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Johnson, W. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Johnson, W. R..

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

High-resolution space-shuttle polarimetry for farm crop classification

A significant advance is reported in imaging the polarimetry of a terrestrial area of earth located along the Mississippi River near New Madrid, Missouri. Color imagery was obtained with twin Hasselblad cameras with mutually perpendicular polarization analyzers. Digitization of the imagery in three colors (red, green, and blue) was accomplished at the Johnson Space Center Video Digital Analysis System Laboratory, Houston, Texas. A ground resolution of 80-90 m was achieved in the high-resolution imagery. Percent polarization was superior to photometry for recognition and characterization of farm crops such as rice, milo, cotton, and soybeans and of fallow areas. Statistical analyses of the percent-polarization data permit a unique classification of crops. Atmospheric effects may be deduced. Space-shuttle window distortion and viewing angle-sun geometry must be taken into account in analyzing the data.

Egan, Walter G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Terrestrial polarization imagery obtained from the Space Shuttle - Characterization and interpretation

An experiment to measure the polarization of land, sea, haze, and cloud areas from space was carried aboard the Space Shuttle in September 1985. Digitized polarimetric and photometric imagery in mutually perpendicular planes was derived in the red, green, and blue spectral regions from photographs taken with two synchronized Hasselblad cameras using type 5036 Ektachrome film. Digitization at the NASA Houston Video Digital Analysis Systems Laboratory permitted reduction of the imagery into equipolarimetric contours with a relative accuracy of + or - 20 percent for comparison to ground truth. The Island of Hawaii and adjacent sea and cloud areas were the objects of the specific imagery analyzed. Results show that cloud development is uniquely characterized using percent polarization without requiring precision photometric calibration. Furthermore, sea state and wind direction over the sea could be inferred as well as terrestrial soil texture.

Egan, Walter G.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Observations and analysis of oil spills using polarized imagery

On Saturday, July 28, 1990, a train of barges collided with the Greek tanker Shinoussa in Galveston Bay off Red Fish Island near Texas City, Texas. The first barge sank and the second began to leak while the third barge in the chain and the Shinoussa both escaped without damage. The NASA Flight Science Support Office sponsored a graduate student from SUNY - College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a student from Texas, to survey the damage. The purpose of these surveys was to correlate aircraft base data with orbital data obtained during the Space Shuttle Polarization Experiment and existing laboratory data to evaluate the potential for an application such as oil spill monitoring and mapping. NASA has no charter with the local response agencies to support oil spill monitoring and cleanup.

Israel, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Vegetation assessment using a combination of visible, near-IR, and thermal-IR AVHRR data

Twelve-hour temperature difference (thermal inertia) maps generated by rectifying and registering ascending (day) passes and descending (night) passes of the NOAA-7 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) are compared to vegetation index maps generated from the visible and near IR data from the day pass of that satellite. There appears to be significant and unique information concerning surface characteristics in the temperature difference data on the 1-km scale of the AVHRR. A scatter diagram is provided which shows the pattern of day-night temperature difference compared to vegetation index for irrigated agriculture, dry rangeland, lakes, wet areas and burned rangeland. A detailed description of the techniques employed to provide the day-night temperature maps is provided.

Whitehead, V. S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Government review of the Mod-2 wind turbine (as-built)

The findings and recommendations of the Government committee formed to conduct an as-built review of the three Mod-2 wind turbine units at Goldendale, Washington are given. The purpose of the review was to identify any critical deficiencies in machine components that could result in failure, and to recommend any necessary corrective action before resuming safe machine operation. The review concluded that one of the deficiencies identified would preclude planned attended or unattended operation, provided that certain corrective actions were implemented.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The prediction of transonic flows on advancing rotors

The object of this investigation was to find and demonstrate a means of performing efficient finite-difference computations of rotor loading for a trimmed rotor in high-speed, advancing flight. The essence of the scheme that was developed is a loose-coupled iteration procedure between a finite difference and a comprehensive integral rotor code. The coupling involves a transfer of appropriate load and inflow data between the two codes such that consistency is maintained. Sample computations, including a limited comparison with model rotor data, are presented. The scheme converges rapidly. The finite-difference computation of one rotor revolution with this scheme may provide sufficient accuracy for many purposes.

Tung, C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

METCOR4: A program to simulate METSAT data

The METCOR4 program extracts radiation data from computer tapes and computes radiance as would be recorded by the NOAA6 and NOAA7 meteorological satellites (METSAT). Three different atmospheres, each with different aerosol concentration, are considered with the viewing geometry of the satellites and the expected solar geomtry. The FORTRAN program is provided.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Atmospheric effects on METSAT data

When using the J. V. Dave dataset, two channels of simulated METSAT advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data compare favorably with actual data. Simulated NOAA6 and NOAA7 AVHRR data are presented as radiance profiles of reflected solar energy through atmosphere with three different aerosol levels. Effects of the atmosphere on the data are presented as functions of satellite view angle or pixel position on scanline. Vegetative index simultations are also profiled.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Evaluation of procedures to correct for variable viewing and illumination geometry when observing a non-Lambertian surface through the atmosphere

