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At least 1,459 records · Page 81

Multi-Decadal Pathfinder Data Sets of Global Land Biophysical Variables from AVHRR and MODIS and their Use in GCM Studies of Biogeophysics and Biogeochemistry

The problem of how the scale, or spatial resolution, of reflectance data impacts retrievals of vegetation leaf area index (LAI) and fraction absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) has been investigated. We define the goal of scaling as the process by which it is established that LAI and FPAR values derived from coarse resolution sensor data equal the arithmetic average of values derived independently from fine resolution sensor data. The increasing probability of land cover mixtures with decreasing resolution is defined as heterogeneity, which is a key concept in scaling studies. The effect of pixel heterogeneity on spectral reflectances and LAI/FPAR retrievals is investigated with 1 km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data aggregated to different coarse spatial resolutions. It is shown that LAI retrieval errors at coarse resolution are inversely related to the proportion of the dominant land cover in such pixel. Further, large errors in LAI retrievals are incurred when forests are minority biomes in non-forest pixels compared to when forest biomes are mixed with one another, and vice-versa. A physically based technique for scaling with explicit spatial resolution dependent radiative transfer formulation is developed. The successful application of this theory to scaling LAI retrievals from AVHRR data of different resolutions is demonstrated

Myneni, Ranga↗

High Sensitivity Long-Wavelength Infrared QWIP Focal Plane Array Based Instrument for Remote Sensing of Icy Satellites

GaAs based Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) technology has shown remarkable success in advancing low cost, highly uniform, high-operability, large format multi-color focal plane arrays. QWIPs afford greater flexibility than the usual extrinsically doped semiconductor IR detectors. The wavelength of the peak response and cutoff can be continuously tailored over a range wide enough to enable light detection at any wavelength range between 6 and 20 micron. The spectral band-width of these detectors can be tuned from narrow (Deltalambda/lambda is approximately 10%) to wide (Deltalambda/lambda is approximately 40%) allowing various applications. Furthermore, QWIPs offer low cost per pixel and highly uniform large format focal plane arrays due to mature GaAs/AlGaAs growth and processing technologies. The other advantages of GaAs/AlGaAs based QWIPS are higher yield, lower l/f noise and radiation hardness (1.5 Mrad). In this presentation, we will discuss our recent demonstrations of 640x512 pixel narrow-band, broad-band, multi-band focal plane arrays, and the current status of the development of 1024x1024 pixel long-wavelength infrared QWIP focal plane arrays.

Gunapala, S.↗

Polar Dunes Resolved by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter Gridded Topography and Pulse Widths

The Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) polar data have been refined to the extent that many features poorly imaged by Viking Orbiters are now resolved in densely gridded altimetry. Individual linear polar dunes with spacings of 0.5 km or more can be seen as well as sparsely distributed and partially mantled dunes. The refined altimetry will enable measurements of the extent and possibly volume of the north polar ergs. MOLA pulse widths have been recalibrated using inflight data, and a robust algorithm applied to solve for the surface optical impulse response. It shows the surface root-mean-square (RMS) roughness at the 75-m-diameter MOLA footprint scale, together with a geological map. While the roughness is of vital interest for landing site safety studies, a variety of geomorphological studies may also be performed. Pulse widths corrected for regional slope clearly delineate the extent of the polar dunes. The MOLA PEDR profile data have now been re-released in their entirety (Version L). The final Mission Experiment Gridded Data Records (MEGDR's) are now provided at up to 128 pixels per degree globally. Densities as high as 512 pixels per degree are available in a polar stereographic projection. A large computational effort has been expended in improving the accuracy of the MOLA altimetry themselves, both in improved orbital modeling and in after-the-fact adjustment of tracks to improve their registration at crossovers. The current release adopts the IAU2000 rotation model and cartographic frame recommended by the Mars Cartography Working Group. Adoption of the current standard will allow registration of images and profiles globally with an uncertainty of less than 100 m. The MOLA detector is still operational and is currently collecting radiometric data at 1064 nm. Seasonal images of the reflectivity of the polar caps can be generated with a resolution of about 300 m per pixel.

