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At least 685 records · Page 38

A case study of persistent, intense, clear air turbulence in an upper level frontal zone.

Widespread and persistent clear air turbulence (CAT) occurred over the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. between New York and South Carolina on 18 March 1969. The major synoptic features and a qualitative discussion of the factors contributing to the development of the large vertical wind shears associated with the turbulence are presented. The turbulent region in the vicinity of Wallops Island, Va., was probed with a NASA T-33 research aircraft and with sensitive radars. The clear air radar echoes and the most intense turbulence occurred principally within an upper level frontal zone of about 2 km depth which was produced by the confluence of two currents of widely different origin.

Reed, R. J.↗

On the fundamental importance of the social psychology of research as a basic paradigm for the philosophy of science: A philosophical case study of the psychology of the Apollo moon scientists

A combined philosophical and social psychological study of over 40 of the Apollo moon Scientists reveals that the Orthodox or Received View of Scientific Theories is found wanting in several respects: (1) observations are not theory-free; (2) scientific observations are not directly observable; and (3) observations are no less problematic than theories. The study also raises some severe criticisms of distinction between the context of discovery and the context of justification. Not only does this distinction fail to describe the actual practice of science but even more important it has the dangerous effect of excluding some of the strongest lines of evidence which could most effectively challenge the distinction. The distinction is harmful of efforts to found interdisciplinary theories and philosophies of science.

Mitroff, I. I.↗

Intervention into a turbulent urban situation: A case study

The application is reported of NASA management philosophy and techniques within New Castle County, Delaware, to meet actual problems of community violence. It resulted in restructuring the county approach to problems of this nature, and development of a comprehensive system for planning, based on the NASA planning process. The method involved federal, state, and local resources with community representatives in solving the problems. The concept of a turbulent environment is presented with parallels drawn between NASA management experience and problems of management within an urban arena.

Caldwell, G. M., Jr.↗

A case study of technology transfer: Cardiology

Research advancements in cardiology instrumentation and techniques are summarized. Emphasis is placed upon the following techniques: (1) development of electrodes which show good skin compatibility and wearer comfort; (2) contourography - a real time display system for showing the results of EKGs; (3) detection of arteriosclerosis by digital computer processing of X-ray photos; (4) automated, noninvasive systems for blood pressure measurement; (5) ultrasonoscope - a noninvasive device for use in diagnosis of aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve disease; and (6) rechargable cardiac pacemakers. The formation of a biomedical applications team which is an interdisciplinary team to bridge the gap between the developers and users of technology is described.

Schafer, G.↗

A case study of technology transfer: Rehabilitative engineering at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital

The transfer of NASA technolgy to rehabilitative applications of artificial limbs is studied. Human factors engineering activities range from orthotic manipulators to tiny dc motors and transducers to detect and transmit voluntary control signals. It is found that bicarbon implant devices are suitable for medical equipment and artificial limbs because of their biological compatibility with human body fluids and tissues.

Hildred, W.↗

A case study in technology utilization: Industrial products and practices

In pursuit of such missions as Apollo, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has called into being unique equipment that obviously has little direct application beyond the achievement of mission objectives. Yet, to assume that further direct application of space program hardware is somehow a measure of the industrial benefits accruing to the nation is to misunderstand how the creation of new technology affects modern industrial capability. This document presents a profile of the significant ways in which technological developments in response to aerospace mission requirements have been coupled into industrial practice, with the result being that improved products and processes are now being utilized to benefit the nation.

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Interactive analysis and evaluation of ERTS data for regional planning and urban development: A Los Angeles Basin case study

The progression endemic to the ERTS Data Use Experiment SR 124 in data quality, analysis sophistication and applications responsiveness is reviewed. The roles of the variety of ERTS products, including the supporting underflight aircraft imagery at various scales, are discussed in the context of this investigation. The versatility of interpretation techniques and outputs developed and implemented via the General Electric Multispectral Information Extraction Systems is described and exemplified by both system-expository and applications-explanatory products. The wide-ranging and in-depth applications studied in the course of this experiment can be characterized as community-oriented and agency-directed. In the former, generic category, which is primarily data-contextual, problems analyzed dealt with agricultural systems, surface water bodies, snow cover, brush fire burns, forestry, grass growth, parks - golf courses - cemeteries, dust storms, grading sites, geological features and coastal water structure. The ERTS MSS band selectivity and measurements thresholds were of primary interest here. The agency-directed application areas have been user-evaluational in nature. Beginning with overall urbanized regional analysis of land cover density-development intensity, residential areas were analyzed for ascertaining if housing types could be aggregated with any degree of reliability.

