ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e209133 - iss042e210379). Shows Earth views. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e215401 -iss042e215812). Shows Earth views. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e290689 - iss042e291289). Shows Earth views. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e249923 - iss042e250759). Shows Earth views. Space Station Remote Manipulator system (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e170341 - iss042e171462). Shows Earth views. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e244330 - iss042e245101). Shows Earth views. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-29

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss041e37762 - iss041e39788). Shows Earth and aurora views. Partial views of ISS in and out of view.

Low-cost Tools for Aerial Video Geolocation and Air Traffic Analysis for Delay Reduction Using Google Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zetterlind, V.; Pledgie, S.

2009-12-01

Low-cost, low-latency, robust geolocation and display of aerial video is a common need for a wide range of earth observing as well as emergency response and security applications. While hardware costs for aerial video collection systems, GPS, and inertial sensors have been decreasing, software costs for geolocation algorithms and reference imagery/DTED remain expensive and highly proprietary. As part of a Federal Small Business Innovative Research project, MosaicATM and EarthNC, Inc have developed a simple geolocation system based on the Google Earth API and Google's 'built-in' DTED and reference imagery libraries. This system geolocates aerial video based on platform and camera position, attitude, and field-of-view metadata using geometric photogrammetric principles of ray-intersection with DTED. Geolocated video can be directly rectified and viewed in the Google Earth API during processing. Work is underway to extend our geolocation code to NASA World Wind for additional flexibility and a fully open-source platform. In addition to our airborne remote sensing work, MosaicATM has developed the Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation (SODAA) tool, funded by NASA Ames, which supports analysis of airport surface operations to optimize aircraft movements and reduce fuel burn and delays. As part of SODAA, MosaicATM and EarthNC, Inc have developed powerful tools to display national airspace data and time-animated 3D flight tracks in Google Earth for 4D analysis. The SODAA tool can convert raw format flight track data, FAA National Flight Data (NFD), and FAA 'Adaptation' airport surface data to a spatial database representation and then to Google Earth KML. The SODAA client provides users with a simple graphical interface through which to generate queries with a wide range of predefined and custom filters, plot results, and export for playback in Google Earth in conjunction with NFD and Adaptation overlays.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e103580 - iss042e104044). Shows night time Earth views. Solar Array Wing (SAW) and Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e196791 - iss042e197504). Shows Earth views. Day time views turn into night time views. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

UrtheCast Second-Generation Earth Observation Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beckett, K.

2015-04-01

UrtheCast's Second-Generation state-of-the-art Earth Observation (EO) remote sensing platform will be hosted on the NASA segment of International Space Station (ISS). This platform comprises a high-resolution dual-mode (pushbroom and video) optical camera and a dual-band (X and L) Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) instrument. These new sensors will complement the firstgeneration medium-resolution pushbroom and high-definition video cameras that were mounted on the Russian segment of the ISS in early 2014. The new cameras are expected to be launched to the ISS in late 2017 via the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation Dragon spacecraft. The Canadarm will then be used to install the remote sensing platform onto a CBM (Common Berthing Mechanism) hatch on Node 3, allowing the sensor electronics to be accessible from the inside of the station, thus limiting their exposure to the space environment and allowing for future capability upgrades. The UrtheCast second-generation system will be able to take full advantage of the strengths that each of the individual sensors offers, such that the data exploitation capabilities of the combined sensors is significantly greater than from either sensor alone. This represents a truly novel platform that will lead to significant advances in many other Earth Observation applications such as environmental monitoring, energy and natural resources management, and humanitarian response, with data availability anticipated to begin after commissioning is completed in early 2018.

Headlines: Planet Earth: Improving Climate Literacy with Short Format News Videos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenenbaum, L. F.; Kulikov, A.; Jackson, R.

2012-12-01

One of the challenges of communicating climate science is the sense that climate change is remote and unconnected to daily life--something that's happening to someone else or in the future. To help face this challenge, NASA's Global Climate Change website http://climate.nasa.gov has launched a new video series, "Headlines: Planet Earth," which focuses on current climate news events. This rapid-response video series uses 3D video visualization technology combined with real-time satellite data and images, to throw a spotlight on real-world events.. The "Headlines: Planet Earth" news video products will be deployed frequently, ensuring timeliness. NASA's Global Climate Change Website makes extensive use of interactive media, immersive visualizations, ground-based and remote images, narrated and time-lapse videos, time-series animations, and real-time scientific data, plus maps and user-friendly graphics that make the scientific content both accessible and engaging to the public. The site has also won two consecutive Webby Awards for Best Science Website. Connecting climate science to current real-world events will contribute to improving climate literacy by making climate science relevant to everyday life.

Earth Observations: Experiences from Various Communication Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lilja Bye, Bente

2015-04-01

With Earth observations and the Group of Earth Observations as the common thread, a variety of communication strategies have been applied showcasing the use of Earth observations in geosciences such as climate change, natural hazards, hydrology and more. Based on the experiences from these communication strategies, using communication channels ranging from popular articles in established media, video production, event-based material and social media, lessons have been learned both with respect to the need of capacity, skills, networks, and resources. In general it is not difficult to mobilize geoscientists willing to spend some time on outreach activities. Time for preparing and training is however scarce among scientists. In addition, resources to cover the various aspects of professional science outreach is far from abundant. Among the challenges is the connection between the scientific networks and media channels. Social media competence and capacity are also issues that needs to be addressed more explicitly and efficiently. An overview of the experiences from several types of outreach activities will be given along with some input on possible steps towards improved communication strategies. Steady development of science communication strategies continuously integrating trainging of scientists in use of new outreach tools such as web technology and social innovations for more efficient use of limited resources will remain an issue for the scientific community.

Sensing Planet Earth - Chalmers' MOOCs on Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobiger, Thomas; Stöhr, Christian; Murtagh, Donal; Forkman, Peter; Galle, Bo; Mellquist, Johan; Soja, Maciej; Berg, Anders; Carvajal, Gisela; Eriksson, Leif; Haas, Rüdiger

2016-04-01

An increasing number of universities around the globe produce and conduct Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). In the beginning of 2016, Chalmers University of Technology ran two MOOCs on the topic of Earth observations on the edX platform. Both four week long courses were at introductory level and covered topics related to solid Earth, atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and cryosphere. It was discussed how one can measure and trace global change and use remote sensing tools for disaster monitoring. Research has attempted to assess the learners' motivations to participate in MOOCs, but there is a need for further case studies about motivations, opportunities and challenges for teachers engaging in MOOC development. In our presentation, we are going to report about the experiences gained from both the MOOC production and the actual course run from the instructors' perspective. After brief introduction to MOOCs in general and at Chalmers in particular, we share experiences and challenges of developing lecture and assessment material, the video production and coordination efforts between and within different actors involved in the production process. Further, we reflect upon the actual run of the course including course statistics and feedback from the learners. We discuss issues such as learner activation and engagement with the material, teacher-learner and student-student interaction as well as the scalability of different learning activities. Finally, we will present our lessons-learned and conclusions on the applicability of MOOCs in the field of Earth science teaching.

Crew Earth Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Runco, Susan

2009-01-01

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) takes advantage of the crew in space to observe and photograph natural and human-made changes on Earth. The photographs record the Earth's surface changes over time, along with dynamic events such as storms, floods, fires and volcanic eruptions. These images provide researchers on Earth with key data to better understand the planet.

A detailed view of Earth across space and time: our changing planet through a 32-year global Landsat and Sentinel-2 timelapse video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herwig, C.

2017-12-01

The Landsat program offers an unparalleled record of our changing planet, with satellites that have been observing the Earth since 1972 to the present day. However, clouds, seasonal variation, and technical challenges around access to large volumes of data make it difficult for researchers and the public to understand global and regional scale changes across time through the planetary dataset. Earth Timelapse is a global, zoomable video that has helped revolutionize how users - millions of which have never been capable of utilizing Landsat data before - monitor and understand a changing planet. It is made from 33 cloud-free annual mosaics, one for each year from 1984 to 2016, which are made interactively explorable by Carnegie Mellon University CREATE Lab's Time Machine library, a technology for creating and viewing zoomable and pannable timelapses over space and time. Using Earth Engine, we combined over 5 million satellite images acquired over the past three decades by 5 different satellites. The majority of the images come from Landsat, a joint USGS/NASA Earth observation program that has observed the Earth since the 1970s. For 2015 and 2016, we combined Landsat 8 imagery with imagery from Sentinel-2A, part of the European Commission and European Space Agency's Copernicus Earth observation program. Along with the interactive desktop Timelapse application, we created a 200-video YouTube playlist highlighting areas across the world exhibiting change in the dataset.Earth Timelapse is an example that illustrates the power of Google Earth Engine's cloud-computing platform, which enables users such as scientists, researchers, and journalists to detect changes, map trends, and quantify differences on the Earth's surface using Google's computational infrastructure and the multi-petabyte Earth Engine data catalog. Earth Timelapse also highlights the value of data visualization to communicate with non-scientific audiences with varied technical and internet connectivity

Using a Video Camera to Measure the Radius of the Earth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Joshua; Hughes, Stephen

2013-01-01

A simple but accurate method for measuring the Earth's radius using a video camera is described. A video camera was used to capture a shadow rising up the wall of a tall building at sunset. A free program called ImageJ was used to measure the time it took the shadow to rise a known distance up the building. The time, distance and length of…

Earth Observation from the International Space Station -Remote Sensing in Schools-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Johannes; Rienow, Andreas; Graw, Valerie; Heinemann, Sascha; Selg, Fabian; Menz, Gunter

2016-04-01

Since spring 2014, the NASA High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) mission at the International Space Station (ISS) is online. HDEV consists of four cameras mounted at ESA's Columbus laboratory and is recording the earth 24/7. The educational project 'Columbus Eye - Live-Imagery from the ISS in Schools' has published a learning portal for earth observation from the ISS (www.columbuseye.uni-bonn.de). Besides a video live stream, the portal contains an archive providing spectacular footage, web-GIS and an observatory with interactive materials for school lessons. Columbus Eye is carried out by the University of Bonn and funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Space Administration. Pupils should be motivated to work with the footage in order to learn about patterns and processes of the coupled human-environment system like volcano eruptions or deforestation. The material is developed on the experiences of the FIS (German abbreviation for "Remote Sensing in Schools") project and its learning portal (http://www.fis.uni-bonn.de). Based on the ISS videos three different teaching material types are developed. The simplest teaching type are provided by worksheets, which have a low degree of interactivity. Alongside a short didactical commentary for teachers is included. Additionally, videos, ancillary information, maps, and instructions for interactive school experiments are provided. The observatory contains the second type of the Columbus Eye teaching materials. It requires a high degree of self-organisation and responsibility of the pupils. Thus, the observatory provides the opportunity for pupils to freely construct their own hypotheses based on a spatial analysis tool similar to those provided by commercial software. The third type are comprehensive learning and teaching modules with a high degree of interactivity, including background information, interactive animations, quizzes and different analysis tools (e.g. change detection, classification, polygon or NDVI

Earth Observations

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-06-16

ISS024-E-006136 (16 June 2010) --- Polar mesospheric clouds, illuminated by an orbital sunrise, are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member on the International Space Station. Polar mesospheric, or noctilucent (?night shining?), clouds are observed from both Earth?s surface and in orbit by crew members aboard the space station. They are called night-shining clouds as they are usually seen at twilight. Following the setting of the sun below the horizon and darkening of Earth?s surface, these high clouds are still briefly illuminated by sunlight. Occasionally the ISS orbital track becomes nearly parallel to Earth?s day/night terminator for a time, allowing polar mesospheric clouds to be visible to the crew at times other than the usual twilight due to the space station altitude. This unusual photograph shows polar mesospheric clouds illuminated by the rising, rather than setting, sun at center right. Low clouds on the horizon appear yellow and orange, while higher clouds and aerosols are illuminated a brilliant white. Polar mesospheric clouds appear as light blue ribbons extending across the top of the image. These clouds typically occur at high latitudes of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and at fairly high altitudes of 76?85 kilometers (near the boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere atmospheric layers). The ISS was located over the Greek island of Kos in the Aegean Sea (near the southwestern coastline of Turkey) when the image was taken at approximately midnight local time. The orbital complex was tracking northeastward, nearly parallel to the terminator, making it possible to observe an apparent ?sunrise? located almost due north. A similar unusual alignment of the ISS orbit track, terminator position, and seasonal position of Earth?s orbit around the sun allowed for striking imagery of polar mesospheric clouds over the Southern Hemisphere earlier this year.

The Group on Earth Observations and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Achache, J.

2006-05-01

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is leading a worldwide effort to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) over the next 10 years. The GEOSS vision, articulated in its 10-Year Implementation Plan, represents the consolidation of a global scientific and political consensus: the assessment of the state of the Earth requires continuous and coordinated observation of our planet at all scales. GEOSS aims to achieve comprehensive, coordinated and sustained observations of the Earth system in order to improve monitoring of the state of the Earth; increase understanding of Earth processes; and enhance prediction of the behaviour of the Earth system. After the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 highlighted the urgent need for coordinated observations relating to the state of the Earth, GEO was established at the Third Earth Observation Summit in February 2005 and the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan was endorsed. GEO currently involves 60 countries; the European Commission; and 43 international organizations and has begun implementation of the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan. GEO programme activities cover nine societal benefit areas (Disasters; Health; Energy; Climate; Water; Weather; Ecosystems; Agriculture; Biodiversity) and five transverse or crosscutting elements (User Engagement; Architecture; Data Management; Capacity Building; Outreach). All these activities have as their final goal the establishment of the "system of systems" which will yield a broad range of basic societal benefits, including the reduction of loss of life and property from tsunamis, hurricanes, and other natural disasters; improved water resource and energy management; and improved understanding of environmental factors significant to public health. As a "system of systems", GEOSS will work with and build upon existing national, regional, and international systems to provide comprehensive, coordinated Earth observations from thousands of instruments worldwide

Quantification of Surf Zone Bathymetry from Video Observations of Wave Breaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aarninkhof, S.; Ruessink, G.

2002-12-01

near the shoreline. Model performance strongly benefits from an increase of wave heights and tidal ranges. At the moment, the model is subject to validation against a data set of multiple-barred beach profiles, surveyed during a 3 week period of stormy wheather in the course of the Coast3D field experiments at Egmond (The Netherlands). Although the video-based estimates of bar bathymetry show a shoreward off-set of the location of the inner bar and vertical deviations of 0.5 (0.8) m near the outer (inner) bar crest, these preliminary results show a promising match in terms of profile shape and the migration of the seaward bar face. Model application at the time scale of months to years is subject to present research. This work was supported by the DIOC Earth Observations of Delft University of Technology, the Delft Cluster program at Delft Hydraulics, the Dutch Ministry of Public Works Rijkswaterstaaat and the EU-funded Coastview project.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-20

Earth observation taken during day pass by an Expedition 36 crew member on board the International Space Station (ISS). Per Twitter message: Looking southwest over northern Africa. Libya, Algeria, Niger.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-02

ISS028-E-020276 (2 Aug. 2011) --- This photograph of polar mesospheric clouds was acquired at an altitude of just over 202 nautical miles (about 322 kilometers) in the evening hours (03:19:54 Greenwich Mean Time) on Aug. 2, 2011, as the International Space Station was passing over the English Channel. The nadir coordinates of the station were 49.1 degrees north latitude and 5.5 degrees west longitude. Polar mesospheric clouds (also known as noctilucent, or ?night-shining? clouds) are transient, upper atmospheric phenomena that are usually observed in the summer months at high latitudes (greater than 50 degrees) of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They appear bright and cloudlike while in deep twilight. They are illuminated by sunlight when the lower layers of the atmosphere are in the darkness of Earth?s shadow. The horizon of Earth appears at the bottom of the image, with some layers of the lower atmosphere already illuminated by the rising sun. The higher, bluish-colored clouds look much like wispy cirrus clouds, which can be found as high as 60,000 feet (18 kilometers) in the atmosphere. However noctilucent clouds, as seen here, are observed in the mesosphere at altitudes of 250,000 to 280,000 feet (about 76 to 85 kilometers). Astronaut observations of polar mesospheric clouds over northern Europe in the summer are not uncommon.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-03

Earth observation taken during day pass by an Expedition 36 crew member on board the International Space Station (ISS). Per Twitter message: Perhaps a dandelion losing its seeds in the wind? Love clouds!

Video observations, atmospheric path, orbit and fragmentation record of the fall of the Peekskill meteorite.

PubMed

Ceplecha, Z; Brown, P; Hawkes, R L; Wetherill, G; Beech, M; Mossman, K

1996-02-01

Large Near-Earth-Asteroids have played a role in modifying the character of the surface geology of the Earth over long time scales through impacts. Recent modeling of the disruption of large meteoroids during atmospheric flight has emphasized the dramatic effects that smaller objects may also have on the Earth's surface. However, comparison of these models with observations has not been possible until now. Peekskill is only the fourth meteorite to have been recovered for which detailed and precise data exist on the meteoroid atmospheric trajectory and orbit. Consequently, there are few constraints on the position of meteorites in the solar system before impact on Earth. In this paper, the preliminary analysis based on 4 from all 15 video recordings of the fireball of October 9, 1992 which resulted in the fall of a 12.4 kg ordinary chondrite (H6 monomict breccia) in Peekskill, New York, will be given. Preliminary computations revealed that the Peekskill fireball was an Earth-grazing event, the third such case with precise data available. The body with an initial mass of the order of 10(4) kg was in a pre-collision orbit with a = 1.5 AU, an aphelion of slightly over 2 AU and an inclination of 5 degrees. The no-atmosphere geocentric trajectory would have lead to a perigee of 22 km above the Earth's surface, but the body never reached this point due to tremendous fragmentation and other forms of ablation. The dark flight of the recovered meteorite started from a height of 30 km, when the velocity dropped below 3 km/s, and the body continued 50 km more without ablation, until it hit a parked car in Peekskill, New York with a velocity of about 80 m/s. Our observations are the first video records of a bright fireball and the first motion pictures of a fireball with an associated meteorite fall.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-27

Earth Observation taken during a day pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Part of Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) is visible. Folder lists this as: the Middle East, Israel.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-01

Earth Observation taken during a night pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Folder lists this as: New Zealand Aurora night pass. On crewmember's Flickr page - Look straight down into an aurora.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-12

Earth Observation taken during a day pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Folder lists this as: Moon, Japan, Kamchatka with a wild cloud. Part of a solar array is also visible.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-26

Earth observation taken during day pass by an Expedition 36 crew member on board the International Space Station (ISS). Per Twitter message: Never tire of finding shapes in the clouds! These look very botanical to me. Simply perfect.

Earth as an Extrasolar Planet: Earth Model Validation Using EPOXI Earth Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Tyler D.; Meadows, Victoria S.; Crisp, David; Deming, Drake; A'Hearn, Michael F.; Charbonneau, David; Livengood, Timothy A.; Seager, Sara; Barry, Richard; Hearty, Thomas;

Earth as an Extrasolar Planet: Earth Model Validation Using EPOXI Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Tyler D.; Meadows, Victoria S.; Crisp, David; Deming, Drake; A'Hearn, Michael F.; Charbonneau, David; Livengood, Timothy A.; Seager, Sara; Barry, Richard K.; Hearty, Thomas; Hewagama, Tilak; Lisse, Carey M.; McFadden, Lucy A.; Wellnitz, Dennis D.

2011-06-01

The EPOXI Discovery Mission of Opportunity reused the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to obtain spatially and temporally resolved visible photometric and moderate resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of Earth. These remote observations provide a rigorous validation of whole-disk Earth model simulations used to better understand remotely detectable extrasolar planet characteristics. We have used these data to upgrade, correct, and validate the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory three-dimensional line-by-line, multiple-scattering spectral Earth model. This comprehensive model now includes specular reflectance from the ocean and explicitly includes atmospheric effects such as Rayleigh scattering, gas absorption, and temperature structure. We have used this model to generate spatially and temporally resolved synthetic spectra and images of Earth for the dates of EPOXI observation. Model parameters were varied to yield an optimum fit to the data. We found that a minimum spatial resolution of ∼100 pixels on the visible disk, and four categories of water clouds, which were defined by using observed cloud positions and optical thicknesses, were needed to yield acceptable fits. The validated model provides a simultaneous fit to Earth's lightcurve, absolute brightness, and spectral data, with a root-mean-square (RMS) error of typically less than 3% for the multiwavelength lightcurves and residuals of ∼10% for the absolute brightness throughout the visible and NIR spectral range. We have extended our validation into the mid-infrared by comparing the model to high spectral resolution observations of Earth from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, obtaining a fit with residuals of ∼7% and brightness temperature errors of less than 1 K in the atmospheric window. For the purpose of understanding the observable characteristics of the distant Earth at arbitrary viewing geometry and observing cadence, our validated forward model can be

Earth as an extrasolar planet: Earth model validation using EPOXI earth observations.

PubMed

Robinson, Tyler D; Meadows, Victoria S; Crisp, David; Deming, Drake; A'hearn, Michael F; Charbonneau, David; Livengood, Timothy A; Seager, Sara; Barry, Richard K; Hearty, Thomas; Hewagama, Tilak; Lisse, Carey M; McFadden, Lucy A; Wellnitz, Dennis D

2011-06-01

The EPOXI Discovery Mission of Opportunity reused the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to obtain spatially and temporally resolved visible photometric and moderate resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of Earth. These remote observations provide a rigorous validation of whole-disk Earth model simulations used to better understand remotely detectable extrasolar planet characteristics. We have used these data to upgrade, correct, and validate the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory three-dimensional line-by-line, multiple-scattering spectral Earth model. This comprehensive model now includes specular reflectance from the ocean and explicitly includes atmospheric effects such as Rayleigh scattering, gas absorption, and temperature structure. We have used this model to generate spatially and temporally resolved synthetic spectra and images of Earth for the dates of EPOXI observation. Model parameters were varied to yield an optimum fit to the data. We found that a minimum spatial resolution of ∼100 pixels on the visible disk, and four categories of water clouds, which were defined by using observed cloud positions and optical thicknesses, were needed to yield acceptable fits. The validated model provides a simultaneous fit to Earth's lightcurve, absolute brightness, and spectral data, with a root-mean-square (RMS) error of typically less than 3% for the multiwavelength lightcurves and residuals of ∼10% for the absolute brightness throughout the visible and NIR spectral range. We have extended our validation into the mid-infrared by comparing the model to high spectral resolution observations of Earth from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, obtaining a fit with residuals of ∼7% and brightness temperature errors of less than 1 K in the atmospheric window. For the purpose of understanding the observable characteristics of the distant Earth at arbitrary viewing geometry and observing cadence, our validated forward model can be

Earth as an Extrasolar Planet: Earth Model Validation Using EPOXI Earth Observations

PubMed Central

Meadows, Victoria S.; Crisp, David; Deming, Drake; A'Hearn, Michael F.; Charbonneau, David; Livengood, Timothy A.; Seager, Sara; Barry, Richard K.; Hearty, Thomas; Hewagama, Tilak; Lisse, Carey M.; McFadden, Lucy A.; Wellnitz, Dennis D.

2011-01-01

Abstract The EPOXI Discovery Mission of Opportunity reused the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to obtain spatially and temporally resolved visible photometric and moderate resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic observations of Earth. These remote observations provide a rigorous validation of whole-disk Earth model simulations used to better understand remotely detectable extrasolar planet characteristics. We have used these data to upgrade, correct, and validate the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratory three-dimensional line-by-line, multiple-scattering spectral Earth model. This comprehensive model now includes specular reflectance from the ocean and explicitly includes atmospheric effects such as Rayleigh scattering, gas absorption, and temperature structure. We have used this model to generate spatially and temporally resolved synthetic spectra and images of Earth for the dates of EPOXI observation. Model parameters were varied to yield an optimum fit to the data. We found that a minimum spatial resolution of ∼100 pixels on the visible disk, and four categories of water clouds, which were defined by using observed cloud positions and optical thicknesses, were needed to yield acceptable fits. The validated model provides a simultaneous fit to Earth's lightcurve, absolute brightness, and spectral data, with a root-mean-square (RMS) error of typically less than 3% for the multiwavelength lightcurves and residuals of ∼10% for the absolute brightness throughout the visible and NIR spectral range. We have extended our validation into the mid-infrared by comparing the model to high spectral resolution observations of Earth from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, obtaining a fit with residuals of ∼7% and brightness temperature errors of less than 1 K in the atmospheric window. For the purpose of understanding the observable characteristics of the distant Earth at arbitrary viewing geometry and observing cadence, our validated forward

Motion based parsing for video from observational psychology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokaram, Anil; Doyle, Erika; Lennon, Daire; Joyeux, Laurent; Fuller, Ray

2006-01-01

In Psychology it is common to conduct studies involving the observation of humans undertaking some task. The sessions are typically recorded on video and used for subjective visual analysis. The subjective analysis is tedious and time consuming, not only because much useless video material is recorded but also because subjective measures of human behaviour are not necessarily repeatable. This paper presents tools using content based video analysis that allow automated parsing of video from one such study involving Dyslexia. The tools rely on implicit measures of human motion that can be generalised to other applications in the domain of human observation. Results comparing quantitative assessment of human motion with subjective assessment are also presented, illustrating that the system is a useful scientific tool.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-03

Earth observation taken during day pass by an Expedition 36 crew member on board the International Space Station (ISS). Per Twitter message: From southernmost point of orbit over the South Pacific- all clouds seemed to be leading to the South Pole.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-21

Earth observation taken during night pass by an Expedition 36 crew member on board the International Space Station (ISS). Per Twitter message this is labeled as : Tehran, Iran. Lights along the coast of the Caspian Sea visible through clouds. July 21.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-12

Earth Observation taken during a day pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Folder lists this as: Moon, Japan, Kamchatka with a wild cloud. Part of the U.S. Lab and PMM are also visible.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-31

Earth Observation taken during a day pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Folder lists this as: CEO - Arena de Sao Paolo. View used for Twitter message: Cloudy skies over São Paulo Brazil

Developing Expertise: Using Video to Hone Teacher Candidates' Classroom Observation Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuthrell, Kristen; Steadman, Sharilyn C.; Stapleton, Joy; Hodge, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This article explores the impact of a video observation model developed for teacher candidates in an early experiences course. Video Grand Rounds (VGR) combines a structured observation protocol, videos, and directed debriefing to enhance teacher candidates' observations skills within nonstructured and field-based observations. A comparative…

Earth Observations

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-11-18

ISS042E006751 (11/08/2014) --- Earth observation taken from the International Space Station of the coastline of the United Arab Emirates. The large wheel along the coast center left is "Jumeirah" Palm Island, with a conference center, hotels, recreation areas and a large marine zoo.

NASDA's earth observation satellite data archive policy for the earth observation data and information system (EOIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sobue, Shin-ichi; Yoshida, Fumiyoshi; Ochiai, Osamu

1996-01-01

NASDA's new Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) is scheduled for launch in August, 1996. ADEOS carries 8 sensors to observe earth environmental phenomena and sends their data to NASDA, NASA, and other foreign ground stations around the world. The downlink data bit rate for ADEOS is 126 MB/s and the total volume of data is about 100 GB per day. To archive and manage such a large quantity of data with high reliability and easy accessibility it was necessary to develop a new mass storage system with a catalogue information database using advanced database management technology. The data will be archived and maintained in the Master Data Storage Subsystem (MDSS) which is one subsystem in NASDA's new Earth Observation data and Information System (EOIS). The MDSS is based on a SONY ID1 digital tape robotics system. This paper provides an overview of the EOIS system, with a focus on the Master Data Storage Subsystem and the NASDA Earth Observation Center (EOC) archive policy for earth observation satellite data.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-27

ISS028-E-009979 (27 June 2011) --- The Massachusetts coastline is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 28 crew member on the International Space Station. The Crew Earth Observations team at NASA Johnson Space Center sends specific ground targets for photography up to the station crew on a daily basis, but sometimes the crew takes imagery on their own of striking displays visible from orbit. One such display, often visible to the ISS crew due to their ability to look outwards at angles between 0 and 90 degrees, is sunglint on the waters of Earth. Sunglint is caused by sunlight reflecting off of a water surface?much as light reflects from a mirror?directly towards the observer. Roughness variations of the water surface scatter the light, blurring the reflection and producing the typical silvery sheen of the sunglint area. The point of maximum sunglint is centered within Cape Cod Bay, the body of water partially enclosed by the ?hook? of Cape Cod in Massachusetts (bottom). Cape Cod was formally designated a National Seashore in 1966. Sunglint off the water provides sharp contrast with the coastline and the nearby islands of Martha?s Vineyard and Nantucket (lower left), both popular destinations for tourists and summer residents. To the north, rocky Cape Ann extends out into the Atlantic Ocean; the border with New Hampshire is located approximately 30 kilometers up the coast. Further to the west, the eastern half of Long Island, New York is visible emerging from extensive cloud cover over the mid-Atlantic and Midwestern States. Persistent storm tracks had been contributing to record flooding along rivers in the Midwest at the time this image was taken in late June 2011. Thin blue layers of the atmosphere, contrasted against the darkness of space, are visible extending along the Earth?s curvature at top.

USGEO Common Framework For Earth Observation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, J.; de la Beaujardiere, J.; Bristol, S.

2015-12-01

The United States Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) Data Management Working Group (DMWG) is an interagency body established by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The primary purpose of this group is to foster interagency cooperation and collaboration for improving the life cycle data management practices and interoperability of federally held earth observation data consistent with White House documents including the National Strategy for Civil Earth Observations, the National Plan for Civil Earth Observations, and the May 2013 Executive Order on Open Data (M-13-13). The members of the USGEO DMWG are working on developing a Common Framework for Earth Observation Data that consists of recommended standards and approaches for realizing these goals as well as improving the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of federally held earth observation data. These recommendations will also guide work being performed under the Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI). This talk will summarize the Common Framework, the philosophy behind it, and next steps forward.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-01

Earth Observation taken during a night pass by the Expedition 40 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Folder lists this as: New Zealand Aurora night pass. Docked Soyuz and Progress spacecraft are visible. On crewmember's Flickr page - The Moon, about to dive into a glowing ocean of green᥿9.

NASA's mission to planet Earth: Earth observing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The topics covered include the following: global climate change; radiation, clouds, and atmospheric water; the ocean; the troposphere - greenhouse gases; land cover and the water cycle; polar ice sheets and sea level; the stratosphere - ozone chemistry; volcanoes; the Earth Observing System (EOS) - how NASA will support studies of global climate change?; research and assessment - EOS Science Investigations; EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS); EOS observations - instruments and spacecraft; a national international effort; and understanding the Earth System.

Earth observing system: 1989 reference handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

NASA is studying a coordinated effort called the Mission to Planet Earth to understand global change. The goals are to understand the Earth as a system, and to determine those processes that contribute to the environmental balance, as well as those that may result in changes. The Earth Observing System (Eos) is the centerpiece of the program. Eos will create an integrated scientific observing system that will enable multidisciplinary study of the Earth including the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, polar regions, and solid Earth. Science goals, the Eos data and information system, experiments, measuring instruments, and interdisciplinary investigations are described.

SEDHI: a new generation of detection electronics for earth observation satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dantes, Didier; Neveu, Claude; Biffi, Jean-Marc; Devilliers, Christophe; Andre, Serge

2017-11-01

Future earth observation optical systems will be more and more demanding in terms of ground sampling distance, swath width, number of spectral bands, duty cycle. Existing architectures of focal planes and video processing electronics are hardly compatible with these new requirements: electronic functions are split in several units, and video processing is limited to frequencies around 5 MHz in order to fulfil the radiometric requirements expected for high performance image quality systems. This frequency limitation induces a high number of video chains operated in parallel to process the huge amount of pixels at focal plane output, and leads to unacceptable mass and power consumption budgets. Furthermore, splitting the detection electronics functions into several units (at least one for the focal plane and proximity electronics, and one for the video processing functions) does not optimise the production costs : specific development efforts must be performed on critical analogue electronics at each equipment level and operations of assembly, integration and tests are duplicated at equipment and subsystem levels. Alcatel Space Industries has proposed to CNES a new concept of highly integrated detection electronics (SEDHI), and is developing for CNES a breadboard which will allow to confirm its potentialities. This paper presents the trade-off study which have been performed before selection of this new concept and summarises the main advantages and drawbacks of each possible architecture. The electrical, mechanical and thermal aspects of the SEDHI concept are described, including the basic technologies : ASIC for phase shift of detector clocks, ASIC for video processing, hybrids, microchip module... The adaptability to a large amount of missions and optical instruments is also discussed.

Moon-based Earth Observation for Large Scale Geoscience Phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Huadong; Liu, Guang; Ding, Yixing

2016-07-01

The capability of Earth observation for large-global-scale natural phenomena needs to be improved and new observing platform are expected. We have studied the concept of Moon as an Earth observation in these years. Comparing with manmade satellite platform, Moon-based Earth observation can obtain multi-spherical, full-band, active and passive information,which is of following advantages: large observation range, variable view angle, long-term continuous observation, extra-long life cycle, with the characteristics of longevity ,consistency, integrity, stability and uniqueness. Moon-based Earth observation is suitable for monitoring the large scale geoscience phenomena including large scale atmosphere change, large scale ocean change,large scale land surface dynamic change,solid earth dynamic change,etc. For the purpose of establishing a Moon-based Earth observation platform, we already have a plan to study the five aspects as follows: mechanism and models of moon-based observing earth sciences macroscopic phenomena; sensors' parameters optimization and methods of moon-based Earth observation; site selection and environment of moon-based Earth observation; Moon-based Earth observation platform; and Moon-based Earth observation fundamental scientific framework.

Lunar-based Earth observation geometrical characteristics research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yuanzhen; Liu, Guang; Ye, Hanlin; Guo, Huadong; Ding, Yixing; Chen, Zhaoning

2016-07-01

As is known to all, there are various platforms for carrying sensors to observe Earth, such as automobiles, aircrafts and satellites. Nowadays, we focus on a new platform, Moon, because of its longevity, stability and vast space. These advantages make it to be the next potential platform for observing Earth, enabling us to get the consistent and global measurements. In order to get a better understanding of lunar-based Earth observation, we discuss its geometrical characteristics. At present, there are no sensors on the Moon for observing Earth and we are not able to obtain a series of real experiment data. As a result, theoretical modeling and numerical calculation are used in this paper. At first, we construct an approximate geometrical model of lunar-based Earth observation, which assumes that Earth and Moon are spheres. Next, we calculate the position of Sun, Earth and Moon based on the JPL ephemeris. With the help of positions data and geometrical model, it is possible for us to decide the location of terminator and substellar points. However, in order to determine their precise position in the conventional terrestrial coordinate system, reference frames transformations are introduced as well. Besides, taking advantages of the relative positions of Sun, Earth and Moon, we get the total coverage of lunar-based Earth optical observation. Furthermore, we calculate a more precise coverage, considering placing sensors on different positions of Moon, which is influenced by its attitude parameters. In addition, different ephemeris data are compared in our research and little difference is found.

Social media is all about video these days: tips communicating science from NASA's Earth Right Now

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, S.

2016-12-01

If you're not producing video to communicate your science findings, you're missing the boat navigating the ever-evolving currents of social media. NASA's Earth Right Now communications team made video a priority the past year as we engaged a massive online audience on social media. We will share best practices on social media, lessons learned, what's on the horizon and storytelling techniques to try. PBS documentary-style is passé. Welcome to the world of ten-second Snaps, text-on-picture CNN stories, Facebook Live events and 360° video experiences. Your audience is out there, you just need to catch their attention.

Earth Observation from the ISS Columbus Laboratory- An Open Education Approach to Foster Geographical Competences of Pupils in Secondary Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rienow, Andreas; Graw, Valerie; Heinemann, Sascha; Schultz, Johannes; Seig, Fabian; Menz, Gunter

2016-08-01

Since spring 2014, four commercial off-the-shelf cam- eras (COTS) are attached to ESA's Columbus laboratory taking videos of the Earth 24/7. The only European partner of the NASA experiment 'High Definition Earth Viewing' (HDEV) is the educational project 'Columbus Eye - Live-Imagery from the ISS in Schools' (www.columbuseye.uni-bonn.de). In order to implement earth observation techniques for a sustainable use in secondary school lessons, the project develops interactive teaching materials. They enable pupils to apply professional remote sensing analyses. The paper explains the development paradigm of the project rooted in problem-based learning and moderate constructivism. It will be discussed how teachers are provided with didactical commentaries and trained in face-to-face workshops for an efficient and sustainable implementation of the material. In doing so, it is ensured that pupils can experience the value of earth observation and space technologies to monitor ongoing processes of coupled human-environment systems driving the future of the Earth.

The Earth Observing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaffer, Lisa Robock

1992-01-01

The restructuring of the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS), designed to provide comprehensive long term observations from space of changes occurring on the Earth from natural and human causes in order to have a sound scientific basis for policy decisions on protection of the future, is reported. In response to several factors, the original program approved in the fiscal year 1991 budget was restructured and somewhat reduced in scope. The resulting program uses three different sized launch vehicles to put six different spacecraft in orbit in the first phase, followed by two replacement launches for each of five of the six satellites to maintain a long term observing capability to meet the needs of global climate change research and other science objectives. The EOS system, including the space observatories, the data and information system, and the interdisciplinary global change research effort, are approved and proceeding. Elements of EOS are already in place, such as the research investigations and initial data system capabilities. The flights of precursor satellite and Shuttle missions, the ongoing data analysis, and the evolutionary enhancements to the integrated Earth science data management capabilities are all important building blocks to the full EOS program.

Video Observations Inside Channels of Erupting Geysers, Geyser Valley, Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belousov, A.; Belousova, M.; Nechaev, A.

2011-12-01

Geysers are a variety of hot springs characterized by violent ejections of water and steam separated by periods of repose. While ordinary boiling springs are numerous and occur in many places on Earth, geysers are very rare. In total, less than 1000 geysers are known worldwide, and most of them are located in three large geyser fields: Yellowstone (USA), Geyser Valley (Russia), and El Tatio (Chile). Several physical models were suggested to explain periodic eruptions of geysers, but realistic understanding of processes was hampered by the scarcity of field data on the internal plumbing of geyser systems. Here we present data based on video observations of interior conduit systems for geysers in Geyser Valley in Kamchatka, Russia. To investigate geyser plumbing systems we lowered a video camera (with thermal and water insulation) into the conduits of four erupting geysers. These included Velikan and Bolshoy, the largest geysers in the field, ejecting about 20 and 15 cub.m of water to heights of 25 and 15 m, respectively, with rather stable periods of approximately 5 h and 1 h. We also investigated Vanna and Kovarny, small geysers with irregular regimes, ejecting about ten liters of water to heights as much as 1.5 m, with periods of several minutes. The video footage reveals internal plumbing geometries and hydrodynamic processes that contradict the widely accepted "simple vertical conduit model", which regards geyser eruptions as caused by flashing of superheated water into steam. In contrast, our data fit the long-neglected "boiler model", in which steam accumulates in an underground cavity (boiler) and periodically erupts out through a water-filled, inverted siphon. We describe the physical rationale and conditions for the periodic discharge of steam from a boiler. Channels of the studied geysers are developed by ascending hot water in deposits of several voluminous prehistoric landslides (debris avalanches). The highly irregular contacts between adjacent debris

An Algorithm for Converting Static Earth Sensor Measurements into Earth Observation Vectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harman, R.; Hashmall, Joseph A.; Sedlak, Joseph

2004-01-01

An algorithm has been developed that converts penetration angles reported by Static Earth Sensors (SESs) into Earth observation vectors. This algorithm allows compensation for variation in the horizon height including that caused by Earth oblateness. It also allows pitch and roll to be computed using any number (greater than 1) of simultaneous sensor penetration angles simplifying processing during periods of Sun and Moon interference. The algorithm computes body frame unit vectors through each SES cluster. It also computes GCI vectors from the spacecraft to the position on the Earth's limb where each cluster detects the Earth's limb. These body frame vectors are used as sensor observation vectors and the GCI vectors are used as reference vectors in an attitude solution. The attitude, with the unobservable yaw discarded, is iteratively refined to provide the Earth observation vector solution.

Video techniques and data compared with observation in emergency trauma care

PubMed Central

Mackenzie, C; Xiao, Y

2003-01-01

Video recording is underused in improving patient safety and understanding performance shaping factors in patient care. We report our experience of using video recording techniques in a trauma centre, including how to gain cooperation of clinicians for video recording of their workplace performance, identify strengths of video compared with observation, and suggest processes for consent and maintenance of confidentiality of video records. Video records are a rich source of data for documenting clinician performance which reveal safety and systems issues not identified by observation. Emergency procedures and video records of critical events identified patient safety, clinical, quality assurance, systems failures, and ergonomic issues. Video recording is a powerful feedback and training tool and provides a reusable record of events that can be repeatedly reviewed and used as research data. It allows expanded analyses of time critical events, trauma resuscitation, anaesthesia, and surgical tasks. To overcome some of the key obstacles in deploying video recording techniques, researchers should (1) develop trust with video recorded subjects, (2) obtain clinician participation for introduction of a new protocol or line of investigation, (3) report aggregated video recorded data and use clinician reviews for feedback on covert processes and cognitive analyses, and (4) involve multidisciplinary experts in medicine and nursing. PMID:14645896

Deep Space Earth Observations from DSCOVR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshak, A.; Herman, J.

2018-02-01

The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) at Sun-Earth L1 orbit observes the full sunlit disk of Earth. There are two Earth science instruments on board DSCOVR — EPIC and NISTAR. We discuss if EPIC and NISAR-like instruments can be used in Deep Space Gateway.

Interactive Online Modules and Videos for Learning Geological Concepts at the University of Toronto Department of Earth Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veglio, E.; Graves, L. W.; Bank, C. G.

2014-12-01

We designed various computer-based applications and videos as educational resources for undergraduate courses at the University of Toronto in the Earth Science Department. These resources were developed in effort to enhance students' self-learning of key concepts as identified by educators at the department. The interactive learning modules and videos were created using the programs MATLAB and Adobe Creative Suite 5 (Photoshop and Premiere) and range from optical mineralogy (extinction and Becke line), petrology (equilibrium melting in 2-phase systems), crystallography (crystal systems), geophysics (gravity anomaly), and geologic history (evolution of Canada). These resources will be made available for students on internal course websites as well as through the University of Toronto Earth Science's website (www.es.utoronto.ca) where appropriate; the video platform YouTube.com may be used to reach a wide audience and promote the material. Usage of the material will be monitored and feedback will be collected over the next academic year in order to gage the use of these interactive learning tools and to assess if these computer-based applications and videos foster student engagement and active learning, and thus offer an enriched learning experience.

The Greatest Shadow on Earth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Stephen; Wimmer, Jason; Towsey, Michael; Fahmi, Marco; Winslett, Greg; Dubler, Gabriel; Le Prou, Angela; Loose, David

2014-01-01

In a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely covers the Sun, casting a shadow several hundred km wide across the face of the Earth. This paper describes observations of the 14 November 2012 total eclipse of the Sun visible from north Queensland, Australia. The edge of the umbra was captured on video during totality, and this video is provided for…

1993 Earth Observing System reference handbook

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Asrar, Ghassem (Editor); Dokken, David Jon (Editor)

1993-01-01

Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) is a NASA-sponsored concept that uses space- and ground-based measurement systems to provide the scientific basis for understanding global change. The space-based components of MTPE will provide a constellation of satellites to monitor the Earth from space. Sustained observations will allow researchers to monitor climate variables overtime to determine trends; however, space-based monitoring alone is not sufficient. A comprehensive data and information system, a community of scientists performing research with the data acquired, and extensive ground campaigns are all important components. Brief descriptions of the various elements that comprise the overall mission are provided. The Earth Observing System (EOS) - a series of polar-orbiting and low-inclination satellites for long-term global observations of the land surface, biosphere, solid Earth, atmosphere, and oceans - is the centerpiece of MTPE. The elements comprising the EOS mission are described in detail.

Video observation in HIT development: lessons learned on benefits and challenges.

