Solar diameter measurements with Calern Observatory astrolabe and atmospheric turbulence effects

In order to deduce significant astrophysical results from solar diameter measurements it is necessary to take an accurate account of instrumental and atmospheric effects. This paper presents a comparison between visual and charge coupled device (CCD) camera measurements performed by means of the Calern Observatory solar astrolabe during the last 4 years; this allows us to evaluate visual measurements done previously (1975-1989). Then, a study of atmospheric effects is developed. From CCD measurements, the image quality, expressed by Fried's seeing parameter, r0, is estimated and related to the errors occurring in solar diameter measurements. A statistical analysis gives about 0.26 arc sec (or 0.13 arc sec for the semi-diameter) as the lowest value that this error may reach at Calern Observatory. One conclusion of this work is that it is important in the future to have image quality observations, obtained using a dedicated monitor, in order to evaluate and classify the measurements. A survey of the seeing might so lead to improve the precision of the results by weighting each diameter estimation and eventually to schedule the observations.