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At least 559 records · Page 31
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Applications of Skylab EREP photographs to mapping landforms and environmental geomorphology in the Great Plains and Midwest

The following evaluations of Skylab photographs were undertaken: (1) the 1290 Skylab S190A and S190B photographs of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota were evaluated in detail in terms of coverage, cloud cover, photographic quality, endlap, detectability of roads and stereorelief, and utility for geomorphologic mapping, and (2) the utility of the Skylab photos were tested for interpretive analytic mapping of geomorphologic features over large areas representative of different parts of this region. Photointerpretative maps of analytic geomorphology were obtained for various test areas representative of the varied landscapes in the region. These maps are useful for regional land-use planning, ground-water exploration, and other environmental geomorphologic-geologic applications. Compared with LANDSAT-1 MSS images, Skylab photos afford almost as extensive overviews of large areas but in considerably greater detail, and for many SL photos, moderate stereorelief. However, repetitive multiseasonal, cloud-free coverage by high-quality photos is very limited and many areas have no coverage at all.

Morrison, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Statistical model of meteor streams. IV - A study of radio streams from the synoptic year

The paper gives a detailed description of a search procedure for radio meteor streams and reports the detection of 275 streams in a synoptic-year sample of 19,698 radio meteors observed by the radar system of the Radio Meteor Project at Havana, Illinois. The orbital elements and related parameters of the detected streams are presented, the two parameters of the D-distribution of the streams are determined, and their mean radiants are plotted. Possible associations between the streams and possible parent objects are identified; it is found that streams may be associated with seven periodic comets, five other comets, at least nine asteroids (especially Adonis), and several fireballs. The mean space density in the streams is found to be much lower than the sporadic density, although the central density may be considerably greater than the sporadic density. It is shown that the derived absolute stream-density values are in agreement with the order of magnitude of the space densities estimated from cometary production rates for solid material of comparable particle size.

Sekanina, Z.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Results from the crop identification technology assessment for remote sensing /CITARS/ project

The CITARS (Crop Identification Technology Assessment for Remote Sensing) task design, objectives, and results are reviewed along with relevant conclusions and recommendations. The principal assessment concern crop identification performance for corn and soybeans in six sites in Illinois and Indiana. Use of quantitative measures of classification performance and statistical evaluations of the results have been important parts of the technology assessment. Relation of crop and sensor characteristics is discussed. Factors affecting crop identification performance are identified as crop maturity and site characteristics, type of single-date automatic data processing procedure used for local recognition, nonlocal recognition with and without processing for extension of recognition signatures, and use of multidate or multitemporal data. In particular, the probability of correct classification of field center pixels is not well correlated and thus is not a reliable indicator of proportion estimation performance.

Bizzell, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Ultraprecise thermal expansion measurements of seven low expansion materials

We summarize a large number of ultraprecise thermal expansion measurements made on seven different low expansivity materials. Expansion coefficients in the -150-300 C temperature range are shown for Owens-Illinois Cer-Vit C-101, Corning ULE 7971 (titanium silicate) and fused silica 7940, Heraeus-Schott Zerodur low-expansion material and Homosil fused silica, Universal Cyclops Invar LR-35, and Simonds Saw and Steel Super Invar.

Berthold, J. W., III↗
NASA NTRS1976

Aeronomy report no. 74: The Urbana meteor-radar system; design, development, and first observations

The design, development, and first observations of a high power meteor-radar system located near Urbana, Illinois are described. The roughly five-fold increase in usable echo rate compared to other facilities, along with automated digital data processing and interferometry measurement of echo arrival angles, permits unsurpassed observations of tidal structure and shorter period waves. Such observations are discussed. The technique of using echo decay rates to infer density and scale height and the method of inferring wind shear from radial acceleration are examined. An original experiment to test a theory of the Delta-region winter anomaly is presented.

