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Johnson, L. F.

Publications and source records attributed to Johnson, L. F..

Wireless Command-and-Control of UAV-Based Imaging LANs

Dual airborne imaging system networks were operated using a wireless line-of-sight telemetry system developed as part of a 2002 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imaging mission over the USA s largest coffee plantation on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. A primary mission objective was the evaluation of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) 802.11b wireless technology for reduction of payload telemetry costs associated with UAV remote sensing missions. Predeployment tests with a conventional aircraft demonstrated successful wireless broadband connectivity between a rapidly moving airborne imaging local area network (LAN) and a fixed ground station LAN. Subsequently, two separate LANs with imaging payloads, packaged in exterior-mounted pressure pods attached to the underwing of NASA's Pathfinder-Plus UAV, were operated wirelessly by ground-based LANs over independent Ethernet bridges. Digital images were downlinked from the solar-powered aircraft at data rates of 2-6 megabits per second (Mbps) over a range of 6.5 9.5 km. An integrated wide area network enabled payload monitoring and control through the Internet from a range of ca. 4000 km during parts of the mission. The recent advent of 802.11g technology is expected to boost the system data rate by about a factor of five.

Herwitz, Stanley↗

Temporal Stability of the NDVI-LAI Relationship in a Napa Valley Vineyard

Remotely sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values, derived from high-resolution satellite images, were compared with ground measurements of vineyard leaf area index (LAI) periodically during the 2001 growing season. The two variables were strongly related at six ground calibration sites on each of four occasions (r squared = 0.91 to 0.98). Linear regression equations relating the two variables did not significantly differ by observation date, and a single equation accounted for 92 percent of the variance in the combined dataset. Temporal stability of the relationship opens the possibility of transforming NDVI maps to LAI in the absence of repeated ground calibration fieldwork. In order to take advantage of this circumstance, however, steps should be taken to assure temporal consistency in spectral data values comprising the NDVI.

Johnson, L. F.↗

Analysis of Forest Foliage Using a Multivariate Mixture Model

Data with wet chemical measurements and near infrared spectra of ground leaf samples were analyzed to test a multivariate regression technique for estimating component spectra which is based on a linear mixture model for absorbance. The resulting unmixed spectra for carbohydrates, lignin, and protein resemble the spectra of extracted plant starches, cellulose, lignin, and protein. The unmixed protein spectrum has prominent absorption spectra at wavelengths which have been associated with nitrogen bonds.

Hlavka, C. A.↗

An automated system for terrain database construction

An automated Terrain Database Preparation System (TDPS) for the construction and editing of terrain databases used in computerized wargaming simulation exercises has been developed. The TDPS system operates under the TAE executive, and it integrates VICAR/IBIS image processing and Geographic Information System software with CAD/CAM data capture and editing capabilities. The terrain database includes such features as roads, rivers, vegetation, and terrain roughness.

Johnson, L. F.↗

On the performance of infrared sensors in earth observations

The performance of infrared sensing systems is dependent upon the radiative properties of targets in addition to constraints imposed by system components. The unclassified state-of-the-art of infrared system performance figures is reviewed to indicate the relevance to system performance of target radiative properties. A theory of rough surface scattering is developed which allows the formulation of the reflective characteristics of extended targets. The thermal radiation emission from extended targets is formulated on the basis of internal radiation characteristics of natural materials and the transmissive scattering effects at the surface. Finally, the total radiative characteristics may be expressed as functions of material properties and incident and received directions, although the expressions are extremely complex functions and do not account for the effects of shadowing or multiple scattering. It is believed that the theory may be extended to include these effects and to incorporate the local radii of curvature of the surface.

Johnson, L. F.↗

Fourier transform C-13 NMR analysis of some free and potassium-ion complexed antibiotics.

Fourier transforms of the noise-decoupled, natural abundance C-13 NMR free induction decays of the cyclic antibiotic valinomycin and its potassium-ion complex have been obtained at 25.2 MHz. Comparisons are made with C-13 NMR spectra taken at 22.6 MHz of the cyclic antibiotic nonactin and the synthetic polyether dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 and their potassium complexes. The results obtained suggest that conformational rearrangements of the molecule as a whole can compete with direct interactions between carbons and the potassium ion in determining C-13 chemical shift differences between the free and complexed species.

Ohnishi, M.↗