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At least 451 records · Page 25

Mapping Weathering and Alteration Minerals in the Comstock and Geiger Grade Areas using Visible to Thermal Infrared Airborne Remote Sensing Data

To support research into both precious metal exploration and environmental site characterization a combination of high spatial/spectral resolution airborne visible, near infrared, short wave infrared (VNIR/SWIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) image data were acquired to remotely map hydrothermal alteration minerals around the Geiger Grade and Comstock alteration regions, and map the mineral by-products of weathered mine dumps in Virginia City. Remote sensing data from the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), SpecTIR Corporation's airborne hyperspectral imager (HyperSpecTIR), the MODIS-ASTER airborne simulator (MASTER), and the Spatially Enhanced Broadband Array Spectrograph System (SEBASS) were acquired and processed into mineral maps based on the unique spectral signatures of image pixels. VNIR/SWIR and TIR field spectrometer data were collected for both calibration and validation of the remote data sets, and field sampling, laboratory spectral analyses and XRD analyses were made to corroborate the surface mineralogy identified by spectroscopy. The resulting mineral maps show the spatial distribution of several important alteration minerals around each study area including alunite, quartz, pyrophyllite, kaolinite, montmorillonite/muscovite, and chlorite. In the Comstock region the mineral maps show acid-sulfate alteration, widespread propylitic alteration and extensive faulting that offsets the acid-sulfate areas, in contrast to the larger, dominantly acid-sulfate alteration exposed along Geiger Grade. Also, different mineral zones within the intense acid-sulfate areas were mapped. In the Virginia City historic mining district the important weathering minerals mapped include hematite, goethite, jarosite and hydrous sulfate minerals (hexahydrite, alunogen and gypsum) located on mine dumps. Sulfate minerals indicate acidic water forming in the mine dump environment. While there is not an immediate threat to the community, there are clearly sources of acidic drainage that were identified remotely.

imaging spectroscopy↗

Status and Progress of Observation Usages in the GMAO GEOS Atmospheric Data Assimilation System

The Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) continuously works to enhance the use of observations in the Goddard Earth Observing System – Forward Processing (GEOS-FP) model and analysis system. Updates to GEOS-FP in March 2022 and February 2023 focused on the analysis component, adding new capabilities to ingest radiances and other new observing systems, such as SPIRE GNSS-RO data. Concurrent activities enhance aspects of the radiance assimilation, such as the use of hyperspectral radiances in the stratosphere and lower troposphere, the introduction of microwave radiances over land, and a revised treatment of GMI observations. Furthermore, GMAO has been contributing to the Joint Effort for Data assimilation Integration (JEDI), including development and testing of various components of the observing system and GEOS-specific background error covariances that will allow migration of GEOS-FP from a GSI- to a JEDI-based analysis system. A number of examples are shown.

Y Zhu↗

Pre-Launch Analysis and Test of the Ocean Color Instrument Modulation Transfer Function

Launched in February 2024, the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission represents NASA’s next investment in ocean biology, clouds, and aerosol data records. The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) is the primary instrument supporting PACE by collecting accurate radiometric data of the Earth by observing the top of atmosphere reflectance and is a combination hyperspectral (ultra-violet to near infrared) / multiband imager (shortwave infrared). An important aspect of the radiometry is the ability of OCI to resolve contrast from scene to scene to achieve data accuracy requirements. This paper reviews the analysis that was performed to verify the modulation transfer function requirement levied against the instrument and presents the supportive test data collected during pre-launch instrument testing to supplement the analysis. The requirements levied against OCI drove to a 1.2 km2 ground resolution leading to a Nyquist period of 2.4 km (0.417 cycles / km). The analysis is comprehensive with incorporation of as many contributors as practical to provide the clearest possible picture of the margin against requirements. The analysis provided input for additional design trade studies and insight into the aspects of the design that required the most attention during the implementation phase. We describe four separate MTF contributor networks based on the instrument design and mutual exclusivity of contributing factors. The various networks represent the hyperspectral and multiband detection systems separately as well as the along track and cross track imaging dimensions. Ground-test was performed against the MTF primary contributors and the results were used to validate the analysis as will be presented here.