Gregory A Neumann↗

Parallel Information Processing (Image Transmission Via Fiber Bundle and Multimode Fiber

Growing demand for visual, user-friendly representation of information inspires search for the new methods of image transmission. Currently used in-series (sequential) methods of information processing are inherently slow and are designed mainly for transmission of one or two dimensional arrays of data. Conventional transmission of data by fibers requires many fibers with array of laser diodes and photodetectors. In practice, fiber bundles are also used for transmission of images. Image is formed on the fiber-optic bundle entrance surface and each fiber transmits the incident image to the exit surface. Since the fibers do not preserve phase, only 2D intensity distribution can be transmitted in this way. Each single mode fiber transmit only one pixel of an image. Multimode fibers may be also used, so that each mode represent different pixel element. Direct transmission of image through multimode fiber is hindered by the mode scrambling and phase randomization. To overcome these obstacles wavelength and time-division multiplexing have been used, with each pixel transmitted on a separate wavelength or time interval. Phase-conjugate techniques also was tested in, but only in the unpractical scheme when reconstructed image return back to the fiber input end. Another method of three-dimensional imaging over single mode fibers was demonstrated in, using laser light of reduced spatial coherence. Coherence encoding, needed for a transmission of images by this methods, was realized with grating interferometer or with the help of an acousto-optic deflector. We suggest simple practical holographic method of image transmission over single multimode fiber or over fiber bundle with coherent light using filtering by holographic optical elements. Originally this method was successfully tested for the single multimode fiber. In this research we have modified holographic method for transmission of laser illuminated images over commercially available fiber bundle (fiber endoscope, or fiberscope).

Kukhtarev, Nicholai↗

Concentration and Velocity Gradients in Fluidized Beds

In this work we focus on the height dependence of particle concentration, average velocity components, fluctuations in these velocities and, with the flow turned off, the sedimentation velocity. The latter quantities are measured using Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV). The PIV technique uses a 1-megapixel camera to capture two time-displaced images of particles in the bed. The depth of field of the imaging system is approximately 0.5 cm. The camera images a region with characteristic length of 2.6 cm for the small particles and 4.7 cm. for the large particles. The local direction of particle flow is determined by calculating the correlation function for sub-regions of 32 x 32 pixels. The velocity vector map is created from this correlation function using the time between images (we use 15 to 30 ms). The software is sensitive variations of 1/64th of a pixel. We produce velocity maps at various heights, each consisting of 3844 velocities. We break this map into three vertical zones for increased height information. The concentration profile is measured using an expanded (1 cm diameter) linearly polarized HeNe Laser incident on the fluidized bed. A COHU camera (gamma=1, AGC off) with a lens and a polarizer images the transmitted linearly polarized light to minimize the effects of multiply scattered light. The intensity profile (640 X 480 pixels) is well described by a Gaussian fit and the height of the Gaussian is used to characterize the concentration. This value is compared to the heights found for known concentrations. The sedimentation velocity is estimated using by imaging a region near the bottom of the bed and using PIV to measure the velocity as a function of time. With a nearly uniform concentration profile, the time can be converted to height information. The stable fluidized beds are made from large pseudo-monodisperse particles (silica spheres with radii (250-300) microns and (425-500) microns) dispersed in a glycerin/water mix. The Peclet number is sufficiently large that Brownian motion of the particles can be ignored and the Reynolds number sufficiently small that particle inertia is negligible. A packed particle bed is used to randomize and disperse the flowing fluid introduced by a peristaltic pump. The bed itself is a rectangular glass cell 8 cm wide (x), 0.8 cm deep and a height of 30.5 cm (z). The depth of field of the camera is approximately 0.5 cm so depth information is averaged. Over flow fluid is returned to the reservoir making a closed loop system. In these experiments the particles form a sediment approximately 5.7 cm high with the pump off and expand to 22 cm with the pump on. For the smaller particles the pump velocity is .5 millimeters per second and 1.1 millimeters per second for the large particles. At this concentration the bed has a very well defined top where particle concentration rapidly drops to zero.

