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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2011

Planetary Radar Imaging with the Deep-Space Network's 34 Meter Uplink Array

A coherent Uplink Array consisting of two or three 34-meter antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network has been developed for the primary purpose of increasing EIRP at the spacecraft. Greater EIRP ensures greater reach, higher uplink data rates for command and configuration control, as well as improved search and recovery capabilities during spacecraft emergencies. It has been conjectured that Doppler-delay radar imaging of lunar targets can be extended to planetary imaging, where the long baseline of the uplink array can provide greater resolution than a single antenna, as well as potentially higher EIRP. However, due to the well known R4 loss in radar links, imaging of distant planets is a very challenging endeavor, requiring accurate phasing of the Uplink Array antennas, cryogenically cooled low-noise receiver amplifiers, and sophisticated processing of the received data to extract the weak echoes characteristic of planetary radar. This article describes experiments currently under way to image the planets Mercury and Venus, highlights improvements in equipment and techniques, and presents planetary images obtained to date with two 34 meter antennas configured as a coherently phased Uplink Array.

uplink array↗
NASA NTRS1986

Radiometric calibration of the Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-C) system

The radiometric calibration accuracy of the Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-C) sensor is discussed. The analysis includes the antenna, RF electronics, the digital data handling system, the platform attitude control, attitude determination accuracy, and orbit effects. The radiometric distortion of the image products by the ground processing system used for the image formation is also considered. Since the SIR-C system is a dual-frequency quad-polarized system (i.e., 8 channels), the amplitude and phase error is considered over all possible operating modes and environments for absolute and relative (long-term and short-term) calibration within a channel and across channels.

Curlander, John C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Geometric ortho-rectification and generation of sigma(0) image products from multiple incidence synthetic aperture radar images

The results of the first phase of a cooperative effort in geometric orthorectification and generation of sigma(0) images of multiple incidence SAR images are presented. The geometric accuracy of the final image products is approximately 18 m or 1.5 pixels. A method for registering radar imagery collected from an airborne platform to an existing digital elevation model despite the effects of unmodeled variations in the flight path of the platform is demonstrated. The results indicate the requirements for a more detailed digital elevation model.

Curlander, James↗
NASA NTRS1985

Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR) project

An overview is given of elements of the SIR (Shuttle Imaging Radar) project, covering the coming decade. The project is intended to develop the scientific basis and the required technology of the Earth Orbiting Satellite (EOS) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Plans are ongoing for a SIR-B reflight in 1987, a dual SIR-C flight in 1989 and a SIR-D flight in 1992 leading to an advanced multispectral multipolarization imaging sensor for flight on EOS in 1994. The conventional and distributed radar approaches are compared.

Elachi, C.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Imaging radar potentials for earth resources

The potentials of airborne and spacecraft borne imaging radars in earth resources applications are reviewed and discussed. The areas specifically addressed are: oceanography, coastal regions studies, glaciology, polar ice studies, geology, geomorphology and agriculture. The paper also addresses the main areas of emphasis for the next ten years.

Brown, W. E., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Deriving Two-Dimensional Ocean Wave Spectra and Surface Height Maps from the Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-B)

Directional ocean wave spectra were derived from Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-B) imagery in regions where nearly simultaneous aircraft-based measurements of the wave spectra were also available as part of the NASA Shuttle Mission 41G experiments. The SIR-B response to a coherently speckled scene is used to estimate the stationary system transfer function in the 15 even terms of an eighth-order two-dimensional polynomial. Surface elevation contours are assigned to SIR-B ocean scenes Fourier filtered using a empirical model of the modulation transfer function calibrated with independent measurements of wave height. The empirical measurements of the wave height distribution are illustrated for a variety of sea states.

Tilley, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Evidence for Crater Ejecta on Venus Tessera Terrain from Earth-Based Radar Images

We combine Earth-based radar maps of Venus from the 1988 and 2012 inferior conjunctions, which had similar viewing geometries. Processing of both datasets with better image focusing and co-registration techniques, and summing over multiple looks, yields maps with 1-2 km spatial resolution and improved signal to noise ratio, especially in the weaker same-sense circular (SC) polarization. The SC maps are unique to Earth-based observations, and offer a different view of surface properties from orbital mapping using same-sense linear (HH or VV) polarization. Highland or tessera terrains on Venus, which may retain a record of crustal differentiation and processes occurring prior to the loss of water, are of great interest for future spacecraft landings. The Earth-based radar images reveal multiple examples of tessera mantling by impact ''parabolas'' or ''haloes'', and can extend mapping of locally thick material from Magellan data by revealing thinner deposits over much larger areas. Of particular interest is an ejecta deposit from Stuart crater that we infer to mantle much of eastern Alpha Regio. Some radar-dark tessera occurrences may indicate sediments that are trapped for longer periods than in the plains. We suggest that such radar information is important for interpretation of orbital infrared data and selection of future tessera landing sites.

