DESCRIPTION |
Instrument Overview
===================
Both the probe and orbiter were equipped with ultrastable
oscillators (USOs) for the purpose of generating/measuring a very
stable telemetry signal from the probe to orbiter. The orbiter
measured the probe radio signal frequency every 2/3 seconds and
stored the frequency data on the tape recorder. Half-resolution
data (4/3 second) were also stored in solid state memory.
Scientific Objectives
=====================
The Doppler Wind Experiment was designed to extract the zonal
(east-west) motion of the Galileo entry probe during its descent
into the atmosphere of Jupiter on December 7, 1995.
Calibration
===========
During cruise, the probe USO was powered-on and frequency
stability measurements were made three times. The in-flight
tests were the SFT (System Functional Test) and the MST (Mission
Sequence Test). Although these tests had different goals and
performed under different protocol, for the purposes of the DWE,
the tests were essentially identical.
The measured drift rates of the probe USO were (all fractional
frequency drifts for 30 minutes following a warmup of 5.5 to 6
hours)
Project (pre-launch): 4.3e-10
1989 SFT: 1.09e-9
1990 SFT: 1.49e-9
1992 MST: 1.2e-9
From our analysis the best estimate of the fractional frequency
drift at the time of the probe mission is 1.73e-9 (30 minutes)
with an uncertainty of +/-.93e-10.
The magnitude of the orbiter USO drift was at least one or two
orders of magnitude less than the probe USO, so the
characteristics of the orbiter USO are almost completely
irrelevant for purposes of the analysis.
High Temperature effects:
Following the probe mission of 7 December 1995 it was discovered
that the probe interior reached temperatures well in excess of
the qualification and acceptance level limits, and pre-launch
calibration testing levels. Therefore, in late 1996 at NASA
Ames, high temperature tests of the USO stabilities were
performed on the flight spare oscillators at temperatures and
temperature rates experienced by the probe during the Jupiter
descent mission.
After the post-flight high temperature testing of the flight
spare USOs was completed, two simple thermal models of the probe
response to the changing temperatures were made. These two
different models 'best fit' the temperature-time curve in
different ways. In the first (moderate thermal corrections) the
temperature-time curve for the USO thermal test was matched to
the actual measured probe USO data for the period 20 minutes
after entry to about 50 minutes after entry. However, for this
model, the temperature peak was reached too early. For the
second model (maximum thermal correction) the time of the
temperature peak was more consistent with the time of loss of
probe signal, but was several degrees below measured probe
temperatures from 20 minutes to 50 minutes after entry. For this
model (maximum thermal correction) the temperature peak was
reached about 2.25 minutes earlier than the moderate thermal
correction model.
Under the assumption that it must behave like the flight spare
unit, the high temperature calibrations below were applied to the
actual probe data.
timee is time after probe entry (seconds) and delf_f is the 30
minute fractional frequency drift.
Maximum thermal corrections - drift model peaks at 59 min after
entry.
if(timee(i).gt.2394.)delf_f=-.161e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2503.)delf_f=-.593e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2599.)delf_f=-.966e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2703.)delf_f=-.122e-7
if(timee(i).gt.2799.)delf_f=-.123e-7
if(timee(i).gt.2900.)delf_f=-.994e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2999.)delf_f=-.619e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3099.)delf_f=-.427e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3199.)delf_f=-.983e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3299.)delf_f=-.308e-7
if(timee(i).gt.3399.)delf_f=-.769e-7
if(timee(i).gt.3499.)delf_f=-.157e-6
if(timee(i).gt.3599.)delf_f=-.278e-6
Moderate thermal corrections - drift model peaks at 61.5 min
after entry.
if(timee(i).gt.2398.)delf_f=-.565e-9
if(timee(i).gt.2497.)delf_f=-.211e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2593.)delf_f=-.538e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2698.)delf_f=-.880e-8
if(timee(i).gt.2794.)delf_f=-.108e-7
if(timee(i).gt.2894.)delf_f=-.110e-7
if(timee(i).gt.2994.)delf_f=-.911e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3094.)delf_f=-.601e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3194.)delf_f=-.425e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3294.)delf_f=-.831e-8
if(timee(i).gt.3394.)delf_f=-.246e-7
if(timee(i).gt.3494.)delf_f=-.613e-7
if(timee(i).gt.3594.)delf_f=-.127e-6
if(timee(i).gt.3694.)delf_f=-.228e-6
if(timee(i).gt.3816.)delf_f=-.400e-6
if(timee(i).gt.3901.)delf_f=-.543e-6
At times earlier than 2390 seconds the USO drift rate is assumed
to be the nominal 30 minute fractional frequency drift rate of
delf_f = +1.73e-9. The total drift in Hz (offset) is then found
from
ddt=timee(i+1)-timee(i)
offset=offset+delf_f*ddt*f0/1800.0
Note on 30 minute drift rate: To make meaningful comparisons of
the probe performance under different operating conditions, it is
useful to have a common baseline. All of the probe pre-flight
tests and calibrations are quantified in terms of 30 minute drift
rates, and this is the reference definition. Therefore, at any
instant of time, we define the 'instantaneous' 30 minute drift
rate to make references to the probe USO specs and predictions
easier. Under severe operating conditions and a rapidly changing
environment, the 30 minute drift rate may well change minute to
minute.
Operational Considerations
==========================
High temperature effects - see above.
The probe radio signal frequency was measured on board the
orbiter every 2/3 seconds. The data were stored in a buffer in
the Relay Receiver Hardware (RRH) prior to delivery to the
orbiter. Due to a slight timing mismatch between the RRH and
orbiter clocks, occasionally the orbiter would request a
frequency from the RRH just prior to a frequency measurement. In
these cases the orbiter would measure a frequency of zero and
results in a discontinuity in the frequency-time profile of about
7 Hz. To correct for this timing mismatch and the corresponding
null frequency measurements it is necessary to average through
the discontinuities. This process, described in more detail
below, results in a frequency measurement period that is slightly
longer than 0.666 seconds. For example, suppose N frequency
measurements (f_1,f_2,f_3,...f_N) are made at the N times
(t_1,t_2,t_3,... t_N) where t_x - t_(x-1) = 0.666 seconds. If,
due to a timing mismatch between the RRH and orbiter, frequency
f_k is discovered to be zero, then the remaining N-1 frequency
measurements are assumed to be uniformly distributed in time over
the time period t_1 to t_N. In this case the times of the
remaining N-1 frequencies f_1, f_2, f_3 ... f_N (with f_k
removed) are t_1, t_1+deltat, t_1+2*deltat, t_1+3*deltat, ...
where deltat = (t_N-t_1)/(N-2).
This is equivalent to averaging through the discontinuities.
Approximately 10 null measurements were experienced during the
reception of the probe data.
Additionally, there were several short periods when the tape
recorder data were not received. Most of the gaps in the data
were filled in by the half-resolution data from solid state
memory. In all, out of a total possible of 5173 frequency
measurements covering a period of 57 minutes, 28.66 seconds, 5015
frequency measurements were made. The total missed data were 159
points (3.316%). None of the missed points were consecutive.
Electronics
===========
The frequency measured was the frequency of the RRH Numerically
controlled oscillator (NCO). The NCO frequency is related to the
link frequency according to
f_link=57*f_uso + f_nco + 1024
where f_uso is the frequency of the orbiter USO (nominally
24.325553 MHz), and f_nco is the nco control word (frequency),
nominally 442455 Hz.
Due to the finite word length in the RRH buffer (24 bits), the
frequency measurement has an inherent digitization error. This
finite word length leads to a digitization error of about .18124
Hz.
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