Data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer aboard the NOAA polar orbiting satellite are being operationally applied to provide estimates of vegetation cover and/or condition over a large part of the earth by the USDA. The wide scan angle (+ or - 54 deg) of this system permits daily views of the earth when used to its limits. Five-day repetitive coverage is acquired, assuming cloud-free conditions, in current operations which limit the use of the scan to the center + or - 14 deg of swath. While use of the full scan width would provide clear acquisitions frequent enough to monitor crop development and condition even with normal cloudiness, these off-nadir data are made difficult to interpret due to the non-Lambertian nature of the surface, enhanced effect of the atmosphere, inclusion of subpixel and thin invisible clouds in the scene, and differences in illumination across the scene; all of which contribute to variations in observed reflected radiation. Some approaches to provide corrections for these effects are discussed here.

Whitehead, V. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

A temporal/spectral analysis of small grain crops and confusion crops

Spectral data from the LANDSAT-2 satellite were used to study the growth cycles of fields of wheat, barley, alfalfa, corn, sunflowers, soybeans, rye, flax, oats, millet, grass, and hay. Signatures of pastures, trees, and idle fallow were also studied. The growth cycles were portrayed in the form of temporal plots of the greeness-brightness transformation vector applied to average channel pixel values within the fields, all of which were in three counties in North Dakota. The plots of each crop reveal characteristics which can be used in crop classification procedures.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

An analysis of haze effects on LANDSAT multispectral scanner data

Early season changes in optical depth change brightness, primarily along the soil line; and during crop development, changes in optical depth change both greenness and brightness. Thus, the existence of haze in the imagery could cause an unsuspecting analyst to interpret the spectral appearance as indicating an episodal event when, in fact, haze was present. The techniques for converting LANDSAT-3 data to simulate LANDSAT-2 data are in error. The yellowness and none such computations are affected primarily. Yellowness appears well correlated to optical depth. Experimental evidence with variable background and variable optical depth is needed, however. The variance of picture elements within a spring wheat field is related to its equivalent in optical depth changes caused by haze. This establishes the sensitivity of channel 1 (greenness) pixels to changes in haze levels. The between field picture element means and variances were determined for the spring wheat fields. This shows the variability of channel data on two specific dates, emphasizing that crop development can be influenced by many factors. The atmospheric correction program ATCOR reduces segment data from LANDSAT acquisitions to a common haze level and improves the results of analysis.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The skylab S191 spectrometer experiment: Analysis of data and their applications to the earth sciences

The data in the visible and near-infrared portions of the spectrum as recorded by identical spectrometers on Skylab and on a helicopter are examined to establish the significance of spectral reflectances from the Earth surface as influenced by water vapor, atmospheric gases, and aerosols. Models of radiation transfer show good agreement of theoretical computations and observed measurements.

Wilmarth, V. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A multispectral analysis of algal bloom in the Gulf of Mexico

Skylab multispectral scanner data acquired on January 21, 1974, were used to study the spectral characteristics of an algal bloom in the Gulf of Mexico west of Fort Myers, Florida. Radiance profiles of the water and algae were prepared with data from ten bands of the S192 scanner covering the spectral range from .42 to 2.35 micrometers. The high spectral response in the near-infrared spectral bands implies a possible classification and discrimination parameter for detection of blooms of phytoplankton concentrations such as the so-called red tides of Florida.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A multispectral analysis of the interface between the Brazil and Falkland currents from Skylab

Skylab multispectral scanner data acquired on September 2, 1973, were used to study the spectral signature of the water at the confluence of the Falkland and the Brazil currents off the east coast of Argentina. The boundary between the two currents is sharply defined in the thermal band (10.2-12.5 microns); a gradient of 1 C per 67 m exists locally at the boundary. Using the visible bands centered at 0.485 and 0.54 micron, this study establishes that water color analysis of boundary waters must first confirm that the sea states on both sides of the boundary do not contaminate the data with sun glitter.

Johnson, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

An experimental 100 kilowatt wind turbine generator

Experimental generator consists of two blades mounted on 100 foot tower, driving transmission train and electric generator mounted on top of tower. Machine generates 100 kW of electricity at wind speeds from 18 to 60 miles per hour. Yaw control mechanism automatically orients machine into wind.

Thomas, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Satellite photography of eddies in the gulf loop current

Cyclonic ocean eddies, approximately 12 to 32 kilometers in diameter, have been photographed in the eastern Gulf of Mexico by SKYLAB. Apparently caused by horizon velocity shear, these features are associated with the Gulf Loop Current, whose position was known a fortnight before and after the observation. The eddies were discovered in sunlight-enhanced patterns of streamlines on the surface, and appear to be embedded in the flow.

Maul, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Submerged gas injector expels cryogenic liquids from tanks

Vaporizing small portion of cryogenic liquid into pressurizing gas reduces amount of pressurizing gas required to expel cryogenic liquid from tank. Specific example of injecting helium gas, stored at same temperature of liquid hydrogen, through submerged porous plate directly into liquid hydrogen is described.

Conrad, E. W.↗