T. Finley

Southwest Research Institute

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i-10 index

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Document Type

Co-Authors

F. Bagenal

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

S. A. Stern

Southwest Research Institute

A. M. Zangari

Southwest Research Institute

C. B. Olkin

Southwest Research Institute

M. Horányi

Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute

B. Carcich

Cornell University

L. A. Young

Southwest Research Institute

Emma Birath

Southwest Research Institute

D. J. McComas

Princeton University

Dale Stanbridge

Microwave Monolithics (United States)

Cooperative Institutions

Southwest Research Institute

173

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

143

University of Colorado Boulder

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Planetary Science Institute

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

California Institute of Technology

Johns Hopkins University

University of Colorado System

Goddard Space Flight Center

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Initial results from the New Horizons exploration of 2014 MU ₆₉ , a small Kuiper Belt object

Science (2019)

S. A. Stern H. A. Weaver J. R. Spencer C. B. Olkin G. R. Gladstone

The Kuiper Belt is a distant region of the Solar System. On 1 January 2019, the New Horizons spacecraft flew close to (486958) 2014 MU69, a Cold Classical Kuiper Belt Object, a class of objects that have never been heated by the Sun and are therefore well preserved since their formation. Here we describe initial results from these encounter observations. MU69 is a bi-lobed contact binary with a flattened shape, discrete geological units, and noticeable albedo heterogeneity. However, there is little surface color and compositional heterogeneity. No evidence for satellites, ring or dust structures, gas coma, or solar wind interactions was detected. By origin MU69 appears consistent with pebble cloud collapse followed by a low velocity merger of its two lobes.

Nice model

Albedo (alchemy)

10.1126/science.aaw9771

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Citations (136)

Size and Shape Constraints of (486958) Arrokoth from Stellar Occultations

The Astronomical Journal (2020)

M. W. Buie Simon B. Porter Peter Tamblyn D. Terrell A. H. Parker

Abstract We present the results from four stellar occultations by (486958) Arrokoth, the flyby target of the New Horizons extended mission. Three of the four efforts led to positive detections of the body, and all constrained the presence of rings and other debris, finding none. Twenty-five mobile stations were deployed for 2017 June 3 and augmented by fixed telescopes. There were no positive detections from this effort. The event on 2017 July 10 was observed by the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy with one very short chord. Twenty-four deployed stations on 2017 July 17 resulted in five chords that clearly showed a complicated shape consistent with a contact binary with rough dimensions of 20 by 30 km for the overall outline. A visible albedo of 10% was derived from these data. Twenty-two systems were deployed for the fourth event on 2018 August 4 and resulted in two chords. The combination of the occultation data and the flyby results provides a significant refinement of the rotation period, now estimated to be 15.9380 ± 0.0005 hr. The occultation data also provided high-precision astrometric constraints on the position of the object that were crucial for supporting the navigation for the New Horizons flyby. This work demonstrates an effective method for obtaining detailed size and shape information and probing for rings and dust on distant Kuiper Belt objects as well as being an important source of positional data that can aid in spacecraft navigation that is particularly useful for small and distant bodies.

Occultation

10.3847/1538-3881/ab6ced

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Citations (11)

Accommodating Navigation Uncertainties in the Pluto Encounter Sequence Design

Springer eBooks (2017)

A. Harch B. Carcich Gabe Rogers B. G. Williams Kenneth H. Williams

Pluto

Jupiter (rocket family)

New horizons

10.1007/978-3-319-51941-8_21

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Citations (3)

The Pluto system: Initial results from its exploration by New Horizons

Science (2015)

S. A. Stern F. Bagenal Kimberly Ennico G. R. Gladstone W. M. Grundy

New Horizons' views of Pluto The flyby of Pluto and its moon Charon by the New Horizons spacecraft generated news coverage around the world. Now Stern et al. report the first scientific results from the high-speed encounter. The surface of Pluto is surprisingly diverse, with large regions of differing brightness and composition. There is ample evidence for ongoing rich geological processes that act to sculpt its surface. Charon's surface is similarly complex, with numerous relief structures and varied coloration. Pluto's atmosphere is extensive but less dense than expected, whereas Charon has no detectable atmosphere. Science , this issue p. 10.1126/science.aad1815

