Monitoring sources of nuclear radiation in space. Part 1: Early 1984 observations, revision

Details Monitoring sources of nuclear radiation in space. Part 1: Early 1984 observations, revision Monitoring sources of nuclear radiation in space. Part 1: Early 1984 observations, revision

May 1989

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989stin...8928481s&link_type=abstract

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Physics

Gamma Ray Spectra, Nuclear Radiation, Positrons, Radiation Sources, Spectrum Analysis, Thermoelectric Power Generation, Aluminum, Beryllium, Gamma Ray Spectrometers, Geomagnetism, Hydrogen, Iron, Lithium, Molybdenum, Potassium, Shells (Structural Forms), Sodium, Solar Maximum Mission

Scientific paper

Nuclear radiation from the reactor powered satellite COSMOS 1579 was monitored by the gamma ray spectrometer (GRS) on NASA's Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SMM). Gamma rays from the RORSAT (Radar Ocean Reconnaissance Satellites) were detected about every 4 days as it passed within about 500 km of SMM. In addition, events attributed to positrons emitted from the outer shell of COSMOS 1579 were detected on the average of once every about 1.5 days. These positrons were detected at large distances (less than or = 5000 km) from COSMOS after being stored in the earth's magnetic field for seconds or minutes. The rate of the positron detections is about a factor of two higher than observed for most of the earlier RORSAT's detected by SMM. At present, this increase is unexplained. The qualitative features of the measured gamma-ray spectrum from COSMOS 1579 are similar to those of preceding satellites; however, the spectral features are clearer. A model is presented for the origin of these features which suggests the presence of significant amounts of beryllium, sodium, potassium, molybdenum and lithium and/or hydrogen lying with tens of gm/sq cm of material. There is also spectral evidence for the presence of either iron or aluminum. Based on this model, a conservative lower limit was obtained to the thermal power of the reactor on COSMOS 1579. This lower limit is 30 kW.

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