Hess, G. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Program on Earth Observation Data Management Systems (EODMS), appendixes

The needs of state, regional, and local agencies involved in natural resources management in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin are investigated to determine the design of satellite remotely sensed derivable information products. It is concluded that an operational Earth Observation Data Management System (EODMS) will be most beneficial if it provides a full range of services - from raw data acquisition to interpretation and dissemination of final information products. Included is a cost and performance analysis of alternative processing centers, and an assessment of the impacts of policy, regulation, and government structure on implementing large scale use of remote sensing technology in this community of users.

Eastwood, L. F., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Symposium on Machine Processing of Remotely Sensed Data, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., June 29-July 1, 1976, Proceedings

Papers are presented on the applicability of Landsat data to water management and control needs, IBIS, a geographic information system based on digital image processing and image raster datatype, and the Image Data Access Method (IDAM) for the Earth Resources Interactive Processing System. Attention is also given to the Prototype Classification and Mensuration System (PROCAMS) applied to agricultural data, the use of Landsat for water quality monitoring in North Carolina, and the analysis of geophysical remote sensing data using multivariate pattern recognition. The Illinois crop-acreage estimation experiment, the Pacific Northwest Resources Inventory Demonstration, and the effects of spatial misregistration on multispectral recognition are also considered. Individual items are announced in this issue.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1976

Close-up view of 20 March 1976 tornadoes - Sinking cloud tops to suction vortices

The article describes an airborne mission using a Learjet to secure direct data on a family of tornadoes spawned by a rotating thunderstorm in the Missouri-Illinois-Indiana area in March 1976 following an unusually warm February. Weakening of the tornado following increased cloud-scale vertical motion, predicted by a model constructed by Fujita (1972), was confirmed. The aircraft inspected overshooting cloud tops, examined subsidence (holes and depressions) in anvil tops it overflew, and surveyed footprints left by the tornadoes and tornado-blown litter on the ground traversed by the disturbances. Subsidence of cloud tops in advance of violent tornadoes below was confirmed. Isolated and multiple suction vortices left their characteristic ground marks; three scales of motion: tornado cyclone, tornado, and suction vortex, are evidenced by the ground truth.

Fujita, T. T.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Coal extrusion in the plastic state

Continuous feeding of coal in a compressing screw extruder is described as a method of introducing coal into pressurized systems. The method utilizes the property of many bituminous coals of softening at temperatures from 350 to 425 C. Coal is then fed, much in the manner of common thermoplastics, using screw extruders. Data on the viscosity and extruder parameters for extrusion of Illinois No. 6 coal are presented.

England, C.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Solar heating and cooling system design and development

Application surveys and performance studies were conducted to determine a solar heating and hot water configuration that could be used in a variety of applications, and to identify subsystem modules that could be utilized in a building block fashion to adapt hardware items to single and multi-family residential and commercial systems. Topics discussed include: subsystem development for the solar collectors, controls, other components, energy management module, and the heating system configuration test. Operational tests conducted at an Illinois farmhouse, and a YWCA in Spokane, Washington are discussed.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1977

Design and calculated performance and cost of the ECAS Phase II open cycle MHD power generation system

A 2000 MWe MHD/steam plant for central station applications has been designed and costed as part of the Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS). This plant is fueled by Illinois No. 6 coal, rejects heat through mechanical draft wet cooling towers, and includes coal processing equipment, seed reprocessing, electrical inversion of the MHD generator output and emission controls to current EPA standards. It yields an estimated overall efficiency of 0.483 (7066 Btu/kWe-hr), a capital cost of $718 per kWe (1975 dollars), and a cost of electricity at 65% capacity factor of 32 mills per kWe-hr. If the assumed life and reliability could be achieved with these performance parameters, the MHD system should prove attractive.

