Results for “Image resolution” — Page 83

NASA NTRS2018

Correcting for Trace Gas Absorption When Retrieving Aerosol Optical Depth from Satellite Observations of Reflected Shortwave Radiation

Retrieving aerosol optical depth (AOD) from top-of-atmosphere (TOA) satellite measured radiance requires separating the aerosol signal from the total observed signal. Total TOA radiance includes signal from underlying surface and from atmospheric constituents such as aerosols, clouds and gases. Multispectral retrieval algorithms, such as the dark-target (DT) algorithm that operates upon Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, onboard Terra and Aqua satellites) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS, onboard Suomi-NPP) sensors, use wavelength bands in "window" regions. However, while small, the gas absorptions in these bands are non-negligible and require correction. In this paper we use High-resolution TRANsmission (HITRAN) database and Line-by-Line Radiative Transfer Model (LBLRTM) to derive consistent gas corrections for both MODIS and VIIRS wavelength bands. Absorptions from H2O, CO2 and O3 are considered, as well as other trace gases. Even though MODIS and VIIRS bands are "similar", they are different enough that applying MODIS specific gas corrections to VIIRS observations results in an underestimate of global mean AOD (by 0.01), but with much larger regional AOD biases up to 0.07. As recent studies are attempting to create a long-term data record by joining multiple satellite datasets, including MODIS and VIIRS, the consistency of gas correction becomes even more crucial.

Satellite Remote Sensing↗

NASA NTRS2020

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

NASA NTRS2020

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

NASA NTRS2020

Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II: Identifying Current and Future Areas of Environmental Concern in La Amistad International Park to Inform Resource Management

Seven percent of all scientifically known life forms lie within the 202,230 square miles of Central America, making this area ecologically unique and increasing the need for environmental management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor forms a conservation partnership throughout Central America to establish a forested corridor of over 600 protected areas. Although conservation programs exist, deforestation still afflicts the area, putting strain on these diverse ecosystems. La Amistad International Park in southern Costa Rica and northern Panama in particular faces conflicting land use changes. Expanding agricultural development and urbanization, combined with concern over indigenous land rights, have raised questions about the implementation of sustainability goals and communication strategies within the region. To help address these issues, the NASA DEVELOP Costa Rica & Panama Ecological Forecasting II team continued a partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Energy in Costa Rica and the National Environmental Authority in Panama. The team created a Land Use Conflict Identification Strategy (LUCIS) model based on land cover maps for 2019 and 2029 that were created in term I using imagery from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). With partner input, the team applied weights to different objectives and combined suitability maps to identify areas of potential biodiversity conflict. Additionally, the team created a Short-term Forest Change (SFTC) Tool using Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Landsat 8 OLI, and Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument to help the partners identify areas of immediate, major forest changes. The LUCIS model indicated higher agricultural growth when compared to the ecological category.

Ecological Forecasting↗

DOE OSTI2023

Phase imaging of irradiated foils at the OMEGA EP facility using phase-stepping X-ray Talbot–Lau deflectometry

Abstract Diagnosing the evolution of laser-generated high energy density (HED) systems is fundamental to develop a correct understanding of the behavior of matter under extreme conditions. Talbot–Lau interferometry constitutes a promising tool, since it permits simultaneous single-shot X-ray radiography and phase-contrast imaging of dense plasmas. We present the results of an experiment at OMEGA EP that aims to probe the ablation front of a laser-irradiated foil using a Talbot–Lau X-ray interferometer. A polystyrene (CH) foil was irradiated by a laser of 133 J, 1 ns and probed with 8 keV laser-produced backlighter radiation from Cu foils driven by a short-pulse laser (153 J, 11 ps). The ablation front interferograms were processed in combination with a set of reference images obtained ex situ using phase-stepping. We managed to obtain attenuation and phase-shift images of a laser-irradiated foil for electron densities above ${10}^{22}\;{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ . These results showcase the capabilities of Talbot–Lau X-ray diagnostic methods to diagnose HED laser-generated plasmas through high-resolution imaging.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2013

Correlated SEM, FIB-SEM, TEM, and NanoSIMS Imaging of Microbes from the Hindgut of a Lower Termite: Methods for In Situ Functional and Ecological Studies of Uncultivable Microbes

