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At least 595 records · Page 33

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NASA NTRS1974

Geologic structure in California: Three studies with ERTS-1 imagery

Results are presented of three early applications of imagery from the NASA Earth Resources Technology Satellite to geologic studies in California. In the Coast Ranges near Monterey Bay, numerous linear drainage features possibly indicating unmapped fracture zones were mapped within one week after launch of the satellite. A similar study of the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe revealed many drainage features probably formed along unmapped joint or faults in granitic rocks. The third study, in the Peninsular Ranges, confirmed existence of several major faults not shown on published maps. One of these, in the Sawtooth Range, crosses in Elsinore fault without lateral offset; associated Mid-Cretaceous structures have also been traced continuously across the fault without offset. It therefore appears that displacement along the Elsinore fault has been primarily of a dip-slip nature, at least in this area, despite evidence for lateral displacement elsewhere.

Lowman, P. D., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Investigation of lineaments on Skylab and ERTS images of Peninsular Ranges, Southwestern California

The author has identified the following significant results. Northwest trending faults such as the Elsinore and San Jacinto are prominently displayed on Skylab and ERTS images of the Peninsular Ranges, southern California. Northeast, north-south, and west-north-west trending lineaments and faults are also apparent on satellite imagery. Several of the lineaments represent previously unmapped faults. Other lineaments are due to erosion along foliation directions and sharp bends in basement rock contacts rather than faulting. The northeast trending Thing Valley fault appears to be offset by the south branch of the Elsinore fault near Agua Caliente Hot Springs. Larger horizontal displacement along the Elsinore fault further northwest may be distributed along several faults which branch from the Elsinore fault in the Peninsular Ranges. The northeast and west-northwest trending faults are truncated by the major northwest trending faults and appear to be restricted to basement terrane. Limited data on displacement direction suggests that the northeast and west-northwest trending faults formed in response to an earlier period of east-northeast, west-southwest crustal shortening. Such a stress system is consistent with the plate tectonic model of a subduction zone parallel to the continental margin suggested in the late Mesozoic and early Tertiary.

Merifield, P. M.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Application of ERTS-1 imagery and underflight photography in the detection and monitoring of forest insect infections in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California

The author has identified the following significant results. Analysis of ERTS-1 imagery with underflight aerial photo support including U-2, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, indicates promising possibilities of detecting and monitoring forest insect outbreaks visually with some mechanical support utilizing the VP-8 image analyzer. Visually, it is possible at a scale of 1:1,000,000 to discriminate between large areas of damaged and undamaged forests; timbered and non-timbered areas; pasture land and cultivated fields; desert and riparian vegetation. At a scale of 1:80,000 it is possible to distinguish among three classes of tree mortality; defoliated and undefoliated areas; non-host mixed conifers; and mountain meadows, rock domes, lakes and glaciers. Machine tests showed significant differences in image densities among various bands and mortality areas.

Hall, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1974

An integrated study of earth resources in the state of California using remote sensing techniques

Progress and results of an integrated study of California's water resources are discussed. The investigation concerns itself primarily with the usefulness of remote sensing of relation to two categories of problems: (1) water supply; and (2) water demand. Also considered are its applicability to forest management and timber inventory. The cost effectiveness and utility of remote sensors such as the Earth Resources Technology Satellite for water and timber management are presented.

Colwell, R. N.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Overview of Reclamation's geothermal program in Imperial Valley, California

The Bureau of Reclamation is presently involved in a unique Geothermal Resource Development Program in Imperial Valley, California. The main purpose of the investigations is to determine the feasibility of providing a source of fresh water through desalting geothermal fluids stored in the aquifers underlying the valley. Significant progress in this research and development stage to date includes extensive geophysical investigations and the drilling of five geothermal wells on the Mesa anomaly. Four of the wells are for production and monitoring the anomaly, and one will be used for reinjection of waste brines from the desalting units. Two desalting units, a multistage flash unit and a vertical tube evaporator unit, have been erected at the East Mesa test site. The units have been operated on shakedown and continuous runs and have produced substantial quantities of high-quality water.

