Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “WAVELENGTHS”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,441 records · Page 80

Whole-disk polarization measurements of Uranus at visible wavelengths

The whole-disk polarization of Uranus was measured over two apparitons in blue and red light. The blue polarization becomes negative near the 0.5-deg phase, indicating non-Rayleigh scattering. The red polarization phase curve shows positive polarization smaller than suggested by Rayleigh scattering models. An explanation of these data is that the blue and red radiation is scattered by the CH4 haze layer that has been suggested to reside high in the atmosphere of Uranus. As expected, there is no whole-disk circular polarization, an observation which confirms other observations and theoretical predictions.

Michalsky, J. J.↗

An optically pumped submillimeter wavelength regenerative amplifier

An optically pumped regenerative submillimeter laser amplifier is described. The amplifier uses a waveguide cavity resonator, and a Fabry-Perot interferometer composed of two dielectric-coated mirrors serves as input and output port for the submillimeter signal. Use of two mirrors enabled obtaining variations of up to 6:1 in transmission by varying the mirror spacing. When the 373-micron transition in CH3CN is excited in the oscillator by the CO2 laser pump beam, the received signal with amplification is about nine times the unamplified signal.

Galantowicz, T. A.↗

Detection of long wavelength infrared at moderate temperatures

Technical approaches for the advanced development of 8-12 micrometer detectors operating at elevated temperatures were defined. The theoretical limits to performance of 8-12 micrometer quantum detectors (photoconductive and photovoltaic) and thermal detectors (pyroelectrics, bolometers etc). An analytic model of signal and noise in both quantum detectors and pyroelectric detectors was developed and candidate materials for both detector types were identified and examined. The present status of both quantum and thermal detectors was assessed as well as the parameters limiting operating temperature and detectivity. The areas of research and development likely to lead to detector performance near the theoretical limit are identified.

Tredwell, T. J.↗

The utility of short wavelength (1mm) remote sensing techniques for the monitoring and assessment of hydrologic parameters

Remote sensing programs that respond to the requirements of the water resources management and hydrologic communities are reviewed. The major areas where the needs of water resources management are being met involve the mapping and monitoring of snowcovered areas, hydrologic landuse, and surface water area. In the case of snowcovered area mapping the transfer of technology process is now being accomplished in the Western United States in a cooperative effort involving 6 federal agencies and 3 state agencies along with NASA. A new collaborative effort of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NASA involves the mapping of landuse by Landsat and its use in hydrologic engineering watershed models employed in flood control/waterworks planning, design, and management. Improved systems planned for implementation in the 1978-1981 time frame can be expected to result in increased utilization of visible and near infrared remote sensing observations.

Rango, A.↗

Gravity anomalies near the east Pacific rise with wavelengths shorter than 3300 km recovered from GEOS-3/ATS-6 satellite-to-satellite Doppler tracking data

The velocity of the GEOS-3 satellite measured by Doppler as a function of time from the ATS-6 satellite was used to recover gravity anomalies in the region of the East Pacific. The orbit GEOS-3 at an altitude of 840 km was perturbed by spatial changes in Earth's gravitational field. These perturbations were measured via ATS-6 which is in a synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 40,000 km. The range-rate data were reduced using a gravitational field model complete to the 12 degree and order. A simulation of the possible effects causing the remaining range-rate residuals relative to the 12, 12 field shows that in general the dominant effect is the neglect of the higher degree and order coefficients of the gravitational field model.

Marsh, J. G.↗

Mars surface properties observed by earth-based radar at 70-, 12.5-, and 3.8-cm wavelengths

In the present paper, the results are summarized of a study aimed at determining the small-scale surface properties of Mars (for the Viking project) from a thorough review of all available Martian radar data for the 1973 opposition. Analysis of the quasi-specular echo component showed changes in apparent reflectivity of at least 5 to 1. If attributed entirely to variations in surface material, these correspond to dielectric constants between 1.6 and 4.0. Values of rms surface slope on 1- to 100-m scales range from as low as 0.5 degrees in tablelands near Valles Marineris to more than 3.0 degrees in certain other areas. There is a weak correlation between the small-scale surface characteristics inferred from radar and those inferred from Mariner 9 images and other remote-sensing data sets.

Simpson, R. A.↗

Observations of the quiet sun at meter and decameter wavelengths

The new TeePee Tee array of the Clark Lake Radio Observatory has been used to observe the quiet sun at 121.5, 73.8 and 26.3 MHz. The equatorial brightness distributions at all three frequencies, and the polar brightness distributions at the two higher ones have been measured. From the observed total fluxes and half-power diameters we have derived the peak brightness temperatures of the solar disk as well as of some sources of the slowly varying component.

