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Hall, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Hall, R..

Biocompatibility of sweetpotato and peanut in a hydroponic system

'Georgia Red' peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and TU-82-155 sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] were grown in monocultured or intercropped recirculating hydroponic systems in a greenhouse using the nutrient film technique (NFT). The objective was to determine whether growth and subsequent yield would be affected by intercropping. Treatments were sweetpotato monoculture (SP), peanut monoculture (PN), and sweetpotato and peanut grown in separate NFT channels but sharing a common nutrient solution (SP-PN). Greenhouse conditions ranged from 24 to 33 degrees C, 60% to 90% relative humidity (RH), and photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) of 200 to 1700 micromoles m-2 s-1. Sweetpotato cuttings (15 cm long) and 14-day-old seedlings of peanuts were planted into growth channels (0.15 x 0.15 x 1.2 m). Plants were spaced 25 cm apart within and 25 cm apart between growing channels. A modified half-Hoagland solution with a 1 N: 2.4 K ratio was used. Solution pH was maintained between 5.5 and 6.0 for treatments involving SP and 6.4 and 6.7 for PN. Electrical conductivity (EC) ranged between 1100 and 1200 microS cm-1. The number of storage roots per sweetpotato plant was similar for both SP and SP-PN. Storage root fresh and dry mass were 29% and 36% greater, respectively, for plants in the SP-PN treatment than for plants in the SP treatment. The percent dry mass of the storage roots, dry mass of fibrous and pencil roots, and the length-to-diameter ratio of storage roots were similar for SP and SP-PN sweetpotato plants. Likewise, foliage fresh and dry mass and harvest index were not significantly influenced by treatment. Total dry mass was 37% greater for PN than for SP-PN peanut plants, and pod dry mass was 82% higher. Mature and total seed dry mass and fibrous root dry mass were significantly greater for PN than for SP-PN plants. Harvest index (HI) was similar for both treatments. Root length tended to be lower for seedlings grown in the nutrient solution from the SP-PN treatment.

Non-NASA Center

Weld-Wire Monitor

Changes in the size or composition of weld wire being fed to an automatic welding machine are detected by an impedance-monitoring instrument. The instrument triggers an alarm if the changes would affect weld quality or cause weld failure. Device could find applications in construction of pipelines or nuclear powerplants.

Olson, R.

Aspect system for HEAO-B

The aspect system for the HEAO-B Observatory provides the necessary absolute referencing of the Observatory coordinates to the celestial sphere with a precision of one arc second. In addition, it provides realtime data to the Spacecraft to permit pointing of the Observatory to one arc minute. The system is composed of three star trackers with associated shades, a pair of bright object detectors and a fiducial light system for referencing the experiment X-ray axis to the star tracker axes.

Koch, D.

The application of thermally stable graphite composites to a space telescope structure

An optical bench and associated mirror support structural components were designed and fabricated for the HEAO-B satellite. Stringent dimensional stability criteria dictated the use of a graphite/epoxy composite as the basic structural material. Design, analysis, and fabrication aspects are discussed for the resulting structures, which pioneer the use of advanced composite materials for significant applications to orbital flight hardware.

Prunty, J.

Remote sensing by ERTS satellite of vegetational resources believed to be under possible threat of environmental stress

The distribution of natural vegetation on North Merritt Island, Florida, was studied by computer analysis of ERTS satellite multispectral-scanner data. The boundaries of six distinct plant associations were located in photos produced on the image analyzer with an insignificant mean error of -24.38 meters. The six plant associations are described as: aquatic estuarine association, mangrove, spartina swamp, wooded swamp, sabal hammock, and oak-palmetto. The difference in average reflectance 'grey level' between the lowest of the four spectral scanning bands and the highest spectral scanning band for each of the six vegetation types is described. The decreasing trend of the differences is strongly negatively correlated with height of land, the coefficient of correlation being -0.9696.

Pooni, P.

Remote sensing by ERTS satellite of vegetational resources believed to be under possible threat of environmental stress

The distribution of natural vegetation types on North Merritt Island, Florida, was studied by analysis of ERTS multispectral scanner data on the image-100 computer system. The boundaries of six distinct plant associations were located on photos made on the image analyzer, with an insignificant mean error of -24.38 meters. The six plant associations are described; each had a characteristic spectral signature. The difference in average reflectance grey level between the lowest of the four spectral scanning bands and the highest spectral scanning band for the six vegetation types was determined. The decreasing trend of the differences is strongly negatively correlated with height of land.

Poonai, P.