Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Mixing”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16

Shear-free mixing to achieve accurate temporospatial nanoscale kinetics through scanning-SAXS: ion-induced phase transition of dispersed cellulose nanocrystals

Time-resolved in situ characterization of well-defined mixing processes using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is usually challenging, especially if the process involves changes of material viscoelasticity. In specific, it can be difficult to create a continuous mixing experiment without shearing the material of interest; a desirable situation since shear flow both affects nanoscale structures and flow stability as well as resulting in unreliable time-resolved data. Here, we demonstrate a flow-focusing mixing device for in situ nanostructural characterization using scanning-SAXS. Given the interfacial tension and viscosity ratio between core and sheath fluids, the core material confined by sheath flows is completely detached from the walls and forms a zero-shear plug flow at the channel center, allowing for a trivial conversion of spatial coordinates to mixing times. With this technique, the time-resolved gel formation of dispersed cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was studied by mixing with a sodium chloride solution. It is observed how locally ordered regions, so called tactoids, are disrupted when the added monovalent ions affect the electrostatic interactions, which in turn leads to a loss of CNC alignment through enhanced rotary diffusion. The demonstrated flow-focusing scanning-SAXS technique can be used to unveil important kinetics during structural formation of nanocellulosic materials. However, the same technique is also applicable in many soft matter systems to provide new insights into the nanoscale dynamics during mixing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Measurement of mix at the fuel–ablator interface in indirectly driven capsule implosions on the National Ignition Facility

The interface between the capsule ablator and fuel ice layer is susceptible to hydrodynamic instabilities. The subsequent mixing of hot ablator material into the ice reduces fuel compression at stagnation and is a candidate for reduced capsule performance. The ability to diagnose ice–ablator mix is critical to understanding and improving stability at this interface. Combining the crystal backlighter imager with the single line of sight camera on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) allows direct measurement of ice–ablator mix by providing multiple quasi-monochromatic radiographs of layered capsule implosions per experiment with high spatial (∼12 μm) and temporal (∼35 ps) resolution. The narrow bandwidth of this diagnostic platform allows radiography of the inner edge of the capsule limb close to stagnation without capsule self-emission contaminating the data and removes opacity uncertainties typically associated with the spectral content of the radiograph. Analysis of radiographic data via a parameterized forward-fitting Abel inversion technique provides measurements of the distribution of mix mass inwards from the ice–ablator interface. The sensitivity of this mix measurement technique was demonstrated by applying it to layered experiments in which the stability of the ice–ablator interface was expected to vary significantly. Additional experiments suggest that high-density carbon capsules that employ a buried-layer dopant profile suffer from mixing at the innermost doped–undoped interface. Data from these experiments suggest that opacity models used in hydrodynamic simulations of NIF experiments can potentially over-predict the opacity of doped capsules. LLNL-JRNL-850535-DRAFT.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Self-similar Reynolds-averaged mechanical–scalar turbulence models for Rayleigh–Taylor mixing induced by power-law accelerations in the small Atwood number limit

Analytical self-similar solutions to two-, three-, and four-equation Reynolds-averaged mechanical–scalar turbulence models describing turbulent Rayleigh–Taylor mixing driven by a temporal power-law acceleration are derived in the small Atwood number (Boussinesq) limit. The solutions generalize those previously derived for constant acceleration Rayleigh–Taylor mixing for models based on the turbulent kinetic energy K and its dissipation rate ε, together with the scalar variance S and its dissipation rate χ [O. Schilling, “Self-similar Reynolds-averaged mechanical–scalar turbulence models for Rayleigh–Taylor, Richtmyer–Meshkov, and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability-induced mixing in the small Atwood number limit,” Phys. Fluids 33, 085129 (2021)]. The turbulent fields are expressed in terms of the model coefficients and power-law exponent, with their temporal power-law scalings obtained by requiring that the self-similar equations are explicitly time-independent. Mixing layer growth parameters and other physical observables are obtained explicitly as functions of the model coefficients and parameterized by the exponent of the power-law acceleration. Values for physical observables in the constant acceleration case are used to calibrate the two-, three-, and four-equation models, such that the self-similar solutions are consistent with experimental and numerical simulation data corresponding to a canonical (i.e., constant acceleration) Rayleigh–Taylor turbulent flow. The calibrated four-equation model is then used to numerically reconstruct the mean and turbulent fields, and turbulent equation budgets across the mixing layer for several values of the power-law exponent. Finally, the reference solutions derived here can be used to understand the model predictions for strongly accelerated or decelerated Rayleigh–Taylor mixing in the large Reynolds number limit.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Reaction-in-flight neutrons as a diagnostic for hydrodynamical mixing in double shell inertial confinement fusion capsules

