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At least 1,279 records · Page 71

Applications of fluidics to light aircraft instrumentation and control

Review of a program for the development of advanced fluidic components and the application of these components to general aviation instrumentation and control. The major project in this category has been the development of a simple, reliable, two-axis autopilot for light aircraft, using a fluidic inertial rate sensor for stability and roll attitude control, and a simple magnetometer for azimuth reference. This autopilot has been succesfully flight-tested. Fluidic hardware developed for this autopilot is described, and projected improvements and extensions are discussed. Application of fluidic components to such flight instruments as turn coordinators, artificial horizons, and true airspeed indicators is explored.

Garner, H. D.↗

Mie scattering of the interplanetary magnetic field by the whole moon

Based on the results of the Apollo magnetometer experiments, it is shown that the wavelength spectrum of the fluctuations of the interplanetary magnetic field includes scales consistent with the radius of the moon. Quadrupole and possibly octupole magnetic multipoles are found in the data and indicate that the moon is excited in several modes.

Sonett, C. P.↗

A discussion of interplanetary postshock flows with two examples

Plasma and magnetometer observations of two types of flare-associated shock flows are described and compared with present models. One type represents a class of flows in which the shock is followed by a stream and separated from it by a region in which density, temperature, and speed decrease monotonically. Neither the blast wave model nor the two-stage model, in which the stream and the shock are attributed to the same flare, can quantitatively describe this class. The other type is characterized by a complex region between the shock and the following stream, which has many discontinuities and fluctuations but in which there is no increase in helium concentration. This class of event is not describable in terms of the conventional pictures presented, for example, by Hundhausen (1972). These two types of flow can be distinguished by using ground magnetograms, since the first type shows no sudden impulses following the shock, whereas the second type shows many.

Ogilvie, K. W.↗

Plasmaspheric hiss intensity variations during magnetic storms

The storm time intensity variations of ELF electromagnetic emissions have been studied by using the Ogo 6 search coil magnetometer. Low-latitude signals exhibit a sharp low-frequency cutoff and are identified as plasmaspheric hiss. Such waves show pronounced intensification during the recovery phase of magnetic storms but remain close to background levels during the storm main phase. This behavior is consistent with cyclotron resonant generation within the plasmasphere as the latter expands into the intensified belt of outer zone electrons during the storm recovery.

Smith, E. J.↗

The motion and magnetic structure of the plasma sheet near 30 earth radii

Data taken by the NASA-GSFC magnetometer aboard the Explorer 34 satellite are analyzed in an effort to ascertain the average motion and magnetic field structure of the plasma sheet near 30 earth radii. It is found that the flapping motion of the plasma sheet in the solar ecliptic Z-coordinate is characterized by a typical speed of 90 km/sec and an amplitude of plus or minus 2 earth radii. Results suggest that there exists a layer of nearly uniform cross-tail current density in the central region of the plasma sheet approximately 2.3-2.6 earth radii thick within which the solar-magnetospheric X-component of the magnetic field changes from 10 gamma to -10 gamma.

Bowling, S. B.↗

Lunar dayside plasma sheet depletion - Inference from magnetic observations

The existence of a day-side lunar cavity in the plasma sheet, showing some depletion of plasma, has been inferred from cavity-associated magnetic characteristics observed by orbital and surface lunar magnetometers. These characteristics include a day-side enhancement in the mean magnetic field and day-side levels of amplification of eddy current induced magnetic field fluctuations typical of cavity confinement.

Schubert, G.↗

Energetic electron scattering from the lunar remanent magnetic field

Description of a new technique for the detection of surface remanent magnetic fields from lunar orbiting spacecraft. Energetic (approximately 14-keV) electrons in the particle population surrounding the moon are observed by the Apollo 15 and 16 Subsatellite particle experiments to be scattered back up from the lunar surface by remanent magnetic fields. The regions of intense lunar remanent magnetization discovered by the Apollo 15 and 16 Subsatellite magnetometers are observed to strongly scatter the 14-keV electrons. In addition, several previously unreported regions of surface remanent magnetization on the lunar near-side are evident from the electron observation.

Howe, H. C.↗

An elementary magnetic attitude control system

A three-axis closed-loop attitude-control system for earth-observatory momentum-bias spacecraft is proposed. A horizon scanner and magnetometer are employed to measure attitude errors; no yaw sensor is required. Appropriate control signals are generated and used to command variable-strength electromagnets, which interact with the geomagnetic field to reduce observed errors. This system provides for initial acquisition, precession control, nutation damping, and pitch-axis momentum control. All functions are performed autonomously - no ground-station interaction is required. Analytical expressions predicting system response are compared with numerical solutions of the governing equations, and with the results of the application of Floquet Theory.-

Stickler, A. C.↗

Lunar electrical conductivity

It is pointed out that the lunar magnetometer experiment has made important contributions to studies of the lunar interior. Numerical inversions of the lunar electromagnetic response have been carried out, taking into account a void region behind the moon. The amplitude of the transfer function of an eight-layer model is considered along with a model of the temperature distribution inside the moon and the amplitude of the transfer function of a semiconductor lunar model.

