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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Some observations about LANDSAT digital analysis

Several hypotheses concerning LANDSAT data are analyzed. These hypotheses are: (1) LANDSAT does not discriminate vegetation types, but mostly sees chlorophyl and canopy cover. (2) A majority of the features in the ground scene possess linearly proportional amounts of color from each spectral band. (3) The data are continuous and as a result there is no true separability of ground scene features in the data, but some features possess an excess of color in a particular band pair. (4) There are relatively few features present in the spectral data, and these do not correspond to the conventional definitions that are used. (5) Aside from seasonal effects, in a distributional sense all LANDSAT data are essentially the same. The only difference is the way the data are spatially arranged in the image.

Jayroe, R. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1983

LANDSAT-D investigations in snow hydrology

Two tapes of the southern Sierra Nevada study area were received and the TM data are being registered to digital data. The spectral, spatial, temporal, and economic characteristics of data from LANDSAT 4 TM and MSS were compared with those of NOAA-r AVHRR data for snow cover mapping. An atmospheric radiative transfer model which accounts for both the zenith and aximuth variation in the radiative field is presented and its advantages are discussed. A Monte Carlo method for solving the atmospheric correction problem for an inhomogeneous surface is also considered.

Dozier, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Thermal infrared analysis of volcanic surfaces: Mars and Hawaii

High spatial resolution data from the Viking infrared thermal mapper (IRTM) are used to examine the Tharsis volcanoes which are situated within a vast area of low thermal inertia material very fine particle size or very high porosity, with the volcanoes having the lowest thermal inertias. Thermal infrared images of the 1823 flow on Kilauea's southwest rift zone show lower thermal inertias near the vent area where shelly pahoehoe is common while individual channelized aa flows with abundant broken pahoehoe slabs are higher thermal inertia. The increase in aa flows to the southeast leads to a general trend of increasing thermal inertias from near vent to distal areas. Martian shield volcanoes have thermal inertias equal to or higher than their surrounding plans when atmospheric effects are removed from the data. The general increase in thermal inertias away from the summit calderas is consistent with the trend of the Hawaiian 1823 flow and may be related to changing lava properties away from the summit.

Zimbelman, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A sampling procedure to guide the collection of narrow-band, high-resolution spatially and spectrally representative reflectance data

A multistage sampling procedure using image processing, geographical information systems, and analytical photogrammetry is presented which can be used to guide the collection of representative, high-resolution spectra and discrete reflectance targets for future satellite sensors. The procedure is general and can be adapted to characterize areas as small as minor watersheds and as large as multistate regions. Beginning with a user-determined study area, successive reductions in size and spectral variation are performed using image analysis techniques on data from the Multispectral Scanner, orbital and simulated Thematic Mapper, low altitude photography synchronized with the simulator, and associated digital data. An integrated image-based geographical information system supports processing requirements.

Brand, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Research on enhancing the utilization of digital multispectral data and geographic information systems in global habitability studies

During 1986 to 1987, the Kansas Applied Remote Sensing (KARS) Program continued to build upon long-term research efforts oriented towards enhancement and development of technologies for using remote sensing in the inventory and evaluation of land use and renewable resources (both natural and agricultural). These research efforts directly addressed needs and objectives of NASA's Land-Related Global Habitability Program as well as needs of and interests of public agencies and private firms. The KARS Program placed particular emphasis on two major areas: development of intelligent algorithms to improve automated classification of digital multispectral data; and integrating and merging digital multispectral data with ancillary data in spatial modes.

Martinko, Edward A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Suggested hurricane operational scenario for GOES I-M

Improvements in tropical cyclone forecasts require optimum use of remote sensing capabilities, because conventional data sources cannot provide the necessary spatial and temporal data density over tropical and subtropical oceanic regions. In 1989, the first of a series of geostationary weather satellites, GOES 1-M, will be launched with the capability for simultaneous imaging and sounding. Careful scheduling of the GOES 1-M will enable measurements of both the wind and mass fields over the entire tropical cyclone activity area. The document briefly describes the GOES 1-M imager and sounder, surveys the data needs for hurricane forecasting, discusses how geostationary satellite observations help to meet them, and proposes a GOES 1-M schedule of observations and hurricane relevant derived products.

Menzel, W. P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Longitudinal variations in the Saturnian atmosphere. I - Equatorial region

Longitudinal variations in the equatorial regions of Saturn are sought in both Voyager orange and methane-filter and ground-based 6000-6600 A observations. The spectral variations found are inconsistent with reflecting layer height variation; they are alternatively modeled by changes in the single-scattering albedo of the haze, as well as in the specific abundance of haze gas. The 500-km spatial resolution data furnished by Voyager are found to be consistent with a specific abundance of haze gas between 10 and 24 km-am. Ammonia and methane mixing ratios are derived.