PubMed

Høstgaard, Anna Marie; Bertelsen, Pernille

2012-08-22

Experience shows that the precondition for the development of successful health information technologies is a thorough insight into clinical work practice. In contemporary clinical work practice, clinical work and health information technology are integrated, and part of the practice is tacit. When work practice becomes routine, it slips to the background of the conscious awareness and becomes difficult to recognize without the context to support recall. This means that it is difficult to capture with traditional ethnographic research methods or in usability laboratories or clinical set ups. Observation by the use of the video technique within healthcare settings has proven to be capable of providing a thorough insight into the complex clinical work practice and its context - including parts of the tacit practice. The objective of this paper is 1) to argue for the video observation technique to inform and improve health-information-technology development and 2) to share insights and lessons learned on benefits and challenges when using the video observation technique within healthcare settings. A multiple case study including nine case studies conducted by DaCHI researchers 2004-2011 using audio-visual, non-participant video observation for data collection within different healthcare settings. In HIT development, video observation is beneficial for 1) informing and improving system design 2) studying changes in work practice 3) identifying new potentials and 4) documenting current work practices. The video observation technique used within healthcare settings is superior to other ethnographic research methods when it comes to disclosing the complexity in clinical work practice. The insights gained are far more realistic compared to traditional ethnographic studies or usability studies and studies in clinical set ups. Besides, the data generated through video recordings provide a solid basis for dialog between the health care professionals involved. The most

Earth Observing System Covariance Realism Updates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ojeda Romero, Juan A.; Miguel, Fred

2017-01-01

This presentation will be given at the International Earth Science Constellation Mission Operations Working Group meetings June 13-15, 2017 to discuss the Earth Observing System Covariance Realism updates.

Observing earth from Skylab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Skylab technology and observations of earth resources are discussed. Special attention was given to application of Skylab data to mapmaking, geology/geodesy, water resources, oceanography, meteorology, and geography/ecology.

COMS normal operation for Earth Observation mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Young-Min

2012-09-01

Communication Ocean Meteorological Satellite (COMS) for the hybrid mission of meteorological observation, ocean monitoring, and telecommunication service was launched onto Geostationary Earth Orbit on June 27, 2010 and it is currently under normal operation service since April 2011. The COMS is located on 128.2° East of the geostationary orbit. In order to perform the three missions, the COMS has 3 separate payloads, the meteorological imager (MI), the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), and the Ka-band antenna. Each payload is dedicated to one of the three missions, respectively. The MI and GOCI perform the Earth observation mission of meteorological observation and ocean monitoring, respectively. For this Earth observation mission the COMS requires daily mission commands from the satellite control ground station and daily mission is affected by the satellite control activities. For this reason daily mission planning is required. The Earth observation mission operation of COMS is described in aspects of mission operation characteristics and mission planning for the normal operation services of meteorological observation and ocean monitoring. And the first year normal operation results after the In-Orbit-Test (IOT) are investigated through statistical approach to provide the achieved COMS normal operation status for the Earth observation mission.

Video guidance, landing, and imaging systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schappell, R. T.; Knickerbocker, R. L.; Tietz, J. C.; Grant, C.; Rice, R. B.; Moog, R. D.

1975-01-01

The adaptive potential of video guidance technology for earth orbital and interplanetary missions was explored. The application of video acquisition, pointing, tracking, and navigation technology was considered to three primary missions: planetary landing, earth resources satellite, and spacecraft rendezvous and docking. It was found that an imaging system can be mechanized to provide a spacecraft or satellite with a considerable amount of adaptability with respect to its environment. It also provides a level of autonomy essential to many future missions and enhances their data gathering ability. The feasibility of an autonomous video guidance system capable of observing a planetary surface during terminal descent and selecting the most acceptable landing site was successfully demonstrated in the laboratory. The techniques developed for acquisition, pointing, and tracking show promise for recognizing and tracking coastlines, rivers, and other constituents of interest. Routines were written and checked for rendezvous, docking, and station-keeping functions.

Efficient management and promotion of utilization of the video information acquired by observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitayama, T.; Tanaka, K.; Shimabukuro, R.; Hase, H.; Ogido, M.; Nakamura, M.; Saito, H.; Hanafusa, Y.; Sonoda, A.

2012-12-01

In Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), the deep sea videos are made from the research by JAMSTEC submersibles in 1982, and the information on the huge deep-sea that will reach more 4,000 dives (ca. 24,700 tapes) by the present are opened to public via the Internet since 2002. The deep-sea videos is important because the time variation of deep-sea environment with difficult investigation and collection and growth of the living thing in extreme environment can be checked. Moreover, with development of video technique, the advanced analysis of an investigation image is attained. For grasp of deep sea environment, especially the utility value of the image is high. In JAMSTEC's Data Research Center for Marine-Earth Sciences (DrC), collection of the video are obtained by dive investigation of JAMSTEC, preservation, quality control, and open to public are performed. It is our big subject that the huge video information which utility value has expanded managed efficiently and promotion of use. In this announcement, the present measure is introduced about these subjects . The videos recorded on a tape or various media onboard are collected, and the backup and encoding for preventing the loss and degradation are performed. The video inside of a hard disk has the large file size. Then, we use the Linear Tape File System (LTFS) which attracts attention with image management engineering these days. Cost does not start compared with the usual disk backup, but correspondence years can also save the video data for a long time, and the operatively of a file is not different from a disk. The video that carried out the transcode to offer is archived by disk storage, and offer according to a use is possible for it. For the promotion of utilization of the video, the video public presentation system was reformed completely from November, 2011 to "JAMSTEC E-library of Deep Sea Images (http:// www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/jedi/)" This new system has preparing

The U.S. National Plan for Civil Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stryker, T.; Clavin, C.; Gallo, J.

2014-12-01

Globally, the United Sates Government is one of the largest providers of environmental and Earth-system data. As the nation's Earth observation capacity has grown, so have the complexity and challenges associated with managing Earth observation systems and related data holdings. In July 2014, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy released the first-ever National Plan for Civil Earth Observations to address these challenges. The Plan provides a portfolio management-based framework for maximizing the value of Federal Earth observations. The Plan identifies Federal priorities for Earth observations and improved management of their data. Through routine assessments, expanding data management efforts, interagency planning, and international collaboration, OSTP and its partner agencies will seek ensure the continued provision of and access to key Earth observation data, which support a broad range of public services and research programs. The presenters will provide a detailed review of the components of the National Plan, its impacts across the Federal agencies involved in Earth observations, and associated efforts to enable interagency coordination.

The Earth Observation Technology Cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aplin, P.; Boyd, D. S.; Danson, F. M.; Donoghue, D. N. M.; Ferrier, G.; Galiatsatos, N.; Marsh, A.; Pope, A.; Ramirez, F. A.; Tate, N. J.

2012-07-01

The Earth Observation Technology Cluster is a knowledge exchange initiative, promoting development, understanding and communication about innovative technology used in remote sensing of the terrestrial or land surface. This initiative provides an opportunity for presentation of novel developments from, and cross-fertilisation of ideas between, the many and diverse members of the terrestrial remote sensing community. The Earth Observation Technology Cluster involves a range of knowledge exchange activities, including organisation of technical events, delivery of educational materials, publication of scientific findings and development of a coherent terrestrial EO community. The initiative as a whole covers the full range of remote sensing operation, from new platform and sensor development, through image retrieval and analysis, to data applications and environmental modelling. However, certain topical and strategic themes have been selected for detailed investigation: (1) Unpiloted Aerial Vehicles, (2) Terrestrial Laser Scanning, (3) Field-Based Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy, (4) Hypertemporal Image Analysis, and (5) Circumpolar and Cryospheric Application. This paper presents general activities and achievements of the Earth Observation Technology Cluster, and reviews state-of-the-art developments in the five specific thematic areas.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-04-20

ISS047e069406 (04/20/2016) ---Earth observation image taken by the Expedition 47 crew aboard the International Space Station. This is an oblique south-looking view of the main Bahama island chain. Cuba is across the entire top of the image, the Florida Peninsula on the right margin. In the Bahamas, the main Andros island is just distinguishable under cloud upper left of center. Under less cloud is the Abaco Islands in the foreground (middle of pic nearest camera left of center.)

Arecibo Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera-Valentin, Edgard G.; Taylor, Patrick A.; Virkki, Anne; Saran Bhiravarasu, Sriram; Venditti, Flaviane; Zambrano-Marin, Luisa Fernanda; Aponte-Hernandez, Betzaida

2017-10-01

The Arecibo S-Band (2.38 GHz, 12.6 cm; 1 MW) planetary radar system at the 305-m William E. Gordon Telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico is the most active, most powerful, and most sensitive planetary radar facility in the world. As such, Arecibo is vital for post-discovery characterization and orbital refinement of near-Earth asteroids. Since August 2016, the program has observed 100 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), of which 38 are classified as potentially hazardous to Earth and 31 are compliant with the NASA Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS). Arecibo observations are critical for identifying NEAs that may be on a collision course with Earth in addition to providing detailed physical characterization of the objects themselves in terms of size, shape, spin, and surface properties, which are valuable for assessing impact mitigation strategies. Here, we will present a sampling of the asteroid zoo observed by Arecibo, including press-noted asteroids 2014 JO25 and the (163693) Atira binary system.

Connecting Earth observation to high-throughput biodiversity data.

PubMed

Bush, Alex; Sollmann, Rahel; Wilting, Andreas; Bohmann, Kristine; Cole, Beth; Balzter, Heiko; Martius, Christopher; Zlinszky, András; Calvignac-Spencer, Sébastien; Cobbold, Christina A; Dawson, Terence P; Emerson, Brent C; Ferrier, Simon; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Herold, Martin; Jones, Laurence; Leendertz, Fabian H; Matthews, Louise; Millington, James D A; Olson, John R; Ovaskainen, Otso; Raffaelli, Dave; Reeve, Richard; Rödel, Mark-Oliver; Rodgers, Torrey W; Snape, Stewart; Visseren-Hamakers, Ingrid; Vogler, Alfried P; White, Piran C L; Wooster, Martin J; Yu, Douglas W

2017-06-22

Understandably, given the fast pace of biodiversity loss, there is much interest in using Earth observation technology to track biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services. However, because most biodiversity is invisible to Earth observation, indicators based on Earth observation could be misleading and reduce the effectiveness of nature conservation and even unintentionally decrease conservation effort. We describe an approach that combines automated recording devices, high-throughput DNA sequencing and modern ecological modelling to extract much more of the information available in Earth observation data. This approach is achievable now, offering efficient and near-real-time monitoring of management impacts on biodiversity and its functions and services.

Juno Magnetometer Observations in the Earth's Magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connerney, J. E.; Oliversen, R. J.; Espley, J. R.; MacDowall, R. J.; Schnurr, R.; Sheppard, D.; Odom, J.; Lawton, P.; Murphy, S.; Joergensen, J. L.; Joergensen, P. S.; Merayo, J. M.; Denver, T.; Bloxham, J.; Smith, E. J.; Murphy, N.

2013-12-01

The Juno spacecraft enjoyed a close encounter with Earth on October 9, 2013, en route to Jupiter Orbit Insertion (JOI) on July 5, 2016. The Earth Flyby (EFB) provided a unique opportunity for the Juno particles and fields instruments to sample mission relevant environments and exercise operations anticipated for orbital operations at Jupiter, particularly the period of intense activity around perijove. The magnetic field investigation onboard Juno is equipped with two magnetometer sensor suites, located at 10 and 12 m from the spacecraft body at the end of one of the three solar panel wings. Each contains a vector fluxgate magnetometer (FGM) sensor and a pair of co-located non-magnetic star tracker camera heads which provide accurate attitude determination for the FGM sensors. This very capable magnetic observatory sampled the Earth's magnetic field at 64 vector samples/second throughout passage through the Earth's magnetosphere. We present observations of the Earth's magnetic field and magnetosphere obtained throughout the encounter and compare these observations with those of other Earth-orbiting assets, as available, and with particles and fields observations acquired by other Juno instruments operated during EFB.

Earth radiation balance and climate: Why the Moon is the wrong place to observe the Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandel, Robert S.

1994-06-01

Increasing 'greenhouse' gases in the Earth's atmosphere will perturb the Earth's radiation balance, forcing climate change over coming decades. Climate sensitivity depends critically on cloud-radiation feedback: its evaluation requires continual observation of changing patterns of Earth radiation balance and cloud cover. The Moon is the wrong place for such observations, with many disadvantages compared to an observation system combining platforms in low polar, intermediate-inclination and geostationary orbits. From the Moon, active observations are infeasible; thermal infrared observations require very large instruments to reach spatial resolutions obtained at much lower cost from geostationary or lower orbits. The Earth's polar zones are never well observed from the Moon; other zones are invisible more than half the time. The monthly illumination cycle leads to further bias in radiation budget determinations. The Earth will be a pretty sight from the Earth-side of the Moon, but serious Earth observations will be made elsewhere.

The Geolocation model for lunar-based Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yixing; Liu, Guang; Ren, Yuanzhen; Ye, Hanlin; Guo, Huadong; Lv, Mingyang

2016-07-01

In recent years, people are more and more aware of that the earth need to treated as an entirety, and consequently to be observed in a holistic, systematic and multi-scale view. However, the interaction mechanism between the Earth's inner layers and outer layers is still unclear. Therefore, we propose to observe the Earth's inner layers and outer layers instantaneously on the Moon which may be helpful to the studies in climatology, meteorology, seismology, etc. At present, the Moon has been proved to be an irreplaceable platform for Earth's outer layers observation. Meanwhile, some discussions have been made in lunar-based observation of the Earth's inner layers, but the geolocation model of lunar-based observation has not been specified yet. In this paper, we present a geolocation model based on transformation matrix. The model includes six coordinate systems: The telescope coordinate system, the lunar local coordinate system, the lunar-reference coordinate system, the selenocentric inertial coordinate system, the geocentric inertial coordinate system and the geo-reference coordinate system. The parameters, lncluding the position of the Sun, the Earth, the Moon, the libration and the attitude of the Earth, can be acquired from the Ephemeris. By giving an elevation angle and an azimuth angle of the lunar-based telescope, this model links the image pixel to the ground point uniquely.

EarthObserver: Bringing the world to your fingertips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, W. B.; Goodwillie, A. M.; Coplan, J.; Carbotte, S. M.; Arko, R. A.; Ferrini, V.; O'hara, S. H.; Chan, S.; Bonczkowski, J.; Nitsche, F. O.; Morton, J. J.; McLain, K.; Weissel, R.

2011-12-01

EarthObserver (http://www.earth-observer.org/), developed by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, brings a wealth of geoscience data to Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch mobile devices. Built around an easy-to-use interface, EarthObserver allows users to explore and visualise a wide range of data sets superimposed upon a detailed base map of land elevations and ocean depths - tapping the screen will instantly return the height or depth at that point. A simple transparency function allows direct comparison of built-in content. Data sets include high-resolution coastal bathymetry of bays, sounds, estuaries, harbors and rivers; geological maps of the US states and world - tapping the screen displays the rock type, and full legends can be viewed; US Topo sheets; and, geophysical content including seafloor crustal age and sediment thickness, earthquake and volcano data, gravity and magnetic anomalies, and plate boundary descriptions. The names of physiographic features are automatically displayed. NASA Visible Earth images along with ocean temperature, salinity and productivity maps and precipitation information expose data sets of interest to the atmospheric, oceanic and biological communities. Natural hazard maps, population information and political boundaries allow users to explore impacts upon society. EarthObserver, so far downloaded by more than 55,000 users, offers myriad ways for educators at all levels to bring research-quality geoscience data into the learning environment, whether for use as an in-class illustration or for extensive exploration of earth sciences data. By using cutting-edge mobile app technology, EarthObserver boosts access to relevant earth science content. The EarthObserver base map is the Global Multi-Resolution Topography digital elevation model (GMRT; http://www.marine-geo.org/portals/gmrt/), also developed at LDEO and updated regularly. It provides land elevations with horizontal resolution as high as 10m for

Observing the Earth from an Astronaut's View - Applied Remote Sensing in Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rienow, Andreas; Hodam, Henryk; Menz, Gunter; Kerstin, Voß

2015-04-01

Since spring 2014, NASA conducts the High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) mission at the International Space Station (ISS). HDEV consists of four cameras mounted at ESA's Columbus laboratory. They continuously observe our earth in three different perspectives. Hence, they provide not only footage showing the Sun and the Moon rising and setting but also regular images of landscapes that are difficult to access, such as mountain ranges, deserts, and tropical rainforests. The German educational project "Columbus Eye", which is executed by the University of Bonn and is funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), aims at the implementation of the HDEV imagery and videos in a teaching portal: www.columbuseye.uni-bonn.de. Pupils should be motivated to work with the footage in order to learn about pattern and processes of the coupled human-environment system like volcano eruptions or deforestation. The material is developed on the experiences of the FIS (German abbreviation for "Remote Sensing in Schools") project and its learning portal (www.fis.uni-bonn.de/en). Recognizing that in-depth use of satellite imagery can only be achieved by the means of computer aided learning methods, a sizeable number of e-Learning contents in German and English have been created throughout the last 7 years since FIS' kickoff. The talk presents the educational valorization of ISS and satellite borne imagery data as well as their interactive implementation for teachers and pupils in both learning portals. It will be shown which possibilities the topic of earth observation from space holds ready for teaching the regular STEM curricula. A report of first experiences of a nationwide road show accompanying the mission of the ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst will be given. Among others it involved an event during which pupils from a secondary school in North Rhine-Westphalia have talked to the astronaut via ham radio. Accordingly, the presentation addresses the question of how synergies of human

Using video-based observation research methods in primary care health encounters to evaluate complex interactions.

PubMed

Asan, Onur; Montague, Enid

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of video-based observation research methods in primary care environment and highlight important methodological considerations and provide practical guidance for primary care and human factors researchers conducting video studies to understand patient-clinician interaction in primary care settings. We reviewed studies in the literature which used video methods in health care research, and we also used our own experience based on the video studies we conducted in primary care settings. This paper highlighted the benefits of using video techniques, such as multi-channel recording and video coding, and compared "unmanned" video recording with the traditional observation method in primary care research. We proposed a list that can be followed step by step to conduct an effective video study in a primary care setting for a given problem. This paper also described obstacles, researchers should anticipate when using video recording methods in future studies. With the new technological improvements, video-based observation research is becoming a promising method in primary care and HFE research. Video recording has been under-utilised as a data collection tool because of confidentiality and privacy issues. However, it has many benefits as opposed to traditional observations, and recent studies using video recording methods have introduced new research areas and approaches.

Value of Earth Observations: NASA Activities with Socioeconomic Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, L.

2016-12-01

There is greater emphasis internationally on the social and economic benefits that organizations can derive from applications of Earth observations. A growing set of qualitative, anecdotal examples on the uses of Earth observations across a range of sectors can be complemented by the quantitative substantiation of the socioeconomic benefits. In turn, the expanding breadth of environmental data available and the awareness of their beneficial applications to inform decisions can support new products and services. To support these efforts, there are needs to develop impact assessments, populate the literature, and develop familiarity in the Earth science community with the terms, concepts and methods to assess impacts. Within NASA, the Earth Science Division's Applied Sciences Program has initiated and supported numerous activities in recent years to quantify the socioeconomic benefits from Earth observations applications and to build familiarity within the Earth science community. This paper will present an overview of measuring socioeconomic impacts of Earth observations and how the measures can be translated into a value of Earth observation information. It will address key terms, techniques, principles and applications of socioeconomic impact analyses. It will also discuss activities to support analytic techniques, expand the literature, and promote broader skills and capabilities.

Earth Observing System, Conclusions and Recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The following Earth Observing Systems (E.O.S.) recommendations were suggested: (1) a program must be initiated to ensure that present time series of Earth science data are maintained and continued. (2) A data system that provides easy, integrated, and complete access to past, present, and future data must be developed as soon as possible. (3) A long term research effort must be sustained to study and understand these time series of Earth observations. (4) The E.O.S. should be established as an information system to carry out those aspects of the above recommendations which go beyond existing and currently planned activities. (5) The scientific direction of the E.O.S. should be established and continued through an international scientific steering committee.

A Dynamic Earth: 50 Years of Observations from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Cynthia A.

2013-01-01

Observations of the surface of the Earth began more than a half century ago with the earliest space missions. The global geopolitical environment at the beginning of the space age fueled advances in rocketry and human exploration, but also advances in remote sensing. At the same time that space-based Earth Observations were developing, global investments in infrastructure that were initiated after World War II accelerated large projects such as the construction of highways, the expansion of cities and suburbs, the damming of rivers, and the growth of big agriculture. These developments have transformed the Earth s surface at unprecedented rates. Today, we have a remarkable library of 50 years of observations of the Earth taken by satellite-based sensors and astronauts, and these images and observations provide insight into the workings of the Earth as a system. In addition, these observations record the footprints of human activities around the world, and illustrate how our activities contribute to the changing face of the Earth. Starting with the iconic "Blue Marble" image of the whole Earth taken by Apollo astronauts, we will review a timeline of observations of our planet as viewed from space.

Observation of wave celerity evolution in the nearshore using digital video imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, J.; Fritz, H. M.; Haas, K. A.; Work, P. A.; Barnes, C. F.; Cho, Y.

2008-12-01

Celerity of incident waves in the nearshore is observed from oblique video imagery collected at Myrtle Beach, S.C.. The video camera covers the field view of length scales O(100) m. Celerity of waves propagating in shallow water including the surf zone is estimated by applying advanced image processing and analysis methods to the individual video images sampled at 3 Hz. Original image sequences are processed through video image frame differencing, directional low-pass image filtering to reduce the noise arising from foam in the surf zone. The breaking wave celerity is computed along a cross-shore transect from the wave crest tracks extracted by a Radon transform-based line detection method. The observed celerity from the nearshore video imagery is larger than the linear wave celerity computed from the measured water depths over the entire surf zone. Compared to the nonlinear shallow water wave equation (NSWE)-based celerity computed using the measured depths and wave heights, in general, the video-based celerity shows good agreements over the surf zone except the regions across the incipient wave breaking locations. In the regions across the breaker points, the observed wave celerity is even larger than the NSWE-based celerity due to the transition of wave crest shapes. The observed celerity using the video imagery can be used to monitor the nearshore geometry through depth inversion based on the nonlinear wave celerity theories. For this purpose, the exceeding celerity across the breaker points needs to be corrected accordingly compared to a nonlinear wave celerity theory applied.

The NASA Space Shuttle Earth Observations Office

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helfert, Michael R.; Wood, Charles A.

1989-01-01

The NASA Space Shuttle Earth Observations Office conducts astronaut training in earth observations, provides orbital documentation for acquisition of data and catalogs, and analyzes the astronaut handheld photography upon the return of Space Shuttle missions. This paper provides backgrounds on these functions and outlines the data constraints, organization, formats, and modes of access within the public domain.

Video Modeling and Observational Learning to Teach Gaming Access to Students with ASD.

PubMed

Spriggs, Amy D; Gast, David L; Knight, Victoria F

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate both video modeling and observational learning to teach age-appropriate recreation and leisure skills (i.e., accessing video games) to students with autism spectrum disorder. Effects of video modeling were evaluated via a multiple probe design across participants and criteria for mastery were based on these results. Secondary measures were collected on observational learning across participants and behaviors. Participants included 4 children with autism, ages 8-11, who were served in self-contained special education classrooms. Results indicated a functional relation between video modeling and increased independence in gaming; observational learning occurred for at least some steps across students. Results, implications for practitioners, limitations, and ideas for future research are discussed.

Using video-based observation research methods in primary care health encounters to evaluate complex interactions

PubMed Central

Asan, Onur; Montague, Enid

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of video-based observation research methods in primary care environment and highlight important methodological considerations and provide practical guidance for primary care and human factors researchers conducting video studies to understand patient-clinician interaction in primary care settings. Methods We reviewed studies in the literature which used video methods in health care research and, we also used our own experience based on the video studies we conducted in primary care settings. Results This paper highlighted the benefits of using video techniques such as multi-channel recording and video coding and compared “unmanned” video recording with the traditional observation method in primary care research. We proposed a list, which can be followed step by step to conduct an effective video study in a primary care setting for a given problem. This paper also described obstacles researchers should anticipate when using video recording methods in future studies. Conclusion With the new technological improvements, video-based observation research is becoming a promising method in primary care and HFE research. Video recording has been under-utilized as a data collection tool because of confidentiality and privacy issues. However, it has many benefits as opposed to traditional observations, and recent studies using video recording methods have introduced new research areas and approaches. PMID:25479346

Pull vs. Push: How OmniEarth Delivers Better Earth Observation Information to Subscribers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fish, C.; Slagowski, S.; Dyrud, L.; Fentzke, J.; Hargis, B.; Steerman, M.

2015-04-01

Until very recently, the commercialization of Earth observation systems has largely occurred in two ways: either through the detuning of government satellites or the repurposing of NASA (or other science) data for commercial use. However, the convergence of cloud computing and low-cost satellites is enabling Earth observation companies to tailor observation data to specific markets. Now, underserved constituencies, such as agriculture and energy, can tap into Earth observation data that is provided at a cadence, resolution and cost that can have a real impact to their bottom line. To connect with these markets, OmniEarth fuses data from a variety of sources, synthesizes it into useful and valuable business information, and delivers it to customers via web or mobile interfaces. The "secret sauce" is no longer about having the highest resolution imagery, but rather it is about using that imagery - in conjunction with a number of other sources - to solve complex problems that require timely and contextual information about our dynamic and changing planet. OmniEarth improves subscribers' ability to visualize the world around them by enhancing their ability to see, analyze, and react to change in real time through a solutions-as-a-service platform.

Scientific Contributions to GEO Global Earth Observation Priorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, L.; Ledrew, E.

2009-12-01

Numerous counties and non-governmental organizations have produced documents, held workshops, and published reports in the past decade that identify Earth observation needs to meet their particular objectives. The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) has conducted a review of these documents, workshops, and reports to identify the priority observations common to many societal benefit areas. GEO has made a concerted effort to include materials from a broad range of user types, including scientific researchers, resource managers, and policy makers. GEO has also sought an international breadth in the materials reviewed, including observation priorities from developing countries. The activity will help GEO optimize the observations in GEOSS that are most likely to provide societal benefits, and GEO members will use the results of this meta-analysis to support investment decisions. The Earth observations in GEOSS serve scientific research and applications endeavors. As a primary user of ground-based, airborne, in situ, and space-based observations of the Earth, the scientific community has a significant voice and vested interest in the observations offered through GEOSS. Furthermore, the science and technology community will have opportunities to identify critical scientific/technological advances needed to produce any observations that are needed yet not currently available. In this paper, we will discuss this GEO effort to identify Earth observations priorities. We will present initial findings for some societal benefit areas and the overall meta-analysis. We will also discuss possible roles for the science and technology community to contribute to those priorities, such as scientific advances needed to achieve the observations or to realize societal benefits from the observations.

Earth Observing System (EOS) advanced altimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, C. L.; Walsh, E. J.

1988-01-01

In the post-TOPEX era, satellite radar altimeters will be developed with the capability of measuring the earth's surface topography over a wide swath of coverage, rather than just at the satellite's nadir. The identification of potential spacecraft flight missions in the future was studied. The best opportunity was found to be the Earth Observing System (EOS). It is felt that an instrument system that has a broad appeal to the earth sciences community stands a much better chance of being selected as an EOS instrument. Consequently, the Topography and Rain Radar Imager (TARRI) will be proposed as a system that has the capability to profile the Earth's topography regardless of the surface type. The horizontal and height resolutions of interest are obviously significantly different over land, ice, and water; but, the use of radar to provide an all-weather observation capability is applicable to the whole earth. The scientific guidance for the design and development of this instrument and the eventual scientific utilization of the data produced by the TARRI will be provided by seven science teams. The teams are formed around scientific disciplines and are titled: Geology/Geophysics, Hydrology/Rain, Oceanography, Ice/Snow, Geodesy/Orbit/Attitude, Cartography, and Surface Properties/Techniques.

International program for Earth observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

During the 1990 summer session of the International Space University, graduate students of many different countries and with various academic backgrounds carried out a design project that focused on how to meet the most pressing environmental information requirements of the 1990's. The International Program for Earth Observations (IPEO) is the result of the students labor. The IPEO report examines the legal and institutional, scientific, engineering and systems, financial and economic, and market development approaches needed to improve international earth observations and information systems to deal with environmental issues of global importance. The IPEO scenario is based on the production of a group of lightweight satellites to be used in global remote sensing programs. The design and function of the satellite is described in detail.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-07-06

ISS028-E-014782 (6 July 2011) --- The Shoemaker (formerly Teague) Impact Structure, located in Western Australia in a drainage basin south of the Waldburg Range, presents an other-worldly appearance in this detailed photograph recorded from onboard the International Space Station on July 6. The Shoemaker impact site is approximately 30 kilometers in diameter, and is clearly defined by concentric ring structures formed in sedimentary rocks (brown to dark brown, image center) that were deformed by the impact event approximately 1630 million years ago, according to the Earth Impact Database. Several saline and ephemeral lakes?Nabberu, Teague, Shoemaker, and numerous smaller ponds?occupy the land surface between the concentric ring structures. Differences in color result from both water depth and suspended sediments, with some bright salt crusts visible around the edges of smaller ponds (image center The Teague Impact Structure was renamed Shoemaker in honor of the late Dr. Eugene M. Shoemaker, a pioneer in the field of impact crater studies and planetary geology, and founder of the Astrogeology Branch of the United States Geological Survey. The image was recorded with a digital still camera using a 200 mm lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center.

Earth Observations

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-11

ISS024-E-014233 (11 Sept. 2010) --- A smoke plume near the northern Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member on the International Space Station. This broad view of the north coast of the Caspian Sea shows a smoke plume (left) and two river deltas (bottom and lower right). The larger delta is that of the Volga River which appears prominently here in sunglint (light reflected off a water surface back towards the observer), and the smaller less prominent delta is that of the Ural River. Wide angle, oblique views ? taken looking outward at an angle, rather than straight down towards Earth ? such as this give an excellent impression of how crew members onboard the space station view Earth. For a sense of scale, the Caucasus Mts. (across the Caspian, top right) are approximately 1,100 kilometers to the southwest of the International Space Station?s nadir point location ? the point on Earth directly underneath the spacecraft ? at the time this image was taken. The smoke plume appears to be sourced in the dark-toned coastal marsh vegetation along the outer fringe of the Ural River delta, rather than in a city or at some oil storage facility. Although even small fires produce plumes that are long and bright and thus easily visible from space, the density of the smoke in this plume, and its 350-kilometer length across the entire north lobe of the Caspian Sea, suggest it was a significant fire. The smoke was thick enough nearer the source to cast shadows on the sea surface below. Lines mark three separate pulses of smoke, the most recent, nearest the source, extending directly south away from the coastline (lower left). With time, plumes become progressively more diffuse. The oldest pulse appears to be the thinnest, casting no obvious shadows (center left).

A Potpourri of Near-Earth Asteroid Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tholen, David J.; Ramanjooloo, Yudish; Fohring, Dora; Hung, Denise; Micheli, Marco

2016-10-01

Ongoing astrometric follow-up of near-Earth asteroids has yielded a variety of interesting results. In the limited space of a DPS abstract, three recently observed objects are worth mentioning.2008 HU4 is among the most accessible asteroids for a human space flight mission. We successfully recovered this object at a second opposition on 2016 April 26 despite the large ephemeris uncertainty. The small size of this asteroid makes it relatively easy to detect the departure from purely gravitational motion caused by solar radiation pressure, which can be used to estimate the density of the object. At the time of this writing, the object remains bright enough for additional observations, so we expect to improve on our five-sigma detection of a relatively low density (roughly similar to water, indicating a high porosity) between now and the DPS meeting.2016 HO3 is a newly-discovered co-orbital with the Earth. Our 2016 May 10-11 observations extended the observational arc by enough to permit backward extrapolation that led to prediscovery observations by Pan-STARRS in 2015, and then annually back to 2011, and ultimately to Sloan DSS observations in 2004. The 12-year arc is sufficient to examine the dynamical behavior of the object, which shows how it will remain in the vicinity of the Earth for decades, if not centuries. Our observations also revealed a rapid rotation (less than a half hour) with large brightness variation (in excess of 1 magnitude), which helps to explain why this object eluded discovery until this year.2011 YV62 is among the top 20 largest near-Earth asteroids with Earth impact solutions (in 2078 and 2080). At the time of this writing, the object is flagged as being "lost", but a re-examination of observations made in 2013 and 2015 finally yielded a successful recovery at a magnitude fainter than 24. We expect the new observations to eliminate the impact possibilities. The story behind this difficult recovery is fascinating.

As time passes by: Observed motion-speed and psychological time during video playback.

PubMed

Nyman, Thomas Jonathan; Karlsson, Eric Per Anders; Antfolk, Jan

2017-01-01

Research shows that psychological time (i.e., the subjective experience and assessment of the passage of time) is malleable and that the central nervous system re-calibrates temporal information in accordance with situational factors so that psychological time flows slower or faster. Observed motion-speed (e.g., the visual perception of a rolling ball) is an important situational factor which influences the production of time estimates. The present study examines previous findings showing that observed slow and fast motion-speed during video playback respectively results in over- and underproductions of intervals of time. Here, we investigated through three separate experiments: a) the main effect of observed motion-speed during video playback on a time production task and b) the interactive effect of the frame rate (frames per second; fps) and motion-speed during video playback on a time production task. No main effect of video playback-speed or interactive effect between video playback-speed and frame rate was found on time production.

As time passes by: Observed motion-speed and psychological time during video playback

PubMed Central

Karlsson, Eric Per Anders; Antfolk, Jan

2017-01-01

Research shows that psychological time (i.e., the subjective experience and assessment of the passage of time) is malleable and that the central nervous system re-calibrates temporal information in accordance with situational factors so that psychological time flows slower or faster. Observed motion-speed (e.g., the visual perception of a rolling ball) is an important situational factor which influences the production of time estimates. The present study examines previous findings showing that observed slow and fast motion-speed during video playback respectively results in over- and underproductions of intervals of time. Here, we investigated through three separate experiments: a) the main effect of observed motion-speed during video playback on a time production task and b) the interactive effect of the frame rate (frames per second; fps) and motion-speed during video playback on a time production task. No main effect of video playback-speed or interactive effect between video playback-speed and frame rate was found on time production. PMID:28614353

Optical data communication for Earth observation satellite systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, J.; Loecherbach, E.

1991-10-01

The current development status of optical communication engineering in comparison to the conventional microwave systems and the different configurations of the optical data communication for Earth observation satellite systems are described. An outlook to future optical communication satellite systems is given. During the last decade Earth observation became more and more important for the extension of the knowledge about our planet and the human influence on nature. Today pictures taken by satellites are used, for example, to discover mineral resources or to predict harvest, crops, climate, and environment variations and their influence on the population. A new and up to date application for Earth observation satellites can be the verification of disarmament arrangements and the control of crises areas. To solve these tasks a system of Earth observing satellites with sensors tailored to the envisaged mission is necessary. Besides these low Earth orbiting satellites, a global Earth observation system consists of at least two data relay satellites. The communication between the satellites will be established via Inter-Satellite Links (ISL) and Inter-Orbit Links (IOL). On these links, bitrates up to 1 Gbit/s must be taken into account. Due to the increasing scarcity of suitable frequencies, higher carrier frequencies must probably be considered, and possible interference with terrestrial radio relay systems are two main problems for a realization in microwave technique. One important step to tackle these problems is the use of optical frequencies for IOL's and ISL's.

Commercial Earth Observation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Through the Earth Observation Commercial Applications Program (EOCAP) at Stennis Space Center, Applied Analysis, Inc. developed a new tool for analyzing remotely sensed data. The Applied Analysis Spectral Analytical Process (AASAP) detects or classifies objects smaller than a pixel and removes the background. This significantly enhances the discrimination among surface features in imagery. ERDAS, Inc. offers the system as a modular addition to its ERDAS IMAGINE software package for remote sensing applications. EOCAP is a government/industry cooperative program designed to encourage commercial applications of remote sensing. Projects can run three years or more and funding is shared by NASA and the private sector participant. Through the Earth Observation Commercial Applications Program (EOCAP), Ocean and Coastal Environmental Sensing (OCENS) developed SeaStation for marine users. SeaStation is a low-cost, portable, shipboard satellite groundstation integrated with vessel catch and product monitoring software. Linked to the Global Positioning System, SeaStation provides real time relationships between vessel position and data such as sea surface temperature, weather conditions and ice edge location. This allows the user to increase fishing productivity and improve vessel safety. EOCAP is a government/industry cooperative program designed to encourage commercial applications of remote sensing. Projects can run three years or more and funding is shared by NASA and the private sector participant.

Earth observation image data format

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sos, J. Y.

1976-01-01

A flexible format for computer compatable tape (CCT) containing multispectral earth observation sensor data is described. The driving functions which comprise the data format requirements are summarized and general data format guidelines are discussed.

JEOS. The JANUS earth observation satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molette, P.; Jouan, J.

The JANUS multimission platform has been designed to minimize the cost of the satellite (by a maximum reuse of equipment from other proprogrammes) and of its associated launch by Aŕiane (by a piggy-back configuration optimized for Ariane 4). The paper describes the application of the JANUS platform to an Earth observation mission with the objective to provide a given country with a permanent monitoring of its earth resources by exploitation of spaceborne imagery. According to this objective, and to minimize the overall system and operational cost, the JANUS Earth Observation Satellite (JEOS) will provide a limited coverage with real time transmission of image data, thus avoiding need for on-board storage and simplifying operations. The JEOS operates on a low earth, near polar sun synchronous orbit. Launched in a piggy-back configuration on Ariane 4, with a SPOT or ERS spacecraft, it reaches its operational orbit after a drift orbit of a few weeks maximum. In its operational mode, the JEOS is 3-axis stabilised, earth pointed. After presentation of the platform, the paper describes the solid state push-broom camera which is composed of four optical lenses mounted on a highly stable optical bench. Each lens includes an optics system, reused from an on-going development, and two CCD linear arrays of detectors. The camera provides four registered channels in visible and near IR bands. The whole optical bench is supported by a rotating mechanism which allows rotation of the optical axis in the across-track direction. The JEOS typical performance for a 700 km altitude is then summarized: spatial resolution 30 m, swath width 120 km, off-track capability 325 km,… The payload data handling and transmission electronics, derived from the French SPOT satellite, realizes the processing, formatting, and transmission to the ground; this allows reuse of the standard SPOT receiving stations. The camera is only operated when the spacecraft is within the visibility of the ground

The Common Framework for Earth Observation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallo, J.; Stryker, T. S.; Sherman, R.

2016-12-01

Each year, the Federal government records petabytes of data about our home planet. That massive amount of data in turn provides enormous benefits to society through weather reports, agricultural forecasts, air and water quality warnings, and countless other applications. To maximize the ease of transforming the data into useful information for research and for public services, the U.S. Group on Earth Observations released the first Common Framework for Earth Observation Data in March 2016. The Common Framework recommends practices for Federal agencies to adopt in order to improve the ability of all users to discover, access, and use Federal Earth observations data. The U.S. Government is committed to making data from civil Earth observation assets freely available to all users. Building on the Administration's commitment to promoting open data, open science, and open government, the Common Framework goes beyond removing financial barriers to data access, and attempts to minimize the technical impediments that limit data utility. While Earth observation systems typically collect data for a specific purpose, these data are often also useful in applications unforeseen during development of the systems. Managing and preserving these data with a common approach makes it easier for a wide range of users to find, evaluate, understand, and utilize the data, which in turn leads to the development of a wide range of innovative applications. The Common Framework provides Federal agencies with a recommended set of standards and practices to follow in order to achieve this goal. Federal agencies can follow these best practices as they develop new observing systems or modernize their existing collections of data. This presentation will give a brief on the context and content of the Common Framework, along with future directions for implementation and keeping its recommendations up-to-date with developing technology.

Referentiality in Secondary Teachers' Video Observation of Others' Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lussi Borer, Valérie; Flandin, Simon; Muller, Alain

2018-01-01

This article presents a study of individual video-based educational sessions with secondary trainee teachers (N = 30) observing others' teaching. Within a Peircian semiotic framework, the study was designed to deepen the researchers' understanding of video-enhanced experience in educational settings beyond the usual research areas of noticing,…

Optical MEMS for earth observation payloads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, B.; Lobb, D. R.; Freire, M.

2017-11-01

An ESA study has been taken by Lusospace Ltd and Surrey Satellite Techonoly Ltd (SSTL) into the use of optical Micro Eletro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for earth Observation. A review and analysis was undertaken of the Micro-Optical Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) available in the market with potential application in systems for Earth Observation. A summary of this review will be presented. Following the review two space-instrument design concepts were selected for more detailed analysis. The first was the use of a MEMS device to remove cloud from Earth images. The concept is potentially of interest for any mission using imaging spectrometers. A spectrometer concept was selected and detailed design aspects and benefits evaluated. The second concept developed uses MEMS devices to control the width of entrance slits of spectrometers, to provide variable spectral resolution. This paper will present a summary of the results of the study.

Preliminary Results From Observing The Fast Stardust Sample Return Capsule Entry In Earth's Atmosphere On January 15, 2006.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenniskens, P.; Jordan, D.; Kontinos, D.; Wright, M.; Olejniczak, J.; Raiche, G.; Wercinski, P.; Schilling, E.; Taylor, M.; Rairden, R.; Stenbaek-Nielsen, H.; McHarg, M. G.; Abe, S.; Winter, M.

2006-08-01

In order for NASA's Stardust mission to return a comet sample to Earth, the probe was put in an orbit similar to that of Near Earth Asteroids. As a result, the reentry in Earth's atmosphere on January 15, 2006, was the fastest entry ever for a NASA spacecraft, with a speed of 12.8 km/s, similar to that of natural fireballs. A new thermal protection material, PICA, was used to protect the sample, a material that may have a future as thermal protection for the Crew Return Vehicle or for future planetary missions. An airborne and ground-based observing campaign, the "Stardust Hyperseed MAC", was organized to observe the reentry under good observing conditions, with spectroscopic and imaging techniques commonly used for meteor observations (http:// reentry.arc.nasa.gov). A spectacular video of the reentry was obtained. The spectroscopic observations measure how much light was generated in the shock wave, how that radiation added to heating the surface, how the PICA ablated as a function of altitude, and how the carbon reacted with the shock wave to form CN, a possible marker of prebiotic chemistry in natural meteors. In addition, the observations measured a transient signal of zinc and potassium early in the trajectory, from the ablation of a white paint layer that had been applied to the heat shield for thermal control. Implications for sample return and the exploration of atmospheres in future planetary missions will be discussed.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-01

ISS040-E-006327 (1 June 2014) --- A portion of International Space Station solar array panels and Earth?s horizon are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 40 crew member on the space station.

Analysis of Critical Earth Observation Priorities for Societal Benefit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zell, E. R.; Huff, A. K.; Carpenter, A. T.; Friedl, L.

2011-12-01

To ensure that appropriate near real-time (NRT) and historical Earth observation data are available to benefit society and meet end-user needs, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) sponsored a multi-disciplinary study to identify a set of critical and common Earth observations associated with 9 Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs): Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate, Disasters, Ecosystems, Energy, Health, Water, and Weather. GEO is an intergovernmental organization working to improve the availability, access, and use of Earth observations to benefit society through a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The study, overseen by the GEO User Interface Committee, focused on the "demand" side of Earth observation needs: which users need what types of data, and when? The methodology for the study was a meta-analysis of over 1,700 publicly available documents addressing Earth observation user priorities, under the guidance of expert advisors from around the world. The result was a ranking of 146 Earth observation parameters that are critical and common to multiple SBAs, based on an ensemble of 4 statistically robust methods. Within the results, key details emerged on NRT observations needed to serve a broad community of users. The NRT observation priorities include meteorological parameters, vegetation indices, land cover and soil property observations, water body and snow cover properties, and atmospheric composition. The results of the study and examples of NRT applications will be presented. The applications are as diverse as the list of priority parameters. For example, NRT meteorological and soil moisture information can support monitoring and forecasting for more than 25 infectious diseases, including epidemic diseases, such as malaria, and diseases of major concern in the U.S., such as Lyme disease. Quickly evolving events that impact forests, such as fires and insect outbreaks, can be monitored and forecasted with a combination of vegetation indices, fuel

Catalogs of Space Shuttle earth observations photography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lulla, Kamlesh; Helfert, Michael

1990-01-01

A review is presented of postflight cataloging and indexing activities of mission data obtained from Space Shuttle earth observations photography. Each Space Shuttle mission acquires 1300-4400 photographs of the earth that are reviewed and interpreted by a team of photointerpreters and cataloging specialists. Every photograph's manual and electronic set of plots is compared for accuracy of its locational coordinates. This cataloging activity is a critical and principal part of postflight activity and ensures that the database is accurate, updated and consequently made meaningful for further utilization in the applications and research communities. A final product in the form of a Catalog of Space Shuttle Earth Observations Handheld Photography is published for users of this database.