Leavy, D.↗

The planetary magnetic field and magnetosphere of Jupiter - Pioneer 10

Data obtained by the Pioneer 10 vector helium magnetometer are presented along with models of the intrinsic magnetic field of Jupiter and its magnetosphere. Data acquired between 2.84 and 6.0 Jupiter radii, where the intensity of the planetary field ranged between 1900 and 18,400 gamma, were used to develop a six-parameter eccentric dipole model of the field. The dipole so derived has a moment of 4.0 G (R sub J) cubed and a tilt angle with respect to Jupiter's rotation axis of 11 deg. A model of the Jovian magnetosphere is presented in which the essential feature is an eastward current sheet that forms an annulus with Jupiter at the center. At large distances from the planet the current sheet is nearly parallel to Jupiter's equator but, in general, does not lie in it. The current sheet is warped, so that it is above the equator on one side and below it on the other. The current sheet rotates with the planet, more or less like a rigid body, this behavior causes an apparent up and down motion and periodic crossings of the current sheet by Pioneer.

Smith, E. J.↗

Incoherent scatter measurements of E region conductivities and currents in the auroral zone

Data taken by incoherent scatter radar have been used to investigate ionospheric conductivities and electrical currents. During quiet days, the conductivities appear to vary in a way consistent with ionization arising from solar EUV radiation. In the evening hours, enhancements in the northward electric field are found to precede small increases in the conductivities. Strong enhancements of the Hall conductivity relative to the Pedersen conductivity occur during negative bays when the electric field is in a southwestward direction. The ionospheric currents calculated in the geomagnetic east-west direction are in good agreement with the H component measured by a nearby magnetometer; this result indicates that the current causing the ground level magnetic fluctuations is a broad horizontal sheet current. The north-south ionospheric current, however, consistently disagrees with the observed D component in a manner that cannot easily be explained unless currents parallel to the earth's magnetic field are present.

Brekke, A.↗

Microelectronic fabrication of superconducting devices and circuits

It is expected that thin-film superconductors can be used as detectors or sources of infrared and microwave radiation, as magnetometers, as voltage standards, and for voltage and current measurements, for electronic signal processing, and in digital circuitry.

Kirschman, R. K.↗

A proposal to study polarizations for hydromagnetic waves observed at ATS-1

Data collected from a magnetometer onboard ATS-1 indicate that at least three types of oscillations occur: oscillations with the magnetic component (1) prependicular to the background field, (2) parallel to the background field, and (3) in the meridional plane. Two modes of polarization were found to exist, parallel and perpendicular modes.

Gajendar, N.↗

Balloon-borne ultraviolet stellar spectrometer: Acquisition, tracking and command systems

The NASA Balloon-borne Ultraviolet Stellar Spectrometer (BUSS) which is carried to an altitude of 40 km by a 15 million cubic foot balloon for night-time observations of ultraviolet stellar spectra is discussed. The BUSS optical system, comprising an 0.40 m aperture Cassegrain telescope and an Ebert-Fastie spectrometer, points at various selected stars and focuses a portion of their spectra on the photocathode of an image dissector tube. The spectral region between 2,775 Angstroms and 2,825 Angstroms is sampled by the detector at 0.25 Angstroms increments using photon counting techniques. The pointing system for the payload uses a pair of orthogonal magnetometers which sense the earth's magnetic field for an aximuth reference, and a platform potentiometer for an elevation reference. This pointing system places the target star within the 3x1 degree field of view of an outer optical star tracker. The outer star tracker is then used to point the entire instrument to within one arc minute of the target star.

Gibson, W. C.↗

A general purpose stabilised balloon platform

The development of a three axis stabilized balloon platform capable of being operated in three modes of increasing accuracy is discussed. The system relies on angular motion sensing for primary feedback with linear accelerometers, magnetometers, and a star sensor for positional information. When under primary control the system will acquire and stabilize on any accessible part of the celestial sphere. A video verification system is included to provide pointing confirmation. Under improved accuracy control, the star sensor is used to lock onto a target star.

How, J.↗

Features of polar cusp electron precipitation associated with a large magnetic storm

Measurements of precipitating electrons made by the OGO-4 satellite reveal several interesting phenomena in the polar cusp. Extremely high fluxes of 0.7 keV electrons were observed in the polar cusp ninety minutes following the sudden commencement of a very large magnetic storm. Structured, fairly high fluxes of 7.3 keV electrons were also observed in the cusp region, accompanied by very strong search coil magnetometer fluctuations, indicative of strong field-aligned currents. The observations confirm previously reported latitudinal shifts in the location of the polar cusp in response to southward interplanetary magnetic fields.

Berko, F. W.↗

Television observations of artificial aurora and analyses of flight data from NASA payload 12.18 NE

An accelerator nominally capable of ejecting pulses of electrons up to 6 sec in length, current to 500 ma and energy to 20 keV was flown on a rocket at 1500 October 15, 1972. The Strypi rocket was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauai, Hawaii. The intent was to eject electron pulses of various characteristics upwards along the magnetic field so as to produce artificial auroras in the conjugate (Southern Hemisphere) atmosphere and possibly to produce weaker auroras in the nearby atmosphere as a consequence of backscattered electrons. The accelerator package included a gas jet actuated attitude control system controlled by gyros. Attitude sensing also was accomplished by a two-axis fluxgate magnetometer, and a large foil was deployed to collect ambient electrons to neutralize the accelerator when it ejected high-energy electrons. Scientific instrumentation contained on the flight package included retarding potential analyzers, energetic electron detectors, and detectors to sense very low frequency radio noise. Image orthicon television systems and other optical sensors were operated in the conjugate region aboard two NC-135 jet aircrafts based in Samoa. Similar devices were operated at Haleakala, Hawaii, to attempt detection of auroras caused by backscattered electrons.

Davis, T. N.↗