McClymer, James P.↗

TRMM Fire Algorithm, Product and Applications

Land fires are frequent menaces to human lives and property. They also change the state of the vegetation and contribute to the climate forcing by releasing large amount of aerosols and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This paper summarizes methodologies of detecting global land fires from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Visible Infrared Scanner FIRS) measurements. The TRMM Science Data and Information System (TSDIS) fire products include global images of daily hot spots and monthly fire counts at 0.5 deg. x 0.5 deg. resolution, as well as text fiies that details necessary information of all fire pixels. The information includes date, orbit number, pixel number, local time, solar zenith angle, latitude, longitude, reflectance of visible/near infrared channels, brightness temperatures of infrared channels, as well as background brightness temperatures of infrared channels. These products have been archived since January 1998. The TSDIS fire products are compared with the coincidental European Commission (EC) Joint Research Center (JRC) 1 km AVHRR fire products. Analyses of the TSDIS monthly fire products during the period from 1998 to 2003 manifested seasonal cycles of biomass fires over Southeast Asia, Africa, North America and South America. The data also showed interannual variations associated with the 98/99 ENS0 cycle in Central America and the Indonesian region. In order to understand the variability of global land fires and their effects on the distribution of atmospheric aerosols, statistical methods were applied to the TSDIS fire products as well as to the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) aerosol index products for a period of five years from January 1998 to December 2002. The variability of global atmospheric aerosol is consistent with the fire variations over these regions during this period. The correlation between fire count and TOMS aerosol index is about 0.55 for fire pixels in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Africa. Parallel statistical analyses such as Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis and Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) methods were applied to pentad TRMM fire data and TOMS aerosol data. The EOF analyses showed contrast between North and South hemispheres and also inter- continental transitions in Africa and America. EOF and SSA analyses also identified 25-60 day intra-seasonal oscillations that were superimposed on the annual cycles of both fire and aerosol data. The intra-seasonal variability of fires showed similarity of tropical rainfall oscillation modes. The TRMM fire products were also compared to the coincident TRMh4 rainfall and other rainfall products to investigate the interaction between rainfall and fire. The results indicate that the annual, interannual and intraseasonal variability of fire are dominated by global rainfall variations. However, the feedback of fire to the rainfall occurrence at regional scale for certain regions is also evident.

Ji, Yi-Min↗

An Array of Frequency Selective Bolometers (FSB) for the Spectral Energy Distribution (SPEED) Camera

The SPEED camera is being developed to study the spectral energy distributions of high redshift galaxies using the Heinrich Hertz Telescope (HHT) in Arizona. SPEED requires a small cryogenic detector array of 2x2 pixels with each pixel having four frequency bands in the 150-350 GHz range. Here we describe the development of the detector array of these high efficiency FSBs. The FSB design provides the multi-pixel multi-spectral band capability required for SPEED in a compact stackable array. The SPEED bolometers will use proximity effect superconducting transition edge sensors as their temperature-sensing element allowing for higher levels of multiplexing in future applications.

Silverberg, R. F.↗

Application of Bayesian Classification to Content-Based Data Management

The high volume of Earth Observing System data has proven to be challenging to manage for data centers and users alike. At the Goddard Earth Sciences Distributed Active Archive Center (GES DAAC), about 1 TB of new data are archived each day. Distribution to users is also about 1 TB/day. A substantial portion of this distribution is MODIS calibrated radiance data, which has a wide variety of uses. However, much of the data is not useful for a particular user's needs: for example, ocean color users typically need oceanic pixels that are free of cloud and sun-glint. The GES DAAC is using a simple Bayesian classification scheme to rapidly classify each pixel in the scene in order to support several experimental content-based data services for near-real-time MODIS calibrated radiance products (from Direct Readout stations). Content-based subsetting would allow distribution of, say, only clear pixels to the user if desired. Content-based subscriptions would distribute data to users only when they fit the user's usability criteria in their area of interest within the scene. Content-based cache management would retain more useful data on disk for easy online access. The classification may even be exploited in an automated quality assessment of the geolocation product. Though initially to be demonstrated at the GES DAAC, these techniques have applicability in other resource-limited environments, such as spaceborne data systems.

