Engineering topics

Gerber, J. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Gerber, J. F..

4 records

NASA NTRS1984

Rapid weather information dissemination in Florida

The development of the Florida Agricultural Services and Technology (FAST) plan to provide ports for users to call for weather information is described. FAST is based on the Satellite Frost Forecast System, which makes a broad base of weather data available to its users. The methods used for acquisition and dissemination of data from various networks under the FAST plan are examined. The system provides color coded IR or thermal maps, precipitation maps, and textural forecast information. A diagram of the system is provided.

Martsolf, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Comparison of winter-nocturnal geostationary satellite infrared-surface temperature with shelter-height temperature in Florida

Geostationary satellite surface temperatures derived from a Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR) sensor (10.5 to 12.6 microns) were compared with 1.5-m air temperatures collected by a thermocouple on a traversing vehicle along rural highway transects in Florida, and with two fixed thermographs located in rural and agricultural areas. Statistical comparisons between satellite and 1.5-m observations yielded a mean correlation coefficient of 0.87 and an average sample standard deviation from regression of 1.57 C during clear nights for four winters (1978-1981). The satellite-temperature image of Lake Okeechobee was compared with its geographic outline for areal image registration. Manual overlays of temporal images were repeatable to within one pixel. Satellite-sensed water temperature of Lake Okeechobee was used as an indicator of satellite radiometer repeatability and stability.

Chen, E.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Delineation of cold-prone areas using nighttime SMS/GOES thermal data Effects of soils and water

Infrared digital data from geostationary satellites were used to demonstrate the usefulness of remotely sensed surface temperature data to delineate microscale and mesoscale climates. Nocturnal winter data (December-February) from 1976-77 to 1978-79 over Florida revealed noticeable contrasts in surface temperature patterns. Colder areas were associated with low soil moisture content in the upper layers of excessively drained and well drained sandy soils, whereas warmer areas were associated with bodies of water, wetlands, or poorly drained soils. An unexpected surface temperature pattern for one night where the north-central Florida climatic zone was colder than the north Florida climatic zone was found to be caused by differences in antecedent frontal rainfall. Differences in surface radiant energy fluxes over these two areas at 0200 EST 20 December 1977, based on average satellite-sensed surface temperatures, were compared with differences in soil heat fluxes that were computed from 1.5 m climatological temperatures and soil thermal properties by use of a simplified surface energy balance equation.

Chen, E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Emissivity correction for interpreting thermal radiation from a terrestrial surface

A general method of accounting for emissivity in making temperature determinations of graybody surfaces from radiometric data is presented. The method differs from previous treatments in that a simple blackbody calibration and graphical approach is used rather than numerical integrations which require detailed knowledge of an instrument's spectral characteristics. Also, errors caused by approximating instrumental response with the Stephan-Boltzman law rather than with an appropriately weighted Planck integral are examined. In the 8-14 micron wavelength interval, it is shown that errors are at most on the order of 3 C for the extremes of the earth's temperature and emissivity. For more practical limits, however, errors are less than 0.5 C.

Sutherland, R. A.↗