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At least 217 records · Page 12

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NASA NTRS1981

X-ray scanning of overhead aurorae from rockets

Two Nike Tomahawk rocket payloads were launched into energetic auroral events in September, 1976 to investigate the structure of these events, as well as their effects on the atmosphere. X-ray scintillation detectors with energy discrimination in four ranges were used to measure the deposition of bremsstrahlung produced X-rays within the stratosphere and mesosphere. Iterative computer techniques were used to reconstruct X-ray source maps at 100 km, taking atmospheric absorption effects into account. Payload 18.178 was launched on September 21st into an aurora having two distinct azimuthal regions of optical brightness. The X-ray scanner detected the same features, and overlays of the X-ray source maps on all-sky photographs showed spatial coincidence of the X-ray with optical features at the lower energies (below 40 keV). Payload 18.179 was launched September 23rd into an aurora with a more diffuse character. The optical structure did not coincide as well with the measured X-ray structure. There was also an indication of a two-component spectrum for each event, with the hard component originating in the more diffuse, optically faint regions.

Barcus, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Spectral and diurnal variations in clear sky planetary albedo

Spectral and diurnal variations in the clear sky planetary albedo of the earth are calculated using a radiative transfer model to obtain January and July values for a 5 deg x 5 deg global grid. The model employs observed climatological values of temperatures, humidities, snow and sea-ice cover. The diurnal cycle of clear sky albedo is calculated in the following intervals: 0.2-0.5, 0.5-0.7, and 0.7-4 microns. Observed ozone distribution is specified as a function of latitude and season. The 0.2-0.5 micron spectral albedo is 10-20% higher than the total albedo for all latitudes because of Rayleigh scattering; the 0.5-0.7 micron albedo differs from the total albedo by 1-2% for most latitudes, while the 0.7-4 micron albedo is 5-10% lower than the total because of strong atmospheric absorption. Planetary albedo decreases from morning to local noon, with diurnal variations being particularly strong over water.

Briegleb, B.↗

NASA NTRS1982

An evaluation of the NASA/GSFC Barnes field spectral reflecometer model 14-758, using signal/noise as a measure of utility

A Barnes field spectral reflectometer which collected information in 373 channels covering the region from 0.4 to 2.5 micrometers was assessed for signal utility. A band was judged unsatisfactory if the probability was 0.1 or greater than its signal to noise ratio was less than eight to one. For each of the bands the probability of a noisy observation was estimated under a binomial assumption from a set of field crop spectra covering an entire growing season. A 95% confidence interval was calculated about each estimate and bands whose lower confidence limits were greater than 0.1 were judged unacceptable. As a result, 283 channels were deemed statistically satisfactory. Excluded channels correspond to portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) where high atmospheric absorption and filter wheel overlap occur. In addition, the analyses uncovered intervals of unsatisfactory detection capability within the blue, red and far infrared regions of vegetation spectra. From the results of the analysis it was recommended that 90 channels monitored by the instrument under consideration be eliminated from future studies. These channels are tabulated and discussed.

Bell, R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Solar variability

The variability in the total radiant energy flux, or solar irradiance, is discussed. Direct techniques of measuring irradiance, including ground-based, balloon and rocket-borne, and spacecraft-based measurements are compared; the latter type has led to dramatic advances in accuracy since it eliminates the need for corrections for atmospheric absorption. Correlations of the measured irradiance with solar activity are described. Indirect techniques that monitor other solar parameters such as photospheric conditions or the solar diameter are reviewed, and theoretical studies which attempt to interpret the measurements are discussed. Physical mechanisms which can lead to changes in the solar luminosity are addressed, as is global time-dependent modeling of the response of the sun to structural perturbations. Finally, findings from all techniques are summarized, their weak and strong points are assessed, and suggestions for future research are made.

Sofia, S.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Remote sensing of row crop structure and component temperatures using directional radiometric temperatures and inversion techniques

A physically based sensor response model of a row crop was used as the mathematical framework from which several inversion strategies were tested for extracting row structure information and component temperatures using a series of sensor view angles. The technique was evaluated on ground-based radiometric thermal infrared data of a cotton row crop that covered 48 percent of the ground in the vertical projection. The results showed that the accuracies of the predicted row heights and widths, vegetation temperatures, and soil temperatures of the cotton row crop were on the order of 5 cm, 1 deg, and 2 deg C, respectively. The inversion techniques can be applied to directional sensor data from aircraft platforms and even space platforms if the effects of atmospheric absorption and emission can be corrected. In theory, such inversion techniques can be applied to a wide variety of vegetation types and thus can have significant implications for remote sensing research and applications in disciplines that deal with incomplete vegetation canopies.

