This paper discusses the albedoes and phase angle effects found for 400 members of eight debris swarms using observations obtained in 1990 and 1991 with the NASA Johnson Space Center CCD-equipped portable Schmidt telescope. The mean albedo derived by comparing optical brightnesses with averaged radar cross sections (RCS's) is 10 percent. The standard deviation in log albedo is 0.40 if the RCS's are assumed to contribute equally to the scatter. The RCS's used in this work are the median values obtained by comparing data from 47 separate RCS catalog updates. Forty objects are sufficiently free of tumble or aspect angle effects to yield consistent phase function slopes. These range from specular in nature (zero slope) through Lambertian (moderate slope) to lunar (steep slope) with the mean lying midway between specular and Lambertian.


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    Title :

    Optical properties of orbital debris



    Conference:

    AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit ; 1993 ; Reno, NV, United States


    Publication date :

    1993-01-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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