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At least 1,009 records · Page 56
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NASA NTRS1986

Ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and microwave observations of HR 5110

Near-IR JHKLM photometric data and VLBI and IUE radio burst data collected on the short-period spectroscopic binary HR 5110 are analyzed to classify the object. The observed broadband colors were indicative of an F2 IV primary and a spotted K0 IV secondary. The system is being viewed pole-on, so is observable in the UV since the K companion has filled its Roche lobe. In comparisons of such features of Algol and RS VCn stars as the mass ratio, orbital inclination, presence or absence of evidence for mass streams, accretion disks, and active regions, spectral signatures, etc., sufficient similarities are found to classify HR 5110 as an Algol system.

Little-Marenin, I. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The linear polarization of 3C 345 at milliarcsecond resolution

A polarization-sensitive 6 cm map of the superluminal quasar 3C 345 with angular resolution 2.5 x 4.7 mas was made using four stations of the US VLBI network. The optically thick core is essentially unpolarized, while both of the knots in the jet are highly polarized. The inner knot C3 has m = 11 percent at electric vector position angle chi = 22 deg, and the outer knot C2 has m = 6 percent at chi = 83 deg. Thus the magnetic field appears to be parallel to the jet near its base and to change direction down the jet.

Wardle, J. F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1985

High-angular resolution observations of stellar binary systems

A long-term program designed to investigate the spatial structure of centimetric radio emission from close binary systems using multistation VLBI array is discussed. Eleven binaries, including eight RS CVn systems, Algol, LSI 61 deg 303, and Cyg X-1, have been detected. The measured brightness temperatures vary from T(B) about 10 exp 8.5 K during periods of low activity to T(B) about 10 exp 10.5 K during flares. Extensive observation of a few sources has shown that the spatial structure is 'core-halo' with linear dimensions of about a stellar radius and the binary system, respectively. The observations are consistent with gyrosynchrotron emission of mildly relativistic electrons in magnetic fields of about 10 exp 1.5 + or - 0.5 gauss. The core sources appear to be optically thick, while the halo component is optically thin.

Lestrade, J.-F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Pathfinder - Accuracy improvement of comet Halley trajectory for Giotto navigation

The 'Pathfinder' project uses the resources of NASA, ESA and Intercosmos to support the Giotto space probe flyby of comet Halley. The required 500-km approach to comet Halley on the sunward side was so uncertain as to preclude the trajectory's realization with sufficient accuracy on the basis of ground-based astronomical observations alone. Spaceborne observations by the two Vega satellites were accordingly conducted; these, in combination with a very accurate determination of the Vega trajectories using VLBI, allowed a flyby distance of 600 km to be achieved with only + or - 40 km uncertainty.

Muench, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The evolution of adopted values for precession

The history of astronomical longitude precession determination is reviewed. Consideration is given to the work of Hipparchus and Ptolemy, the definition of rotation axes, the major 19th-century determinations, and 20th-century studies (using the data of Newcomb; based on PGC, GC, and McCormick/Cape catalogs; using FK3, FK4, and AGK3; involving galaxies; and using the dynamical method). Laser ranging and VLBI are seen as the most promising techniques for future precession measurements. Diagrams, graphs, and tables of numerical data are provided.

Lieske, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Precise position measurements of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus systems with the Very Large Array

VLBI observations of the Jovian satellites Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto obtained in 1983, of Titan obtained in 1984, and of Uranus obtained in 1985, all with the VLA at 15 GHz, are used to determine the ephemerides. The results are presented graphically, and it is found that the standard ephemeris reference frame for the outer planets is in error by about -200 marcsec in right ascension.

