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NASA NTRS2017

Ecological Study of Lagoons Surrounding the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County, Florida : Theses and Project Reports - Volume 2

Many of the detailed studies done in connection with Ecological Study of the Lagoons surrounding the John F. Kennedy Space Port were performed as Master's Thesis investigations by various graduate students enrolled at F. I. T. during and subsequent to the report. The scope and purpose of what we came to call "the KSC Baseline Study" caught the imagination and interest of our student body. Many who were not financially or otherwise connected with the project found their inspiration in studies that were directly connected with project, and thus added materially to the totality of the knowledge gained. An example of one such study is the first article included in this Volume, A Master's Thesis study performed by Shen Phillip Chen, who chose the site for his investigation so that his results would correlate with and extend the results of others. In addition to the Master's Theses contained in this Volume, six other graduate studies must be acknowledged here as contributing to this Report, although they have not reached the stage of final publication. Ms. Sandra Fettes has completed a study of the amounts of five trace metals in mangrove leaves from plants at various locations around the Kennedy Space Center. Mr. Bernard Cohenour has isolated and identified a number of oil consuming bacteria endemic in the waters of the Indian Rivers. Mr. Charles Waterhouse has analyzed historic data of tidal gauges in the lagoonal area and correlated it with wind field records. Mr. Renkert Meyer has measured the vertical and horizontal currents of the lagoons and is attempting an interpretation of them in terms of the wind field as a driving force. Mr. Richard Campbell has measured the rate of nitrogen fixation in both the water columns and the sediments under them in the lagoons. Mr. Craig Weiderhold has measured thl3 annual variations in the populations of benthic invertebrates in the lagoons. An integral part of the F. I. T. curriculum is a requirement that each undergraduate student perform an independent study during his Senior year and submit his results in the form and format of a professional scientific report. While none of these senior Project Reports have been included in this Volume because of space limitations, many of them aided significantly in the overall study. Typical of these were: light and dark bottle studies of the blue-green algae respiration; writing and executing computer studies comparing the water chemistry data from various sites; detection and identification of nitrogen fixation bacteria in the Indian River; measurement of dissolved oils and greases in the river, photographically recording the benthic life-forms found in the river bottom; measuring the vertical structure of drift and slope currents in too lagoons; and measurement of water level variations along the long axis of a lagoon as a function of wind stress. These articles are published as a part of this Final Report in an effort to make available for the record as much of the basic data as possible. The few articles published on the Indian River have in general not contained much detailed data, so that comparisons of current status to conditions of the past are difficult or impossible. A major effort of both the Oceanographic and Ecological communities for the past decade has been the retrieval and storage of basic data in order to permit determinations of trends or changes in baseline conditions. It is believed that the information compiled here will be of great value in any future investigations.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

Using machine learning techniques to automate sky survey catalog generation

We describe the application of machine classification techniques to the development of an automated tool for the reduction of a large scientific data set. The 2nd Palomar Observatory Sky Survey provides comprehensive photographic coverage of the northern celestial hemisphere. The photographic plates are being digitized into images containing on the order of 10(exp 7) galaxies and 10(exp 8) stars. Since the size of this data set precludes manual analysis and classification of objects, our approach is to develop a software system which integrates independently developed techniques for image processing and data classification. Image processing routines are applied to identify and measure features of sky objects. Selected features are used to determine the classification of each object. GID3* and O-BTree, two inductive learning techniques, are used to automatically learn classification decision trees from examples. We describe the techniques used, the details of our specific application, and the initial encouraging results which indicate that our approach is well-suited to the problem. The benefits of the approach are increased data reduction throughput, consistency of classification, and the automated derivation of classification rules that will form an objective, examinable basis for classifying sky objects. Furthermore, astronomers will be freed from the tedium of an intensely visual task to pursue more challenging analysis and interpretation problems given automatically cataloged data.

