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Radar pulse method |
Your experiment will use the same basic principle that dolphins and bats
use to locate objects. You will send two probes to HT Cas - one to its
pole, one to the equator. They have synchronized clocks, and they will
release a flash of light in all directions at the same moment. The light
from the probe at the pole will have travelled a distance R greater than
the light from the equator. By measuring the time lag of the arrivals of
the two signals from HT Cas, you will be able to calculate the size of the
star.
diameter = 2 x R = 2 x ct
c = 3 x 108 m/sec
t = time lag between signals
You have wisely chosen to use radio waves for your probe signal, since they
are not absorbed by the Interstellar Medium. However, before applying for
funds to launch this experiment, you want to check the feasibility of
success of this approach.
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