OCI↗

Pre-Launch Analysis and Test of the Ocean Color Instrument Modulation Transfer Function

Launched in February 2024, the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission represents NASA’s next investment in ocean biology, clouds, and aerosol data records. The Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) is the primary instrument supporting PACE by collecting accurate radiometric data of the Earth by observing the top of atmosphere reflectance and is a combination hyperspectral (ultra-violet to near infrared) / multiband imager (shortwave infrared). An important aspect of the radiometry is the ability of OCI to resolve contrast from scene to scene to achieve data accuracy requirements. This paper reviews the analysis that was performed to verify the modulation transfer function requirement levied against the instrument and presents the supportive test data collected during pre-launch instrument testing to supplement the analysis. The requirements levied against OCI drove to a 1.2 km2 ground resolution leading to a Nyquist period of 2.4 km (0.417 cycles / km). The analysis is comprehensive with incorporation of as many contributors as practical to provide the clearest possible picture of the margin against requirements. The analysis provided input for additional design trade studies and insight into the aspects of the design that required the most attention during the implementation phase. We describe four separate MTF contributor networks based on the instrument design and mutual exclusivity of contributing factors. The various networks represent the hyperspectral and multiband detection systems separately as well as the along track and cross track imaging dimensions. Ground-test was performed against the MTF primary contributors and the results were used to validate the analysis as will be presented here.

OCI↗

Towards an Optimal Estimation Retrieval of Cirrus Cloud Optical and Microphysical Properties Using Hyperspectral Shortwave Instruments and A Fast Radiative Transfer Algorithm

Cirrus cloud retrieval products (here, cloud optical depth, effective particle size, and cloud top height) are important inputs into numerical weather and climate models. Uncertainties in such retrieval products, as a matter of course, propagate downstream, impacting model calculations. Improvements in high-quality global cirrus cloud optical and microphysical data products from satellite observations are needed to understand and reduce retrieval uncertainties. Hyperspectral instruments produce high-resolution and information-dense radiance spectra, thus offering the opportunity to reduce uncertainties in retrieval products. An optimal estimation-based cirrus cloud optical and microphysical product retrieval is under development for the NASA Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) instruments, and the forthcoming Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory Pathfinder (CLARREO-Pathfinder). The spectral coverage of all three instruments includes the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared. In this study a very fast radiative transfer model, the Principal Component-based Radiative Transfer Model in the solar spectral region (PCRTM-Solar), is used for forward modeling computations. This will reduce the computational burden in the forward radiance and Jacobian calculations as the cost function is minimized, enabling the entire AVIRIS, EMIT, and CLARREO-Pathfinder spectral range to be used in the optimal estimation framework. Using the entire spectrum will maximize the information content, resulting in a more robust and more accurate retrieval. As a first step, the retrieval is being designed for single layer ice clouds over open ocean water. Preliminary results will be shown.

Jeffrey Mast↗

Towards an Optimal Estimation Retrieval of Cirrus Cloud Optical and Microphysical Properties Using Hyperspectral Shortwave Instruments and A Fast Radiative Transfer Algorithm

