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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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NASA NTRS1986

Shuttle imaging radar-C science plan

The Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) mission will yield new and advanced scientific studies of the Earth. SIR-C will be the first instrument to simultaneously acquire images at L-band and C-band with HH, VV, HV, or VH polarizations, as well as images of the phase difference between HH and VV polarizations. These data will be digitally encoded and recorded using onboard high-density digital tape recorders and will later be digitally processed into images using the JPL Advanced Digital SAR Processor. SIR-C geologic studies include cold-region geomorphology, fluvial geomorphology, rock weathering and erosional processes, tectonics and geologic boundaries, geobotany, and radar stereogrammetry. Hydrology investigations cover arid, humid, wetland, snow-covered, and high-latitude regions. Additionally, SIR-C will provide the data to identify and map vegetation types, interpret landscape patterns and processes, assess the biophysical properties of plant canopies, and determine the degree of radar penetration of plant canopies. In oceanography, SIR-C will provide the information necessary to: forecast ocean directional wave spectra; better understand internal wave-current interactions; study the relationship of ocean-bottom features to surface expressions and the correlation of wind signatures to radar backscatter; and detect current-system boundaries, oceanic fronts, and mesoscale eddies. And, as the first spaceborne SAR with multi-frequency, multipolarization imaging capabilities, whole new areas of glaciology will be opened for study when SIR-C is flown in a polar orbit.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

NASA/JPL aircraft SAR operations for 1984 and 1985

The NASA/JPL aircraft synthetic aperture radar (SAR) was used to conduct major data acquisition expeditions in 1983 through 1985. Substantial improvements to the aircraft SAR were incorporated in 1981 through 1984 resulting in an imaging radar that could simultaneously record all four combinations of linear horizontal and vertical polarization (HH, HV, VH, VV) using computer control of the radar logic, gain setting, and other functions. Data were recorded on high-density digital tapes and processed on a general-purpose computer to produce 10-km square images with 10-m resolution. These digital images yield both the amplitude and phase of the four polarizations. All of the digital images produced so far are archived at the JPL Radar Data Center and are accessible via the Reference Notebook System of that facility. Sites observed in 1984 and 1985 included geological targets in the western United States, as well as agricultural and forestry sites in the Midwest and along the eastern coast. This aircraft radar was destroyed in the CV-990 fire at March Air Force Base on 17 July 1985. It is being rebuilt for flights in l987 and will likely be operated in a mode similar to that described here. The data from 1984 and 1985 as well as those from future expeditions in 1987 and beyond will provide users with a valuable data base for the multifrequency, multipolarization Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR-C) scheduled for orbital operations in the early 1990's.

Thompson, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Antennas for spacecraft synthetic aperture radars

Future SAR missions will require light weight, multifrequency, multipolarization spacecraft antennas. NASA has conducted an investigation of possible antenna technologies, and has identified two promising technologies: interleaved open-ended waveguide antennas constructed from metallized graphite epoxy and distributed microstrip antennas. The investigation and candidate technologies are described in this paper.

Davidson, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The spaceborne imaging radar experiments

The Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR), a multifrequency multipolarization synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with variable image geometry, is being developed, as part of the Space Station's Earth Observing System (Eos), for the launching of the SIR-C and SIR-D planned for the early 1990's. This SAR will operate in L-band, C-band and X-band, with quadpolarization available for the L-band and C-band. Multiincidence data will be acquired using electronic beam steering and other imaging geometries by mechanically pitching, yawing, and rolling the antenna. The present SIR-C design includes a bandwidth of 20 MHz, to provide better resolution than that available on SIR-B with four looks, and a 10-MHz bandwidth for a low resolution mode which will increase the swath for a given available data rate.

Cimino, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The Earth Observing System (EOS) synthetic aperture radar (SAR)

The evolution of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR) has led to a multipolarization, multifrequency SAR with variable imaging geometry which will be ready for flight on the Space Station Earth Observing System (EOS). Nominally, this SAR will be a three-frequency (L-, C-, and X-band) system with quad polarization available for the L and C bands. It will be capable of acquiring multiincidence-angle data using electronic beam steering, and other imaging geometries by mechanically pitching, yawing, and rolling the antenna. The capabilities of the EOS SAR, particularly acquisition of cross-polarized and high-incidence-angle data, depend on the altitude of the platform on which the SAR flies and improve significantly at lower altitudes. The EOS SAR will provide a unique new data set and will play a key role in understanding the earth's global processes, alone and synergistically with other EOS instruments.

