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At least 145 records · Page 8

Thermal emission spectroscopy of the middle atmosphere

The general objective of this research is to obtain, via remote sensing, simultaneous measurements of the vertical distributions of stratospheric temperature, ozone, and trace constituents that participate in the catalytic destruction of ozone (NO(sub y): NO, NO2, NO3, HNO3, ClONO2, N2O5, HNO4; Cl(sub x): HOCl), and the source gases for the catalytic cycles (H2O, CH4, N2O, CF2Cl2, CFCl3, CCl4, CH3Cl, CHF2Cl, etc.). Data are collected during a complete diurnal cycle in order to test our present understanding of ozone chemistry and its associate catalytic cycles. The instrumentation employed is an emission-mode, balloon-borne, liquid-nitrogen-cooled Michelson interferometer-spectrometer (SIRIS), covering the mid-infrared range with a spectral resolution of 0.020 cm(exp -1). Cryogenic cooling combined with the use of extrinsic silicon photoconductor detectors allows the detection of weak emission features of stratospheric gaseous species. Vertical distributions of these species are inferred from scans of the thermal emission of the limb in a sequence of elevation angles. The fourth SIRIS balloon flight was carried out from Palestine, Texas on September 15-16, 1986 with 9 hours of nighttime data (40 km). High quality data with spectral resolution 0.022 cm(exp -1), were obtained for numerous limb sequences. Fifteen stratospheric species have been identified to date from this flight: five species from the NO(sub y) family (HNO3, NO2, NO, ClONO2, N2O5), plus CO2, O3, H2O, N2O, CH4, CCl3F, CCl2F2, CHF2Cl, CF4, and CCl4. The nighttime values of N2O5, ClONO2, and total odd nitrogen have been measured for the first time, and compared to model results. Analysis of the diurnal variation of N2O5 within the 1984 and 1986 data sets, and of the 1984 ClONO2 measurements, were presented in the literature. The demonstrated ability of SIRIS to measure all the major NO(sub y) species, and therefore to determine the partitioning of the nitrogen family over a continuous diurnal cycle, is a powerful tool in the verification and improvement of photochemical modeling.

Kunde, V. G.↗

SeaWiFs Technical Report Series. Volume 34: The Third SeaWiFS Intercalibration Round-Robin Experiment (SIRREX-3), 19-30 September 1994

This report presents results of the third Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Intercalibration Round- Robin Experiment (SIRREX-3), which was held at the San Diego State University (SDSU) Center for Hydro-Optics and Remote Sensing (CHORS) on 19-30 September 1994. Spectral irradiances of FEL lamps belonging to each participant were intercompared by reference to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) scale of spectral irradiance using secondary standard lamps F268, F269, and F182, with a Type A uncertainty between 1.1-1.5%. This level of uncertainty was achieved despite difficulties with lamp F269. The average spectral irradiances of FEL lamps, compared in both SIRREX-2 and SIRREX-3, differed between the two experiments by 1.5%, which probably indicates that the values assigned to the secondary standard lamp at the time of SIRREX-2 were in error. With two exceptions, spectral radiance values of integrating sphere sources were measured during SIRREX-3 with uncertainties in temporal stability of less than 0.3% and absolute uncertainties of 1.5-2.0%. This is a significant improvement over similar intercomparisons in SIRREX- I and SIRREX-2. Plaque reflectances were intercompared with an uncertainty of about 1-2%, but the absolute uncertainty is undefined. Although this is an improvement over results of previous SIRREXS, the sources and magnitude of uncertainty associated with transfers of spectral radiance using plaques requires further evaluation in future experiments.

