Effect of satellite spin on Explorer 33 and 35 Doppler tracking data
Tracking data analyses for Explorer 33 and Explorer 35 satellites
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Tracking data analyses for Explorer 33 and Explorer 35 satellites
Bistatic-radar data reduction and Explorer 35 reflectivity and bandwidth tables with polarization spectra
Future programs in earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics will involve complex instruments that produce data at unprecedented rates and volumes. Current methods for data display, exploration, and discovery are inadequate. Visualization technology offers a means for the user to comprehend, explore, and examine complex data sets. The goal of this program is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of scientists in extracting scientific information from large volumes of instrument data.
Data acquired with the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) of the Mountain Pass, San Bernadino County, California, area were analyzed to evaluate the use of narrow-band imaging data for carbonatite exploration. Carbonatites are igneous carbonate-rich rocks that are economically important in part because they are the major source for rare-earth minerals. Because the 224 AVIRIS spectral channels have a nominal spectral resolution of 10 nm, narrow absorption features such as those displayed by the rare-earth elements neodymium (Nd) and samarium (Sm) may be detected. The Mountain Pass region encompasses a well-exposed sequence of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks, including an alkalic carbonatite intrusion. The carbonatite was emplaced in Precambrian granitic rocks that are fault bounded by a thick suite of Paleozoic, sedimentary rock, predominantly dolomite. The carbonatite stock, the major source of light rare-earth elements (REE) in the United States, affords the opportunity to test AVIRIS capabilities for detecting REE absorption features. Nd-bearing minerals display narrow, sharp and distinctive spectral features at 580, 740, 800, and 870 nm. Minerals bearing Sm display similarly sharp features near 1090, 1250, 1410, and 1550 nm. The more common REE, lanthanum and cerium, do not display absorption features in the visible/near-infrared region in their natural oxidation states.
Potential opportunities to return to Enceladus in Discovery and Flagship class missions inspire development of next-generation instruments and creative approaches to sample collection, sample analysis, and data analysis and transmission strategies. Mass spectrometers (MS) are ideally suited to future Enceladus missions due to their analytical power in identifying a range of molecular and ionic compositions – including complex organics – and potentially astrobiologically-important features such as isotope ratios, chirality, and enantiomeric excess. However, long communication delays from Enceladus and limited bandwidth limits the data transmission from these higher-data-volume instruments, likely delaying mission-related response to new data. We explore the utility of data science and machine learning (ML) on isotope ratio (IR)MS data collected from laboratory analogs of Enceladus to: 1) process data quickly for rapid ground-based analyses, 2) understand if compositional and biosignature information could be extracted from IRMS data, and 3) evaluate whether onboard ML techniques could improve sample analysis, cadence, and transmission prioritization. Laboratory analogs analyzed isotopes of volatile CO2 that interacted with seawaters of varying composition, and include both abiotic and biotic (microbially-influenced) experiments. Enceladus’s alkaline oceans promote speciation of carbon into multiple forms (e.g., H2CO3 / CO2, HCO3-, and CO32-), each of which could be isotopically fractionated by abiotic or biotic reactions. Large (>2‰) changes in carbon isotopes (δ13C) are observed from some biotic experiments inoculated with complex microbial ecosystems relative to the abiotic seawaters. ML training and classification suggests that microbial samples can be distinguished from abiotic samples, yet that a broad range of microbial experiments are necessary to train ML models to cover a range of complexities including disequilibria, and isotopic and compositional fractionation.
