Listening to Jupiter by Richard Flagg

Table of Contents

Preface 
Acknowledgments 
Introduction 

1 In the Beginning 
The Discovery   
The Jovian System 
Types of Signals   
Localized Sources 
The Io Effect.     
Source Boundaries    
Motion on the Io-CML Plane   
Radio Noise Storms   
What Frequencies?   
A Possible Emission Mechanism    
The Jovicentric Declination of Earth (DE)  
A Summary of the Periodic Effects

2 Waves 
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Windows on the Universe
The Radio Window 
The Ionosphere 
Discovery of the Ionosphere 
Structure of the Ionosphere 
Ionospheric Effects 
Absorption 
Refraction 
Ionospheric Changes 
Jupiter Observations and the Ionosphere 
Solar Observations and the Ionosphere 

3 When to Listen 
Time 
24-Hour Time 
Greenwich Time 
Setting Your Clock 
Jovian Source Regions 
Radio Noise Storm Predictions 
Why the Sun’s Position Is Important 
Conjunction and Opposition 
Jupiter Observing Season 
Observing Season with a Tracking Antenna 
Observing Season with the Jove Antenna 
It’s Best Near Opposition 
Visibility Plots 
Declination 
Hour Angle 
Azimuth and Elevation 
Jupiter’s Track across the Sky 
Radio Jupiter Pro 
Jupiter Radio Noise Storm Predictions 
Ephemeris 
Yearly Visibility Schedule 
Jupiter Altitude vs Azimuth Display 
Sky Map 
Io-CML Plane 
Summary 3

4 Radio Jove 
School Groups 
Radio Jove Equipment 
The Jove Receiver 
The Jove Antenna 
JoveChart 
Configurations 
Keeping Track of Time 
Observing Locations 
A Practice Session 
Setting Up the Antenna 
Connecting the Receiver 
Connecting the Computer 
The Windows Volume Control 
Turn It All On 
JoveChart Controls 
Setting Up JoveChart 
Data Processing 
JoveChart Editor 
The Observer’s Log 
Noise 
Lightning and Atmospheric Static 
Receiver Circuit Noise 
Galactic Background Noise 
Man-made Radio Interference 
Station Interference 
Observing Jupiter 
Projects and Experiments 
Basic Projects 
Intermediate Projects 
Advanced Projects 

5 Radio Observations of the Sun 
The Sun 
Solar Cycles 
The Radio Sun
The Quiet Sun
The Disturbed Sun 
Receiving Solar Bursts 
Verifying Solar Bursts 
Why Do They Do It? 

6 Electronics 
Antennas
A Dipole Antenna 
Feeding the Dipole 
Transmission Line 
Decibels 
Loss 
Gains and Losses 
The Half-Power Point (-3 dB) 
Beamwidth 
Absolute Power Levels 
Antenna Gain 
Free-Space Dipole Antenna Pattern 
Dipole above Ground 
The Jove Dipole Array 
Other Antennas 
Receivers 
The Superheterodyne 
Direct Conversion Receiver 
Receivers for Jupiter 
What to Look For in a Receiver 
Audio Recording 
Tape Recorder 
Video Recorder 
Computer (WAV or MP3 file) 
Signal Strength Recording 
Strip-Chart Recording 
Developing a Signal Strength Voltage 
Digital Recorders 
Sound Card 
Noise Cancellation 
Noise Nulling 
Noise Blanker 
Noise Limiter 
Digital Signal Processing (DSP) 
Do You Need a Preamplifier? 
Equipment Summary 

7 Advanced Measurements 
Polarization
Circularly Polarized Antennas 
Interferometers 
Angular Resolution 
Lots of Lobes 
Fringe Visibility 
Missing Bursts 
Spectrographs 
Swept Frequency Receiver 
Multichannel Analyzer 
Resolution 
High-Resolution Tape-Slowdown Spectrograph 
Acousto-Optical Radio Spectrograph 
Fast Fourier Transform Spectrograph
Spectrograph Antennas 

8 Calibration 
Noise 
Noise Voltage 
Root Mean Square (RMS) Value 
Noise Power and Temperature
Receiver Noise 
Receiver Noise Temperature 
Noise Measurements 
Noise Sources 
Using the Calibrator 
Set the Dynamic Range 
Stairstep Calibration 
Power Calculations 

Epilogue 

Appendix A Recommended Reading 
Appendix B Useful URLs


HOME  |  BEGINNERS  | JUPITER  |  SOLAR  |  PULSARS  |  PROJECTS  |  FAQ  |  BOOKS  |  SOFTWARE  |  SUPPORTORDERING  |  LINKS  |  EMAIL