EFFECTS OF CLOUDS AND MOIST LAYER ROUGHNESS ON RANGE RATE ERRORS OF RADIO INTERFEROMETER TRACKING AND GUIDANCE SYSTEMS.
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 moist/dry 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)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 31, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0423866
Entities
People
- C. G. Fain
- R. M. Cunningham
- W. W. Vickers