Advanced Earth Observation System Instrumentation Study (aeosis)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, R.; Grant, F.; Malchow, H.; Walker, B.

1975-01-01

Various types of measurements were studied for estimating the orbit and/or attitude of an Earth Observation Satellite. An investigation was made into the use of known ground targets in the earth sensor imagery, in combination with onboard star sightings and/or range and range rate measurements by ground tracking stations or tracking satellites (TDRSS), to estimate satellite attitude, orbital ephemeris, and gyro bias drift. Generalized measurement equations were derived for star measurements with a particular type of star tracker, and for landmark measurements with a multispectral scanner being proposed for an advanced Earth Observation Satellite. The use of infra-red horizon measurements to estimate the attitude and gyro bias drift of a geosynchronous satellite was explored.

An Evolving Model for Capacity Building with Earth Observation Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sylak-Glassman, E. J.

2015-12-01

For the first forty years of Earth observation satellite imagery, all imagery was collected by civilian or military governmental satellites. Over this timeframe, countries without observation satellite capabilities had very limited access to Earth observation data or imagery. In response to the limited access to Earth observation systems, capacity building efforts were focused on satellite manufacturing. Wood and Weigel (2012) describe the evolution of satellite programs in developing countries with a technology ladder. A country moves up the ladder as they move from producing satellites with training services to building satellites locally. While the ladder model may be appropriate if the goal is to develop autonomous satellite manufacturing capability, in the realm of Earth observation, the goal is generally to derive societal benefit from the use of Earth observation-derived information. In this case, the model for developing Earth observation capacity is more appropriately described by a hub-and-spoke model in which the use of Earth observation imagery is the "hub," and the "spokes" describe the various paths to achieving that imagery: the building of a satellite (either independently or with assistance), the purchase of a satellite, participation in a constellation of satellites, and the use of freely available or purchased satellite imagery. We discuss the different capacity-building activities that are conducted in each of these pathways, such as the "Know-How Transfer and Training" program developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. , Earth observation imagery training courses run by SERVIR in developing countries, and the use of national or regional remote sensing centers (such as those in Morocco, Malaysia, and Kenya) to disseminate imagery and training. In addition, we explore the factors that determine through which "spoke" a country arrives at the ability to use Earth observation imagery, and discuss best practices for achieving the capability to use

Transferring Knowledge from a Bird's-Eye View - Earth Observation and Space Travels in Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rienow, Andreas; Hodam, Henryk; Menz, Gunter; Voß, Kerstin

2014-05-01

In spring 2014, four commercial cameras will be transported by a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) and mounted to the ESA Columbus laboratory. The cameras will deliver live earth observation data from different angles. The "Columbus-Eye"* project aims at distributing the video and image data produced by those cameras through a web portal. It should primary serve as learning portal for pupils comprising teaching material around the ISS earth observation imagery. The pupils should be motivated to work with the images in order to learn about curriculum relevant topics of natural sciences. The material will be prepared based on the experiences of the FIS* (German abbreviation for "Remote Sensing in Schools") project and its learning portal. Recognizing that in-depth use of satellite imagery can only be achieved by the means of computer aided learning methods, a sizeable number of e-Learning contents in German and English have been created throughout the last 5 years since FIS' kickoff. The talk presents the educational valorization of remote sensing data as well as their interactive implementation for teachers and pupils in both learning portals. It will be shown which possibilities the topic of remote sensing holds ready for teaching the regular curricula of Geography, Biology, Physics, Math and Informatics. Beside the sequenced implementation into digital and interactive teaching units, examples of a richly illustrated encyclopedia as well as easy-to-use image processing tools are given. The presentation finally addresses the question of how synergies of space travels can be used to enhance the fascination of earth observation imagery in the light of problem-based learning in everyday school lessons.

Digest of NASA earth observation sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, R. R.

1972-01-01

A digest of technical characteristics of remote sensors and supporting technological experiments uniquely developed under NASA Applications Programs for Earth Observation Flight Missions is presented. Included are camera systems, sounders, interferometers, communications and experiments. In the text, these are grouped by types, such as television and photographic cameras, lasers and radars, radiometers, spectrometers, technology experiments, and transponder technology experiments. Coverage of the brief history of development extends from the first successful earth observation sensor aboard Explorer 7 in October, 1959, through the latest funded and flight-approved sensors under development as of October 1, 1972. A standard resume format is employed to normalize and mechanize the information presented.

ESA's Earth Observation Programmes in the Changing Anthropocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebig, Volker

2016-07-01

The intervention will present ESA's Earth Observation programmes and their relevance to studying the anthropocene. ESA's Earth observation missions are mainly grouped into three categories: The Sentinel satellites in the context of the European Copernicus Programme, the scientific Earth Explorers and the meteorological missions. Developments, applications and scientific results for the different mission types will be addressed, along with overall trends and strategies. The Earth Explorers, who form the science and research element of ESA's Living Planet Programme, focus on the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and Earth's interior. The Earth Explorers also aim at learning more about the interactions between these components and the impact that human activity is having on natural Earth processes. The Sentinel missions provide accurate, timely, long term and uninterrupted data to provide key information services, improving the way the environment is managed, and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. The operational Sentinel satellites can also be exploited for scientific studies of the anthropocene. In the anthropocene human activities affect the whole planet and space is a very efficient means to measure their impact, but for relevant endeavours to be successful they can only be carried out in international cooperation. ESA maintains long-standing partnerships with other space agencies and institutions worldwide. In running its Earth observation programmes, ESA responds to societal needs and challenges and to requirements resulting from political priorities set by decision makers. Activities related to Climate Change are a prime example. Within ESA's Climate Change Initiative, 13 Essential Climate Variables are constantly monitored to create a long-term record of key geophysical parameters.

Video Modeling and Observational Learning to Teach Gaming Access to Students with ASD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spriggs, Amy D.; Gast, David L.; Knight, Victoria F.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate both video modeling and observational learning to teach age-appropriate recreation and leisure skills (i.e., accessing video games) to students with autism spectrum disorder. Effects of video modeling were evaluated via a multiple probe design across participants and criteria for mastery were based on…

Development of the AuScope Australian Earth Observing System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawling, T.

2017-12-01

Advances in monitoring technology and significant investment in new national research initiatives, will provide significant new opportunities for delivery of novel geoscience data streams from across the Australian continent over the next decade. The AuScope Australian Earth Observing System (AEOS) is linking field and laboratory infrastructure across Australia to form a national sensor array focusing on the Solid Earth. As such AuScope is working with these programs to deploy observational infrastructure, including MT, passive seismic, and GNSS networks across the entire Australian Continent. Where possible the observational grid will be co-located with strategic basement drilling in areas of shallow cover and tied with national reflection seismic and sampling transects. This integrated suite of distributed earth observation and imaging sensors will provide unprecedented imaging fidelity of our crust, across all length and time scales, to fundamental and applied researchers in the earth, environmental and geospatial sciences. The AEOS will the Earth Science community's Square Kilometer Array (SKA) - a distributed telescope that looks INTO the earth rather than away from it - a 10 million SKA. The AEOS is strongly aligned with other community strategic initiatives including the UNCOVER research program as well as other National Collaborative Research Infrastructure programs such as the Terrestrial Environmental Research Network (TERN) and the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) providing an interdisciplinary collaboration platform across the earth and environmental sciences. There is also very close alignment between AuScope and similar international programs such as EPOS, the USArray and EarthCube - potential collaborative linkages we are currently in the process of pursuing more fomally. The AuScope AEOS Infrastructure System is ultimately designed to enable the progressive construction, refinement and ongoing enrichment of a live, "FAIR" four

Crystallization of the collagen-like polypeptide (PPG)10 aboard the International Space Station. 1. Video observation.

PubMed

Vergara, Alessandro; Corvino, Ermanno; Sorrentino, Giosué; Piccolo, Chiara; Tortora, Alessandra; Carotenuto, Luigi; Mazzarella, Lelio; Zagari, Adriana

2002-10-01

Single chains of the collagen model polypeptide with sequence (Pro-Pro-Gly)(10), hereafter referred to as (PPG)(10), aggregate to form rod-shaped triple helices. Crystals of (PPG)(10) were grown in the Advanced Protein Crystallization Facility (APCF) both onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and on Earth. The experiments allow the direct comparison of four different crystallization environments for the first time: solution in microgravity ((g), agarose gel in (g, solution on earth, and gel on earth. Both on board and on ground, the crystal growth was monitored by a CCD video camera. The image analysis provided information on the spatial distribution of the crystals, their movement and their growth rate. The analysis of the distribution of crystals reveals that the crystallization process occurs as it does in batch conditions. Slow motions have been observed onboard the ISS. Different to Space-Shuttle experiment, the crystals onboard the ISS moved coherently and followed parallel trajectories. Growth rate and induction time are very similar both in gel and in solution, suggesting that the crystal growth rate is controlled by the kinetics at the interface under the used experimental conditions. These results provide the first data in the crystallogenesis of (PPG)(10), which is a representative member of non-globular, rod-like proteins.

Microscopic video observation of capillary vessel systems using diffuse back lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Minako; Arai, Hiroki; Iwai, Toshiaki

2017-04-01

We have been developing a simple and practical video microscopy system based on absorption spectra of biological substance to perform spectroscopic observation of living tissues. The diffuse backlighting effect is actively used in the developed system, which is generated by multiple light scattering in the tissue. It is demonstrated that the light specularly reflected from the skin surface can be completely suppressed in the microscopic observation and the biological activity of the capillary vessel systems distributed under the skin can be successfully observed. As a result, we can confirm the effectiveness of the video microscopy system using diffuse backlighting and the applicability of our developed system.

NASA's future Earth observation plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neeck, Steven P.; Paules, Granville E.; McCuistion Ramesh, J. D.

2004-11-01

NASA's Science Mission Directorate, working with its domestic and international partners, provides accurate, objective scientific data and analysis to advance our understanding of Earth system processes. Learning more about these processes will enable improved prediction capability for climate, weather, and natural hazards. Earth interactions occur on a continuum of spatial and temporal scales ranging from short-term weather to long-term climate, and from local and regional to global. Quantitatively describing these changes means precisely measuring from space scores of biological and geophysical parameters globally. New missions that SMD will launch in the coming decade will complement the first series of the Earth Observing System. These next generation systematic measurement missions are being planned to extend or enhance the record of science-quality data necessary for understanding and predicting global change. These missions include the NPOESS Preparatory Project, Ocean Surface Topography Mission, Global Precipitation Measurement, Landsat Data Continuity Mission, and an aerosol polarimetry mission called Glory. New small explorer missions will make first of a kind Earth observations. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory will measure sources and sinks of carbon to help the Nation and the world formulate effective strategies to constrain the amount of this greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Aquarius will measure ocean surface salinity which is key to ocean circulation in the North Atlantic that produces the current era's mild climate in northern Europe. HYDROS will measure soil moisture globally. Soil moisture is critical to agriculture and to managing fresh water resources. NASA continues to design, develop and launch the Nation's civilian operational environmental satellites, in both polar and geostationary orbits, by agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NASA plans to develop an advanced atmospheric sounder, GIFTS, for

Coronal Hole Facing Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-08

An extensive equatorial coronal hole has rotated so that it is now facing Earth (May 2-4, 2018). The dark coronal hole extends about halfway across the solar disk. It was observed in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. This magnetically open area is streaming solar wind (i.e., a stream of charged particles released from the sun) into space. When Earth enters a solar wind stream and the stream interacts with our magnetosphere, we often experience nice displays of aurora. Videos are available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00624

NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory - An End-to-End Observational Science Enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rockwell, A.; Baeuerle, B.; Grubišić, V.; Hock, T. F.; Lee, W. C.; Ranson, J.; Stith, J. L.; Stossmeister, G.

2017-12-01

Researchers who want to understand and describe the Earth System require high-quality observations of the atmosphere, ocean, and biosphere. Making these observations not only requires capable research platforms and state-of-the-art instrumentation but also benefits from comprehensive in-field project management and data services. NCAR's Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) is an end-to-end observational science enterprise that provides leadership in observational research to scientists from universities, U.S. government agencies, and NCAR. Deployment: EOL manages the majority of the NSF Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities, which includes research aircraft, radars, lidars, profilers, and surface and sounding systems. This suite is designed to address a wide range of Earth system science - from microscale to climate process studies and from the planet's surface into the Upper Troposphere/Lower Stratosphere. EOL offers scientific, technical, operational, and logistics support to small and large field campaigns across the globe. Development: By working closely with the scientific community, EOL's engineering and scientific staff actively develop the next generation of observing facilities, staying abreast of emerging trends, technologies, and applications in order to improve our measurement capabilities. Through our Design and Fabrication Services, we also offer high-level engineering and technical expertise, mechanical design, and fabrication to the atmospheric research community. Data Services: EOL's platforms and instruments collect unique datasets that must be validated, archived, and made available to the research community. EOL's Data Management and Services deliver high-quality datasets and metadata in ways that are transparent, secure, and easily accessible. We are committed to the highest standard of data stewardship from collection to validation to archival. Discovery: EOL promotes curiosity about Earth science, and fosters advanced understanding of the

STS-43 Earth observation of a colorful sunrise

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-08-11

STS-43 Earth observation taken aboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, captures the Earth's limb at sunrise with unusual cloud patterns silhouetted by the sunlight and rising into the terminator lines.

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 44 crewmember

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-06-20

ISS044E002419 (06/20/2015) --- This Earth observation of Iran was taken by members of Expedition 44 on the International Space Station on June 20, 2015. Described as "Earth Art" it is the western shore of Lake Urmia near Gülmanxana, Iran (~36.6N, 45.3E).

Video Observations Encompassing the 2002 Leonid Storm: First Results and a Revised Photometric Procedure for Video Meteor Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, William J.; Suggs, Robert; Swift, Wesley; Gural, Peter S.; Brown, Peter; Ellis, Jim (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

During the 2001 Leonid storm, Marshall Space Flight Center, with the cooperation of the University of Western Ontario and the United States Air Force, deployed 6 teams of observers equipped with intensified video systems to sites located in North America, the Pacific, and Mongolia. The campaign was extremely successful, with the entire period of enhanced Leonid activity (over 16 hours) captured on video tape in a consistent manner. We present the first results from the analysis of this unique, 2 terabyte data set and discuss the problems involved in reducing large amounts of video meteor data. In particular, the question of how to determine meteor masses though photometric analysis will be re-examined, and new techniques will be proposed that eliminate some of the deficiencies suffered by the techniques currently employed in video meteor analysis.

NASA's Earth Observing Data and Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Andrew E.; Behnke, Jeanne; Lowe, Dawn; Ramapriyan, H. K.

2009-01-01

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) has been a central component of NASA Earth observation program for over 10 years. It is one of the largest civilian science information system in the US, performing ingest, archive and distribution of over 3 terabytes of data per day much of which is from NASA s flagship missions Terra, Aqua and Aura. The system supports a variety of science disciplines including polar processes, land cover change, radiation budget, and most especially global climate change. The EOSDIS data centers, collocated with centers of science discipline expertise, archive and distribute standard data products produced by science investigator-led processing systems. Key to the success of EOSDIS is the concept of core versus community requirements. EOSDIS supports a core set of services to meet specific NASA needs and relies on community-developed services to meet specific user needs. EOSDIS offers a metadata registry, ECHO (Earth Observing System Clearinghouse), through which the scientific community can easily discover and exchange NASA s Earth science data and services. Users can search, manage, and access the contents of ECHO s registries (data and services) through user-developed and community-tailored interfaces or clients. The ECHO framework has become the primary access point for cross-Data Center search-and-order of EOSDIS and other Earth Science data holdings archived at the EOSDIS data centers. ECHO s Warehouse Inventory Search Tool (WIST) is the primary web-based client for discovering and ordering cross-discipline data from the EOSDIS data centers. The architecture of the EOSDIS provides a platform for the publication, discovery, understanding and access to NASA s Earth Observation resources and allows for easy integration of new datasets. The EOSDIS also has developed several methods for incorporating socioeconomic data into its data collection. Over the years, we have developed several methods for determining

Earth Observation Satellites and Chinese Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, D.

In this talk existing and future Earth observation satellites are briefly described These satellites include meteorological satellites ocean satellites land resources satellites cartographic satellites and gravimetric satellites The Chinese government has paid and will pay more attention to and put more effort into enhancing Chinese earth observation satellite programs in the next fifteen years The utilization of these satellites will effectively help human beings to solve problems it faces in areas such as population natural resources and environment and natural hazards The author will emphasize the originality of the scientific and application aspects of the Chinese program in the field of Earth observations The main applications include early warning and prevention of forest fires flooding and drought disaster water and ocean ice disasters monitoring of landslides and urban subsidence investigation of land cover change and urban expansion as well as urban and rural planning The author introduces the most up-to-date technology used by Chinese scientists including fusion and integration of multi-sensor multi-platform optical and SAR data of remote sensing Most applications in China have obtained much support from related international organizations and universities around the world These applications in China are helpful for economic construction and the efficient improvement of living quality

Patterns in Crew-Initiated Photography of Earth from ISS - Is Earth Observation a Salutogenic Experience?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Julie A.; Slack, Kelley; Olson, V.; Trenchard, M.; Willis, K.; Baskin, P.

2006-01-01

This viewgraph presentation asks the question "Is the observation of earth from the ISS a positive (salutogenic) experience for crew members?"All images are distributed to the public via the "Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth at http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov. The objectives of the study are (1) Mine the dataset of Earth Observation photography--What can it tell us about the importance of viewing the Earth as a positive experience for the crewmembers? (2) Quantify extent to which photography was self-initiated (not requested by scientists) (3) Identify patterns photography activities versus scientific requested photography.

Earth observing satellite: Understanding the Earth as a system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soffen, Gerald

1990-01-01

There is now a plan for global studies which include two very large efforts. One is the International Geosphere/Biosphere Program (IGBP) sponsored by the International Council of Scientific Unions. The other initiative is Mission to Planet Earth, an unbrella program for doing three kinds of space missions. The major one is the Earth Observation Satellite (EOS). EOS is large polar orbiting satellites with heavy payloads. Two will be placed in orbit by NASA, one by the Japanese and one or two by ESA. The overall mission measurement objectives of EOS are summarized: (1) the global distribution of energy input to and energy output from the Earth; (2) the structure, state variables, composition, and dynamics of the atmosphere from the ground to the mesopause; (3) the physical and biological structure, state, composition, and dynamics of the land surface, including terrestrial and inland water ecosystems; (4) the rates, important sources and sinks, and key components and processes of the Earth's biogeochemical cycles; (5) the circulation, surface temperature, wind stress, sea state, and the biological activity of the oceans; (6) the extent, type, state, elevation, roughness, and dynamics of glaciers, ice sheets, snow and sea ice, and the liquid equivalent of snow in the global cryosphere; (7) the global rates, amounts, and distribution of precipitation; and (8) the dynamic motions of the Earth (geophysics) as a whole, including both rotational dynamics and the kinematic motions of the tectonic plates.

Continuity of Earth Radiation Budget Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loeb, N. G.; Su, W.; Wong, T.; Priestley, K.

2017-12-01

Earth's climate is determined by the exchange of radiant energy between the Sun, Earth and space. The absorbed solar radiation at the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) fuels the climate system, providing the energy required for atmospheric and oceanic motions. Earth's radiation budget (ERB) involves a balance between how much solar energy Earth absorbs and how much terrestrial thermal infrared radiation is emitted to space. Because of its critical role in climate, continuous monitoring of the ERB is necessary for improved understanding and prediction of climate variability and change. NASA's long history in observing the TOA ERB is acknowledged in the 2007 and 2013 reports of the IPCC (IPCC 2007, 2013), the 2007 NRC Decadal Survey (NRC 2007), and the GCOS implementation plan of the WMO (GCOS 2016). A key reason for NASA's success in this area is due to its support of the CERES Project and its predecessor, ERBE. During ERBE, the TOA ERB was observed using both scanner and nonscanner broadband instruments. The CERES project consists of six scanner instruments flying alongside high-resolution spectral imagers (MODIS, VIIRS) in morning and afternoon sun-synchronous orbits. In addition to extending the ERBE TOA radiation budget record, CERES also provides observations of Earth's surface radiation budget with unprecedented accuracy. Here we assess the likelihood of a measurement gap in the ERB record. We show that unless a follow-on ERB instrument to the last available CERES copy (FM6) is built and launched, there is a significant risk of a measurement gap in the ERB record by the mid-2020s. A gap is of concern not only because the ERB would not be monitored during the gap period but also because it would be exceedingly difficult to tie the records before and after the gap together with sufficient accuracy for climate analyses. While ERB instruments are highly stable temporally, they lack the absolute accuracy needed to bridge a gap. Consequently, there is a requirement that

Observed tidal braking in the earth/moon/sun system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christodoulidis, D. C.; Smith, D. E.; Williamson, R. G.; Klosko, S. M.

1987-01-01

The low degree and order terms in the spherical harmonic model of the tidal potential were observed through the perturbations which are induced on near-earth satellite orbital motions. Evaluations of tracking observations from 17 satellites and a GEM-T1 geopotential model were used in the tidal recovery which was made in the presence of over 600 long-wavelength coefficients from 32 major and minor tides. Wahr's earth tidal model was used as a basis for the recovery of the ocean tidal terms. Using this tidal model, the secular change in the moon's mean motion due to tidal dissipation was found to be -25.27 + or - 0.61 arcsec/century squared. The estimation of lunar acceleration agreed with that observed from lunar laser ranging techniques (-24.9 + or - 1.0 arcsec/century squared), with the corresponding tidal braking of earth's rotation being -5.98 + or - 0.22 x 10 to the minus 22 rad/second squared. If the nontidal braking of the earth due to the observed secular change in the earth's second zonal harmonic is considered, satellite techniques yield a total value of the secular change of the earth's rotation rate of -4.69 + or - 0.36 x 10 to the minus 22 rad/second squared.

Observed tidal braking in the earth/moon/sun system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christodoulidis, D. C.; Smith, D. E.; Williamson, R. G.; Klosko, S. M.

1988-01-01

The low degree and order terms in the spherical harmonic model of the tidal potential were observed through the perturbations which are induced on near-earth satellite orbital motions. Evaluations of tracking observations from 17 satellites and a GEM-T1 geopotential model were used in the tidal recovery which was made in the presence of over 600 long-wavelength coefficients from 32 major and minor tides. Wahr's earth tidal model was used as a basis for the recovery of the ocean tidal terms. Using this tidal model, the secular change in the moon's mean motion due to tidal dissipation was found to be -25.27 + or - 0.61 arcsec/century-squared. The estimation of lunar acceleration agreed with that observed from lunar laser ranging techniques (-24.9 + or - 1.0 arcsec/century-squared), with the corresponding tidal braking of earth's rotation being -5.98 + or - 0.22 X 10 to the -22 rad/second-squared. If the nontidal braking of the earth due to the observed secular change in the earth's second zonal harmonic is considered, satellite techniques yield a total value of the secular change in the earth's rotation rate of -4.69 + or - 0.36 X 10 to the -22 rad/second-squared.

Usefulness of video for observing lifestyle impairments in dementia patients.

PubMed

Yokokawa, Kiyoshi

2012-06-01

People with dementia face all sorts of troubles in their daily lives. However, it is difficult to understand fully the extent of these troubles. Even spouses and family members who know their daily routines and habits have difficulty caring for those with dementia because these patients are unable to express themselves as a result of their condition. Given these problems, one must consider the capabilities of institutional caregivers to observe and understand dementia patients, as well as accurately report on their daily condition. To overcome these potential problems, a key solution could be to document patients' activities on video. If mutual trust is established between the patient and caregiver, video documentation could record the hidden daily life of dementia patients and document their daily activities and the confusion that they face. This article discusses the efficacy of using video as a means of understanding early onset dementia patients' feelings and actions by documenting their daily lives and treatment approaches based on these observations. © 2012 The Author. Psychogeriatrics © 2012 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Collaborative real-time motion video analysis by human observer and image exploitation algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hild, Jutta; Krüger, Wolfgang; Brüstle, Stefan; Trantelle, Patrick; Unmüßig, Gabriel; Heinze, Norbert; Peinsipp-Byma, Elisabeth; Beyerer, Jürgen

2015-05-01

Motion video analysis is a challenging task, especially in real-time applications. In most safety and security critical applications, a human observer is an obligatory part of the overall analysis system. Over the last years, substantial progress has been made in the development of automated image exploitation algorithms. Hence, we investigate how the benefits of automated video analysis can be integrated suitably into the current video exploitation systems. In this paper, a system design is introduced which strives to combine both the qualities of the human observer's perception and the automated algorithms, thus aiming to improve the overall performance of a real-time video analysis system. The system design builds on prior work where we showed the benefits for the human observer by means of a user interface which utilizes the human visual focus of attention revealed by the eye gaze direction for interaction with the image exploitation system; eye tracker-based interaction allows much faster, more convenient, and equally precise moving target acquisition in video images than traditional computer mouse selection. The system design also builds on prior work we did on automated target detection, segmentation, and tracking algorithms. Beside the system design, a first pilot study is presented, where we investigated how the participants (all non-experts in video analysis) performed in initializing an object tracking subsystem by selecting a target for tracking. Preliminary results show that the gaze + key press technique is an effective, efficient, and easy to use interaction technique when performing selection operations on moving targets in videos in order to initialize an object tracking function.

Properties of an Earth-like planet orbiting a Sun-like star: Earth observed by the EPOXI mission.

PubMed

Livengood, Timothy A; Deming, L Drake; A'hearn, Michael F; Charbonneau, David; Hewagama, Tilak; Lisse, Carey M; McFadden, Lucy A; Meadows, Victoria S; Robinson, Tyler D; Seager, Sara; Wellnitz, Dennis D

2011-11-01

NASA's EPOXI mission observed the disc-integrated Earth and Moon to test techniques for reconnoitering extrasolar terrestrial planets, using the Deep Impact flyby spacecraft to observe Earth at the beginning and end of Northern Hemisphere spring, 2008, from a range of ∼1/6 to 1/3 AU. These observations furnish high-precision and high-cadence empirical photometry and spectroscopy of Earth, suitable as "ground truth" for numerically simulating realistic observational scenarios for an Earth-like exoplanet with finite signal-to-noise ratio. Earth was observed at near-equatorial sub-spacecraft latitude on 18-19 March, 28-29 May, and 4-5 June (UT), in the range of 372-4540 nm wavelength with low visible resolving power (λ/Δλ=5-13) and moderate IR resolving power (λ/Δλ=215-730). Spectrophotometry in seven filters yields light curves at ∼372-948 nm filter-averaged wavelength, modulated by Earth's rotation with peak-to-peak amplitude of ≤20%. The spatially resolved Sun glint is a minor contributor to disc-integrated reflectance. Spectroscopy at 1100-4540 nm reveals gaseous water and carbon dioxide, with minor features of molecular oxygen, methane, and nitrous oxide. One-day changes in global cloud cover resulted in differences between the light curve beginning and end of ≤5%. The light curve of a lunar transit of Earth on 29 May is color-dependent due to the Moon's red spectrum partially occulting Earth's relatively blue spectrum. The "vegetation red edge" spectral contrast observed between two long-wavelength visible/near-IR bands is ambiguous, not clearly distinguishing between the verdant Earth diluted by cloud cover versus the desolate mineral regolith of the Moon. Spectrophotometry in at least one other comparison band at short wavelength is required to distinguish between Earth-like and Moon-like surfaces in reconnaissance observations. However, measurements at 850 nm alone, the high-reflectance side of the red edge, could be sufficient to

Design of a highly integrated video acquisition module for smart video flight unit development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebre, V.; Gasti, W.

2017-11-01

CCD and APS devices are widely used in space missions as instrument sensors and/or in Avionics units like star detectors/trackers. Therefore, various and numerous designs of video acquisition chains have been produced. Basically, a classical video acquisition chain is constituted of two main functional blocks: the Proximity Electronics (PEC), including detector drivers and the Analogue Processing Chain (APC) Electronics that embeds the ADC, a master sequencer and the host interface. Nowadays, low power technologies allow to improve the integration, radiometric performances and power budget optimisation of video units and to standardize video units design and development. To this end, ESA has initiated a development activity through a competitive process requesting the expertise of experienced actors in the field of high resolution electronics for earth observation and Scientific missions. THALES ALENIA SPACE has been granted this activity as a prime contractor through ESA contract called HIVAC that holds for Highly Integrated Video Acquisition Chain. This paper presents main objectives of the on going HIVAC project and focuses on the functionalities and performances offered by the usage of the under development HIVAC board for future optical instruments.

ESA Earth Observation missions at the service of geoscience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschbacher, Josef

2017-04-01

The intervention will present ESA's Earth Observation programmes and their relevance to geoscience. ESA's Earth observation missions are mainly grouped into three categories: The Sentinel satellites in the context of the European Copernicus Programme, the scientific Earth Explorers and the meteorological missions. Developments, applications and scientific results for the different mission types will be addressed, along with overall trends and boundary conditions. The Earth Explorers, who form the science and research element of ESA's Living Planet Programme, focus on the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and Earth's interior. The Earth Explorers also aim at learning more about the interactions between these components and the impact that human activity is having on natural Earth processes. The Sentinel missions provide accurate, timely, long term and uninterrupted data to provide key information services, improving the way the environment is managed, and helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. The operational Sentinel satellites can also be exploited for scientific endeavours. Meteorological satellites help to predict the weather and feature the most mature application of Earth observation. Over the last four decades satellites have been radically improving the accuracy of weather forecasts by providing unique and indispensable input data to numerical computation models. In addition, Essential Climate Variables (ECV) are constantly monitored within ESA's Climate Change Initiative in order to create a long-term record of key geophysical parameters. All of these activities can only be carried out in international cooperation. Accordingly, ESA maintains long-standing partnerships with other space agencies and relevant institutions worldwide. In running its Earth observation programmes, ESA responds to societal needs and challenges as well as to requirements resulting from political priorities, such as the United Nations' Sustainable Development

Flexible Description and Adaptive Processing of Earth Observation Data through the BigEarth Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorgan, Dorian; Bacu, Victor; Stefanut, Teodor; Nandra, Cosmin; Mihon, Danut

2016-04-01

The Earth Observation data repositories extending periodically by several terabytes become a critical issue for organizations. The management of the storage capacity of such big datasets, accessing policy, data protection, searching, and complex processing require high costs that impose efficient solutions to balance the cost and value of data. Data can create value only when it is used, and the data protection has to be oriented toward allowing innovation that sometimes depends on creative people, which achieve unexpected valuable results through a flexible and adaptive manner. The users need to describe and experiment themselves different complex algorithms through analytics in order to valorize data. The analytics uses descriptive and predictive models to gain valuable knowledge and information from data analysis. Possible solutions for advanced processing of big Earth Observation data are given by the HPC platforms such as cloud. With platforms becoming more complex and heterogeneous, the developing of applications is even harder and the efficient mapping of these applications to a suitable and optimum platform, working on huge distributed data repositories, is challenging and complex as well, even by using specialized software services. From the user point of view, an optimum environment gives acceptable execution times, offers a high level of usability by hiding the complexity of computing infrastructure, and supports an open accessibility and control to application entities and functionality. The BigEarth platform [1] supports the entire flow of flexible description of processing by basic operators and adaptive execution over cloud infrastructure [2]. The basic modules of the pipeline such as the KEOPS [3] set of basic operators, the WorDeL language [4], the Planner for sequential and parallel processing, and the Executor through virtual machines, are detailed as the main components of the BigEarth platform [5]. The presentation exemplifies the development

NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS): Observing the Atmosphere, Land, Oceans, and Ice from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

2004-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. During this year, the last of the first series of EOS missions, Aura, was launched. Aura is designed exclusively to conduct research on the composition, chemistry, and dynamics of the Earth's upper and lower atmosphere, employing multiple instruments on a single spacecraft. Aura is the third in a series of major Earth observing satellites to study the environment and climate change and is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise. The first and second missions, Terra and Aqua, are designed to study the land, oceans, atmospheric constituents (aerosols, clouds, temperature, and water vapor), and the Earth's radiation budget. The other seven EOS spacecraft include satellites to study (i) land cover & land use change, (ii) solar irradiance and solar spectral variation, (iii) ice volume, (iv) ocean processes (vector wind and sea surface topography), and (v) vertical variations of clouds, water vapor, and aerosols up to and including the stratosphere. Aura's chemistry measurements will also follow up on measurements that began with NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and continue the record of satellite ozone data collected from the TOMS missions. In this presentation I will describe how scientists are using EOS data to examine the health of the earth's atmosphere, including atmospheric chemistry, aerosol properties, and cloud properties, with a special but not exclusive look at the latest earth observing mission, Aura.

NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS): Observing the Atmosphere, Land, Oceans, and Ice from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

2005-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by whch scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. During this year, the last of the first series of EOS missions, Aura, was launched. Aura is designed exclusively to conduct research on the composition, chemistry, and dynamics of the Earth's upper and lower atmosphere, employing multiple instruments on a single spacecraft. Aura is the third in a series of major Earth observing satellites to study the environment and climate change and is part of NASA's Earth Science Enterprise. The first and second missions, Terra and Aqua, are designed to study the land, oceans, atmospheric constituents (aerosols, clouds, temperature, and water vapor), and the Earth's radiation budget. The other seven EOS spacecraft include satellites to study (i) land cover & land use change, (ii) solar irradiance and solar spectral variation, (iii) ice volume, (iv) ocean processes (vector wind and sea surface topography), and (v) vertical variations of clouds, water vapor, and aerosols up to and including the stratosphere. Aura's chemistry measurements will also follow up on measurements that began with NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and continue the record of satellite ozone data collected from the TOMS missions. In this presentation I will describe how scientists are using EOS data to examine the health of the earth's atmosphere, including atmospheric chemistry, aerosol properties, and cloud properties, with a special look at the latest earth observing mission, Aura.

Observation duration analysis for Earth surface features from a Moon-based platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Hanlin; Guo, Huadong; Liu, Guang; Ren, Yuanzhen

2018-07-01

Earth System Science is a discipline that performs holistic and comprehensive research on various components of the Earth. One of a key issue for the Earth monitoring and observation is to enhance the observation duration, the time intervals during which the Earth surface features can be observed by sensors. In this work, we propose to utilise the Moon as an Earth observation platform. Thanks to the long distance between the Earth and the Moon, and the vast space on the lunar surface which is suitable for sensor installation, this Earth observation platform could have large spatial coverage, long temporal duration, and could perform multi-layer detection of the Earth. The line of sight between a proposed Moon-based platform and the Earth will change with different lunar surface positions; therefore, in this work, the position of the lunar surface was divided into four regions, including one full observation region and three incomplete observation regions. As existing methods are not able to perform global-scale observations, a Boolean matrix method was established to calculate the necessary observation durations from a Moon-based platform. Based on Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) ephemerides and Earth Orientation Parameters (EOP), a formula was developed to describe the geometrical relationship between the Moon-based platform and Earth surface features in the unified spatial coordinate system and the unified time system. In addition, we compared the observation geometries at different positions on the lunar surface and two parameters that are vital to observation duration calculations were considered. Finally, an analysis method was developed. We found that the observation duration of a given Earth surface feature shows little difference regardless of sensor position within the full observation region. However, the observation duration for sensors in the incomplete observation regions is reduced by at least half. In summary, our results demonstrate the suitability

Earth Observations from Space: The First 50 Years of Scientific Achievements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Observing Earth from space over the past 50 years has fundamentally transformed the way people view our home planet. The image of the "blue marble" is taken for granted now, but it was revolutionary when taken in 1972 by the crew on Apollo 17. Since then the capability to look at Earth from space has grown increasingly sophisticated and has evolved from simple photographs to quantitative measurements of Earth properties such as temperature, concentrations of atmospheric trace gases, and the exact elevation of land and ocean. Imaging Earth from space has resulted in major scientific accomplishments; these observations have led to new discoveries, transformed the Earth sciences, opened new avenues of research, and provided important societal benefits by improving the predictability of Earth system processes. This report highlights the scientific achievements made possible by the first five decades of Earth satellite observations by space-faring nations. It follows on a recent report from the National Research Council (NRC) entitled Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond, also referred to as the "decadal survey." Recognizing the increasing need for space observations, the decadal survey identifies future directions and priorities for Earth observations from space. This companion report was requested by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to highlight, through selected examples, important past contributions of Earth observations from space to our current understanding of the planet.

The Crew Earth Observations Experiment: Earth System Science from the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanov, William L.; Evans, Cynthia A.; Robinson, Julie A.; Wilkinson, M. Justin

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the use of Astronaut Photography (AP) as taken from the International Space Station (ISS) in Earth System Science (ESS). Included are slides showing basic remote sensing theory, data characteristics of astronaut photography, astronaut training and operations, crew Earth observations group, targeting sites and acquisition, cataloging and database, analysis and applications for ESS, image analysis of particular interest urban areas, megafans, deltas, coral reefs. There are examples of the photographs and the analysis.

Earth observation mission operation of COMS during in-orbit test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Young-Min

2011-11-01

Communication Ocean Meteorological Satellite (COMS) for the hybrid mission of meteorological observation, ocean monitoring, and telecommunication service was launched onto Geostationary Earth Orbit on June 27, 2010 and it is currently under normal operation service after the In-Orbit Test (IOT) phase. The COMS is located on 128.2° East of the geostationary orbit. In order to perform the three missions, the COMS has 3 separate payloads, the meteorological imager (MI), the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), and the Ka-band antenna. Each payload is dedicated to one of the three missions, respectively. The MI and GOCI perform the Earth observation mission of meteorological observation and ocean monitoring, respectively. During the IOT phase the functionality and the performance of many aspects of the COMS satellite and ground station have been checked through the Earth observation mission operation for the observation of the meteorological phenomenon over several areas of the Earth and the monitoring of marine environments around the Korean peninsula. The Earth observation mission operation of COMS during the IOT phase is introduced in terms of mission operation characteristics, mission planning, and mission operation results for the missions of meteorological observation and ocean monitoring, respectively.

Reference earth orbital research and applications investigations (blue book). Volume 4: Earth observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The earth observations capability of the space station and space shuttle program definition is discussed. The stress in the functional program element has been to update the sensor specifications and to shift some of the emphasis from sensors to experiments to be done aboard the facility. The earth observations facility will include provisions for data acquisition, sensor control and display, data analysis, and maintenance and repair. The facility is research and development in nature with a potential for operational applications.

Observation and integrated Earth-system science: A roadmap for 2016-2025

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Adrian; Fellous, Jean-Louis; Ramaswamy, Venkatachalam; Trenberth, Kevin; Asrar, Ghassem; Balmaseda, Magdalena; Burrows, John P.; Ciais, Philippe; Drinkwater, Mark; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Gobron, Nadine; Guilyardi, Eric; Halpern, David; Heimann, Martin; Johannessen, Johnny; Levelt, Pieternel F.; Lopez-Baeza, Ernesto; Penner, Joyce; Scholes, Robert; Shepherd, Ted

2016-05-01

This report is the response to a request by the Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science to prepare a roadmap on observation and integrated Earth-system science for the coming ten years. Its focus is on the combined use of observations and modelling to address the functioning, predictability and projected evolution of interacting components of the Earth system on timescales out to a century or so. It discusses how observations support integrated Earth-system science and its applications, and identifies planned enhancements to the contributing observing systems and other requirements for observations and their processing. All types of observation are considered, but emphasis is placed on those made from space. The origins and development of the integrated view of the Earth system are outlined, noting the interactions between the main components that lead to requirements for integrated science and modelling, and for the observations that guide and support them. What constitutes an Earth-system model is discussed. Summaries are given of key cycles within the Earth system. The nature of Earth observation and the arrangements for international coordination essential for effective operation of global observing systems are introduced. Instances are given of present types of observation, what is already on the roadmap for 2016-2025 and some of the issues to be faced. Observations that are organised on a systematic basis and observations that are made for process understanding and model development, or other research or demonstration purposes, are covered. Specific accounts are given for many of the variables of the Earth system. The current status and prospects for Earth-system modelling are summarized. The evolution towards applying Earth-system models for environmental monitoring and prediction as well as for climate simulation and projection is outlined. General aspects of the improvement of models, whether through refining the

Structure and sources of the sporadic meteor background from video observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakšová, Ivana; Porubčan, Vladimír; Klačka, Jozef

2015-10-01

We investigate and discuss the structure of the sporadic meteor background population in the near-Earth space based on video meteor orbits from the SonotaCo database (SonotaCo 2009, WGN, 37, 55). The selection of the shower meteors was done by the Southworth-Hawkins streams-search criterion (Southworth & Hawkins 1963, Smithson. Contr. Astrophys., 7, 261). Of a total of 117786 orbits, 69.34% were assigned to sporadic background meteors. Our analysis revealed all the known sporadic sources, such as the dominant apex source which is splitting into the northern and southern branch. Part of a denser ring structure about the apex source connecting the antihelion and north toroidal sources is also evident. We showed that the annual activity of the apex source is similar to the annual variation in activity of the whole sporadic background. The antihelion source exhibits a very broad maximum from July until January and the north toroidal source shows three maxima similar to the radar observations by the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR). Potential parent bodies of the sporadic population were searched for by comparison of the distributions of the orbital elements of sporadic meteors, minor planets and comets.

Feedback in formative OSCEs: comparison between direct observation and video-based formats

PubMed Central

Junod Perron, Noëlle; Louis-Simonet, Martine; Cerutti, Bernard; Pfarrwaller, Eva; Sommer, Johanna; Nendaz, Mathieu

2016-01-01

Introduction Medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland, have the opportunity to practice clinical skills with simulated patients during formative sessions in preparation for clerkships. These sessions are given in two formats: 1) direct observation of an encounter followed by verbal feedback (direct feedback) and 2) subsequent review of the videotaped encounter by both student and supervisor (video-based feedback). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether content and process of feedback differed between both formats. Methods In 2013, all second- and third-year medical students and clinical supervisors involved in formative sessions were asked to take part in the study. A sample of audiotaped feedback sessions involving supervisors who gave feedback in both formats were analyzed (content and process of the feedback) using a 21-item feedback scale. Results Forty-eight audiotaped feedback sessions involving 12 supervisors were analyzed (2 direct and 2 video-based sessions per supervisor). When adjusted for the length of feedback, there were significant differences in terms of content and process between both formats; the number of communication skills and clinical reasoning items addressed were higher in the video-based format (11.29 vs. 7.71, p=0.002 and 3.71 vs. 2.04, p=0.010, respectively). Supervisors engaged students more actively during the video-based sessions than during direct feedback sessions (self-assessment: 4.00 vs. 3.17, p=0.007; active problem-solving: 3.92 vs. 3.42, p=0.009). Students made similar observations and tended to consider that the video feedback was more useful for improving some clinical skills. Conclusion Video-based feedback facilitates discussion of clinical reasoning, communication, and professionalism issues while at the same time actively engaging students. Different time and conceptual frameworks may explain observed differences. The choice of feedback format should depend on the educational

Feedback in formative OSCEs: comparison between direct observation and video-based formats.

PubMed

Junod Perron, Noëlle; Louis-Simonet, Martine; Cerutti, Bernard; Pfarrwaller, Eva; Sommer, Johanna; Nendaz, Mathieu

2016-01-01

Medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland, have the opportunity to practice clinical skills with simulated patients during formative sessions in preparation for clerkships. These sessions are given in two formats: 1) direct observation of an encounter followed by verbal feedback (direct feedback) and 2) subsequent review of the videotaped encounter by both student and supervisor (video-based feedback). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether content and process of feedback differed between both formats. In 2013, all second- and third-year medical students and clinical supervisors involved in formative sessions were asked to take part in the study. A sample of audiotaped feedback sessions involving supervisors who gave feedback in both formats were analyzed (content and process of the feedback) using a 21-item feedback scale. Forty-eight audiotaped feedback sessions involving 12 supervisors were analyzed (2 direct and 2 video-based sessions per supervisor). When adjusted for the length of feedback, there were significant differences in terms of content and process between both formats; the number of communication skills and clinical reasoning items addressed were higher in the video-based format (11.29 vs. 7.71, p= 0.002 and 3.71 vs. 2.04, p= 0.010, respectively). Supervisors engaged students more actively during the video-based sessions than during direct feedback sessions (self-assessment: 4.00 vs. 3.17, p= 0.007; active problem-solving: 3.92 vs. 3.42, p= 0.009). Students made similar observations and tended to consider that the video feedback was more useful for improving some clinical skills. Video-based feedback facilitates discussion of clinical reasoning, communication, and professionalism issues while at the same time actively engaging students. Different time and conceptual frameworks may explain observed differences. The choice of feedback format should depend on the educational goal.

