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At least 1,801 records · Page 100

Chemical stratigraphy of the Apollo 17 deep drill cores 70009-70007

A description is presented of an analysis of a total of 26 samples from three core segments (70009, 70008, 70007) of the Apollo 17 deep drill string. The deep drill string was taken about 700 m east of the Camelot Crater in the Taurus-Littrow region of the moon. Three core segments have been chemically characterized from the mainly coarse-grained upper portion of the deep drill string. The chemical data suggest that the entire 70007-70009 portion of the deep drill string examined was not deposited as a single unit, but was formed by several events sampling slightly different source materials which may have occurred over a relatively short period of time. According to the data from drill stem 70007, there were at least two phases of deposition. Core segment 70009 is probably derived from somewhat different source material than 70008. It seems to be a very well mixed material.

Ehmann, W. D.↗

Foldable beam

Articulated beam folds into helix around cylindrical hub without segments becoming twisted. Twisting motion that normally occurs when a structure is folded into helix is undesirable in segmented beam because it complicates joints between segments.

Crawford, R. F.↗

Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE). Review of LACIE methodology, a project evaluation of technical acceptability

The author has identified the following significant results. Results indicated that the LANDSAT data and the classification technology can estimate the small grains area within a sample segment accurately and reliably enough to meet the LACIE goals. Overall, the LACIE estimates in a 9 x 11 kilometer segment agree well with ground and aircraft determined area within these segments. The estimated c.v. of the random classification error was acceptably small. These analyses confirmed that bias introduced by various factors, such as LANDSAT spatial resolution, lack of spectral resolution, classifier bias, and repeatability, was not excessive in terms of the required performance criterion. Results of these tests did indicate a difficulty in differentiating wheat from other closely related small grains. However, satisfactory wheat area estimates were obtained through the reduction of the small grain area estimates in accordance with relative amounts of these crops as determined from historic data; these procedures are being further refined.

Source record↗

Fine particulate capture device

To capture fine particulate matter in a gas such as air, a dielectric fluid is directed to the center of whichever face of a rotating disc is exposed to the air flow. The disc is comprised of two or more segments which bear opposite electrostatic potentials. As the dielectric fluid is centrifuged towards the periphery of the rotating disc, the fluid becomes charged to the same potential as the segment over which it is passing. Particulate matter is attracted to the charged segment and is captured by the fluid. The fluid then carries the captured particulate matter to a collection device such as a toroidal container disposed around the periphery of the disc. A grounded electrically-conductive ring may be disposed at the outer periphery of the disc to neutralize the captured particles and the fluid before they enter the container.

Peterson, V. S.↗

Controller arm for a remotely related slave arm

A segmented controller arm configured and dimensioned to form a miniature kinematic replica of a remotely related slave arm is disclosed. The arm includes: (1) a plurality of joints for affording segments of the arm simultaneous angular displacement about a plurality of pairs of intersecting axes, (2) a plurality of position sensing devices for providing electrical signals indicative of angular displacement imparted to corresponding segments of the controller shaft about the axes, and (3) a control signal circuit for generating control signals to be transmitted to the slave arm. The arm is characterized by a plurality of yokes, each being supported for angular displacement about a pair of orthogonally related axes and counterbalanced against gravitation by a cantilevered mass.

Salisbury, J. K., Jr.↗

Landsat-D - A systems overview

Landsat D, scheduled for launch in 1981, is designed to be a complete end-to-end highly automated data gathering and processing system providing a major step forward in global remote sensing for earth resources applications. This paper discusses the major components of the flight segment (the Multimission Modular Spacecraft, the Thematic Mapper and the Multispectral Scanner Subsystem) and of the ground segment (the Data Management System and the Landsat-D Assessment System). Descriptions and diagrams illustrating various aspects of flight and ground segments are provided.

Salomonson, V. V.↗

Using Landsat digital data to detect moisture stress

A technique utilizing transformed Landsat digital data for detection of agricultural drought was empirically defined during the 1976 South Dakota drought. During 1977, the procedure was expanded to the Great Plains for evaluation as a technique for detecting and monitoring vegetative water stress over large areas. The technique, Green Index Number (GIN), uses Landsat digital data from 5 by 6 nautical mile sampling frames (segments) to indicate when the vegetation within the segment is undergoing drought. At known growth stages for wheat, segments were classified as drought or non-drought areas. The remote-sensing-based information was compared to a weekly ground-based index (Crop Moisture Index) provided by the United States Department of Commerce. This comparison demonstrated a high degree of agreement between the 18-day remote sensing technique and the ground-based weekly data. Maps based on GIN of parts of the USSR and Australia were produced with a two-week lag and later compared with other crop assessments of crop conditions in these areas. These maps were judged to be in general agreement with the other data sources.

Thompson, D. R.↗

Compressing TV-image data

Compressing technique calculates activity estimator for each segment of image line. Estimator is used in conjunction with allowable bits per line, N, to determine number of bits necessary to code each segment and which segments can tolerate truncation. Preprocessed line data are then passed to adaptive variable-length coder, which selects optimum transmission code. Method increases capacity of broadcast and cable television transmissions and helps reduce size of storage medium for video and digital audio recordings.

Hilbert, E. E.↗

Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE). Phase 3 direct wheat study of North Dakota

The author has identified the following significant results. The green number and brightness scatter plots, channel plots of radiance values, and visual study of the imagery indicate separability between barley and spring wheat/oats during the wheat mid-heading to mid-ripe stages. In the LACIE Phase 3 North Dakota data set, the separation time is more specifically the wheat soft dough stage. At this time, the barley is ripening, and is therefore, less green and brighter than the wheat. Only 4 of the 18 segments studied indicate separation of barley/other spring small grain, even though 11 of the segments have acquisitions covering the wheat soft dough stage. The remaining seven segments had less than 5 percent barley based on ground truth data.

