Testing the Independence of Nonhomogeneous Rayleigh Clutter

Two attractive real-time implementation tests are presented that discriminate between correlated and uncorrelated clutter. A clutter model is assumed in which the envelope distribution within a cell is Rayleigh, but the mean clutter level fluctuates from cell to cell. Both the tests utilize observations made in pairs on two clutter envelopes corresponding to two consecutive azimuth sweeps. The results are applicable to real-time testing of the effectiveness of various decorrelation techniques employed by radar systems.     

Responses of the upper middle atmosphere (60–110 km) to the stratwarms of the four pre-map winters (1978/9–1981/2)

The global developments of the four stratospheric events (～20–50 km) are described, using balloon, satellite and rocket data. Winds data for heights of 60–95 km, derived from L.F. drift (52°N, 15°E; Europe) and M.F. radar (52°N, 107°W; Canada), are then compared with the stratospheric data. There is clear evidence that the preliminary planetary waves often penetrate strongly to ～90 km, and that mean wind reversals also occur. However, there are dramatic differences between European and Canadian mesospheric responses.     

The giant planets and their satellites: Report on the Cospar Symposium,Ottawa, Canada,May 18–21, 1982

A $\text{Symposium on the Giant Planets and Their Satellites}$ was presented in conjunction with the Twenty-fourth Plenary Meeting of the Committee on Space Research. This paper summarizes the talks presented and places the remaining papers of this volume in context.     

WAMDII — A wide angle Michelson Doppler imaging interferometer for spacelab

A CCD imaging device has been designed which combines a spatial resolution of 0.1° with a spectral resolving power of 10⁵, sufficient to measure Doppler shifts and line widths of individual atmospheric emission lines. It will be flown aboard Spacelab and will be used to study neutral winds and temperatures as functions of height, latitude and time of day.     

Radiation problems in manned spaceflight with a view towards the Space Station.

With the advent of a permanently manned Space Station, the longstanding problems of radiation protection in manned spaceflight have acquired an immediacy. This paper endeavors to emphasize the gaps of our knowledge which must be closed for effective radiation protection. The information that is required includes the accurate determination of the exposure inside the space station to the various components of the ionizing radiation, the evaluation of the biological importance of the different radiation qualities and the depth-dose distribution of the less penetrating component. There is also the possibility of an interaction with weightlessness. It is necessary to establish adequate radiation protection standards and a system of dosimetric surveillance. There is a need for studies of methods on the possibilities of hardening selective shielding of the space station. Spaceflight experiments, which might contribute to the solution of some of these problems are discussed.     

Comparison of resonant topologies in high-voltage DC applications

Because of their tolerance of transformer nonidealities, resonant converters are considered to be well-suited to high-voltage applications. The series and parallel resonant topologies, as well as a newly discovered hybrid resonant topology are compared for high-voltage applications. Design criteria which incorporate transformer nonidealities are developed and used in the construction of high voltage prototypes for each topology. It is found that the parallel topology leads to the lowest peak switch current and the most ideal behavior     

The Magellan project

Magellan is one of the future space projects being studied by the European Space Agency. The aim is to provide high resolution (λ/Δλ ≥ 2.5 × 10⁴) spectra in the far and extreme UV (between 500 and 1550 Å) of faint galactic and extragalactic objects (V ≤ 16^m). The instrument consists of a mechanical collimator, a concave holographic grating and a bidimensional photon-counting detector. A low resolution mode (λ/Δλ ≥ 10³) will provide spectra of objects as faint as 18^m.5. Magellan is planned as an observatory, operated in real time, and allowing interaction with the observer.     

Structure of the Martian atmosphere from ε-Gem occultation observations

We have collected information about Martian atmospheric scale heights derived from observations of the occultation of ? Gem by Mars on April 8, 1976. The observations give data in the altitude range ～50 to 80 km. A rough, unweighted average of results so far available yields a temperature of ～165°K. Excursions of ～±40°K about this mean may be present as a function of both altitude and areographic coordinates.     

Comments on "Optimum Bandwidth of a Low-Pass Filter for Detection of a Pulse in Nonstationary Noise"

In a recent correspondence1 a calculation of the optimum bandwidth of a low-pass RC filter for the detection of a pulse signal in nonstationary noise was presented. The purpose of this correspondence is: 1) to point out additional references to the work which has been conducted in the stationary noise case, and 2) to present an interesting alternate derivation of the expected output noise power for the nonstationary noise case.     

Radiation transmission in adverse weather

A simplified practical approach to determining the effects of weather on the transmission of radiation at visible, infrared (IR), and millimetre (mm) wavelengths, with particular reference to the aircraft landing problem, is outlined. Passive landing systems are studied. Landing categories related to visibility are defined. An extinction coefficient used to relate the effect of the atmosphere on the radiation detected by the human eye (or an imaging sensor onboard the aircraft) to the landing category and the calculation of this coefficient are discussed. The approach makes use of data from openly available literature. Results have been found useful in indicating the effects of adverse weather on imaging sensor performance for an enhanced vision aircraft-mounted landing system. As an example of the technique, the method of determining the extinction coefficients in fog for infrared radiation is outlined