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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2019

Using GES DISC Data to Study Kilauea Volcano of 2018

Kilauea volcano in Hawaii which erupted in early May 2018 injected massive amount of SO2 and ash into the atmosphere. The lava flow during the eruption destroyed many home and neighborhoods. The SO2 plume during the eruption of Kilauea volcano is analyzed from May to August 2018 using multiple satellite products such as Level 2 TROPspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) and Level 3 Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) from the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). GES DISC hosts multi-disciplinary Earth science data sets that can be used to analyze natural disasters, such as the Kilauea volcano. Additionally, GES DISC's Giovanni tool can be used to visualize these data. We acquired OMI through the subsetting function, which is processed by the GES DISC in-house developed backend software Level3/4 Regrider and Subsetter (L34RS) and TROPOMI using OPeNDAP.Data from the OMI OMSO2e product showed elevated levels of SO2 amounts during the eruption between May to August 2018. Similarly, ground-based stations at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park recorded higher SO2 concentrations during the same time period. This study uses wind direction from Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2) to analyze the transport and dispersion of SO2 plume and map lava flows from the volcano using thermal images from Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). Furthermore, satellite observations combined with socioeconomic and public health data are used to analyze its impact in public health.

KC, Binita↗
NASA NTRS2020

Skin Sea‐Surface Temperature from VIIRS on Suomi‐NPP—NASA Continuity Retrievals

Retrievals of skin Sea‐Surface Temperature (SSTskin) from the measurements of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the Suomi‐National Polar‐orbiting Partnership satellite are presented and discussed. The algorithms used to derive the SSTskin from the radiometric measurements are given in detail. A number of approaches to assess the accuracy and stability of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) SSTskin retrievals are reported, and factors including latitude and season, and physical processes in the atmosphere and at the surface are discussed. We conclude that the Suomi National Polar‐orbiting Partnership (S‐NPP) VIIRS is capable of matching and improving upon the accuracies of SSTskin from the MODISs on Terra and Aqua, and that the VIIRS SSTskin fields have the potential to contribute to the extension of the satellitederived Climate Data Records of SST into the future.

sea‐surface temperature↗
NASA NTRS2009

Thermal Infrared Spectral Imager for Airborne Science Applications

An airborne thermal hyperspectral imager is under development which utilizes the compact Dyson optical configuration and quantum well infrared photo detector (QWIP) focal plane array. The Dyson configuration uses a single monolithic prism-like grating design which allows for a high throughput instrument (F/1.6) with minimal ghosting, stray-light and large swath width. The configuration has the potential to be the optimal imaging spectroscopy solution for lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) due to its small form factor and relatively low power requirements. The planned instrument specifications are discussed as well as design trade-offs. Calibration testing results (noise equivalent temperature difference, spectral linearity and spectral bandwidth) and laboratory emissivity plots from samples are shown using an operational testbed unit which has similar specifications as the final airborne system. Field testing of the testbed unit was performed to acquire plots of apparent emissivity for various known standard minerals (such as quartz). A comparison is made using data from the ASTER spectral library.

QWIP↗
NASA NTRS1993

Acousto-optic infrared spectral imager for Pluto fast flyby

Acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF's) enable the design of compact, two-dimensional imaging spectrometers with high spectral and spatial resolution and with no moving parts. Tellurium dioxide AOTF's operate from about 400 nm to nearly 5 microns, and a single device will tune continuously over one octave by changing the RF acoustic frequency applied to the device. An infrared (1.2-2.5 micron) Acousto-Optic Imaging Spectrometer (AImS) was designed that closely conforms to the surface composition mapping objectives of the Pluto Fast Flyby. It features a 75-cm focal length telescope, infrared AOTF, and 256 x 256 NICMOS-3 focal plane array for acquiring narrowband images with a spectral resolving power (lambda/delta(lambda)) exceeding 250. We summarize the instrument design features and its expected performance at the Pluto-Charon encounter.

Glenar, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

For geological investigations with airborne thermal infrared multispectral images: Transfer of calibration from laboratory spectrometer to TIMS as alternative for removing atmospheric effects

This paper describes an empirical method to correct TIMS (Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner) data for atmospheric effects by transferring calibration from a laboratory thermal emission spectrometer to the TIMS multispectral image. The method does so by comparing the laboratory spectra of samples gathered in the field with TIMS 6-point spectra for pixels at the location of field sampling sites. The transference of calibration also makes it possible to use spectra from the laboratory as endmembers in unmixing studies of TIMS data.