Cirrus cloud retrieval products (here, cloud optical depth, effective particle size, and cloud top height) are important inputs into numerical weather and climate models. Uncertainties in such retrieval products, as a matter of course, propagate downstream, impacting model calculations. Improvements in high-quality global cirrus cloud optical and microphysical data products from satellite observations are needed to understand and reduce retrieval uncertainties. Hyperspectral shortwave instruments produce high-resolution and information-dense spectra, thus offering the opportunity to reduce uncertainties in retrieval products. We are in the process of developing a retrieval that uses the very fast Principal Component Radiative Transfer Model in the solar spectral region (PCRTM-Solar) in the forward model calculations. This retrieval will use measured reflectances from the NASA Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and the forthcoming Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory Pathfinder (CLARREO-Pathfinder) instruments. In this manuscript we present progress towards a reference retrieval employing a widely used, verified, accurate, yet computationally slower radiative transfer modeling technique. The reference retrieval, while too slow for using the complete hyperspectral measurement, will allow us to study the behavior of retrieval products and help us verify results from our in-development fast retrieval. Both retrievals will use the optimal estimation retrieval framework. In this manuscript we present results from an uncertainty analysis considering three uncertainty sources for a cirrus cloud retrieval in the form of error covariance matrices: reflectance uncertainty due to water vapor, the reflectance uncertainty due to ice crystal scattering assumptions, and the instrument measurement uncertainty. Results show that the uncertainty due to habit selection is the largest, while that due to water vapor is at most 0.6% relative to channel reflectance. As a first step, the retrieval is being designed for single layer ice clouds over open ocean water.

Cirrus cloud↗

Airborne Hyperspectral Sensing of Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes Region: System Calibration and Validation

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Lake Erie have been prominent in recent years. The bloom in 2014 reached a severe level causing the State of Ohio to declare a state of emergency. At that time NASA Glenn Research Center was requested by stakeholders to help monitor the blooms in Lake Erie. Glenn conducted flights twice a week in August and September and assembled and distributed the HAB information to the shoreline water resource managers using its hyperspectral imaging sensor (in development since 2006), the S􀂱3 Viking aircraft, and funding resources from the NASA Headquarters Earth Science Division. Since then, the State of Ohio, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have elevated their funding and activities for observing, monitoring, and addressing the root cause of HABs. Also, the communities and stakeholders have persistently requested NASA Glenn􀂶s participation in HAB observation. Abundant field campaigns and sample analyses have been funded by Ohio and NOAA, which provided a great opportunity for NASA to advance science and airborne hyperspectral remote sensing economically. Capitalizing on this opportunity to advance the science of algal blooms and remote sensing, NASA Glenn conducted the Airborne Hyperspectral Observation of harmful algal blooms campaign in 2015 that was, in many respects, twice as large as the 2014 campaign. Focusing mostly on Lake Erie, but also including other small inland lakes and the Ohio River, the campaign was conducted in partnership with a large number of partners specializing in marine science and remote sensing. Airborne hyperspectral observation of HABs holds promise to distinguish potential HABs from nuisance blooms, determine their concentrations, and delineate their movement in an augmented spatial and temporal resolution and under clouds􀂲all of which are excellent complements to satellite observations. Working with collaborators at several Ohio and Michigan institutions as well as one in South Dakota and one in Alabama, this effort was able to provide next-day georeferenced estimates of cyanobacteria and scum concentrations. Very prompt processing and analysis of the hyperspectral imagery is necessary for the information to be acted upon. For example, a next-day report of an overflight over the Ohio River indicated that a bloom could be present as far downstream as the Cincinnati intake, but the Ohio EPA had not received visual reports of a bloom that far downstream. Water samples were obtained at the Cincinnati water intake, based on the flight data, and detected microcystins in the source water. The flight data helped State and municipal authorities realize the potential extent of that bloom, and triggered response sampling, before the visual river-wide scums started forming. The present document describes the process that was utilized to take raw remote sensing data and create information products; this includes system calibration and validation, efforts to correct atmospheric effects, and algorithms that produce the data products. Furthermore, successful research into improved algorithms for expanding the capability to delineate in water constituents is included. Finally, comparisons that show expected relationships between ground-based measurements and hyperspectral imager version 2 (HSI2) data results are presented, giving confidence in the remote sensing products.

