Sample records for earth spaceborne imaging

  1. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C instrument

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huneycutt, Bryan L.

    1993-01-01

    The Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C is the next radar in the series of spaceborne radar experiments, which began with Seasat and continued with SIR-A and SIR-B. The SIR-C instrument has been designed to obtain simultaneous multifrequency and simultaneous multipolarization radar images from a low earth orbit. It is a multiparameter imaging radar that will be flown during at least two different seasons. The instrument operates in the squint alignment mode, the extended aperture mode, the scansar mode, and the interferometry mode. The instrument uses engineering techniques such as beam nulling for echo tracking, pulse repetition frequency hopping for Doppler centroid tracking, generating the frequency step chirp for radar parameter flexibility, block floating-point quantizing for data rate compression, and elevation beamwidth broadening for increasing the swath illumination.

  2. The Geoscience Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Technical Committees Calibration and Validation Workshop

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ong, Cindy; Mueller, Andreas; Thome, Kurtis; Pierce, Leland E.; Malthus, Timothy

    2016-01-01

    Calibration is the process of quantitatively defining a system's responses to known, controlled signal inputs, and validation is the process of assessing, by independent means, the quality of the data products derived from those system outputs [1]. Similar to other Earth observation (EO) sensors, the calibration and validation of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy sensors is a fundamental underpinning activity. Calibration and validation determine the quality and integrity of the data provided by spaceborne imaging spectroscopy sensors and have enormous downstream impacts on the accuracy and reliability of products generated from these sensors. At least five imaging spectroscopy satellites are planned to be launched within the next five years, with the two most advanced scheduled to be launched in the next two years [2]. The launch of these sensors requires the establishment of suitable, standardized, and harmonized calibration and validation strategies to ensure that high-quality data are acquired and comparable between these sensor systems. Such activities are extremely important for the community of imaging spectroscopy users. Recognizing the need to focus on this underpinning topic, the Geoscience Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy (previously, the International Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy) Technical Committee launched a calibration and validation initiative at the 2013 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) in Melbourne, Australia, and a post-conference activity of a vicarious calibration field trip at Lake Lefroy in Western Australia.

  3. Spaceborne imaging radar research in the 90's

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elachi, Charles

    1986-01-01

    The imaging radar experiments on SEASAT and on the space shuttle (SIR-A and SIR-B) have led to a wide interest in the use of spaceborne imaging radars in Earth and planetary sciences. The radar sensors provide unique and complimentary information to what is acquired with visible and infrared imagers. This includes subsurface imaging in arid regions, all weather observation of ocean surface dynamic phenomena, structural mapping, soil moisture mapping, stereo imaging and resulting topographic mapping. However, experiments up to now have exploited only a very limited range of the generic capability of radar sensors. With planned sensor developments in the late 80's and early 90's, a quantum jump will be made in our ability to fully exploit the potential of these sensors. These developments include: multiparameter research sensors such as SIR-C and X-SAR, long-term and global monitoring sensors such as ERS-1, JERS-1, EOS, Radarsat, GLORI and the spaceborne sounder, planetary mapping sensors such as the Magellan and Cassini/Titan mappers, topographic three-dimensional imagers such as the scanning radar altimeter and three-dimensional rain mapping. These sensors and their associated research are briefly described.

  4. The Second Spaceborne Imaging Radar Symposium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1986-01-01

    Summaries of the papers presented at the Second Spaceborne Imaging Radar Symposium are presented. The purpose of the symposium was to present an overwiew of recent developments in the different scientific and technological fields related to spaceborne imaging radars and to present future international plans.

  5. An advanced scanning method for space-borne hyper-spectral imaging system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yue-ming; Lang, Jun-Wei; Wang, Jian-Yu; Jiang, Zi-Qing

    2011-08-01

    Space-borne hyper-spectral imagery is an important means for the studies and applications of earth science. High cost efficiency could be acquired by optimized system design. In this paper, an advanced scanning method is proposed, which contributes to implement both high temporal and spatial resolution imaging system. Revisit frequency and effective working time of space-borne hyper-spectral imagers could be greatly improved by adopting two-axis scanning system if spatial resolution and radiometric accuracy are not harshly demanded. In order to avoid the quality degradation caused by image rotation, an idea of two-axis rotation has been presented based on the analysis and simulation of two-dimensional scanning motion path and features. Further improvement of the imagers' detection ability under the conditions of small solar altitude angle and low surface reflectance can be realized by the Ground Motion Compensation on pitch axis. The structure and control performance are also described. An intelligent integration technology of two-dimensional scanning and image motion compensation is elaborated in this paper. With this technology, sun-synchronous hyper-spectral imagers are able to pay quick visit to hot spots, acquiring both high spatial and temporal resolution hyper-spectral images, which enables rapid response of emergencies. The result has reference value for developing operational space-borne hyper-spectral imagers.

  6. Spaceborne electronic imaging systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1971-01-01

    Criteria and recommended practices for the design of the spaceborne elements of electronic imaging systems are presented. A spaceborne electronic imaging system is defined as a device that collects energy in some portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with detector(s) whose direct output is an electrical signal that can be processed (using direct transmission or delayed transmission after recording) to form a pictorial image. This definition encompasses both image tube systems and scanning point-detector systems. The intent was to collect the design experience and recommended practice of the several systems possessing the common denominator of acquiring images from space electronically and to maintain the system viewpoint rather than pursuing specialization in devices. The devices may be markedly different physically, but each was designed to provide a particular type of image within particular limitations. Performance parameters which determine the type of system selected for a given mission and which influence the design include: Sensitivity, Resolution, Dynamic range, Spectral response, Frame rate/bandwidth, Optics compatibility, Image motion, Radiation resistance, Size, Weight, Power, and Reliability.

  7. Proceedings of the Third Spaceborne Imaging Radar Symposium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1993-01-01

    This publication contains summaries of the papers presented at the Third Spaceborne Imaging Radar Symposium held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena, California, on 18-21 Jan. 1993. The purpose of the symposium was to present an overview of recent developments in the different scientific and technological fields related to spaceborne imaging radars and to present future international plans. This symposium is the third in a series of 'Spaceborne Imaging Radar' symposia held at JPL. The first symposium was held in Jan. 1983 and the second in 1986.

  8. Spaceborne Microwave Imagers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stacey, J. M.

    1991-01-01

    Monograph presents comprehensive overview of science and technology of spaceborne microwave-imaging systems. Microwave images used as versatile orbiting, remote-sensing systems to investigate atmospheres and surfaces of planets. Detect surface objects through canopies of clouds, measure distributions of raindrops in clouds that their views penetrate, find meandering rivers in rain forests and underground water in arid regions, and provide information on ocean currents, wakes, ice/water boundaries, aircraft, ships, buoys, and bridges.

  9. Target detection method by airborne and spaceborne images fusion based on past images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Shanjing; Kang, Qing; Wang, Zhenggang; Shen, ZhiQiang; Pu, Huan; Han, Hao; Gu, Zhongzheng

    2017-11-01

    To solve the problem that remote sensing target detection method has low utilization rate of past remote sensing data on target area, and can not recognize camouflage target accurately, a target detection method by airborne and spaceborne images fusion based on past images is proposed in this paper. The target area's past of space remote sensing image is taken as background. The airborne and spaceborne remote sensing data is fused and target feature is extracted by the means of airborne and spaceborne images registration, target change feature extraction, background noise suppression and artificial target feature extraction based on real-time aerial optical remote sensing image. Finally, the support vector machine is used to detect and recognize the target on feature fusion data. The experimental results have established that the proposed method combines the target area change feature of airborne and spaceborne remote sensing images with target detection algorithm, and obtains fine detection and recognition effect on camouflage and non-camouflage targets.

  10. Spaceborne Imaging Radar Symposium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elachi, C.

    1983-01-01

    An overview of the present state of the art in the different scientific and technological fields related to spaceborne imaging radars was presented. The data acquired with the SEASAT SAR (1978) and Shuttle Imaging Radar, SIR-A (1981) clearly demonstrated the important emphasis in the 80's is going to be on in-depth research investigations conducted with the more flexible and sophisticated SIR series instruments and on long term monitoring of geophysical phenomena conducted from free-flying platforms such as ERS-1 and RADARSAT.

  11. Remote sensing with spaceborne synthetic aperture imaging radars: A review

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cimino, J. B.; Elachi, C.

    1983-01-01

    A review is given of remote sensing with Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR's). In 1978, a spaceborne SA was flown on the SEASAT satellite. It acquired high resulution images over many regions in North America and the North Pacific. The acquired data clearly demonstrate the capability of spaceborne SARs to: image and track polar ice floes; image ocean surface patterns including swells, internal waves, current boundaries, weather boundaries and vessels; and image land features which are used to acquire information about the surface geology and land cover. In 1981, another SAR was flown on the second shuttle flight. This Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-A) acquired land and ocean images over many areas around the world. The emphasis of the SIR-A experiment was mainly toward geologic mapping. Some of the key results of the SIR-A experiment are given.

  12. Report on International Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Technical Committee Calibration and Validation Workshop, National Environment Research Council Field Spectroscopy Facility, University of Edinburgh

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ong, C,; Mueller, A.; Thome, K.; Bachmann, M.; Czapla-Myers, J.; Holzwarth, S.; Khalsa, S. J.; Maclellan, C.; Malthus, T.; Nightingale, J.; hide

    2016-01-01

    Calibration and validation are fundamental for obtaining quantitative information from Earth Observation (EO) sensor data. Recognising this and the impending launch of at least five sensors in the next five years, the International Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Technical Committee instigated a calibration and validation initiative. A workshop was conducted recently as part of this initiative with the objective of establishing a good practice framework for radiometric and spectral calibration and validation in support of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy missions. This paper presents the outcomes and recommendations for future work arising from the workshop.

  13. Accuracy of mapping the Earth's gravity field fine structure with a spaceborne gravity gradiometer mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kahn, W. D.

    1984-01-01

    The spaceborne gravity gradiometer is a potential sensor for mapping the fine structure of the Earth's gravity field. Error analyses were performed to investigate the accuracy of the determination of the Earth's gravity field from a gravity field satellite mission. The orbital height of the spacecraft is the dominating parameter as far as gravity field resolution and accuracies are concerned.

  14. Research on Geometric Calibration of Spaceborne Linear Array Whiskbroom Camera

    PubMed Central

    Sheng, Qinghong; Wang, Qi; Xiao, Hui; Wang, Qing

    2018-01-01

    The geometric calibration of a spaceborne thermal-infrared camera with a high spatial resolution and wide coverage can set benchmarks for providing an accurate geographical coordinate for the retrieval of land surface temperature. The practice of using linear array whiskbroom Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) arrays to image the Earth can help get thermal-infrared images of a large breadth with high spatial resolutions. Focusing on the whiskbroom characteristics of equal time intervals and unequal angles, the present study proposes a spaceborne linear-array-scanning imaging geometric model, whilst calibrating temporal system parameters and whiskbroom angle parameters. With the help of the YG-14—China’s first satellite equipped with thermal-infrared cameras of high spatial resolution—China’s Anyang Imaging and Taiyuan Imaging are used to conduct an experiment of geometric calibration and a verification test, respectively. Results have shown that the plane positioning accuracy without ground control points (GCPs) is better than 30 pixels and the plane positioning accuracy with GCPs is better than 1 pixel. PMID:29337885

  15. Spaceborne radar observations: A guide for Magellan radar-image analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ford, J. P.; Blom, R. G.; Crisp, J. A.; Elachi, Charles; Farr, T. G.; Saunders, R. Stephen; Theilig, E. E.; Wall, S. D.; Yewell, S. B.

    1989-01-01

    Geologic analyses of spaceborne radar images of Earth are reviewed and summarized with respect to detecting, mapping, and interpreting impact craters, volcanic landforms, eolian and subsurface features, and tectonic landforms. Interpretations are illustrated mostly with Seasat synthetic aperture radar and shuttle-imaging-radar images. Analogies are drawn for the potential interpretation of radar images of Venus, with emphasis on the effects of variation in Magellan look angle with Venusian latitude. In each landform category, differences in feature perception and interpretive capability are related to variations in imaging geometry, spatial resolution, and wavelength of the imaging radar systems. Impact craters and other radially symmetrical features may show apparent bilateral symmetry parallel to the illumination vector at low look angles. The styles of eruption and the emplacement of major and minor volcanic constructs can be interpreted from morphological features observed in images. Radar responses that are governed by small-scale surface roughness may serve to distinguish flow types, but do not provide unambiguous information. Imaging of sand dunes is rigorously constrained by specific angular relations between the illumination vector and the orientation and angle of repose of the dune faces, but is independent of radar wavelength. With a single look angle, conditions that enable shallow subsurface imaging to occur do not provide the information necessary to determine whether the radar has recorded surface or subsurface features. The topographic linearity of many tectonic landforms is enhanced on images at regional and local scales, but the detection of structural detail is a strong function of illumination direction. Nontopographic tectonic lineaments may appear in response to contrasts in small-surface roughness or dielectric constant. The breakpoint for rough surfaces will vary by about 25 percent through the Magellan viewing geometries from low to high

  16. Drought stress and carbon uptake in an Amazon forest measured with spaceborne imaging spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Asner, Gregory P.; Nepstad, Daniel; Cardinot, Gina; Ray, David

    2004-01-01

    Amazônia contains vast stores of carbon in high-diversity ecosystems, yet this region undergoes major changes in precipitation affecting land use, carbon dynamics, and climate. The extent and structural complexity of Amazon forests impedes ground studies of ecosystem functions such as net primary production (NPP), water cycling, and carbon sequestration. Traditional modeling and remote-sensing approaches are not well suited to tropical forest studies, because (i) biophysical mechanisms determining drought effects on canopy water and carbon dynamics are poorly known, and (ii) remote-sensing metrics of canopy greenness may be insensitive to small changes in leaf area accompanying drought. New spaceborne imaging spectroscopy may detect drought stress in tropical forests, helping to monitor forest physiology and constrain carbon models. We combined a forest drought experiment in Amazônia with spaceborne imaging spectrometer measurements of this area. With field data on rainfall, soil water, and leaf and canopy responses, we tested whether spaceborne hyperspectral observations quantify differences in canopy water and NPP resulting from drought stress. We found that hyperspectral metrics of canopy water content and light-use efficiency are highly sensitive to drought. Using these observations, forest NPP was estimated with greater sensitivity to drought conditions than with traditional combinations of modeling, remote-sensing, and field measurements. Spaceborne imaging spectroscopy will increase the accuracy of ecological studies in humid tropical forests. PMID:15071182

  17. A Multi-Frequency Wide-Swath Spaceborne Cloud and Precipitation Imaging Radar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Li, Lihua; Racette, Paul; Heymsfield, Gary; McLinden, Matthew; Venkatesh, Vijay; Coon, Michael; Perrine, Martin; Park, Richard; Cooley, Michael; Stenger, Pete; hide

    2016-01-01

    Microwave and millimeter-wave radars have proven their effectiveness in cloud and precipitation observations. The NASA Earth Science Decadal Survey (DS) Aerosol, Cloud and Ecosystems (ACE) mission calls for a dual-frequency cloud radar (W band 94 GHz and Ka-band 35 GHz) for global measurements of cloud microphysical properties. Recently, there have been discussions of utilizing a tri-frequency (KuKaW-band) radar for a combined ACE and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) follow-on mission that has evolved into the Cloud and Precipitation Process Mission (CaPPM) concept. In this presentation we will give an overview of the technology development efforts at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and at Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems (NGES) through projects funded by the NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Instrument Incubator Program (IIP). Our primary objective of this research is to advance the key enabling technologies for a tri-frequency (KuKaW-band) shared-aperture spaceborne imaging radar to provide unprecedented, simultaneous multi-frequency measurements that will enhance understanding of the effects of clouds and precipitation and their interaction on Earth climate change. Research effort has been focused on concept design and trade studies of the tri-frequency radar; investigating architectures that provide tri-band shared-aperture capability; advancing the development of the Ka band active electronically scanned array (AESA) transmitreceive (TR) module, and development of the advanced radar backend electronics.

  18. Resolution versus speckle relative to geologic interpretability of spaceborne radar images - A survey of user preference

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ford, J. P.

    1982-01-01

    A survey conducted to evaluate user preference for resolution versus speckle relative to the geologic interpretability of spaceborne radar images is discussed. Thirteen different resolution/looks combinations are simulated from Seasat synthetic-aperture radar data of each of three test sites. The SAR images were distributed with questionnaires for analysis to 85 earth scientists. The relative discriminability of geologic targets at each test site for each simulation of resolution and speckle on the images is determined on the basis of a survey of the evaluations. A large majority of the analysts respond that for most targets a two-look image at the highest simulated resolution is best. For a constant data rate, a higher resolution is more important for target discrimination than a higher number of looks. It is noted that sand dunes require more looks than other geologic targets. At all resolutions, multiple-look images are preferred over the corresponding single-look image. In general, the number of multiple looks that is optimal for discriminating geologic targets is inversely related to the simulated resolution.

  19. A Conceptual Design For A Spaceborne 3D Imaging Lidar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Degnan, John J.; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    First generation spaceborne altimetric approaches are not well-suited to generating the few meter level horizontal resolution and decimeter accuracy vertical (range) resolution on the global scale desired by many in the Earth and planetary science communities. The present paper discusses the major technological impediments to achieving few meter transverse resolutions globally using conventional approaches and offers a feasible conceptual design which utilizes modest power kHz rate lasers, array detectors, photon-counting multi-channel timing receivers, and dual wedge optical scanners with transmitter point-ahead correction.

  20. Science Results from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR): Progress Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Evans, Diane L. (Editor); Plaut, Jeffrey (Editor)

    1996-01-01

    The Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is the most advanced imaging radar system to fly in Earth orbit. Carried in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Endeavour in April and October of 1994, SIR-C/X-SAR simultaneously recorded SAR data at three wavelengths (L-, C-, and X-bands; 23.5, 5.8, and 3.1 cm, respectively). The SIR-C/X-SAR Science Team consists of 53 investigator teams from more than a dozen countries. Science investigations were undertaken in the fields of ecology, hydrology, ecology, and oceanography. This report contains 44 investigator team reports and several additional reports from coinvestigators and other researchers.

  1. Conceptual study of Earth observation missions with a space-borne laser scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kobayashi, Takashi; Sato, Yohei; Yamakawa, Shiro

    2017-11-01

    The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has started a conceptual study of earth observation missions with a space-borne laser scanner (GLS, as Global Laser Scanner). Laser scanners are systems which transmit intense pulsed laser light to the ground from an airplane or a satellite, receive the scattered light, and measure the distance to the surface from the round-trip delay time of the pulse. With scanning mechanisms, GLS can obtain high-accuracy three-dimensional (3D) information from all over the world. High-accuracy 3D information is quite useful in various areas. Currently, following applications are considered. 1. Observation of tree heights to estimate the biomass quantity. 2. Making the global elevation map with high resolution. 3. Observation of ice-sheets. This paper aims at reporting the present state of our conceptual study of the GLS. A prospective performance of the GLS for earth observation missions mentioned above.

  2. Science Measurement Requirements for Imaging Spectrometers from Airborne to Spaceborne

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, Robert O.; Asner, Gregory P.; Boardman, Joseph; Ungar, Stephen; Mouroulis, Pantazis

    2006-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews the objectives of the work to create imaging spectrometers. The science objectives are to remotely determine the properties of the surface and atmosphere (physics, chemistry and biology) revealed by the interaction of electromagnetic energy with matter via spectroscopy. It presents a review the understanding of spectral, radiometric and spatial science measurement requirements for imaging spectrometers based upon science research results from past and current airborne and spaceborne instruments. It also examines the future requirements that will enable the next level of imaging spectroscopy science.

  3. New Processing of Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, F. J.; Gracheva, V.; Arko, S. A.; Labelle-Hamer, A. L.

    2017-12-01

    The Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) was a radar system, which successfully operated on two separate shuttle missions in April and October 1994. During these two missions, a total of 143 hours of radar data were recorded. SIR-C was the first multifrequency and polarimetric spaceborne radar system, operating in dual frequency (L- and C- band) and with quad-polarization. SIR-C had a variety of different operating modes, which are innovative even from today's point of view. Depending on the mode, it was possible to acquire data with different polarizations and carrier frequency combinations. Additionally, different swaths and bandwidths could be used during the data collection and it was possible to receive data with two antennas in the along-track direction.The United States Geological Survey (USGS) distributes the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images as single-look complex (SLC) and multi-look complex (MLC) products. Unfortunately, since June 2005 the SIR-C processor has been inoperable and not repairable. All acquired SLC and MLC images were processed with a course resolution of 100 m with the goal of generating a quick look. These images are however not well suited for scientific analysis. Only a small percentage of the acquired data has been processed as full resolution SAR images and the unprocessed high resolution data cannot be processed any more at the moment.At the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) a new processor was developed to process binary SIR-C data to full resolution SAR images. ASF is planning to process the entire recoverable SIR-C archive to full resolution SLCs, MLCs and high resolution geocoded image products. ASF will make these products available to the science community through their existing data archiving and distribution system.The final paper will describe the new processor and analyze the challenges of reprocessing the SIR-C data.

  4. About possibilities of clearing near-Earth space from dangerous debris by a spaceborne laser system with an autonomous cw chemical HF laser

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

    Avdeev, A V; Bashkin, A S; Katorgin, Boris I

    2011-07-31

    The possibility of clearing hazardous near-Earth space debris using a spaceborne laser station with a large autonomous cw chemical HF laser is substantiated and the requirements to its characteristics (i.e., power and divergence of laser radiation, pulse duration in the repetitively pulsed regime, repetition rate and total time of laser action on space debris, necessary to remove them from the orbits of the protected spacecrafts) are determined. The possibility of launching the proposed spaceborne laser station to the orbit with the help of a 'Proton-M' carrier rocket is considered. (laser applications)

  5. Hybrid Geometric Calibration Method for Multi-Platform Spaceborne SAR Image with Sparse Gcps

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lv, G.; Tang, X.; Ai, B.; Li, T.; Chen, Q.

    2018-04-01

    Geometric calibration is able to provide high-accuracy geometric coordinates of spaceborne SAR image through accurate geometric parameters in the Range-Doppler model by ground control points (GCPs). However, it is very difficult to obtain GCPs that covering large-scale areas, especially in the mountainous regions. In addition, the traditional calibration method is only used for single platform SAR images and can't support the hybrid geometric calibration for multi-platform images. To solve the above problems, a hybrid geometric calibration method for multi-platform spaceborne SAR images with sparse GCPs is proposed in this paper. First, we calibrate the master image that contains GCPs. Secondly, the point tracking algorithm is used to obtain the tie points (TPs) between the master and slave images. Finally, we calibrate the slave images using TPs as the GCPs. We take the Beijing-Tianjin- Hebei region as an example to study SAR image hybrid geometric calibration method using 3 TerraSAR-X images, 3 TanDEM-X images and 5 GF-3 images covering more than 235 kilometers in the north-south direction. Geometric calibration of all images is completed using only 5 GCPs. The GPS data extracted from GNSS receiver are used to assess the plane accuracy after calibration. The results after geometric calibration with sparse GCPs show that the geometric positioning accuracy is 3 m for TSX/TDX images and 7.5 m for GF-3 images.

  6. Quadrilinear CCD sensors for the multispectral channel of spaceborne imagers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Materne, Alex; Gili, Bruno; Laubier, David; Gimenez, Thierry

    2001-12-01

    The PLEIADES-HR Earth Observation satellites will combine a high resolution panchromatic channel -- 0.7 m at nadir -- and a multispectral channel allowing a 2.8 m resolution. This paper presents the main specifications, design and performances of a 52 microns pitch quadrilinear CCD sensor developed by ATMEL under CNES contract, for the multispectral channel of the PLEIADES-HR instrument. The monolithic CCD device includes four lines of 1500 pixels, each line dedicated to a narrow spectral band within blue to near infra red spectrum. The design of the photodiodes and CCD registers, with larger size than those developed up to now for CNES spaceborne imagers, needed some specific structures to break the large equipotential areas where charge do not flow properly. Results are presented on the options which were experimented to improve sensitivity, maintain transfer efficiency and reduce power dissipation. The four spectral bands are achieved by four stripe filters made by SAGEM-REOSC PRODUCTS on a glass substrate, to be assembled on the sensor window. Line to line spacing on the silicon die takes into account the results of straylight analysis. A mineral layer, with high optical absorption performances is deposited between photosensitive lines to further reduce straylight.

  7. An Adaptive Ship Detection Scheme for Spaceborne SAR Imagery

    PubMed Central

    Leng, Xiangguang; Ji, Kefeng; Zhou, Shilin; Xing, Xiangwei; Zou, Huanxin

    2016-01-01

    With the rapid development of spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and the increasing need of ship detection, research on adaptive ship detection in spaceborne SAR imagery is of great importance. Focusing on practical problems of ship detection, this paper presents a highly adaptive ship detection scheme for spaceborne SAR imagery. It is able to process a wide range of sensors, imaging modes and resolutions. Two main stages are identified in this paper, namely: ship candidate detection and ship discrimination. Firstly, this paper proposes an adaptive land masking method using ship size and pixel size. Secondly, taking into account the imaging mode, incidence angle, and polarization channel of SAR imagery, it implements adaptive ship candidate detection in spaceborne SAR imagery by applying different strategies to different resolution SAR images. Finally, aiming at different types of typical false alarms, this paper proposes a comprehensive ship discrimination method in spaceborne SAR imagery based on confidence level and complexity analysis. Experimental results based on RADARSAT-1, RADARSAT-2, TerraSAR-X, RS-1, and RS-3 images demonstrate that the adaptive scheme proposed in this paper is able to detect ship targets in a fast, efficient and robust way. PMID:27563902

  8. Thermal infrared data analyses of Meteor Crater, Arizona: Implications for Mars spaceborne data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wright, Shawn P.; Ramsey, Michael S.

    2006-02-01

    Thermal infrared (TIR) data from the Earth-orbiting Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument are used to identify the lithologic distribution of the Meteor Crater ejecta blanket. Thermal emission laboratory spectra were obtained for collected samples, and spectral deconvolution was performed on ASTER emissivity data using both image and sample end-members. Comparison of the spaceborne ASTER data to the airborne Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data was used to validate the ASTER end-member analyses. The ASTER image end-member analysis agrees well with past studies considering the effects of resolution degradation. The work at Meteor Crater has direct bearing on the interpretation of Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) data currently being returned from Mars. ASTER and THEMIS have similar spatial and spectral resolutions, and Meteor Crater serves as an analog for similar-sized impact sites on Mars. These small impact craters have not been studied in detail owing to the low spatial resolution of past orbiting TIR instruments. Using the same methodology as that applied to Meteor Crater, THEMIS TIR data of a provisionally named Winslow Crater (~1 km) impact crater in Syrtis Major are analyzed. The crater rim and ejecta blanket were found to contain larger block sizes and a lower albedo than the surrounding ejecta-free plain, indicating a young impact age. The composition of the rim, ejecta, and surrounding plain is determined to be dominated by basalt; however, potential stratigraphy has also been identified. Results of this work could be extended to future investigations using THEMIS data.

  9. Evaluating Land-Atmosphere Moisture Feedbacks in Earth System Models With Spaceborne Observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Levine, P. A.; Randerson, J. T.; Lawrence, D. M.; Swenson, S. C.

    2016-12-01

    We have developed a set of metrics for measuring the feedback loop between the land surface moisture state and the atmosphere globally on an interannual time scale. These metrics consider both the forcing of terrestrial water storage (TWS) on subsequent atmospheric conditions as well as the response of TWS to antecedent atmospheric conditions. We designed our metrics to take advantage of more than one decade's worth of satellite observations of TWS from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) along with atmospheric variables from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), and Clouds and the Earths Radiant Energy System (CERES). Metrics derived from spaceborne observations were used to evaluate the strength of the feedback loop in the Community Earth System Model (CESM) Large Ensemble (LENS) and in several models that contributed simulations to Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). We found that both forcing and response limbs of the feedback loop were generally stronger in tropical and temperate regions in CMIP5 models and even more so in LENS compared to satellite observations. Our analysis suggests that models may overestimate the strength of the feedbacks between the land surface and the atmosphere, which is consistent with previous studies conducted across different spatial and temporal scales.

  10. Improved spatial mapping of rainfall events with spaceborne SAR imagery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ulaby, F. T.; Brisco, B.; Dobson, C.

    1983-01-01

    The Seasat satellite acquired the first spaceborne synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) images of the earth's surface, in 1978, at a frequency of 1.275 GHz (L-band) in a like-polarization mode at incidence angles of 23 + or - 3 deg. Although this may not be the optimum system configuration for radar remote sensing of soil moisture, interpretation of two Seasat images of Iowa demonstrates the sensitivity of microwave backscatter to soil moisture content. In both scenes, increased image brightness, which represents more radar backscatter, can be related to previous rainfall activity in the two areas. Comparison of these images with ground-based rainfall observations illustrates the increased spatial coverage of the rainfall event that can be obtained from the satellite SAR data. These data can then be color-enhanced by a digital computer to produce aesthetically pleasing output products for the user community.

  11. Recent Activities in Spaceborne GPS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yunck, T. P.

    1995-01-01

    After years of patient advocacy and paper studies by a diverse corps of enthusiasts, spaceborne GPS has at last become a presence in the world of flight projects. Owing to rapidly declining hardware costs, and the high value of autonomous onboard positioning, timing, and attitude determination, basic navigation receivers are coming to be seen as almost indispensable to future low earth orbiters.

  12. Monitoring Seawall Deformation With Repeat-Track Space-Borne SAR Images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pei, Yuanyuan; Wan, Qing; Wei, Lianhuan; Fang, Zhilei; Liao, Mingsheng

    2010-10-01

    Seawalls are constructed to protect coastal cities from typhoon, flood and sea tide. It is necessary to monitor the deformation of seawalls in real time. Repeat-track space-borne SAR images are useful for environment monitoring, especially ground deformation monitoring. Shanghai sits on the Yangtze River Delta on China's eastern coast. Each year, the city is hit by typhoons from Pacific Ocean and threatened by the flood of the Yangtze River. PS-InSAR technique is carried out to monitor the deformation of the seawalls. Experiment exhibits that the seawalls around Pudong airport and Lingang town suffered serious deformation.

  13. Spaceborne imaging spectrometer for environmental assessment of the coastal ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, Curtiss O.

    1996-10-01

    With half of the world's population living within 50 km of the coastal ocean the coast and adjacent land areas are heavily used for recreation, and for frequently conflicting uses, such as, fisheries, oil and gas production, disposal of wastes, transportation and naval operations. Coastal ecosystems are sensitive, highly productive systems which are being heavily impacted by human activities, but which are not adequately sampled by any present or planned spaceborne remote sensing system. To remedy that situation we propose building a coastal ocean imaging spectrometer (COIS) with adequate spectral and spatial resolution and high signal to noise to provide long term monitoring and real-time characterization of the coastal environment. COIS would provide a snapshot of the effects of human activities and natural processes, including runoff, tides, currents and storms, on the distributions of phytoplankton, suspended sediments, colored dissolved organic matter, including sediment resuspension and changes in bathymetry. COIS will also be an excellent tool to assess changing land use practices and the health of corps and natural vegetation on the adjacent land areas. This paper reviews the scientific rationale for such an instrument, and the recent scientific and engineering innovations that make it possible to build a small inexpensive spaceborne instrument to meet these requirements.

  14. The Future Spaceborne Hyperspectral Imager Enmap: its In-Flight Radiometric and Geometric Calibration Concept

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schneider, M.; Müller, R.; Krawzcyk, H.; Bachmann, M.; Storch, T.; Mogulsky, V.; Hofer, S.

