Citation
Abstract
This article describes the data analysis based on the image frames received at the Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera of the Galileo Optical Experiment (GOPEX) demonstration conducted between December 9 and 16, 1992. Laser uplink was successfully established between the ground and the Galileo spacecraft during its second Earth-gravity-assist phase in December 1992. SSI camera frames were acquired which contained images of detected laser pulses transmitted from the Table Mountain Facility (TMF), Wrightwood, California, and the Starfire Optical Range (SOR), Albuquerque, New Mexico. Laser pulse data were processed using standard image-processing techniques at the Multimission Image Processing Laboratory (MIPL) for preliminary pulse identification and to produce public release images. Subsequent image analysis corrected for background noise to measure received pulse intensities. Data were plotted to obtain histograms on a daily basis and were then compared with theoretical results derived from applicable weak-turbulence and strong-turbulence considerations. This article describes processing steps and compares the theories with the experimental results. Quantitative agreement was found in both turbulence regimes, and better agreement would have been found, given more received laser pulses. Future experiments should consider methods to reliably measure low-intensity pulses, and through experimental planning to geometrically locate pulse positions with greater certainty.
Details
- Volume
- 42-114
- Published
- August 15, 1993
- Pages
- 213–229
- File Size
- 685.1 KB