Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Houghton, W. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Houghton, W. M..

15 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Measurements of spectral attenuation coefficients in the lower Chesapeake Bay

The spectral transmission was measured for water samples taken in the lower Chesapeake Bay to allow characterization of several optical properties. The coefficients of total attenuation, particle attenuation, and absorption by dissolved organic matter were determined over a wavelength range from 3500 A to 8000 A. The data were taken over a 3 year period and at a number of sites so that an indication of spatial and temporal variations could be obtained. The attenuations determined in this work are, on the average, 10 times greater than those obtained by Hulburt in 1944, which are commonly accepted in the literature for Chesapeake Bay attenuation.

Houghton, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Field investigation of techniques for remote laser sensing of oceanographic parameters

A laser fluorosensor, previously studied in the laboratory, was deployed at a pier in lower Chesapeake Bay for field testing. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser doubled to 532 nm in conjunction with a gated optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) allow spectra with high signal-to-noise ratios to be recorded in full daylight at a distance of 20 m. As a test of the system a study was conducted of the spatial and temporal variations of the phytopigments phycoerythrin and chlorophyll. The phycoerythrin feature was resolved into two components, one attributable to cyanophytes and the other to cryptophytes. A comparison was also made with spectra obtained by the NASA airborne oceanographic lidar (AOL).

Houghton, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Laboratory analysis of techniques for remote sensing of estuarine parameters using laser excitation

The theoretical concepts underlying remote sensing of estuarine parameters using laser excitation are examined. The concepts are extended to include Mie scattering as a measure of the total suspended solids and to develop the water Raman signal as an internal standard. Experimental validation of the theory was performed using backscattered laser light from a laboratory tank to simulate a remote-sensing geometry. Artificially prepared sediments and biological cultures were employed to check specific aspects of the theory under controlled conditions. Natural samples gathered from a variety of water types were also analyzed in the tank to further enhance the simulation. The results indicate that it should be possible to remotely quantify total suspended solids, dissolved organics, attenuation coefficient, chlorophyll a, and phycoerythrin in estuarine water using laser excitation.

Exton, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Influence of dissolved organic materials on turbid water optical properties and remote-sensing reflectance

The effects of dissolved organic materials on turbid-water optical properties are assessed, by means of field measurements and laboratory simulations in which upwelled reflectance, attenuation, absorption, and backscatter spectral properties at wavelengths from 450 to 800 nm are examined in relation to water chemistry. The data show that dissolved organic materials decrease upwelled reflectance from turbid waters, and that the decrease in reflectance is a nonlinear function of concentration with the largest gradients at low carbon concentrations, depending on wavelength. Upwelled reflectance is found to be highly correlated with two backscatter-absorption parameters used in some optical models, which are nonlinear with dissolved organic material concentration change.

Witte, W. G.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Laser remote sensing of marine sediment load and algal pigments: Laboratory experiments

The fluorescence emission spectra for estuarine water samples excited by an argon laser at 514.5 nm were analyzed. The features of interest were: (1) scattering at the laser wavelength by particulates (Mie); (2) fluorescence from the pigments chlorophyl a and phycoerythrin; (3) Raman scattering by water; and (4) fluorescence by dissolved organic matter. It is shown that these intensities increase with the concentration of the corresponding material and decrease with attenuation. Since the concentration of water is constant the Raman intensity provides a direct measure of attenuation.

Exton, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Comparison of reflectance with backscatter and absorption parameters for turbid waters

The relation of reflectance to backscatter and absorption parameters is investigated for waters more turbid than those of previous investigations. Experimental data are examined for river waters in which beam attenuation values range from 8.9 to 18.9 per m at 550 nm. Attenuation, absorption, backscatter, and irradiance reflectance spectral properties are presented for wavelengths between 450 and 800 nm. Comparisons of reflectance with backscatter to absorption ratio and backscatter with absorption plus backscatter ratio indicate that data for turbid waters do not fit linear or polynomial models which are presently available in the literature.

Whitlock, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Spectral scattering properties of turbid waters

River water samples have been examined for optical scattering properties at wavelengths between 400 and 800 nm. Scattering coefficients were calculated from measurements of beam attenuation and absorption coefficients and are observed to vary with wavelength. At a fixed wavelength, the scattering coefficient is influenced by both phytoplankton concentration (as indicated by chlorophyll a) and suspended solids concentration. Measurements of small angle volume-scattering function indicate that the phase function at an angle of 1.5 deg is not constant for turbid waters and varies with both wavelength and beam attenuation coefficient. These data differ from previously published results for relatively clear oceanic and coastal waters. Caution is required when attempting to estimate scattering coefficient values from single-angle measurements of volume-scattering function.

Whitlock, C. H.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Measurement of chlorophyll a fluorescence with an airborne fluorosensor

Phytoplankton biomass and diversity among various algal species are important for marine productivity assessments. The spatial heterogeneity of phytoplankton in coastal and estuarine environments complicates estimates of total biomass using conventional surface sampling techniques. Since synoptic or near-synoptic data can be quite useful in these studies, this area is a natural focal point for development of remote sensors. However, it is very difficult to sense phytoplankton density and diversity with spacecraft-borne passive sensors primarily because modulation in the signal due to phytoplankton is of the same order as that of atmospheric effects. The same sensors mounted on aircraft may be able to detect and quantify high concentrations of phytoplankton (blooms), but the current lack of knowledge about the spectral reflectance signatures of the major phytoplankton color groups rules out any diversity measurements by this type of sensor. An active fluorosensor mounted on a low-flying aircraft or helicopter is not limited by any of these constraints. A brief survey of the four currently active systems is presented.

Jarrett, O., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Measurement of Raman spectra of H2O and SO4(-) in seawater

A study of applying laser Raman spectroscopy to remote sensing of the sulfate ion in sea water is in progress. The SO4 Raman spectrum has been obtained from true sea water samples in the laboratory using a CW laser Raman spectrometric system. Radiometric calculations indicate the feasibility of obtaining usable SO4 Raman signals in a field experiment. One of serious difficulties expected in the field experiment would be from fluorescence of phytoplankton and organics.

Houghton, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Shock tube study of the reaction H plus O2 plus Ar yields HO2 plus Ar

Rate coefficient data for the recombination reaction H + 02 + Ar yields H02 + Ar have been determined from studies of lean hydrogen-oxygen mixtures behind incident shock waves over the temperature range of 948 to 1125 K. Hydroxyl radical concentration profiles were measured by ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy, and rate data were obtained through analysis of induction time and exponential growth parameter data. Analysis of the data yielded a rate coefficient which was generally lower than most of the more recent values obtained from shock tube studies. The effect of boundary layer formation on the conditions behind the shock was also examined and found to be negligible.

Jachimowski, C. J.↗