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At least 1,009 records · Page 56
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NASA NTRS1986

The atmospheric excitation of earth orientation changes during MERIT

Geodetic estimates of earth orientation variations detected during the MERIT campaign (September 1983-November 1984) are compared with corresponding meteorological data. The geodetic data were obtained using VLBI, lunar laser ranging, and satellite laser ranging and the meteorological data were from the NMC in the U.S. and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMRWF) in the U.K. The effects of changes in pressure, wind, and the inverted barometer ocean response on the excitation of the polar motion and the length of day are examined. The comparison between the meteorological and geodetic data reveals that the equatorial vector component of the atmospheric angular momentum (AAM) has significant annual and semiannual variations. Good correlation is detected between the geodetic polar motion data and the NMC pressure inverted barometer data combined with the ECMRWF wind estimates and semiannual agreement with the NMC pressure data is observed. There is also good correlation between the ECMRWF and NMC polar vector component of the AAM data and the geodetic length of day estimates, and good semiannual agreement with NMC pressure data is noted.

Eubanks, T. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A GSFC alternative to the SLR MERIT constants

The use of the Lageos satellite to monitor the earth's orientation is examined. The derivations of long wavelength ocean tidal parameters, a geocentric gravitational constant of 398,600.436 cu km/ sq sec + or - 0.0001 cu km/sq sec, and Love numbers using Lageos laser ranging data are described. The uncertainties of the geopotential model, GEM-L2 of Lerch et al. (1982), are discussed. The calculation of polar motion using the Lageos constants is considered. The Lageos constants are tested by applying them to independent laser ranging data. It is determined that the new constants improve the rms of fit to independent Lageos data and improve the earth orientation parameters compared to VLBI data obtained during the IRIS project.

Christodoulidis, Demosthenes C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Navigation of spacecraft on deep space missions

The control of deep mission spacecraft by computing and signaling to the spacecraft a series of propulsive, velocity correction commands which maneuver the craft to its desired course is examined. The technical elements of the global navigation system (measurement, communications, computation, and propulsion) are described. The ground-computing facilities used to navigate spacecraft on deep space missions consist of computer and software systems used to compute orbits from radio tracking and on-board optical image data (radio, Doppler, and VLBI measurements). The accuracy of these measurements is evaluated, and the modeling of the data is discussed. Examples concerned with the navigation of Voyager and Galileo are presented.

Jordan, James F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

GPS-based geodesy in California, Mexico and the Caribbean

The NASA GPS-based geophysical geodetics system will be capable of 1-3 cm relative position accuracies on regional baselines and GPS ephemerides with submeter accuracies. Simultaneity and mutual visibility allow high differential carrier phase and group delay measurements to be obtained without clock errors. Both mobile GPS terminal sites and fiducial sites whose locations are accurately maintained by independent VLBI and SLR systems are to be used. A system validation and multiyear measurement program is under way.

Melbourne, W. G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Optical and near-infrared observations of BL Lacertae objects and active quasars

UBVRI and JHK photometric and polarimetric observations, obtained using the 1.5-m UCSD/UM telescope at Mount Lemmon, AZ during 1982-1984, are reported for a sample of 10 BL Lac objects, eight optically violent variable quasars, and the low-polarization quasar 3C 273. The data are presented in extensive tables and graphs and analyzed in detail. Most of the objects are found to have undergone large polarization variations on time scales ranging from 1 d to several months; five objects had fractional linear polarization P greater than 30 percent at least once during the period of observation, but four never had P greater than 10 percent. Of four objects which exhibited a preferred polarization position angle (theta), three had theta within 20 deg of the jet position angle determined by VLBI.

Smith, Paul S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The rotation of the earth

In the four years between 1983 and 1986, two developments have led to significant improvement in the measurements and theoretical studies of the earth's rotation: the upgrading of the laser network of the NASA, and the expansion of VLBI observations. In this report, observations conducted with the purpose of regular monitoring of the earth's orientation are described, and the use of the data to compute variations in the length of the day and to determine corrections to the earth's nutation are discussed. The improved accuracy and resolution of recent observations made it also possible to measure and account for polar motion on time scales of a month or less.

King, Robert W.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Basic research for the geodynamics program

Additional results are presented concerning a study that considers improvements over present Earth Rotation Parameter (ERP) determination methods by directly combining observations from various space geodetic systems in one adjustment. Earlier results are extended, showing that in addition to slight improvements in accuracy, substantial (a factor of three or more) improvements in precision and significant reductions in correlations between various parameters can be obtained (by combining Lunar Laser Ranging - LLR, Satellite Laser Ranging - SLR to Lageos, and Very Long Baseline Interferometry - VLBI data in one adjustment) as compared to results from individual systems. Smaller improvements are also seen over the weighted means of the individual system results. Although data transmission would not be significantly reduced, negligible additional computer time would be required if (standardized) normal equations were available from individual solutions. Suggestions for future work and implications for the New Earth Rotation Service (IERS) are also presented.

