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At least 19 records

The NASA participation in the 1980 EPA PEPE/NEROS field measurements program

The Persistent Elevated Pollution Episode (PEPE)/Northeast Regional Oxidant Study (NEROS) Project consisted of a series of field measurements sponsored by the EPA during July and August, 1980. NASA participation in the Project had several purposes: (1) use remote sensing to help determine mixed layer height and ozone profiles regionally; and (2) provide opportunity for development, testing and evaluation of several NASA 'emerging' airborne remote sensing systems. NASA also provided information on the hazy pollution episodes throughout the summer of 1980 with satellite imagery. This paper describes findings on atmospheric aerosols, ozone profile and ozone column and discusses the instruments (airborne and ground-based sensors) and techniques used to obtain the relevant data. Associated archived data is also discussed.

Remsberg, E.

Commercial Applications Multispectral Sensor System

NASA's Office of Commercial Programs is funding a multispectral sensor system to be used in the development of remote sensing applications. The Airborne Terrestrial Applications Sensor (ATLAS) is designed to provide versatility in acquiring spectral and spatial information. The ATLAS system will be a test bed for the development of specifications for airborne and spaceborne remote sensing instrumentation for dedicated applications. This objective requires spectral coverage from the visible through thermal infrared wavelengths, variable spatial resolution from 2-25 meters; high geometric and geo-location accuracy; on-board radiometric calibration; digital recording; and optimized performance for minimized cost, size, and weight. ATLAS is scheduled to be available in 3rd quarter 1992 for acquisition of data for applications such as environmental monitoring, facilities management, geographic information systems data base development, and mineral exploration.

Birk, Ronald J.

Surface and Atmospheric Parameter Retrieval From AVIRIS Data: The Importance of Non-Linear Effects

AVIRIS data represent a new and important approach for the retrieval of atmospheric and surface parameters from optical remote sensing data. Not only as a test for future space systems, but also as an operational airborne remote sensing system, the development of algorithms to retrieve information from AVIRIS data is an important step to these new approaches and capabilities. Many things have been learned since AVIRIS became operational, and the successive technical improvements in the hardware and the more sophisticated calibration techniques employed have increased the quality of the data to the point of almost meeting optimum user requirements. However, the potential capabilities of imaging spectrometry over the standard multispectral techniques have still not been fully demonstrated. Reasons for this are the technical difficulties in handling the data, the critical aspect of calibration for advanced retrieval methods, and the lack of proper models with which to invert the measured AVIRIS radiances in all the spectral channels. To achieve the potential of imaging spectrometry, these issues must be addressed. In this paper, an algorithm to retrieve information about both atmospheric and surface parameters from AVIRIS data, by using model inversion techniques, is described. Emphasis is put on the derivation of the model itself as well as proper inversion techniques, robust to noise in the data and an inadequate ability of the model to describe natural variability in the data. The problem of non-linear effects is addressed, as it has been demonstrated to be a major source of error in the numerical values retrieved by more simple, linear-based approaches. Non-linear effects are especially critical for the retrieval of surface parameters where both scattering and absorption effects are coupled, as well as in the cases of significant multiple-scattering contributions. However, sophisticated modeling approaches can handle such non-linear effects, which are especially important over vegetated surfaces. All the data used in this study were acquired during the 1991 Multisensor Airborne Campaign (MAC-Europe), as part of the European Field Experiment on a Desertification-threatened Area (EFEDA), carried out in Spain in June-July 1991.

Green Robert O.

Thematic Conference on Geologic Remote Sensing, 8th, Denver, CO, Apr. 29-May 2, 1991, Proceedings. Vols. 1 & 2

The proceedings contain papers discussing the state-of-the-art exploration, engineering, and environmental applications of geologic remote sensing, along with the research and development activities aimed at increasing the future capabilities of this technology. The following topics are addressed: spectral geology, U.S. and international hydrocarbon exporation, radar and thermal infrared remote sensing, engineering geology and hydrogeology, mineral exploration, remote sensing for marine and environmental applications, image processing and analysis, geobotanical remote sensing, and data integration and geographic information systems. Particular attention is given to spectral alteration mapping with imaging spectrometers, mapping the coastal plain of the Congo with airborne digital radar, applications of remote sensing techniques to the assessment of dam safety, remote sensing of ferric iron minerals as guides for gold exploration, principal component analysis for alteration mappping, and the application of remote sensing techniques for gold prospecting in the north Fujian province.

