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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Studies of snowpack properties by passive microwave radiometry

Research involving the microwave characteristics of snow was undertaken in order to expand the information content currently available from remote sensing, namely the measurement of snowcovered area. Microwave radiation emitted from beneath the snow surface can be sensed and thus permits information on internal snowpack properties to be inferred. The intensity of radiation received is a function of the average temperature and emissivity of the snow layers and is commonly referred to as the brightness temperature (T sub b). The T sub b varies with snow grain and crystal sizes, liquid water content and snowpack temperature. The T sub b of the 0.8 cm wavelength channel was found to decrease moreso with increasing snow depth than the 1.4 cm channel. More scattering of the shorter wavelength radiation occurs thus resulting in a lower T sub b for shorter wavelengths in a dry snowpack. The longer 21.0 cm wavelength was used to assess the condition of the underlying ground. Ultimately it may be possible to estimate snow volume over large areas using calibrated brightness temperatures and consequently improve snowmelt runoff predictions.

Chang, A. T. C.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Studies of snowpack properties by passive microwave radiometry

Research involving the microwave characteristics of snow was undertaken in order to expand the information content currently available from remote sensing, namely the measurement of snowcovered area. Microwave radiation emitted from beneath the snow surface can be sensed and thus permits information on internal snowpack properties to be inferred. The intensity of radiation received is a function of the average temperature and emissivity of the snow layers and is commonly referred to as the brightness temperature (T sub B). The T sub B varies with snow grain and crystal sizes, liquid water content, and snowpack temperature. The T sub B of the 0.8 cm wavelength channel was found to decrease more so with increasing snow depth than the 1.4 cm channel. More scattering of the shorter wavelength radiation occurs thus resulting in a lower T sub B for shorter wavelengths in a dry snowpack. The longer 21.0 cm wavelength was used to assess the condition of the underlying ground.

Chang, A. T. C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

The simultaneous inference of stratospheric trace gases with overlapping spectral signatures using limb sounding radiometry

An inversion algorithm has been developed to simultaneously infer the concentrations of two gases with overlapping spectral signatures using limb emission measurements. The algorithm is efficient and provides a solution in two or three iterations. It has been applied in a simulation study to the inference of stratospheric NO2-H2O and HNO3-CF2Cl2. Existing satellite instrumentation was the basis for errors used in the calculations. It is estimated that concentrations of all four gases can be determined with errors of about 20 percent. This assumes an estimated 1980 CF2Cl2 level. Also, other error sources due to contaminant gas, aerosol emission, and the temperature profile must be included to obtain a better estimate of experimental accuracies.

Russell, J. M., III↗
NASA NTRS1979

Atmospheric scattering corrections to solar radiometry

Whenever a solar radiometer is used to measure direct solar radiation, some diffuse sky radiation invariably enters the detector's field of view along with the direct beam. Therefore, the atmospheric optical depth obtained by the use of Bouguer's transmission law (also called Beer-Lambert's law), that is valid only for direct radiation, needs to be corrected by taking account of the scattered radiation. This paper discusses the correction factors needed to account for the diffuse (i,e., singly and multiply scattered) radiation and the algorithms developed for retrieving aerosol size distribution from such measurements. For a radiometer with a small field of view (half-cone angle of less than 5 deg) and relatively clear skies (optical depths less than 0.4), it is shown that the total diffuse contribution represents approximately 1% of the total intensity.

Box, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Spatial thermal radiometry contribution to the Massif armoricain and the Massif central (France) litho-structural study

The author has identified the following significant results. Although the limited number of images received did not permit construction of a thermal inertia map, important geological details were obtained in the areas of lithology and tectonics. Interpretation of day, night, and seasonal imagery resulted in differentiating broad calcareous and dolomitic units in the Causse Plateau. In the Massif amoricain, some granite massifs were delineated which were not observed by LANDSAT. Neotectonic faults were also revealed.

Scanvic, J. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Microwave radiometry as a tool to calibrate tropospheric water-vapor delay

Microwave radiometers were used to measure the emission line due to the water vapor molecules of atmospheric emission. Four separate field tests were completed which compared radiometers to other techniques which measure water vapor. It is shown that water vapor induced delay can be estimated with an accuracy of plus or minus 2 cm for elevation angles above 17 degrees.

Resch, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

The simultaneous inference of stratospheric NO2-H2O and HNO3-CF2Cl2 using limb sounding radiometry

An inversion algorithm has been developed to simultaneously infer the concentrations of two gases with overlapping spectral signatures using limb emission measurements. The algorithm provides a solution in two or three iterations and has been tested in a simulation study for the inference of stratospheric NO2-H2O and HNO3-CF2Cl2. Existing satellite instrumentation was the basis for errors used in the calculations. These included noise, scale and bias errors, angular registration errors, spacecraft motion effects, and effects due to a finite instrument field of view. It is estimated that concentrations of all four gases can be measured globally from a satellite with errors of less than 20%.

Russell, J. M., III↗
NASA NTRS1978

Using airborne radiometry to determine atmospheric effects in Landsat data

An empirical method was developed to measure how solar and atmospheric conditions affect Landsat images by comparing Landsat MSS data with terrain reflectance. Terrain reflectance was measured with a four-channel radiometer designed to measure radiance in wavelength bands matched to the Landsat MSS data. Other instrumentation included a digital data logger, an irradiance meter, and a video camera with recorder. Reflectance of many terrain elements which could be registered to the Landsat digital data were measured from a low-flying aircraft. Correlations of reflectance with Landsat radiance verified a linear atmospheric model with an additive (path radiance) term and a multiplicative (transmittance) term. Coefficients from this model permit the extension of spectral signatures in computer-aided classification of Landsat images.