Policy Document on Earth Observation for Urban Planning and Management: State of the Art and Recommendations for Application of Earth Observation in Urban Planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nichol, Janet; King, Bruce; Xiaoli, Ding; Dowman, Ian; Quattrochi, Dale; Ehlers, Manfred

2007-01-01

A policy document on earth observation for urban planning and management resulting from a workshop held in Hong Kong in November 2006 is presented. The aim of the workshop was to provide a forum for researchers and scientists specializing in earth observation to interact with practitioners working in different aspects of city planning, in a complex and dynamic city, Hong Kong. A summary of the current state of the art, limitations, and recommendations for the use of earth observation in urban areas is presented here as a policy document.

3D Orbit Visualization for Earth-Observing Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacob, Joseph C.; Plesea, Lucian; Chafin, Brian G.; Weiss, Barry H.

2011-01-01

This software visualizes orbit paths for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO), but was designed to be general and applicable to any Earth-observing mission. The software uses the Google Earth user interface to provide a visual mechanism to explore spacecraft orbit paths, ground footprint locations, and local cloud cover conditions. In addition, a drill-down capability allows for users to point and click on a particular observation frame to pop up ancillary information such as data product filenames and directory paths, latitude, longitude, time stamp, column-average dry air mole fraction of carbon dioxide, and solar zenith angle. This software can be integrated with the ground data system for any Earth-observing mission to automatically generate daily orbit path data products in Google Earth KML format. These KML data products can be directly loaded into the Google Earth application for interactive 3D visualization of the orbit paths for each mission day. Each time the application runs, the daily orbit paths are encapsulated in a KML file for each mission day since the last time the application ran. Alternatively, the daily KML for a specified mission day may be generated. The application automatically extracts the spacecraft position and ground footprint geometry as a function of time from a daily Level 1B data product created and archived by the mission s ground data system software. In addition, ancillary data, such as the column-averaged dry air mole fraction of carbon dioxide and solar zenith angle, are automatically extracted from a Level 2 mission data product. Zoom, pan, and rotate capability are provided through the standard Google Earth interface. Cloud cover is indicated with an image layer from the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) aboard the Aqua satellite, which is automatically retrieved from JPL s OnEarth Web service.

Priorities to Advance Monitoring of Ecosystem Services Using Earth Observation.

PubMed

Cord, Anna F; Brauman, Kate A; Chaplin-Kramer, Rebecca; Huth, Andreas; Ziv, Guy; Seppelt, Ralf

2017-06-01

Managing ecosystem services in the context of global sustainability policies requires reliable monitoring mechanisms. While satellite Earth observation offers great promise to support this need, significant challenges remain in quantifying connections between ecosystem functions, ecosystem services, and human well-being benefits. Here, we provide a framework showing how Earth observation together with socioeconomic information and model-based analysis can support assessments of ecosystem service supply, demand, and benefit, and illustrate this for three services. We argue that the full potential of Earth observation is not yet realized in ecosystem service studies. To provide guidance for priority setting and to spur research in this area, we propose five priorities to advance the capabilities of Earth observation-based monitoring of ecosystem services. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Earth Observations

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-09

ISS024-E-014071 (9 Sept. 2010) --- This striking panoramic view of the southwestern USA and Pacific Ocean is an oblique image photographed by an Expedition 24 crew member looking outwards at an angle from the International Space Station (ISS). While most unmanned orbital satellites view Earth from a nadir perspective?in other words, collecting data with a ?straight down? viewing geometry?crew members onboard the space station can acquire imagery at a wide range of viewing angles using handheld digital cameras. The ISS nadir point (the point on Earth?s surface directly below the spacecraft) was located in northwestern Arizona, approximately 260 kilometers to the east-southeast, when this image was taken. The image includes parts of the States of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and California together with a small segment of the Baja California, Mexico coastline at center left. Several landmarks and physiographic features are readily visible. The Las Vegas, NV metropolitan area appears as a gray region adjacent to the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range (both covered by white clouds). The Grand Canyon, located on the Colorado Plateau in Arizona, is visible (lower left) to the east of Las Vegas with the blue waters of Lake Mead in between. The image also includes the Mojave Desert, stretching north from the Salton Sea (left) to the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The Sierra Nevada range is roughly 640 kilometers long (north-south) and forms the boundary between the Central Valley of California and the adjacent Basin and Range. The Basin and Range is so called due to the pattern of long linear valleys separated by parallel linear mountain ranges ? this landscape, formed by extension and thinning of Earth?s crust, is particularly visible at right.

The role of GPS in precise earth observation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yunck, Thomas P.; Lindal, Gunnar F.; Liu, Chao-Han

1988-01-01

The potential of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for precise earth observation is evaluated. It is projected that soon GPS will be utilized to track remote-sensing satellites with subdecimeter accuracy. The first will be Topex/Poseidon, a US/French ocean altimetry mission to be launched in 1991. In addition, it is suggested that developments planned for future platforms may push orbit accuracy near 1 cm within a decade. GPS receivers on some platforms will track the signals down to the earth limb to observe occultation by intervening media. This will provide comprehensive information on global temperature and climate and help detect the possible onset of a greenhouse effect. It is also projected that dual-frequency observations will be used to trace the flow of energy across earth systems through detection of ionospheric gravity waves, and to map the structure of the ionosphere by computer tomography.

Copernicus Earth observation programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žlebir, Silvo

European Earth observation program Copernicus is an EU-wide programme that integrates satellite data, in-situ data and modeling to provide user-focused information services to support policymakers, researchers, businesses and citizens. Land monitoring service and Emergency service are fully operational already, Atmosphere monitoring service and Marine environment monitoring service are preoperational and will become fully operational in the following year, while Climate change service and Security service are in an earlier development phase. New series of a number of dedicated satellite missions will be launched in the following years, operated by the European Space Agency and EUMETSAT, starting with Sentinel 1A satellite early this year. Ground based, air-borne and sea-borne in-situ data are provided by different international networks and organizations, EU member states networks etc. European Union is devoting a particular attention to secure a sustainable long-term operational provision of the services. Copernicus is also stated as a European Union’s most important contribution to Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The status and the recent development of the Copernicus programme will be presented, together with its future perspective. As Copernicus services have already demonstrated their usability and effectiveness, some interesting cases of their deployment will be presented. Copernicus free and open data policy, supported by a recently adopted EU legislative act, will also be presented.

Observing Coronal Mass Ejections from the Sun-Earth L5 Point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopalswamy, N.; Davila, J. M.; St Cyr, O. C.

2013-12-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most energetic phenomenon in the heliosphere and are known to be responsible for severe space weather. Most of the current knowledge on CMEs accumulated over the past few decades has been derived from observations made from the Sun-Earth line, which is not the ideal vantage point to observe Earth-affecting CMEs (Gopalswamy et al., 2011a,b). The STEREO mission viewed CMEs from points away from the Sun-Earth line and demonstrated the importance of such observations in understanding the three-dimensional structure of CMEs and their true kinematics. In this paper, we show that it is advantageous to observe CMEs from the Sun-Earth L5 point in studying CMEs that affect Earth. In particular, these observations are important in identifying that part of the CME that is likely to arrive at Earth. L5 observations are critical for several aspects of CME studies such as: (i) they can also provide near-Sun space speed of CMEs, which is an important input for modeling Earth-arriving CMEs, (ii) backside and frontside CMEs can be readily distinguished even without inner coronal imagers, and (iii) preceding CMEs in the path of Earth-affecting CMEs can be identified for a better estimate of the travel time, which may not be possible from the Sun-Earth line. We also discuss how the L5 vantage point compares with the Sun-Earth L4 point for observing Earth-affecting CMEs. References Gopalswamy, N., Davila, J. M., St. Cyr, O. C., Sittler, E. C., Auchère, F., Duvall, T. L., Hoeksema, J. T., Maksimovic, M., MacDowall, R. J., Szabo, A., Collier, M. R. (2011a), Earth-Affecting Solar Causes Observatory (EASCO): A potential International Living with a Star Mission from Sun-Earth L5 JASTP 73, 658-663, DOI: 10.1016/j.jastp.2011.01.013 Gopalswamy, N., Davila, J. M., Auchère, F., Schou, J., Korendyke, C. M. Shih, A., Johnston, J. C., MacDowall, R. J., Maksimovic, M., Sittler, E., et al. (2011b), Earth-Affecting Solar Causes Observatory (EASCO): a mission at

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) through 2025

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Barbara; Cripe, Douglas

Ministers from the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Member governments, meeting in Geneva, Switzerland in January 2014, unanimously renewed the mandate of GEO through 2025. Through a Ministerial Declaration, they reconfirmed that GEO’s guiding principles of collaboration in leveraging national, regional and global investments and in developing and coordinating strategies to achieve full and open access to Earth observations data and information in order to support timely and knowledge-based decision-making - are catalysts for improving the quality of life of people around the world, advancing global sustainability, and preserving the planet and its biodiversity. GEO Ministers acknowledged and valued the contributions of GEO Member governments and invited all remaining Member States of the United Nations to consider joining GEO. The Ministers also encouraged all Members to strengthen national GEO arrangements, and - of particular interest to COSPAR - they highlighted the unique contributions of Participating Organizations. In this regard, ten more organizations saw their applications approved by Plenary and joined the ranks along with COSPAR to become a Participating Organization in GEO, bringing the current total to 77. Building on the efforts of a Post-2015 Working Group, in which COSPAR participated, Ministers provided additional guidance for GEO and the evolution of its Global Earth Observation System of System (GEOSS) through 2025. Five key areas of activities for the next decade include the following: 1.) Advocating for the value of Earth observations and the need to continue improving Earth observation worldwide; 2.) Urging the adoption and implementation of data sharing principles globally; 3.) Advancing the development of the GEOSS information system for the benefit of users; 4.) Developing a comprehensive interdisciplinary knowledge base defining and documenting observations needed for all disciplines and facilitate availability and accessibility of

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-19

ISS040-E-070424 (19 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station recorded this July 19 image of wildfires which are plaguing the Northwest and causing widespread destruction. The orbital outpost was flying 223 nautical miles above Earth at the time of the photo. Lightning has been given as the cause of the Ochoco Complex fires in the Ochoco National Forest in central Oregon. The complex has gotten larger since this photo was taken.

Understanding USGS user needs and Earth observing data use for decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Z.

2016-12-01

US Geological Survey (USGS) initiated the Requirements, Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observations (RCA-EO) project in the Land Remote Sensing (LRS) program, collaborating with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to jointly develop the supporting information infrastructure - The Earth Observation Requirements Evaluation Systems (EORES). RCA-EO enables us to collect information on current data products and projects across the USGS and evaluate the impacts of Earth observation data from all sources, including spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based platforms. EORES allows users to query, filter, and analyze usage and impacts of Earth observation data at different organizational level within the bureau. We engaged over 500 subject matter experts and evaluated more than 1000 different Earth observing data sources and products. RCA-EO provides a comprehensive way to evaluate impacts of Earth observing data on USGS mission areas and programs through the survey of 345 key USGS products and services. We paid special attention to user feedback about Earth observing data to inform decision making on improving user satisfaction. We believe the approach and philosophy of RCA-EO can be applied in much broader scope to derive comprehensive knowledge of Earth observing systems impacts and usage and inform data products development and remote sensing technology innovation.

Concurrent Validity Between Live and Home Video Observations Using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.

PubMed

Boonzaaijer, Marike; van Dam, Ellen; van Haastert, Ingrid C; Nuysink, Jacqueline

2017-04-01

Serial assessment of gross motor development of infants at risk is an established procedure in neonatal follow-up clinics. Assessments based on home video recordings could be a relevant addition. In 48 infants (1.5-19 months), the concurrent validity of 2 applications was examined using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale: (1) a home video made by parents and (2) simultaneous observation on-site by a pediatric physical therapist. Parents' experiences were explored using a questionnaire. The intraclass correlation coefficient agreement between live and home video assessment was 0.99, with a standard error of measurement of 1.41 items. Intra- and interrater reliability: intraclass correlation coefficients were more than 0.99. According to 94% of the parents, recording their infant's movement repertoire was easy to perform. Assessing the Alberta Infant Motor Scale based on home video recordings is comparable to assessment by live observation. The video method is a promising application that can be used with low burden for parents and infants.

Autonomous aerial observations to extend and complement the Earth Observing System: a science-driven systems-oriented approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandford, Stephen P.; Harrison, F. W.; Langford, John; Johnson, James W.; Qualls, Garry; Emmitt, David; Jones, W. Linwood; Shugart, Herman H., Jr.

2004-12-01

The current Earth observing capability depends primarily on spacecraft missions and ground-based networks to provide the critical on-going observations necessary for improved understanding of the Earth system. Aircraft missions play an important role in process studies but are limited to relatively short-duration flights. Suborbital observations have contributed to global environmental knowledge by providing in-depth, high-resolution observations that space-based and in-situ systems are challenged to provide; however, the limitations of aerial platforms - e.g., limited observing envelope, restrictions associated with crew safety and high cost of operations have restricted the suborbital program to a supporting role. For over a decade, it has been recognized that autonomous aerial observations could potentially be important. Advances in several technologies now enable autonomous aerial observation systems (AAOS) that can provide fundamentally new observational capability for Earth science and applications and thus lead scientists and engineers to rethink how suborbital assets can best contribute to Earth system science. Properly developed and integrated, these technologies will enable new Earth science and operational mission scenarios with long term persistence, higher-spatial and higher-temporal resolution at lower cost than space or ground based approaches. This paper presents the results of a science driven, systems oriented study of broad Earth science measurement needs. These needs identify aerial mission scenarios that complement and extend the current Earth Observing System. These aerial missions are analogous to space missions in their complexity and potential for providing significant data sets for Earth scientists. Mission classes are identified and presented based on science driven measurement needs in atmospheric, ocean and land studies. Also presented is a nominal concept of operations for an AAOS: an innovative set of suborbital assets that

NASA's Earth Observations of the Global Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

2005-01-01

A birds eye view of the Earth from afar and up close reveals the power and magnificence of the Earth and juxtaposes the simultaneous impacts and powerlessness of humankind. The NASA Electronic Theater presents Earth science observations and visualizations in an historical perspective. Fly in from outer space to Africa and Cape Town. See the latest spectacular images from NASA & NOAA remote sensing missions like Meteosat, TRMM, Landsat 7, and Terra, which will be visualized and explained in the context of global change. See visualizations of global data sets currently available from Earth orbiting satellites, including the Earth at night with its city lights, aerosols from biomass burning in the Middle East and Africa, and retreat of the glaciers on Mt. Kilimanjaro. See the dynamics of vegetation growth and decay over Africa over 17 years. New visualization tools allow us to roam & zoom through massive global mosaic images including Landsat and Terra tours of Africa and South America, showing land use and land cover change from Bolivian highlands. Spectacular new visualizations of the global atmosphere & oceans are shown. See massive dust storms sweeping across Africa and across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and Amazon basin. See ocean vortexes and currents that bring up the nutrients to feed tiny phytoplankton and draw the fish, pant whales and fisher- man. See how the ocean blooms in response to these currents and El Nino/La Nifia. We will illustrate these and other topics with a dynamic theater-style presentation, along with animations of satellite launch deployments and orbital mapping to highlight aspects of Earth observations from space.

Earth rotation excitation mechanisms derived from geodetic space observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Göttl, F.; Schmidt, M.

2009-04-01

Earth rotation variations are caused by mass displacements and motions in the subsystems of the Earth. Via the satellite Gravity and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity field variations can be identified which are caused by mass redistribution in the Earth system. Therefore time variable gravity field models (GFZ RL04, CSR RL04, JPL RL04, ITG-Grace03, GRGS, ...) can be used to derive different impacts on Earth rotation. Furthermore satellite altimetry provides accurate information on sea level anomalies (AVISO, DGFI) which are caused by mass and volume changes of seawater. Since Earth rotation is solely affected by mass variations and motions the volume (steric) effect has to be reduced from the altimetric observations in order to infer oceanic contributions to Earth rotation variations. Therefore the steric effect is estimated from physical ocean parameters such as temperature and salinity changes in the oceans (WOA05, Ishii). In this study specific individual geophysical contributions to Earth rotation variations are identified by means of a multitude of accurate geodetic space observations in combination with a realistic error propagation. It will be shown that due to adjustment of altimetric and/or gravimetric solutions the results for polar motion excitations can be improved.

Livingstone Model-Based Diagnosis of Earth Observing One Infusion Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayden, Sandra C.; Sweet, Adam J.; Christa, Scott E.

2004-01-01

The Earth Observing One satellite, launched in November 2000, is an active earth science observation platform. This paper reports on the progress of an infusion experiment in which the Livingstone 2 Model-Based Diagnostic engine is deployed on Earth Observing One, demonstrating the capability to monitor the nominal operation of the spacecraft under command of an on-board planner, and demonstrating on-board diagnosis of spacecraft failures. Design and development of the experiment, specification and validation of diagnostic scenarios, characterization of performance results and benefits of the model- based approach are presented.

Improving the Interoperability and Usability of NASA Earth Observation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, J.; Berrick, S. W.; Murphy, K. J.; Mitchell, A. E.; Tilmes, C.

2014-12-01

NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System Project (ESDIS) is charged with managing, maintaining, and evolving NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) and is responsible for processing, archiving, and distributing NASA Earth Science data. The system supports a multitude of missions and serves diverse science research and other user communities. While NASA has made, and continues to make, great strides in the discoverability and accessibility of its earth observation data holdings, issues associated with data interoperability and usability still present significant challenges to realizing the full scientific and societal benefits of these data. This concern has been articulated by multiple government agencies, both U.S. and international, as well as other non-governmental organizations around the world. Among these is the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy who, in response, has launched the Big Earth Data Initiative and the Climate Data Initiative to address these concerns for U.S. government agencies. This presentation will describe NASA's approach for addressing data interoperability and usability issues with our earth observation data.

Observation of the Earth by radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elachi, C.

1982-01-01

Techniques and applications of radar observation from Earth satellites are discussed. Images processing and analysis of these images are discussed. Also discussed is radar imaging from aircraft. Uses of this data include ocean wave analysis, surface water evaluation, and topographic analysis.

Value of Earth Observation for Risk Mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearlman, F.; Shapiro, C. D.; Grasso, M.; Pearlman, J.; Adkins, J. E.; Pindilli, E.; Geppi, D.

2017-12-01

Societal benefits flowing from Earth observation are intuitively obvious as we use the information to assess natural hazards (such as storm tracks), water resources (such as flooding and droughts in coastal and riverine systems), ecosystem vitality and other dynamics that impact the health and economic well being of our population. The most powerful confirmation of these benefits would come from quantifying the impact and showing direct quantitative links in the value chain from data to decisions. However, our ability to identify and quantify those benefits is challenging. The impact of geospatial data on these types of decisions is not well characterized and assigning a true value to the observations on a broad scale across disciplines still remains to be done in a systematic way. This presentation provides the outcomes of a workshop held in October 2017 as a side event of the GEO Plenary that addressed research on economic methodologies for quantification of impacts. To achieve practical outputs during the meeting, the workshop focused on the use and value of Earth observations in risk mitigation including: ecosystem impacts, weather events, and other natural and manmade hazards. Case studies on approaches were discussed and will be part of this presentation. The presentation will also include the exchange of lessons learned and a discussion of gaps in the current understanding of the use and value of earth observation information for risk mitigation.

Overview of Japanese Earth observation programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoda, Haruhisa; Honda, Yoshiaki

2017-09-01

Five programs, i.e. ASTER, GOSAT, GCOM-W1, GPM and ALOS-2 are going on in Japanese Earth Observation programs. ASTER has lost its short wave infrared channels. AMSR-E stopped its operation, but it started its operation from Sep. 2012 with slow rotation speed. It finally stopped on December 2015. GCOM-W1 was launched on 18, May, 2012 and is operating well as well as GOSAT. ALOS (Advanced Land Observing Satellite) was successfully launched on 24th Jan. 2006. ALOS carries three instruments, i.e., PRISM (Panchromatic Remote Sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping), AVNIR-2 (Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer), and PALSAR (Phased Array L band Synthetic Aperture Radar). Unfortunately, ALOS has stopped its operation on 22nd, April, 2011 by power loss. GOSAT (Greenhouse Gas Observation Satellite) was successfully launched on 29, January, 2009. GOSAT carries 2 instruments, i.e. a green house gas sensor (TANSO-FTS) and a cloud/aerosol imager (TANSO-CAI). The main sensor is a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) and covers 0.76 to 15 μm region with 0.2 to 0.5 cm-1 resolution. SMILES (Superconducting Millimeter wave Emission Spectrometer) was launched on September 2009 to ISS and started the observation, but stopped its operation on April 2010. GPM (Global Precipitation Mission) core satellite was launched on Feb. 2014. GPM is a joint project with NASA and carries two instruments. JAXA has developed DPR (Dual frequency Precipitation Radar) which is a follow on of PR on TRMM. ALOS F/O satellites are divided into two satellites, i.e. SAR and optical satellites. The first one of ALOS F/O is called ALOS 2 and carries L-band SAR. It was launched on May 2014. JAXA is planning to launch follow on of optical sensors. It is now called Advanced Optical Satellite and the planned launch date is fiscal 2019. Other future satellites are GCOM-C1 (ADEOS-2 follow on), GOSAT-2 and EarthCare. GCOM-C1 will be launched on 2017 and GOSAT-2 will be launched on fiscal 2018. Another project

INTEGRATED EARTH OBSERVATIONS: APPLICATION TO AIR QUALITY AND HUMAN HEALTH

EPA Science Inventory

In February 2005, ministers from 60 countries and the European Commission met in Brussels, Belgium to endorse the 10-year plan for a Global Earth Observation System of Systems(GEOSS) prepared by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), a partnership of nations and international org...

Live versus Video Observations: Comparing the Reliability and Validity of Two Methods of Assessing Classroom Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curby, Timothy W.; Johnson, Price; Mashburn, Andrew J.; Carlis, Lydia

2016-01-01

When conducting classroom observations, researchers are often confronted with the decision of whether to conduct observations live or by using pre-recorded video. The present study focuses on comparing and contrasting observations of live and video administrations of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-PreK (CLASS-PreK). Associations between…

Looking at Earth observation impacts with fresh eyes: a Landsat example

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Zhuoting; Snyder, Greg; Quirk, Bruce; Stensaas, Greg; Vadnais, Carolyn; Babcock, Michael; Dale, Erin; Doucette, Peter

2016-05-01

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated the Requirements, Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observations (RCA-EO) activity in the Land Remote Sensing (LRS) program to provide a structured approach to collect, store, maintain, and analyze user requirements and Earth observing system capabilities information. RCA-EO enables the collection of information on current key Earth observation products, services, and projects, and to evaluate them at different organizational levels within an agency, in terms of how reliant they are on Earth observation data from all sources, including spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based platforms. Within the USGS, RCA-EO has engaged over 500 subject matter experts in this assessment, and evaluated the impacts of more than 1000 different Earth observing data sources on 345 key USGS products and services. This paper summarizes Landsat impacts at various levels of the organizational structure of the USGS and highlights the feedback of the subject matter experts regarding Landsat data and Landsat-derived products. This feedback is expected to inform future Landsat mission decision making. The RCA-EO approach can be applied in a much broader scope to derive comprehensive knowledge of Earth observing system usage and impacts, to inform product and service development and remote sensing technology innovation beyond the USGS.

Near-Earth asteroids: Observer alert network and physical observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Donald R.; Chapman, Clark R.

1992-01-01

This project strives to obtain physical observations on newly discovered Near-Earth Objects (NEO's) in order to provide fundamental data needed to assess the resources available in the population. The goal is acquiring data on all objects brighter than magnitude V= 17.0. To accomplish this, an electronic mail alert and observer information service that informs observers around the world as to the status of physical observations on currently observable NEO's was established. Such data is also acquired ourselves through a cooperative program with European colleagues that uses telescopes on La Palma to obtain spectra of NEO's and through observations made from a local telescope on Tumamoc Hill. This latter telescope has the advantage that large amounts of observing time are available, so that whenever a new NEO's discovered, we can be assured of getting time to observe it.

New Earth Observation Capabilities For The Commercial Sector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanov, William L.

2017-01-01

Earth observation data collected from orbital remote sensing systems are becoming increasingly critical to the short- and long-term operations of many commercial industries including agriculture, energy exploration, environmental management, transportation, and urban planning and operations. In this panel, I will present an overview of current and planned NASA remote sensing systems for Earth observation with relevance to commercial and industrial applications. Special emphasis will be given to the International Space Station (ISS) as a platform for both commercial technology demonstration/development and operational data collection through the ISS National Laboratory.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-19

ISS040-E-070412 (19 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station recorded this July 19 panorama featuring wildfires which are plaguing the Northwest and causing widespread destruction. (Note: south is at the top of the frame). The orbital outpost was flying 223 nautical miles above Earth at the time of the photo. Parts of Oregon and Washington are included in the scene. Mt. Jefferson, Three Sisters and Mt. St. Helens are all snow-capped and visible in the photo, and the Columbia River can also be delineated.

Earth observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-04

ISS040-E-129950 (4 Sept. 2014) --- In this photograph. taken by one of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station, the orange spot located in the very center is the sun, which appears to be sitting on Earth's limb. At far right, a small bright spot is believed to be a reflection from somewhere in the camera system or something on the orbital outpost. When the photographed was exposed, the orbital outpost was flying at an altutude of 226 nautical miles above a point near French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean.

Concurrent Validity Between Live and Home Video Observations Using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale

PubMed Central

van Dam, Ellen; van Haastert, Ingrid C.; Nuysink, Jacqueline

2017-01-01

Purpose: Serial assessment of gross motor development of infants at risk is an established procedure in neonatal follow-up clinics. Assessments based on home video recordings could be a relevant addition. Methods: In 48 infants (1.5-19 months), the concurrent validity of 2 applications was examined using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale: (1) a home video made by parents and (2) simultaneous observation on-site by a pediatric physical therapist. Parents' experiences were explored using a questionnaire. Results: The intraclass correlation coefficient agreement between live and home video assessment was 0.99, with a standard error of measurement of 1.41 items. Intra- and interrater reliability: intraclass correlation coefficients were more than 0.99. According to 94% of the parents, recording their infant's movement repertoire was easy to perform. Conclusion: Assessing the Alberta Infant Motor Scale based on home video recordings is comparable to assessment by live observation. The video method is a promising application that can be used with low burden for parents and infants. PMID:28350771

Utilizing Earth Observations for Societal Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Habib, Shahid

2010-01-01

Over the last four decades a tremendous progress has been made in the Earth science space-based remote sensing observations, technologies and algorithms. Such advancements have improved the predictability by providing lead-time and accuracy of forecast in weather, climate, natural hazards, and natural resources. It has further reduced or bounded the overall uncertainties by partially improving our understanding of planet Earth as an integrated system that is governed by non-linear and chaotic behavior. Many countries such as the US, European Community, Japan, China, Russia, India has and others have invested billions of dollars in developing and launching space-based assets in the low earth (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) orbits. However, the wealth of this scientific knowledge that has potential of extracting monumental socio-economic benefits from such large investments have been slow in reaching the public and decision makers. For instance, there are a number of areas such as water resources and availability, energy forecasting, aviation safety, agricultural competitiveness, disaster management, air quality and public health, which can directly take advantage. Nevertheless, we all live in a global economy that depends on access to the best available Earth Science information for all inhabitants of this planet. This presentation discusses a process to transition Earth science data and products for societal needs including NASA's experience in achieving such objectives. It is important to mention that there are many challenges and issues that pertain to a number of areas such as: (1) difficulties in making a speedy transition of data and information from observations and models to relevant Decision Support Systems (DSS) or tools, (2) data and models inter-operability issues, (3) limitations of spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, (4) communication limitations as dictated by the availability of image processing and data compression techniques. Additionally, the

Conceptual Research of Lunar-based Earth Observation for Polar Glacier Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Zhixing; Liu, Guang; Ding, Yixing

2016-07-01

The ice flow velocity of glaciers is important for estimating the polar ice sheet mass balance, and it is of great significance for studies into rising sea level under the background of global warming. However so far the long-term and global measurements of these macro-scale motion processes of the polar glaciers have hardly been achieved by Earth Observation (EO) technique from the ground, aircraft or satellites in space. This paper, facing the demand for space technology for large-scale global environmental change observation,especially the changes of polar glaciers, and proposes a new concept involving setting up sensors on the lunar surface and using the Moon as a platform for Earth observation, transmitting the data back to Earth. Lunar-based Earth observation, which enables the Earth's large-scale, continuous, long-term dynamic motions to be measured, is expected to provide a new solution to the problems mentioned above. According to the pattern and characteristics of polar glaciers motion, we will propose a comprehensive investigation of Lunar-based Earth observation with synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Via theoretical modeling and experimental simulation inversion, intensive studies of Lunar-based Earth observation for the glacier motions in the polar regions will be implemented, including the InSAR basics theory, observation modes of InSAR and optimization methods of their key parameters. It will be of a great help to creatively expand the EO technique system from space. In addition, they will contribute to establishing the theoretical foundation for the realization of the global, long-term and continuous observation for the glacier motion phenomena in the Antarctic and the Arctic.

The space shuttle payload planning working groups. Volume 7: Earth observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The findings of the Earth Observations working group of the space shuttle payload planning activity are presented. The objectives of the Earth Observation experiments are: (1) establishment of quantitative relationships between observable parameters and geophysical variables, (2) development, test, calibration, and evaluation of eventual flight instruments in experimental space flight missions, (3) demonstration of the operational utility of specific observation concepts or techniques as information inputs needed for taking actions, and (4) deployment of prototype and follow-on operational Earth Observation systems. The basic payload capability, mission duration, launch sites, inclinations, and payload limitations are defined.

Notes From the Field: Direct Observation Versus Rating by Videos for the Assessment of Central Venous Catheterization Skills.

PubMed

Ma, Irene W Y; Zalunardo, Nadia; Brindle, Mary E; Hatala, Rose; McLaughlin, Kevin

2015-09-01

Blinded assessments of technical skills using video-recordings may offer more objective assessments than direct observations. This study seeks to compare these two modalities. Two trained assessors independently assessed 18 central venous catheterization performances by direct observation and video-recorded assessments using two tools. Although sound quality was deemed adequate in all videos, portions of the video for wire handling and drape handling were frequently out of view (n = 13, 72% for wire-handling; n = 17, 94% for drape-handling). There were no differences in summary global rating scores, checklist scores, or pass/fail decisions for either modality (p > 0.05). Inter-rater reliability was acceptable for both modalities. Of the 26 discrepancies identified between direct observation and video-recorded assessments, three discrepancies (12%) were due to inattention during video review, while one (4%) discrepancy was due to inattention during direct observation. In conclusion, although scores did not differ between the two assessment modalities, techniques of video-recording may significantly impact individual items of assessments. © The Author(s) 2014.

Data base on physical observations of near-Earth asteroids and establishment of a network to coordinate observations of newly discovered near-Earth asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, D. R.; Chapman, C. R.; Campins, H.

1990-01-01

This program consists of two tasks: (1) development of a data base of physical observations of near-earth asteroids and establishment of a network to coordinate observations of newly discovered earth-approaching asteroids; and (2) a simulation of the surface of low-activity comets. Significant progress was made on task one and, and task two was completed during the period covered by this progress report.

Observation and integrated Earth-system science: A roadmap for 2016–2025

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simmons, Adrian; Fellous, Jean-Louis; Ramaswamy, V.

This report is the response to a request by the Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science to prepare a roadmap on observation and integrated Earth-system science for the coming ten years. Its focus is on the combined use of observations and modelling to address the functioning, predictability and projected evolution of interacting components of the Earth system on timescales out to a century or so. It discusses how observations support integrated Earth-system science and its applications, and identifies planned enhancements to the contributing observing systems and other requirements for observations and their processing. All types ofmore » observation are considered, but emphasis is placed on those made from space. The origins and development of the integrated view of the Earth system are outlined, noting the interactions between the main components that lead to requirements for integrated science and modelling, and for the observations that guide and support them. What constitutes an Earth-system model is discussed. Summaries are given of key cycles within the Earth system. The nature of Earth observation and the arrangements for international coordination essential for effective operation of global observing systems are introduced. Instances are given of present types of observation, what is already on the roadmap for 2016–2025 and some of the issues to be faced. Observations that are organized on a systematic basis and observations that are made for process understanding and model development, or other research or demonstration purposes, are covered. Specific accounts are given for many of the variables of the Earth system. The current status and prospects for Earth-system modelling are summarized. The evolution towards applying Earth-system models for environmental monitoring and prediction as well as for climate simulation and projection is outlined. General aspects of the improvement of models, whether through refining the

Copernicus: a quantum leap in Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschbacher, Josef

2015-04-01

Copernicus is the most ambitious, most comprehensive Earth observation system world-wide. It aims at giving decision-makers better information to act upon, at global, continental, national and regional level. The European Union (EU) leads the overall programme, while the European Space Agency (ESA) coordinates the space component. Similar to meteorology, satellite data is combined with data from airborne and ground sensors to provide a holistic view of the state of the planet. All these data are fed into a range of thematic information services designed to benefit the environment and to support policy-makers and other stakeholders to make decisions, coordinate policy areas, and formulate strategies relating to the environment. Moreover, the data will also be used for predicting future climate trends. Never has such a comprehensive Earth-observation based system been in place before. It will be fully integrated into an informed decision making process, thus enabling economic and social benefits through better access to information globally. A key feature of Copernicus is the free and open data policy of the Sentinel satellite data. This will enable that Earth observation based information enters completely new domains of daily life. High quality, regularly updated satellite observations become available for basically everyone. To ensure universal access new ground segment and data access concepts need to be developed. As more data are made available, better decisions can made, more business will be created and science and research can be achieved through the upcoming Sentinel data.

Sensor requirements for Earth and planetary observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chahine, Moustafa T.

1990-01-01

Future generations of Earth and planetary remote sensing instruments will require extensive developments of new long-wave and very long-wave infrared detectors. The upcoming NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) will carry a suite of instruments to monitor a wide range of atmospheric and surface parameters with an unprecedented degree of accuracy for a period of 10 to 15 years. These instruments will observe Earth over a wide spectral range extending from the visible to nearly 17 micrometers with a moderate to high spectral and spacial resolution. In addition to expected improvements in communication bandwidth and both ground and on-board computing power, these new sensor systems will need large two-dimensional detector arrays. Such arrays exist for visible wavelengths and, to a lesser extent, for short wavelength infrared systems. The most dramatic need is for new Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) and Very Long Wavelength Infrared (VLWIR) detector technologies that are compatible with area array readout devices and can operate in the temperature range supported by long life, low power refrigerators. A scientific need for radiometric and calibration accuracies approaching 1 percent translates into a requirement for detectors with excellent linearity, stability and insensitivity to operating conditions and space radiation. Current examples of the kind of scientific missions these new thermal IR detectors would enhance in the future include instruments for Earth science such as Orbital Volcanological Observations (OVO), Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), and Spectroscopy in the Atmosphere using Far Infrared Emission (SAFIRE). Planetary exploration missions such as Cassini also provide examples of instrument concepts that could be enhanced by new IR detector technologies.

The Earth Observing System Terra Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram J.

2000-01-01

Langley's remarkable solar and lunar spectra collected from Mt. Whitney inspired Arrhenius to develop the first quantitative climate model in 1896. After the launch in Dec. 16 1999, NASA's Earth Observing AM Satellite (EOS-Terra) will repeat Langley's experiment, but for the entire planet, thus pioneering a wide array of calibrated spectral observations from space of the Earth System. Conceived in response to real environmental problems, EOS-Terra, in conjunction with other international satellite efforts, will fill a major gap in current efforts by providing quantitative global data sets with a resolution smaller than 1 km on the physical, chemical and biological elements of the earth system. Thus, like Langley's data, EOS-Terra can revolutionize climate research by inspiring a new generation of climate system models and enable us to assess the human impact on the environment. In the talk I shall review the historical perspective of the Terra mission and the key new elements of the mission. We expect to have some first images that demonstrate the most innovative capability from EOS Terra: MODIS - 1.37 microns cirrus channel; 250 m daily cover for clouds and vegetation change; 7 solar channels for land and aerosol; new fire channels; Chlorophyll fluorescence; MISR - 9 multi angle views of clouds and vegetation; MOPITT - Global CO maps and CH4 maps; ASTER - Thermal channels for geological studies with 15-90 m resolution.

The early Earth Observing System reference handbook: Earth Science and Applications Division missions, 1990-1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Prior to the launch of the Earth Observing System (EOS) series, NASA will launch and operate a wide variety of new earth science satellites and instruments, as well as undertake several efforts collecting and using the data from existing and planned satellites from other agencies and nations. These initiatives will augment the knowledge base gained from ongoing Earth Science and Applications Division (ESAD) programs. This volume describes three sets of ESAD activities -- ongoing exploitation of operational satellite data, research missions with upcoming launches between now and the first launch of EOS, and candidate earth probes.

The Operations Security Concept for Future ESA Earth Observation Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, D.; Bargellini, P.; Merri, M.

2008-08-01

Next-generation European earth observation missions will play a critical role in public safety and security infrastructures. This makes it necessary for ESA to protect the communication infrastructure of these missions in order to guarantee their service availability. In this paper, we discuss the development process for a generic earth observation security concept. This concept has been developed as part of a GMES Flight Operation Segment security study with the objective to analyse and select a number of high level security requirements for the missions. Further, we studied the impact of an implementation for these requirements on the operational infrastructure of current earth observation missions.

Earth Science Observations from the International Space Station: An Overview (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaye, J. A.

2013-12-01

The International Space Station (ISS) provides a unique and valuable platform for observing the Earth. With its mid-inclination (~51 degree) orbit, it provides the opportunity to view most of the Earth, with data acquisition possible over a full range of local times, in an orbit that nicely complements the polar sun-synchronous orbits used for much of space-based Earth observation, and can draw on a heritage of mid-inclination observations from both free flying satellites and the Space Shuttle program. The ISS, including its component observing modules supplied by NASA's international partners, can provide needed resources and viewing opportunities by a broad range of Earth-viewing scientific instruments. In this talk, the overall picture of Earth viewing from ISS will be presented, with examples from a range of past, current, and projected sensors being shared; talks on the ISS implementation for a subset of current and projected payload will be presented in individual talks presented by their their respective teams.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-08-23

ISS024-E-016042 (23 Aug. 2010) --- This night time view captured by one of the Expedition 24 crew members aboard the International Space Station some 220 miles above Earth is looking southward from central Romania over the Aegean Sea toward Greece and it includes Thessaloniki (near center), the larger bright mass of Athens (left center), and the Macedonian capital of Skopje (lower right). Center point coordinates of the area pictured are 46.4 degrees north latitude and 25.5 degrees east longitude. The picture was taken in August and was physically brought back to Earth on a disk with the return of the Expedition 25 crew in November 2010.

Communicating Earth Science Applications through Virtual Poster Sessions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favors, J. E.; Childs-Gleason, L. M.; Ross, K. W.; Ruiz, M. L.; Rogers, L.

2013-12-01

The DEVELOP National Program addresses environmental and public policy issues through interdisciplinary research projects that apply the lens of NASA Earth observations to community concerns around the globe. Part of NASA's Applied Sciences' Capacity Building Program, DEVELOP bridges the gap between NASA Earth Science and society, building capacity in both participants and partner organizations to better prepare them to handle the challenges that face our society and future generations. Teams of DEVELOP participants partner with decision makers to conduct rapid feasibility projects that highlight fresh applications of NASA's suite of Earth observing sensors, cultivate advanced skills, and increase understanding of NASA Earth Science data and technology. Part of this process involves the creation of short introductory videos that demonstrate the environmental concerns, project methodologies and results, and an overview of how this work will impact decision makers. These videos are presented to the public three times a year in 'virtual poster sessions' (VPS) that provide an interactive way for individuals from around the globe to access the research, understand the capabilities and applications of NASA's Earth science datasets, and interact with the participants through blogging and dialogue sessions. Virtual poster sessions have allowed DEVELOP to introduce NASA's Earth science assets to thousands of viewers around the world. For instance, one fall VPS had over 5,000 visitors from 89 different countries during the two week session. This presentation will discuss lessons learned and statistics related to the series of nine virtual poster sessions that DEVELOP has conducted 2011-2013.

Video observations of sensitive caregiving "off the beaten track": introduction to the special issue.

PubMed

Mesman, Judi

2018-03-22

This introduction to the special issue on video observations of sensitive caregiving in different cultural communities provides a general theoretical and methodological framework for the seven empirical studies that are at the heart of this special issue. It highlights the cross-cultural potential of the sensitivity construct, the importance of research on sensitivity "off the beaten track," the advantages and potential challenges of the use of video in diverse cultural contexts, and the benefits of forming research teams that include local scholars. The paper concludes with an overview of the seven empirical studies of sensitivity in this special issue with video observations from Brazil, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Peru, South Africa, and Yemen.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-04-26

ISS043E142265 (04/26/2015) --- NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on the International Space Station Apr.26, 2015 tweeted this image out of an Earth observation as part of his Space Geo contest "name this location" with this remark and clue: "This frozen body of water is the world's oldest (25 million years) and deepest basin on Earth. Name it!"

The High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) Payload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muri, Paul; Runco, Susan; Fontanot, Carlos; Getteau, Chris

2017-01-01

The High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) payload enables long-term experimentation of four, commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) high definition video, cameras mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station. The payload enables testing of cameras in the space environment. The HDEV cameras transmit imagery continuously to an encoder that then sends the video signal via Ethernet through the space station for downlink. The encoder, cameras, and other electronics are enclosed in a box pressurized to approximately one atmosphere, containing dry nitrogen, to provide a level of protection to the electronics from the space environment. The encoded video format supports streaming live video of Earth for viewing online. Camera sensor types include charge-coupled device and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor. Received imagery data is analyzed on the ground to evaluate camera sensor performance. Since payload deployment, minimal degradation to imagery quality has been observed. The HDEV payload continues to operate by live streaming and analyzing imagery. Results from the experiment reduce risk in the selection of cameras that could be considered for future use on the International Space Station and other spacecraft. This paper discusses the payload development, end-to- end architecture, experiment operation, resulting image analysis, and future work.

Video surveillance captures student hand hygiene behavior, reactivity to observation, and peer influence in Kenyan primary schools.

PubMed

Pickering, Amy J; Blum, Annalise G; Breiman, Robert F; Ram, Pavani K; Davis, Jennifer

2014-01-01

In-person structured observation is considered the best approach for measuring hand hygiene behavior, yet is expensive, time consuming, and may alter behavior. Video surveillance could be a useful tool for objectively monitoring hand hygiene behavior if validated against current methods. Student hand cleaning behavior was monitored with video surveillance and in-person structured observation, both simultaneously and separately, at four primary schools in urban Kenya over a study period of 8 weeks. Video surveillance and in-person observation captured similar rates of hand cleaning (absolute difference <5%, p = 0.74). Video surveillance documented higher hand cleaning rates (71%) when at least one other person was present at the hand cleaning station, compared to when a student was alone (48%; rate ratio  = 1.14 [95% CI 1.01-1.28]). Students increased hand cleaning rates during simultaneous video and in-person monitoring as compared to single-method monitoring, suggesting reactivity to each method of monitoring. This trend was documented at schools receiving a handwashing with soap intervention, but not at schools receiving a sanitizer intervention. Video surveillance of hand hygiene behavior yields results comparable to in-person observation among schools in a resource-constrained setting. Video surveillance also has certain advantages over in-person observation, including rapid data processing and the capability to capture new behavioral insights. Peer influence can significantly improve student hand cleaning behavior and, when possible, should be exploited in the design and implementation of school hand hygiene programs.

EOS Reference Handbook 1999: A Guide to NASA's Earth Science Enterprise and the Earth Observing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, M. D. (Editor); Greenstone, R. (Editor)

2000-01-01

The content of this handbook includes Earth Science Enterprise; The Earth Observing System; EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS); Data and Information Policy; Pathfinder Data Sets; Earth Science Information Partners and the Working Prototype-Federation; EOS Data Quality: Calibration and Validation; Education Programs; International Cooperation; Interagency Coordination; Mission Elements; EOS Instruments; EOS Interdisciplinary Science Investigations; and Points-of-Contact.

