Calibration of the Golf Velocity

The GOLF instrument operates through the detection of light scattered by sodium atoms in a cell in a uniform magnetic eld. See Gabriel et al. 1995,1997] for further details of the instrument and its operations. We discuss the conversion of the GOLF signals into a quantity which most closely resembles the velocity of the solar surface. The instrument was planned to be operating in a mode whereby the scattering points would alternate between the blue and red wings of the solar Na D line. Due to unreliable operations of the mechanisms rotating the optical components responsible for the wing selection, beginning April 11, 1966 GOLF has operated in the blue wing alone. Due to this modiied operation, the planned calibration of the signals to a velocity basis cannot be used and alternate methods have been developed. These methods are described and compared to the planned calibration utilizing data obtained during two-wing operations.