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Moore, R. K.

Publications and source records attributed to Moore, R. K..

At least 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Large space antenna technology applied to radar-imaging, rain-rate measurements, and ocean wind sensing

During the last decade, the utility of spaceborne microwave remote sensing systems for ocean windspeed measurement, ocean wave imaging and sea ice studies was demonstrated. Development of large space antennas offers some interesting possibilities for rain rate measurements, ocean and ice studies, and radar imaging. The joint use of active and passive sensors using the 15 m antenna for ocean, ice, and soil moisture studies; rain rate measurements; and radar imaging is considered. Verification of the frequency agile rain radar concept with Shuttle offers the possibility of much needed rain rate statistics over the ocean.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Mobile spectrometer measures radar backscatter

The present article is concerned with a helicopter-borne spectrometer (Heloscat), which has been developed to permit high-quality scattering measurements from a mobile platform at remote sites. The term 'spectrometer' referes to a class of scatterometers. The term 'scatterometer' is employed to denote a specialized radar for measuring scattering coefficients as a function of angle. A spectrometer, on the other hand, is a scatterometer which can measure backscatter at several frequencies. The Heloscat system is discussed, taking into account two antennas, RF hardware, and an externally mounted pendulum for angle encoding. A dual-antenna configuration is used for cross-polarized measurements, while a single-antenna system is used for like-polarized measurements. Attention is also given to oscillator characteristics, efficient data handling, and aspects of calibration.

Gogineni, S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Studies of coastal mesoscale winds using SIR-B

The variability of the mesoscale wind fields near coastlines which can be caused by mountains that shadow offshore wind and by valleys that enhance them. These wind, provide relatively fixed patterns that must be considered in the development of algorithms for future spaceborne scatterometer systems; mesoscale variability over the offshore regions is random and must be averaged out for forecasting yet nearshore fixed patterns are treated differently. Before the patterns of interest can be defined quantitatively, the scattering response of the ocean to winds at the L-band frequency and SIR-B angles of incidence must be developed from the SIR-B data. Patterns can be analyzed on the images both in regions selected for high probability of the occurrence of suitable patterns, and in other regions where the patterns are observed. The patterns are analyzed for topographic effects and the distance to sea over which these effects cause variations in the oceanic wind patterns. The results are interpreted in terms of quantitative description of the processes involved and in for need of modifications of future scatterometer algorithms.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Active microwave measurements of sea ice under fall conditions: The RADARSAT/FIREX fall experiment

A series of measurements of the active microwave properties of sea ice under fall growing conditions was conducted. Ice in the inland waters of Mould Bay, Crozier Channel, and intrepid inlet and ice in the Arctic Ocean near Hardinge Bay was investigated. Active microwave data were acquired using a helicopter borne scatterometer. Results show that multiyear ice frozen in grey or first year ice is easily detected under cold fall conditions. Multiyear ice returns were dynamic due to response to two of its scene constituents. Floe boundaries between thick and thin ice are well defined. Multiyear pressure ridge returns are similar in level to background ice returns. Backscatter from homogeneous first year ice is seen to be primarily due to surface scattering. Operation at 9.6 GHz is more sensitive to the detailed changes in scene roughness, while operation at 5.6 GHz seems to track roughness changes less ably.

Onstott, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Scanning wind-vector scatterometers with two pencil beams

A scanning pencil-beam scatterometer for ocean windvector determination has potential advantages over the fan-beam systems used and proposed heretofore. The pencil beam permits use of lower transmitter power, and at the same time allows concurrent use of the reflector by a radiometer to correct for atmospheric attenuation and other radiometers for other purposes. The use of dual beams based on the same scanning reflector permits four looks at each cell on the surface, thereby improving accuracy and allowing alias removal. Simulation results for a spaceborne dual-beam scanning scatterometer with a 1-watt radiated power at an orbital altitude of 900 km is described. Two novel algorithms for removing the aliases in the windvector are described, in addition to an adaptation of the conventional maximum likelihood algorithm. The new algorithms are more effective at alias removal than the conventional one. Measurement errors for the wind speed, assuming perfect alias removal, were found to be less than 10%.

