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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1977

Use of LANDSAT data to monitor pasture project in Amazonia

The author has identified the following significant results. No differences were found between acreage evaluation by visual and automatic interpretation of LANDSAT images. It was necessary to interpret both channels 5 and 7 to exactly outline the deforested areas. Channel 7 was necessary for the identification of deforested areas in the presence of recently grown natural vegetation, and channel 5 was necessary to identify the deforested areas in the cerrado regions. Automatic interpretation permitted the discrimination between areas with predominant grass coverage and recently grown natural vegetation.

Dejesusparada, N.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Automated image processing of Landsat II digital data for watershed runoff prediction

Digital image processing of Landsat data from a 230 sq km area was examined as a possible means of generating soil cover information for use in the watershed runoff prediction of Kern County, California. The soil cover information included data on brush, grass, pasture lands and forests. A classification accuracy of 94% for the Landsat-based soil cover survey suggested that the technique could be applied to the watershed runoff estimate. However, problems involving the survey of complex mountainous environments may require further attention

Sasso, R. R.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Are two photographic infrared sensors required

The possible redundancy of photographic infrared (0.70-1.00 micron) sensors for monitoring vegetation and plant stresses was investigated using previously published data and the analysis of in situ narrow bandpass spectral data from experimental grass plots. Results of the analysis showed that a 0.76-0.90 micron photographic infrared sensor would combine excellent general vegetational utility with the ability to discriminate photographic infrared plateau-rounding stress conditions. A 0.76-0.90 micron sensor is therefore suggested for Landsat-D.

Tucker, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Landsat spectral signatures - Studies with soil associations and vegetation

The effect of soils and vegetation upon Landsat spectral properties was investigated for a 12,950 hectare area. Six soil associations used for corn, small grains, and grass were analyzed for two dates during the 1974 growing season. Landsat scenes for April 19 and June 30 were studied to separate categories of agricultural land use and to assess the influence of soil association on the spectral signatures of vegetation and bare ground. The April 19 data were useful to separate cropland from grassland and to locate areas of open water. The June 30 data showed that soil associations could not consistently be separated within the data of a single vegetative type; however, the results showed that soils did influence all vegetative spectral reflectances to some degree. Because soils did influence vegetative spectral reflectance, a generalized training set containing data points from each of the six soil associations was used to separate four categories of agricultural land use in the 12,950 hectare test area. An accuracy of about 94% was obtained.

Westin, F. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE). Detection of episodic phenomena on LANDSAT imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. Episodic phenomena such as rainfall shortly before data pass, thin translucent clouds, cloud shadows, and aircraft condensation trails and their shadows are responsible for changes in the spectral reflectivities of some surfaces. These changes are readily detected on LANDSAT full-frame imagery. Histograms of selected areas in Kansas show a distinct decrease in mean radiance values, but also, an increase in scene contrast, in areas where recent rains had occurred. Histograms from a few individual fields indicate that the mean radiance values for winter wheat followed a different trend after a rainfall than alfalfa or grasses.

Chesnutwood, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Interpreting vegetation reflectance measurements as a function of solar zenith angle

Spectral hemispherical-conical reflectances of a nadir looking sensor were taken throughout the day for a lodgepole pine and two grass canopies. Mathematical simulations of both spectral hemispherical-conical and bi-hemispherical reflectances were performed for two theoretical canopies of contrasting geometric structure. These results and comparisons with literature studies showed a great amount of variability of vegetation canopy reflectances as a function of solar zenith angle. Explanations for this variability are discussed and recommendations for further measurements are proposed.

Kimes, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Costing the satellite power system

The paper presents a methodology for satellite power system costing, places approximate limits on the accuracy possible in cost estimates made at this time, and outlines the use of probabilistic cost information in support of the decision-making process. Reasons for using probabilistic costing or risk analysis procedures instead of standard deterministic costing procedures are considered. Components of cost, costing estimating relationships, grass roots costing, and risk analysis are discussed. Risk analysis using a Monte Carlo simulation model is used to estimate future costs.

