NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
On the wavelength dependence of the effects of turbulence on average refraction angles in occultations by planetary atmospheresThe dependence of the effects of planetary atmospheric turbulence on radio or optical wavelength in occultation experiments is discussed, and the analysis of Hubbard and Jokipii (1977) is criticized. It is argued that in deriving a necessary condition for the applicability of their method, Hubbard and Jokipii neglect a factor proportional to the square of the ratio of atmospheric or local Fresnel zone radius and the inner scale of turbulence, and fail to establish sufficient conditions, thereby omitting the square of the ratio of atmospheric scale height and the local Fresnel zone radius. The total discrepancy is said to mean that the results correspond to geometrical optics instead of wave optics, as claimed, thus being inapplicable in a dicussion of wavelength dependence. Calculations based on geometrical optics show that the bias in the average bending angle depends on the wavelength in the same way as does the bias in phase path caused by turbulence in a homogeneous atmosphere. Hubbard and Jokipii comment that the criterion of Haugstad and Eshleman is incorrect and show that there is a large wave optical domain where the results are independent of wavelength.
Document ID
19790046855
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Haugstad, B. S.
(Stanford Univ. CA, United States)
Eshleman, V. R.
(Stanford University Stanford, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
79A30868
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7101
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-7405
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

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