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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 397 records · Page 22
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NASA NTRS1982

Upper limits to pulsed gamma ray emission from PSR 0833-45, 1747-46, and 1818-04

Pulsed gamma ray emission from three pulsars (PSR 0833-45, 1747-46, and 1818-04) have been sought on a balloon flight of the University of New Hampshire Large Gamma Ray Telescope, which incorporates a shielded sodium iodide scintillator array, and was launched from Alice Springs, Australia. Over the energy range 0.1 - 10 MeV, no evidence is found for pulsed gamma rays, and upper limits are set for Vela which are comparable to, or below, the extrapolation to lower energies of the pulsed emission reported by SAS-2 and COS-B.

Cherry, M. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Magsat scalar anomaly distribution - The global perspective

It is established that geographic coincidences exist between high-altitude Magsat scalar anomalies and major geologic and tectonic structures, with oceanic abyssal plains overlain by negative anomalies agreeing well in spatial extent and position and submarine platforms lying beneath positive scalar anomalies. In addition, geographic coincidence is found in the continents between many high-latitude positive anomalies and shields and cratons in North America, Eurasia and Australia. While these correlations are qualitative, they serve to identify regions for detailed study. The global distribution of anomalies provides a basis for comparative study which will be enhanced when reduced-to-pole versions of the Magsat data become available.

Frey, H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

2.3-GHz accurate positions and optical identifications for selected Parkes radio sources

Accurate radio positions of 74 extragalactic radio sources contained in the Parkes 2.7-GHz survey were measured at 2.3 GHz with the Tidbinbilla interferometer, located near Canberra, Australia. The radio sources, most of which lie between declinations -30 deg and -35 deg, were measured to an rms positional accuracy of about 3 arcsec relative to a grid of previously identified radio sources. Optical identifications have been made on the basis of positional coincidence alone, without regard to color or morphology, using the UK Schmidt telescope deep IIIa-J sky survey plates. Identifications are suggested and accurate optical positions have been measured for 62 objects brighter than magnitude 22.5 on the IIIa-J plates.

Jauncey, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Tidbinbilla two-element interferometer

A phase-stable two-element interferometer has been formed by linking the 64- and 34-m antennas of the Deep Space Network at Tidbinbilla, Australia. Utilizing the existing first-stage maser receivers at 2.3 GHz to yield a system temperature of approximately 20 K, the system has a 5 sigma detection sensitivity of 50 mJy in 1 s, with a rms confusion of approximately 6 mJy. The 195-m north-south baseline permits positional measurements to approximately 2 arcsec of sources stronger than approximately 100 mJy over the declination range -80 to +30 deg. Such measurements are ideally suited for the optical identification of weak radio sources. It is planned to extend the frequency of operation of the instrument to 8.4 GHz in the near future.

Batty, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

OSTA-1 - The Space Shuttle's first scientific payload

The capabilities of the first Space Shuttle scientific payload for remote sensing observations of the earth are evaluated, and the instruments used are from the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications (OSTA-1). The payload gathered 10 million square kilometers of data over the earth's oceans, 6 million square kilometers of data over land masses, and global atmospheric data on carbon monoxide concentration. Shuttle imaging radar collected data over a 10,000 km sweep from Spain to Australia, a Shuttle multispectral infrared radiometer obtained 400,000 ten-channel spectra in clear weather conditions over four continents, and the Ocean Color Experiment detected water color for interpretation of major water constituents. The mission is considered to be a success based on the amount of data collected, and scientific and technical insight gained for the development of Shuttle flight instruments.

Moore, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The International Ozone Intercomparison Program

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has endorsed a number of intercomparison project activities in recent years as a part of its Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project. The present investigation is concerned with an intercomparison of rocket borne measurement techniques in continuation of that overall effort. The objectives of this investigation were to compare the performance of rocket borne instruments, via a set of simultaneous intercomparisons of various rocket instruments under at least two sets of conditions. In order to accomplish the objectives and to aid in validating the historical data, six daytime sensors from each participant were flown. In addition, two of the participants (Australia and U.S.) provided nighttime sensor measurements. Attention is given to Wallops Flight Center instrumentation and launch support, the Triad Series, The Morning Series, and the Nighttime Series.

