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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1998

A Modified NASA Team Sea Ice Algorithm for the Antarctic

A recent comparative study of the NASA Team and Bootstrap passive microwave sea ice algorithms revealed significantly different sea ice concentration retrievals in some parts of the Antarctic. The study identified potential reasons for the discrepancies including the influence of sea ice temperature variability on the Bootstrap retrievals and the influence of ice surface reflectivity on the horizontally polarized emissivity in the NASA Team retrievals. In this study, we present a modified version of the NASA Team algorithm which reduces the error associated with the use of horizontally polarized radiance data, while retaining the relative insensitivity to ice temperature variations provided by radiance ratios. By retaining the 19 GHz polarization as an independent variable, we also maintain a relatively large dynamic range in sea ice concentration. The modified algorithm utilizes the 19 GHz polarization (PR19) and both gradient ratios, GRV and GRH defined by (37V-19V)/(37V+19V) and (37H-19H)/(37H+19H), respectively, rather than just GRV used in the current NASA Team algorithm. A plot of GRV versus GRH shows that the preponderance of points lie along a quadratic curve, whereas those points affected by surface reflectivity anomalies deviate from this curve. This serves as a method of identifying the problems points. The 19H brightness temperature of these problem points is increased so they too fall along quadratic curve. Sea ice concentrations derived from AVHRR imagery illustrate the extent to which this method reduces the error associated with surface layering.

Cavalieri, Donald J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Wavelength independent interferometer

A polychromatic interferometer utilizing a plurality of parabolic reflective surfaces to properly preserve the fidelity of light wavefronts irrespective of their wavelengths as they pass through the instrument is disclosed. A preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes an optical train which comprises three off-axis parabolas arranged in conjunction with a beam-splitter and a reference mirror to form a Twyman-Green interferometer. An illumination subsystem is provided and comprises a pair of lasers at different preselected wavelengths in the visible spectrum. The output light of the two lasers is coaxially combined by means of a plurality of reflectors and a grating beam combiner to form a single light source at the focal point of the first parabolic reflection surface which acts as a beam collimator for the rest of the optical train. By using visible light having two distinct wavelengths, the present invention provides a long equivalent wavelength interferogram which operates at visible light wherein the effective wavelength is equal to the product of the wavelengths of the two laser sources divided by their difference in wavelength. As a result, the invention provides the advantages of what amounts to long wavelength interferometry but without incurring the disadvantage of the negligible reflection coefficient of the human eye to long wavelength frequencies which would otherwise defeat any attempt to form an interferogram at that low frequency using only one light source.

Hochberg, Eric B.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Mapping Impervious Surfaces Globally at 30m Resolution Using Global Land Survey Data

Impervious surfaces, mainly artificial structures and roads, cover less than 1% of the world's land surface (1.3% over USA). Regardless of the relatively small coverage, impervious surfaces have a significant impact on the environment. They are the main source of the urban heat island effect, and affect not only the energy balance, but also hydrology and carbon cycling, and both land and aquatic ecosystem services. In the last several decades, the pace of converting natural land surface to impervious surfaces has increased. Quantitatively monitoring the growth of impervious surface expansion and associated urbanization has become a priority topic across both the physical and social sciences. The recent availability of consistent, global scale data sets at 30m resolution such as the Global Land Survey from the Landsat satellites provides an unprecedented opportunity to map global impervious cover and urbanization at this resolution for the first time, with unprecedented detail and accuracy. Moreover, the spatial resolution of Landsat is absolutely essential to accurately resolve urban targets such a buildings, roads and parking lots. With long term GLS data now available for the 1975, 1990, 2000, 2005 and 2010 time periods, the land cover/use changes due to urbanization can now be quantified at this spatial scale as well. In the Global Land Survey - Imperviousness Mapping Project (GLS-IMP), we are producing the first global 30 m spatial resolution impervious cover data set. We have processed the GLS 2010 data set to surface reflectance (8500+ TM and ETM+ scenes) and are using a supervised classification method using a regression tree to produce continental scale impervious cover data sets. A very large set of accurate training samples is the key to the supervised classifications and is being derived through the interpretation of high spatial resolution (approx. 2 m or less) commercial satellite data (Quickbird and Worldview2) available to us through the unclassified archive of the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). For each continental area several million training pixels are derived by analysts using image segmentation algorithms and tools and then aggregated to the 30m resolution of Landsat. Here we will discuss the production/testing of this massive data set for Europe, North and South America and Africa, including assessments of the 2010 surface reflectance data. This type of analysis is only possible because of the availability of long term 30m data sets from GLS and shows much promise for integration of Landsat 8 data in the future.

