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At least 1,027 records · Page 57

Ultraviolet spectroscopy of comets using sounding rockets, IUE and Spacelab

Ultraviolet spectroscopy is a very powerful tool for the study of cometary atmospheres since the four elemental cosmic species, H, C, N and O, as well as several simple molecules made from these species, have their strong resonance transitions in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. However, due to the opacity of the atmosphere to ultraviolet, these observations must be made from space. Results are presented for observations of sevral comets along with plans for further cometary spectroscopy.

Feldman, P. D.↗

Molecular spectroscopy and planetary exploration from space

Examples of the role which molecular spectroscopy played in the interpretation of the thermal emission spectra of Earth, Mars, and Jupiter are given. Some advantages of molecular spectroscopy from a spacecraft passing close to a planet, or from an orbiter, over ground based techniques are discussed. Specifically the possibility of obtaining spectra over a wide spectral range (1) without the obscuring effect of Earth's atmosphere, (2) at much higher spatial resolution, and (3) from directions and with phase angles inaccessible from Earth.

Hanel, R.↗

Ultra high resolution molecular beam cars spectroscopy with application to planetary atmospheric molecules

The measurement of high resolution pulsed and continuous wave (CW) coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) measurements in pulsed and steady state supersonic expansions were demonstrated. Pulsed molecular beam sources were characterized, and saturation of a Raman transition and, for the first time, the Raman spectrum of a complex molecular cluster were observed. The observation of CW CARS spectra in a molecular expansion and the effects of transit time broadening is described. Supersonic expansion is established as a viable technique for high resolution Raman spectroscopy of cold molecules with resolutions of 100 MH2.

Byer, R. L.↗

Evidence for high-altitude haze thickening on the dark side of Venus from 10-micron heterodyne spectroscopy of CO2

Infrared heterodyne spectroscopy provides data for isolated spectral lines with a spectral resolution which is small compared to the Doppler width. Heterodyne spectroscopy of CO2 lines near 10 micrometers was first reported for the atmosphere of Venus by Betz et al. (1976). The present investigation is concerned with observations of two absorption lines of (C-12)(O-16)2 conducted with an infrared heterodyne spectrometer interfaced with a solar telescope. The 10.8598-micrometer P(44) line was observed on the day side of Venus and the 10.3337-micrometer R(8) line was observed on the night side. It is shown that continuous opacity due to haze, and possible departures from vibrational LTE in CO2, are crucial considerations in fitting the observed lines.

Deming, D.↗

Atmospheric trace molecule spectroscopy

The Spacelab investigation entitled Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) is designed to obtain fundamental information related to the chemistry and physics of the Earth's upper atmosphere using the techniques of infrared absorption spectroscopy. There are two principal objectives to be met. The first is the determination, on a global scale, of the compositional structure of the upper atmosphere and its spatial variability. The establishment of this variability represents the first step toward determining the characteristic residence times for the upper atmospheric constituents; the magnitudes of their sources and sinks; and, ultimately, an understanding of their effects on the stability of the stratosphere. The second objective is to provide the high-resolution, calibrated spectral information which is essential for the detailed design of advanced instrumentation for subsequent global monitoring of specific species found to be critical to atmospheric stability. This information will be disseminated in the form of a three dimensional atlas of solar absorption spectra obtained over a range of latitudes, longitudes, and altitudes.

Farmer, C. B.↗

X-ray spectroscopy of the galaxy M87 - Radiative accretion of the hot plasma halo

Canizares et al. (1979) have reported the detection of the O VIII Lyman-alpha line from the vicinity of the giant elliptical galaxy M87 in the Virgo cluster. The detection is based on high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy studies performed with the Focal Plane Crystal Spectrometer on the Einstein Observatory. The presence of a strong O VIII line indicates the existence of some material which is cooler than the bulk of the X-ray emitting gas surrounding M87. The result is interpreted as favoring models which call for radiative accretion of the hot gas onto M87. The present investigation is concerned with further high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy of M87. Seven additional emission line blends due primarily to ionized iron have been detected. These data make it possible to derive the approximate distribution of the quantity of emitting material over more than a decade in temperature for the central part of the M87 source. The obtained results are in excellent agreement with expectations for radiative, pressure driven accretion.