Fayyad, Usama M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Planetary Geologic Mapping Handbook - 2010

Geologic maps present, in an historical context, fundamental syntheses of interpretations of the materials, landforms, structures, and processes that characterize planetary surfaces and shallow subsurfaces. Such maps also provide a contextual framework for summarizing and evaluating thematic research for a given region or body. In planetary exploration, for example, geologic maps are used for specialized investigations such as targeting regions of interest for data collection and for characterizing sites for landed missions. Whereas most modern terrestrial geologic maps are constructed from regional views provided by remote sensing data and supplemented in detail by field-based observations and measurements, planetary maps have been largely based on analyses of orbital photography. For planetary bodies in particular, geologic maps commonly represent a snapshot of a surface, because they are based on available information at a time when new data are still being acquired. Thus the field of planetary geologic mapping has been evolving rapidly to embrace the use of new data and modern technology and to accommodate the growing needs of planetary exploration. Planetary geologic maps have been published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since 1962. Over this time, numerous maps of several planetary bodies have been prepared at a variety of scales and projections using the best available image and topographic bases. Early geologic map bases commonly consisted of hand-mosaicked photographs or airbrushed shaded-relief views and geologic linework was manually drafted using mylar bases and ink drafting pens. Map publishing required a tedious process of scribing, color peel-coat preparation, typesetting, and photo-laboratory work. Beginning in the 1990s, inexpensive computing, display capability and user-friendly illustration software allowed maps to be drawn using digital tools rather than pen and ink, and mylar bases became obsolete. Terrestrial geologic maps published by the USGS now are primarily digital products using geographic information system (GIS) software and file formats. GIS mapping tools permit easy spatial comparison, generation, importation, manipulation, and analysis of multiple raster image, gridded, and vector data sets. GIS software has also permitted the development of projectspecific tools and the sharing of geospatial products among researchers. GIS approaches are now being used in planetary geologic mapping as well. Guidelines or handbooks on techniques in planetary geologic mapping have been developed periodically. As records of the heritage of mapping methods and data, these remain extremely useful guides. However, many of the fundamental aspects of earlier mapping handbooks have evolved significantly, and a comprehensive review of currently accepted mapping methodologies is now warranted. As documented in this handbook, such a review incorporates additional guidelines developed in recent years for planetary geologic mapping by the NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics (PGG) Program's Planetary Cartography and Geologic Mapping Working Group's (PCGMWG) Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) on the selection and use of map bases as well as map preparation, review, publication, and distribution. In light of the current boom in planetary exploration and the ongoing rapid evolution of available data for planetary mapping, this handbook is especially timely.

Tanaka, K. L.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Planetary Geologic Mapping Handbook - 2009

Geologic maps present, in an historical context, fundamental syntheses of interpretations of the materials, landforms, structures, and processes that characterize planetary surfaces and shallow subsurfaces (e.g., Varnes, 1974). Such maps also provide a contextual framework for summarizing and evaluating thematic research for a given region or body. In planetary exploration, for example, geologic maps are used for specialized investigations such as targeting regions of interest for data collection and for characterizing sites for landed missions. Whereas most modern terrestrial geologic maps are constructed from regional views provided by remote sensing data and supplemented in detail by field-based observations and measurements, planetary maps have been largely based on analyses of orbital photography. For planetary bodies in particular, geologic maps commonly represent a snapshot of a surface, because they are based on available information at a time when new data are still being acquired. Thus the field of planetary geologic mapping has been evolving rapidly to embrace the use of new data and modern technology and to accommodate the growing needs of planetary exploration. Planetary geologic maps have been published by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since 1962 (Hackman, 1962). Over this time, numerous maps of several planetary bodies have been prepared at a variety of scales and projections using the best available image and topographic bases. Early geologic map bases commonly consisted of hand-mosaicked photographs or airbrushed shaded-relief views and geologic linework was manually drafted using mylar bases and ink drafting pens. Map publishing required a tedious process of scribing, color peel-coat preparation, typesetting, and photo-laboratory work. Beginning in the 1990s, inexpensive computing, display capability and user-friendly illustration software allowed maps to be drawn using digital tools rather than pen and ink, and mylar bases became obsolete. Terrestrial geologic maps published by the USGS now are primarily digital products using geographic information system (GIS) software and file formats. GIS mapping tools permit easy spatial comparison, generation, importation, manipulation, and analysis of multiple raster image, gridded, and vector data sets. GIS software has also permitted the development of project-specific tools and the sharing of geospatial products among researchers. GIS approaches are now being used in planetary geologic mapping as well (e.g., Hare and others, 2009). Guidelines or handbooks on techniques in planetary geologic mapping have been developed periodically (e.g., Wilhelms, 1972, 1990; Tanaka and others, 1994). As records of the heritage of mapping methods and data, these remain extremely useful guides. However, many of the fundamental aspects of earlier mapping handbooks have evolved significantly, and a comprehensive review of currently accepted mapping methodologies is now warranted. As documented in this handbook, such a review incorporates additional guidelines developed in recent years for planetary geologic mapping by the NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics (PGG) Program s Planetary Cartography and Geologic Mapping Working Group s (PCGMWG) Geologic Mapping Subcommittee (GEMS) on the selection and use of map bases as well as map preparation, review, publication, and distribution. In light of the current boom in planetary exploration and the ongoing rapid evolution of available data for planetary mapping, this handbook is especially timely.

