Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “map series”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 109 records · Page 6

Application of ERTS imagery to environmental studies of Lake Champlain

ERTS Imagery has provided data relating to a number of environmental and limnological concerns such as water quality, lake flooding and lake ice formation. Pollution plume data provided by ERTS was recently used in the Supreme Court case involving the States of Vermont and New York and a paper company. Flooding of lowland tracts has been a major concern due to a repetitive pattern of high lake levels over the past three years, and ERTS imagery is being used to construct the first series of flood maps of the affected areas. Lake ice development and turbidity patterns have also been studied from ERTS, since these have significance for shore erosion studies.

Lind, A. O.↗

An interdisciplinary analysis of multispectral satellite data for selected cover types in the Colorado mountains, using automatic data processing techniques

The author has identified the following significant results. In the San Juan Mountains there exists a group of structural and topographic features which suggest a common origin. The relative positions of the San Juan Depression with the Silverton and Lake City Calderas indicate they are possibly on the edge of a large circular feature. Comparison with the 1:250,000 scale Durango Geologic Map reveals a series of radial and arcuate faults concentric with the major circular feature. Such a fracture pattern implies that the circular feature may represent the extent of a major domal uplift in the area. The uplift was very likely due to the sub-crustal emplacement of the parent magma of the San Juan volcanics and intrusives. The broad doming led to the formation of a zone of tensional ring fractures which acted as conduits of release for the magma and the eventual development of the various calderas. The ring fracturing was probably incomplete with hinging occurring in the southern and southwestern portions of the dome accounting for the lack of development of caldera structures in that portion of the area.

Hoffer, R. M.↗

Satellites: New global observing techniques for ice and snow

The relation of aereal extent of snow cover to the average monthly runoff in a given watershed was investigated by comparing runoff records with a series of snowcover maps. Studies using the high spatial resolution available with ERTS-1 imagery were carried out for the Wind River Mountains watersheds in Wyoming, where it was found that the empirical relationship varied with mean elevation of the watershed. In addition, digital image enhancement techniques are shown to be useful for identifying glacier features related to extent of snowcover, moraine characteristics, and debris average. Longer wavelength observations using sensors on board the Nimbus 5 Satellite are shown to be useful for indicating crystal size distributions and onset of melting on glacier snow cover.

Gloersen, P.↗

Land use maps of the Tanana and Purcell Mountain areas, Alaska, based on Earth Resources Technology Satellite imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS imagery in photographic format was used to make land use maps of two areas of special interest to native corporations under terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Land selections are to be made in these areas, and the maps should facilitate decisions because of their comprehensive presentation of resource distribution information. The ERTS images enabled mapping broadly-defined land use classes in large areas in a comparatively short time. Some aerial photography was used to identify colors and shades of gray on the various images. The 14 mapped land use categories are identified according to the classification system under development by the U.S. Geological Survey. These maps exemplify a series of about a dozen diverse Alaskan areas. The principal resource depicted is vegetation, and clearly shown are vegetation units of special importance, including stands possibly containing trees of commercial grade and stands constituting wildlife habitat.

Anderson, J. H.↗

CARETS: A prototype regional environmental information system. Volume 9: Shore zone land use and land cover; Central Atlantic Regional Ecological Test Site

Anderson's 1972 United States Geological Survey classification in modified form was applied to the barrier-island coastline within the CARETS region. High-altitude, color-infrared photography of December, 1972, and January, 1973, served as the primary data base in this study. The CARETS shore zone studied was divided into six distinct geographical regions; area percentages for each class in the modified Anderson classification are presented. Similarities and differences between regions are discussed within the framework of man's modification of these landscapes. The results of this study are presented as a series of 19 maps of land-use categories. Recommendations are made for a remote-sensing system for monitoring the CARETS shore zone within the context of the dynamics of the landscapes studied.

Coastal ecosystems↗

The control net of Mars - May 1977

The development of planet-wide control nets of Mars is reviewed, and the May 1977 update is described. This updated control net was computed by means of a large single-block analytical triangulation incorporating the new direction of the spin axis and the new rotation rate of Mars, as determined from radio tracking data provided by the Viking lander spacecraft. The analytical triangulation adjusts for planimetric control only (areocentric latitude and longitude) and for the camera orientation angles. Most of the areocentric radii at the control points were interpolated from radio occultation measurements, but a few were determined photogrammetically, and a substantial number were derived from elevation contours on the 1976 USGS topographic series of Mars maps. A value of V, measured from Mars' vernal equinox along the equator to the prime meridian (Airy-0) is presented.

Davies, M. E.↗

Comparison data for Seasat altimetry in the western North Atlantic

The radar altimeter flown on Seasat in 1978 collected approximately 1,000 orbits of high quality data (5-8 precision). In the western North Atlantic these data were combined with a detailed gravimetric geoid in an attempt to produce profiles of dynamic topography. In order to provide a basis for evaluation of these profiles, available oceanographic observations in the Gulf Stream/Sargasso Sea region have been compiled into a series of biweekly maps. The data include XBT's, satellite infrared imagery, and selected trajectories of surface drifters and sub-surface SOFAR floats. The maps document the known locations of the Gulf Stream, cyclonic and anticyclonic rings, and mid-ocean eddies during the period July to October 1978.

