Radio propagation experiments in the outer solar system with Voyager

Abstract

The outer solar system's planetary atmospheres, ionospheres, rings, and magnetic fields are under study in light of microwave telecommunications from the two Voyager spacecraft. The use of the hydrogen maser frequency standards on the ground, in conjunction with thermally controlled quartz oscillators aboard the spacecraft, ensures long coherence intervals and allows the application of novel signal processing methods. On this basis, studies of atmospheric structure and scintillation parameters, planetary ring structure, and magnetic control of small ionospheric irregularities have been undertaken; information concerning planetary evolution, composition, and dynamics is thereby obtained.