The hindguts of lower termites harbor highly diverse, endemic communities of symbiotic protists, bacteria, and archaea essential to the termite's ability to digest wood. Despite over a century of experimental studies, ecological roles of many of these microbes are unknown, partly because almost none can be cultivated. Many of the protists associate with bacterial symbionts, but hypotheses for their respective roles in nutrient exchange are based on genomes of only two such bacteria. To show how the ecological roles of protists and nutrient transfer with symbiotic bacteria can be elucidated by direct imaging, we combined stable isotope labeling ( 13 C-cellulose) of live termites with analysis of fixed hindgut microbes using correlated scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), transmission electron microscopy, and high resolution imaging mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). We developed methods to prepare whole labeled cells on solid substrates, whole labeled cells milled with a FIB-SEM instrument to reveal cell interiors, and ultramicrotome sections of labeled cells for NanoSIMS imaging of 13 C enrichment in protists and associated bacteria. Our results show these methods have the potential to provide direct evidence for nutrient flow and suggest the oxymonad protist Oxymonas dimorpha phagocytoses and enzymatically degrades ingested wood fragments, and may transfer carbon derived from this to its surface bacterial symbionts.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Geostationary Satellite Retrievals with Irradiances and Cloud Properties / Processed Data

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) records sky brightness temperatures and irradiances at several wavelengths. From these the cloud microphysical and optical properties can be routinely retrieved. These properties are derived using the technique proposed by Minnis et al. 2020, and is similar to the technique used for deriving cloud properties from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. The derived GOES properties for the duration of the second Wind Forecasting Improvement Project (WFIP2) within the domain are reported here. Nominally the retrieved dataset has a 30- minute temporal and a 9 km spatial resolution.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1992

Galileo's progress

Data obtained to date by the Galileo spacecraft launched in October 1989 are discussed. It is noted that in April 1991 the spacecraft's high-gain antenna failed to deploy from its furled position. Since then, communications including return of images of the Gaspra asteroid have been performed through the low-gain antenna. It is considered to be possible to accomplish the majority of orbiter scientific objectives without the high-gain antenna including the return of high resolution images.

Mclaughlin, W. I.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Regional sedimentological variations among dark crater floor features: Toward a model for modern eolian sand distribution on Mars

It has been known since 1972 that many Martian craters have dark features on their floors, and that when seen at higher image resolution, some of the dark units are dune fields. Interpretations of thermal inertia derived from Viking Infrared Thermal Mapper (IRTM) data have been used to suggest that many dark intracrater features, including those where dunes are not observed in images, contain some amount of sand or particles in the range 0.1-10 mm. However, it has never been known if all these dark features consist of dunes. We assembled a set of 108 carefully constrained Viking IRTM observations for dark crater-floor units. The data and selection criteria are described in detail elsewhere. Studied in conjunction with Mariner 9 and Viking orbiter images of each crater, these data indicate that the dark crater-floor units in some regions have different thermal properties than those in other regions. Thermal inertias were computed using the Viking thermal model of H. H. Kieffer and corrected for atmospheric CO2 effects using the relationship for a dust-free atmosphere shown by Haberle and Jakosky.

Edgett, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Centaurus A, the core of the problem

The bright, peculiar elliptical galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128, PKS 1322-427) was one of the first extragalactic radio sources to be optically identified (Bolton et al. 1949). At a distance of 4 Mpc, Centaurus A is the closest active radio galaxy and affords the highest linear imaging resolution (1 mas approximately equal to 0.02 pc) and hence the best prospects for studying an active nucleus close to the central radio source. We present the results of multi-epoch, 8.4-GHz, very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), imaging observations of the nucleus made over the past three years. The nucleus possesses a core-jet structure where the inner portion of the jet shows apparent linear motion with a velocity substantially less than the speed of light.

Tingay, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Real Data and Rapid Results: Ocean Color Data Analysis with Giovanni (GES DISC Interactive Online Visualization and ANalysis Infrastructure)