global land survey↗
NASA NTRS2022

Simultaneous Characterization of Wildfire Smoke and Surface Properties With Imaging Spectroscopy During the FIREX-AQ Field Campaign

We introduce and evaluate an approach for the simultaneous retrieval of aerosol and surface properties from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Classic (AVIRIS-C) data collected during wildfires. The joint National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality field campaign took place in August 2019, and involved two aircraft and coordinated ground-based observations. The AVIRIS-C instrument acquired data from onboard NASA's high altitude ER-2 research aircraft, coincident in space and time with aerosol observations obtained from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) DRAGON mobile platform in the smoke plume downwind of the Williams Flats Fire in northern Washington in August 2019. Observations in this smoke plume were used to assess the capacity of optimal-estimation based retrievals to simultaneously estimate aerosol optical depth (AOD) and surface reflectance from Visible Shortwave Infrared (VSWIR) imaging spectroscopy. Radiative transfer modeling of the sensitivities in spectral information collected over smoke reveal the potential capacity of high spectral resolution retrievals to distinguish between sulfate and smoke aerosol models, as well as sensitivity to the aerosol size distribution. Comparison with ground-based AERONET observations demonstrates that AVIRIS-C retrievals of AOD compare favorably with direct sun AOD measurements. Our analyses suggest that spectral information collected from the full VSWIR spectral interval, not just the shortest wavelengths, enables accurate retrievals. We use this approach to continuously map both aerosols and surface reflectance at high spatial resolution across heterogeneous terrain, even under relatively high AOD conditions associated with wildfire smoke.

FIREX-AQ↗
NASA NTRS1987

Satellite sensing of aerosol absorption

A method is developed for remote sensing of aerosol absorption from satellite images of the earth's surface. The method is based on the measurement of the change in the upward radiances between a clear and a hazy day over a varying surface reflectance. For a zero change balance between brightening due to scattering and darkening due to absorption and scattering is reached. This balance is utilized via a radiative transfer model to derive the aerosol single-scattering albedo. A sensitivity study is performed, and the method is tested against laboratory measurements. It is suggested that for the case of haze introduced on top of an existing background aerosol and with a fair estimate of the scattering phase function, the error in the remotely sensed single-scattering albedo is in the range of 0.03-0.05. The main errors in the method arise from variations in the surface reflectance between the clear and the hazy days, uncertainty in the scattering phase function, and variation of the aerosol and gaseous absorption between these two days. If the satellite calibration varies with time, the measurements of single-scattering albedo can be substantially affected.

Kaufman, Yoram J.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Scientific Impact of MODIS C5 Calibration Degradation and C6+ Improvements

The Collection 6 (C6) MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) land and atmosphere data sets are scheduled for release in 2014. C6 contains significant revisions of the calibration approach to account for sensor aging. This analysis documents the presence of systematic temporal trends in the visible and near-infrared (500 m) bands of the Collection 5 (C5) MODIS Terra and, to lesser extent, in MODIS Aqua geophysical data sets. Sensor degradation is largest in the blue band (B3) of the MODIS sensor on Terra and decreases with wavelength. Calibration degradation causes negative global trends in multiple MODIS C5 products including the dark target algorithm's aerosol optical depth over land and Ångstrom exponent over the ocean, global liquid water and ice cloud optical thickness, as well as surface reflectance and vegetation indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). As the C5 production will be maintained for another year in parallel with C6, one objective of this paper is to raise awareness of the calibration-related trends for the broad MODIS user community. The new C6 calibration approach removes major calibrations trends in the Level 1B (L1B) data. This paper also introduces an enhanced C6C calibration of the MODIS data set which includes an additional polarization correction (PC) to compensate for the increased polarization sensitivity of MODIS Terra since about 2007, as well as detrending and Terra- Aqua cross-calibration over quasi-stable desert calibration sites. The PC algorithm, developed by the MODIS ocean biology processing group (OBPG), removes residual scan angle, mirror side and seasonal biases from aerosol and surface reflectance (SR) records along with spectral distortions of SR. Using the multiangle implementation of atmospheric correction (MAIAC) algorithm over deserts, we have also developed a detrending and cross-calibration method which removes residual decadal trends on the order of several tenths of 1% of the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance in the visible and near-infrared MODIS bands B1-B4, and provides a good consistency between the two MODIS sensors. MAIAC analysis over the southern USA shows that the C6C approach removed an additional negative decadal trend of Terra (Delta)NDVI approx.0.01 as compared to Aqua data. This change is particularly important for analysis of vegetation dynamics and trends in the tropics, e.g., Amazon rainforest, where the morning orbit of Terra provides considerably more cloud-free observations compared to the afternoon Aqua measurements.