Lynnes, Christopher↗

Composite x-ray image assembly for large-field digital mammography with one- and two-dimensional positioning of a focal plane array

To demonstrate the feasibility of a novel large-field digital mammography technique, a 1024 x 1024 pixel Loral charge-coupled device (CCD) focal plane array (FPA) was positioned in a mammographic field with one- and two-dimensional scan sequences to obtain 950 x 1800 pixel and 3600 x 3600 pixel composite images, respectively. These experiments verify that precise positioning of FPAs produced seamless composites and that the CCD mosaic concept has potential for high-resolution, large-field imaging. The proposed CCD mosaic concept resembles a checkerboard pattern with spacing left between the CCDs for the driver and readout electronics. To obtain a complete x-ray image, the mosaic must be repositioned four times, with an x-ray exposure at each position. To reduce the patient dose, a lead shield with appropriately patterned holes is placed between the x-ray source and the patient. The high-precision motorized translation stages and the fiber-coupled-scintillating-screen-CCD sensor assembly were placed in the position usually occupied by the film cassette. Because of the high mechanical precision, seamless composites were constructed from the subimages. This paper discusses the positioning, image alignment procedure, and composite image results. The paper only addresses the formation of a seamless composite image from subimages and will not consider the effects of the lead shield, multiple CCDs, or the speed of motion.

Mammography/methods/statistics & numerical data↗

Characterizing the Energy Scale of the XRS on Astro-E2

The XRS on Astro-E2 consists of a microcalorimeter array with 31 active pixels. The XRS energy scale, which converts the measured pulse heights to the energies of the photons incident on the array, is a non-linear function of the thermal properties of the pixels and the power and noise conditions on the array. Each of the pixels operates independently and requires an individual energy scale. Analytic models of the XRS pulses are currently being developed that will be used to model the energy scale. However, because of the inherent complexity, a full empirical calibration of the energy scale is being conducted. The XRS energy scale has been calibrated for a range of operating conditions including variations in the detector temperature, bath temperatures, and photon flux. This allows us to characterize the functional dependence of the energy scale on these variables and to then generate a semi-empirical model that can be used to account for variations in operating conditions in space. We will present the results of the empirical characterization and comparisons to the analytic models.

Cottam, J.↗

Neural Network for Image-to-Image Control of Optical Tweezers

A method is discussed for using neural networks to control optical tweezers. Neural-net outputs are combined with scaling and tiling to generate 480 by 480-pixel control patterns for a spatial light modulator (SLM). The SLM can be combined in various ways with a microscope to create movable tweezers traps with controllable profiles. The neural nets are intended to respond to scattered light from carbon and silicon carbide nanotube sensors. The nanotube sensors are to be held by the traps for manipulation and calibration. Scaling and tiling allow the 100 by 100-pixel maximum resolution of the neural-net software to be applied in stages to exploit the full 480 by 480-pixel resolution of the SLM. One of these stages is intended to create sensitive null detectors for detecting variations in the scattered light from the nanotube sensors.

Decker, Arthur J.↗

Spatially Complete Global Surface Albedos Derived from Terra/MODIS Data

Spectral land surface albedo is an important parameter for describing the radiative properties of the Earth. Accordingly it reflects the consequences of natural and human interactions, such as anthropogenic, meteorological, and phenological effects, on global and local climatological trends. Consequently, albedos are integral parts in a variety of research areas, such as general circulation models (GCMs), energy balance studies, modeling of land use and land use change, and biophysical, oceanographic, and meteorological studies. Recent production of land surface anisotropy, diffuse bihemispherical (white-sky) albedo and direct beam directional hemispherical (black-sky) albedo from observations acquired by the MODIS instruments aboard NASA s Terra and Aqua satellite platforms have provided researchers with unprecedented spatial, spectral, and temporal information on the land surface's radiative characteristics. Cloud cover, which cutails retrievals, and the presence of ephemeral and seasonal snow limit the snow-free data to approximately half the global land surfaces on an annual equal-angle basis. This precludes the MOD43B3 albedo products from being used in some remote sensing and ground-based applications, climate models, and global change research projects. An ecosystem-dependent temporal interpolation technique is described that has been developed to fill missing or seasonally snow-covered data in the official MOD43B3 albedo product. The method imposes pixel-level and local regional ecosystem-dependent phenological behavior onto retrieved pixel temporal data in such a way as to maintain pixel-level spatial and spectral detail and integrity. The phenological curves are derived from statistics based on the MODIS MOD12Q1 IGBP land cover classification product geolocated with the MOD43B3 data. The resulting snow-free value-added products provide the scientific community with spatially and temporally complete global white- and black-sky surface albedo maps and statistics. These products are stored on 1'(approximately 10 km) and coarser resolution equal-angle grids, and are computed for the first seven MODIS wavelengths, ranging from 0.47 through 2.1 microns, and for three broadband wavelengths, 0.3-0.7,0.3-5.0 and 0.7-5.0 microns.