    2012-07-01

    The German Aerospace Center DLR - namely the Earth Observation Center EOC and the German Space Operations Center GSOC - is responsible for the establishment of the ground segment of the future German hyperspectral satellite mission EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program). The Earth Observation Center has long lasting experiences with air- and spaceborne acquisition, processing, and analysis of hyperspectral image data. In the first part of this paper, an overview of the radiometric in-flight calibration concept including dark value measurements, deep space measurements, internal lamps measurements and sun measurements is presented. Complemented by pre-launch calibration and characterization these analyses will deliver a detailed and quantitative assessment of possible changes of spectral and radiometric characteristics of the hyperspectral instrument, e.g. due to degradation of single elements. A geometric accuracy of 100 m, which will be improved to 30 m with respect to a used reference image, if it exists, will be achieved by ground processing. Therfore, and for the required co-registration accuracy between SWIR and VNIR channels, additional to the radiometric calibration, also a geometric calibration is necessary. In the second part of this paper, the concept of the geometric calibration is presented in detail. The geometric processing of EnMAP scenes will be based on laboratory calibration results. During repeated passes over selected calibration areas images will be acquired. The update of geometric camera model parameters will be done by an adjustment using ground control points, which will be extracted by automatic image matching. In the adjustment, the improvements of the attitude angles (boresight angles), the improvements of the interior orientation (view vector) and the improvements of the position data are estimated. In this paper, the improvement of the boresight angles is presented in detail as an example. The other values and combinations

  15. Development of reaction-sintered SiC mirror for space-borne optics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yui, Yukari Y.; Kimura, Toshiyoshi; Tange, Yoshio

    2017-11-01

    We are developing high-strength reaction-sintered silicon carbide (RS-SiC) mirror as one of the new promising candidates for large-diameter space-borne optics. In order to observe earth surface or atmosphere with high spatial resolution from geostationary orbit, larger diameter primary mirrors of 1-2 m are required. One of the difficult problems to be solved to realize such optical system is to obtain as flat mirror surface as possible that ensures imaging performance in infrared - visible - ultraviolet wavelength region. This means that homogeneous nano-order surface flatness/roughness is required for the mirror. The high-strength RS-SiC developed and manufactured by TOSHIBA is one of the most excellent and feasible candidates for such purpose. Small RS-SiC plane sample mirrors have been manufactured and basic physical parameters and optical performances of them have been measured. We show the current state of the art of the RS-SiC mirror and the feasibility of a large-diameter RS-SiC mirror for space-borne optics.

  16. Spaceborne imaging radar - Geologic and oceanographic applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Elachi, C.

    1980-01-01

    Synoptic, large-area radar images of the earth's land and ocean surface, obtained from the Seasat orbiting spacecraft, show the potential for geologic mapping and for monitoring of ocean surface patterns. Structural and topographic features such as lineaments, anticlines, folds and domes, drainage patterns, stratification, and roughness units can be mapped. Ocean surface waves, internal waves, current boundaries, and large-scale eddies have been observed in numerous images taken by the Seasat imaging radar. This article gives an illustrated overview of these applications.

  17. Optical registration of spaceborne low light remote sensing camera

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Chong-yang; Hao, Yan-hui; Xu, Peng-mei; Wang, Dong-jie; Ma, Li-na; Zhao, Ying-long

    2018-02-01

    For the high precision requirement of spaceborne low light remote sensing camera optical registration, optical registration of dual channel for CCD and EMCCD is achieved by the high magnification optical registration system. System integration optical registration and accuracy of optical registration scheme for spaceborne low light remote sensing camera with short focal depth and wide field of view is proposed in this paper. It also includes analysis of parallel misalignment of CCD and accuracy of optical registration. Actual registration results show that imaging clearly, MTF and accuracy of optical registration meet requirements, it provide important guarantee to get high quality image data in orbit.

  18. Detecting ship targets in spaceborne infrared image based on modeling radiation anomalies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Haibo; Zou, Zhengxia; Shi, Zhenwei; Li, Bo

    2017-09-01

    Using infrared imaging sensors to detect ship target in the ocean environment has many advantages compared to other sensor modalities, such as better thermal sensitivity and all-weather detection capability. We propose a new ship detection method by modeling radiation anomalies for spaceborne infrared image. The proposed method can be decomposed into two stages, where in the first stage, a test infrared image is densely divided into a set of image patches and the radiation anomaly of each patch is estimated by a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), and thereby target candidates are obtained from anomaly image patches. In the second stage, target candidates are further checked by a more discriminative criterion to obtain the final detection result. The main innovation of the proposed method is inspired by the biological mechanism that human eyes are sensitive to the unusual and anomalous patches among complex background. The experimental result on short wavelength infrared band (1.560 - 2.300 μm) and long wavelength infrared band (10.30 - 12.50 μm) of Landsat-8 satellite shows the proposed method achieves a desired ship detection accuracy with higher recall than other classical ship detection methods.

  19. Locating an imaging radar in Canada for identifying spaceborne objects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schick, William G.

    1992-12-01

    This research presents a study of the maximal coverage p-median facility location problem as applied to the location of an imaging radar in Canada for imaging spaceborne objects. The classical mathematical formulation of the maximal coverage p-median problem is converted into network-flow with side constraint formulations that are developed using a scaled down version of the imaging radar location problem. Two types of network-flow with side constraint formulations are developed: a network using side constraints that simulates the gains in a generalized network; and a network resembling a multi-commodity flow problem that uses side constraints to force flow along identical arcs. These small formulations are expanded to encompass a case study using 12 candidate radar sites, and 48 satellites divided into three states. SAS/OR PROC NETFLOW was used to solve the network-flow with side constraint formulations. The case study show that potential for both formulations, although the simulated gains formulation encountered singular matrix computational difficulties as a result of the very organized nature of its side constraint matrix. The multi-commodity flow formulation, when combined with equi-distribution of flow constraints, provided solutions for various values of p, the number of facilities to be selected.

  20. Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations (PICASSO)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McCormick, M. Patrick; Winker, David M.

    1998-01-01

    This paper will describe the planned 3-year Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations (PICASSO) mission, its instrumentation and implementation. It will use LITE and other data, plus analyses, to show the feasibility of such a mission. PICASSO is being proposed for NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program with launch predicted in 2003.

  1. Calibration Image of Earth by Mars Color Imager

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    Three days after the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Aug. 12, 2005, launch, the NASA spacecraft was pointed toward Earth and the Mars Color Imager camera was powered up to acquire a suite of color and ultraviolet images of Earth and the Moon. When it gets to Mars, the Mars Color Imager's main objective will be to obtain daily global color and ultraviolet images of the planet to observe martian meteorology by documenting the occurrence of dust storms, clouds, and ozone. This camera will also observe how the martian surface changes over time, including changes in frost patterns and surface brightness caused by dust storms and dust devils.

    The purpose of acquiring an image of Earth and the Moon just three days after launch was to help the Mars Color Imager science team obtain a measure, in space, of the instrument's sensitivity, as well as to check that no contamination occurred on the camera during launch. Prior to launch, the team determined that, three days out from Earth, the planet would only be about 4.77 pixels across, and the Moon would be less than one pixel in size, as seen from the Mars Color Imager's wide-angle perspective. If the team waited any longer than three days to test the camera's performance in space, Earth would be too small to obtain meaningful results.

    The images were acquired by turning Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter toward Earth, then slewing the spacecraft so that the Earth and Moon would pass before each of the five color and two ultraviolet filters of the Mars Color Imager. The distance to Earth was about 1,170,000 kilometers (about 727,000 miles).

    This image shows a color composite view of Mars Color Imager's image of Earth. As expected, it covers only five pixels. This color view has been enlarged five times. The Sun was illuminating our planet from the left, thus only one quarter of Earth is seen from this perspective. North America was in daylight and facing toward the camera at the time the picture was taken; the data

  2. Clementine Images of Earth and Moon

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    During its flight and lunar orbit, the Clementine spacecraft returned images of the planet Earth and the Moon. This collection of UVVIS camera Clementine images shows the Earth from the Moon and 3 images of the Earth.

    The image on the left shows the Earth as seen across the lunar north pole; the large crater in the foreground is Plaskett. The Earth actually appeared about twice as far above the lunar horizon as shown. The top right image shows the Earth as viewed by the UVVIS camera while Clementine was in transit to the Moon; swirling white cloud patterns indicate storms. The two views of southeastern Africa were acquired by the UVVIS camera while Clementine was in low Earth orbit early in the mission

  3. SRTM Radar Image, Wrapped Color as Height/EarthKam Optical Honolulu, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    information about EarthKAM is available at http://Earthkam.sdsc.edu/geo/ .

    The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) was carried onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor, which launched on February 11,2000. It uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar(SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, an additional C-band imaging antenna and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) and the German (DLR) and Italian (ASI)space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise,Washington, DC.

    Size: 35 by 35 kilometers (22 by 22 miles) Location: 21.4 degrees North latitude, 157.8 degrees West longitude Orientation: North at top Original Data Resolution: SRTM, 30 meters (99 feet), EarthKAM Electronic Still Camera, 40 meters (132 feet) Date Acquired: SRTM, February 18, 2000; EarthKAM, February 12, 2000 Image: NASA/JPL/NIMA

  4. Clementine Images of Earth and Moon

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-06-12

    During its flight and lunar orbit, NASA’s Clementine spacecraft returned images of the planet Earth and the Moon. This collection of UVVIS camera Clementine images shows the Earth from the Moon and 3 images of the Earth. The image on the left shows the Earth as seen across the lunar north pole; the large crater in the foreground is Plaskett. The Earth actually appeared about twice as far above the lunar horizon as shown. The top right image shows the Earth as viewed by the UVVIS camera while Clementine was in transit to the Moon; swirling white cloud patterns indicate storms. The two views of southeastern Africa were acquired by the UVVIS camera while Clementine was in low Earth orbit early in the mission. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00432

  5. Resolution Enhancement of Spaceborne Radiometer Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krim, Hamid

    2001-01-01

    Our progress over the last year has been along several dimensions: 1. Exploration and understanding of Earth Observatory System (EOS) mission with available data from NASA. 2. Comprehensive review of state of the art techniques and uncovering of limitations to be investigated (e.g. computational, algorithmic ...). and 3. Preliminary development of resolution enhancement algorithms. With the advent of well-collaborated satellite microwave radiometers, it is now possible to obtain long time series of geophysical parameters that are important for studying the global hydrologic cycle and earth radiation budget. Over the world's ocean, these radiometers simultaneously measure profiles of air temperature and the three phases of atmospheric water (vapor, liquid, and ice). In addition, surface parameters such as the near surface wind speed, the sea surface temperature, and the sea ice type and concentration can be retrieved. The special sensor microwaves imager SSM/I has wide application in atmospheric remote sensing over the ocean and provide essential inputs to numerical weather-prediction models. SSM/I data has also been used for land and ice studies, including snow cover classification measurements of soil and plant moisture contents, atmospheric moisture over land, land surface temperature and mapping polar ice. The brightness temperature observed by SSM/I is function of the effective brightness temperature of the earth's surface and the emission scattering and attenuation of the atmosphere. Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) is a new instrument that will measure the earth radiation over the spectral range from 7 to 90 GHz. Over the world's ocean, it will be possible to retrieve the four important geographical parameters SST, wind speed, vertically integrated water vapor, vertically integrated cloud liquid water L.

  6. Optimum Image Formation for Spaceborne Microwave Radiometer Products.

    PubMed

    Long, David G; Brodzik, Mary J

    2016-05-01

    This paper considers some of the issues of radiometer brightness image formation and reconstruction for use in the NASA-sponsored Calibrated Passive Microwave Daily Equal-Area Scalable Earth Grid 2.0 Brightness Temperature Earth System Data Record project, which generates a multisensor multidecadal time series of high-resolution radiometer products designed to support climate studies. Two primary reconstruction algorithms are considered: the Backus-Gilbert approach and the radiometer form of the scatterometer image reconstruction (SIR) algorithm. These are compared with the conventional drop-in-the-bucket (DIB) gridded image formation approach. Tradeoff study results for the various algorithm options are presented to select optimum values for the grid resolution, the number of SIR iterations, and the BG gamma parameter. We find that although both approaches are effective in improving the spatial resolution of the surface brightness temperature estimates compared to DIB, SIR requires significantly less computation. The sensitivity of the reconstruction to the accuracy of the measurement spatial response function (MRF) is explored. The partial reconstruction of the methods can tolerate errors in the description of the sensor measurement response function, which simplifies the processing of historic sensor data for which the MRF is not known as well as modern sensors. Simulation tradeoff results are confirmed using actual data.

  7. NASA Captures 'EPIC' Earth Image

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    A NASA camera on the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite has returned its first view of the entire sunlit side of Earth from one million miles away. This color image of Earth was taken by NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC), a four megapixel CCD camera and telescope. The image was generated by combining three separate images to create a photographic-quality image. The camera takes a series of 10 images using different narrowband filters -- from ultraviolet to near infrared -- to produce a variety of science products. The red, green and blue channel images are used in these color images. The image was taken July 6, 2015, showing North and Central America. The central turquoise areas are shallow seas around the Caribbean islands. This Earth image shows the effects of sunlight scattered by air molecules, giving the image a characteristic bluish tint. The EPIC team is working to remove this atmospheric effect from subsequent images. Once the instrument begins regular data acquisition, EPIC will provide a daily series of Earth images allowing for the first time study of daily variations over the entire globe. These images, available 12 to 36 hours after they are acquired, will be posted to a dedicated web page by September 2015. The primary objective of DSCOVR, a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force, is to maintain the nation’s real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities, which are critical to the accuracy and lead time of space weather alerts and forecasts from NOAA. For more information about DSCOVR, visit: www.nesdis.noaa.gov/DSCOVR/

  8. Mapping hydrothermally altered rocks at Cuprite, Nevada, using the advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (Aster), a new satellite-imaging system

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rowan, L.C.; Hook, S.J.; Abrams, M.J.; Mars, J.C.

    2003-01-01

    The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is a 14-band multispectral instrument on board the Earth Observing System (EOS), TERRA. The three bands between 0.52 and 0.86 ??m and the six bands from 1.60 and 2.43 ??m, which have 15- and 30-m spatial resolution, respectively, were selected primarily for making remote mineralogical determinations. The Cuprite, Nevada, mining district comprises two hydrothermal alteration centers where Tertiary volcanic rocks have been hydrothermally altered mainly to bleached silicified rocks and opalized rocks, with a marginal zone of limonitic argilized rocks. Country rocks are mainly Cambrian phyllitic siltstone and limestone. Evaluation of an ASTER image of the Cuprite district shows that spectral reflectance differences in the nine bands in the 0.52 to 2.43 ??m region provide a basis for identifying and mapping mineralogical components which characterize the main hydrothermal alteration zones: opal is the spectrally dominant mineral in the silicified zone; whereas, alunite and kaolinite are dominant in the opalized zone. In addition, the distribution of unaltered country rocks was mapped because of the presence of spectrally dominant muscovite in the siltstone and calcite in limestone, and the tuffaceous rocks and playa deposits were distinguishable due to their relatively flat spectra and weak absorption features at 2.33 and 2.20 ??m, respectively. An Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) image of the study area was processed using a similar methodology used with the ASTER data. Comparison of the ASTER and AVIRIS results shows that the results are generally similar, but the higher spectral resolution of AVIRIS (224 bands) permits identification of more individual minerals, including certain polymorphs. However, ASTER has recorded images of more than 90 percent of the Earth's land surface with less than 20 percent cloud cover, and these data are available at nominal or no cost

  9. Wavemill Product Assessment- Defining Products and Evaluating Potential Performance from a Novel Spaceborne Interferometric SAR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cotton, P. D.; Gommenginger, C.; Martin, A.; Marquez, J.; Burbidge, G.; Quilfen, Y.; Chapron, B.; Reppucci, A.; Buck, C.

    2016-08-01

    Ocean Surface Currents are one of the most important ocean properties for oceanographers and operators in the maritime domain. Improved monitoring of ocean currents is systematically the number one requirement that emerges from any science or end user requirement surveys.Wavemill is a novel hybrid interferometric SAR system first proposed by ESA/ESTEC [Buck, 2005]. It offers the possibility of generating two-dimensional wide swath, high resolution, high precision maps of surface current vectors and ocean topography [Buck et al., 2009]. Based on a single spacecraft, it avoids the difficulties of synchronisation and baseline estimation associated with other interferometric SAR systems based on two or more satellites (e.g. the "cartwheel" or "helix" concept).The Wavemill concept has developed steadily since its first inception in 2005. A number of Wavemill studies in recent years have gradually put together facts and figures to support the case for Wavemill as a possible space-borne mission.The Wavemill Product Assessment study (WaPA) aimed to define the scientific capabilities and limitations of a spaceborne Wavemill instrument in preparation for a possible submission of the Wavemill concept as a candidate Earth Explorer Core mission. The WaPA project team brought together expert scientists and engineers in the field of SAR imaging of ocean currents, and included the National Oceanography Centre (UK), Starlab (Spain), IFREMER (France) and Airbus Defence and Space (UK). Overall project management was provided by Satellite Oceanographic Consultants (UK). The approach taken included:- A review of SAR imaging of ocean currents in along-track interferometric mode to learn from previous experiments and modelling what key phenomena need to be accounted for to determine the true performance of a spaceborne Wavemill system- Validation of proposed Wavemill primary products based on Wavemill airborne proof-of-concept data and numerical simulations to determine the capabilities

  10. Space-borne polarimetric SAR sensors or the golden age of radar polarimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pottier, E.

    2010-06-01

    SAR Polarimetry represents an active area of research in Active Earth Remote Sensing. This interest is clearly supported by the fact that nowadays there exists, or there will exist in a very next future, a non negligible quantity of launched Polarimetric SAR Spaceborne sensors. The ENVISAT satellite, developed by ESA, was launched on March 2002, and was the first Spaceborne sensor offering an innovative dualpolarization Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) system operating at C-band. The second Polarimetric Spaceborne sensor is ALOS, a Japanese Earth-Observation satellite, developed by JAXA and was launched in January 2006. This mission includes an active L-band polarimetric radar sensor (PALSAR) whose highresolution data may be used for environmental and hazard monitoring. The third Polarimetric Spaceborne sensor is TerraSAR-X, a new German radar satellite, developed by DLR, EADS-Astrium and Infoterra GmbH, was launched on June 2007. This sensor carries a dual-polarimetric and high frequency X-Band SAR sensor that can be operated in different modes and offers features that were not available from space before. At least, the Polarimetric Spaceborne sensor, developed by CSA and MDA, and named RADARSAT-2 was launched in December 2007 The Radarsat program was born out the need for effective monitoring of Canada’s icy waters, and some Radarsat-2 capabilities that benefit sea- and river ice applications are the multi-polarization options that will improve ice-edge detection, ice-type discrimination and structure information. The many advances in these different Polarimetric Spaceborne platforms were developed to respond to specific needs for radar data in environmental monitoring applications around the world, like : sea- and river-ice monitoring, marine surveillance, disaster management, oil spill detection, snow monitoring, hydrology, mapping, geology, agriculture, soil characterisation, forestry applications (biomass, allometry, height…), urban mapping etc

  11. Calibration Image of Earth by Mars Color Imager

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2005-08-22

    Three days after the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Aug. 12, 2005, launch, the NASA spacecraft was pointed toward Earth and the Mars Color Imager camera was powered up to acquire a suite of color and ultraviolet images of Earth and the Moon.

  12. Applications of spaceborne laser ranger on EOS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Degnan, John J.; Cohen, Steven C.

    1988-01-01

    An account is given of the design concept and potential applications in science and engineering of the spaceborne laser ranging and altimeter apparatus employed by the Geodynamics Laser Ranging System; this is scheduled for 1997 launch as part of the multiple-satellite Earth Observing System. In the retrograding mode for geodynamics, the system will use a Nd:YAG laser's green and UV output for distance determination to ground retroreflectors. Engineering applications encompass land management and long-term ground stability studies relevant to nuclear power plant, pipeline, and aqueduct locations.

  13. Astrophysical science with a spaceborne photometric telescope

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Granados, Arno F. (Editor); Borucki, William J. (Editor)

    1994-01-01

    The FRESIP Project (FRequency of Earth-Sized Inner Planets) is currently under study at NASA Ames Research Center. The goal of FRESIP is the measurement of the frequency of Earth-sized extra-solar planets in inner orbits via the photometric signature of a transit event. This will be accomplished with a spaceborne telescope/photometer capable of photometric precision of two parts in 100,000 at a magnitude of m(sub v) = 12.5. To achieve the maximum scientific value from the FRESIP mission, an astrophysical science workshop was held at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, November 11-12, 1993. Workshop participants were invited as experts in their field of astrophysical research and discussed the astrophysical science that can be achieved within the context of the FRESIP mission.

  14. The Earth Observing System AM Spacecraft - Thermal Control Subsystem

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chalmers, D.; Fredley, J.; Scott, C.

    1993-01-01

    Mission requirements for the EOS-AM Spacecraft intended to monitor global changes of the entire earth system are considered. The spacecraft is based on an instrument set containing the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection radiometer (ASTER), Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), Multiangle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR), Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), and Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT). Emphasis is placed on the design, analysis, development, and verification plans for the unique EOS-AM Thermal Control Subsystem (TCS) aimed at providing the required environments for all the onboard equipment in a densely packed layout. The TCS design maximizes the use of proven thermal design techniques and materials, in conjunction with a capillary pumped two-phase heat transport system for instrument thermal control.

  15. Source analysis of spaceborne microwave radiometer interference over land

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guan, Li; Zhang, Sibo

    2016-03-01

    Satellite microwave thermal emissions mixed with signals from active sensors are referred to as radiofrequency interference (RFI). Based on Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) observations from June 1 to 16, 2011, RFI over Europe was identified and analyzed using the modified principal component analysis algorithm in this paper. The X band AMSR-E measurements in England and Italy are mostly affected by the stable, persistent, active microwave transmitters on the surface, while the RFI source of other European countries is the interference of the reflected geostationary TV satellite downlink signals to the measurements of spaceborne microwave radiometers. The locations and intensities of the RFI induced by the geostationary TV and communication satellites changed with time within the observed period. The observations of spaceborne microwave radiometers in ascending portions of orbits are usually interfered with over European land, while no RFI was detected in descending passes. The RFI locations and intensities from the reflection of downlink radiation are highly dependent upon the relative geometry between the geostationary satellite and the measuring passive sensor. Only these fields of view of a spaceborne instrument whose scan azimuths are close to the azimuth relative to the geostationary satellite are likely to be affected by RFI.

  16. Space-borne Observations of Aerosols

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaufman, Y. J.; Tanre, D.; Coakley, J. A.; Fraser, R. S.

    2005-12-01

    As early as 1963, photographs of the twilight horizon from the Vostok-6 spaceship were used by G. V. Rozenberg and V. V. Nikolaeva-Tereshkova to derive profiles of stratospheric aerosols. The launch of the ATS III satellite in 1967 sparked interest in using satellites to observe aerosol emission, transport, and their effects on climate, precipitation and health. The first use of autonomous satellites in aerosol research appears to be by Toby Carlson and Joe Prospero who tracked dust from the Sahara to the Americas in the early `70s using ATS III images. The launch of the calibrated Landsat instrument in 1972 allowed Bob Fraser to perform quantitative analyses of dust column concentrations for individual scenes. GOES launched in 1975 provided hourly data that allowed Walter Lyons and J.C. Dooley in the late 70's to report on the transport of sulfate air pollution which was later followed by estimates of the export of sulfate aerosol from the US to the Atlantic Ocean. With the launch of SAGE in 1979, Pat McCormick and co-workers began long term observations of statospheric aerosols. The launch of TIROS(N) and the AVHRR in 1979 marked the start of concerted efforts by Larry Stowe and his colleagues to produce operationally an aerosol product over oceans from the NOAA polar orbiting satellite. With the launch of the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment scanners in the late 1980's, Sundar Christopher and his colleagues began linking AVHRR-derived aerosol burdens to their effects on the Earth's radiation budget. A remarkable aspect of this early work is that instruments like the AVHRR, Landsat, and GOES imager were not originally designed to perform quantitative estimates of aerosol properties. In fact, corrections for the effects of aerosols in determining ocean reflectances implemented primarily through the work of Howard Gordon, facilitated much improved pictures of chlorophyll in the upper oceans than had been hoped for from CZCS data collected in the late 70's. This

  17. Enabling Spacecraft Formation Flying in Any Earth Orbit Through Spaceborne GPS and Enhanced Autonomy Technologies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bauer, F. H.; Bristow, J. O.; Carpenter, J. R.; Garrison, J. L.; Hartman, K. R.; Lee, T.; Long, A. C.; Kelbel, D.; Lu, V.; How, J. P.; hide

    2000-01-01

    Formation flying is quickly revolutionizing the way the space community conducts autonomous science missions around the Earth and in space. This technological revolution will provide new, innovative ways for this community to gather scientific information, share this information between space vehicles and the ground, and expedite the human exploration of space. Once fully matured, this technology will result in swarms of space vehicles flying as a virtual platform and gathering significantly more and better science data than is possible today. Formation flying will be enabled through the development and deployment of spaceborne differential Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and through innovative spacecraft autonomy techniques, This paper provides an overview of the current status of NASA/DoD/Industry/University partnership to bring formation flying technology to the forefront as quickly as possible, the hurdles that need to be overcome to achieve the formation flying vision, and the team's approach to transfer this technology to space. It will also describe some of the formation flying testbeds, such as Orion, that are being developed to demonstrate and validate these innovative GPS sensing and formation control technologies.

  18. Instrument concepts and technologies for future spaceborne atmospheric radars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Im, Eastwood; Durden, Stephen L.

    2005-01-01

    In conjunction with the implementation of spaceborne atmospheric radar flight missions, NASA is developing advanced instrument concepts and technologies for future spaceborne atmospheric radars, with the over-arching objectives of making such instruments more capable in supporting future science needs, and more cost effective. Two such examples are the Second-Generation Precipitation Radar (PR-2) and the Nexrad-In-Space (NIS). PR-2 is a 14/35-GHz dual-frequency rain radar with a deployable 5-meter, wide-swath scanned membrane antenna, a dual-polarized/dual-frequency receiver, and a real-time digital signal processor. It is intended for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) operations to provide greatly enhanced rainfall profile retrieval accuracy while using only a fraction of the mass of the current TRMM PR. NIS is designed to be a 35-GHz Geostationary Earth Orbiting (GEO) radar with the intent of providing hourly monitoring of the life cycle of hurricanes and tropical storms. It uses a 35-m, spherical, lightweight membrane antenna and Doppler processing to acquire 3-dimensional information on the intensity and vertical motion of hurricane rainfall. Technologies for NIS are synergistic with those for PR-2. During the last two years, several of the technology items associated with these notional instruments have also been prototyped. This paper will give an overview of these instrument design concepts and their associated technologies.

  19. Spaceborne Hybrid-FPGA System for Processing FTIR Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bekker, Dmitriy; Blavier, Jean-Francois L.; Pingree, Paula J.; Lukowiak, Marcin; Shaaban, Muhammad

    2008-01-01

    Progress has been made in a continuing effort to develop a spaceborne computer system for processing readout data from a Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer to reduce the volume of data transmitted to Earth. The approach followed in this effort, oriented toward reducing design time and reducing the size and weight of the spectrometer electronics, has been to exploit the versatility of recently developed hybrid field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to run diverse software on embedded processors while also taking advantage of the reconfigurable hardware resources of the FPGAs.

  20. Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar: Current status and future directions. A report to the Committee on Earth Sciences, Space Studies Board, National Research Council

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Evans, D. L. (Editor); Apel, J.; Arvidson, R.; Bindschadler, R.; Carsey, F.; Dozier, J.; Jezek, K.; Kasischke, E.; Li, F.; Melack, J.

    1995-01-01

    This report provides a context in which questions put forth by NASA's Office of Mission to Planet Earth (OMPTE) regarding the next steps in spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) science and technology can be addressed. It summarizes the state-of-the-art in theory, experimental design, technology, data analysis, and utilization of SAR data for studies of the Earth, and describes potential new applications. The report is divided into five science chapters and a technology assessment. The chapters summarize the value of existing SAR data and currently planned SAR systems, and identify gaps in observational capabilities needing to be filled to address the scientific questions. Cases where SAR provides complementary data to other (non-SAR) measurement techniques are also described. The chapter on technology assessment outlines SAR technology development which is critical not only to NASA's providing societally relevant geophysical parameters but to maintaining competitiveness in SAR technology, and promoting economic development.

  1. Low cost realization of space-borne synthectic aperture radar - MicroSAR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carter, D.; Hall, C.

    Spaceborne Earth Observation data has been used for decades in the areas of meteorology and optical imaging. The systems and satellites have, in the main, been owned and operated by a few government institutions and agencies. More recently industrial organizations in North America have joined the list. Few of these, however, include Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)., although the additional utility in terms of all weather, 24 hour measurement capability over the Earth's surface is well recognized. Three major factors explain this:1) Relationships between the SAR measurements of radar backscatter and images to the specific information needs have not been seen as sufficiently well understood or robust2) Availability of suitable sources, at the relevant performance and data quality have been inadequate to provide service assurance that is necessary to sustain commercial businesses3) Costs associated with building, launching and operating spaceborne SAR have not been low enough as to achieve an acceptable return of investment. A significant amount of research and development has been undertaken throughout the World to establish reliable and robust algorithms for information extraction from SAR data. Much of this work has been carried out utilizing airborne systems over localized and carefully controlled regions. In addition, an increasing number of pilot services have been offered by geo-information providers. This has allowed customer confidence to grow. With the status of spaceborne SAR being effectively in the development phase, commercial funding has been scarce, and there has been need to rely on government and institutional budgets. Today the increasing maturity of the technology of SAR and its applications is beginning to attract the commercial sector. This is the funding necessary to realize sufficient assets to be able to provide a robust supply of SAR data to the geo-information providers and subsequently a reliable service to customers. Reducing the costs

  2. English/Russian terminology on radiometric calibration of space-borne optoelectronic sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Privalsky, V.; Zakharenkov, V.; Humpherys, T.; Sapritsky, V.; Datla, R.

    The efficient use of data acquired through exo-atmospheric observations of the Earth within the framework of existing and newly planned programs requires a unique understanding of respective terms and definitions. Yet, the last large-scale document on the subject - The International Electrotechnical Vocabulary - had been published 18 years ago. This lack of a proper document, which would reflect the changes that had occurred in the area since that time, is especially detrimental to the developing international efforts aimed at global observations of the Earth from space such as the Global Earth Observations Program proposed by the U.S.A. at the 2003 WMO Congress. To cover this gap at least partially, a bi-lingual explanatory dictionary of terms and definitions in the area of radiometric calibration of space-borne IR sensors is developed. The objectives are to produce a uniform terminology for the global space-borne observations of the Earth, establish a unique understanding of terms and definitions by the radiometric communities, including a correspondence between the Russian and American terms and definitions, and to develop a formal English/Russian reference dictionary for use by scientists and engineers involved in radiometric observations of the Earth from space. The dictionary includes close to 400 items covering basic concepts of geometric, wave and corpuscular optics, remote sensing technologies, and ground-based calibration as well as more detailed treatment of terms and definitions in the areas of radiometric quantities, symbols and units, optical phenomena and optical properties of objects and media, and radiometric systems and their properties. The dictionary contains six chapters: Basic Concepts, Quantities, Symbols, and Units, Optical phenomena, Optical characteristics of surfaces and media, Components of Radiometric Systems, Characteristics of radiometric system components, plus English/Russian and Russian/Inglish indices.