Terra and Aqua↗
NASA NTRS2004

Recent Results in ICESat Geolocation Parameter Calibration from Range Residual Analysis

The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), launched on January 12, 2003, carries the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), which has a primary measurement of short-pulse laser-ranging to the Earths surface at 1064 nm wavelength at a rate of 40 pulses per second. The instrument has collected (at the time of this writing) over 540 million observations of the Earth's surface including precise elevation measurements of the ice sheets, sea ice roughness and thickness, ocean and land surface elevations and surface reflectivity. The accurate geolocation of GLASs surface returns, the spots from which the laser energy reflects on the Earths surface, is a critical issue in the scientific application of these data. Pointing, ranging, timing and orbit errors must be compensated to accurately geolocate the laser altimeter surface returns. Towards this end, the laser range observations can be fully exploited in an integrated residual analysis to accurately calibrate these geolocation/instrument parameters. The ICESat laser altimeter data have been simultaneously processed as direct altimetry from ocean sweeps and around-the-world scans along with dynamic crossovers in order to calibrate pointing ranging and timing. The analysis has resolved complex time varying signal resulting from thermal variations of instrument pointing and boresite shadowing. The calibration methodology and current calibration results are discussed along with future efforts and current geolocation accuracies.

Luthcke, Scott B.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Albedo of crops as a nature-based climate solution to global warming

Abstract Surface albedo can affect the energy budget and subsequently cause localized warming or cooling of the climate. When we convert a substantial portion of lands to agriculture, land surface properties are consequently altered, including albedo. Through crop selection and management, one can increase crop albedo to obtain higher levels of localized cooling effects to mitigate global warming. Still, there is little understanding about how distinctive features of a cropping system may be responsible for elevated albedo and consequently for the cooling potential of cultivated lands. To address this pressing issue, we conducted seasonal measurements of surface reflectivity during five growing seasons on annual crops of corn-soybean–winter wheat ( Zea mays L.- Glycine max L. Merrill - Triticum aestivum L. ; CSW) rotations at three agronomic intensities, a monoculture of perennial switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L. ), and perennial polycultures of early successional and restored prairie grasslands. 
We found that crop-species, agronomic intensity, seasonality, and plant phenology had significant effects on albedo. The mean±SD albedo was highest in perennial crops of switchgrass (0.179±0.04), intermediate in early successional crops (0.170±0.04), and lowest in a reduced input corn systems with cover crops (0.154±0.02). The strongest cooling potentials were found in soybean (-0.450 kg CO 2 e m -2 yr -1 ) and switchgrass (-0.367 kg CO 2 e m -2 yr -1 ), with up to -0.265 kg CO 2 e m -2 yr -1 of localized climate cooling annually provided by different agroecosystems. We also demonstrated how diverse ecosystems, leaf canopy, and agronomic practices can affect surface reflectivity and provide another potential nature-based solution for reducing global warming at localized scales.