Canizares, C. R.↗

Diamond /111/ studied by electron energy loss spectroscopy in the characteristic loss region

Unoccupied surface states on diamond (111) annealed at greater than 900 C are studied by electron energy loss spectroscopy with valence band excitation. A feature found at 2.1 eV loss energy is attributed to an excitation from occupied surface states into unoccupied surface states of energy within the bulk band gap. A surface band gap of approximately 1 eV is estimated. This result supports a previous suggestion for unoccupied band gap states based on core level energy loss spectroscopy. Using the valence band excitation energy loss spectrosocpy, it is also suggested that hydrogen is removed from the as-polished diamond surface by a Menzel-Gomer-Redhead mechanism.

Pepper, S. V.↗

Laser techniques for spectroscopy of core-excited atomic levels

We discuss three techniques which allow the use of tunable lasers for high resolution and picosecond time scale spectroscopy of core-excited atomic levels. These are: anti-Stokes absorption spectroscopy, laser induced emission from metastable levels, and laser designation of selected core-excited levels.

Harris, S. E.↗

Infrared heterodyne spectroscopy of seven gases in the vicinity of chlorine monoxide lines

Chlorine monoxide (ClO) is thought to play an important role in a photochemical cycle which causes the destruction of ozone in the earth's stratosphere. Since lines of the (1,0) fundamental of ClO lie near C-14O2-16, laser lines, IR heterodyne spectroscopy is potentially an important technique for monitoring the ClO abundance. However, due to the presence of lines from other trace atmospheric gases in this spectral range, the interpretation of such observations is ambiguous unless high resolution laboratory measurements support the identifications. Measured frequencies are reported for spectral lines of seven trace atmospheric gases which absorb near the C-14O2-16 laser transitions relevant to the detection of ClO by IR heterodyne spectroscopy.

Weaver, H. A.↗

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy

Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is a useful technique for the study of vibrational modes of molecules adsorbed on the surface of oxide layers in a metal-insulator-metal tunnel junction. The technique involves studying the effects of adsorbed molecules on the tunneling spectrum of such junctions. The data give useful information about the structure, bonding, and orientation of adsorbed molecules. One of the major advantages of inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is its sensitivity. It is capable of detecting on the order of 10 to the 10th molecules (a fraction of a monolayer) on a 1 sq mm junction. It has been successfully used in studies of catalysis, biology, trace impurity detection, and electronic excitations. Because of its high sensitivity, this technique shows great promise in the area of solid-state electronic chemical sensing.

Khanna, S. K.↗

Gamma-ray spectroscopy - Status and prospects

Contemporary gamma-ray spectroscopy instruments and their results are reviewed. Sensitivities of 10 to the -4th to 10 to the -3rd ph/sq cm-sec have been achieved for steady sources and 10 to the -2nd to 1 ph/sq cm-sec for transient sources. This has led to the detection of gamma-ray lines from more than 40 objects representing 6 classes of astrophysical phenomena. The lines carry model-independent information and are of fundamental importance to theoretical modeling and our understanding of the objects. The objectives and anticipated results of future instruments are discussed. Several instruments in development will have a factor of 10 sensitivity improvement to certain phenomena over contemporary instruments. A factor of 100 improvement in sensitivity will allow the full potential of gamma-ray spectroscopy to be realized. Instrument concepts which would achieve this with both present and advanced techniques are discussed.

Matteson, J. L.↗

Remote sensing by IR heterodyne spectroscopy

The use of infrared heterodyne spectroscopy for the study of planetary atmospheres is discussed. Infrared heterodyne spectroscopy provides a convenient and sensitive method for measuring the true intensity profiles of atmospheric spectral lines. Application of radiative transfer theory to measured lineshapes can then permit the study of molecular abundances, temperatures, total pressures, excitation conditions, and dynamics of the regions of line formation. The theory of formation of atmospheric spectral lines and the retrieval of the information contained in these molecular lines is illustrated. Notable successes of such retrievals from infrared heterodyne measurements on Venus, Mars, Jupiter and the earth are given. A discussion of developments in infrared heterodyne technology is also presented. Previously announced in STAR as N83-28551