Cheney, R. E.↗

Drainage Evolution in the Debris Avalanche Deposits Near Mount Saint Helens, Washington

The 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was initiated by a massive rockslide-debris avalanche which completely transformed the upper 25 km of the North Fork Toutle River valley. The debris was generated by one of the largest gravitational mass movements ever recorded on Earth. Moving at an average velocity of 35 m/s, the debris avalanche buried approximately 60 sq km of terrain to an average depth of 45 m with unconsolidated, poorly sorted volcaniclastic material, all within a period of 10 minutes. Where exposed and unaltered by subsequent lahars and pyroclastic flows, the new terrain surface was characterized predominantly by hummocks, closed depressions, and the absence of an identifiable channel network. Following emplacement of the debris avalanche, a complex interrelationship of fluvial and mass wasting processes immediately began operating to return the impacted area to an equilibrium status through the removal of material (potential energy) and re-establishment of graded conditions. In an attempt to chronicle the morphologic evolution of this unique environmental setting, a systematic series of interpretative maps of several selected areas was produced. These maps, which document the rate and character of active geomorphic processes, are discussed.

Gary L Beach↗

The interaction of solar p-modes with a sunspot. I - Observations

Time series of velocity maps of two isolated sunspots and their surroundings were recorded in the Fe I line and the umbral line Ti I. Both 3 and 5 min umbral oscillations were detected at photospheric heights. The 5 min oscillations have reduced amplitude in the umbra, which appears to act as a filter in transmitting selected frequencies in the power spectrum of 5 min p-mode oscillations of the surrounding convection zone. The k-omicron power spectrum of the umbral oscillations shows this selective transmission and also shows a shift of power to longer horizontal wavelengths. This behavior is exhibited by a simple theoretical model of the interaction of p-modes with a sunspot. The 3 min umbral oscillations are concentrated in the dark central part of the umbra. In both sunspots, the kinetic energy density of the 3 min umbral oscillation in the photosphere is much greater than the corresponding kinetic energy density at chromospheric heights measured in other sunspots.

Abdelatif, Toufik E.↗

NASA applications project in Miami County, Indiana

The study site selection is intended to serve all of the different research areas within the project, i.e., soil conditions, soil management, etc. There are seven major soil associations or soils formed on similar landscapes in the Miami Co., and over 38 soil series that were mapped. Soil sampling was conducted in some sites because of its variability in soils and cover types, variable topography, and presence of erosion problems. Results from analysis of these soil data is presented.

Fernandez, R. Norberto↗

Lidar Investigation of Aerosol Pollution Distribution near a Coal Power Plant

Using aerosol lidars with high spatial and temporal resolution with the possibility of real-time data interpretation can solve a large number of ecological problems related to the aerosol-field distribution and variation and the structure of convective flows. Significantly less expensive specialized lidars are used in studying anthropogenic aerosols in the planetary boundary layer. Here, we present results of lidar measurements of the mass-concentration field around a coal-fired power plant with intensive local aerosol sources. We studied the pollution evolution as a function of the emission dynamics and the presence of retaining layers. The technique used incorporates complex analysis of three types of lidar mapping: horizontal map of the aerosol field, vertical cross-section map, and a series of profiles along a selected path. The lidar-sounding cycle was performed for the time of atmosphere's quasi-stationarity.

Mitsev, TS.↗

Survey of the Acoustic near Field of Three Nozzles at a Pressure Ratio of 30

The sound pressures radiating from the exhaust streams of two convergent-divergent and one convergent nozzle were measured. Exit diameters were 1.206 in. for the expanded nozzle and 0.625 in. for the convergent nozzle. The results are presented in a series of contour maps of overall and fine 1/3-octave-band sound pressures. The location of the source of the noise in each 1/3-octave band in the frequency range of 30 to 16,000 cps and the total power radiated were determined and compared with those of subsonic jets.

FLOW, JET-MIXING↗

NASA's Experience with UV Remote Using SBUV and TOMS Instruments

This paper will discuss key features of the NASA algorithm that has been used to produce several highly popular geophysical products from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) and Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) series of instruments. Since these instruments have a limited number of wavelengths, many innovative algorithmic approaches have been developed over the years to derive maximum information from these sensors. We will use Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) data to test the assumptions made in these algorithms and show what additional information is contained in the GOME hyperspectral data. At NASA we are using this information to improve the SBUV and TOMS algorithms, as well as to develop more efficient algorithms to process GOME data.

Bhartia, P. K.↗

Classification of JERS-1 Image Mosaic of Central Africa Using A Supervised Multiscale Classifier of Texture Features

In this paper, a multiscale approach is introduced to classify the Japanese Research Satellite-1 (JERS-1) mosaic image over the Central African rainforest. A series of texture maps are generated from the 100 m mosaic image at various scales. Using a quadtree model and relating classes at each scale by a Markovian relationship, the multiscale images are classified from course to finer scale. The results are verified at various scales and the evolution of classification is monitored by calculating the error at each stage.

