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At least 883 records · Page 49

Optical data processing and projected applications of the ERTS-1 imagery covering the 1973 Mississippi River Valley floods

Flooding along the Mississippi River and some of its tributaries was imaged by the multispectral scanner (MSS) on the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1) on at least three orbits during the spring of 1973. The ERTS data provided the first opportunity for mapping the regional extent of flooding at the time the imagery was acquired. Special optical data processing techniques were used to produce a variety of multispectral color composites which enhanced floodplain details. One of these, a two-color composite of near infrared bands 6 and 7, was enlarged and registered to 1:250,0OO-scale topographic maps and used as the basis for preparation of flood image maps. Two specially filtered three-color composites of MSS bands 5, 6, and 7 and 4, 5, and 7 were prepared to aid in the interpretation of the data. The extent of the flooding was vividly depicted on a single image by two-color temporal composites produced on the additive-color viewer using band 7 flood data superimposed on pre-flood band 7 images. On May 24, when the floodwaters at St. Louis receded to bankfull stage, imagery was again obtained by ERTS. Analysis of temporal data composites of the pre-flood and post-flood band 7 images indicate that changes in surface reflectance characteristics caused by the flooding can be delineated, thus making it possible to map the overall area flooded without the necessity of a real-time system to track and image the peak flood waves. Regional planning and disaster relief agencies such as the Corps of Engineers, Office of Emergency Preparedness, Soil Conservation Service, interstate river basin commissions and state agencies, as well as private lending and insurance institutions, have indicated strong potential applications for ERTS image-maps of flood-prone areas.

Morris Deutsch↗

Automation of crew procedures using multifunction display and control systems

A multifunction display and control system (MFDCS) design concept has been developed for the Orbiter spacecraft. The system provides for automation of crew procedures, fault prioritization, incorporation of checklists and procedures into the display and control system and system flexibility in response to mission variation, increased experience and advancing display and control technology. Hardware included in the system includes a multifunction keyboard using programmable legend switches, a medium size flat panel display for presentation of alphanumeric information and a color CRT for the display of schematic diagrams. The access schema for the multifunction display and control system preserves the single function capability of the present set of dedicated switches while also providing for automation of many of the checklists and procedures. A basic design feature of the system is the ability to change the relative level of automation and crew interaction without modifying the system hardware or basic software operating system.

Spiger, R. J.↗

Earth observations during Space Shuttle mission STS-28 - 8-13 August 1989

An overview of the STS-28 earth observation is provided with attention given to meteorology, oceanographic phenomena, and human activity such as urban environments and related land uses. Environmental observations discussed include evidence of a monsoon, vegetation changes such as deforestation, and water pollution and eutrophication of major rivers. Particular attention is paid to atmospheric palls in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Discussion of geological observations focuses on the Mount St. Helens volcano and the little-recognized landform type, the immense illuvial cone. Observation techniques include use of color infrared film and two types of polarization observations.

Whitehead, Victor S.↗

Spacecraft Material Characterization Using Reflectance Spectra Extracted from RGB/IR Color Images

The space environment is detrimental to the exterior of the spacecraft and imposes stringent requirements on spacecraft materials. Space materials are often expected to perform for 15-20 years in the harsh space environment without significant degradation of their optical, electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. Further, as commercial activities increase in the space domain, development of predictive capability for material evolution is critical for agile adaption of novel materials. Therefore, it is very important to understand the effects of the space environments on the spacecraft materials. The Materials on the International Space Station Experiment Flight Facility (MISSE-FF) has flown numerous material samples to investigate the effect of LEO space weather exposure on the performance and durability of materials and devices. We are manifest on the MISSE-16 mission, scheduled to launch in June 2022, to fly fifteen novel and well-characterized materials in the LEO environment for a duration of six months. Changes in spectral reflectivity will be measured in real time throughout the mission with an RGB/IR camera. These time-resolved data will function as a "space-truth" reference for our team's ongoing laboratory-based space weather-material interaction experiments. Correlation of the MISSE-16 data with extensive ground testing of duplicate samples under simulated space weather conditions will enable development of fundamental chemical models for material degradation. This paper discusses preliminary results from the ground test campaign to collect the RGB/IR images for pristine and damaged materials and the development of machine learning algorithms to extract reflectance spectra from the color images.

