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At least 199 records · Page 11

Comparison of Profiling Microwave Radiometer, Aircraft, and Radiosonde Measurements From the Alliance Icing Research Study (AIRS)

Measurements from a profiling microwave radiometer are compared to measurements from a research aircraft and radiosondes. Data compared is temperature, water vapor, and liquid water profiles. Data was gathered at the Alliance Icing Research Study (AIRS) at Mirabel Airport outside Montreal, Canada during December 1999 and January 2000. All radiometer measurements were found to lose accuracy when the radome was wet. When the radome was not wetted, the radiometer was seen to indicate an inverted distribution of liquid water within a cloud. When the radiometer measurements were made at 15 deg. instead of the standard zenith, the measurements were less accurate.

Reehorst, Andrew L.↗

Remote sensing of effects of land-use practices on water quality

Research efforts are presented for the use of remote sensing in environmental surveys in Kentucky. Ground truth parameters were established that represent the vegetative cover of disturbed and undisturbed watersheds in the Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky. Several water quality parameters were monitored of the watersheds utilized in the establishment of ground truth data. The capabilities of multistage-multispectral aerial photography and satellite imagery were evaluated in detecting various land use practices. The use of photographic signatures of known land use areas utilizing manually-operated spot densitometers was studied. The correlation of imagery signature data to water quality data was examined. Potential water quality predictions were developed from forested and nonforested watersheds based upon the above correlations. The cost effectiveness of predicting water quality values was evaluated using multistage and satellite imagery sampling techniques.

Graves, D. H.↗

Estimating the chlorophyll content in the waters of Guanabara Bay from the LANDSAT multispectral scanning digital data

Detection of water quality in Guanabara Bay using multispectral scanning digital data taken from LANDSAT satellites was examined. To test these processes, an empirical (statistical) approach was choosen to observe the degree of relationship between LANDSAT data and the in situ data taken simultaneously. The linear and nonlinear regression analyses were taken from among those developed by INPE in 1978. Results indicate that the major regression was in the number six MSS band, atmospheric effects, which indicated a correction coefficient of 0.99 and an average error of 6.59 micrograms liter. This error was similar to that obtained in the laboratory. The chlorophyll content was between 0 and 100 micrograms/liter, as taken from the MSS of LANDSAT.

Dejesusparada, N.↗

Microwave radiometer measurement of water vapor path delay: Data reduction techniques

Data reduction techniques are developed to compensate for water vapor path delay, a limiting error source in geodetic measurements made with very long baseline interferometry and in radio ranging to spacecraft. It is shown that water vapor path delay is proportional to a linear combination of saturation-corrected sky brightness temperatures, measured on and off the water vapor line. The effects of emission from liquid water droplets in clouds as well as most of the oxygen emission are removed by the off-line channel. Sky brightness temperatures are saturation-corrected or 'linearized' using estimates of effective sky temperatures made from surface temperature. Tipping curves are used to remove instrumental error. Coefficients are found by two methods: from a regression analysis of measured brightness temperatures versus radiosonde measured delay, and from a regression analysis of theoretical brightness temperatures versus radiosonde measured delay. In each case the coefficients are adjusted for differing climatic conditions by measurements of surface temperature, pressure, and relative humidity. Regression solutions are constrained to remove liquid water contributions and to give the correct slope for radiometer versus radiosonde path delay.

Claflin, E. S.↗

An interdisciplinary study of the estaurine and coastal oceanography of Block Island Sound and adjacent New York coastal waters

ERTS-1 photographic data products have been analyzed using additive color viewing and electronic image analysis techniques. Satellite data were compared to water sample data collected simultaneously with the data of ERTS-1 coverage in New York Bight. Prediction of the absolute value of total suspended particles can be made using composites of positives of MSS bands 5 and 6 which have been precisely made using the step wedge supplied on the imagery. Predictions of the relative value of the extinction coefficient can be made using bands 4 and 5. Thematic charts of total suspended particles (particles per litre) and extinction coefficient provide scientists conducting state and federal water sampling programs in New York Bight with data which improves the performance of these programs.

Yost, E.↗

The use of Earth Resources Technology Satellite for relaying hydrologic data in the Delaware River basin

The earth resources data acquisition systems on ERTS are providing data from the earth's surface that have great potential for resources management. The Data Collection System is providing water resources data several times a day from widely scattered locations in the Delaware River Basin. Within the constraints of an experimental test, the data are being processed and released to water resources agencies in near-real time. The results of ERTS investigations have shown that there is a potential application for satellite-borne systems for earth resources data acquisition. It is becoming clear that the solutions to many natural resource problems can be found faster and more efficiently with the help of data acquisition systems such as those on the ERTS observatory. Under operational conditions, low cost battery-operated DCP's could provide the Geological Survey with data from a large number of field instruments. These data could be used by the Geological Survey to monitor the operational status of field instrumentation and could be used by cooperating agencies to monitor a wide range of earth resources conditions. Under operational conditions, the data flow could be in real time. The delay from time of data acquisition by ERTS to the time of data availability to data users could be reduced to seconds, rather than the present lag time of a few hours.