Kirimoto, T.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Determination of the Sources of Radar Scattering

Fine-resolution radar backscattering measurements were proposed to determine the backscattering sources in various vegetation canopies and surface targets. The results were then used to improve the existing theoretical models of terrain scattering, and also to enhance understanding of the radar signal observed by an imaging radar over a vegetated area. Various experiments were performed on targets such as corn, milo, soybeans, grass, asphalt pavements, soil and concrete walkways. Due to the lack of available references on measurements of this type, the obtained results will be used primarily as a foundation or future experiments. The constituent backscattering characteristics of the vegetation canopies was also examined.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Determination of the Sources of Radar Scattering

The sources of radar backscattering sources in vegetation canopies and surface targets were determined. The fundamental questions were, how much of backscattering is due to direct volume backscatter by the canopy, the soil, and indirect backscatter by soil/vegetation, and what are the relative roles in terms of scattering. The results for crops, milo plant, wheat plant, soybean plant, and surface targets are reported.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Focusing the parabolic antenna

The focused parabolic antenna has far field pattern characteristics in the radiating near field region. Therefore, it can provide fine resolutions in the across range dimensions. The technique of focusing the parabolic antenna is discussed and applied to a 2-1/2 foot parabolic antenna at X-band. The results of the pattern measurements at various ranges from 2.8 m to 5 m are provided.

Wu, L. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

C-band measurements of radar backscatter from ice project summary report

The ability to measure the radar scattering coefficient of ice with a helicopter or surface spectrometer was extended into the 4-8 GHz spectral region. The scattering coefficient was measured at Mould Bay, N.W.T., over a frequency range from 4 to 18 GHz for both summer and fall conditions. Scatter from fresh water ice in the St. Lawrence River and from numerous seasonal sea-ice types along the coast of Newfoundland were also measured. The C-band (near 5 GHz) scattering cross section for different types of ice shows poorer contrast than the scattering coefficient at higher frequencies, but better contrast than the negligible value found at L-band (1.5 GHz). At frequencies above 4 GHz the contrast in scattering coefficient between the different ice types is much less in summer than in other seasons; at most times of year the scattering is much stronger from multiyear than from other ice types, but in early summer it is actually slightly weaker than that from first year ice.

Onstott, R. G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Errors in scatterometer-radiometer wind measurement due to rain

The behavior of radiometer corrections for the scatterometer is investigated by simulating simple situations using footprint sizes comparable with those used in the SEASAT-1 experiment and also actual footprints and rain rates from a hurricane observed by the SEASAT-1 system. The effects on correction due to attenuation and wind speed gradients are examined independently and jointly. It is shown that the error in the wind-speed estimate can be as large as 200% at higher wind speeds. The worst error occurs when the scatterometer footprint overlaps two or more radiometer footprints and the attenuation in the scatterometer footprint differs greatly from those in parts of the radiometer footprints. This problem could be overcome by using a true radiometer-scatterometer system having identical coincident footprints comparable in size with typical rain cells.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Off-nadir antenna bias correction using Amazon rain sigma(0) data

The radar response from the Amazon rain forest was studied to determine the suitability of this region for use as a standard target to calibrate a scatterometer like that proposed for the National Oceanic Satellite System (NOSS). Backscattering observations made by the SEASAT Scatterometer System (SASS) showed the Amazon rain forest to be a homogeneous, azimuthally-isotropic, radar target which was insensitive to polarization. The variation with angle of incidence was adequately modeled as scattering coefficient (dB) = a theta b with typical values for the incidence-angle coefficient from 0.07 to 0.15 dB/deg. A small diurnal effect occurs, with measurements at sunrise being 0.5 dB to 1 dB higher than the rest of the day. Maximum-likelihood estimation algorithms presented here permit determination of relative bias and true pointing angle for each beam. Specific implementation of these algorithms for the proposed NOSS scatterometer system is also discussed.

Birrer, I. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Evaluation of atmospheric attenuation from SMMR brightness temperature for the Seasat satellite scatterometer

The effect of attenuation in precipitation regions of the sea, which must be considered in order to measure the radar backscatter from the ocean with sufficient accuracy to allow determination of the wind vector, can be ascertained from a knowledge of the brightness temperature observed by a microwave radiometer such as the Seasat multifrequency scanning radiometer. Two algorithms relating radiometric measurements and attenuation, and thereby correcting measured scattering coefficient values, were compared with wind vectors reported by surface observers and those determined by the Seasat scatterometer measurements with and without correction for atmospheric attenuation. Although the attenuation correction yields some improvements, it is constrained by both radiometer footprint differences and different scan patterns.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Microwave remote sensing: Active and passive. Volume 2 - Radar remote sensing and surface scattering and emission theory

