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At least 235 records · Page 13

Grazing incidence relay optics

The necessity to work in the focal plane of the primary mirrors has been one of the factors limiting the utility of grazing incidence telescopes in X-ray astronomy. In connection with the reported investigation, computer ray tracing programs have been used to study the performance of several grazing incidence relay optics (GIRO) systems used together with a large nested solar X-ray telescope. It was found that GIRO magnifiers are useful to map appropriate sized regions of the sun onto available CCD detectors. GIRO collimators can be used together with an X-ray spectrometer to study the X-ray spectrum from very small regions on the sun. Attention is given to the stationary mode, the tracking mode, and the size of GIRO elements. It is found that for a given GIRO size and magnification a use of the diverging system has the advantage of reducing the overall length of the main telescope-GIRO combination. However, the resolution provided by the diverging GIRO may not be as good as that obtained with the corresponding converging GIRO.

Chase, R. C.↗

The effects of solar incidence angle over digital processing of LANDSAT data

A technique to extract the topography modulation component from digital data is described. The enhancement process is based on the fact that the pixel contains two types of information: (1) reflectance variation due to the target; (2) reflectance variation due to the topography. In order to enhance the signal variation due to topography, the technique recommends the extraction from original LANDSAT data of the component resulting from target reflectance. Considering that the role of topographic modulation over the pixel information will vary with solar incidence angle, the results of this technique of digital processing will differ from one season to another, mainly in highly dissected topography. In this context, the effects of solar incidence angle over the topographic modulation technique were evaluated. Two sets of MSS/LANDSAT data, with solar elevation angles varying from 22 to 41 deg were selected to implement the digital processing at the Image-100 System. A secondary watershed (Rio Bocaina) draining into Rio Paraiba do Sul (Sao Paulo State) was selected as a test site. The results showed that the technique used was more appropriate to MSS data acquired under higher Sun elevation angles. Topographic modulation components applied to low Sun elevation angles lessens rather than enhances topography.

Parada, N. D. J.↗

Incident reporting: Its role in aviation safety and the acquisition of human error data

The rationale for aviation incident reporting systems is presented and contrasted to some of the shortcomings of accident investigation procedures. The history of the United State's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) is outlined and the program's character explained. The planning elements that resulted in the ASRS program's voluntary, confidential, and non-punitive design are discussed. Immunity, from enforcement action and misuse of the volunteered data, is explained and evaluated. Report generation techniques and the ASRS data analysis process are described; in addition, examples of the ASRS program's output and accomplishments are detailed. Finally, the value of incident reporting for the acquisition of safety information, particularly human error data, is explored.

Reynard, W. D.↗

Radiation effects in silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells using isotropic and normally incident radiation

Several types of silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells were irradiated with protons with energies between 50 keV and 10 MeV at both normal and isotropic incidence. Damage coefficients for maximum power relative to 10 MeV were derived for these cells for both cases of omni-directional and normal incidence. The damage coefficients for the silicon cells were found to be somewhat lower than those quoted in the Solar Cell Radiation Handbook. These values were used to compute omni-directional damage coefficients suitable for solar cells protected by coverglasses of practical thickness, which in turn were used to compute solar cell degradation in two proton-dominated orbits. In spite of the difference in the low energy proton damage coefficients, the difference between the handbook prediction and the prediction using the newly derived values was negligible. Damage coefficients for GaAs solar cells for short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and maximum power were also computed relative to 10 MeV protons. They were used to predict cell degradation in the same two orbits and in a 5600 nmi orbit. Results show the performance of the GaAs solar cells in these orbits to be superior to that of the Si cells.

Anspaugh, B. E.↗

Electron-impact-excitation cross sections for electronic levels in neon for incident energies between 25 and 100 eV

Absolute differential cross sections (DCS's) for electron-impact excitation of the lowest forty electronic levels in atomic neon have been determined for incident electron energies of 30 and 50 eV, for the four lowest levels at 25 eV, and two levels at 100 eV. The cross sections for these forty electronic levels are grouped into fifteen features, six of which represent excitation to resolved single electronic levels and the remaining nine which contain the unresolved contributions from two or more electronic levels. These DCS's were extrapolated to 0 deg and 180 deg and integrated to yield absolute integral cross sections as a function of incident electron energy. The results are compared to other experimental and theoretical results.

