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The objective of this study is to perform an independent analysis of the residual high resolution mirror assembly (HRMA) mirror distortions caused by force and moment errors in the mirror alignment system (MAS) to statistically predict the HRMA performance. These performance predictions are then compared with those performed by Kodak to verify their analysis results.
The electron cyclotron maser instability (CMI) driven by momentum space anisotropy (df/dp (sub perpendicular) greater than 0) has been invoked to explain many aspects, such as the modes of propagation, harmonic emissions, and the source characteristics of the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR). Recent satellite observations of AKR sources indicate that the source regions are often imbedded within the auroral acceleration region characterized by the presence of a field-aligned potential drop. In this paper we investigate the excitation of the fundamental extraordinary mode radiation due to the accelerated electrons. The momentum space distribution of these energetic electrons is modeled by a realistic upward loss cone as modified by the presence of a parallel potential drop below the observation point. On the basis of linear growth rate calculations we present the emission characteristics, such as the frequency spectrum and the emission angular distribution as functions of the plasma parameters. We will discuss the implication of our results on the generation of the AKR from the edges of the auroral density cavities.
We compare a new Monte Carlo simulation of polar cap models for gamma-ray pulsars with observations of sources detected above 10 MeV by the Compton Observatory (CGRO). We find that for models in which the inclination of the magnetic axis is comparable to the angular radius of the polar cap, the radiation from a single cap may exhibit a pusle with either a single broad peak as in PSR 1706-44 and PSR 1055-52, or a doubly peaked profile comparable to those observed from the Crab, Vela and Geminga pulsars. In general, double pulses are seen by observers whose line of sight penetrates into the cap interior and are due to enhanced emission near the rim. For cascades induced by culvature radiation, increased rim emission occurs even when electrons are accelerated over the entire cap, since electrons from the interior escape along magnetic field lines with less curvature and hence emit less radiation. However, we obtain better fits to the duty cycles of observed profiles if we make the empirical assumption that acceleration occurs only near the rim. In either case, the model energy spectra are consistent with most of the observed sources. The beaming factors expected from nearly aligned rotators, based on standard estimates for the cap radius, imply that their luminosities need not be as large as in the case of orthogonal rotators. However, small beam angles are also a difficutly with this model because they imply low detection probablities. In either case the polar cap radius is a critical factor, and in this context we point out that plasma loading of the field lines should make the caps larger than the usual estimates based on pure dipole fields.
A close radial alignment of the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform (IMP) and Pioneers 10 and 11 spacecraft in 1974 allows a nearly unambiguous, empirical study of the radial evolution of the interaction regions of two contrasting weak and strong, giant streams. The study confirms the main aspects of the standard model of corotating interaction regions: an expanding and strengthening pair of forward-reverse shocks sandwich a stream interface. It adds the follwoing concepts: stream group speed--the speed at the stream interface tends to remain constant with distance; corotating stream complexes--interaction regions can include features like noncompressive density enhancements and streamer belts; secondary interfaces--a possible precursor to the reverse shock; and emerging stream interfaces--one emerged between 1 AU and 4.6 AU. The study uses the conservation specific entropy to correlate features between spacecraft.
The spatial structure of dayside large-scale field-aligned current (FAC) systems is examined by using Viking and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program-F7 (DMSP-F7) data. We focus on four events in which the satellites simultaneously observed postnoon and prenoon three FAC systems: the region 2, the region 1, and the mantle (referred to as midday region O) systems, from equatorward to poleward. These events provide the most solid evidence to date that the midday region O system is a separate and unique FAC system, and is not an extension of the region 1 system from other local times. The events are examined comprehensively by making use of a mulit-instrumental data set, which includes magnetic field, particle flux, electric field, auroral UV image data from the satellites, and the Sondrestrom convection data. The results are summarized as follows: (1) Region 2 currents flow mostly in the central plasma sheet (CPS) precipitation region, often overlapping with the boundary plasma sheet (BPD) at their poleward edge. (2) The region 1 system is located in the core part of the auroral oval and is confined in a relatively narrow range in latitude which includes the convection reversal. The low-latitude boundary layer, possibly including the outer part of the plasma sheet, and the external cusp are the major source regions of dayside region 1 currents. (2) Midday region O currents flow on open field lines and are collocated with the shear of antisunward convection flows with velocites decreasing poleward. On the basis of these results we support the view that both prenoon and postnoon current systems consist of the three-sheet structure when the disctortion ofthe convection pattern associated with interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B(sub Y) is small and both morningside and eveningside convection cells are crescent-shaped. We also propose that the midday region O and a part of the region 1 systems are closely coupled to the same source.