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has taken a major step addressing the challenge of using archived Earth Observing System (EOS) data for regional or global studies by developing an infrastructure with a World Wide Web interface which allows online, interactive, data analysis: the GES DISC Interactive Online Visualization and ANalysis Infrastructure, or "Giovanni." Giovanni provides a data analysis environment that is largely independent of underlying data file format. The Ocean Color Time-Series Project has created an initial implementation of Giovanni using monthly Standard Mapped Image (SMI) data products from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) mission. Giovanni users select geophysical parameters, and the geographical region and time period of interest. The system rapidly generates a graphical or ASCII numerical data output. Currently available output options are: Area plot (averaged or accumulated over any available data period for any rectangular area); Time plot (time series averaged over any rectangular area); Hovmeller plots (image view of any longitude-time and latitude-time cross sections); ASCII output for all plot types; and area plot animations. Future plans include correlation plots, output formats compatible with Geographical Information Systems (GIs), and higher temporal resolution data. The Ocean Color Time-Series Project will produce sensor-independent ocean color data beginning with the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) mission and extending through SeaWiFS and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data sets, and will enable incorporation of Visible/lnfrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data, which will be added to Giovanni. The first phase of Giovanni will also include tutorials demonstrating the use of Giovanni and collaborative assistance in the development of research projects using the SeaWiFS and Ocean Color Time-Series Project data in the online Laboratory for Ocean Color Users (LOCUS). The synergy of Giovanni with high-quality ocean color data provides users with the ability to investigate a variety of important oceanic phenomena, such as coastal primary productivity related to pelagic fisheries, seasonal patterns and interannual variability, interdependence of atmospheric dust aerosols and harmful algal blooms, and the potential effects of climate change on oceanic productivity.

Acker, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS2014

The Use of Red Green Blue Air Mass Imagery to Investigate the Role of Stratospheric Air in a Non-Convective Wind Event

The investigation of non-convective winds associated with passing extratropical cyclones and the formation of the sting jet in North Atlantic cyclones that impact Europe has been gaining interest. Sting jet research has been limited to North Atlantic cyclones that impact Europe because it is known to occur in Shapiro-Keyser cyclones and theory suggests it does not occur in Norwegian type cyclones. The global distribution of sting jet cyclones is unknown and questions remain as to whether cyclones with Shapiro-Keyser characteristics that impact the United States develop features similar to the sting jet. Therefore unique National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) products were used to analyze an event that impacted the Northeast United States on 09 February 2013. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Red Green Blue (RGB) Air Mass imagery and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) ozone data were used in conjunction with NASA's global Modern Era-Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis and higher-resolution regional 13-km Rapid Refresh (RAP) data to analyze the role of stratospheric air in producing high winds. The RGB Air Mass imagery and a new AIRS ozone anomaly product were used to confirm the presence of stratospheric air. Plan view and cross sectional plots of wind, potential vorticity, relative humidity, omega, and frontogenesis were used to analyze the relationship between stratospheric air and high surface winds during the event. Additionally, the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model was used to plot trajectories to determine the role of the conveyor belts in producing the high winds. Analyses of new satellite products, such as the RGB Air Mass imagery, show the utility of future GOES-R products in forecasting non-convective wind events.

Berndt, E. B.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Land and Cryosphere Products from Suomi NPP VIIRS: Overview and Status

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument was launched in October 2011 as part of the Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP). The VIIRS instrument was designed to improve upon the capabilities of the operational Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and provide observation continuity with NASA's Earth Observing System's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). Since the VIIRS first-light images were received in November 2011, NASA- and NOAA-funded scientists have been working to evaluate the instrument performance and generate land and cryosphere products to meet the needs of the NOAA operational users and the NASA science community. NOAA's focus has been on refining a suite of operational products known as Environmental Data Records (EDRs), which were developed according to project specifications under the National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System. The NASA S-NPP Science Team has focused on evaluating the EDRs for science use, developing and testing additional products to meet science data needs, and providing MODIS data product continuity. This paper presents to-date findings of the NASA Science Team's evaluation of the VIIRS land and cryosphere EDRs, specifically Surface Reflectance, Land Surface Temperature, Surface Albedo, Vegetation Indices, Surface Type, Active Fires, Snow Cover, Ice Surface Temperature, and Sea Ice Characterization. The study concludes that, for MODIS data product continuity and earth system science, an enhanced suite of land and cryosphere products and associated data system capabilities are needed beyond the EDRs currently available from the VIIRS.

Land Surface↗

DOE OSTI2023

Ultrafast CMOS image sensors and data-enabled super-resolution for multimodal radiographic imaging and tomography

We summarize recent progress in ultrafast Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor development and the application of neural networks for post-processing of CMOS and charge-coupled device (CCD) image data to achieve sub-pixel resolution (thus ‘super-resolution’). The combination of novel CMOS pixel designs and data-enabled image post-processing provides a promising path towards ultrafast high-resolution multi-modal radiographic imaging and tomography applications.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2023

Ultrafast CMOS image sensors and data-enabled super-resolution for multimodal radiographic imaging and tomography

We summarize recent progress in ultrafast Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor development and the application of neural networks for post-processing of CMOS and charge-coupled device (CCD) image data to achieve sub-pixel resolution (thus $super$-$resolution$). The combination of novel CMOS pixel designs and data-enabled image post-processing provides a promising path towards ultrafast high-resolution multi-modal radiographic imaging and tomography applications.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