Edgett, Kenneth S.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Retrieval of Temperature and Species Distributions from Multispectral Image Data of Surface Flame Spread in Microgravity

Weight, size, and power constraints severely limit the ability of researchers to fully characterize temperature and species distributions in microgravity combustion experiments. A powerful diagnostic technique, infrared imaging spectrometry, has the potential to address the need for temperature and species distribution measurements in microgravity experiments. An infrared spectrum imaged along a line-of-sight contains information on the temperature and species distribution in the imaged path. With multiple lines-of-sight and approximate knowledge of the geometry of the combustion flowfield, a three-dimensional distribution of temperature and species can be obtained from one hyperspectral image of a flame. While infrared imaging spectrometers exist for collecting hyperspectral imagery, the remaining challenge is retrieving the temperature and species information from this data. An initial version of an infrared analysis software package, called CAMEO (Combustion Analysis Model et Optimizer), has been developed for retrieving temperature and species distributions from hyperspectral imaging data of combustion flowfields. CAMEO has been applied to the analysis of multispectral imaging data of flame spread over a PMMA surface in microgravity that was acquired in the DARTFire program. In the next section of this paper, a description of CAMEO and its operation is presented, followed by the results of the analysis of microgravity flame spread data.

Annen, K. D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Thermal Imaging of Earth for Accurate Pointing of Deep-Space Antennas

A report discusses a proposal to use thermal (long-wavelength infrared) images of the Earth, as seen from spacecraft at interplanetary distances, for pointing antennas and telescopes toward the Earth for Ka-band and optical communications. The purpose is to overcome two limitations of using visible images: (1) at large Earth phase angles, the light from the Earth is too faint; and (2) performance is degraded by large albedo variations associated with weather changes. In particular, it is proposed to use images in the wavelength band of 8 to 13 m, wherein the appearance of the Earth is substantially independent of the Earth phase angle and emissivity variations are small. The report addresses tracking requirements for optical and Ka-band communications, selection of the wavelength band, available signal level versus phase angle, background noise, and signal-to-noise ratio. Tracking errors are estimated for several conceptual systems employing currently available infrared image sensors. It is found that at Mars range, it should be possible to locate the centroid of the Earth image within a noise equivalent angle (a random angular error) between 10 and 150 nanoradians at a bias error of no more than 80 nanoradians

Ortiz, Gerardo↗
NASA NTRS1991

Infrared polarization images of star-forming regions. I - The ubiquity of bipolar structure

The inefficiency of the stellar formation process leads rather generally to high residual dust densities, and so to the existence of infrared reflection nebulosity (IRN), in regions of star formation. Polarization images of several star-forming regions with mass outflows (GSS 30, S255, GL 5180, GL 2591, GGD 27, and NGC 7538) presented here: (1) establish the universality of bipolarity and of shell or cavity structure in the IRN consistent with that of CO outflow; (2) identify the source of the mass outflow in each case; (3) show that the opening angle near this central source is large; and (4) demonstrate several instances of multiple shells, probably arising from episodic mass loss. Astrometry of 2.2-micron sources with arcsecond accuracy identifies the illuminating source of each IRN uniquely with a compact H II region or a bright IR source. The polarization images provide strong evidence for large-scale dust toroids around each of these sources. The density and mass of these disks are estimated from the extinction through the disk.

