NSSDCA ID: 1967-123A-03
Mission Name: Pioneer 8Both 423.3-MHz and its 2/17 subharmonic 49.8-MHz signals were transmitted from a 46-m steerable parabolic antenna at Stanford University to the two-frequency radio receiver on the spacecraft. The high-frequency signal served as a reference signal since its propagation time was not appreciably delayed. The low-frequency signal was delayed in proportion to the total electron content in the propagation path. On the spacecraft, a phase-locked receiver counted the beat frequency zero crossings of the received signals to obtain measurements of phase-path differences. Differential delay of the group velocity was also observed, and these values were telemetered to the ground station. From calculated total electron content values, the ionospheric effect (up to a selected altitude obtained from other experimental techniques) could be subtracted to produce data describing the interplanetary electron content of the solar wind and its variations. For similar experiments covering other time periods, see 68-100A-03, 66-075A-04, 65-105A-04, and 67-060A-02. A more detailed description of the experiment can be found in J. Geophys. Res., v. 17, p. 3325-3327, and in Radio Sci., v. 6, p. 55-63.
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Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Thomas A. Croft | Other Investigator | SRI International | tomcroft@kl.sri.com |
Mr. Ray L. Leadabrand | Other Investigator | SRI International | |
Dr. A. M. Peterson | Other Investigator | Stanford University | |
Prof. H. Taylor Howard | Other Investigator | Stanford University | |
Mr. R. A. Long | Other Investigator | SRI International | |
Prof. Von R. Eshleman | Principal Investigator | Stanford University | eshleman@nova.stanford.edu |