APPLICATIONS OF THE SEQUENTIAL LIGHT AMPLIFIER TO ASTRONOMY AND RELATED PROBLEMS,

Abstract

The recording speed of a well-built sequential light amplifier is determined by comparison with photographic films and found to be about 10 to the 7th power ASA. Therefore, for the next favorable opposition of Mars, exposure times of one milli-second become possible for pictures in color or in a narrow spectral region (delta lambda = 100A) when using a 200 inch telescope. The light amplifier permits contrast enhancement in the pictures and the short exposure times should yield sharper pictures, since the effect of changes in the diffraction of the air may, to a large extent, be avoided in this way. It is calculated that the absolute theoretical limit of the sequential light amplifier as determined by quantum mechanics by using a 50 inch telescope outside the earth's atmosphere and one hour exposure time is about 32nd apparent magnitude.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD0661564

Entities

People

  • Lloyd R. Wylie
  • Radames K. H. Gebel
  • Roy R. Hayslett

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Astronomy
  • Atmospheres
  • Celestial Brightness
  • Contrast
  • Diffraction
  • Light Amplifiers
  • Mechanics
  • Photographic Film
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Telescopes

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Electronics Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Quantum Computing
  • Space