Fulcher, M. K.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Heat flow and geothermal potential of the East Mesa KGRA, Imperial Valley, California

The East Mesa KGRA (Known Geothermal Resource Area) is located in the southeast part of the Imperial Valley, California, and is roughly 150 kilometers square in areal extent. A new heat flow technique which utilizes temperature gradient measurements across best clays is presented and shown to be as accurate as conventional methods for the present study area. Utilizing the best clay gradient technique, over 70 heat flow determinations have been completed within and around the East Mesa KGRA. Background heat flow values range from 1.4 to 2.4 hfu (1 hfu = .000001 cal. per square centimeter-second) and are typical of those throughout the Basin and Range province. Heat flow values for the northwest lobe of the KGRA (Mesa anomaly) are as high as 7.9 hfu, with the highest values located near gravity and seismic noise maxima and electrical resistivity minima. An excellent correlation exists between heat flow contours and faults defined by remote sensing and microearthquake monitoring.

Swanberg, C. A.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Measuring ground movement in geothermal areas of Imperial Valley, California

Significant ground movement may accompany the extraction of large quantities of fluids from the subsurface. In Imperial Valley, California, one of the potential hazards of geothermal development is the threat of both subsidence and horizontal movement of the land surface. Regional and local survey nets are being monitored to detect and measure possible ground movement caused by future geothermal developments. Precise measurement of surface and subsurface changes will be required to differentiate man-induced changes from natural processes in this tectonically active region.

Lofgren, B. E.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Airborne survey of major air basins in California

An instrumented aircraft was used to study the chemical and transport properties of air pollution in two major urban centers in California and to survey certain aspects of air pollution within this state. State-of-the-art measurement techniques and sampling procedures are discussed. It is found that meteorological transport mechanisms are better portrayed by vertical pollutant profiles. Airborne measurements define the nature of the mixing layer for atmospheric pollutants. Results show that the pollutants are found to be concentrated in distinct layers up to at least 18,000 feet and the O3 buildup occurring in advected air masses is a result of a continuous photochemical aging of air mass.

Gloria, H. R.↗

NASA NTRS1974

California nearshore processes - ERTS 1

The detectability of many nearshore processes from ERTS is made possible due to the suspended sediment present in the coastal waters. From viewing and analyzing the California coastal imagery collected during the last year and a half, the overall current patterns and their changes have become evident. It is now possible to map monthly and seasonal changes that occur throughout the year. The original objectives of detecting currents, sediment transport, estuaries and river discharge have now been expanded to include the use of ERTS information in operational problems of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This incorporates the detected nearshore features into planning and organizing shore protection facilities.

Steller, D. D.↗

NASA NTRS1975

California coastal processes study: Skylab

The author has identified the following significant results. In San Pablo Bay, the patterns of dredged sediment discharges were plotted over a three month period. It was found that lithogenous particles, kept in suspension by the fresh water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin, were transported downstream to the estuarine area at varying rates depending on the river discharge level. Skylab collected California coastal imagery at limited times and not at constant intervals. Resolution, however, helped compensate for lack of coverage. Increased spatial and spectral resolution provided details not possible utilizing Landsat imagery. The S-192 data was reformatted; band by band image density stretching was utilized to enhance sediment discharge patterns entrainment, boundaries, and eddys. The 26 January 1974 Skylab 4 imagery of San Francisco Bay was taken during an exceptionally high fresh water and suspended sediment discharge period. A three pronged surface sediment pattern was visible where the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers entered San Pablo Bay through Carquinez Strait.

Pirie, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Hot, cold, and annual reference atmospheres for Edwards Air Force Base, California (1975 version)

Reference atmospheres pertaining to summer (hot), winter (cold), and mean annual conditions for Edwards Air Force Base, California, are presented from surface to 90 km altitude (700 km for the annual model). Computed values of pressure, kinetic temperature, virtual temperature, and density and relative differences percentage departure from the Edwards reference atmospheres, 1975 (ERA-75) of the atmospheric parameters versus altitude are tabulated in 250 m increments. Hydrostatic and gas law equations were used in conjunction with radiosonde and rocketsonde thermodynamic data in determining the vertical structure of these atmospheric models. The thermodynamic parameters were all subjected to a fifth degree least-squares curve-fit procedure, and the resulting coefficients were incorporated into Univac 1108 computer subroutines so that any quantity may be recomputed at any desired altitude using these subroutines.

Johnson, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Usefulness of LANDSAT data for monitoring plant development and range conditions in California's annual grassland

A network of sampling sites throughout the annual grassland region of California was established to correlate plant growth stages and forage production to climatic and other environmental factors. Plant growth and range conditions were further related to geographic location and seasonal variations. A sequence of LANDSAT data was obtained covering critical periods in the growth cycle. This was analyzed by both photointerpretation and computer aided techniques. Image characteristics and spectral reflectance data were then related to forage production, range condition, range site and changing growth conditions. It was determined that repeat sequences with LANDSAT color composite images do provide a means for monitoring changes in range condition. Spectral radiance data obtained from magnetic tape can be used to determine quantitatively the critical stages in the forage growth cycle. A computer ratioing technique provided a sensitive indicator of changes in growth stages and an indication of the relative differences in forage production between range sites.

