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At least 217 records · Page 12
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NASA NTRS1982

Pioneer 10/11 data analysis of the magnetic field experiment

Work conducted in support of the Pioneer missions to Jupiter (10,11), and Saturn (11) as well as the reduction, analysis and interpretation of magnetic field data obtained by the vector helium magnetometer on the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft is summarized. Initial efforts concentrated primarily on the interplanetary data, and those aspcts of the data of relevance to obtaining a better understanding of the interaction of the magnetized solar wind with the terrestrial magnetic field. After encounters of Jupiter and Saturn, the emphasis of research was directed primarily to an analysis of the planetary data. In particular, it soon became clear that there was a need for modelling of the various candidate magnetospheric currents suggested by the data. Results not published as yet, are also summarized.

Jones, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Multiply reflected standing Alfven waves in the Io torus - Pioneer 10 observations

Observations from the Voyager 1 pass by the Io flux tube strongly suggest that large amplitude standing Alfven waves are generated as Jovian plasma flows past Io. It has recently been proposed by Gurnett and Goertz (1981) that this Io generated standing Alfven wave system extends an appreciable way around the Io L-shell. Observations are presented here of magnetic perturbations found in the Pioneer 10 record as it crossed the Io L-shell. The field perturbations are found to be qualitatively consistent with the passage of the spacecraft through a standing Alfven wave pattern. The observations suggest an Alfven Mach number of 0.03, which is 1/5 the value inferred from Voyager 1 observations. This implies a lower plasma density at the time of the flyby of Pioneer 10.

Walker, R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Unsteady aerodynamics and motions of the Pioneer Venus probes

Helicopter drop tests were made of models of the Pioneer Venus probe descent configurations to characterize their unsteady forces and angular dynamics in equilibrium descent. The axial and normal forces were found to be unsteady in magnitude by about 10 and 5% of the mean axial force, respectively. A cycle of the axial variation takes place in flight distances of from 15 to 40 diameters. The unsteadiness almost certainly is associated with the wake. Angular motions which do not converge to zero angle of attack even in very long duration descent are excited by the unsteady pitching moments. The nearly spherical large probe model was aerodynamically more unsteady than the round-nosed conical small probe model. Data returned from Venus by the Pioneer Venus probes show unsteady axial forces and angular motions similar to those seen in the drop tests.

Seiff, A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Pioneer 10 search for gravitational waves - No evidence for coherent radiation from Geminga

Attempts to identify a periodic gravitational wave signal from the binary Geminga in the reduced Doppler data from the Pioneer 10 spacecraft are reported. The study was performed to examine the possibility that the observed 160 min solar oscillation is driven by a gravitational wave from the binary, which has a period exactly one cycle different from the solar oscillation. Three 12 hr passes of Doppler data from Pioneer 10, now beyond the orbit of Neptune, were subjected to FFT analysis to detect a spectral gravitational wave signature. None was found. Least squares analysis of all low noise data from 1981 to characterize the amplitude and phase of a signal from Geminga also produced a null result. Finally, an upper bound was calculated for the polarization component of the potentially observable gravitational strain.

Anderson, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Zonal winds in the middle atmosphere of Venus from Pioneer Venus radio occultation data

The present investigation is concerned with the derivation of zonal winds for the middle atmosphere (40-80 km) of Venus, using Pioneer Venus (PV) radio occultation data. The considered altitude range is of particular interest because the atmospheric circulation of Venus is uncertain above the cloud tops (65-70 km). The Pioneer Venus orbiter began circling the planet every 24 hours on December 4, 1978. Four seasons of occultation data have now been collected. It is found that the assumption of cyclostrophic balance, in conjunction with radio occultation derived temperature data, yields a zonal wind field for most of the middle atmosphere of Venus. An intense midlatitude jet at and above the cloud tops is the most notable feature of the winds.

Newman, M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The Pioneer Venus extended mission

A history of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter is given, as well as a presentation of the ongoing and future missions (through reentry in 1992). General characteristics of Venus including atmospheric and ionospheric data are reviewed. Development of the Pioneer program and studies including comet detection, gamma ray bursts, composition and structure of the atmosphere, ionosphere, clouds, and solar wind are discussed. Planned observations of Halley's Comet in 1986 and of past observations of the Comet Enke are examined in detail. Maps and diagrams illustrate the studies and observations of this extended mission. Specification of the spacecraft as well as details of its orbits are given.

