May 8 1979
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(New page: NASA reported that LaRC staffers were using the SAGE satellite launched from WFC February 18 to measure and track into the stratosphere the ash and gases from an eruption of La Soufrie...)
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NASA reported that LaRC staffers were using the SAGE satellite launched from WFC February 18 to measure and track into the stratosphere the ash and gases from an eruption of La Soufriere, a volcano on St. Vincent island in the Caribbean, between April 13 and 17. The eruption, detected first by SAGE while passing over the island April 23, deposited as much as an inch of dust on neighboring islands and provided an opportunity to study stratosphere distribution of aerosols from a single source. NASA alerted scientists around the world to use ground-based and balloon-borne instruments in checking between 6°N and 20°N latitudes for effects of the eruption. SAGE might answer questions about the effect of aerosols and ozone on climate and environmental quality. (NASA Release 79-56; LaRC Release 79-29; WFC Release 79-8)
NASA reported that since February 14 the infrared instrument on Pioneer Venus orbiter had been returning "degraded data"; efforts to solve the problem had not succeeded. The instrument began to register a power input of 6 to 7 volts instead of the required 10 volts; it had done this three times before, but each time ground command was able to reset the instrument with almost no loss of information. The orbiter had returned excellent data for 72 orbits of Venus (one per day) including more than 800,000 temperature profile, albedo, humidity, and cloud height measurements, enough for a thorough survey of the planet. NASA's radiometer-science team reported that results already exceeded mission objectives despite the apparent loss of the instrument. Dr. Fred W. Taylor of JPL said the instrument might yet be revived. (NASA Release 79-59)
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