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Morrison, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Morrison, D..

At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Radiometric diameters and albedos of 40 asteroids

The radiometric method of measuring the albedos and sizes of small airless objects was applied to forty asteroids. The largest asteroids were revealed to be 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas, 4 Vesta, 10 Hygiea, and 511 Davida. The highest albedo belonged to 4 Vesta. The darkest asteroids were 19 Fortuna, 324 Bamberga, and 747 Winchester. A comparison of the derived diameters and albedos with photometrically measured colors reveals three distinct classes of objects. The largest group is those with red color and albedos in the lunar range. The second group, which includes most of the largest objects, is characterized by more neutral color and lower albedo. The third class has one member, 4 Vesta, an object of high albedo and intermediate color. Objects in the first group have surfaces composed presumably of silicate minerals. The second and third groups may be similar in composition to the carbonaceous chondrites and the basaltic achondrite meteorites, respectively.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Six-color photometry of Iapetus, Titan, Rhea, Dione and Tethys

Six-color photometric observations made during Saturn's 1972/73 opposition enable us to separate the solar phase and orbital phase contributions to the observed light variations of Iapetus, Titan, Rhea, Dione and Tethys. Titan shows no orbital variations, but has phase coefficients which range from negligible values in the infrared to 0.014 mag/deg in the ultraviolet. Rhea has a bright leading side, a light curve amplitude of about 0.2 mag, and surprisingly large phase coefficients. Combined with other available information, the observations suggest a very porous, texturally complex surface layer. Dione has a leading side which is a few tenths of a magnitude brighter than the trailing side, but the light curve amplitude has little wavelength dependence and the phase coefficients are significantly smaller than those of Rhea, suggesting a less intricate surface texture. The leading side of Tethys is probably a few tenths of a magnitude brighter than the trailing side. Our Iapetus observations generally supplement the earlier work by Millis.

Noland, M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Four-color photometry of the Galilean satellites

Photometry obtained in 1973 on the uvby system yields high-precision rotational light curves for Io, Europa, and Ganymede at a mean phase angle of about 6 deg. By combining our observations with photometry obtained by others over a broader range of phase angle, we also derive improved values for the phase coefficients and opposition surges of the four Galilean satellites. The values of V(1, 0) obtained by linear extrapolation to zero phase are accurate to + or - 0.03 magnitudes. We also derive the colors of the sun on the uvby system and use these to obtain albedos of the satellites in four colors.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Recalibration of the photometric/radiometric method of determining asteroid sizes

Combined photometric and radiometric observations can be used to determine the albedos and radii of airless solar-system objects such as asteroids and most satellites. We use recent observations of the Galilean satellites to derive a new calibration of this method and use these results to calculate the radii and albedos of eight bright asteroids. Possible errors in the method are also discussed.

Jones, T. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Preliminary infrared radiometry of the night side of Mercury from Mariner 10

The infrared radiometer on Mariner 10 measured the thermal emission from the planet with a spatial resolution element as small as 40 kilometers in a broad wavelength band centered at 45 micrometers. The minimum brightness temperature (near local midnight) in these near-equatorial scans was 100 K. Along the track observed, the temperature declined steadily from local sunset to near midnight, behaving as would be expected for a homogeneous, porous material with a thermal inertia only slightly larger than that of the moon. From near midnight to dawn, however, the temperature fluctuated over a range of about 10 K.

Chase, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Albedos and densities of the inner satellites of Saturn

Broad-band radiometry at 20 microns is presented for Rhea and Dione; the measured flux densities, together with visual photometry, indicate that both satellites have geometric albedos near 0.6 and that their radii are, respectively, 800 plus or minus 125 and 575 plus or minus 100 km. The density of Dione is 1.4 plus or minus 0.6 g per cu cm; for Tethys, Enceladus, and Mimas, whose densities have not been measured, a 'photometric density' is defined from the available data, and it is shown that their densities are probably near unity. These satellites must therefore all be composed primarily of ices.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Infrared radiometry of the rings of Saturn

Broad-band radiometry with a spatial resolution of 5 sec is presented for Saturn and its rings. The brightness temperature of the B ring is 96 plus or minus 3 K at 20 microns and 91 plus or minus 3 K at 11 microns. These values constrain the bolometric Bond albedo of the ring particles to be less than 0.6, thus requiring a phase integral of less than unity. From differences in the thermal emission of the ansae, it is suggested that the leading side of the particles has higher albedo than the trailing side. A measured drop in temperature of the B ring following eclipse of 2 plus or minus 0.5 K is consistent with radii for the ring particles of 2 cm or larger.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Six-color photometry of Iapetus, Titan, Rhea, Dione and Tethys

The extensive photometric observations of Titan, Iapetus, Rhea, Dione and Tethys have made it possible to separate the solar phase and orbital phase contributions to the observed light variations of these satellites. For Titan, the wavelength dependence of its solar phase coefficient has been obtained. This dependence should prove useful in constructing future model atmospheres. The other four satellites show a surprising array of different photometric behaviors. Despite these differences, all four satellites have similar spectral reflectivities. Clearly Iapetus, Rhea, Dione and Tethys are complex objects, varying substantially from one another in surface structure and/or composition.