Killen, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The Lyman-alpha line in various solar features. I - Observations

Lyman-alpha line observations of the solar atmosphere obtained by the SMM ultraviolet spectrometer and polarimeter are presented. High spectral and spatial resolution data and broadband spectroheliograms show that, on the disk, the central reversal of the line is highly variable in depth and is frequently shifted, leading to asymmetric profiles. It is suggested that a dynamic layer overlying the limb may be responsible for distorting the background profile of the line and producing the observed asymmetric profiles. Narrow and extended prominences reaching velocities of several hundred km/sec are also noted.

Fontenla, J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Annual cycle, quasi-biennial oscillation, and Southern Oscillation in global precipitation

Using 80 years (1901-1980) of global station rainfall data, the spatial and temporal variations in global precipitation associated with the annual cycle (AC), the tropospheric quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), and southern oscillation (SO, defined as the background 3- to 7-year fluctuation in which the El Nino events are embedded) were investigated. It was found that the dominant global precipitation pattern fluctuates irregularly, with 2- to 5-year periods associated with the SO. The temporal variation shows, in addition to the SO time scale, a distinct QBO signal. The best correlation occurred during the El Nino SO, with an apparent phase locking between the QBO and SO. The role of the possible influence of the AC and other factors involved in the QBO interaction is discussed.

Lau, K.-M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Recovery of excitation intensity dependence in pulsed, focused beams - Nonsaturated case

It is shown how the dependence of a nonsaturated excitation process on local, instantaneous intensity can be obtained from temporally and spatially unresolved data by inversion, even for a nonuniform intensity distribution in the probe volume. This treatment is in contrast with the usual approach in which effects of nonuniform excitation are either disregarded or simulated. For exponential intensity profiles, the solution is obtained in the form of an Abel inversion. The ill-conditioned nature of the problem is demonstrated, and extension to the study of intensity-dependent line shapes is made.

Ruyten, Wilhelmus M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The distribution of solar magnetic fluxes and the nonlinearity of stellar flux-flux relations

Synoptic maps for the 1975-1984 period are used to determine the time-dependent distribution function of magnetic flux densities in the solar atmosphere. The distribution function depends only on the global level of magnetic activity, and it is used to study how relations between magnetic flux densities and radiative flux densities from different temperature regimes in the outer atmosphere (derived from spatially resolved solar observations) transform into relations between surface-averaged flux densities. It is found that the transformation to surface-averaged fluxes preserves the power-law character of relations between radiative and magnetic flux densities for spatially resolved data.

Schrijver, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A neural network approach to cloud classification

It is shown that, using high-spatial-resolution data, very high cloud classification accuracies can be obtained with a neural network approach. A texture-based neural network classifier using only single-channel visible Landsat MSS imagery achieves an overall cloud identification accuracy of 93 percent. Cirrus can be distinguished from boundary layer cloudiness with an accuracy of 96 percent, without the use of an infrared channel. Stratocumulus is retrieved with an accuracy of 92 percent, cumulus at 90 percent. The use of the neural network does not improve cirrus classification accuracy. Rather, its main effect is in the improved separation between stratocumulus and cumulus cloudiness. While most cloud classification algorithms rely on linear parametric schemes, the present study is based on a nonlinear, nonparametric four-layer neural network approach. A three-layer neural network architecture, the nonparametric K-nearest neighbor approach, and the linear stepwise discriminant analysis procedure are compared. A significant finding is that significantly higher accuracies are attained with the nonparametric approaches using only 20 percent of the database as training data, compared to 67 percent of the database in the linear approach.

Lee, Jonathan↗
NASA NTRS1991

Transverse injection into Mach 2 flow behind a rearward-facing step - A 3-D, compressible flow test case for hypersonic combustor CFD validation

A spatially-complete data set of the important primitive flow variables is presented for the complex, nonreacting, 3D unit combustor flow field employing transverse injection into a Mach 2 flow behind a rearward-facing step. A unique wind tunnel facility providing the capability for iodine seeding was built specifically for these measurements. Two optical techniques based on laser-induced-iodine fluorescence were developed and utilized for nonintrusive, in situ flow field measurements. LDA provided both mean and fluctuating velocity component measurements. A thermographic phosphor wall temperature measurement technique was developed and employed. Data from the 2D flow over a rearward-facing step and the complex 3D mixing flow with injection are reported.

Mcdaniel, James C.↗
NASA NTRS1994

MODIS. Volume 2: MODIS level 1 geolocation, characterization and calibration algorithm theoretical basis document, version 1

The EOS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) is being developed by NASA for flight on the Earth Observing System (EOS) series of satellites, the first of which (EOS-AM-1) is scheduled for launch in 1998. This document describes the algorithms and their theoretical basis for the MODIS Level 1B characterization, calibration, and geolocation algorithms which must produce radiometrically, spectrally, and spatially calibrated data with sufficient accuracy so that Global change research programs can detect minute changes in biogeophysical parameters. The document first describes the geolocation algorithm which determines geodetic latitude, longitude, and elevation of each MODIS pixel and the determination of geometric parameters for each observation (satellite zenith angle, satellite azimuth, range to the satellite, solar zenith angle, and solar azimuth). Next, the utilization of the MODIS onboard calibration sources, which consist of the Spectroradiometric Calibration Assembly (SRCA), Solar Diffuser (SD), Solar Diffuser Stability Monitor (SDSM), and the Blackbody (BB), is treated. Characterization of these sources and integration of measurements into the calibration process is described. Finally, the use of external sources, including the Moon, instrumented sites on the Earth (called vicarious calibration), and unsupervised normalization sites having invariant reflectance and emissive properties is treated. Finally, algorithms for generating utility masks needed for scene-based calibration are discussed. Eight appendices are provided, covering instrument design and additional algorithm details.

