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NASA NTRS1979

Azimuth correlator for real-time synthetic aperture radar image processing

An azimuth correlator architecture is defined wherein a number of serial range-line buffer memories are cascaded such that the output stages of all buffer memories together form a complete and unique range bin in the azimuthal dimension at any given time. A range bin is automatically read out of the last stages of the registers in parallel on a range line sample-by-sample basis for subsequent range migration correction and correlation. Range migration correction is performed on the range bins by effectively varying the length of a delay register at the output of each range-line buffer memory. The corrected range bin output from the delay registers is then correlated with a Doppler reference function to form an image element on a real-time basis.

Arens, W. E.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Linear Approximation SAR Azimuth Processing Study

A segmented linear approximation of the quadratic phase function that is used to focus the synthetic antenna of a SAR was studied. Ideal focusing, using a quadratic varying phase focusing function during the time radar target histories are gathered, requires a large number of complex multiplications. These can be largely eliminated by using linear approximation techniques. The result is a reduced processor size and chip count relative to ideally focussed processing and a correspondingly increased feasibility for spaceworthy implementation. A preliminary design and sizing for a spaceworthy linear approximation SAR azimuth processor meeting requirements similar to those of the SEASAT-A SAR was developed. The study resulted in a design with approximately 1500 IC's, 1.2 cubic feet of volume, and 350 watts of power for a single look, 4000 range cell azimuth processor with 25 meters resolution.

Lindquist, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS1979

The effect of radar azimuth angle on cultural data

Emphasis is placed on the role that the orientation of observed features has on the grey tone of the resulting positive image. As an example it is shown that in the Los Angeles urbanized region, large areas have significantly lower grey tones than adjacent areas having similar land cover. It is determined that this effect is the result of the angle difference between the radar azimuth and the street pattern and especially the orientation of the walls of the structures imaged. Therefore, knowledge of this information is essential in order to ensure accurate interpretation of radar imagery. It is concluded that for radar systems operated from platforms which have fixed azimuth angles (e.g., satellite systems such as Seasat-A), an interpretation methodology, which considers street patterns, is considered especially critical for proper and accurate SAR imagery.

Bryan, M. L.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Experimental determination of position-estimate accuracy using back-azimuth signals from a microwave landing system

Flight tests using the Boeing 737 airplane to obtain position estimates with back azimuth signals from a microwave landing system (MLS) are discussed. The equations and logic used to generate a navigation position estimate in the MLS back azimuth signal environment are described. The error in the navigation position estimate is determined. A summary of the Boeing 737 position estimate update process is described. The navigation position estimate error calculated flight data and radar tracking information is analyzed. The position estimate error data using the MLS inputs are compared with error data obtained during dual distance measuring equipment updates.

Knox, C. E.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Azimuthal magnetic field at Jupiter

The azimuthal component of the magnetic field at Jupiter is modeled. A current distribution which is the sum of two currents, one flowing along the magnetic field lines and another injected into the current sheet at r(0) (about 10 Jupiter radii). Two cases are examined, one in which current flows along the field lines into the equatorial plane and then radially outward and a second case in which the only current is that injected into the current sheet at r(0). Each of these two cases results in an azimuthal magnetic field which fits the magnetic field data.

Parish, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Saturn's rings - Azimuthal variations, phase curves, and radial profiles in four colors

Four-color photographic photometry, at effective wavelengths of 5900, 5350, 4150, and 3560 A, obtained during the 1977, 1978, and 1979 Saturn apparitions, were analyzed to determine the ring brightness as a function of wavelength, solar phase angle, ring particle orbital phase (the azimuthal effect), declination of the earth relative to the ring plane (tilt effect), and radial distance from Saturn. Data were obtained using the International Planetary Patrol network when the ring tilt angle B was approximately 16.5, 11.5, and 6 deg, respectively. From the approximately 40,000 original images, 364 were scanned and digitized, along with corresponding calibration exposures. The smearing correction technique used achieved better signal-to-noise by utilizing such constraints as the known width of Cassini's Division on the major axis. The most important observational results were summarized, and included the following: the azimuthal brightness variations for the brighter portion of ring A increased as the ring tilt decreased from B = 26 deg to less than 16 deg, reaching the order of + or 20% with respect to the ansae; they are not detectable for ring B or the outer portion of ring A.

Thompson, W. T.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Synthetic aperture radar range - Azimuth ambiguity design and constraints

Problems concerning the design of a system for mapping a planetary surface with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) are considered. Given an ambiguity level, resolution, and swath width, the problems are related to the determination of optimum antenna apertures and the most suitable pulse repetition frequency (PRF). From the set of normalized azimuth ambiguity ratio curves, the designer can arrive at the azimuth antenna length, and from the sets of normalized range ambiguity ratio curves, he can arrive at the range aperture length or pulse repetition frequency. A procedure based on this design method is shown in an example. The normalized curves provide results for a SAR using a uniformly or cosine weighted rectangular antenna aperture.