Muhleman, D. O.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Confining hot spots in 3C 196 - Implications for QSO-companion galaxies

VLBI observations of the extremely compact hot spot in the northern radio lobe of the QSO 3C 196 reveal the angular size of its smallest substructure to be 0.065 arcsec x 0.045 arcsec or about 300 pc at the redshift distance. The morphology of the hot spot and its orientation relative to the more diffuse radio emission suggest that it is formed by an oblique interaction between the nuclear QSO jet and circum-QSO cloud. The inferred density in this cloud, together with its apparent size, imply that the cloud contains a galactic mass, greater than a billion solar masses of gas. The effect of the jet will be to hasten gravitational collapse of the cloud. If many QSOs such as 3C 196 are formed or found in gas-rich environments, the QSO radio phase may commonly stimulate the metamorphosis of circum-QSO gas to QSO-companion galaxies or it may play a significant part in catalyzing star formation in existing companions.

Brown, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Pathfinder operations

In 1981, the Inter-Agency Consultative Group (composed of European, Soviet, Japanese and American space agency representatives) conceived the idea of using the two Soviet Vega spacecraft as pathfinders for Giotto since they would arrive at Halley's Comet approximately one week before Giotto. The Vega trajectory data and the Halley camera angle data were combined to improve the comet orbit accuracy. This was used to improve the Giotto fly-by targeting. The DSN performed delta DOR (VLBI) and one-way Doppler measurements of the Vega spacecraft for orbit determination. Although the early part-up phase had many problems, the results during the critical November 30, 1985 to March 4, 1986 operational phase had an overall 95 percent success rate, with 59 successes out of 62 two-station passes.

Wilcher, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A VLSI architecture of a binary updown counter

A pipeline binary updown counter with many bits is developed which can be used in a variety of applications. One such application includes the design of a digital correlator for very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). The advantage of the presently conceived approach over the previous techniques is that the number of logic operations involved in the design of the binary updown counter can be reduced substantially. The architecture design using these methods is regular, simple, expandable and, therefore, naturally suitable for VLSI implementation.

Reed, I. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Fiducial reference for the HIPPARCOS reference system

The groundwork was prepared for observations by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to tie the coordinate system of the European Astrometry Satellite HIPPARCOS to an extragalactic (VLBI) reference frame, and to determine the rotation of the HIPPARCOS frame with respect to the extragalactic frame. A total of 90 Extragalactic Optical Objects (EGOs) were determined in the vicinity (angular separation less than 18 arcminutes) of 160 HIPPARCOS stars (brighter than about 11.0 magnitude, mostly SAO stars brighter than 10.5), evenly distributed over the sky, to be used to tie the HIPPARCOS system to the Extragalactic Reference Frame. The pairs are to be observed with the HST Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS), sometimes in conjunction with the HST Planetary Camera, in order to determine the relative positions and motions of the individual HIPPARCOS stars with respect to the EGOs. The data base which contains the optical information used to generate the HST Guaranteed Observing Time (GTO) proposal is included.

Duncombe, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A unified lunar control network

Mapping network control on the Moon is composed of a number of independent regional networks. These networks frequently have different origins but never have common ties, even in overlapping areas. The objective of the unified network program is to tie the regional networks into a single consistent planetwide control network. The plan is to start with the best defined regions, create common ties with neighboring data sets, and then expand into poorly defined regions. The most accurately defined points on the Moon are locations of the laser ranging retroreflectors and the VLBI measurements of the locations of the Apollo 15, 16, 17 ALSEP stations. Recent values for the coordinates of the retroreflectors have been received. The accuracy of these locations is about 30 m and their locations are used to define the center-of-mass and, hence, the origin of the unified lunar coordinate system. The coordinates of the retroreflectors are given in both principal axis and mean Earth/Polar axis systems. Mean Earth/Polar axis coordinates have been recommended by the IAU for the Moon. The difference in the coordinates is important, more than 600 m in latitude and longitude.

Davies, Merton E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Antenna Technology Shuttle Experiment (ATSE)

Numerous space applications of the future will require mesh deployable antennas of 15 m in diameter or greater for frequencies up to 20 GHz. These applications include mobile communications satellites, orbiting very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) astrophysics missions, and Earth remote sensing missions. A Lockheed wrap rip antennas was used as the test article. The experiments covered a broad range of structural, control, and RF discipline objectives, which is fulfilled in total, would greatly reduce the risk of employing these antenna systems in future space applications. It was concluded that a flight experiment of a relatively large mesh deployable reflector is achievable with no major technological or cost drivers. The test articles and the instrumentation are all within the state of the art and in most cases rely on proven flight hardware. Every effort was made to design the experiments for low cost.

