Optimum Design of RC Snubbers for Switching Regulators

The optimum design of an RC snubber to suppress the surge voltage across the transistor in a switching regulator with a two-winding reactor is presented. Analyzing the surge voltage by means of high-frequency equivalent circuits, we obtain the third-order characteristic equation. This third-order equation is first analyzed by the aid of the root locus method. As a result, the region where the surge voltage can be suppressed is described in the R-C plane. Then considering the snubber loss, the optimum resistance and capacitance can be obtained. Second, the precise design procedure of RC snubbers is discussed by normalization and numerical calculations. This procedure is summarized in easy-to-use nomographs.     

A Rader Clutter Model: Average Scattering Coefficients of Land, Snow, and Ice

A model has been developed for average radar backscatter from terrain based on recent carefully controlled wide-bandwidth measurements of vegetation, snow-covered ground, and sea ice and on a comparison with measurements over North America by the Skylab S-193 scatterometer. The models for the thiree cases take the form ?° dB = A + B? + Cf+ Df?, 20° ? angle of incidence ? 70°, where the constants vary depending on polarization and terrain class. They also differ above and below a critical frequency (6 GHz for general terrain, 8 GHz for sea ice, and between 8 and 12 GHz for snow). For angles of incidence of 0° (vertical) and 10°, the model is of the form ?° dB = M(?) + N(?)f over the range 1 to 18 GHz. Hundreds of thousands of measurements contributed to the general (vegetated terrain) model, and smaller numbers contributed to the snow and sea ice models. Since 1974 all measurements have been made with University of Kansas microwave spectrometers. A brief discussion of fading shows that insufficient data are available to describe the ranges adequately.     

Scanning Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar with Integrated Radiometer

Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar systems are severely constrained to a narrow swath by ambiguity limitations. Here a vertically scanned-beam synthetic aperture system (SCANSAR) is proposed as a solution to this problem. The potential length of synthetic aperture must be shared between beam positions, so the along-track resolution is poorer; a direct tradeoff exists between resolution and swath width. The length of the real aperture is independently traded against the number of scanning positions. Design curves and equations are presented for spaceborne SCANSARs for altitudes between 400 and 1400 km and inner angles of incidence between 20° and 40°. When the real antenna is approximately square, it may also be used for a microwave radiometer. The combined radiometer and synthetic-aperture (RADISAR) should be useful for those applications where the poorer resolution of the radiometer is useful for some purposes, but the finer resolution of the radar is needed for others.     

Simple Procedures for Radar Detection Calculations

The literature of radar contains results of Rice, Marcum, Swerling, and Schwartz in several families of curves, which permit radar engineersto estimate the signal energy ratio required for a given level of detectionperformance. The variety of radar problems, however, makes itimpractical to construct curves for all combinations of radar and targetparameters. The concept of detector loss is used here to evaluate lossesattributable to integration and collapsing, with an accuracy of ±0.3 dBon steady targets. This is added to a separate fluctuation loss, modifiedfor diversity effects, to obtain results on all Swerling target modelsand also on partially correlated targets. The accuracy of the combinedlosses is ±0.5 dB for a wide range of detection and false-alarm probabilities.Starting from the basic single-sample detection curves, onlythree additional graphs are needed to find the energy ratio for givendetection performance in any of these cases. Examples are given whichshow the ease with which different radar options may be compared asto performance on an arbitrary type of target.     

Early Data from Aura and Continuity from Uars and Toms

Aura, the last of the large EOS observatories, was launched on July~15, 2004. Aura is designed to make comprehensive stratospheric and tropospheric composition measurements from its four instruments, HIRDLS, MLS, OMI and TES. These four instruments work in synergy to provide data on ozone trends, air quality and climate change. The instruments observe in the nadir and limb and provide the best horizontal and vertical resolution ever achieved from space. After over one year in orbit the instruments are nearly operational and providing data to the scientific community. We summarize the mission, instruments, and initial results and give examples of how Aura will provide continuity to earlier chemistry missions.     

CME Theory and Models

This chapter provides an overview of current efforts in the theory and modeling of CMEs. Five key areas are discussed: (1) CME initiation; (2) CME evolution and propagation; (3) the structure of interplanetary CMEs derived from flux rope modeling; (4) CME shock formation in the inner corona; and (5) particle acceleration and transport at CME driven shocks. In the section on CME initiation three contemporary models are highlighted. Two of these focus on how energy stored in the coronal magnetic field can be released violently to drive CMEs. The third model assumes that CMEs can be directly driven by currents from below the photosphere. CMEs evolve considerably as they expand from the magnetically dominated lower corona into the advectively dominated solar wind. The section on evolution and propagation presents two approaches to the problem. One is primarily analytical and focuses on the key physical processes involved. The other is primarily numerical and illustrates the complexity of possible interactions between the CME and the ambient medium. The section on flux rope fitting reviews the accuracy and reliability of various methods. The section on shock formation considers the effect of the rapid decrease in the magnetic field and plasma density with height. Finally, in the section on particle acceleration and transport, some recent developments in the theory of diffusive particle acceleration at CME shocks are discussed. These include efforts to combine self-consistently the process of particle acceleration in the vicinity of the shock with the subsequent escape and transport of particles to distant regions.     

