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At least 55 records · Page 3

Applications of the magneto-optical filter to stellar pulsation measurements

A proposed method of employing the Cacciani magneto-optical filter (MOF) for stellar seismology studies is described. The method relies on the fact that the separation of the filter bandpasses in the MOF can be changed by varying the level of input power to the filter cells. With the use of a simple servosystem the bandpass of a MOF can be tuned to compensate for the changes in the radial velocity of a star introduced by the orbital motion of the earth. Such a tuned filter can then be used to record intensity fluctuations through the MOF bandpass over an extended period of time for each given star. Also, the use of a two cell version of the MOF makes it possible to alternately chop between the bandpass located in the stellar line wing and a second bandpass located in the stellar continuum. Rapid interchange between the two channels makes it possible for atmospheric-introduced noise to be removed from the time series.

Rhodes, Edward J., Jr.↗

Analysis of six broadband optical filters for measuring chlorophyll alpha and suspended solids in the Patuxent River

Kodak Wratten broadband optical filters numbered 47B (400 to 500 nm), 57 (500 to 600 nm), 58 (500 to 600 nm), 12 (500 to 700 nm), 25 (600 to 700 nm), and 89B (690 to 900 nm) were tested on October 17, 1972, to see whether each spectral band by itself could be used to quantify chlorophyll a and suspended sediment in the Patuxent River. Band 690 to 900 nm showed promise in being able to detect gross changes in chlorophyll a above 28 micrograms/l. None of the broad spectral bands seem capable of measuring chlorophyll a concentrations less than 28 micrograms/l in turbid estuarine water. Except for the 47B spectral band, the bands do show promise for measuring suspended solids.

Ohlhorst, C. W.↗

Full-disk magnetograms obtained with a Na magneto-optical filter at the Mount Wilson Observatory

The first full-disk magnetograms to be obtained with the Na magneto-optical filter (MOF) which is located at the 60 foot solar tower of the Mount Wilson Observatory are presented. This MOF was employed as a longitudinal magnetograph on June 18, 19, and July 1, 1987. On those three days the MOF was combined with a large format (1024 x 1024 pixel) virtual phase change coupled device camera and a high-speed data acquisition system. The combined system was used to record both line-of-sight magnetograms and Dopplergrams which covered the entire visible solar hemisphere. The pixel size of these magnetograms and Dopplergrams was 2.3 arcseconds. On each of the three days a time series of nine pairs of magnetograms and Dopplergrams was obtained at the rate of one pair every two minutes. On the same three day longitudinal magnetograms have one arcsecond pixels were obtained with the vacuum telescope at Kitt Peak. The MOF and vacuum tower magnetograms were compared at both the JPL Multi-Mission Image Processing Laboratory and at USC and have found the two sets of images to be well correlated both in spatial distribution and strength of the measured magnetic field. The simultaneously-obtained MOF Dopplergrams to remove the crosstalk which was present between the Doppler and Zeeman shifts of the NaD lines from the magnetograms from all three days and will also describe recent improvements to the system which allowed the obtaining of full-disk magnetograms as rapidly as one every 25 seconds.

Rhodes, Edward J., Jr.↗

L = 1 rotational splitting detected from a 69 day run using the magneto-optical filter installed at JPL

The preliminary analysis of a 69 day observation run taken at the JPL using the magneto-optical filter is presented. The aim is to estimate the rotational splitting of l = 1 modes. A value of Delta nu = 0.44 +/- 0.09 micro-Hz is found. In a second, more accurate analysis, it is planned to investigate the low frequency part of the power spectrum. The observational statistics are presented.

Cacciani, A.↗

Acousto-optic filter for electronic laser tuning

Electronically tunable lithium niobate filter utilizes acoustic-optic diffraction for tuning laser to desired frequencies. Filter placed inside laser cavity diffracts incident optical signal of one polarization into orthogonal polarization by collinearly propagating acoustic beam to desired wavelength.