Hyperspectral Imaging↗

Interpretation of Observations of Trans-Spectral Phenomena Acquired Using Hyperspectral Sensors Aboard a Remotely Operated Vehicle in Exuma Sound

Hyper-spectral (512-channel) optical data acquired during a relatively deep (102m) dive of our ROSEBUD Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in the clear waters of Exuma Sound, Bahamas provided the opportunity to investigate the trans-spectral shift of photonic energy (inelastic scattering) as a function of water depth. Results show a convolution of several spectral processes (e.g. absorption, scattering) involving water molecules, dissolved material and particulates as well as trans-spectral (inelastic) processes involving fluorescence by water molecules (Raman), dissolved material and chlorophyll. The spectral signatures of these convolved causes and effects allow deconvolution with a hyperspectral approach. Intrinsic to the convolution was the ability to position the vehicle at depths where Raman fluorescence dominated at red wavelengths. Results show that the calculated Raman absorption coefficients are generally consistent with historical values (i.e. 0.9 x 10(sup)-4 at 525 nm excitation) and that an angstrom exponent of 5 is more appropriate than the often cited value of 4.

Costello, D.↗

Computational toolkit for predicting thickness of 2D materials using machine learning and autogenerated dataset by large language model

The thickness of 2D materials not only plays a crucial role in determining the performance of nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices but also introduces complexities in predicting volume-dependent properties, such as energy storage capacity, due to the intrinsic vacuum within these materials. Although a plethora of experimental techniques, including but not limited to optical contrast, Raman spectroscopy, nonlinear optical spectroscopy, near-field optical imaging, and hyperspectral imaging, facilitate the measurement of 2D material thickness, comprehensive data for many materials remain elusive. Over the past decade, the exponential proliferation of 2D materials and their heterostructures has outstripped the capabilities of conventional experimental and computational approaches. In this evolving landscape, machine learning (ML) has emerged as an indispensable tool, offering a scalable approach to augment these traditional methodologies. Addressing the critical gap, we introduce THICK2D—Thickness Hierarchy Inference and Calculation Kit for 2D Materials. This Python-based computational framework harnesses an autogenerated thickness database, developed using large language models, and advanced ML algorithms to facilitate the rapid and scalable estimation of material thickness, relying solely on crystallographic data. To demonstrate the utility and robustness of THICK2D, we successfully used the toolkit to predict the thickness of more than 8000 2D-based materials, sourced from two extensive 2D materials databases. THICK2D is disseminated as an open-source utility, accessible on GitHub at https://github.com/gmp007/THICK2D, and archived on Zenodo at https://10.5281/zenodo.11216648.

Ekuma, Chinedu E. (ORCID:0000000258527556)↗

New-Generation NASA Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Volcanic SO2 Dataset: Algorithm Description, Initial Results, and Continuation with the Suomi-NPP Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS)

Since the fall of 2004, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) has been providing global monitoring of volcanic SO2 emissions, helping to understand their climate impacts and to mitigate aviation hazards. Here we introduce a new-generation OMI volcanic SO2 dataset based on a principal component analysis (PCA) retrieval technique. To reduce retrieval noise and artifacts as seen in the current operational linear fit (LF) algorithm, the new algorithm, OMSO2VOLCANO, uses characteristic features extracted directly from OMI radiances in the spectral fitting, thereby helping to minimize interferences from various geophysical processes (e.g., O3 absorption) and measurement details (e.g., wavelength shift). To solve the problem of low bias for large SO2 total columns in the LF product, the OMSO2VOLCANO algorithm employs a table lookup approach to estimate SO2 Jacobians (i.e., the instrument sensitivity to a perturbation in the SO2 column amount) and iteratively adjusts the spectral fitting window to exclude shorter wavelengths where the SO2 absorption signals are saturated. To first order, the effects of clouds and aerosols are accounted for using a simple Lambertian equivalent reflectivity approach. As with the LF algorithm, OMSO2VOLCANO provides total column retrievals based on a set of predefined SO2 profiles from the lower troposphere to the lower stratosphere, including a new profile peaked at 13 km for plumes in the upper troposphere. Examples given in this study indicate that the new dataset shows significant improvement over the LF product, with at least 50% reduction in retrieval noise over the remote Pacific. For large eruptions such as Kasatochi in 2008 (approximately 1700 kt total SO2/ and Sierra Negra in 2005 (greater than 1100DU maximum SO2), OMSO2VOLCANO generally agrees well with other algorithms that also utilize the full spectral content of satellite measurements, while the LF algorithm tends to underestimate SO2. We also demonstrate that, despite the coarser spatial and spectral resolution of the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi-NPP) Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) instrument, application of the new PCA algorithm to OMPS data produces highly consistent retrievals between OMI and OMPS. The new PCA algorithm is therefore capable of continuing the volcanic SO2 data record well into the future using current and future hyperspectral UV satellite instruments.

