Cloud profiling radar for the CloudSat mission

The Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) for the upcoming CloudSat Mission is a spaceborne 94-GHz nadir-looking radar that measures the power backscattered by clouds as a function of distance from the radar. This sensor is expected to provide cloud measurements at a 500-m vertical resolution and a 1.5 km horizontal resolution. CPR will operate in a short-pulse mode and will yield measurements at a minimum detectable sensitivity of -28 dBZ.     

The time delay of a solar grazing photon

Moving clocks and clocks in a gravitational field slow down, not due to the effects of special relativity nor to the space-time curvature of general relativity, but due only to the principle of equivalence and the conservation of energy. However, some might argue that there has been a further “test” of the effect of gravity on time, namely, the measurement of the time-delay of a round-trip, solar-grazing radar beacon performed by Shapiro in the 1960s. In this test, Shapiro bounced a radar pulse off Mars at superior conjunction (a feat in itself for the time), and compared the measured round-trip travel time of this pulse with the expected round-trip time of a signal traveling at c for the entire trip, as determined from highly accurate planetary ephemerides. Shapiro had predicted this time-delay long before being technologically able to make such a measurement. While general relativity can be used to correctly obtain the magnitude of this delay, it is not the only explanation. As earlier with the analysis of clocks in motion and of clocks in a gravitational field, this paper derives the same result without invoking the space-time curvature of general relativity     

Pioneer Venus observations during comet Halley''s inferior conjunction

On February 4, 1986 Halley passed through inferior conjunction with Venus but was at high latitudes. Not all data for this time period have been received. However, the data that are available suggest that at most only weak effects associated with Halley were seen at Pioneer Venus. The data during this time, however, are useful for correlating with the behavior of the plasma tail.     

The problem of indirect sounding of high clouds

Remote sounding of high cloud top temperatures by passive methods is a difficult venture due to the semitransparency of the clouds. Window channel measurements often overestimate the cloud top temperature. In this study it is experimentally shown and supported by theoretical considerations that water vapor channels, which are originally intended to sense the high tropospheric water vapor content, are more suitable than window channels. In addition, it is shown that measurements in the H₂O rotational band are superior to 6.3 μm channels due to higher intensity of the outgoing radiation and less contribution by scattering by cloud particles.     

Psychological countermeasures for extended manned spaceflights

The authors examine psychological issues and countermeasures in extended space flight. Individual-oriented pre-flight countermeasures include basic psychological selection and training of astronaut candidates. Crew-oriented pre-flight countermeasures include crew composition based on psychological compatibility and psychological mission preparation. Psychological inflight support measures include those that address the emotional state and well-being of astronauts, performance efficiency, and prevention of task overload. Suggestions for an integrated approach to psychological countermeasures for extended flights are presented. Case reports examine psychological selection and training of German astronauts in preparation for the STS-55 mission.     

Preparing EMU for Space Station

In today's fiscally constrained environment, it can be expected that systems designed for one space program will increasingly be used to support other programs. The example of the U.S. extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), designed for use with the Space Shuttle, and now part of the baseline for the International Space Station (ISS) program, illustrates the adaption process. Certifying the Shuttle's EMU for use aboard ISS requires addressing three fundamental issues: Identifying new ISS requirements to be imposed on the EMU. Extending Shuttle's EMU on-orbit service interval to meet ISS's longer missions. Certifying Shuttle's EMU to meet new environments unique to ISS. Upon completion of the certification process, Shuttle's EMU will meet all requirements for supporting both the Shuttle and ISS program. This paper discusses the processes for addressing these issues and progress to date in achieving resolution.     

Solar wind charge states measured by ULYSSES/SWICS in the south polar hole

The Ulysses mission now has an extensive data base covering several passes of the south polar coronal hole as the spacecraft proceeds to higher latitudes. Using composition measurements from the SWICS experiment on the Ulysses spacecraft, we have obtained charge state distributions, and hence inferred coronal ionization temperatures, for several solar wind species. In particular, we present an overview of Oxygen ionization temperature measurements, based on the O⁷⁺/O⁶⁺ ratio, for the period January 1993 until April 1994 (23°S to 61°S heliographic latitude), and detailed Oxygen, Silicon and Iron charge state distributions of the south polar hole during a two month period of nearly continuous hole coverage, Dec 1993–Jan 1994 (45°S to 52°S heliographic latitude).     

Study of distribution functions of interplanetary particles accelerated at co-rotating interaction region at∼5A.U.

We report the results of a study of the 12-hour average distribution functions of high Z nuclei as measured over a 10-day interval on the Ulysses spacecraft at a helioradius of5.2 A.U. We use the good time and atomic mass resolution of the composition aperture of the HI-SCALE instrument to determine the form of the distribution functions for C, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe over the energy range 0.5–16 MeV/nucl. We find that the distribution functions of these ions can be organized by characteristic velocities that have values ranging between2000–3500 km/sec over this interval.     

Artificial gravity: head movements during short-radius centrifugation.

Short-radius centrifugation is a potential countermeasure to long-term weightlessness. Unfortunately, head movements in a rotating environment induce serious discomfort, non-compensatory vestibulo-ocular reflexes, and subjective illusions of body tilt. In two experiments we investigated the effects of pitch and yaw head movements in participants placed supine on a rotating bed with their head at the center of rotation, feet at the rim. The vast majority of participants experienced motion sickness, inappropriate vertical nystagmus and illusory tilt and roll as predicted by a semicircular canal model. However, a small but significant number of the 28 participants experienced tilt in the predicted plane but in the opposite direction. Heart rate was elevated following one-second duration head turns. Significant adaptation occurred following a series of head turns in the light. Vertical nystagmus, motion sickness and illusory tilt all decreased with adaptation. Consequences for artificial gravity produced by short-radius centrifuges as a countermeasure are discussed. Grant numbers: NCC 9-58.