International Space Station Earth Observations Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanov, William L.; Oikawa, Koki

2015-01-01

The multilateral Earth Observations Working Group (EOWG) was chartered in May 2012 in order to improve coordination and collaboration of Earth observing payloads, research, and applications on the International Space Station (ISS). The EOWG derives its authority from the ISS Program Science Forum, and a NASA representative serves as a permanent co-chair. A rotating co-chair position can be occupied by any of the international partners, following concurrence by the other partners; a JAXA representative is the current co-chair. Primary functions of the EOWG include, 1) the exchange of information on plans for payloads, from science and application objectives to instrument development, data collection, distribution and research; 2) recognition and facilitation of opportunities for international collaboration in order to optimize benefits from different instruments; and 3) provide a formal ISS Program interface for collection and application of remotely sensed data collected in response to natural disasters through the International Charter, Space and Major Disasters. Recent examples of EOWG activities include coordination of bilateral data sharing protocols between NASA and TsNIIMash for use of crew time and instruments in support of ATV5 reentry imaging activities; discussion of continued use and support of the Nightpod camera mount system by NASA and ESA; and review and revision of international partner contributions on Earth observations to the ISS Program Benefits to Humanity publication.

Crew Earth Observations: Twelve Years of Documenting Earth from the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Cynthia A.; Stefanov, William L.; Willis, Kimberley; Runco, Susan; Wilkinson, M. Justin; Dawson, Melissa; Trenchard, Michael

2012-01-01

The Crew Earth Observations (CEO) payload was one of the initial experiments aboard the International Space Station, and has been continuously collecting data about the Earth since Expedition 1. The design of the experiment is simple: using state-of-the-art camera equipment, astronauts collect imagery of the Earth's surface over defined regions of scientific interest and also document dynamic events such as storms systems, floods, wild fires and volcanic eruptions. To date, CEO has provided roughly 600,000 images of Earth, capturing views of features and processes on land, the oceans, and the atmosphere. CEO data are less rigorously constrained than other remote sensing data, but the volume of data, and the unique attributes of the imagery provide a rich and understandable view of the Earth that is difficult to achieve from the classic remote sensing platforms. In addition, the length-of-record of the imagery dataset, especially when combined with astronaut photography from other NASA and Russian missions starting in the early 1960s, provides a valuable record of changes on the surface of the Earth over 50 years. This time period coincides with the rapid growth of human settlements and human infrastructure.

Live Video Classroom Observation: An Effective Approach to Reducing Reactivity in Collecting Observational Information for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liang, Jiwen

2015-01-01

This paper examines the significance of live video classroom observations of teaching practice to reduce reactivity (the observer effect) so as to obtain more credible observational information for teacher professional development in a secondary school in the largest city in southern China. Although much has been discussed regarding the use of…

Quantifying Atmospheric Moist Processes from Earth Observations. Really?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepson, P. B.; Cambaliza, M. O. L.; Salmon, O. E.; Heimburger, A. M. F.; Davis, K. J.; Lauvaux, T.; McGowan, L. E.; Miles, N.; Richardson, S.; Sarmiento, D. P.; Hardesty, M.; Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Iraci, L. T.; Hillyard, P. W.; Podolske, J. R.; Gurney, K. R.; Patarasuk, R.; Razlivanov, I. N.; Song, Y.; O'Keeffe, D.; Turnbull, J. C.; Vimont, I.; Whetstone, J. R.; Possolo, A.; Prasad, K.; Lopez-Coto, I.

2014-12-01

The amount of water in the Earth's atmosphere is tiny compared to all other sources of water on our planet, fresh or otherwise. However, this tiny amount of water is fundamental to most aspects of human life. The tiny amount of water that cycles from the Earth's surface, through condensation into clouds in the atmosphere returning as precipitation falling is not only natures way of delivering fresh water to land-locked human societies but it also exerts a fundamental control on our climate system producing the most important feedbacks in the system. The representation of these processes in Earth system models contain many errors that produce well now biases in the hydrological cycle. Surprisingly the parameterizations of these important processes are not well validated with observations. Part of the reason for this situation stems from the fact that process evaluation is difficult to achieve on the global scale since it has commonly been assumed that the static observations available from snap-shots of individual parameters contain little information on processes. One of the successes of the A-Train has been the development of multi-parameter analysis based on the multi-sensor data produced by the satellite constellation. This has led to new insights on how water cycles through the Earth's atmosphere. Examples of these insights will be highlighted. It will be described how the rain formation process has been observed and how this has been used to constrain this process in models, with a huge impact. How these observations are beginning to reveal insights on deep convection and examples of the use these observations applied to models will also be highlighted as will the effects of aerosol on clouds on radiation.

Quantifying Atmospheric Moist Processes from Earth Observations. Really?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, G. L.

2015-12-01

The amount of water in the Earth's atmosphere is tiny compared to all other sources of water on our planet, fresh or otherwise. However, this tiny amount of water is fundamental to most aspects of human life. The tiny amount of water that cycles from the Earth's surface, through condensation into clouds in the atmosphere returning as precipitation falling is not only natures way of delivering fresh water to land-locked human societies but it also exerts a fundamental control on our climate system producing the most important feedbacks in the system. The representation of these processes in Earth system models contain many errors that produce well now biases in the hydrological cycle. Surprisingly the parameterizations of these important processes are not well validated with observations. Part of the reason for this situation stems from the fact that process evaluation is difficult to achieve on the global scale since it has commonly been assumed that the static observations available from snap-shots of individual parameters contain little information on processes. One of the successes of the A-Train has been the development of multi-parameter analysis based on the multi-sensor data produced by the satellite constellation. This has led to new insights on how water cycles through the Earth's atmosphere. Examples of these insights will be highlighted. It will be described how the rain formation process has been observed and how this has been used to constrain this process in models, with a huge impact. How these observations are beginning to reveal insights on deep convection and examples of the use these observations applied to models will also be highlighted as will the effects of aerosol on clouds on radiation.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-19

ISS040-E-070439 (19 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station recorded this July 19 image of wildfires which are plaguing the Northwest and causing widespread destruction. The orbital outpost was flying 223 nautical miles above a point on Earth located at 48.0 degrees north latitude and 116.9 degrees west longitude when the image was exposed. The state of Washington is especially affected by the fires, many of which have been blamed on lightning. This particular fire was part of the Carlton Complex Fire, located near the city of Brewster in north central Washington. The reservoir visible near the center of the image is Banks Lake.

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 47 Crewmember.

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-26

ISS047e022293 (03/26/2016) --- This Earth Observation image from the International Space Station is of a large extinct volcano in the lower southwest African Brukkaros Mountain in the country of Namibia.

Valley Fever: Earth Observations for Risk Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sprigg, W. A.

2012-12-01

Advances in satellite Earth observation systems, numerical weather prediction, and dust storm modeling yield new tools for public health warnings, advisories and epidemiology of illnesses associated with airborne desert dust. Valley Fever, endemic from California through the US/Mexico border region into Central and South America, is triggered by inhalation of soil-dwelling fungal spores. The path from fungal growth to airborne threat depends on environmental conditions observable from satellite. And space-based sensors provide initial conditions for dust storm forecasts and baselines for the epidemiology of Valley Fever and other dust-borne aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease. A new Pan-American Center for the World Meteorological Organization Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System creates an opportunity to advance Earth science applications in public health.

STS-59 crewmembers in training for onboard Earth observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The six astronauts in training for the STS-59 mission are shown onboard Earth observations tips by Justin Wilkinson (standing, foreground) of the Space Shuttle Earth Observations Project (SSEOP) group. Astronaut Sidney M. Gutierrez, mission commander, is at center on the left side of the table. Others, left to right, are Astronauts Kevin P. Chilton, pilot; Jerome (Jay) Apt and Michael R.U. (Rich) Clifford, both mission specialists; Linda M. Godwin, payload commander; and Thomas D. Jones, mission specialist.

Deuterium on Venus: Observations from Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lutz, Barry L.; Debergh, C.; Bezard, B.; Owen, T.; Crisp, D.; Maillard, J.-P.

1991-01-01

In view of the importance of the deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio in understanding the evolutionary scenario of planetary atmospheres and its relationship to understanding the evolution of our own Earth, we undertook a series of observations designed to resolve previous observational conflicts. We observed the dark side of Venus in the 2.3 micron spectral region in search of both H2O and HDO, which would provide us with the D/H ratio in Venus' atmosphere. We identified a large number of molecular lines in the region, belonging to both molecules, and, using synthetic spectral techniques, obtained mixing ratios of 34 plus or minus 10 ppm and 1.3 plus or minus 0.2 ppm for H2O and HDO, respectively. These mixing ratios yield a D/H ratio for Venus of D/H equals 1.9 plus or minus 0.6 times 10 (exp 12) and 120 plus or minus 40 times the telluric ratio. Although the detailed interpretation is difficult, our observations confirm that the Pioneer Venus Orbiter results and establish that indeed Venus had a period in its early history in which it was very wet, perhaps not unlike the early wet period that seems to have been present on Mars, and that, in contrast to Earth, lost much of its water over geologic time.

Korea Earth Observation Satellite Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baek, Myung-Jin; Kim, Zeen-Chul

via Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) as the prime contractor in the area of Korea earth observation satellite program to enhance Korea's space program development capability. In this paper, Korea's on-going and future earth observation satellite programs are introduced: KOMPSAT- 1 (Korea Multi Purpose Satellite-1), KOMPSAT-2 and Communication, Broadcasting and Meteorological Satellite (CBMS) program. KOMPSAT-1 satellite successfully launched in December 1999 with Taurus launch vehicle. Since launch, KOMPSAT-1 is downlinking images of Korea Peninsular every day. Until now, KOMPSAT-1 has been operated more than 2 and half years without any major hardware malfunction for the mission operation. KOMPSAT-1 payload has 6.6m panchromatic spatial resolution at 685 km on-orbit and the spacecraft bus had NASA TOMS-EP (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer-Earth Probe) spacecraft bus heritage designed and built by TRW, U.S.A.KOMPSAT-1 program was international co-development program between KARI and TRW funded by Korean Government. be launched in 2004. Main mission objective is to provide geo-information products based on the multi-spectral high resolution sensor called Multi-Spectral Camera (MSC) which will provide 1m panchromatic and 4m multi-spectral high resolution images. ELOP of Israel is the prime contractor of the MSC payload system and KARI is the total system prime contractor including spacecraft bus development and ground segment. KARI also has the contract with Astrium of Europe for the purpose of technical consultation and hardware procurement. Based on the experience throughout KOMPSAT-1 and KOMPSAT-2 space system development, Korea is expecting to establish the infrastructure of developing satellite system. Currently, KOMPSAT-2 program is in the critical design stage. are scheduled to launch in 2008 and in 2014, respectively. The mission of CBMS consists of two areas. One is of space technology test for the communications mission, and the other is of a real

Automating the Processing of Earth Observation Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, Keith; Pang, Wan-Lin; Nemani, Ramakrishna; Votava, Petr

2003-01-01

NASA s vision for Earth science is to build a "sensor web": an adaptive array of heterogeneous satellites and other sensors that will track important events, such as storms, and provide real-time information about the state of the Earth to a wide variety of customers. Achieving this vision will require automation not only in the scheduling of the observations but also in the processing of the resulting data. To address this need, we are developing a planner-based agent to automatically generate and execute data-flow programs to produce the requested data products.

The Earth Observing System Terra Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram J.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Langley's remarkable solar and lunar spectra collected from Mt. Whitney inspired Arrhenius to develop the first quantitative climate model in 1896. After the launch in Dec. 16 1999, NASA's Earth Observing AM Satellite (EOS-Terra) will repeat Langley's experiment, but for the entire planet, thus pioneering a wide array of calibrated spectral observations from space of the Earth System. Conceived in response to real environmental problems, EOS-Terra, in conjunction with other international satellite efforts, will fill a major gap in current efforts by providing quantitative global data sets with a resolution better than 1 km on the physical, chemical and biological elements of the earth system. Thus, like Langley's data, EOS-Terra can revolutionize climate research by inspiring a new generation of climate system models and enable us to assess the human impact on the environment. In the talk I shall review the historical perspective of the Terra mission and the key new elements of the mission. We expect to have first images that demonstrate the most innovative capability from EOS Terra 5 instruments: MODIS - 1.37 micron cirrus cloud channel; 250m daily coverage for clouds and vegetation change; 7 solar channels for land and aerosol studies; new fire channels; Chlorophyll fluorescence; MISR - first 9 multi angle views of clouds and vegetation; MOPITT - first global CO maps and C114 maps; ASTER - Thermal channels for geological studies with 15-90 m resolution.

Quality of pharmaceutical care at the pharmacy counter: patients' experiences versus video observation.

PubMed

Koster, Ellen S; Blom, Lyda; Overbeeke, Marloes R; Philbert, Daphne; Vervloet, Marcia; Koopman, Laura; van Dijk, Liset

2016-01-01

Consumer Quality Index questionnaires are used to assess quality of care from patients' experiences. To provide insight into the agreement about quality of pharmaceutical care, measured both by a patient questionnaire and video observations. Pharmaceutical encounters in four pharmacies were video-recorded. Patients completed a questionnaire based upon the Consumer Quality Index Pharmaceutical Care after the encounter containing questions about patients' experiences regarding information provision, medication counseling, and pharmacy staff's communication style. An observation protocol was used to code the recorded encounters. Agreement between video observation and patients' experiences was calculated. In total, 109 encounters were included for analysis. For the domains "medication counseling" and "communication style", agreement between patients' experiences and observations was very high (>90%). Less agreement (45%) was found for "information provision", which was rated more positive by patients compared to the observations, especially for the topic, encouragement of patients' questioning behavior. A questionnaire is useful to assess the quality of medication counseling and pharmacy staff's communication style, but might be less suitable to evaluate information provision and pharmacy staff's encouragement of patients' questioning behavior. Although patients may believe that they have received all necessary information to use their new medicine, some information on specific instructions was not addressed during the encounter. When using questionnaires to get insight into information provision, observations of encounters are very informative to validate the patient questionnaires and make necessary adjustments.

Video Surveillance Captures Student Hand Hygiene Behavior, Reactivity to Observation, and Peer Influence in Kenyan Primary Schools

PubMed Central

Pickering, Amy J.; Blum, Annalise G.; Breiman, Robert F.; Ram, Pavani K.; Davis, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Background In-person structured observation is considered the best approach for measuring hand hygiene behavior, yet is expensive, time consuming, and may alter behavior. Video surveillance could be a useful tool for objectively monitoring hand hygiene behavior if validated against current methods. Methods Student hand cleaning behavior was monitored with video surveillance and in-person structured observation, both simultaneously and separately, at four primary schools in urban Kenya over a study period of 8 weeks. Findings Video surveillance and in-person observation captured similar rates of hand cleaning (absolute difference <5%, p = 0.74). Video surveillance documented higher hand cleaning rates (71%) when at least one other person was present at the hand cleaning station, compared to when a student was alone (48%; rate ratio  = 1.14 [95% CI 1.01–1.28]). Students increased hand cleaning rates during simultaneous video and in-person monitoring as compared to single-method monitoring, suggesting reactivity to each method of monitoring. This trend was documented at schools receiving a handwashing with soap intervention, but not at schools receiving a sanitizer intervention. Conclusion Video surveillance of hand hygiene behavior yields results comparable to in-person observation among schools in a resource-constrained setting. Video surveillance also has certain advantages over in-person observation, including rapid data processing and the capability to capture new behavioral insights. Peer influence can significantly improve student hand cleaning behavior and, when possible, should be exploited in the design and implementation of school hand hygiene programs. PMID:24676389

Benchmark Comparison of Cloud Analytics Methods Applied to Earth Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Chris; Little, Mike; Huang, Thomas; Jacob, Joseph; Yang, Phil; Kuo, Kwo-Sen

2016-01-01

Cloud computing has the potential to bring high performance computing capabilities to the average science researcher. However, in order to take full advantage of cloud capabilities, the science data used in the analysis must often be reorganized. This typically involves sharding the data across multiple nodes to enable relatively fine-grained parallelism. This can be either via cloud-based file systems or cloud-enabled databases such as Cassandra, Rasdaman or SciDB. Since storing an extra copy of data leads to increased cost and data management complexity, NASA is interested in determining the benefits and costs of various cloud analytics methods for real Earth Observation cases. Accordingly, NASA's Earth Science Technology Office and Earth Science Data and Information Systems project have teamed with cloud analytics practitioners to run a benchmark comparison on cloud analytics methods using the same input data and analysis algorithms. We have particularly looked at analysis algorithms that work over long time series, because these are particularly intractable for many Earth Observation datasets which typically store data with one or just a few time steps per file. This post will present side-by-side cost and performance results for several common Earth observation analysis operations.

A review of earth observation using mobile personal communication devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferster, Colin J.; Coops, Nicholas C.

2013-02-01

Earth observation using mobile personal communication devices (MPCDs) is a recent advance with considerable promise for acquiring important and timely measurements. Globally, over 5 billion people have access to mobile phones, with an increasing proportion having access to smartphones with capabilities such as a camera, microphone, global positioning system (GPS), data storage, and networked data transfer. Scientists can view these devices as embedded sensors with the potential to take measurements of the Earth's surface and processes. To advance the state of Earth observation using MPCDs, scientists need to consider terms and concepts, from a broad range of disciplines including citizen science, image analysis, and computer vision. In this paper, as a result of our literature review, we identify a number of considerations for Earth observation using MPCDs such as methods of field collection, collecting measurements over broad areas, errors and biases, data processing, and accessibility of data. Developing effective frameworks for mobile data collection with public participation and strategies for minimizing bias, in combination with advancements in image processing techniques, will offer opportunities to collect Earth sensing data across a range of scales and perspectives, complimenting airborne and spaceborne remote sensing measurements.

Benchmark Comparison of Cloud Analytics Methods Applied to Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynnes, C.; Little, M. M.; Huang, T.; Jacob, J. C.; Yang, C. P.; Kuo, K. S.

2016-12-01

Cloud computing has the potential to bring high performance computing capabilities to the average science researcher. However, in order to take full advantage of cloud capabilities, the science data used in the analysis must often be reorganized. This typically involves sharding the data across multiple nodes to enable relatively fine-grained parallelism. This can be either via cloud-based filesystems or cloud-enabled databases such as Cassandra, Rasdaman or SciDB. Since storing an extra copy of data leads to increased cost and data management complexity, NASA is interested in determining the benefits and costs of various cloud analytics methods for real Earth Observation cases. Accordingly, NASA's Earth Science Technology Office and Earth Science Data and Information Systems project have teamed with cloud analytics practitioners to run a benchmark comparison on cloud analytics methods using the same input data and analysis algorithms. We have particularly looked at analysis algorithms that work over long time series, because these are particularly intractable for many Earth Observation datasets which typically store data with one or just a few time steps per file. This post will present side-by-side cost and performance results for several common Earth observation analysis operations.

Patterns in Crew-Initiated Photography of Earth from ISS - Is Earth Observation a Salutogenic Experience?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Julie A.; Slack, Kelley J.; Olson, Valerie A.; Trenchard, Mike; Willis, Kim; Baskin, Pam; Ritsher, Jennifer Boyd

2006-01-01

To provide for the well-being of crewmembers on future exploration missions, understanding how space station crewmembers handle the inherently stressful isolation and confinement during long-duration missions is important. A recent retrospective survey of previously flown astronauts found that the most commonly reported psychologically enriching aspects of spaceflight had to do with their Perceptions of Earth. Crewmembers onboard the International Space Station (ISS) photograph Earth through the station windows. Some of these photographs are in response to requests from scientists on the ground through the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) payload. Other photographs taken by crewmembers have not been in response to these formal requests. The automatically recorded data from the camera provides a dataset that can be used to test hypotheses about factors correlated with self-initiated crewmember photography. The present study used objective in-flight data to corroborate the previous questionnaire finding and to further investigate the nature of voluntary Earth-Observation activity. We examined the distribution of photographs with respect to time, crew, and subject matter. We also determined whether the frequency fluctuated in conjunction with major mission events such as vehicle dockings, and extra-vehicular activities (EVAs, or spacewalks), relative to the norm for the relevant crew. We also examined the influence of geographic and temporal patterns on frequency of Earth photography activities. We tested the hypotheses that there would be peak photography intensity over locations of personal interest, and on weekends. From December 2001 through October 2005 (Expeditions 4-11) crewmembers took 144,180 photographs of Earth with time and date automatically recorded by the camera. Of the time-stamped photographs, 84.5% were crew-initiated, and not in response to CEO requests. Preliminary analysis indicated some phasing in patterns of photography during the course of a

"New Space Explosion" and Earth Observing System Capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stensaas, G. L.; Casey, K.; Snyder, G. I.; Christopherson, J.

2017-12-01

This presentation will describe recent developments in spaceborne remote sensing, including introduction to some of the increasing number of new firms entering the market, along with new systems and successes from established players, as well as industry consolidation reactions to these developments from communities of users. The information in this presentation will include inputs from the results of the Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) 2017 Civil Commercial Imagery Evaluation Workshop and the use of the US Geological Survey's Requirements Capabilities and Analysis for Earth Observation (RCA-EO) centralized Earth observing systems database and how system performance parameters are used with user science applications requirements.

Method of determining the necessary number of observations for video stream documents recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arlazarov, Vladimir V.; Bulatov, Konstantin; Manzhikov, Temudzhin; Slavin, Oleg; Janiszewski, Igor

2018-04-01

This paper discusses a task of document recognition on a sequence of video frames. In order to optimize the processing speed an estimation is performed of stability of recognition results obtained from several video frames. Considering identity document (Russian internal passport) recognition on a mobile device it is shown that significant decrease is possible of the number of observations necessary for obtaining precise recognition result.

Interleaved Observation Execution and Rescheduling on Earth Observing Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khatib, Lina; Frank, Jeremy; Smith, David; Morris, Robert; Dungan, Jennifer

2003-01-01

Observation scheduling for Earth orbiting satellites solves the following problem: given a set of requests for images of the Earth, a set of instruments for acquiring those images distributed on a collecting of orbiting satellites, and a set of temporal and resource constraints, generate a set of assignments of instruments and viewing times to those requests that satisfy those constraints. Observation scheduling is often construed as a constrained optimization problem with the objective of maximizing the overall utility of the science data acquired. The utility of an image is typically based on the intrinsic importance of acquiring it (for example, its importance in meeting a mission or science campaign objective) as well as the expected value of the data given current viewing conditions (for example, if the image is occluded by clouds, its value is usually diminished). Currently, science observation scheduling for Earth Observing Systems is done on the ground, for periods covering a day or more. Schedules are uplinked to the satellites and are executed rigorously. An alternative to this scenario is to do some of the decision-making about what images are to be acquired on-board. The principal argument for this capability is that the desirability of making an observation can change dynamically, because of changes in meteorological conditions (e.g. cloud cover), unforeseen events such as fires, floods, or volcanic eruptions, or un-expected changes in satellite or ground station capability. Furthermore, since satellites can only communicate with the ground between 5% to 10% of the time, it may be infeasible to make the desired changes to the schedule on the ground, and uplink the revisions in time for the on-board system to execute them. Examples of scenarios that motivate an on-board capability for revising schedules include the following. First, if a desired visual scene is completely obscured by clouds, then there is little point in taking it. In this case

BingEO: Enable Distributed Earth Observation Data for Environmental Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, H.; Yang, C.; Xu, Y.

2010-12-01

Our planet is facing great environmental challenges including global climate change, environmental vulnerability, extreme poverty, and a shortage of clean cheap energy. To address these problems, scientists are developing various models to analysis, forecast, simulate various geospatial phenomena to support critical decision making. These models not only challenge our computing technology, but also challenge us to feed huge demands of earth observation data. Through various policies and programs, open and free sharing of earth observation data are advocated in earth science. Currently, thousands of data sources are freely available online through open standards such as Web Map Service (WMS), Web Feature Service (WFS) and Web Coverage Service (WCS). Seamless sharing and access to these resources call for a spatial Cyberinfrastructure (CI) to enable the use of spatial data for the advancement of related applied sciences including environmental research. Based on Microsoft Bing Search Engine and Bing Map, a seamlessly integrated and visual tool is under development to bridge the gap between researchers/educators and earth observation data providers. With this tool, earth science researchers/educators can easily and visually find the best data sets for their research and education. The tool includes a registry and its related supporting module at server-side and an integrated portal as its client. The proposed portal, Bing Earth Observation (BingEO), is based on Bing Search and Bing Map to: 1) Use Bing Search to discover Web Map Services (WMS) resources available over the internet; 2) Develop and maintain a registry to manage all the available WMS resources and constantly monitor their service quality; 3) Allow users to manually register data services; 4) Provide a Bing Maps-based Web application to visualize the data on a high-quality and easy-to-manipulate map platform and enable users to select the best data layers online. Given the amount of observation data

Aspiring to Spectral Ignorance in Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliver, S. A.

2016-12-01

Enabling robust, defensible and integrated decision making in the Era of Big Earth Data requires the fusion of data from multiple and diverse sensor platforms and networks. While the application of standardised global grid systems provides a common spatial analytics framework that facilitates the computationally efficient and statistically valid integration and analysis of these various data sources across multiple scales, there remains the challenge of sensor equivalency; particularly when combining data from different earth observation satellite sensors (e.g. combining Landsat and Sentinel-2 observations). To realise the vision of a sensor ignorant analytics platform for earth observation we require automation of spectral matching across the available sensors. Ultimately, the aim is to remove the requirement for the user to possess any sensor knowledge in order to undertake analysis. This paper introduces the concept of spectral equivalence and proposes a methodology through which equivalent bands may be sourced from a set of potential target sensors through application of equivalence metrics and thresholds. A number of parameters can be used to determine whether a pair of spectra are equivalent for the purposes of analysis. A baseline set of thresholds for these parameters and how to apply them systematically to enable relation of spectral bands amongst numerous different sensors is proposed. The base unit for comparison in this work is the relative spectral response. From this input, determination of a what may constitute equivalence can be related by a user, based on their own conceptualisation of equivalence.

Earth Observing Scanning Polarimeter (EOSP), phase B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Evaluations performed during a Phase B study directed towards defining an optimal design for the Earth Observing Scanning Polarimeter (EOSP) instrument is summarized. An overview of the experiment approach is included which provides a summary of the scientific objectives, the background of the measurement approach, and the measurement method. In the instrumentation section, details of the design are discussed starting with the key instrument features required to accomplish the scientific objectives and a system characterization in terms of the Stokes vector/Mueller matrix formalism. This is followed by a detailing of the instrument design concept, the design of the individual elements of the system, the predicted performance, and a summary of appropriate instrument testing and calibration. The selected design makes use of key features of predecessor polarimeters and is fully compatible with the Earth Observing System spacecraft requirements.

Earth Observation from Space: Competition or Cooperation?

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-01

or remote sensing from space (2). Earth observations or remote sensing includes all forms of observation by sensors borne by a space object including...3). The capabilities of remote sensing are as varied as the sensors that are built and put in orbit, but =- • I •1 capabilities fall into two...adversary or ally. For example, the ability of one nation to observe and study another through space-borne sensors permits strategic assessment of a

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-07

ISS040-E-008174 (7 June 2014) --- Layers of Earth's atmosphere, brightly colored as the sun rises, are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 40 crew member on the International Space Station.

Earth observations from space: History, promise, and reality. Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

In this report the Committee on Earth Studies (CES), a standing committee of the Space Studies Board (SSB) within the National Research Council (NRC), reviews the recent history (nominally from 1981 to 1995) of the U.S. earth observations programs that serve civilian needs. The principal observations programs examined are those of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Air Force' s Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) is discussed, but only from the perspective of its relationship to civil needs and the planned merger with the NOAA polar-orbiting system. The report also reviews the interfaces between the earth observations satellite programs and the major national and international environmental monitoring and research programs. The monitoring and research programs discussed are the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP), the World Climate Research Program (WCRP), related international scientific campaigns, and operational programs for the sharing and application of environmental data. The purpose of this report is to provide a broad historical review and commentary based on the views of the CES members, with particular emphasis on tracing the lengthy record of advisory committee recommendations. Any individual topic could be the subject of an extended report in its own right. Indeed, extensive further reviews are already under way to that end. If the CES has succeeded in the task it has undertaken. This report will serve as a useful starting point for any such more intensive study. The report is divided into eight chapters: ( I ) an introduction, (2) the evolution of the MTPE, (3) its relationship to the USGCRP, (4) applications of earth observations data, (5) the role that smaller satellites can play in research and operational remote sensing, (6) earth system modeling and information systems, (7) a number of associated activities that contribute to the MTPE

STS-45 Earth observation of the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-04-02

STS-45 Earth observation taken onboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, is of the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights. The green appearing auroral activity engulfs the thin blue line on the Earth's limb. Aurorae were observed and photographed throughout the STS-45 nine-day mission.

STS-45 Earth observation of the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

STS-45 Earth observation taken onboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, is of the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights. The green appearing auroral activity engulfs the thin blue line on the Earth's limb. Aurorae were observed and photographed throughout the STS-45 nine-day mission.

Global Partnership in Global Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, A.; Obersteiner, M.

2007-12-01

The emergence of a global partnership on earth observations will crucially drive the configuration of future observing systems and consequently shape how socio-economic benefits are generated. In this paper we take a game-theoretical approach to model cooperation on building global earth observation systems. We consider several societies whose economies are subject to shocks mimicking major natural disasters. Economies operate optimally and lead to the best possible expected value for the social welfares in the future. In order to increase its welfare even more society can make a decision to invest into a global alerting system which lowers the risk of disasters. We start our investigation from a single-society case and show conditions under which benefits of such investment can be reaped. The propensity to invest increases with economic affluence and degree of vulnerability to natural disasters. We find that for poor and/or less vulnerable countries it is better to forbear from investment. If to consider a situation of multiple societies a strategic gaming situation emerges motivated by the fact that every society will benefit from a global system regardless of whether they invested or not. Our analysis of possible equilibrium solutions shows that similar to the formation of trading blocks (e.g. EU, NAFTA) only in the case of similar societies we will observe cooperation behavior (when all invest) and otherwise we will observe free-riding. This insight, that we might face a prisoners dilemma problem in the formation of a GEOSS, has important implications for the GEO process.

Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, A.; Cerezo, F.; Fernandez, M.; Lomba, J.; Lopez, M.; Moreno, J.; Neira, A.; Quintana, C.; Torres, J.; Trigo, R.; Urena, J.; Vega, E.; Vez, E.

2010-12-01

The Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade (MITyC) and the Ministry of Defense (MoD) signed an agreement in 2007 for the development of a "Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System" based, in first instance, on two satellites: a high resolution optical satellite, called SEOSAT/Ingenio, and a radar satellite based on SAR technology, called SEOSAR/Paz. SEOSAT/Ingenio is managed by MITyC through the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), with technical and contractual support from the European Space Agency (ESA). HISDESA T together with the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA, National Institute for Aerospace Technology) will be responsible for the in-orbit operation and the commercial operation of both satellites, and for the technical management of SEOSAR/Paz on behalf of the MoD. In both cases EADS CASA Espacio (ECE) is the prime contractor leading the industrial consortia. The ground segment development will be assigned to a Spanish consortium. This system is the most important contribution of Spain to the European Programme Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, GMES. This paper presents the Spanish Earth Observation Satellite System focusing on SEOSA T/Ingenio Programme and with special emphasis in the potential contribution to the ESA Third Party Missions Programme and to the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative (GMES) Data Access.

Observation of "YouTube" Language Learning Videos ("YouTube" LLVS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhamami, Munassir

2013-01-01

This paper navigates into the "YouTube" website as one of the most usable online tools to learn languages these days. The paper focuses on two issues in creating "YouTube" language learning videos: pedagogy and technology. After observing the existing "YouTube" LLVs, the study presents a novel rubric that is directed…

The Earth Phenomena Observing System: Intelligent Autonomy for Satellite Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ricard, Michael; Abramson, Mark; Carter, David; Kolitz, Stephan

2003-01-01

Earth monitoring systems of the future may include large numbers of inexpensive small satellites, tasked in a coordinated fashion to observe both long term and transient targets. For best performance, a tool which helps operators optimally assign targets to satellites will be required. We present the design of algorithms developed for real-time optimized autonomous planning of large numbers of small single-sensor Earth observation satellites. The algorithms will reduce requirements on the human operators of such a system of satellites, ensure good utilization of system resources, and provide the capability to dynamically respond to temporal terrestrial phenomena. Our initial real-time system model consists of approximately 100 satellites and large number of points of interest on Earth (e.g., hurricanes, volcanoes, and forest fires) with the objective to maximize the total science value of observations over time. Several options for calculating the science value of observations include the following: 1) total observation time, 2) number of observations, and the 3) quality (a function of e.g., sensor type, range, slant angle) of the observations. An integrated approach using integer programming, optimization and astrodynamics is used to calculate optimized observation and sensor tasking plans.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-02

ISS040-E-006817 (2 June 2014) --- Intersecting the thin line of Earth's atmosphere, International Space Station solar array wings are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 40 crew member on the International Space Station.

Planning for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Christian, E.

2005-01-01

The Group on Earth Observations was established to promote comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observations. Its mandate is to implement the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) in accord with the GEOSS 10-Year Implementation Plan and Reference Document. During the months over which the GEOSS Implementation Plan was developed, many issues surfaced and were addressed. This article discusses several of the more interesting or challenging of those issues-e.g. fitting in with existing organizations and securing stable funding - some of which have yet to be resolved fully as of this writing. Despite the relatively short period over which the Implementation Plan had to be developed, there is a good chance that the work undertaken will be influential for decades to come. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of pharmaceutical care at the pharmacy counter: patients’ experiences versus video observation

PubMed Central

Koster, Ellen S; Blom, Lyda; Overbeeke, Marloes R; Philbert, Daphne; Vervloet, Marcia; Koopman, Laura; van Dijk, Liset

2016-01-01

Introduction Consumer Quality Index questionnaires are used to assess quality of care from patients’ experiences. Objective To provide insight into the agreement about quality of pharmaceutical care, measured both by a patient questionnaire and video observations. Methods Pharmaceutical encounters in four pharmacies were video-recorded. Patients completed a questionnaire based upon the Consumer Quality Index Pharmaceutical Care after the encounter containing questions about patients’ experiences regarding information provision, medication counseling, and pharmacy staff’s communication style. An observation protocol was used to code the recorded encounters. Agreement between video observation and patients’ experiences was calculated. Results In total, 109 encounters were included for analysis. For the domains “medication counseling” and “communication style”, agreement between patients’ experiences and observations was very high (>90%). Less agreement (45%) was found for “information provision”, which was rated more positive by patients compared to the observations, especially for the topic, encouragement of patients’ questioning behavior. Conclusion A questionnaire is useful to assess the quality of medication counseling and pharmacy staff’s communication style, but might be less suitable to evaluate information provision and pharmacy staff’s encouragement of patients’ questioning behavior. Although patients may believe that they have received all necessary information to use their new medicine, some information on specific instructions was not addressed during the encounter. When using questionnaires to get insight into information provision, observations of encounters are very informative to validate the patient questionnaires and make necessary adjustments. PMID:27042025

Geodetic Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rothacher, Markus

2017-04-01

Mankind is constantly threatened by a variety of natural disasters and global change phenomena. In order to be able to better predict and assess these catastrophic and disastrous events a continuous observation and monitoring of the causative Earth processes is a necessity. These processes may happen in time scales from extremely short (earthquakes, volcano eruptions, land slides, ...) to very long (melting of ice sheets, sea level change, plate tectonics, ...). Appropriate monitoring and early warning systems must allow, therefore, the detection and quantification of catastrophic events in (near) real-time on the one hand and the reliable identification of barely noticeable, but crucial long-term trends (e.g., sea level rise) on the other hand. The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), established by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) in 2003, already now contributes in a multitude of ways to meet this challenge, e.g., by providing a highly accurate and stable global reference frame, without which the measurement of a sea level rise of 2-3 mm/y would not be possible; by measuring displacements in near real-time and deformations over decades that offer valuable clues to plate tectonics, earthquake processes, tsunamis, volcanos, land slides, and glaciers dynamics; by observing the mass loss of ice sheets with gravity satellite missions; and by estimating essential variables such as the amount of water vapor in the troposphere relevant for weather predictions and climate and the content of free electrons in the ionosphere crucial for space weather.

CEOS Committee on Earth Observations Satellites Consolidated Report, 1992

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

A concise overview of the committee on Earth Observations Satellites (CEOS) and its Working Groups, covering the history and purpose of the Committee and its accomplishments to date are provided. The report will be updated annually before each Plenary meeting, and as developments in the Working Groups warrant. The committee on Earth Observations Satellites (originally named the International Earth Observations Satellite committee, IEOS) was treated in 1984, in response to a recommendation from the Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations Working Group on Growth, Technology, and Employment's Panel of Experts on Satellite Remote Sensing. This group recognized the multidisciplinary nature of satellite Earth observations, and the value of coordinating across all proposed missions. Thus, CEOS combined the previously existing groups for coordination on Ocean Remote-Sensing Satellites (CORSS) and coordination on Land Remote-Sensing Satellites (CLRSS), and established a broad framework for coordination across all spaceborne Earth observations missions. The first three LEOS Plenary meetings focused on treating and guiding the Working Groups deemed necessary to carry out the objectives of the CEOS members. After the third meeting, it was agreed that a more active orientation was required by the Plenary, and additional issues were brought before the group at the fourth meeting. At the fifth Plenary, international scientific programs and relevant intergovernmental organizations accepted invitations and participated as affiliate members of CEOS. This enabled progress toward integrating satellite data users' requirements into the CEOS process. Data exchange principles for global change research were also adopted. An interim CEOS Plenary meeting was held in April 1992, in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Brief encapsulations of the Plenary sessions immediately follow the Terms of Reference that govern the activities of CEOS as

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-05-19

ISS036-E-002224 (21 May 2013) --- The sun is captured in a "starburst" mode over Earth's horizon by one of the Expedition 36 crew members as the orbital outpost was above a point in southwestern Minnesota on May 21, 2013.

An Automatic Video Meteor Observation Using UFO Capture at the Showa Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, Y.; Nakamura, T.; Ejiri, M.; Suzuki, H.

2012-05-01

The goal of our study is to clarify meteor activities in the southern hemi-sphere by continuous optical observations with video cameras with automatic meteor detection and recording at Syowa station, Antarctica.

Planning and Scheduling for Fleets of Earth Observing Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Jeremy; Jonsson, Ari; Morris, Robert; Smith, David E.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We address the problem of scheduling observations for a collection of earth observing satellites. This scheduling task is a difficult optimization problem, potentially involving many satellites, hundreds of requests, constraints on when and how to service each request, and resources such as instruments, recording devices, transmitters, and ground stations. High-fidelity models are required to ensure the validity of schedules; at the same time, the size and complexity of the problem makes it unlikely that systematic optimization search methods will be able to solve them in a reasonable time. This paper presents a constraint-based approach to solving the Earth Observing Satellites (EOS) scheduling problem, and proposes a stochastic heuristic search method for solving it.

Transforming Water Management: an Emerging Promise of Integrated Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawford, R. G.

2011-12-01

Throughout its history, civilization has relied on technology to facilitate many of its advances. New innovations and technologies have often provided strategic advantages that have led to transformations in institutions, economies and ultimately societies. Observational and information technologies are leading to significant developments in the water sector. After a brief introduction tracing the role of observational technologies in the areas of hydrology and water cycle science, this talk explores the existing and potential contributions of remote sensing data in water resource management around the world. In particular, it outlines the steps being undertaken by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and its Water Task to facilitate capacity building efforts in water management using Earth Observations in Asia, Africa and Latin and Caribbean America. Success stories on the benefits of using Earth Observations and applying GEO principles are provided. While GEO and its capacity building efforts are contributing to the transformation of water management through interoperability, data sharing, and capacity building, the full potential of these contributions has not been fully realized because impediments and challenges still remain.

Enhancing Earth Observation Capacity in the Himalayan Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, B. R.

2012-12-01

Earth observations bear special significance in the Himalayan Region owing to the fact that routine data collections are often hampered by highly inaccessible terrain and harsh climatic conditions. The ongoing rapid environmental changes have further emphasized its relevance and use for informed decision-making. The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), with a regional mandate is promoting the use of earth observations in line with the GEOSS societal benefit areas. ICIMOD has a proven track record to utilize earth observations notably in the areas of understanding glaciers and snow dynamics, disaster risk preparedness and emergency response, carbon estimation for community forestry user groups, land cover change assessment, agriculture monitoring and food security analysis among others. This paper presents the challenges and lessons learned as a part of capacity building of ICIMOD to utilize earth observations with the primary objectives to empower its member countries and foster regional cooperation. As a part of capacity building, ICIMOD continues to make its efforts to augment as a regional resource center on earth observation and geospatial applications for sustainable mountain development. Capacity building possesses multitude of challenges in the region: the complex geo-political reality with differentiated capacities of member states, poorer institutional and technical infrastructure; addressing the needs for multiple user and target groups; integration with different thematic disciplines; and high resources intensity and sustainability. A capacity building framework was developed based on detailed needs assessment with a regional approach and strategy to enhance capability of ICIMOD and its network of national partners. A specialized one-week training course and curriculum have been designed for different thematic areas to impart knowledge and skills that include development practitioners, professionals, researchers and

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 34 crewmember

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-02-14

ISS034-E-48455 (14 Feb. 2013) --- Looking out at Earth?s surface from the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts and cosmonauts frequently observe sunglint highlighting both ocean and inland water surfaces. The Atlantic Ocean, including Cape Cod Bay and Buzzards Bay, along the coastlines of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, has a burnished, mirror-like appearance in this image. This is due to sunlight reflected off the water surface back towards the station crew member who took the photo. The peak reflection point is towards the right side of the image, lending the waters of Long Island Sound and the upper Massachusetts coastline an even brighter appearance. Sunglint also illuminates the surface waters of Chesapeake Bay, located over 400 kilometers (250 miles) to the southwest of the tip of Long Island. This suggests that the Sun was low on the horizon due to the observed extent of the sunglint effect. The time of image acquisition, approximately 4:26 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, was about one hour before local sunset. There is little in this image to indicate that the region was still recovering from a major winter storm that dropped almost one meter (three feet) of snow over much of the northeastern USA less than a week earlier. The high viewing angle from the space station also allows Earth?s curvature, or limb, to be seen; blue atmospheric layers gradually fade into the darkness of space across the top part of the image. Low clouds near Cape Cod, Long Island, and further down the Atlantic coastline cast shadows over the water surfaces, reducing the sunglint in some areas.

Value of Earth Observations: Key principles and techniques of socioeconomic benefits analysis (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, L.; Macauley, M.; Bernknopf, R.

2013-12-01

Internationally, multiple organizations are placing greater emphasis on the societal benefits that governments, businesses, and NGOs can derive from applications of Earth-observing satellite observations, research, and models. A growing set of qualitative, anecdotal examples on the uses of Earth observations across a range of sectors can be complemented by the quantitative substantiation of the socioeconomic benefits. In turn, the expanding breadth of environmental data available and the awareness of their beneficial applications to inform decisions can support new products and services by companies, agencies, and civil society. There are, however, significant efforts needed to bridge the Earth sciences and social and economic sciences fields to build capacity, develop case studies, and refine analytic techniques in quantifying socioeconomic benefits from the use of Earth observations. Some government programs, such as the NASA Earth Science Division's Applied Sciences Program have initiated activities in recent years to quantify the socioeconomic benefits from applications of Earth observations research, and to develop multidisciplinary models for organizations' decision-making activities. A community of practice has conducted workshops, developed impact analysis reports, published a book, developed a primer, and pursued other activities to advance analytic methodologies and build capacity. This paper will present an overview of measuring socioeconomic impacts of Earth observations and how the measures can be translated into a value of Earth observation information. It will address key terms, techniques, principles and applications of socioeconomic impact analyses. It will also discuss activities to pursue a research agenda on analytic techniques, develop a body of knowledge, and promote broader skills and capabilities.

Earth Glint Observations Conducted During the Deep Impact Spacecraft Flyby

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, R. K.; Deming, L. D.; Robinson, T.; Hewagama, T.

