The state experiment — mesospheric dynamics

The $\text{ST}$ructure and $\text{A}$tmospheric $\text{T}$urbulence $\text{E}$nvironment (STATE) experiment was conducted during the second week of June 1983 at Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska. The measurements focus on a study of the middle atmosphere dynamics by comparison between in-situ probe measurements and MST radar measurements. Rocket launchings were conducted at three periods which were selected by monitoring the doppler velocity spectra of the MST radar.The STATE program has included the efforts of several scientists in planning and carrying out the ground-based and rocket measurements. An overview of the program is given together with some preliminary results. The regions in intense backscatter signals detected by the MST radar are shown to correlate with large irregularities in the electron profiles measured.     

Time-frequency hop codes based upon extended quadratic congruences

Time-frequency hop codes are developed that can be used for coherent multiuser echolocation and asynchronous spread spectrum communication systems. They represent a compromise between Costas codes, which have nearly ideal autoambiguity but not so good cross-ambiguity properties, and linear congruential codes, which have nearly ideal cross-ambiguity but unattractive autoambiguity properties. Extended quadratic congruential code words are shown to have reasonably good autoambiguity and cross-ambiguity properties across the whole class of code sets considered. A uniform upper bound is placed on the entire cross-ambiguity function surface, and bounds are placed on the position and amplitude of spurious peaks in the autoambiguity function. These bounds depend on the time/bandwidth product and code length exclusively and lead naturally to a discussion of the design tradeoffs for these two parameters. Examples of typical autoambiguity and cross-ambiguity functions are given to illustrate the performance of the new codes     

Gravity Sensors and the Principle of Equivalence

The tensor characteristics of the inertial fields created by acceleration and rotation, and the gravitational fields created by masses are discussed. Although it is sometimes thought that it is impossible to distinguish between gravitational and inertial effects because of Einstein's principle of equivalence, these effects do have different, detectable tensor characteristics. The principle of equivalence is only strictly applicable at a point, while the instruments to measure these tensor fields exist over a finite region. The inertial field created by acceleration is a uniform vector field and has no gradients, while the inertial field created by rotation has a uniform cylindrically symmetric tensor gradient but none of higher order. The gravitational field created by a mass is highly nonuniform with essentially no limit to the number of higher order gradients. These differences make it theoretically possible to independently measure gravitation, rotation, and acceleration effects; to do so, some form of differential force sensor with tensor response characteristics must be used. The standard technique is static, using differential accelerometers to sense the spatial gradient characteristics of the fields. A more promising technique is dynamic; by rotation of the differential sensor, the static spatial variations are transformed into temporal variations with various frequency components. It is then possible to distinguish between the various fields by frequency filtering.     

Land mobile satellite propagation experiments in Kyoto City

In February of 1990, land mobile satellite propagation experiments were conducted in Kyoto City, Japan, using the Engineering Test Satellite V (ETS-V). The signal transmitted from the satellite was received and recorded at a mobile unit moving in different streets of the downtown area. The streets chosen have typical downtown medium and high rise buildings, electric utility poles, trees, etc., which caused obstruction to the satellite line of sight. The propagation characteristics such as fade/nonfade distribution, joint fade and nonfade distribution, phase distribution, and their dependence on the antenna type are discussed for the measured link. Error characteristics in digital communication for the above link have been qualitatively analyzed on the basis of the measured signal level fluctuation. Effect of interleaving and coding to improve the communication link is also discussed     

Low energy ions in the heavy ions in space (HIIS) experiment on LDEF.

We present data from the Lexan top stacks in the Heavy Ions In Space (HIIS) experiment which was flown for six years (April 1984-Jan 1990) onboard the LDEF spacecraft in 28.5 degrees orbit at about 476 km altitude. HIIS was built of passive (i.e. no timing resolution) plastic track detectors which collected particles continuously over the entire mission. In this paper we present data on low energy heavy ions (10 < or = Z, 20MeV/nuc < E < 200 MeV/nuc). These ions are far below the geomagnetic cutoff for fully ionized ions in the LDEF orbit even after taking into account the severe cutoff suppression caused by occasional large geomagnetic storms during the LDEF mission. Our preliminary results indicate an unusual elemental composition of trapped particles in the inner magnetosphere during the LDEF mission, including both trapped anomalous cosmic ray species (Ne, Ar) and other elements (such as Mg and Fe) which are not found in the anomalous component of cosmic rays. The origin of the non-anomalous species is not understood, but they may be associated with the solar energetic particle events and geomagnetic disturbances of 1989.     