  3. Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar signal processing using FPGAs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sugimoto, Yohei; Ozawa, Satoru; Inaba, Noriyasu

    2017-10-01

    Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery requires image reproduction through successive signal processing of received data before browsing images and extracting information. The received signal data records of the ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 are stored in the onboard mission data storage and transmitted to the ground. In order to compensate the storage usage and the capacity of transmission data through the mission date communication networks, the operation duty of the PALSAR-2 is limited. This balance strongly relies on the network availability. The observation operations of the present spaceborne SAR systems are rigorously planned by simulating the mission data balance, given conflicting user demands. This problem should be solved such that we do not have to compromise the operations and the potential of the next-generation spaceborne SAR systems. One of the solutions is to compress the SAR data through onboard image reproduction and information extraction from the reproduced images. This is also beneficial for fast delivery of information products and event-driven observations by constellation. The Emergence Studio (Sōhatsu kōbō in Japanese) with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is developing evaluation models of FPGA-based signal processing system for onboard SAR image reproduction. The model, namely, "Fast L1 Processor (FLIP)" developed in 2016 can reproduce a 10m-resolution single look complex image (Level 1.1) from ALOS/PALSAR raw signal data (Level 1.0). The processing speed of the FLIP at 200 MHz results in twice faster than CPU-based computing at 3.7 GHz. The image processed by the FLIP is no way inferior to the image processed with 32-bit computing in MATLAB.

  4. Use of the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer to calibrate the optical sensor on board the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, Robert O.; Conel, James E.; Vandenbosch, Jeannette; Shimada, Masanobu

    1993-01-01

    We describe an experiment to calibrate the optical sensor (OPS) on board the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 with data acquired by the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). On 27 Aug. 1992 both the OPS and AVIRIS acquired data concurrently over a calibration target on the surface of Rogers Dry Lake, California. The high spectral resolution measurements of AVIRIS have been convolved to the spectral response curves of the OPS. These data in conjunction with the corresponding OPS digitized numbers have been used to generate the radiometric calibration coefficients for the eight OPS bands. This experiment establishes the suitability of AVIRIS for the calibration of spaceborne sensors in the 400 to 2500 nm spectral region.

  5. Space-borne profiling of atmospheric thermodynamic variables with raman lidar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Girolamo, Paolo; Behrendt, Andreas; Wulfmeyer, Volker

    2018-04-01

    The performance of a space-borne water vapour and temperature Raman lidar has been simulated, with a specific attention to the Earth Explorer Missions in the frame of ESA's Living Planet Program. We report simulations under a variety of atmospheric scenarios, demonstrating the capability of a space Raman lidar to provide global-scale water vapour and temperature measurements in the troposphere with an accuracy fulfilling most observational requirements for numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate research.

  6. Extracting hurricane eye morphology from spaceborne SAR images using morphological analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Isabella K.; Shamsoddini, Ali; Li, Xiaofeng; Trinder, John C.; Li, Zeyu

    2016-07-01

    Hurricanes are among the most destructive global natural disasters. Thus recognizing and extracting their morphology is important for understanding their dynamics. Conventional optical sensors, due to cloud cover associated with hurricanes, cannot reveal the intense air-sea interaction occurring at the sea surface. In contrast, the unique capabilities of spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data for cloud penetration, and its backscattering signal characteristics enable the extraction of the sea surface roughness. Therefore, SAR images enable the measurement of the size and shape of hurricane eyes, which reveal their evolution and strength. In this study, using six SAR hurricane images, we have developed a mathematical morphology method for automatically extracting the hurricane eyes from C-band SAR data. Skeleton pruning based on discrete skeleton evolution (DSE) was used to ensure global and local preservation of the hurricane eye shape. This distance weighted algorithm applied in a hierarchical structure for extraction of the edges of the hurricane eyes, can effectively avoid segmentation errors by reducing redundant skeletons attributed to speckle noise along the edges of the hurricane eye. As a consequence, the skeleton pruning has been accomplished without deficiencies in the key hurricane eye skeletons. A morphology-based analyses of the subsequent reconstructions of the hurricane eyes shows a high degree of agreement with the hurricane eye areas derived from reference data based on NOAA manual work.

  7. Spaceborne Photonics Institute

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Venable, D. D.; Farrukh, U. O.; Han, K. S.; Hwang, I. H.; Jalufka, N. W.; Lowe, C. W.; Tabibi, B. M.; Lee, C. J.; Lyons, D.; Maclin, A.

    1994-01-01

    This report describes in chronological detail the development of the Spaceborne Photonics Institute as a sustained research effort at Hampton University in the area of optical physics. This provided the research expertise to initiate a PhD program in Physics. Research was carried out in the areas of: (1) modelling of spaceborne solid state laser systems; (2) amplified spontaneous emission in solar pumped iodine lasers; (3) closely simulated AM0 CW solar pumped iodine laser and repeatedly short pulsed iodine laser oscillator; (4) a materials spectroscopy and growth program; and (5) laser induced fluorescence and atomic and molecular spectroscopy.

  8. Forest abovegroundbiomass mapping using spaceborne stereo imagery acquired by Chinese ZY-3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, G.; Ni, W.; Zhang, Z.; Xiong, C.

    2015-12-01

    Besides LiDAR data, another valuable type of data which is also directly sensitive to forest vertical structures and more suitable for regional mapping of forest biomass is the stereo imagery or photogrammetry. Photogrammetry is the traditional technique for deriving terrain elevation. The elevation of the top of a tree canopy can be directly measured from stereo imagery but winter images are required to get the elevation of ground surface because stereo images are acquired by optical sensors which cannot penetrate dense forest canopies with leaf-on condition. Several spaceborne stereoscopic systems with higher spatial resolutions have been launched in the past several years. For example the Chinese satellite Zi Yuan 3 (ZY-3) specifically designed for the collection of stereo imagery with a resolution of 3.6 m for forward and backward views and 2.1 m for the nadir view was launched on January 9, 2012. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the spaceborne stereo imagery acquired in summer has good performance on the description of forest structures. The ground surface elevation could be extracted from spaceborne stereo imagery acquired in winter. This study mainly focused on assessing the mapping of forest biomass through the combination of spaceborne stereo imagery acquired in summer and those in winter. The test sites of this study located at Daxing AnlingMountains areas as shown in Fig.1. The Daxing Anling site is on the south border of boreal forest belonging to frigid-temperate zone coniferous forest vegetation The dominant tree species is Dhurian larch (Larix gmelinii). 10 scenes of ZY-3 stereo images are used in this study. 5 scenes were acquired on March 14,2012 while the other 5 scenes were acquired on September 7, 2012. Their spatial coverage is shown in Fig.2-a. Fig.2-b is the mosaic of nadir images acquired on 09/07/2012 while Fig.2-c is thecorresponding digital surface model (DSM) derived from stereo images acquired on 09/07/2012. Fig.2-d is the

  9. Onboard FPGA-based SAR processing for future spaceborne systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Le, Charles; Chan, Samuel; Cheng, Frank; Fang, Winston; Fischman, Mark; Hensley, Scott; Johnson, Robert; Jourdan, Michael; Marina, Miguel; Parham, Bruce; hide

    2004-01-01

    We present a real-time high-performance and fault-tolerant FPGA-based hardware architecture for the processing of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images in future spaceborne system. In particular, we will discuss the integrated design approach, from top-level algorithm specifications and system requirements, design methodology, functional verification and performance validation, down to hardware design and implementation.

  10. 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.

  11. A Wide-Swath Spaceborne TOPS SAR Image Formation Algorithm Based on Chirp Scaling and Chirp-Z Transform

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Wei; Chen, Jie; Zeng, Hong Cheng; Wang, Peng Bo; Liu, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Based on the terrain observation by progressive scans (TOPS) mode, an efficient full-aperture image formation algorithm for focusing wide-swath spaceborne TOPS data is proposed. First, to overcome the Doppler frequency spectrum aliasing caused by azimuth antenna steering, the range-independent derotation operation is adopted, and the signal properties after derotation are derived in detail. Then, the azimuth deramp operation is performed to resolve image folding in azimuth. The traditional dermap function will introduce a time shift, resulting in appearance of ghost targets and azimuth resolution reduction at the scene edge, especially in the wide-swath coverage case. To avoid this, a novel solution is provided using a modified range-dependent deramp function combined with the chirp-z transform. Moreover, range scaling and azimuth scaling are performed to provide the same azimuth and range sampling interval for all sub-swaths, instead of the interpolation operation for the sub-swath image mosaic. Simulation results are provided to validate the proposed algorithm. PMID:27941706

  12. Earth - Departing Image by Galileo

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1996-02-08

    This color image of the Earth was taken by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft on December 11 as it departed on its 3-year flight to Jupiter, about 2 1/2 days after the second Earth flyby. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00232

  13. Lunar Satellite Snaps Image of Earth

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-05-07

    This image, captured Feb. 1, 2014, shows a colorized view of Earth from the moon-based perspective of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University -- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) experiences 12 "earthrises" every day, however LROC (short for LRO Camera) is almost always busy imaging the lunar surface so only rarely does an opportunity arise such that LROC can capture a view of Earth. On Feb. 1, 2014, LRO pitched forward while approaching the moon's north pole allowing the LROC Wide Angle Camera to capture Earth rising above Rozhdestvenskiy crater (112 miles, or 180 km, in diameter). Read more: go.nasa.gov/1oqMlgu 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

  14. Curiosity Mars Rover First Image of Earth and Earth Moon

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-02-06

    The two bodies in this portion of an evening-sky view by NASA Mars rover Curiosity are Earth and Earth moon. The rover Mast Camera Mastcam imaged them in the twilight sky of Curiosity 529th Martian day, or sol Jan. 31, 2014.

  15. High-Definition Television (HDTV) Images for Earth Observations and Earth Science Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Robinson, Julie A.; Holland, S. Douglas; Runco, Susan K.; Pitts, David E.; Whitehead, Victor S.; Andrefouet, Serge M.

    2000-01-01

    As part of Detailed Test Objective 700-17A, astronauts acquired Earth observation images from orbit using a high-definition television (HDTV) camcorder, Here we provide a summary of qualitative findings following completion of tests during missions STS (Space Transport System)-93 and STS-99. We compared HDTV imagery stills to images taken using payload bay video cameras, Hasselblad film camera, and electronic still camera. We also evaluated the potential for motion video observations of changes in sunlight and the use of multi-aspect viewing to image aerosols. Spatial resolution and color quality are far superior in HDTV images compared to National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) video images. Thus, HDTV provides the first viable option for video-based remote sensing observations of Earth from orbit. Although under ideal conditions, HDTV images have less spatial resolution than medium-format film cameras, such as the Hasselblad, under some conditions on orbit, the HDTV image acquired compared favorably with the Hasselblad. Of particular note was the quality of color reproduction in the HDTV images HDTV and electronic still camera (ESC) were not compared with matched fields of view, and so spatial resolution could not be compared for the two image types. However, the color reproduction of the HDTV stills was truer than colors in the ESC images. As HDTV becomes the operational video standard for Space Shuttle and Space Station, HDTV has great potential as a source of Earth-observation data. Planning for the conversion from NTSC to HDTV video standards should include planning for Earth data archiving and distribution.

  16. Earth observation images taken as part of the EarthKAM educational program

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2000-02-13

    S99-E-5267 (13 February 2000) --- City of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico and the Rio Grande River, which separates them. An electronic still camera (ESC), mounted in one of Endeavour's aft flight deck windows, is recording imagery of hundreds of Earth targets for the EarthKAM project. Students across the United States and in France, Germany and Japan are taking photos throughout the STS-99 mission. And they are using these new photos, plus all the images already available in the EarthKAM system, to enhance their classroom learning in Earth and space science, social studies, geography, mathematics and more. For general EarthKAM information and more images from this flight, go to http://www.earthkam.ucsd.edu/

  17. Anti-aliasing filter design on spaceborne digital receiver

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Danru; Zhao, Chonghui

    2009-12-01

    In recent years, with the development of satellite observation technologies, more and more active remote sensing technologies are adopted in spaceborne system. The spaceborne precipitation radar will depend heavily on high performance digital processing to collect meaningful rain echo data. It will increase the complexity of the spaceborne system and need high-performance and reliable digital receiver. This paper analyzes the frequency aliasing in the intermediate frequency signal sampling of digital down conversion in spaceborne radar, and gives an effective digital filter. By analysis and calculation, we choose reasonable parameters of the half-band filters to suppress the frequency aliasing on DDC. Compared with traditional filter, the FPGA resources cost in our system are reduced by over 50%. This can effectively reduce the complexity in the spaceborne digital receiver and improve the reliability of system.

  18. Galileo multispectral imaging of Earth.

    PubMed

    Geissler, P; Thompson, W R; Greenberg, R; Moersch, J; McEwen, A; Sagan, C

    1995-08-25

    Nearly 6000 multispectral images of Earth were acquired by the Galileo spacecraft during its two flybys. The Galileo images offer a unique perspective on our home planet through the spectral capability made possible by four narrowband near-infrared filters, intended for observations of methane in Jupiter's atmosphere, which are not incorporated in any of the currently operating Earth orbital remote sensing systems. Spectral variations due to mineralogy, vegetative cover, and condensed water are effectively mapped by the visible and near-infrared multispectral imagery, showing a wide variety of biological, meteorological, and geological phenomena. Global tectonic and volcanic processes are clearly illustrated by these images, providing a useful basis for comparative planetary geology. Differences between plant species are detected through the narrowband IR filters on Galileo, allowing regional measurements of variation in the "red edge" of chlorophyll and the depth of the 1-micrometer water band, which is diagnostic of leaf moisture content. Although evidence of life is widespread in the Galileo data set, only a single image (at approximately 2 km/pixel) shows geometrization plausibly attributable to our technical civilization. Water vapor can be uniquely imaged in the Galileo 0.73-micrometer band, permitting spectral discrimination of moist and dry clouds with otherwise similar albedo. Surface snow and ice can be readily distinguished from cloud cover by narrowband imaging within the sensitivity range of Galileo's silicon CCD camera. Ice grain size variations can be mapped using the weak H2O absorption at 1 micrometer, a technique which may find important applications in the exploration of the moons of Jupiter. The Galileo images have the potential to make unique contributions to Earth science in the areas of geological, meteorological and biological remote sensing, due to the inclusion of previously untried narrowband IR filters. The vast scale and near global

  19. Observing Lava Flows with Spaceborne Microwave Radiometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lorenz, R. D.

    2017-12-01

    The interpretation of infrared observations of lava flows is well-established, both on Earth and Io, to establish flow areas and temperatures, and thereby constrain eruption rates. However, the detection of such radiation from space requires lava temperatures that are high enough to be incandescent, and a relatively clear atmosphere. The former condition is met only for a short period after eruption as the top millimeters of lava cool quickly. The latter condition may fail due to ash or water clouds on Earth, or the persistent thick clouds on Venus. Microwave radiometry, which in principle probes to depths of centimeters to decimeters, offers the prospect of detecting older flows. It furthermore is minimally sensitive to cloud.The challenge, however, is that spaceborne microwave instruments have relatively large footprints (sometimes 100km) such that the emission from relatively small flows is heavily diluted and therefore difficult to detect. Here we describe models of microwave remote sensing of recent volcanics on Earth, Venus and Titan, and present some preliminary observational studies of terrestrial volcanoes with the SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) radiometer. This spacecraft has a large antenna to yield a relatively narrow observation footprint, and a long wavelength to penetrate into volcanic rock, and thus offers the best prospects yet for volcano surveillance in microwave radiometry.

  20. Earth and ocean dynamics program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vonbun, F. O.

    1976-01-01

    The objectives and requirements of the Earth and Ocean Dynamics Programs are outlined along with major goals and experiments. Spaceborne as well as ground systems needed to accomplish program goals are listed and discussed along with program accomplishments.

  1. Research on the shortwave infrared hyperspectral imaging technology based on Integrated Stepwise filter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wei, Liqing; Xiao, Xizhong; Wang, Yueming; Zhuang, Xiaoqiong; Wang, Jianyu

    2017-11-01

    Space-borne hyperspectral imagery is an important tool for earth sciences and industrial applications. Higher spatial and spectral resolutions have been sought persistently, although this results in more power, larger volume and weight during a space-borne spectral imager design. For miniaturization of hyperspectral imager and optimization of spectral splitting methods, several methods are compared in this paper. Spectral time delay integration (TDI) method with high transmittance Integrated Stepwise Filter (ISF) is proposed.With the method, an ISF imaging spectrometer with TDI could achieve higher system sensitivity than the traditional prism/grating imaging spectrometer. In addition, the ISF imaging spectrometer performs well in suppressing infrared background radiation produced by instrument. A compact shortwave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imager prototype based on HgCdTe covering the spectral range of 2.0-2.5 μm with 6 TDI stages was designed and integrated. To investigate the performance of ISF spectrometer, a method to derive the optimal blocking band curve of the ISF is introduced, along with known error characteristics. To assess spectral performance of the ISF system, a new spectral calibration based on blackbody radiation with temperature scanning is proposed. The results of the imaging experiment showed the merits of ISF. ISF has great application prospects in the field of high sensitivity and high resolution space-borne hyperspectral imagery.

  2. 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.

  3. Performance Simulations for a Spaceborne Methane Lidar Mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kiemle, C.; Kawa, Stephan Randolph; Quatrevalet, Mathieu; Browell, Edward V.

    2014-01-01

    Future spaceborne lidar measurements of key anthropogenic greenhouse gases are expected to close current observational gaps particularly over remote, polar, and aerosol-contaminated regions, where actual in situ and passive remote sensing observation techniques have difficulties. For methane, a "Methane Remote Lidar Mission" was proposed by Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt and Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales in the frame of a German-French climate monitoring initiative. Simulations assess the performance of this mission with the help of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations of the earth's surface albedo and atmospheric optical depth. These are key environmental parameters for integrated path differential absorption lidar which uses the surface backscatter to measure the total atmospheric methane column. Results showthat a lidar with an average optical power of 0.45W at 1.6 µm wavelength and a telescope diameter of 0.55 m, installed on a low Earth orbit platform(506 km), will measure methane columns at precisions of 1.2%, 1.7%, and 2.1% over land, water, and snow or ice surfaces, respectively, for monthly aggregated measurement samples within areas of 50 × 50 km2. Globally, the mean precision for the simulated year 2007 is 1.6%, with a standard deviation of 0.7%. At high latitudes, a lower reflectance due to snow and ice is compensated by denser measurements, owing to the orbital pattern. Over key methane source regions such as densely populated areas, boreal and tropical wetlands, or permafrost, our simulations show that the measurement precision will be between 1 and 2%.

  4. Opportunities for Small Satellites in NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Peri, Frank; Law, Richard C.; Wells, James E.

    2014-01-01

    NASA's Earth Venture class (EV) of missions are competitively selected, Principal Investigator (PI) led, relatively low cost and narrowly focused in scientific scope. Investigations address a full spectrum of earth science objectives, including studies of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, polar ice regions, and solid Earth. EV has three program elements: EV-Suborbital (EVS) are suborbital/airborne investigations; EV-Mission (EVM) element comprises small complete spaceborne missions; and EV-Instrument (EVI) element develops spaceborne instruments for flight as Missions-of-Opportunity (MoO). To ensure the success of EV, frequent opportunities for selecting missions has been established in NASA's Earth Science budget. This paper will describe those opportunities and how the management approach of each element is tailored according to the specific needs of the element.

  5. Airborne and spaceborne radar images for geologic and environmental mapping in the Amazon rain forest, Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hurtak, James J.; Ford, John P.

    1986-01-01

    Spaceborne and airborne radar image of portions of the Middle and Upper Amazon basin in the state of Amazonas and the Territory of Roraima are compared for purposes of geological and environmental mapping. The contrasted illumination geometries and imaging parameters are related to terrain slope and surface roughness characteristics for corresponding areas that were covered by each of the radar imaging systems. Landforms range from deeply dissected mountain and plateau with relief up to 500 m in Roraima, revealing ancient layered rocks through folded residual mountains to deeply beveled pediplain in Amazonas. Geomorphic features provide distinct textural signatures that are characteristic of different rock associations. The principle drainages in the areas covered are the Rio Negro, Rio Branco, and the Rio Japura. Shadowing effects and low radar sensitivity to subtle linear fractures that are aligned parallel or nearly parallel to the direction of radar illumination illustrate the need to obtain multiple coverage with viewing directions about 90 degrees. Perception of standing water and alluvial forest in floodplains varies with incident angle and with season. Multitemporal data sets acquired over periods of years provide an ideal method of monitoring environmental changes.

  6. Observations of the marine environment from spaceborne side-looking real aperture radars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kalmykov, A. I.; Velichko, S. A.; Tsymbal, V. N.; Kuleshov, Yu. A.; Weinman, J. A.; Jurkevich, I.

    1993-01-01

    Real aperture, side looking X-band radars have been operated from the Soviet Cosmos-1500, -1602, -1766 and Ocean satellites since 1984. Wind velocities were inferred from sea surface radar scattering for speeds ranging from approximately 2 m/s to those of hurricane proportions. The wind speeds were within 10-20 percent of the measured in situ values, and the direction of the wind velocity agreed with in situ direction measurements within 20-50 deg. Various atmospheric mesoscale eddies and tropical cyclones were thus located, and their strengths were inferred from sea surface reflectivity measurements. Rain cells were observed over both land and sea with these spaceborne radars. Algorithms to retrieve rainfall rates from spaceborne radar measurements were also developed. Spaceborne radars have been used to monitor various marine hazards. For example, information derived from those radars was used to plan rescue operations of distressed ships trapped in sea ice. Icebergs have also been monitored, and oil spills were mapped. Tsunamis produced by underwater earthquakes were also observed from space by the radars on the Cosmos 1500 series of satellites. The Cosmos-1500 satellite series have provided all weather radar imagery of the earths surface to a user community in real time by means of a 137.4 MHz Automatic Picture Transmission channel. This feature enabled the radar information to be used in direct support of Soviet polar maritime activities.

  7. The Spaceborne Imaging Radar program: SIR-C - The next step toward EOS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Evans, Diane; Elachi, Charles; Cimino, Jobea

    1987-01-01

    The NASA Shuttle Imaging Radar SIR-C experiments will investigate earth surface and environment phenomena to deepen understanding of terra firma, biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and atmosphere components of the earth system, capitalizing on the observational capabilities of orbiting multiparameter radar sensors alone or in combination with other sensors. The SIR-C sensor encompasses an antenna array, an exciter, receivers, a data-handling network, and the ground SAR processor. It will be possible to steer the antenna beam electronically, so that the radar look angle can be varied.

  8. Spaceborne Applications of P Band Imaging Radars for Measuring Forest Biomass

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rignot, Eric J.; Zimmermann, Reiner; vanZyl, Jakob J.

    1995-01-01

    In three sites of boreal and temperate forests, P band HH, HV, and VV polarization data combined estimate total aboveground dry woody biomass within 12 to 27% of the values derived from allometric equations, depending on forest complexity. Biomass estimates derived from HV-polarization data only are 2 to 14% less accurate. When the radar operates at circular polarization, the errors exceed 100% over flooded forests, wet or damaged trees and sparse open tall forests because double-bounce reflections of the radar signals yield radar signatures similar to that of tall and massive forests. Circular polarizations, which minimize the effect of Faraday rotation in spaceborne applications, are therefore of limited use for measuring forest biomass. In the tropical rain forest of Manu, in Peru, where forest biomass ranges from 4 kg/sq m in young forest succession up to 50 kg/sq m in old, undisturbed floodplain stands, the P band horizontal and vertical polarization data combined separate biomass classes in good agreement with forest inventory estimates. The worldwide need for large scale, updated, biomass estimates, achieved with a uniformly applied method, justifies a more in-depth exploration of multi-polarization long wavelength imaging radar applications for tropical forests inventories.

  9. Spaceborne GPS: Current Status and Future Visions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bauer, Frank H.; Hartman, Kate; Lightsey, E. Glenn

    1998-01-01

    The Global Positioning System (GPS), developed by the Department of Defense is quickly revolutionizing the architecture of future spacecraft and spacecraft systems. Significant savings in spacecraft life cycle cost, in power, and in mass can be realized by exploiting GPS technology in spaceborne vehicles. These savings are realized because GPS is a systems sensor--it combines the ability to sense space vehicle trajectory, attitude, time, and relative ranging between vehicles into one package. As a result, a reduced spacecraft sensor complement can be employed and significant reductions in space vehicle operations cost can be realized through enhanced on-board autonomy. This paper provides an overview of the current status of spaceborne GPS, a description of spaceborne GPS receivers available now and in the near future, a description of the 1997-2000 GPS flight experiments, and the spaceborne GPS team's vision for the future.

  10. 2001 Mars Odyssey Images Earth (Visible and Infrared)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    2001 Mars Odyssey's Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) acquired these images of the Earth using its visible and infrared cameras as it left the Earth. The visible image shows the thin crescent viewed from Odyssey's perspective. The infrared image was acquired at exactly the same time, but shows the entire Earth using the infrared's 'night-vision' capability. Invisible light the instrument sees only reflected sunlight and therefore sees nothing on the night side of the planet. In infrared light the camera observes the light emitted by all regions of the Earth. The coldest ground temperatures seen correspond to the nighttime regions of Antarctica; the warmest temperatures occur in Australia. The low temperature in Antarctica is minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit); the high temperature at night in Australia 9 degrees Celsius(48.2 degrees Fahrenheit). These temperatures agree remarkably well with observed temperatures of minus 63 degrees Celsius at Vostok Station in Antarctica, and 10 degrees Celsius in Australia. The images were taken at a distance of 3,563,735 kilometers (more than 2 million miles) on April 19,2001 as the Odyssey spacecraft left Earth.

  11. Recent Results From The Nasa Earth Science Terra Mission and Future Possibilities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Salomonson, Vincent V.

    2000-01-01

    The NASA Earth Sciences Enterprise has made some remarkable strides in recent times in using developing, implementing, and utilizing spaceborne observations to better understand how the Earth works as a coupled, interactive system of the land, ocean, and atmosphere. Notable examples include the Upper Atmosphere Research (UARS) Satellite, the Topology Ocean Experiment (TOPEX) mission, Landsat-7, SeaWiFS, the Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission (TRMM), Quickscatt, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), and, quite recently, the Terra'/Earth Observing System-1 mission. The Terra mission, for example, represents a major step forward in providing sensors that offer considerable advantages and progress over heritage instruments. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT), the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emissions and Reflections (ASTER) radiometer, and the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) radiometer are the instruments involved. Early indications in March indicate that each of these instruments are working well and will be augmenting data bases from heritage instruments as well as producing new, unprecedented observations of land, ocean, and atmosphere features. Several missions will follow the Terra mission as the Earth Observing mission systems complete development and go into operation. These missions include EOS PM-1/'Aqua', Icesat, Vegetation Canopy Lidar (VCL), Jason/TOPEX Follow-on, the Chemistry mission, etc. As the Earth Observing systems completes its first phase in about 2004 a wealth of data enabling better understanding of the Earth and the management of its resources will have been provided. Considerable thought is beginning to be placed on what advances in technology can be implemented that will enable further advances in the early part of the 21st century; e.g., in the time from of 2020. Concepts such as

  12. Case studies for observation planning algorithm of a Japanese spaceborne sensor: Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogawa, Kenta; Konno, Yukiko; Yamamoto, Satoru; Matsunaga, Tsuneo; Tachikawa, Tetsushi; Komoda, Mako; Kashimura, Osamu; Rokugawa, Shuichi

    2016-10-01

    Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI)[1] is a Japanese future spaceborne hyperspectral instrument being developed by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and will be delivered to ISS in 2018. In HISUI project, observation strategy is important especially for hyperspectral sensor, and relationship between the limitations of sensor operation and the planned observation scenarios have to be studied. We have developed concept of multiple algorithms approach. The concept is to use two (or more) algorithm models (Long Strip Model and Score Downfall Model) for selecting observing scenes from complex data acquisition requests with satisfactory of sensor constrains. We have tested the algorithm, and found that the performance of two models depends on remaining data acquisition requests, i.e. distribution score along with orbits. We conclude that the multiple algorithms approach will be make better collection plans for HISUI comparing with single fixed approach.

  13. Innovative Approaches to Remote Sensing in NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Peri, Frank; Volz, Stephen

    2013-01-01

    NASA's Earth Venture class (EV) of mission are competitively selected, Principal Investigator (PI) led, relatively low cost and narrowly focused in scientific scope. Investigations address a full spectrum of earth science objectives, including studies of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, polar ice regions, and solid Earth. EV has three program elements: EV-Suborbital (EVS) are suborbital/airborne investigations; EV-Mission (EVM) element comprises small complete spaceborne missions; and EV-Instrument (EVI) element develops spaceborne instruments for flight as missions-of-opportunity (MoO). To ensure the success of EV, the management approach of each element is tailored according to the specific needs of the element.

  14. Calibration of imaging parameters for space-borne airglow photography using city light positions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hozumi, Yuta; Saito, Akinori; Ejiri, Mitsumu K.

    2016-09-01

    A new method for calibrating imaging parameters of photographs taken from the International Space Station (ISS) is presented in this report. Airglow in the mesosphere and the F-region ionosphere was captured on the limb of the Earth with a digital single-lens reflex camera from the ISS by astronauts. To utilize the photographs as scientific data, imaging parameters, such as the angle of view, exact position, and orientation of the camera, should be determined because they are not measured at the time of imaging. A new calibration method using city light positions shown in the photographs was developed to determine these imaging parameters with high accuracy suitable for airglow study. Applying the pinhole camera model, the apparent city light positions on the photograph are matched with the actual city light locations on Earth, which are derived from the global nighttime stable light map data obtained by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite. The correct imaging parameters are determined in an iterative process by matching the apparent positions on the image with the actual city light locations. We applied this calibration method to photographs taken on August 26, 2014, and confirmed that the result is correct. The precision of the calibration was evaluated by comparing the results from six different photographs with the same imaging parameters. The precisions in determining the camera position and orientation are estimated to be ±2.2 km and ±0.08°, respectively. The 0.08° difference in the orientation yields a 2.9-km difference at a tangential point of 90 km in altitude. The airglow structures in the photographs were mapped to geographical points using the calibrated imaging parameters and compared with a simultaneous observation by the Visible and near-Infrared Spectral Imager of the Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Upper Atmosphere, and Plasmasphere mapping mission installed on the ISS. The comparison shows good agreements and supports the validity

  15. Spaceborne GPS Current Status and Future Visions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bauer, Frank H.; Hartman, Kate; Lightsey, E. Glenn

    1998-01-01

    The Global Positioning System (GPS), developed by the Department of Defense, is quickly revolutionizing the architecture of future spacecraft and spacecraft systems. Significant savings in spacecraft life cycle cost, in power, and in mass can be realized by exploiting Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in spaceborne vehicles. These savings are realized because GPS is a systems sensor-it combines the ability to sense space vehicle trajectory, attitude, time, and relative ranging between vehicles into one package. As a result, a reduced spacecraft sensor complement can be employed on spacecraft and significant reductions in space vehicle operations cost can be realized through enhanced on- board autonomy. This paper provides an overview of the current status of spaceborne GPS, a description of spaceborne GPS receivers available now and in the near future, a description of the 1997-1999 GPS flight experiments and the spaceborne GPS team's vision for the future.