The fundamental principles of radar backscattering measurements are presented, including measurement statistics, Doppler and pulse discrimination techniques, and associated ambiguity functions. The operation of real and synthetic aperture sidelooking airborne radar systems is described, along with the internal and external calibration techniques employed in scattering measurements. Attention is given to the physical mechanisms responsible for the scattering emission behavior of homogeneous and inhomogeneous media, through a discussion of surface roughness, dielectric properties and inhomogeneity, and penetration depth. Simple semiempirical models are presented. Theoretical models involving greater mathematical sophistication are also given for extended ocean and bare soil surfaces, and the more general case of a vegetation canopy over a rough surface.

Ulaby, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Off-nadir antenna bias correction using Amazon rain forest sigma deg data

The radar response from the Amazon rain forest was studied to determine the suitability of this region for use as a standard target to calibrate a scatterometer like that proposed for the National Ocean Satellite System (NOSS). Backscattering observations made by the SEASAT-1 scatterometer system show the Amazon rain forest to be a homogeneous, azimuthally-isotropic, radar target which is insensitive to polarization. The variation with angle of incidence may be adequately modeled as sigma deg (dB) = alpha theta + beta with typical values for the incidence-angle coefficient from 0.07 dB deg to 0.15 dB/deg. A small diurnal effect occurs, with measurements at sunrise being 0.5 dB to 1 dB higher than the rest of the day. Maximum likelihood estimation algorithms are presented which permit determination of relative bias and true pointing angle for each beam. Specific implementation of these algorithms for the proposed NOSS scatterometer system is also discussed.

Birrer, I. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Spaceborne radar

The spaceborne radar panel considered how radar could be used to measure precipitation from satellites. The emphasis was on how radar could be used with radiometry (at microwave, visible (VIS), and infrared (IR) wavelengths) to reduce the uncertainties of measuring precipitation with radiometry alone. In addition, the fundamental electromagnetic interactions involved in the measurements were discussed to determine the key work areas for research and development to produce effective instruments. Various approaches to implementing radar systems on satellites were considered for both shared and dedicated instruments. Finally, a research and development strategy was proposed for establishing the parametric relations and retrieval algorithms required for extracting precipitation information from the radar and associated radiometric data.

Moore, R. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The outlook for precipitation measurements from space

To provide useful precipitation measurements from space, two requirements must be met: adequate spatial and temporal sampling of the storm and sufficient accuracy in the estimate of precipitation intensity. Although presently no single instrument or method completely satisfies both requirements, the visible/IR, microwave radiometer and radar methods can be used in a complementary manner. Visible/IR instruments provide good temporal sampling and rain area depiction, but recourse must be made to microwave measurements for quantitative rainfall estimates. The inadequacy of microwave radiometer measurements over land suggests, in turn, the use of radar. Several recently developed attenuating-wavelength radar methods are discussed in terms of their accuracy, dynamic range and system implementation. Traditionally, the requirements of high resolution and adequate dynamic range led to fairly costly and complex radar systems. Some simplications and cost reduction can be made; however, by using K-band wavelengths which have the advantages of greater sensitivity at the low rain rates and higher resolution capabilities. Several recently proposed methods of this kind are reviewed in terms of accuracy and system implementation. Finally, an adaptive-pointing multi-sensor instrument is described that would exploit certain advantages of the IR, radiometric and radar methods.

Atlas, D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Evaluation of the soil moisture prediction accuracy of a space radar using simulation techniques

Image simulation techniques were employed to generate synthetic aperture radar images of a 17.7 km x 19.3 km test site located east of Lawrence, Kansas. The simulations were performed for a space SAR at an orbital altitude of 600 km, with the following sensor parameters: frequency = 4.75 GHz, polarization = HH, and angle of incidence range = 7 deg to 22 deg from nadir. Three sets of images were produced corresponding to three different spatial resolutions; 20 m x 20 m with 12 looks, 100 m x 100 m with 23 looks, and 1 km x 1 km with 1000 looks. Each set consisted of images for four different soil moisture distributions across the test site. Results indicate that, for the agricultural portion of the test site, the soil moisture in about 90% of the pixels can be predicted with an accuracy of = + or - 20% of field capacity. Among the three spatial resolutions, the 1 km x 1 km resolution gave the best results for most cases, however, for very dry soil conditions, the 100 m x 100 m resolution was slightly superior.

Ulaby, F. T.↗