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Duncan, C.

Publications and source records attributed to Duncan, C..

15 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Fast Plasma Investigation for Magnetospheric Multiscale

The Fast Plasma Investigation (FPI) was developed for flight on the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission to measure the differential directional flux of magnetospheric electrons and ions with unprecedented time resolution to resolve kinetic-scale plasma dynamics. This increased resolution has been accomplished by placing four dual 180-degree top hat spectrometers for electrons and four dual 180-degree top hat spectrometers for ions around the periphery of each of four MMS spacecraft. Using electrostatic field-of-view deflection, the eight spectrometers for each species together provide 4pi-sr-field-of-view with, at worst, 11.25-degree sample spacing. Energy/charge sampling is provided by swept electrostatic energy/charge selection over the range from 10 eVq to 30000 eVq. The eight dual spectrometers on each spacecraft are controlled and interrogated by a single block redundant Instrument Data Processing Unit, which in turn interfaces to the observatory's Instrument Suite Central Instrument Data processor. This paper described the design of FPI, its ground and in-flight calibration, its operational concept, and its data products.

Pollock, C.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Precise orbit determination for the shuttle radar topography mission using a new generation of GPS receiver

The BlackJack family of GPS receivers has been developed at JPL to satisfy NASA's requirements for high-accuracy, dual-frequency, Y-codeless GPS receivers for NASA's Earth science missions. In this paper we will present the challenges that were overcome to meet this accuracy requirement. We will discuss the various reduced dynamic strategies, Space Shuttle dynamic models, and our tests for accuracy that included a military Y-code dual-frequency receiver (MAGR).

SRTM GPS orbit↗
NASA NTRS1986

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment - Early validation results

The primary techniques used to obtain and validate the data of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) are described, together with preliminary results of the validation. The ERBE consists of radiometers aboard the ERB Satellite, dedicated to a 57-deg orbit, and each of the two NOAA meteorological spacecraft (NOAA 9 and NOAA G) in near polar orbits. The radiometers include scanning narrow field-of-view (FOV) and nadir-looking wide and medium FOV radiometers, and a solar monitoring channel. Measurements of the solar constant by the solar monitors, and the wide and medium FOV radiometers of the ERB and the NOAA 9 spacecraft agree within a fraction of a percent. Comparison of the wide and medium FOV radiometers with the scanning radiometers showed an agreement of 1 to 4 percent. The multiple ERBE satellites are acquiring the first global measurements of regional scale-diurnal variations in the earth's radiation budget. These were verified by comparison with the high-temporal-resolution geostationary satellite data.

Smith, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Silicon-Web-Growing Machine

Silicon replenished automatically as web is withdrawn. Semiautomatic silicon-web-growing machine set down in detailed engineering drawings. Melt level sensed with He/Ne laser beam and melt-level error signal used to control motor-driven pellet feeder, speeding up when level is low. System reduces demand upon operator's time.

Duncan, C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Making clouds in Spacelab

Improvements in the accuracy of weather predictions and possibilities for changing the weather might depend on a better understanding of the microphysical processes which take place within clouds. A study of these processes on the surface of the earth is difficult in connection with gravitational disturbances. An Atmospheric Cloud Physics Laboratory (ACPL), which is currently being developed, is to be carried into space in the Spacelab in the early 1980's. This facility will provide scientists, for the first time, with the opportunity to study cloud physics without the disturbing gravitational effects. In the ACPL facility, a microscopic element can be suspended without support. The processes of freezing, thawing, collision, electric charging, and temperature changes can be observed and photographed as many times and for as long as necessary.

Duncan, C.↗