Reliability of cosmic dust data from Pioneers 8 and 9.A comprehensive study of the characteristics and capabilities of the Pioneer cosmic dust mission is presented to facilitate accurate astronomical adaptations of the data by independent researchers. The characteristics of the sensor and associated electronics as they relate to dynamic range, field of view, and penetration effects in the film are discussed, comparisons are made between flight and simulation data, and statistical analyses are made of the reliability of the flight data. It is shown that the measurements from the Pioneer experiment are highly reliable and provide a valuable contribution to man's knowledge of the meteoroid environment of the solar system.
Document ID
19730056609
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Gruen, E. (Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik Heidelberg, Germany)
Berg, O. E. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Md., United States)
Dohnanyi, J. S. (Bellcomm, Inc. Washington, D.C., United States)