Hooker, Stanford B.↗

Crew/Robot Coordinated Planetary EVA Operations at a Lunar Base Analog Site

Under the direction of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program, robots and space suited subjects from several NASA centers recently completed a very successful demonstration of coordinated activities indicative of base camp operations on the lunar surface. For these activities, NASA chose a site near Meteor Crater, Arizona close to where Apollo Astronauts previously trained. The main scenario demonstrated crew returning from a planetary EVA (extra-vehicular activity) to a temporary base camp and entering a pressurized rover compartment while robots performed tasks in preparation for the next EVA. Scenario tasks included: rover operations under direct human control and autonomous modes, crew ingress and egress activities, autonomous robotic payload removal and stowage operations under both local control and remote control from Houston, and autonomous robotic navigation and inspection. In addition to the main scenario, participants had an opportunity to explore additional robotic operations: hill climbing, maneuvering heaving loads, gathering geo-logical samples, drilling, and tether operations. In this analog environment, the suited subjects and robots experienced high levels of dust, rough terrain, and harsh lighting.

Diftler, M. A.↗

The Antarctic Search for Meteorites: The Future of Space, on Earth Today - EVA Knowledge Capture Outbrief

NASA astronaut Stan Love shared his experiences with the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET), an annual expedition to the southern continent to collect valuable samples for research in planetary science. ANSMET teams operate from isolated, remote field camps on the polar plateau, where windchill factors often reach -40 F. Several astronaut participants have noted ANSMET's similarity to a space mission. Some of the operational concepts, tools, and equipment employed by ANSMET teams may offer valuable insights to designers of future planetary surface exploration hardware.

Love, Stan↗

Antarctica EVA

NASA astronaut Stan Love shared his experiences with the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET), an annual expedition to the southern continent to collect valuable samples for research in planetary science. ANSMET teams operate from isolated, remote field camps on the polar plateau, where windchill factors often reach -40◦ F. Several astronaut participants have noted ANSMET's similarity to a space mission. Some of the operational concepts, tools, and equipment employed by ANSMET teams may offer valuable insights to designers of future planetary surface exploration hardware.

Love, Stan↗

US fishing industry participation in NASA's earth resources survey program: Communications between NASA and the US fishing industry

A study to evaluate the applications of remote sensing in commercial fishing is reported, and the basis for effective communications between NASA and the U.S. fishing industry are established. Detailed information is presented in the following areas: organization of the fishing complex and communication levels within and between the components; organization of the fishing industry and the communications within and between both selected fisheries and various industry groups; relationships and communications between federal, state, and local government agencies and the fishing industry; relationships and communications between international and regional fisheries commissions; and intergovernmental agency relationships relevant to the fishing industry. It will be necessary to educate those individuals having access to the techniques and resultant data, and channels for distribution of the information to selected fisheries are recommended. Procedures for feedback information loops are also established.

Maughan, P. M.↗

Sources, Sinks, and Transatlantic Transport of North African Dust Aerosol: A Multimodel Analysis and Comparison With Remote Sensing Data

This study evaluates model-simulated dust aerosols over North Africa and the North Atlantic from five global models that participated in the Aerosol Comparison between Observations and Models phase II model experiments. The model results are compared with satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor, dust optical depth (DOD) derived from MODIS and MISR, AOD and coarse-mode AOD (as a proxy of DOD) from ground-based Aerosol Robotic Network Sun photometer measurements, and dust vertical distributions/centroid height from Cloud Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder satellite AOD retrievals. We examine the following quantities of AOD and DOD: (1) the magnitudes over land and over ocean in our study domain, (2) the longitudinal gradient from the dust source region over North Africa to the western North Atlantic, (3) seasonal variations at different locations, and (4) the dust vertical profile shape and the AOD centroid height (altitude above or below which half of the AOD is located). The different satellite data show consistent features in most of these aspects; however, the models display large diversity in all of them, with significant differences among the models and between models and observations. By examining dust emission, removal, and mass extinction efficiency in the five models, we also find remarkable differences among the models that all contribute to the discrepancies of model-simulated dust amount and distribution. This study highlights the challenges in simulating the dust physical and optical processes, even in the best known dust environment, and stresses the need for observable quantities to constrain the model processes.