2010-01-01

We describe observations of Earth conducted using the High Resolution Instrument (HRI) - a 0.3 m f/35 telescope - on the Deep Impact (DI) spacecraft during its recent flybys. Earth was observed on five occasions: 2008-Mar-18 18:18 UT, 2008-May-28 20:05 UT, 2008-Jun-4 16:57 UT, 2009-Mar-27 16:19 and 2009-Oct-4 09:37 UT. Each set of observations was conducted over a full 24-hour rotation of Earth and a total of thirteen NIR spectra were taken on two-hour intervals during each observing period. Photometry in the 450, SSO, 650 and 8S0 nm filters was taken every fifteen minutes and every hour for the 350, 750 and 950 nm filters. The spacecraft was located over the equator for the three sets of observations in 2008, while the 2009- Mar and 2009-Oct were taken over the north and south Polar Regions, respectively. Observations of calibrator stars Canopus and Achernar were conducted on multiple occasions through all filters. The observations detected a strong specular glint not necessarily associated with a body of water. We describe spectroscopic characterization of the glint and evidence for the possibility of detection of reflection from high cirrus clouds. We describe implications for observations of extrasolar planets.

Earth observing system - Concepts and implementation strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartle, R. E.

1986-01-01

The concepts of an Earth Observing System (EOS), an information system being developed by the EOS Science and Mission Requirements Working Group for international use and planned to begin in the 1990s, are discussed. The EOS is designed to study the factors that control the earth's hydrologic cycle, biochemical cycles, and climatologic processes by combining the measurements from remote sensing instruments, in situ measurement devices, and a data and information system. Three EOS platforms are planned to be launched into low, polar, sun-synchronous orbits during the Space Station's Initial Operating Configuration, one to be provided by ESA and two by the United States.

US data policy for Earth observation from space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaffer, Lisa Robock

1992-01-01

Distribution of data from U.S. Earth observations satellites is subject to different data policies and regulations depending on whether the systems in question are operational or experimental. Specific laws, regulations, and policies are in place for the distribution of satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operational environmental satellites and from NASA experimental systems. There is a government wide policy for exchange of data for global change research. For the Earth Observing System (EOS) and its international partner programs, a set of data exchange principles is nearing completion. The debate over the future of the LANDSAT program in the U.S. will impact policy for the programs, but the outcome of the debate is not yet known.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-04

ISS036-E-015342 (4 July 2013) --- A number of Quebec, Canada wildfires southeast of James Bay were recorded as part of a series of photographs taken and downlinked to Earth on July 4 by the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-04

ISS036-E-015335 (4 July 2013) --- A number of Quebec, Canada wildfires southeast of James Bay were recorded as part of a series of photographs taken and downlinked to Earth on July 4 by the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station.

An evaluation of video cameras for collecting observational data on sanctuary-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

PubMed

Hansen, Bethany K; Fultz, Amy L; Hopper, Lydia M; Ross, Stephen R

2018-05-01

Video cameras are increasingly being used to monitor captive animals in zoo, laboratory, and agricultural settings. This technology may also be useful in sanctuaries with large and/or complex enclosures. However, the cost of camera equipment and a lack of formal evaluations regarding the use of cameras in sanctuary settings make it challenging for facilities to decide whether and how to implement this technology. To address this, we evaluated the feasibility of using a video camera system to monitor chimpanzees at Chimp Haven. We viewed a group of resident chimpanzees in a large forested enclosure and compared observations collected in person and with remote video cameras. We found that via camera, the observer viewed fewer chimpanzees in some outdoor locations (GLMM post hoc test: est. = 1.4503, SE = 0.1457, Z = 9.951, p < 0.001) and identified a lower proportion of chimpanzees (GLMM post hoc test: est. = -2.17914, SE = 0.08490, Z = -25.666, p < 0.001) compared to in-person observations. However, the observer could view the 2 ha enclosure 15 times faster by camera compared to in person. In addition to these results, we provide recommendations to animal facilities considering the installation of a video camera system. Despite some limitations of remote monitoring, we posit that there are substantial benefits of using camera systems in sanctuaries to facilitate animal care and observational research. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ground-based observation of near-Earth asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffey, Michael J.

1992-01-01

An increased ground-based observation program is an essential component of any serious attempt to assess the resource potential of near-Earth asteroids. A vigorous search and characterization program could lead to the discovery and description of about 400 to 500 near-Earth asteroids in the next 20 years. This program, in conjunction with meteorite studies, would provide the data base to ensure that the results of a small number of asteroid-rendezvous and sample-return missions could be extrapolated with confidence into a geological base map of the Aten, Apollo, and Amor asteroids. Ground-based spectral studies of nearly 30 members of the Aten/Apollo/Amor population provide good evidence that this class includes bodies composed of silicates, metal-silicates, and carbonaceous assemblages similar to those found in meteorites. The instruments that are being used or could be used to search for near-Earth asteroids are listed. Techniques useful in characterizing asteroids and the types of information obtainable using these techniques are listed.

Action video game players and deaf observers have larger Goldmann visual fields.

PubMed

Buckley, David; Codina, Charlotte; Bhardwaj, Palvi; Pascalis, Olivier

2010-03-05

We used Goldmann kinetic perimetry to compare how training and congenital auditory deprivation may affect the size of the visual field. We measured the ability of action video game players and deaf observers to detect small moving lights at various locations in the central (around 30 degrees from fixation) and peripheral (around 60 degrees ) visual fields. Experiment 1 found that 10 habitual video game players showed significantly larger central and peripheral field areas than 10 controls. In Experiment 2 we found that 13 congenitally deaf observers had significantly larger visual fields than 13 hearing controls for both the peripheral and central fields. Here the greatest differences were found in the lower parts of the fields. Comparison of the two groups showed that whereas VGP players have a more uniform increase in field size in both central and peripheral fields deaf observers show non-uniform increases with greatest increases in lower parts of the visual field.

Observer Training Revisited: A Comparison of in Vivo and Video Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dempsey, Carrie M.; Iwata, Brian A.; Fritz, Jennifer N.; Rolider, Natalie U.

2012-01-01

We compared the effects of 2 observer-training procedures. In vivo training involved practice during actual treatment sessions. Video training involved practice while watching progressively more complex simulations. Fifty-nine undergraduate students entered 1 of the 2 training conditions sequentially according to an ABABAB design. Results showed…

Scheduling Earth Observing Fleets Using Evolutionary Algorithms: Problem Description and Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Globus, Al; Crawford, James; Lohn, Jason; Morris, Robert; Clancy, Daniel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We describe work in progress concerning multi-instrument, multi-satellite scheduling. Most, although not all, Earth observing instruments currently in orbit are unique. In the relatively near future, however, we expect to see fleets of Earth observing spacecraft, many carrying nearly identical instruments. This presents a substantially new scheduling challenge. Inspired by successful commercial applications of evolutionary algorithms in scheduling domains, this paper presents work in progress regarding the use of evolutionary algorithms to solve a set of Earth observing related model problems. Both the model problems and the software are described. Since the larger problems will require substantial computation and evolutionary algorithms are embarrassingly parallel, we discuss our parallelization techniques using dedicated and cycle-scavenged workstations.

47 CFR 25.281 - Transmitter identification requirements for video uplink transmissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... video uplink transmissions. 25.281 Section 25.281 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION... identification requirements for video uplink transmissions. (a) Earth-to-space transmissions carrying video..., transmissions of fixed-frequency, digitally modulated video signals with a symbol rate of 128,000/s or more from...

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-04

ISS036-E-015355 (4 July 2013) --- A number of Quebec, Canada wildfires near the Manicouagan Reservoir (seen at bottom center) were recorded in a series of photographs taken and downlinked to Earth on July 4 by the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-13

ISS036-E-007619 (13 June 2013) --- To a crew member aboard the International Space Station, the home planet is seen from many different angles and perspectives, as evdenced by this Expedition 36 image of Earth's atmophere partially obscured by one of the orbital outpost's solar panels.

Realtime Data to Enable Earth-Observing Sensor Web Capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seablom, M. S.

2015-12-01

Over the past decade NASA's Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) has invested in new technologies for information systems to enhance the Earth-observing capabilities of satellites, aircraft, and ground-based in situ observations. One focus area has been to create a common infrastructure for coordinated measurements from multiple vantage points which could be commanded either manually or through autonomous means, such as from a numerical model. This paradigm became known as the sensor web, formally defined to be "a coherent set of heterogeneous, loosely-coupled, distributed observing nodes interconnected by a communications fabric that can collectively behave as a single dynamically adaptive and reconfigurable observing system". This would allow for adaptive targeting of rapidly evolving, transient, or variable meteorological features to improve our ability to monitor, understand, and predict their evolution. It would also enable measurements earmarked at critical regions of the atmosphere that are highly sensitive to data analysis errors, thus offering the potential for significant improvements in the predictive skill of numerical weather forecasts. ESTO's investment strategy was twofold. Recognizing that implementation of an operational sensor web would not only involve technical cost and risk but also would require changes to the culture of how flight missions were designed and operated, ESTO funded the development of a mission-planning simulator that would quantitatively assess the added value of coordinated observations. The simulator was designed to provide the capability to perform low-cost engineering and design trade studies using synthetic data generated by observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs). The second part of the investment strategy was to invest in prototype applications that implemented key features of a sensor web, with the dual goals of developing a sensor web reference architecture as well as supporting useful science activities that

Orbital thermal analysis of lattice structured spacecraft using color video display techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, R. L.; Deryder, D. D.; Palmer, M. T.

1983-01-01

A color video display technique is demonstrated as a tool for rapid determination of thermal problems during the preliminary design of complex space systems. A thermal analysis is presented for the lattice-structured Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) spacecraft at 32 points in a baseline non Sun-synchronous (60 deg inclination) orbit. Large temperature variations (on the order of 150 K) were observed on the majority of the members. A gradual decrease in temperature was observed as the spacecraft traversed the Earth's shadow, followed by a sudden rise in temperature (100 K) as the spacecraft exited the shadow. Heating rate and temperature histories of selected members and color graphic displays of temperatures on the spacecraft are presented.

NextGEOSS: The Next Generation Data Hub For Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lilja Bye, Bente; De Lathouwer, Bart; Catarino, Nuno; Concalves, Pedro; Trijssenaar, Nicky; Grosso, Nuno; Meyer-Arnek, Julian; Goor, Erwin

2017-04-01

The Group on Earth observation embarked on the next 10 year phase with an ambition to streamline and further develop its achievements in building the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). The NextGEOSS project evolves the European vision of GEOSS data exploitation for innovation and business, relying on the three main pillars of engaging communities, delivering technological developments and advocating the use of GEOSS, in order to support the creation and deployment of Earth observation based innovative research activities and commercial services. In this presentation we will present the NextGEOSS concept, a concept that revolves around providing the data and resources to the users communities, together with Cloud resources, seamlessly connected to provide an integrated ecosystem for supporting applications. A central component of NextGEOSS is the strong emphasis put on engaging the communities of providers and users, and bridging the space in between.

Efficient optical cloud removal technique for earth observation based on MOEMs device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamkotsian, Frédéric; Lanzoni, Patrick; Liotard, Arnaud; Viard, Thierry; Noell, Wilfried

2017-11-01

In Earth Observation instruments, observation of scenes including bright sources leads to an important degradation of the recorded signal. We propose a new concept to remove dynamically the bright sources and then obtain a field of view with an optically enhanced Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) could be key components in future generation of space instruments. MOEMS-based programmable slit masks will permit the straylight control in future Earth Observation instruments. Experimental demonstration of this concept has been conducted on a dedicated bench. This successful first demonstration shows the high potential of this new concept in future spectro-imager for Earth Observation.

Lagrange Point Missions: the Key to Next-Generation Integrated Earth Observations. DSCOVR Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valero, F. P. J.

2016-12-01

From L-1 DSCOVR is capable of new, unique observations potentially conducive to a deeper scientific understanding of the Earth sciences. At L-1 and L-2 the net gravitational pull of the Earth and Sun equals the centripetal force required to orbit the Sun with the same period as the Earth. Satellites at or near L-1 and L-2 keep the same position relative to the Sun and the Earth. DSCOVR does not orbit the Earth but the Sun in synchronism with Earth, acts like a planetoid (orbits the Sun in the ecliptic plane) while acquiring integrated plus spatially and time resolved scientific data as Earth rotates around its axis. Because of the planet's axial tilt relative to the ecliptic plane, the Polar Regions are visible during local summer from L-1 and local winter from L-2 (Fig. 1). DSCOVR's synoptic and continuous observations solve most of the temporal and spatial limitations associated with low Earth (LEO) and Geostationary (GEO) orbits. Two observatories, one at L-1 (daytime) and one at L-2 (nighttime), would acquire minute-by-minute climate quality data for essentially every point on Earth. The integration of L-1, L-2, LEO, and GEO satellites plus the Moon offers new scientific tools and enriched data sets for Earth sciences. Lagrange points observatories are key to next-generation integrated Earth observations. For example, DSCOVR at L-1 views the Earth plus the Moon (a reference) and simultaneously, at one time or another, all LEO and GEO satellites. The L-1 and L-2 satellites would be the link between the Moon, LEO and GEO satellites while providing the data needed to build an integrated Earth observational system. The above properties are the bases for DSCOVR's innovation and scientific approach that systematically observes climate drivers (radiation, aerosols, ozone, clouds, water vapor, vegetation) from L-1 in a way not possible but synergistic with other satellites. Next step: more capable L-1 plus L-2 satellites. The way of the future.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-04

ISS036-E-015354 (4 July 2013) --- A number of Quebec, Canada wildfires near the Manicouagan Reservoir (seen at lower left) were recorded as part of a series of photographs taken and downlinked to Earth on July 4 by the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station.

The European Plate Observing System (EPOS) Services for Solid Earth Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocco, Massimo; Atakan, Kuvvet; Pedersen, Helle; Consortium, Epos

2016-04-01

The European Plate Observing System (EPOS) aims to create a pan-European infrastructure for solid Earth science to support a safe and sustainable society. The main vision of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS) is to address the three basic challenges in Earth Sciences: (i) unravelling the Earth's deformational processes which are part of the Earth system evolution in time, (ii) understanding the geo-hazards and their implications to society, and (iii) contributing to the safe and sustainable use of geo-resources. The mission of EPOS is to monitor and understand the dynamic and complex Earth system by relying on new e-science opportunities and integrating diverse and advanced Research Infrastructures in Europe for solid Earth Science. EPOS will enable innovative multidisciplinary research for a better understanding of the Earth's physical and chemical processes that control earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, ground instability and tsunami as well as the processes driving tectonics and Earth's surface dynamics. EPOS will improve our ability to better manage the use of the subsurface of the Earth. Through integration of data, models and facilities EPOS will allow the Earth Science community to make a step change in developing new concepts and tools for key answers to scientific and socio-economic questions concerning geo-hazards and geo-resources as well as Earth sciences applications to the environment and to human welfare. EPOS has now started its Implementation Phase (EPOS-IP). One of the main challenges during the implementation phase is the integration of multidisciplinary data into a single e-infrastructure. Multidisciplinary data are organized and governed by the Thematic Core Services (TCS) and are driven by various scientific communities encompassing a wide spectrum of Earth science disciplines. These include Data, Data-products, Services and Software (DDSS), from seismology, near fault observatories, geodetic observations, volcano observations

Observing and Modeling Earth's Energy Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, Bjorn; Schwartz, Stephen E.

2012-07-01

This article reviews, from the authors' perspective, progress in observing and modeling energy flows in Earth's climate system. Emphasis is placed on the state of understanding of Earth's energy flows and their susceptibility to perturbations, with particular emphasis on the roles of clouds and aerosols. More accurate measurements of the total solar irradiance and the rate of change of ocean enthalpy help constrain individual components of the energy budget at the top of the atmosphere to within ±2 W m-2. The measurements demonstrate that Earth reflects substantially less solar radiation and emits more terrestrial radiation than was believed even a decade ago. Active remote sensing is helping to constrain the surface energy budget, but new estimates of downwelling surface irradiance that benefit from such methods are proving difficult to reconcile with existing precipitation climatologies. Overall, the energy budget at the surface is much more uncertain than at the top of the atmosphere. A decade of high-precision measurements of the energy budget at the top of the atmosphere is providing new opportunities to track Earth's energy flows on timescales ranging from days to years, and at very high spatial resolution. The measurements show that the principal limitation in the estimate of secular trends now lies in the natural variability of the Earth system itself. The forcing-feedback-response framework, which has developed to understand how changes in Earth's energy flows affect surface temperature, is reviewed in light of recent work that shows fast responses (adjustments) of the system are central to the definition of the effective forcing that results from a change in atmospheric composition. In many cases, the adjustment, rather than the characterization of the compositional perturbation (associated, for instance, with changing greenhouse gas concentrations, or aerosol burdens), limits accurate determination of the radiative forcing. Changes in clouds contribute

Observations of Near-Earth Asteroids in Polarized Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afanasiev, V. L.; Ipatov, A. V.

2018-04-01

We report the results of position, photometric, and polarimetric observations of two near-Earth asteroids made with the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 1.2-hour measurements of the photometric variations of the asteroid 2009 DL46 made onMarch 8, 2016 (approximately 20m at a distance of about 0.23 AU from the Earth) showed a 0.m2-amplitude flash with a duration of about 20 minutes. During this time the polarization degree increased from the average level of 2-3% to 14%. The angle of the polarization plane and the phase angle were equal to 113° ± 1° and 43°, respectively. Our result indicates that the surface of the rotating asteroid (the rotation period of about 2.5 hours) must be non-uniformly rough. Observations of another asteroid—1994 UG—whose brightness was of about 17m and which was located at a geocentric distance of 0.077 AU, were carried out during the night of March 6/7, 2016 in two modes: photometric and spectropolarimetric. According to the results of photometric observations in Johnson's B-, V-, and R-band filters, over one hour the brightness of the asteroid remained unchanged within the measurement errors (about 0.m02). Spectropolarimetric observations in the 420-800 nm wavelength interval showed the polarization degree to decrease from 8% in the blue part of the spectrum to 2% in the red part with the phase angle equal to 44°, which is typical for S-type near-Earth asteroids.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-14

ISS040-E-011868 (14 June 2014) --- The dark waters of the Salton Sea stand out against neighboring cultivation and desert sands in the middle of the Southern California desert, as photographed by one of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station on June 14, 2014.

Earth Observing System. Science and Mission Requirements, Volume 1, Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a planned NASA program, which will carry the multidisciplinary Earth science studies employing a variety of remote sensing techniques in the 1990's, as a prime mission, using the Space Station polar platform. The scientific rationale, recommended observational needs, the broad system configuration and a recommended implementation strategy to achieve the stated mission goals are provided.

Role of light satellites in the high-resolution Earth observation domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fishman, Moshe

1999-12-01

Current 'classic' applications using and exploring space based earth imagery are exclusive, narrow niche tailored, expensive and hardly accessible. On the other side new, inexpensive and widely used 'consumable' applications will be only developed concurrently to the availability of appropriate imagery allowing that process. A part of these applications can be imagined today, like WWW based 'virtual tourism' or news media, but the history of technological, cultural and entertainment evolution teaches us that most of future applications are unpredictable -- they emerge together with the platforms enabling their appearance. The only thing, which can be ultimately stated, is that the definitive condition for such applications is the availability of the proper imagery platform providing low cost, high resolution, large area, quick response, simple accessibility and quick dissemination of the raw picture. This platform is a constellation of Earth Observation satellites. Up to 1995 the Space Based High Resolution Earth Observation Domain was dominated by heavy, super-expensive and very inflexible birds. The launch of Israeli OFEQ-3 Satellite by MBT Division of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) marked the entrance to new era of light, smart and cheap Low Earth Orbited Imaging satellites. The Earth Resource Observation System (EROS) initiated by West Indian Space, is based on OFEQ class Satellites design and it is capable to gather visual data of Earth Surface both at high resolution and large image capacity. The main attributes, derived from its compact design, low weight and sophisticated logic and which convert the EROS Satellite to valuable and productive system, are discussed. The major advantages of Light Satellites in High Resolution Earth Observation Domain are presented and WIS guidelines featuring the next generation of LEO Imaging Systems are included.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-03

ISS036-E-015292 (3 July 2013) --- A number of Quebec, Canada wildfires southeast of James Bay were recorded as part of a series of photographs taken and downlinked to Earth on July 3-4 by the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station. This image was recorded on July 3.

The effects from high-altitude storm discharges in Earth atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozak, L.; Odzimek, A.; Ivchenko, V.; Kozak, P.; Gala, I.; Lapchuk, V.

2016-06-01

The regularities of appearance of transient luminous effects in Earth atmosphere and features of their ground-based observations are considered. Using video-observations obtained in the Institution of Geophysics of Poland Academy of Sciences the energy of atmospheric afterglow from these processes in visual wavelength range has been determined. Calibrating curve was plotted using unfocal images of Vega. The star spectrum,atmosphere absorption coefficient and characteristics of the observational camera were used.

ASTER, a multinational Earth observing concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bothwell, Graham W.; Geller, Gary N.; Larson, Steven A.; Morrison, Andrew D.; Nichols, David A.

1993-01-01

The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is a facility instrument selected for launch in 1998 on the first in a series of spacecraft for NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS). The ASTER instrument is being sponsored and built in Japan. It is a three telescope, high spatial resolution imaging instrument with 15 spectral bands covering the visible through to the thermal infrared. It will play a significant role within EOS providing geological, biological, land hydrological information necessary for intense study of the Earth. The operational capabilities for ASTER, including the necessary interfaces and operational collaborations between the US and Japanese participants, are under development. EOS operations are the responsibility of the EOS Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Although the primary EOS control center is at GSFC, the ASTER control facility will be in Japan. Other aspects of ASTER are discussed.

LIDAR technology developments in support of ESA Earth observation missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand, Yannig; Caron, Jérôme; Hélière, Arnaud; Bézy, Jean-Loup; Meynart, Roland

2017-11-01

Critical lidar technology developments have been ongoing at the European Space Agency (ESA) in support of EarthCARE (Earth Clouds, Aerosols, and Radiation Explorer), the 6th Earth Explorer mission, and A-SCOPE (Advanced Space Carbon and Climate Observation of Planet Earth), one of the candidates for the 7th Earth Explorer mission. EarthCARE is embarking an Atmospheric backscatter Lidar (ATLID) while A-SCOPE is based on a Total Column Differential Absorption Lidar. As EarthCARE phase B has just started, the pre-development activities, aiming at validating the technologies used in the flight design and at verifying the overall instrument performance, are almost completed. On the other hand, A-SCOPE pre-phase A has just finished. Therefore technology developments are in progress, addressing critical subsystems or components with the lowest TRL, selected in the proposed instrument concepts. The activities described in this paper span over a broad range, addressing all critical elements of a lidar from the transmitter to the receiver.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 42 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-02

ISS042E311037 (03/02/2015) --- A waning sun, splayed its light across the planet and created this serene scene. US astronauts aboard the International Space Station snapped this Earth Observation on Mar 2, 2015.

Towards a Preservation Content Standard for Earth Observation Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, Hampapuram; Lowe, Dawn; Murphy, Kevin

2017-01-01

Information from Earth observing missions (remote sensing with airborne and spaceborne instruments, and in situ measurements such as those from field campaigns) is proliferating in the world. Many agencies across the globe are generating important datasets by collecting measurements from instruments on board aircraft and spacecraft, globally and constantly. The data resulting from such measurements are a valuable resource that needs to be preserved for the benefit of future generations. These observations are the primary record of the Earths environment and therefore are the key to understanding how conditions in the future will compare to conditions today. Earth science observational data, derived products and models are used to answer key questions of global significance. In the near-term, as long as the missions data are being used actively for scientific research, it continues to be important to provide easy access to the data and services commensurate with current information technology. For the longer term, when the focus of the research community shifts toward new missions and observations, it is essential to preserve the previous mission data and associated information. This will enable a new user in the future to understand how the data were used for deriving information, knowledge and policy recommendations and to repeat the experiment to ascertain the validity and possible limitations of conclusions reached in the past and to provide confidence in long term trends that depended on data from multiple missions. Organizations that collect, process, and utilize Earth observation data today have a responsibility to ensure that the data and associated content continue to be preserved by them or are gathered and handed off to other organizations for preservation for the benefit of future generations. In order to ensure preservation of complete content necessary for understanding and reusing the data and derived digital products from todays missions, it is

A Video Game Platform for Exploring Satellite and In-Situ Data Streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Y.

2014-12-01

Exploring spatiotemporal patterns of moving objects are essential to Earth Observation missions, such as tracking, modeling and predicting movement of clouds, dust, plumes and harmful algal blooms. Those missions involve high-volume, multi-source, and multi-modal imagery data analysis. Analytical models intend to reveal inner structure, dynamics, and relationship of things. However, they are not necessarily intuitive to humans. Conventional scientific visualization methods are intuitive but limited by manual operations, such as area marking, measurement and alignment of multi-source data, which are expensive and time-consuming. A new development of video analytics platform has been in progress, which integrates the video game engine with satellite and in-situ data streams. The system converts Earth Observation data into articulated objects that are mapped from a high-dimensional space to a 3D space. The object tracking and augmented reality algorithms highlight the objects' features in colors, shapes and trajectories, creating visual cues for observing dynamic patterns. The head and gesture tracker enable users to navigate the data space interactively. To validate our design, we have used NASA SeaWiFS satellite images of oceanographic remote sensing data and NOAA's in-situ cell count data. Our study demonstrates that the video game system can reduce the size and cost of traditional CAVE systems in two to three orders of magnitude. This system can also be used for satellite mission planning and public outreaching.

The Potential Benefits of Earth Observations for the Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawford, R. G.

2016-12-01

Earth Observations have been shown to have the potential to play an important role in the management of the Water-Energy-Food (W-E-F) Nexus. To date, their primary application has come through support to decisions related to the better use of water in the production of food and in the extraction of energy. However, to be fully effective, the uses of Earth observations should be coordinated across the sectors and appropriately applied at multiple levels of the governance process. This observation argues for a new approach to governance and management of the W-E-F Nexus that implements collaborative planning based on broader usage of Earth observations. The Future Earth W-E-F Nexus Cluster project has documented a number of ways in which Earth observations can support decision-making that benefits the management of these sectors and has identified gaps in the data and information systems needed for this purpose. This presentation will summarize those findings and discuss how the role of Earth observations could be strengthened and expanded to the Sustainable Development Goals and Integrated Water Resources Management.

Assessing video games to improve driving skills: a literature review and observational study.

PubMed

Sue, Damian; Ray, Pradeep; Talaei-Khoei, Amir; Jonnagaddala, Jitendra; Vichitvanichphong, Suchada

2014-08-07

For individuals, especially older adults, playing video games is a promising tool for improving their driving skills. The ease of use, wide availability, and interactivity of gaming consoles make them an attractive simulation tool. The objective of this study was to look at the feasibility and effects of installing video game consoles in the homes of individuals looking to improve their driving skills. A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effect of playing video games on improving driving skills. An observatory study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using an Xbox 360 Kinect console for improving driving skills. Twenty-nine articles, which discuss the implementation of video games in improving driving skills were found in literature. On our study, it was found the Xbox 360 with Kinect is capable of improving physical and mental activities. Xbox Video games were introduced to engage players in physical, visual and cognitive activities including endurance, postural sway, reaction time, eyesight, eye movement, attention and concentration, difficulties with orientation, and semantic fluency. However, manual dexterity, visuo-spatial perception and binocular vision could not be addressed by these games. It was observed that Xbox Kinect (by incorporating Kinect sensor facilities) combines physical, visual and cognitive engagement of players. These results were consistent with those from the literature review. From the research that has been carried out, we can conclude that video game consoles are a viable solution for improving user's physical and mental state. In future we propose to carry a thorough evaluation of the effects of video games on driving skills in elderly people.

Destiny's Earth Observation Window

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Astronaut Michael J. Bloomfield, STS-110 mission commander, looks through the Earth observation window in the Destiny laboratory aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The STS-110 mission prepared the ISS for future spacewalks by installing and outfitting the S0 (S-zero) truss and the Mobile Transporter. The 43-foot-long S0 Truss, weighing in at 27,000 pounds, was the first of 9 segments that will make up the Station's external framework that will eventually stretch 356 feet (109 meters), or approximately the length of a football field. This central truss segment also includes a flatcar called the Mobile Transporter and rails that will become the first 'space railroad,' which will allow the Station's robotic arm to travel up and down the finished truss for future assembly and maintenance. The completed truss structure will hold solar arrays and radiators to provide power and cooling for additional international research laboratories from Japan and Europe that will be attached to the Station. Milestones of the STS-110 mission included the first time the ISS robotic arm was used to maneuver spacewalkers around the Station and marked the first time all spacewalks were based out of the Station's Quest Airlock. It was also the first Shuttle to use three Block II Main Engines. The Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis, STS-110 mission, was launched April 8, 2002 and returned to Earth April 19, 2002.

Earth Observing Data System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klene, Stephan

2016-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) acquires and distributes an abundance of Earth science data on a daily basis to a diverse user community worldwide. The NASA Big Earth Data Initiative (BEDI) is an effort to make the acquired science data more discoverable, accessible, and usable. This presentation will provide a brief introduction to the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) project and the nature of advances that have been made by BEDI to other Federal Users.

Earth Observation Research for GMES Initial Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Beijma, Sybrand; Balzter, Heiko; Nicolas-Perea, Virginia

2013-04-01

GMES Initial Operations - Network for Earth Observation Research Training (GIONET) is a Marie Curie funded project that aims to establish the first of a kind European Centre of Excellence for Earth Observation Research Training. GIONET is a partnership of leading Universities, research institutes and private companies from across Europe aiming to cultivate a community of early stage researchers in the areas of optical and radar remote sensing skilled for the emerging GMES land monitoring services during the GMES Initial Operations period (2011-2013) and beyond. GIONET is expected to satisfy the demand for highly skilled researchers and provide personnel for operational phase of the GMES and monitoring and emergency services. It will achieve this by: * Providing postgraduate training in Earth Observation Science that exposes students to different research disciplines and complementary skills, providing work experiences in the private and academic sectors, and leading to a recognized qualification (Doctorate). * Enabling access to first class training in both fundamental and applied research skills to early-stage researchers at world-class academic centres and market leaders in the private sector. * Building on the experience from previous GMES research and development projects in the land monitoring and emergency information services. * Developing a collaborative training network, through the placement of researchers for short periods in other GIONET organizations. Reliable, thorough and up-to-date environmental information is essential for understanding climate change the impacts it has on people's lives and ways to adapt to them. The GIONET researchers are being trained to understand the complex physical processes that determine how electromagnetic radiation interacts with the atmosphere and the land surface ultimately form the signal received by a satellite. In order to achieve this, the researchers have been placed in industry and universities across Europe, as

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-10

ISS040-E-091158 (10 Aug. 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members 225 nautical miles above Earth onboard the International Space Station used a 200mm lens to record this image of Hawke's Bay, New Zealand on Aug. 10, 2014. Napier and the bay area's most populous area are at bottom center of the frame.

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 47 Crewmember

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-14

ISS047e007765 (03/14/2016) --- Using special cameras and Chronophotography aboard the International Space Station, crew members of Expedition 47 during Earth observations capture awesome beauty . This nighttime image shows an approaching lightning storm on the left. The gold and red aurora act as a frame to this display of natures wonders.

On the development of earth observation satellite systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Subsequent to the launching of the first LANDSAT by NASA, Japan has recognized the importance of data from earth observation satellites, has conducted studies, and is preparing to develop an independent system. The first ocean observation satellite will be launched in 1983, the second in 1985. The first land observation satellite is scheduled to be launched in 1987 and by 1990 Japan intends to have both land and ocean observation systems in regular operation. The association reception and data processing systems are being developed.

Sharing Earth Observation Data When Health Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, E. L., Jr.

2015-12-01

While the global community is struck by pandemics and epidemics from time to time the ability to fully utilize earth observations and integrate environmental information has been limited - until recently. Mature science understanding is allowing new levels of situational awareness be possible when and if the relevant data is available and shared in a timely and useable manner. Satellite and other remote sensing tools have been used to observe, monitor, assess and predict weather and water impacts for decades. In the last few years much of this has included a focus on the ability to monitor changes on climate scales that suggest changes in quantity and quality of ecosystem resources or the "one-health" approach where trans-disciplinary links between environment, animal and vegetative health may provide indications of best ways to manage susceptibility to infectious disease or outbreaks. But the scale of impacts and availability of information from earth observing satellites, airborne platforms, health tracking systems and surveillance networks offer new integrated tools. This presentation will describe several recent events, such as Superstorm Sandy in the United States and the Ebola outbreak in Africa, where public health and health infrastructure have been exposed to environmental hazards and lessons learned from disaster response in the ability to share data have been effective in risk reduction.

Earth Observing System: Science Objectives and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

1999-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. In this presentation we review the key areas of scientific uncertainty in understanding climate and global change, and follow that with a description of the EOS goals, objectives, and scientific research elements that comprise the program (instrument science teams and interdisciplinary investigations). Finally, I will describe how scientists and policy makers intend to use EOS data improve our understanding of key global change uncertainties, such as: (i) clouds and radiation, including fossil fuel and natural emissions of sulfate aerosol and its potential impact on cloud feedback, (ii) man's impact on ozone depletion, with examples of ClO and O3 obtained from the UARS satellite during the Austral Spring, and (iii) volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate, with examples from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

Earth Observing System: Science Objectives and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

1998-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. In this presentation I will describe the key areas of scientific uncertainty in understanding climate and global change, and follow that with a description of the EOS goals, objectives, and scientific research elements that comprise the program (instrument science teams and interdisciplinary investigations). Finally, I will describe how scientists and policy makers intend to use EOS data to improve our understanding of key global change uncertainties, such as: (i) clouds and radiation, including fossil fuel and natural emissions of sulfate aerosol and its potential impact on cloud feedback, (ii) man's impact on ozone depletion, with examples of ClO and O3 obtained from the UARS satellite during the Austral Spring, and (iii) volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate, with examples from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

Effects of Playing versus Observing Violent versus Nonviolent Video Games on Children's Aggression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graybill, Daniel; And Others

1987-01-01

Examined short-term effects of playing versus observing violent versus nonviolent video games on the aggression of elementary school children. Children (N=146) played or observed games for 14 minutes, then completed three measures of aggression. Found no differences between violent and nonviolent conditions on measures of aggression. (Author/NB)

Data Reduction and Control Software for Meteor Observing Stations Based on CCD Video Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madiedo, J. M.; Trigo-Rodriguez, J. M.; Lyytinen, E.

2011-01-01

The SPanish Meteor Network (SPMN) is performing a continuous monitoring of meteor activity over Spain and neighbouring countries. The huge amount of data obtained by the 25 video observing stations that this network is currently operating made it necessary to develop new software packages to accomplish some tasks, such as data reduction and remote operation of autonomous systems based on high-sensitivity CCD video devices. The main characteristics of this software are described here.

Video-Based Self-Observation as a Component of Developmental Teacher Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mercado, Leonardo A.; Baecher, Laura

2014-01-01

In this paper, we explore the benefits to teacher evaluation when video-based self-observation is done by teachers as a vehicle for individual, reflective practice. We explore how it was applied systematically at the ICPNA bi-national center among hundreds of EFL teachers within two institution-wide initiatives that have relied on self-observation…

STS-4 earth observations from space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

STS-4 earth observations from space. Views include both Florida coasts, with Cape Canaveral visible at the center of the frame. The photo was exposed through the aft window on the flight deck of the Columbia. The vertical tail and both orbital maneuvering systems (OMS) pods are visible in the foreground. Other features on the Earth which are visible include Tampa Bay and several lakes, including Apopka, Tohopekaliga, East Tahopekaliga, Harris, Cypress and a number of small reservoirs (33223); This is a north-easterly looking view toward California's Pacific Coast. The coastal area covered includes San Diego northward to Pismo Beach. Los Angeles is near center. The arc of the Temblor-Tehachapi-Sierra Nevada surrounds the San Joaquin Valley at left. The Mojave desert lies between the San Andres and Garlock Faults (33224); Mexico's Baja California and Sonora state are visible in the STS-4 frame. The islands of Angel de la Guardia and Tiburon stand out above and right of center. Low clouds

Exposing NASA's Earth Observations to the Applications Community and Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boller, R. A.; Baynes, K.; Pressley, N. N.; Thompson, C. K.; Schmaltz, J. E.; King, B. A.; Wong, M. M.; Rice, Z.; Gunnoe, T.; Roberts, J. T.; Rodriguez, J.; De Luca, A. P.; King, J.

2017-12-01

NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) generates a wealth of data products which are generally intended for scientific research. In recent years, however, this data has also become more accessible to the applications community and public through the Worldview app and Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS). These mapping interfaces provide historical and near real-time access to NASA's Earth observations for a wide range of uses. This presentation will focus on how the applications community, public, and media use these interfaces for decision-making, leisure, and anything in between.

Exposing NASA's Earth Observations to the Applications Community and Public

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boller, R.; Baynes, K.; Pressley, N.; Thompson, C.; Cechini, M.; Schmaltz, J.; Wong, M.; King, B.; Rice, Z.; Sprague, J.;

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-29

ISS036-E-038117 (29 Aug. 2013) --- One of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station photographed massive smoke plumes from the California wildfires. When this image was exposed on Aug. 29, the orbital outpost was approximately 220 miles above a point located at 38.6 degrees north latitude and 123.2 degrees west longitude.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-29

ISS036-E-038114 (29 Aug. 2013) --- One of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station photographed massive smoke plumes from the California wildfires. When this image was exposed on Aug. 29, the orbital outpost was approximately 220 miles above a point located at 38.6 degrees north latitude and 123.3 degrees west longitude.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 39 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-10

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 39 crew aboard the ISS. A portion of the docked Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft is in view. Image was released by astronaut on Instagram and downlinked in folder: Personal photos and the Maldive islands.

Video-Enhanced Lesson Observation as a Source of Multiple Modes of Data for School Leadership: A Videographic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hidson, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

A growing body of literature recognizes the affordances of video in education, especially in relation to lesson observation and reflection as part of teachers' initial teacher education and continuing professional development. Minimal attention has been paid to the outcomes of video-enhanced observation as a source of multiple modes of data for…

Assessing Video Games to Improve Driving Skills: A Literature Review and Observational Study

PubMed Central

Sue, Damian; Vichitvanichphong, Suchada

2014-01-01

Background For individuals, especially older adults, playing video games is a promising tool for improving their driving skills. The ease of use, wide availability, and interactivity of gaming consoles make them an attractive simulation tool. Objective The objective of this study was to look at the feasibility and effects of installing video game consoles in the homes of individuals looking to improve their driving skills. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effect of playing video games on improving driving skills. An observatory study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using an Xbox 360 Kinect console for improving driving skills. Results Twenty–nine articles, which discuss the implementation of video games in improving driving skills were found in literature. On our study, it was found the Xbox 360 with Kinect is capable of improving physical and mental activities. Xbox Video games were introduced to engage players in physical, visual and cognitive activities including endurance, postural sway, reaction time, eyesight, eye movement, attention and concentration, difficulties with orientation, and semantic fluency. However, manual dexterity, visuo-spatial perception and binocular vision could not be addressed by these games. It was observed that Xbox Kinect (by incorporating Kinect sensor facilities) combines physical, visual and cognitive engagement of players. These results were consistent with those from the literature review. Conclusions From the research that has been carried out, we can conclude that video game consoles are a viable solution for improving user’s physical and mental state. In future we propose to carry a thorough evaluation of the effects of video games on driving skills in elderly people. PMID:25654355

The Montaguto earth flow: nine years of observation and analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guerriero, L.; Revellino, R; Grelle, G.; Diodato, N; Guadagno, F.M.; Coe, Jeffrey A.

2016-01-01

This paper summarizes the methods, results, and interpretation of analyses carried out between 2006 and 2015 at the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy. We conducted a multi-temporal analysis of earth-flow activity to reconstruct the morphological and structural evolution of the flow. Data from field mapping were combined with a geometric reconstruction of the basal slip surface in order to investigate relations between basal-slip surface geometry and deformation styles of earth-flow material. Moreover, we reconstructed the long-term pattern of earth-flow movement using both historical observations and modeled hydrologic and climatic data. Hydrologic and climatic data were used to develop a Landslide Hydrological Climatological (LHC) indicator model.

Advancing land surface model development with satellite-based Earth observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orth, Rene; Dutra, Emanuel; Trigo, Isabel F.; Balsamo, Gianpaolo

2017-04-01

The land surface forms an essential part of the climate system. It interacts with the atmosphere through the exchange of water and energy and hence influences weather and climate, as well as their predictability. Correspondingly, the land surface model (LSM) is an essential part of any weather forecasting system. LSMs rely on partly poorly constrained parameters, due to sparse land surface observations. With the use of newly available land surface temperature observations, we show in this study that novel satellite-derived datasets help to improve LSM configuration, and hence can contribute to improved weather predictability. We use the Hydrology Tiled ECMWF Scheme of Surface Exchanges over Land (HTESSEL) and validate it comprehensively against an array of Earth observation reference datasets, including the new land surface temperature product. This reveals satisfactory model performance in terms of hydrology, but poor performance in terms of land surface temperature. This is due to inconsistencies of process representations in the model as identified from an analysis of perturbed parameter simulations. We show that HTESSEL can be more robustly calibrated with multiple instead of single reference datasets as this mitigates the impact of the structural inconsistencies. Finally, performing coupled global weather forecasts we find that a more robust calibration of HTESSEL also contributes to improved weather forecast skills. In summary, new satellite-based Earth observations are shown to enhance the multi-dataset calibration of LSMs, thereby improving the representation of insufficiently captured processes, advancing weather predictability and understanding of climate system feedbacks. Orth, R., E. Dutra, I. F. Trigo, and G. Balsamo (2016): Advancing land surface model development with satellite-based Earth observations. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2016-628

Earth observations and photography experiment: Summary of significant results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

El-Baz, F.

1978-01-01

Observation and photographic data from the Apollo Soyuz Test Project are analyzed. The discussion is structured according to the fields of investigation including: geology, desert studies, oceanography, hydrology, and meteorology. The data were obtained by: (1) visual observations of selected Earth features, (2) hand-held camera photography to document observations, and (3) stereo mapping photography of areas of significant scientific interest.

Principle characteristics of the National Earth Observation Satellite. Project SPOT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cazenave, M.

1977-01-01

A recent meeting of the Economic and Social Committee examined the programs and means currently being implemented by France in the field in the field of space research and industry which could bring about fast results. This was prompted by man's desire to insure rational resource management of his planet and by man's awareness of the definite contribution that space observation can make to this field of research. Through discussion, the Economic and Social Committee has approved the plan for creating an earth observation satellite. A detailed discussion of the principle characteristics of this earth observation satellite include the objectives, the orbit, characteristics and operations of the platform, maintenance, attitude measurement, the power available and many other characteristics.

Mission operations update for the restructured Earth Observing System (EOS) mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Angelita Castro; Chang, Edward S.

1993-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth Observing System (EOS) will provide a comprehensive long term set of observations of the Earth to the Earth science research community. The data will aid in determining global changes caused both naturally and through human interaction. Understanding man's impact on the global environment will allow sound policy decisions to be made to protect our future. EOS is a major component of the Mission to Planet Earth program, which is NASA's contribution to the U.S. Global Change Research Program. EOS consists of numerous instruments on multiple spacecraft and a distributed ground system. The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is the major ground system developed to support EOS. The EOSDIS will provide EOS spacecraft command and control, data processing, product generation, and data archival and distribution services for EOS spacecraft. Data from EOS instruments on other Earth science missions (e.g., Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)) will also be processed, distributed, and archived in EOSDIS. The U.S. and various International Partners (IP) (e.g., the European Space Agency (ESA), the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) of Japan, and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)) participate in and contribute to the international EOS program. The EOSDIS will also archive processed data from other designated NASA Earth science missions (e.g., UARS) that are under the broad umbrella of Mission to Planet Earth.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-25

ISS040-E-081008 (25 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station, flying 225 nautical miles above Earth, photographed this image of the Tifernine dunes and the Tassili Najjer Mountains in Algeria. The area is about 800 miles south, southeast of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The dunes are in excess of 1,000 feet in height.

Radiometer requirements for Earth-observation systems using large space antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keafer, L. S., Jr.; Harrington, R. F.

1983-01-01

Requirements are defined for Earth observation microwave radiometry for the decade of the 1990's by using large space antenna (LSA) systems with apertures in the range from 50 to 200 m. General Earth observation needs, specific measurement requirements, orbit mission guidelines and constraints, and general radiometer requirements are defined. General Earth observation needs are derived from NASA's basic space science program. Specific measurands include soil moisture, sea surface temperature, salinity, water roughness, ice boundaries, and water pollutants. Measurements are required with spatial resolution from 10 to 1 km and with temporal resolution from 3 days to 1 day. The primary orbit altitude and inclination ranges are 450 to 2200 km and 60 to 98 deg, respectively. Contiguous large scale coverage of several land and ocean areas over the globe dictates large (several hundred kilometers) swaths. Radiometer measurements are made in the bandwidth range from 1 to 37 GHz, preferably with dual polarization radiometers with a minimum of 90 percent beam efficiency. Reflector surface, root mean square deviation tolerances are in the wavelength range from 1/30 to 1/100.

