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At least 109 records · Page 6

Theory on data processing and instrumentation

A selection of NASA Earth observations programs are reviewed, emphasizing hardware capabilities. Sampling theory, noise and detection considerations, and image evaluation are discussed for remote sensor imagery. Vision and perception are considered, leading to numerical image processing. The use of multispectral scanners and of multispectral data processing systems, including digital image processing, is depicted. Multispectral sensing and analysis in application with land use and geographical data systems are also covered.

Billingsley, F. C.↗

Maximum likelihood clustering with dependent feature trees

The decomposition of mixture density of the data into its normal component densities is considered. The densities are approximated with first order dependent feature trees using criteria of mutual information and distance measures. Expressions are presented for the criteria when the densities are Gaussian. By defining different typs of nodes in a general dependent feature tree, maximum likelihood equations are developed for the estimation of parameters using fixed point iterations. The field structure of the data is also taken into account in developing maximum likelihood equations. Experimental results from the processing of remotely sensed multispectral scanner imagery data are included.

Chittineni, C. B.↗

Some approaches to optimal cluster labeling of aerospace imagery

Some approaches are presented to the problem of labeling clusters using information from a given set of labeled and unlabeled aerospace imagery patterns. The assignment of class labels to the clusters is formulated as the determination of the best assignment over all possible ones with respect to some criterion. Cluster labeling is also viewed as the probability of correct labeling with a maximization of likelihood function. Results of the application of these techniques in the processing of remotely sensed multispectral scanner imagery data are presented.

Chittineni, C. B.↗

Probabilistic cluster labeling of imagery data

The problem of obtaining the probabilities of class labels for the clusters using spectral and spatial information from a given set of labeled patterns and their neighbors is considered. A relationship is developed between class and clusters conditional densities in terms of probabilities of class labels for the clusters. Expressions are presented for updating the a posteriori probabilities of the classes of a pixel using information from its local neighborhood. Fixed-point iteration schemes are developed for obtaining the optimal probabilities of class labels for the clusters. These schemes utilize spatial information and also the probabilities of label imperfections. Experimental results from the processing of remotely sensed multispectral scanner imagery data are presented.

Chittineni, C. B.↗

Multidimensional Modeling of Atmospheric Effects and Surface Heterogeneities on Remote Sensing

A modeling capability that allows a quantitative determination of atmospheric effects on remote sensing including the effects of surface heterogeneities is established. The objectives include: (1) the adaptation of existing radiative transfer codes to remote sensing applications, (2) the implementation of a realistic atmospheric data base, (3) the definition and verification against field measurements of a coupled atmosphere/canopy model, and (4) the quantitative characterization of the effects of some biophysical canopy parameters and soil surface boundary conditions on satellite-sensed Multispectral Scanner System (MSS) data. Substantial progress was also made in quantifying the effects of varying atmospheric turbidity and different non-Lambertian and specular ground reflectances on MSS data and its transforms like greenness and brightness.

Gerstl, S. A.↗

Atmospheric science experiments applicable to Space Shuttle Spacelab missions

The present lack of a lower atmosphere research satellite program for the 1980s has prompted consideration of the Space Shuttle/Spacelab system as a means of flying sensor complements geared toward specific research problems, as well as continued instrument development. Three specific examples of possible science questions related to precipitation are discussed: (1) spatial structure of mesoscale cloud and precipitation systems, (2) lightning and storm development, and (3) cyclone intensification over oceanic regions. Examples of space sensors availab le to provide measurements needed in addressing these questions are also presented. Distinctive aspects of low-earth orbit experiments would be high resolution, multispectral sensing of atmospheric phenomena by complements of instruments, and more efficient sensor development through reflights of specific hardware packages.

Wilson, G. S.↗

Land use/land cover

The use of remote sensing multispectral systems in urban/suburban land use, and environmental impact from surface mines is discussed. The classification system used in conjunction with the land use/land cover data is included.

Source record↗

Shortwave infrared 512 x 2 line sensor for earth resources applications

As part of the NASA remote-sensing Multispectral Linear Array Program, an edge-buttable 512 x 2 IRCCD line image sensor with 30-micron Pd2Si Schottky-barrier detectors is developed for operation with passive cooling at 120 K in the 1.1-2.5 micron short infrared band. On-chip CCD multiplexers provide one video output for each 512 detector band. The monolithic silicon line imager performance at a 4-ms optical integration time includes a signal-to-noise ratio of 241 for irradiance of 7.2 microwatts/sq cm at 1.65 microns wavelength, a 5000 dynamic range, a modulation transfer function, greater than 60 percent at the Nyquist frequency, and an 18-milliwatt imager chip total power dissipation. Blemish-free images with three percent nonuniformity under illumination and nonlinearity of 1.25 percent are obtained. A five SWIR imager hybrid focal plane was constructed, demonstrating the feasibility of arrays with only a two-detector loss at each joint.