Harris, L. P.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Lidar observations of wave-like structure in the atmospheric sodium layer

The University of Illinois (Urbana) lidar system has been developed to study the atmospheric sodium layer near 90 km altitude through the mechanism of resonance scattering. The photocount data are processed using digital smoothing filters to obtain continuous estimates of the sodium density versus altitude. The filter cutoff frequency is related to the height resolution and accuracy of the estimated profile. Lidar photocount data processed using this filtering technique show wave-like structures in the sodium layer which move downward with time. The waves have typical wavelengths of 3-15 km and phase velocities of less than 1 m/sec. The movement of these structures seems to be independent of the motion of the bottomside of the layer, which also has been observed to move up or down by as much as 2 km over a period of a few hours.

Rowlett, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A synoptic description of coal basins via image processing

An existing image processing system is adapted to describe the geologic attributes of a regional coal basin. This scheme handles a map as if it were a matrix, in contrast to more conventional approaches which represent map information in terms of linked polygons. The utility of the image processing approach is demonstrated by a multiattribute analysis of the Herrin No. 6 coal seam in Illinois. Findings include the location of a resource and estimation of tonnage corresponding to constraints on seam thickness, overburden, and Btu value, which are illustrative of the need for new mining technology.

Farrell, K. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Qualification test and analysis report: Solar collectors

Test results show that the Owens-Illinois Sunpak TM Model SEC 601 air-cooled collector meets the national standards and codes as defined in the Subsystem Peformance Specification and Verification Plan of NASA/MSFC, dated October 28, 1976. The program calls for the development, fabrication, qualification and delivery of an air-cooled solar collector for solar heating, combined heating and cooling, and/or hot water systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1978

Preliminary design package for Sunair SEC-601 solar collector

The preliminary design of the Owens-Illinois model Sunair SEC-601 tubular air solar collector is presented. Information in this package includes the subsystem design and development approaches, hazard analysis, and detailed drawings available as the preliminary design review.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

Identification and area estimation of agricultural crops by computer classification of Landsat MSS data

Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS) data covering a three-county area in northern Illinois were classified using computer-aided techniques as corn, soybeans, or 'other.' Recognition of test fields was 80% accurate. County estimates of the area of corn and soybeans agreed closely with those made by the USDA. Results of the use of a priori information in classification, techniques to produce unbiased area estimates, and the use of temporal and spatial features for classification are discussed. The extendability, variability, and size of training sets, wavelength band selection, and spectral characteristics of crops were also investigated.

Bauer, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Coal desulfurization by low temperature chlorinolysis, phase 2

An engineering scale reactor system was constructed and operated for the evaluation of five high sulfur bituminous coals obtained from Kentucky, Ohio, and Illinois. Forty-four test runs were conducted under conditions of 100 by 200 mesh coal,solvents - methlychloroform and water, 60 to 130 C, 0 to 60 psig, 45 to 90 minutes, and gaseous chlorine flow rate of up to 24 SCFH. Sulfur removals demonstrated for the five coals were: maximum total sulfur removal of 46 to 89% (4 of 5 coals with methylchloroform) and 0 to 24% with water. In addition, an integrated continuous flow mini-pilot plant was designed and constructed for a nominal coal rate of 2 kilograms/hour which will be operated as part of the follow-on program. Equipment flow sheets and design drawings are included for both the batch and continuous flow mini-pilot plants.

Kalvinskas, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

An evaluation of several different classification schemes - Their parameters and performance

The overall objective of this study was to apply and evaluate several of the currently available classification schemes for crop identification. The approaches examined were: (1) a per point Gaussian maximum likelihood classifier, (2) a per point sum of normal densities classifier, (3) a per point linear classifier, (4) a per point Gaussian maximum likelihood decision tree classifier, and (5) a texture sensitive per field Gaussian maximum likelihood classifier. Three agricultural data sets were used in the study: areas from Fayette County, Illinois, and Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties in Iowa. The segments were located in two distinct regions of the Corn Belt to sample variability in soils, climate, and agricultural practices.

Scholz, D.↗