King, Michael D.↗

Model Development and Testing for THEMIS Controlled Mars Mosaics

As part of our work [1] to develop techniques and procedures to create regional and eventually global THEMIS mosaics of Mars, we are developing algorithms and software to photogrammetrically control THEMIS IR line scanner camera images. We have found from comparison of a limited number of images to MOLA digital image models (DIMs) [2] that the a priori geometry information (i.e. SPICE [3]) for THEMIS images generally allows their relative positions to be specified at the several pixel level (e.g. approx.5 to 13 pixels). However a need for controlled solutions to improve this geometry to the sub-pixel level still exists. Only with such solutions can seamless mosaics be obtained and likely distortion from spacecraft motion during image collection removed at such levels. Past experience has shown clearly that such mosaics are in heavy demand by users for operational and scientific use, and that they are needed over large areas or globally (as opposed to being available only on a limited basis via labor intensive custom mapping projects). Uses include spacecraft navigation, landing site planning and mapping, registration of multiple data types and image sets, registration of multispectral images, registration of images with topographic information, recovery of thermal properties, change detection searches, etc.

Archinal, B. A.↗

Quantitative Analysis of Venus Radar Backscatter Data in ArcGIS

Ongoing mapping of the Ganiki Planitia (V14) quadrangle of Venus and definition of material units has involved an integrated but qualitative analysis of Magellan radar backscatter images and topography using standard geomorphological mapping techniques. However, such analyses do not take full advantage of the quantitative information contained within the images. Analysis of the backscatter coefficient allows a much more rigorous statistical comparison between mapped units, permitting first order selfsimilarity tests of geographically separated materials assigned identical geomorphological labels. Such analyses cannot be performed directly on pixel (DN) values from Magellan backscatter images, because the pixels are scaled to the Muhleman law for radar echoes on Venus and are not corrected for latitudinal variations in incidence angle. Therefore, DN values must be converted based on pixel latitude back to their backscatter coefficient values before accurate statistical analysis can occur. Here we present a method for performing the conversions and analysis of Magellan backscatter data using commonly available ArcGIS software and illustrate the advantages of the process for geological mapping.

Long, S. M.↗

Automated Wildfire Detection Through Artificial Neural Networks

We have tested and deployed Artificial Neural Network (ANN) data mining techniques to analyze remotely sensed multi-channel imaging data from MODIS, GOES, and AVHRR. The goal is to train the ANN to learn the signatures of wildfires in remotely sensed data in order to automate the detection process. We train the ANN using the set of human-detected wildfires in the U.S., which are provided by the Hazard Mapping System (HMS) wildfire detection group at NOAA/NESDIS. The ANN is trained to mimic the behavior of fire detection algorithms and the subjective decision- making by N O M HMS Fire Analysts. We use a local extremum search in order to isolate fire pixels, and then we extract a 7x7 pixel array around that location in 3 spectral channels. The corresponding 147 pixel values are used to populate a 147-dimensional input vector that is fed into the ANN. The ANN accuracy is tested and overfitting is avoided by using a subset of the training data that is set aside as a test data set. We have achieved an automated fire detection accuracy of 80-92%, depending on a variety of ANN parameters and for different instrument channels among the 3 satellites. We believe that this system can be deployed worldwide or for any region to detect wildfires automatically in satellite imagery of those regions. These detections can ultimately be used to provide thermal inputs to climate models.