Africa↗

Monitoring Change in Temperate Coniferous Forest Ecosystems

The primary goal of this research was to improve monitoring of temperate forest change using remote sensing. In this context, change includes both clearing of forest due to effects such as fire, logging, or land conversion and forest growth and succession. The Landsat 7 ETM+ proved an extremely valuable research tool in this domain. The Landsat 7 program has generated an extremely valuable transformation in the land remote sensing community by making high quality images available for relatively low cost. In addition, the tremendous improvements in the acquisition strategy greatly improved the overall availability of remote sensing images. I believe that from an historical prespective, the Landsat 7 mission will be considered extremely important as the improved image availability will stimulate the use of multitemporal imagery at resolutions useful for local to regional mapping. Also, Landsat 7 has opened the way to global applications of remote sensing at spatial scales where important surface processes and change can be directly monitored. It has been a wonderful experience to have participated on the Landsat 7 Science Team. The research conducted under this project led to contributions in four general domains: I. Improved understanding of the information content of images as a function of spatial resolution; II. Monitoring Forest Change and Succession; III. Development and Integration of Advanced Analysis Methods; and IV. General support of the remote sensing of forests and environmental change. This report is organized according to these topics. This report does not attempt to provide the complete details of the research conducted with support from this grant. That level of detail is provided in the 16 peer reviewed journal articles, 7 book chapters and 5 conference proceedings papers published as part of this grant. This report attempts to explain how the various publications fit together to improve our understanding of how forests are changing and how to monitor forest change with remote sensing. There were no new inventions that resulted from this grant.

Williams, Darrel↗

Second International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition

The conference provided four days of displays and scientific presentations on applications, technology, a science of sub-orbital data gathering and analysis. The twelve displayed aircraft equipped with sophisticated instrumentation represented a wide range of environmental and reconnaissance missions,including marine pollution control, fire detection, Open Skies Treaty verification, thermal mapping, hydrographical measurements, military research, ecological and agricultural observations, geophysical research, atmospheric and meterological observations, and aerial photography. The U.S. Air Force and the On-Site Inspection Agency displayed the new Open Skies Treaty verification Boeing OC 135B that promotes international monitoring of military forces and activities. SRl's Jetstream uses foliage and ground penetrating SAR for forest inventories, toxic waste delineation, and concealed target and buried unexploded ordnance detection. Earth Search Sciences's Gulfstream 1 with prototype miniaturized airborne hyperspectral imaging equipment specializes in accurate mineral differentiation, low-cost hydrocarbon exploration, and nonproliferation applications. John E. Chance and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers displayed the Bell 2 helicopter with SHOALS that performs hydrographic surveying of navigation projects, coastal environment assessment, and nautical charting surveys. Bechtel Nevada and U.S. DOE displayed both the Beech King AIR B-200 platform equipped to provide first response to nuclear accidents and routine environmental surveillance, and the MBB BO-105 helicopter used in spectral analysis for environmental assessment and military appraisal. NASA Ames Research Center's high-altitude Lockheed ER-2 assists in earth resources monitoring research in atmospheric chemistry, oceanography, and electronic sensors; ozone and greenhouse studies and satellite calibration and data validation. Ames also showcased the Learjet 24 Airborne Observatory that completed missions in Venus cloud cover analysis, Quadantid meteor shower studies, extra-solar far infrared ionic structure lines measurement, Cape Kennedy launch support, and studies in air pollution, The Products and Services Exhibit showcased new sensor and image processing technologies, aircraft data collection services, unmanned vehicle technology, platform equipment, turn-key services, software a workstations, GPS services, publications, and processing and integration systems by 58 exhibitors. The participation of aircraft users and crews provided unique dialogue between those who plan data collection a operate the remote sensing technology, and those who supply the data processing and integration equipment. Research results using hyperspectral imagery, radar and optical sensors, lidar, digital aerial photography, a integrated systems were presented. Major research and development programs and campaigns we reviewed, including CNR's LARA Project and European Space Agency's 1991-1995 Airborne Campaign. The pre-conference short courses addressed airborne video, photogrammetry, hyperspectral data analysis, digital orthophotography, imagery and GIS integration, IFSAR, GPS, and spectrometer calibration.