Tower, J. R.↗

Land cover/use classification of Cairns, Queensland, Australia: A remote sensing study involving the conjunctive use of the airborne imaging spectrometer, the large format camera and the thematic mapper simulator

In an attempt to improve the land cover/use classification accuracy obtainable from remotely sensed multispectral imagery, Airborne Imaging Spectrometer-1 (AIS-1) images were analyzed in conjunction with Thematic Mapper Simulator (NS001) Large Format Camera color infrared photography and black and white aerial photography. Specific portions of the combined data set were registered and used for classification. Following this procedure, the resulting derived data was tested using an overall accuracy assessment method. Precise photogrammetric 2D-3D-2D geometric modeling techniques is not the basis for this study. Instead, the discussion exposes resultant spectral findings from the image-to-image registrations. Problems associated with the AIS-1 TMS integration are considered, and useful applications of the imagery combination are presented. More advanced methodologies for imagery integration are needed if multisystem data sets are to be utilized fully. Nevertheless, research, described herein, provides a formulation for future Earth Observation Station related multisensor studies.

Heric, Matthew↗

Interdisciplinary investigations in support of project DI-MOD

Interdisciplinary investigations in support of project DI-MOD are discussed. The following subject areas were covered: (1) potential extensions of Project DI-MOD to additional sites in Central America; (2) human migration patterns and their impact on malaria transmission; and (3) an investigation into possible computer-based approaches to the analysis of remotely sensed multispectral data.

Starks, Scott A.↗

Acousto-optic tunable filter imaging spectrometers

A remote sensing multispectral imaging instrument is being developed that uses a high resolution, fast programmable acoustooptic tunable filter (AOTF) as the spectral bandpass filter. A compact and fully computer controllable AOTF-based imaging spectrometer that operates in the visible wavelength range (0.5-0.8 microns) has been built and tested with success. A second imaging spectrometer operating in the near-infrared wavelength range (1.2-2.4 microns) is also under experimental investigation. The design criteria meeting various system issues, such as imaging quality, spectral response, and field of view (FOV), are discussed. An experiment using this AOTF imaging spectrometer breadboard is described.

Chao, Tien-Hsin↗

Adaptive multisensor fusion for planetary exploration rovers

The purpose of the adaptive multisensor fusion system currently being designed at NASA/Johnson Space Center is to provide a robotic rover with assured vision and safe navigation capabilities during robotic missions on planetary surfaces. Our approach consists of using multispectral sensing devices ranging from visible to microwave wavelengths to fulfill the needs of perception for space robotics. Based on the illumination conditions and the sensors capabilities knowledge, the designed perception system should automatically select the best subset of sensors and their sensing modalities that will allow the perception and interpretation of the environment. Then, based on reflectance and emittance theoretical models, the sensor data are fused to extract the physical and geometrical surface properties of the environment surface slope, dielectric constant, temperature and roughness. The theoretical concepts, the design and first results of the multisensor perception system are presented.

Collin, Marie-France↗

Multiple dataset water-quality analyses in the vicinity of an ocean wastewater plume

The White's Point ocean outfall is the method of disposal for approximately 374 million gallons of treated wastewater per day from Los Angeles County. The photosynthetic characteristics and particle distributions have well-defined properties that can be exploited to yield information on transport of the plume, mixing dynamics, and resuspension of bottom sediments during periods of bottom current velocity in excess of ca. 0.1 m/s. This plume of particles serves as a conservative tracer, which was studied using a number of sampling platforms and strategies, including underway sawtooth, or 'tow-yo' sampling, moored arrays of instruments, stationary profiling, and now for the first time with remotely-sensed multispectral color imagery. Research in this area previously focused on examination of the plume as it relates to the local current field and transport of particles, and on the resuspension of bottom sediments during periods of increased currents. In addition, Wu et al elucidated techniques for separating the particle signal into photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic components, based on the beam attenuation to chlorophyll fluorescence ratio. High-frequency time series measurements of the current field and bio-optical characteristics at a site close to the waste diffusers were also collected. These are being analyzed for the spectral characteristics of the longer-timescale variability, in order to predict particle transport through simple meteorological measurements. With the advent of high spectral and spatial resolution imaging spectrometers such as AVIRIS, it is now possible to construct causal relationships between particle distributions and signature of the upwelled radiance from the surface. The availability of a constant and well-characterized source of material lends itself well to models which predict upwelled radiance from the surface. The availability of a constant and well-characterized source of material lends itself well to models which predict upwelled light as a function of particle distributions, photosynthetic pigments, colored dissolved organic material, and detrital and degradation products of photosynthesis. In addition, the spatial coverage provided by the tow-yo sampling device, combined with the profile measurements of the light field, should facilitate the best inverse modeling attempts possible thus far.