NASA produces a large volume and variety of data products that are used every day to support research, decision making, and education. The widespread use of NASA’s Earth Science data is enabled by NASA’s Earth Science Data System (ESDS) program, which oversees the archiving and distribution of these data and invests in the development of new data systems and tools. However, NASA’s current approach to Earth Science data distribution — based on distributed institutional archives with individual on-premises high-performance computing capabilities — faces some significant challenges, including massive increases in data volume from upcoming missions, a greater need for transdisciplinary science that synthesizes many different kinds of observations, and a push to make science more open, inclusive, and accessible. To address these challenges, NASA is aggressively migrating its Earth Science data and related tools and services into the commercial cloud. Migration of data into the commercial cloud can significantly improve NASA’s existing data system capabilities by (1) providing more flexible options for storage and compute (including rapid, as-needed access to state-of-the-art capabilities); (2) by centralizing and standardizing data access, which gives all of NASA’s institutional data centers access to all of each other’s datasets; and (3) by facilitating “analysis-in-place”, whereby users can bring their own computational workflows and tools to the data rather than having to maintain their own copies of NASA datasets. However, migration to the commercial cloud also poses some significant challenges, including (1) managing costs under a “pay-as-you-go” model; (2) incompatibility with existing tools and data formats with object-based storage and network access; (3) vendor lock-in; (4) challenges with data access for workflows that mix on-premise and cloud computing; and (5) standardization for highly diverse data as is present in NASA’s data archive. I conclude with two examples of recent NASA activities showcasing capabilities enabled by the commercial cloud: An interactive analysis and development platform for analyzing airborne imaging spectroscopy data, and a new collection of tools and services for data discovery, analysis, publication, and data-driven storytelling (Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis, VEDA).
Theta /north-south/ component in spherical polar coordinates of interplanetary magnetic field from Explorer 33 and 35 measurements
Data farming uses simulation modeling, high performance computing, and analysis to examine questions of interest with large possibility spaces.This methodology allows for the examination of whole landscapes of potential outcomes and provides the capability of executing enough experiments so that outlets might be captured and examined for insights. This capability may be quite informative when used to examine the plethora of "What if?" questions that result when examining potential scenarios that our forces may face in the uncertain world of the future. Many of theses scenarios most certainly will be challenging and solutions may depend on interagency and international collaboration as well as the need for inter-disciplinary scientific inquiry preceding these events. In this paper, we describe data farming and illustrate it in the context of application to questions inherent to military decision-making as we consider alternate future scenarios.
The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 data give exploration geologists a new perspective for looking at the earth. The data are excellent for interpreting regional lithologic and structural relationships and quickly directing attention to areas of greatest exploration interest. Information derived from ERTS data useful for petroleum exploration include: linear features, general lithologic distribution, identification of various anomalous features, some details of structures controlling hydrocarbon accumulation, overall structural relationships, and the regional context of the exploration province. Many anomalies (particularly geomorphic anomalies) correlate with known features of petroleum exploration interest. Linears interpreted from the imagery that were checked in the field correlate with fractures. Bands 5 and 7 and color composite imagery acquired during the periods of maximum and minimum vegetation vigor are best for geologic interpretation. Preliminary analysis indicates that use of ERTS imagery can substantially reduce the cost of petroleum exploration in relatively unexplored areas.
We explore the use of satellite observations in discriminating types of PSCs and their ramifications. Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs), which form in the winter polar vortex, have been identified as effecting ozone loss. One major result from the recent SOLVE mission is in-situ evidence of the existence of very large particles that contain nitric acid. These particles are consistent with Type la PSCs. The significance of this finding is that these large particles will have appreciable sedimentation velocities, taking nitric acid out of the stratospheric regions, causing denitrification. Since nitric acid typically mitigates ozone loss, denitrification leads to increased ozone loss. Type lb PSCs are smaller and do not sediment to any appreciable degree. Satellite measurements are made continuously throughout the winter, and offer more global coverage than in situ measurements. Thus, it would very useful to be able to discriminate PSC types from satellite measurements. Our long-term goals are to better understand the formation mechanisms and effects of PSCs. Discriminating PSC type using satellite data will give us a very important tool in this effort. A multi-wavelength analysis of POAM aerosol extinction during SOLVE has revealed differences in the radiative characteristics of PSC events. We explore the use of POAM observations to discriminate between Type la and lb Pscs. A trajectory model is used to simulate PSC la and lb particles. Calculated radiative properties act as a guide for discriminating the satellite occultation measurements. Aircraft based PSC observations are-used as confirmation of these observations.