OMI↗

Appendices for Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence Report

The Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence looks to use machine learning to spot geothermal identifiers from land maps. This is done to remotely detect geothermal sites for the purpose of energy uses. Such uses include enhanced geothermal system (EGS) applications, especially regarding finding locations for viable EGS sites. This submission includes the appendices and reports formerly attached to the Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence Quarterly and Final Reports. The appendices below include methodologies, results, and some data regarding what was used to train the Geothermal Exploration AI. The methodology reports explain how specific anomaly detection modes were selected for use with the Geo Exploration AI. This also includes how the detection mode is useful for finding geothermal sites. Some methodology reports also include small amounts of code. Results from these reports explain the accuracy of methods used for the selected sites (Brady Desert Peak and Salton Sea). Data from these detection modes can be found in some of the reports, such as the Mineral Markers Maps, but most of the raw data is included the DOE Database which includes Brady, Desert Peak, and Salton Sea Geothermal Sites.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Thermal Remote Sensing and the Thermodynamics of Ecosystem Development

Thermal remote sensing can provide environmental measuring tools with capabilities for measuring ecosystem development and integrity. Recent advances in applying principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to ecology provide fundamental insights into energy partitioning in ecosystems. Ecosystems are nonequilibrium systems, open to material and energy flows, which grow and develop structures and processes to increase energy degradation. More developed terrestrial ecosystems will be more effective at dissipating the solar gradient (degrading its exergy content) and can be measured by the effective surface temperature of the ecosystem on a landscape scale. Ecosystems are viewed as open thermodynamic systems with a large gradient impressed on them by the exergy flux from the sun. Ecosystems, according to the restated second law, develop in ways that systematically increases their ability to degrade the incoming solar exergy, hence negating it's ability to set up even larger gradients. Thus it should be expected that more mature ecosystems degrade the exergy they capture more completely than a less developed ecosystem. The degree to which incoming solar exergy is degraded is a function of the surface temperature of the ecosystem. If a group of ecosystems receives the same amount of incoming radiation, we would expect that the most mature ecosystem would reradiate its energy at the lowest quality level and thus would have the lowest surface temperature (coldest black body temperature). Initial development work was done using NASA's airborne Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) followed by the use of a multispectral visible and thermal scanner-Airborne Thermal and Land Applications Sensor (ATLAS). Luvall and his coworkers have documented ecosystem energy budgets, including tropical forests, midlatitude varied ecosystems, and semiarid ecosystems. These data show that under similar environmental conditions (air temperature, relative humidity, winds, and solar irradiance) and within a given biome type, the more developed the ecosystem, the cooler it's surface temperature and the more degraded the quality of it's reradiated energy. HyspIRI is a hyperspectral visible/Near IR and multispectral thermal future global satellite mission that will collect data to study the world's ecosystems and will provide a benchmark on the state of the worlds ecosystems against which future changes can be assessed. HyspIRI will provide global data sets that will provide a means for measuring ecosystem development and integrity.

