NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Analyses of atmospheric extinction data obtained by astronomers. I - A time-trend analysis of data with internal accidental errors obtained at four observatoriesLong-term time-trend analysis was performed on astronomical atmospheric extinction data in wideband UBV and various narrow-band systems recorded at Cerro Tololo, Kitt Peak, Lick, and McDonald observatories. All of the data had to be transformed into uniform monochromatic extinction data before trend analysis could be performed. The paper describes the various reduction techniques employed. The time-trend analysis was then carried out by the method of least squares. A special technique, called 'histogram shaping', was employed to adjust for the fact that the errors of the reduced monochromatic extinction data were not essentially Gaussian. On the assumption that there are no compensatory background and local extinction changes, the best values obtained for extinction trends due to background aerosol changes during the years 1960 to 1972 are 0.006 + or - 0.013 (rms) and 0.009 + or - 0.009 (rms) stellar magnitudes per air mass per decade in the blue and yellow wavelength regions, respectively.
Document ID
19770040149
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Taylor, B. J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Space Sciences Div., Moffett Field, Calif.; Washington, University, Seattle, Wash., United States)
Lucke, P. B.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Laulainen, N. S.
(Washington, University Seattle, Wash., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1977
Publication Information
Publication: Atmospheric Environment
Volume: 11
Issue: 1, 19
Subject Category
Astronomy
Accession Number
77A23001
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF GA-34126
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available