Kundu, M. R.↗

A directional filter diplexer using optical techniques for millimeter to submillimeter wavelengths

An optical diplexer for injection of a local oscillator into a mixer, useful in the submillimeter and short millimeter range, is described. It has very low insertion loss for both the signal and local oscillator (LO) and high rejection of LO noise. The measured performance of a unit tested at 337 GHz indicates a loss of about 0.2 dB for both inputs and 20-dB noise rejection.

Erickson, N. R.↗

The utility of short wavelength /less than 1 mm/ remote sensing techniques for the monitoring and assessment of hydrologic parameters

The paper reviews advances made in remote sensing applications to the fields of hydrology and water resources management, with emphasis on sensing from spacecraft platforms. An overview is presented of a remote sensing applications program for water resources management with attention given to water resources requirements and information content research. Consideration is also given to snowcovered area mapping in the Western United States, the use of Landsat imagery in land-use mapping and in the development of hydrological watershed models employed in flood control/waterworks planning and management.

Rango, A.↗

Bispectral analysis of meter wavelength interplanetary scintillation

The bispectrum of interplanetary scintillation is investigated. Rice-squared and lognormal point-source intensity probability density functions are used to derive model bispectra as functionals of the intensity autocovariance. Simultaneous observations of the source CTA 21 at 270, 340, and 470 MHz are analyzed to produce scintillation indices, skewness parameters, and bispectra, which are compared with the models for the cases of weak, intermediate, and strong scattering. The results obtained for CTA 21 are shown to rule out lognormal statistics for interplanetary scintillation over the frequency range from 340 to 470 MHz. It is found that the observed bispectra correspond well with the predictions of the Rice-squared model for weak and intermediate scattering, but are systematically different from model bispectra computed by assuming a point source in the case of strong scattering.

Armstrong, J. W.↗

The spectrum and position of solar noise storms at decameter wavelengths

Decametric storm radiation during the period July-August 1970 has been observed simultaneously with a high sensitivity spectrograph at Arecibo Observatory and with the log-periodic, swept-frequency array of the Clark Lake Radio Observatory. The observations complement each other; different types of fine structure emissions can be easily identified on the spectrograph records and their position can be determined from the swept-frequency recordings. The relative positions of the different emissions which have been observed during the storms are studied. Four distinct sources appear to be present. The continuum emission, the type I bursts and the flare-related type III's are all emitted at different locations. The storm type III bursts, type IIIb's and drift pairs overlap in position, but appear at different locations than the previously mentioned sources.

De La Noe, J.↗

A search for centimetric wavelength emission from UV Ceti stars

Simultaneous radio and optical observations were obtained on three UV Cet flare stars: YZ CMi, AD Leo, and Wolf 424. The total simultaneous monitoring time was 33.9 hours during which time 41 optical flares were detected. Two enhancements were detected at 1420 MHz in close temporal association with optical flares, but are of uncertain validity. The results presented indicate that 1420 MHz emission during a typical stellar flare is less than 0.10 Jy.

Moffett, T. J.↗

Composite bolometers for submillimeter wavelengths

The fabrication and optimization of composite submillimeter wave bolometers with metal film absorbing elements and doped Ge thermometers are described. Performance characteristics are given for 4 x 4-mm bolometers designed for operation at both He-4 and He-3 temperatures. The performance expected from such bolometers when they are optimized for various values of background loading is calculated. Current dependent noise, which can arise from any of several sources, is included in the analysis. This can make it impossible to reach the background fluctuation noise limit. Feed structures for these bolometers which employ Winston light concentrators are described.

Nishioka, N. S.↗

On the detectability of millimeter wavelength spectral lines from planetary atmospheres

This paper adopts a simple line-formation model to estimate detection limits on the fractional absorption produced by molecular lines in the spectra of the planets, when observed with the 14-m antenna and low-noise receivers of the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory. The results, which can readily be adjusted for receiver and telescope characteristics of other observatories, indicate that three kinds of observing programs may prove fruitful: (1) programs to monitor temporal variations of the strong CO absorption in the spectrum of Venus and Mars; (2) searches for weak absorption lines of other molecules, which are particularly promising for Venus: and (3) efforts to measure broad features in the continuous spectra of Venus, and possibly Jupiter, produced by molecules deep in the planetary atmospheres. Except for delineation of broad features of NH3 and possibly H2O near 25 GHz, hardly any useful observations can be made at frequencies less than 60 GHz.

White, R. E.↗

Preionized discharge for short-wavelength laser

Laser uses helium and nitrogen gases at pressure of several atmospheres to produce emissions in visable and ultraviolet regions. Preionization of gases by transverse discharge insures that main discharge is glow instead of arc for proper charge transfer mechanism.

Laudenslager, J. B.↗