Accession Number:

AD0423866

Title:

EFFECTS OF CLOUDS AND MOIST LAYER ROUGHNESS ON RANGE RATE ERRORS OF RADIO INTERFEROMETER TRACKING AND GUIDANCE SYSTEMS.

Descriptive Note:

Rept. for 1 Aug 62-14 Feb 63,

Corporate Author:

TECHNICAL OPERATIONS INC BURLINGTON MASS

Personal Author(s):

• Cunningham,R. M.
• Vickers,W. W.
• Fain,C. G.

Report Date:

1963-07-31

Pagination or Media Count:

106.0

Abstract:

Undesirable noise in radio interferometer tracking systems at Cape Canaveral has been attributed to anomalies in the atmospheric refraction indexes that are associated with inversion layers or clouds. The detailed structure of such anomalies often includes a moistdry air interface that is disturbed by convective patterns or by progagation of gravity or shear waves. In the present study, highly instrumented aircraft were used to gather data on the position, geometry, and composition of these waves or disturbances. These data were used to prepare descriptions of the atmospheric cross sections through which the tracking beams passed. Mathematical models were then applied to the cross sections to study the interplay of wave geometry, height of the wave above the ground, and antenna elevation angle. For the Mercury-Atlas 7 shot, the models produced noise values slightly less than the actual noise determined from the tracking traces. Author

Descriptors:

• (*ATMOSPHERIC REFRACTION
• GUIDED)
• (*GUIDED MISSLE
• RADIO INTERFERENCE)
• ATMOSPHERE MODELS
• CLOUDS
• MATHEMATICAL MODELS
• TRACKING
• RADIO BEAMS
• RADIO INTEROMETERS
• AIR
• MOISTURE
• ERRORS
• METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA
• TURBULENCE
• RANGES (DISTANCE) ORBITAL

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE