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At least 253 records · Page 14

Upcoming planetary missions and the applicability of high temperature superconductor bolometers

Planetary missions to Mars and beyond can last 11 years and longer, making impractical the use of stored cryogens. Passive radiative coolers and single-stage mechanical coolers remain possibilities. CRAF and CASSINI, both using the newly developed Mariner Mark 2 spacecraft, will be the next outer planet missions after Galileo; they are intended to provide information on the origin and evolution of the solar system. CRAF is a cometary rendezvous mission slated for a 1994 launch. CASSINI has been chosen by ESA and will be launched by a Titan 4/Centaur in 1996. It will fly by Jupiter in 2000, inject an ESA-supplied probe into Titan in 2002, and take data in Saturn orbit from 2002 to 2006. NASA/Goddard is currently developing a prototype Fourier transform spectrometer (CIRS) that will be proposed for the CASSINI mission. The baseline infrared detectors for CIRS are HgCdTe to 16 microns and Schwarz-type thermopiles from 16 to 1000 microns. The far infrared focal plane could be switched from thermopiles to high temperature superconductor (HTS) bolometers between now and 1996. An HTS bolometer could be built using the kinetic inductance effect, or the sharp resistance change at the transition. The transition-edge bolometer is more straightforward to implement and initial efforts at NASA/Goddard are directed to that device. A working device was made and tested in early 1989. It also has somewhat elevated noise levels below 100 Hz. Upcoming efforts will center on reducing the time constant of the HTS bolometer by attempting to deposit an HTS film on a diamond substrate, and by thinning SrTiO3 substrates. Attempts will be made to improve the film quality to reduce th 1/f noise level, and to improve the thermal isolation to increase the bolometer sensitivity. An attempt is being made to deposit good-quality HTS films on diamond films using an MOCVD technique.

Brasunas, J.↗

Optical and microwave detection using Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin films

Recent progress at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) in the development of optical and microwave detectors using high temperature superconducting thin films is described. Several objectives of this work have been accomplished, including: deposition of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin films by laser abation processing (LAP); development of thin film patterning techniques, including in situ masking, wet chemical etching and laser patterning; measurements of bolometric and non-bolometric signatures in patterned Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O films using optical and microwave sources, respectively; analysis and design of an optimized bolometer through computer simulation, and investigation of its use in a Fourier transform spectrometer. The focus here is primarily on results from the measurement of the bolometric and non-bolometric response.

Grabow, B. E.↗

Airborne measurements of stratospheric constituents over Antarctica in the austral spring, 1987. II - Halogen and nitrogen trace gases

The IR absorption spectra of the polar stratosphere, recorded by a Fourier transform spectrometer aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment, were used to derive vertical column amounts above flight altitude of HCl, HF, NO, NO2, ClONO2, and HNO3 in the region of disturbed ozone chemistry during September 1987. Significant reductions in the amounts of HCl, NO, NO2, and HNO3 were observed within the confines of the polar vortex, compared with amounts outside the vortex. When compared with the springtime observations by the same instrument in the Northern Hemisphere, the HCl and NO2 species displayed the most dramatic depletions. The results obtained are generally in agreement with the earlier ground measurements conducted at the McMurdo Station.

Coffey, M. T.↗

The 3.6-micron region of ozone - Line positions and intensities

Spectra of (O-16)3 at 1800-5400/cm, obtained at resolution 0.01/cm using the Fourier-transform spectrometer of the National Solar Observatory at Kitt Peak, are presented and analyzed; the focus is on the nu2+2nu3, nu1+nu2+nu3, and 2nu1+nu2 bands. The experimental and data-analysis procedures employed are those described by Flaud et al. (1987 and 1989), Malathy Devi et al. (1987), and Rinsland et al. (1988). The vibrational and rotational constants for the (012), (111), and (210) states are listed in a table, and the nu0 band centers for these states are given as 2726.1066/cm, 2785.2391/cm, and 2886.1781/cm, respectively.

Smith, M. A. H.↗

Airborne measurements of stratospheric constituents over the Arctic in the winter of 1989

A Fourier transform spectrometer aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft was used during the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE) to record infrared absorption spectra of the polar stratosphere. From these high resolution spectra, vertical column amounts above flight altitude were derived of O3, CH4, N2O, H2O, HCl, HF, NO, NO2, ClONO2, and HNO3 for eleven flights poleward of 60 deg N. In this paper, measurements on the flight of January 26, 1989 were derived when the flight path during the observations crossed from outside the polar vortex to inside. This allowed a clear comparison of the conditions of the air within the vortex with that outside. Observations of passive tracers such as CH4 and HF indicate that air of a certain composition within the polar vortex occurs at lower altitude than air outside. Within the vortex, markedly reduced columns of HCl and NO2. The ratio of HCl to HF column dropped from its typical midlatitude value of 4.5 to as low as 1.7 within the vortex, implying that the HCl had been chemically or physically removed from the air in the vortex. In contrast to the Antarctic observations, HNO3 values were elevated within the vortex.