Effect of video self-observations vs. observations of others on insight in psychotic disorders.

PubMed

David, Anthony S; Chis Ster, Irina; Zavarei, Hooman

2012-04-01

Improving insight in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders is a worthwhile goal. Previous work has suggested that patients' insight may improve if they see videos of themselves taken when ill. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that schizophrenia patients improve their insight after viewing videos of themselves when unwell more so than after viewing an actor. Forty patients admitted with an acute psychotic disorder underwent a videotaped recording of a clinical interview. The patients were then randomized to viewing this or a "control" video of a same-sex actor displaying psychotic symptoms approximately 3 weeks later. Insight, psychopathology, and mood were assessed before and 24 to 48 hours after viewing the videos. All participants showed general improvement across all measures. There was a trend for scores on the Schedule for the Assessment of Insight to improve more in those who viewed themselves when ill, but there were no clear statistically significant differences between the "self" and "other" video groups. In conclusion, video self-confrontation seems to be a safe and potentially effective means of enhancing insight, but evidence for a specific effect is lacking.

Near-Earth asteroids orbits using Gaia and ground-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bancelin, D.; Hestroffer, D.; Thuillot, W.

2011-05-01

Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are Near-Earth Asteroids caraterised by a Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance (MOID) with Earth less to 0.05 A.U and an absolute magnitude H<22. Those objects have sometimes a so significant close approach with Earth that they can be put on a chaotic orbit. This kind of orbit is very sensitive for exemple to the initial conditions, to the planetary theory used (for instance JPL's model versus IMCCE's model) or even to the numerical integrator used (Lie Series, Bulirsch-Stoer or Radau). New observations (optical, radar, flyby or satellite mission) can improve those orbits and reduce the uncertainties on the Keplerian elements.The Gaia mission is an astrometric mission that will be launched in 2012 and will observe a large number of Solar System Objects down to magnitude V≤20. During the 5-year mission, Gaia will continuously scan the sky with a specific strategy: objects will be observed from two lines of sight separated with a constant basic angle. Five constants already fixed determinate the nominal scanning law of Gaia: The inertial spin rate (1°/min) that describe the rotation of the spacecraft around an axis perpendicular to those of the two fields of view, the solar-aspect angle (45°) that is the angle between the Sun and the spacecraft rotation axis, the precession period (63.12 days) which is the precession of the spin axis around the Sun-Earth direction. Two other constants are still free parameters: the initial spin phase, and the initial precession angle that will be fixed at the start of the nominal science operations. These latter are constraint by scientific outcome (e.g. possibility of performing test of fundamental physics) together with operational requirements (downlink to Earth windows). Several sets of observations of specific NEOs will hence be provided according to the initial precession angle. The purpose here is to study the statistical impact of the initial precession angle on the error

Earth Observations for Global Water Security

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawford, Richard; Strauch, Adrian; Toll, David; Fekete, Balazs; Cripe, Douglas

2013-01-01

The combined effects of population growth, increasing demands for water to support agriculture, energy security, and industrial expansion, and the challenges of climate change give rise to an urgent need to carefully monitor and assess trends and variations in water resources. Doing so will ensure that sustainable access to adequate quantities of safe and useable water will serve as a foundation for water security. Both satellite and in situ observations combined with data assimilation and models are needed for effective, integrated monitoring of the water cycle's trends and variability in terms of both quantity and quality. On the basis of a review of existing observational systems, we argue that a new integrated monitoring capability for water security purposes is urgently needed. Furthermore, the components for this capability exist and could be integrated through the cooperation of national observational programmes. The Group on Earth Observations should play a central role in the design, implementation, management and analysis of this system and its products.

The COSPAR roadmap on Space-based observation and Integrated Earth System Science for 2016-2025

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fellous, Jean-Louis

2016-07-01

The Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science recently commissioned a study group to prepare a roadmap on observation and integrated Earth-system science for the coming ten years. Its focus is on the combined use of observations and modelling to address the functioning, predictability and projected evolution of the Earth system on timescales out to a century or so. It discusses how observations support integrated Earth-system science and its applications, and identifies planned enhancements to the contributing observing systems and other requirements for observations and their processing. The paper will provide an overview of the content of the roadmap. All types of observation are considered in the roadmap, but emphasis is placed on those made from space. The origins and development of the integrated view of the Earth system are outlined, noting the interactions between the main components that lead to requirements for integrated science and modelling, and for the observations that guide and support them. What constitutes an Earth-system model is discussed. Summaries are given of key cycles within the Earth system. The nature of Earth observation and the arrangements for international coordination essential for effective operation of global observing systems are introduced in the roadmap. Instances are given of present types of observation, what is already on the roadmap for 2016-2025 and some of the issues to be faced. The current status and prospects for Earth-system modelling are summarized. Data assimilation is discussed not only because it uses observations and models to generate datasets for monitoring the Earth system and for initiating and evaluating predictions, in particular through reanalysis, but also because of the feedback it provides on the quality of both the observations and the models employed. Finally the roadmap offers a set of concluding discussions covering general developmental needs, requirements for continuity of

Jupyter meets Earth: Creating Comprehensible and Reproducible Scientific Workflows with Jupyter Notebooks and Google Earth Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, T.

2016-12-01

Deriving actionable information from Earth observation data obtained from sensors or models can be quite complicated, and sharing those insights with others in a form that they can understand, reproduce, and improve upon is equally difficult. Journal articles, even if digital, commonly present just a summary of an analysis that cannot be understood in depth or reproduced without major effort on the part of the reader. Here we show a method of improving scientific literacy by pairing a recently developed scientific presentation technology (Jupyter Notebooks) with a petabyte-scale platform for accessing and analyzing Earth observation and model data (Google Earth Engine). Jupyter Notebooks are interactive web documents that mix live code with annotations such as rich-text markup, equations, images, videos, hyperlinks and dynamic output. Notebooks were first introduced as part of the IPython project in 2011, and have since gained wide acceptance in the scientific programming community, initially among Python programmers but later by a wide range of scientific programming languages. While Jupyter Notebooks have been widely adopted for general data analysis, data visualization, and machine learning, to date there have been relatively few examples of using Jupyter Notebooks to analyze geospatial datasets. Google Earth Engine is cloud-based platform for analyzing geospatial data, such as satellite remote sensing imagery and/or Earth system model output. Through its Python API, Earth Engine makes petabytes of Earth observation data accessible, and provides hundreds of algorithmic building blocks that can be chained together to produce high-level algorithms and outputs in real-time. We anticipate that this technology pairing will facilitate a better way of creating, documenting, and sharing complex analyses that derive information on our Earth that can be used to promote broader understanding of the complex issues that it faces. http://jupyter.orghttps://earthengine.google.com

Decision-making contexts involving Earth observations in federal and state government agencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwayama, Y.; Thompson, A.

2017-12-01

National and international organizations are placing greater emphasis on the societal and economic benefits that can be derived from applications of Earth observations, yet improvements are needed to connect to the decision processes that produce actions with direct societal benefits. The Consortium for the Valuation of Applications Benefits Linked with Earth Science (VALUABLES), a cooperative agreement between Resources for the Future (RFF) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has the goal of advancing methods for the valuation and communication of the applied benefits linked with Earth observations. One of the Consortium's activities is a set of Policy Briefs that document the use of Earth observations for decision making in federal and state government agencies. In developing these Policy Briefs, we pay special attention to documenting the entire information value chain associated with the use of Earth observations in government decision making, namely (a) the specific data product, modeling capability, or information system used by the agency, (b) the decision context that employs the Earth observation information and translates it into an agency action, (c) the outcomes that are realized as a result of the action, and (d) the beneficiaries associated with the outcomes of the decision. Two key examples include the use of satellite data for informing the US Drought Monitor (USDM), which is used to determine the eligibility of agricultural communities for drought disaster assistance programs housed at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the use of satellite data by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop numeric nutrient water quality standards and monitoring methods for chlorophyll-a, which is codified in Florida state code (62-302.532).

Earth Observing System Data Gateway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pfister, Robin; McMahon, Joe; Amrhein, James; Sefert, Ed; Marsans, Lorena; Solomon, Mark; Nestler, Mark

2006-01-01

The Earth Observing System Data Gateway (EDG) software provides a "one-stop-shopping" standard interface for exploring and ordering Earth-science data stored at geographically distributed sites. EDG enables a user to do the following: 1) Search for data according to high-level criteria (e.g., geographic location, time, or satellite that acquired the data); 2) Browse the results of a search, viewing thumbnail sketches of data that satisfy the user s criteria; and 3) Order selected data for delivery to a specified address on a chosen medium (e.g., compact disk or magnetic tape). EDG consists of (1) a component that implements a high-level client/server protocol, and (2) a collection of C-language libraries that implement the passing of protocol messages between an EDG client and one or more EDG servers. EDG servers are located at sites usually called "Distributed Active Archive Centers" (DAACs). Each DAAC may allow access to many individual data items, called "granules" (e.g., single Landsat images). Related granules are grouped into collections called "data sets." EDG enables a user to send a search query to multiple DAACs simultaneously, inspect the resulting information, select browseable granules, and then order selected data from the different sites in a seamless fashion.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-24

ISS036-E-011843 (24 June 2013) --- Gravity waves and sunglint on Lake Superior are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 36 crew member on the International Space Station. From the vantage point of the space station, crew members frequently observe Earth atmospheric and surface phenomena in ways impossible to view from the ground. Two such phenomena?gravity waves and sunglint?are illustrated in this photograph of northeastern Lake Superior. The Canadian Shield of southern Ontario (bottom) is covered with extensive green forest canopy typical of early summer. Offshore, and to the west and southwest of Pukaskwa National Park several distinct sets of parallel cloud bands are visible. Gravity waves are produced when moisture-laden air encounters imbalances in air density, such as might be expected when cool air flows over warmer air; this can cause the flowing air to oscillate up and down as it moves, causing clouds to condense as the air rises (cools) and evaporate away as the air sinks (warms). This produces parallel bands of clouds oriented perpendicular to the wind direction. The orientation of the cloud bands visible in this image, parallel to the coastlines, suggests that air flowing off of the land surfaces to the north is interacting with moist, stable air over the lake surface, creating gravity waves. The second phenomenon?sunglint?effects the water surface around and to the northeast of Isle Royale (upper right). Sunglint is caused by light reflection off a water surface; some of the reflected light travels directly back towards the observer, resulting in a bright mirror-like appearance over large expanses of water. Water currents and changes in surface tension (typically caused by presence of oils or surfactants) alter the reflective properties of the water, and can be highlighted by sunglint. For example, surface water currents are visible to the east of Isle Royale that are oriented similarly to the gravity waves ? suggesting that they too

CEOS Contributions to Informing Energy Management and Policy Decision Making Using Space-Based Earth Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckman, Richard S.

2009-01-01

Earth observations are playing an increasingly significant role in informing decision making in the energy sector. In renewable energy applications, space-based observations now routinely augment sparse ground-based observations used as input for renewable energy resource assessment applications. As one of the nine Group on Earth Observations (GEO) societal benefit areas, the enhancement of management and policy decision making in the energy sector is receiving attention in activities conducted by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). CEOS has become the "space arm" for the implementation of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) vision. It is directly supporting the space-based, near-term tasks articulated in the GEO three-year work plan. This paper describes a coordinated program of demonstration projects conducted by CEOS member agencies and partners to utilize Earth observations to enhance energy management end-user decision support systems. I discuss the importance of engagement with stakeholders and understanding their decision support needs in successfully increasing the uptake of Earth observation products for societal benefit. Several case studies are presented, demonstrating the importance of providing data sets in formats and units familiar and immediately usable by decision makers. These projects show the utility of Earth observations to enhance renewable energy resource assessment in the developing world, forecast space-weather impacts on the power grid, and improve energy efficiency in the built environment.

Interactive Video, The Next Step

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strong, L. R.; Wold-Brennon, R.; Cooper, S. K.; Brinkhuis, D.

2012-12-01

Video has the ingredients to reach us emotionally - with amazing images, enthusiastic interviews, music, and video game-like animations-- and it's emotion that motivates us to learn more about our new interest. However, watching video is usually passive. New web-based technology is expanding and enhancing the video experience, creating opportunities to use video with more direct interaction. This talk will look at an Educaton and Outreach team's experience producing video-centric curriculum using innovative interactive media tools from TED-Ed and FlixMaster. The Consortium for Ocean Leadership's Deep Earth Academy has partnered with the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI) to send educators and a video producer aboard three deep sea research expeditions to the Juan de Fuca plate to install and service sub-seafloor observatories. This collaboration between teachers, students, scientists and media producers has proved a productive confluence, providing new ways of understanding both ground-breaking science and the process of science itself - by experimenting with new ways to use multimedia during ocean-going expeditions and developing curriculum and other projects post-cruise.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-10

ISS043E184521 (05/10/2015) --- NASA astronaut Terry Virts Expedition 43 Commander on the International Space Station tweeted this Earth observation image of South America with the following comment: "Salar de Uyuni in the #Bolivia desert #SouthAmerica. The world's largest salt flat".

EcAMSat Video News File

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-11-03

A video news file (or a collection of raw video and interview clips) about the EcAMSat mission. Ever wonder what would happen if you got sick in space? NASA is sending samples of bacteria into low-Earth orbit to find out. One of the latest small satellite missions from NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley is the E. coli Anti-Microbial Satellite, or EcAMSat for short. The CubeSat – a spacecraft the size of a shoebox built from cube-shaped units – will explore how effectively antibiotics can combat E. coli bacteria in the low gravity of space. This information will help us improve how we fight infections, providing safer journeys for astronauts on their future voyages, and offer benefits for medicine here on Earth.

Radiometric calibration of the Earth observing system's imaging sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slater, P. N.

1987-01-01

Philosophy, requirements, and methods of calibration of multispectral space sensor systems as applicable to the Earth Observing System (EOS) are discussed. Vicarious methods for calibration of low spatial resolution systems, with respect to the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), are then summarized. Finally, a theoretical introduction is given to a new vicarious method of calibration using the ratio of diffuse-to-global irradiance at the Earth's surfaces as the key input. This may provide an additional independent method for in-flight calibration.

Temporal Variability of Observed and Simulated Hyperspectral Earth Reflectance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Yolanda; Pilewskie, Peter; Kindel, Bruce; Feldman, Daniel; Collins, William D.

2012-01-01

The Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) is a climate observation system designed to study Earth's climate variability with unprecedented absolute radiometric accuracy and SI traceability. Observation System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) were developed using GCM output and MODTRAN to simulate CLARREO reflectance measurements during the 21st century as a design tool for the CLARREO hyperspectral shortwave imager. With OSSE simulations of hyperspectral reflectance, Feldman et al. [2011a,b] found that shortwave reflectance is able to detect changes in climate variables during the 21st century and improve time-to-detection compared to broadband measurements. The OSSE has been a powerful tool in the design of the CLARREO imager and for understanding the effect of climate change on the spectral variability of reflectance, but it is important to evaluate how well the OSSE simulates the Earth's present-day spectral variability. For this evaluation we have used hyperspectral reflectance measurements from the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Cartography (SCIAMACHY), a shortwave spectrometer that was operational between March 2002 and April 2012. To study the spectral variability of SCIAMACHY-measured and OSSE-simulated reflectance, we used principal component analysis (PCA), a spectral decomposition technique that identifies dominant modes of variability in a multivariate data set. Using quantitative comparisons of the OSSE and SCIAMACHY PCs, we have quantified how well the OSSE captures the spectral variability of Earth?s climate system at the beginning of the 21st century relative to SCIAMACHY measurements. These results showed that the OSSE and SCIAMACHY data sets share over 99% of their total variance in 2004. Using the PCs and the temporally distributed reflectance spectra projected onto the PCs (PC scores), we can study the temporal variability of the observed and simulated reflectance spectra. Multivariate time

Landsat Celebrates 40 Years of Observing Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

An artist's rendition of the next Landsat satellite, the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) that will launch in Feb. 2013. Credit: NASA The Landsat program is the longest continuous global record of Earth observations from space – ever. Since its first satellite went up in the summer of 1972, Landsat has been looking at our planet. The view of Earth that this 40-year satellite program has recorded allows scientists to see, in ways they never imagined, how the Earth's surface has transformed, over time. In the 1970s Landsat captured the first views from space of the Amazonian rainforest and continued to track the area year after year after year, giving the world an unprecedented view of systemic and rapid deforestation. This view from space let us see an activity that was taking place in an exceptionally remote part of our world. These now iconic-images of tropical deforestation spurred the global environmental community to rally in an unprecedented way, and resulted in worldwide attention and action. To read more go to: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/news/landsat-history.html NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Insights on How NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Monitors Our World Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

2000-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. During this year, four EOS science missions were launched, representing observations of (1) total solar irradiance, (2) Earth radiation budget, (3) land cover and land use change, (4) ocean processes (vector wind, sea surface temperature, and ocean color), (5) atmospheric processes (aerosol and cloud properties, water vapor, and temperature and moisture profiles), and (6) tropospheric chemistry. In succeeding years many more satellites will be launched that will contribute immeasurably to our understanding of the Earth's environment. In this presentation I will describe how scientists are using EOS data to examine land use and natural hazards, environmental air quality, including dust storms over the world's deserts, cloud and radiation properties, sea surface temperature, and winds over the ocean.

Earth's Bow Shock: Elapsed-Time Observations by Two Closely Spaced Satellites.

PubMed

Greenstadt, E W; Green, I M; Colburn, D S

1968-11-22

Coordinated observations of the earth's bow shock were made as Vela 3A and Explorer 33 passed within 6 earth radii of each other. Elapsed time measurements of shock motion give directly determined velocities in the range 1 to 10 kilometers per second and establish the existence of two regions, one of large amplitude magnetic "shock" oscillations and another of smaller, sunward, upstream oscillations. Each region is as thick as 1 earth radius, or more.

Earth Atmosphere Observations taken by the Expedition 35 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-04-03

Earth atmosphere observation taken by the Expedition 35 crew aboard the ISS. The colors roughly denote the layers of the atmosphere (the orange troposphere, the white stratosphere, and the blue mesosphere).

ESA's Earth observation priority research objectives and satellite instrument requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynolds, M. L.

2018-04-01

Since 1996 the European Space Agency has been pursuing an Earth Observation strategy based on a resolution endorsed by European Minister at a meeting in Toulouse. This resolution recognised a broad distinction between purely research objectives, on the one hand, and purely application objectives on the other. However, this is not to be understood as an absolute separation, but rather as an identification of the major driving emphasis for the definition of mission requirement. Indeed, application satellites can provide a wealth of data for research objectives and scientific earth observation programmes can equally provide an important source of data to develop and demonstrate new applications. It is sufficient to look at the data utilisation of Meteosat and ERS to find very many examples of this. This paper identifies the priority research objectives defined for scientific Earth Explorer missions and the resulting instrument needs. It then outlines the requirements for optical instruments.

Detection of ocean glint and ozone absorption using LCROSS Earth observations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robinson, Tyler D.; Ennico, Kimberly; Meadows, Victoria S.

The Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) observed the distant Earth on three occasions in 2009. These data span a range of phase angles, including a rare crescent phase view. For each epoch, the satellite acquired near-infrared and mid-infrared full-disk images, and partial-disk spectra at 0.26-0.65 μm (λ/Δλ ∼ 500) and 1.17-2.48 μm (λ/Δλ ∼ 50). Spectra show strong absorption features due to water vapor and ozone, which is a biosignature gas. We perform a significant recalibration of the UV-visible spectra and provide the first comparison of high-resolution visible Earth spectra to the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Virtual Planetary Laboratorymore » three-dimensional spectral Earth model. We find good agreement with the observations, reproducing the absolute brightness and dynamic range at all wavelengths for all observation epochs, thus validating the model to within the ∼10% data calibration uncertainty. Data-model comparisons reveal a strong ocean glint signature in the crescent phase data set, which is well matched by our model predictions throughout the observed wavelength range. This provides the first observational test of a technique that could be used to determine exoplanet habitability from disk-integrated observations at visible and near-infrared wavelengths, where the glint signal is strongest. We examine the detection of the ozone 255 nm Hartley and 400-700 nm Chappuis bands. While the Hartley band is the strongest ozone feature in Earth's spectrum, false positives for its detection could exist. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for future exoplanet characterization missions.« less

Radar observations of near-Earth asteroids from Arecibo Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera-Valentin, Edgard G.; Taylor, Patrick A.; Rodriguez-Ford, Linda A.; Zambrano Marin, Luisa Fernanda; Virkki, Anne; Aponte Hernandez, Betzaida

2016-10-01

The Arecibo S-Band (2.38 GHz, 12.6 cm, 1 MW) planetary radar system at the 305-m William E. Gordon Telescope in Arecibo, Puerto Rico is the most active and most sensitive planetary radar facility in the world. Since October 2015, we have detected 56 near-Earth asteroids, of which 17 are classified as potentially hazardous to Earth and 22 are compliant with the Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Target Study (NHATS) as possible future robotic- or human-mission destinations. We will present a sampling of the asteroid zoo observed by the Arecibo radar since the 2015 DPS meeting. This includes press-noted asteroids 2015 TB145, the so-called "Great Pumpkin", and 2003 SD220, the so-called "Christmas Eve asteroid".

Earth Observations from the International Space Station: Benefits for Humanity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stefanov, William L.

2015-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) is a unique terrestrial remote sensing platform for observation of the Earth's land surface, oceans, and atmosphere. Unlike automated remote-sensing platforms it has a human crew; is equipped with both internal and externally-mounted active and passive remote sensing instruments; and has an inclined, low-Earth orbit that provides variable views and lighting (day and night) over 95 percent of the inhabited surface of the Earth. As such, it provides a useful complement to autonomous, sun-synchronous sensor systems in higher altitude polar orbits. Beginning in May 2012, NASA ISS sensor systems have been available to respond to requests for data through the International Charter, Space and Major Disasters, also known as the "International Disaster Charter" or IDC. Data from digital handheld cameras, multispectral, and hyperspectral imaging systems has been acquired in response to IDC activations and delivered to requesting agencies through the United States Geological Survey. The characteristics of the ISS for Earth observation will be presented, including past, current, and planned NASA, International Partner, and commercial remote sensing systems. The role and capabilities of the ISS for humanitarian benefit, specifically collection of remotely sensed disaster response data, will be discussed.

Soldering In Space Investigation Video

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

This video captures Mike Fincke melting solder during the first set of planned In-Space Soldering Investigation (ISSI) experiments onboard the International Space Station (ISS). In the video, Fincke touches the tip of the soldering iron to a wire wrapped with rosin-core solder. Review of the experiment video revealed melting kinetics, wetting characteristics, and equilibrium shape attainment of the solder charge. Samples returned to Earth were examined for porosity and flux distribution as well as microstructural development. ISSI's purpose was to find out how solder behaves in a weightless environment and promote our knowledge of fabrication and repair techniques that might be employed during extended space exploration missions.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

s time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e207712 - iss042e209132 ). Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e203119 - iss042e203971). Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

HMMR (High-Resolution Multifrequency Microwave Radiometer) Earth observing system, volume 2e. Instrument panel report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Recommendations and background are provided for a passive microwave remote sensing system of the future designed to meet the observational needs of Earth scientist in the next decade. This system, called the High Resolution Multifrequency Microwave Radiometer (HMMR), is to be part of a complement of instruments in polar orbit. Working together, these instruments will form an Earth Observing System (EOS) to provide the information needed to better understand the fundamental, global scale processes which govern the Earth's environment. Measurements are identified in detail which passive observations in the microwave portion of the spectrum could contribute to an Earth Observing System in polar orbit. Requirements are established, e.g., spatial and temporal resolution, for these measurements so that, when combined with the other instruments in the Earth Observing System, they would yield a data set suitable for understanding the fundamental processes governing the Earth's environment. Existing and/or planned sensor systems are assessed in the light of these requirements, and additional sensor hardware needed to meet these observational requirements are defined.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-26

ISS007-E-18086 (26 October 2003) --- The fires in the San Bernardino Mountains, fueled by Santa Ana winds, burned out of control on the morning of Oct. 26, 2003, when this image and several others were taken from the International Space Station. This frame and image numbers 18087 and 18088 were taken at approximately 19:54 GMT, October 26, 2003 with a digital still camera equipped with a 400mm lens. Lake Arrowhead and Silverwood Lake are just out of frame. Content was provided by JSC’s Earth Observation Lab. The International Space Station Program {link to http://spaceflight.nasa.gov} supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth [link to http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/].

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-26

ISS007-E-18087 (26 October 2003) --- The fires in the San Bernardino Mountains, fueled by Santa Ana winds, burned out of control on the morning of Oct. 26, 2003, when this image and several others were taken from the International Space Station. This frame and image numbers 18086 and 18088 were taken at approximately 19:54 GMT, October 26, 2003 with a digital still camera equipped with a 400mm lens. Silverwood Lake is visible at the bottom of the image. Content was provided by JSC’s Earth Observation Lab. The International Space Station Program {link to http://spaceflight.nasa.gov} supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth [link to http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/].

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-26

ISS007-E-18088 (26 October 2003) --- The fires in the San Bernardino Mountains, fueled by Santa Ana winds, burned out of control on the morning of Oct. 26, 2003, when this image and several others were taken from the International Space Station. This frame and image numbers 18086 and 18087 were taken at approximately 19:54 GMT, October 26, 2003 with a digital still camera equipped with a 400mm lens. Lake Arrowhead and Silverwood Lake are left and right, respectively, at bottom frame. Content was provided by JSC’s Earth Observation Lab. The International Space Station Program {link to http://spaceflight.nasa.gov} supports the laboratory to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth [link to http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/] .

The future of Earth observation in hydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCabe, Matthew F.; Rodell, Matthew; Alsdorf, Douglas E.; Miralles, Diego G.; Uijlenhoet, Remko; Wagner, Wolfgang; Lucieer, Arko; Houborg, Rasmus; Verhoest, Niko E. C.; Franz, Trenton E.; Shi, Jiancheng; Gao, Huilin; Wood, Eric F.

2017-07-01

In just the past 5 years, the field of Earth observation has progressed beyond the offerings of conventional space-agency-based platforms to include a plethora of sensing opportunities afforded by CubeSats, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and smartphone technologies that are being embraced by both for-profit companies and individual researchers. Over the previous decades, space agency efforts have brought forth well-known and immensely useful satellites such as the Landsat series and the Gravity Research and Climate Experiment (GRACE) system, with costs typically of the order of 1 billion dollars per satellite and with concept-to-launch timelines of the order of 2 decades (for new missions). More recently, the proliferation of smartphones has helped to miniaturize sensors and energy requirements, facilitating advances in the use of CubeSats that can be launched by the dozens, while providing ultra-high (3-5 m) resolution sensing of the Earth on a daily basis. Start-up companies that did not exist a decade ago now operate more satellites in orbit than any space agency, and at costs that are a mere fraction of traditional satellite missions. With these advances come new space-borne measurements, such as real-time high-definition video for tracking air pollution, storm-cell development, flood propagation, precipitation monitoring, or even for constructing digital surfaces using structure-from-motion techniques. Closer to the surface, measurements from small unmanned drones and tethered balloons have mapped snow depths, floods, and estimated evaporation at sub-metre resolutions, pushing back on spatio-temporal constraints and delivering new process insights. At ground level, precipitation has been measured using signal attenuation between antennae mounted on cell phone towers, while the proliferation of mobile devices has enabled citizen scientists to catalogue photos of environmental conditions, estimate daily average temperatures from battery state, and sense other

NASA Earth Observations Informing Renewable Energy Management and Policy Decision Making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckman, Richard S.; Stackhouse, Paul W., Jr.

2008-01-01

The NASA Applied Sciences Program partners with domestic and international governmental organizations, universities, and private entities to improve their decisions and assessments. These improvements are enabled by using the knowledge generated from research resulting from spacecraft observations and model predictions conducted by NASA and providing these as inputs to the decision support and scenario assessment tools used by partner organizations. The Program is divided into eight societal benefit areas, aligned in general with the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) themes. The Climate Application of the Applied Sciences Program has as one of its focuses, efforts to provide for improved decisions and assessments in the areas of renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, and climate change impacts. The goals of the Applied Sciences Program are aligned with national initiatives such as the U.S. Climate Change Science and Technology Programs and with those of international organizations including the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). Activities within the Program are funded principally through proposals submitted in response to annual solicitations and reviewed by peers.

Optical MEMS for Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liotard, Arnaud; Viard, Thierry; Noell, Wilfried; Zamkotsian, Frédéric; Freire, Marco; Guldimann, Benedikt; Kraft, Stefan

2017-11-01

Due to the relatively large number of optical Earth Observation missions at ESA, this area is interesting for new space technology developments. In addition to their compactness, scalability and specific task customization, optical MEMS could generate new functions not available with current technologies and are thus candidates for the design of future space instruments. Most mature components for space applications are the digital mirror arrays, the micro-deformable mirrors, the programmable micro diffraction gratings and tiltable micromirrors. A first selection of market-pull and techno-push concepts is done. In addition, some concepts are coming from outside Earth Observation. Finally two concepts are more deeply analyzed. The first concept is a programmable slit for straylight control for space spectro-imagers. This instrument is a push-broom spectroimager for which some images cannot be exploited because of bright sources in the field-of-view. The proposed concept consists in replacing the current entrance spectrometer slit by an active row of micro-mirrors. The MEMS will permit to dynamically remove the bright sources and then to obtain a field-of-view with an optically enhanced signal-to-noise ratio. The second concept is a push-broom imager for which the acquired spectrum can be tuned by optical MEMS. This system is composed of two diffractive elements and a digital mirror array. The first diffractive element spreads the spectrum. A micromirror array is set at the location of the spectral focal plane. By putting the micro-mirrors ON or OFF, we can select parts of field-of-view or spectrum. The second diffractive element then recombines the light on a push-broom detector. Dichroics filters, strip filter, band-pass filter could be replaced by a unique instrument.

The Network Structure Underlying the Earth Observation Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitkin, S.; Doane, W. E. J.; Mary, J. C.

2017-12-01

The Earth Observations Assessment (EOA 2016) is a multiyear project designed to assess the effectiveness of civil earth observation data sources (instruments, sensors, models, etc.) on societal benefit areas (SBAs) for the United States. Subject matter experts (SMEs) provided input and scored how data sources inform products, product groups, key objectives, SBA sub-areas, and SBAs in an attempt to quantify the relationships between data sources and SBAs. The resulting data were processed by Integrated Applications Incorporated (IAI) using MITRE's PALMA software to create normalized relative impact scores for each of these relationships. However, PALMA processing obscures the natural network representation of the data. Any network analysis that might identify patterns of interaction among data sources, products, and SBAs is therefore impossible. Collaborating with IAI, we cleaned and recreated a network from the original dataset. Using R and Python we explore the underlying structure of the network and apply frequent itemset mining algorithms to identify groups of data sources and products that interact. We reveal interesting patterns and relationships in the EOA dataset that were not immediately observable from the EOA 2016 report and provide a basis for further exploration of the EOA network dataset.

Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua Launch and Early Mission Attitude Support Experiences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tracewell, D.; Glickman, J.; Hashmall, J.; Natanson, G.; Sedlak, J.

2003-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) Aqua satellite was successfully launched on May 4,2002. Aqua is the second in the series of EOS satellites. EOS is part of NASA s Earth Science Enterprise Program, whose goals are to advance the scientific understanding of the Earth system. Aqua is a three-axis stabilized, Earth-pointing spacecraft in a nearly circular, sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 705 km. The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Flight Dynamics attitude team supported all phases of the launch and early mission. This paper presents the main results and lessons learned during this period, including: real-time attitude mode transition support, sensor calibration, onboard computer attitude validation, response to spacecraft emergencies, postlaunch attitude analyses, and anomaly resolution. In particular, Flight Dynamics support proved to be invaluable for successful Earth acquisition, fine-point mode transition, and recognition and correction of several anomalies, including support for the resolution of problems observed with the MODIS instrument.

DMD-based programmable wide field spectrograph for Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamkotsian, Frédéric; Lanzoni, Patrick; Liotard, Arnaud; Viard, Thierry; Costes, Vincent; Hébert, Philippe-Jean

2015-03-01

In Earth Observation, Universe Observation and Planet Exploration, scientific return could be optimized in future missions using MOEMS devices. In Earth Observation, we propose an innovative reconfigurable instrument, a programmable wide-field spectrograph where both the FOV and the spectrum could be tailored thanks to a 2D micromirror array (MMA). For a linear 1D field of view (FOV), the principle is to use a MMA to select the wavelengths by acting on intensity. This component is placed in the focal plane of a first grating. On the MMA surface, the spatial dimension is along one side of the device and for each spatial point, its spectrum is displayed along the perpendicular direction: each spatial and spectral feature of the 1D FOV is then fully adjustable dynamically and/or programmable. A second stage with an identical grating recomposes the beam after wavelengths selection, leading to an output tailored 1D image. A mock-up has been designed, fabricated and tested. The micromirror array is the largest DMD in 2048 x 1080 mirrors format, with a pitch of 13.68μm. A synthetic linear FOV is generated and typical images have been recorded o at the output focal plane of the instrument. By tailoring the DMD, we could modify successfully each pixel of the input image: for example, it is possible to remove bright objects or, for each spatial pixel, modify the spectral signature. The very promising results obtained on the mock-up of the programmable wide-field spectrograph reveal the efficiency of this new instrument concept for Earth Observation.

VenSAR on EnVision: Taking earth observation radar to Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghail, Richard C.; Hall, David; Mason, Philippa J.; Herrick, Robert R.; Carter, Lynn M.; Williams, Ed

2018-02-01

Venus should be the most Earth-like of all our planetary neighbours: its size, bulk composition and distance from the Sun are very similar to those of Earth. How and why did it all go wrong for Venus? What lessons can be learned about the life story of terrestrial planets in general, in this era of discovery of Earth-like exoplanets? Were the radically different evolutionary paths of Earth and Venus driven solely by distance from the Sun, or do internal dynamics, geological activity, volcanic outgassing and weathering also play an important part? EnVision is a proposed ESA Medium class mission designed to take Earth Observation technology to Venus to measure its current rate of geological activity, determine its geological history, and the origin and maintenance of its hostile atmosphere, to understand how Venus and Earth could have evolved so differently. EnVision will carry three instruments: the Venus Emission Mapper (VEM); the Subsurface Radar Sounder (SRS); and VenSAR, a world-leading European phased array synthetic aperture radar that is the subject of this article. VenSAR will obtain images at a range of spatial resolutions from 30 m regional coverage to 1 m images of selected areas; an improvement of two orders of magnitude on Magellan images; measure topography at 15 m resolution vertical and 60 m spatially from stereo and InSAR data; detect cm-scale change through differential InSAR, to characterise volcanic and tectonic activity, and estimate rates of weathering and surface alteration; and characterise of surface mechanical properties and weathering through multi-polar radar data. These data will be directly comparable with Earth Observation radar data, giving geoscientists unique access to an Earth-sized planet that has evolved on a radically different path to our own, offering new insights on the Earth-sized exoplanets across the galaxy.

The Role of Earth Observations in "Valuing" Resources and the Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacAuley, M.

2007-12-01

A wide range of decisionmakers and analysts, including government and industry resource managers, financial lenders and insurers, ecologists, conservationists, and economists have long struggled with how to ascribe "value" to environmental resources. Despite other differences among these experts, all agree that accurate measures of the physical status of resources are essential as a basis for valuation. Earth observations from space offer some of these measures and as a result, are becoming an essential component of valuation-oriented resource management. This paper illustrates the use of earth observations in two growing applications: payments for environmental services and index insurance for livestock and agriculture. These applications are taking place both in the United States and in an increasing number of other countries. The paper also highlights issues of concern about these uses of earth observations, including short- and long-term availability of data and quality of data. These concerns call into question the viability of building valuation approaches upon a mere assumption of data supply.

Laser technology developments in support of ESA's earth observation missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand, Y.; Bézy, J.-L.; Meynart, R.

2008-02-01

Within the context of ESA's Living Planet Programme, the European Space Agency has selected three missions embarking lidar instruments: ADM-Aeolus (Atmospheric Dynamics Mission) planed for launch in 2009 with a Doppler Wind Lidar, ALADIN, as unique payload; EarthCARE (Earth Clouds, Aerosols, and Radiation Explorer) planed for launch in 2013 including an ATmospheric backscatter LIDar (ATLID); at last, A-SCOPE (Advanced Space Carbon and Climate Observation of Planet Earth), candidate for the 7 th Earth Explorer, relying on a CO II Total Column Differential Absorption Lidar. To mitigate the technical risks for selected missions associated with the different sorts of lidar, ESA has undertaken critical technology developments, from the transmitter to the receiver and covering both components and sub-systems development and characterization. The purpose of this paper is to present the latest results obtained in the area of laser technology that are currently ongoing in support to EarthCARE, A-SCOPE and ADM-Aeolus.

Earth Observations

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-28

ISS028-E-006059 (28 May 2011) --- One of the Expedition 28 crew members, photographing Earth images onboard the International Space Station while docked with the space shuttle Endeavour and flying at an altitude of just under 220 miles, captured this frame of the Salton Sea. The body of water, easily identifiable from low orbit spacecraft, is a saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault. The agricultural area is within the Coachella Valley.

DSCOVR: A New Perspective for Earth Observations from Space. Synergism and Complementarity with Existing Platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valero, F. P.

2011-12-01

The Sun-Earth Lagrange points L-1 and L-2 mark positions where the gravitational pull of the Earth and Sun precisely equals the centripetal force required to rotate with the Earth about the Sun with the same orbital period as the Earth. Therefore, a satellite maintained at one of these Lagrange points would keep the same relative position to the Sun and the Earth and be able to observe most points on the planet as the Earth rotates during the day. L-1 and L-2 are of particular interest because a satellite at either location can easily be maintained near the Sun-Earth line and views the entire daytime hemisphere from L-1 and the entire nighttime hemisphere from L-2. Since L-1 and L-2 are in the ecliptic plane, synoptic, high temporal-resolution observations would be obtained as every point on the planet, including both polar regions, transits from sunrise to sunset (L-1) or from sunset to sunrise (L-2). In summary, a pair of deep-space observatories, one at L-1 (daytime) and one at L-2 (nighttime), could acquire minute by minute climate quality data for essentially every point on Earth, all observations simultaneously for the whole planet. Such unique attributes are incorporated in the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) that will systematically observe climate drivers (radiation, aerosols, ozone, clouds, oxygen A-band) from L-1 in ways not possible but synergistically complementary with platforms in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). The combination of Solar Lagrange Points (located in the ecliptic plane) GEO (located in the equatorial plane) and LEO platforms would certainly provide a powerful observational tool as well as enriched data sets for Earth sciences. Such synergism is greatly enhanced when one considers the potential of utilizing LEO, GEO, and Lagrange point satellites as components of an integrated observational system. For example, satellites at L-1 and L-2 will view the Earth plus the Moon while simultaneously having in

The Earth Observing System. [instrument investigations for flight on EOS-A satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Stan; Dozier, Jeff

1991-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS), the centerpiece of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth, is to study the interactions of the atmosphere, land, oceans, and living organisms, using the perspective of space to observe the earth as a global environmental system. To better understand the role of clouds in global change, EOS will measure incoming and emitted radiation at the top of the atmosphere. Then, to study characteristics of the atmosphere that influence radiation transfer between the top of the atmosphere and the surface, EOS wil observe clouds, water vapor and cloud water, aerosols, temperature and humidity, and directional effects. To elucidate the role of anthropogenic greenhouse gas and terrestrial and marine plants as a source or sink for carbon, EOS will observe the biological productivity of lands and oceans. EOS will also study surface properties that affect biological productivity at high resolution spatially and spectrally.

Current NASA Earth Remote Sensing Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, Jeffrey C.; Sprigg, William A.; Huete, Alfredo; Pejanovic, Goran; Nickovic, Slobodan; Ponce-Campos, Guillermo; Krapfl, Heide; Budge, Amy; Zelicoff, Alan; Myers, Orrin;

Extending Value of Information Methods to Include the Co-Net Benefits of Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macauley, M.

2015-12-01

The widening relevance of Earth observations information across the spectrum of natural and environmental resources markedly enhances the value of these observations. An example is observations of forest extent, species composition, health, and change; this information can help in assessing carbon sequestration, biodiversity and habitat, watershed management, fuelwood potential, and other ecosystem services as well as inform the opportunity cost of forest removal for alternative land use such as agriculture, pasture, or development. These "stacked" indicators or co- net benefits add significant value to Earth observations. In part because of reliance on case studies, much previous research about the value of information from Earth observations has assessed individual applications rather than aggregate across applications, thus tending to undervalue the observations. Aggregating across applications is difficult, however, because it requires common units of measurement: controlling for spatial, spectral, and temporal attributes of the observations; and consistent application of value of information techniques. This paper will discuss general principles of co-net benefit aggregation and illustrate its application to attributing value to Earth observations.

The complex of robotic telescopes for observation of Earth's artificial satellites and near-Earth objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shulga, A. V.; Kozyrev, E. S.; Kovalchuk, A. N.; Chernozub, V. M.; Sibiryakova, E. S.; Bochkarev, A. B.; Lopachenko, V. V.; Ryhalsky, V. V.

2010-05-01

Modern tasks for orbit control of the Earth artificial satellites and objects approaching the Earth define high requirements to ground-based telescopes, which have to be equipped with fast objectives, CCD cameras with a chip size not less than two inches. The CCD camera has to work in different modes. The telescopes must be fully robotized, and have a control system with remote operation and alert mode. In cooperation between RI NAO and NSFCTC, the upgrade of the AZT-8 classical telescope, belonging to NSFCTC, was made. Two telescopes of original design, namely the Fast Robotic Telescope (FRT) and the Mobile Telescope (MobiTel) were made in RI NAO. The telescopes are equipped with absolute angle encoders, CCD cameras with Kodak KAF-09000 chips, GPS time service, robotic drives and an automatic control system. The telescope features, such as a telescope name, f-number, chip name and operating modes, pixel numbers, field of view, pixel sizes, pixel scale, limiting magnitude, the standard deviation are given in the following list: 1) AZT-8(NSFCTC), 0.7/2.8 m, FLI PL09000 stare, 3056x3056, 45x45', 12x12 μm, 0.9"/pix, 20m, 0.05"/0.15"; 2) FRT (NAO), 0.3/1.5 m, Alta U9000stare and drift-scan, 3056x3056, 1°24'x1°24', 12x12 μm, 1.6"/pix, 18m, 0.15"/0.40"; 3) MobiTel-0.5(NAO), 0.5/3.0 m, Alta U9000stare and drift-scan,3056x3056, 42x42, 12x12μm, 0.8"/pix, 19m,0.0"05"/0".15"; 4) MobiTel-0.3(NAO), 0.3/0.75 m, Alta U9000 stare and drift-scan, 3056x3056, 2°48x2°48', 12x12 μm, 3.2"/pix, 18 m, 0.20"/0.45". The telescopes are actively used for control of the near-Earth space as well as for the solution of problems connected with thepotentially hazardous asteroids and comets approaching the Earth. Combination of classical and original methods of observations allows us to carry out virtually any observing programme. Considering objects at geostationary orbits and at highly elliptical orbits, we are able to carry out the following types of observations: massive

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-17

ISS036-E-009405 (17 June 2013) --- One of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station, some 240 miles above Earth, used a 50mm lens to record this oblique nighttime image of a large part of the nation’s second largest state in area, including the four largest metropolitan areas in population. The extent of the metropolitan areas is easily visible at night due to city and highway lights. The largest metro area, Dallas-Fort Worth, often referred to informally as the Metroplex, is the heavily cloud-covered area at the top center of the photo. Neighboring Oklahoma, on the north side of the Red River, less than 100 miles to the north of the Metroplex, appears to be experiencing thunderstorms. The Houston metropolitan area, including the coastal city of Galveston, is at lower right. To the east near the Texas border with Louisiana, the metropolitan area of Beaumont-Port Arthur appears as a smaller blotch of light, also hugging the coast of the Texas Gulf. Moving inland to the left side of the picture one can delineate the San Antonio metro area. The capital city of Austin can be seen to the northeast of San Antonio. This and hundreds of thousands of other Earth photos taken by astronauts and cosmonauts over the past 50 years are available on http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-15

ISS043E194350 (05/15/2015) --- NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on the International Space Station tweeted this image out of an Earth observation image as part of his Space Geo trivia contest. Scott tweeted this comment and clue: "#SpaceGeo Four international borders in one photo from the International @Space_Station. Name them"! Two winners! Congrats to @TeacherWithTuba & @PC101!. The correct answer is :#SpaceGeo A: #Denmark #Norway #Sweden #Germany & #Poland. The winners will receive an autographed copy of this image when Scott returns to Earth in March 2016. Learn more about #SpaceGeo and play along every Wednesday for your chance to win: www.nasa.gov/feature/where-over-the-world-is-astronaut-sc...

