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Photographic fireball networks

Long term radar observations of any meteor shower yield good data for a study of the features of its cross section structure in detail. The hourly rates of meteor echoes represent usually the basic data from which shower characteristics are derived. Unfortunately, the hourly rate does not depend only on the activity of the shower in question but also on the position of the shower radiant, on the mutual radiant antenna position, and on the parameters of the radar system. It is known that the knowledge of the response function of the radar is necessary for good interpretation of the hourly echo counts. A method of long term radar shower data analysis is discussed along with preliminary results.

Ceplecha, Z.↗

Thundercloud radio emission from cosmic-ray-shower ionization electrons

The drift of shower ionization electrons in thundercloud fields constitutes a traveling current pulse whose amplitude is modulated by shower development and by the thundercloud field. The radio emission from such a pulse is calculated for a simple modulation model. The response of electric dipole antennas to such pulses is evaluated. To distinguish shower ionization radio pulses from random noise, the use of two receiver bands centered at a common frequency is proposed. It is shown that the ratio of the power in the two bands can be used to distinguish shower ionization radio signals from random noise. For modulated current pulses traveling above the speed of light in a medium, an inverse modulation effect is found. For unmodulated current pulses traveling above the speed of light in a medium, a new class of realizations of the Cerenkov effect is discovered.

Tompkins, D. R., Jr.↗

Calculation of the radio emission from EAS

Time-varying features of an electron-photon cascade are considered, particularly those associated with radio emission. The cosmic ray shower is represented as a superposition of collinear 10 GeV electron-photon cascades launched at different heights in the atmosphere. Actual simulations are performed for only 10 cascades at each of 40 heights and the results are scaled to represent the total number of cascades required. The apparent angular motions of the cascade particles as detected by antennas located at various positions up to 300 m from the shower axis are simulated. The radio pulse waveform and the corresponding frequency spectrum are obtained from these motions.

Allan, H. R.↗

Rain cell statistics experiment

Communication links suffer from interference caused by precipitation along the transmission path. Terminals established to take advantage of space diversity must be spaced in a manner dependent on rain intensities, rain cell sizes, and spacings. A NASA sponsored radar experiment was conducted at Wallops Island, Va. in 1972 and 1973 to provide statistical data on rain shower intensities and their geometrical properties. The objectives of the experiment were to determine the statistics of the field of rain cells in terms of cell size, intensity, spacing, number density, and altitude dependence, and to find the detailed structure of individual cells leading to a model of an individual cell. The experimental system is described, emphasizing the frequency diversity aspects, the computer control of the antenna, and the digital and analog video recording.

Katz, I.↗

Space shuttle electromagnetic environment experiment. Phase A: Definition study

A program is discussed which develops a concept for measuring the electromagnetic environment on earth with equipment on board an orbiting space shuttle. Earlier work on spaceborne measuring experiments is reviewed, and emissions to be expected are estimated using, in part, previously gathered data. General relations among system parameters are presented, followed by a proposal on spatial and frequency scanning concepts. The methods proposed include a nadir looking measurement with small lateral scan and a circularly scanned measurement looking tangent to the earth's surface at the horizon. Antenna requirements are given, assuming frequency coverage from 400 MHz to 40 GHz. For the low frequency range, 400-1000 MHz, a processed, thinned array is proposed which will be more fully analyzed in the next phase of the program. Preliminary hardware and data processing requirements are presented.

Haber, F.↗

Space shuttle electromagnetic environment experiment. Phase A: Definition study

Methods for carrying out measurements of earth electromagnetic environment using the space shuttle as a measurement system platform are herein reported. The goal is to provide means for mapping intentional and nonintentional emitters on earth in the frequency range 0.4 to 40 GHz. A survey was made of known emitters using available data from national and international regulatory agencies, and from industry sources. The spatial distribution of sources, power levels, frequencies, degree of frequency re-use, etc., found in the survey, are here presented. A concept is developed for scanning the earth using a directive antenna whose beam is made to rotate at a fixed angle relative to the nadir; the illuminated area swept by the beam is of the form of cycloidal annulus over a sphere. During the beam's sojourn over a point, the receiver sweeps in frequency over ranges in the order of octave width using sweeping filter bandwidths sufficient to give stable readings.

Haber, F.↗