Noland, M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Preliminary infrared radiometry of Venus from Mariner 10

The intensity of emission at 45 micrometers, measured with high spatial resolution along a single crossing of the Venus disk, is presented. On the average, the observed darkening toward the limb varies nearly linearly with the cosine of the emission angle. The brightness temperature, extrapolated to normal emission, is 255 K. The limb darkening curve, interpreted in a linear approximation, implies that the atmosphere is quite opaque, with an absorption coefficient of 0.24 per kilometer. Changes in curvature present in the limb darkening curve suggest the existence of thermal inhomogeneities with scale comparable to that of the dark markings shown by ultraviolet images.

Chase, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Physical properties of the natural satellites

Review of the physical nature of all of the known satellites except the moon. Following a summary of the basic data regarding the size, mass, and density of satellite systems and a description of models that have been proposed for the composition and structure of these systems, a detailed analysis is made of the satellites of Mars, the Galilean satellites, Titan, the other satellites of Saturn, the rings of Saturn, and the remaining objects, with emphasis on studies of their surfaces by imaging, photometry, spectrophotometry, polarimetry, and radiometry.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Radius and mass of Titan

A Titan radius of 2500 km and its corresponding mass are used to determine Titan density at 2.1 plus or minus 0.6 g cm to the minus 3 power acceleration and gravity at the surface as 145 plus or minus 30 cm s/2.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Infrared photometry and spectrophotometry of Titan

The wide variation in infrared brightness temperature of Titan is explained in terms of a greenhouse effect. Radiometric observations in the infrared and microwave frequencies indicate an alternate hot atmospheric model. Methane, ammonia, hydrogen atoms, and nitrogen atoms are suggested as main constituents for the Titan atmosphere.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Radii and albedos of asteroids 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 15, 51, 433, and 511

The following radii (in kilometers) and visual geometric albedos are derived for nine asteroids from 10- and 20-micron radiometry: 1 Ceres (540, .06); 2 Pallas (275, .08); 3 Juno (125, .14); 4 Vesta (270, .21); 6 Hebe (110, .16); 15 Eunomia (135, .15); 51 Nemausa (80, .05); 433 Eros (12, .07); and 511 Davida (180, .04). Vesta has the highest albedo measured for an asteroid, while Davida, the lowest-albedo object in the sample, is one of the darkest known objects in the solar system. The median of all asteroid albedos measured to date is 0.1.-

Cruikshank, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Broad-band 20-micron photometry of 76 stars

Observations in the 16 to 28 micron spectral band made with an infrared photometer mounted at the Cassegrain f/10 focus of a 2.24-m telescope are discussed. The stars observed belonged to classes B through M and included several carbon and S stars. Most of them are Mira, semiregular, or irregular variables. The remaining 12 stars are nonvariable objects of which the brightest (both in the visible and infrared) are alpha-Boo and alpha-Tau. Since 16 of the Mira stars varied during the period of observation, it is concluded that they are probably intrinsic variables at 20 microns. There is no conclusive evidence for variation of any other star. Because the variation at this wavelength originates largely in circumstellar shells for most of these stars, the nonvariability suggests that these shells are stable phenomena, at least on a time scale of a year.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Determination of radii of satellites and asteroids from radiometry and photometry.

Visual photometry, which measures reflected solar radiation, can be combined with infrared radiometry, which measures absorbed and reradiated solar energy, to determine the albedo and hence the radius of small solar system objects. Equations and graphical solutions for radius and albedo are presented for cases where the object is at opposition, in equilibrium with the insolation, and has unit values for phase integral and infrared emissivities. Each of these assumptions is then discussed, and expressions are given for the dependence of the derived parameters on the assumptions. The Galilean satellites, whose radii are well known, provide a calibration of this technique. Applications are then discussed to Saturn's satellites Iapetus and Rhea and to asteroids (1) Ceres, (4) Vesta, and (324) Bamberga. It is shown that the technique is not subject to major systematic errors and that it is possible to derive radii, particularly for dark objects, with uncertainties of less than 10%.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Thermal properties of the Galilean satellites.

Radiometry in the 20-micron band of eclipses of each of the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter provides information about the thermal properties of the uppermost surface layers of these bodies. Their thermal inertias are all smaller than those of the moon or of Mercury; there is no evidence for atmospheres, and where the data are of high quality vertically homogeneous thermal properties are excluded. The thermal properties, together with other observational evidence, suggest that the surfaces of these satellites are largely composed of ices. A thin coating of frost provides the upper, low-conductivity layer, while the subsurface material maintains a high thermal conductivity by fusion of a mixture of ice and rock.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1973

New techniques for determining sizes of satellites and asteroids.

It is pointed out that until very recently not even a crude idea of the sizes was available for any but the five brightest satellites and, more marginally, the three brightest asteroids. Attention is given to three new techniques which are yielding radii for dozens of small objects and which, by virtue of their independence of angular size, are capable of extension to even smaller and fainter objects. The first new technique, and by far the most precise, is to derive the radius, and in many cases the shape as well, from timings of an occultation of a star by the small body. Both of the other new techniques are based on methods of determining surface reflectivities, since once the geometric albedo is known, the radius can be determined from the brightness.

Morrison, D.↗