A system of four current sheets of large-scale field-aligned currents (FACs) was discovered in the data set of simultaneous Viking and Defense Meteorological Satellire Program-F7 (DMSP-F7) crossing of the dayside high-latitude region. This paper reports four examples of this system that were observed in the prenoon sector. The flow polarities of FACs are upward, downward, upward, and downward, from equatorward to poleward. The lowest-latitude upward current is flowing mostly in the central plasma sheet (CPS) precipitation region, often overlapping with the boundary plasma sheet (BPS) at its poleward edge, andis interpreted as a region 2 current. The pair of downward and upward FACs in the middle of te structure are collocated with structured electron precipitation. The precipitation of high-energy (greater than 1 keV) electrons is more intense in the lower-latitude downward current sheet. The highest-latitude downward flowing current sheet is located in a weak, low-energy particle precipitation region, suggesting that this current is flowing on open field lines. Simulaneous observations in the postnoon local time sector reveal the standard three-sheet structure of FACs, sometimes described as region 2, region 1, and mantle (referred to the midday region O) currents. A high correlation was found between the occurrence of the four FAC sheet structure and negative interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B(sub Y). We discuss the FAC structurein terms of three types of convection cells: the merging, viscous, andlobe cells. During strongly negative IMF B(sub Y), two convection reversals exist in the prenoon sector; one is inside the viscous cell, and the other is between the viscous cell and the lobe cell. This structure of convection flow is supported by the Viking electric field and auroral UV image data. Based on the convection pattern, the four FAC sheet structure is interpreted as the latitude overlap of midday and morning FAC systems. We suggest that the for-current sheet structure is common in a certain prenoon localtime sector during strongly negative IMF B(sub Y).
This paper reports on results from a study of the poleward edge of the auroral oval in the morning sector using a comprehensive blend of in-situ and ground-based measurements. Three rockets, equipped to measure electric and magnetic fields, energetic particles, and plasma density flew into an auroral display whose dynamical features were reorded with a digital image into an auroral display intensified all-sky camera as well as with an incoherent scatter radar. In addition, a number of DMSP satellite measurements bracketed the launch time. Evidence is presented here that in a condition of declining magnetic activity Sun-aligned arcs are injected into the polar cap at velocities approximately 7 km/s from locations of periodic brightening along the morningside of the auroral oval. The multipoint in situ measurements allow some separation of temporal and spatial effects and strongly suggest a poleward contraction of the convention pattern of about 0.25 deg INVL in 70 s. The most equatorward of the two brightest arcs studied erupted into a region which already was characterized by strong sunward convection. The most poleward, however, pushed into a region that had been convecting in an antisunward direction at velocities exceeding 1 km/s less than 2 min earlier, and it is likely that sunward convection subsequently pertained poleward of that arc as well. We believe that these events mark the reconfiguration of the magnetosphere into a system characterized by a smaller polar cap.
The extended flight of the Airborne Ionospheric Observatory during the Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) Pilot program on January 16, 1990, allowed continuous all-sky monitoring of the two-dimensional ionospheric footprint of the northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) cusp in several wavelengths. Especially important in determining the locus of magnetosheath electron precipitation was the 630.0-nm red line emission. The most striking morphological change in the images was the transient appearance of zonally elongated regions of enhanced 630.0-nm emission which resembled 'rays' emanating from the centroid of the precipitation. The appearance of these rays was strongly correlated with the Y component of the IMF: when the magnitude of B(sub y) was large compared to B(sub z), the rays appeared; otherwise, the distribution was relatively unstructured. Late in the flight the field of view of the imager included the field of view of flow measurements from the European incoherent scatter radar (EISCAT). The rays visible in 630.0-nm emission exactly aligned with the position of strong flow jets observed by EISCAT. We attribute this correspondence to the requirement of quasi-neutrality; namely, the soft electrons have their largest precipitating fluxes where the bulk of the ions precipitate. The ions, in regions of strong convective flow, are spread out farther along the flow path than in regions of weaker flow. The occurrence and direction of these flow bursts are controlled by the IMF in a manner consistent with newly opened flux tubes; i.e., when absolute value of B(sub y) greater than absolute value of B(sub z), tension in the reconnected field lines produce east-west flow regions downstream of the ionospheric projection of the x line. We interpret the optical rays (flow bursts), which typically last between 5 and 15 min, as evidence of periods of enhanced dayside (or lobe) reconnection when absolute value of B(sub y) greater than absolute value of B(sub z). The length of the reconnection pulse is difficult to determine, however, since strong zonal flows would be expected to persist until the tension force in the field line has decayed, even if the duration of the enhanced reconnection was relatively short.