Lei, Cheyenne (ORCID:0000000272746309)↗
NASA NTRS2008

Lessons Learned from Previous Space-Borne Sounders as a Guide to Future Sounder Development

Space-borne radio sounding is considered to be the gold standard for electron-density (N(sub e)) measurements compared to other techniques even under low-density conditions, such as N(sub e) < 1/cu cm, when other techniques are known to experience difficulties. These reliable measurements are not restricted to in-situ N(sub e) determinations since a spaceborne sounder can provide vertical N(sub e) profiles (N(sub e)(h)) from the spacecraft altitude to the altitude of maximum N(sub e). Near-conjunction studies involving the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) satellites in the topside ionosphere and Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) near the altitude of the F-region peak density have verified that, even at the greatest distance from the sounder, the ISIS-derived N(sub e)(h) profiles agree with the DE-2 Langmuir-probe measurements to within about 30% over a density range of more than two decades. Space-borne sounders can also provide N(sub e) profiles along the magnetic-field B, by inverting echoes that are ducted along field-aligned irregularities (FAI), and can provide information about the terrain beneath the satellite by examining surface reflections in the frequency range above the ionospheric penetration frequency. Many nations have launched rocket and satellite radio sounders in geospace over more than 4 decades and there have been sounders on space-probes and in orbit around other planets. Here we will summarize some of the lessons learned from these accomplishments by analyzing data from radio sounders on the Alouette and ISIS satellites and the OEDIPUS and other rockets in the terrestrial ionosphere, the IMAGE satellite in the terrestrial magnetosphere, the Ulysses space probe in Jupiter's 10 plasma torus and the MARSIS satellite in orbit around Mars. The emphasis will be on information deduced concerning (1) fundamental plasma processes and gradients in N, and B in the vicinity of the sounders from sounder-stimulated plasma resonances and short-range echoes involving ion as well as electron motions, (2) the importance of the antenna orientation relative to B for the detection of different plasma resonances, (3) sounder-stimulated plasma phenomena, including FAI, when special plasma conditions are satisfied, (4) the minimum power required for long-range echoes, as indicated by echoes from frequency components of the transmitted pulse and by multiple ducted echoes, and (5) the terrain beneath the satellite from surface reflections. Knowledge of these results should enable the optimum design of a future sounder to satisfy specific science requirements with minimal spacecraft resources.

Benson, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

High Accuracy In-Flight Wavelength Calibration of Imaging Spectrometry Data

Accurate wavelength calibration of imaging spectrometer data is essential if proper atmospheric transmission corrections are to be made to obtain apparent surface reflectance. Accuracies of 0.1 nm are necessary for a 10 nm-sampling instrument in order to match the slopes of the deep atmospheric water vapor features that dominate the 0.7-2.3 micrometer regions. The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) is calibrated in the laboratory to determine the wavelength position and full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) response for each of the 224 channels. The accuracies are limited by the quality of the monochromator used as a source. The accuracies vary from plus or minus to plus or minus 1.5 nm depending on the wavelength region, in general decreasing with increasing wavelength. Green et al. make corrections to the wavelength calibrations by using the known positions of 14 atmospheric absorption features throughout the 0.4-2.5 micrometer wavelength region. These features, having varying width and intensity, were matched to the MODTRAN model with a non-linear least squares fitting algorithm. A complete calibration was developed for all 224 channels by interpolation. Instrument calibration cannot be assumed to be stable to 0.1 nm over a flight season given the rigors of thermal cycling and launch and landing loads. The upcoming sensor HYDICE will require a means for in-flight spectral calibration of each scene because the calibration is both temperature and pressure sensitive. In addition, any sensor using a two-dimensional array has the potential for systematic wavelength shifts as a function of cross-track position, commonly called 'smile'. Therefore, a rapid means for calibrating complete images will be required. The following describes a method for determining instrument wavelength calibration using atmospheric absorption features that is efficient enough to be used for entire images on workstations. This study shows the effect of the surface reflectance on the calibration accuracy and the calibration history for the AVIRIS B spectrometer over the 1992 flight season.

Goetz, Alexander F. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The dependence of reflectance spectra of Mercury on surface terrain

Reflectance spectra of Mercury covering the spectral range of 0.3-1.1 micron, obtained during 1963-1976, were examined for any correlations with surface terrain. Mercury's 6.1385-deg/day rotational rate, the phases of the planet around maximum elongations, and bidirectional-reflectance-spectroscopy theory were used to identify the surface area associated with each spectrum. Data from 1974-1975, rereduced with improved standard-star-flux ratios, show a weak absorption band in the near infrared not seen in earlier analyses. Older spectra suggest that the western longitudes of the unimaged side of Mercury are similar to the rest of the planet. Spectra of the intercrater plains in the 0-90-deg quadrant suggest a possible absorption band. Spectra of areas dominated by Caloris Basin with the encompassing smooth plains may show Fe(2+) abundances in the soil comparable to lunar-highlands soil. No striking differences between spectra of intercrater plains and smooth plains are found. The absorption features seen in spectra of Mercury are generally weaker than features seen in lunar spectra.