Jainisha R. Shah↗

Spacecraft Material Characterization Using Reflectance Spectra Extracted from RGB/IR Color Images

The space environment is detrimental to the exterior of the spacecraft and imposes stringent requirements on spacecraft materials. Space materials are often expected to perform for 15-20 years in the harsh space environment without significant degradation of their optical, electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. Further, as commercial activities increase in the space domain, development of predictive capability for material evolution is critical for agile adaption of novel materials. Therefore, it is very important to understand the effects of the space environments on the spacecraft materials. The Materials on the International Space Station Experiment Flight Facility (MISSE-FF) has flown numerous material samples to investigate the effect of LEO space weather exposure on the performance and durability of materials and devices. We are manifest on the MISSE-16 mission, scheduled to launch in June 2022, to fly fifteen novel and well-characterized materials in the LEO environment for a duration of six months. Changes in spectral reflectivity will be measured in real time throughout the mission with an RGB/IR camera. These time-resolved data will function as a "space-truth" reference for our team's ongoing laboratory-based space weather-material interaction experiments. Correlation of the MISSE-16 data with extensive ground testing of duplicate samples under simulated space weather conditions will enable development of fundamental chemical models for material degradation. This paper discusses preliminary results from the ground test campaign to collect the RGB/IR images for pristine and damaged materials and the development of machine learning algorithms to extract reflectance spectra from the color images.

Jainisha R. Shah↗

The Twins Embedding of Type Ia Supernovae. I. The Diversity of Spectra at Maximum Light

In this work, we study the spectral diversity of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at maximum light using high signal-to-noise spectrophotometry of 173 SNe Ia from the Nearby Supernova Factory. We decompose the diversity of these spectra into different extrinsic and intrinsic components, and we construct a nonlinear parameterization of the intrinsic diversity of SNe Ia that preserves pairings of "twin"SNe Ia. We call this parameterization the "Twins Embedding."Our methodology naturally handles highly nonlinear variability in spectra, such as changes in the photosphere expansion velocity, and uses the full spectrum rather than being limited to specific spectral line strengths, ratios, or velocities. We find that the time evolution of SNe Ia near maximum light is remarkably similar, with 84.6% of the variance in common to all SNe Ia. After correcting for brightness and color, the intrinsic variability of SNe Ia is mostly restricted to specific spectral lines, and we find intrinsic dispersions as low as ~0.02 mag between 6600 and 7200 Å. With a nonlinear three-dimensional model plus one dimension for color, we can explain 89.2% of the intrinsic diversity in our sample of SNe Ia, which includes several different kinds of "peculiar"SNe Ia. A linear model requires seven dimensions to explain a comparable fraction of the intrinsic diversity. We show how a wide range of previously established indicators of diversity in SNe Ia can be recovered from the Twins Embedding. In a companion article, we discuss how these results can be applied to the standardization of SNe Ia for cosmology.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Characterization of MODIS VIS/NIR Spectral Band Detector-to-Detector Difference

MODIS has 36 spectral bands with wavelengths in the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), shortwave infrared (SWTR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), and long-wave infrared (LWIR). It makes observations at three nadir spatial resolutions: 0,25km for bands 1-2 with 40 detectors per band, 0.5km for bands 3-7 with 20 detectors per band, and 1km for bands 8-36 with 10 detectors per band. The VIS, NIR, and S\VIR spectral bands are the reflective solar bands (RSB), which are calibrated on-orbit by a solar diffuser (SD). In addition, MODIS lunar observations are used to track the RSB calibration stability. In this study, we examine detector-to-detector calibration difference for the VIStNIR spectral bands using the SD and lunar observations. The results will be compared with an independent analysis with additional information, such as polarization correction, derived from standard ocean color data products. The current MODIS RSB calibration approach only carries a band-averaged RVS (response versus scan angle) correction. The results from this study suggest that a detector-based RVS correction should be used to improve the L1B data quality, especially for several VIS bands in Terra MODIS due to large changes of the scan mirror's optical properties in recent years.

