Imaging Pyrometry and Optical Depth Measurements in Explosive Fireballs using High-Speed Imaging .
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The development, calibration and integration of the high resolution imager (HRI) for the Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) is discussed.
For the last two years we have embarked on a program of understanding the ultimate limits of ground-based optical imaging. We have designed and fabricated a camera specifically for high resolution imaging. This camera has now been pressed into service at the prime focus of the Hale 5 m telescope. We have concentrated on two techniques: the Non-Redundant Masking (NRM) and Weigelt's Fully Filled Aperture (FFA) method. The former is the optical analog of radio interferometry and the latter is a higher order extension of the Labeyrie autocorrelation method. As in radio Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), both these techniques essentially measure the closure phase and, hence, true image construction is possible. We have successfully imaged binary stars and asteroids with angular resolution approaching the diffraction limit of the telescope and image quality approaching that of a typical radio VLBI map. In addition, we have carried out analytical and simulation studies to determine the ultimate limits of ground-based optical imaging, the limits of space-based interferometric imaging, and investigated the details of imaging tradeoffs of beam combination in optical interferometers.
Abstract Modern lens designs are capable of resolving greater than 10 gigapixels, while advances in camera frame-rate and hyperspectral imaging have made data acquisition rates of Terapixel/second a real possibility. The main bottlenecks preventing such high data-rate systems are power consumption and data storage. In this work, we show that analog photonic encoders could address this challenge, enabling high-speed image compression using orders-of-magnitude lower power than digital electronics. Our approach relies on a silicon-photonics front-end to compress raw image data, foregoing energy-intensive image conditioning and reducing data storage requirements. The compression scheme uses a passive disordered photonic structure to perform kernel-type random projections of the raw image data with minimal power consumption and low latency. A back-end neural network can then reconstruct the original images with structural similarity exceeding 90%. This scheme has the potential to process data streams exceeding Terapixel/second using less than 100 fJ/pixel, providing a path to ultra-high-resolution data and image acquisition systems.
High-resolution, calibrated images of the near-nucleus regions of Halley, Giacobini-Zinner (for ICE encounter) and additional comets displaying widely differing levels of activity were acquired with a CCD sensor at the Cassegrain focus of the 3.6 m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). The International Halley Watch designated interference filters were used. Successful correlation of ICE magnetic field data with the optical images obtained with the CFHT on the night of encounter (11 Sept. 1985) primarily through the H2O(+) and neighboring continuum passbands and with 300 km spatial resolution provokes reinterpretation of the observed structure of cometary ion tails. The observations of Halley, limited by bad weather, were made at significant periods of the apparition: the first, in December 1984 with the comet at 5.3 AU during the period of the onset of activity; and the last, in November 1985 with the comet near opposition. The December observations show evidence of residual activity. The 18 November data show a highly-condensed inner coma with an extreme falloff in brightness from the region of the nucleus. These data provide the basis for characterizing the gas and dust environment in the immediate vicinity of the active nucleus.
In scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), spatial resolution is primarily influenced by the projected size of the electron probe within the specimen. In thin samples, a large semi-convergence angle enables a tightly focused beam and sub-nanometer resolution. However, in thick specimens, resolution is fundamentally limited by transverse beam broadening from multiple large-angle scattering events—for example, a probe with 10 mrad angular divergence can broaden by ∼100 nm over a 10 μm path. Since this broadening scales inversely with beam energy, MeV-STEM offers a promising route for high-resolution imaging in thick materials. To quantitatively assess this effect, we performed high-precision measurements at UCLA’s PEGASUS beamline, characterizing beam divergence and intensity profiles for 3–8 MeV electrons transmitted through a wedged-silicon sample of varying thickness. Our results reconcile discrepancies among analytical models and validate Monte Carlo simulations. Here, we find that increasing beam energy from 3.0 to 5.8 MeV reduces angular broadening by a factor of 2.6, with diminishing returns observed at 7.6 MeV. These findings provide a quantitative framework for optimizing MeV-STEM parameters in high-resolution imaging of thick biological and microelectronic specimens, and for guiding beam energy selection in other advanced imaging modes beyond STEM.
Very high resolution Viking Orbiter images of the Martian surface, though rare, make it possible to examine specific areas at image scales approaching those of high altitude terrestrial aerial photographs. Twenty three clear images lie within west Deuteronilus Mensae. The northernmost images which constitute an almost unbroken mosaic of the west wall of a long fingerlike canyon are examined. Morphological details on the plateau surface within zone B, not detectable at low resolution, make it possible to divide the zone into two distinct subzones separated by an east-west escarpment. The morphology of the canyon floor is described in detail.
