+ 1970 News Releases (7.6 Mb PDF file) - NASA

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483-5111 February 10, 1970
ALSE_ System Status - J2:00 C.S.T.
After more than 79 days of operation, ALSEP _ continues its satisfactory
performance in transmitting to Earth scientific data from the seismometer,
the magnetometer, and the field particle experiment sensors. Ail experiments
and the central station continue to function in the OPERATE mode
as a steady 74 watts of power is being provided by the thermoelectric generator.
The ALSEP 1 system experienced its third l_ar sunset at 15:5'L CST,
3i January. Temperature sensors indicate that no appreciable change has
occurred since the optical terminator crossing, as the central station and
various instrument temperatures remain stabilized. Signal strength of the
downlink telemetry remains constant at -]AO dbm. Minor fluctuations in
the signal strength occur depending on the characteristics of the remoted
site supporting ALSEP.
The Passive Seismic Experiment detected seismic activity on the X axis
and Y axis long-period horizontal sensors coinciding with the terminator
crossing. A seismic signal lasting twenty minutes in duration was detected
at 2'1:51 CST, 31 January. The seismic event was recorded on the three
long-period sensors.
The L,_nar Surface Magnetometer field sensor outputs displayed significant
variant magnetic field intensities on ! February ani diminished slowly
thereafter.
The Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment indicated considerable activity in
its low energy data immediately prior to the optical terminator crossing.