Mehlis, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Lateral heterogeneity and azimuthal anistropy of the upper mantle: Love and Rayleigh waves 100-250 sec

The lateral heterogeneity and apparent anisotropy of the upper mantle are studied by measuring Rayleigh and Love wave phase velocities in the period range 100-250 sec. Spherical harmonic descriptions of the lateral heterogeneity are obtained for order and degree up to 1=m=10. Slow regions are evident at the East Pacific rise, northeast Africa, Tibet, Tasman sea, southwestern North America and triple junctions in the Northern Atlantic and Indian oceans. Fast regions occur in Australia, western Pacific and the eastern Atlantic. Details which are not evident in previous studies include two fast regions in the central Pacific and the subduction zone in the Scotia Arc region. Inversion for azimuthal dependence showed (1) little correlation between the fast phase velocity directions and the plate motion vector in plate interiors, but (2) correlation of the fast direction with the perpendicular direction to trenches and ridges. Phase velocity is high when waves propagate perpendicular to these structures. Severe tradeoffs exist between heterogeneity and azimuthal dependence because of the yet unsatisfactory path coverage.

Tanimoto, T.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Lateral heterogeneity and azimuthal anisotropy of the upper mantle - Love and Rayleigh waves 100-250 sec

Tanimoto, T.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The azimuthal and radial distributions of HI and H2 in NGC 6946

A study was completed of the atomic and molecular components of the ISM in NGC 6946. The distribution of molecular clouds was determined from a fully sampled CO map of the inner disk using the 14-meter telescope of the FCRAO. The distribution of atomic gas was derived from VLA observations at 40" resolution in the D configuration. When comparing the global CO and HI properties with other components of the galaxy, it was found that the azimuthally averaged radial distributions of CO, H-alpha, radio continuum and blue light all exhibit similar roughly exponential falloffs, while the azimuthally averaged HI surface densities vary by only a factor of 2 out to R = 16 kpc. This indicates that while the H-alpha/CO ratio is approximately constant with radius, the CO/HI ratio decreases by a factor of 30 from the center of the galaxy to R = 10 kpc.

Tacconi-Garman, Linda J.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Azimuthal dependence in the gravity field induced by recent and past cryospheric forcings

Present-day glacial activities and the current variability of the Antarctic ice volume can cause variations in the long-wavelength gravity field as a consequence of transient viscoelastic responses in the mantle. The azimuthal dependence of the secular variations of the gravitational potential are studied and it is found that the nonaxisymmetric contributions are more important for recent glacial retreats than for Pleistocene deglaciation. Changes in land-based ice covering Antarctica can be detected by monitoring satellite orbits and their sensitivity to variations in gravitational harmonic for degree l greater than 3. Resonances in satellite orbits may be useful for detecting these azimuthally-dependent gravity signals.

Yuen, David A.↗

NASA NTRS1987

The response of SAR imagery to azimuth travelling ocean surface waves as determined from shuttle SAR imagery

Comparisons between two-dimensional ocean wave spectra, derived from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, and two-dimensional wave spectra from independent instruments have shown good agreement. The procedure by which raw SAR image intensity-variance spectra are converted to estimates of wave spectra is dependent upon models of how a SAR is able to image ocean waves. The greatest uncertainty exists about the mechanism by which azimuth (along track) traveling waves are imaged. In this paper, independent wave spectra from an airborne, radar ocean wave spectrometer (ROWS) are systematically compared with spatially and temporally coincident shuttle SAR image intensity-variance spectra to determine an optimum description of the relationship between the two. The result of these comparisons is to demonstrate that a SAR image intensity-variance spectrum is nearly proportional to the ocean wave slope-variance spectrum for azimuth traveling waves.

Monaldo, Frank M.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Magnetic activity complexes, thermal relaxation oscillations, and the dynamics of the azimuthal magnetic field of a star

The large amount of magnetic flux cycling through an activity complex in a period of six months suggests that the azimuthal magnetic field in the convective zone of the sun is not less than 3000 Gauss and probably is considerably more. A field of 3 kiloGauss or more has the effect of blocking the convective heat transport, producing a cool shadow above the azimuthal field and causing heat to accumulate below. The incremental weight of the cool shadow is sufficient to overpower the magnetic buoyancy, pressing the field against the bottom of the convective zone. The accumulation of heat underneath produces a thermal relaxation oscillation that erupts to the surface at intervals of the order of a week, supplying the intermittent emergence of magnetic flux observed in the activity complex.

