Instrument Information
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| IDENTIFIER |
urn:nasa:pds:context:instrument:pvmp.sp-north.sn::1.2
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| NAME |
Nephelometer for Pioneer Venus Small Probe (North)
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| TYPE |
Nephelometer
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| DESCRIPTION |
The Small Probe (North) Nephelometer (SN) of Pioneer Venus was an instrument with the objectives to measure the energy backscattered from cloud particles, at around a wavelength of 900 nm. To illuminate the clouds, it used a solid-state pulsed gallium arsenide laser light emitting diode (LED) and detectors. These detectors were made of three solid state photodiodes to allow the detection of the backscattering, ultraviolet background, and visible background. The altitude history of the backscattered signal indicated the presence and vertical extent of clouds along the trajectory. When comparing the measurements from other probes, indications of the spatial variability of the cloud structure were found. The experiment weighed about 0.6 kg and used about 1.3 W of power.
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| MODEL IDENTIFIER |
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| NAIF INSTRUMENT IDENTIFIER |
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| SERIAL NUMBER |
not applicable
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| REFERENCES |
Ragent, B., et al., Pioneer Venus sounder and small probes nephelometer instrument, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Rem. Sens., GE-18, No. 1, 111-116, doi:10.1109/TGRS.1980.350292, Jan. 1980.
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