Near-Earth Asteroid Physical Observations: 1993-1995

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skiff, B. A.; Buie, M. W.; Bowell, E.

1996-09-01

In September 1993, we initiated a regular program of photometric observations of Near-Earth objects. Since that time we have been allocated 5-7 nights per month at the 42'' Hall telescope at Anderson Mesa. There are three goals of our observing program for each asteroid: (1) to obtain an accurate rotation period and characterization of the lightcurve, (2) to obtain the surface color, and (3) to measure the photometric parameters, H and G. All of the lightcurve observations are made in Kron-Cousins R and we always obtain a V-R color. Limited ECAS colors are also obtained when the objects are bright enough. We have secured periods for 9 asteroids, 1864 Daedalus, 1866 Sisyphus, 3200 Phaethon, 4954 Eric, 5693 (1993 EA), 5836 (1993 MF), 6489 (1991 JX), 1993 QP, and 1993 WD. Some of these periods are a confimation of an earlier result but most are new. We obtained colors for all these objects as well as four additional asteroids, 5407 (1992 AX), 1993 UC, 1993 VW, and 1994 LW. We have additional (as yet unreduced) observations of 2062 Aten, 2212 Hephaistos, 3752 Camillo, 5143 Heracles, 5863 (1983 RB), 6053 (1993 BW3), 7025 (1993 QA), 7092 (1992 LC), 1989 VA, 1992 TC, 1994 RC, and 1995 YA3. The fastest rotation period we find is 2.402 hours for 1866 Sisyphus and the slowest is 93QP at ~ 24 hours. The colors for these objects range from V-R=0.34 for 3200 Phaethon to V-R=0.49 for 1866 Sisyphus and 4954 Eric. Most colors fall near V-R=0.43. These observations should help to provide a more complete understanding of the surface properties and rotational states of the Near-Earth asteroids. This work was supported by NASA Grant NAGW-1470.

OceanVideoLab: A Tool for Exploring Underwater Video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrini, V. L.; Morton, J. J.; Wiener, C.

2016-02-01

Video imagery acquired with underwater vehicles is an essential tool for characterizing seafloor ecosystems and seafloor geology. It is a fundamental component of ocean exploration that facilitates real-time operations, augments multidisciplinary scientific research, and holds tremendous potential for public outreach and engagement. Acquiring, documenting, managing, preserving and providing access to large volumes of video acquired with underwater vehicles presents a variety of data stewardship challenges to the oceanographic community. As a result, only a fraction of underwater video content collected with research submersibles is documented, discoverable and/or viewable online. With more than 1 billion users, YouTube offers infrastructure that can be leveraged to help address some of the challenges associated with sharing underwater video with a broad global audience. Anyone can post content to YouTube, and some oceanographic organizations, such as the Schmidt Ocean Institute, have begun live-streaming video directly from underwater vehicles. OceanVideoLab (oceanvideolab.org) was developed to help improve access to underwater video through simple annotation, browse functionality, and integration with related environmental data. Any underwater video that is publicly accessible on YouTube can be registered with OceanVideoLab by simply providing a URL. It is strongly recommended that a navigational file also be supplied to enable geo-referencing of observations. Once a video is registered, it can be viewed and annotated using a simple user interface that integrates observations with vehicle navigation data if provided. This interface includes an interactive map and a list of previous annotations that allows users to jump to times of specific observations in the video. Future enhancements to OceanVideoLab will include the deployment of a search interface, the development of an application program interface (API) that will drive the search and enable querying of

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-07-15

ISS040-E-063578 (15 July 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting International Space Station, flying some 225 nautical miles above the Caribbean Sea in the early morning hours of July 15, photographed this north-looking panorama that includes parts of Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida, and even runs into several other areas in the southeastern U.S. The long stretch of lights to the left of center frame gives the shape of Miami.

STS-34 earth observations

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-10-20

STS034-44-023 (20 Oct. 1989) --- The Southern Lights or Aurora Australis were photographed by the STS-34 crewmembers aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis. From the Shuttle astronauts can photograph expanses of auroras, an advantage over scientists on Earth who can only get small sections at a time in a frame of photography. The space position allows for large-scale changes. This scene was one of 26 shown to the press by the five STS-34 crewmembers at their post-flight press conference.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew.

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-03-13

Earth observation taken during a day pass by the Expedition 43 crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Sent as part of Twitter message: #HappyStPatrickDay with best wishes from the #E43 crew! From space you can see the “Emerald Isle” is very green!

Earth's colour unchanged since 1967: results from earthshine observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thejll, Peter; Flynn, Chris; Gleisner, Hans; Schwarz, Henriette

2014-05-01

The colour of Earthlight is a function of atmospheric, surface and ocean conditions because each scatters light in a characteristic way. The colour of Earth can in principle be determined and monitored from satellites - but geostationary satellites do not observe in multiple visual bands, and low Earth orbit platforms do not provide instantaneous colour pictures of the terrestrial disc. Observations of the dark side of the Moon - illuminated by earthlight - can be used to determine the terrestrial colour, and was done accurately in 1967 with astronomical photometric techniques. Until now, such techniques have not been re-applied. We report on multi-band visual photometry of the earthshine in 2011/2012. Scattered light in the atmosphere and the equipment is a difficult issue to circumvent - but for a unique pair of observations in the Johnson B and V bands we have a situation where scattered light cancels closely and thus we can estimate the Johnson B-V colours of the earthshine itself. By arguing on the basis of changes in reflected sunlight we can estimate the colour of the earthlight striking the Moon - and hence the colour of the Earth at that particular time. We find good agreement with the a measurement performed 47 years previously, and broad agreement with historic measurements from the 1920s and 30s. This similarity has fundamental consequences for the climate system feedback mechanisms, discussed in this poster.

Direct estimation of tidally induced Earth rotation variations observed by VLBI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Englich, S.; Heinkelmann, R.; BOHM, J.; Schuh, H.

2009-09-01

The subject of our study is the investigation of periodical variations induced by solid Earth tides and ocean tides in Earth rotation parameters (ERP: polar motion, UT1)observed by VLBI. There are two strategies to determine the amplitudes and phases of Earth rotation variations from observations of space geodetic techniques. The common way is to derive time series of Earth rotation parameters first and to estimate amplitudes and phases in a second step. Results obtained by this means were shown in previous studies for zonal tidal variations (Englich et al.; 2008a) and variations caused by ocean tides (Englich et al.; 2008b). The alternative method is to estimate the tidal parameters directly within the VLBI data analysis procedure together with other parameters such as station coordinates, tropospheric delays, clocks etc. The purpose of this work was the application of this direct method to a combined VLBI data analysis using the software packages OCCAM (Version 6.1, Gauss-Markov-Model) and DOGSCS (Gerstl et al.; 2001). The theoretical basis and the preparatory steps for the implementation of this approach are presented here.

GEOCAB Portal: A gateway for discovering and accessing capacity building resources in Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desconnets, Jean-Christophe; Giuliani, Gregory; Guigoz, Yaniss; Lacroix, Pierre; Mlisa, Andiswa; Noort, Mark; Ray, Nicolas; Searby, Nancy D.

2017-02-01

The discovery of and access to capacity building resources are often essential to conduct environmental projects based on Earth Observation (EO) resources, whether they are Earth Observation products, methodological tools, techniques, organizations that impart training in these techniques or even projects that have shown practical achievements. Recognizing this opportunity and need, the European Commission through two FP7 projects jointly with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) teamed up with the Committee on Earth observation Satellites (CEOS). The Global Earth Observation CApacity Building (GEOCAB) portal aims at compiling all current capacity building efforts on the use of EO data for societal benefits into an easily updateable and user-friendly portal. GEOCAB offers a faceted search to improve user discovery experience with a fully interactive world map with all inventoried projects and activities. This paper focuses on the conceptual framework used to implement the underlying platform. An ISO19115 metadata model associated with a terminological repository are the core elements that provide a semantic search application and an interoperable discovery service. The organization and the contribution of different user communities to ensure the management and the update of the content of GEOCAB are addressed.

Programmable wide field spectrograph for earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamkotsian, Frédéric; Lanzoni, Patrick; Liotard, Arnaud; Viard, Thierry; Costes, Vincent; Hébert, Philippe-Jean

2017-11-01

In Earth Observation, Universe Observation and Planet Exploration, scientific return of the instruments must be optimized in future missions. Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) could be key components in future generation of space instruments. These devices are based on the mature micro-electronics technology and in addition to their compactness, scalability, and specific task customization, they could generate new functions not available with current technologies. French and European space agencies, the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the European Space Agency (ESA) have initiated several studies with LAM and TAS for listing the new functions associated with several types of MEMS, and developing new ideas of instruments.

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System - EOSDIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramapriyan, Hampapuram K.

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the work of NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), a petabyte-scale archive of environmental data that supports global climate change research. The Earth Science Data Systems provide end-to-end capabilities to deliver data and information products to users in support of understanding the Earth system. The presentation contains photographs from space of recent events, (i.e., the effects of the tsunami in Japan, and the wildfires in Australia.) It also includes details of the Data Centers that provide the data to EOSDIS and Science Investigator-led Processing Systems. Information about the Land, Atmosphere Near-real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE) and some of the uses that the system has made possible are reviewed. Also included is information about how to access the data, and evolutionary plans for the future of the system.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-26

ISS007-E-18082 (26 October 2003) --- The fires in the San Bernardino Mountains, fueled by Santa Ana winds, burned out of control on the morning of Oct. 26, 2003, when these images were taken from the International Space Station at roughly 11 a.m. (PST). Thick yellow smoke blows south, blanketing the valley below. This image and ISS007-E-18078, looking southeast, capture the smoke pall as the ISS approached and passed over the region. Image numbers 18078 and 18082 were taken roughly a minute apart. A small break in the smoke marks Cajon pass. Content was provided by JSC’s Earth Observation Lab. The International Space Station Program {link to http://spaceflight.nasa.gov} supports the laboratory to help crew members take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth [link to http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/].

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-26

ISS007-E-18078 (26 October 2003) --- The fires in the San Bernardino Mountains, fueled by Santa Ana winds, burned out of control on the morning of Oct. 26, 2003, when these images were taken from the International Space Station at roughly 11 a.m. (PST). Thick yellow smoke blows south, blanketing the valley below. This image and ISS007-E-18082, looking southeast, capture the smoke pall as the ISS approached and passed over the region. Image numbers 18078 and 18082 were taken roughly a minute apart. A small break in the smoke marks Cajon pass. Content was provided by JSC’s Earth Observation Lab. The International Space Station Program {link to http://spaceflight.nasa.gov} supports the laboratory to help crew members take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth [link to http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/].

Towards disruptions in Earth observation? New Earth Observation systems and markets evolution: Possible scenarios and impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denis, Gil; Claverie, Alain; Pasco, Xavier; Darnis, Jean-Pierre; de Maupeou, Benoît; Lafaye, Murielle; Morel, Eric

2017-08-01

This paper reviews the trends in Earth observation (EO) and the possible impacts on markets of the new initiatives, launched either by existing providers of EO data or by new players, privately funded. After a presentation of the existing models, the paper discusses the new approaches, addressing both commercial and institutional markets. New concepts for the very high resolution markets, in Europe and in the US, are the main focus of this analysis. Two complementary perspectives are summarised: on the one hand, the type of system and its operational performance and, on the other, the related business models, concepts of operation and ownership schemes.

Video and seismic observations of Strombolian eruptions at Erebus volcano, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dibble, R. R.; Kyle, P. R.; Rowe, C. A.

2008-11-01

Between 1986 and 1990 the eruptive activity of Erebus volcano was monitored by a video camera with on-screen time code and recorded on video tape. Corresponding seismic and acoustic signals were recorded from a network of 6 geophones and 2 infrasonic microphones. Two hundred Strombolian explosions and three lava flows which were erupted from 7 vents were captured on video. In December 1986 the Strombolian eruptions ejected bombs and ash. In November 1987 large bubble-bursting Strombolian eruptions were observed. The bubbles burst when the bubble walls thinned to ˜ 20 cm. Explosions with bomb flight-times up to 14.5 s were accompanied by seismic signals with our local size estimate, "unified magnitudes" ( mu), up to 2.3. Explosions in pools of lava formed by flows in the Inner Crater were comparatively weak. Changes in eruptive activity occurred in 1987 when the lava lake was buried by a landslide from the crater wall. Two new vents formed and seismic activity peaked as the landslide was ingested. Lava flows from a vent on the eastern side of the crater formed small lakes and a vent on the north began to flow in 1990. By December 1990 the entire floor of the Inner Crater was buried by up to 20 000 m 3 of new lava. Different families of nearly identical eruption earthquakes occurred each year, whose foci were contained within small, shallow volumes. Immediately after several bubble-bursting eruptions, clear views of the empty vent were recorded. The vent was seen to taper downwards to about half its diameter at the bottom. Our observations confirm models of Strombolian eruptions suggesting they arise from gas slugs rising through a conduit into a flared vent.

Using Earth Observation to Forecast Human and Animal Vector-Borne Disease Outbreaks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Earth observing technologies, including data from with earth-orbiting satellites, coupled with new investigations and a better understanding of the impact of environmental factors on transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne diseases permitted us to forecast Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreaks in animal...

The Earth Observation Data for Habitat Monitoring (EODHaM) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, Richard; Blonda, Palma; Bunting, Peter; Jones, Gwawr; Inglada, Jordi; Arias, Marcela; Kosmidou, Vasiliki; Petrou, Zisis I.; Manakos, Ioannis; Adamo, Maria; Charnock, Rebecca; Tarantino, Cristina; Mücher, Caspar A.; Jongman, Rob H. G.; Kramer, Henk; Arvor, Damien; Honrado, Joāo Pradinho; Mairota, Paola

2015-05-01

To support decisions relating to the use and conservation of protected areas and surrounds, the EU-funded BIOdiversity multi-SOurce monitoring System: from Space TO Species (BIO_SOS) project has developed the Earth Observation Data for HAbitat Monitoring (EODHaM) system for consistent mapping and monitoring of biodiversity. The EODHaM approach has adopted the Food and Agriculture Organization Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) taxonomy and translates mapped classes to General Habitat Categories (GHCs) from which Annex I habitats (EU Habitats Directive) can be defined. The EODHaM system uses a combination of pixel and object-based procedures. The 1st and 2nd stages use earth observation (EO) data alone with expert knowledge to generate classes according to the LCCS taxonomy (Levels 1 to 3 and beyond). The 3rd stage translates the final LCCS classes into GHCs from which Annex I habitat type maps are derived. An additional module quantifies changes in the LCCS classes and their components, indices derived from earth observation, object sizes and dimensions and the translated habitat maps (i.e., GHCs or Annex I). Examples are provided of the application of EODHaM system elements to protected sites and their surrounds in Italy, Wales (UK), the Netherlands, Greece, Portugal and India.

NASA Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Health: Moving from Research to Operational End Users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haynes, J.; Estes, S. M.

2017-12-01

Health providers and researchers need environmental data to study and understand the geographic, environmental, and meteorological differences in disease. Satellite remote sensing of the environment offers a unique vantage point that can fill in the gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will demonstrate NASA's applied science programs efforts to transition from research to operations to benefit society. Satellite earth observations present a unique vantage point of the earth's environment from space, which offers a wealth of health applications for the imaginative investigator. The presentation is directly related to Earth Observing systems and Global Health Surveillance and will present research results of the remote sensing environmental observations of earth and health applications, which can contribute to the health research. As part of NASA approach and methodology they have used Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Health Models to provide a method for bridging gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will provide a venue where the results of both research and practice using satellite earth observations to study weather and it's role in health research and the transition to operational end users.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-10

ISS032-E-006129 (10 July 2012) --- Flooding in Krymsk in the Krasnodar region of southern Russia is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 32 crew member on the International Space Station. On the night of July 7, 2012 a major storm dumped more than a foot of water on the southern Russian area of Krasnodar, near the Black Sea. The resulting flood was likened to a tsunami, and to date, more than 170 people died, most from the city of Krymsk. The Moscow times reports that more than 19,000 people lost everything. This image taken by cosmonauts aboard the space station shows the city of Krymsk. The tan-colored areas indicate some of the regions that were flooded; the color is probably due to the mud and debris that were left by the floodwaters. Krymsk is located in the western foothills on the northern slope of the Caucasus Mountains?a range that stretches between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. The vast amount of rain quickly overwhelmed the small river channels that flow northward from the mountains to the Russian lowlands and the Kuban River; Krymsk, located on one of those tributaries, was directly in the pathway of the flash flood. As part of the international partner agreement to use the International Space Station to benefit humanity, crew members and other Earth observing instruments provide best-effort support to the International Disaster Charter (IDC) when it is activated by collecting imagery of areas on the ground impacted by natural events such as the flooding in Krymsk. This image was acquired July 10, 2012 in response to the IDC activation.

Observations of the earth using nighttime visible imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, J. L.

1983-01-01

The earth as viewed from space in visible light at night reveals some features not easily discernible during the day such as aurora, forest fires, city lights and gas flares. In addition, those features having a high albedo such as snow and ice can be identified on many moonlit nights nearly as well as they can in sunlight. The Air Force DMSP satellites have been operating in the visible wavelengths at night since the mid 1960s. Most all other satellites having optical sensors are incapable of imaging at night. Imaging systems having improved light sensitivity in the visible portion of the spectrum should be considered when planning future earth resources satellite missions in order to utilize nighttime as well as daytime visual observations.

Earth Observations taken during mission STS-111 UF-2

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-06-15

STS111-367-014 (5-19 June 2002) --- This view featuring Canadian forest fires was photographed by the STS-111 crewmembers aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. It represents an oblique view northward of one of the numerous fires observed and reported burning in the dry boreal forests of Saskatchewan and Manitoba during the month of June. The location of this one is roughly between Candle Lake, Saskatchewan and Lake Winnepegosis, Manitoba. The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth (link to http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/) provides searchable access to other photographs of Earth taken by astronauts.

Observations of low-energy electrons upstream of the earth's bow shock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reasoner, D. L.

1974-01-01

Observations of electron fluxes with a lunar-based electron spectrometer when the moon was upstream of the earth have shown that a subset of observed fluxes are strongly controlled by the interplanetary magnetic field direction. The fluxes occur only when the IMF lines connect back to the earth's bow shock. Observed densities and temperatures were in the ranges 2-4 x 0,001/cu cm and 1.7-2.8 x 1,000,000 K. It is shown that these electrons can account for increases in effective solar wind electron temperatures on bow-shock connected field lines which have been observed previously by other investigators. It is further shown that if a model of the bow shock with an electrostatic potential barrier is assumed, the potential can be estimated to be 500 volts.

ISS Expedition 42 Time Lapse Video of Earth

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-05-18

This time lapse video taken during ISS Expedition 42 is assembled from JSC still photo collection (still photos iss042e218184 - iss042e219070 ). Shows night time views over Egypt, Sinai, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or Canadarm in foreground.

Nimbus earth resources observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabatini, R. R.; Rabchevsky, G. A.; Sissala, J. E.

1971-01-01

The potential for utilizing data gathered by Nimbus satellites to study the earth surface and its physical properties is illustrated. The Nimbus data applicable to investigations of the earth and its resources, and to the problems of resolution and cloud cover are described. Geological, hydrological, and oceanographic applications are discussed. Applications of the data to other fields, such as cartography, agriculture, forestry, and urban analysis are presented. Relevant information is also given on the Nimbus orbit and experiments; surface and atmospheric effects on HRIR and THIR radiation measurements; and noise problems in the AVCS, IDCS, HRIR, and THIR data.

Semantics-enabled knowledge management for global Earth observation system of systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Roger L.; Durbha, Surya S.; Younan, Nicolas H.

2007-10-01

The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) is a distributed system of systems built on current international cooperation efforts among existing Earth observing and processing systems. The goal is to formulate an end-to-end process that enables the collection and distribution of accurate, reliable Earth Observation data, information, products, and services to both suppliers and consumers worldwide. One of the critical components in the development of such systems is the ability to obtain seamless access of data across geopolitical boundaries. In order to gain support and willingness to participate by countries around the world in such an endeavor, it is necessary to devise mechanisms whereby the data and the intellectual capital is protected through procedures that implement the policies specific to a country. Earth Observations (EO) are obtained from a multitude of sources and requires coordination among different agencies and user groups to come to a shared understanding on a set of concepts involved in a domain. It is envisaged that the data and information in a GEOSS context will be unprecedented and the current data archiving and delivery methods need to be transformed into one that allows realization of seamless interoperability. Thus, EO data integration is dependent on the resolution of conflicts arising from a variety of areas. Modularization is inevitable in distributed environments to facilitate flexible and efficient reuse of existing ontologies. Therefore, we propose a framework for modular ontologies based knowledge management approach for GEOSS and present methods to enable efficient reasoning in such systems.

Earth observation (Australia) taken by Galileo spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Earth observation of Australia was taken by Galileo Spacecraft after completing its first Earth Gravity Assist. Color image of the Simpson Desert in Australia was obtained by Galileo at about 2:30 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST), 12-08-90, at a range of more than 35,000 miles. The color composite was made from images taken through the red, green, and violet filters. The area shown, about 280 miles wide by about 340 miles north-to-south, is southeast of Alice Springs. At lower left is Lake Eyre, a salt lake below sea level, subject to seasonal water-level fluctuations; when this image was acquired the lake was nearly dry. At lower right is the greenish Lake Blanche. Fields of linear sand dunes stretch north and east of Lake Eyre, shaped by prevailing winds from the south and showing, in different colors, the various sources and/or ages of their sands. Photo provided by Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with alternate number P-37331, 12-19-90.

Building a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and Its Interoperability Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, B. J.

2015-12-01

Launched in 2005 by industrialized nations, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) began building the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Consisting of both a policy framework, and an information infrastructure, GEOSS, was intended to link and/or integrate the multitude of Earth observation systems, primarily operated by its Member Countries and Participating Organizations, so that users could more readily benefit from global information assets for a number of society's key environmental issues. It was recognized that having ready access to observations from multiple systems was a prerequisite for both environmental decision-making, as well as economic development. From the very start, it was also recognized that the shear complexity of the Earth's system cannot be captured by any single observation system, and that a federated, interoperable approach was necessary. While this international effort has met with much success, primarily in advancing broad, open data policies and practices, challenges remain. In 2014 (Geneva, Switzerland) and 2015 (Mexico City, Mexico), Ministers from GEO's Member Countries, including the European Commission, came together to assess progress made during the first decade (2005 to 2015), and approve implementation strategies and mechanisms for the second decade (2016 to 2025), respectively. The approved implementation strategies and mechanisms are intended to advance GEOSS development thereby facilitating the increased uptake of Earth observations for informed decision-making. Clearly there are interoperability challenges that are technological in nature, and several will be discussed in this presentation. There are, however, interoperability challenges that can be better characterized as economic, governmental and/or political in nature, and these will be discussed as well. With the emergence of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), and the United Nations

A survey and assessment of the capabilities of Cubesats for Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selva, Daniel; Krejci, David

2012-05-01

In less than a decade, Cubesats have evolved from purely educational tools to a standard platform for technology demonstration and scientific instrumentation. The use of COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) components and the ongoing miniaturization of several technologies have already led to scattered instances of missions with promising scientific value. Furthermore, advantages in terms of development cost and development time with respect to larger satellites, as well as the possibility of launching several dozens of Cubesats with a single rocket launch, have brought forth the potential for radically new mission architectures consisting of very large constellations or clusters of Cubesats. These architectures promise to combine the temporal resolution of GEO missions with the spatial resolution of LEO missions, thus breaking a traditional trade-off in Earth observation mission design. This paper assesses the current capabilities of Cubesats with respect to potential employment in Earth observation missions. A thorough review of Cubesat bus technology capabilities is performed, identifying potential limitations and their implications on 17 different Earth observation payload technologies. These results are matched to an exhaustive review of scientific requirements in the field of Earth observation, assessing the possibilities of Cubesats to cope with the requirements set for each one of 21 measurement categories. Based on this review, several Earth observation measurements are identified that can potentially be compatible with the current state-of-the-art of Cubesat technology although some of them have actually never been addressed by any Cubesat mission. Simultaneously, other measurements are identified which are unlikely to be performed by Cubesats in the next few years due to insuperable constraints. Ultimately, this paper is intended to supply a box of ideas for universities to design future Cubesat missions with high scientific payoff.

Experimenting with Sensor Webs Using Earth Observing 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mandl, Dan

2004-01-01

The New Millennium Program (NMP) Earth Observing 1 ( EO-1) satellite was launched November 21, 2000 as a one year technology validation mission. After an almost flawless first year of operations, EO-1 continued to operate in a test bed d e to validate additional technologies and concepts that will be applicable to future sensor webs. A sensor web is a group of sensors, whether space-based, ground-based or air plane-based which act in a collaborative autonomous manner to produce more value than would otherwise result from the individual observations.

Earth observations during Space Shuttle flight STS-35 - Columbia's Mission to Planet Earth, December 2-10, 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lulla, Kamlesh P.; Evans, Cynthia A.; Helfert, Michael R.; Brand, Vance D.; Gardner, Guy S.; Lounge, John M.; Hoffman, Jeffery A.; Parker, Robert A.; Durrance, Samuel T.; Parise, Ronald A.

1991-01-01

Some of the most significant earth-viewing imagery obtained during Space Shuttle Columbia's flight STS-35, December 2-10, 1990, is reviewed with emphasis on observations of the Southern Hemisphere. In particular, attention is given to environmental observations in areas of Madagascar, Brazil, and Persian Gulf; observation of land resources (Namibia, offshore Australia); and observations of ocean islands (Phillipines, Indonesia, and Reunion). Some of the photographs are included.

A remote sensing applications update: Results of interviews with Earth Observations Commercialization Program (EOCAP) participants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcvey, Sally

1991-01-01

Earth remote sensing is a uniquely valuable tool for large-scale resource management, a task whose importance will likely increase world-wide through the foreseeable future. NASA research and engineering have virtually created the existing U.S. system, and will continue to push the frontiers, primarily through Earth Observing System (EOS) instruments, research, and data and information systems. It is the researchers' view that the near-term health of remote sensing applications also deserves attention; it seems important not to abandon the system or its clients. The researchers suggest that, like its Landsat predecessor, a successful Earth Observing System program is likely to reinforce pressure to 'manage' natural resources, and consequently, to create more pressure for Earth Observations Commercialization (EOCAP) type applications. The current applications programs, though small, are valuable because of their technical and commercial results, and also because they support a community whose contributions will increase along with our ability to observe the Earth from space.

Feasibility of tuberculosis treatment monitoring by video directly observed therapy: a binational pilot study.

PubMed

Garfein, R S; Collins, K; Muñoz, F; Moser, K; Cerecer-Callu, P; Raab, F; Rios, P; Flick, A; Zúñiga, M L; Cuevas-Mota, J; Liang, K; Rangel, G; Burgos, J L; Rodwell, T C; Patrick, K

2015-09-01

Although directly observed therapy (DOT) is recommended worldwide for monitoring anti-tuberculosis treatment, transportation and personnel requirements limit its use. To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of 'video DOT' (VDOT), which allows patients to record and transmit medication ingestion via videos watched remotely by health care providers to document adherence. We conducted a single-arm trial among tuberculosis (TB) patients in San Diego, California, USA, (n = 43) and Tijuana, Mexico (n = 9) to represent high- and low-resource settings. Pre-/post-treatment interviews assessed participant characteristics and experiences. Adherence was defined as the proportion of observed doses to expected doses. The mean age was 37 years (range 18-86), 50% were male, and 88% were non-Caucasian. The mean duration of VDOT use was 5.5 months (range 1-11). Adherence was similar in San Diego (93%) and Tijuana (96%). Compared to time on in-person DOT, 92% preferred VDOT, 81% thought VDOT was more confidential, 89% never/rarely had problems recording videos, and 100% would recommend VDOT to others. Seven (13%) participants were returned to in-person DOT and six (12%) additional participants had their phones lost, broken or stolen. VDOT was feasible and acceptable, with high adherence in both high- and low-resource settings. Efficacy and cost-effectiveness studies are needed.

Results of Joint Observations of Jupiter's Atmosphere by Juno and a Network of Earth-Based Observing Stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, Glenn; Momary, Thomas; Bolton, Scott; Levin, Steven; Hansen, Candice; Janssen, Michael; Adriani, Alberto; Gladstone, G. Randall; Bagenal, Fran; Ingersoll, Andrew

2017-04-01

The Juno mission has promoted and coordinated a network of Earth-based observations, including both Earth-proximal and ground-based facilities, to extend and enhance observations made by the Juno mission. The spectral region and timeline of all of these observations are summarized in the web site: https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/planned-observations. Among the earliest of these were observation of Jovian auroral phenomena at X-ray, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths and measurements of Jovian synchrotron radiation from the Earth simultaneously with the measurement of properties of the upstream solar wind. Other observations of significance to the magnetosphere measured the mass loading from Io by tracking its observed volcanic activity and the opacity of its torus. Observations of Jupiter's neutral atmosphere included observations of reflected sunlight from the near-ultraviolet through the near-infrared and thermal emission from 5 μm through the radio region. The point of these measurements is to relate properties of the deep atmosphere that are the focus of Juno's mission to the state of the "weather layer" at much higher atmospheric levels. These observations cover spectral regions not included in Juno's instrumentation, provide spatial context for Juno's often spatially limited coverage of Jupiter, and they describe the evolution of atmospheric features in time that are measured only once by Juno. We will summarize the results of measurements during the approach phase of the mission that characterized the state of the atmosphere, as well as observations made by Juno and the supporting campaign during Juno's perijoves 1 (2016 August 27), 3 (2016 December 11), 4 (2017 February 2) and possibly "early" results from 5 (2017 March 27). Besides a global network of professional astronomers, the Juno mission also benefited from the enlistment of a network of dedicated amateur astronomers who provided a quasi-continuous picture of the evolution of features observed by

Building Capacity for Earth Observations in Support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blevins, B.; Prados, A. I.; Hook, E.

2017-12-01

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) looks to build a future where the international community uses Earth observations to make better, informed decisions. This includes application in international agreements such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. To do this, decision makers first need to build the necessary skills. NASA's Applied Remote Sensing Training program (ARSET) seeks to build capacity through remote sensing training. In-person and online trainings raise awareness, enable data access, and demonstrate applications of Earth observations. Starting in 2017, ARSET began offering training focused on applying Earth data to the UN SDGs. These trainings offer insight into applications of satellite data in support of implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the SDGs. This presentation will provide an overview of the use of NASA satellite data to track progress towards increased food security, disaster risk reduction, and conservation of natural resources for societal benefit. It will also include a discussion on capacity building best practices and lessons learned for using Earth observations to meet SDG targets, based on feedback from engaging over 800 participants from 89 nations and 580 organizations in ARSET SDG trainings.

An Information Architect's View of Earth Observations for Disaster Risk Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moe, K.; Evans, J. D.; Cappelaere, P. G.; Frye, S. W.; Mandl, D.; Dobbs, K. E.

2014-12-01

Satellite observations play a significant role in supporting disaster response and risk management, however data complexity is a barrier to broader use especially by the public. In December 2013 the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Working Group on Information Systems and Services documented a high-level reference model for the use of Earth observation satellites and associated products to support disaster risk management within the Global Earth Observation System of Systems context. The enterprise architecture identified the important role of user access to all key functions supporting situational awareness and decision-making. This paper focuses on the need to develop actionable information products from these Earth observations to simplify the discovery, access and use of tailored products. To this end, our team has developed an Open GeoSocial API proof-of-concept for GEOSS. We envision public access to mobile apps available on smart phones using common browsers where users can set up a profile and specify a region of interest for monitoring events such as floods and landslides. Information about susceptibility and weather forecasts about flood risks can be accessed. Users can generate geo-located information and photos of local events, and these can be shared on social media. The information architecture can address usability challenges to transform sensor data into actionable information, based on the terminology of the emergency management community responsible for informing the public. This paper describes the approach to collecting relevant material from the disasters and risk management community to address the end user needs for information. The resulting information architecture addresses the structural design of the shared information in the disasters and risk management enterprise. Key challenges are organizing and labeling information to support both online user communities and machine-to-machine processing for automated product generation.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-29

ISS040-E-005979 (29 May 2014) --- One of the Expedition 40 crew members aboard the International Space Station used a 200mm lens to photograph this image from 222 nautical miles above Earth showing Harris County and Galveston County, Texas plus several other surrounding counties, including a long stretch along the Gulf of Mexico (bottom left). The entirety of Galveston Bay is visible at bottom center. Just below center lies the 1625-acre site of NASA's Johnson Space Center, one of the training venues for all space station crew members and the nearby long-time area of residence for NASA astronauts.

Earth Observation System Flight Dynamics System Covariance Realism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaidi, Waqar H.; Tracewell, David

2016-01-01

This presentation applies a covariance realism technique to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observation System (EOS) Aqua and Aura spacecraft based on inferential statistics. The technique consists of three parts: collection calculation of definitive state estimates through orbit determination, calculation of covariance realism test statistics at each covariance propagation point, and proper assessment of those test statistics.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-04-14

ISS043E120523 (04/14/2015) --- NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on the International Space Station tweeted this earth observation image out on Apr. 14, 2015 as part of his Space Geo contest of "name this location": Scott tweeted this comment and clue: "#SpaceGeo! In 1962, former Astronaut John Glenn's Friendship 7 Mercury landed in this vicinity. Name it!"

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 46 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-01-23

ISS046e021993 (01/23/2016) --- Earth observation of the coast of Oman taken during a night pass by the Expedition 46 crew aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Tim Kopra tweeted this image out with this message: "Passing over the Gulf of #Oman at night -- city lights of #Muscat #Dubai #AbuDhabi and #Doha in the distance".

STS-56 ESC Earth observation of New Zealand (South Island)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

STS-56 electronic still camera (ESC) Earth observation image shows New Zealand (South Island) as recorded on the 45th orbit of Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. Westport is easily delineated in the image, which was recorded by the Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES). HERCULES is a device that makes it simple for shuttle crewmembers to take pictures of Earth as they merely point a modified 35mm camera and shoot any interesting feature, whose latitude and longitude are automatically determined in real-time. Center coordinates are 41.836 degrees south latitude and 171.641 degrees east longitude. (300mm lens, no filter). Digital file name is ESC07007.IMG.

Earth observation taken by the Expedition 43 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-04-21

ISS043E128768 (04/21/2015) --- NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on the International Space Station May 6, 2015 tweeted this image out of an Earth observation as part of his Space Geo trivia contest. Scott tweeted this comment and clue: "#SpaceGeo! A serpent is known for deceptive traits, but don’t let this snake pull the wool over your eyes. Name it!” Congratulations to @splinesmith for correctly identifying this image first, : #BighornRiver Montana/Wyoming named in 1805 for Bighorn sheep along its banks. He will receive an autographed copy of this image when Scott returns to Earth in March 2016. Learn more about #SpaceGeo and play along every Wednesday for your chance to win: http://www.nasa.gov/feature/where-over-the-world-is-astronaut-scott-kelly

Obtaining coincident image observations for Mission to Planet Earth science data return

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Lauri Kraft; Folta, David C.; Farrell, James P.

1994-01-01

One objective of the Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) program involves comparing data from various instruments on multiple spacecraft to obtain a total picture of the Earth's systems. To correlate image data from instruments on different spacecraft, these spacecraft must be able to image the same location on the Earth at approximately the same time. Depending on the orbits of the spacecraft involved, complicated operational details must be considered to obtain such observations. If the spacecraft are in similar orbits, close formation flying or synchronization techniques may be used to assure coincident observations. If the orbits are dissimilar, the launch time of the second satellite may need to be restricted in order to align its orbit with that of the first satellite launched. This paper examines strategies for obtaining coincident observations for spacecraft in both similar and dissimilar orbits. Although these calculations may be performed easily for coplanar spacecraft, the non-coplanar case involves additional considerations which are incorporated into the algorithms presented herein.

Spaceborne observations of a changing Earth - Contribution from ESÁ s operating and approved satellite missions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johannessen, J. A.

2009-04-01

The overall vision for ESÁs Earth Observation activities is to play a central role in developing the global capability to understand planet Earth, predict changes, and mitigate negative effects of global change on its populations. Since Earth observation from space first became possible more than forty years ago, it has become central to monitoring and understanding how the dynamics of the Earth System work. The greatest progress has been in meteorology, where space-based observations have become indispensable, but it is now also progressively penetrating many of the fields making up Earth sciences. Exploiting Earth observation from space presents major multidisciplinary challenges to the researches working in the Earth sciences, to the technologists who build the state-of-the-art sensors, and to the scientists interpreting measurements made of processes occurring on or within the Earth's surface and in its atmosphere. The scientific community has shown considerable imagination in rising to these challenges, and in exploiting the latest technological developments to measure from space the complex processes and interactions that occur in the Earth System. In parallel, there has been significant progress in developing computer models that represent the many processes that make up the Earth System, and the interactions and feedback between them. Success in developing this holistic view is inextricably linked to the data provided by Earth Observation systems. Satellites provide the fundamental, consistent, regular and global measurements needed to drive, parameterise, test and improve those Earth System models. These developments, together with changes in society's awareness of the need for information on a changing world, have repetitively supported the decisions on how ESA can best focus its resources, and those of the European community that it serves, in order to address critical issues in Earth System science. Moreover, it is a fact that many operational

Establishing the reliability of rhesus macaque social network assessment from video observations

PubMed Central

Feczko, Eric; Mitchell, Thomas A. J.; Walum, Hasse; Brooks, Jenna M.; Heitz, Thomas R.; Young, Larry J.; Parr, Lisa A.

2015-01-01

Understanding the properties of a social environment is important for understanding the dynamics of social relationships. Understanding such dynamics is relevant for multiple fields, ranging from animal behaviour to social and cognitive neuroscience. To quantify social environment properties, recent studies have incorporated social network analysis. Social network analysis quantifies both the global and local properties of a social environment, such as social network efficiency and the roles played by specific individuals, respectively. Despite the plethora of studies incorporating social network analysis, methods to determine the amount of data necessary to derive reliable social networks are still being developed. Determining the amount of data necessary for a reliable network is critical for measuring changes in the social environment, for example following an experimental manipulation, and therefore may be critical for using social network analysis to statistically assess social behaviour. In this paper, we extend methods for measuring error in acquired data and for determining the amount of data necessary to generate reliable social networks. We derived social networks from a group of 10 male rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, for three behaviours: spatial proximity, grooming and mounting. Behaviours were coded using a video observation technique, where video cameras recorded the compound where the 10 macaques resided. We collected, coded and used 10 h of video data to construct these networks. Using the methods described here, we found in our data that 1 h of spatial proximity observations produced reliable social networks. However, this may not be true for other studies due to differences in data acquisition. Our results have broad implications for measuring and predicting the amount of error in any social network, regardless of species. PMID:26392632

NASA Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models and Decisions Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Sue; Haynes, John; Omar, Ali

2013-01-01

Health and Air Quality providers and researchers need environmental data to study and understand the geographic, environmental, and meteorological differences in disease. Satellite remote sensing of the environment offers a unique vantage point that can fill in the gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will demonstrate the need for collaborations between multi-disciplinary research groups to develop the full potential of utilizing Earth Observations in studying health. Satellite earth observations present a unique vantage point of the earth's environment from space, which offers a wealth of health applications for the imaginative investigator. The presentation is directly related to Earth Observing systems and Global Health Surveillance and will present research results of the remote sensing environmental observations of earth and health applications, which can contribute to the public health and air quality research. As part of NASA approach and methodology they have used Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models to provide a method for bridging gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will provide an overview of projects dealing with infectious diseases, water borne diseases and air quality and how many environmental variables effect human health. This presentation will provide a venue where the results of both research and practice using satellite earth observations to study weather and it's role in public health research.

NASA Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models and Decisions Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Sue; Haynes, John; Omar, Ali

2012-01-01

Health and Air Quality providers and researchers need environmental data to study and understand the geographic, environmental, and meteorological differences in disease. Satellite remote sensing of the environment offers a unique vantage point that can fill in the gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will demonstrate the need for collaborations between multi-disciplinary research groups to develop the full potential of utilizing Earth Observations in studying health. Satellite earth observations present a unique vantage point of the earth's environment from space, which offers a wealth of health applications for the imaginative investigator. The presentation is directly related to Earth Observing systems and Global Health Surveillance and will present research results of the remote sensing environmental observations of earth and health applications, which can contribute to the public health and air quality research. As part of NASA approach and methodology they have used Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models to provide a method for bridging gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will provide an overview of projects dealing with infectious diseases, water borne diseases and air quality and how many environmental variables effect human health. This presentation will provide a venue where the results of both research and practice using satellite earth observations to study weather and it's role in public health research.

Information Requirements for Integrating Spatially Discrete, Feature-Based Earth Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horsburgh, J. S.; Aufdenkampe, A. K.; Lehnert, K. A.; Mayorga, E.; Hsu, L.; Song, L.; Zaslavsky, I.; Valentine, D. L.

2014-12-01

Several cyberinfrastructures have emerged for sharing observational data collected at densely sampled and/or highly instrumented field sites. These include the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System (HIS), the Critical Zone Observatory Integrated Data Management System (CZOData), the Integrated Earth Data Applications (IEDA) and EarthChem system, and the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). These systems rely on standard data encodings and, in some cases, standard semantics for classes of geoscience data. Their focus is on sharing data on the Internet via web services in domain specific encodings or markup languages. While they have made progress in making data available, it still takes investigators significant effort to discover and access datasets from multiple repositories because of inconsistencies in the way domain systems describe, encode, and share data. Yet, there are many scenarios that require efficient integration of these data types across different domains. For example, understanding a soil profile's geochemical response to extreme weather events requires integration of hydrologic and atmospheric time series with geochemical data from soil samples collected over various depth intervals from soil cores or pits at different positions on a landscape. Integrated access to and analysis of data for such studies are hindered because common characteristics of data, including time, location, provenance, methods, and units are described differently within different systems. Integration requires syntactic and semantic translations that can be manual, error-prone, and lossy. We report information requirements identified as part of our work to define an information model for a broad class of earth science data - i.e., spatially-discrete, feature-based earth observations resulting from in-situ sensors and environmental samples. We sought to answer the question: "What information must accompany observational data for them to be archivable and discoverable within

Fostering Earth Observation Regional Networks - Integrative and iterative approaches to capacity building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habtezion, S.

2015-12-01

Fostering Earth Observation Regional Networks - Integrative and iterative approaches to capacity building Fostering Earth Observation Regional Networks - Integrative and iterative approaches to capacity building Senay Habtezion (shabtezion@start.org) / Hassan Virji (hvirji@start.org)Global Change SySTem for Analysis, Training and Research (START) (www.start.org) 2000 Florida Avenue NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20009 USA As part of the Global Observation of Forest and Land Cover Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD) project partnership effort to promote use of earth observations in advancing scientific knowledge, START works to bridge capacity needs related to earth observations (EOs) and their applications in the developing world. GOFC-GOLD regional networks, fostered through the support of regional and thematic workshops, have been successful in (1) enabling participation of scientists for developing countries and from the US to collaborate on key GOFC-GOLD and Land Cover and Land Use Change (LCLUC) issues, including NASA Global Data Set validation and (2) training young developing country scientists to gain key skills in EOs data management and analysis. Members of the regional networks are also engaged and reengaged in other EOs programs (e.g. visiting scientists program; data initiative fellowship programs at the USGS EROS Center and Boston University), which has helped strengthen these networks. The presentation draws from these experiences in advocating for integrative and iterative approaches to capacity building through the lens of the GOFC-GOLD partnership effort. Specifically, this presentation describes the role of the GODC-GOLD partnership in nurturing organic networks of scientists and EOs practitioners in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.