Source record

Sedimentation along the Eastern Chenier Plain Coast: Down Drift Impact of a Delta Complex Shift

The Mississippi River Chenier Plain is a shore parallel landform (down-drift from the Atchafalaya distributary of the Mississippi River) consisting of an alternating series of transgressive sand-shell ridges and regressive, progradational mudflats. The late 1940s shift of 1/3 of the flow of the Mississippi to the newly developing Atchafalaya delta complex to the west has resulted in injection of the river waters and suspended sediment into the westward flowing currents of the coastal current system. This has reactivated the dormant processes of mud accumulation along this coast. These environmental circumstances have provided the opportunity to: (1) investigate the depositional processes of the prograding, fine grained, mud flat facies of the open Chenier main coast and (2) to test the hypothesis that the impacts of the frequent cold front passages of fall, winter and spring exceed those of the occasional and more localized hurricane in shaping the coast and powering the dominant sedimentary processes. We conducted field investigations with the benefit of multi - scale, time series environmental surveillance by remote sensing systems, including airborne and satellite sensors. These systems provided invaluable new information on areal geomorphic patterns and the behavior of the coastal waters. This is a classic case of weather impacting inner shelf waters and sediments and causing the development of a new landform. It is clear that mud flats of the eastern chenier plain are prograding seaward, as well as progressively growing in a westerly direction.

Huh, Oscar K.

Enhancing Global Change Experiments Through Integration of Remote‐Sensing Techniques

Global change experiments are often spatially and temporally limited because they are time‐ and labor‐intensive, and expensive to carry out. We describe how the incorporation of remote‐sensing techniques into global change experiments can complement traditional methods and provide additional information about system processes. We describe five emerging near‐surface remote‐sensing techniques: spectroscopy, thermal and fluorescence imaging, terrestrial laser scanning, digital repeat photography, and unmanned aerial systems. The addition of such techniques can reduce cost and effort, provide novel information, and expand existing observations by improving their context, accuracy, and completeness. In addition, we contend that use of airborne and satellite remote‐sensing data during site selection can improve the ecological representativeness of future experiments. We conclude by recommending a high level of communication and collaboration between remote‐sensing scientists and ecologists at all stages of global change experimentation.

Alexey N Shiklomanov

Investigation of airborne lidar for avoidance of windshear hazards

The present generalized windshear hazard index is formulated in terms of wind conditions at the given aircraft position and of remotely-sensed information obtained along the extended flight path. Overall system functional requirements are addressed by comparing microwave Doppler radar, Doppler lidar, and IR radiometry candidate techniques, giving attention to airborne CO2 and Ho:YAG lidar windshear-detection systems; these furnish pilots with data on the line-of-sight component of windshear threats over as much as 1-3 km, for a warning time of 15-45 sec. While the technology for a 10.6-micron, CO2 laser-based lidar is available, additional development is required for 2-micron, Ho:YAG laser-based systems.

Targ, Russell

Applying kinematic GPS to airborne laser remote sensing

Results from the application of differential carrier phase tracking of the Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation of satellites to precise positioning (sub-10 cm) of an aircraft are presented. These aircraft positions are utilized in the process of providing geodetic quality position information for airborne laser 'footprint' locations on the surface of the earth. The combination of these techniques provides a rapid, cost effective means for collecting geodetic and topographic data, including sea surface topography. Operational techniques and constraints, along with results from recently collected data, are presented.

Krabill, William B.

An airborne short wave infrared /SWIR/ pushbroom imaging system using a 64-element PbS detector array

Research evidence indicates that data in the short wave infrared (SWIR) spectral region will greatly improve the information content of remotely sensed data. Bands are required in the 1.55-1.75 micron and 2.08-2.35 micron spectral regions for a variety of agricultural and geological investigations. It is anticipated that future Landsat sensors will use pushbroom linear array technology to obtain high resolution, improved sensitivity and increased system reliability. To obtain early laboratory and field data, an airborne pushbroom image system has been designed for operation in the short wave infrared spectral region. The system uses a 64-element staggered PbS array and is operated at 195 K; the instrument has been designed to operate in an aircraft and will view a 19 degree swath width with a 5.8 mrad IFOV. The spectral bandwidth of each channel is .05 micron and the noise equivalent reflectivity in the order of .2% is provided. The requirements for more advanced detector arrays for use in future NASA spacecraft remote sensing instruments are also discussed.

Husain-Abidi, A. S.

Mt. Washington Icing Sensors Project (MWISP) Tests Technologies for Remote Sensing of Icing Conditions

The Mt. Washington Icing Sensors Project (MWISP) was an intensive multiagency field test of remote-sensing technologies and methods for in-flight icing detection. This field test was the first comprehensive examination of multiple remote-sensing technologies, and it included ground and airborne in situ measurements for comparison. The data gathered will allow the assessment of icing remote-sensing technologies leading toward the development of ground-based and airborne systems. These systems will provide flight crews with the information required for avoiding or exiting hazardous icing conditions.

Reehorst, Andrew L.