Source record↗

NASA participation in the 1980 Persistent Elevated Pollution Episode/Northeast Regional Oxidant Study (PEPE/NROS) Project: Operational aspects

A field experiment designed to further understand the formation and transport of visibility reducing aerosols and to characterize regional scale air masses and urban plumes is described. Measurements were made primarily in the Ohio River Valley region. The NASA participation included obtaining measurements for the determination of mixing layer height and ozone profiles by using airborne remote sensor systems such as the ultraviolet differential absorption lidar, the high spectral resolution lidar, and the laser absorption spectrometer. Other NASA systems included the microwave atmospheric remote sensor, tethered balloons, an in situ measurements aircraft, and several photometer/transmissiometer systems.

Maddrea, G. L., Jr.↗

Feasibility Study of Distributed Decision-Making on the Edge for Urban Air Mobility

The Concept of Operations for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) put forward by FAA, NASA, and several industry stakeholders acknowledges the diversity and complexity in UAM operations and, thereby, envisions a federated architecture for UAM management. In this architecture, the decision-making is distributed to a set of service providers who collectively manage the shared airspace usage by different stakeholders. This notionally brings autonomy closer to the UAM businesses and encourages to explore the feasibility of decision making on the very edge, which is the topic of the presented research. This paper reports research conducted on the hypothesis based on which the residual compute capability onboard smart unmanned aerial systems (UASs) is utilized to build situational awareness and resolve conflicts by passive and active coordination among multiple UASs, thereby implementing a layer of distributed autonomy in UAM. Key features of the edge-computing approach involve inter-UAS information exchange, independent assessment of own flight and environmental conditions, and estimation of other UASs’ flight preferences, incorporating machine learning techniques in the last two. Parallel computing on portable graphics processing unit (GPU) enables the machine learning workflow on the edge. A custom-built 3D simulator is used to evaluate the efficacy of the distributed decision-making on the edge. Each edge node, representing a smart UAS, connects to the simulator from a remote location and independently controls the behavior of the corresponding virtual asset in the simulator, analogous to participants in an online multi-player game. The presented edge-computing-based distributed decision-making framework is envisioned to pave the way for collective mobility of autonomous air vehicles in the future shared airspace, while allowing the inclusion of the business preferences of the UAS operators within allowed regulatory limits.

Edge computing↗

Feasibility Study of Distributed Decision-Making on the Edge for Urban Air Mobility

The Concept of Operations for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) put forward by FAA, NASA, and several industry stakeholders acknowledges the diversity and complexity in UAM operations and, thereby, envisions a federated architecture for UAM management. In this architecture, the decision-making is distributed to a set of service providers who collectively manage the shared airspace usage by different stakeholders. This notionally brings autonomy closer to the UAM businesses and encourages to explore the feasibility of decision making on the very edge, which is the topic of the presented research. This paper reports research conducted on the hypothesis based on which the residual compute capability onboard smart unmanned aerial systems (UASs) is utilized to build situational awareness and resolve conflicts by passive and active coordination among multiple UASs, thereby implementing a layer of distributed autonomy in UAM. Key features of the edge-computing approach involve inter-UAS information exchange, independent assessment of own flight and environmental conditions, and estimation of other UASs’ flight preferences, incorporating machine learning techniques in the last two. Parallel computing on portable graphics processing unit (GPU) enables the machine learning workflow on the edge. A custom-built 3D simulator is used to evaluate the efficacy of the distributed decision-making on the edge. Each edge node, representing a smart UAS, connects to the simulator from a remote location and independently controls the behavior of the corresponding virtual asset in the simulator, analogous to participants in an online multi-player game. The presented edge-computing-based distributed decision-making framework is envisioned to pave the way for collective mobility of autonomous air vehicles in the future shared airspace, while allowing the inclusion of the business preferences of the UAS operators within allowed regulatory limits.