Tanaka, K. L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

An Architecture for Real-Time Interpretation and Visualization of Structural Sensor Data in a Laboratory Environment

A visualization system is being developed out of the need to monitor, interpret, and make decisions based on the information from several thousand sensors during experimental testing to facilitate development and validation of structural health monitoring algorithms. As an added benefit the system will enable complete real-time sensor assessment of complex test specimens. Complex structural specimens are routinely tested that have hundreds or thousands of sensors. During a test, it is impossible for a single researcher to effectively monitor all the sensors and subsequently interesting phenomena occur that are not recognized until post-test analysis. The ability to detect and alert the researcher to these unexpected phenomena as the test progresses will significantly enhance the understanding and utilization of complex test articles. Utilization is increased by the ability to halt a test when the health monitoring algorithm response is not satisfactory or when an unexpected phenomenon occurs, enabling focused investigation potentially through the installation of additional sensors. Often if the test continues, structural changes make it impossible to reproduce the conditions that exhibited the phenomena. The prohibitive time and costs associated with fabrication, sensoring, and subsequent testing of additional test articles generally makes it impossible to further investigate the phenomena. A scalable architecture is described to address the complex computational demands of structural health monitoring algorithm development and laboratory experimental test monitoring. The researcher monitors the test using a photographic quality 3D graphical model with actual sensor locations identified. In addition, researchers can quickly activate plots displaying time or load versus selected sensor response along with the expected values and predefined limits. The architecture has several key features. First, distributed dissimilar computers may be seamlessly integrated into the information flow. Second, virtual sensors may be defined that are complex functions of existing sensors or other virtual sensors. Virtual sensors represent a calculated value not directly measured by particular physical instrument. They can be used, for example, to represent the maximum difference in a range of sensors or the calculated buckling load based on the current strains. Third, the architecture enables autonomous response to preconceived events, where by the system can be configured to suspend or abort a test if a failure is detected in the load introduction system. Fourth, the architecture is designed to allow cooperative monitoring and control of the test progression from multiple stations both remote and local to the test system. To illustrate the architecture, a preliminary implementation is described monitoring the Stitched Composite Wing recently tested at LaRC.

Doggett, William↗
NASA NTRS1992

Automating sky object classification in astronomical survey images

We describe the application of machine classification techniques to the development of an automated tool for the reduction of a large scientific data set. The 2nd Palomer Observatory Sky Survey is nearly completed. This survey provides comprehensive coverage of the northern celestial hemisphere in the form of photographic plates. The plates are being transformed into digitized images whose quality will probably not be surpassed in the next ten to twenty years. The images are expected to contain on the order of 10(exp 7) galaxies and 10(exp 8) stars. Astronomers wish to determine which of these sky objects belong to various classes of galaxies and stars. The size of this data set precludes manual analysis. Our approach is to develop a software system which integrates the functions of independently developed techniques for image processing and data classification. Digitized sky images are passed through image processing routines to identify sky objects and to extract a set of features for each object. These routines are used to help select a useful set of attributes for classifying sky objects. Then GID3* and O-BTree, two inductive learning techniques, learn classification decision trees from examples. These classifiers will be used to process the rest of the data. This paper gives an overview of the machine learning techniques used, describes the details of our specific application, and reports the initial encouraging results. The results indicate that our approach is well-suited to the problem. The primary benefits of the approach are increased data reduction throughput and consistency of classification. The classification rules which are the product of the inductive learning techniques will form an object, examinable basis for classifying sky objects. A final, not to be underestimated benefit is that astronomers will be freed from the tedium of an intensely visual task to pursue more challenging analysis and interpretation problems based on automatically cataloged data.

