 = co-variance(i, node)
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24 = co-variance(i, peri)
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25 = co-variance(i, M0)
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33 = variance(node)
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34 = co-variance(node, peri)
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35 = co-variance(node, M0)
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44 = variance(peri)
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45 = co-variance(peri, M0)
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55 = variance(M0)
where the abbreviations and their units are:
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a (au); semi-major axis
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e (adimesional); eccentricity
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i (rad); inclination
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node (rad); longitude of the ascending node
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peri (rad); argument of periastron
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M0 (rad); mean anomaly
h_state_vector : Heliocentric State Vector at reference Epoch (double[6] array, StateVector[au, au d])
Initial conditions position and velocity (state vector) in cartesian coordinates at reference epoch (epoch_state_vector) (heliocentric, ICRF). Units are au for positions, and au/day for velocities.
h_state_vector_var_covar_matrix : Covariance matrix of the State Vector (double[21] array)
Covariance uncertainty matrix of the state vector (h_state_vector) at reference epoch (epoch_state_vector; heliocentric, in the ICRF).