Paulson, R. W.↗

Water Resources

Uses of ERTS-1 imagery and data for water resources surveys and management are summarized. Areas discussed are: (1) land use and geology; (2) flood plain and flood inundation mapping; (3) snow cover mapping; (4) glacier observations; (5) data collection systems; (6) surface waters; (7) wetlands mapping; (8) water quality; (9) soil mapping; (10) phreatophyte and riparian vegetation mapping; and (11) evapotranspiration.

Salomonson, V. V.↗

A parameterization for the shortwave transmissivity of stratiform water clouds based on empirical data and radiative transfer theory

Surface measurements of solar flux and total integrated liquid-water content, radiosonde data, and infrared satellite images are analyzed in conjunction with radiative transfer calculations to derive an empirical parameterization for the shortwave transmissivity of continental stratiform water clouds. The data were collected near Denver, Colorado, over a period of six years. A multiple reflection radiative transfer model is employed to estimate stratus cloud transmissivity in terms of the measurable liquid-water path (LWP). A nonlinear fit of estimated transmissivities to the corresponding observations of LWP yields close agreement with a previous, more complicated parameterization. The derived expression for cloud transmissivity is used to predict mean daily surface fluxes for 61 days during which periods of stratiform clouds were observed over the Denver area. A comparison between predicted and measured fluxes shows agreement to within + or - 4 percent, with best agreement for clouds of moderate optical thickness. Potential sources of error are identified with sensitivity studies.

Derr, V. E.↗

Models for Water Isotopes Constrained with Data from Crystal Face

During the year covered by this proposal we conducted work on several different topics, as reflected by our publications listed below. One major activity was to work with a group of about 10 scientists from around the country to prepare a science-planning document (Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling Experiment (TC4)) that outlined the rationale, locations, strategy to accomplish the goals, and possible payloads for a set of three tropical missions. We also prepared background materials for various NRAs being prepared at NASA Headquarters for missions in Costa Rica, Darwin and Guam. Unfortunately budgetary constraints prevented these missions from moving forward. In conjunction with the group NASA Ames we built a new numerical model for deep convection and have applied that model to simulate the CRYSTAL isotope data. Our goal in particular has been to better understanding how convection distributes water vapor isotopes. CRYSTAL observations of water isotopes are very different from those suggested by previous workers who assumed the isotopes would obey Rayleigh fractionation. The water isotope study has several implications. First it is a check on the realism of the deep convection model. Second, the isotopes are a measure of the precipitation removal in the atmosphere. Hence they provide a constraint on a parameter that is difficult to otherwise measure. Finally it has been suggested that isotopes may be the key to unraveling the water transport into the stratosphere and upper troposphere. Such transport is critical both for the radiation balance and for stratospheric chemistry. Ours is the first model that is able to treat this transport. Our initial results are now in press in Geophys. Res. Lett. Essentially we are able to explain the vertical profiles of isotopes in the tropical tropopause transition layer. We are also able to account for stratospheric humidity ana isotope abundances with this model. The data suggest that isotopes do not provide a clear constraint on the mechanism by which water enters the stratosphere- whether by convection, or by slow ascent. Our work is relevant for the water isotope comparison experiments recently done by NASA. We are conducting numerical experiments related to this project to help understand that data.

Toon, Owen B.↗

Development of an integrated data base for land use and water quality planning

To help understand the role played by different land resources in water quality management a computer based data system was created. The Land Resource Information System (LRIS) allows data to be readily retrieved or statistically analyzed for a variety of purposes. It is specifically formatted to perform coordination of water quality data with logy, etc. New understanding of the region gained through the use of LRIS has gone well beyond the initial purpose of assessing water quality conditions. The land use and natural features information has provided a well defined starting point for a systematic evaluation of proposed land uses, transportation, housing, and other public investments. It has laid the foundation for a comprehensive and integrated approach to many different planning and investment programs presently underway.

