The Radio Observatory on the Lunar Surface for Solar studies

The Radio Observatory on the Lunar Surface for Solar studies (ROLSS) is a concept for a near-side low radio frequency imaging interferometric array designed to study particle acceleration at the Sun and in the inner heliosphere. The prime science mission is to image the radio emission generated by Type II and III solar radio burst processes with the aim of determining the sites at and mechanisms by which the radiating particles are accelerated. Specific questions to be addressed include the following: (1) Isolating the sites of electron acceleration responsible for Type II and III solar radio bursts during coronal mass ejections (CMEs); and (2) Determining if and the mechanism(s) by which multiple, successive CMEs produce unusually efficient particle acceleration and intense radio emission. Secondary science goals include constraining the density of the lunar ionosphere by searching for a low radio frequency cutoff to solar radio emission and constraining the low energy electron population in astrophysical sources. Key design requirements on ROLSS include the operational frequency and angular resolution. The electron densities in the solar corona and inner heliosphere are such that the relevant emission occurs at frequencies below 10 MHz. Second, resolving the potential sites of particle acceleration requires an instrument with an angular resolution of at least 2°, equivalent to a linear array size of approximately 1000 m. Operations would consist of data acquisition during the lunar day, with regular data downlinks. No operations would occur during lunar night.     

On state estimation for an orbiting single tether system

The effects of instrumentation accuracy and configuration on estimation error are studied for the small expandable-tether deployment system (SEDS) using a continuous-discrete extended Kalman filter (CDEKF) state estimator. A twelfth order model that incorporates the rigid body modes of the tether as well as the satellite attitude dynamics is developed. Simulation results using the model and the estimator indicate that the originally planned instrumentation package could not estimate the state vector adequately. Recommendations are made and results presented that reduce the estimation error by adding instruments and increasing selected measurement accuracies     

Low-angle tracking using a multifrequency sampled aperture radar

The improvements that can be achieved in low-angle radar by using a sampled aperture radar (SAMPAR) and a maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm are discussed. The SAMPAR system described is unique in that it has a wide-ranging multifrequency capability. The ML technique is also unique because its estimation is based on the use of a highly refined signal model. It is shown, by using both simulated data and real data, that this combination, i.e., a SAMPAR system and the modified ML algorithm, provides a multiple signal resolution that exceeds any reported in the open literature. The measured data used in this study were recorded using a 32-element sampled aperture antenna on an over-water path     

Observations of the profiles of solar UV emission lines and their analysis in terms of the heating and production of the corona

Observations of the solar spectrum have been made between 1200–2200 with high spectral resolution. The results were obtained with an all-reflecting echelle spectrograph carried by a stabilized Skylark rocket launched in April 1970. Measurements of the profiles of a number of emission lines due to Siii, Cii, Siiii and Civ formed in the temperature range 10⁴-10⁵ K, indicate ion energies which are considerably in excess of the electron temperatures derived from the ionization balance. Since the ion/electron relaxation time is very short the observed ion energies cannot correspond to an ion temperature and hence a non-thermal mechanical energy component exists in the transition zone.It is postulated that the non-thermal energy component represents the actual mechanical energy responsible for the heating of the corona, and, that, it is propagated as an acoustic wave. On this basis and with a preliminary estimate of the reflection from the transition zone, a flux of 3 × 10⁵ erg cm ^-2 s ^-1 is established as entering the corona. This value is in agreement with estimates of the total energy loss from the corona due to conduction, radiation and the solar wind, thus establishing a gross energy balance.Theoretical calculations are currently underway to establish the physical nature of the atmosphere which would result from such a propagating flux. At the present time this has been carried out for an atmosphere in hydrostatic equilibrium and the energy balance equation solved. A preliminary temperature structure which results is shown in Figure 1, together with the derived distribution in electron density. This gives a corona of the right temperature and density but the observed structure deviates in detail from those derived from an analysis of the solar XUV spectrum.     

Comparative Utilization of Limited Energy for Continuous and Pulse Operations

Comparative utilization of a limited amount of energy for continuous and pulse operations was investigated. Under a restriction that the amount of available energy was limited, general equations for operational hours of the energy source for given power output were derived for both continuous and pulse mode operations. This paper points out that due to various adjustable parameters available for pulse mode operation, if properly designed pulse mode operation produces longer utilization of available energy for required output power than continuous mode operation.     

On the Optimal Filters for a Fixed-Range Radar

The jointly optimal filters of a filter-sampler-filter system, representative of a fixed-range radar, are shown to each have impulse-response functions of the form a · cos(at), 0 ? t ? ?/2a.     

Application of the Volterra Series to the Analysis and Design of an Angle Track Loop

A typical function of an angle tracking loop is to keep a radar antenna pointed at a target. The error in pointing is directly related to successful operation of the tracking device; therefore, its behavior is of interest. For a tracker with a general polynomial nonlinearity, an arbitrary initial pointing error, and a bounded deterministic input, a method is developed for finding upper bounds on the magnitude of the tracking error using Volterra series techniques. Convergence regions of the Volterra series are also obtained. Applications of these results are made to a second-order tracking device.     

In-Flight Alignment and Calibration of Inertial Measurement Units?Part II: Experimental Results

This is the second part of a two-part paper which summarizes work pursued by the author in 1967 [2]. The paper describes the application of minimum-variance estimation techniques for in-flight alignment and calibration of an inertial measurement unit (IMU) relative to another IMU and/or some other reference. The first paper [1] formulates the problem, and this paper reports numerical results and analyses. The approach taken is to cast the problem into the framework of Kalman-Bucy estimation theory, where velocity and position differences between the two IMU's are used as observations and the IMU parameters of interest become part of the state vector. Instrument quantization and computer roundoff errors are considered as measurement noise, and environmental induced random accelerations are considered as state noise. In this paper, numerical results for three important IMU error parameter configurations are presented and discussed. The main results of the paper determine the effects of state and observation noise levels and the nominal trajectory on the identifications of the errors for these configurations. A discussion of the minimum number of trajectory maneuvers and of the optimal trajectory maneuvering is given.