  16. From Michelson and Fizeau to a Space-borne Infrared Instrument Capable of Detecting an Earth Twin: Development and Recent Accomplishments of Stellar Interferometry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barry, Richard K.; Danchi, William C.; Lopez, Bruno; Rinehart, Stephen; Absil, Olivier; Augereau, Jean-Charles; Beust, Herve; Bonfils, Xavier; Borde, Pascal; Defrere, Denis; hide

    2009-01-01

    In recent years, the evolution of technology has led to significant advances in high angular resolution astronomy and the precision of new observations. In particular, the interferometric combination of light from physically separated telescopes has shown both great promise and great challenge. We describe the first scientific results from the Keck Interferometer Nuller an instrument that combines the light of the two largest optical telescopes in the world in the context of the historic development of interferometry from its beginning in the work of Fizeau, Stephan and Michelson. We also describe our efforts to build a space-borne mid-infrared interferometer the Fourier Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI) - for the characterization of exoplanets. We report results of a recent engineering study on an enhanced version of FKSI that includes 1-meter primary mirrors, 20-meter boom length, and an advanced sun shield that will provide a 45-degree FOR and 40K operating temperature for all optics, including siderostats, enabling the characterization of exozodiacal debris disks, extrasolar planets and other phenomena requiring extremely high spatial resolution. We are further investigating the possibility of characterizing the atmospheres of several super-Earths and a few Earth twins by a combination of spatial modulation and spectral analysis.

  17. Observing the polar oceans with spaceborne radar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rothrock, Drew

    1986-01-01

    The application of spaceborne imaging radar data to polar oceanography and sea ice is explored. Several problems come to mind which are presently ripe with ideas and models, but are in need of new data, SAR data, for any progress to be made. These are the study of the ice mass balance, the ice momentum balance, and the circulation of the Arctic Ocean. These problems are described along with the data which is applicable to them and can be extracted from SAR imagery. Some uses are discussed of these data to explore mesoscale processes which affect the oceans and ice cover.

  18. Accuracy comparison in mapping water bodies using Landsat images and Google Earth Images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Z.; Zhou, X.

    2016-12-01

    A lot of research has been done for the extraction of water bodies with multiple satellite images. The Water Indexes with the use of multi-spectral images are the mostly used methods for the water bodies' extraction. In order to extract area of water bodies from satellite images, accuracy may depend on the spatial resolution of images and relative size of the water bodies. To quantify the impact of spatial resolution and size (major and minor lengths) of the water bodies on the accuracy of water area extraction, we use Georgetown Lake, Montana and coalbed methane (CBM) water retention ponds in the Montana Powder River Basin as test sites to evaluate the impact of spatial resolution and the size of water bodies on water area extraction. Data sources used include Landsat images and Google Earth images covering both large water bodies and small ponds. Firstly we used water indices to extract water coverage from Landsat images for both large lake and small ponds. Secondly we used a newly developed visible-index method to extract water coverage from Google Earth images covering both large lake and small ponds. Thirdly, we used the image fusion method in which the Google Earth Images are fused with multi-spectral Landsat images to obtain multi-spectral images of the same high spatial resolution as the Google earth images. The actual area of the lake and ponds are measured using GPS surveys. Results will be compared and the optimal method will be selected for water body extraction.

  19. Microwave blackbodies for spaceborne receivers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stacey, J. M.

    1985-01-01

    The properties of microwave blackbody targets are explained as they apply to the calibration of spaceborne receivers. Also described are several practicable, blackbody targets used to test and calibrate receivers in the laboratory and in the thermal vacuum chamber. Problems with the precision and the accuracy of blackbody targets, and blackbody target design concepts that overcome some of the accuracy limitations present in existing target designs, are presented. The principle of the Brewster angle blackbody target is described where the blackbody is applied as a fixed-temperature test target in the laboratory and as a variable-temperature target in the thermal vacuum chamber. The reflectivity of a Brewster angle target is measured in the laboratory. From this measurement, the emissivity of the target is calculated. Radiatively cooled thermal suspensions are discussed as the coolants of blackbody targets and waveguide terminations that function as calibration devices in spaceborne receivers. Examples are given for the design of radiatively cooled thermal suspensions. Corrugated-horn antennas used to observe the cosmic background and to provide a cold-calibration source for spaceborne receivers are described.

  20. Imaging_Earth_With_MUSES

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-07-11

    Commercial businesses and scientific researchers have a new capability to capture digital imagery of Earth, thanks to MUSES: the Multiple User System for Earth Sensing facility. This platform on the outside of the International Space Station is capable of holding four different payloads, ranging from high-resolution digital cameras to hyperspectral imagers, which will support Earth science observations in agricultural awareness, air quality, disaster response, fire detection, and many other research topics. MUSES program manager Mike Soutullo explains the system and its unique features including the ability to change and upgrade payloads using the space station’s Canadarm2 and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. For more information about MUSES, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/MUSES For more on ISS science, https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/index.html or follow us on Twitter @ISS_research

  1. Beyond Kepler: Direct Imaging of Earth-like Planets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Belikov, Ruslan

    2012-01-01

    Is there another Earth out there? Is there life on it? People have been asking these questions for over two thousand years, and we finally stand on the verge of answering them. The Kepler space telescope is NASA's first mission designed to study Earthlike exoplanets (exo-Earths), and it will soon tell us how often exo-Earths occur in the habitable zones of their stars. The next natural step after Kepler is spectroscopic characterization of exo-Earths, which would tell us whether they possess an atmosphere, oxygen, liquid water, as well as other biomarkers. In order to do this, directly imaging an exo-Earth may be necessary (at least for Sun-like stars). Directly imaging an exo-Earth is challenging and likely requires a flagship-size optical space telescope with an unprecedented imaging system capable of achieving contrasts of 1(exp 10) very close to the diffraction limit. Several coronagraphs and external occulters have been proposed to meet this challenge and are in development. After first overviewing the history and current state of the field, my talk will focus on the work proceeding at the Ames Coronagraph Experiment (ACE) at the NASA Ames Research Center, where we are developing the Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization (PIAA) coronagraph in a collaboration with JPL. PIAA is a powerful technique with demonstrated aggressive performance that defines the state of the art at small inner working angles. At ACE, we have achieved contrasts of 2(exp -8) with an inner working angle of 2 lambda/D and 1(exp -6) at 1.4 lambda/D. On the path to exo-Earth imaging, we are also pursuing a smaller telescope concept called EXCEDE (EXoplanetary Circumstellar Environments and Disk Explorer), which was recently selected for technology development (Category III) by NASA's Explorer program. EXCEDE will do fundamental science on debris disks as well as serve as a technological and scientific pathfinder for an exo-Earth imaging mission.

  2. Validation of Spaceborne Radar Surface Water Mapping with Optical sUAS Images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li-Chee-Ming, J.; Murnaghan, K.; Sherman, D.; Poncos, V.; Brisco, B.; Armenakis, C.

    2015-08-01

    The Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) has over 40 years of experience with airborne and spaceborne sensors and is now starting to use small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) to validate products from large coverage area sensors and create new methodologies for very high resolution products. Wetlands have several functions including water storage and retention which can reduce flooding and provide continuous flow for hydroelectric generation and irrigation for agriculture. Synthetic Aperture Radar is well suited as a tool for monitoring surface water by supplying acquisitions irrespective of cloud cover or time of day. Wetlands can be subdivided into three classes: open water, flooded vegetation and upland which can vary seasonally with time and water level changes. RADARSAT-2 data from the Wide-Ultra Fine, Spotlight and Fine Quad-Pol modes has been used to map the open water in the Peace-Athabasca Delta, Alberta using intensity thresholding. We also use spotlight modes for higher resolution and the fully polarimetric mode (FQ) for polarimetric decomposition. Validation of these products will be done using a low altitude flying sUAS to generate optical georeferenced images. This project provides methodologies which could be used for flood mapping as well as ecological monitoring.

  3. Sally Ride EarthKAM - Automated Image Geo-Referencing Using Google Earth Web Plug-In

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Andres, Paul M.; Lazar, Dennis K.; Thames, Robert Q.

    2013-01-01

    Sally Ride EarthKAM is an educational program funded by NASA that aims to provide the public the ability to picture Earth from the perspective of the International Space Station (ISS). A computer-controlled camera is mounted on the ISS in a nadir-pointing window; however, timing limitations in the system cause inaccurate positional metadata. Manually correcting images within an orbit allows the positional metadata to be improved using mathematical regressions. The manual correction process is time-consuming and thus, unfeasible for a large number of images. The standard Google Earth program allows for the importing of KML (keyhole markup language) files that previously were created. These KML file-based overlays could then be manually manipulated as image overlays, saved, and then uploaded to the project server where they are parsed and the metadata in the database is updated. The new interface eliminates the need to save, download, open, re-save, and upload the KML files. Everything is processed on the Web, and all manipulations go directly into the database. Administrators also have the control to discard any single correction that was made and validate a correction. This program streamlines a process that previously required several critical steps and was probably too complex for the average user to complete successfully. The new process is theoretically simple enough for members of the public to make use of and contribute to the success of the Sally Ride EarthKAM project. Using the Google Earth Web plug-in, EarthKAM images, and associated metadata, this software allows users to interactively manipulate an EarthKAM image overlay, and update and improve the associated metadata. The Web interface uses the Google Earth JavaScript API along with PHP-PostgreSQL to present the user the same interface capabilities without leaving the Web. The simpler graphical user interface will allow the public to participate directly and meaningfully with EarthKAM. The use of

  4. Tests of the gravitational redshift effect in space-born and ground-based experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vavilova, I. B.

    2018-02-01

    This paper provides a brief overview of experiments as concerns with the tests of the gravitational redshift (GRS) effect in ground-based and space-born experiments. In particular, we consider the GRS effects in the gravitational field of the Earth, the major planets of the Solar system, compact stars (white dwarfs and neutron stars) where this effect is confirmed with a higher accuracy. We discuss availabilities to confirm the GRS effect for galaxies and galaxy clusters in visible and X-ray ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum.

  5. The EarthKAM project: creating space imaging tools for teaching and learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dodson, Holly; Levin, Paula; Ride, Sally; Souviney, Randall

    2000-07-01

    The EarthKAM Project is a NASA-supported partnership of secondary and university students with Earth Science and educational researchers. This report describes an ongoing series of activities that more effectively integrate Earth images into classroom instruction. In this project, students select and analyze images of the Earth taken during Shuttle flights and use the tools of modern science (computers, data analysis tools and the Internet) to disseminate the images and results of their research. A related study, the Visualizing Earth Project, explores in greater detail the cognitive aspects of image processing and the educational potential of visualizations in science teaching and learning. The content and organization of the EarthKAM datasystem of images and metadata are also described. An associated project is linking this datasystem of images with the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names, which will allow users to access a wide range of geographic and political information for the regions shown in EarthKAM images. Another project will provide tools for automated feature extraction from EarthKAM images. In order to make EarthKAM resources available to a larger number of schools, the next important goal is to create an integrated datasystem that combines iterative resource validation and publication, with multimedia management of instructional materials.

  6. The Characterization of a DIRSIG Simulation Environment to Support the Inter-Calibration of Spaceborne Sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ambeau, Brittany L.; Gerace, Aaron D.; Montanaro, Matthew; McCorkel, Joel

    2016-01-01

    Climate change studies require long-term, continuous records that extend beyond the lifetime, and the temporal resolution, of a single remote sensing satellite sensor. The inter-calibration of spaceborne sensors is therefore desired to provide spatially, spectrally, and temporally homogeneous datasets. The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) tool is a first principle-based synthetic image generation model that has the potential to characterize the parameters that impact the accuracy of the inter-calibration of spaceborne sensors. To demonstrate the potential utility of the model, we compare the radiance observed in real image data to the radiance observed in simulated image from DIRSIG. In the present work, a synthetic landscape of the Algodones Sand Dunes System is created. The terrain is facetized using a 2-meter digital elevation model generated from NASA Goddard's LiDAR, Hyperspectral, and Thermal (G-LiHT) imager. The material spectra are assigned using hyperspectral measurements of sand collected from the Algodones Sand Dunes System. Lastly, the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) properties are assigned to the modeled terrain using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) BRDF product in conjunction with DIRSIG's Ross-Li capability. The results of this work indicate that DIRSIG is in good agreement with real image data. The potential sources of residual error are identified and the possibilities for future work are discussed..

  7. The characterization of a DIRSIG simulation environment to support the inter-calibration of spaceborne sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ambeau, Brittany L.; Gerace, Aaron D.; Montanaro, Matthew; McCorkel, Joel

    2016-09-01

    Climate change studies require long-term, continuous records that extend beyond the lifetime, and the temporal resolution, of a single remote sensing satellite sensor. The inter-calibration of spaceborne sensors is therefore desired to provide spatially, spectrally, and temporally homogeneous datasets. The Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) tool is a first principle-based synthetic image generation model that has the potential to characterize the parameters that impact the accuracy of the inter-calibration of spaceborne sensors. To demonstrate the potential utility of the model, we compare the radiance observed in real image data to the radiance observed in simulated image from DIRSIG. In the present work, a synthetic landscape of the Algodones Sand Dunes System is created. The terrain is facetized using a 2-meter digital elevation model generated from NASA Goddard's LiDAR, Hyperspectral, and Thermal (G-LiHT) imager. The material spectra are assigned using hyperspectral measurements of sand collected from the Algodones Sand Dunes System. Lastly, the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) properties are assigned to the modeled terrain using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) BRDF product in conjunction with DIRSIG's Ross-Li capability. The results of this work indicate that DIRSIG is in good agreement with real image data. The potential sources of residual error are identified and the possibilities for future work are discussed.

  8. Ambiguities in spaceborne synthetic aperture radar systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Li, F. K.; Johnson, W. T. K.

    1983-01-01

    An examination of aspects of spaceborne SAR time delay and Doppler ambiguities has led to the formulation of an accurate method for the evaluation of the ratio of ambiguity intensities to that of the signal, which has been applied to the nominal SAR system on Seasat. After discussing the variation of this ratio as a function of orbital latitude and attitude control error, it is shown that the detailed range migration-azimuth phase history of an ambiguity is different from that of a signal, so that the images of ambiguities are dispersed. Seasat SAR dispersed images are presented, and their dispersions are eliminated through an adjustment of the processing parameters. A method is also presented which uses a set of multiple pulse repetition sequences to determine the Doppler centroid frequency absolute values for SARs with high carrier frequencies and poor attitude measurements.

  9. Calibration View of Earth and the Moon by Mars Color Imager

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    Three days after the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Aug. 12, 2005, launch, the spacecraft was pointed toward Earth and the Mars Color Imager camera was powered up to acquire a suite of images of Earth and the Moon. When it gets to Mars, the Mars Color Imager's main objective will be to obtain daily global color and ultraviolet images of the planet to observe martian meteorology by documenting the occurrence of dust storms, clouds, and ozone. This camera will also observe how the martian surface changes over time, including changes in frost patterns and surface brightness caused by dust storms and dust devils.

    The purpose of acquiring an image of Earth and the Moon just three days after launch was to help the Mars Color Imager science team obtain a measure, in space, of the instrument's sensitivity, as well as to check that no contamination occurred on the camera during launch. Prior to launch, the team determined that, three days out from Earth, the planet would only be about 4.77 pixels across, and the Moon would be less than one pixel in size, as seen from the Mars Color Imager's wide-angle perspective. If the team waited any longer than three days to test the camera's performance in space, Earth would be too small to obtain meaningful results.

    The Earth and Moon images were acquired by turning Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter toward Earth, then slewing the spacecraft so that the Earth and Moon would pass before each of the five color and two ultraviolet filters of the Mars Color Imager. The distance to the Moon was about 1,440,000 kilometers (about 895,000 miles); the range to Earth was about 1,170,000 kilometers (about 727,000 miles).

    This view combines a sequence of frames showing the passage of Earth and the Moon across the field of view of a single color band of the Mars Color Imager. As the spacecraft slewed to view the two objects, they passed through the camera's field of view. Earth has been saturated white in this image so that both Earth

  10. On board processor development for NASA's spaceborne imaging radar with system-on-chip technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fang, Wai-Chi

    2004-01-01

    This paper reports a preliminary study result of an on-board spaceborne SAR processor. It consists of a processing requirement analysis, functional specifications, and implementation with system-on-chip technology. Finally, a minimum version of this on-board processor designed for performance evaluation and for partial demonstration is illustrated.

  11. Unsupervised SBAS-DInSAR Processing of Space-borne SAR data for Earth Surface Displacement Time Series Generation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casu, F.; de Luca, C.; Lanari, R.; Manunta, M.; Zinno, I.

    2016-12-01

    During the last 25 years, the Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) has played an important role for understanding the Earth's surface deformation and its dynamics. In particular, the large collections of SAR data acquired by a number of space-borne missions (ERS, ENVISAT, ALOS, RADARSAT, TerraSAR-X, COSMO-SkyMed) have pushed toward the development of advanced DInSAR techniques for monitoring the temporal evolution of the ground displacements with an high spatial density. Moreover, the advent of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 (S1) constellation is providing a further increase in the SAR data flow available to the Earth science community, due to its characteristics of global coverage strategy and free and open access data policy. Therefore, managing and storing such a huge amount of data, processing it in an effcient way and maximizing the available archives exploitation are becoming high priority issues. In this work we present some recent advances in the DInSAR field for dealing with the effective exploitation of the present and future SAR data archives. In particular, an efficient parallel SBAS implementation (namely P-SBAS) that takes benefit from high performance computing is proposed. Then, the P-SBAS migration to the emerging Cloud Computing paradigm is shown, together with extensive tests carried out in the Amazon's Elastic Cloud Compute (EC2) infrastructure. Finally, the integration of the P-SBAS processing chain within the ESA Geohazards Exploitation Platform (GEP), for setting up operational on-demand and systematic web tools, open to every user, aimed at automatically processing stacks of SAR data for the generation of SBAS displacement time series, is also illustrated. A number of experimental results obtained by using the ERS, ENVISAT and S1 data in areas characterized by volcanic, seismic and anthropogenic phenomena will be shown. This work is partially supported by: the DPC-CNR agreement, the EPOS-IP project and the ESA GEP project.

  12. Space Radar Image of Belgrade, Serbia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image of Belgrade, Serbia, illustrates the variety of land use patterns that can be observed with a multiple wavelength radar system. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia and former capital of Yugoslavia, is the bright area in the center of the image. The Danube River flows from the top to the bottom of the image, and the Sava River flows into the Danube from the left. Agricultural fields appear in shades of dark blue, purple and brown in outlying areas. Vegetated areas along the rivers appear in light blue-green, while dense forests in hillier areas in the lower left appear in a darker shade of green. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 2, 1994. The image is centered at 44.5 degrees north latitude and 20.5 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper right. The image shows an area 36 kilometers by 32 kilometers 22 miles by 20 miles). The colors are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted, horizontally received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received; blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

  13. The CEOS-Land Surface Imaging Constellation Portal for GEOSS: A resource for land surface imaging system information and data access

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Holm, Thomas; Gallo, Kevin P.; Bailey, Bryan

    2010-01-01

    The Committee on Earth Observation Satellites is an international group that coordinates civil space-borne observations of the Earth, and provides the space component of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). The CEOS Virtual Constellations concept was implemented in an effort to engage and coordinate disparate Earth observing programs of CEOS member agencies and ultimately facilitate their contribution in supplying the space-based observations required to satisfy the requirements of the GEOSS. The CEOS initially established Study Teams for four prototype constellations that included precipitation, land surface imaging, ocean surface topography, and atmospheric composition. The basic mission of the Land Surface Imaging (LSI) Constellation [1] is to promote the efficient, effective, and comprehensive collection, distribution, and application of space-acquired image data of the global land surface, especially to meet societal needs of the global population, such as those addressed by the nine Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs) of agriculture, biodiversity, climate, disasters, ecosystems, energy, health, water, and weather. The LSI Constellation Portal is the result of an effort to address important goals within the LSI Constellation mission and provide resources to assist in planning for future space missions that might further contribute to meeting those goals.

  14. FIR and sub-mm direct detection spectrometers for spaceborne astronomy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wijnbergen, Jan J.; de Graauw, Thijs

    1990-12-01

    Candidate spaceborne sub-mm instrumentation proposed for space projects with large passively cooled telescopes are reviewed. Grating instruments and Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) spectrometers are discussed. Particular attention is given to imaging Fabry-Perot spectrometers. The special needs of the Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) and for the Far InfraRed Space Telescope (FIRST) missions in this area are outlined. Possible Fabry-Perot spectrometer setups are diagrammed and outlined. The use of spherical and multiplex Fabry-Perot spectrometers is discussed.

  15. Out-of-Band 40 DB Bandwidth of EESS (Active) Spaceborne SARS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huneycutt, Bryan L.

    2005-01-01

    This document presents a study of out of band (OOB) 40 dB bandwidth requirements of spaceborne SARs in the Earth Exploration-Satellite Service (active) and Space Research Service (active). The purpose of the document is to study the OOB 40 dB bandwidth requirements and compare the 40 dB bandwidth B-40 as measured in simulations with that calculated using the ITU-R Rec SM.1541 equations. The spectra roll-off and resulting OOB 40 dB bandwidth of the linear FM signal is affected by the time-bandwidth product and the rise/fall times. Typical values of these waveform characteristics are given for existing EESS (active) sensors.

  16. Lightweight high-performance 1-4 meter class spaceborne mirrors: emerging technology for demanding spaceborne requirements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hull, Tony; Hartmann, Peter; Clarkson, Andrew R.; Barentine, John M.; Jedamzik, Ralf; Westerhoff, Thomas

    2010-07-01

    Pending critical spaceborne requirements, including coronagraphic detection of exoplanets, require exceptionally smooth mirror surfaces, aggressive lightweighting, and low-risk cost-effective optical manufacturing methods. Simultaneous development at Schott for production of aggressively lightweighted (>90%) Zerodur® mirror blanks, and at L-3 Brashear for producing ultra-smooth surfaces on Zerodur®, will be described. New L-3 techniques for large-mirror optical fabrication include Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS) pioneered at L-3 Tinsley, and the world's largest MRF machine in place at L-3 Brashear. We propose that exceptional mirrors for the most critical spaceborne applications can now be produced with the technologies described.

  17. Most Amazing High Definition Image of Earth - Blue Marble 2012

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    January 25, 2012 *Updated February 2, 2012: According to Flickr, "The western hemisphere Blue Marble 2012 image has rocketed up to over 3.1 million views making it one of the all time most viewed images on the site after only one week." A 'Blue Marble' image of the Earth taken from the VIIRS instrument aboard NASA's most recently launched Earth-observing satellite - Suomi NPP. This composite image uses a number of swaths of the Earth's surface taken on January 4, 2012. The NPP satellite was renamed 'Suomi NPP' on January 24, 2012 to honor the late Verner E. Suomi of the University of Wisconsin. Suomi NPP is NASA's next Earth-observing research satellite. It is the first of a new generation of satellites that will observe many facets of our changing Earth. Suomi NPP is carrying five instruments on board. The biggest and most important instrument is The Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite or VIIRS. To read more about NASA's Suomi NPP go to: www.nasa.gov/npp Credit: NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring 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

  18. Highly-reliable laser diodes and modules for spaceborne applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deichsel, E.

    2017-11-01

    Laser applications become more and more interesting in contemporary missions such as earth observations or optical communication in space. One of these applications is light detection and ranging (LIDAR), which comprises huge scientific potential in future missions. The Nd:YAG solid-state laser of such a LIDAR system is optically pumped using 808nm emitting pump sources based on semiconductor laser-diodes in quasi-continuous wave (qcw) operation. Therefore reliable and efficient laser diodes with increased output powers are an important requirement for a spaceborne LIDAR-system. In the past, many tests were performed regarding the performance and life-time of such laser-diodes. There were also studies for spaceborne applications, but a test with long operation times at high powers and statistical relevance is pending. Other applications, such as science packages (e.g. Raman-spectroscopy) on planetary rovers require also reliable high-power light sources. Typically fiber-coupled laser diode modules are used for such applications. Besides high reliability and life-time, designs compatible to the harsh environmental conditions must be taken in account. Mechanical loads, such as shock or strong vibration are expected due to take-off or landing procedures. Many temperature cycles with high change rates and differences must be taken in account due to sun-shadow effects in planetary orbits. Cosmic radiation has strong impact on optical components and must also be taken in account. Last, a hermetic sealing must be considered, since vacuum can have disadvantageous effects on optoelectronics components.

  19. Earth Observation Services (Image Processing Software)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    San Diego State University and Environmental Systems Research Institute, with other agencies, have applied satellite imaging and image processing techniques to geographic information systems (GIS) updating. The resulting images display land use and are used by a regional planning agency for applications like mapping vegetation distribution and preserving wildlife habitats. The EOCAP program provides government co-funding to encourage private investment in, and to broaden the use of NASA-developed technology for analyzing information about Earth and ocean resources.

  20. Top 16 Earth Images of 2016

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-02-12

    Astronauts on the International Space Station take pictures of Earth out their windows nearly every day; over a year that adds up to thousands of photos. The people at the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston pored through this year’s crop to pick their top 16 photos of Earth for 2016—enjoy! Download the images: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore/albums/72157674260752223 HD download link: https://archive.org/details/TheSpaceProgram _______________________________________ FOLLOW THE SPACE STATION! Twitter: https://twitter.com/Space_Station Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISS Instagram: https://instagram.com/iss/

  1. Research on the space-borne coherent wind lidar technique and the prototype experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Long; Tao, Yuliang; An, Chao; Yang, Jukui; Du, Guojun; Zheng, Yongchao

    2016-10-01

    Space-borne coherent wind lidar technique is considered as one of the most promising and appropriate remote Sensing methods for successfully measuring the whole global vector wind profile between the lower atmosphere and the middle atmosphere. Compared with other traditional methods, the space-borne coherent wind lidar has some advantages, such as, the all-day operation; many lidar systems can be integrated into the same satellite because of the light-weight and the small size, eye-safe wavelength, and being insensitive to the background light. Therefore, this coherent lidar could be widely applied into the earth climate research, disaster monitoring, numerical weather forecast, environment protection. In this paper, the 2μm space-borne coherent wind lidar system for measuring the vector wind profile is proposed. And the technical parameters about the sub-system of the coherent wind lidar are simulated and the all sub-system schemes are proposed. For sake of validating the technical parameters of the space-borne coherent wind lidar system and the optical off-axis telescope, the weak laser signal detection technique, etc. The proto-type coherent wind lidar is produced and the experiments for checking the performance of this proto-type coherent wind lidar are finished with the hard-target and the soft target, and the horizontal wind and the vertical wind profile are measured and calibrated, respectively. For this proto-type coherent wind lidar, the wavelength is 1.54μm, the pulse energy 80μJ, the pulse width 300ns, the diameter of the off-axis telescope 120mm, the single wedge for cone scanning with the 40°angle, and the two dualbalanced InGaAs detector modules are used. The experiment results are well consisted with the simulation process, and these results show that the wind profile between the vertical altitude 4km can be measured, the accuracy of the wind velocity and the wind direction are better than 1m/s and +/-10°, respectively.

  2. Present and Future Airborne and Space-borne Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-02-01

    Present and Future Airborne and Space-borne Systems Wolfgang Keydel Microwaves and Radar Institute German Aerospace Research Centre (DLR...airborne and space-borne SAR systems with polarimetric interferometry capability, their technological, system technical and application related...interferometry accuracies in the cm range have been obtained. In order to reach these values an exact system calibration is indispensable. The calibration of

  3. Space Radar Image of Munich, Germany

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image of Munich, Germany illustrates the capability of a multi-frequency radar system to highlight different land use patterns in the area surrounding Bavaria's largest city. Central Munich is the white area at the middle of the image, on the banks of the Isar River. Pink areas are forested, while green areas indicate clear-cut and agricultural terrain. The Munich region served as a primary 'supersite' for studies in ecology, hydrology and radar calibration during the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) missions. Scientists were able to use these data to map patterns of forest damage from storms and areas affected by bark beetle infestation. The image was acquired by SIR-C/X-SAR onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 18, 1994. The image is 37 kilometers by 32 kilometers (23 miles by 20 miles) and is centered at 48.2 degrees North latitude, 11.5 degrees East longitude. North is toward the upper right. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, vertically transmitted and horizontally received; green is C-band, vertically transmitted and horizontally received; and blue is C-band vertically transmitted and received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

  4. Earth Observation Services Weather Imaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    Microprocessor-based systems for processing satellite data offer mariners real-time images of weather systems, day and night, of large areas or allow them to zoom in on a few square miles. Systems West markets these commercial image processing systems, which have significantly decreased the cost of satellite weather stations. The company was assisted by the EOCAP program, which provides government co-funding to encourage private investment in, and to broaden the use of, NASA-developed technology for analyzing information about Earth and ocean resources.

  5. The MESSENGER Earth Flyby: Results from the Mercury Dual Imaging System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prockter, L. M.; Murchie, S. L.; Hawkins, S. E.; Robinson, M. S.; Shelton, R. G.; Vaughan, R. M.; Solomon, S. C.

    2005-12-01

    The MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, Geochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on 3 August 2004. It returned to Earth for a gravity assist on 2 August 2005, providing an exceptional opportunity for the Science Team to perform instrument calibrations and to test some of the data acquisition sequences that will be used to meet Mercury science goals. The Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS), one of seven science instruments on MESSENGER, consists of a wide-angle and a narrow-angle imager that together can map landforms, track variations in surface color, and carry out stereogrammetry. The two imagers are mounted on a pivot platform that enables the instrument to point in a different direction from the spacecraft boresight, allowing great flexibility and increased imaging coverage. During the week prior to the closest approach to Earth, MDIS acquired a number of images of the Moon for radiometric calibration and to test optical navigation sequences that will be used to target planetary flybys. Twenty-four hours before closest approach, images of the Earth were acquired with 11 filters of the wide-angle camera. After MDIS flew over the nightside of the Earth, additional color images centered on South America were obtained at sufficiently high resolution to discriminate small-scale features such as the Amazon River and Lake Titicaca. During its departure from Earth, MDIS acquired a sequence of images taken in three filters every 4 minutes over a period of 24 hours. These images have been assembled into a movie of a crescent Earth that begins as South America slides across the terminator into darkness and continues for one full Earth rotation. This movie and the other images have provided a successful test of the sequences that will be used during the MESSENGER Mercury flybys in 2008 and 2009 and have demonstrated the high quality of the MDIS wide-angle camera.

  6. Calibration View of Earth and the Moon by Mars Color Imager

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2005-08-22

    Three days after the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Aug. 12, 2005, launch, the spacecraft was pointed toward Earth and the Mars Color Imager camera was powered up to acquire a suite of images of Earth and the Moon.

  7. Similarities and differences between three coexisting spaceborne radars in global rainfall and snowfall estimation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Guoqiang; Wen, Yixin; Gao, Jinyu; Long, Di; Ma, Yingzhao; Wan, Wei; Hong, Yang

    2017-05-01

    Precipitation is one of the most important components in the water and energy cycles. Radars are considered the best available technology for observing the spatial distribution of precipitation either from the ground since the 1980s or from space since 1998. This study, for the first time ever, compares and evaluates the only three existing spaceborne precipitation radars, i.e., the Ku-band precipitation radar (PR), the W-band Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR), and the Ku/Ka-band Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR). The three radars are matched up globally and intercompared in the only period which they coexist: 2014-2015. In addition, for the first time ever, TRMM PR and GPM DPR are evaluated against hourly rain gauge data in Mainland China. Results show that DPR and PR agree with each other and correlate very well with gauges in Mainland China. However, both show limited performance in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) known as the Earth's third pole. DPR improves light precipitation detectability, when compared with PR, whereas CPR performs best for light precipitation and snowfall. DPR snowfall has the advantage of higher sampling rates than CPR; however, its accuracy needs to be improved further. The future development of spaceborne radars is also discussed in two complementary categories: (1) multifrequency radar instruments on a single platform and (2) constellations of many small cube radar satellites, for improving global precipitation estimation. This comprehensive intercomparison of PR, CPR, and DPR sheds light on spaceborne radar precipitation retrieval and future radar design.