Barker, John L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

TransFit: Finite element analysis data fitting software

The Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) mission support team has made extensive use of geometric ray tracing to analyze the performance of AXAF developmental and flight optics. One important aspect of this performance modeling is the incorporation of finite element analysis (FEA) data into the surface deformations of the optical elements. TransFit is software designed for the fitting of FEA data of Wolter I optical surface distortions with a continuous surface description which can then be used by SAO's analytic ray tracing software, currently OSAC (Optical Surface Analysis Code). The improved capabilities of Transfit over previous methods include bicubic spline fitting of FEA data to accommodate higher spatial frequency distortions, fitted data visualization for assessing the quality of fit, the ability to accommodate input data from three FEA codes plus other standard formats, and options for alignment of the model coordinate system with the ray trace coordinate system. TransFit uses the AnswerGarden graphical user interface (GUI) to edit input parameters and then access routines written in PV-WAVE, C, and FORTRAN to allow the user to interactively create, evaluate, and modify the fit. The topics covered include an introduction to TransFit: requirements, designs philosophy, and implementation; design specifics: modules, parameters, fitting algorithms, and data displays; a procedural example; verification of performance; future work; and appendices on online help and ray trace results of the verification section.

Freeman, Mark↗
NASA NTRS1995

Movement of water vapor in the atmosphere measured by an imaging spectrometer at Rogers Dry Lake, CA

Movement of water as vapor in the atmosphere is a fundamental process in the Earth's hydrological cycle. Investigations of spatial and time scales of water vapor transport in the atmosphere are important areas of research. Water vapor transmits energy as a function of its abundance across the spectrum. This is shown in the 400- to 2500-nm spectral region where the transmission of the terrestrial atmosphere has been modeled using the MODTRAN radiative transfer code for a range of water vapor abundances. Based on these model results, spectra measured by the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) have been used to investigate the movement of water vapor at 20-m spatial resolution over an 11-by-30-km area at approximately 15-minute time intervals (1.25 hours total). AVIRIS measures the upwelling spectral radiance from 400 to 2500 nm at 10-nm spectral intervals and collects images of 11-by-up-to-1000 km at 20-m spatial resolution. Data are collected at a rate of 1 km of flight line per 4.5 seconds. A set of five AVIRIS flight lines was acquired in rapid succession over Rogers Dry Lake, CA on May 18, 1993 at 18:59, 19:13, 19:29, 19:47, and 19:59 UTC. Rogers Dry lake is located 2 hours north of Los Angeles, CA at 34.84 degrees north latitude and 117.83 degrees west longitude in the Mojave Desert.

Green, Robert O.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Anomalous Balmer continuum temperatures in the Orion Nebula

New long-slit spectra of the Orion Nebula in the near-ultraviolet were used to calculate the Balmer recombination temperature, T(Bac), from the Balmer discontinuity at 3646 A. The spatially resolved data show a decrease in temperature moving to the west of Theta(sup 1) Ori C, from 8400 K at a distance of 40 sec to a low of 2800 K at a distance of 220 sec. Such values are much lower than previously reported. The effect of scattered starlight on these results is calculated and shown to be less than 10%. Previous studies which found scattered light to be important at the discontinuity are in error. Such low temperatures and their impact on nebular physics and abundances are disconcerting and require further study.

Walter, Donald L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Methods of Attenuation Correction for the TRMM Precipitation Radar Data

The surface reference technique (SRT) has been studied extensively both theoretically and experimentally over the last decade. It is only with the launch of the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar, however, that we can begin to test directly whether the technique provides a reliable means of attenuation correction for spaceborne weather radars. Preliminary results indicate that the method yields results that are qualitatively reasonable when the rain rate is moderate or high and when the surface provides a stable reference value. The structure of the normalized radar cross section of the surface (NRCS), however, is highly complex in the sense that the statistics change with background type, incidence angle, location, and season. As a consequence of this, the reliability of the path attenuation estimate is not proportional simply to the amount of rain attenuation but to the rain attenuation relative to the inherent variability of the reference target. To illustrate the behavior of the SRT, several overpasses of the Hurricane Bonnie are shown. We also show that the proper choice of reference data set (spatial, temporal and global) can be critical to the success of the method.

Meneghini, Robert↗