Xiong, X.↗

Scalar Measurements and Analysis of Helium Jets in Earth Gravity and Microgravity using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry

Recent experiments have shown that low-density gas jets injected into a high-density gas undergo an instability mode leading to highly periodic oscillations in the flow field. The transition from laminar to turbulent flow in these jets is abrupt, without a gradual change in scales. Although this type of instability at high Richardson numbers has been attributed to buoyancy, direct physical evidence was not acquired through experiments. In this study, several experiments were conducted in Earth gravity and microgravity to acquire qualitative data on near field flow structure of helium jets injected into air. Microgravity conditions were simulated in the 2.2-second drop tower at NASA Glenn Research Center. The operating parameters of this study included the tube inside diameter, the jet Reynolds number, and the jet Richardson number. Tubes with inside diameters of 19.05 mm and 31.75 mm were used in the experiments conducted in the drop tower. The jet flow was analyzed using quantitative rainbow schlieren deflectometry, a non-intrusive line of sight measurement technique for the whole field. The flow structure was characterized by distributions of angular deflection and the resulting helium mole fraction obtained from color schlieren images taken at 60 Hz. Three sets of experimental data with respect to three schlieren fields of view were acquired for each tube. Results show that the jet in microgravity was up to 70 percent wider than that in Earth gravity. The global jet flow oscillations observed in Earth gravity were absent in microgravity, providing direct experimental evidence that the flow instability in the low-density jet was buoyancy-induced. This study provides quantitative details of temporal flow evolution as the experiments undergo change in gravity in the drop tower.

Yep, Tze Wing↗

Light Element Abundances and Multiple Populations in M53

We present results from a study of 94 red giant stars in the globular cluster M53. We use low-resolution spectra to measure the strength of CN and CH features at ∼3800 and 4300 Å, respectively. The strengths of these features are used to classify stars into a CN-enhanced and CN-normal population and to measure C and N abundances in all 94 stars. We find the red giant branch stars to be evenly split between the two populations identified, and observe the presence of CN-enhanced stars on the asymptotic giant branch. In addition, we identify five CH star candidates based on the strength of their CN and CH band features, and the presence of a P-branch in their CH band. We compare our identification of multiple populations to those based on the Na–O anticorrelation and pseudo-color indices in Hubble Space Telescope UV photometry, and find general agreement between all three methods. Our large sample size also allows us to study the radial distribution of each population, and we find that the CN-enhanced population is more centrally concentrated. We use our C and N measurements to compare the evolutionary changes in these elements as a function of magnitude between the two populations, and show that both populations experience similar evolutionary changes to the surface abundances of C and N. Finally, we calculate C+N+O abundances for each population and compare them to similar measurements made in M10; we find that in both clusters, CN-enhanced stars have a slightly enhanced C+N+O (Δ(C+N+O) ∼ 0.2 dex).

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Validation of Ocean Color Remote Sensing Data using a Moored Databuoy

NASA's Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) aims to measure global ocean color from space to within 5% to provide insights into fundamental ocean processes. SeaWiFS must be backed by comprehensive calibration and validation programs if the mission is to achieve this. In situ measurements of normalized water-leaving radiance (L(sub wn)) made simultaneously with satellite measurements can complement on-orbit methods of tracking changes in the calibration of the satellite radiometer and allow end-to-end vicarious validation of the remotely-sensed data. A moored optical databuoy was developed at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK to measure L(sub wn) in the western English Channel. Tests indicate that the buoy is capable of measuring spectral incident irradiance with less than 10% error and water-leaving radiance with less than 20% error; these errors are reduced by averaging and show no bias. There were 24 match-ups with good quality SeaWiFS data at the buoy site during the ten months of deployment within the period May 1997 and September 1998. The differences between the buoy and SeaWiFS measurements of L(sub wn) were found to be variable and often large. The root-mean-square (RMS) differences varied from 102% at 412 nm to 50% at 555 nm. The RMS differences in measurements of L(sub wn) could be reduced to less than 18% by a combination of increasing the calibration coefficients of SeaWiFS by between 0.2 and 4.3% in the visible bands and by tuning the extrapolation of aerosol radiances from the near infrared to the visible wavelengths. These results imply that the monitoring of the absolute calibration of the SeaWiFS bands is imperfect and errors remain in the extrapolation of aerosol radiances for atmospheric correction.