We examine reaction-in-flight (RIF) neutrons as diagnostics for hydrodynamical mixing of high-Z shell material into the hotspot of double shell capsules that are designed for the National Ignition Facility. In particular, we consider the effects of different levels of mixing of tungsten shell material into the DT gas on RIF spectra. Using a set of 1D simulations from the radiation hydrodynamic code xRAGE to determine the temperature and density profiles of the mixed W-DT gas, we find that increasing the mass of mix systematically reduces the ratio of RIF neutrons to primary 14 MeV neutrons. The shape of the RIF spectrum also changes with mix, with the predicted spectrum softening in energy with increasing mix.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Band mixing in 96,98 Mo isotopes *

Abstract We use the two lowest weight states to fit E 2 strengths connecting the and transitions in Mo. Our results confirm that the and states are maximally mixed, and that the states are weakly mixed in both nuclei. An appropriate Hamiltonian to represent the band mixing is found to be exactly solvable, and its eigenstates can be expressed as the basis vectors in the configuration mixing scheme and interacting boson model. The interacting boson model and coexistence mixing configuration under the solvable methods are suitable models for analyzing the band mixing with high accuracy.

Physics↗

Mixing by internal gravity waves in stars: assessing numerical simulations against theory

ABSTRACT Here we present a study of radial chemical mixing in non-rotating massive main-sequence stars driven by internal gravity waves (IGWs), based on multidimensional hydrodynamical simulations with the fully compressible code MUSIC. We examine two proposed mechanisms of material mixing in stars by IGWs that are commonly quoted, relating to thermal diffusion and sub-wavelength shearing. Thermal diffusion provides a non-restorative effect to the waves, leaving material displaced from its previous equilibrium, while shearing arising within the waves drives weak localized flows, mixing the fluid there. Using IGW spectra from the simulations, we evaluate theoretical predictions of mixing rates due to these mechanisms. We show, for $20\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ main-sequence stars, that neither of these mechanisms are likely to create mixing sufficient to correct inaccuracies in current stellar evolution models. Furthermore, we compare these predictions to results obtained from Lagrangian tracer particles, following a method recently used for global simulations of stellar interiors to measure mixing by IGWs in their radiative zones. We demonstrate that tracer particle methods face significant numerical challenges in measuring the small diffusion coefficients predicted by the aforementioned theories, for which they are prone to yielding artificially enhanced coefficients. Diffusion coefficients based on such methods are currently used with stellar evolution codes for asteroseismic studies, but should be viewed with caution. Finally, in a case where tracer particles do not suffer from numerical artefacts, we suggest that a diffusion model is not suitable for time-scales typically considered by 2D numerical simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Simultaneous velocity and density measurements of fully developed Rayleigh-Taylor mixing