Edge computing↗

PIPOR - A Programme for International Polar Oceans Research

The Programme for International Polar Oceans Research is accepted as a part of the ERS-1 mission which will be initiated with the launch of the ERS-1 earth observation satellite by the European Space Agency in 1990. It is a bipolar program with participation by institutions engaged in studies of the atmosphere-ocean-sea ice interaction and the application of remote sensing data for operational uses. The program objectives are to develop the application of microwave data for studies and modeling of sea ice dynamics and for operational uses in sea ice infested areas. As such, it is closely connected with ongoing and forthcoming research in the Arctic and the Antarctic. With sea ice being a sensitive indicator of climate perturbations, PIPOR addresses objectives of the World Climate Research Programme.

Gudmandsen, P.↗

A Concept of Operations (ConOps) of an In-time Aviation Safety Management System (IASMS) for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

The growth of new emerging operations involving Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) necessitates developing a perspective for an In-time Aviation Safety Management System (IASMS). This perspective advances from the National Academies report on IASMS and its recommendation for developing a Concept of Operations (ConOps) for IASMS. A ConOps has been developed for In-time System-Wide Safety Assurance (ISSA) from which the IASMS ConOps pivots to provide a robust scope commensurate with the broad vision defined by the National Academies. The IASMS ConOps focuses on emerging operations and spans innovations in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) and an increasingly complex ecosystem comprised of a widening mix of vehicles and technologies, Urban Air Mobility (UAM) with industry-federated services, traditional operations, as well as new supersonic aircraft and space launch systems.The challenge for the IASMS ConOps is to be broad to encompass innovations in the coming years and decades while agile to ensure levels of safety compatible with operational and certification requirements of the National Airspace System (NAS). The IASMS ConOps interweaves increasing complexity of operational safety capabilities and unlocking UAS Maturity Levels (UMLs). The relationships between increased complexity of automation and automated systems, fewer operators who are not as traditionally higher skilled, more complex operational environments, and aviation operations management with mixed aircraft and equipage pose a multi-dimensional space for IASMS capabilities essential for safety assurance and risk management. Instantiating IASMS capabilities and how they would be integral to AAM operations and increasing maturity of UAM could be accomplished through a series of Safety Demonstrators. These Safety Demonstrators could provide increased understanding and insight into use of controls for risk mitigation, means of compliance for certification, and operational experience with safety services such as in relation to contingency management. The IASMS capabilities can be viewed as initially residing with the vehicle, airspace, and Supplemental Data Service Provider (SDSP). For example, vehicle capabilities include communications including the command and control link, Remote Identification (ID), conflict advisory/alerting, and UAS system monitoring. These capabilities monitor and assess data such as battery health, aircraft state, and human performance. Complexity of ISAMS capabilities depends on a number of factors. These factors are intendedonly as a notional categorization with the purpose being to reflect the complexity of the AAM ecosystem that would drive up the complexity of ISSA capabilities including systems, sensors, models, standards, and controls. Factors could include the Vehicle Flight Management, Environment, Airspace, and Contingency Management. Each of these factors can be comprised of multiple sub-factors that contribute to increasing complexity. For example, Airspace at a lower level of complexity could be dedicated to UTM operations that are unmonitored, and at a higher level of complexity could involve mixed UTM and ATM operations. The IASMS concept includes safety services that provide data and information to different participants in AAM. The roles and responsibilities of participants can be defined using the Responsible-Accountable-Consulted-Informed (RACI) analysis. For example, for the safety service involving the Remote ID, the Operator would be accountable for providing the data, the Vehicle would be responsible for transmitting it, and the USS, SDSP, Vertiports, FIMS (FAA), and Public Entities such as safety services would be informed by receiving the data. The IASMS ConOps identifies the capabilities needed for risk mitigation and safety assurance in the increasingly complex national airspace. The ConOps serves as a pathway for engaging with industry to gain operational experience including through the Safety Demonstrator series, the RACI analysis, and operational complexity factors. The ConOps serves to integrate these different perspectives to build a cohesive and cogent approach to an AAM safety management system.