Gurkin, L. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Determination of intercontinental baselines and Earth orientation using VLBI

A series of experiments was conducted during the last decade to explore the capability of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) to measure the crustal and rotational motions of the Earth with accuracies at the centimeter level. The observing stations are those of NASA's Deep Space Network in California, Spain and Australia. A multiparameter fit to the observed values of delay and delay rate yields radio source positions, polar motion, universal time, the precession constant, baseline vectors, and solid Earth tides. Source positions are obtained with formal errors of the order of 0''.01. UT1-UTC and polar motion are determined at 49 epochs, with formal error estimates for the more recent data of 0.5 msec for UT1-UTC and 2 to 6 mas for polar motion. Intercontinental baseline lengths are determined with formal errors of 5 to 10 cm. The Love numbers and Earth tide phase lag agree with the commonly accepted values.

Sovers, O. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The 26-meter antenna s-x conversion project

Programmatic and management aspects of converting an existing 26-meter S-band subnet to a 34-meter S- and X-band subnet of the Deep Space Network are described. The stations involved were DSS 12 near Barstow, DSS 44 in Australia, and DSS 62 in Spain. The main subsystems affected by the conversion were the antenna mechanical, antenna microwave, and receiver-exciter. Antenna mechanial modifications and electronic additions and changes are described. The design and analysis of critical areas are considered and antenna performance is discussed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1983

MAGSAT investigation of crustal magnetic anomalies in the eastern Indian Ocean

Crustal magnetic anomalies in a region of the eastern Indian Ocean were studied using data from NASA's MAGSAT mission. The investigation region (0 deg to 50 deg South, 75 to 125 deg East) contains several important tectonic features, including the Broken Ridge, Java Trench, Ninetyeast Ridge, and Southeast Indian Ridge. A large positive magnetic anomaly is associated with the Broken Ridge and smaller positive anomalies correlate with the Ninetyeast Ridge and western Australia. Individual profiles of scalar data (computed from vector components) were considered to determine the overall data quality and resolution capability. A set of MAGSAT ""Quiet-Time'' data was used to compute an equivalent source crustal magnetic anomaly map of the study region. Maps of crustal magnetization and magnetic susceptibility were computed from the equivalent source dipoles. Gravity data were used to help interpretation, and a map of the ratio of magnetization to density contrasts was computed using Poisson's relation. The results are consistent with the hypothesis of induced magnetization of a crustal layer having varying thickness and composition.

Sailor, R. V.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Crustal dynamics project observations: 1982 results and plans for 1983

The 1982 Crustal Dynamics Project observations by fixed and mobile SLR and VLBI systems are reviewed. Plate motion measurements between North America and Europe were conducted by both techniques and SLR measurements were also made between North America, the Pacific, Australia and South American plates. Regional deformation measurements by VLBI and SLR systems were restricted to the western United States in 1982, including a number of important intercomparison baseline measured by both techniques. In 1983 the observing program grows significantly, with new SLR systems in Mexico, Easter Island, the Pacific and Italy. New VLBI systems will include a dedicated VLBI site at Weltzell, in Germany. Two highly mobile SLR and two highly mobile VLBI systems will greatly increase the regional deformation measurements in California and through the Basin and Range, where more than 25 sites will be occupied in 1983.

Frey, H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Optimal processing of satellite-derived magnetic anomaly data

It is shown how the concept of the power spectrum can be extended to two-dimensional spatial power spectra and how it can be used in determining optimal data processing methods for satellite-derived magnetic anomaly data and planning missions to obtain such data. The analysis techniques are applied to the data set and data-processing procedure described by Mayhew et al. (1980), a study that treats magnetic anomaly data for Australia and the surrounding ocean obtained by the polar orbit POGO series satellites. It is shown that the data-processing method used by Mayhew et al. is approximately equivalent to an invariant two-dimensional linear filter and that it is reasonably close to optimal with respect to accuracy, although some possible improvements are suggested. However, as is usual when filtering data, some real 'signal' is unavoidably removed along with the 'noise' resulting in errors that can be quite large. A method for reducing these errors by using additional data from a medium inclination orbit satellite (for example, 60 deg inclination) is proposed.

Mcleod, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Lateral heterogeneity and azimuthal anistropy of the upper mantle: Love and Rayleigh waves 100-250 sec

The lateral heterogeneity and apparent anisotropy of the upper mantle are studied by measuring Rayleigh and Love wave phase velocities in the period range 100-250 sec. Spherical harmonic descriptions of the lateral heterogeneity are obtained for order and degree up to 1=m=10. Slow regions are evident at the East Pacific rise, northeast Africa, Tibet, Tasman sea, southwestern North America and triple junctions in the Northern Atlantic and Indian oceans. Fast regions occur in Australia, western Pacific and the eastern Atlantic. Details which are not evident in previous studies include two fast regions in the central Pacific and the subduction zone in the Scotia Arc region. Inversion for azimuthal dependence showed (1) little correlation between the fast phase velocity directions and the plate motion vector in plate interiors, but (2) correlation of the fast direction with the perpendicular direction to trenches and ridges. Phase velocity is high when waves propagate perpendicular to these structures. Severe tradeoffs exist between heterogeneity and azimuthal dependence because of the yet unsatisfactory path coverage.