Mueller, Ivan I.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A 2.3-GHz low-noise cryo-FET amplifier

A cryogenic cooled, low-noise Field Effect Transistor (FET) amplifier assembly for use at 2.2 to 2.3 GHz was developed for the DSN to meet the requirements of a Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) upgrade. An amplifier assembly was developed at JPL that uses a commercial closed-cycle helium refrigerator (CCR) to cool a FET amplifier to an operating temperature of 15 K. A cooled probe waveguide-to-coaxial transition similar to that used in the research and development Ultra-Low-Noise S-band Traveling Wave Maser (TWM) is used to minimize input line losses. Typical performance includes an input flange equivalent noise contribution of 14.5 K, a gain slope of less than 0.05 dB/MHz across a bandwidth of 2.2 to 2.3 GHz, an input VSWR of 1.5:1 at 2.25 GHz, and an insertion gain of 45 + or - 1 dB across the bandwidth of 2.2 to 2.3 GHz. Three 2.3 GHz FET/CCR assemblies were delivered to the DSN in the spring of 1987.

Loreman, J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Radio observations of a few selected blazars

The paper presents total-intensity and linear-polarization observations of four selected blazars, 0716+714, 0752+258, 1156+295 and 1400+162, with the VLA A-array, and MERLIN and EVN observations of 1400+162. The sources 0752+258 and 1400+162 which have nearly constant optical polarization, have well-defined double-lobed radio structure, with relatively weak radio cores, and are likely to be at large viewing angles. In addition, 0752+258 appears to be a twin-jet blazar. The position angle (PA) of the VLBI jet in 1400+162 is close to that of the arcsec-scale jet near the nucleus, as well as the optical and 2-cm core polarization PAs. The blazars 0716+714 and 1156+295, which exhibit strongly variable optical polarization, have a core-dominated radio structure and perhaps have their jet axes close to the line-of-sight. From polarization observations at 20, 18, 6, and 2 cm, it is found that the rotation measure of the radio core in 0716+714 is about -20 rad/sq m. It is suggested that low values of core rotation measure in core-dominated sources could be consistent with the relativistic beaming models.

Saikia, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Superluminal motion in the double-lobed quasar 3C 245

VLBI observations of 3C 245 obtained at 10.7 GHz with the Mark III array at five epochs in 1981-1986 are reported. The data-reduction and model-fitting procedures are explained, and the results are presented in tables, graphs, and maps along with previously published data on 11 other superluminal sources. The central component of the quasar is found to have an apparent transverse velocity of (3.1 + or - 1.4) c/h, assuming H0 = 100h km/s Mpc and q0 = 0.5. From the apparent source orientation (based on R, variability, apparent curvature, and projected linear size) it is inferred that the apparent transverse velocity is anticorrelated with the angle to the line of sight, as predicted by relativistic-beaming models of superluminal motion.

Hough, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Circumstellar interaction and a pulsar nebula in the supenova 1986j

It is shown here that the circumstellar interaction model for radio supernovae provides an adequate fit to the existing data on supernova SN1986j. The model implies a time of explosion of about January 1983 and provides a guide for the future evolution of the radio source. A shell-like source structure is expected. The model, together with VLBI observations of the radio source, implies a shock velocity of about 10,000 km/s and a presupernova mass loss rate of about 0.0001 solar mass/yr for a wind velocity of 10 km/s. The time behavior of the optical flux and its high luminosity suggest that a central pulsar nebula is the energy source. The required properties are comparable to those expected in the early phases of the Crab nebula.

Chevalier, Roger A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Millimeter-wave spectra and variability of bright, compact radio sources

Observations at 2.7 mm and at 1.5 cm were used to study the millimeter spectra and variability of 176 bright, compact radio sources. More than 20 percent of the flat-spectrum sources, but none of the steep-spectrum sources, were seen to vary at 1.5 cm by at least 30 percent over ten months. This is consistent with the hypothesis that flat-spectrum sources are compact and possibly beamed, while steep-spectrum sources are not. These data can also be used to choose sources for VLBI observations and for calibration of millimeter-wave observations.

Edelson, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Evidence for a radio flare in the nucleus of Virgo A

An increase in radio emission has been observed in the nucleus of the galaxy Virgo A by use of VLBI measurements. These 2.29 GHz observations show that the correlated flux density of the milliarcsec structure increased by 30 percent during a four month period in 1977, and eventually returned to the preflare level of about 0.6 Jy. Previous evidence had indicated that the nuclear radio emission was stable, a surprising result for an active galactic nucleus.

Morabito, David D.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Australian radio observations of SN1987A - A progress report

Regular monitoring of SN 1987A in the radio spectrum is being conducted at a number of Australian observatories. Although no emission is detectable at present, a VLBI network has been established to map a possible major outburst at high resolution.

Reynolds, John E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A review of decametric radio astronomy - Instruments and science

The techniques and instruments used in Galactic and extragalactic radio astronomy at dkm wavelengths are surveyed, and typical results are summarized. Consideration is given to the large specialized phased arrays used for early surveys, the use of wideband elements to increase frequency agility, experimental VLBI observations, and limitations on ground-based observations below about 10 MHz (where the proposed LF Space Array, with resolution 0.5-5 arcmin, could make a major contribution). Observations discussed cover the Galactic center, the Galactic background radiation, SNRs, compact Galactic sources, the ISM, and large extragalactic sources.

Erickson, W. C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Intrinsic asymmetry in NGC 6251

The giant radio galaxy NGC 6251, which has a one-sided 'core-jet' structure on parsec scales and sufficient density for mapping with the Mark II VLBI system, is studied. The large-scale radio structure of this source suggests that it is not being seen 'end-on' and that the basic relativistic beaming model thus does not explain the observed asymmetry in this source. The possibility that the parsec-scale asymmetry in the source is due to intrinsic factors is discussed.

Jones, Dayton L.↗