A particularly favorable radial lineup between spacecraft in Earth orbit and Pioneers 10 and 11 (near the ecliptic plane at approximately 5.5 AU and approximately 4.5 AU, respectively) occurred in mid-1974, when the solar corona was in a stable and well-defined warped-dipole configuration. The radial alignment study reported here differs from previous applications of the technique in two respects: (1) It is the first time a two-dimensional (2-D) MHD model has been tested over such a lengthy propagation interval; the 2-D capability is crucial for treatment of the nonradial shearing motions occurring across the stream interface. (2) The three-dimensional (3-D) structure observed in the white light corona at that time is related to the systematic patterns of nonradial flow deflections appearing at the Pioneer corotating interaction region (CIR) fronts. Comparison of predicted and observed flows for pairs of streams in two successive rotations reveals that when the parent coronal hole projects far across the solar equator in a predominantly north-south orientation (i.e., nearest the 2-D idealization), the mapping is accurate down to details of the flow structures. But where the spacecraft tracks along a latitudinal boundary of a hole or the associated stream front is inclined at a shallow angle to the equator, the numerical projections deviate systematically from the observations. Among the sources of error are 3-D dynamical interactions neglected in the model, differential rotation effects, and slow temporal evolution of the coronal structures. A characteristic pattern of north-south and east-west deflections indicative of the 3-D geometry appears across the CIRs, but these patterns evidently reflect primarily the local, as opposed to global, orientation of the 3-D stream fronts. Such patterns appear common in CIRs observed by Pioneer during this period. These findings thus hold special relevance for the analysis of Ulysses observations, since the present coronal configuration is similar to that of 1974.
In laser-beam-alignment controller, images from video camera compared to reference patterns by fuzzy-logic pattern comparator. Results processed by fuzzy-logic microcontroller, which sends control signals to motor driver adjusting lens and pinhole in spatial filter.
Set of alignment jigs hold fittings during adhesive bonding of fittings to ends of truss members. For each member, jigs hold two end fittings collinear while member allowed to move slightly, within dimensional tolerances, during injection and curing of adhesive. Once adhesive cured, fittings remain collinear even though member not necessarily perfectly straight between them.
The calculation of the solar rotation electro-dynamical effects in the near-the-Sun solar wind seems more convenient from the non-inertial corotating reference frame. This implies some modification of the 3-D MHD equations generally on the base of the General Theory of Relativity. The paper deals with the search of stationary (in corotating non-inertial reference frame) solutions of the modified 3-D MHD equations for the in near-the-Sun high latitude sub-alfvenic solar wind. The solution is obtained requiring electric fields and field-aligned electric currents in the high latitude near-the-Sun solar wind. Various scenario are explored self-consistently via a number of numerical experiments. The analogy with the high latitude Earth's magnetosphere is used for the interpretation of the results. Possible observational manifestations are discussed.