Mankin, William G.↗

Infrared spectroscopic detection of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere

This paper reports the detection and identification of the unresolved SF6 nu-3 band Q branch at 947.9/cm in high-resolution solar occultation spectra of the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere, which was made from the analysis of data recorded on April 30 to May 1, 1985 by the spaceborne Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy Fourier transform spectrometer as part of the Spacelab 3 mission. On the basis of SF6 line-by-line parameters obtained from the laboratory studies of Bobin et al. (1987) and Schatz and Hornig (1953), the measured absorption was analyzed to deduce SF6 volume mixing ratios in the altitude range 12-22 km. It was found that, in this altitude range, the SF6 volume mixing ratio is independent of altitude, with an average measured value of 1.42 parts per trillion by volume (pptv) at 31 deg N latitude.

Rinsland, C. P.↗

Remote sensing of the troposphere by infrared emission spectroscopy

This paper describes the concept of a cryogenic IR imaging Fourier transform spectrometer, called the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), designed for observations of the troposphere and lower stratosphere from a near-earth orbit, using natural thermal emission and reflected sunlight. The principal molecular species to be measured by TES are O3, CO, CO2, N2O, H2O, H2O2, NO, NO2, HNO3, NH3, CH4, C2H6, C2H2, SO2, COS, CFCl3, and CF2Cl2. The TES is scheduled for a launch on the second polar platform of the Earth Observing System in 1998.

Beer, Reinhard↗

Outbursts of H2O in Comet P/Halley

Comet Halley gas-production monitoring efforts in March 1986 with the NASA Kuiper Airborne Observatory's Fourier transform spectrometer have indicated rapid temporal variations in H2O emissions; a continuous record of an H2O outburst was thus obtained. The event, in which H2O brightness increased by a factor of 2.2 in less than 10 min, is ascribable to an energetic process in the nucleus whose character may have been that of amorphous H2O ice crystallization, chemical explosion, thermal stress, or a compressed gas pocket. The timing and energy of the event appear to require an internal energy source; amorphous ice crystallization is held to be most consistent with compositional and thermal models of cometary nuclei as well as the observations.

Larson, Harold P.↗

Identification of solar vibration-rotation lines of NH and the solar nitrogen abundance

High resolution solar spectra obtained from the ATMOS Fourier Transform Spectrometer (Spacelab 3 flight on April 29 - May 6, 1985) made it possible to detect for the first time vibration-rotation lines of NH from the X3 Sigma(-) state near 3 microns. Using recent theoretical results for the transition probabilities of 23 selected measured lines of the 1-0 and 2-1 bands, a solar abundance of nitrogen of 8.06 + or - 0.07 is derived. This value is compared with the result derived from N I lines and agrees with the abundance obtained from the 3s-3p, 3p-3d and 3s-prime - 3p-prime transitions, A(N) = 8.00 + or - 0.09. The final recommended solar abundance of nitrogen is A(N) = 8.00 + or - 0.05.

Grevesse, N.↗

Analysis of pressure-broadened ozone spectra in the 3 micron region

The Molecular Spectroscopy Lab at NASA-Langley has been involved in a long term effort to carefully characterize the infrared spectra of small molecules of atmospheric interest, including methane, water vapor, ozone, and their isotopic counterparts. High resolution gas phase infrared spectra are obtained using both a tunable diode laser system, and the McMath Fourier transform spectrometer at the Kitt Peak Solar Observatory. Spectra are obtained at various pressures and temperatures for pure gas samples, and for samples containing mixtures of the species of interest in nitrogen, oxygen, or air. From these spectra, using a nonlinear least squares fitting technique, spectral parameters of position, intensity, and half-width were determined for varying laboratory conditions that approximate atmospheric conditions experienced in remote sensing situations. These parameters are of interest in theoretical studies of these species, as well as in allowing more accurate interpretation of remote sensing data. The current work involves the analysis of a series of McMath FTIR spectra of ozone broadened by mixing with air, nitrogen, or oxygen. Each spectrum covers the region from 2396 to 4057/cm. Each vibrational band is analyzed by first diving its region into small intervals containing a few well isolated absorption lines of reasonable intensity. Each of these small intervals is fit by multiple iterations of the nonlinear least square program until residuals are minimized to a reasonable value which corresponds to the noise level of the measured spectrum. Intervals for the 3 nu(sub 3) ozone band in the region from 3000 to 3060 wavenumbers are being examined.

Prochaska, Eleanor S.↗

Stratospheric profiles of heavy water vapor isotopes and CH3D from analysis of the ATMOS Spacelab 3 infrared solar spectra

The isotopic composition of stratospheric water vapor and methane was investigated. Stratospheric profiles of HDO, (H-18)2O, (H-17)2O, and CH3D were derived from solar occultation spectra recorded on April 30 - May 1, 1985 by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy Fourier transform spectrometer aboard Spacelab 3. The profiles of the three water-vapor isotopes showed an increase in the volume mixing ratio with altitude. The measured profiles of D/H in water vapor showed a large depletion in the lower stratosphere (about 63 percent relative to standard mean ocean water, SMOW, at 20 km) and a small increase in D/H with altitude at higher altitudes, up to 34 km. The D/H ratio in stratospheric methane was close to the corresponding isotopic ratio in SMOW.