Luvall, Jeffrey C.↗

Thermal Remote Sensing and the Thermodynamics of Ecosystem Development

Thermal remote sensing can provide environmental measuring tools with capabilities for measuring ecosystem development and integrity. Recent advances in applying principles of nonequilibrium thermodynamics to ecology provide fundamental insights into energy partitioning in ecosystems. Ecosystems are nonequilibrium systems, open to material and energy flows, which grow and develop structures and processes to increase energy degradation. More developed terrestrial ecosystems will be more effective at dissipating the solar gradient (degrading its exergy content) and can be measured by the effective surface temperature of the ecosystem on a landscape scale. Ecosystems are viewed as open thermodynamic systems with a large gradient impressed on them by the exergy flux from the sun. Ecosystems, according to the restated second law, develop in ways that systematically increases their ability to degrade the incoming solar exergy, hence negating it's ability to set up even larger gradients. Thus it should be expected that more mature ecosystems degrade the exergy they capture more completely than a less developed ecosystem. The degree to which incoming solar exergy is degraded is a function of the surface temperature of the ecosystem. If a group of ecosystems receives the same amount of incoming radiation, we would expect that the most mature ecosystem would reradiate its energy at the lowest quality level and thus would have the lowest surface temperature (coldest black body temperature). Initial development work was done using NASA's airborne Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) followed by the use of a multispectral visible and thermal scanner- Airborne Thermal and Land Applications Sensor (ATLAS). Luvall and his coworkers have documented ecosystem energy budgets, including tropical forests, midlatitude varied ecosystems, and semiarid ecosystems. These data show that under similar environmental conditions (air temperature, relative humidity, winds, and solar irradiance) and within a given biome type, the more developed the ecosystem, the cooler it's surface temperature and the more degraded the quality of it's reradiated energy. HyspIRI is a hyperspectral visible/Near IR and multispectral thermal future global satellite mission that will collect data to study the world's ecosystems and will provide a benchmark on the state of the worlds ecosystems against which future changes can be assessed. HyspIRI will provide global data sets that will provide a means for measuring ecosystem development and integrity.

Luvall, Jeffrey C.↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-12839-DND

Hyper-spectral remote sensors, such as Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), provides top of atmospheric radiances with high information content on atmospheric and surface properties. In order to analyze these data in real time, fast, and accurate forward and inverse models are needed. We will describe a method of simultaneously retrieving atmospheric temperature, moisture, cloud, and surface properties using all available spectral channels without sacrificing computational speed. The method has been successfully applied to AIRS, IASI, and NAST-I data. By applying the same method to the current and future hyperspectral sounders, the derived products will have less errors due to biases introduced by different retrieval methods. We have compared the retrieved products to radiosondes, aircraft measurements and other validation dataset. Simulations have done to quantify retrieval errors associated with the retrievals. The essence of the method is to convert channel radiance spectra into super-channels by an Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) transformation. A Principal Component-based Radiative Transfer Model (PCRTM) developed at NASA Langley Research Center is used to calculate both the super-channel magnitudes and derivatives with respect to atmospheric profiles and other properties. The inversion algorithm is based on a non-linear Levenberg-Marquardt method with climatology covariance matrices and a priori information as constraints. One advantage of this approach is that it uses all information content from the hyper-spectral data so that the retrieval is less sensitive to instrument noise and eliminates the need for selecting a subset of the channels. The PCRTM forward model has also been used to performance end-to-end sensor performance simulations of the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO).

Xu Liu↗

Brady Geodatabase for Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence

These files contain the geodatabases related to Brady's Geothermal Field. It includes all input and output files for the Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence. Input and output files are sorted into three categories: raw data, pre-processed data, and analysis (post-processed data). In each of these categories there are six additional types of raster catalogs which are titled Radar, SWIR, Thermal, Geophysics, Geology, and Wells. These inputs and outputs were used with the Geothermal Exploration Artificial Intelligence to identify indicators of blind geothermal systems at the Brady Hot Springs Geothermal Site. The included zip file is a geodatabase to be used with ArcGIS and the tar file is an inclusive database that encompasses the inputs and outputs for the Brady Hot Springs Geothermal Site.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Atmospheric Correction for Hyperspectral Ocean Color Retrieval with Application to the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO)

