NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
(abstract) Asteroids and Comets: Future Imaging Opportunities with Earth-Based Radar SystemsMajor improvements currently underway to the Arecibo 305 m antenna and 13 cm wavelength radar system will currently increase the radar system's sensitivity by a factor of about 20. Recent upgrades to the Goldstone 3.5 cm wavelength radar system have also improved its sensitivity. While the Arecibo system will have significantly greater sensitivity than Goldstone, the Arecibo antenna's limited declination coverage of -2(deg) to +38(deg) means that the Goldstone system will be important for the investigation of near-Earth objects with declinations outside this range. Over one hundred mainbelt and near-Earth asteroids per year will be observable with the new Arecibo system, and there will be a number of good imaging opportunities each year. While only a few imaging opportunities are predicted for comets over the next 10 years, the system will be able to respond to unexpected cometary opportunities. We are currently investigating the applicability of VLBI techniques to the direct synthesis of images of asteroids and comets illuminated by a radar signal.
Document ID
20060037894
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Campbell, D. B.
Black, G. J.
Ostro, S. J.
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
October 31, 1994
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
asteroids comets radar imaging Arecibo Goldstone VLBI

Available Downloads

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