Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Shapiro, I. I.

Publications and source records attributed to Shapiro, I. I..

At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1973

The Mariner 9 celestial mechanics experiment

There are two main objectives in the Mars gravity field analysis. The first is to generate a picture of the gravity field which can be used in conjunction with other types of data to elucidate the interior, surface structure, and history of Mars. The second is to aid the orbit determination aspect of the relativity experiment. In an effort to extract from the data a Mars gravity model of reasonable fidelity, various spherical harmonic models have been made. A parallel effort using a surface mass representation involves the differentiation of Doppler residuals for acceleration contours.

Lorell, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Time-delay test of general relativity and Earth-Mars ephemeris improvement from analysis of Mariner 9 tracking data

Because of the large systematic errors that accompany the conversion of spacecraft ranging data to equivalent Earth-Mars time delays, the corresponding determination of gamma does not now allow the predictions of general relativity to be distinguished from those of the Brans-Dicke scalar-tensor theory with the fraction s of scalar field admixture being 0.06. The uncertainty in the determination of (1 plus gamma)/2 at the present stage of the Mariner 9 data analysis is at about the 10% level. The ephemeris of Mars suffers from the same problem: Only with the elimination of a major fraction of the systematic errors affecting the Mariner 9 pseudo observables will a truly substantial improvement be possible in the determination of the orbit.

Shapiro, I. I.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Mariner 9 celestial mechanics experiment - A status report.

There are two basic efforts in the Mariner 9 celestial mechanics experiment: the determination of the gravity field of Mars and the performance of a very precise test of the theory of general relativity. In addition, there are a number of astrodynamic constants that are being determined. All the analyses are based on the Mariner 9 radio tracking data.

Lorell, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Venus - Radar determination of gravity potential.

We describe a method for the determination of the gravity potential of Venus from multiple-frequency radar measurements. The method is based on the strong frequency dependence of the absorption of radio waves in Venus' atmosphere. Comparison of the differing radar reflection intensities at several frequencies yields the height of the surface relative to a reference pressure contour; combination with measurements of round-trip echo delays allows the pressure, and hence the gravity potential contour, to be mapped relative to the mean planet radius. Since calibration data from other frequencies are unavailable, the absorption-sensitive Haystack Observatory data have been analyzed under the assumption of uniform surface reflectivity to yield a gravity equipotential contour for the equatorial region and a tentative upper bound of .0006 on the fractional difference of Venus' principal equatorial moments of inertia.

Shapiro, I. I.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Gravity field of Mars from Mariner 9 tracking data.

Further reduction of Doppler tracking data from Mariner 9 confirms our earlier conclusion that the gravity field of Mars is considerably rougher than the fields of either the earth or the moon. The largest positive gravity anomaly uncovered is in the Tharsis region which is also topographically high and geologically unusual. The value obtained for the inverse mass of Mars is in good agreement with prior determinations from Mariner fly by trajectories. The direction found for the rotational pole of Mars is in excellent agreement with Sinclair's recent value, determined from earth-based observations of Mars' satellites. Other important physical constants that have either been refined or confirmed by the Mariner 9 data include: (1) the dynamical flattening, (2) the maximum principal moment of inertia, and (3) the period of precession of Mars' pole.

Lorell, J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Topography and radar scattering properties of Mars.

High-resolution radar observations of Mars at a wavelength of 3.8 cm have been carried out at the Haystack Observatory for a period of about 6 months surrounding the 1971 opposition. The relative surface height variation with longitude over a band of Martian latitudes between about -14 and -22 deg has been derived from these observations with an error of about 75 m in the most favorable cases. At -14 deg latitude, the dielectric constant was found to increase steadily from about 1.7 at 70 deg W to about 5.0 at 110 deg W. Over the same interval the rms surface slopes vary from 2 to 1 deg.

Pettengill, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Time, geodesy, and astrometry: Results from radio interferometry

The results from a total of a dozen transcontinental and intercontinental VLBI experiments are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on: (1) the inferred behavior of the frequency standards, usually hydrogen masers, on time scales from 10 to 100,000 seconds; (2) the estimated celestial positions of the observed radio sources; (3) the determinations of the vector baselines; and (4) the inferred values of polar motion and UT.1.

Clark, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Lunar topography - Global determination by radar.

Previous methods used for two-dimensional radar mapping of the moon are contrasted with new techniques that add altitude information to the radar map. Delay-Doppler stereoscopy and delay-Doppler interferometry are shown to provide surface-height variations with higher accuracy and better global fidelity than has been possible previously. Sample results are presented for altitude contours on the moon as obtained with the Haystack and Westford radar systems of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An appendix describes the mathematical principles of delay-Doppler interferometry in determining the position of an arbitrary reflecting region of the lunar surface from measurements of the time delay, Doppler shift, and fringe phase of radar echoes from that region.