Lavender, Samantha↗

Building a Robust Commercial Microgravity Economy in Earth's Orbit: Economic Readiness Considerations

The reduced gravity environment of space provides a unique opportunity to further our understanding of various materials phenomena involving the molten, fluidic and gaseous states as well as life science applications where, contrary to earlier beliefs, microgravity induces changes in single cells and simple organisms; not only in large organisms with a complex overall response to gravity (or lack thereof). The potential breadth of commercial opportunities in microgravity thus spans over many verticals of the private sector with applications ranging from fiber optics, high-resolution crystals, microencapsulation, 3D organs to perfume and color dyes. Overall, products manufactured in microgravity hold the promise to have key properties surpassing their best terrestrial counterparts. Commercialization, also known as taking a new technology to market, is a journey in itself where the business, economic, market and technological components must align to generate a successful outcome. A business perspective is very different than technology maturation. In order for a technology to be ready for commercialization, it must not only be mature, but it must also have a compelling business case, and the means to scale up production must be identified and practical. Creating a robust economy in Earths orbit (Fig 1) is especially challenging because of the complexity (high risks, lack of standardization) involved in predicting future growth. This complexity can easily overwhelm the fact that many of the products have an attractive touch of space which aids with branding and marketing.This paper reviews the types of added value that can be extracted from space, with an emphasis on the microgravity environment. In addition, lessons learned from past commercialization efforts will be reviewed. While past efforts have yielded some point successes, they have as a whole failed to precipitate a sustainable LEO based market

Cozmuta, Ioana↗

Economic Readiness Level Considerations for a Robust LEO Economy

The reduced gravity environment of space provides a unique opportunity to further our understanding of various materials phenomena involving the molten, fluidic and gaseous states as well as life science applications where, contrary to earlier beliefs, microgravity induces changes in single cells and simple organisms; not only in large organisms with a complex overall response to gravity (or lack thereof). The potential breadth of commercial opportunities in microgravity thus spans over many verticals of the private sector with applications ranging from fiber optics, high-resolution crystals, microencapsulation, 3D organs to perfume and color dyes. Overall, products manufactured in microgravity hold the promise to have key properties surpassing their best terrestrial counterparts. Commercialization, also known as taking a new technology to market, is a journey in itself where the business, economic, market and technological components must align to generate a successful outcome. A business perspective is very different than technology maturation, which can be measured with the usual Technology Readiness Level (TRL) approach. In order for a technology to be ready for commercialization, it must not only be mature (high TRL), but it must also have a compelling business case, and the means to scale up production must be identified and practical. Creating a sustainable economy in an emerging market such as microgravity is especially challenging because of the complexity (high risks, lack of standardization) involved in predicting future growth. This complexity can easily overwhelm the fact that many of the products have an attractive touch of space which aids with branding and marketing.This paper builds upon the concept of the verticals of microgravity, capturing not only new lines of investigations but also promising killer apps originating from microgravity to discuss and define the notion of Economic Readiness Level (ERL). To advance in ERL, the technology itself may not necessarily need to mature at all, but the understanding of its economic potential does. Building upon ERL, a model that ultimately leads to the creation of pathways for infusion of private capital and a sustainable commercial microgravity LEO-Earth economy will be discussed.

