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At least 19 records

Effects of asymmetric passband filtering on the phase of the Costas loop's reconstructed carrier

The reconstructed carrier of a telemetry return signal is used in deriving the Doppler and range information in the radiometric systems. When suppressed carrier BPSK signalling with Costas loop demodulation is used, there are concerns on the amount of shift in the reconstructed carrier phase, when the received signal suffers asymmetric bandpass filtering through the various stages of the receiver. It is concluded that the phase shifts due to asymmetric bandpass filtering on the Costas loop's reconstructed carrier can be slightly worse than those suffered by the residual carrier loop's reconstructed carrier. However, they are well within the error budgets of the radiometric system.

Woo, K. T.

Filter and Passband Problems

Problems associated with achieving precision in photometric measurements of stars are examined. The thermal stabilization of glass and interference filters and the determination of correct analytic representations of bandwidth effects in data reduction are particularly discussed. Spectral sampling requirements are also addressed.

Young, A. T.

Analysis of Spacecraft Materials Discrimination Using Color Indices for Remote Sensing for Space Situational Awareness

The increasing number of space missions have resulted in an augmented density of artificial objects positioned in orbital domains near Earth. Knowing the material composition of the resident space object can be of value in object identification and risk assessment using remote sensing techniques. To perform this task, it is increasingly imperative to optically characterize spacecraft materials to identify unique material-specific spectroscopic markers. In this work, a variety of materials frequently utilized by the aerospace industry in spacecraft design and construction were analyzed using reflectance spectroscopy. The collected data provide a spectral characterization baseline for modern-day and historical spacecraft materials. The color index was computed for standard astronomical and suggested theoretical filter passbands and compared to each other in their capability to discriminate materials belonging to different classes. The color index was calculated from reflectance spectra of common spacecraft materials in their pristine, as-received conditions that fell under different family groupings. Different color-index combinations were studied using color-color diagrams. Visual and quantitative analysis of the color-color diagrams were used to evaluate the possibility of discriminating materials from one another by means of optical measurements. Results of the analysis show that polyimide and photovoltaic materials are most easy to discriminate from all other materials via color indices using different filter passbands evaluated in this study.

spectral reflectance

Ultrahigh-efficiency, very narrow-passband, tunable optical filter

Recently developed technologies have been uniquely integrated to produce optical filters with unprecedented performance. The precise design and fabrication of narrow-passband and high-efficiency optical filters with a central frequency of 532 nm are reported. Measurements with these filters demonstrate a performance that accurately mirrors the design specification, with one filter having a passband of 70 pm and an efficiency greater than 90% and the second filter having a passband of 7 pm and an efficiency greater than 80%.

Sandford, Stephen P.

White-light flares observed by Yohkoh

The Yohkoh observatory is producing a first sample of white-light flares observed from space. We present observations of four of them, all X-class events. The Yohkoh Soft X-ray Telescope white-light data typically have a 12-s cadence for images with 2.46 arcsec pixels over a field of view of 2.62 arcmin in one of two broad-band optical filters, and the November 15, 1991 flare produced a brightness increase of about 38 percent over the photospheric brightness in the 30 A passband filter centered at 4308 A. The white-light flare morphology in the best-observed flares displays a double 'footpoint' character, establishing a close relationship with the compact magnetic flux tubes involved with both hard and soft X-ray emissions. We describe the data in the context of the soft and hard X-ray observations simultaneously carried out on board the Yohkoh satellite, emphasizing energetics and timing.

Hudson, Hugh S.

Multichannel VCO needs only one reference

Frequency stabilizing circuit controls output of multichannel microwave oscillator using passband filters and selector logic to eliminate need for separate crystal diode voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).

Masson, R. K.

Dynamics of flare sprays

During solar cycle No. 20 new insight into the flare-spray phenomenon has been attained due to several innovations in solar optical-observing techniques (higher spatial resolution cinema-photography, tunable passband filters, multislit spectroscopy and extended angular field coronagraphs). From combined analysis of 13 well-observed sprays which occurred between 1969-1974 it is concluded that (1) the spray material originates from a preexisting active region filament which undergoes increased absorption some tens of minutes prior to the abrupt chromospheric brightening at the 'flare-start', and (2) the spray material is confined within a steadily expanding, loop-shaped (presumable magnetically controlled) envelope with part of the materials draining back down along one or both legs of the loop.