Vilas, F.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The synthesis and analysis of color images

A method is described for performing the synthesis and analysis of digital color images. The method is based on two principles. First, image data are represented with respect to the separate physical factors, surface reflectance and the spectral power distribution of the ambient light, that give rise to the perceived color of an object. Second, the encoding is made efficient by using a basis expansion for the surface spectral reflectance and spectral power distribution of the ambient light that takes advantage of the high degree of correlation across the visible wavelengths normally found in such functions. Within this framework, the same basic methods can be used to synthesize image data for color display monitors and printed materials, and to analyze image data into estimates of the spectral power distribution and surface spectral reflectances. The method can be applied to a variety of tasks. Examples of applications include the color balancing of color images, and the identification of material surface spectral reflectance when the lighting cannot be completely controlled.

Wandell, B. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The synthesis and analysis of color images

A method is described for performing the synthesis and analysis of digital color images. The method is based on two principles. First, image data are represented with respect to the separate physical factors, surface reflectance and the spectral power distribution of the ambient light, that give rise to the perceived color of an object. Second, the encoding is made efficiently by using a basis expansion for the surface spectral reflectance and spectral power distribution of the ambient light that takes advantage of the high degree of correlation across the visible wavelengths normally found in such functions. Within this framework, the same basic methods can be used to synthesize image data for color display monitors and printed materials, and to analyze image data into estimates of the spectral power distribution and surface spectral reflectances. The method can be applied to a variety of tasks. Examples of applications include the color balancing of color images, and the identification of material surface spectral reflectance when the lighting cannot be completely controlled.

Wandell, Brian A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Remote sensing of surface hemispherical reflectance (albedo) using pointable multispectral imaging spectroradiometers

Remote techniques for determining albedo are examined in terms of the range of view angles required in the use of string techniques with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the High Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (HIRIS). Ground data are used to compute full and half strings out to 15, 30, 45, and 60 degrees for various sun angles and ground cover types. A knowledge-based system is employed to evaluate both the visible and near-IR bands, and the results indicate errors of up to 7 percent for the MODIS data, HIRIS data, and the full-string +/- 60 degrees. In the cases of large extrapolations greater ranges of error are noted indicating that 60-deg systems are most effective. The error is increased in the case of sensor systems that only view in the fore or aft direction, and the MODIS full string for +/- 45 deg is also considered a good system.

Kimes, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Theoretical Basis for the Surface Spectral Reflectance Relationships Used in the MODIS Aerosol Algorithm

The analysis of data from the MODIS instrument on the Terra platform to derive global distribution of aerosols assumes a set of relationships between the blue, rho (sub blue), the red, rho (sub red), and 2.1 micrometers, rho (sub 2.1), spectral channels. These relations have been established from a series of measurements indicating that rho (sub blue) approximately 0.5 rho (sub red) approximately 0.25 rho (sub 2.1). Here we use a model to describe the transfer of radiation through a vegetation canopy composed of randomly oriented leaves to assess the theoretical foundations for these relationships. The influence of varying fractional vegetation coverage is simulated simply as a linear combination of pure soil and pure vegetation conditions, also known as Independent Pixel Approximation (IPA). Calculations for a wide range of leaf area indices and vegetation fractions show that rho (sub blue) is consistently about 1/4 of rho (sub 2.1) as used by MODIS for the whole range of analyzed cases, except for very dark soils, such as those found in burn scars. For its part, the ratio rho (sub red)/rho (sub 2.1) varies from less than the empirically derived value of 1/2 for dense and dark vegetation (rho (sub 2.1) less than 0.1), to more than 1/2 for bright mixture of soil and vegetation. This is in agreement with measurements over uniform dense vegetation, but not with measurements over mixed dark scenes. In the later case, the discrepancy is probably mitigated by shadows due to uneven canopy and terrain on a large scale. It is concluded that the value of this ratio should ideally be made dependent on the land cover type in the operational processing of MODIS data, especially over dense forests.

Kaufman, Yoram J.↗