Engineering topics

Michelson, P. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Michelson, P. F..

24 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1991

Searches for millisecond pulsations in low-mass X-ray binaries

High-sensitivity search techniques for millisecond periods are presented and applied to data from the Japanese satellite Ginga and HEAO 1. The search is optimized for pulsed signals whose period, drift rate, and amplitude conform with what is expected for low-class X-ray binary (LMXB) sources. Consideration is given to how the current understanding of LMXBs guides the search strategy and sets these parameter limits. An optimized one-parameter coherence recovery technique (CRT) developed for recovery of phase coherence is presented. This technique provides a large increase in sensitivity over the method of incoherent summation of Fourier power spectra. The range of spin periods expected from LMXB phenomenology is discussed, the necessary constraints on the application of CRT are described in terms of integration time and orbital parameters, and the residual power unrecovered by the quadratic approximation for realistic cases is estimated.

Wood, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1981

On the maintenance of the Venus nightside ionosphere - Electron precipitation and plasma transport

The relative contributions of electron precipitation and transport of dayside plasma to the maintenance of the Venus nightside ionosphere during the long Venusian night are investigated based on simultaneous Pioneer Venus Orbiter Retarding Potential Analyzer measurements of suprathermal electron fluxes and plasma densities. In about 20 orbits, the nightside integral electron flux of electrons with energies between 5 and 45 eV is observed to be relatively constant in time and altitude, while plasma density is observed to vary by a factor of 10 or more with no correlation with the electron flux. Ionization rates and ion density height profiles are computed for O(+) and O2(+) as a function of magnetic dip angle based on a typical electron spectrum, or a downward flux of O(+) ions. Comparison of the computed profiles with the measured median O(+) and O2(+) density profiles reveals that the measured profiles can only be reproduced by a downward flux of O(+) equal to about 10 to the 8th/sq cm per sec; suprathermal electron energy distributions produce O2(+) and O(+) levels only about half and one tenth those usually observed, respectively. It is thus concluded that transport of O(+) ions from the dayside Venus ionosphere is responsible for approximately 75% of the typical nightside ionization, with variations in O(+) transport mechanism responsible for most of the observed nightside density variations. The remaining ionization is attributed to suprathermal electrons, which contribute principally to the O2(+) peak.

Spenner, K.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Suprathermal electron energy distribution within the dayside Venus ionosphere

The suprathermal electron energy distribution for the dayside ionosphere has been derived from data returned by the Pioneer-Venus orbiter retarding potential analyzer. The shape and magnitude of the spectrum are consistent with the assumption that solar EUV radiation is the only significant source. The magnitude of the spectrum and its variation with altitude suggest that significant vertical transport occurs, with the electrons being lost through the ionopause. In turn, significant vertical transport suggests that the effective vertical electron heat conductivity may be comparable to the field-free value. The heat input to the thermal electron gas from the measured suprathermal electron flux is too small by a factor of at least five to maintain the observed electron temperature profile if the electron thermal conductivity is assumed to be close to the field-free value. It is thus inferred that most of the heat is supplied by the solar wind.

Knudsen, W. C.↗

NASA NTRS1977

The upper ionosphere of Titan

Photoionization of the upper atmosphere of Titan by sunlight is expected to produce a substantial ionospheric layer. One-dimensional forms of the mass, momentum, and energy conservation equations for ions and electrons have been solved along with electron number densities of about 1000/cu cm, using various model atmospheres. The significant ions in a CH4-H2 atmosphere are H(+), H3(+), CH5(+), CH3(+), and C2H5(+). Electron temperatures may be as high as 1000 K, depending on the abundance of hydrogen in the high atmosphere. Interaction of the solar wind with the ionosphere is also discussed.

Whitten, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1976

On the energy deposition of photoelectrons in the atmosphere of Venus

Vertical components of photoelectron fluxes in the atmosphere of Venus are computed by solving an appropriate form of the Boltzmann equation in the cases where there is no flux of either photoelectrons or solar-wind particles across the ionopause and where photoelectrons are free to escape from the atmosphere. It is assumed that Venus has no magnetic field and that the atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide, atomic oxygen, and helium. The results are plotted as a function of altitude for several energies in the range from 100 eV to a cutoff of the order of 1 eV. Heating rates for the two upper boundary conditions and the case of no spatial transport are determined which show that transport effects dominate at altitudes greater than about 200 km. Electron temperatures are calculated for the adopted model atmosphere and ionosphere by solving the pertinent conservation equation, and excitation rates are computed for the CO Cameron band as well as the CO2(+) A and B bands.

Mccormick, P. T.↗

NASA NTRS1975

The ionosphere and atmosphere of Io

A neon atmosphere and ionosphere is proposed for Io, based on Pioneer 10 observations of the peak electron number density, height of the peak above the surface, and the topside plasma scale height. Calculations of mass, momentum and energy equations for a neon atmosphere yield results that are in reasonable agreement with the observations. A nitrogen atmosphere and a neon-argon-helium atmosphere are also considered. Calculations of the electron number density of a neon ionosphere also yield reasonable agreement with observations. It is noted that Io has about the same mass and radius as the moon, and that Apollo mass spectrometer measurements indicated an abundance of neon in the lunar atmosphere. The presence of other elements, such as hydrogen, helium, and sodium, in Io's atmosphere is also discussed.

Whitten, R. C.↗