Tandberg-Hanssen, E.

Analysis of 12-700 micron reflectance spectra of three optical black samples

Normal incidence, specular reflectance spectra of three samples of optical black coatings have been measured in 10 filter passbands at effective wavelengths between 12 and 700 microns. Strong absorption, due to amorphous silicate material in the coatings, is found in the 15-50 micron region of each spectrum. Reflecting-layer model calculations are fitted by a nonlinear least-squares routine to the spectra at wavelengths beyond the absorption band to determine far-infrared optical parameters. It is found that, with a similar wavelength dependence, the absorption coefficient of a new black coating (ECP 2200) made by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M) is less than 1/10 that of the discontinued coating, 3M Black Velvet Nextel. It is also shown that the extinction effect of a very rough substrate is negligible compared with the effects of increased upper surface roughness and coating thickness attendant upon fully covering a very rough substrate.

Smith, S. M.

The eight-color asteroid survey - Results for 589 minor planets

Results are presented from reflection spectrophotometry of 589 minor planets in a photometric system using eight filter passbands ranging from 0.34- to 1.04-micron wavelength. The sampling completeness approaches or exceeds 50 percent of the numbered asteroids for the near-earth objects, the Hungarias, the Nysa family, the Cybeles, the Hildas, and the Trojans. The general evolution of predominant compositional type from S to C to D with increasing heliocentric distance is evident, as is the spectral homogeneity of the Eos, Koronis, Nysa, and Themis families.

Zellner, B.

Spaceborne Simulations of Two Direct-Detection Doppler Lidar Techniques

Direct-detection (or incoherent) lidar is now a proven technique for measuring winds in the atmosphere. Over the last few years, several types of direct-detection lidar have evolved. These methods rely on Fabry-Perot interferometers(also termed etalons) or other narrow-passband filters to provide the required spectral resolution. One method, now called the edge (EDG) technique, uses a sharply-sloping filter and measures changes in the filter transmission caused by Doppler shifting of the laser wavelength. A variation of the EDG method, called the double-edge (DEDG) technique, uses two filters. The molecular DEDG method was first demonstrated by Chanin et al. for stratospheric measurements and more recently Korb et al. successfully demonstrated the aerosol DEDG through the troposphere. A second method, here termed the multi-channel (MC) technique, measures Doppler shifts by observing angular displacement of a Fabry-Perot fringe in a spatially resolving detector. The EDG technique thus employs the Fabry-Perot to convert the frequency shift into an amplitude signal, while the MC technique uses the Fabry-Perot to resolve the spectral signature which is then fitted to determine the centroid. The focus of this presentation is on the DEDG and MC methods because these are viewed as the current state of the art in direct-detection lidar. Successful ground-based demonstrations of direct-detection wind measurements have resulted in proposals for spaceborne systems. With this new emphasis on spaceborne systems comes the need for accurate prediction of spaceborne direct-detection Doppler lidar performance. Previously, the EDG and MC methods have been compared although only for aerosol Doppler systems. A recent paper by McGill and Spinhirne compares the DEDG and MC methods in a non-system specific manner for both the aerosol and molecular Doppler systems. The purpose of this presentation is to extend the previous work of McGill and Spinhirne to examine the performance of spaceborne profiling systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on the molecular systems, as these are viewed as the strength of direct-detection Doppler lidar.

McGill, Matthew J.