Cozmuta, Ioana↗

Shear and bulk viscosity for a pure glue theory using an effective matrix model

At nonzero temperatures, the deconfining phase transition can be analyzed using an effective matrix model to characterize the change in holonomy. The model includes gluons and two-dimensional ghost fields in the adjoint representation, or “teens.” As ghosts, the teen fields are responsible for the decrease of the pressure as 𝑇 →𝑇 𝑑 , with 𝑇 𝑑 the transition temperature for deconfinement. Using the solution of this matrix model for a large number of colors, the parameters of the teen fields are adjusted so that the expectation value of the Polyakov loop is close to the values from the lattice. The shear, 𝜂, and bulk, 𝜁, viscosities are computed at nonzero holonomy to leading logarithmic order in weak coupling. In the pure glue theory, the value of the Polyakov loop is relatively large in the deconfined phase, ≈1/2 at 𝑇 𝑑 . Consequently, if 𝑠 is the entropy density, while 𝜂/𝑠 decreases as 𝑇 →𝑇 𝑑 , it is still well above the conformal bound. In contrast, 𝜁/𝑠 is largest at 𝑇 𝑑 , comparable to 𝜂/𝑠, then falls off rapidly with increasing temperature and is negligible by ∼2⁢𝑇 𝑑 .

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Long Duration Head-Down Tilt Bed Rest Studies: Safety Considerations Regarding Vision Health

Visual symptoms reported in astronauts returning from long duration missions in low Earth orbit, including hyperopic shift, choroidal folds, globe flattening and papilledema, are thought to be related to fluid shifts within the body due to microgravity exposure. Because of this possible relation to fluid shifts, safety considerations have been raised regarding the ocular health of head-down tilt (HDT) bed rest subjects. HDT is a widely used ground ]based analog that simulates physiological changes of spaceflight, including fluid shifts. Thus, vision monitoring has been performed in bed rest subjects in order to evaluate the safety of HDT with respect to vision health. Here we report ocular outcomes in 9 healthy subjects (age range: 27-48 years; Male/Female ratio: 8/1) completing bed rest Campaign 11, an integrated, multidisciplinary 70-day 6 degrees HDT bed rest study. Vision examinations were performed on a weekly basis, and consisted of office-based (2 pre- and 2 post-bed rest) and in-bed testing. The experimental design was a repeated measures design, with measurements for both eyes taken for each subject at each planned time point. Findings for the following tests were all reported as normal in each testing session for every subject: modified Amsler grid, red dot test, confrontational visual fields, color vision and fundus photography. Overall, no statistically significant differences were observed for any of the measures, except for both near and far visual acuity, which increased during the course of the study. This difference is not considered clinically relevant as may result from the effect of learning. Intraocular pressure results suggest a small increase at the beginning of the bed rest phase (p=0.059) and lesser increase at post-bed rest with respect to baseline (p=0.046). These preliminary results provide the basis for further analyses that will include correlations between intraocular pressure change pre- and post-bed rest, and optical coherence tomography measurements of the retina.

Cromwell, Ronita L.↗

Distinctive features of fluorescence and waveguides in magnesium aluminate spinel crystals driven by structural discrepancy

Transparent polycrystalline ceramics are of significant importance for a wide range of scientific and industrial applications. Developing a deeper understanding of their thermodynamic behavior is essential for achieving their maximum output performance in technological applications. This study provides a systematic investigation into the thermal excitation-induced fluorescence kinetics and waveguide characteristics of Magnesium Aluminate Spinel (MgAl 2 O 4 ) single crystals, with a focus on the intricate relationship between structure and properties. High-temperature extreme environments through irradiation with swift heavy ions 645.0 MeV Xe and 352.8 MeV Fe ions were created; the atomic deposition energy threshold (E th ) associated with disorder morphologies was assessed between 0.91 and 0.99 eV atom –1 . The track prediction model was developed to support the theoretical prediction of track formation. Electronic energy loss (E ele ) disrupts the balance of the initial structure through the thermal spike effect, leading to the formation of absorption-related F and F + color centers. These defects enhance photoluminescence in the visible spectrum and result in an effective modulation of the intrinsic bandgap. Moreover, as ion beams penetrate into the material, the uneven damage distribution induces the formation of waveguide structures. In conclusion, these findings provide valuable insights into the fabrication of functional devices through irradiation technologies and the structural changes of MgAl 2 O 4 at high temperatures within extreme environments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Application of EREP imagery to fracture-related mine safety hazards and environmental problems in mining