Kimes, D. S.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Analysis method for Fourier transform spectroscopy

A fast Fourier transform technique is given for the simulation of those distortion effects in the instrument line shape of the interferometric spectrum that are due to errors in the measured interferogram. The technique is applied to analyses of atmospheric absorption spectra and laboratory spectra. It is shown that the nonlinear least squares method can retrieve the correct information from the distorted spectrum. Analyses of HF absorption spectra obtained in a laboratory and solar CO absorption spectra gathered by a balloon-borne interferometer indicate that the retrieved amount of absorbing gas is less than the correct value in most cases, if the interferogram distortion effects are not included in the analysis.

Park, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Principles of thermal remote sensing

The remote sensing of temperature is performed by sensing radiation emitted from solids, liquids, and gases in the thermal infrared region of the spectrum, in which thermal emission is dominant over reflected solar energy. For Earth resources applications, thermal sensing of solids and liquids is performed in two ""windows'' of the atmosphere where atmospheric absorption and emission are at a minimum. Temperature measurement, intrinsic thermal properties, factors in interpreting thermal data, the use of thermal inertia, and the measurements obtained by the heat capacity mapping radiometer are discussed.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1984

Atmospheric model development

Spectral albedo measurements from the LANDSAT-4/5 thematic mappers require that spacecraft upwelling radiances be corrected for atmospheric absorption and scattering and for local surface illumination. A two-stream model is developed, with a lower boundary condition that varies with incidence angle. The TM data must be registered to digital terrain data. Reflectance from points in shadows can be used to estimate optical depth. The primary application is determination of the spectral albedo of snow. The TM is better-suited for this purpose than the MSS because of its larger dynamic range.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1984

Analysis and application of Fourier transform spectroscopy in atmospheric remote sensing

An analysis method for Fourier transform spectroscopy is summarized with applications to various types of distortion in atmospheric absorption spectra. This analysis method includes the fast Fourier transform method for simulating the interferometric spectrum and the nonlinear least-squares method for retrieving the information from a measured spectrum. It is shown that spectral distortions can be simulated quite well and that the correct information can be retrieved from a distorted spectrum by this analysis technique.

Park, J. H.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Sound propagation studies for a large horizontal axis wind turbine

Systematic noise measurements in three directions with respect to the wind vector, over a range of distances to 1050 m, over a range of frequencies from 8 Hz to 2000 Hz, and for a stable wind turbine noise source (WTS-4) in windy conditions (V = 9.4 to 13.0 m/s) are presented. At frequencies above 63 Hz in the downwind and crosswind directions the sound pressure levels decay with distance according to predictions based on atmospheric absorption and spherical spreading, assuming no excess attenuation due to ground effects. In the upwind direction there is excess attenuation due to an acoustic shadow zone. The assumption of a distributed noise source leads to better noise estimates in the upwind direction. For very low frequencies 8 to 16 Hz no excess attenuation was observed in the upwind direction at distances up to 1050 m and a sound pressure level decay rate of approximately 3 dB per doubling of distance was observed in the downwind direction.

Shepherd, K. P.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Reflectance measurements from Landsat Thematic Mapper over rugged terrain

Spectral albedo measurements from the Landsat-4/5 Thematic Mapper require that spacecraft upwelling radiances be corrected for atmospheric absorption and scattering and for local surface illumination. A two-stream model is developed, with a lower boundary condition that varies with incidence angle. TM data must be registered to digital terrain data. Reflectance from points in shadows can be used to estimate optical depth. The primary application here is determination of the spectral albedo of snow. The TM is better-suited for this purpose than the MSS because of its larger dynamic range.

Dozier, J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Submillimeter and millimeter observations of Jupiter

Using absolute calibrations referenced to Mars, narrowband photometry has been obtained for the Jovian disk in ten passbands covering the 0.35-3.3 mm wavelength range. Existing atmospheric temperature structure and composition constraints are taken as the context for an analysis of the derived brightness temperature spectrum. Results obtained for the 0.35-0.45 mm range are noted to suggest that radiances can be matched by models which include NH3 ice particles of 30-100 micron size. A 5-percent increase of the absolute calibration scale would yield results well fitted by a clear atmosphere model, obviating the supposition of additional Jovian atmosphere absorption.