Fayyad, Usama M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

OSIRIS-REx Curation: The First Year with Bennu Samples on Earth

The OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) sample return capsule landed on the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) on September 24, 2023. Preparations for the curation of the sample from asteroid Bennu inside of this capsule spanned more than a decade. On the morning of landing, the sample return capsule was brought to a temporary cleanroom at UTTR for initial de-integration and connection of the sample canister to a nitrogen gas purge to protect the sample from modification by the terrestrial atmosphere. In the week following landing, the sample canister was flown to Houston while on nitrogen purge, transferred to a nitrogen atmosphere glovebox at NASA Johnson Space Center in which the canister lid was removed revealing small amounts of sample on the inside of the canister lid and avionics deck, some of this sample was allocated rapidly to the mission sample analysis team as “quick look” samples. Next, the Touch-and-Go sample acquisition mechanism (TAGSAM) head was disassembled inside of a specially designed glovebox. A challenge arose during one of the last stages of disassembly when two fasteners resisted being loosened. The curation team was able to remove 70.3 grams of asteroid sample from the TAGSAM head with those fasteners in-place and began initial sample processing which supported long-term curation of hermetically sealed and frozen samples, transfer of some samples to remote storage, and allocation of aggregate samples to the mission sample analysis team. Meanwhile, curation engineers developed a tool to remove the stubborn fasteners without contaminating the remaining sample, enabling the remaining bulk sample to be transferred to long-term storage trays in January 2024. With this second part of the bulk sample, the returned bulk asteroid sample reached 121.6 grams. During disassembly and prior to sealing the bulk sample trays into long-term storage containers, archival photographs were collected. Select particles are gradually being XCT scanned while inside of containers that hold a nitrogen atmosphere. The initial OSIRIS-REx sample catalog was released in spring 2024 with an update in fall 2024. The curation team will be busy working to allocate samples to scientists around the world for the foreseeable future.

Curation↗
NASA NTRS2003

The Athena Microscopic Imager Investigation

The Athena science payload on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) includes the Microscopic Imager (MI) [1]. The MI is a fixed-focus camera mounted on the end of an extendable instrument arm, the Instrument Deployment Device (IDD; see Figure 1).The MI was designed to acquire images at a spatial resolution of 30 microns/pixel over a broad spectral range (400 - 700 nm; see Table 1). Technically, the microscopic imager is not a microscope: it has a fixed magnification of 0.4 and is intended to produce images that simulate a geologist s view through a common hand lens. In photographers parlance, the system makes use of a macro lens. The MI uses the same electronics design as the other MER cameras [2, 3] but has optics that yield a field of view of 31 31 mm across a 1024 1024 pixel CCD image (Figure 2). The MI acquires images using only solar or skylightillumination of the target surface. A contact sensor is used to place the MI slightly closer to the target surface than its best focus distance (about 66 mm), allowing concave surfaces to be imaged in good focus. Because the MI has a relatively small depth of field (3 mm), a single MI image of a rough surface will contain both focused and unfocused areas. Coarse focusing will be achieved by moving the IDD away from a rock target after the contact sensor is activated. Multiple images taken at various distances will be acquired to ensure good focus on all parts of rough surfaces. By combining a set of images acquired in this way, a completely focused image can be assembled. Stereoscopic observations can be obtained by moving the MI laterally relative to its boresight. Estimates of the position and orientation of the MI for each acquired image will be stored in the rover computer and returned to Earth with the image data. The MI optics will be protected from the Martian environment by a retractable dust cover. The dust cover includes a Kapton window that is tinted orange to restrict the spectral bandpass to 500-700 nm, allowing color information to be obtained by taking images with the dust cover open and closed. The MI will image the same materials measured by other Athena instruments (including surfaces prepared by the Rock Abrasion Tool), as well as rock and soil targets of opportunity. Subsets of the full image array can be selected and/or pixels can be binned to reduce data volume. Image compression will be used to maximize the information contained in the data returned to Earth. The resulting MI data will place other MER instrument data in context and aid in petrologic and geologic interpretations of rocks and soils on Mars.

K E Herkenhoff↗