Effects of increased shielding on gamma-radiation levels within spacecraft.

The Shuttle Activation Monitor (SAM) experiment was flown on the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-28) from 8-13 August, 1989 in a 57 degrees, 300 km orbit. One objective of the SAM experiment was to determine the relative effect of different amounts of shielding on the gamma-ray backgrounds measured with similarly configured sodium iodide (NaI) and bismuth germante (BGO) detectors. To achieve this objective twenty-four hours of data were taken with each detector in the middeck of the Shuttle on the ceiling of the airlock (a high-shielding location) as well as on the sleep station wall (a low-shielding location). For the cosmic-ray induced background the results indicate an increased overall count rate in the 0.2 to 10 MeV energy range at the more highly shielded location, while in regions of trapped radiation the low shielding configuration gives higher rates at the low energy end of the spectrum.     

Analysis of GPS and Loran-C performance for land vehicle navigationin the Canadian Rockies

Loran-C and GPS were assessed for vehicular navigation along selected roads of British Columbia during the winter of 1991. The general topography of this mountainous area is described, together with the specific topographic features and tree coverage characteristics of the 2000 km of roads tested on the mainland and on Vancouver Island. The configuration and characteristics of the Loran C Canadian West Coast chain along the roads used are described. The portable vehicle-mounted system used to collect and analyze the Loran-C and GPS signals along road profiles is described. The performance of Loran-C is analyzed in terms of signal to noise ratios (SNR), field strength, and time-difference distortions, as measured by differential GPS. These distortions, which can reach several hundred meters over distances of less than 20 km, are analyzed in terms of topographic features. The possibility of using these time-independent distortions to calibrate Loran-C for use along the above roads is discussed. Masking of GPS signals due to topographic features and tree coverage along the roads is analyzed. A comparative analysis of both Loran-C and GPS is presented in terms of signal availability and accuracy     

Extreme dryness and DNA-protein cross-links.

Exposure of fungal conidia (Aspergillus ochraceus) or spores of Bacillus subtilis to extreme dryness or vacuum induces DNA lesions, including strand breaks and the formation of DNA-protein cross-links. In wet cells only a small amount of protein is bound to DNA, but exposure to conditions of lowered water activity results in an increasing number of cross-links between DNA and proteins. In fungal conidia these cross-links are detected after selective iodination (125 J) of the DNA-bound proteins followed by gel electrophoresis and subsequent autoradiography. Another approach is the labelling of DNA with 32P by means of nick translation and the detection of differences in the electrophoretic mobility of DNA before and after digestion with proteinase K of proteins bound to DNA.     

Infrared spectroscopy of organics of planetological interest at low temperatures.

In the context of prebiotic chemistry in space, some of the outer planetary objects display H, C, N and O rich chemistry similar to the one in the biosphere of Earth. Of particular interest are Saturn's moon, Titan; Neptune's moon, Triton; and Pluto where extreme cold conditions prevail. Identifications of chemical species on these objects (surfaces and atmospheres) is essential to a better understanding of the radiation induced chemical reactions occurring thereon. There have been several ground based observations of these planetary objects in the infrared windows from 1 to 2.5 micrometers. Voyager also provided spectra in the thermal infrared (6 to 50 micrometers) region. Interpretation of these data require laboratory infrared spectra of relevant species under the temperature conditions appropriate to these objects. The results of some of these studies carried out in our laboratory and elsewhere and their impact on the analyses of the observed data will be summarized.     

Development of x-ray mirrors for high-energy astrophysics in czechoslovakia

The grazing incidence X-ray mirrors with diameters between 20 and 240 mm were produced by two different replica techniques. Five mirrors were flown in space experiments. It has been confirmed that the galvanoplastic replica mirrors are well suited for applications in space telescopes and laboratory microscopes.