Kostiuk, T.↗

Measurements of Doppler shifts by gas correlation spectroscopy

IR gas correlation spectroscopy is a sensitive technique for the measurement of small Doppler shifts in spectra. This technique also exhibits several important advantages over alternative methods in the remote sensing of stratospheric and mesospheric winds from spacecraft. Attention is presently given to laboratory tests demonstrating gas correlation spectroscopy's quantitative measurement of small Doppler shifts in spectra, whose close agreement with theoretical predictions suggests that measurements of the change in the radiant flux through a gas correlation spectrometer can be used to measure the relative velocity between gas and instrument for a moving parcel of gas.

Mccleese, D. J.↗

Optogalvanic photodetachment spectroscopy

A new extension to optogalvanic spectroscopy, in which electrons detached from negative ions formed in the discharge are observed as a function of incident laser wavelength, has been developed. The determination of the electron affinities of I(-) and Cl(-) atomic ions is described. The potential of the technique for studying the spectroscopy of molecular negative ions is also discussed.

Mcdermid, I. S.↗

Determination of the C-12/C-13 and O-16/O-18 ratio in the Martian atmosphere by 10 micron heterodyne spectroscopy

The planetary atmosphere of Mars was studied during the opposition of May, 1984, by means of a 10-micron heterodyne receiver mounted at the Cassegrain focus of a 3-m telescope. On the basis of a model of the Martian atmosphere, the isotopic ratios derived from the fully resolved absorption spectra obtained were compared with the results of Viking probe in situ measurements and terrestrial values; agreement is obtained within statistical errors. It is shown that highly resolving spectroscopy allows for the determination of isotopic ratios in remote sensing with a precision that is comparable to that of in situ mass spectroscopy.

Schrey, U.↗

Mass loss from red giants - Infrared spectroscopy

A discussion is presented of IR spectroscopy, particularly high-resolution spectroscopy in the approximately 1-20 micron band, as it impacts the study of circumstellar envelopes. The molecular bands within this region contain an enormous amount of information, especially when observed with sufficient resolution to obtain kinematic information. In a single spectrum, it is possible to resolve lines from up to 50 different rotational/vibrational levels of a given molecule and to detect several different isotopic variants. When high resolution techniques are combined with mapping techniques and/or time sequence observations of variable stars, the resulting information can paint a very detailed picture of the mass-loss phenomenon. To date, near-IR observations have been made of 20 molecular species. CO is the most widely observed molecule and useful information has been gleaned from the observed rotational excitation, kinematics, time variability and spatial structure of its lines. Examples of different observing techniques are discussed in the following sections.

Wannier, P. G.↗

Planetary spectroscopy

Infrared spectroscopic studies of the solar system in support of spacecraft investigations were researched. The studies include the physical behavior of comets, the atmospheres of the gaseous planets, and the solid surfaces of satellites and asteroids. Studies of the gaseous and solid emanations of comets using the techniques of CCD spectroscopy and imaging were focused on. An intensive observational effort was mounted, to observe comet Halley with the recently developed state of the art CCD camera system. Comet P/Giacobini-Zinner was observed. The major emphasis was placed on spectroscopy and a synoptic spectrum at least once a month was obtained. A large number of images of Halley for particular emission species and continuum regions were also obtained. The species in vestigated were: C3 (4060 A), CO+ (4505), C2 (5139), NH2 (5980), H2O+ (6185), OI (6300) and CN (9180).

Fink, U.↗

Thermal imaging spectroscopy in the Kelso-Baker Region, California

The ability of the Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data to identify rock composition using thermal-infrared spectroscopy was assessed. A region was selected with a wide range of rock and soil types in an arid environment, and the spectra acquired by TIMS was compared to laboratory spectra of collected samples. A TIMS image was acquired of the Kelso-Baker region in the Mojave desert of California at a surface resolution of approximately 7 m. This image was then used to map the areal extent of each geologic component. The TIMS data provided an excellent means for discriminating and mapping rocks of very similar mineralogy. These findings suggest that thermal-infrared spectroscopy can provide a powerful tool for identifying and mapping rock composition on the Earth and other terrestrial planets.

Christensen, Philip R.↗