NASA NTRS2011

Evaluation of Detector-to-Detector and Mirror Side Differences for Terra MODIS Reflective Solar Bands Using Simultaneous MISR Observations

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is one of the five Earth-observing instruments on-board the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth-Observing System(EOS) Terra spacecraft, launched in December 1999. It has 36 spectral bands with wavelengths ranging from 0.41 to 14.4 mm and collects data at three nadir spatial resolutions: 0.25 km for 2 bands with 40 detectors each, 0.5 km for 5 bands with 20 detectors each and 1 km for the remaining 29 bands with 10 detectors each. MODIS bands are located on four separate focal plane assemblies (FPAs) according to their spectral wavelengths and aligned in the cross-track direction. Detectors of each spectral band are aligned in the along-track direction. MODIS makes observations using a two-sided paddle-wheel scan mirror. Its on-board calibrators (OBCs) for the reflective solar bands (RSBs) include a solar diffuser (SD), a solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM) and a spectral-radiometric calibration assembly (SRCA). Calibration is performed for each band, detector, sub-sample (for sub-kilometer resolution bands) and mirror side. In this study, a ratio approach is applied to MODIS observed Earth scene reflectances to track the detector-to-detector and mirror side differences. Simultaneous observed reflectances from the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), also onboard the Terra spacecraft, are used with MODIS observed reflectances in this ratio approach for four closely matched spectral bands. Results show that the detector-to-detector difference between two adjacent detectors within each spectral band is typically less than 0.2% and, depending on the wavelengths, the maximum difference among all detectors varies from 0.5% to 0.8%. The mirror side differences are found to be very small for all bands except for band 3 at 0.44 mm. This is the band with the shortest wavelength among the selected matching bands, showing a time-dependent increase for the mirror side difference. This study is part of the effort by the MODIS Characterization Support Team (MCST) in order to track the RSB on-orbit performance for MODIS collection 5 data products. To support MCST efforts for future data re-processing, this analysis will be extended to include more spectral bands and temporal coverage.

Wu, Aisheng↗

DOE OSTI2017

Contrast enhancement of biological nanoporous materials with zinc oxide infiltration for electron and X-ray nanoscale microscopy

Here, we show that using infiltration of ZnO metal oxide can be useful for high resolution imaging of biological samples in electron and X-ray microscopy. This method is compatible with standard fixation techniques that leave the sample dry, such as finishing with super critical CO 2 drying, or simple vacuum drying at 95°C. We demonstrate this technique can be applied on tooth and brain tissue samples. We also show that high resolution X-ray tomography can be performed on biological systems using Zn K edge (1s) absorption to enhance internal structures, and obtained the first nanoscale 10 KeV X-ray absorption images of the interior regions of a tooth.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2017

Models of the strongly lensed quasar DES J0408-5354

We present gravitational lens models of the multiply imaged quasar DES J0408-5354, recently discovered in the Dark Energy Survey (DES) footprint, with the aim of interpreting its remarkable quad-like configuration. We first model the DES single-epoch $grizY$ images as a superposition of a lens galaxy and four point-like objects, obtaining spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and relative positions for the objects. Three of the point sources (A,B,D) have SEDs compatible with the discovery quasar spectra, while the faintest point-like image (G2/C) shows significant reddening and a `grey' dimming of $\approx0.8$mag. In order to understand the lens configuration, we fit different models to the relative positions of A,B,D. Models with just a single deflector predict a fourth image at the location of G2/C but considerably brighter and bluer. The addition of a small satellite galaxy ($R_{\rm E}\approx0.2$") in the lens plane near the position of G2/C suppresses the flux of the fourth image and can explain both the reddening and grey dimming. All models predict a main deflector with Einstein radius between $1.7"$ and $2.0",$ velocity dispersion $267-280$km/s and enclosed mass $\approx 6\times10^{11}M_{\odot},$ even though higher resolution imaging data are needed to break residual degeneracies in model parameters. The longest time-delay (B-A) is estimated as $\approx 85$ (resp. $\approx125$) days by models with (resp. without) a perturber near G2/C. The configuration and predicted time-delays of J0408-5354 make it an excellent target for follow-up aimed at understanding the source quasar host galaxy and substructure in the lens, and measuring cosmological parameters. We also discuss some lessons learnt from J0408-5354 on lensed quasar finding strategies, due to its chromaticity and morphology.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