  8. Research on Synthetic Aperture Radar Processing for the Spaceborne Sliding Spotlight Mode.

    PubMed

    Shen, Shijian; Nie, Xin; Zhang, Xinggan

    2018-02-03

    Gaofen-3 (GF-3) is China' first C-band multi-polarization synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, which also provides the sliding spotlight mode for the first time. Sliding-spotlight mode is a novel mode to realize imaging with not only high resolution, but also wide swath. Several key technologies for sliding spotlight mode in spaceborne SAR with high resolution are investigated in this paper, mainly including the imaging parameters, the methods of velocity estimation and ambiguity elimination, and the imaging algorithms. Based on the chosen Convolution BackProjection (CBP) and PFA (Polar Format Algorithm) imaging algorithms, a fast implementation method of CBP and a modified PFA method suitable for sliding spotlight mode are proposed, and the processing flows are derived in detail. Finally, the algorithms are validated by simulations and measured data.

  9. Space Radar Image of Kilauea, Hawaii - interferometry 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This X-band image of the volcano Kilauea was taken on October 4, 1994, by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar. The area shown is about 9 kilometers by 13 kilometers (5.5 miles by 8 miles) and is centered at about 19.58 degrees north latitude and 155.55 degrees west longitude. This image and a similar image taken during the first flight of the radar instrument on April 13, 1994 were combined to produce the topographic information by means of an interferometric process. This is a process by which radar data acquired on different passes of the space shuttle is overlaid to obtain elevation information. Three additional images are provided showing an overlay of radar data with interferometric fringes; a three-dimensional image based on altitude lines; and, finally, a topographic view of the region. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR. The Instituto Ricerca Elettromagnetismo

  10. The instrument development status of hyper-spectral imager suite (HISUI)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Itoh, Yoshiyuki; Kawashima, Takahiro; Inada, Hitomi; Tanii, Jun; Iwasaki, Akira

    2012-11-01

    The hyper-multi spectral mission named HISUI (Hyper-spectral Imager SUIte) is the next Japanese earth observation project. This project is the follow up mission of the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Advanced Land Imager (ALDS). HISUI is composed of hyperspectral radiometer with higher spectral resolution and multi-spectral radiometer with higher spatial resolution. The development of functional evaluation model was carried out to confirm the spectral and radiometric performance prior to the flight model manufacture phase. This model contains the VNIR and SWIR spectrograph, the VNIR and SWIR detector assemblies with a mechanical cooler for SWIR, signal processing circuit and on-board calibration source.

  11. Development of a Sodium LIDAR for Spaceborne Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yu, Anthony W.; Krainak, Michael A.; Janches, Diego; Jones, Sarah L.; Blagojevic, Branimir; Chen, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    We are currently developing laser and electro-optic technologies to remotely measure Sodium (Na) by adapting existing lidar technology with space flight heritage. The developed instrumentation will serve as the core for the planning of a Heliophysics mission targeted to study the composition and dynamics of Earths mesosphere based on a spaceborne lidar that will measure the mesospheric Na layer. There is a pressing need in the Ionosphere Thermosphere - Mesosphere (ITM) community for high-resolution measurements that can characterize small-scale dynamics (i.e. Gravity Waves with wavelengths smaller than a few hundred km) and their effects in the Mesosphere-Lower-Termosphere (MLT) on a global basis. This is compelling because they are believed to be the dominant contributors to momentum transport and deposition in the MLT, which largely drive the global circulation and thermal structure and interactions with the tides and planetary waves in this region. We are developing a spaceborne remote sensing technique that will enable acquisition of global Na density, temperature and wind measurements in the MLT with the spatial and temporal resolution required to resolve issues associated with the structure, chemistry, dynamics, and energetics of this regionA nadir-pointing spaceborne Na Doppler resonance fluorescence LIDAR on board of the ISS will essentially make high-resolution, in time and space, Na density, temperature and vertical wind measurements, from 75-115 km (MLT region). Our instrument concept consisted of a high-energy laser transmitter at 589 nm and highly sensitive photon counting detector that allows for range-resolved atmospheric-sodium-temperature profiles. The atmospheric temperature is deduced from the linewidth of the resonant fluorescence from the atomic sodium vapor D2 line as measured by our tunable laser. We are currently developing a high power energy laser that allows for some day time sodium lidar observations with the help of a narrow bandpass

  12. Imaging spectrometry of the Earth and other solar system bodies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vane, Gregg

    1993-01-01

    Imaging spectrometry is a relatively new tool for remote sensing of the Earth and other bodies of the solar system. The technique dates back to the late 1970's and early 1980's. It is a natural extension of the earlier multi-spectral imagers developed for remote sensing that acquire images in a few, usually broad spectral bands. Imaging spectrometers combine aspects of classical spectrometers and imaging systems, making it possible to acquire literally hundreds of images of an object, each image in a separate, narrow spectral band. It is thus possible to perform spectroscopy on a pixel-by-pixel basis with the data acquired with an imaging spectrometer. Two imaging spectrometers have flown in space and several others are planned for future Earth and planetary missions. The French-built Phobos Infrared Spectrometer (ISM) was part of the payload of the Soviet Mars mission in 1988, and the JPL-built Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) is currently en route to Jupiter aboard the Galileo spacecraft. Several airborne imaging spectrometers have been built in the past decade including the JPL-built Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) which is the only such sensor that covers the full solar reflected portion of the spectrum in narrow, contiguous spectral bands. NASA plans two imaging spectrometers for its Earth Observing System, the Moderate and the High Resolution Imaging Spectrometers (MODIS and HIRIS). A brief overview of the applications of imaging spectrometry to Earth science will be presented to illustrate the value of the tool to remote sensing and indicate the types of measurements that are required. The system design for AVIRS and a planetary imaging spectrometer will be presented to illustrate the engineering considerations and challenges that must be met in building such instruments. Several key sensor technology areas will be discussed in which miniaturization and/or enhanced performance through micromachining and nanofabrication may

  13. Evaluation of Skylab earth laser beacon imagery. [spaceborne photography

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Piech, K. R.; Schott, J. R.

    1975-01-01

    During the Skylab 3 and 4 missions the Skylab spacecraft was illuminated by a low power argon ion and dye laser. The earth laser beacon was studied visually by the astronauts. In addition, they collected 35 mm hand-held color photographs of the beacons. Photographs are shown that were obtained on Skylab 3 and Skylab 4. The imagery collected during the Skylab mission was analyzed to evaluate the utility of beacon lasers as terrestial 'artificial stars' for space navigation. The analyses of the imagery revealed two unusual features of the earth laser beacon: (1) The beacon, even though of a low power (approximately 1 watt), is considerably brighter than any other terrain feature and is readily visible on imagery at a distance in excess of 1500 km (900 miles). (2) Another feature of the beacon is its large size. The typical beacon extends over about 5 resolution areas with a characteristic dimension of about 200 m.

  14. Stereo imaging with spaceborne radars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leberl, F.; Kobrick, M.

    1983-01-01

    Stereo viewing is a valuable tool in photointerpretation and is used for the quantitative reconstruction of the three dimensional shape of a topographical surface. Stereo viewing refers to a visual perception of space by presenting an overlapping image pair to an observer so that a three dimensional model is formed in the brain. Some of the observer's function is performed by machine correlation of the overlapping images - so called automated stereo correlation. The direct perception of space with two eyes is often called natural binocular vision; techniques of generating three dimensional models of the surface from two sets of monocular image measurements is the topic of stereology.

  15. Earth Observing-1 Extended Mission

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2005-01-01

    Since November 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) mission has demonstrated the capabilities of a dozen spacecraft sensor and communication innovations. Onboard the EO-1 spacecraft are two land remote sensing instruments. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) acquires data in spectral bands and at resolutions similar to Landsat. The Hyperion instrument, which is the first civilian spaceborne hyperspectral imager, acquires data in 220 10-nanometer bands covering the visible, near, and shortwave-infrared bands. The initial one-year technology demonstration phase of the mission included a detailed comparison of ALI with the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) instrument. Specifications for the Operational Land Imager (OLI), the planned successor to ETM+, were formulated in part from performance characteristics of ALI. Recognizing the remarkable performance of the satellite's instruments and the exceptional value of the data, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA agreed in December 2001 to share responsibility for operating EO-1. The extended mission continues, on a cost-reimbursable basis, as long as customer sales fully recover flight and ground operations costs. As of May 2005, more than 17,800 scenes from each instrument have been acquired, indexed, archived, and made available to the public.

  16. Earth elevation map production and high resolution sensing camera imaging analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Xiubin; Jin, Guang; Jiang, Li; Dai, Lu; Xu, Kai

    2010-11-01

    The Earth's digital elevation which impacts space camera imaging has prepared and imaging has analysed. Based on matching error that TDI CCD integral series request of the speed of image motion, statistical experimental methods-Monte Carlo method is used to calculate the distribution histogram of Earth's elevation in image motion compensated model which includes satellite attitude changes, orbital angular rate changes, latitude, longitude and the orbital inclination changes. And then, elevation information of the earth's surface from SRTM is read. Earth elevation map which produced for aerospace electronic cameras is compressed and spliced. It can get elevation data from flash according to the shooting point of latitude and longitude. If elevation data between two data, the ways of searching data uses linear interpolation. Linear interpolation can better meet the rugged mountains and hills changing requests. At last, the deviant framework and camera controller are used to test the character of deviant angle errors, TDI CCD camera simulation system with the material point corresponding to imaging point model is used to analyze the imaging's MTF and mutual correlation similarity measure, simulation system use adding cumulation which TDI CCD imaging exceeded the corresponding pixel horizontal and vertical offset to simulate camera imaging when stability of satellite attitude changes. This process is practicality. It can effectively control the camera memory space, and meet a very good precision TDI CCD camera in the request matches the speed of image motion and imaging.

  17. The use of digital spaceborne SAR data for the delineation of surface features indicative of malaria vector breeding habitats

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Imhoff, M. L.; Vermillion, C. H.; Khan, F. A.

    1984-01-01

    An investigation to examine the utility of spaceborne radar image data to malaria vector control programs is described. Specific tasks involve an analysis of radar illumination geometry vs information content, the synergy of radar and multispectral data mergers, and automated information extraction techniques.

  18. Hyperresolution: an hyperspectral and high resolution imager for Earth observation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De Vidi, R.; Chiarantini, L.; Bini, A.

    2017-11-01

    Hyperspectral space imagery is an emerging technology that supports many scientific, civil, security and defence operational applications. The main advantage of this remote sensing technique is that it allows the so-called Feature Extraction: in fact the spectral signature allows the recognition of the materials composing the scene. Hyperspectral Products and their applications have been investigated in the past years by Galileo Avionica to direct the instrument characteristics design. Sample products have been identified in the civil / environment monitoring fields (such as coastal monitoring, vegetation, hot spot and urban classification) and in defense / security applications: their performances have been verified by means of airborne flight campaigns. The Hyperspectral and High Resolution Imager is a space-borne instrument that implement a pushbroom technique to get strip spectral images over the Hyperspectral VNIR and SWIR bands, with a ground sample distance at nadir of 20m in a 20 km wide ground swath, with 200 spectral channels, realizing an average spectral resolution of 10nm. The High Resolution Panchromatic Channel insists in the same swath to allow for multiresolution data fusion of hyperspectral imagery.

  19. Space Radar Image of Boston, Massachusetts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This radar image of the area surrounding Boston, Mass., shows how a spaceborne radar system distinguishes between densely populated urban areas and nearby areas that are relatively unsettled. The bright white area at the right center of the image is downtown Boston. The wide river below and to the left of the city is the Charles River in Boston's Back Bay neighborhood. The dark green patch to the right of the Back Bay is Boston Common. A bridge across the north end of Back Bay connects the cities of Boston and Cambridge. The light green areas that dominate most of the image are the suburban communities surrounding Boston. The many ponds that dot the region appear as dark irregular spots. Many densely populated urban areas show up as red in the image due to the alignment of streets and buildings to the incoming radar beam. North is toward the upper left. The image was acquired on October 9, 1994, by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) as it flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. This area is centered at 42.4 degrees north latitude, 71.2 degrees west longitude. The area shown is approximately 37 km by 18 km (23 miles by 11 miles). Colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations as follows: red is L-band horizontally transmitted, horizontally received; green is L-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received; blue is C-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a cooperative mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

  20. Space Radar Image of Sydney, Australia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image is dominated by the metropolitan area of Australia's largest city, Sydney. Sydney Harbour, with numerous coves and inlets, is seen in the upper center of the image, and the roughly circular Botany Bay is shown in the lower right. The downtown business district of Sydney appears as a bright white area just above the center of the image. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a white line adjacent to the downtown district. The well-known Sydney Opera House is the small, white dot to the right of the bridge. Urban areas appear yellow, blue and brown. The purple areas are undeveloped areas and park lands. Manly, the famous surfing beach, is shown in yellow at the top center of the image. Runways from the Sydney Airport are the dark features that extend into Botany Bay in the lower right. Botany Bay is the site where Captain James Cook first landed his ship, Endeavour, in 1770. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on April 20, 1994, onboard the space shuttle Endeavour. The area shown is 33 kilometers by 38kilometers (20 miles by 23 miles) and is centered at 33.9 degrees south latitude, 151.2 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper left. The colors are assigned to different radar frequenciesand polarizations as follows: red is L-band, vertically transmittedand horizontally received; green is C-band, vertically transmitted and horizontally received; and blue is C-band, vertically transmittedand received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italianand United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. #####

  1. ASTER VNIR 15 years growth to the standard imaging radiometer in remote sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hiramatsu, Masaru; Inada, Hitomi; Kikuchi, Masakuni; Sakuma, Fumihiro

    2015-10-01

    The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer (VNIR) is the remote sensing equipment which has 3 spectral bands and one along-track stereoscopic band radiometer. ASTER VNIR's planned long life design (more than 5 years) is successfully achieved. ASTER VNIR has been imaging the World-wide Earth surface multiband images and the Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM). VNIR data create detailed world-wide maps and change-detection of the earth surface as utilization transitions and topographical changes. ASTER VNIR's geometric resolution is 15 meters; it is the highest spatial resolution instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft. Then, ASTER VNIR was planned for the geometrical basis map makers in Terra instruments. After 15-years VNIR growth to the standard map-maker for space remote-sensing. This paper presents VNIR's feature items during 15-year operation as change-detection images , DEM and calibration result. VNIR observed the World-wide Earth images for biological, climatological, geological, and hydrological study, those successful work shows a way on space remote sensing instruments. Still more, VNIR 15 years observation data trend and onboard calibration trend data show several guide or support to follow-on instruments.

  2. Detection of disturbed earth using hyperspectral LWIR imaging data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hubbard, Wendy; Bishop, Gary; Gagnon, Jean-Philippe; Lagueux, Philippe; Hannuna, Sion; Campbell, Neill

    2010-10-01

    The Reststrahlen effect has been investigated for detecting regions of recently disturbed earth, by taking images where metallic objects had been buried in a sandy soil and comparing with images of undisturbed soil. The images were taken with a Long wave Infrared (LWIR) Hyperspectral Sensor, the Hyper-Cam.

  3. Protection of passive radio frequencies used for earth exploration by satellite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rochard, Guy

    2004-10-01

    Space-borne passive sensing of the Earth"s surface and atmosphere has an essential and increasing importance in Earth Observation. The impressive progress recently made or shortly expected in weather analysis, warning and forecasts (in particular for dangerous weather phenomena as rain and floods, storms, cyclones, droughts) as well as in the study and prediction of climate change, is mainly attributable to the spaceborne observations. On this basis, economic studies show that meteorological services have a high positive impact on a wide range of economic activities, notwithstanding safety of life and property aspects. Space-borne passive sensing feeds crucial observational data to numerical weather predction models run on the most advanced super-computers that are operated by a few global forecasting centers. All meteorological and environmental satellite organizations operate these crucial remote-sensing missions as part of the GOS of the World Weather Watch and others... Spaceborne passive sensing for meterological applications is performed in frequency bands allocated to the Earth Exploration-Satellite Service. This is named "EESS passive" in the ITU-R Radio Regulations. The appropriate bands are uniquely determined by the physical properties (e.g. molecular resonance) of constituents of the atmosphere, and are therefore one of the unique natural resources (similarly to Radio Astronomy bands). Passive measurements at several frequencies in the microwave spectrum must be made simultaneously in order to extract the individual contribution of the geophysical parameter of interest. Bands below 100 GHz are of particular importance to provide an "all-weather" capability since many clouds are almost transparent at these frequencies. Along this line, the two first figures below about zenithal opacity describes respectively the atmosphere optical thickness due to water vapor and dry components in the frequency range 1 to 275 GHz and 275 GHz to 1000 GHz on which have

  4. MIDAS: Lessons learned from the first spaceborne atomic force microscope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bentley, Mark Stephen; Arends, Herman; Butler, Bart; Gavira, Jose; Jeszenszky, Harald; Mannel, Thurid; Romstedt, Jens; Schmied, Roland; Torkar, Klaus

    2016-08-01

    The Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS) atomic force microscope (AFM) onboard the Rosetta orbiter was the first such instrument launched into space in 2004. Designed only a few years after the technique was invented, MIDAS is currently orbiting comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko and producing the highest resolution 3D images of cometary dust ever made in situ. After more than a year of continuous operation much experience has been gained with this novel instrument. Coupled with operations of the Flight Spare and advances in terrestrial AFM a set of "lessons learned" has been produced, cumulating in recommendations for future spaceborne atomic force microscopes. The majority of the design could be reused as-is, or with incremental upgrades to include more modern components (e.g. the processor). Key additional recommendations are to incorporate an optical microscope to aid the search for particles and image registration, to include a variety of cantilevers (with different spring constants) and a variety of tip geometries.

  5. Space-Borne Laser Altimeter Geolocation Error Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Y.; Fang, J.; Ai, Y.

    2018-05-01

    This paper reviews the development of space-borne laser altimetry technology over the past 40 years. Taking the ICESAT satellite as an example, a rigorous space-borne laser altimeter geolocation model is studied, and an error propagation equation is derived. The influence of the main error sources, such as the platform positioning error, attitude measurement error, pointing angle measurement error and range measurement error, on the geolocation accuracy of the laser spot are analysed by simulated experiments. The reasons for the different influences on geolocation accuracy in different directions are discussed, and to satisfy the accuracy of the laser control point, a design index for each error source is put forward.

  6. Cross-Calibration of Earth Observing System Terra Satellite Sensors MODIS and ASTER

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McCorkel, J.

    2014-01-01

    The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emissive and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) are two of the five sensors onboard the Earth Observing System's Terra satellite. These sensors share many similar spectral channels while having much different spatial and operational parameters. ASTER is a tasked sensor and sometimes referred to a zoom camera of the MODIS that collects a full-earth image every one to two days. It is important that these sensors have a consistent characterization and calibration for continued development and use of their data products. This work uses a variety of test sites to retrieve and validate intercalibration results. The refined calibration of Collection 6 of the Terra MODIS data set is leveraged to provide the up-to-date reference for trending and validation of ASTER. Special attention is given to spatially matching radiance measurements using prelaunch spatial response characterization of MODIS. Despite differences in spectral band properties and spatial scales, ASTER-MODIS is an ideal case for intercomparison since the sensors have nearly identical views and acquisitions times and therefore can be used as a baseline of intercalibration performance of other satellite sensor pairs.

  7. Space Radar Image of Houston, Texas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This image of Houston, Texas, shows the amount of detail that is possible to obtain using spaceborne radar imaging. Images such as this -- obtained by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) flying aboard the space shuttle Endeavor last fall -- can become an effective tool for urban planners who map and monitor land use patterns in urban, agricultural and wetland areas. Central Houston appears pink and white in the upper portion of the image, outlined and crisscrossed by freeways. The image was obtained on October 10, 1994, during the space shuttle's 167th orbit. The area shown is 100 kilometers by 60 kilometers (62 miles by 38 miles) and is centered at 29.38 degrees north latitude, 95.1 degrees west longitude. North is toward the upper left. The pink areas designate urban development while the green-and blue-patterned areas are agricultural fields. Black areas are bodies of water, including Galveston Bay along the right edge and the Gulf of Mexico at the bottom of the image. Interstate 45 runs from top to bottom through the image. The narrow island at the bottom of the image is Galveston Island, with the city of Galveston at its northeast (right) end. The dark cross in the upper center of the image is Hobby Airport. Ellington Air Force Base is visible below Hobby on the other side of Interstate 45. Clear Lake is the dark body of water in the middle right of the image. The green square just north of Clear Lake is Johnson Space Center, home of Mission Control and the astronaut training facilities. The black rectangle with a white center that appears to the left of the city center is the Houston Astrodome. The colors in this image were obtained using the follow radar channels: red represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted, vertically received); green represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted, vertically received); blue represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted and received). Spaceborne Imaging Radar

  8. Determination of rain rate from a spaceborne radar using measurements of total attenuation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meneghini, R.; Eckerman, J.; Atlas, D.

    1981-01-01

    Studies shows that path-integrated rain rates can be determined by means of a direct measurement of attenuation. For ground based radars this is done by measuring the backscattering cross section of a fixed target in the presence and absence of rain along the radar beam. A ratio of the two measurements yields a factor proportional to the attenuation from which the average rain rate is deduced. The technique is extended to spaceborne radars by choosing the ground as reference target. The technique is also generalized so that both the average and range-profiled rain rates are determined. The accuracies of the resulting estimates are evaluated for a narrow beam radar located on a low earth orbiting satellite.

  9. Software for Simulation of Hyperspectral Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richtsmeier, Steven C.; Singer-Berk, Alexander; Bernstein, Lawrence S.

    2002-01-01

    A package of software generates simulated hyperspectral images for use in validating algorithms that generate estimates of Earth-surface spectral reflectance from hyperspectral images acquired by airborne and spaceborne instruments. This software is based on a direct simulation Monte Carlo approach for modeling three-dimensional atmospheric radiative transport as well as surfaces characterized by spatially inhomogeneous bidirectional reflectance distribution functions. In this approach, 'ground truth' is accurately known through input specification of surface and atmospheric properties, and it is practical to consider wide variations of these properties. The software can treat both land and ocean surfaces and the effects of finite clouds with surface shadowing. The spectral/spatial data cubes computed by use of this software can serve both as a substitute for and a supplement to field validation data.

  10. Achieving Accuracy Requirements for Forest Biomass Mapping: A Data Fusion Method for Estimating Forest Biomass and LiDAR Sampling Error with Spaceborne Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Montesano, P. M.; Cook, B. D.; Sun, G.; Simard, M.; Zhang, Z.; Nelson, R. F.; Ranson, K. J.; Lutchke, S.; Blair, J. B.

    2012-01-01

    The synergistic use of active and passive remote sensing (i.e., data fusion) demonstrates the ability of spaceborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR), synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and multispectral imagery for achieving the accuracy requirements of a global forest biomass mapping mission. This data fusion approach also provides a means to extend 3D information from discrete spaceborne LiDAR measurements of forest structure across scales much larger than that of the LiDAR footprint. For estimating biomass, these measurements mix a number of errors including those associated with LiDAR footprint sampling over regional - global extents. A general framework for mapping above ground live forest biomass (AGB) with a data fusion approach is presented and verified using data from NASA field campaigns near Howland, ME, USA, to assess AGB and LiDAR sampling errors across a regionally representative landscape. We combined SAR and Landsat-derived optical (passive optical) image data to identify forest patches, and used image and simulated spaceborne LiDAR data to compute AGB and estimate LiDAR sampling error for forest patches and 100m, 250m, 500m, and 1km grid cells. Forest patches were delineated with Landsat-derived data and airborne SAR imagery, and simulated spaceborne LiDAR (SSL) data were derived from orbit and cloud cover simulations and airborne data from NASA's Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (L VIS). At both the patch and grid scales, we evaluated differences in AGB estimation and sampling error from the combined use of LiDAR with both SAR and passive optical and with either SAR or passive optical alone. This data fusion approach demonstrates that incorporating forest patches into the AGB mapping framework can provide sub-grid forest information for coarser grid-level AGB reporting, and that combining simulated spaceborne LiDAR with SAR and passive optical data are most useful for estimating AGB when measurements from LiDAR are limited because they minimized

  11. Space Radar Image of Victoria, Canada

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This three-frequency spaceborne radar image shows the southern end of Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada. The white area in the lower right is the city of Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia. The three radar frequencies help to distinguish different land use patterns. The bright pink areas are suburban regions, the brownish areas are forested regions, and blue areas are agricultural fields or forest clear-cuts. Founded in 1843 as a fur trading post, Victoria has grown to become one of western Canada's largest commercial centers. In the upper right is San Juan Island, in the state of Washington. The Canada/U.S. border runs through Haro Strait, on the right side of the image, between San Juan Island and Vancouver Island. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on October 6, 1994, onboard the space shuttle Endeavour. The area shown is 37 kilometers by 42 kilometers (23 miles by 26 miles) and is centered at 48.5 degrees north latitude, 123.3 degrees west longitude. North is toward the upper left. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations as follows: red is L-band horizontally transmitted and received; green is C-band, vertically transmitted and received; and blue is X-band, vertically transmitted and received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

  12. Low bit rate coding of Earth science images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kossentini, Faouzi; Chung, Wilson C.; Smith, Mark J. T.

    1993-01-01

    In this paper, the authors discuss compression based on some new ideas in vector quantization and their incorporation in a sub-band coding framework. Several variations are considered, which collectively address many of the individual compression needs within the earth science community. The approach taken in this work is based on some recent advances in the area of variable rate residual vector quantization (RVQ). This new RVQ method is considered separately and in conjunction with sub-band image decomposition. Very good results are achieved in coding a variety of earth science images. The last section of the paper provides some comparisons that illustrate the improvement in performance attributable to this approach relative the the JPEG coding standard.

  13. Earth survey applications division: Research leading to the effective use of space technology in applications relating to the Earth's surface and interior

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carpenter, L. (Editor)

    1980-01-01

    Accomplishments and future plans are described for the following areas: (1) geology - geobotanical indicators and geopotential data; (2) modeling magnetic fields; (3) modeling the structure, composition, and evolution of the Earth's crust; (4) global and regional motions of the Earth's crust and earthquake occurrence; (5) modeling geopotential from satellite tracking data; (6) modeling the Earth's gravity field; (7) global Earth dynamics; (8) sea surface topography, ocean dynamics; and geophysical interpretation; (9) land cover and land use; (10) physical and remote sensing attributes important in detecting, measuring, and monitoring agricultural crops; (11) prelaunch studies using LANDSAT D; (12) the multispectral linear array; (13) the aircraft linear array pushbroom radiometer; and (14) the spaceborne laser ranging system.

  14. Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Overview

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2008-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched Terra, the Earth Observing System's (EOS) flagship satellite platform on December 18, 1999. The polar-orbiting Terra contains five remote sensing instruments, which enable the scientific study and analyses of global terrestrial processes and manifestations of global change. One of the five instruments is the multispectral Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), which is built in Japan by a consortium of government, industry, and research groups. It has three spectral bands in the visible near-infrared region (VNIR), six bands in the shortwave infrared region (SWIR), and five bands in the thermal infrared region (TIR), with 15-, 30-, and 90-meter ground resolutions, respectively. This combination of wide spectral coverage and high spatial resolution allows ASTER to discriminate among a wide variety of surface materials. The VNIR subsystem also has a backward-viewing telescope for high-resolution (15-meter) stereoscopic observation in the along-track direction, which facilitates the generation of digital elevation models (DEM).

  15. jsc2017m001088_Top-17-Earth-Images-of-2017

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-27

    Top 17 Earth Images of 2017 The astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station take pictures of Earth out their windows nearly every day, and over a year that adds up to thousands of photos. The people at the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston had the enviable job of going through this year’s crop to pick their top 17 photos of Earth for 2017—here’s what they chose! Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth: https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/

  16. Space Radar Image of Canberra, Australia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    Australia's capital city, Canberra, is shown in the center of this spaceborne radar image. Images like this can help urban planners assess land use patterns. Heavily developed areas appear in bright patchwork patterns of orange, yellow and blue. Dense vegetation appears bright green, while cleared areas appear in dark blue or black. Located in southeastern Australia, the site of Canberra was selected as the capital in 1901 as a geographic compromise between Sydney and Melbourne. Design and construction of the city began in 1908 under the supervision of American architect Walter Burley-Griffin. Lake Burley-Griffin is located above and to the left of the center of the image. The bright pink area is the Parliament House. The city streets, lined with government buildings, radiate like spokes from the Parliament House. The bright purple cross in the lower left corner of the image is a reflection from one of the large dish-shaped radio antennas at the Tidbinbilla, Canberra Deep Space Network Communication Complex, operated jointly by NASA and the Australian Space Office. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on April 10, 1994, onboard the space shuttle Endeavour. The image is 28 kilometers by 25 kilometers (17 miles by 15 miles) and is centered at 35.35 degrees south latitude, 149.17 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper left. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Office of Mission to Planet Earth.

  17. Lidar instruments for ESA Earth observation missions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hélière, Arnaud; Armandillo, Errico; Durand, Yannig; Culoma, Alain; Meynart, Roland

    2017-11-01

    The idea of deploying a lidar system on an Earthorbiting satellite stems from the need for continuously providing profiles of our atmospheric structure with high accuracy and resolution and global coverage. Interest in this information for climatology, meteorology and the atmospheric sciences in general is huge. Areas of application range from the determination of global warming and greenhouse effects, to monitoring the transport and accumulation of pollutants in the different atmospheric regions (such as the recent fires in Southeast Asia), to the assessment of the largely unknown microphysical properties and the structural dynamics of the atmosphere itself. Spaceborne lidar systems have been the subject of extensive investigations by the European Space Agency since mid 1970's, resulting in mission and instrument concepts, such as ATLID, the cloud backscatter lidar payload of the EarthCARE mission, ALADIN, the Doppler wind lidar of the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission (ADM) and more recently a water vapour Differential Absorption Lidar considered for the WALES mission. These studies have shown the basic scientific and technical feasibility of spaceborne lidars, but they have also demonstrated their complexity from the instrument viewpoint. As a result, the Agency undertook technology development in order to strengthen the instrument maturity. This is the case for ATLID, which benefited from a decade of technology development and supporting studies and is now studied in the frame of the EarthCARE mission. ALADIN, a Direct Detection Doppler Wind Lidar operating in the Ultra -Violet, will be the 1st European lidar to fly in 2007 as payload of the Earth Explorer Core Mission ADM. WALES currently studied at the level of a phase A, is based upon a lidar operating at 4 wavelengths in near infrared and aims to profile the water vapour in the lower part of the atmosphere with high accuracy and low bias. Lastly, the European Space Agency is extending the lidar instrument field

  18. Receiver design, performance analysis, and evaluation for space-borne laser altimeters and space-to-space laser ranging systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davidson, Frederic M.; Sun, Xiaoli; Field, Christopher T.

    1995-01-01

    This Interim report consists of a manuscript, 'Receiver Design for Satellite to Satellite Laser Ranging Instrument,' and copies of two papers we co-authored, 'Demonstration of High Sensitivity Laser Ranging System' and 'Semiconductor Laser-Based Ranging Instrument for Earth Gravity Measurements. ' These two papers were presented at the conference Semiconductor Lasers, Advanced Devices and Applications, August 21 -23, 1995, Keystone Colorado. The manuscript is a draft in the preparation for publication, which summarizes the theory we developed on space-borne laser ranging instrument for gravity measurements.

