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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

A very high frequency radio interferometer for investigating ionospheric disturbances using geostationary satellites. Determination of changes in exospheric electron content by a comparison of group delay and Faraday rotation

The theory and development of a VHF correlation radio interferometer for investigating ionospheric disturbances are discussed. The system was developed to receive signals from the geostationary Applications Technology Satellites. Amplitude and phase variations of the signal passing through the ionosphere can be detected by this instrument. The system consists of two superheterodyne receivers separated by a distance known as the baseline of the system. Since the system is a phase sensitive instrument, the local oscillators of the two receivers must be phase coherent. This is accomplished by using phase-locked loops for generating the local oscillators. The two signals from the separate receivers are cross-correlated by multiplying the two signals together and then time averaging the result. The sensitivity of the instrument is increased by off-setting one of the local oscillators by a small amount.

Terry, R.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Tracking of the ATS-3 synchronous satellite by the Very Long Baseline Interferometer (VLBI) technique

During 1971, a series of very long baseline interferometer observations were made of the C-band (6 cm) radio signals from the ATS-3 communications satellite which is in a synchronous, near-equatorial orbit. The first series of observations were conducted during May-June 1971 from Rosman, North Carolina (NASA/ATS Station 85' dish) and Mojave, California (NASA/ATS Station, 40' dish). The second series of observations were conducted during August-September, 1971 from Rosman, North Carolina (NASA/ATS Station, 85' dish), Owens Valley, California (Cal Tech, 130' dish) and Agassiz, Massachusetts (SAO Agassiz Radio Observatory, 84' dish). The ATS-3 Spacecraft position was determined with a precision of 70-100 meters and its velocity with a precision of less than a mm/sec. The ATS-3 orbital elements were computed using the GEODYN program and the derived values are consistent with those derived from conventional tracking data.

Ramasastry, J.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The use of the transmission windows of the Fabry-Perot interferometer in the detection of Raman scattered radiation from atmospheric gases.

Demonstration that the use of the Fabry-Perot interferometer as a filter with transmission windows occurring at regular intervals in wave numbers provides a highly sensitive method for detection of atmospheric gases using their rotational Raman spectra excited by a suitable laser. Some of the operating advantages include signal gains of several orders of magnitude, a simple direct interpretation of the results in terms of the density and types of the gaseous constituents, size and weight reductions from conventional apparatus, ease of operation, and relative freedom from interference from other molecules in the scattering volume. This method is compared with the techniques that have been discussed in the literature by other workers in the field.

Smith, W. H.↗
NASA NTRS1971

136 MHz interferometer error due to galactic nucleus.

Extraneous interfering signals are discussed which limit the basic accuracy of the 136 MHz Minitrack radio-interferometer system providing electrical phase data from which direction cosines for determining spacecraft orbits are generated. In particular, the fundamental error due to interference caused by the passage of the galactic nucleus is investigated. An expression is developed for the lower bound of the phase error when the noise source is not uniformly distributed across the Minitrack's zenith-pointed fan beam. In addition, the threshold of the Minitrack input power levels is determined below which the electrical phase is no longer determined unambiguously. The effect of the passage of the galactic nucleus coincident with the presence of a spacecraft is analyzed, and the corresponding phase error established.

Kyriakopoulos, N.↗
NASA NTRS1972

URSIES - An ultravariable resolution single interferometer echelle scanner.

Use of a Fabry-Perot interferometer in a Ramsay mount in tandem with an echelle Hilger monochromator with pinholes instead of slits. The instrument, URSIES, is enclosed within a pressure chamber filled with Freon. Photoelectric pulse counting techniques and pressure scanning are used to record the spectrum. This design has four basic advantages: (1) the resolution of the scanner is variable from 5.0 to 0.005 A, and the effective wavelength range is quite broad, from 3500 to 13,000 A; (2) a light gain of ten over conventional grating scanners at resolutions of 0.1 A or better is achieved; (3) very low levels of light from outside the wavelength passband reach the detector; for a resolution of 0.03 A at 6000 A this level is 5%; and (4) there are very low levels of scattered light from the pinholes when extended sources are observed. The scattered light from the instrument at the edge of the solar disk is found to be less than 1% from 4000 to 11,000 A. Measurements demonstrating these advantages are discussed.