Craig, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The Pioneer Venus Orbiter event of February 11, 1982 - Of cometary of solar origin?

On February 11, 1982, an unusual cusp-shaped temporal variation in the interplanetary magnetic field was detected by the Pioneer Venus orbiter. While variations of the helium content of the solar wind were detected on the preceding day, these changes had no obvious relationship to the occurrence of the cusp-shaped temporal variation in the IMF on February 11. In fact the solar wind the content was quite nominal on February 11. The magnetic variations were also quite unlike those previously reported to be magnetic clouds. Moreover, the scale size of the disturbance had to be smaller than 4 x 10 to the 6th km and thus of cometary dimensions rather than of dimensions usually found in solar initiated events. Thus, there seems to be no need to alter the original interpretation that the observations of Pioneer Venus on February 11, 1982 were consistent with the passage of a comet close to Venus.

Russell, C. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

New models of Saturn's magnetic field using Pioneer 11 Vector Helium Magnetometer data

In a reanalysis of the Vector Helium Magnetometer data taken by Pioneer 11 during its Saturn encounter in 1979, using improvements in the data set and in the procedures, studies are made of a variety of models. The best is the P(11)84 model, an axisymmetric spherical harmonic model of Saturn's magnetic field within 8 Saturn radii of the planet. The appropriately weighted root mean square average of the difference between the observed and the modeled field is 1.13 percent. For the Voyager-based Z3 model of Connerney, Acuna, and Ness, this average difference from the Pioneer 11 data is 1.81 percent. The external source currents in the magnetopause, tail, bow shock, and perhaps ring currents vary with time and can only be crudely modeled. An algebraic formula is derived for calculating the L shells on which energetic charged particles drift in axisymmetric fields.

Davis, L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Radial variation of interplanetary Alfvenic fluctuations Pioneer 10 and 11 observations between 1 and 5 AU

The radial evolution of the power spectra of Alfvenic fluctuations observed within the trailing edge of high speed streams in the solar wind has been investigated using magnetic field measurements by Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 at heliocentric distances between 1 and 5 AU. In the analyzed frequency range (0.00028 - 0.0083 Hz) the spectral index of the computed spectra does not depend on frequency and is close to the value predicted for hydrodynamic turbulence. The radial gradient of the power density is independent of frequency and only slightly steeper than that expected for undamped propagation of Alfvenic fluctuations in a rarefaction region. The relation between the present results and those previously obtained by Helios 1 and 2 inside 1 AU is discussed.

Bavassano, B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Pioneer 10 and 11 observations of waves upstream of interplanetary corotating shocks

An extended region of enhanced magnetic field fluctuations is found upstream of some of the corotating shocks observed by Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11 between 1 and 5 AU. This perturbed region is present when the corotating shock, generally quasi-perpendicular, becomes oblique or quasi-parallel due to a temporary out-of-spiral direction of the upstream magnetic field. The observed waves are almost not compressional. Their amplitude is a large fraction of the ambient field, and their frequency is around 1 mHz in the spacecraft frame. A brief discussion of the possible mechanisms of generation is given.

Bavassano, Bruno↗
NASA NTRS1987

Solar wind stream structure at large heliocentric distances Pioneer observations

Time profiles and histograms of plasma data from Pioneers 10 and 11 are examined for the period between 1975 and 1983. During this time, Pioneer 10 traveled between a heliocentric distance of 8.7 and 30.4 AU. The velocity structure of the solar wind at these heliocentric distances is found to have one of two distinct forms: approximately 70 percent of the time the solar wind has a nearly flat velocity profile. Occasionally, this flat velocity profile is accompanied by quasi-periodic variations in density and in thermal speed consistent with the concept that the 'corotating interaction regions' which are produced by the interaction of high- and low-speed streams at intermediate heliocentric distances are replaced by 'pressure regions' in the outer heliosphere. The remaining 30 percent of the time the solar wind is marked by large (50-200 km/s) long-term (30-120 days) shifts in the average solar wind velocity.