  19. Space Radar Image of County Kerry, Ireland

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    The Iveragh Peninsula, one of the four peninsulas in southwestern Ireland, is shown in this spaceborne radar image. The lakes of Killarney National Park are the green patches on the left side of the image. The mountains to the right of the lakes include the highest peaks (1,036 meters or 3,400 feet) in Ireland. The patchwork patterns between the mountains are areas of farming and grazing. The delicate patterns in the water are caused by refraction of ocean waves around the peninsula edges and islands, including Skellig Rocks at the right edge of the image. The Skelligs are home to a 15th century monastery and flocks of puffins. The region is part of County Kerry and includes a road called the 'Ring of Kerry' that is one of the most famous tourist routes in Ireland. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on April 12, 1994. The image is 82 kilometers by 42 kilometers (51 miles by 26 miles) and is centered at 52.0 degrees north latitude, 9.9 degrees west longitude. North is toward the lower left. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, vertically transmitted and received; and blue is C-band, vertically transmitted and received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

  20. Simulating return signals of a spaceborne high-spectral resolution lidar channel at 532 nm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Yu; Binglong, Chen; Min, Min; Xingying, Zhang; Lilin, Yao; Yiming, Zhao; Lidong, Wang; Fu, Wang; Xiaobo, Deng

    2018-06-01

    High spectral resolution lidar (HSRL) system employs a narrow spectral filter to separate the particulate (cloud/aerosol) and molecular scattering components in lidar return signals, which improves the quality of the retrieved cloud/aerosol optical properties. To better develop a future spaceborne HSRL system, a novel simulation technique was developed to simulate spaceborne HSRL return signals at 532 nm using the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) cloud/aerosol extinction coefficients product and numerical weather prediction data. For validating simulated data, a mathematical particulate extinction coefficient retrieval method for spaceborne HSRL return signals is described here. We compare particulate extinction coefficient profiles from the CALIPSO operational product with simulated spaceborne HSRL data. Further uncertainty analysis shows that relative uncertainties are acceptable for retrieving the optical properties of cloud and aerosol. The final results demonstrate that they agree well with each other. It indicates that the return signals of the spaceborne HSRL molecular channel at 532 nm will be suitable for developing operational algorithms supporting a future spaceborne HSRL system.

  1. Earth-from-Luna Limb Imager (ELLI) for Deep Space Gateway

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gorkavyi, N.; DeLand, M.

    2018-02-01

    The new type of limb imager with a high-frequency imaging proposed for Deep Space Gateway. Each day this CubeSat' scale imager will generate the global 3D model of the aerosol component of the Earth's atmosphere and Polar Mesospheric Clouds.

  2. Spaceborne Potential for Examining Taiga-Tundra Ecotone Form and Vulnerability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Montesano, Paul M.; Sun, Guoqing; Dubayah, Ralph O.; Ranson, K. Jon

    2016-01-01

    In the taiga-tundra ecotone (TTE), site-dependent forest structure characteristics can influence the subtle and heterogeneous structural changes that occur across the broad circumpolar extent. Such changes may be related to ecotone form, described by the horizontal and vertical patterns of forest structure (e.g., tree cover, density and height) within TTE forest patches, driven by local site conditions, and linked to ecotone dynamics. The unique circumstance of subtle, variable and widespread vegetation change warrants the application of spaceborne data including high-resolution (less than 5m) spaceborne imagery (HRSI) across broad scales for examining TTE form and predicting dynamics. This study analyzes forest structure at the patch-scale in the TTE to provide a means to examine both vertical and horizontal components of ecotone form. We demonstrate the potential of spaceborne data for integrating forest height and density to assess TTE form at the scale of forest patches across the circumpolar biome by (1) mapping forest patches in study sites along the TTE in northern Siberia with a multi-resolution suite of spaceborne data, and (2) examining the uncertainty of forest patch height from this suite of data across sites of primarily diffuse TTE forms. Results demonstrate the opportunities for improving patch-scale spaceborne estimates of forest height, the vertical component of TTE form, with HRSI. The distribution of relative maximum height uncertainty based on prediction intervals is centered at approximately 40%, constraining the use of height for discerning differences in forest patches. We discuss this uncertainty in light of a conceptual model of general ecotone forms, and highlight how the uncertainty of spaceborne estimates of height can contribute to the uncertainty in identifying TTE forms. A focus on reducing the uncertainty of height estimates in forest patches may improve depiction of TTE form, which may help explain variable forest responses in the

  3. Spaceborne potential for examining taiga-tundra ecotone form and vulnerability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montesano, Paul M.; Sun, Guoqing; Dubayah, Ralph O.; Ranson, K. Jon

    2016-07-01

    In the taiga-tundra ecotone (TTE), site-dependent forest structure characteristics can influence the subtle and heterogeneous structural changes that occur across the broad circumpolar extent. Such changes may be related to ecotone form, described by the horizontal and vertical patterns of forest structure (e.g., tree cover, density, and height) within TTE forest patches, driven by local site conditions, and linked to ecotone dynamics. The unique circumstance of subtle, variable, and widespread vegetation change warrants the application of spaceborne data including high-resolution (< 5 m) spaceborne imagery (HRSI) across broad scales for examining TTE form and predicting dynamics. This study analyzes forest structure at the patch scale in the TTE to provide a means to examine both vertical and horizontal components of ecotone form. We demonstrate the potential of spaceborne data for integrating forest height and density to assess TTE form at the scale of forest patches across the circumpolar biome by (1) mapping forest patches in study sites along the TTE in northern Siberia with a multi-resolution suite of spaceborne data and (2) examining the uncertainty of forest patch height from this suite of data across sites of primarily diffuse TTE forms. Results demonstrate the opportunities for improving patch-scale spaceborne estimates of forest height, the vertical component of TTE form, with HRSI. The distribution of relative maximum height uncertainty based on prediction intervals is centered at ˜ 40 %, constraining the use of height for discerning differences in forest patches. We discuss this uncertainty in light of a conceptual model of general ecotone forms and highlight how the uncertainty of spaceborne estimates of height can contribute to the uncertainty in identifying TTE forms. A focus on reducing the uncertainty of height estimates in forest patches may improve depiction of TTE form, which may help explain variable forest responses in the TTE to climate

  4. Radar Image of Galapagos Island

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an image showing part of Isla Isabella in the western Galapagos Islands. It was taken by the L-band radar in HH polarization from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar on the 40th orbit of the space shuttle Endeavour. The image is centered at about 0.5 degree south latitude and 91 degrees west longitude and covers an area of 75 by 60 kilometers (47 by 37 miles). The radar incidence angle at the center of the image is about 20 degrees.

    The western Galapagos Islands, which lie about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) west of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific, have six active volcanoes similar to the volcanoes found in Hawaii. Since the time of Charles Darwin's visit to the area in 1835, there have been over 60 recorded eruptions of these volcanoes. This SIR-C/X-SAR image of Alcedo and Sierra Negra volcanoes shows the rougher lava flows as bright features, while ash deposits and smooth pahoehoe lava flows appear dark. A small portion of Isla Fernandina is visible in the extreme upper left corner of the image.

    The Galapagos Islands are one of the SIR-C/X-SAR supersites and data of this area will be taken several times during the flight to allow scientists to conduct topographic change studies and to search for different lava flow types, ash deposits and fault lines.

    Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes

  5. Space-borne profiling of atmospheric thermodynamic variables with Raman lidar: performance simulations.

    PubMed

    Di Girolamo, Paolo; Behrendt, Andreas; Wulfmeyer, Volker

    2018-04-02

    The performance of a space-borne water vapour and temperature lidar exploiting the vibrational and pure rotational Raman techniques in the ultraviolet is simulated. This paper discusses simulations under a variety of environmental and climate scenarios. Simulations demonstrate the capability of Raman lidars deployed on-board low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide global-scale water vapour mixing ratio and temperature measurements in the lower to middle troposphere, with accuracies exceeding most observational requirements for numerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate research applications. These performances are especially attractive for measurements in the low troposphere in order to close the most critical gaps in the current earth observation system. In all climate zones, considering vertical and horizontal resolutions of 200 m and 50 km, respectively, mean water vapour mixing ratio profiling precision from the surface up to an altitude of 4 km is simulated to be 10%, while temperature profiling precision is simulated to be 0.40-0.75 K in the altitude interval up to 15 km. Performances in the presence of clouds are also simulated. Measurements are found to be possible above and below cirrus clouds with an optical thickness of 0.3. This combination of accuracy and vertical resolution cannot be achieved with any other space borne remote sensing technique and will provide a breakthrough in our knowledge of global and regional water and energy cycles, as well as in the quality of short- to medium-range weather forecasts. Besides providing a comprehensive set of simulations, this paper also provides an insight into specific possible technological solutions that are proposed for the implementation of a space-borne Raman lidar system. These solutions refer to technological breakthroughs gained during the last decade in the design and development of specific lidar devices and sub-systems, primarily in high-power, high-efficiency solid-state laser sources, low

  6. Layover and shadow detection based on distributed spaceborne single-baseline InSAR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huanxin, Zou; Bin, Cai; Changzhou, Fan; Yun, Ren

    2014-03-01

    Distributed spaceborne single-baseline InSAR is an effective technique to get high quality Digital Elevation Model. Layover and Shadow are ubiquitous phenomenon in SAR images because of geometric relation of SAR imaging. In the signal processing of single-baseline InSAR, the phase singularity of Layover and Shadow leads to the phase difficult to filtering and unwrapping. This paper analyzed the geometric and signal model of the Layover and Shadow fields. Based on the interferometric signal autocorrelation matrix, the paper proposed the signal number estimation method based on information theoretic criteria, to distinguish Layover and Shadow from normal InSAR fields. The effectiveness and practicability of the method proposed in the paper are validated in the simulation experiments and theoretical analysis.

  7. Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #24: Shandong Province, China

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2010-11-03

    This image of the Shandong Province, China was acquired by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer instrument aboard NASA Terra spacecraft. This image is from the MISR Where on Earth...? Mystery Quiz #24.

  8. Automated protocols for spaceborne sub-meter resolution "Big Data" products for Earth Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neigh, C. S. R.; Carroll, M.; Montesano, P.; Slayback, D. A.; Wooten, M.; Lyapustin, A.; Shean, D. E.; Alexandrov, O.; Macander, M. J.; Tucker, C. J.

    2017-12-01

    The volume of available remotely sensed data has grown exceeding Petabytes per year and the cost for data, storage systems and compute power have both dropped exponentially. This has opened the door for "Big Data" processing systems with high-end computing (HEC) such as the Google Earth Engine, NASA Earth Exchange (NEX), and NASA Center for Climate Simulation (NCCS). At the same time, commercial very high-resolution (VHR) satellites have grown into a constellation with global repeat coverage that can support existing NASA Earth observing missions with stereo and super-spectral capabilities. Through agreements with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center is acquiring Petabytes of global sub-meter to 4 meter resolution imagery from WorldView-1,2,3 Quickbird-2, GeoEye-1 and IKONOS-2 satellites. These data are a valuable no-direct cost for the enhancement of Earth observation research that supports US government interests. We are currently developing automated protocols for generating VHR products to support NASA's Earth observing missions. These include two primary foci: 1) on demand VHR 1/2° ortho mosaics - process VHR to surface reflectance, orthorectify and co-register multi-temporal 2 m multispectral imagery compiled as user defined regional mosaics. This will provide an easy access dataset to investigate biodiversity, tree canopy closure, surface water fraction, and cropped area for smallholder agriculture; and 2) on demand VHR digital elevation models (DEMs) - process stereo VHR to extract VHR DEMs with the NASA Ames stereo pipeline. This will benefit Earth surface studies on the cryosphere (glacier mass balance, flow rates and snow depth), hydrology (lake/water body levels, landslides, subsidence) and biosphere (forest structure, canopy height/cover) among others. Recent examples of products used in NASA Earth Science projects will be provided. This HEC API could foster surmounting prior spatial-temporal limitations while

  9. Design of an imaging spectrometer for earth observation using freeform mirrors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peschel, T.; Damm, C.; Beier, M.; Gebhardt, A.; Risse, S.; Walter, I.; Sebastian, I.; Krutz, D.

    2017-09-01

    In 2017 the new hyperspectral DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS) will be integrated in the Multi-User-System for Earth Sensing (MUSES) platform [1] installed on the International Space Station (ISS).

  10. STS-68 radar image: Kilauea, Hawaii

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1994-10-10

    STS068-S-054 (10 October 1994) --- This is a deformation map of the south flank of Kilauea volcano on the big island of Hawaii, centered at 19.5 degrees north latitude and 155.25 degrees west longitude. The map was created by combining interferometric radar data - that is data acquired on different passes of the Space Shuttle Endeavour which are then overlaid to obtain elevation information - acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) during its first flight in April 1994 and its second flight in October 1994. The area shown is approximately 40 by 80 kilometers (25 by 50 miles). North is toward the upper left of the image. The colors indicate the displacement of the surface in that direction that the radar instrument was pointed (toward the right of the image) in the six months between images. The analysis of ground movement is preliminary, but appears consistent with the motions detected by the Global Positioning System ground receivers that have been used over the past five years. The south flank of the Kilauea volcano is among the most rapidly deforming terrain's on Earth. Several regions show motion over the six-month time period. Most obvious is at the base of Hilina Pali, where 10 centimeters (4 inches) or more of crustal deformation can be seen in a concentrated area near the coastline. On a more localized scale, the currently active Pu'u O'o summit also shows about 10 centimeters (4 inches) of change near the vent area. Finally, there are indications of additional movement along the upper southwest rift zone, just below the Kilauea caldera in the image. Deformation of the south flank is believed to be the result of movements along faults deep beneath the surface of the volcano, as well as injections of magma, or molten rock, into the volcano's "plumbing" system. Detection of ground motions from space has proven to be a unique capability of imaging radar technology. Scientists hope to use deformation data

  11. Spaceborne lidar for cloud monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Werner, Christian; Krichbaumer, W.; Matvienko, Gennadii G.

    1994-12-01

    Results of laser cloud top measurements taken from space in 1982 (called PANTHER) are presented. Three sequences of land, water, and cloud data are selected. A comparison with airborne lidar data shows similarities. Using the single scattering lidar equation for these spaceborne lidar measurements one can misinterpret the data if one doesn't correct for multiple scattering.

  12. Space Radar Image of Tuva, Central Asia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image shows part of the remote central Asian region of Tuva, an autonomous republic of the Russian Federation. Tuva is a mostly mountainous region that lies between western Mongolia and southern Siberia. This image shows the area just south of the republic's capital of Kyzyl. Most of the red, pink and blue areas in the image are agricultural fields of a large collective farming complex that was developed during the era of the Soviet Union. Traditional agricultural activity in the region, still active in remote areas, revolves around practices of nomadic livestock herding. White areas on the image are north-facing hillsides, which develop denser forests than south-facing slopes. The river in the upper right is one of the two major branches of the Yenesey River. Tuva has received some notoriety in recent years due to the intense interest of the celebrated Caltech physicist Dr. Richard Feynman, chronicled in the book 'Tuva or Bust' by Ralph Leighton. The image was acquired by Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band SyntheticAperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour onOctober 1, 1994. The image is 56 kilometers by 74 kilometers (35 miles by 46 miles) and is centered at 51.5 degrees north latitude, 95.1 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper right. The colors are assigned to different radar fequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted andreceived; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted and verticallyreceived. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to PlanetEarth program.

  13. The use of multisensor images for Earth Science applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Evans, D.; Stromberg, B.

    1983-01-01

    The use of more than one remote sensing technique is particularly important for Earth Science applications because of the compositional and textural information derivable from the images. The ability to simultaneously analyze images acquired by different sensors requires coregistration of the multisensor image data sets. In order to insure pixel to pixel registration in areas of high relief, images must be rectified to eliminate topographic distortions. Coregistered images can be analyzed using a variety of multidimensional techniques and the acquired knowledge of topographic effects in the images can be used in photogeologic interpretations.

  14. Space Radar Image of Raco Biomass Map

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This biomass map of the Raco, Michigan, area was produced from data acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard space shuttle Endeavour. Biomass is the amount of plant material on an area of Earth's surface. Radar can directly sense the quantity and organizational structure of the woody biomass in the forest. Science team members at the University of Michigan used the radar data to estimate the standing biomass for this Raco site in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Detailed surveys of 70 forest stands will be used to assess the accuracy of these techniques. The seasonal growth of terrestrial plants, and forests in particular, leads to the temporary storage of large amounts of carbon, which could directly affect changes in global climate. In order to accurately predict future global change, scientists need detailed information about current distribution of vegetation types and the amount of biomass present around the globe. Optical techniques to determine net biomass are frustrated by chronic cloud-cover. Imaging radar can penetrate through cloud-cover with negligible signal losses. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German

  15. The EarthCARE multi spectral imager thermal infrared optical unit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chang, M. P. J. L.; Woods, D.; Baister, Guy; Lobb, Dan; Wood, Trevor

    2017-11-01

    The EarthCARE satellite mission objective is the observation of clouds and aerosols from low Earth orbit. The key spatial context providing instrument within the payload suite of 4 instruments is the Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI), previously described in [1]. The MSI is intended to provide information on the horizontal variability of the atmospheric conditions and to identify e.g. cloud type, textures, and temperature. It will form Earth images at 500m ground sample distance (GSD) over a swath width of 150km; it will image Earth in 7 spectral bands: one visible, one near-IR, two short-wave IR and three thermal IR. The instrument will be comprised of two key parts: • a visible-NIR-SWIR (VNS) optical unit radiometrically calibrated using a sun illuminated quasivolume diffuser and shutter system • a thermal IR (TIR) optical unit radiometrically calibrated using cold space and an internal black-body. This paper, being the first of a sequence of two, will provide an overview of the MSI and enter into more detail the critical performance parameters and detailed design the MSI TIR optical design. The TIR concept is to provide pushbroom imaging of its 3 bands through spectral separation from a common aperture. The result is an efficient, well controlled optical design without the need for multiple focal plane arrays. The designed focal plane houses an area array detector and will meet a challenging set of requirements, including radiometric resolution, accuracy, distortion and MTF.

  16. Feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials : part 2.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-06

    This study demonstrated the feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials. Two rapid, relatively low cost image-based methods were developed for determining the grain size distribution of soils and aggregates. The first method, calle...

  17. Feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials : part 6.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-06

    This study demonstrated the feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials. Two rapid, relatively low cost image-based methods were developed for determining the grain size distribution of soils and aggregates. The first method, calle...

  18. Feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials : part 3.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-06

    This study demonstrated the feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials. Two rapid, relatively low cost image-based methods were developed for determining the grain size distribution of soils and aggregates. The first method, calle...

  19. Feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials : part 1.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-06

    This study demonstrated the feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials. Two rapid, relatively low cost image-based methods were developed for determining the grain size distribution of soils and aggregates. The first method, calle...

  20. Feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials : part 4.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-06-06

    This study demonstrated the feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials. Two rapid, relatively low cost image-based methods were developed for determining the grain size distribution of soils and aggregates. The first method, calle...

  1. Feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials : part 5.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-05-06

    This study demonstrated the feasibility of digital imaging to characterize earth materials. Two rapid, relatively low cost image-based methods were developed for determining the grain size distribution of soils and aggregates. The first method, calle...

  2. Integrated active fire retrievals and biomass burning emissions using complementary near-coincident ground, airborne and spaceborne sensor data

    Treesearch

    Wilfrid Schroeder; Evan Ellicott; Charles Ichoku; Luke Ellison; Matthew B. Dickinson; Roger D. Ottmar; Craig Clements; Dianne Hall; Vincent Ambrosia; Robert Kremens

    2013-01-01

    Ground, airborne and spaceborne data were collected for a 450 ha prescribed fire implemented on 18 October 2011 at the Henry W. Coe State Park in California. The integration of various data elements allowed near-coincident active fire retrievals to be estimated. The Autonomous Modular Sensor-Wildfire (AMS) airborne multispectral imaging system was used as a bridge...

  3. Integrated Active Fire Retrievals and Biomass Burning Emissions Using Complementary Near-Coincident Ground, Airborne and Spaceborne Sensor Data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schroeder, Wilfrid; Ellicott, Evan; Ichoku, Charles; Ellison, Luke; Dickinson, Matthew B.; Ottmar, Roger D.; Clements, Craig; Hall, Dianne; Ambrosia, Vincent; Kremens, Robert

    2013-01-01

    Ground, airborne and spaceborne data were collected for a 450 ha prescribed fire implemented on 18 October 2011 at the Henry W. Coe State Park in California. The integration of various data elements allowed near coincident active fire retrievals to be estimated. The Autonomous Modular Sensor-Wildfire (AMS) airborne multispectral imaging system was used as a bridge between ground and spaceborne data sets providing high quality reference information to support satellite fire retrieval error analyses and fire emissions estimates. We found excellent agreement between peak fire radiant heat flux data (less than 1% error) derived from near-coincident ground radiometers and AMS. Both MODIS and GOES imager active fire products were negatively influenced by the presence of thick smoke, which was misclassified as cloud by their algorithms, leading to the omission of fire pixels beneath the smoke, and resulting in the underestimation of their retrieved fire radiative power (FRP) values for the burn plot, compared to the reference airborne data. Agreement between airborne and spaceborne FRP data improved significantly after correction for omission errors and atmospheric attenuation, resulting in as low as 5 difference between AquaMODIS and AMS. Use of in situ fuel and fire energy estimates in combination with a collection of AMS, MODIS, and GOES FRP retrievals provided a fuel consumption factor of 0.261 kg per MJ, total energy release of 14.5 x 10(exp 6) MJ, and total fuel consumption of 3.8 x 10(exp 6) kg. Fire emissions were calculated using two separate techniques, resulting in as low as 15 difference for various species

  4. Imaging plasmas at the Earth and other planets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitchell, D. G.

    2006-05-01

    The field of space physics, both at Earth and at other planets, was for decades a science based on local observations. By stitching together measurements of plasmas and fields from multiple locations either simultaneously or for similar conditions over time, and by comparing those measurements against models of the physical systems, great progress was made in understanding the physics of Earth and planetary magnetospheres, ionospheres, and their interactions with the solar wind. However, the pictures of the magnetospheres were typically statistical, and the large-scale global models were poorly constrained by observation. This situation changed dramatically with global auroral imaging, which provided snapshots and movies of the effects of field aligned currents and particle precipitation over the entire auroral oval during quiet and disturbed times. And with the advent of global energetic neutral atom (ENA) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging, global constraints have similarly been added to ring current and plasmaspheric models, respectively. Such global constraints on global models are very useful for validating the physics represented in those models, physics of energy and momentum transport, electric and magnetic field distribution, and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. These techniques are also proving valuable at other planets. For example with Hubble Space Telescope imaging of Jupiter and Saturn auroras, and ENA imaging at Jupiter and Saturn, we are gaining new insights into the magnetic fields, gas-plasma interactions, magnetospheric dynamics, and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling at the giant planets. These techniques, especially ENA and EUV imaging, rely on very recent and evolving technological capabilities. And because ENA and EUV techniques apply to optically thin media, interpretation of their measurements require sophisticated inversion procedures, which are still under development. We will discuss the directions new developments in imaging are

  5. Sea Surface Wakes Observed by Spaceborne SAR in the Offshore Wind Farms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xiaoming; Lehner, Susanne; Jacobsen, Sven

    2014-11-01

    In the paper, we present some X-band spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) TerraSAR-X (TS-X) images acquired at the offshore wind farms in the North Sea and the East China Sea. The high spatial resolution SAR images show different sea surface wake patterns downstream of the offshore wind turbines. The analysis suggests that there are major two types of wakes among the observed cases. The wind turbine wakes generated by movement of wind around wind turbines are the most often observed cases. In contrast, due to the strong local tidal currents in the near shore wind farm sites, the tidal current wakes induced by tidal current impinging on the wind turbine piles are also observed in the high spatial resolution TS-X images. The discrimination of the two types of wakes observed in the offshore wind farms is also described in the paper.

  6. Towards Low-Cost Permanent Space-Borne Observation of the Geomagnetic Field and Ionospheric Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hulot, G.; Leger, J. M.; Vigneron, P.; Jager, T.; Bertrand, F.; Coisson, P.; Astafyeva, E.; Tomasini, L.

    2016-12-01

    Space-borne observation of the Earth's magnetic field and of the ionospheric environment started early on in the history of space exploration. But only since 1999 has continuous low Earth orbiting observation successfully been achieved, thanks, in particular, to the Oersted, CHAMP and Swarm missions. These missions have demonstrated the usefulness of long-term continuous observation from space for a wealth of applications, ranging from understanding the fast and small scales of the Earth's core dynamo, to investigations of still poorly understood ionospheric phenomena. In this presentation, we will show that such observations could now possibly be achieved by much cheaper free-orbiting gradient stabilized 12U nanosatellites, such as the "NanoMagSat" nanosatellite concept currently under phase 0 within CNES. Such satellites would not require sophisticated orbit or attitude control, and would take advantage of a miniaturized version of the absolute magnetometer designed by CEA-LETI, which currently operates on the Swarm mission. This instrument is capable of simultaneously providing absolute scalar and vector measurements of the magnetic field at 1 Hz sampling rate, together with higher frequency (250 Hz sampling rate) absolute scalar data. It would be coupled with star imagers for attitude restitution, together with other instruments providing additional measurement capabilities for ionospheric science and monitoring purposes (vector field measurements beyond 1Hz, plasma density, electron temperature, TEC, in particular). Because Swarm will very likely ensure data acquisition on polar orbits for at least another 10 years, a first "NanoMagSat" satellite could be launched on an inclined orbit (within the 60° range) to provide a much-needed fast local time coverage of all sub-auroral latitudes (the so-called "Swarm Delta" mission concept). Beyond this maiden mission, "NanoMagSat" satellites could then next be used as a baseline for the progressive establishment and

  7. Identification of sea ice types in spaceborne synthetic aperture radar data

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kwok, Ronald; Rignot, Eric; Holt, Benjamin; Onstott, R.

    1992-01-01

    This study presents an approach for identification of sea ice types in spaceborne SAR image data. The unsupervised classification approach involves cluster analysis for segmentation of the image data followed by cluster labeling based on previously defined look-up tables containing the expected backscatter signatures of different ice types measured by a land-based scatterometer. Extensive scatterometer observations and experience accumulated in field campaigns during the last 10 yr were used to construct these look-up tables. The classification approach, its expected performance, the dependence of this performance on radar system performance, and expected ice scattering characteristics are discussed. Results using both aircraft and simulated ERS-1 SAR data are presented and compared to limited field ice property measurements and coincident passive microwave imagery. The importance of an integrated postlaunch program for the validation and improvement of this approach is discussed.

  8. Auroral x-ray imaging from high- and low-Earth orbit

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

    McKenzie, D.L.; Gorney, D.J.; Imhof, W.L.

    Observations of bremsstrahlung x rays emitted by energetic electrons impacting the Earth's atmosphere can be used for remotely sensing the morphology, intensity, and energy spectra of electron precipitation from the magnetosphere. The utility of the technique is derived from the broad energy range of observable x rays (2 to > 100 KeV), the simple emission process, the large x-ray mean free path in the atmosphere, and negligible background. Two auroral x-ray imagers, developed for future spaceflights, are discussed. The Polar Ionospheric X-Ray Imaging Experiment is scheduled for launch on the NASA International Solar-Terrestrial Physics/Global Geospace Science program POLAR satellite inmore » 1994. The POLAR orbit, with an apogee and perigee of 9 and 1.8 R[sub e] (Earth radii), respectively, affords the opportunity to image the aurora from a high altitude above the north pole continuously for several hours. The Magnetospheric Atmospheric X-Ray Imaging Experiment (MAXIE) was launched aboard the NOAA-I satellite on August 8, 1993. The 800-km polar orbit passes over both the northern and southern auroral zones every 101 min. MAXIE will be capable of obtaining multiple images of the same auroral region during a single satellite orbit. The experimental approaches used to exploit these very different orbits for remote sensing of the Earth's auroral zones are emphasized.« less

  9. Space Radar Image of Baikal Lake, Russia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an X-band black-and-white image of the forests east of the Baikal Forest in the Jablonowy Mountains of Russia. The image is centered at 52.5 degrees north latitude and 116 degrees east longitude near the mining town of Bukatschatscha. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 4, 1994, during the second flight of the spaceborne radar. This area is part of an international research project known as the Taiga Aerospace Investigation using Geographic Information System Applications.

  10. Image Segmentation Analysis for NASA Earth Science Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tilton, James C.

    2010-01-01

    NASA collects large volumes of imagery data from satellite-based Earth remote sensing sensors. Nearly all of the computerized image analysis of this data is performed pixel-by-pixel, in which an algorithm is applied directly to individual image pixels. While this analysis approach is satisfactory in many cases, it is usually not fully effective in extracting the full information content from the high spatial resolution image data that s now becoming increasingly available from these sensors. The field of object-based image analysis (OBIA) has arisen in recent years to address the need to move beyond pixel-based analysis. The Recursive Hierarchical Segmentation (RHSEG) software developed by the author is being used to facilitate moving from pixel-based image analysis to OBIA. The key unique aspect of RHSEG is that it tightly intertwines region growing segmentation, which produces spatially connected region objects, with region object classification, which groups sets of region objects together into region classes. No other practical, operational image segmentation approach has this tight integration of region growing object finding with region classification This integration is made possible by the recursive, divide-and-conquer implementation utilized by RHSEG, in which the input image data is recursively subdivided until the image data sections are small enough to successfully mitigat the combinatorial explosion caused by the need to compute the dissimilarity between each pair of image pixels. RHSEG's tight integration of region growing object finding and region classification is what enables the high spatial fidelity of the image segmentations produced by RHSEG. This presentation will provide an overview of the RHSEG algorithm and describe how it is currently being used to support OBIA or Earth Science applications such as snow/ice mapping and finding archaeological sites from remotely sensed data.

  11. Spaceborne SAR Imaging Algorithm for Coherence Optimized.

    PubMed

    Qiu, Zhiwei; Yue, Jianping; Wang, Xueqin; Yue, Shun

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes SAR imaging algorithm with largest coherence based on the existing SAR imaging algorithm. The basic idea of SAR imaging algorithm in imaging processing is that output signal can have maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using the optimal imaging parameters. Traditional imaging algorithm can acquire the best focusing effect, but would bring the decoherence phenomenon in subsequent interference process. Algorithm proposed in this paper is that SAR echo adopts consistent imaging parameters in focusing processing. Although the SNR of the output signal is reduced slightly, their coherence is ensured greatly, and finally the interferogram with high quality is obtained. In this paper, two scenes of Envisat ASAR data in Zhangbei are employed to conduct experiment for this algorithm. Compared with the interferogram from the traditional algorithm, the results show that this algorithm is more suitable for SAR interferometry (InSAR) research and application.