The strategy of this investigation has been to develop new high-resolution imaging capabilities and to apply them to extended observing programs. These programs have included Io's neutral sodium cloud and comets. The Io observing program was carried out at Table Mountain Observatory (1976 to 1981), providing a framework interpreting Voyager measurements of the Io torus, and serving as an important reference for studying asymmetries and time variabilities in the Jovian magnetosphere. Comet observations made with the 3.6 m Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and 1.6 m AMOS telescope (1984 to 1987) provide basis for studying early coma development in Halley, the kinematics of its nucleus, and the internal and external structure of the nucleus. Images of GZ from the ICE encounter period form the basis for unique comparisons with in situ magnetic field and dust impact measurements to determine the ion tail and dust coma structure, respectively.
High resolution non-contact atomic force microscopy measurements characterize assemblies of trimesic acid molecules on Cu(111) and the link group interactions, providing the first fingerprints utilizing CO-based probes for this widely studied paradigm for hydrogen bond driven molecular self assembly. The enhanced submolecular resolution offered by this technique uniquely reveals key aspects of the competing interactions. Accurate comparison between full-density-based modeled images and experiment allows to identify key structural elements in the assembly in terms of the electron-withdrawing character of the carboxylic groups, interactions of those groups with Cu atoms in the surface, and the valence electron density in the intermolecular region of the hydrogen bonds. This study of trimesic acid assemblies on Cu(111) combining high resolution atomic force microscopy measurements with theory and simulation forges clear connections between fundamental chemical properties of molecules and key features imprinted in force images with submolecular resolution.
A real time thermal imaging system with temperature resolution better than + or - 1 C and spatial resolution of better than 0.5 mm was developed and applied to the analysis of melt surface thermal field distributions in both Czochralski and liquid encapsulated Czochralski (LEC) growth configurations. The melt is viewed in near normal incidence by a high resolution charge coupled device camera to which is attached a very narrow bandpass filter. The resulting image is digitized and processed using a pipelined pixel processor operating at an effective 40 million operations per second thus permitting real time high frequency spatial and temporal filtering of the high temperature scene. A multi-pixel averaging algorithm was developed which permits localized, low noise sensing of temperature variations at any location in the hot zone as a function of time. This signial is used to implement initial elements of a feedforward growth control scheme which is aimed at reducing disturbances to the melt caused by the batch nature of the growth process. The effect of magnetic melt stabilization on radial melt temperature distributions was measured using this technique. Problems associated with residual internal reflections and non-optimized path geometry are discussed.
In this talk, the techniques for achieving high response uniformity from a pushbroom imaging spectrometer are discussed, and spectrometer system examples are given that maximize SNR and uniformity.
Three observations, separated by 6 months, of the Local Group galaxy M33 using the high resolution imager (HRI) on the Einstein Observatory are reported. Eight X-ray sources with luminosites ranging from 8 x 10 to the 36th to 1.2 x 10 to the 39th ergs/s have been detected. For seven of these sources, finding charts with positions accurate to less than 5 arcsec are provided. The X-ray properties and possible identifications are discussed for the eight HRI-detected sources and for two other sources, previously described by Long et al. (1981), for which upper limits are provided. It is found that most of the sources are associated with Population I markers. One source may be coincident with an optical supernova remnant. The most luminous source (by a factor of at least 25) is that associated with the optical nucleus. Because the X-ray flux from the nucleus decreased by a factor of 1/2 between the first and second observations, it is most likely that a single, compact object is responsible for the X-ray emission. It is possible that this source may be an active galactic nucleus, a massive binary X-ray source, or a low-mass X-ray binary such as are found in globular clusters within the Galaxy.
The use of infrared radiance measurements made from high altitude aircraft for satellite image validation is discussed. Selected examples are presented to illustrate the techniques and the potentials of such validation studies.
The collection of long term global statistics on cloud cover may be most easily accomplished with satellite based observations; however, measurements derived from passive satellite retrieval methods must be calibrated and verified by in situ or ground based remote sensor observations. Verification is not straight forward, however, because the highly variable nature of cloud altitude, morphology, and optical characteristics complicates the scaling of point measurements to satellite footprint sized areas. This is particularly evident for cirrus clouds which may be organized on horizontal scales of 10's of meters to 8 km or more, and have optical depths ranging from less than .003 to greater than 3. Cirrus clouds can strongly influence earths' radiative balance, but, because they are often transmissive, cirrus clouds are difficult to detect and characterize from satellite measurements. Because of its precise ranging capabilities, spatial resolution and sensitivity, lidar observations have played an important role in the detection, depiction, and characterization of cirrus clouds. Some of the characteristics of cirrus clouds are summarized which observed the High Spectral Resolution and Volume Imaging Lidars during the phase 1 IFO and ETO periods.