Gazis, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Optimized tracking of RF carriers with phase noise, including Pioneer 10 results

The ability to track very weak signals from distant spacecraft is limited by the phase instabilities of the received signal and of the local oscillator employed by the receiver. These instabilities ultimately limit the minimum loop bandwidth that can be used in a phase-coherent receiver, and hence limit the ratio of received carrier power to noise spectral density which can be tracked phase coherently. A method is presented for near real time estimation of the received carrier phase and additive noise spectrum, and optimization of the phase locked loop bandwidth. The method was used with the breadboard Deep Space Network (DSN) Advanced Receiver to optimize tracking of very weak signals from the Pioneer 10 spacecraft, which is now more distant that the edge of the solar system. Tracking with bandwidths of 0.1 Hz to 1.0 Hz reduces tracking signal threshold and increases carrier loop signal to noise ratio (SNR) by 5 dB to 15 dB compared to the 3 Hz bandwidth of the receivers now used operationally in the DSN. This will enable the DSN to track Pioneer 10 until its power sources fails near the end of the century.

Vilnrotter, V. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Telemetry SNR improvement using the DSN Advanced Receiver with results for Pioneer 10

A series of tracking tests was conducted in the spring of 1987 to demonstrate the reduced tracking threshold and the improved telemetry singal-to-noise-ratio performance of the DSN Advanced Receiver compared to current operational DSN systems. The Pioneer 10 spacecraft, which is now out of the solar system, was tracked on foud days. The Advanced Receiver achieved an improvement in telemetry SNR of 1 to 1.5 dB over the operational system. It was demonstrated that the spacecraft carrier signal is stable enough for tracking with a receiver carrier loop bandwidth of 0.5 Hz in the one-way mode and 0.1 Hz in the three-way mode, and that the Advanced Receiver is stable at 0.1 Hz. This reduces tracking threshold by 10 to 15 dB compared to current receivers, which have minimum loop bandwidths of 1 to 3 Hz. Thus, the Advanced Receiver will enable tracking of the Pioneer 10 spacecraft until its power source fails, circa 2000, which would not be possible with the current DSN system.

Hurd, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Planetary operations for the Pioneer Venus Orbiter mission

The Pioneer Venus Orbiter was inserted into Venus orbit on December 4, 1974 and is expected to operate until 1992. This paper discusses the scientific objectives of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Project components, i.e., the Orbiter spacecraft, the atmosphere entry Probes, and the probe Bus, together with the design and operation characteristics of the Orbiter. Consideration is also given to the science instruments of the Orbiter, to their requirements with respect to pointing, orientation, and timing, and to the ground operations system. The Probes, the Bus, and the Orbiter were selected to study Venus in complementary ways: the Probes by sounding through most of the atmosphere at four locations, the probe Bus by sounding through the upper atmosphere during entry, and the Orbiter by in situ planet-wide observations of the ionosphere and the extreme upper atmosphere, and by examining the surface and interior remotely. In addition, the Orbiter also observes the interactions of Venus with the solar environment.

Jackson, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Development of a Pioneer Venus expert scheduling system

An Expert System has been developed to perform a substantial part of the science planning for NASA's Pioneer Venus spacecraft. The program performs functions that have been traditionally performed by operations personnel ('orbit builders'), and attempts to directly duplicate their methods and techniques. Output from the program is formatted to correspond to the previously hand-generated worksheets, in order to ease program validation as well as operator acceptance. Pioneer Venus mission operations are described in detail followed by a description of the expert system implementation.

Rosenthal, Donald A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Comet Halley: The view from Pioneer Venus

The plans to scan Halley's Comet at close range using the Pioneer Venus Orbiter are discussed. The composition of comets, their paths through space, and the history of comet encounters are examined. An ultraviolet spectrometer aboard the spacecraft will determine the composition of the gaseous coma and will measure the total gas production during its passage. The Pioneer Venus Orbiter will observe the comet for five weeks before solar interference with communications occurs as Venus passes on the far side of the Sun from Earth. Diagrams of the solar system and the relationship of the comet to the planets and the Sun are provided.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

Space Pioneers and where they are now

A description of the Pioneer project, its history and achievements is given. Major discoveries concerning near and interplanetary space, the planets, and various comets are outlined. Anticipated future observations are considered. A list of Pioneer project launches, 1986 statuses, and project firsts is given.

Montoya, Earl J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Pioneer and Voyager observations of the solar wind at large heliocentric distances and latitudes

Data obtained from the electrostatic analyzers aboard the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft and from the Faraday cup aboard Voyager 2 were used to study spatial gradients in the distant solar wind. Prior to mid-1985, both spacecraft observed nearly identical solar wind structures. After day 150 of 1985, the velocity structure at Voyager 2 became flatter, and the Voyager 2 velocities were smaller than those observed by Pioneer 11. It is suggested that these changes in the solar wind at low latitudes may be related to a change which occurred in the coronal hole structure in early 1985.

Gazis, P. R.↗