  12. Spaceborne SAR Imaging Algorithm for Coherence Optimized

    PubMed Central

    Qiu, Zhiwei; Yue, Jianping; Wang, Xueqin; Yue, Shun

    2016-01-01

    This paper proposes SAR imaging algorithm with largest coherence based on the existing SAR imaging algorithm. The basic idea of SAR imaging algorithm in imaging processing is that output signal can have maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using the optimal imaging parameters. Traditional imaging algorithm can acquire the best focusing effect, but would bring the decoherence phenomenon in subsequent interference process. Algorithm proposed in this paper is that SAR echo adopts consistent imaging parameters in focusing processing. Although the SNR of the output signal is reduced slightly, their coherence is ensured greatly, and finally the interferogram with high quality is obtained. In this paper, two scenes of Envisat ASAR data in Zhangbei are employed to conduct experiment for this algorithm. Compared with the interferogram from the traditional algorithm, the results show that this algorithm is more suitable for SAR interferometry (InSAR) research and application. PMID:26871446

  13. NASA Spacecraft Images One of Earth Iceberg Incubators

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-04-13

    Acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft, this image shows the west coast of Greenland, one of Earth premiere incubators for icebergs -- large blocks of land ice that break off from glaciers or ice shelves and float in the ocean.

  14. DSCOVR/EPIC Images and Science: A New Way to View the Entire Sunlit Earth From A Sun-Earth Lagrange-1 Orbit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herman, J. R.; Marshak, A.; Szabo, A.

    2015-12-01

    The DSCOVR mission was launched into a Sun-Earth Lagrange-1 orbit 1.5 million kilometers from earth in February 2015 onboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket. The solar wind and earth science instruments were tested during the 4.5 month journey to L-1. The first data were obtained during the June-July commissioning phase, which included the first moderate resolution (10 km) color images of the entire sunlit earth, color images of the Moon, and scientific data from 10 narrow band filters (317.5, 325, 340, 388, 443, 551, 680, 687.75, 764, and 779.5 nm). Three of these filters were used to construct the color images (443, 551, 680 nm) based on the average eye response histogram of the sunlit earth. This talk will discuss some of the issues involved in deriving science quality data for global ozone, the aerosol index (dust, smoke, and volcanic ash), cloud amounts and reflectivity, and cloud height (measured from the O2 A- and B-bands). As with most new satellites, the science data are preliminary.

  15. The Earth and Moon As Seen by 2001 Mars Odyssey's Thermal Emission Imaging System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    2001 Mars Odyssey's Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) took this portrait of the Earth and its companion Moon, using the infrared camera, one of two cameras in the instrument. It was taken at a distance of 3,563,735 kilometers (more than 2 million miles) on April 19, 2001 as the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft left the Earth. From this distance and perspective the camera was able to acquire an image that directly shows the true distance from the Earth to the Moon. The Earth's diameter is about 12,750 km, and the distance from the Earth to the Moon is about 385,000 km, corresponding to 30 Earth diameters. The dark region seen on Earth in the infrared temperature image is the cold south pole, with a temperature of minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit). The small bright region above it is warm Australia. This image was acquired using the 9.1 um infrared filter, one of nine filters that the instrument will use to map the mineral composition and temperature of the martian surface. From this great distance, each picture element (pixel) in the image corresponds to a region 900 by 900 kilometers or greater in size or about size of the state of Texas. Once Odyssey reaches Mars orbit each infrared pixel will cover a region only 100 by 100 meters on the surface, about the size of a major league baseball field.

  16. Large/Complex Antenna Performance Validation for Spaceborne Radar/Radiometeric Instruments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Focardi, Paolo; Harrell, Jefferson; Vacchione, Joseph

    2013-01-01

    Over the past decade, Earth observing missions which employ spaceborne combined radar & radiometric instruments have been developed and implemented. These instruments include the use of large and complex deployable antennas whose radiation characteristics need to be accurately determined over 4 pisteradians. Given the size and complexity of these antennas, the performance of the flight units cannot be readily measured. In addition, the radiation performance is impacted by the presence of the instrument's service platform which cannot easily be included in any measurement campaign. In order to meet the system performance knowledge requirements, a two pronged approach has been employed. The first is to use modeling tools to characterize the system and the second is to build a scale model of the system and use RF measurements to validate the results of the modeling tools. This paper demonstrates the resulting level of agreement between scale model and numerical modeling for two recent missions: (1) the earlier Aquarius instrument currently in Earth orbit and (2) the upcoming Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. The results from two modeling approaches, Ansoft's High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) and TICRA's General RF Applications Software Package (GRASP), were compared with measurements of approximately 1/10th scale models of the Aquarius and SMAP systems. Generally good agreement was found between the three methods but each approach had its shortcomings as will be detailed in this paper.

  17. Application of advanced signal processing techniques to the rectification and registration of spaceborne imagery. [technology transfer, data transmission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Caron, R. H.; Rifman, S. S.; Simon, K. W.

    1974-01-01

    The development of an ERTS/MSS image processing system responsive to the needs of the user community is discussed. An overview of the TRW ERTS/MSS processor is presented, followed by a more detailed discussion of image processing functions satisfied by the system. The particular functions chosen for discussion are evolved from advanced signal processing techniques rooted in the areas of communication and control. These examples show how classical aerospace technology can be transferred to solve the more contemporary problems confronting the users of spaceborne imagery.

  18. Advanced power system protection and incipient fault detection and protection of spaceborne power systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Russell, B. Don

    1989-01-01

    This research concentrated on the application of advanced signal processing, expert system, and digital technologies for the detection and control of low grade, incipient faults on spaceborne power systems. The researchers have considerable experience in the application of advanced digital technologies and the protection of terrestrial power systems. This experience was used in the current contracts to develop new approaches for protecting the electrical distribution system in spaceborne applications. The project was divided into three distinct areas: (1) investigate the applicability of fault detection algorithms developed for terrestrial power systems to the detection of faults in spaceborne systems; (2) investigate the digital hardware and architectures required to monitor and control spaceborne power systems with full capability to implement new detection and diagnostic algorithms; and (3) develop a real-time expert operating system for implementing diagnostic and protection algorithms. Significant progress has been made in each of the above areas. Several terrestrial fault detection algorithms were modified to better adapt to spaceborne power system environments. Several digital architectures were developed and evaluated in light of the fault detection algorithms.

  19. A fast, programmable hardware architecture for spaceborne SAR processing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bennett, J. R.; Cumming, I. G.; Lim, J.; Wedding, R. M.

    1983-01-01

    The launch of spaceborne SARs during the 1980's is discussed. The satellite SARs require high quality and high throughput ground processors. Compression ratios in range and azimuth of greater than 500 and 150 respectively lead to frequency domain processing and data computation rates in excess of 2000 million real operations per second for C-band SARs under consideration. Various hardware architectures are examined and two promising candidates and proceeds to recommend a fast, programmable hardware architecture for spaceborne SAR processing are selected. Modularity and programmability are introduced as desirable attributes for the purpose of HTSP hardware selection.

  20. Multiple-Cone Sunshade for a Spaceborne Telescope

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cafferty, Terry; Ford, Virginia

    2008-01-01

    A document describes a sunshade assembly for the spaceborne telescope of the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph mission. During operation, the telescope is aimed at target stars in the semihemisphere away from the Earth's Sun. The observatory rotates about its pointing axis during a single star observation, resulting in relative movement of the Sun. The sunshade assembly protects the telescope against excessive solar-induced thermal distortions for times long enough to complete observations. The assembly includes a cylindrical baffle immediately surrounding the telescope, and a series of coaxial conical shields at half-cone angle increments of between 3 and 6. The black inner surface of the cylindrical baffle suppresses stray light. The outer surface of the cylindrical baffle and all the surfaces of the conical shields except the outermost one are specular and highly reflective in the infrared. The outer surface of the outer shield is a material with low solar absorptance and high infrared emittance, such as silverized Teflon or white paint. This arrangement strongly radiatively couples each shield layer more effectively to cold space than to adjacent shield layers. The result is that the solar-driven temperature gradients in the cylindrical baffle are nearly negated, and only weakly communicated to the highly-infrared-reflective face of the primary telescope mirror.

  1. Technologies Required to Image Earth 2.0 with a Space Coronagraph

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siegler, Nicholas

    2017-01-01

    NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) guides the development of technology that enables the direct imaging and characterization of exo-Earths in the habitable zone of their stars for future space observatories. Here we present the coronagraph portion of the 2017 ExEP Technology Gap List, an annual update to ExEP's list of of technologies, to be advanced in the next 1-5 years. A coronagraph is an internal occulter that allows a space telescope to achieve exo-Earth imaging contrast requirements (more than 10 billion) by blocking on-axis starlight while allowing the reflected light of off-axis exoplanets be detected. Building and operating a space coronagraph capable of imaging an exo-Earth will require new technologies beyond those of WFIRST, the first high-contrast conronagraph in space. We review the current state-of-the-art performance of space coronagraphs and the performance level that must be achieved for a coronagraph..

  2. The Direct Imaging Search for Earth 2.0: Quantifying Biases and Planetary False Positives

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guimond, Claire Marie; Cowan, Nicolas B.

    2018-06-01

    Direct imaging is likely the best way to characterize the atmospheres of Earth-sized exoplanets in the habitable zone of Sun-like stars. Previously, Stark et al. estimated the Earth twin yield of future direct imaging missions, such as LUVOIR and HabEx. We extend this analysis to other types of planets, which will act as false positives for Earth twins. We define an Earth twin as any exoplanet within half an e-folding of 1 au in semimajor axis and 1 {R}\\oplus in planetary radius, orbiting a G-dwarf. Using Monte Carlo analyses, we quantify the biases and planetary false-positive rates of Earth searches. That is, given a pale dot at the correct projected separation and brightness to be a candidate Earth, what are the odds that it is, in fact, an Earth twin? Our notional telescope has a diameter of 10 m, an inner working angle of 3λ/D, and an outer working angle of 10λ/D (62 mas and 206 mas at 1.0 μm). With no precursor knowledge and one visit per star, 77% of detected candidate Earths are actually un-Earths; their mean radius is 2.3 {R}\\oplus , a sub-Neptune. The odds improve if we image every planet at its optimal orbital phase, either by relying on precursor knowledge, or by performing multi-epoch direct imaging. In such a targeted search, 47% of detected Earth twin candidates are false positives, and they have a mean radius of 1.7 {R}\\oplus . The false-positive rate is insensitive to stellar spectral type and the assumption of circular orbits.

  3. Simulation of Hyperspectral Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richsmeier, Steven C.; Singer-Berk, Alexander; Bernstein, Lawrence S.

    2004-01-01

    A software package generates simulated hyperspectral imagery for use in validating algorithms that generate estimates of Earth-surface spectral reflectance from hyperspectral images acquired by airborne and spaceborne instruments. This software is based on a direct simulation Monte Carlo approach for modeling three-dimensional atmospheric radiative transport, as well as reflections from surfaces characterized by spatially inhomogeneous bidirectional reflectance distribution functions. In this approach, "ground truth" is accurately known through input specification of surface and atmospheric properties, and it is practical to consider wide variations of these properties. The software can treat both land and ocean surfaces, as well as the effects of finite clouds with surface shadowing. The spectral/spatial data cubes computed by use of this software can serve both as a substitute for, and a supplement to, field validation data.

  4. Space Radar Image of Chernobyl

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an image of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its surroundings, centered at 51.17 north latitude and 30.15 west longitude. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 16th orbit on October 1, 1994. The area is located on the northern border of the Ukraine Republic and was produced by using the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received) polarization. The differences in the intensity are due to differences in vegetation cover, with brighter areas being indicative of more vegetation. These data were acquired as part of a collaboration between NASA and the National Space Agency of Ukraine in Remote Sensing and Earth Sciences. NASA has included several sites provided by the Ukrainian space agency as targets of opportunity during the second flight of SIR-C/X-SAR. The Ukrainian space agency also plans to conduct airborne surveys of these sites during the mission. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant is located toward the top of the image near the Pripyat River. The 12-kilometer (7.44-mile)-long cooling pond is easily distinguishable as an elongated dark shape in the center near the top of the image. The reactor complex is visible as the bright area to the extreme left of the cooling pond and the city of Chernobyl is the bright area just below the cooling pond next to the Pripyat River. The large dark area in the bottom right of the image is the Kiev Reservoir just north of Kiev. Also visible is the Dnieper River, which feeds into the Kiev Reservoir from the top of the image. The Soviet government evacuated 116,000 people within 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of the Chernobyl reactor after the explosion and fire on April 26, 1986. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight

  5. The Long-Wave Infrared Earth Image as a Pointing Reference for Deep-Space Optical Communications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biswas, A.; Piazzolla, S.; Peterson, G.; Ortiz, G. G.; Hemmati, H.

    2006-11-01

    Optical communications from space require an absolute pointing reference. Whereas at near-Earth and even planetary distances out to Mars and Jupiter a laser beacon transmitted from Earth can serve as such a pointing reference, for farther distances extending to the outer reaches of the solar system, the means for meeting this requirement remains an open issue. We discuss in this article the prospects and consequences of utilizing the Earth image sensed in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) spectral band as a beacon to satisfy the absolute pointing requirements. We have used data from satellite-based thermal measurements of Earth to synthesize images at various ranges and have shown the centroiding accuracies that can be achieved with prospective LWIR image sensing arrays. The nonuniform emissivity of Earth causes a mispointing bias error term that exceeds a provisional pointing budget allocation when using simple centroiding algorithms. Other issues related to implementing thermal imaging of Earth from deep space for the purposes of providing a pointing reference are also reported.

  6. Space Radar Image of Baikal Lake, Russia

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-05-01

    This is an X-band black-and-white image of the forests east of the Baikal Forest in the Jablonowy Mountains of Russia. The image is centered at 52.5 degrees north latitude and 116 degrees east longitude near the mining town of Bukatschatscha. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 4, 1994, during the second flight of the spaceborne radar. This area is part of an international research project known as the Taiga Aerospace Investigation using Geographic Information System Applications. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01754

  7. Space Radar Image of Rhine River, France and Germany

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image shows a segment of the Rhine River where it forms the border between the Alsace region of northeastern France on the left and the Black Forest region of Germany on the right. The Rhine, one of the largest and most used waterways in central Europe, winds its way through five countries from the Swiss-Austrian Alps to the North Sea coast of the Netherlands. The river valley is densely populated, as seen in this image, which shows the French city of Strasbourg, the light blue and orange area in the upper left center; and the German cities of Kehl, across the river from Strasbourg and Offenburg, the bright area in right center. The fertile valley is famous for its wine production and most of the agricultural areas in the image, shown in purple patches, are vineyards. The light green areas are forest. Scientists can use radar images like this one to monitor the effects of urban and agricultural development on sensitive ecosystems such as the Rhine River valley. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 2, 1994. The image is 34.2 kilometers by 33.2 kilometers (21.2 miles by 20.6 miles) and is centered at 48.5 degrees north latitude, 7.7 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper left. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

  8. Space Radar Image of Manaus, Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    These two images were created using data from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). On the left is a false-color image of Manaus, Brazil acquired April 12, 1994, onboard space shuttle Endeavour. In the center of this image is the Solimoes River just west of Manaus before it combines with the Rio Negro to form the Amazon River. The scene is around 8 by 8 kilometers (5 by 5 miles) with north toward the top. The radar image was produced in L-band where red areas correspond to high backscatter at HH polarization, while green areas exhibit high backscatter at HV polarization. Blue areas show low backscatter at VV polarization. The image on the right is a classification map showing the extent of flooding beneath the forest canopy. The classification map was developed by SIR-C/X-SAR science team members at the University of California,Santa Barbara. The map uses the L-HH, L-HV, and L-VV images to classify the radar image into six categories: Red flooded forest Green unflooded tropical rain forest Blue open water, Amazon river Yellow unflooded fields, some floating grasses Gray flooded shrubs Black floating and flooded grasses Data like these help scientists evaluate flood damage on a global scale. Floods are highly episodic and much of the area inundated is often tree-covered. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those

  9. The integrated design and archive of space-borne signal processing and compression coding

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Qiang-min; Su, Hao-hang; Wu, Wen-bo

    2017-10-01

    With the increasing demand of users for the extraction of remote sensing image information, it is very urgent to significantly enhance the whole system's imaging quality and imaging ability by using the integrated design to achieve its compact structure, light quality and higher attitude maneuver ability. At this present stage, the remote sensing camera's video signal processing unit and image compression and coding unit are distributed in different devices. The volume, weight and consumption of these two units is relatively large, which unable to meet the requirements of the high mobility remote sensing camera. This paper according to the high mobility remote sensing camera's technical requirements, designs a kind of space-borne integrated signal processing and compression circuit by researching a variety of technologies, such as the high speed and high density analog-digital mixed PCB design, the embedded DSP technology and the image compression technology based on the special-purpose chips. This circuit lays a solid foundation for the research of the high mobility remote sensing camera.

  10. Radar image of Rio Sao Francisco, Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    This radar image acquired by SRTM shows an area south of the Sao Francisco River in Brazil. The area is predominantly scrub forest. Areas such as these are difficult to map by traditional methods because of frequent cloud cover and local inaccessibility. Image brightness differences in this image are caused by differences in vegetation type and density. Tributaries of the Sao Francisco are visible in the upper right. The Sao Francisco River is a major source of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Mapping such regions will allow scientists to better understand the relationships between flooding cycles, forestation and human influences on ecosystems.

    This radar image was obtained by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission as part of its mission to map the Earth's topography. The image was acquired by just one of SRTM's two antennas, and consequently does not show topographic data but only the strength of the radar signal reflected from the ground. This signal, known as radar backscatter, provides insight into the nature of the surface, including its roughness, vegetation cover, and urbanization.

    The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11, 2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, an additional C-band imaging antenna and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, DC.

  11. 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

  12. Radar Images of the Earth and the World Wide Web

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chapman, B.; Freeman, A.

    1995-01-01

    A perspective of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a center of planetary exploration, and its involvement in studying the earth from space is given. Remote sensing, radar maps, land topography, snow cover properties, vegetation type, biomass content, moisture levels, and ocean data are items discussed related to earth orbiting satellite imaging radar. World Wide Web viewing of this content is discussed.

  13. Blazing a Trail: Towards Imaging Super-Earths from the Ground and Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, M. R.; Quanz, S. P.; Kasper, M.; Guyon, O.; Monnier, J.

    2017-11-01

    We will review recent progress in imaging super-earths around the very nearest stars, new opportunities for 10 microns imaging, contributions JWST will make to imaging ice giants, and complementary work to be done by WFIRST-AFTA.

  14. Space Radar Image of Weddell Sea

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    Two radar images are shown in this composite to compare the size of a standard spaceborne radar image small inset to the image that is created when the radar instrument is used in the ScanSAR mode large image.

  15. "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.

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. Space Radar Image of North Sea, Germany

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    swiftly than is currently possible. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  19. Space Radar Image of Wenatchee, Washington

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image shows a segment of the Columbia River as it passes through the area of Wenatchee, Washington, about 220 kilometers (136 miles) east of Seattle. The Wenatchee Mountains, part of the Cascade Range, are shown in green at the lower left of the image. The Cascades create a 'rain shadow' for the region, limiting rainfall east of the range to less than 26 centimeters (10 inches) per year. The radar's ability to see different types of vegetation is highlighted in the contrast between the pine forests, that appear in green and the dry valley plain that shows up as dark purple. The cities of Wenatchee and East Wenatchee are the grid-like areas straddling the Columbia River in the left center of the image. With a population of about 60,000, the region produces about half of Washington state's lucrative apple crop. Several orchard areas appear as green rectangular patches to the right of the river in the lower right center. Radar images such as these can be used to monitor land use patterns in areas such as Wenatchee, that have diverse and rapidly changing urban, agricultural and wild land pressures. This image was acquired by Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 10, 1994. The image is 38 kilometers by 45 kilometers (24 miles by 30 miles) and is centered at 47.3 degrees North latitude, 120.1 degrees West longitude. North is toward the upper left. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

  20. Space Radar Image of San Francisco, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is a radar image of San Francisco, California, taken on October 3,1994. The image is about 40 kilometers by 55 kilometers (25 miles by 34 miles) with north toward the upper right. Downtown San Francisco is visible in the center of the image with the city of Oakland east (to the right) across San Francisco Bay. Also visible in the image is the Golden Gate Bridge (left center) and the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland. North of the Bay Bridge is Treasure Island. Alcatraz Island appears as a small dot northwest of Treasure Island. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on orbit 56. The image is centered at 37 degrees north latitude, 122degrees west longitude. This single-frequency SIR-C image was obtained by the L-band (24 cm) radar channel, horizontally transmitted and received. Portions of the Pacific Ocean visible in this image appear very dark as do other smooth surfaces such as airport runways. Suburban areas, with the low-density housing and tree-lined streets that are typical of San Francisco, appear as lighter gray. Areas with high-rise buildings, such as those seen in the downtown areas, appear in very bright white, showing a higher density of housing and streets which run parallel to the radar flight track. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: the L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes

  1. Earth Observing-1 Extended Mission

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2003-01-01

    From its beginning in November 2000, the NASA Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) mission demonstrated the feasibility and performance of a dozen innovative sensor, spacecraft, and operational technologies. The 1-year mission tested a variety of technologies, some of which may be included on the planned 2007 Landsat Data Continuity Mission. Onboard the spacecraft are two land remote sensing instruments: the Advanced Land Imager (ALI), which acquires data in spectral bands and at resolutions similar to Landsat, and Hyperion, which acquires data in 220 10-nanometer-wide bands covering the visible, near-, and shortwave-infrared bands. Recognizing the remarkable performance of the satellite's instruments and the exceptional value of the data, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA agreed in December 2001 to share responsibility for operating EO-1 on a cost-reimbursable basis as long as customer sales are sufficient to recover flight and ground operations costs. The EO-1 extended mission operates within constraints imposed by its technology-pioneering origins, but it also provides unique and valuable capabilities. The spacecraft can acquire a target scene three times in a 16-day period. The ALI instrument has additional spectral coverage and greater radiometric dynamic range compared with the sensors on Landsat 7. Hyperion is the first civilian spaceborne hyperspectral imager. As of January 2003, more than 5,000 scenes had been acquired, indexed, and archived.

  2. Space-borne observation of mesospheric bore by Visible and near Infrared Spectral Imager onboard the International Space Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hozumi, Y.; Saito, A.; Sakanoi, T.; Yamazaki, A.; Hosokawa, K.

    2017-12-01

    Mesospheric bores were observed by Visible and near Infrared Spectral Imager (VISI) of the ISS-IMAP mission (Ionosphere, Mesosphere, upper Atmosphere and Plasmasphere mapping mission from the International Space Station) in O2 airglow at 762 nm wavelength. The mesospheric bore is moving front of sharp jump followed by undulations or turbulence in the mesopause region. Since previous studies of mesospheric bore were mainly based on ground-based airglow imaging that is limited in field-of-view and observing site, little is known about its horizontal extent and global behavior. Space-borne imaging by ISS-IMAP/VISI provides an opportunity to study the mesospheric bore with a wide field-of-view and global coverage. A mesospheric bore was captured by VISI in two consecutive paths on 9 July 2015 over the south of African continent (48ºS - 54ºS and 15ºE). The wave front aligned with south-north direction and propagated to west. The phase velocity and wave length of the following undulation were estimated to 100 m/s and 30 km, respectively. Those parameters are similar to those reported by previous studies. 30º anti-clockwise rotation of the wave front was recognized in 100 min. Another mesospheric bore was captured on 9 May 2013 over the south Atlantic ocean (35ºS - 43ºS and 24ºW - 1ºE) with more than 2,200 km horizontal extent of wave front. The wave front aligned with southeast-northwest direction. Because the following undulation is recognized in the southwest side of the wave front, it is estimated to propagate to northeast direction. The wave front was modulated with 1,000 km wave length. This modulation implies inhomogeneity of the phase velocity.

  3. An earth imaging camera simulation using wide-scale construction of reflectance surfaces

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murthy, Kiran; Chau, Alexandra H.; Amin, Minesh B.; Robinson, M. Dirk

    2013-10-01

    Developing and testing advanced ground-based image processing systems for earth-observing remote sensing applications presents a unique challenge that requires advanced imagery simulation capabilities. This paper presents an earth-imaging multispectral framing camera simulation system called PayloadSim (PaySim) capable of generating terabytes of photorealistic simulated imagery. PaySim leverages previous work in 3-D scene-based image simulation, adding a novel method for automatically and efficiently constructing 3-D reflectance scenes by draping tiled orthorectified imagery over a geo-registered Digital Elevation Map (DEM). PaySim's modeling chain is presented in detail, with emphasis given to the techniques used to achieve computational efficiency. These techniques as well as cluster deployment of the simulator have enabled tuning and robust testing of image processing algorithms, and production of realistic sample data for customer-driven image product development. Examples of simulated imagery of Skybox's first imaging satellite are shown.

  4. First spaceborne observation of the entire concentric airglow structure caused by tropospheric disturbance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akiya, Y.; Saito, A.; Sakanoi, T.; Hozumi, Y.; Yamazaki, A.; Otsuka, Y.; Nishioka, M.; Tsugawa, T.

    2014-10-01

    Spaceborne imagers are able to observe the airglow structures with wide field of views regardless of the tropospheric condition that limits the observational time of the ground-based imagers. Concentric wave structures of the O2 airglow in 762 nm wavelength were observed over North America on 1 June 2013 from the International Space Station. This was the first observation in which the entire image of the structure was captured from space, and its spatial scale size was determined to be 1200 km radius without assumptions. The apparent horizontal wavelength was 80 km, and the amplitude in the intensity was approximately 20% of the background intensity. The propagation velocity of the structure was derived as 125 ± 62 m/s and atmospheric gravity waves were estimated to be generated for 3.5 ± 1.7 h. Concentric structures observed in this event were interpreted to be generated by super cells that caused a tornado in its early phase.

  5. Earth Observation

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-10-14

    ISS037-E-011470 (14 Oct. 2013) --- Man-made archipelagos near Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 37 crew member on the International Space Station, flying at approximately 220 miles above Earth. The municipality of Dubai is the largest city of the Persian Gulf emirate of the same name, and has built a global reputation for large-scale developments and architectural works. Among the most visible of these developments -- particularly from the perspective of astronauts onboard the space station -- are three man-made archipelagos. The two Palm Islands -- Palm Jumeirah (right) and Palm Jebel Ali (out of frame further to the right) -- appear as stylized palm trees when viewed from above. The World Islands (center frame) evoke a rough map of the world from an air- or space-borne perspective. The Palm Jumeirah project began in 2001 and required more than 50 million cubic meters of dredged sand to raise the islands above the Persian Gulf sea level. Construction of the Palm Jumeirah islands was completed in 2006; for several years now they have been developed for residential and commercial housing and infrastructure. Creation of the World Islands was begun in 2003 and completed in 2008, using 320 million cubic meters of sand and 37 million tons of rock for the surrounding 27 kilometer-long protective breakwater.

  6. Advances in target imaging of deep Earth structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masson, Y.; Romanowicz, B. A.; Clouzet, P.

    2015-12-01

    A new generation of global tomographic models (Lekić and Romanowicz, 2011; French et al, 2013, 2014) has emerged with the development of accurate numerical wavefield computations in a 3D earth combined with access to enhanced HPC capabilities. These models have sharpened up mantle images and unveiled relatively small scale structures that were blurred out in previous generation models. Fingerlike structures have been found at the base of the oceanic asthenosphere, and vertically oriented broad low velocity plume conduits extend throughout the lower mantle beneath those major hotspots that are located within the perimeter of the deep mantle large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs). While providing new insights into our understanding of mantle dynamics, the detailed morphology of these features, requires further efforts to obtain higher resolution images. The focus of our ongoing effort is to develop advanced tomographic methods to image remote regions of the Earth at fine scales. We have developed an approach in which distant sources (located outside of the target region) are replaced by an equivalent set of local sources located at the border of the computational domain (Masson et al., 2014). A limited number of global simulations in a reference 3D earth model is then required. These simulations are computed prior to the regional inversion, while iterations of the model need to be performed only within the region of interest, potentially allowing us to include shorter periods at limited additional computational cost. Until now, the application was limited to a distribution of receivers inside the target region. This is particularly suitable for studies of upper mantle structure in regions with dense arrays (e.g. see our companion presentation Clouzet et al., this Fall AGU). Here we present our latest development that now can include teleseismic data recorded outside the imaged region. This allows us to perform regional waveform tomography in the situation where

  7. Cartographic analyses of geographic information available on Google Earth Images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, J. C.; Ramos, J. R.; Epiphanio, J. C.

    2011-12-01

    The propose was to evaluate planimetric accuracy of satellite images available on database of Google Earth. These images are referents to the vicinities of the Federal Univertisity of Viçosa, Minas Gerais - Brazil. The methodology developed evaluated the geographical information of three groups of images which were in accordance to the level of detail presented in the screen images (zoom). These groups of images were labeled to Zoom 1000 (a single image for the entire study area), Zoom 100 (formed by a mosaic of 73 images) and Zoom 100 with geometric correction (this mosaic is like before, however, it was applied a geometric correction through control points). In each group of image was measured the Cartographic Accuracy based on statistical analyses and brazilian's law parameters about planimetric mapping. For this evaluation were identified 22 points in each group of image, where the coordinates of each point were compared to the coordinates of the field obtained by GPS (Global Positioning System). The Table 1 show results related to accuracy (based on a threshold equal to 0.5 mm * mapping scale) and tendency (abscissa and ordinate) between the coordinates of the image and the coordinates of field. Table 1 The geometric correction applied to the Group Zoom 100 reduced the trends identified earlier, and the statistical tests pointed a usefulness of the data for a mapping at a scale of 1/5000 with error minor than 0.5 mm * scale. The analyses proved the quality of cartographic data provided by Google, as well as the possibility of reduce the divergences of positioning present on the data. It can be concluded that it is possible to obtain geographic information database available on Google Earth, however, the level of detail (zoom) used at the time of viewing and capturing information on the screen influences the quality cartographic of the mapping. Although cartographic and thematic potential present in the database, it is important to note that both the software

  8. Imaging of near-Earth space plasma.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Cathryn N

    2002-12-15

    This paper describes the technique of imaging the ionosphere using tomographic principles. It reports on current developments and speculates on the future of this research area. Recent developments in computing and ionospheric measurement, together with the sharing of data via the internet, now allow us to envisage a time when high-resolution, real-time images and 'movies' of the ionosphere will be possible for radio communications planning. There is great potential to use such images for improving our understanding of the physical processes controlling the behaviour of the ionosphere. While real-time images and movies of the electron concentration are now almost possible, forecasting of ionospheric morphology is still in its early stages. It has become clear that the ionosphere cannot be considered as a system in isolation, and consequently new research projects to link together models of the solar-terrestrial system, including the Sun, solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere, are now being proposed. The prospect is now on the horizon of assimilating data from the entire solar-terrestrial system to produce a real-time computer model and 'space weather' forecast. The role of tomography in imaging beyond the ionosphere to include the whole near-Earth space-plasma realm is yet to be realized, and provides a challenging prospect for the future. Finally, exciting possibilities exist in applying such methods to image the atmospheres and ionospheres of other planets.

  9. A laboratory demonstration of the capability to image an Earth-like extrasolar planet.

    PubMed

    Trauger, John T; Traub, Wesley A

    2007-04-12

    The detection and characterization of an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star requires a telescope with an extraordinarily large contrast at small angular separations. At visible wavelengths, an Earth-like planet would be 1 x 10(-10) times fainter than the star at angular separations of typically 0.1 arcsecond or less. There are several proposed space telescope systems that could, in principle, achieve this. Here we report a laboratory experiment that reaches these limits. We have suppressed the diffracted and scattered light near a star-like source to a level of 6 x 10(-10) times the peak intensity in individual coronagraph images. In a series of such images, together with simple image processing, we have effectively reduced this to a residual noise level of about 0.1 x 10(-10). This demonstrates that a coronagraphic telescope in space could detect and spectroscopically characterize nearby exoplanetary systems, with the sensitivity to image an 'Earth-twin' orbiting a nearby star.