Griffin, M. J.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Comparison of various techniques for calibration of AIS data

The Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) samples a region which is strongly influenced by decreasing solar irradiance at longer wavelengths and strong atmospheric absorptions. Four techniques, the Log Residual, the Least Upper Bound Residual, the Flat Field Correction and calibration using field reflectance measurements were investigated as a means for removing these two features. Of the four techniques field reflectance calibration proved to be superior in terms of noise and normalization. Of the other three techniques, the Log Residual was superior when applied to areas which did not contain one dominant cover type. In heavily vegetated areas, the Log Residual proved to be ineffective. After removing anomalously bright data values, the Least Upper Bound Residual proved to be almost as effective as the Log Residual in sparsely vegetated areas and much more effective in heavily vegetated areas. Of all the techniques, the Flat Field Correction was the noisest.

Dar A. Roberts↗

NASA NTRS1986

AIS spectra of desert shrub canopies

Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data were collected 30 August 1985 from a desert shrub community in central Oregon. Spectra from artificial targets placed on the test site and from bare soil, big sagebrush (Artemesia tridentata wyomingensis), silver sagebrush (Artemesia cana bolander), and exposed volcanic rocks were studied. Spectral data from grating position 3 (tree mode) were selected from 25 ground positions for analysis by Principal Factor Analysis (PFA). In this grating position, as many as six factors were identified as significant in contributing to spectral structure. Channels 74 through 84 (tree mode) best characterized between-class differences. Other channels were identified as nondiscriminating and as associated with such errors as excessive atmospheric absorption and grating positin changes. The test site was relatively simple with the two species (A. tridentata and A. cana) representing nearly 95% of biomass and with only two mineral backgrounds, a montmorillonitic soil and volcanic rocks. If, as in this study, six factors of spectral structure can be extracted from a single grating position from data acquired over a simple vegetation community, then AIS data must be considered rich in information-gathering potential.

Murray, R.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Radiation environment models and the atmospheric cutoff

The limitations of radiation environment models are examined by applying the model to the South Atlantic anomaly (SAA). The local magnetic-field-intensity (in gauss) and McIlwain (1961) drift-shell-parameter contours in the SAA are analyzed. It is noted that it is necessary to decouple the atmospheric absorption effects from the trapped radiation models in order to obtain accurate radiation dose predictions. Two methods for obtaining more accurate results are proposed.

Konradi, Andrei↗

NASA NTRS1987

Stratospheric trace gases in the spring 1986 Antarctic atmosphere

The atmospheric absorption features of over 500 infrared solar spectra recorded at McMurdo Station have been analyzed to determine the vertical column abundances of trace gases crucial to understanding of the 'ozone hole' phenomenon. The techniques used to retrieve the column abundances are described. Results are reported for ozone, nitrogen species, and halogen sinks and reservoirs.

Farmer, C. B.↗

NASA NTRS1988

The prediction of en route noise levels for a DC-9 aircraft

En route noise for advanced propfan powered aircraft has become an issue of concern for the Federal Aviation Administration. The NASA Aircraft Noise Prediction Program (ANOPP) is used to demonstrate the source noise and propagation effects for an aircraft in level flight up to 35,000 feet altitude. One-third octave band spectra of the source noise, atmospheric absorption loss, and received noise are presented. The predicted maximum A-weighted sound pressure level is compared to measured data from the Aeronautical Research Institute of Sweden. ANOPP is shown to be an effective tool in evaluating the en route noise characteristics of a DC-9 aircraft.

Weir, Donald S.↗

NASA NTRS1988

AIS radiometry and the problem of contamination from mixed spectral orders

The spectral radiance of test areas under solar illumination is ascertained in view of Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data from Mono Lake, CA, establishing an atmospheric correction method for major absorbers on the basis of the spectrometric data themselves. The apparent low contrast of all atmospheric absorption bands leads to a study of contamination from overlapping spectral orders in the AIS data; this contamination is found unambiguously above 1500 nm with a magnitude that is a factor of 1.5-2.0 greater than the expected uncontaminated signal alone.

Conel, J. E.↗