Saatchi, Sassan↗

New Total Ozone Algorithm for Application to the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer

The Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) series comprises four instruments providing a total of 25 years of daily global stratospheric ozone data over the sunlit portion of the Earth. A new retrieval algorithm has been developed for TOMS, designated Version 8. The algorithm is based on differential absorption across a pair of wavelength channels chosen close together to minimize the impact of wavelength dependent forward modeling errors. Version 8 enhancements include correction for the presence of tropospheric aerosols and sun glint from water surfaces, a better treatment of variability due to tropospheric ozone and temperature dependence, and an improved forward model, particularly in regions of persistent snow and ice. Among other things, the Version 8 enhancements have reduced latitudinal dependence seen previously in TOMS - Dobson comparisons, predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere's summer, when the tropospheric ozone, temperature, and snow/ice corrections are additive. The basic components of the algorithm and its impact on derived total ozone will be discussed.

Wellemeyer, C.↗

EOS-Aura's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI): Validation Requirements

OMI is an advanced hyperspectral instrument that measures backscattered radiation in the UV and visible. It will be flown as part of the EOS Aura mission and provide data on atmospheric chemistry that is highly synergistic with other Aura instruments HIRDLS, MLS, and TES. OMI is designed to measure total ozone, aerosols, cloud information, and UV irradiances, continuing the TOMS series of global mapped products but with higher spatial resolution. In addition its hyperspectral capability enables measurements of trace gases such as SO2, NO2, HCHO, BrO, and OClO. A plan for validation of the various OM1 products is now being formulated. Validation of the total column and UVB products will rely heavily on existing networks of instruments, like NDSC. NASA and its European partners are planning aircraft missions for the validation of Aura instruments. New instruments and techniques (DOAS systems for example) will need to be developed, both ground and aircraft based. Lidar systems are needed for validation of the vertical distributions of ozone, aerosols, NO2 and possibly SO2. The validation emphasis will be on the retrieval of these products under polluted conditions. This is challenging because they often depend on the tropospheric profiles of the product in question, and because of large spatial variations in the troposphere. Most existing ground stations are located in, and equipped for, pristine environments. This is also true for almost all NDSC stations. OMI validation will need ground based sites in polluted environments and specially developed instruments, complementing the existing instrumentation.

Brinksma, E. J.↗

Self-dissimilarity as a High Dimensional Complexity Measure

For many systems characterized as "complex" the patterns exhibited on different scales differ markedly from one another. For example the biomass distribution in a human body "looks very different" depending on the scale at which one examines it. Conversely, the patterns at different scales in "simple" systems (e.g., gases, mountains, crystals) vary little from one scale to another. Accordingly, the degrees of self-dissimilarity between the patterns of a system at various scales constitute a complexity "signature" of that system. Here we present a novel quantification of self-dissimilarity. This signature can, if desired, incorporate a novel information-theoretic measure of the distance between probability distributions that we derive here. Whatever distance measure is chosen, our quantification of self-dissimilarity can be measured for many kinds of real-world data. This allows comparisons of the complexity signatures of wholly different kinds of systems (e.g., systems involving information density in a digital computer vs. species densities in a rain-forest vs. capital density in an economy, etc.). Moreover, in contrast to many other suggested complexity measures, evaluating the self-dissimilarity of a system does not require one to already have a model of the system. These facts may allow self-dissimilarity signatures to be used a s the underlying observational variables of an eventual overarching theory relating all complex systems. To illustrate self-dissimilarity we present several numerical experiments. In particular, we show that underlying structure of the logistic map is picked out by the self-dissimilarity signature of time series produced by that map

Wolpert, David H.↗

Hyperthermal Environments Simulator for Nuclear Rocket Engine Development

An arc-heater driven hyperthermal convective environments simulator was recently developed and commissioned for long duration hot hydrogen exposure of nuclear thermal rocket materials. This newly established non-nuclear testing capability uses a high-power, multi-gas, wall-stabilized constricted arc-heater to produce hightemperature pressurized hydrogen flows representative of nuclear reactor core environments, excepting radiation effects, and is intended to serve as a low-cost facility for supporting non-nuclear developmental testing of hightemperature fissile fuels and structural materials. The resulting reactor environments simulator represents a valuable addition to the available inventory of non-nuclear test facilities and is uniquely capable of investigating and characterizing candidate fuel/structural materials, improving associated processing/fabrication techniques, and simulating reactor thermal hydraulics. This paper summarizes facility design and engineering development efforts and reports baseline operational characteristics as determined from a series of performance mapping and long duration capability demonstration tests. Potential follow-on developmental strategies are also suggested in view of the technical and policy challenges ahead. Keywords: Nuclear Rocket Engine, Reactor Environments, Non-Nuclear Testing, Fissile Fuel Development.

Litchford, Ron J.↗