Elias Barbinis

The Cassini gravitational wave experiment

Doppler tracking experiments using the earth and a distant spacecraft as separated test masses have been used for gravitational wave (GW) searches in the low-frequency band(~0.0001-0.1 Hz). The precision microwave tracking link continuously measures the relative dimensionless velocity, Δv/c, between the earth and the spacecraft. A GW incident of the systems produces a characteristic signature in the data, different from the signatures of the principal noises. For 40 days centered about its solar opposition in December 2001, the Cassini spacecraft was tracked in a search for low-frequncy GWs. Here we describe the GW experiment, including transfer functions of the signals and noises to the Doppler observable, and present noise statistics and compare them with the pre-experiment noise budget.

The ionosphere of Saturn as observed by the Cassini Radio Science System

Fifty-nine ionsopheric radio occultation observations of the vertical electron density profile in the Saturn ionosphere have been made since the Cassini spacecraft was inserted in orbit around Saturn in 2004. Significant orbit to orbit variations were observed, but the general trend noted in earlier orbits, namely, increasing electron densities with increasing latitude was reconfirmed and bolstered with this extended data base. This trend is likely to be due to some combination of increasing ionization rates and decreasing water influx with latitude.

A numerical technique for two‐way radio occultations by oblate axisymmetric atmospheres with zonal winds

The Ultra Stable Oscillator aboard the Cassini spacecraft failed in late 2011, which means that all radio occultations after that date have to be done in two-way mode, using a ground-based signal transmitted to the spacecraft as the frequency reference. Here we present the numerical technique we use to analyze the data from the two-way atmospheric radio occultations of both Saturn and Titan that have occurred since the Ultra Stable Oscillator (USO) failure, along with the theoretical reasons behind this technique. Since our two-way technique is based upon our earlier one-way technique which used the USO as the frequency reference, we also present our one-way technique which we used for Saturn occultations prior to the loss of the USO.

First deep space operational experience with simultaneous X- and Ka-bands coherent tracking

This paper describes the new DSN science capability and highlights of the engineering work that lead to its development. It will also discuss experience with operations along with statistics and data quality.