Kinsler, M. C.↗

Software design specification. Part 2: Orbital Flight Test (OFT) detailed design specification. Volume 3: Applications. Book 2: System management

The functions performed by the systems management (SM) application software are described along with the design employed to accomplish these functions. The operational sequences (OPS) control segments and the cyclic processes they control are defined. The SM specialist function control (SPEC) segments and the display controlled 'on-demand' processes that are invoked by either an OPS or SPEC control segment as a direct result of an item entry to a display are included. Each processing element in the SM application is described including an input/output table and a structured control flow diagram. The flow through the module and other information pertinent to that process and its interfaces to other processes are included.

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USDA analyst review of the LACIE IMAGE-100 hybrid system test

Fifty operational segments from the U.S.S.R., 40 test segments from Canada, and 24 test segments from the United States were used to provide a wide range of geographic conditions for USDA analysts during a test to determine the effectiveness of labeling single pixel training fields (dots) using Procedure 1 on the 1-100 hybrid system, and clustering and classifying on the Earth Resources Interactive Processing System. The analysts had additional on-line capabilities such as interactive dot labeling, class or cluster map overlay flickers, and flashing of all dots of equal spectral value. Results on the 1-100 hybrid system are described and analyst problems and recommendations are discussed.

Ashburn, P.↗

Signature extension methods in crop area estimation

The Procedure B multispectral processing system is both multisegment and multistratum. It uses data from several LACIE-sized segments together and makes a proportion estimate for the entire group of segments as well as for the individual segments. In the clustering of data features, Procedure B produces multiple classes or strata rather than just two strata (as in Procedure 1), and performs stratified sampling on each of these mutliple strata in order to make a proportion estimate. Tests results for the components and for the overall performance of Procedure B are presented, and conclusions that can be drawn from these tests are discussed. The rationale for signature extension for crop area estimation is summarized.

Kauth, R. J.↗

Preliminary results of the mission profile life test of a 30 cm Hg bombardment thruster

The paper deals with some preliminary results of the Mission Profile Life Test planned to conduct a program of long-term test segments of 30-cm diameter thrusters and power processing units under computer control. Thruster performance data and other operational characteristics taken at various times during a test segment are compared and the results are evaluated in light of the life-timing mechanisms. Thruster control algorithms are also presented. The first test segment completed 2700 hr of a planned 4000 hr test with a J-series 30-cm thruster. The last 1600 hr used a functional model power processing unit (PPU) operated in vacuum. The thruster-PPU was controlled by a computer with software developed to control start-ups, throttling, and variety of off-normal conditions.

Bechtel, R. T.↗

Addressing the crush of sampling

An overall space information system involves sensing, processing, analyzing, and distributing space-acquired information. These systems may be partitioned into the spacecraft segment, the wideband space-to-ground communication segment, and the ground-based data analysis and distribution segment. The paper discusses NASA's advanced technology programs aimed at providing improved sensors and on-board data systems. Advances in charge-transfer devices, lasers, and microwave technologies will be responsible for major improvements in NASA's sensing and detection capabilities for future missions. These improvements will result in a future data crush that will amplify the data management problem.

Olstad, W. B.↗

Easily Assembled Reflector for Solar Concentrators

Reflectors for concentrating solar collectors are assembled quickly and inexpensively by method that employs precontoured supports, plastic film, and adhesive to form a segmented glass mirror. New method is self-focusing, and does not require skilled labor at any stage. Contoured ribs support film and mirror segments of reflector. Nine mirror segments are bonded to sheet. Combined mirror surface closely approximates a spherical surface with a radius of curvature of 36 inches (0.91 m).

Bouquet, F. L.↗

Illustration of year-to-year variation in wheat spectral profile crop growth curves

Data previously compiled on the year to year variability of spectral profile crop growth parameters for spring and winter wheat in Kansas, Oklahoma, and the Dakotas were used with a profile model to develop graphs illustrating spectral profile crop growth curves for a number of years and a number of spring and winter wheat segments. These curves show the apparent variability in spectral profiles for wheat from one year to another within the same segment and from one segment to another within the same year.

Gonzalez, P.↗

Solar energy receiver for a Stirling engine

A solar energy receiver includes a separable endless wall formed of a ceramic material in which a cavity of substantially cylindrical configuration is defined for entrapping solar flux. An acceptance aperture is adapted to admit to the cavity a concentrated beam of solar energy. The wall is characterized by at least one pair of contiguously related segments separated by lines of cleavage intercepting the aperture. At least one of the segments is supported for pivotal displacement. A thermal-responsive actuator is adapted to respond to excessive temperatures within the cavity for initiating pivoted displacement of one segment, whereby thermal flux is permitted to escape from the cavity.

Selcuk, M. K.↗

A study of real-time computer graphic display technology for aeronautical applications

The development, simulation, and testing of an algorithm for anti-aliasing vector drawings is discussed. The pseudo anti-aliasing line drawing algorithm is an extension to Bresenham's algorithm for computer control of a digital plotter. The algorithm produces a series of overlapping line segments where the display intensity shifts from one segment to the other in this overlap (transition region). In this algorithm the length of the overlap and the intensity shift are essentially constants because the transition region is an aid to the eye in integrating the segments into a single smooth line.

Rajala, S. A.↗

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