Pluto

New horizons

10.1126/science.aad1815

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Citations (471)

The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on the Juno Mission to Jupiter

Springer eBooks (2013)

D. J. McComas N. Alexander F. Allegrini F. Bagenal C. Beebe

Jade

Jupiter (rocket family)

Atmosphere of Jupiter

10.1007/978-94-024-1560-5_13

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Citations (7)

Designing Radiation Shields Based on Jovian Radiation Models for the Juno JADE Instrument

European Planetary Science Congress 2010 (2010)

T. Finley M. I. Desai D. White D. Santos-Costa

Jade

Shields

Source

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Citations (0)

ICT and Education in Developing Countries : Shifting Initiatives toward a Sustainable Society

Lu Dai T. Finley Susan McCormack

This research investigates capacity building initiatives in developing countries’ ability to aid in a transition toward sustainability. A key system, the education sector, enables and creates human capacity. Teacher Training Initiatives (TTIs) are an organized effort to build the capacity of teachers within the education sector. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are a rising addition to TTIs that can expand the network, knowledge-sharing, and communication potential of TTIs. Yet, is this growing trend aiding in building capacity at the expense of long-term sustainability? Utilizing the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, this research employs literature reviews, interviews, data analysis, workshop participation, and an expert panel to illuminate how ICT enabled TTIs can contribute to sustainability. An intervention in the current planning process was identified as a key leverage point to shift the system toward sustainability. Taking a whole systems perspective when planning initiatives better equip stakeholders to build effective programs today that will not compromise the capacity building of the future. This upstream approach may build the foundation to move toward a strategic ICT enabled TTI, but it is not the only major factor. ICT enabled TTIs function within complex systems, requiring ongoing strategic planning and management toward sustainability.

Leverage (statistics)

Capacity Building

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Size and Shape of (11351) Leucus from Five Occultations

The Planetary Science Journal (2021)

M. W. Buie Brian A. Keeney Ryder Strauss T. Blank John G. Moore

Abstract We present observations of five stellar occultations for (11351) Leucus and reports from two efforts on (21900) Orus. Both objects are prime mission candidate targets for the Lucy Discovery mission. Combined results for Leucus indicate a very dark surface with p V = 0.037 ± 0.001, which is derived from the average of the multichord occultations. Our estimate of the triaxial ellipsoidal shape is for axial diameters of 63.8 × 36.6 × 29.6 km assuming that the spin pole is normal to the line of sight. The actual shape of the object is only roughly elliptical in profile at each epoch. Significant topography is seen with horizontal scales up to 30 km and vertical scales up to 5 km. The most significant feature is a large depression on the southern end of the object as seen from a terrestrial viewpoint. For this work we developed a method to correct for differential refraction, accounting for the difference in color between the target object and the reference stars for astrometry derived from ground-based images.

Astrometry

Line-of-sight

Epoch (astronomy)

10.3847/psj/ac1f9b

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Citations (9)

New Horizons DataTrack Tool for Playback Planning and Sequencing

2018 SpaceOps Conference (2016)

Emma Birath B. Carcich Zach Dischner T. Finley A. Harch

10.2514/6.2016-2541

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Citations (1)

The Student Dust Counter on the New Horizons Mission

New horizons (2009)

M. Horányi V. C. Hoxie D. J. James A. R. Poppe C. Bryant

The Student Dust Counter (SDC) experiment of the New Horizons Mission is an impact dust detector to map the spatial and size distribution of dust along the trajectory of the spacecraft across the solar system. The sensors are thin, permanently polarized polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) plastic films that generate an electrical signal when dust particles penetrate their surface. SDC is capable of detecting particles with masses m>10−12 g, and it has a total sensitive surface area of about 0.1 m2, pointing most of the time close to the ram direction of the spacecraft. SDC is part of the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) effort of this mission. The instrument was designed, built, tested, integrated, and now is operated by students.

Polyvinylidene fluoride

Outreach

10.1007/978-0-387-89518-5_13

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Citations (3)