Adams, J.↗

The effect of atmospheric water vapor on automatic classification of ERTS data

Absorption by atmospheric water vapor changes the spectral signatures collected by multispectral scanners if channels are not chosen to avoid the atmospheric water bands. For ERTS (Earth Resources Technology Satellite), the Multispectral Scanner band 7 (MSS 7, .8 to 1.1 micron) is the only band significantly affected. Line-by-line atmospheric absorption calculations showed that this effect can multiply the intensity by factors ranging from .77 to 1.0. If horizontal gradients in atmospheric water exist between training fields and the rest of the scene, errors are introduced in automatic classification of the imagery. The degradation of the classification of corn and soybeans was determined by using actual ERTS data and simulating the absorption effects on the MSS 7 band.

Pitts, D. E.↗

Ground water use inventory in Minnesota using LANDSAT data

An irrigation ground water use inventory in Sherburne County, Minnesota, was attempted by indirectly locating irrigation wells by determining the location of irrigated lands. Digital classification of LANDSAT MSS imagery was employed using the IDIMS at Goddard Space Flight Center. Single-date classification proved moderately successful after accurate ground truth data were obtained. A combination of supervised and unsupervised classification was used. Multitemporal analysis using August 10 and May 21, 1978 imagery was also attempted. This unsupervised classification proved most successful in identifying crops and irrigated fields.

Beissel, D. R.↗

Coastal and Inland Aquatic Data Products for the Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI)

The HyspIRI Aquatic Studies Group (HASG) has developed a conceptual list of data products for the HyspIRI mission to support aquatic remote sensing of coastal and inland waters. These data products were based on mission capabilities, characteristics, and expected performance. The topic of coastal and inland water remote sensing is very broad. Thus, this report focuses on aquatic data products to keep the scope of this document manageable. The HyspIRI mission requirements already include the global production of surface reflectance and temperature. Atmospheric correction and surface temperature algorithms, which are critical to aquatic remote sensing, are covered in other mission documents. Hence, these algorithms and their products were not evaluated in this report. In addition, terrestrial products (e.g., land use land cover, dune vegetation, and beach replenishment) were not considered. It is recognized that coastal studies are inherently interdisciplinary across aquatic and terrestrial disciplines. However, products supporting the latter are expected to already be evaluated by other components of the mission. The coastal and inland water data products that were identified by the HASG, covered six major environmental and ecological areas for scientific research and applications: wetlands, shoreline processes, the water surface, the water column, bathymetry and benthic cover types. Accordingly, each candidate product was evaluated for feasibility based on the HyspIRI mission characteristics and whether it was unique and relevant to the HyspIRI science objectives.

Infrared↗

Computer-aided analysis of Skylab scanner data for land use mapping, forestry and water resource applications

Skylab data were obtained over a mountainous test site containing a complex association of cover types and rugged topography. The application of computer-aided analysis techniques to the multispectral scanner data produced a number of significant results. Techniques were developed to digitally overlay topographic data (elevation, slope, and aspect) onto the S-192 MSS data to provide a method for increasing the effectiveness and accuracy of computer-aided analysis techniques for cover type mapping. The S-192 MSS data were analyzed using computer techniques developed at Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing (LARS), Purdue University. Land use maps, forest cover type maps, snow cover maps, and area tabulations were obtained and evaluated. These results compared very well with information obtained by conventional techniques. Analysis of the spectral characteristics of Skylab data has conclusively proven the value of the middle infrared portion of the spectrum (about 1.3-3.0 micrometers), a wavelength region not previously available in multispectral satellite data.

Hoffer, R. M.↗

An algorithm for the estimation of water temperatures from thermal multispectral airborne remotely sensed data

A method for water temperature estimation on the basis of thermal data is presented and tested against NASA's Thermal IR Multispectral Scanner. Using realistic bounds on emissivities, temperature bounds are calculated and refined to estimate a tighter bound on the emissivity of the source. The method is useful only when a realistic set of bounds can be obtained for the emissivities of the data.

Jaggi, S.↗

Diurnally Migrating Lunar Water: Evidence from Ultraviolet Data

Data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Lyman Alpha Mapping Project and Diviner are consistent with surface water on the Moon varying in abundance with both terrain type and local time/temperature. A thermal desorption model including latitudinally varying desorption activation energy reproduces the observations. We interpret the observed variability in spectral slopes as water molecules in the uppermost lunar regolith (<1% of a monolayer) thermally adsorbing and desorbing from grains depending upon the local temperature and availability of chemisorption sites. The Lyman Alpha Mapping Project data also demonstrate that in the Earth's magnetotail, where the solar wind source of protons is absent, a decrease in H2O on the surface is not observed. This rules out a steady state process involving aprompt solar wind source and favors a migration mechanism for the distribution of adsorbed water onthe Moon.

Diurnally↗