Harris, S. E.↗

Theoretical model for a background noise limited laser-excited optical filter for doubled Nd lasers

A simple theoretical model for the calculation of the dependence of filter quantum efficiency versus laser pump power in an atomic Rb vapor laser-excited optical filter is reported. Calculations for Rb filter transitions that can be used to detect the practical and important frequency-doubled Nd lasers are presented. The results of these calculations show the filter's quantum efficiency versus the laser pump power. The required laser pump powers required range from 2.4 to 60 mW/sq cm of filter aperture.

Shay, Thomas M.↗

Solar magnetic fields measurements with a magneto-optical filter

The presence of a magnetic field at different levels inside the sun has crucial implications for helioseismology. The solar oscillation observing program carried out since 1983 at Mt. Wilson with Cacciani magneto-optical filter has recently been modified to acquire full-disk magnetograms with 2 arcsec spatial resolution. A method for the correct determination of magnetic maps which are free of contamination by velocity signal is presented. It is shown that no cross-talk exists between the Doppler and Zeeman shifts of the Na D lines, provided that instrumental polarization effects are taken into account. The observed line-of-sight photospheric field was used to map the vector field in the inner corona, above active regions, in the current free approximation.

Cacciani, A.↗

Test of the magneto optical filter during the comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts on Jupiter. A Doppler signal detected?

The observations made in July 1994 on the impact of fragment A of the comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter are described. The instrumentation used was a magneto-optical filter, acting as a two-channel filter. The data showed a double-peak transient which occurred after the impact, and whose general properties indicated a true jovian origin. The peaks appear in absorption. A numerical simulation can explain the main characteristics of the observed signal where the two peaks have the same polarity and appear only in the channel at shorter wavelengths. The simulation carried out appeared to indicate that the observed signal could be produced by the combination of shock waves and the expanding material with a velocity of 13 +/- 8 km/s. This implies that two separate impacts may have been observed. The developed simulation can be extended to predict long term effects.

Cacciani, A.↗

Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) optical filter characterization

The Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) is a solar occultation experiment that will fly on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite to measure mixing ratio profiles of O3, H2O, NO2, NO, CH4, HCl, and HF. The inversion of the HALOE data will be critically dependent on a detailed knowledge of eight optical filters. A filter characterization program was undertaken to measure in-band transmissions, out-of-band transmissions, in-band transmission shifts with temperature, reflectivities, and age stability. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometers were used to perform measurements over the spectral interval 400/cm to 6300/cm (25 micrometers to 1.6 micrometers). Very high precision (0.1 percent T) in-band measurements and very high resolution (0.0001 percent T) out-of-band measurements have been made. The measurements revealed several conventional leaks at 0.01 percent transmission and greatly enhanced (1,000) leaks to the 2-element filters when placed in a Fabry-Perot cavity. Filter throughput changes by 5 percent for a 25 C change in filter temperature.

Harvey, Gale A.↗

Space Qualification of the Optical Filter Assemblies for the ICESat-2/ATLAS Instrument

The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) will be the only instrument on the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite -2 (ICESat-2). ICESat-2 is the 2nd-generation of the orbiting laser altimeter ICESat, which will continue polar ice topography measurements with improved precision laser-ranging techniques. In contrast to the original ICESat design, ICESat-2 will use a micro-pulse, multi-beam approach that provides dense cross-track sampling to help scientists determine a surface's slope with each pass of the satellite. The ATLAS laser will emit visible, green laser pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm and a rate of 10 kHz and will be split into 6 beams. A set of six identical, thermally-tuned etalon filter assemblies will be used to remove background solar radiation from the collected signal while transmitting the laser light to the detectors. A seventh etalon assembly will be used to monitor the laser center wavelength during the mission. In this paper, we present the design and optical performance measurements of the ATLAS optical filter assemblies (OFA) in air and in vacuum before integration on the ATLAS instrument.

