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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Testing of the Kuiper Airborne Observatory 91-CM telescope

The 91 cm telescope of the Kuiper Airborne Observatory was tested for optical figure errors in the surface of the mirrors and misalignment of the optical components. When the present set of optical components are installed in the telescope in proper alignment, the telescope produces an image with 80% of the energy in a circle of 1.50 arc seconds in diameter; that is, a 0.11 mm spot diameter in the focal plane. The primary mirror, an f/2 parabola, was tested against a flat and has a quality that puts 80% of the energy in a 0.51 arc second diameter spot. Two principal sources account for the residual error: the tertiary folding flat and the chopping secondary. It appears that the method of mounting the folding flat causes some distortion and that the secondary mirror has some residual spherical aberration in its figure.

Parks, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Covariance analysis of the airborne laser ranging system

The requirements and limitations of employing an airborne laser ranging system for detecting crustal shifts of the Earth within centimeters over a region of approximately 200 by 400 km are presented. The system consists of an aircraft which flies over a grid of ground deployed retroreflectors, making six passes over the grid at two different altitudes. The retroreflector baseline errors are assumed to result from measurement noise, a priori errors on the aircraft and retroreflector positions, tropospheric refraction, and sensor biases.

Englar, T. S., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Airborne operation of an infrared low-level wind shear prediction system

Airborne testing under simulated and actual low-level wind shear conditions is underway on a NASA-Ames Learjet. An infrared CO2 band radiometer with a forward 'look distance' of 5 to 8 kilometers measures the air temperature weighted to this range ahead of the approach configured aircraft. Shear alerts occur when the difference between the forward temperature and static air temperature at the aircraft exceed a set value or when a perturbation occurs in the normally constant potential temperature. Aircraft approaches into thunderstorm downburst phenomena were simulated by approaches into cool estuarine air adjacent to much warmer air over land and by actual light wind shear conditions at Travis Air Force Base. Conditions were verified by the radiometer system with extensive on-board data acquisition.

Kuhn, P. M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

The current status of airborne laser fluorosensing

Airborne laser fluorosensors have been used to identify and quantify specific substances in the aquatic environment. It has been shown that the sensor can identify and classify oil films. If the extinction coefficient is known then the thickness of thinner films (less than 20 micrometers) may be calculated. The intensity of the water Raman signal is proportional to the water volume sampled by the sensor and hence an effective attenuation coefficient for the water can be calculated. The same Raman measurement provides the normalization necessary to map chlorophyll and dye concentrations using the intensity of their respective fluorescence signatures.

Oneil, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Analysis of airborne RF measurements from U.S.A. urban areas

The paper presents in-situ, airborne survey radio-frequency measurements, which were made over the 400-1000 MHz range in May 1977 during the ASSESS-II Space Shuttle/Spacelab simulation aircraft flights. Measurements were made from altitudes of 10,000 to 33,000 feet with a downward-directed 70 deg wide, half-power beamwidth receiving antenna pattern. Channel occupancy percentages are given within a 50 MHz spectrum width, and continuous spectrum-scan measurements are presented for selected locations on the USA West Coast, showing the channel occupancy environment within the 806-890 MHz mobile-service band.

Taylor, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1981

High spectral resolution airborne spectrometry

An airborne spectroradiometer system developed at Columbia University has been providing new spectral data for use in remote sensing for natural resources. The system has been improved by addition of a solid state silicon detector array, and has been extended into the infrared by addition of a 64 element lead sulfide detector array. The infrared data in the 2000 to 2500 nm region especially holds large potential for mineral and oil exploration.

Collins, W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Airborne spectroscopy and spacecraft radiometry of Venus in the far infrared

The first spectral observations of the Venus disk in the 110 to 270 per cm spectral range are reported, made from the Kuiper Airborne Observatory in mid-March 1979, some three months following the start of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter mission. The instrumentation and its differences from earlier flight hardware is discussed. The brightness temperature was 275 K near 110/cm, dropping to 230 K near 270/cm. Radiance calculations, using temperature and cloud structure formation from the Pioneer Venus mission and including gaseous absorption by the collision-induced dipole of CO2, yield results consistently brighter than the observations. The atmospheric environment is reviewed with regard to the FIR opacity and possible particle distribution modifications are discussed. It is concluded that the most likely possibility for supplementing the FIR opacity is a population of large particles in the upper cloud with number densities less than one particle per cu cm which has remained undetected by in situ measurements.

