.help refz Jun99 "Slalib Package" .nf SUBROUTINE slREFZ (ZU, REFA, REFB, ZR) - - - - - R E F Z - - - - - Adjust an unrefracted zenith distance to include the effect of atmospheric refraction, using the simple A tan Z + B tan**3 Z model (plus special handling for large ZDs). Given: ZU dp unrefracted zenith distance of the source (radian) REFA dp tan Z coefficient (radian) REFB dp tan**3 Z coefficient (radian) Returned: ZR dp refracted zenith distance (radian) Notes: 1 This routine applies the adjustment for refraction in the opposite sense to the usual one - it takes an unrefracted (in vacuo) position and produces an observed (refracted) position, whereas the A tan Z + B tan**3 Z model strictly applies to the case where an observed position is to have the refraction removed. The unrefracted to refracted case is harder, and requires an inverted form of the text-book refraction models; the formula used here is based on the Newton-Raphson method. For the utmost numerical consistency with the refracted to unrefracted model, two iterations are carried out, achieving agreement at the 1D-11 arcseconds level for a ZD of 80 degrees. The inherent accuracy of the model is, of course, far worse than this - see the documentation for slRFCO for more information. 2 At ZD 83 degrees, the rapidly-worsening A tan Z + B tan**3 Z model is abandoned and an empirical formula takes over. Over a wide range of observer heights and corresponding temperatures and pressures, the following levels of accuracy (arcsec) are typically achieved, relative to numerical integration through a model atmosphere: ZR error 80 0.4 81 0.8 82 1.5 83 3.2 84 4.9 85 5.8 86 6.1 87 7.1 88 10 89 20 90 40 91 100 } relevant only to 92 200 } high-elevation sites The high-ZD model is scaled to match the normal model at the transition point; there is no glitch. 3 Beyond 93 deg zenith distance, the refraction is held at its 93 deg value. 4 See also the routine slREFV, which performs the adjustment in Cartesian Az/El coordinates, and with the emphasis on speed rather than numerical accuracy. P.T.Wallace Starlink 19 September 1995 Copyright (C) 1995 Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Copyright (C) 1995 Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. .fi .endhelp