surface↗
NASA NTRS1981

Shuttle imaging radar - Research sensor for earth resources observation

The operating characteristics of the Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR) and intended experimentation to study the effects of the incidence angle, look direction, frequency, and polarization are described. SIR will be flown in 1984-1986, operate in the L- and C-bands, and have a look angle which can be varied through 15-75 deg. Polarizations of HH on the L-band and HH, VV, HV, and VH on the C-band are possible. The SIR will provide 10 and 30 m resolutions in the high and low resolution modes, respectively, with a swatch width between 35-125 km. Real-time to ground and on-board optical recording will be available, together with digital and optical processing. The antennas will be rotated in the Shuttle bay in 5 deg increments, permitting the formation of stereo pictures during several overpasses. Viewing at 1275 MHz is intended for imaging, while the 5300 MHz band can sense soil moisture

Elachi, C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Imaging radar techniques for remote sensing applications.

The basic concepts of fine-resolution, imaging radar systems are reviewed. Both side-looking and hologram (downward-looking) radars are described and compared. Several examples of microwave imagery obtained with these two types of systems are shown.

Zelenka, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The Spaceborne Imaging Radar program: SIR-C - The next step toward EOS

The NASA Shuttle Imaging Radar SIR-C experiments will investigate earth surface and environment phenomena to deepen understanding of terra firma, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere components of the earth system, capitalizing on the observational capabilities of orbiting multiparameter radar sensors alone or in combination with other sensors. The SIR-C sensor encompasses an antenna array, an exciter, receivers, a data-handling network, and the ground SAR processor. It will be possible to steer the antenna beam electronically, so that the radar look angle can be varied.

Evans, Diane↗
NASA NTRS1995

User guide to the Magellan synthetic aperture radar images

The Magellan radar-mapping mission collected a large amount of science and engineering data. Now available to the general scientific community, this data set can be overwhelming to someone who is unfamiliar with the mission. This user guide outlines the mission operations and data set so that someone working with the data can understand the mapping and data-processing techniques used in the mission. Radar-mapping parameters as well as data acquisition issues are discussed. In addition, this user guide provides information on how the data set is organized and where specific elements of the set can be located.

Wall, Stephen D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Radar imaging of volcanic fields and sand dune fields: Implications for VOIR

A number of volcanic fields and sand dune fields in the western part of North America were studied using aircraft and Seasat synthetic aperture radar images and LANDSAT images. The capability of radars with different characteristics (i.e., frequency, polarization and look angles was assessed to identify and map different volcanic features, lava flows and sand dune types. It was concluded that: (1) volcanic features which have a relatively large topographic expression (i.e., cinder cones, collapse craters, calderas, etc.) are easily identified; (2) lava flows of different ages can be identified, particularly on the L-band images; and (3) sand dunes are clearly observed and their extent and large scale geometric characteristics determined, provided the proper imaging geometry exists.

Elachi, C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Shuttle Imaging Radar: A/B sensors

The exciting discoveries of the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A) experiment prompted a refly of the instrument to be designated the Shuttle Imaging Radar-B. The SIR-B instrument will reuse the hardware flown for the SIR-A mission and add some interesting refinements. The two radar sensors are described in detail. The SIR-A and SIR-B instruments are both tailored for use on the Space Shuttle. They are physically configured to fit in the Shuttle's payload bay, are powered and cooled by shuttle systems, are controlled by the crew or from the ground, and record data on board or beam it to the ground using the orbiter's data links. The radars are designed to accommodate a range of orbiter altitudes and have built in operating modes to cover a wide variety of mission objectives. The flexibility and utility of these radars make them ideal, cost effective instruments for research in the Space Shuttle environment.

Granger, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Support of imaging radar for the shuttle system and subsystem definition study, phase 2

An orbital microwave imaging radar system suggested for use in conjunction with the space shuttle is presented. Several applications of the system are described, including agriculture, meteorology, terrain analysis, various types of mapping, petroleum and mineral exploration, oil spill detection and sea and lake ice monitoring. The design criteria, which are based on the requirements of the above applications, are discussed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1990

Phase calibration of imaging radar polarimeter Stokes matrices

It is shown that the Stokes matrices measured by an imaging radar polarimeter provide enough information for the accurate phase calibration of the observed polarimetric characteristics of a surface. This is important because it allows the data to be reduced in volume in an operational synthetic aperture radar correlator with no prior knowledge of the conditions at the surface, and the end user can later select the particular region where he or she is comfortable with making an assumption regarding the relative phases of the hh and vv signals. No ground calibration equipment is necessary, as all important parameters are derived from the data themselves.

Zebker, Howard A.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Radar Motion Measurements and Synthetic Aperture Radar Image Geolocation Accuracy

Once a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image is formed, the natural question then is, "Where is this image?" and/or "Where exactly is this feature displayed in the image?" Thus, geolocation is an important exploitation of the SAR image. Since SAR measures relative location to its own position, it is crucial to understand how the radars position and motion imp acts the ability to geolocate a feature in the SAR image. Furthermore, accuracy and precision of navigation aids like GPS directly impact the goodness of the geolocation solution. These relationships are developed and discussed.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