Register, D. F.↗

Human factors in aircraft incidents - Results of a 7-year study (Andre Allard Memorial Lecture)

It is pointed out that nearly all fatal aircraft accidents are preventable, and that most such accidents are due to human error. The present discussion is concerned with the results of a seven-year study of the data collected by the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). The Aviation Safety Reporting System was designed to stimulate as large a flow as possible of information regarding errors and operational problems in the conduct of air operations. It was implemented in April, 1976. In the following 7.5 years, 35,000 reports have been received from pilots, controllers, and the armed forces. Human errors are found in more than 80 percent of these reports. Attention is given to the types of events reported, possible causal factors in incidents, the relationship of incidents and accidents, and sources of error in the data. ASRS reports include sufficient detail to permit authorities to institute changes in the national aviation system designed to minimize the likelihood of human error, and to insulate the system against the effects of errors.

Billings, C. E.↗

Grazing incidence telescopes - A new class for soft X-ray and EUV spectroscopy

A new class of grazing incidence telescopes is identified, and its advantages for stellar spectroscopy are discussed. In particular, three types of telescope geometry consisting of a primary and a secondary, both at grazing incidence, are proposed. Type I delivers a converging beam having a real focus; type II delivers a diverging beam from a virtual focus, and type III delivers a collimated beam concentrated relative to the primary aperture. The three telescope types are shown to possess unique properties which improve the efficiency and shorten the length of soft X-ray/EUV spectrographs.

Hettrick, M. C.↗

An experimental investigation of blade-vortex interaction at normal incidence

An experimental investigation has been conducted for the blade-vortex interaction (BVI) of a rotor at normal incidence, where the vortex is generally parallel to the rotor axis. Tip Mach number, radial BVI station, and free stream velocity were varied during measurements of fluctuating blade pressures, far field sound pressure levels and directivity, incident vortex velocity field, and blade-vortex interaction angles. The experimental setup is representative of the chopping of helicopter main rotor tip vortices by the tail rotor. This interaction is found to generate impulsive noise which radiates primarily ahead of the blade.

Ahmadi, A. R.↗

Radiation effects in silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells using isotropic and normally incident radiation

Several types of silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells were irradiated with protons with energies between 50 keV and 10 MeV at both normal and isotropic incidence. Damage coefficients for maximum power relative to 10 MeV were derived for these cells for both cases of omni-directional and normal incidence. The damage coefficients for the silicon cells were found to be somewhat lower than those quoted in the Solar Cell Radiation Handbook. These values were used to compute omni-directional damage coefficients suitable for solar cells protected by coverglasses of practical thickness, which in turn were used to compute solar cell degradation in two proton-dominated orbits. In spite of the difference in the low energy proton damage coefficients, the difference between the handbook prediction and the prediction using the newly derived values was negligible. Damage coefficients for GaAs solar cells for short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and maximum power were also computed relative to 10 MeV protons. They were used to predict cell degradation in the same two orbits and in a 5600 nmi orbit. Results show the performance of the GaAs solar cells in these orbits to be superior to that of the Si cells.

Anspaugh, B. E.↗

Grazing incidence reflection coefficients of rhodium, osmium, platinum, and gold from 50 to 300 A

Reflectance measurements were made of several metals illuminated from various angles with light at 14 wavelengths in the interval 46.5-283 A. The metals, Rh, Os, Pt and Au were deposited as 125 A films on a binding substrate through electron beam epitaxy. Measurements were made with a grazing incidence monochromator and a reflectometer. The data generally showed lowered reflectance with increasing angles of illumination and shorter wavelengths. The reflectance peak, however, was located at wavelengths of 100-160 A, particularly at large grazing incidences. The wavelengths correspond with the 5p to epsilon-d transition in all of the elements. Rh displayed the highest overall reflectance, and both Rh and Os were more efficient than Au or Pt.

Hettrick, M. C.↗

Near anastigmatic grazing incidence telescope

A performance capability assessment is presently conducted for short versus long grazing incidence telescope designs, in view of the observation that the field curvature and astigmatism that are the primary residual aberrations of a Wolter-type incidence telescope can be substantially reduced through mirror length reduction. A major advantage of the short element telescope is that, if sufficiently short, both the paraboloid and hyperboloid surfaces may be fabricated as a single piece; this significantly facilitates the task of alignment.

