Information in Radio Waves
Summative Assessment: Information Theory
Performance expectation:
 Communicate technical information about how remote sensing uses the principles of wave
behavior and wave interactions with matter to capture electromagnetic radiation providing
information about the source and medium it travels through.
Scoring Rubric:
4
3
2
1
All criteria from 1-3 plus:
All criteria from 1-2 plus:
All criteria from 1 plus:
Part 1 completed
accurately
Ideas about remote sensing,
the nature of the data used,
and the information it
provides are communicated
accurately and are
supported by evidence from
the resource material.
Discusses technical details
about the structure of the
atom resulting in spectral
emission lines. Discusses
details about the study of
spectral emission lines
observed in stars, nebula,
and galaxies.
primary differences
between active and passive
remote sensing are
explained accurately
Part 1:
Demonstrate a basic understanding of the ways in which electromagnetic radiation can be
modified in order to transfer information.
Place the letter of each statement/example in the correct box for the type of EMR modification:
a. Laboratory based measurements of atomic and molecular emission spectra can be used to
match observed spectra from remote sources like stars and nebulae.
b.
AM radio stations contain much more interference or noise during the day due to the Sun’s
natural variations in power output.
c.
Differences in phase can be used to correlate two signals from the same source and therefore
achieve high angular resolution of a radio source.
d.
The ability of a satellite to send two separate signals on a carrier wave of the same frequency.
Wavelength
RET 2013
Amplitude
Phase
Polarization
1
Information in Radio Waves
Part 2. Compare and Contrast Active and Passive remote sensing
Active
Both
Passive
Part 3:
Describe how discoveries of the quantum mechanical model of atoms and molecules allowed for more
information to be derived from remote observation of light sources in space.
RET 2013
2
Information in Radio Waves
Extension
Case study: Pathways to the building blocks of life
Instructions: Read one of the following articles about the
discovery of a molecule in an interstellar dust cloud using radio
astronomy methods. Consider how our study of information
theory can be applied to the research project that was
conducted. Write a reflection on the article and in your
reflection provide an explanation of the following:


A summary of the observational strategy
Specifying,
o The physical quantity being observed
o How information was ‘encoded’ in the observed
physical quantity
Describe the discovery made
Figure 1 Structure of cyanomethanimine, newly
discovered in interstellar space. Credit:
NRAO/AUI/NSF
(http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2013/newchem/gra
phics.shtml)
News Publication (non-technical):
https://public.nrao.edu/news/pressreleases/icy-cosmic-start-for-amino-acids-and-dna
Research publication (Technical description):
http://iopscience.iop.org/2041-8205/765/1/L9/article
Astrophysical Journal Publication (peer reviewed academic journal):
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1302/1302.0909.pdf
Description of student team’s discovery:
http://phys.org/news/2012-08-student-team-interstellar-molecule-summer.html
You may submit your reflection as a google doc to turnitin for assessment.
RET 2013
3