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At least 271 records · Page 15

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NASA NTRS1983

Thematic Mapper image quality: Preliminary results

Based on images analyzed so far, the band to band registration accuracy of the thematic mapper is very good. For bands within the same focal plane, the mean misregistrations are well within the specification, 0.2 pixels. For bands between the cooled and uncooled focal planes, there is a consistent mean misregistration of 0.5 pixels along-scan and 0.2-0.3 pixels across-scan. It exceeds the permitted 0.3 pixels for registration of bands between focal planes. If the mean misregistrations were removed by the data processing software, an analysis of the standard deviation of the misregistration indicates all band combinations would meet the registration specifications except for those including the thermal band. Analysis of the periodic noise in one image indicates a noise component in band 1 with a spatial frequency equivalent to 3.2 pixels in the along-scan direction.

Wrigley, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Handling Software Requests for Commands

Software component created expressly to provide interface between dedicated command buffer and components requesting command issuance. Component resolves problems that arise when software processes command requests from other subsystems and several requests received at approximately same time.

King, W. G., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Development of a data management front-end for use with a LANDSAT-based information system

The development and implementation of a data management front-end system for use with a LANDSAT based information system that facilitates the processsing of both LANDSAT and ancillary data was examined. The final tasks, reported on here, involved; (1) the implementation of the VICAR image processing software system at Penn State and the development of a user-friendly front-end for this system; (2) the implementation of JPL-developed software based on VICAR, for mosaicking LANDSAT scenes; (3) the creation and storage of a mosiac of 1981 summer LANDSAT data for the entire state of Pennsylvania; (4) demonstrations of the defoliation assessment procedure for Perry and Centre Counties, and presentation of the results at the 1982 National Gypsy Moth Review Meeting, and (5) the training of Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry personnel in the use of the defoliation analysis system.

Turner, B. J.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Thematic mapper image quality - Preliminary results

Wrigley, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Assessing the proficiency of software developers

The trend lines presented can be useful in a number of ways. They provide a baseline of comparision from which software developers can compare their performance against a large database of similar projects. This will often identify a organizational style. It was possible to quantify the organizational style using the Manpower Buildup Gradient. That the developer was a better than average producer on RAM based systems was shown. The Ck associated with the ROM system suggests that it is a different class of work. When this system is compared against the Firmware database it is very creditable. It is important to recognize that there are non linearities present in the software process. The non linearities are tied to system size. For comparative purposes one must always make judgements based on similar sizes. In the past the tendency has been to calculate a few ratios on several projects and then compare them without any regard to amount of functionality that was created. This practice can be very misleading and dangerous. The method described, used in a thoughtful analytic manner, can be very helpful.

Putnam, L. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

A modeling analysis program for the JPL Table Mountain Io sodium cloud data

Progress and achievements in the second year are discussed in three main areas: (1) data quality review of the 1981 Region B/C images; (2) data processing activities; and (3) modeling activities. The data quality review revealed that almost all 1981 Region B/C images are of sufficient quality to be valuable in the analyses of the JPL data set. In the second area, the major milestone reached was the successful development and application of complex image-processing software required to render the original image data suitable for modeling analysis studies. In the third area, the lifetime description of sodium atoms in the planet magnetosphere was improved in the model to include the offset dipole nature of the magnetic field as well as an east-west electric field. These improvements are important in properly representing the basic morphology as well as the east-west asymmetries of the sodium cloud.

Smyth, W. H.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Observational studies of Saturn's rings

Several noteworthy phenomena in Saturn's rings were investigated which have until now received an inadequate amount of attention. Among these are the periodic variation of the spokes in the B ring and eccentric features throughout the rings. One of the major discoveries by Voyager was the existence of eccentric features within the predominantly circular rings of Saturn. Several of these nonaxisymmetric features are narrow elliptical rings which share many characteristics with the rings of Uranus. In recent work, two narrow ringlets were added to the list of eccentric features in the rings of Saturn. Voyager imaging and occultation data are now in hand, as well as image-processing software which allows accurate absolute positional measurements to be made in Voyager imaging data. Work is in progress to re-examine this region of Saturn's rings and to study the possibility of a dynamical interaction between the outer B ring edge, the Huygens ringlet and the nearby Mimas 2:1 resonance. An understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of this region promises to yield important clues to a matter of great interest in both theoretical and observation ring studies.

Porco, Carolyn C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Finite element solver for 3-D compressible viscous flows

The space shuttle main engine (SSME) has extremely complex internal flow structure. The geometry of the flow domain is three-dimensional with complicated topology. The flow is compressible, viscous, and turbulent with large gradients in flow quantities and regions of recirculations. The analysis of the flow field in SSME involves several tedious steps. One is the geometrical modeling of the particular zone of the SSME being studied. Accessing the geometry definition, digitalizing it, and developing surface interpolations suitable for an interior grid generator require considerable amount of manual labor. There are several types of grid generators available with some general-purpose finite element programs. An efficient and robust computational scheme for solving 3D Navier-Stokes equations has to be implemented. Post processing software has to be adapted to visualize and analyze the computed 3D flow field. The progress made in a project to develop software for the analysis of the flow is discussed. The technical approach to the development of the finite element scheme and the relaxation procedure are discussed. The three dimensional finite element code for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations is listed.