Hazelrigg, G. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Red and photographic infrared linear combinations for monitoring vegetation

The relationships between various linear combinations of red and photographic infrared radiances and vegetation parameters are investigated. In situ spectrometers are used to measure the relationships between linear combinations of red and IR radiances, their ratios and square roots, and biomass, leaf water content and chlorophyll content of a grass canopy in June, September and October. Regression analysis shows red-IR combinations to be more significant than green-red combinations. The IR/red ratio, the square root of the IR/red ratio, the vegetation index (IR-red difference divided by their sum) and the transformed vegetation index (the square root of the vegetation index + 0.5) are found to be sensitive to the amount of photosynthetically active vegetation. The accumulation of dead vegetation over the year is found to have a linearizing effect on the various vegetation measures.

Tucker, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Holocene submergence of southern Long Island, New York

Samples of basal peat from south-central Long Island have been dated by the radiocarbon method, and a local curve of submergence has been obtained for the past 8,000 yr. The submergence curve indicates that from 7,000 and 3,000 yr BP the Long Island coast was being submerged at a rate of about 25 cm per 100 yr, a rate which slowed markedly to about 10 cm per 100 yr during the past 3,000 yr. Sea-level data for before 7,000 yr show considerable scatter. Samples from the fringing and mid-bay marsh areas of the Great South Bay taken at depths of -1.1 and -0.3 m MSL gave radiocarbon ages of about 1,015 and 300 yr, respectively. The inception of these marshes is estimated to have occurred at about 2,000 yr BP. It seems likely that the change from open lagoon to saltmarsh was initiated in the Great South Bay by a decrease in the rate of submergence at about 3,000 yr BP, which allowed sedimentation to build the floor of the lagoon to a level suitable for colonization by marsh grasses.

Rampino, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Ground effects on aircraft noise

A flight experiment was conducted to investigate air-to-ground propagation of sound near grazing incidence. A turbojet-powered aircraft was flown at low altitudes over the ends of two microphone arrays. An eight-microphone array was positioned along a 1850 m concrete runway. The second array consisted of 12 microphones positioned parallel to the runway over grass. Twenty-eight flights were flown at altitudes ranging from 10 m to 160 m. The acoustic data recorded in the field reduced to one-third-octave band spectra and time correlated with the flight and weather information. A small portion of the data was further reduced to values of ground attenuation as a function of frequency and incidence angle by two different methods. In both methods, the acoustic signals compared originated from identical sources. Attenuation results obtained by using the two methods were in general agreement. The measured ground attenuation was largest in the frequency range of 200 to 400 Hz. A strong dependence was found between ground attenuation and incidence angle with little attenuation measured for angles of incidence greater than 10 to 15 degrees.

Willshire, W. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The carbon isotope biogeochemistry of the individual hydrocarbons in bat guano and the ecology of insectivorous bats in the region of Carlsbad, New Mexico

The structures and C-13 contents of individual alkanes extracted from bat guano found in the Carlsbad region of New Mexico can be related to both the photosynthetic pathways of the local plants and the feeding habits of the insects that support the bats. Carbon isotopic analyses of the 62 most important plant species in the Pecos River Valley, the most significant feeding area for the Carlsbad bats, reveal the presence of 29 species with C3 photosynthesis and 33 species, mostly grasses, with C4 photosynthesis. Although the abundances of nonagricultural C3 and C4 plants are similar, alfalfa and cotton, both C3 plants, constitute over 95 per cent of the crop biomass. The molecular composition of the bat guano hydrocarbons is fully consistent with an insect origin. Two isotopically distinct groups of insect branched alkanes were discerned. These two groups of alkanes derived from two chemotaxonomically distinct populations of insects possessing distinctly different feeding habits. It is likely that one population grazes predominantly on crops whereas the other population prefers native vegetation. This and other isotopic evidence supports the notion that crop pests constitute a major percentage of the bats' diet.

Desmarais, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Market definition study of photovoltaic power for remote villages in the United States

A grass roots evaluation of the market potential was carried out for photovoltaic applications in remote villages in the U. S. and its possessions. An estimate of almost 14 MWp available for conversion from a potential to a real market was defined. The total power potential was based on the energy needs of almost 400 sites reported by Federal agencies and inputs from over 100 Indian tribes. The methodology used, the results achieved, and some recommendations of how to convert this domestic market potential into a real market are detailed.