Shapiro, I. I.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Precision geodesy via radio interferometry.

Very-long-baseline interferometry experiments, involving observations of extragalactic radio sources, were performed in 1969 to determine the vector separations between antenna sites in Massachusetts and West Virginia. The 845.130-kilometer baseline was estimated from two separate experiments. The results agreed with each other to within 2 meters in all three components and with a special geodetic survey to within 2 meters in length; the differences in baseline direction as determined by the survey and by interferometry corresponded to discrepancies of about 5 meters. The experiments also yielded positions for nine extragalactic radio sources and allowed the hydrogen maser clocks at the two sites to be synchronized.

Hinteregger, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Interferometric observations of an artificial satellite.

Very-long-baseline interferometric observations of radio signals from the TACSAT synchronous satellite, even though extending over only 7 hours, have enabled an excellent orbit to be deduced. Precision in differential delay and delay-rate measurements reached 0.15 nanosecond and 0.05 picosecond per second, respectively. The results from this initial three-station experiment demonstrate the feasibility of using the method for accurate satellite tracking and for geodesy.

Preston, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Mercury's perihelion advance - Determination by radar.

Measurement of echo delays of radar signals transmitted from earth to Mercury, yielding an accurate value for the advance of the latter's perihelion position. Given that the sun's gravitational quadrupole moment is negligible, the result in terms of the Eddington-Robertson parameters is (2 + 2 gamma-beta)/3 approximately equal to 1.005 plus or minus 0.007, where gamma = beta = 1 in general relativity, and where 0.007 represents the statistical standard error. Inclusion of the probable contribution of systematic errors raises the uncertainty to about 0.02.

Shapiro, I. I.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Wind speeds in lower atmosphere of Venus: Status report on possible measurement via differential VLBI tracking of entry probes

The potential of very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) is examined for use in the determination of wind speeds in Venus' lower atmosphere via the differential tracking of entry probes. A simplified mathematical model is presented in detail. An incomplete error analysis based on this model permits an educated guess to be made: an uncertainty in wind speed determination of no more than about 100/t m/sec, where t l is the corresponding time resolution in seconds, is an achievable goal, without the use of transponders on the miniprobes. If transponders are available on all probes, there should be little difficulty in estimating wind speeds with useful precision.

Shapiro, I. I.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Venus - Topography revealed by radar data.

Surface height variations over the entire equatorial region on Venus have been estimated from extended series of measurements of interplanetary radar echo delays. Most notable is a mountainous section of about 3-kilometer peak height located at a longitude of 100 degrees (International Astronomical Union coordinate system). The eastern edge has an average inclination of about 0.5 degrees, which is unusually steep for a large-scale slope on Venus. The resolution of the radar measurements along the surface of Venus varied between about 200 and 400 kilometers with a repeatability in altitude determination generally between 200 and 500 meters. The mean equatorial radius was found to be 6050.0 plus or minus 0.5 kilometers.

Campbell, D. B.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Radio science experiments - The Viking Mars Orbiter and Lander.

The objective of the radio science investigations is to extract the maximum scientific information from the data provided by the radio and radar systems on the Viking Orbiters and Landers. Unique features of the Viking missions include tracking of the landers on the surface of Mars, dual-frequency S- and X-band tracking data from the orbiters, lander-to-orbiter communications system data, and lander radar data, all of which provide sources of information for a number of scientific investigations. Post-flight analyses will provide both new and improved scientific information on physical and surface properties of Mars, on atmospheric and ionospheric properties of Mars, and on solar system properties.

Michael, W. H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Mariner 9 celestial mechanics experiment - Gravity field and pole direction of Mars.

Analysis of the Mariner 9 radio-tracking data shows that the Martian gravity field is rougher than that of earth or the moon, and that the accepted direction of the Mars rotation axis is in error by about 0.5 deg. Contours of equivalent surface heights deduced from a sixth-degree solution for the Martian gravity field are presented. These contours represent the deviations from sphericity of a uniformly dense body with an external potential which is given by the first sixth-degree solution. In addition to Doppler observations, ranging or group-delay measurements have been made regularly since orbit insertion.

Lorell, J.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Martian craters and a scarp as seen by radar.

Radar observations of Mars with a surface resolution of 1.3 deg in latitude and 0.8 deg in longitude have been carried out during the opposition of 1971. With a precision in surface height measurement approaching 75 meters in regions of high reflectivity, it has been possible to measure the detailed characteristics of a number of craters. Many of these can be identified with craters shown in Mariner photographs of Mars. In addition, a scarp has been seen at 41 deg west, 14 deg south with an average slope of about 6 deg extending over about 40 kilometers.

Pettengill, G. H.↗