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At least 487 records · Page 27
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Microdensitometer errors: Their effect on photometric data reduction

The performance of densitometers used for photometric data reduction of high dynamic range electrographic plate material is analyzed. Densitometer repeatability is tested by comparing two scans of one plate. Internal densitometer errors are examined by constructing histograms of digitized densities and finding inoperative bits and differential nonlinearity in the analog to digital converter. Such problems appear common to the four densitometers used in this investigation and introduce systematic algorithm dependent errors in the results. Strategies to improve densitometer performance are suggested.

Bozyan, E. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Performance of the ESO PDS

The astrometric and photometric performance of the PDS 1010A microdensitometer are discussed, including the tests used for checking it. The instrument was shown to satisfy operational requirements for photometric measurements of astronomical plates with respect to dynamic range and stability.

Grosboel, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Why use a microdensitometer other than a PDS?

The motivations for constructing a special purpose built microdensitometer are explored. The salient points of some of the microdensitometers are described and the advantages and disadvantages of the system in comparison to a PDS machine are outlined. The principal gain is in speed though at the expense of loss in dynamic range. The effects on the astronomical results are demonstrated. The astronomical results already obtained with these machines and from ongoing projects are described. It is shown that there is a large class of important astronomical problems which can be tackled by these machines but which are not feasibile on the PDS because of the speed of the machine.

Stobie, R. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Sacramento Peak fast microphotometer

The Sacramento Peak Observatory Fast Microphotometer translates an optical system that includes a laser and photodiode detector across the film to scan the Y direction. A stepping motor moves the film gate in the X direction. This arrangement affords high positional accuracy, low noise (0.002 RMS density units), modest speed (5000 points/second), large dynamic range (4.5 density units), high stability (0.005 density units), and low scattered light. The Fast Microphotometer is interfaced to the host computer by a 6502 microprocessor.

Arrambide, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A preliminary analysis of a diode array for densitometry

A diode-array based image digitizer manufactured by the Eikonix Corp. was tested to see if it can be adapted to the exacting requirements of astronomical densitometry. As the device is presently configured, a dynamic range of 400:1 can be achieved routinely, with a positional accuracy of 2 microns or better. An area of 2048 X 2048 pixels can be scanned in about 5 minutes. Preliminary tests indicate that several relatively simple enhancements can improve both the photometric and the positional accuracy of the device.

Janes, K. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Plans for a fast image recording system at ESO

A 256 diode-array will be installed as detector on the ESO OPTRONICS S-3000 measuring machine in order to increase the acquisition rate. A high intensity LED will be used as light source in a pulse mode. The data will be stored on a random access mass storage device as density values for later education. The scanning time for a 30 cm x 30 cm plate with a step size of 10 micron will be less than 10 hours while the dynamic range of the data is expected to be 2.5 density units with an offset of at least 1 unit.

Grosboel, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Preliminary Geologic/spectral Analysis of LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper Data, Wind River/bighorn Basin Area, Wyoming

A LIDQA evaluation for geologic applications of a LANDSAT TM scene covering the Wind River/Bighorn Basin area, Wyoming, is examined. This involves a quantitative assessment of data quality including spatial and spectral characteristics. Analysis is concentrated on the 6 visible, near infrared, and short wavelength infrared bands. Preliminary analysis demonstrates that: (1) principal component images derived from the correlation matrix provide the most useful geologic information. To extract surface spectral reflectance, the TM radiance data must be calibrated. Scatterplots demonstrate that TM data can be calibrated and sensor response is essentially linear. Low instrumental offset and gain settings result in spectral data that do not utilize the full dynamic range of the TM system.

Lang, H. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Snow Reflectance from LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper

In California 75% of the agricultural water supply comes from the melting Sierra Nevada snowpack. Basin-wide albedo measurements from the LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper could be used to better forecast the timing of the spring runoff, because these data can be combined with solar radiation calculations to estimate the net radiation budget. The TM is better-suited for this purpose than the MSS because of its large dynamic range. Saturation still occurs in bands 1-4, but is severe only in band 1. Differentiation of snow optical grain size is possible with TM band 4 through a moderately clear atmosphere. The TM band 5 can discriminate clouds from snow, and the combination of bands 2 and 5 appears best for snow mapping.