Tamura, M.↗
NASA NTRS2013

PHyTIR - A Prototype Thermal Infrared Radiometer

This paper describes the PHyTIR (Prototype HyspIRI Thermal Infrared Radiometer) instrument, which is the engineering model for the proposed HyspIRI (Hyperspectral Infrared Imager) earth observing instrument. The HyspIRI mission would be comprised of the HyspIRI TIR (Thermal Infrared Imager), and a VSWIR (Visible Short-Wave Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer). Both instruments would be used to address key science questions related to the earth's carbon cycle, ecosystems, climate, and solid earth properties. Data gathering of volcanic activities, earthquakes, wildfires, water use and availability, urbanization, and land surface compositions and changes, would aid the predictions and evaluations of such events and the impact they create. Even though the proposed technology for the HyspIRI imager is mature, the PHyTIR prototype is needed to advance the technology levels for several of the instrument's key components, and to reduce risks, in particular to validate 1) the higher sensitivity, spatial resolution, and higher throughput required for this focal plane array, 2) the pointing accuracy, 2) the characteristics of several spectral channels, and 4) the use of ambient temperature optics. The PHyTIR telescope consists of the focal plane assembly that is housed within a cold housing located inside a vacuum enclosure; all mounted to a bulkhead, and an optical train that consists of 3 powered mirrors; extending to both sides of the bulkhead. A yoke connects the telescope to a scan mirror. The rotating mirror enables to scan- a large track on the ground. This structure is supported by kinematic mounts, linking the telescope assembly to a base plate that would also become the spacecraft interface for HyspIRI. The focal plane's cooling units are also mounted to the base plate, as is an overall enclosure that has two viewing ports with large exterior baffles, shielding the focal plane from incoming stray light. PHyTIR's electronics is distributed inside and near the vacuum enclosure, and in a nearby rack. The data acquisition technique would be to take measurements over a 51deg wide swath in the cross spacecraft velocity direction, which is brought into view through the rotating scan mirror. A landscape mosaic thus can be assembled by overlaying rows of measurements. The paper briefly outlines the proposed HyspIRI mission and its data acquisition technique; it then describes the prototype PHyTIR instrument.

Space Instrument↗
NASA NTRS2016

Scientific and Technical Assistance for the Deployment of a Flexible Airborne Spectrometer System During C-MAPExp and COMEX: COMEX Version - 1.9T

The COMEX (CO2 and MEthane eXperiment) campaign supports the mission definition of CarbonSat and HyspIRI (Hyperspectral Infrared Imager) by providing representative airborne remote sensing data ‐ MAMAP (Methane Airborne MAPper) for CarbonSat; the Airborne Visual InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (Classic & Next Generation) AVIRIS‐C/AVIRIS‐NG for HyspIRI ‐ as well as ground-based and airborne in‐situ data. The objectives of the COMEX campaign activities are (see Campaign Implementation Plan (RD‐4)): 1. Investigate spatial/spectral resolution trade‐offs for CH4 anomaly detection and flux inversion by comparison of MAMAP‐derived emission estimates with AVIRIS/AVIRIS‐NG derived data. 2. Evaluate sun‐glint observation geometry on CH4 retrievals for marine sources. 3. Characterize the effect of Surface Spectral Reflectance (SSR) heterogeneity on trace gas retrievals of CO2 and CH4 for medium and low‐resolution spectrometry. 4. Identify benefits from joint SWIR/TIR (ShortWave InfraRed/Thermal InfraRed ) data for trace gas detection and retrieval by comparison of MAMAP and AVIRIS/AVIRIS‐NG NIR/SWIR data with MAKO (Aerospace Corp.)TIR data. The ability to derive emission source strength for a range of strong emitting targets by remote sensing will be evaluated from combined AVIRIS‐NG and MAMAP data, adding significant value to the HyspIRI campaign AVIRIS‐NG dataset. The data will be used to quantify anomalies in atmospheric CO2 and CH4 from strong local greenhouse gas sources e.g. localized industrial complexes, landfills, etc. and to derive CO2 and CH4 emissions estimates from atmospheric gradient measurements. The original campaign concept was developed by University of Bremen and BRI. The COMEX campaign is funded bilaterally by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). Whereas NASA funds the US part of the project via a contract with Dr. Ira Leifer, BRI (Bubbleology Research International), the contribution of MAMAP to the COMEX campaign is funded by ESA within the COMEX‐E project and NASA with respect to a 50 percent contribution to the flight-related costs of flying MAMAP on a US aircraft. The Data Acquisition Report (RD‐9) describes the instrumentation used, the measurements made by the team during the COMEX campaign in May/June 2014 and August/September 2014 in California, and an initial assessment of the data quality.

Point Sources↗
NASA NTRS1983

Infrared astronomical imaging using a microcomputer data system

A small, portable data-acquisition and display system with a unique coprocessor was designed and built to collect data from infrared array detectors for astronomical and laboratory use. The system consists of a microcomputer board, two 12-bit analog-to-digital data-acquisition boards, a color-graphics driver board, and two coprocessor boards. The coprocessors are arithmetic logic units designed to achieve the high computation rates necessary for real-time infrared background cancellation. The system can collect data from infrared detectors of 1 to 256 pixel elements with a computation rate of 768 kHz. The software for the system was designed to collect data in the system's background, while performing other tasks in the system's foreground. The data for the detector arrays is stored in block fashion to facilitate variable image size.