The classical multi-spectral Atmospheric Correction (AC) algorithm is inadequate for the new generation of spaceborne hyperspectral sensors such as NASA's first hyperspectral Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) onboard the anticipated Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite mission. The AC process must estimate and remove the atmospheric path radiance contribution due to the Rayleigh scattering by air molecules and scattering by aerosols from the measured top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance, compensate for the absorption by atmospheric gases, and correct for reflection and refraction of the air-sea interface. In this work, we present and evaluate an improved AC for hyperspectral sensors developed within NASA's Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Data Analysis System software package (SeaDAS). The improvement is based on combining the classical AC approach of multi-spectral capabilities to correct for the atmospheric path radiance, extended to hyperspectral, with a gas correction algorithm to compensate for absorbing gases in the atmosphere, including water vapor. The SeaDAS-hyperspectral version is capable of operationally processing the AC of any hyperspectral airborne or spaceborne sensor. The new algorithm development was evaluated and assessed using the Hyperspectral Imager for Coastal Ocean (HICO) scenes collected at the Marine Optical BuoY (MOBY) site, and other SeaWiFS Bio-optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS) and AERosol Robotic NETwork - Ocean Color (AERONET-OC) coastal sites. A hyperspectral vicarious calibration was applied to HICO, showing the validity and consistency of HICO's ocean color products. The hyperspectral AC capability is currently available in SeaDAS to the scientific community at https://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

Ocean Color↗

Analysis of AIRS and IASI System Performance Under Clear and Cloudy Conditions

The radiometric and spectral system performance of space-borne infrared radiometers is generally specified and analyzed under strictly cloud-free, spatially uniform and warm conditions, with the assumption that the observed performance applies to the full dynamic range under clear and cloudy conditions and that random noise cancels for the evaluation of the radiometric accuracy. Such clear conditions are found in only one percent of the data. Ninety nine percent of the data include clouds, which produce spatially highly non-uniform scenes with 11 micrometers window brightness temperatures as low as 200K. We use AIRS and IASI radiance spectra to compare system performance under clear and a wide range of cloudy conditions. Although the two instruments are in polar orbits, with the ascending nodes separated by four hours, daily averages already reveal surprisingly similar measurements. The AIRS and IASI radiometric performance based on the mean of large numbers of observation is comparable and agrees within 200 mK over a wide range of temperatures. There are also some unexpected differences at the 200 -500 mK level, which are of significance for climate applications. The results were verified with data from July 2007 through January 2010, but many can already be gleaned from the analysis of a single day of data.

hyperspectral↗

Algal Accessory Pigment Detection Using AVIRIS Image-Derived Spectral Radiance Data

Visual and derivative analyses of AVIRIS spectral data can be used to detect algal accessory pigments in aquatic communities. This capability extends the use of remote sensing for the study of aquatic ecosystems by allowing detection of taxonomically significant pigment signatures which yield information about the type of algae present. Such information allows remote sensing-based assessment of aquatic ecosystem health, as in the detection of nuisance blooms of cyanobacteria or toxic blooms of dinoflagellates. Remote sensing of aquatic systems has traditionally focused on quantification of chlorophyll a, a photoreactive (and light-harvesting) pigment which is common to all algae as well as cyanobacteria (bluegreen algae). Due to the ubiquitousness of this pigment within algae, chl a is routinely measured to estimate algal biomass both during ground-truthing and using various airborne or satellite based sensors, including AVIRIS. Within the remote sensing and aquatic sciences communities, ongoing research has been performed to detect algal accessory pigments for assessment of algal population composition. This research is based on the fact that many algal accessory pigments are taxonomically significant, and all are spectrally unique. Aquatic scientists have been refining pigment analysis techniques, primarily high performance liquid chromatography, or HPLC, to detect specific pigments as a time-saving alternative to individual algal cell identifications and counts. Remote sensing scientists are investigating the use of pigment signatures to construct pigment libraries analogous to mineral spectral libraries used in geological remote sensing applications. The accessory pigment approach has been used successfully in remote sensing using data from the Thematic Mapper, low-altitude, multiple channel scanners, field spectroradiometers and the AVIRIS hyperspectral scanner. Due to spectral and spatial resolution capabilities, AVIRIS is the sensor of choice for such studies. We present here our results on detection of algal accessory pigments using AVIRIS data.

Richardson, Laurie L.↗