Dozier, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Prelaunch absolute radiometric calibration of the reflective bands on the LANDSAT-4 protoflight Thematic Mapper

The results of the absolute radiometric calibration of the LANDSAT 4 thematic mapper, as determined during pre-launch tests with a 122 cm integrating sphere, are presented. Detailed results for the best calibration of the protoflight TM are given, as well as summaries of other tests performed on the sensor. The dynamic range of the TM is within a few per cent of that required in all bands, except bands 1 and 3. Three detectors failed to pass the minimum SNR specified for their respective bands: band 5, channel 3 (dead), band 2, and channels 2 and 4 (noisy or slow response). Estimates of the absolute calibration accuracy for the TM show that the detectors are typically calibrated to 5% absolute error for the reflective bands; 10% full-scale accuracy was specified. Ten tests performed to transfer the detector absolute calibration to the internal calibrator show a 5% range at full scale in the transfer calibration; however, in two cases band 5 showed a 10% and a 7% difference.

Barker, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A parallel architecture for digital filtering using Fermat number transforms

In this correspondence, a parallel architecture is developed to compute the linear convolution of two sequences of arbitrary lengths using the Fermat number transform (FNT). In particular, a pipeline structure is designed to compute a 128-point FNT. In this FNT, only additions and bit rotations are required. The overlap-save method is generalized for the FNT to realize a digital filter of arbitrary length. The generalized overlap-save method alleviates the usual dynamic range limitation of FNT's of long transform lengths. A parallel architecture is developed to realize this type of overlap-save method using one FNT and several inverse FNT's of 128 points. Its architecture is regular, simple, and flexible, and therefore naturally suitable for VLSI implementation.

Truong, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The information content of synthetic aperture radar images of terrain

A statistical model is developed that portrays an imaging radar as a noisy communication channel with multiplicative noise, and the model is used to evaluate the average amount of information that can be extracted about a target from its radar image. The average information content is also used to define a measure of radiometric resolution for radar images. It is shown that the information content and the resolution capabilities of an imaging radar reach a limit beyond which an increase in scene dynamic range does not improve the information content or the resolution. This limitation results from the multiplicative nature of the noise introduced in the imaging process.

Frost, V. S.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Snow reflectance from Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper

In California 75 percent of the agricultural water supply comes from the melting Sierra Nevada snowpack. Basin-wide spectral albedo measurements from the Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) could be used to better forecast the timing of the spring runoff, because these data can be combined with solar radiation calculations to estimate the net radiation balance. The TM is better-suited for this purpose than the Multispectral Scanner because of its larger dynamic range. Saturation still occurs in bands 1-4, but is severe only in TM1 (0.45-0.52 micron). Snow reflectance in TM2 (0.43-0.61 micron) is typical of the visible wavelength region, where reflectance is almost insensitive to crystal size but sensitive to contamination. TM4 (0.78-0.90 micron) allows estimation of effective optical grain size and thereby spectral extension throughout the near-infrared. TM5 (1.57-1.78 microns) can discriminate clouds from snow.

Dozier, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

CARS system for turbulent flame measurements

Simultaneous nitrogen number density and rotational-vibrational temperatures were measured in a turbulent diffusion flame with a Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) instrument. The fuel jet was diluted with nitrogen (20 percent by volume) to allow temperature measurements across the entire jet mixing region. These measurements were compared with fluid dynamics computations. The CARS system incorporated a neodymium YAG laser, an intensified silicon photodiode array detector, and unique dynamic range enhancement methods. Theoretical calculations were based on a parabolic Navier-Stokes computer code. The comparison of these techniques will aid their development in the study of complex flowfields.

