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At least 271 records · Page 15

Global optimality of extremals: An example

The question of the existence and location of Darboux points is crucial for minimally sufficient conditions for global optimality and for computation of optimal trajectories. A numerical investigation is presented of the Darboux points and their relationship with conjugate points for a problem of minimum fuel, constant velocity, and horizontal aircraft turns to capture a line. This simple second order optimal control problem shows that ignoring the possible existence of Darboux points may play havoc with the computation of optimal trajectories.

Kreindler, E.↗

Prospects for measuring phytoplankton bloom extent and patchiness using remotely sensed color images: An example

A 10 channel scanning radiometer, built as a prototype for the coastal zone color scanner on the Nimbus 7 satellite, was flown on a high altitude aircraft during a Gymnodium breve bloom along the west coast of Florida. The remotely measured ocean color imagery shows what is probably the patchy structure of a G. breve bloom extending over a 60 km by 100 km area. This conclusion is based on visual inspection of bathymetry to infer bottom reflection trends and on a single growth truth measurement of B G. breve obtained the previous day. The image shows coherent blooms which extend scales up to 60 km in length.

Mueller, J. L.↗

High pressure gas storage capacities. Example of a solution using filament windings

The use of epoxy resin fiber glass and economic factors affecting the choice of materials for gas storage are discussed. The physical nature of the filament windings are described together with the results obtained. It is demonstrated that a substantial reduction in mass and an enhanced level of safety can be assured at a competitive cost by storing gases in this way.

Phan, A.↗

System analysis approach to deriving design criteria (Loads) for Space Shuttle and its payloads. Volume 2: Typical examples

The achievement of an optimized design from the system standpoint under the low cost, high risk constraints of the present day environment was analyzed. Space Shuttle illustrates the requirement for an analysis approach that considers all major disciplines (coupling between structures control, propulsion, thermal, aeroelastic, and performance), simultaneously. The Space Shuttle and certain payloads, Space Telescope and Spacelab, are examined. The requirements for system analysis approaches and criteria, including dynamic modeling requirements, test requirements, control requirements, and the resulting design verification approaches are illustrated. A survey of the problem, potential approaches available as solutions, implications for future systems, and projected technology development areas are addressed.

Ryan, R. S.↗

Monitoring of heavy flooding by orbital remote sensing: The example of the Doce river valley

The application of temporal LANDSAT data to study floods was verified, and the natural features responsible for this phenomenon were surveyed using the Doce river valley as a test site, because of the catastrophic (1978-1979) flood. Data from LANDSAT images and CCT's were used. Geomorphical mapping evaluated morphostructural features. Seven and nine classes of water surfaces for dry and rainy seasons were analyzed. The magnitude of the changes from preflood to postflood stage are estimated. The single Pixel program was applied to correlate the drainage basin characteristics to the grey level of LANDSAT data.

Dejesusparada, N.↗

Study of the relation between soil use, vegetation coverage, and the discharge of sediments from artificial reservoirs using MSS/LANDSAT images. Example: The Tres Marias reservoir and its supply basin

The land use and types of vegetation in the region of the upper Sao Francisco River, Brazil, are identified. This region comprises the supply basin of the Tres Marias reservoir. Imagery from channels 5 and 7 of the LANDSAT multispectral band scanner during wet and rainy seasons and ground truth data were employed to characterize and map the vegetation, land use, and sedimentary discharges from the reservoir. Agricultural and reforested lands, meadows, and forests are identified. Changes in land use due to human activity are demonstrated.

Dejesusparada, N.↗

The influence of autocorrelation in signature extraction: An example from a geobotanical investigation of Cotter Basin, Montana

The presence of positive serial correlation (autocorrelation) in remotely sensed data results in an underestimate of the variance-covariance matrix when calculated using contiguous pixels. This underestimate produces an inflation in F statistics. For a set of Thematic Mapper Simulator data (TMS), used to test the ability to discriminate a known geobotanical anomaly from its background, the inflation in F statistics related to serial correlation is between 7 and 70 times. This means that significance tests of means of the spectral bands initially appear to suggest that the anomalous site is very different in spectral reflectance and emittance from its background sites. However, this difference often disappears and is always dramatically reduced when compared to frequency distributions of test statistics produced by the comparison of simulated training sets possessing equal means, but which are composed of autocorrelated observations.