Cimino, Jobea↗
NASA NTRS1987

The EOS SAR program

The goal of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR) program is to develop a multipolarization, multifrequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with variable imaging geometry which will be ready for flight on the Earth Observing System (EOS) in the mid 1990's. Nominally, this SAR will be a three frequency (L-, C- and X-band) system with quad-polarization available for the L- and C-bands and dual polarization for the X-band system. It will be capable of acquiring multiincidence angle data using electronic beam steering and other imaging geometries by mechanically pitching, yawing and rolling the antenna. The EOS SAR will play a key role along with the other EOS instruments in understanding the earth as a system.

Cimino, Jobea↗
NASA NTRS1987

Integration of topographic data with synthetic aperture radar data for determining forest properties in mountainous terrain

The elevation gradients affecting tropical forest stand characteristics are presently studied in light of multipolarization airborne SAR data. A 'rubber sheeting' computer code was used to georeference the SAR data sets to the digital elevation data. The TOPO code from NASA's NSTL generated the terrain slope and aspect angle data from the terrain elevation data set; computed local incidence angles were used to delete those data areas that were shadowed, and to produce local incidence angle data that were not shadowed. The results obtained demonstrate that the SAR data are related to the elevation gradient.

Wu, Shih-Tseng↗
NASA NTRS1987

SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar). Earth observing system. Volume 2F: Instrument panel report

The scientific and engineering requirements for the Earth Observing System (EOS) imaging radar are provided. The radar is based on Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C), and would include three frequencies: 1.25 GHz, 5.3 GHz, and 9.6 GHz; selectable polarizations for both transmit and receive channels; and selectable incidence angles from 15 to 55 deg. There would be three main viewing modes: a local high-resolution mode with typically 25 m resolution and 50 km swath width; a regional mapping mode with 100 m resolution and up to 200 km swath width; and a global mapping mode with typically 500 m resolution and up to 700 km swath width. The last mode allows global coverage in three days. The EOS SAR will be the first orbital imaging radar to provide multifrequency, multipolarization, multiple incidence angle observations of the entire Earth. Combined with Canadian and Japanese satellites, continuous radar observation capability will be possible. Major applications in the areas of glaciology, hydrology, vegetation science, oceanography, geology, and data and information systems are described.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1988

Data volume reduction for imaging radar polarimetry

Two alternative methods are presented for digital reduction of synthetic aperture multipolarized radar data using scattering matrices, or using Stokes matrices, of four consecutive along-track pixels to produce averaged data for generating a synthetic polarization image.

Zebker, Howard A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Parametric analysis of synthetic aperture radar data for characterization of deciduous forest stands

The SAR sensor parameters that affect the estimation of deciduous forest stand characteristics were examined using data sets for the Gulf Coastal Plain region, acquired by the NASA/JPL multipolarization airborne SAR. In the regression analysis, the mean digital-number values of the three polarization data are used as the independent variables to estimate the average tree height (HT), basal area (BA), and total-tree biomass (TBM). The following results were obtained: (1) in the case of simple regression and using 28 plots, vertical-vertical (VV) polarization yielded the largest correlation coefficients (r) in estimating HT, BA, and TBM; (2) in the case of multiple regression, the horizontal-horizontal (HH) and VV polarization combination yielded the largest r value in estimating HT, while the VH and HH polarization combination yielded the largest r values in estimating BA and TBM. With the addition of a third polarization, the increase in r values is insignificant.

Wu, Shih-Tseng↗
NASA NTRS1987

Characterizing forest stands with multi-incidence angle and multi-polarized SAR data

The potential for using HH-polarized L-band SAR data obtained at different incidence angles from satellite altitudes to identify and map different forest cover types and stand density classes is studied. Reasonably accurate results are obtained if the speckle characteristics of the data are suppressed by low-pass spatial filters and a contextual classification algorithm. Multipolarized L-band SAR data obtained from aircraft altitudes over the same test site are also analyzed to assess the relationships between polarization and forest stand characteristics. It is found that incidence angle controls, to a very large extent, the characteristics of the data and the type of information that can be obtained from L-band, HH-polarized satellite SAR data. Cross-polarization of L-band SAR data enhances and differentiates various forest stand characteristics which cannot be defined using only the like-polarized data, and vice-versa.