Stafford, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Thermal surveillance of volcanoes

The author has identified the following significant results. A systematic aircraft program to monitor changes in the thermal emission from volcanoes of the Cascade Range has been initiated and is being carried out in conjunction with ERTS-1 thermal surveillance experiments. Night overflights by aircraft equipped with thermal infrared scanners sensitive to terrestrial emission in the 4-5.5 and 8-14 micron bands are currently being carried out at intervals of a few months. Preliminary results confirm that Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Shasta, and the Lassen area continue to be thermally active, although with the exception of Lassen which erupted between 1914 and 1917, and Mount Saint Helens which had a series of eruptions between 1831 and 1834, there has been no recent eruptive activity. Excellent quality infrared images recorded over Mount Rainier, as recently as April, 1972, show similar thermal patterns to those reported in 1964-1966. Infrared images of Mount Baker recorded in November 1970 and again in April 1972 revealed a distinct array of anomalies 1000 feet below the crater rim and associated with fumaroles or structures permitting convective heat transfer to the surface.

Friedman, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Visible-Infrared Hyperspectral Image Projector

The VisIR HIP generates spatially-spectrally complex scenes. The generated scenes simulate real-world targets viewed by various remote sensing instruments. The VisIR HIP consists of two subsystems: a spectral engine and a spatial engine. The spectral engine generates spectrally complex uniform illumination that spans the wavelength range between 380 nm and 1,600 nm. The spatial engine generates two-dimensional gray-scale scenes. When combined, the two engines are capable of producing two-dimensional scenes with a unique spectrum at each pixel. The VisIR HIP can be used to calibrate any spectrally sensitive remote-sensing instrument. Tests were conducted on the Wide-field Imaging Interferometer Testbed at NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center. The device is a variation of the calibrated hyperspectral image projector developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD. It uses Gooch & Housego Visible and Infrared OL490 Agile Light Sources to generate arbitrary spectra. The two light sources are coupled to a digital light processing (DLP(TradeMark)) digital mirror device (DMD) that serves as the spatial engine. Scenes are displayed on the DMD synchronously with desired spectrum. Scene/spectrum combinations are displayed in rapid succession, over time intervals that are short compared to the integration time of the system under test.

Bolcar, Matthew↗
NASA NTRS1973

Utilization of ERTS-1 data in the Houston area

The author has identified the following significant results. Using clustering techniques, several large lakes in Texas have been accurately delineated in computer printout graymaps. It was also found that small bodies of water (one to two acres in size) could be detected by searching for small reflectance values in the infrared data. A graymap printout of a lake described a shore outline that was not consistent with available maps. Field examination revealed that the actual level of the lake was below that for which the map was drawn. The current lake configuration agrees in shape and relative size with the ERTS-1 data printout. Water turbidity causes reflectance changes which are detectable in ERTS-1 band 7 data. A comparison has been made of the Monterey Bay, California area using 1971 aerial color infrared photography and a 1972 ERTS-1 band 7 infrared image. This comparison revealed that some event has occurred to impound a significant amount of water in the area since the infrared photography was taken. Data values in the ERTS-1 infrared image exhibit detectable changes in brightness at inflow points, where high turbidity would be present. Researchers had not expected to detect water turbidity patterns in band 7 (800 to 1100 nanometers).

Erb, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Current Usage and Future Prospects of Multispectral (RGB) Satellite Imagery in Support of NWS Forecast Offices and National Centers

Current and future satellite sensors provide remotely sensed quantities from a variety of wavelengths ranging from the visible to the passive microwave, from both geostationary and low-Earth orbits. The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center has a long history of providing multispectral imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA s Terra and Aqua satellites in support of NWS forecast office activities. Products from MODIS have recently been extended to include a broader suite of multispectral imagery similar to those developed by EUMETSAT, based upon the spectral channel s available from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) aboard METEOSAT-9. This broader suite includes products that discriminate between air mass types associated with synoptic-scale features, assists in the identification of dust, and improves upon paired channel difference detection of fog and low cloud events. Similarly, researchers at NOAA/NESDIS and CIRA have developed air mass discrimination capabilities using channels available from the current GOES Sounders. Other applications of multispectral composites include combinations of high and low frequency, horizontal and vertically polarized passive microwave brightness temperatures to discriminate tropical cyclone structures and other synoptic-scale features. Many of these capabilities have been transitioned for evaluation and operational use at NWS Weather Forecast Offices and National Centers through collaborations with SPoRT and CIRA. Future instruments will continue the availability of these products and also expand upon current capabilities. The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on GOES-R will improve the spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution of our current geostationary capabilities, and the recent launch of the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) carries instruments such as the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), which have unrivaled spectral and spatial resolution, as precursors to the JPSS era (i.e., the next generation of polar orbiting satellites). At the same time, new image manipulation and display capabilities are available within AWIPS II, the next generation of the NWS forecaster decision support system. This presentation will present a review of SPoRT, CIRA, and NRL collaborations regarding multispectral satellite imagery and articulate an integrated and collaborative path forward with Raytheon AWIPS II development staff for integrating current and future capabilities that support new satellite instrumentation and the AWIPS II decision support system.