Korsch, D.↗

Grazing incidence metal optics for the Berkeley Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite - A progress report

The four flight Wolter-Schwarzschild mirrors currently under fabrication for the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) satellite are described. The principal figuring operation of these grazing incidence metal mirrors (gold over nickel on an aluminum substrate) is carried out by diamond turning at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories. Turning has been accomplished and optical testing results analyzed for three of the mirrors. As-turned values of 1.7 arc sec full width at half maximum (FWHM) and half energy width (HEW) of 5 arc seconds in the visible have been achieved. These results illustrate the great potential of precision fabrication technology for the production of large grazing incidence optics.

Finley, D.↗

Analysis of multiple incidence angle SIR-B data for determining forest stand characteristics

For the first time in the U.S. space program, digital synthetic aperture radar (SR) data were obtained from different incidence angles during Space Shuttle Mission 41-G. Shuttle Imaging Radar-B (SIR-B) data were obtained at incidence angles of 58 deg., 45 deg., and 28 deg., on October 9, 10, and 11, 1984, respectively, for a predominantly forested study area in northern Florida. Cloud-free LANDSAT Thematic Mapper (T.M.) data were obtained over the same area on October 12. The SIR-B data were processed and then digitally registered to the LANDSAT T.M. data by scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This is the only known digitally registered SIR-B and T.M. data set for which the data were obtained nearly simultaneously. The data analysis of this information is discussed.

Hoffer, R. M.↗

United Airlines wind shear incident of May 31, 1984

An incident involving wind shear which occured on 31 May 1984 on a United Airlines aircraft is discussed by a member of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The meteorological parameters important to this incident are detailed.

Mccarthy, John↗

The production of low-energy neutral oxygen beams by grazing-incidence neutralization

The Vanderbilt University neutral oxygen facility produces beams of low-energy neutral oxygen atoms by means of grazing-incidence collisions between ion beams and metal surfaces. Residual ions are reflected by applied electric fields. This method can utilize initial ion beams of either O(+) or O2(+) since a very large percentage of molecular oxygen ions are dissociated when they undergo grazing-incidence neutralization. The method of neutralization is applicable to low-energy beams and to all ions. Particular emphasis is on O and N2 beams for simulation of the low Earth orbit space environment. Since the beam is a pure O-neutral beam and since measurements of the interaction of the beam with solid surfaces are made spectroscopically, absolute reaction rates can be determined. The technique permits the beams to be used in conjunction with electron and photon irradiation for studies of synergistic effects. Comparisons of optical spectra of Kapton excited by 2.5-keV O, O(+), and O2(+) show significant differences. Optical spectra of Kapton excited by neutral oxygen beams of less than 1 keV have been recorded.

Albridge, R. G.↗

Variable angle of incidence spectroscopic ellipsometry Application to GaAs-Al(x)Ga(1-x)As multiple heterostructures

The sensitivity of spectroscopic ellipsometry data to multilayer model parameters is shown to be a strong function of the angle of incidence. A quantitative study of sensitivity versus angle of incidence is performed for a GaAs-Al(x)Ga(1-x)As-GaAs substrate structure, showing that maximum sensitivity to layer thicknesses and AlGaAs composition occurs near the wavelength-dependent principal angle. These results are verified by experimental measurements on two molecular-beam epitaxy grown samples.

Snyder, Paul G.↗

Calibration of a 1 meter diameter normal incidence extreme ultraviolet telescope/spectrometer

A 1-meter normal incidence telescope, with a normal incidence concave diffraction grating spectrometer at its focus, has been developed. The instrument's spectral coverage is 350 to 1150A with a spectral resolution of 5A and a peak effective area of 6 sq cm at 500A. The instrument was launched on an Aries sounding rocket on November 27, 1983 in an effort to determine the hydrogen and helium abundance in the local interstellar medium. A description of this instrument, with the primary emphasis on the methods used to calibrate it, is presented.

Jelinsky, Patrick↗

Characterizing forest stands with multi-incidence angle and multi-polarized SAR data

The potential for using HH-polarized L-band SAR data obtained at different incidence angles from satellite altitudes to identify and map different forest cover types and stand density classes is studied. Reasonably accurate results are obtained if the speckle characteristics of the data are suppressed by low-pass spatial filters and a contextual classification algorithm. Multipolarized L-band SAR data obtained from aircraft altitudes over the same test site are also analyzed to assess the relationships between polarization and forest stand characteristics. It is found that incidence angle controls, to a very large extent, the characteristics of the data and the type of information that can be obtained from L-band, HH-polarized satellite SAR data. Cross-polarization of L-band SAR data enhances and differentiates various forest stand characteristics which cannot be defined using only the like-polarized data, and vice-versa.

Hoffer, R. M.↗