Data obtained with the FIR Absolute Spectrophotometer, Differential Microwave Radiometers, and Diffuse IR Background Experiment (DIRBE) on the COBE satellite since its launch in November 1989 are briefly characterized. The COBE spacecraft and its 900-km 99-deg orbit are described; the scientific goals and capabilities of the instruments are reviewed; and sample DIRBE data are presented in a map and graph. Upper limits on the Comptonization parameter (y less than 0.001) and the chemical potential (mu less than 0.01 at the 3sigma level) are determined, and the spectrum of the dipole anisotropy is shown to be that of a Doppler-shifted blackbody. The DIRBE 100-micron sky brightness values at the ecliptic poles are found to be significantly lower than those measured by IRAS.
Work with digital data of Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and California demonstrate that the increased spectral refinement and spatial resolution of TM over MSS data greatly increase the value of the data to petroleum exploration in roles ranging from logistic planning to direct detection of phenomena related to microseepage of hydrocarbons. The value of the spatial content versus the spectral content of the data increases as soil and vegetation cover increase. The structural detail visible in the imagery can contribute to exploration at the prospect level. Examination of the variance/covariance matrix suggests that a combination of bands 1, 4, and 5 displays the most information for most areas.
This project leverages the Concept Exploration Laboratory (CEL) to collect, warehouse, and augment data relevant to human lunar exploration as a platform for NA (S&MA) to develop operational data integration techniques. The project capitalizes on 16+ years of CEL experience applied to NASA, DoD, the City of Houston, the State of Texas, and private industry. The integrated data will be utilized in the two scenarios described in a definition of concept for development of a full scale data analysis suite and storage solution, useful to all JSC organizations engaged in real time operations and safety tasks, and may be useful as pathfinders for the Digital Transformation Program.
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Apollo 12 and 15 lunar surface magnetometer data with simultaneous lunar orbiting Explorer 35 data are used to plot hysteresis curves for the whole moon. From these curves a whole-moon permeability mu = 1.029 + 0.024 or - 0.019 is calculated. This result implies that the moon is not composed entirely of paramagnetic material, but that ferromagnetic material such as free iron exists in sufficient amounts to dominate the bulk lunar susceptibility. From the magnetic data the ferromagnetic free iron abundance is calculated. Then for assumed compositional models of the moon the additional paramagnetic iron is determined, yielding total lunar iron content. The calculated abundances are as follows: ferromagnetic free iron = 5 + or - 4 wt. percent, and total iron in the moon = 9 + or - 4 wt. percent.
Apollo 12 and 15 lunar surface magnetometer data with simultaneous lunar orbiting Explorer 35 data are used to plot hysteresis curves for the whole moon. From these curves a whole-moon permeability of 1.029 (+0.024 or -0.019) is calculated. This result implies that the moon is not composed entirely of paramagnetic material, but that ferromagnetic material such as free iron exists in sufficient amounts to dominate the bulk lunar susceptibility. From the magnetic data the ferromagnetic free iron abundance is calculated. Then for assumed compositional models of the moon the additional paramagnetic iron is determined, yielding total lunar iron content. The calculated abundances are as follows: ferromagnetic free iron, 5 plus or minus 4 wt %; total iron in the moon, 9 plus or minus 4 wt %.
Data from the Atmospheric Explorer-C recorded during the rise in solar activity from 1975 to 1978, and Dynamic Explorer-2 data recorded at solar maximum are used to examine how the relation between electron temperature and density in the F-region of the ionosphere is altered by solar activity. It is found that the solar maximum temperature Te is a factor of two larger than the solar minimum Te for the same values of electron density. Temperature does not necessarily increase in response to solar activity because electron density increases enough to approximately cancel the effect of higher solar extreme ultraviolet heating. The effect of solar activity is accounted for by a simple function of the F (10.7 cm) index which multiplies the solar minimum equation from a previous study (Brace and Theis, 1978).