Parker, E. N.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of radar images of the active volcanic zone at Krafla, Iceland: The effects of look azimuth biasing

The geomorphic expression of Mid-Ocean-Ridge (MOR) volcanism in a subaerial setting occurs uniquely on Earth in Iceland, and the most recent MOR eruptive activity has been concentrated in the Northeastern Volcanic Zone in an area known as Krafla. Within the Krafla region are many of the key morphologic elements of MOR-related basaltic volcanism, as well as volcanic explosion craters, subglacial lava shields, tectonic fissure swarms known as gjar, and basaltic-andesite flows with well developed ogives (pressure-ridges). The objective was to quantify the degree to which the basic volcanic and structural features can be mapped from directional SAR imagery as a function of the look azimuth. To accomplish this, the current expression of volcanic and tectonic constructs was independently mapped within the Krafla region on the E, W, and N-looking SAR images, as well as from SPOT Panchromatic imagery acquired in 1987. The initial observations of the E, W, and N images indicates that fresh a'a lava surfaces are extremely radar bright (rough at 3 cm to meter scales) independent of look direction; this suggests that these flows do not have strong flow direction related structures at meter and cm scales, which is consistent with typical Icelandic a'a lava surfaces in general. The basic impression from a preliminary analysis of the effects of look azimuth biasing on interpretation of the geology of an active MOR volcanic zone is that up to 30 percent of the diagnostic features can be missed at any given look direction, but that having two orthogonal look direction images is probably sufficient to prevent gross misinterpretation.

Garvin, J. B.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Studies of velocity fluctuations in the lower atmosphere using the MU radar. I - Azimuthal anisotropy. II - Momentum fluxes and energy densities

Results are presented from a six-day campaign to observe velocity fluctuations in the lower atmosphere using the MU radar (Fukao et al., 1985) in Shigaraki, Japan in March, 1986. Consideration is given to the azimuthal anisotropy, the frequency spectra, the vertical profiles of energy density, and the momentum flux of the motion field. It is found that all of the observed azimuthal variations are probably caused by a gravity wave field whose parameters vary with time. The results show significant differences between the mean zonal and meridional frequency spectra and different profiles of mean energy density with height for different frequency bands and for zonal and meridional components.

Vanzandt, T. E.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Naturally occurring and forced azimuthal modes in a turbulent jet

Naturally occurring instability modes in an axisymmetric jet were studied using the modal frequency technique. The evolution of the modal spectrum was obtained for a jet with a Reynolds number based on a diameter of 400,000 for both laminar and turbulent nozzle boundary layers. In the early evolution of the jet the axisymmetric mode was predominant, with the azimuthal modes growing rapidly but dominating only the end of the potential core. The growth of the azimuthal was observed closer to the nozzle exit for the jet in the laminar boundary layer case than for the turbulent. Target modes for efficient excitation of the jet were determined and two cases of excitation were studied. First, a jet was excited simultaneously by two helical modes, m equals plus 1 and m equals minus 1 at a Strouhal number based on jet diameter of 0.15 and the axisymmetric mode, m equals 0 at a jet diameter of 0.6. Second, m equals plus one and m equals minus 1 at jet diameter equals 0.3 and m equals 0 at jet diameter equals 0.6 were excited simultaneously. The downstream evolution of the hydrodynamic modes and the spreading rate of the jet were documented for each case. Higher jet spreading rates, accompanied by distorted jet cross sections were observed for the cases where combinations of axisymmetric and helical forcings were applied.

Raman, Ganesh↗

NASA NTRS1989

Scatterometer azimuthal response and wind wave directionality

Azimuthal response of a scatterometer to radiation scattered by the sea surface was studied in a wind-wave tank. The variation of the normalized radar cross section with the azimuth angle is fitted by a three-term series. Results show that the upwind-downwind asymmetry decreases as the wind speed increases. The crosswind modulation depends on the wind velocity. The results show that the evolution of the long-wind-crosswind ratio evolves with wind speed in a manner similar to the evolution of the isotropy of short capillary-gravity waves. The maximum of the isotropy of the short wind waves is obtained for wind velocities close to 4 m/s. For the same value of the velocity, the variations of radar response between long-wind and crosswind directions is minimum. For lower or higher values of wind velocities the directional accuracy of the radar increases, since the wind-wave field tends to align in the wind direction.

Giovanangeli, J. P.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Model reference adaptive control for the azimuth-pointing system of a balloon-borne stabilized platform

A balloon-born stabilized platform has been developed for the remotely operated altitude-azimuth pointing of a millimeter wave telescope system. This paper presents a development and implementation of model reference adaptive control (MRAC) for the azimuth-pointing system of the stabilized platform. The primary goal of the controller is to achieve pointing rms better than 0.1 deg. Simulation results indicate that MRAC can achieve pointing rms better than 0.1 deg. Ground test results show pointing rms better than 0.03 deg. Data from the first flight at the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF) Palestine, Texas show pointing rms better than 0.02 deg.

Lubin, Philip M.↗