Raje, S.↗

LACIE ADP/PI joint case study: ADP analysis guidelines

The procedure is described which was used to train automatic data processing (ADP) analysts to process ERTS 1 imagery from a 5 nm by 6 nm area in Delisle, Canada, and to estimate wheat acreage using training fields provided by photointerpreters. The exercise also served to evaluate and test current large area crop inventory experiment (LACIE) procedures.

Minter, T. C.↗

Fire safety: A case study of technology transfer

Two basic ways in which NASA-generated technology is being used by the fire safety community are described. First, improved products and systems that embody NASA technical advances are entering the marketplace. Second, NASA test data and technical information related to fire safety are being used by persons concerned with reducing the hazards of fire through improved design information and standards. The development of commercial fire safety products and systems typically requires adaptation and integration of aerospace technologies that may not have been originated for NASA fire safety applications.

Heins, C. F.↗

TERSSE: Definition of the Total Earth Resources System for the Shuttle Era. Volume 5: Detailed system requirements: Two case studies

Major resource management missions to be performed by the TERSSE are examined in order to develop an understanding of the form and function of a system designed to perform an operational mission. Factors discussed include: resource manager (user) functions, methods of performing their function, the information flows and information requirements embodied in their function, and the characteristics of the observation system which assists in the management of the resource involved. The missions selected for study are: world crop survey and land resources management. These missions are found to represent opposite ends of the TERSSE spectrum and to support the conclusion that different missions require different systems and must be analyzed in detail to permit proper system development decisions.

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Effects of maturation on the reflectance of the lunar regolith: Apollo 16 - A case study

Soils at the Apollo 16 site become progressively darker as the percentage of glassy agglutinates increases. Magnetic separates of the agglutinate fraction of a soil are always darker than the bulk soil and are darker than the nonagglutinate fraction consisting of rock and mineral fragments. Darkening of a soil with maturity is due mainly to the increasing proportion of agglutinates. Coating of rock and mineral fragments with thin deposits of glass aids darkening in a minor way, but most of these particles eventually are destroyed by melting as the soils mature.

Adams, J. B.↗

Case studies on the geological application of LANDSAT imagery in Brazil

The author has identified the following significant results. Sao Domingos Range, Pocos de Caldas, and Araguaia and Tocantins Rivers in Brazil were selected as test sites for LANDSAT imagery. The satellite images were analyzed using conventional photointerpretation techniques, and the results indicate the application of small scale image data in regional structural data analysis, geological mapping, and mineral exploration.

Demendonca, F.↗

Case studies

The characteristics of the technology assessment process which were manifested in response to the hazardous effects of early medical uses of X-rays are considered. Other topics discussed include: controlling the potential hazards of government-sponsored technology, genetic technology, community level impacts of expanded underground coal mining, and an integrated strategy for aircraft/airport noise abatement.

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Listening to the user: A case study

The managers of the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System consistently maintain that whatever scientific and technical information services and products are provided must be geared primarily to user needs and not simply system compatibility and convenience. A system evaluation study begun in 1973 and continued to the present is described. The thrust of this on-going examination is to regularly evaluate the usefulness of the present information system to those it is intended to serve, engineers and scientists working in their professional roles, and to identify areas and ways in which the system can be made more responsive to user needs. Techniques used have covered the range from personal, in-depth interviews to widely distributed questionnaires. The findings have been positive. Many refinements made to on-going programs and projects and new endeavors begun in direct response to stated user needs are discussed. In the main these needs are not unreasonable and thus can be responded to with cost effective system modifications.

Pryor, H. E.↗

SEASAT economic assessment. Volume 5: Coastal zones case study and generalization

The economic losses sustained in the U.S. coastal zones were studied for the purpose of quantitatively establishing economic benefits as a consequence of improving the predictive quality of destructive phenomena in U.S. coastal zones. Improved prediction of hurricane landfall and improved experimental knowledge of hurricane seeding are discussed.

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SEASAT economic assessment. Volume 6: Arctic operations case study and generalization

The hypothetical development and transportation of Arctic oil and other resources by ice breaking super tanker fleets to the continental East Coast are discussed. The utilization of SEASAT ice mapping data is shown to contribute to a more effective transportation operation through the Arctic ice by reducing transportation costs as a consequence of reduced transit time per voyage.

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SEASAT economic assessment. Volume 7: Marine transporation case study

The studies conducted of the potential use of SEASAT ocean condition data and resulting forecasts by dry cargo ships and tankers reached the following conclusions. The SEASAT ocean condition data and resulting forecasts could be usefully employed to route ships around storms, thereby resulting in reduced adverse weather damage, time loss and the related operating costs, and occasional catastrophic losses. These benefits are incremental benefits beyond those which present and future conventional ship routing procedures can supply. The values of the benefits are listed.

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