Tanimoto, T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

DSN Microwave Antenna Holography

The DSN microwave antenna holography project will obtain three-dimensional pictures of the large DSN antenna surfaces. These pictures must be of suffi icient resolution to allow adjustment of the reflector panels to an rms surface of 0.5 mm (0.25 mm, goal). The major parameters and equations needed to define a holographic measurement system are outlined and then the proof of concept demonstration measurement that was made at DSS-43 (Australia) that resulted in contour maps with spatial resolution of 7 m in the aperture plane and resolution orthogonal to the aperture plane of 0.7 mm was discussed.

Rochblatt, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Fluvial erosion of impact craters: Earth and Mars

Geomorphic studies of impact structures in central Australia are being used to understand the complexities of fluvial dissection in the heavily cratered terrains of Mars. At Henbury, Northern Territory, approximately 12 small meteorite craters have interacted with a semiarid drainage system. The detailed mapping of the geologic and structural features at Henbury allowed this study to concentrate on degradational landforms. The breaching of crater rims by gullies was facilitated by the northward movement of sheetwash along an extensive pediment surface extending from the Bacon Range. South-facing crater rims have been preferentially breached because gullies on those sides were able to tap the largest amounts of runoff. At crater 6 a probable rim-gully system has captured the headward reaches of a pre-impact stream channel. The interactive history of impacts and drainage development is critical to understanding the relationships in the heavily cratered uplands of Mars. Whereas Henbury craters are younger than 4700 yrs. B.P., the Gosses Bluff structure formed about 130 million years ago. The bluff is essentially an etched central peak composed of resistant sandstone units. Fluvial erosion of this structure is also discussed.

Baker, V. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Preliminary study of microtektites first discovered in the central Pacific by China

Electron probe analysis was used to determine the chemical composition of microtektites discovered in the Central Pacific. An X-ray energy spectrum analysis was made, and the surface microstructure was investigated. The found microtektites appear to be younger than the microtektites reported in the Asia Australia Strewn Field.

Hanchang, P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Mesopheric turbulence intensities measured with a HF radar at 35 deg S. Part 2

A theory was developed for extracting turbulence energy dissipation rates from spectra measured with a radar. It is shown that factors apart from turbulence contribute to the observed spectral widths, and that these factors must be considered if accurate estimates of energy dissipation rates are to be obtained. In particular, beam-width broadening and shear broadening are important. The first results obtained with this theory are presented. The rules were obtained using the large HF array at Adelaide, Australia, primarily during the Southern Hemisphere winter of 1981. Results are consistent with rocket measurements of turbulence, with typical values varying between 0.01 and 1/0.2 W kg at 80-90 km altitude.

Hocking, W. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Adaptation of a software development methodology to the implementation of a large-scale data acquisition and control system

A progress report is presented on a program to upgrade the existing NASA Deep Space Network in terms of a redesigned computer-controlled data acquisition system for channelling tracking, telemetry, and command data between a California-based control center and three signal processing centers in Australia, California, and Spain. The methodology for the improvements is oriented towards single subsystem development with consideration for a multi-system and multi-subsystem network of operational software. Details of the existing hardware configurations and data transmission links are provided. The program methodology includes data flow design, interface design and coordination, incremental capability availability, increased inter-subsystem developmental synthesis and testing, system and network level synthesis and testing, and system verification and validation. The software has been implemented thus far to a 65 percent completion level, and the methodology being used to effect the changes, which will permit enhanced tracking and communication with spacecraft, has been concluded to feature effective techniques.

Madrid, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A portable telescope, photometer, and data-recording system

A description is presented of a portable telescope, two-channel photometer and high-speed data-recording system that meet the unique requirements of occultation astronomy. The instrumentation has been designed for portability, high time resolution, accurate absolute timing, and ease of use. The instrumentation includes a light-weight 35.5-cm (14-inch) objective portable telescope, a two-channel high-speed photometer and a data-recording system built into a suitcase. The equipment has been successfully used in field operations and at fixed observatories in India, Australia, and Hawaii.

Baron, R. L.↗