The author has identified the following significant results. All Skylab 2 imagery received to date has been analyzed manually and data related to fracture analysis and mined land inventories has been summarized on map-overlays. A comparison of the relative utility of the Skylab image products for fracture detection, soil tone/vegetation contrast mapping, and mined land mapping has been completed. Numerous fracture traces were detected on both color and black and white transparencies. Unique fracture trace data which will contribute to the investigator's mining hazards analysis were noted on the EREP imagery; these data could not be detected on ERTS-1 imagery or high altitude aircraft color infrared photography. Stream segments controlled by fractures or joint systems could be identified in more detail than with ERTS-1 imagery of comparable scale. ERTS-1 mine hazards products will be modified to demonstrate the value of this additional data. Skylab images were used successfully to update a mined land map of Indiana made in 1972. Changes in mined area as small as two acres can be identified. As the Energy Crisis increases the demand for coal, such demonstrations of the application of Skylab data to coal resources will take on new importance.

Wier, C. E.↗

Mineralogic information from a new airborne thermal infrared multispectral scanner

The thermal IR multispectral scanner (TIMS) has been developed for airborne geologic surveys. The resststrahlen band between 8-11 microns is exhibited by interatomic stretching vibrations of Si and oxygen bound up in the crystal lattice of silicate rocks. The crystal structure of the component minerals influence the depth and position of the detected band. The TIMS has six channels, an 80 deg field of view, and a sensitivity sufficient to detect a noise equivalent change in spectral emissivity of 0.002-0.006. The six bands measured are 8.2-8.6, 8.6-9.0, 9.4-10.2, 10.2-11.2, and 11.2-12.2 microns, using HgCdTe detectors. The data are analyzed with respect to emissivity variations as a function of wavelength, using the component transformation technique called a decorrelation stretch, with spectral differences being displayed as different colors. Sample scenes from Death Valley and the Nevada Cuprite mining district are compared with visible and near-IR color composites of the same areas, revealing the superior distinctions that are available with the TIMS.

Kahle, A. B.↗

Intelligent Command and Control Systems for Satellite Ground Operations

This grant, Intelligent Command and Control Systems for Satellite Ground Operations, funded by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, has spanned almost a decade. During this time, it has supported a broad range of research addressing the changing needs of NASA operations. It is important to note that many of NASA's evolving needs, for example, use of automation to drastically reduce (e.g., 70%) operations costs, are similar requirements in both government and private sectors. Initially the research addressed the appropriate use of emerging and inexpensive computational technologies, such as X Windows, graphics, and color, together with COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) hardware and software such as standard Unix workstations to re-engineer satellite operations centers. The first phase of research supported by this grant explored the development of principled design methodologies to make effective use of emerging and inexpensive technologies. The ultimate performance measures for new designs were whether or not they increased system effectiveness while decreasing costs. GT-MOCA (The Georgia Tech Mission Operations Cooperative Associate) and GT-VITA (Georgia Tech Visual and Inspectable Tutor and Assistant), whose latter stages were supported by this research, explored model-based design of collaborative operations teams and the design of intelligent tutoring systems, respectively. Implemented in proof-of-concept form for satellite operations, empirical evaluations of both, using satellite operators for the former and personnel involved in satellite control operations for the latter, demonstrated unequivocally the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed modeling and design strategy underlying both research efforts. The proof-of-concept implementation of GT-MOCA showed that the methodology could specify software requirements that enabled a human-computer operations team to perform without any significant performance differences from the standard two-person satellite operations team. GT-VITA, using the same underlying methodology, the operator function model (OFM), and its computational implementation, OFMspert, successfully taught satellite control knowledge required by flight operations team members. The tutor structured knowledge in three ways: declarative knowledge (e.g., What is this? What does it do?), procedural knowledge, and operational skill. Operational skill is essential in real-time operations. It combines the two former knowledge types, assisting a student to use them effectively in a dynamic, multi-tasking, real-time operations environment. A high-fidelity simulator of the operator interface to the ground control system, including an almost full replication of both the human-computer interface and human interaction with the dynamic system, was used in the GT-MOCA and GT-VITA evaluations. The GT-VITA empirical evaluation, conducted with a range of'novices' that included GSFC operations management, GSFC operations software developers, and new flight operations team members, demonstrated that GT-VITA effectively taught a wide range of knowledge in a succinct and engaging manner.

Mitchell, Christine M.↗