Here, the dynamics of molecular mixing and the energy transfer process in the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) are studied through the collection of simultaneous density-velocity measurements. These experiments provide simultaneous density-velocity field measurements, in contrast to previous point measurements. Statistically stationary experiments are performed in a “convective-type” gas tunnel facility, with density contrast achieved through the injection of helium into the bottom stream. Three experiments at Atwood number ≈ 0.1 are captured at three outer scale Reynolds numbers Re = 520, 2260, and 4050. Particle image velocimetry and laser induced fluorescence are employed simultaneously. Statistics of the density and velocity show self-similar collapse of RTI profiles at large Reynolds number Re >2000. Flat velocity profiles indicate homogeneous turbulence characteristics in the core of the mixing region. Significant anisotropy develops in the flow, with horizontal velocity fluctuations being only 60% of the vertical velocity fluctuations. The turbulent mass flux is found to be asymmetric about the centerline, with increased peak towards the spike. Measurements of the molecular mixing show that mixing is maximized at the core of the flow and increases with increased Reynolds number. The transport equation of density-specific-volume correlation b shows that it is mostly produced in the core of the mixing region, and that the spatial evolution of its profile is the result of transport by bulk motion of the bubble and spike. Energy transfer from gravitational potential energy to turbulent kinetic energy and viscous dissipation is observed to occur in the experiment with a ratio of dissipated energy to potential energy released of 38%. The analysis of the turbulent kinetic energy transport equation budget reveals that production is the primary mechanism towards the growth of turbulent kinetic energy in the core of the flow, and is asymmetrically slightly skewed towards the spike. However, it is through the transport that the strong advection at the edges of the mixing region is maintained.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Dependence of Enstrophy Transport and Mixed Mass on Dimensionality and Initial Conditions in the Richtmyer–Meshkov Instability Induced Flows

Here we present a comparative study of the enstrophy budget and mixed mass between two- and three-dimensional flows induced by Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI). Specifically, the individual contributions to the enstrophy budget due to the production from baroclinicity and from vortex stretching (which vanishes in two-dimensional (2D) flow) are delineated. This is enabled by a set of two- and three-dimensional computations at Atwood 0.5 having both narrow- and broad-band perturbations. A further three-dimensional (3D) computation is conducted at Atwood 0.9 using an identical narrowband perturbation to the Atwood 0.5 case to examine the sensitivity to density ratio. The mixed mass is also considered with the goal to obtain insight on how faithfully a simplified calculation performed in two dimensions can capture the mixed mass for an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) or other practical application. It is shown that the late time power law decay of variable density enstrophy is substantially different in two and three dimensions for the narrowband initial perturbation. The baroclinic production term is negligible in three dimensions (aside from the initial shock interaction), as vortex stretching is larger by two orders of magnitude. The lack of vortex stretching considerably reduces the decay rate in both narrowband and broadband perturbations in two dimensions. In terms of mixed mass, the lack of vortex stretching reduces the mixed mass in two dimensions compared to three in all cases. In the broadband cases, the spectral bandwidth in the 2D case is wider; hence, there is a longer time period of sustained linear growth which reduces the normalized mixed mass further.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Heat of Mixing During Fast Charge/Discharge of a Li-Ion Cell: A Study on NMC523 Cathode

Predicting temperature rise accurately during fast charge/discharge of a Li-ion cell is essential to avoid thermal runaway and extend battery life. While modeling the temperature rise, it is necessary to model the heat generation correctly. Heat of mixing, one of the four main sources of heat generation in a Li-ion battery, has often been considered insignificant and therefore excluded from modeling. When included, it is modeled using the expression from a Taylor expansion approximation. In this work, we have shown the conditions when including the heat of mixing becomes important and quantified the error associated with using the Taylor expansion, especially under high charge/discharge conditions. Consequently, we carry out the calculation of the rate of enthalpy change and the heat generation rate from the most fundamental equation for the rate of the total enthalpy change without simplifying assumptions or approximations. The heat generation rate calculated doing so naturally includes irreversible, reversible and mixing heat. We then exclusively separate out the heat of mixing by subtracting the rate of enthalpy change by reaction from the rate of the total enthalpy change. Results show that the contribution of heat of mixing in the total heat generated increases with the charge/discharge rate and is as large as 23% for a 6 C discharge. This result suggests that while modeling heat generation for fast charge/discharge, it is necessary to include the heat of mixing and avoid calculating it using the Taylor expansion approximation.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Improving GCM Predictability of Mixed-Phase Clouds and Aerosol Interactions at High Latitudes with ARM Observations