Labovitz, M. L.↗

An example of the nonlinearity of clear and cloudy radiant exitances in the presence of three-dimensional cloud structure

It is nearly universally assumed that the relationship between fractional cloud cover and radiant exitance is linear. There seems to be, however, little quantitative justification for this assumption, and recent work appears to cast considerable doubt even on this assumption. The reported investigation reinforces this doubt. It is found that the radiation field over three-dimensional broken clouds may differ markedly from that over two-dimensional fields. Including the thickness of the clouds appears to be equivalent to increasing the cloud cover. Broken clouds with finite thicknesses are found to be more effective at influencing radiation than are infinitely thin clouds of finite optical depth. Attention is given to the effect of the geometric arrangement of cloud fields. It is pointed out that this arrangement can cause substantial deviations from the often used linear relationship.

Barkstrom, B. R.↗

Regolith maturation on the earth and the moon with an example from Apollo 15

Petrographic data on twelve Apollo 15 surface samples and on twelve samples from the double drive tube 15010/011 are presented in the form of triangular AML (agglutinate-monomineralic fragments-lithic fragments) plots. The triangular AML plots for different grain sizes show smoothly varying contour lines only for the solids derived mainly from mare basalts. These contour lines are interpreted as lines of isomaturity. The AML plots with isomature contours are somewhat similar to QFR (quartz-feldspar-rock fragments) triangular plots used for terrestrial clastic sediments. Both kinds of plots are sensitive to maturity and both may be used to predict evolution paths. Soils from predominantly highland areas and from other mixed terrains at Apollo 15 sites do not make smooth contours on AML diagrams. By analogy with QFR diagrams, the lack of smooth contours may be due to mixed source rock families, or to recent mixing, or both.

Basu, A.↗

Energy balance of stellar coronae. I - Methods and examples. II - Effect of coronal heating

Simplified models of magnetically open coronal regions are computed, with the aim of fulfilling appropriate boundary conditions at the base of the atmosphere, at the critical point, and at infinity. The models are determined by the stellar mass and radius and by the amount and location of coronal heating, and this dependence is analyzed in terms of pressure, temperature, characteristic heights, energy losses, mass loss, and asymptotic behavior. The results are used to classify the magnetically open coronal regions according to the energy loss mechanism that dominates in the region between the base and the critical point, and it is shown that more complicated heating mechanisms may be replaced by the presented exponential heating law, provided that the damping length is suitably chosen.

Hammer, R.↗

NECAP 4.1: NASA's Energy-Cost Analysis Program fast input manual and example

NASA's Energy-Cost Analysis Program (NECAP) is a powerful computerized method to determine and to minimize building energy consumption. The program calculates hourly heat gain or losses taking into account the building thermal resistance and mass, using hourly weather and a response factor method. Internal temperatures are allowed to vary in accordance with thermostat settings and equipment capacity. NECAP 4.1 has a simplified input procedure and numerous other technical improvements. A very short input method is provided. It is limited to a single zone building. The user must still describe the building's outside geometry and select the type of system to be used.

Jensen, R. N.↗

Special Report on the Data Collection Programs for the Ground Based Nitrogen Washout Experiment. Volume 2 - Detailed Program Descriptions, Listings, Examples and Hardware Specifications

Personal data input, decompression data, nitrogen washout, nitrogen data, and update computer programs are described. Input data and formats; program output, reports, and data; program flowcharts; program listings; sample runs with input and output pages; hardware operation; and engineering data are provided.

Source record↗

Relationships between chlorophyll density and ocean radiance as measured by U2/OCS: Algorithms, examples and comparison

An ocean atmosphere radiative transfer process computation method which is suitable for determining lower boundary ocean albedo and other radiation components from spectral measurements of upwelling radiance taken from a high altitude platform is described. The method was applied to a set of color scanner data taken from slope water of the South Atlantic Bight to determine the influence of cholorophyll-a pigments in the sea on the ratio of upwelling radiance to down welling irradiance as a function of wavelength. The resulting chlorophyll concentrations are compared with measurements made by ships stationed along the flight path.

Kim, H. H.↗

Potential Role of Land Use and Land Cover Information in Powerplant Siting: Example of Three Mile Island

Selecting a site for a nuclear powerplant can be helped by digitizing land use and land cover data, population data, and other pertinent data sets, and then placing them in a geographic information system. Such a system begins with a set of standardized maps for location reference and then provides for retrieval and analysis of spatial data keyed to the maps. This makes possible thematic mapping by computer, or interactive visual display for decisionmaking. It also permits correlating land use area measurements with census and other data (such as fallout dosages), and the updating of all data sets. The system is thus a tool for dealing with resource management problems and for analyzing the interaction between people and their environment. An explanation of a computer-plotted map of land use and cover for Three Mile Island and vicinity is given.

Wray, J. R.↗