Interplanetary phase scintillation and the search for very low frequency gravitational radiation

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157114· OSTI ID:5982092

Armstrong, J W; Woo, R; Estabrook, F B

We report here observations of radio wave phase scintillation, using the Viking spacecraft having an Earth-spacecraft link very similar to that which will be used in very low frequency (VLF) gravitational wave searches. The phase power spectrum level varies by seven orders of magnitude as the Sun-Earth-spacecraft (elongation) angle changes from 1/sup 0/ to 175/sup 0/. It is note-worthy that a broad minimum in the S band (2.3 GHz) phase fluctuation occurs in the antisolar direction; the corresponding fractional frequency stability (square root Allan variance) is approx.3 x 10/sup -14/ for 1000 s integration times. A simultaneous two-frequency, two-station observation indicates that the contribution to the phase fluctuation from the ionosphere is significant but dominated by the contribution from the interplanetary medium. Nondispersive tropospheric scintillation was not detected (upper limit to fractional frequency stability approx.5 x 10/sup -14/). Evidently even observations in the antisolar direction will require higher radio frequencies, phase scintillation calibration, and correlation techniques in the data processing, for detection of gravitational bursts at the anticipated strain amplitude levels < or =10/sup -15/.

• Research Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 5982092
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 230:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106 -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Cosmology
640107* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DETECTION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY SPECTRA
GRAVITATIONAL RADIATION
GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SCINTILLATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
SPECTRA