The goal of this project is to improve the predictability of mixed-phase clouds and aerosol interactions in the Community Atmosphere Model version 6 (CAM6) through comparison with the ARM observations. There are three main objectives of the proposed study: (1) Improve the representation of ice microphysical processes in mixed-phase clouds; (2) Test the performance of ice microphysics in CESM-CAM6 with the ARM observations in northern and southern high latitudes; and (3) Examine mixed-phase cloud microphysics-aerosol-turbulence-radiation interactions in CESM-CAM6. In this project, we have (1) Improved the representation of ice microphysical processes in mixed-phase clouds in CESM-CAM6 by implementing the marine organic aerosol (MOA) and treating the ice nucleating particles (INPs) from MOA and its impacts on mixed-phase clouds. We made a first attempt to represent different secondary ice production (SIP) mechanisms in a GCM (CESM2-CAM6). We found that misrepresentation of these ice formation processes in global climate models (GCMs) leads to too weak negative cloud feedback over the Southern Ocean (SO) and too high climate sensitivity in the models. In addition to ice formation processes, we improved the treatment of ice depositional growth through the Wegener–Bergeron–Findeisen (WBF) process by considering the subgrid heterogeneous distributions between liquid droplets and ice crystals in mixed-phase clouds; (2) Tested the performance of our improved representations of ice microphysics with the ARM observations at high latitudes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Aerosol Particle Mixing State and Composition at AMF3 (Interim Field Campaign Report)

The campaign is designed to support deployment of aerosol sampling equipment at the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s third ARM Mobile Facility (AMF3) to enable both singe-particle and bulk characterization of the aerosol particles at the field site in Bankhead National Forest, northern Alabama. We are proposing to do this work as part of our proposal “Generalizing aerosol mixing state: synthesis from observations and connection to models,” which has the pre-proposal tracking number PRE-0000035878. The full proposal has Dr. Rachel O’Brien as the Principal Investigator (PI) and Dr. Andy Ault and Dr. Nicole Riemer as Co-PIs. We sought to deploy instruments in winter 2025 and summer 2025 to obtain samples in different seasons, but were delayed by AMF3 set-up and availability of students and PIs. We just completed our first deployment this summer (2025) and we are interested in obtaining samples during this upcoming fall and winter to see the seasonal trends in aerosol mixing state at the site. This will provide a comparison of the impact of biogenic emissions on the mixing state and the chemical composition of the aerosol particles. Overall, the proposed study will provide key information regarding the mixing state of aerosol particles at AMF3 with direct ties to impacts of the particles on cloud formation and light scattering/absorption. From our deployment that ended las week we have some visible observations from our samples. We are observing a regular amount of black carbon on stage 6 of our Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI) and we have also observed some short, large increases in aerosol loading. We hope to continue observations of these two features to determine the sources/aging for the black carbon and the physical mixing state as well as the sources for the short (a few minutes) increases in the aerosol loading and determine if the source for these is dust or sea salt or another source. We are also interested in comparing the black carbon we see here to samples collected during the agriculture burns in January/February and in comparing the larger particles to bioaerosols in the spring. To obtain these comparisons, we will need to collect more samples in the other seasons. Finally, we have some size-resolved particle collectors that can be deployed at the same time as the tethered balloon launches. We have discussed with Swarup China about trying to get the timing to work in August and we are interested in coordinating again later, if possible. This will give us ground-level and vertical aerosol mixing state sample sets that will be very exciting to analyze.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Using radiochemistry to diagnose fuel-ablator mix in inertial confinement fusion studies at the National Ignition Facility: measurement of Tc/Mo isotopic ratios for the Pushered Single Shell campaign

The development of radiochemical measurement techniques as a diagnostic for fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility enables a new method for assessing fuel-ablator mix and the impact of this mix on capsule performance. Diagnosing capsule mix in internal confinement fusion studies is difficult due to the small spatial scales (10s of µm) and short-time frames (100s of ps) over which the mix typically evolves in these experiments. For the Pushered Single Shell campaign, radiochemical measurements on debris collected from fusion experiments can be used to determine isotopic ratios of activation products, particularly 96g Tc/ 99 Mo and 95g Tc/ 99 Mo, to provide vital information on nuclear reactions in the burning plasma that can inform simulations that seek to understand the degree of capsule-fuel mix and the impact on the capsule performance. These radiochemical measurements have been conducted regularly since November 2023 providing data on a range of capsule designs and neutron yields. Data from eight NIF experiments is presented, the measured 96g Tc/ 99 Mo and 95g Tc/ 99 Mo range from (0.5–5) × 10 –4 to (0.3–3) × 10 –4 , respectively. The development of radiochemical diagnostics aids in understanding and optimizing the design of fusion experiments, providing unique and valuable insights into capsule behavior and directly measuring fuel-ablator mix.