Hoffer, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Progress In Imaging Radar Polarimetry

Report traces development of imaging radar polarimetry at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory during recent years. When fully developed, multipolarization synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) systems aboard aircraft and spacecraft expected to yield wealth of data for assessment of resources, agricultural forecasting, and verification of radar-scattering calculations.

Held, Daniel N.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Design considerations for advanced multi-polarisation SAR

System design and verification of an airborne imaging radar (AIR) system are discussed. Issues of importance to multipolarization systems (e.g., mutual coherence and amplitude balance between channels) are emphasized. Methods of detecting and correcting channel imbalances are discussed, and AIR test results are presented.

Klein, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Application of radar polarimetry to forestry

In order to understand L-band multipolarization radar measurements of forested areas, a model for the forest polarization signature was developed. The model is based on backscatter from dielectric cylinders which represent branches and trunks. In the model the Stokes matrices corresponding to several different scattering mechanisms is calculated, combining the results to get the total Stokes matrix. Comparison of model predictions with radar measurements shows that the model can accurately predict the forest polarization signature.

Durden, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Characterization of GaAlAs optical waveguide heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Multiple-layer GaAlAs optical waveguide heterostructures have been grown by MBE. These samples were designed to operate at 840 nm with negligible coupling of guided light to the absorbing GaAs substrate. The Al concentration was 13 percent for the guiding layer and was 16 percent for the cladding layers. The process for growing waveguide layers was calibrated primarily by high-energy electron diffraction, with the optical quality confirmed by photoluminescence measurements. Channel waveguide structures having widths of 5 microns were etched in a low-pressure magnetically confined multipolar plasma reactor. The resulting waveguide structures were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, ellipsometry, AES, and optical-waveguide loss measurements.

Radens, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Parametric analysis of synthetic aperture radar data for the study of forest stand characteristics

A parametric analysis of a Gulf Coast forest stand was performed using multipolarization, multipath airborne SAR data, and forest plot properties. Allometric equations were used to compute the biomass and basal area for the test plots. A multiple regression analysis with stepwise selection of independent variables was performed. It is found that forest stand characteristics such as biomass, basal area, and average tree height are correlated with SAR data.

Wu, Shih-Tseng↗
NASA NTRS1990

The symmetry properties of planetary magnetic fields

This paper provides a comparative study of the geometrical structures of the magnetic fields of earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, starting from the traditional multipolar representations of these fields. For earth, Jupiter, and Saturn, the centered dipole, quadrupole, and octupole contributions are included, while at Uranus only the dipole and quadrupole contributions are considered. It is found that there are a number of common features of the magnetic fields of earth and Jupiter. Compared to earth and Jupiter, the Saturnian field exhibits not only a high degree of symmetry about the rotation axis but also a high degree of antisymmetry about the equatorial plane. The Uranian field shows strong deviations from both such symmetries. Nevertheless, there remain features common to all four planets.

Raedler, Karl-Heinz↗
NASA NTRS1990

Innovative operating modes and techniques for the spaceborne imaging radar-C instrument

The operation of the spaceborne imaging radar-C (SIR-C) is discussed. The SIR-C instrument has been designed to obtain simultaneous multifrequency and simultaneous multipolarization radar images from a low earth orbit. It is a multiparameter imaging radar which will be flown during at least two different seasons. The instrument has been designed to operate in innovative modes such as the squint alignment mode, the extended aperture mode, the scansar mode, and the interferometry mode. The instrument has been designed to demonstrate innovative engineering techniques such as beam nulling for echo tracking, pulse-repetition frquency hopping for Doppler centroid tracking, generating the frequency step chirp for radar parameter flexibility, block floating point quantizing for data rate compression, and elevation beamwidth broadening for increasing the swath illumination.

Huneycutt, Bryan L.↗