Radiometer instrumentation of 16-foot millimeter wavelength antenna syste

Tolbert, C. W.

English

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. 
N A T I O N A ~ ~  AND-SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
NASA Contract NASr - 87 
Washington, D. C. 
Final Report 
November 14, 1966 
Submitted by 
Electrical Engineering Research Laboratory 
MILLIMETER WAVE SCIENCES 
The University of Texas 
Austin, Texas 
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
Washington, D. C. 
NASA Contract NASr-87 
Final Report 
November 14, 1966 
- z G d c ~ J P  
C. W. Tolbert, 
Director 
Electrical Engineering Research Laboratory 
MILLIMETER WAVE SCIENCES 
The University of Texas 
Austin, Texas 
This is the synoptic final report of activities at The University of Texas 
associated with Contract NASr-87 over the time interval 13 November 1961 
to 13 November 1966. 
The principal procurement under this contract, a 16 foot millimeter 
wavelength parabolic reflector antenna, was acquired at a cost of $370,000.00, 
Two additional items of equipment, radiometer heads operating at frequencies 
of 100 and 140 Gc, were acquired under Supplement #1 of this contract 
between 15 April 1964 and 30 June 1965 at a cost of $74,000.00. 
The antenna was accepted from the vendor 6 June 1963. Dedication 
ceremonies at Balcones Research Center were held 14 June 1963 with 
attendance of administrative and scientific dignitaries. 
Funds from Lunar and Planetary Sciences, NASA Headquarters, have 
supported the operation and maintenance of the antenna system as a milli- 
meter wavelength telescope from 1 April 1963 through the time of this 
reporting. Operation of the telescope in exploring the refraction and 
propagation characteristics of the Earth's atmosphere between the freq- 
uencies of 22.3 Gc and 325 Gc have been funded by Wright-Patterson Air 
Force Bane and Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories. 
The following publications have resulted from investigations conducted 
with the antenna system: 
- 1- 
2 
Technical Reports 
la  "A 16-Foot Millimeter Wavelength Antenna Systems, Its Character- 
istics and Its Applications, " by C,  W. Tolbert and A. W. 
Straiton, Technical Report No. 1, EERL Report 1-01, The 
University of Texas, 15 March 1964. 
2a "An Investigation of Tau A and Sgr A Millimeter Wavelength Radiation, ' I  
by C. W. Tolbert and A. W. Straiton, EERL Report No. 6-61, 
The University of Texas, 28 August 1964. 
3a "An Investigation of 35 Gc, 70 Gc, and 94 Gc Cytherean Radiation," 
by G. W. Tolbert and A. W. Straiton, Technical Report No. 
2, EERL Report 1-02, The University of Texas, 15 October 
1964. 
4a "Millimeter Studies in  Radio Astronomy, I' by C. W. Tolbert and 
A. W. Straiton, EERL Report No. 6-62, The University 
of Texas, 31 March 1965. 
Publications 
lb  "A Germanium Bolometer Detector of Millimeter Wavelength Thermal 
Energy," by D. G. Galloway and C. W. Tolbert, Rev. of Sci. 
Instr.,  Vol. 35, No. 5, May 1964, pp. 628-630. 
Additament, July 21, 1964. 
-
2b "Solar Radiation at 3.2 mm During the 20 July 1963 Eclipse, I t  by 
C. W. Tolbert, L. C. Krause and A. W. Straiton, Astrophy. J., 
Vol. 140, NO. 1, July 1, 1964, pp. 306-312. 
3b "An Investigation of 35 Gc, 70 Gc and 94 Gc Cytherean Radiation," 
by C. W. Tolbert and A. W. Straiton, Nature, Vol. 204, 
No. 1242, 26 December 1964. 
4b "A 16- Foot IYameter Millimeter Havelength Antenna System, Its 
Characteristics and Its Applications, " by C.  W. Tolbert, 
A. W. Straiton and L. C. Krause, IEEE Trans. on Antennas 
and Propagation, -Vol. AP-13, No. 2, March 1965, pp. 225-229. 
c 
3 
5b "An Investigation of Tau A and Sgr A Millimeter Wavelength Radiation, ' I  
by C. W. Tolbert and A, W. Straiton, Astron. J . ,  Vol. 70, 
No. 2, March 1965, pp. 177- 180. 
6b "Millimeter Wavelength Spectra of the Crab and Orion Nebulae, " 
by C. iV. Tolbert, Nature, Vol. 206, No. 4991, 26 June 
1965, pp- 1304- 1307. 
7b "Observed Millimeter Wavelength Brightness Temperatures of Mars, 
Jupiter and Saturn, 
No. 1, February 1966, pp. 30-32, 
by C. W. Tolbert, Astron. J . ,  Vol. 71, 
Theses 
IC ''P T Ev?,!uation of the Texas Instrument's Germanium Bolometer at 
Millimeter Radio - Frequency Wavelengths, by D. G. 
Galloway, Master  of Science in Electrical Engineering 
Thesis, The University of Texas, January 1964. 
2c "A Low-Noise 100-MC Bandwidth Transistorized I-F Amplifier for 
Radio Astronomy," by R. A. Vivian, Master of Science in 
Electrical Engineering Thesis, The University of Texas, 
August 1964. 
3c "Radio Astronomy Signal Spectrum Analyser," by J.  H. Sizelan, 
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Thesis, 
The University of Texas, September 1965, 
Being prepared for publication a r e  investigations of lunar and solar 
emission characteristics a t  frequencies of 35 Gc and 94 Gc. 
Effectiveness of the 16 foot antenna system having been established 
and a "first look'' survey of extraterrestrial subjects completed, the 
antenna is currently being moved from its present altitude of 750 feet 
to an altitude of 6,600 feet. The higher altitude will improve both the 
quality and quantity of data a t  the current operating frequencies of the 
telescope and allow an effective extension of the operating frequencies to 
4 
140 Gc. 
relocation to insure its effectiveness a t  shorter millimeter wavelengths. 
The 6,600 foot altitude location on Mt. Locke ir adjacent to the McDonald 
Observatory (30" 40' N latitude, 104" W longitude). Relocation funding 
was provided by Lunar and Planetary Sciences, NASA Headquarters. 
Physical relocation of the telescope is expected to be completed 1 February 
1967. Adjunctive millimeter wavelength telescopes and other millimeter 
wavelength propagation experiments for NASA and DoD a r e  to be located 
at the Mt. Locke Millimeter Wave Sciences Observatory. 
The parabola is being refigured and resurfaced during the 


Procurement, Operation, and Relocation of the 16 Foot Millimeter Wavelength Antenna System Final Report, 13 Nov. 1961 - 13 Nov. 1966

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