and nuclear chemistry↗

Mixing states of Amazon basin aerosol particles transported over long distances using transmission electron microscopy

The Amazon basin is important for understanding the global climate because of its carbon cycle and as a laboratory for obtaining basic knowledge of the continental background atmosphere. Aerosol particles play an important role in the climate and weather, and knowledge of their compositions and mixing states is necessary to understand their influence on the climate. For this study, we collected aerosol particles from the Amazon basin during the Green Ocean Amazon (GoAmazon2014/5) campaign (February to March 2014) at the T3 site, which is located about 70 km from Manaus, and analyzed them using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM has better spatial resolution than other instruments, which enables us to analyze the occurrences of components that attach to or are embedded within other particles. Based on the TEM results of more than 10 000 particles from several transport events, this study shows the occurrences of individual particles including compositions, size distributions, number fractions, and possible sources of materials that mix with other particles. Aerosol particles during the wet season were from both natural sources such as the Amazon forest, Saharan desert, Atlantic Ocean, and African biomass burning and anthropogenic sources such as Manaus and local emissions. These particles mix together at an individual particle scale. The number fractions of mineral dust and sea-salt particles increased almost 3-fold when long-range transport (LRT) from the African continent occurred. Nearly 20 % of mineral dust and primary biological aerosol particles had attached sea salts on their surfaces. Sulfates were also internally mixed with sea-salt and mineral dust particles. The TEM element mapping images showed that several components with sizes of hundreds of nanometers from different sources commonly occur within individual LRT aerosol particles. We conclude that many aerosol particles from natural sources change their compositions by mixing during transport. The compositions and mixing states of these particles after emission result in changes in their hygroscopic and optical properties and should be considered when assessing their effects on climate.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Properties of Arctic liquid and mixed-phase clouds from shipborne Cloudnet observations during ACSE 2014

This article presents Cloudnet retrievals of Arctic clouds from measurements conducted during a 3-month research expedition along the Siberian shelf during summer and autumn 2014. During autumn, we find a strong reduction in the occurrence of liquid clouds and an increase for both mixed-phase and ice clouds at low levels compared to summer. About 80 % of all liquid clouds observed during the research cruise show a liquid water path below the infrared black body limit of approximately 50 g m -2 . The majority of mixed-phase and ice clouds had an ice water path below 20 g m -2 . Cloud properties are analysed with respect to cloud-top temperature and boundary layer structure. Changes in these parameters have little effect on the geometric thickness of liquid clouds while mixed-phase clouds during warm-air advection events are generally thinner than when such events were absent. Cloud-top temperatures are very similar for all mixed-phase clouds. However, more cases of lower cloud-top temperature were observed in the absence of warm-air advection. Profiles of liquid and ice water content are normalized with respect to cloud base and height. For liquid water clouds, the liquid water content profile reveals a strong increase with height with a maximum within the upper quarter of the clouds followed by a sharp decrease towards cloud top. Liquid water content is lowest for clouds observed below an inversion during warm-air advection events. Most mixed-phase clouds show a liquid water content profile with a very similar shape to that of liquid clouds but with lower maximum values during events with warm air above the planetary boundary layer. The normalized ice water content profiles in mixed-phase clouds look different from those of liquid water content. They show a wider range in maximum values with the lowest ice water content for clouds below an inversion and the highest values for clouds above or extending through an inversion. The ice water content profile generally peaks at a height below the peak in the liquid water content profile – usually in the centre of the cloud, sometimes closer to cloud base, likely due to particle sublimation as the crystals fall through the cloud.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Numerical coupling of aerosol emissions, dry removal, and turbulent mixing in the E3SM Atmosphere Model version 1 (EAMv1) – Part 1: Dust budget analyses and the impacts of a revised coupling scheme