Hamilton, Michael↗

Remotely-Sensed Geology from Lander-Based to Orbital Perspectives: Results for FIDO Rover Field Tests

Tests of the FIDO (Field Integration Design and Operations) rover and Athena-like operational scenarios were conducted May 7-16, 2000. A group located at the Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, CA, formed the Core Operations Team (COT) that designed experiments and command sequences while another team tracked, maintained, and secured the rover in the field. The COT had no knowledge of the specific field location, thus the tests were done "blind." In addition to FIDO rover instrumentation, the COT had access to LANDSAT 7, TIMS, and AVIRIS regional coverage and color descent images. Using data from the FIDO instruments, primarily a color microscopic imager (CMI), infrared point spectrometer (IPS; 1.5-2.4 microns), and a three-color stereo panoramic camera (Pancam), the COT correlated lithologic features (mineralogy, rock types) from the simulated landing site to a regional scale. The May test results provide an example of how to relate site geology from landed rover investigations to the regional geology using remote sensing. The capability to relate mineralogic signatures using the point IR spectrometer to remotely sensed, multispectral or hyperspectral data proved to be key to integration of the in-situ and remote data. This exercise demonstrated the potential synergy between lander-based and orbital data, and highlighted the need to investigate a landing site in detail and at multiple scales.

Jolliff, B.↗

Tunable-Bandwidth Filter System

A tunable-bandwidth filter system (TBFS), now undergoing development, is intended to be part of a remote sensing multispectral imaging system that will operate in the visible and near infrared spectral region (wavelengths from 400 to 900 nm). Attributes of the TBFS include rapid tunability of the pass band over a wide wavelength range and high transmission efficiency. The TBFS is based on a unique integration of two pairs of broadband Raman reflection holographic filters with two rotating spherical lenses. In experiments, a prototype of the TBFS, was shown to be capable of spectral sampling of images in the visible range over a 200 nm spectral range with a spectral resolution of 30 nm. The figure depicts the optical layout of a prototype of the TBFS as part of a laboratory multispectral imaging system for the spectral sampling of color test images in two orthogonal polarizations. Each pair of broadband Raman reflection holographic filters is mounted at an equatorial plane between two halves of a spherical lens. The two filters in each pair are characterized by steep spectral slopes (equivalently, narrow spectral edges), no ripple or side lobes in their pass bands, and a few nanometers of non-overlapping wavelength range between their pass bands. Each spherical lens and thus the filter pair within it is rotated in order to rapidly tune its pass band. The rotations of are effected by electronically controlled, programmable, high-precision rotation stages. The rotations are coordinated by electronic circuits operating under overall supervision of a personal computer in order to obtain the desired variation of the overall pass bands with time. Embedding the filters inside the spherical lenses increases the range of the hologram incidence angles, making it possible to continuously tune the pass and stop bands of the filters over a wider wavelength range. In addition, each spherical lens also serves as part of the imaging optics: The telephoto lens focuses incoming light to a field stop that is also a focal point of each spherical lens. A correcting lens in front of the field stop compensates for the spherical aberration of the spherical lenses. The front surface of each spherical lens collimates the light coming from the field stop. After the collimated light passes through the filter in the spherical lens, the rear surface of the lens focuses the light onto a charge-coupled-device image detector.