Freeland, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1986

North American-Pacific relative plate motion in southern California from interferometry

VLBI measurements of baselines crossing the San Andreas fault zone in southern California have provided observational constraints on rates of elastic tectonic strain accumulation. The single site located near this fault (the JPL site) moves in a direction concordant with the Pacific plate motion vector but at approximately half the net rate relative to North America. This motion agrees approximately in amount with geologically determined displacement rates on the San Andreas fault alone but not with the local strike of the fault. When considered together with complementary geodetic data, these results suggest a complex relation between the short-term accumulation of elastic strain and its permanent accommodation on existing faults.

Lyzenga, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Deep space network enhancement for the Galileo mission to Jupiter

The Galileo mission to Jupiter has unique scientific objectives never attempted before by a planetary mission. These objectives have presented technical challenges to the NASA Deep Space Network. New technologies and system concepts have been developed to meet these challenges. Major implementations are underway to equip the ground stations in the Network. Significant improvement in performance is expected. The ground-based navigation is expected to achieve an angular precision of 50 nanoradians using very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI). The frequency stability of the ground instrument will be 5 x 10 to the -15th for the detection of gravitational waves. The precision of the Faraday rotation angle measurement of the spacecraft signal will be better than 2 degrees.

Peng, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Possible detection of the earth's free-core nutation

The 5.5 years of VLBI observations primarily collected under project IRIS are used to search for evidence of the free-core nutation (FCN). The observations are consistent with an irregular excitation process, and a model which assumes a step excitation in the FCN amplitude to about 2.0 milliseconds of arc in late 1985 fits the data well. Theoretical analysis appears to rule out the strong Mexican earthquake of September 19, 1985, as a cause of the excitation.

Robertson, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The Vega balloon experiment - Initial results from the global radio tracking

A unique global array of 20 radio telescopes provided 24-h telemetry acquisition of meteorological data from the Vega balloons and differential VLBI measurements of their trajectories. Initial Doppler-tracking analysis indicates mean zonal wind velocities of 69 + or - 1 and 66 + or - 1 m/sec at the Vega 1 and Vega 2 float heights, and discloses an anomaly in the Vega 2 trajectory above the mountains in Aphrodite Terra.

Preston, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Evidence for intrinsically asymmetrical radio structure in the nucleus of NGC 6251

High dynamic range VLBI hybrid maps of the nucleus of NGC 6251 at 18 cm have been made in order to study its structure. The maps are consistent with a simple two-sided relativistic beaming model of the nucleus only if the radio axis is aligned within 10 deg of the line of sight and the flow velocity in the two jets is greater than 0.7c. This implies an unreasonably large physical size for the extended radio emission associated with this galaxy. The most plausible alternative explanation is that both jets are transporting energy to the radio lobes continuously, but that the counterjet is much less efficient at converting a fraction of this energy into radio emission than the brighter jet is.

Jones, Dayton L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Tectonic motions in California inferred from very long baseline interferometry observations, 1980-1984

Using VLBI, three baselines of 150-300 km length within California, and three baselines of 1500 km length between California and Texas, measured between 1980 and 1984, have been fitted to a steady plane/strain rotation model. The observed rate of displacement across the southern San Andreas fault is in agreement with other contemporary rate estimates near 3 cm/yr. Discrepancies between these rates and indicators of relative plate motion near 6 cm/yr seem to be related to local departures of the San Andreas system from the expected strike of the plate boundary. Results support a regional distribution of elastic strain that is offset in about the same sense and amount as the Big Bend of the San Andreas fault, and finite element simulations suggest that tractions on the base of the crust that accompany mantle downswelling beneath the Transverse Ranges could contribute to these strain inhomogeneities.

Lyzenga, Gregory A.↗