Lasers in space

Hinkley and Herring (1984) have considered the differences between active (laser) and passive remote sensing from space. The conclusion was reached that spaceborne lasers will eventually complement passive sensors in providing information on the distributions of key atmospheric species and meteorological parameters. Precise information can also be obtained of ice sheet and crustal dynamics for geological and mapping applications. NASA initiated recently an airborne measurement program directed toward some of these objectives. The program employs optical radar (laser radar) systems onboard the NASA advanced ER-2 high-flying aircraft. The results of the experiments are to provide important information with respect to the potential utility of spaceborne laser remote sensing. A study indicated that a spaceborne pulsed carbon dioxide laser could measure tropospheric winds. Attention is also given to measurements of atmospheric gases by spaceborne lasers, solid-state lasers for spaceborne remote sensing, and laser communication in space.

Hinkley, E. D.

Sea Ice Remote Sensing Using Surface Reflected GPS Signals

This paper describes a new research effort to extend the application of Global Positioning System (GPS) signal reflections, received by airborne instruments, to cryospheric remote sensing. Our experimental results indicate that reflected GPS signals have potential to provide information on the presence and condition of sea and freshwater ice as well as the freeze/thaw state of frozen ground. In this paper we show results from aircraft experiments over the ice pack near Barrow, Alaska indicating correlation between forward-scattered GPS returns and RADARSAT backscattered measurements.

Komjathy, Attila

International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, 12th, Manila, Philippines, April 20-26, 1978, Proceedings. Volumes 1, 2 & 3

The papers outline the remote sensing activities being carried out in a number of countries throughout the world, and present details on a variety of individual projects. Topics studied include a worldwide approach to remote sensing and mineral exploration, a land use information system based on statistical inference, acoustic radar and remote sensing in the boundary layer, procedure for land-use analysis in developing countries, an airborne geochemical system, remote sensing of snowpack with microwave radiometers for hydrologic applications, wheat production forecasts based on Landsat data, airborne lidar aerosol measurements over the U.S. and Europe, Landsat inventory of agricultural and forest resources in Bangladesh, application of satellite imagery to flood plain mapping in Thailand, and vegetation mapping of Nigeria from radar.

Source record

Machine processing for remotely acquired data

This paper is a general discussion of earth resources information systems which utilize airborne and spaceborne sensors. It points out that information may be derived by sensing and analyzing the spectral, spatial and temporal variations of electromagnetic fields emanating from the earth surface. After giving an overview system organization, the two broad categories of system types are discussed. These are systems in which high quality imagery is essential and those more numerically oriented. Sensors are also discussed with this categorization of systems in mind. The multispectral approach and pattern recognition are described as an example data analysis procedure for numerically-oriented systems. The steps necessary in using a pattern recognition scheme are described and illustrated with data obtained from aircraft and the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1).

Landgrebe, D. A.

The Geologic Remote Sensing Field Experiment (GRSFE): The first geology multisensor airborne campaign

The primary objective of the Geologic Remote Sensing Field Experiment (GRSFE) is to acquire relevant data for geological sites that can be used to test models for extraction of surface property information from remote sensing data for earth, Mars and Venus in support of the Earth Observing System (EOS), Mars Observer, and Magellan, respectively. Over forty scientists from eight universities and three NASA centers are participating in GRSFE which is co-sponsored by the NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program and the NASA Geology Program. Highlights of the airborne campaign included the first simultaneous acquisition of Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVRIS) and Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data on September 29, 1989, and acquisition of Advanced Solid-State Array Spectroradiometer (ASAS), Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR), and Airborne Terrain Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) data all within three months of each other. The sites covered were Lunar Crater Volcanic Field and Fish Lake Valley in Nevada; and Cima Volcanic Field, Death Valley, and Ubehebe Crater in California. Coincident field measurements included meteorological and atmospheric measurements, visible/near-infrared and thermal spectra, and characterization of geology and vegetation cover. The GRSFE airborne and field data will be reduced to a suite of standard products and submitted, along with appropriate documentation, to the Planetary Data System (PDS) and the Pilot Land Data System (PLDS). These data will be used for a variety of investigations including paleoclimatic studies in the arid southwestern United States, and analysis of Magellan data. GRSFE data will also be used to support Mars Observer Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and Mars Rover Sample Return (MRSR) simulation studies.

Evans, Diane L.

Commercial applications multispectral sensor system

NASA's Office of Commercial Programs is funding a multispectral sensor system to be used in the development of remote sensing applications. The Airborne Terrestrial Applications Sensor (ATLAS) is designed to provide versatility in acquiring spectral and spatial information and will be a test bed for the development of specifications for airborne and spaceborne remote sensing instrumentation for dedicated applications. This objective requires spectral coverage from the visible through thermal IR wavelengths, variable spatial resolution form 2-25 meters; high geometric and geolocation accuracy; on-board radiometric calibration; digital recording; and optimized performance for minimized cost, size, and weight.

Birk, Ronald J.