Bailey, John W.↗

Tunable-Bandwidth Filter System

A tunable-bandwidth filter system (TBFS), now undergoing development, is intended to be part of a remote-sensing multispectral imaging system that will operate in the visible and near infrared spectral region (wavelengths from 400 to 900 nm). Attributes of the TBFS include rapid tunability of the pass band over a wide wavelength range and high transmission efficiency. The TBFS is based on a unique integration of two pairs of broadband Raman reflection holographic filters with two rotating spherical lenses. In experiments, a prototype of the TBFS was shown to be capable of spectral sampling of images in the visible range over a 200-nm spectral range with a spectral resolution of .30 nm. The figure depicts the optical layout of a prototype of the TBFS as part of a laboratory multispectral imaging system for the spectral sampling of color test images in two orthogonal polarizations. Each pair of broadband Raman reflection holographic filters is mounted at an equatorial plane between two halves of a spherical lens. The two filters in each pair are characterized by steep spectral slopes (equivalently, narrow spectral edges), no ripple or side lobes in their pass bands, and a few nanometers of non-overlapping wavelength range between their pass bands. Each spherical lens and thus the filter pair within it is rotated in order to rapidly tune its pass band. The rotations of the lenses are effected by electronically controlled, programmable, high-precision rotation stages. The rotations are coordinated by electronic circuits operating under overall supervision of a personal computer in order to obtain the desired variation of the overall pass bands with time. Embedding the filters inside the spherical lenses increases the range of the hologram incidence angles, making it possible to continuously tune the pass and stop bands of the filters over a wider wavelength range. In addition, each spherical lens also serves as part of the imaging optics: The telephoto lens focuses incoming light to a field stop that is also a focal point of each spherical lens. A correcting lens in front of the field stop compensates for the spherical aberration of the spherical lenses. The front surface of each spherical lens collimates the light coming from the field stop. After the collimated light passes through the filter in the spherical lens, the rear surface of the lens focuses the light onto a charge-coupled-device image detector.

Aye, Tin↗

What we can Learn About Aerosols from EOS-MISR Multi-Angle Remote Sensing Observations

Multiangle, multispectral remote sensing observations, such as those anticipated from the Earth Observing System (EOS) Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), promise to significantly improve our ability to constrain aerosol properties from space. Recent advances in modeling the Earth's climate have brought us to a point where the contributions made by aerosols to the global radiation budget noticeably affect the results. Knowledge of both aerosol optical depth and the microphysical properties of particles is needed to adequately model aerosol effects. This talk explores the ability of multiangle, multi-spectral remote sensing observations anticipated from the EOS MISR instrument, to retrieve aerosol optical depth and information about mixes of particle types, globally, at 17.6 km spatial resolution. The instrument is scheduled for launch into a 10:30 AM, sun-synchronous polar orbit in 1999.

Kahn, Ralph↗

An algorithm for the estimation of bounds on the emissivity and temperatures from thermal multispectral airborne remotely sensed data

The effective flux incident upon the detectors of a thermal sensor, after it has been corrected for atmospheric effects, is a function of a non-linear combination of the emissivity of the target for that channel and the temperature of the target. The sensor system cannot separate the contribution from the emissivity and the temperature that constitute the flux value. A method that estimates the bounds on these temperatures and emissivities from thermal data is described. This method is then tested with remotely sensed data obtained from NASA's Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) - a 6 channel thermal sensor. Since this is an under-determined set of equations i.e. there are 7 unknowns (6 emissivities and 1 temperature) and 6 equations (corresponding to the 6 channel fluxes), there exist theoretically an infinite combination of values of emissivities and temperature that can satisfy these equations. Using some realistic bounds on the emissivities, bounds on the temperature are calculated. These bounds on the temperature are refined to estimate a tighter bound on the emissivity of the source. An error analysis is also carried out to quantitatively determine the extent of uncertainty introduced in the estimate of these parameters. This method is useful only when a realistic set of bounds can be obtained for the emissivities of the data. In the case of water the lower and upper bounds were set at 0.97 and 1.00 respectively. Five flights were flown in succession at altitudes of 2 km (low), 6 km (mid), 12 km (high), and then back again at 6 km and 2 km. The area selected with the Ross Barnett reservoir near Jackson, Mississippi. The mission was flown during the predawn hours of 1 Feb. 1992. Radiosonde data was collected for that duration to profile the characteristics of the atmosphere. Ground truth temperatures using thermometers and radiometers were also obtained over an area of the reservoir. The results of two independent runs of the radiometer data averaged 7.03 plus or minus .70 for the first run and 7.31 plus or minus .88 for the second run. The results of the algorithm yield a temperature of 7.68 for the low altitude data to 8.73 for the high altitude data.

Jaggi, S.↗