Carneggie, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Active and inactive faults in southern California viewed from Skylab

The application is discussed of Skylab imagery along with larger scale photography and field investigations in preparing fault maps of California for use in land use planning. The images were used to assist in distinguishing active from inactive faults (by recognizing indications of recent displacement), determining the length of potentially active faults, identifying previously unmapped faults, and gaining additional information on regional tectonic history.

Merifield, P. M.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Remote sensing applications in water resources management by the California Department of Water Resources

The possibility of applying imagery from high altitude aircraft and satellites sensors to water management in California was evaluated. Results from seven applications studies comparing the costs of using high altitude imagery for various purposes to the costs of using conventional data sources, reveal the high altitude imagery to be more cost effective in six cases and equal to conventional data sources in one case. These results also reveal that the imagery provides a level of quality not generally achievable with uncorrected conventional imagery. Although satellite application studies are not yet complete, preliminary results indicate that some definite possibilities exist for employing satellite imagery on an operational basis within the next few years.

Brown, B.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Vector wind and vector wind shear models 0 to 27 km altitude for Cape Kennedy, Florida, and Vandenberg AFB, California

The techniques are presented to derive several statistical wind models. The techniques are from the properties of the multivariate normal probability function. Assuming that the winds can be considered as bivariate normally distributed, then (1) the wind components and conditional wind components are univariate normally distributed, (2) the wind speed is Rayleigh distributed, (3) the conditional distribution of wind speed given a wind direction is Rayleigh distributed, and (4) the frequency of wind direction can be derived. All of these distributions are derived from the 5-sample parameter of wind for the bivariate normal distribution. By further assuming that the winds at two altitudes are quadravariate normally distributed, then the vector wind shear is bivariate normally distributed and the modulus of the vector wind shear is Rayleigh distributed. The conditional probability of wind component shears given a wind component is normally distributed. Examples of these and other properties of the multivariate normal probability distribution function as applied to Cape Kennedy, Florida, and Vandenberg AFB, California, wind data samples are given. A technique to develop a synthetic vector wind profile model of interest to aerospace vehicle applications is presented.

Smith, O. E.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Basalt models for the Mars penetrator mission: Geology of the Amboy Lava Field, California

Amboy lava field (San Bernardino County, California) is a Holocene basalt flow selected as a test site for potential Mars Penetrators. A discussion is presented of (1) the general relations of basalt flow features and textures to styles of eruptions on earth, (2) the types of basalt flows likely to be encountered on Mars and the rationale for selection of the Amboy lava field as a test site, (3) the general geology of the Amboy lava field, and (4) detailed descriptions of the target sites at Amboy lava field.

Greeley, R.↗

NASA NTRS1975

California resource inventory via satellite sensing

There is a rapidly increasing need for wise management of such earth resources as agricultural crops, timber, forage, water, minerals, soils, fish, wildlife and oceanographic and atmospheric resources. An important first step leading to such management is that of obtaining accurate inventories of these resources, quickly, economically, and at suitably frequent intervals. Remote sensing from such manned satellites as Skylab, and from such unmanned satellites as those in the Landsat series, is proving to be of great value in the making of these inventories. Numerous examples are given of the uses made of satellite sensing as an aid to resource inventory in California. Also included is a consideration of the optimum uses that can be made of Skylab-EREP type data in conjunction with lower and higher resolution remote sensing data as acquired by Landsat-type vehicles and by aircraft, respectively.

Colwell, R. N.↗

NASA NTRS1977

California coastal processes study, LANDSAT 2

The authors have identified the following significant results. By using suspended sediments as tracers, objectives were met by qualitative definition of the nearshore circulation along the entire coast of California with special study sites at Humboldt Bay, the mouth of the Russian River, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, and the Santa Barbara Channel. Although LANDSAT primarily imaged fines and silts in the surface waters, the distribution of sediments allowed an examination of upwelling, convergences and coastal erosion and deposition. In Monterey Bay and Humboldt Bay, these coastal phenomena were used to trace seasonal trends in surface currents.

Pirie, D. M.↗