Method of evaluating moisture barrier properties of encapsulating materials Patent
Method of evaluating moisture barrier properties of materials used in electronics encapsulation
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Method of evaluating moisture barrier properties of materials used in electronics encapsulation
Sample measurement of soil moisture content in Imperial Valley, California and Phoenix, Arizona and correlation with microwave radiation temperatures
Analysis of storage stability of intermediate moisture foods for space flight feeding with tables of foods and types of manufacture
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer for moisture content measurement of lunar and terrestrial soils and rocks
Summarized are the results of two of a series of controlled experiments performed during the summer of 1970. The first series of experiments to determine penetration depth showed the value of having a modeled response and data reduced in real time for examination in the field. The results suggest a radiometric method for measuring the microwave properties of materials in bulk and are applicable to studies of sea ice and other naturally layered media. The sensitivity of the microwave emission to changes in moisture content has inspired a number of airborne and ground based investigations. Although the effect is dominent under certain conditions, the complicating factors of soil type, roughness, vegetation, etc. seem to govern the conclusions regarding its application at this time.
Progress in lake temperature and soil moisture remote sensing during 1971. The use of satellite data and imagery for improved flood and low flow forecasts, improved water level and ice reports for the Great Lakes, and better and faster coastal zone storm damage assessment is considered.
Extensive ground-based and airborne investigations were undertaken in conjunction with laboratory dielectric measurements of soils and analytical modeling. Radiometric measurements were made in the vicinity of Phoenix, Arizona at observational wavelengths ranging from 0.81 to 21 cm. Ground experiments were conducted with a microwave field laboratory and airborne measurements were obtained from a CV-990 aircraft. Research activities were focused on establishing basic relationships between microwave emission and the distribution of moisture.
Discussion of some examples demonstrating that water vapor channel imagery from meteorological satellites, particularly Nimbus 4, can be quite helpful in improving moisture and wind analyses. Satellite imagery is shown to make possible the extrapolation of conventional measurements into data-sparse regions and the introduction of considerably greater detail into analyses of meterological parameters. In addition, the wide-area synoptic coverage of satellites can shed light on the interconnections of tropical and midlatitude systems discernible in the upper troposphere.
It was found that the dielectric constant and loss tangent of lunar soil samples in the range from 100 Hz to 1 MHz are not strongly dependent on frequency provided care is taken to avoid exposure of the sample to atmospheric air containing moisture. The loss tangent value obtained is lower by nearly a factor 10 than any previously reported value. The measurement data imply that the surface layers of the moon are probably extremely transparent to radiowaves.
Airborne scatterometer observations were made for agricultural terrain in May and June, 1970 at a NASA test site near Garden City, Kansas. Data from 13.3 GHz and 400 MHz scatterometer were analyzed. It was observed that for incidence angle less than 40 degrees, the 13.3 GHz data showed a difference in backscatter from wet and dry fields of the order of 7 db. The averages of the various crop types were within a spread of only 5 db. Other ground parameters such as cultivation pattern and vegetation row effects showed even less distinguishing characteristics on the backscatter. The 400 MHz data also showed a slight moisture dependency.
An investigation was conducted with the objective to improve the hydrolytic stability of reticulated polyurethane baffle material. This material is used in fuel tanks of aircraft and ground vehicles. The most commonly used foam of this type is hydrolytically unstable. Potential moisture barrier coatings which were evaluated include Parylene, epoxy-polysulfide, polyether based polyurethanes, polysulfides, polyolefin rubbers, and several other materials. Parylene coatings of at least 0.2 mil were found to provide the greatest improvement in hydrolytic stability.
Two methods under consideration for making remote estimates of soil moisture involve measurements made in electromagnetic spectral region of 0.4 to 14.0 micrometers: (1) spectral reflectance, (2) soil temperature.
Series of compounds called humectants were found to decrease rate of browning when added to intermediate-moisture foods. Twenty percent level of humectant can increase shelf life of foods by factor of 5 or 6.
The author has identified the following significant results. Terrain microwave backscatter and emission response to soil moisture variations were investigated using Skylab's 13.9 GHz RADSCAT (radiometer/scatterometer) system. Data acquired on June 5, 1973, over a test site in west-central Texas indicated a fair degree of correlation with composite rainfall. The scan made was cross-track contiguous (CTC) with a pitch of 29.4 deg and no roll effect. Vertical polarization was employed with both radiometer and scatterometer. The composite rainfall was computed according to the flood prediction technique using rainfall data supplied by weather reporting stations.
Procedures used for collection of ground truth, in connection with passive gamma and microwave remote sensing are summarized. Soil moisture and vegetation sampling procedures are described.
The results of experimental studies on the backscattering properties of corn, milo, soybeans and alfalfa are presented. The measurements were made during the summer of 1973 over the 8 to 18 GHz frequency band. The data indicate that soil moisture estimation is best accomplished at incidence angles near nadir with lower frequencies, while crop discrimination is best accomplished using two frequencies at incidence angles ranging from 30 deg to 65 deg. It is also shown that temporal plant morphology variations can cause extreme variations in the values of the scattering coefficients. These morphological changes can be caused by growth, heavy rain and in the case of alfalfa, harvesting.
Soil dielectric constant measurements are reviewed and the dependence of the dielectric constant on various soil parameters is determined. Moisture content is given special attention because of its practical significance in remote sensing and because it represents the single most influential parameter as far as soil dielectric properties are concerned. Relative complex dielectric constant curves are derived as a function of volumetric soil water content at three frequencies (1.3 GHz, 4.0 GHz, and 10.0 GHz) for each of three soil textures (sand, loam, and clay). These curves, presented in both tabular and graphical form, were chosen as representative of the reported experimental data. Calculations based on these curves showed that the power reflection coefficient and emissivity, unlike skin depth, vary only slightly as a function of frequency and soil texture.
Terrain microwave backscatter and emission response to soil moisture variations are investigated using Skylab's 13.9 GHz RADSCAT (Radiometer-Scatterometer) system. Data acquired on June 5, 1973 over a test site in west-central Texas indicates a fair degree of correlation with composite rainfall. The scan mode was cross-track contiguous (CTC) with a pitch of 29.4 deg and no roll offset. Vertical polarization was employed with both radiometer and scatterometer. The composite rainfall was computed according to the flood prediction technique using rainfall data supplied by weather reporting stations.