In-Time Aviation Safety Management System↗

Radiometric Measurement Comparisons Using Transfer Radiometers in Support of the Calibration of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Sensors

EOS satellite instruments operating in the visible through the shortwave infrared wavelength regions (from 0.4 micrometers to 2.5 micrometers) are calibrated prior to flight for radiance response using integrating spheres at a number of instrument builder facilities. The traceability of the radiance produced by these spheres with respect to international standards is the responsibility of the instrument builder, and different calibration techniques are employed by those builders. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Earth Observing System (EOS) Project Science Office, realizing the importance of preflight calibration and cross-calibration, has sponsored a number of radiometric measurement comparisons, the main purpose of which is to validate the radiometric scale assigned to the integrating spheres by the instrument builders. This paper describes the radiometric measurement comparisons, the use of stable transfer radiometers to perform the measurements, and the measurement approaches and protocols used to validate integrating sphere radiances. Stable transfer radiometers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Arizona Optical Sciences Center Remote Sensing Group, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and the National Research Laboratory of Metrology in Japan, have participated in these comparisons. The approaches used in the comparisons include the measurement of multiple integrating sphere lamp levels, repeat measurements of select lamp levels, the use of the stable radiometers as external sphere monitors, and the rapid reporting of measurement results. Results from several comparisons are presented. The absolute radiometric calibration standard uncertainties required by the EOS satellite instruments are typically in the +/- 3% to +/- 5% range. Preliminary results reported during eleven radiometric measurement comparisons held between February 1995 and May 1998 have shown the radiance of integrating spheres agreed to within +/- 2.5% from the average at blue wavelengths and to within +/- 1.7% from the average at red and near infrared wavelengths. This level of agreement lends confidence in the use of the transfer radiometers in validating the radiance scales assigned by EOS instrument calibration facilities to their integrating sphere sources.

Butler, James J.↗

The Radio Jove Project

The Radio love Project is a hands-on education and outreach project in which students, or any other interested individuals or groups build a radio telescope from a kit, operate the radio telescope, transmit the resulting signals through the internet if desired, analyze the results, and share the results with others through archives or general discussions among the observers. Radio love is intended to provide an introduction to radio astronomy for the observer. The equipment allows the user to observe radio signals from Jupiter, the Sun, the galaxy, and Earth-based radiation both natural and man-made. The project was started through a NASA Director's Discretionary Fund grant more than ten years ago. it has continued to be carried out through the dedicated efforts of a group of mainly volunteers. Dearly 1500 kits have been distributed throughout the world. Participation can also be done without building a kit. Pre-built kits are available. Users can also monitor remote radio telescopes through the internet using free downloadable software available through the radiosky.com website. There have been many stories of prize-winning projects, inspirational results, collaborative efforts, etc. We continue to build the community of observers and are always open to new thoughts about how to inspire the observers to still greater involvement in the science and technology associated with Radio Jove.

Thieman, J. R.↗

Explore Earth Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program

The European Space Agency (ESA), our international partner in the ESA-NASA Earth Science & Observation Joint Program Planning Group (JPPG), is hosting the VH-RODA (Very High-resolution Radar and Optical Data Assessment Workshop) at ESA/ European Space Research Institute (ERSIN) in Frascati, Italy from November 7-10, 2022. The objective of the VH-RODA workshop is to provide an open forum (for the new space, commercial and institutional space sectors) for presenting and discussing about the current status and future developments related to Earth Observation (EO) data quality, calibration and validation of space-borne very high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Optical sensors and data products, with a dedicated focus on commercial EO data providers and related Calibration/Validation activities, synergies between optical and SAR communities, presentation of standards and best practices for data quality. Additionally, the ESA-NASA Joint Program Planning Group (JPPG) Third Party Mission component will meet to further develop non-binding practices on evaluation, identify common guard rails for comparison of data, and coordinate future schedules to leverage shared knowledge. I serve as the Project Manager for the NASA’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program and will participate in the VHRODA workshop on behalf of the program.

Commercial Remote Sensing↗