Aumann, H. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Flight test evaluation of a video tracker for enhanced offshore airborne radar approach capability

As a part of NASA's Rotorcraft All-Weather Operations Research Program, advanced airborne radar approach (ARA) concepts are being investigated. Since data from previous NASA/FAA flight tests showed significant ARA limitations, a research program was initiated at NASA Ames Research Center to determine the benefit that could be derived by automating certain radar functions and superimposing course display data on the radar display. To evaluate these concepts, a newly developed video tracking system which interfaces with weather radar was acquired. After the pilot designates a destination target, the system tracks the target video as it moves on the radar indicator. Using a small, efficient microprocessor, the autotracker presents valuable approach data on the radar screen and automatically adjusts the radar gain and tilt. Results of a limited flight test evaluation of the autotracker show that the course display concept, combined with automated gain and tilt functions, is effective for improving ARA's and reducing radar operator workload.

Clary, G. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Evaluation of Nimbus 7 SMMR sensor with airborne radiometers and surface observations in the Norwegian Sea

Measurements made by the Nimbus 7 SMMR are compared with near simultaneous observations using the airborne SMMR simulator and with surface observations. The area of the test is in the Norwegian Sea between Bear Island and Northern Norway. It is noted that during the observation period two low-pressure systems were located in the test area, giving a spatial wind variation from 3-20 m/s. It is shown that the use of the currently available brightness temperatures and algorithms for SMMR does not give universally satisfactory results for SST and wind speed under extreme weather conditions. In addition, the SMMR simulator results are seen as indicating the need for more work on calibration.

Gloersen, P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Water Raman normalization of airborne laser fluorosensor measurements - A computer model study

The technique for normalizing airborne lidar measurements of chlorophyll fluoresence by the water Raman scattering signal is investigated for laser-excitation wavelengths of 480 and 532 nm using a semianalytic Monte Carlo methodology (SALMON). The signal-integration depth for chlorophyll fluorescence Z(90,F), is found to be insensitive to excitation wavelength and ranges from a maximum of 4.5 m in clearest waters to less than 1 m at a chlorophyll concentration of 20 microgram/liter. For excitation at 532 nm, the signal-integration depth for Raman scattering, Z(90,R), is comparable to Z(90,F). For excitation at 480 nm, Z(90,R) is four times as large as Z(90,F) in clearest waters but nearly equivalent at chlorophyll concentrations greater than 2-3 microgram/liter. Absolute signal levels are stronger with excitation at 480 nm than with excitation at 532 nm, but this advantage must be weighed against potential ambiguities resulting from different integration depths for the fluorescence and Raman scattering signals in clearer waters. To the precision of the simulations, Raman normalization produces effectively linear response to chlorophyll concentration for both excitation wavelengths.

Poole, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A new measurement method for separating airborne and structureborne noise radiated by aircraft type panels

The theoretical basis for and experimental validation of a measurement method for separating airborne and structure borne noise radiated by aircraft type panels are presented. An extension of the two microphone, cross spectral, acoustic intensity method combined with existing theory of sound radiation of thin shell structures of various designs, is restricted to the frequency range below the coincidence frequency of the structure. Consequently, the method lends itself to low frequency noise problems such as propeller harmonics. Both an aluminum sheet and two built up aircraft panel designs (two aluminum panels with frames and stringers) with and without added damping were measured. Results indicate that the method is quick, reliable, inexpensive, and can be applied to thin shell structures of various designs.

Mcgary, M. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

NASA airborne Doppler lidar program: Data characteristics of 1981

The first flights of the NASA/Marshall airborne CO2 Doppler lidar wind measuring system were made during the summer of 1981. Successful measurements of two-dimensional flow fields were made to ranges of 15 km from the aircraft track. The characteristics of the data obtained are examined. A study of various artifacts introduced into the data set by incomplete compensation for aircraft dynamics is summarized. Most of these artifacts can be corrected by post processing, which reduces velocity errors in the reconstructed flow field to remarkably low levels.