Antcliff, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Intensified silicon photodiode array detector linearity Application to coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy

The linearity of an intensified silicon photodiode array multichannel detector is studied with coherent anti-Stokes Raman and other similar signals. Studies with diffuse and focused (spherically and cylindrically) signals resolved apparent saturation problems which limit the dynamic range of the detector. In addition, it has been shown that there is no short-range wavelength (473-532-nm) dependence on this saturation. Theoretical explanations for these phenomena are also included.

Antcliff, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Landsat-4 sensor performance

Preflight and in-orbit sensor and data measurements indicate that TM meets or exceeds most specifications. Measured spectral band edges meet instrument specifications in 12 out of 14 cases; there is ample dynamic range. The signal-to-noise ratio exceeds specifications, except for band 3, channel 4; and band 7 channel 7 is very noisy but still meets specifications. The modulation transfer function of channel 4, band 2, is smaller than specified. Registration errors between the primary focal plane (PFP) and the cold focal plane (CFP) are about 0.75 pixels along-scan and 0.2 pixels across scan. Forward and reverse scan discontinuities are well within ground-processing capabilities to rectify. Instrument gain variability, up to 7 percent for band 5, requires use of the internal calibration (IC) system to assure radiometric accuracy. Preliminary applications evaluation of image contents indicates that TM provides much better definition of edges than MSS.

Barker, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Fiber optics for astronomical spectroscopy - The Medusa Spectrograph

An instrument has been built to obtain simultaneous spectra of 32 objects in the field of view of the Steward Observatory 2.3 m telescope. Short lengths of optical fiber are used to bring light from galaxy images at the focus of the telescope into a line at the spectrograph slit. This multi-fiber aperture plate instrument has been dubbed the Medusa Spectrograph. The Medusa is now producing spectra of about 100 galaxies per clear night. An optimized version of the instrument called the MX Spectrometer is being constructed to record spectra at a higher rate. This new instrument will have remotely positioned fibers under computer control. A Charge Coupled Device will be used as the spectrograph detector to allow sky subtraction, give increased dynamic range and provide more accurate wavelength calibration. Transmission characteristics of some commercial fibers are discussed, and the microlens optics used to match the telescope and the spectrograph to the fibers to avoid focal ratio degradation are described.

Hill, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Photometry with Multi-anode Microchannel Arrays (mamas) and Charge Injection Devices (cids)

The characteristics of two kinds of detectors are summarized with emphasis on those aspects that would affect their use in high accuracy astronomical photometry. The first type, the multianode microchannel arrays (MAMA), are a family of pulse counting array detectors. Components and operation principles are reviewed and quantum efficiency, noise characteristics, and dynamic range characteristics are described. The second type, charge injection devices (CID), are discussed in reference to their applicability to photometric detection at optical wavelengths.

Timothy, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Gamma-ray burster recurrence timescales

Three optical transients have been found which are associated with gamma-ray bursters (GRBs). The deduced recurrence timescale for these optical transients (tau sub opt) will depend on the minimum brightness for which a flash would be detected. A detailed analysis using all available data of tau sub opt as a function of E(gamma)/E(opt) is given. For flashes similar to those found in the Harvard archives, the best estimate of tau sub opt is 0.74 years, with a 99% confidence interval from 0.23 years to 4.7 years. It is currently unclear whether the optical transients from GRBs also give rise to gamma-ray events. One way to test this association is to measure the recurrence timescale of gamma-ray events tau sub gamma. A total of 210 gamma-ray error boxes were examined and it was found that the number of observed overlaps is not significantly different from the number expected from chance coincidence. This observation can be used to place limits on tau sub gamma for an assumed luminosity function. It was found that tau sub gamma is approx. 10 yr if bursts are monoenergetic. However, if GRBs have a power law luminosity function with a wide dynamic range, then the limit is tau sub gamma 0.5 yr. Hence, the gamma-ray data do not require tau sub gamma and tau sub opt to be different.

Schaefer, B. E.↗