Miller, Jerry↗

Analysis of the XRS background

Background counts on the XRS Calorimeter spectrometer of Astro-E2 have several sources, including primary cosmic rays and secondary particles interacting with the pixels and with the silicon structure of the array. After rejecting events coincident between pixels or between a pixel and the anti-coincidence detector behind the calorimeter array, the residual background on the ground in the 0.1 - 10 keV band is 1e-3 counts/s (8e-3 counts/s/sq cm). We will present the details of the ground background events and the rejection criteria required lo remove them while minimizing deadtime. We will also present preliminary analysis of the in-orbit background.

Kilbourne, Caroline A.↗

Spatially Complete Global Surface Albedos Derived from Terra/MODIS Data

Spectral land surface albedo is an important parameter for describing the radiative properties of the Earth. Accordingly it reflects the consequences of natural and human interactions, such as anthropogenic, meteorological, and phenological effects, on global and local climatological trends. Consequently, albedos are integral parts in a variety of research areas, such as general circulation models (GCMs), energy balance studies, modeling of land use and land use change, and biophysical, oceanographic, and meteorological studies. , Over five years of land surface anisotropy, diffuse bihemispherical (white-sky) albedo and direct beam directional hemispherical (black-sky) albedo from observations acquired by the MODIS instruments aboard NASA s Terra and Aqua satellite platforms have provided researchers with unprecedented spatial, spectral, and temporal information on the land surface s radiative characteristics. However, roughly 30% of the global land surface, on an annual equal-angle basis, is obscured due to persistent and transient cloud cover, while another 207% is obscured due to ephemeral and seasonal snow effects. This precludes the MOD43B3 albedo products from being directly used in some remote sensing and ground-based applications, climate models, and global change research projects. To provide researchers with the requisite spatially complete global snow-free land surface albedo dataset, an ecosystem-dependent temporal interpolation technique was developed to fill missing or lower quality data and snow covered values from the official MOD43B3 dataset with geophysically realistic values. The method imposes pixel-level and local regional ecosystem-dependent phenological behavior onto retrieved pixel temporal data in such a way as to maintain pixel-level spatial and spectral detail and integrity. The phenological curves are derived from statistics based on the MODIS MOD12Q1 IGBP land cover classification product geolocated with the MOD43B3 data.

King, Michael D.↗

Why is Light Text Harder to Read Than Dark Text?

Scharff and Ahumada (2002, 2003) measured text legibility for light text and dark text. For paragraph readability and letter identification, responses to light text were slower and less accurate for a given contrast. Was this polarity effect (1) an artifact of our apparatus, (2) a physiological difference in the separate pathways for positive and negative contrast or (3) the result of increased experience with dark text on light backgrounds? To rule out the apparatus-artifact hypothesis, all data were collected on one monitor. Its luminance was measured at all levels used, and the spatial effects of the monitor were reduced by pixel doubling and quadrupling (increasing the viewing distance to maintain constant angular size). Luminances of vertical and horizontal square-wave gratings were compared to assess display speed effects. They existed, even for 4-pixel-wide bars. Tests for polarity asymmetries in display speed were negative. Increased experience might develop full letter templates for dark text, while recognition of light letters is based on component features. Earlier, an observer ran all conditions at one polarity and then switched. If dark and light letters were intermixed, the observer might use component features on all trials and do worse on the dark letters, reducing the polarity effect. We varied polarity blocking (completely blocked, alternating smaller blocks, and intermixed blocks). Letter identification responses times showed polarity effects at all contrasts and display resolution levels. Observers were also more accurate with higher contrasts and more pixels per degree. Intermixed blocks increased the polarity effect by reducing performance on the light letters, but only if the randomized block occurred prior to the nonrandomized block. Perhaps observers tried to use poorly developed templates, or they did not work as hard on the more difficult items. The experience hypothesis and the physiological gain hypothesis remain viable explanations.

Scharff, Lauren V.↗