Astronautical and Aeronautical Events of 1962 - NASA's History Office

ASTRONAUTICAL AND AERONAUTICAL EVENTS OF le62 279
physical Union meeting. Experiment measured velocity, density,
and temperature of solar plasma using electrostatic analyzer
onboard the probe. Results showed energies of gas atoms in
solar wind are very low as compared to cosmic-ray particles, but
number of solar-wind particles is about a billion times greater
than number of cosmic rays, making total energy content of solar
wind much greater than of cosmic rays. Solar flares eject plasma
clouds which may have higher velocity, density, and temperature
than undisturbed solar wind-which MARINER 11 found to be little
less than 250 mi. per sec. velocity, 10-20 particles per cu. in.
density, and few hundred thousand deg. temperature. MARINER
11 also found solar wind appears to be “supersonic”-and super-
sonic effects such as plasma shockwave ahead of the earth and
other planets would be objects of study of future NASA space
vehicles.
December 28: scientists again attempted to turn on RELAY communi-
cations equipment, but the satellite’s power level was still too low.
Interaction of winds in lower atmosphere and turbulence in upper
atmosphere was reported at AAAS meeting by Univ. of Chicago
scientist Colin 0. Hines. Hines said wave motions (“internal
avity waves”) from earth appear to generate whirlpool turbu-
Cnces up to 50 mph and sweeping upward as high as 50 mi. As
strength of upper atmosphere varies, so too does its chemical
composition; changes may react back to lower atmosphere.
Hines said turbulence seems to provide heat to upper air at
rate of one degree a day-and perhaps as high as 10 degrees a
day. He also noted that turbulence ends rather abruptly at
altitudes from 60 to 70 mi., the abrupt change altering upper
air’s chemical composition: whereas presence of turbulence mixes
chemicals in atmosphere, absence of turbulence separates chemi-
cals into distinct layers. Hines concluded further study of turbu-
lence could contribute to better long-distance radio communica-
tions which use ionospheric irregularities, partially produced and
controlled by the whirlpools.
Dr. Sheldon J. Korchin of National Institutes of Health and Dr.
George Ruff of Univ. of Pennsylvania reported at AAAS confer-
ence that American astronauts are typically Protestants, natives
of small towns, members of middle or upper-middle class families,
and have average I& of 135. Summing up results of testin
astronauts, two psychiatrists concluded astronauts have norma 5
anxieties but above normal ability to control them. Average
astronaut prefers outdoor sports to indoor; is ofiented to action
rather than thought; prefers facts to speculation; has abiding
belief in his own competence and willingness to strive for per-
fection.
Efforts of special Presidential board to settle dispute between
Boeing Co. and International Association of Machinists (IAM)
were unsuccessful, board chairman Saul Wallen announced, and
no further mediation sessions were planned. Dispute centered
around IAM’S demand for union shop and Boeing’s unwillingness
to grant it.