Engineering topics

Rumsey, H. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Rumsey, H. C..

6 records

NASA NTRS1989

A simple model for DSS-14 outage times

A model is proposed to describe DSS-14 outage times. Discrepancy Reporting System outage data for the period from January 1986 through September 1988 are used to estimate the parameters of the model. The model provides a probability distribution for the duration of outages, which agrees well with observed data. The model depends only on a small number of parameters, and has some heuristic justification. This shows that the Discrepancy Reporting System in the Deep Space Network (DSN) can be used to estimate the probability of extended outages in spite of the discrepancy reports ending when the pass ends. The probability of an outage extending beyond the end of a pass is estimated as around 5 percent.

Rumsey, H. C.↗

NASA NTRS1980

A new radar determination of the spin vector of Venus

Two radar observations of a set of three relatively small features on the surface of Venus have facilitated a refined determination of the spin vector of Venus. The period is found to be 243.019 + or 0.014 days, while the obliquity is 177.22 + or - 0.18 deg. The effects of deviations from exact sphericity on the interpretation of the measurements are discussed at length and the question of resonance with earth is reexamined.

Zohar, S.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Venus radar brightness and altitude images

Seven radar-brightness and altitude images are presented. They are each of a small circular region within the equatorial belt of Venus. Resolution is, typically, 10 by 10 km; altitude contour spacing is 500 m. In addition, an image of the large rough feature, beta, is presented with 25 by 25 km resolution.

Goldstein, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Venus radar images

The paper presents a set of seven radar brightness images and the corresponding altitude contours of small portions (circular regions of 1500-km diameter) of the Venus surface located at the center of the disk taken in the winter of 1973-1974. The regions imaged are arranged in an equatorial belt on the one face of Venus which is always seen on the occasions of closest approach to earth. A real resolution for the images is, typically, 100 x 10 km, while altitude resolution is 500 m.

Goldstein, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1974

A radar brightness and altitude image of a portion of Venus

High-resolution radar data, taken from over the 1500-km circular area that was at the center of the planetary disk on June 20, 1972, show that this part of Venus is nearly flat and cratered. The largest crater is 160 km across, but only about 500 m deep. The smallest craters that can be resolved are about 35 km across.

Rumsey, H. C.↗

NASA NTRS1972

A radar image of Venus.

Radar scans of Venus have yielded a brightness map of a large portion of the surface. The bright area in the south (alpha) and the twin such areas in the north (beta and delta) were first discovered by spectral analysis of radar echos. When range-gating is also applied, their shapes are revealed, and they are seen to be roundish and about 1000 km across. Although radar brightness can be the result of either intrinsic reflectivity or surface roughness, polarization studies show these features to be rough (to the scale of the wavelength, 12.5 cm). Dark, circular areas can also be seen, many with bright central spots. The dark areas are probably smooth. The blurring of the equatorial strip is an artifact of the range-Doppler geometry; all resolution disappears at the equator. Another artifact of the method is the 'ghost', in the south, of the images of beta and delta. Such ghosts appear only at the eastern and western extremes of the map.

Goldstein, R. M.↗