Solar CIV Vacuum-Ultraviolet Fabry-Perot Interferometers

Aims: A tunable, high spectral resolution, high effective finesse, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) Fabry-Perot interferometer (PPI) is designed for obtaining narrow-passband images, magnetograms, and Dopplergrams of the transition region emission line of CIV (155 nm). Methods: The integral part of the CIV narrow passband filter package (with a 2-10 pm FWHM) consists of a multiple etalon system composed of a tunable interferometer that provides high-spectral resolution and a static low-spectral resolution interferometer that allows a large effective free spectral range. The prefilter for the interferometers is provided by a set of four mirrors with dielectric high-reflective coatings. A tunable interferometer, a VUV piezoelectric-control etalon, has undergone testing using the surrogate F2 eximer laser line at 157 nm for the CIV line. We present the results of the tests with a description of the overall concept for a complete narrow-band CIV spectral filter. The static interferometer of the filter is envisioned as being hudt using a set of fixed MgF2 plates. The four-mirror prefilter is designed to have dielectric multilayer n-stacks employing the design concept used in the Ultraviolet Imager of NASA's Polar Spacecraft. A dual etalon system allows the effective free spectral range to be commensurate with the prefilter profile. With an additional etalon, a triple etalon system would allow a spectrographic resolution of 2 pm. The basic strategy has been to combine the expertise of spaceflight etalon manufacturing with VUV coating technology to build a VUV FPI which combines the best attributes of imagers and spectrographs into a single compact instrument. Results. Spectro-polarimetry observations of the transition region CIV emission can be performed to increase the understanding of the magnetic forces, mass motion, evolution, and energy release within the solar atmosphere at the base of the corona where most of the magnetic field is approximately force-free. The 2D imaging of the full vector magnetic field at the height of maximum magnetic influence (minimum plasma beta) can be accomplished, albeit difficult, by measuring the Zeeman splitting of the CIV resonance pair. Designs of multiple VUV FPIs can be developed for integration into future orbiting solar observatories to obtain rapid cadence, spectral imaging of the transition region.

Gary, G. Allen

5,120 Superconducting Bolometers for the PIPER Balloon-Borne CMB Polarization Experiment

We are constructing the Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER) to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and search for the imprint of gravity waves produced during an inflationary epoch in the early universe. The signal is faint and lies behind confusing foregrounds, both astrophysical and cosmological, and so many detectors are required to complete the measurement in a limited time. We will use four of our matured 1,280 pixel, high-filling-factor backshort-under-grid bolometer arrays for efficient operation at the PIPER CMB wavelengths. All four arrays observe at a common wavelength set by passband filters in the optical path. PIPER will fly four times to observe at wavelengths of 1500, 1100, 850, and 500 microns in order to separate CMB from foreground emission. The arrays employ leg-isolated superconducting transition edge sensor bolometers operated at 145 mK; tuned resonant backshorts for efficient optical coupling; and a second-generation superconducting quantum interference device multiplexer readout. We describe the design, development, and performance of PIPER bolometer array technology to achieve background-limited sensitivity for a cryogenic balloon-borne telescope.

Benford, Dominic J.

5,120 Superconducting Bolometers for the PIPER Balloon-Borne CMB Polarization Experiment

We are constructing the Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER) to measure the polarization o[ the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and search for the imprint of gravity waves produced during an inflationary epoch in the early universe. The signal is faint and lies behind confusing foregrounds, both astrophysical and cosmological, and so many detectors are required to complete the measurement in a limited time. We will use four of our matured 1,280 pixel, high-filling-factor backshort-under-grid bolometer arrays for efficient operation at the PIPER CMB wavelengths. All four arrays observe at a common wavelength set by passband filters in the optical path. PIPER will fly four times to observe at wavelengths of 1500, 1100, 850, and 500 microns in order to separate CMB from foreground emission. The arrays employ leg-isolated superconducting transition edge sensor bolometers operated at 128mK; tuned resonant backshorts for efficient optical coupling; and a second-generation superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) multiplexer readout. We describe the design, development, and performance of PIPER bo|ometer array technology to achieve background-limited sensitivity for a cryogenic balloon-borne telescope.

Benford, Dominic J.

Enhancing Thomson scattering polychromator performance with multi-pass spectral filters

In photon-deficient, noncollective Thomson scattering diagnostics, filter polychromators are typically employed in the spectral analysis of Thomson-scattered signals to achieve acceptable signal-to-noise performance. Currently, the most common polychromator filter configuration employs a set of single-passband optical filters that define individual spectral channels. Here, we introduce a new spectral analysis method for Thomson scattering based on spectral filters with multiple passbands, referred to as Thomson scattering spectral multiplexing. Implementing multi-bandpass spectral filters on polychromators increases the achievable range of electron temperature measurement for a given number of filters employed. In addition, Thomson scattering spectral multiplexing reduces systematic measurement uncertainty, with fewer required spectral channels, thereby decreasing light loss from reduced optical element interactions. A multi-bandpass filter set, optimized by a genetic algorithm, has been successfully installed and tested on the Helically Symmetric eXperiment (HSX), demonstrating the benefits of the Thomson scattering spectral multiplexing method.

Instruments & Instrumentation