We have used data from Dynamics Explorer 2 to investigate the rate of conversion of electromagnetic energy into both thermal and bulk flow particle kinetic energy in the high-latitude ionosphere. The flux tube integrated conversion rate E(dot)J can be determined from spacecraft measurements of the electric and magnetic field vectors by deriving the field-aligned Poynting flux, S(parallel) = S(dot)B(sub 0), where B(sub 0) is in the direction of the geomagnetic field. Determination of the Poynting flux from satellite observations is critically dependent upon the establishment of accurate values of the fields and is especially sensitive to errors in the baseline (unperturbed) geomagnetic field. We discuss our treatment of the data in some detail, particularly in regard to systematically correcting the measured magnetic field to account for attitude changes and model deficiencies. S(parallel) can be used to identify the relative strengths of the magnetosphere and thermospheric winds as energy drivers and we present observations demonstrating the dominance of each of these. Dominance of the magnetospheric driver is indicated by S(parallel) directed into the ionosphere. Electromagnetic energy is delivered to and dissipated within the region. Dominance of the neutral wind requires that the conductivity weighted neutral wind speed in the direction of the ion drift be larger than the ion drift, resulting in observations of an upward directed Poynting flux. Electromagnetic energy is generated within the ionospheric region in this case. We also present observations of a case where the neutral atmosphere motion may be reaching a state of sustained bulk flow velocity as evidenced by very small Poynting flux in the presence of large electric fields.
A number of commercial and custom-built laser mirror mounts were tested for angular alignment sensitivity during temperature cycling from room temperature (20 C) to 40 C. A Nd:YAG laser beam was reflected off a mirror that was held by the mount under test and was directed to a position-sensitive detector. Horizontal and vertical movement of the reflected beam was recorded, and the angular movement, as a function of temperature (coefficient of thermal tilt (CTT)) was calculated from these data. In addition, the amount of hysteresis in the movement after cycling from room temperature to 40 C and back was determined. All commercial mounts showed greater angular movement than the simpler National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (NASA LASE) custom mirror mounts.
A solar simulator utilizing nine 30 kW xenon arc lamps was built to provide radiant power for testing a solar dynamic space power system in a thermal vacuum environment. The advanced solar simulator meets requirements specific to the solar dynamic system, including: (1) a subtense angle of 1 deg, (2) the ability to vary solar simulator intensity up to 1.7 kW/sq m, (3) a beam diameter of 4.8 m, and (4) uniformity of illumination on the order of +/- 10 percent. The flexibility of the solar simulator design allows for other potential uses of the facility. This paper presents a description of the facility, the alignment procedures used to deliver radiant power to the solar dynamic system, and a summary of the performance of the as-built solar simulator.
Alignment charts (nomographs) designed to permit rapid calculations of the low-pressure transport properties of nonpolar gases and gas mixtures are presented. Calculations for pure gases are based on the rigorous kinetic theory of gases as applied to a realistic intermolecular force law. Mixture viscosities and conductivities are calculated from good approximations derived from rigorous theory. The properties are calculable with a precision of 2 percent or better. Accuracy depends on how well the constants characterizing the Intermolecular force law are known; if constants are derived from experimental data, results should be accurate to 5 percent or better. Force constants are tabulated for 65 gases.
The Composite InfraRed Spectrometer (CIRS) instrument flying on the Cassini spacecraft to Saturn is a cryogenic spectrometer with far-infrared (FIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) channels. The CIRS FIR channel is a polarizing interferometer that contains three polarizing grid components. These components are an input polarizer, a polarizing beamsplitter, and an output polarizer/analyzer. They consist of a 1.5 micron thick mylar substrate with 2 gm wide copper wires, with 2 gm spacing (4 micron pitch) photolithographically deposited on the substrate. This paper details the polarization sensitivity studies performed on the output polarizer/analyzer, and the alignment sensitivity studies performed on the input polarizer and beamsplitter components in the FIR interferometer.
The goal of the program to investigate a "Gasdynamic fusion propulsion system for space exploration" is to develop a fusion propulsion system for a manned mission to the planet mars. A study using Deuterium and Tritium atoms are currently in progress. When these atoms under-go fusion, the resulting neutrons and alpha particles are emitted in random directions (isotropically). The probable direction of emission is equal for all directions, thus resulting in wasted energy, massive shielding and cooling requirements, and serious problems with the physics of achieving fusion. If the nuclear magnetic spin moments of the deuterium and tritium nuclei could be precisely aligned at the moment of fusion, the stream of emitted neutrons could be directed out the rear of the spacecraft for thrust and the alpha particles directed forward into an electromagnet ot produce electricity to continue operating the fusion engine. The following supporting topics are discussed: nuclear magnetic moments and spin precession in magnetic field, nuclear spin quantum mechanics, kinematics of nuclear reactions, and angular distribution of particles.