Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Hall, R. C..
Immediately following World War II, the U.S. Navy considered the possibility of launching an earth satellite for navigational, communications, and meteorological applications. The technical feasibility of the satellite was based on extensions of German V-2 technology.
Complete history of the Ranger project is provided as a tool for understanding the evolution and operational form of NASA's continuing progress of unmanned space exploration. Basic management techniques, flight operating procedures and technology for NASA's later unmanned lunar and planetary missions were reviewed. Methods for selecting experiments and integrating them with the spacecraft were also investigated.
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The author has identified the following significant results. Analysis of ERTS-1 imagery with underflight aerial photo support including U-2, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, indicates promising possibilities of detecting and monitoring forest insect outbreaks visually with some mechanical support utilizing the VP-8 image analyzer. Visually, it is possible at a scale of 1:1,000,000 to discriminate between large areas of damaged and undamaged forests; timbered and non-timbered areas; pasture land and cultivated fields; desert and riparian vegetation. At a scale of 1:80,000 it is possible to distinguish among three classes of tree mortality; defoliated and undefoliated areas; non-host mixed conifers; and mountain meadows, rock domes, lakes and glaciers. Machine tests showed significant differences in image densities among various bands and mortality areas.
The author has identified the following significant results. In earlier reports it has been indicated that it is possible to delineate areas of lodgepole pine timber mortality into three degrees of damage from enlarged ERTS-1 color composites; light, medium, and heavy. It can also be confidently reported that it is now possible to detect all major areas of lodgepole pine defoliated by the needle miner. It has also been confirmed, through ground checking and helicopter observation that previous designation of the following features have been consistently accurate: timbered vs non-timbered areas; timber types; damaged vs undamaged areas; lakes, dome shadows which resemble lakes, mountain meadows, pasture and agricultural land, desert; riparian vegetation; and glaciers.
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
The author has identified the following significant results. It is possible to detect all major areas of lodgepole pine defoliated by the needle miner within a given target area. Ground checking and helicopter observations have confirmed that accurate designations have been obtained for the following areas: (1) timbered v.s. non-timbered areas, (2) damaged v.s. undamaged timber areas, (3) lakes, (4) dome shadows which resemble lakes, (5) mountain meadows, (6) pasture land, (7) agricultural land, (8) desert, and (9) riparian vegetation.
The author has identified the following significant results. Results of analysis of ERTS-1 color composites made by NASA from MSS bands 4, 5, and 7, frame #1055-18055 at a scale of 1:1,000,000 indicate that forests damaged by insects can be delineated and mapped from areas with no damage; and at this same scale other details detected include timbered and nontimbered areas, pasture and agricultural land, deserts, lakes, mountain meadows, riparian vegetation, rock domes, old burned areas, and major stream courses. Enlargements from the above to a scale of 1:80,000 have improved detectibility to the point that three degrees of timber mortality can be identified and mapped.
The author has identified the following significant results. Significant progress has been made in detecting insect outbreaks from ERTS-1 data during this period. It is possible to differentiate forested areas with heavy damage from those with little or no damage. The analysis is made with color infrared positive transparencies and prints. Enlargement of the transparencies makes it possible to detect and map areas of three degrees of tree mortality into heavy, medium, and light. It was also noted that shadows cast by massive rock domes closely resemble natural lakes.
Detection and monitoring of forest insect infestation in Sierra Nevada Mountains of California
There are no author-identified significant results in this report.
The author has identified the following significant results. The detection of insect infestations through the use of ERTS-1 imagery alone is very promising. In the field of features other than insect infestation, it is possible to detect: timber vs. non-timber; timber density in broad categories; lakes, major stream courses, rock outcrops and domes; riparian vegetation, cultivated fields, pasture land, and glaciers.
The analysis of ERTS-1 imagery of areas in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California is discussed. The data is used to detect two types of insect infestational and to determine the extent of timber resources. Addition applications are the mapping of stream courses, mountain meadows, lakes, rock outcrops, and grazing land. The ERTS-1 data and underflight photography are used for this purpose.
The author has identified the following significant results. Due to the fact that all of the ERTS-1 imagery has not been received, evaluation of this imagery will be delayed until all of it is at hand. It has been determined that the arbitrary classification of tree mortality into dead, dying, and light damage is sound in that each class is significatly different in terms of number and volume of trees killed. It has likewise been determined that the different classes of defoliation of light, medium, and heavy are significantly different in terms of the needles per tip. It has been found that all classes of tree mortality and degrees of defoliation are readily and accurately identified from underflight photos in color and color IR in both scales of 1/5000 and 1/18,500. Evaluation of U-2 imagery is incomplete. It has been determined, however, that through the use of RC-10 color IR it is expected to be able to detect all three classes of tree mortality and probably at least two extreme levels of defoliation.
This report contains no significant results.
Satellite design developments by U.S. Navy