Rinsland, C. P.↗

ATMOS data processing and science analysis methods

The atmospheric trace molecule spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument, a high-speed Fourier transform spectrometer operating in the middle IR (2.2-16 microns), recorded more than 1500 solar spectra at about 0.0105/cm resolution during its first mission onboard the shuttle Challenger in the spring of 1985. These spectra were acquired during high-sun conditions for studies of the solar atmosphere and during low-sun conditions for studies of the earth's upper atmosphere. This paper describes the steps by which the telemetry data were converted into spectra suitable for analysis, the analysis software and methods developed for the atmospheric and solar studies, and the ATMOS data analysis facility.

Norton, Robert H.↗

Vibration-rotation bands of CH in the solar infrared spectrum and the solar carbon abundance

High resolution solar spectra obtained from the ATMOS Fourier Transform Spectrometer (Spacelab 3 flight on April 29-May 6, 1985) have made it possible to identify and measure a large number of lines of the vibration-rotation fundamental bands of the X2 Pi state of CH. From about 100 lines of the 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 bands and adopting theoretical transition probabilities, a solar carbon abundance of 8.60 + or - 0.05 is derived. This value is compared with new results inferred from other carbon abundance indicators. The final recommended solar abundance of carbon is 8.60 + or - 0.05.

Grevesse, N.↗

Measurements of Lorentz air-broadening coefficients and relative intensities in the H2O-16 pure rotational and nu2 bands from long horizontal path atmospheric spectra

Lorentz air-broadening coefficients and relative intensities have been measured for forty-three lines in the pure rotational band and twenty lines in the nu2 band of H2O-16 between 800 and 1150/cm. The results were derived from analysis of nine 0.017/cm-resolution atmospheric absorption spectra recorded over horizontal paths of 0.5-1.5 km with the McMath Fourier transform spectrometer and main solar telescope operated on Kitt Peak by the National Solar Observatory. A nonlinear least-squares spectral fitting technique was used in the spectral analysis. The results are compared with previous measurements and calculations. In most cases, the measured pressure-broadening coefficients and intensities are significantly different from the values in the 1986 HITRAN line parameters compilation.

Rinsland, Curtis P.↗

Measurements of self-broadening of infrared absorption lines of ozone

Lorentz self-broadening coefficients have been determined for 355 spectral lines belonging to five different infrared vibration-rotation bands of O3 in the spectral region from 4.8 to 17 microns. Six ozone absorption spectra, recorded at room temperature using a Fourier transform spectrometer, were analyzed. The half-width values were obtained through a nonlinear least-squares spectral fitting procedure. The results are compared with previous measurements, and the vibration of the half-widths with vibrational and rotational quantum numbers is examined.

Smith, M. A. H.↗

Multiplex Fabry-Perot interferometer

Attention is given to a Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) technique in which one of the etalon plates is moved over a large optical distance while the other remains fixed, thus exploiting the multiplex advantage of the instrument. This technique involves the application of Fourier-transform spectrometer to the multiple harmonics passing through the FPI etalon. It is shown that the multiplex FPI acts as several Michelson interferometers working at the same time, over the same spectral interval, and at different spectral resolutions. A high spectral resolution has been obtained over a large wavenumber interval, while the advantage of a reasonable scan length has been retained.

Hays, Paul B.↗

Determination of absolute strengths of N2 quadrupole lines from high-resolution ground-based IR solar observations

The strength of S-branch lines of the N2 (1-0) electric quadrupole vibration-rotation band are determined by an analysis of solar absorption spectra. The solar data were recorded with a Fourier transform spectrometer and are characterized by high resolution, and a high signal-to-noise ratio. By extrapolating equivalent width measurements of the lines from varying air masses to zero air mass, the line strengths are found for the transitions from S7 to S10. The results presented do not include half widths and are found to be accurate to within 5 percent, and following a redetermination the N2 transitions are accurate to within 0.0002/cm. Line-of-sight atmospheric air masses associated with remotely sensed IR spectroscopic observations can be determined directly by utilizing the highly accurate data.

Demoulin, P.↗

Infrared spectroscopic measurements of the vertical column abundance of sulfur hexafluoride, SF6, from the ground

The solar observations involved in the present monitoring evaluation were made at two facilities, using Fourier-transform spectrometers achieving spectral resolutions of 0.005/cm and signal-to-rms noise ratios for individual scans from near 500 to near 1000. The monthly mean total vertical-column abundances of SF6 above both facilities are reported for time intervals from June 1986 to June 1990 and from March 1981 to June 1990. It is found that the vertical-column abundances increased at mean rates of 6.9 +/- 2.8 pct above one station and 6.6 +/- 7.2 pct above the other. Since all the results were retrieved using the same spectroscopic parameters and similar nonlinear least-squares curve-fitting algorithms validated through intercomparison exercises, the large error reported for the second station is attributed to a larger measurement uncertainty due to stronger H2O and C2O interferences, and a greater variability during each month.

Zander, R.↗