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Suggs, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Suggs, R..

9 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

A Comparison of Radiometric Calibration Techniques for Lunar Impact Flashes

Video observations of lunar impact flashes have been made by a number of researchers since the late 1990's and the problem of determination of the impact energies has been approached in different ways (Bellot Rubio, et al., 2000 [1], Bouley, et al., 2012.[2], Suggs, et al. 2014 [3], Rembold and Ryan 2015 [4], Ortiz, et al. 2015 [5]). The wide spectral response of the unfiltered video cameras in use for all published measurements necessitates color correction for the standard filter magnitudes available for the comparison stars. An estimate of the color of the impact flash is also needed to correct it to the chosen passband. Magnitudes corrected to standard filters are then used to determine the luminous energy in the filter passband according to the stellar atmosphere calibrations of Bessell et al., 1998 [6]. Figure 1 illustrates the problem. The camera pass band is the wide black curve and the blue, green, red, and magenta curves show the band passes of the Johnson-Cousins B, V, R, and I filters for which we have calibration star magnitudes. The blackbody curve of an impact flash of temperature 2800K (Nemtchinov, et al., 1998 [7]) is the dashed line. This paper compares the various photometric calibration techniques and how they address the color corrections necessary for the calculation of luminous energy (radiometry) of impact flashes. This issue has significant implications for determination of luminous efficiency, predictions of impact crater sizes for observed flashes, and the flux of meteoroids in the 10s of grams to kilogram size range.

Suggs, R.↗
NASA NTRS2004

MEM: A physical-based directional meteoroid model

Three years of research conducted by the University of Western Ontario into the nature and distribution of the sporadic sources have been incorporated into a Meteoroid Engineering Model (MEM) by members of the Meteoroid Environments Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. This paper gives a broad overview of this model, new features of which include: a) identification of the sporadic radiants with real sources of meteoroids, such as comets, b) a physics-based approach which yields accurate fluxes and directionality for interplanetary spacecraft anywhere from 0.2 AU to 2 AU. and c) velocity distributions obtained from theory and validated against observation. Its use and application is also described, along with existing limitations and plans for future improvements.

McNamara, H.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Meteoroid Engineering Model (MEM)A Meteoroid Model for the Inner Solar System

In an attempt to overcome some of the deficiencies of existing meteoroid models, NASA's Space Environments and Effects Program sponsored a three year research effort at the University of Western Ontario. The resulting understanding of the sporadic meteoroid environment - particularly the nature and distribution of the sporadic sources - was then incorporated into a new meteoroid environment model (MEM) by members of the Space Environments Team at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. This paper discusses some of the revolutionary aspects of MEM which include: a) identification of the sporadic radiants with real sources of meteoroids, such as comets, b) a physics-based approach which yields accurate fluxes and directionality for interplanetary spacecraft anywhere from .2 AU to 2 AU, and c) velocity distributions obtained from theory and validated against observation. Use of the model, which gives penetrating fluxes and average impact speeds on the surfaces of a cube-like structure are also described, along with its current limitations and plans for future improvements.

McNamara, H.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Mars Surface Ionizing Radiation Environment: Need for Validation

Protection against the hazards from exposure to ionizing radiation remains an unresolved issue in the Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise [1]. The major uncertainty is the lack of data on biological response to galactic cosmic ray (GCR) exposures but even a full understanding of the physical interaction of GCR with shielding and body tissues is not yet available and has a potentially large impact on mission costs. "The general opinion is that the initial flights should be short-stay missions performed as fast as possible (so-called 'Sprint' missions) to minimize crew exposure to the zero-g and space radiation environment, to ease requirements on system reliability, and to enhance the probability of mission success." The short-stay missions tend to have long transit times and may not be the best option due to the relatively long exposure to zero-g and ionizing radiation. On the other hand the short-transit missions tend to have long stays on the surface requiring an adequate knowledge of the surface radiation environment to estimate risks and to design shield configurations. Our knowledge of the surface environment is theoretically based and suffers from an incomplete understanding of the physical interactions of GCR with the Martian atmosphere, Martian surface, and intervening shield materials. An important component of Mars surface robotic exploration is the opportunity to test our understanding of the Mars surface environment. The Mars surface environment is generated by the interaction of Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) and Solar Particle Events (SPEs) with the Mars atmosphere and Mars surface materials. In these interactions, multiple charged ions are reduced in size and secondary particles are generated, including neutrons. Upon impact with the Martian surface, the character of the interactions changes as a result of the differing nuclear constituents of the surface materials. Among the surface environment are many neutrons diffusing from the Martian surface and especially prominent are energetic neutrons with energies up to a few hundred MeV. Testing of these computational results is first supported by ongoing experiments at the Brookhaven National Laboratory but equally important is the validation to the extent possible by measurements on the Martian surface. Such measurements are limited by power and weight requirements of the specific mission and simplified instrumentation by necessity lacks the full discernment of particle type and spectra as is possible with laboratory experimental equipment. Yet, the surface measurements are precise and a necessary requisite to validate our understanding of the surface environment. At the very minimum the surface measurements need to provide some spectral information on the neutron environment. Of absolute necessity is the precise knowledge of the detector response functions for absolute comparisons between the computational model of the surface environment and the detector measurements on the surface.

Wilson, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Assessment of MIR orbital station external condition using Space Shuttle photographic and video imagery

The results of photographic and video surveys conducted on the Mir space station are reported. The observations were performed in order to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the effects of the external deposition and contamination, surface degradation, dynamic events, and micrometeoroid and orbital debris impacts. The lessons learned from Mir imagery observations can be applied to the International Space Station program. The photographic and video data confirm the general good condition of the external surfaces of Mir.

Gaunce, M. T.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Seasonal north-south asymmetry in solar radiation at the top of Jupiter's atmosphere

A selected set of planetocentric latitudes is used in calculations of the seasonal solar radiation pattern incident on top of the Jovian atmosphere, thereby demonstrating the combined effect of solar distance and declination. Attention is given to hemispheric asymmetries in the Jovian atmosphere's average zonal winds and cloud system morphologies. Marked hemispheric asymmetries are noted in the cloud morphology and in the magnitude and latitudinal position of eastward and westward maxima in the average zonal winds, suggesting seasonal forcing on the order of magnitude presently considered. Supporting observations by Voyagers 1 and 2 are cited.

Beebe, R.↗