Wyller, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Critical current periodicity of Josephson junction interferometers.

Numerical calculation of the critical current through a Josephson junction interferometer, taking into consideration the effect of applied and self-induced magnetic fields on the junctions and in the interference loop. The periodicity of the interference pattern is shown to be less than the flux quantum. Quantitative results are given which illustrate the degree of deviation in periodicity from the flux quantum.

Stuehm, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Development of a breadboard model correlation interferometer for the carbon monoxide pollution experiment

The breadboard model of the correlation interferometer for the Carbon Monoxide Pollution Experiment has been designed, fabricated, and tested. Laboratory, long-path, and atmospheric tests which were performed show the technique to be a feasible method for obtaining a global carbon monoxide map and a vertical carbon monoxide profile and similar information is readily obtainable for methane as well. In addition, the technique is readily applicable to other trace gases by minor instrumental changes. As shown by the results and the conclusions, it has been determined that CO and CH4 data can be obtained with an accuracy of 10% using this technique on the spectral region around 2.3 microns.

Bortner, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

The Hat Creek millimeter-wave interferometer.

A fixed-baseline millimeter-wave interferometer, operating initially at 13.5 mm, has been put into operation at the Hat Creek Observatory as the first step in the development of a two-element aperture synthesis telescope. The first system consists of a 3-m antenna and a 6-m antenna spaced 265 m apart. Large receiver bandwidths may be used at high frequencies, and this system employs an intermediate frequency bandwidth of about 400 MHz. The instrument has been used to derive accurate absolute positions of interstellar water vapor sources, to study Mercury, Venus, and Mars, and to make crude maps of a few complex continuum sources. The synthesis telescope, the next stage, has two 6-m antennas which can be located at various stations on a T-shaped track. The east-west leg is 300 m and the north-south leg is 200 m, permitting full synthesis for sources on the equator and at declinations as low as -30 deg as well as at high declinations.

Hills, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Mariner 9 infrared interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) reduced data records documentation

The Mariner 9 spacecraft was successfully inserted into orbit around Mars. One of the five instruments on board, an infrared interferometer spectrometer is used to record the thermal emission spectrum of Mars between 200 and 2000 cm/1. The spatial resolution for vertical viewing is a circular area of approximately 110 km diameter for a periapsis height of 1400 km. The total number of calibrated spectra included in the final data set is 21167. The final calibrated thermal emission spectra contained in the reduced data records are reported.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1974

Mariner Jupiter/Saturn 1977 infrared interferometer spectrometer (MJS' 77) design study

A design study of the Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer and Radiometer (IRIS) instrument for the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn 1977 mission was conducted. The objective of the study was to investigate a number a potential problem areas identified in previous studies and to develop the instrument system designs along the lines providing for the optimum performance obtainable with the allowable budgets. The considerations for the optical design, mechanical design, and electronic design are examined.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1974

Stellar interferometer for figure sensing of orbiting astronomical telescopes

An interferometric device designed to be located in the focal plane of a large astronomical telescope is presented. The prime application is for the forthcoming large space telescope. The device is to perform interferometry on the optical wavefront arising from a single star after it has propagated through the telescope. The concept of a focal plane figure sensor has been experimentally verified by fabricating and testing an operating laboratory breadboard figure sensor. A set of linear independent control equations are derived that define the operations for utilizing a focal plane figure sensor in the control loops for the positioning of the secondary mirror and for the active control of the primary mirror optical figure. A number of scientific experiments that could be performed with the interferometer are also briefly discussed.

Peters, W. N.↗