Astronaut Scientific Debriefings, 1962-1963

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LOS ALAMOS SCIENTIFIC LABORATORY
UNIVERSITY OP' CALIP'ORNIA
. . . ' . .
L.09 ALAM09, Nl:W MUICO
1'0: Dr. Jocelyn Gill
DATE:
July 13, 1962
"pasa through" the atmoaphere, especially the abaorbill6 layer (perhap
auch
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sequences already exif:>t). At the expected orbital height, I estimate a 7 km
thick layer w~ld subtend,.., 1/2 degree and a given light source would "pass
through" it in eight seconds. Attempts to derive a density distribution would
requ.ire a fair number of points in the
111-1/2 or 2 degrees" (divide by 3 ?)
so a frame interval near one per second _seems desirable. If operated continuously
thru the ni.ght passage approximately 100 feet of 16 mm film would be required
per passage •
As a crude attempt at spectroscopy, color filters could be used on some of
✓ the sequences, without too serious light loss. For example, a Corning No. 5030
or No. 5543 filter would limit exposure to the wavelength range of maximum
absorption by N02 (light loss may be considerable) ·and a Corning No. 3480 filter
would limit exposure to the wavelength range where 0- absorption is negligible.
Relatively broad band interference filters would be useable on the brighter
stars and planets. Direct visual observation through such filters would also be
useful, especially if photography is impractical and the astronaut tries to
reproduce any attenuation noted by neutral density filters in combination with
the same filters and stars used in space.
Photometric observations of some of the "intense" airglows mentioned by
various authors would also be very instructive • The increased intensity due to
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external tangential viewing woul~ help a great deal, and precise height de­
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terminations could be made •
It may be useful to ask Glenn and Carpenter to reproduce the dimming (as well
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as memory allows) by narrow strips of neutral density filters against the star
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