Oxygen Isotope Processes and Transfer Reactions

A unique kinetic isotope effect has been found in the formation process of ozone molecules. Isotope enrichments of about 10% above statistically expected values were first discovered in atmospheric isotopomers ⁴⁹O₃ and ⁵⁰O₃ and later in many other molecular combinations. Most recently the source of this effect was identified through measurement of isotope-specific ozone formation rate coefficients which show a large variability of over 50%. Ozone molecule formation is a complex process since different reaction channels contribute to a specific isotopomer. In addition, fast oxygen isotope exchange reactions determine the abundance of atomic oxygen participating in ozone formation. The isotope enrichments observed are both pressure and temperature-dependent and they decrease at pressures above 100 mbar and toward lower temperatures. Ozone possesses not only one of the most unusual isotope anomalies, it also serves as a mediator by transferring heavy oxygen from the O₂ reservoir to other species. Stratospheric isotope composition of CO₂ has been recently measured with high accuracy and a pronounced isotopic signature was found which shows that ¹⁷O is preferentially transferred from O₃ into CO₂. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) Investigation

The Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) investigation will determine the mass composition and number densities of neutral species and low-energy ions in key regions of the Saturn system. The primary focus of the INMS investigation is on the composition and structure of Titan’s upper atmosphere and its interaction with Saturn’s magnetospheric plasma. Of particular interest is the high-altitude region, between 900 and 1000 km, where the methane and nitrogen photochemistry is initiated that leads to the creation of complex hydrocarbons and nitriles that may eventually precipitate onto the moon’s surface to form hydrocarbon–nitrile lakes or oceans. The investigation is also focused on the neutral and plasma environments of Saturn’s ring system and icy moons and on the identification of positive ions and neutral species in Saturn’s inner magnetosphere. Measurement of material sputtered from the satellites and the rings by magnetospheric charged particle and micrometeorite bombardment is expected to provide information about the formation of the giant neutral cloud of water molecules and water products that surrounds Saturn out to a distance of ∼12 planetary radii and about the genesis and evolution of the rings.The INMS instrument consists of a closed ion source and an open ion source, various focusing lenses, an electrostatic quadrupole switching lens, a radio frequency quadrupole mass analyzer, two secondary electron multiplier detectors, and the associated supporting electronics and power supply systems. The INMS will be operated in three different modes: a closed source neutral mode, for the measurement of non-reactive neutrals such as N₂ and CH₄; an open source neutral mode, for reactive neutrals such as atomic nitrogen; and an open source ion mode, for positive ions with energies less than 100 eV. Instrument sensitivity is greatest in the first mode, because the ram pressure of the inflowing gas can be used to enhance the density of the sampled non-reactive neutrals in the closed source antechamber. In this mode, neutral species with concentrations on the order of ≥10⁴ cm⁻³ will be detected (compared with ≥10⁵ cm⁻³ in the open source neutral mode). For ions the detection threshold is on the order of 10⁻² cm⁻³ at Titan relative velocity (6 km sec⁻¹). The INMS instrument has a mass range of 1–99 Daltons and a mass resolutionM/ΔM of 100 at 10% of the mass peak height, which will allow detection of heavier hydrocarbon species and of possible cyclic hydrocarbons such as C₆H₆.The INMS instrument was built by a team of engineers and scientists working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (Planetary Atmospheres Laboratory) and the University of Michigan (Space Physics Research Laboratory). INMS development and fabrication were directed by Dr. Hasso B. Niemann (Goddard Space Flight Center). The instrument is operated by a Science Team, which is also responsible for data analysis and distribution. The INMS Science Team is led by Dr. J. Hunter Waite, Jr. (University of Michigan).This revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Radar: The Cassini Titan Radar Mapper

The Cassini RADAR instrument is a multimode 13.8 GHz multiple-beam sensor that can operate as a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) imager, altimeter, scatterometer, and radiometer. The principal objective of the RADAR is to map the surface of Titan. This will be done in the imaging, scatterometer, and radiometer modes. The RADAR altimeter data will provide information on relative elevations in selected areas. Surfaces of the Saturn’s icy satellites will be explored utilizing the RADAR radiometer and scatterometer modes. Saturn’s atmosphere and rings will be probed in the radiometer mode only. The instrument is a joint development by JPL/NASA and ASI. The RADAR design features significant autonomy and data compression capabilities. It is expected that the instrument will detect surfaces with backscatter coefficient as low as −40 dB.RADAR Team LeaderThis revised version was published online in July 2005 with a corrected cover date.