Lee, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The airborne laser ranging system, its capabilities and applications

The airborne laser ranging system is a multibeam short pulse laser ranging system on board an aircraft. It simultaneously measures the distances between the aircraft and six laser retroreflectors (targets) deployed on the Earth's surface. The system can interrogate over 100 targets distributed over an area of 25,000 sq, kilometers in a matter of hours. Potentially, a total of 1.3 million individual range measurements can be made in a six hour flight. The precision of these range measurements is approximately + or - 1 cm. These measurements are used in procedure which is basically an extension of trilateration techniques to derive the intersite vector between the laser ground targets. By repeating the estimation of the intersite vector, strain and strain rate errors can be estimated. These quantities are essential for crustal dynamic studies which include determination and monitoring of regional strain in the vicinity of active fault zones, land subsidence, and edifice building preceding volcanic eruptions.

Kahn, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Crop classification using airborne radar and LANDSAT data

Airborne radar data acquired with a 13.3 GHz scatterometer over a test-site near Colby, Kansas were used to investigate the statistical properties of the scattering coefficient of three types of vegetation cover and of bare soil. A statistical model for radar data was developed that incorporates signal-fading and natural within-field variabilities. Estimates of the within-field and between-field coefficients of variation were obtained for each cover-type and compared with similar quantities derived from LANDSAT images of the same fields. The classification accuracy provided by LANDSAT alone, radar alone, and both sensors combined was investigated. The results indicate that the addition of radar to LANDSAT improves the classification accuracy by about 10; percentage-points when the classification is performed on a pixel basis and by about 15 points when performed on a field-average basis.

Ulaby, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Comparison of Land Cover Information from LANDSAT MSS and Airborne TMS for Hydrological Applications: Preliminary Results

Land cover information for the Clinton River Basin (Michigan) derived from LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS) data was compared with that from airborne thematic mapper simulator (TMS) to investigate the probable capabilities of the thematic mapper (TM) launched aboard LANDSAT-4 in July 1982. The preliminary findings for one 7.5 minute topographic map, Mt. Clemens West, are reported. Significant improvements in land cover classification accuracy were obtained using TMS data as compared with MSS data. Overall mapping accuracy increased from 49 to 61 percent with an improvement from 71 to 84 percent in the residential category. A combination of four bands with one band in each major region of the spectrum (visible, near IR, middle IR and thermal IR) provided as good a discrimination of land cover as all seven TM bands. Based on the improved land cover classification accuracy of TM, TM data has the potential to provide more useful and effective input to US Army Corps of Engineers flood forecasting and flood damage prediction/assessment models.

Gervin, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Airborne infrared mineral mapping survey of Marysvale, Utah

Infrared spectroradiometer survey results from flights over the Marysvale, Utah district show that hydrothermal alteration mineralogy can be mapped using very rapid and effective airborne techniques. The system detects alteration mineral absorption band intensities in the infrared spectral region with high sensitivity. The higher resolution spectral features and high spectral differences characteristic of the various clay and carbonate minerals are also readily identified by the instrument allowing the mineralogy to be mapped as well as the mineralization intensity.

Collins, W.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Airborne multispectral linear array instruments at Goddard Space Flight Center

The fabrication of airborne instruments is contributing to the development of multispectral linear array technology at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The linear array pushbroom radiometer (LAPR-I), was built to demonstrate capabilities for acquiring digital image data using linear arrays. The LAPR-I employed three arrays of 512 silicon photodiodes each to simultaneously acquire three channels of data for spectral bands within the visible and near-infrared portions of the spectrum. A second instrument, LAPR-II, uses four arrays each consisting of 512 silicon detectors. A filter wheel containing six spectral filters is used in conjunction with each array to allow filter changes in flight. This capability will facilitate studies into the utility of various bands within the visible and near infrared portions of the spectrum. The LAPR-II's aircraft mounting will allow off-nadir pointing (plus-or-minus 50 deg fore-and-aft and side-to-side) which will enable investigations of the radiometric and geometric effects of off-nadir viewing. A short wave infrared radiometer is also described.

Irons, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The development of a power spectral density processor for C and L band airborne radar scatterometer sensor systems

A real-time signal processor was developed for the NASA/JSC L-and C-band airborne radar scatterometer sensor systems. The purpose of the effort was to reduce ground data processing costs. Conversion of two quadrature channels of data (like and cross polarized) was made to obtain Power Spectral Density (PSD) values. A chirp-z transform (CZT) approach was used to filter the Doppler return signal and improved high frequency and angular resolution was realized. The processors have been tested with record signals and excellent results were obtained. CZT filtering can be readily applied to scatterometers operating at other wavelengths by altering the sample frequency. The design of the hardware and software and the results of the performance tests are described in detail.

Harrison, D. A., III↗