Reddy, K. C.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Droplet field visualization and characterization via digital image analysis

This paper describes techniques that have been developed at JPL for visualization and measurements of droplet fields in a moving airstream. The techniques have been applied to a variety of problems which include simulation of heavy rain conditions in a wind tunnel, engine ingestion of wheel spray, analysis of fuel nozzle sprays and aerodynamic breakup of non-Newtonian liquids. The approach pursued here is direct imaging using a pulsed laser illumination source, followed by digital processing of photographic images. A laser double pulse technique has been used for determination of droplet velocities. Laser induced fluorescence has been used to enhance droplet definition in photographic images. The image processing software developed is capable of distinguishing between out-of-focus and in-focus drops, retaining only the latter for size determination.

Hernan, M. A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Models and metrics for software management and engineering

This paper attempts to characterize and present a state of the art view of several quantitative models and metrics of the software life cycle. These models and metrics can be used to aid in managing and engineering software projects. They deal with various aspects of the software process and product, including resources allocation and estimation, changes and errors, size, complexity and reliability. Some indication is given of the extent to which the various models have been used and the success they have achieved.

Basili, V. R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Mariner 9 television calibration - Revisited

Mariner 9 TV data from the 1971-1972 encounter with Mars, which contain good synoptic coverage of of the planet as well as the highest-resolution images thus far obtained for the south polar region, can lead to more accurate photometric analysis if subjected to improved processing methods. While calibration errors are rather greater than those of the Viking Orbiter cameras, both calibration data and processing software applicable to an improvement program have become available through the USGS's Planetary Image Cartography System.

Herkenhoff, Ken E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

IUE's legacy for the future: The final archive and goals for its implementation

Requirements for the IUE archive, and how the signal/noise (S/N) ratio in photometrically corrected images can be enhanced considerably by cross-correlating the fixed pattern in a data image with that in a suitable flat-field image are described. From these cross-correlations it is feasible to derive an accurate geometrical correction to apply to the data image before applying the intensity transfer functions. The standard IUE processing software does not generate a sufficiently accurate geometric correction so that typical spatial errors of 1 to 2 pixels conspire with the large fixed pattern in raw images to produce significant misregistration noise. Tests on flat-field images demonstrate that an explicit geometric correction procedure can avoid most of the misregistration noise and can thereby improve the S/N ratio of IUE data by factors of 1.5 to 2.4.

Linsky, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Intercomparison of satellite laser ranging accuracy of three NASA stations through collocation

The accuracy of laser ranging has been evaluated through comparisons of simultaneous LAGEOS satellite-borne laser ranging data received at three NASA tracking stations in support of the Crustal Dynamics project. Single-shot satellite ranging precisions of 8, 14, and 30 mm have been demonstrated at the three ground stations, with a stability better than 3 mm. The data-processing software used were POLYQUICK and GEODYN; a consistent degree of agreement between the three stations of less than 1 cm is obtained.

Varghese, T.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Rebuilding the space technology base

NASA's Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) will not only develop novel technologies for space exploration and exploitation, but also take mature technologies into their demonstration phase in earth orbit. In the course of five years, CSTI will pay off in ground- and space-tested hardware, software, processes, methods for low-orbit transport and operation, and fundamental scientific research on the orbital environment. Attention is given to LOX/hydrogen and LOX/hydrocarbon reusable engines, liquid/solid fuel hybrid boosters, and aeroassist flight experiments for the validation of aerobraking with atmospheric friction. Also discussed are advanced scientific sensors, systems autonomy and telerobotics, control of flexible structures, precise segmented reflectors, high-rate high-capacity data handling, and advanced nuclear power systems.

Povinelli, Frederick P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Generation of topographic terrain models utilizing synthetic aperture radar and surface level data

Topographical terrain models are generated by digitally delineating the boundary of the region under investigation from the data obtained from an airborne synthetic aperture radar image and surface elevation data concurrently acquired either from an airborne instrument or at ground level. A set of coregistered boundary maps thus generated are then digitally combined in three dimensional space with the acquired surface elevation data by means of image processing software stored in a digital computer. The method is particularly applicable for generating terrain models of flooded regions covered entirely or in part by foliage.

Imhoff, Marc L.↗

NASA NTRS1990

A sun gate for Galileo spacecraft attitude control

The combination of a sun sensor called a sun gate (SG) and a digital programmable signal processor on the Galileo spacecraft attitude and articulation control subsystem (AACS) will orient the rotation axis of the spacecraft toward the sun to satisfy a new requirement imposed by the new spacecraft trajectory. The combination will continuously monitor the pointing direction of the rotation axis, and any off-sun excursions of more than a preset threshold will be detected, triggering appropriate actions by the flight software to prevent off-sun cone angles of more than 14 deg. The design of the SG is described in detail, its principle of operation is given, and the flight software processing of the SG output is discussed.

Mobasser, Sohrab↗

NASA NTRS1991

Endoscopic inspection using a panoramic annular lens

The objective of this one year study was to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype system for cavity inspection. A cylindrical view of the cavity interior was captured in real time through a compound lens system consisting of a unique panoramic annular lens and a collector lens. Images, acquired with a digitizing camera and stored in a desktop computer, were manipulated using image processing software to aid in visual inspection and qualitative analysis. A detailed description of the lens and its applications is given.

Gilbert, John A.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Image processing mini manual

The intent is to provide an introduction to the image processing capabilities available at the Langley Research Center (LaRC) Central Scientific Computing Complex (CSCC). Various image processing software components are described. Information is given concerning the use of these components in the Data Visualization and Animation Laboratory at LaRC.

Matthews, Christine G.↗