The scope of this paper is the development and recent field deployments of the High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP), which was funded under the NASA Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) [1]. HIWRAP is a dual-frequency (Ka- and Ku-band), dual-beam (300 and 400 incidence angles), conical scanning, Doppler radar system designed for operation on the NASA high-altitude (65,000 ft) Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). It utilizes solid state transmitters along with a novel pulse compression scheme that results in a system with compact size, light weight, less power consumption, and low cost compared to radars currently in use for precipitation and Doppler wind measurements. By combining measurements at Ku- and Ka-band, HIWRAP is able to image winds through measuring volume backscattering from clouds and precipitation. In addition, HIWRAP is also capable of measuring surface winds in an approach similar to SeaWinds on QuikScat. To this end, HIWRAP hardware and software development has been completed. It was installed on the NASA WB57 for instrument test flights in March, 2010 and then deployed on the NASA Global Hawk for supporting the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) field campaign in August-September, 2010. This paper describes the scientific motivations of the development of HIWRAP as well as system hardware, aircraft integration and flight missions. Preliminary data from GRIP science flights is also presented.
Results of a study of techniques for imaging the aurora from a high altitude satellite at X-ray wavelengths are summarized. The X-ray observations allow the straightforward derivation of the primary auroral X-ray spectrum and can be made at all local times, day and night. Five candidate imaging systems are identified: X-ray telescope, multiple pinhole camera, coded aperture, rastered collimator, and imaging collimator. Examples of each are specified, subject to common weight and size limits which allow them to be intercompared. The imaging ability of each system is tested using a wide variety of sample spectra which are based on previous satellite observations. The study shows that the pinhole camera and coded aperture are both good auroral imaging systems. The two collimated detectors are significantly less sensitive. The X-ray telescope provides better image quality than the other systems in almost all cases, but a limitation to energies below about 4 keV prevents this system from providing the spectra data essential to deriving electron spectra, energy input to the atmosphere, and atmospheric densities and conductivities. The orbit selection requires a tradeoff between spatial resolution and duty cycle.
High resolution calibrated infrared imagery of vehicles during hypervelocity atmospheric entry or sustained hypersonic cruise has the potential to provide flight data on the distribution of surface temperature and the state of the airflow over the vehicle. In the early 1980 s NASA sought to obtain high spatial resolution infrared imagery of the Shuttle during entry. Despite mission execution with a technically rigorous pre-planning capability, the single airborne optical system for this attempt was considered developmental and the scientific return was marginal. In 2005 the Space Shuttle Program again sponsored an effort to obtain imagery of the Orbiter. Imaging requirements were targeted towards Shuttle ascent; companion requirements for entry did not exist. The engineering community was allowed to define observation goals and incrementally demonstrate key elements of a quantitative spatially resolved measurement capability over a series of flights. These imaging opportunities were extremely beneficial and clearly demonstrated capability to capture infrared imagery with mature and operational assets of the US Navy and the Missile Defense Agency. While successful, the usefulness of the imagery was, from an engineering perspective, limited. These limitations were mainly associated with uncertainties regarding operational aspects of data acquisition. These uncertainties, in turn, came about because of limited pre-flight mission planning capability, a poor understanding of several factors including the infrared signature of the Shuttle, optical hardware limitations, atmospheric effects and detector response characteristics. Operational details of sensor configuration such as detector integration time and tracking system algorithms were carried out ad hoc (best practices) which led to low probability of target acquisition and detector saturation. Leveraging from the qualified success during Return-to-Flight, the NASA Engineering and Safety Center sponsored an assessment study focused on increasing the probability of returning spatially resolved scientific/engineering thermal imagery. This paper provides an overview of the assessment task and the systematic approach designed to establish confidence in the ability of existing assets to reliably acquire, track and return global quantitative surface temperatures of the Shuttle during entry. A discussion of capability demonstration in support of a potential Shuttle boundary layer transition flight test is presented. Successful demonstration of a quantitative, spatially resolved, global temperature measurement on the proposed Shuttle boundary layer transition flight test could lead to potential future applications with hypersonic flight test programs within the USAF and DARPA along with flight test opportunities supporting NASA s project Constellation.