Molthan, Andrew L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Current and Future Applications of Multispectral (RGB) Satellite Imagery for Weather Analysis and Forecasting Applications

Current and future satellite sensors provide remotely sensed quantities from a variety of wavelengths ranging from the visible to the passive microwave, from both geostationary and low ]Earth orbits. The NASA Short ]term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center has a long history of providing multispectral imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA fs Terra and Aqua satellites in support of NWS forecast office activities. Products from MODIS have recently been extended to include a broader suite of multispectral imagery similar to those developed by EUMETSAT, based upon the spectral channels available from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) aboard METEOSAT ]9. This broader suite includes products that discriminate between air mass types associated with synoptic ]scale features, assists in the identification of dust, and improves upon paired channel difference detection of fog and low cloud events. Future instruments will continue the availability of these products and also expand upon current capabilities. The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on GOES ]R will improve the spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution of our current geostationary capabilities, and the recent launch of the Suomi National Polar ]Orbiting Partnership (S ]NPP) carries instruments such as the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the Cross ]track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), which have unrivaled spectral and spatial resolution, as precursors to the JPSS era (i.e., the next generation of polar orbiting satellites. New applications from VIIRS extend multispectral composites available from MODIS and SEVIRI while adding new capabilities through incorporation of additional CrIS channels or information from the Near Constant Contrast or gDay ]Night Band h, which provides moonlit reflectance from clouds and detection of fires or city lights. This presentation will present a review of SPoRT, CIRA, and NRL collaborations regarding multispectral satellite imagery and recent applications within the operational forecasting environment

Molthan, Andrew L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Satellite monitoring of vegetation and geology in semi-arid environments

The possibility of mapping various characteristics of the natural environment of Tanzania by various LANDSAT techniques was assessed. Interpretation and mapping were carried out using black and white as well as color infrared images on the scale of 1:250,000. The advantages of several computer techniques were also assessed, including contrast-stretched rationing, differential edge enhancement; supervised classification; multitemporal classification; and change detection. Results Show the most useful image for interpretation comes from band 5, with additional information being obtained from either band 6 or band 7. The advantages of using color infrared images for interpreting vegetation and geology are so great that black and white should be used only to supplement the colored images.

Kihlblom, U.↗
NASA NTRS2007

GRB070610: A Curious Galactic Transient

GRB 070610 is a typical high-energy event with a duration of 5s.Yet within the burst localization we detect a highly unusual X-ray and optical transient, SwiftJ195509.6+261406. We see high amplitude X-ray and optical variability on very short time scares even at late times. Using near-infrared imaging assisted by a laser guide star and adaptive optics, we identified the counterpart of SwiftJl95509.6+261406. Late-time optical and near-infrared imaging constrain the spectral type of the counterpart to be fainter than a K-dwarf assuming it is of Galactic origin. It is possible that GRB 070610 and Swift J195509.6+261406 are unrelated sources. However, the absence of a typical X-ray afterglow from GRB 070610 in conjunction with the spatial and temporal coincidence of the two motivate us to suggest that the sources are related. The closest (imperfect) analog to Swift J195509.6+261406 is V4641 Sgr, an unusual black hole binary. We suggest that Swift J195509.6+261406 along with V4641 Sgr define a sub-class of stellar black hole binaries -- the fast X-ray novae. We further suggest that fast X-ray novae are associated with bursts of gamma-rays. If so, GRB 070610 defines a new class of celestial gamma-ray bursts and these bursts dominate the long-duration GRB demographics

Kasliwal, M. M.↗