Etalons↗

Space Qualification of the Optical Filter Assemblies for the ICESat-2/ATLAS Instrument

The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) will be the only instrument on the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite -2 (ICESat-2). ICESat-2 is the 2nd-generation of the orbiting laser altimeter ICESat, which will continue polar ice topography measurements with improved precision laser-ranging techniques. In contrast to the original ICESat design, ICESat-2 will use a micro-pulse, multi-beam approach that provides dense cross-track sampling to help scientists determine a surface's slope with each pass of the satellite. The ATLAS laser will emit visible, green laser pulses at a wavelength of 532 nm and a rate of 10 kHz and will be split into 6 beams. A set of six identical, thermally tuned optical filter assemblies (OFA) will be used to remove background solar radiation from the collected signal while transmitting the laser light to the detectors. A seventh assembly will be used to monitor the laser center wavelength during the mission. In this paper, we present the design and optical performance measurements of the ATLAS OFA in air and in vacuum prior to their integration on the ATLAS instrument.

Etalons↗

Acousto-optical Filter Can Rapidly Tune Solid-State Lasers

Incorporation of acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF) in cavity of solid-state laser, provides means of adjusting wavelength of laser output electronically, according to recent proposal. Output wavelength randomly selected in microseconds. Technique useful in remote-sensing applications, such as in differential-absorption lidar (DIAL) and in communications for wavelength-division multiplexing.

Lambert, James L.↗

Acousto-optic filtering of lidar signals

The predominant part of the noise in lidar receivers is created by the background radiation; therefore, one of the most important elements of the receiving optics is a spectrally selecting filter placed in front of the photodetector. Interference filters are usually used to transmit a given wavelength. Specific properties of the interference filters, such as simple design, reliability, small size, and large aperture, combined with high transmission coefficient and narrow spectral band, make them the preferred spectral device in many cases. However, problems arise in applications such as the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) technique, where fast tuning within a wide spectral region is necessary. Tunable acousto-optical filters (TAOF), used recently in astrophysical observations to suppress the background radiation, can be employed with success in lidar sounding. They are attractive due to the possibility for fast spectral scanning with a narrow transmission band. The TAOF's advantages are fully evident in DIAL lidars where one must simultaneously receive signals at two laser frequencies.

Kolarov, G.↗

A Lyman-alpha tunable acousto-optic filter for detecting superthermal flare protons

The goal of this project was to develop and characterize a narrow-band, tunable filter for use near the Lyman-alpha line of hydrogen at 121.6 nm. Such a filter could form the critical component of an instrument to observe asymmetries in the solar Lyman-alpha line, caused by energetic protons accelerated during the impulsive phase of solar flares. Characteristic charge-exchange nonthermal emission at Lyman alpha should be produced when sub-MeV protons are injected into the chromosphere, but no instrument suitable for their detection has been developed. Such an instrument would require a narrow-band (less than 0.01 nm) tunable filter with aperture and throughput consistent with imaging a solar active region at 0.1 second intervals. The development of acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) suitable for use as compact, simple tunable filters for astronomical work suggested an investigation into the use of an AOTF at Lyman-alpha.

Mickey, Donald L.↗

Characterization of quasi-optical filters with picosecond transient radiation

The broadband microwave transmission properties of quasi-optical components are characterized with optoelectronically generated, picosecond transient radiation. The polarization sensitivity of a lithographically fabricated wire grating, from 15-140 GHz, is presented. The complex transmission functions of two different uniform arrays of cross dipoles are measured and compared with theoretical predictions.

Arjavalingam, G.↗

Proton radiation damage in optical filter glass

Samples of Schott BG-39 and Hoya CM-500 blue-green filter glass were subjected to proton radiation to determine their acceptability for spaceflight. Initial testing done with 2.7 MeV protons showed negligible change in optical transmittance with doses as high as 5.2 x 10 to the 14th protons per sq cm. Irradiation with protons of energy up to 63 MeV caused a significant reduction in transmittance in the Schott samples at doses of 5.3 x 10 to the 12th protons per sq cm, while negligible change occurred in the Hoya samples.

Grillot, Patrick N.↗

Electronically tuned optical filters

A detailed account is given of efforts to develop a three layer, polychromic filter that can be tuned electronically. The operation of the filter is based on the cooperative alignment of pleochroic dye molecules by nematic liquid crystals activated by electric fields. This orientation produces changes in the optical density of the material and thus changes in the color of light transmitted through the medium. In addition, attempts to improve materials and devices which employ field induced changes of a cholesteric to a nematic liquid crystal are presented.

Castellano, J. A.↗