Dana, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Improved microwave radiometry for remote sensing

Significant improvements in the gain stability and overall performance of microwave radiometers have been achieved with the use of a self-balancing gain modulation technique. This technique, in combination with automatic thermal calibration, is particularly well suited for remote sensing radiometric applications. The essential features of such a radiometer, including typical data obtained from a spaceborne satellite, is presented to show the instrument's utility.

Leber, A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Radiometry of asteroids

Measurements of the thermal emission of asteroids can be used to derive albedos and diameters and to infer information on thermophysical properties of the upper layer of asteroid surfaces. Radiometric diameters and albedos, derived on the basis of standard thermal models for low-conductivity regoliths, have been determined for approximately 200 asteroids, with results in agreement with determinations by polarimetry and stellar occultations. For objects to which these standard models apply, diameters can be determined with an accuracy of plus or minus 10%. In several cases of small asteroids, however, there is evidence that the standard models do not apply, presumably due to the absence of an insulating regolith. Thus the interpretation of radiometric diameters is in question and the utility for objects with diameters less than about 30 km is diminished. In these cases the thermal observations potentially can provide information on the ability of low-gravity objects to retain regoliths.

Morrison, D.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Narrow-field radiometry in a quasi-isotropic atmosphere

If a radiometer having a narrow field of view is used to measure the radiance of a source such as a quasi-isotropic atmosphere, a knowledge of the out-of-field responsivity is critical. For example, if a radiometer with a field of view of 5 deg (full-angle) has a relative responsivity of 0.0001 for the out-of-field radiation, the contribution of the out-of-field radiation (assuming an isotropic source subtending 2 steradians) is 10.5% of the total signal. Either the stray light suppression of the radiometer must be extremely high or methods of determining the out-of-field response must be developed. A description of one method of determining the effect of out-of-field response and its application to a planetary atmospheric radiometer is presented.

Holmes, A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A stable submillimeter laser local oscillator for heterodyne radiometry and spectroscopy

A submillimeter laser with off-axis pump beam injection is described. This design concept achieves complete isolation of the pump laser with respect to the pump radiation reflected from the submillimeter resonator. Active line independent stabilization of the pump laser is obtained by the use of an external tunable etalon as a frequency reference. The submillimeter output power is constant to within 4% over periods of hours. Mean frequency drifts of less than 2 parts in 100 million per minute were measured by mixing with very high harmonics of an X-band synthesizer in a planar Schottky diode.

Koepf, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Snow water equivalent determination by microwave radiometry

One of the most important parameters for accurate snowmelt runoff prediction is snow water equivalent (SWE) which is contentionally monitored using observations made at widely scattered points in or around specific watersheds. Remote sensors which provide data with better spatial and temporal coverage can be used to improve the SWE estimates. Microwave radiation, which can penetrate through a snowpack, may be used to infer the SWE. Calculations made from a microscopic scattering model were used to simulate the effect of varying SWE on the microwave brightness temperature. Data obtained from truck mounted, airborne and spaceborne systems from various test sites were studied. The simulated SWE compares favorable with the measured SWE. In addition, whether the underlying soil is frozen or thawed can be discriminated successfully on the basis of the polarization of the microwave radiation.

Chang, A. T. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Solar extinction radiometry

Work on the spectral line parameters of hydroxyl radical band was completed. The UV-visible data obtained during 1977 balloon flights were used for zone quantification. The region between from 3100 A to 3500 A appears to be the best region to use for determining ozone columns with the three wavelength method. Ozone volume mixing ratios determined for the 1977 data were compared with standard middle latitude ozone profiles. Numerous high and low Sun scans were obtained during ascent and from float altitude (1981 balloon flight) at 0.003 A resolution in the 3068 A to 3089 A region. The spectra are being studied for OH identification and quantification.

Goldman, A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ice/frost detection using millimeter wave radiometry

A series of ice detection tests was performed on the shuttle external tank (ET) and on ET target samples using a 35/95 GHz instrumentation radiometer. Ice was formed using liquid nitrogen and water spray inside a test enclosure containing ET spray on foam insulation samples. During cryogenic fueling operations prior to the shuttle orbiter engine firing tests, ice was formed with freon and water over a one meter square section of the ET LOX tank. Data analysis was performed on the ice signatures, collected by the radiometer, using Georgia Tech computing facilities. Data analysis technique developed include: ice signature images of scanned ET target; pixel temperature contour plots; time correlation of target data with ice present versus no ice formation; and ice signature radiometric temperature statistical data, i.e., mean, variance, and standard deviation.

Gagliano, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Coastal zone color scanner radiometry

The characteristics of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) are described. The factors affecting the apparent radiance signature at the satellite are presented along with some representative examples of measured spectral radiances, irradiances and transmittances in the ocean and in the atmosphere. Finally an example is presented of the spectral radiance components measured and computed for an experiment conducted in southern California coastal waters for the purpose of obtaining surface validation data at the time of a satellite overpass.

Austin, R. W.↗