Abstract. An earlier study evaluating dust life cycle in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) Atmosphere Model version 1 (EAMv1) has revealed that the simulated global mean dust lifetime is substantially shorter when higher vertical resolution is used, primarily due to significant strengthening of dust dry removal in source regions. This paper demonstrates that the sequential splitting of aerosol emissions, dry removal, and turbulent mixing in the model's time integration loop, especially the calculation of dry removal after surface emissions and before turbulent mixing, is the primary reason for the vertical resolution sensitivity reported in that earlier study. Based on this reasoning, we propose a revised numerical process coupling scheme that requires the least amount of code changes, in which the surface emissions are applied before turbulent mixing instead of before dry removal. The revised scheme allows newly emitted particles to be transported aloft by turbulence before being removed from the atmosphere, and hence better resembles the dust life cycle in the real world. Sensitivity experiments show that the revised process coupling substantially weakens dry removal and strengthens vertical mixing in dust source regions. It also strengthens the large-scale transport from source to non-source regions, strengthens dry removal outside the source regions, and strengthens wet removal and activation globally. In transient simulations of the years 2000–2009 conducted using 1∘ horizontal grid spacing, 72 vertical layers, and unchanged tuning parameters of emission strength, the revised process coupling leads to a 40 % increase in the global total dust burden and an increase of dust lifetime from 1.8 to 2.5 d in terms of 10-year averages. Weakened dry removal and increased mixing ratios are also seen for other aerosol species that have substantial surface emissions, although the changes in mixing ratio are considerably smaller for the submicron species than for dust and sea salt. Numerical experiments confirm that the revised coupling scheme significantly reduces the strong and non-physical sensitivities of model results to vertical resolution in the original EAMv1. This provides a motivation for adopting the revised scheme in EAM as well as for further improvements on the simple revision presented in this paper.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Nonreactive mixing study of a scramjet swept-strut fuel injector

The results are presented of a cold-mixing investigation performed to supply combustor design information and to determine optimum normal fuel-injector configurations for a general scramjet swept-strut fuel injector. The experimental investigation was made with two swept struts in a closed duct at a Mach number of 4.4 and a nominal ratio of jet mass flow to air mass flow of 0.0295, with helium used to simulate hydrogen fuel. Four injector patterns were evaluated; they represented the range of hole spacing and the ratio of jet dynamic pressure to free-stream dynamic pressure. Helium concentration, pitot pressure, and static pressure in the downstream mixing region were measured to generate the contour plots needed to define the mixing-region flow field and the mixing parameters. Experimental results show that the fuel penetration from the struts was less than the predicted values based on flat-plate data; but the mixing rate was faster and produced a mixing length less than one-half that predicted.

Mcclinton, C. R.↗

An experimental study of reactive turbulent mixing

An experimental study of the turbulent mixing of two coaxial gas streams, which react very rapidly (pseudo-hypergolic chemical kinetics), was performed to investigate the mixing characteristics of turbulent flow fields. The center stream consisted of a CO-N2 mixture and the outer annular stream consisted of air vitiated by H2 combustion. The streams were at equal velocity (50 m/sec) and temperature (1280 K). Turbulence measurements were obtained using hot film anemometry. A sampling probe was used to obtain time averaged gas compositions. Six different turbulence generators were placed in the annular passage to alter the flow field mixing characteristics. The turbulence generators affected the bulk mixing of the streams and the extent of CO conversion to different degrees. The effects can be related to the average eddy size and the bulk mixing. Higher extents of conversion of CO to CO2 were found by increasing the bulk mixing and decreasing the average eddy size.

Cooper, L. P.↗

Estimation of proportions in mixed pixels through their region characterization

A region of mixed pixels can be characterized through the probability density function of proportions of classes in the pixels. Using information from the spectral vectors of a given set of pixels from the mixed pixel region, expressions are developed for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of probability density functions of proportions. The proportions of classes in the mixed pixels can then be estimated. If the mixed pixels contain objects of two classes, the computation can be reduced by transforming the spectral vectors using a transformation matrix that simultaneously diagonalizes the covariance matrices of the two classes. If the proportions of the classes of a set of mixed pixels from the region are given, then expressions are developed for obtaining the estmates of the parameters of the probability density function of the proportions of mixed pixels. Development of these expressions is based on the criterion of the minimum sum of squares of errors. Experimental results from the processing of remotely sensed agricultural multispectral imagery data are presented.

Chittineni, C. B.↗