Ragsdale, C.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Microwave remote sensing of soil moisture content over bare and vegetated fields

The author has identified the following significant results. Ground truth of soil moisture content, and ambient air and soil temperatures were acquired concurrently with measurements of soil moisture in bare fields and fields covered with grass, corn, and soybeans obtained with 1.4 GHz and 5 GHz radiometers mounted on a truck. The biomass of the vegetation was sampled about once a week. The measured brightness temperatures over the bare fields were compared with those of radiative transfer model calculations using as inputs the acquired soil moisture and temperatures data with appropriate values of dielectric constants for soil-water mixtures. A good agreement was found between the calculated and measured results over 10 deg to 70 deg incident angles. The presence of vegetation reduced the sensitivity of soil moisture sensing. At 1.4 GHz the sensitivity reduction ranged from about 20% for 10 cm tall grassland cover to over 50 to 60% for the dense soybean field. At 5 GHz corresponding reduction in sensitivity ranged from approximately 70% to approximately 90%.

Wang, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

A spectral method for determining the percentage of green herbage material in clipped samples

A laboratory radiometric method for the rapid determination of green and brown vegetation percentages in clipped grass samples has been developed and tested. The method uses red and photographic infrared radiance or reflectance differences between green and brown vegetation. Mixtures of green and brown material were found to have radiances or reflectances proportional to the percentage of green material present. This method may permit the use of rapid green/brown radiometric determinations to replace the tedious hand sorting now generally used. It may also have application in remote sensing of vegetation ground-truth work where the determination of dry green biomass in clipped samples is necessary.

Tucker, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Airphoto analysis of erosion control practices

The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) is a widely accepted tool for erosion prediction and conservation planning. In this study, airphoto analysis of color and color infrared 70 mm photography at a scale of 1:60,000 was used to determine the erosion control practice factor in the USLE. Information about contour tillage, contour strip cropping, and grass waterways was obtained from aerial photography for Pheasant Branch Creek watershed in Dane County, Wisconsin.

Morgan, K. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

LANDSAT technology transfer to the private and public sectors through community colleges and other locally available institutions

The results achieved during the first eight months of a program to transfer LANDSAT technology to practicing professionals in the private and public sectors (grass roots) through community colleges and other locally available institutions are reported. The approach offers hands-on interactive analysis training and demonstrations through the use of color desktop computer terminals communicating with a host computer by telephone lines. The features of the terminals and associated training materials are reviewed together with plans for their use in training and demonstration projects.

Rogers, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Assessment of ground effects on the propagation of aircraft noise: The T-38A flight experiment

A flight experiment was conducted to investigate air to ground propagation of sound at gazing angles of incidence. A turbojet powered airplane was flown at altitudes ranging from 10 to 160 m over a 20-microphone array positioned over grass and concrete. The dependence of ground effects on frequency, incidence angle, and slant range was determined using two analysis methods. In one method, a microphone close to the flight path is compared to down range microphones. In the other method, comparisons are made between two microphones which were equidistant from the flight path but positioned over the two surfaces. In both methods, source directivity angle was the criterion by which portions of the microphone signals were compared. The ground effects were largest in the frequency range of 200 to 400 Hz and were found to be dependent on incidence angle and slant range. Ground effects measured for angles of incidence greater than 10 deg to 15 deg were near zero. Measured attenuation increased with increasing slant range for slant ranges less than 750 m. Theoretical predictions were found to be in good agreement with the major details of the measured results.

Willshire, W. L., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1980

System calibration of the 1.4 GHz and 5 GHz radiometers for soil moisture remote sensing

Two microwave radiometers at the frequencies of 1.4 GHz and 5 GHz were mounted on a mobile tower and used for a remote sensing of soil moisture experiment at a Beltsville Agriculture Research Center test site. The experiment was performed in October 1979 over both bare field and fields covered with grass, soybean, and corn. The calibration procedure for the radiometer systems which forms the basis of obtaining the final radiometric data product is described. It is estimated from the calibration results that the accuracy of the 1.4 GHz radiometric measurements is about + or - 3 K. The measured 5 GHz brightness temperatures over bare fields with moisture content greater than 10 percent by dry weight are about 8 K lower than those taken simultaneously at 1.4 GHz. This could be due to either (1) a 5 GHz antenna side lobe seeing the cold brightness of the sky, or (2) the thermal microwave emission from a soil being less sensitive to surface roughness at 5 GHz than at 1.4 GHz.

Wang, J.↗