  10. ASTER Images the Island of Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    These images of the Island of Hawaii were acquired on March 19, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. Data are shown from the short wavelength and thermal infrared spectral regions, illustrating how different and complementary information is contained in different parts of the spectrum.

    Left image: This false-color image covers an area 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and 120 kilometers (75 miles) long in three bands of the short wavelength infrared region. While, much of the island was covered in clouds, the dominant central Mauna Loa volcano, rising to an altitude of 4115 meters (13,500 feet), is cloud-free. Lava flows can be seen radiating from the central crater in green and black tones. As they reach lower elevations, the flows become covered with vegetation, and their image color changes to yellow and orange. Mauna Kea volcano to the north of Mauna Loa has a thin cloud-cover, producing a bluish tone on the image. The ocean in the lower right appears brown due to the color processing.

    Right image: This image is a false-color composite of three thermal infrared bands. The brightness of the colors is proportional to the temperature, and the hues display differences in rock composition. Clouds are black, because they are the coldest objects in the scene. The ocean and thick vegetation appear dark green because they are colder than bare rock surfaces, and have no thermal spectral features. Lava flows are shades of magenta, green, pink and yellow, reflecting chemical changes due to weathering and relative age differences.

    Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth

  11. Operational GPS Imaging System at Multiple Scales for Earth Science and Monitoring of Geohazards

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blewitt, Geoffrey; Hammond, William; Kreemer, Corné

    2016-04-01

    Toward scientific targets that range from slow deep Earth processes to geohazard rapid response, our operational GPS data analysis system produces smooth, yet detailed maps of 3-dimensional land motion with respect to our Earth's center of mass at multiple spatio-temporal scales with various latencies. "GPS Imaging" is implemented operationally as a back-end processor to our GPS data processing facility, which uses JPL's GIPSY OASIS II software to produce positions from 14,000 GPS stations in ITRF every 5 minutes, with coordinate precision that gradually improves as latency increases upward from 1 hour to 2 weeks. Our GPS Imaging system then applies sophisticated signal processing and image filtering techniques to generate images of land motion covering our Earth's continents with high levels of robustness, accuracy, spatial resolution, and temporal resolution. Techniques employed by our GPS Imaging system include: (1) similarity transformation of polyhedron coordinates to ITRF with optional common-mode filtering to enhance local transient signal to noise ratio, (2) a comprehensive database of ~100,000 potential step events based on earthquake catalogs and equipment logs, (3) an automatic, robust, and accurate non-parametric estimator of station velocity that is insensitive to prevalent step discontinuities, outliers, seasonality, and heteroscedasticity; (4) a realistic estimator of velocity error bars based on subsampling statistics; (5) image processing to create a map of land motion that is based on median spatial filtering on the Delauney triangulation, which is effective at despeckling the data while faithfully preserving edge features; (6) a velocity time series estimator to assist identification of transient behavior, such as unloading caused by drought, and (7) a method of integrating InSAR and GPS for fine-scale seamless imaging in ITRF. Our system is being used to address three main scientific focus areas, including (1) deep Earth processes, (2

  12. Space Radar Image of the Yucatan Impact Crater Site

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a radar image of the southwest portion of the buried Chicxulub impact crater in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The radar image was acquired on orbit 81 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The image is centered at 20 degrees north latitude and 90 degrees west longitude. Scientists believe the crater was formed by an asteroid or comet which slammed into the Earth more than 65 million years ago. It is this impact crater that has been linked to a major biological catastrophe where more than 50 percent of the Earth's species, including the dinosaurs, became extinct. The 180-to 300-kilometer-diameter (110- to 180-mile)crater is buried by 300 to 1,000 meters (1,000 to 3,000 feet) of limestone. The exact size of the crater is currently being debated by scientists. This is a total power radar image with L-band in red, C-band in green, and the difference between C-band L-band in blue. The 10-kilometer-wide (6-mile) band of yellow and pink with blue patches along the top left (northwestern side) of the image is a mangrove swamp. The blue patches are islands of tropical forests created by freshwater springs that emerge through fractures in the limestone bedrock and are most abundant in the vicinity of the buried crater rim. The fracture patterns and wetland hydrology in this region are controlled by the structure of the buried crater. Scientists are using the SIR-C/X-SAR imagery to study wetland ecology and help determine the exact size of the impact crater. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community

  13. Earth resources shuttle imaging radar. [systems analysis and design analysis of pulse radar for earth resources information system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1975-01-01

    A report is presented on a preliminary design of a Synthetic Array Radar (SAR) intended for experimental use with the space shuttle program. The radar is called Earth Resources Shuttle Imaging Radar (ERSIR). Its primary purpose is to determine the usefulness of SAR in monitoring and managing earth resources. The design of the ERSIR, along with tradeoffs made during its evolution is discussed. The ERSIR consists of a flight sensor for collecting the raw radar data and a ground sensor used both for reducing these radar data to images and for extracting earth resources information from the data. The flight sensor consists of two high powered coherent, pulse radars, one that operates at L and the other at X-band. Radar data, recorded on tape can be either transmitted via a digital data link to a ground terminal or the tape can be delivered to the ground station after the shuttle lands. A description of data processing equipment and display devices is given.

  14. Magellan radar image compared to high resolution Earth-based image of Venus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    A strip of a Magellan radar image (left) is compared to a high resolution Earth-based radar image of Venus, obtained by the U.S. National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The small white box in the Arecibo image corresponds to the Magellan image. This portion of the Magellan imagery shows a small region on the east flank of a major volcanic upland called Beta Regio. The image is centered at 23 degrees north latitude and 286.7 degrees east longitude. The ridge and valley network in the middle part of the image is formed by intersecting faults which have broken the Venusian crust into a complex deformed type of surface called tessera, the Latin word for tile. The parallel mountains and valleys resemble the Basin and Range Province in the western United States. The irregular dark patch near the top of the image is a smooth surface, probably formed, according to scientists, by lava flows in a region about 10 kilometers (6 miles) across. Similar dark sur

  15. Space Radar Image of Pinacate Volcanic Field, Mexico

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image shows the Pinacate Volcanic Field in the state of Sonora, Mexico, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Yuma, Arizona. The United States/Mexico border runs across the upper right corner of the image. More than 300 volcanic vents occur in the Pinacate field, including cinder cones that experienced small eruptions as recently as 1934. The larger circular craters seen in the image are a type of volcano known as a 'maar', which erupts violently when rising magma encounters groundwater, producing highly pressurized steam that powers explosive eruptions. The highest elevations in the volcanic field, about 1200 meters (4000 feet), occur in the 'shield volcano' structure shown in bright white, occupying most of the left half of the image. Numerous cinder cones dot the flanks of the shield. The yellow patches to the right of center are newer, rough-textured lava flows that strongly reflect the long wavelength radar signals. Along the left edge of the image are sand dunes of the Gran Desierto. The dark areas are smooth sand and the brighter brown and purple areas have vegetation on the surface. Radar data provide a unique means to study the different types of lava flows and wind-blown sands. This image was acquired by Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 18, 1994. The image is 57 kilometers by 48 kilometers (35 miles by 30 miles) and is centered at 31.7 degrees north latitude, 113.4 degrees West longitude. North is toward the upper right. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is L-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

  16. Apollo 8 Mission image,Earth and Lunar Horizon

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1968-12-21

    Apollo 8,Earth and Lunar Horizon. Image taken on Revolution 10 during Transearth Injection (TEI). Original Film Magazine was labeled D. Camera Data: 70mm Hasselblad. Lens: 80mm; F-Stop: F/11; Shutter Speed: 1/250 second. Film Type: Kodak SO-3400 Black and White,ASA 40. Flight Date: December 21-27,1968.

  17. Space Radar Image of West Texas - SAR scan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This radar image of the Midland/Odessa region of West Texas, demonstrates an experimental technique, called ScanSAR, that allows scientists to rapidly image large areas of the Earth's surface. The large image covers an area 245 kilometers by 225 kilometers (152 miles by 139 miles). It was obtained by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) flying aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 5, 1994. The smaller inset image is a standard SIR-C image showing a portion of the same area, 100 kilometers by 57 kilometers (62 miles by 35 miles) and was taken during the first flight of SIR-C on April 14, 1994. The bright spots on the right side of the image are the cities of Odessa (left) and Midland (right), Texas. The Pecos River runs from the top center to the bottom center of the image. Along the left side of the image are, from top to bottom, parts of the Guadalupe, Davis and Santiago Mountains. North is toward the upper right. Unlike conventional radar imaging, in which a radar continuously illuminates a single ground swath as the space shuttle passes over the terrain, a Scansar radar illuminates several adjacent ground swaths almost simultaneously, by 'scanning' the radar beam across a large area in a rapid sequence. The adjacent swaths, typically about 50 km (31 miles) wide, are then merged during ground processing to produce a single large scene. Illumination for this L-band scene is from the top of the image. The beams were scanned from the top of the scene to the bottom, as the shuttle flew from left to right. This scene was acquired in about 30 seconds. A normal SIR-C image is acquired in about 13 seconds. The ScanSAR mode will likely be used on future radar sensors to construct regional and possibly global radar images and topographic maps. The ScanSAR processor is being designed for 1996 implementation at NASA's Alaska SAR Facility, located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and will produce digital images from the

  18. Space Radar Image of Niya ruins, Taklamakan desert

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This radar image is of an area thought to contain the ruins of the ancient settlement of Niya. It is located in the southwestern corner of the Taklamakan Desert in China's Sinjiang Province. This oasis was part of the famous Silk Road, an ancient trade route from one of China's earliest capitols, Xian, to the West. The image shows a white linear feature trending diagonally from the upper left to the lower right. Scientists believe this newly discovered feature is a man-made canal which presumably diverted river waters toward the settlement of Niya for irrigation purposes. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 106th orbit on April 16, 1994, and is centered at 37.78 degrees north latitude and 82.41 degrees east longitude. The false-color radar image was created by displaying the C-band (horizontally transmitted and received) return in red, the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received) return in green, and the L-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received) return in blue. Areas in mottled white and purple are low-lying floodplains of the Niya River. Dark green and black areas between river courses are higher ridges or dunes confining the water flow. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: the L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by

  19. Space Radar Image of Colima Volcano, Jalisco, Mexico

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an image of the Colima volcano in Jalisco, Mexico, a vigorously active volcano that erupted as recently as July 1994. The eruption partially destroyed a lava dome at the summit and deposited a new layer of ash on the volcano's southern slopes. Surrounding communities face a continuing threat of ash falls and volcanic mudflows from the volcano, which has been designated one of 15 high-risk volcanoes for scientific study during the next decade. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 24th orbit on October 1, 1994. The image is centered at 19.4 degrees north latitude, 103.7 degrees west longitude. The area shown is approximately 35.7 kilometers by 37.5 kilometers (22 miles by 23 miles). This single-frequency, multi-polarized SIR-C image shows: red as L-band horizontally transmitted and received; green as L-band horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue as the ratio of the two channels. The summit area appears orange and the recent deposits fill the valleys along the south and southwest slopes. Observations from space are helping scientists understand the behavior of dangerous volcanoes and will be used to mitigate the effects of future eruptions on surrounding populations. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: the L-band (24 cm), the C-band (6 cm) and the X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature

  20. Technology Required to Image and Characterize an exo-Earth from Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crill, Brendan

    2018-01-01

    NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP) guides the development of technology that enables the direct imaging and characterization of exo-Earths in the habitable zone of Sun-like stars with future space observatories. Here we present the 2018 ExEP Technology Gap List, an annual update to ExEP's list of technologies, to be advanced in the next 1-5 years. Key technology gaps are starlight suppression with a coronagraph (internal occulters) or a starshade (external occulters), enabling imaging at extreme contrast (more than 10 billion) by blocking on-axis starlight, while allowing the reflected light of off-axis exoplanets be detected. Building and operating a space coronagraph capable of imaging an exo-Earth will require new technologies beyond those of WFIRST, the first high-contrast coronagraph in space. A starshade has never been used in a space mission and requires new capabilities in precision deployment of large structures, starlight suppression, and in formation sensing and control. We review the current state-of-the-art in coronagraph and starshade technology and the performance level that must be achieved to discover and characterize Earth analogs.

  1. Space Radar Image Isla Isabela in 3-D

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a three-dimensional view of Isabela, one of the Galapagos Islands located off the western coast of Ecuador, South America. This view was constructed by overlaying a Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) image on a digital elevation map produced by TOPSAR, a prototype airborne interferometric radar which produces simultaneous image and elevation data. The vertical scale in this image is exaggerated by a factor of 1.87. The SIR-C/X-SAR image was taken on the 40th orbit of space shuttle Endeavour. The image is centered at about 0.5 degree south latitude and 91 degrees west longitude and covers an area of 75 by 60 kilometers (47 by 37 miles). The radar incidence angle at the center of the image is about 20 degrees. The western Galapagos Islands, which lie about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles)west of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific, have six active volcanoes similar to the volcanoes found in Hawaii and reflect the volcanic processes that occur where the ocean floor is created. Since the time of Charles Darwin's visit to the area in 1835, there have been more than 60 recorded eruptions on these volcanoes. This SIR-C/X-SAR image of Alcedo and Sierra Negra volcanoes shows the rougher lava flows as bright features, while ash deposits and smooth pahoehoe lava flows appear dark. Vertical exaggeration of relief is a common tool scientists use to detect relationships between structure (for example, faults, and fractures) and topography. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data

  2. Real-Time In-Situ Measurements for Earthquake Early Warning and Space-Borne Deformation Measurement Mission Support

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kedar, S.; Bock, Y.; Webb, F.; Clayton, R. W.; Owen, S. E.; Moore, A. W.; Yu, E.; Dong, D.; Fang, P.; Jamason, P.; Squibb, M. B.; Crowell, B. W.

    2010-12-01

    In situ geodetic networks for observing crustal motion have proliferated over the last two decades and are now recognized as indispensable tools in geophysical research, along side more traditional seismic networks. The 2007 National Research Council’s Decadal Survey recognizes that space-borne and in situ observations, such as Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and ground-based continuous GPS (CGPS) are complementary in forecasting, in assessing, and in mitigating natural hazards. However, the information content and timeliness of in situ geodetic observations have not been fully exploited, particularly at higher frequencies than traditional daily CGPS position time series. Nor have scientists taken full advantage of the complementary natures of geodetic and seismic data, as well as those of space-based and in situ observations. To address these deficits we are developing real-time CGPS data products for earthquake early warning and for space-borne deformation measurement mission support. Our primary mission objective is in situ verification and validation for DESDynI, but our work is also applicable to other international missions (Sentinel 1a/1b, SAOCOM, ALOS 2). Our project is developing new capabilities to continuously observe and mitigate earthquake-related hazards (direct seismic damage, tsunamis, landslides, volcanoes) in near real-time with high spatial-temporal resolution, to improve the planning and accuracy of space-borne observations. We also are using GPS estimates of tropospheric zenith delay combined with water vapor data from weather models to generate tropospheric calibration maps for mitigating the largest source of error, atmospheric artifacts, in InSAR interferograms. These functions will be fully integrated into a Geophysical Resource Web Services and interactive GPS Explorer data portal environment being developed as part of an ongoing MEaSUREs project and NASA’s contribution to the EarthScope project. GPS Explorer

  3. Technology study of quantum remote sensing imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bi, Siwen; Lin, Xuling; Yang, Song; Wu, Zhiqiang

    2016-02-01

    According to remote sensing science and technology development and application requirements, quantum remote sensing is proposed. First on the background of quantum remote sensing, quantum remote sensing theory, information mechanism, imaging experiments and prototype principle prototype research situation, related research at home and abroad are briefly introduced. Then we expounds compress operator of the quantum remote sensing radiation field and the basic principles of single-mode compression operator, quantum quantum light field of remote sensing image compression experiment preparation and optical imaging, the quantum remote sensing imaging principle prototype, Quantum remote sensing spaceborne active imaging technology is brought forward, mainly including quantum remote sensing spaceborne active imaging system composition and working principle, preparation and injection compression light active imaging device and quantum noise amplification device. Finally, the summary of quantum remote sensing research in the past 15 years work and future development are introduced.

  4. Space Radar Image of Karakax Valley, China 3-D

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This three-dimensional perspective of the remote Karakax Valley in the northern Tibetan Plateau of western China was created by combining two spaceborne radar images using a technique known as interferometry. Visualizations like this are helpful to scientists because they reveal where the slopes of the valley are cut by erosion, as well as the accumulations of gravel deposits at the base of the mountains. These gravel deposits, called alluvial fans, are a common landform in desert regions that scientists are mapping in order to learn more about Earth's past climate changes. Higher up the valley side is a clear break in the slope, running straight, just below the ridge line. This is the trace of the Altyn Tagh fault, which is much longer than California's San Andreas fault. Geophysicists are studying this fault for clues it may be able to give them about large faults. Elevations range from 4000 m (13,100 ft) in the valley to over 6000 m (19,700 ft) at the peaks of the glaciated Kun Lun mountains running from the front right towards the back. Scale varies in this perspective view, but the area is about 20 km (12 miles) wide in the middle of the image, and there is no vertical exaggeration. The two radar images were acquired on separate days during the second flight of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in October 1994. The interferometry technique provides elevation measurements of all points in the scene. The resulting digital topographic map was used to create this view, looking northwest from high over the valley. Variations in the colors can be related to gravel, sand and rock outcrops. This image is centered at 36.1 degrees north latitude, 79.2 degrees east longitude. Radar image data are draped over the topography to provide the color with the following assignments: Red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is the average of L-band vertically transmitted

  5. Telescope technology for space-borne submillimeter astronomy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lehman, David H.; Helou, George

    1990-01-01

    The Precision Segmented Reflector (PSR) project which is developing telescope technology needed for future spaceborne submillimeter astronomy missions is described. Four major technical areas are under development. Lighweight composite mirrors and associated materials, precision structures and segmented reflector figure sensing and control are discussed. The objectives of the PSR project, approaches, and project technology status, are reported.

  6. Enhanced near-infrared photoacoustic imaging of silica-coated rare-earth doped nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Sheng, Yang; Liao, Lun-De; Bandla, Aishwarya; Liu, Yu-Hang; Yuan, Jun; Thakor, Nitish; Tan, Mei Chee

    2017-01-01

    Near-infrared photoacoustic (PA) imaging is an emerging diagnostic technology that utilizes the tissue transparent window to achieve improved contrast and spatial resolution for deep tissue imaging. In this study, we investigated the enhancement effect of the SiO 2 shell on the PA property of our core/shell rare-earth nanoparticles (REs) consisting of an active rare-earth doped core of NaYF 4 :Yb,Er (REDNPs) and an undoped NaYF 4 shell. We observed that the PA signal amplitude increased with SiO 2 shell thickness. Although the SiO 2 shell caused an observed decrease in the integrated fluorescence intensity due to the dilution effect, fluorescence quenching of the rare earth emitting ions within the REDNPs cores was successfully prevented by the undoped NaYF 4 shell. Therefore, our multilayer structure consisting of an active core with successive functional layers was demonstrated to be an effective design for dual-modal fluorescence and PA imaging probes with improved PA property. The result from this work addresses a critical need for the development of dual-modal contrast agent that advances deep tissue imaging with high resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Space Radar Image of Taipei, Taiwan

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    The northern end of the island country of Taiwan, including the capital city of Taipei, is shown in this spaceborne radar image. Taipei is the bright blue and red area in the lower center of the image.

  8. Large High Performance Optics for Spaceborne Missions: L-3 Brashear Experience and Capability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Canzian, Blaise; Gardopee, George; Clarkson, Andrew; Hull, Tony; Borucki, William J.

    2010-01-01

    Brashear is a division of L-3 Communications, Integrated Optical Systems. Brashear is well known for the ground-based telescopes it has manufactured at its facilities and delivered to satisfied customers. Optics from meter-class up to 8.3 meters diameter have been fabricated in Brashear's facilities. Brashear has demonstrated capabilities for large spaceborne optics. We describe in this paper both legacy and new Brashear capabilities for high performance spaceborne optics.

  9. ALISEO on MIOSat: an imaging interferometer for earth observation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barducci, A.; Castagnoli, F.; Castellini, G.; Guzzi, D.; Marcoionni, P.; Pippi, I.

    2017-11-01

    The Italian Space Agency (ASI) decided to perform an low cost Earth observation mission based on a new mini satellite named MIOsat which will carry various technological payloads. Among them an imaging interferometer designed and now ready to be assembled and tested by our Institute. The instrument, named ALISEO (Aerospace Leap-frog Imaging Stationary interferometer for Earth Observation), operates in the common-path Sagnac configuration, and it does not utilize any moving part to scan the phase delays between the two interfering beams. The sensor acquires target images modulated by a pattern of autocorrelation functions of the energy coming from each scene pixel, and the resulting fringe pattern remains spatially fixed with respect to the instrument's field-of-view. The complete interferogram of each target location is retrieved by introducing a relative source-observer motion, which allows any image pixels to be observed under different viewing-angles and experience discrete path differences. The paper describes the main characteristics of the imaging interferometer as well as the overall optical configuration and the electronics layout. Moreover some theoretical issues concerning sampling theory in "common path" imaging interferometry are investigated. The experimental activity performed in laboratory is presented and its outcomes are analysed. Particularly, a set of measurements has been carried out using both standard (certificate) reflectance tiles and natural samples of different volcanic rocks. An algorithm for raw data pre-processing aimed at retrieving the at-sensor radiance spectrum is introduced and its performance is addressed by taking into account various issues such as dark signal subtraction, spectral instrument response compensation, effects of vignetting, and Fourier backtransform. Finally, examples of retrieved absolute reflectance of several samples are sketched at different wavelengths.

  10. Radiometry with nighttime DMSP images in digital form. [satellite earth observations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Croft, T. A.

    1981-01-01

    The USAF Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) spacecraft sends images to earth in the form of numbers. It has been common practice to erase the only digital records, the magnetic tapes, for reuse, after films (resembling photographs) have been created from the numbers. While the DMSP images have been widely used, their application in research has been hindered by both the lack of digital data and the lack of an authoritative source of related technical information. The character of the digital form is considered. Each image is essentially a three-dimensional list (X,Y,Z) in which X and Y represent the position coordinates of a pixel and Z is its associated radiance. Only the value of Z is given and the X-Y position must be deduced from adjunct information. Each original scan composed of 1464 pixels represents an area on the earth's surface about 3 km wide and 3000 km long. Strengths and weaknesses of the system with respect to research applications are considered, and concepts for the design of a nocturnal imager are discussed.

  11. Charged dust phenomena in the near-Earth space environment.

    PubMed

    Scales, W A; Mahmoudian, A

    2016-10-01

    Dusty (or complex) plasmas in the Earth's middle and upper atmosphere ultimately result in exotic phenomena that are currently forefront research issues in the space science community. This paper presents some of the basic criteria and fundamental physical processes associated with the creation, evolution and dynamics of dusty plasmas in the near-Earth space environment. Recent remote sensing techniques to probe naturally created dusty plasma regions are also discussed. These include ground-based experiments employing high-power radio wave interaction. Some characteristics of the dusty plasmas that are actively produced by space-borne aerosol release experiments are discussed. Basic models that may be used to investigate the characteristics of such dusty plasma regions are presented.

  12. Predicting dangerous ocean waves with spaceborne synthetic aperture radar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beal, R. C.

    1984-01-01

    It is pointed out that catastrophes, related to the occurrence of strong winds and large ocean waves, can consume more lives and property than most naval battles. The generation of waves by wind are considered, Pierson et al. (1955) have incorporated statistical concepts into a wave forecast model. The concept of an 'ocean wave spectrum' was introduced, with the wind acting independently on each Fourier component. However, even after 30 years of research and debate, the generation, propagation, and dissipation of the spectrum under arbitrary conditions continue to be controversial. It has now been found that spaceborne SAR has a surprising ability to precisely monitor spatially evolving wind and wave fields. Approaches to overcome certain weaknesses of the SAR method are discussed, taking into account the second Shuttle Imaging Radar experiment, and a possible long-term solution provided by Spectrasat. Spectrasat should be a low-altitude (200 to 250 km) satellite with active drag compensation.

  13. Development of a Sodium Lidar for Space-Borne Missions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Janches, D.; Krainak, M. A.; Yu, A. W.; Jones, S.; Chen, J. R.

    2015-12-01

    We are currently developing laser and electro-optic technologies to remotely measure Sodium (Na) by adapting existing lidar technology with space flight heritage to study the composition and dynamics of Earth's mesosphere based on a spaceborne instrument that will measure the mesospheric Na layer. There is a pressing need in the Ionosphere - Thermosphere - Mesosphere (ITM) community for high-resolution measurements that can characterize the effect of small-scale dynamics (i.e. Gravity Waves with wavelengths smaller than a few hundred km) in the Mesosphere-Lower-Termosphere (MLT) on a global basis. This is compelling because they are believed to be the dominant contributors to momentum transport and deposition in the MLT, which largely drive the global circulation and thermal structure and interactions with the tides and planetary waves in this region. A nadir-pointing spaceborne Na Doppler resonance fluorescence LIDAR on board of the International Space Station (ISS) will essentially make high-resolution, in time and space, Na density, temperature and vertical wind measurements, from 75-115 km (MLT region). Our instrument concept consisted of a high-energy laser transmitter at 589 nm and highly sensitive photon counting detector that allows for range-resolved atmospheric-sodium-temperature profiles. The atmospheric temperature is deduced from the linewidth of the resonant fluorescence from the atomic sodium vapor D2 line as measured by our tunable laser. We are currently developing a high power energy laser that allows for some day time sodium lidar observations with the help of a narrow bandpass filter based on etalon or atomic sodium Faraday filter with ~5 to 10 pm optical bandwidth. The current baseline detector for the lidar instrument is a 16-channel Photomultiplier Tube with receiver electronics that has been space-qualified for the ICESat-2/ATLAS mission. Our technique uses the 16-channels as a photon-number-resolving "single" detector to provide the

  14. Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #13: Western Uzbekistan and Northeastern Turkmenistan

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-03-19

    Acquired by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer instrument aboard NASA Terra spacecraft, this image is from the MISR Where on Earth...? Mystery Quiz #13. The location is Western Uzbekistan and Northeastern Turkmenistan.

  15. AsteroidFinder - the space-borne telescope to search for NEO Asteroids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hartl, M.; Mosebach, H.; Schubert, J.; Michaelis, H.; Mottola, S.; Kührt, E.; Schindler, K.

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents the mission profile as well as the optical configuration of the space-borne AsteroidFinder telescope. Its main objective is to retrieve asteroids with orbits interior to the earth's orbit. The instrument requires high sensitivity to detect asteroids with a limiting magnitude of equal or larger than 18.5mag (V-Band) and astrometric accuracy of 1arcsec (1σ). This requires a telescope aperture greater than 400cm2, high image stability, detector with high quantum efficiency (peak > 90%) and very low noise, which is only limited by zodiacal background. The telescope will observe the sky between 30° and 60° in solar elongation. The telescope optics is based on a Cook type TMA. An effective 2°×2° field of view (FOV) is achieved by a fast F/3.4 telescope with near diffraction-limited performance. The absence of centre obscuration or spiders in combination with an accessible intermediate field plane and exit pupil allow for efficient stray light mitigation. Design drivers for the telescope are the required point spread function (PSF) values, an extremely efficient stray light suppression (due to the magnitude requirement mentioned above), the detector performance, and the overall optical and mechanical stability for all orientations of the satellite. To accommodate the passive thermal stabilization scheme and the necessary structural stability, the materials selection for the telescope main structure and the mirrors are of vital importance. A focal plane with four EMCCD detectors is envisaged. The EMCCD technology features shorter integration times, which is in favor regarding the pointing performance of the satellite. The launch of the mission is foreseen for the year 2013 with a subsequent mission lifetime of at least 1 year.

  16. Russian Earth Science Research Program on ISS

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

    Armand, N. A.; Tishchenko, Yu. G.

    1999-01-22

    Version of the Russian Earth Science Research Program on the Russian segment of ISS is proposed. The favorite tasks are selected, which may be solved with the use of space remote sensing methods and tools and which are worthwhile for realization. For solving these tasks the specialized device sets (submodules), corresponding to the specific of solved tasks, are working out. They would be specialized modules, transported to the ISS. Earth remote sensing research and ecological monitoring (high rates and large bodies transmitted from spaceborne information, comparatively stringent requirements to the period of its processing, etc.) cause rather high requirements tomore » the ground segment of receiving, processing, storing, and distribution of space information in the interests of the Earth natural resources investigation. Creation of the ground segment has required the development of the interdepartmental data receiving and processing center. Main directions of works within the framework of the ISS program are determined.« less

  17. Evaluation of gravitational gradients generated by Earth's crustal structures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Novák, Pavel; Tenzer, Robert; Eshagh, Mehdi; Bagherbandi, Mohammad

    2013-02-01

    Spectral formulas for the evaluation of gravitational gradients generated by upper Earth's mass components are presented in the manuscript. The spectral approach allows for numerical evaluation of global gravitational gradient fields that can be used to constrain gravitational gradients either synthesised from global gravitational models or directly measured by the spaceborne gradiometer on board of the GOCE satellite mission. Gravitational gradients generated by static atmospheric, topographic and continental ice masses are evaluated numerically based on available global models of Earth's topography, bathymetry and continental ice sheets. CRUST2.0 data are then applied for the numerical evaluation of gravitational gradients generated by mass density contrasts within soft and hard sediments, upper, middle and lower crust layers. Combined gravitational gradients are compared to disturbing gravitational gradients derived from a global gravitational model and an idealised Earth's model represented by the geocentric homogeneous biaxial ellipsoid GRS80. The methodology could be used for improved modelling of the Earth's inner structure.

  18. Imaging Multi-Order Fabry-Perot Spectrometer (IMOFPS) for spaceborne measurements of CO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnson, Brian R.; Kampe, Thomas U.; Cook, William B.; Miecznik, Grzegorz; Novelli, Paul C.; Snell, Hilary E.; Turner-Valle, Jennifer A.

    2003-11-01

    An instrument concept for an Imaging Multi-Order Fabry-Perot Spectrometer (IMOFPS) has been developed for measuring tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) from space. The concept is based upon a correlation technique similar in nature to multi-order Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer or gas filter radiometer techniques, which simultaneously measure atmospheric emission from several infrared vibration-rotation lines of CO. Correlation techniques provide a multiplex advantage for increased throughput, high spectral resolution and selectivity necessary for profiling tropospheric CO. Use of unconventional multilayer interference filter designs leads to improvement in CO spectral line correlation compared with the traditional FP multi-order technique, approaching the theoretical performance of gas filter correlation radiometry. In this implementation, however, the gas cell is replaced with a simple, robust solid interference filter. In addition to measuring CO, the correlation filter technique can be applied to measurements of other important gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. Imaging the scene onto a 2-D detector array enables a limited range of spectral sampling owing to the field-angle dependence of the filter transmission function. An innovative anamorphic optical system provides a relatively large instrument field-of-view for imaging along the orthogonal direction across the detector array. An important advantage of the IMOFPS concept is that it is a small, low mass and high spectral resolution spectrometer having no moving parts. A small, correlation spectrometer like IMOFPS would be well suited for global observations of CO2, CO, and CH4 from low Earth or regional observations from Geostationary orbit. A prototype instrument is in development for flight demonstration on an airborne platform with potential applications to atmospheric chemistry, wild fire and biomass burning, and chemical dispersion monitoring.

  19. Space Radar Image of Kilauea, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This color composite C-band and L-band image of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) flying on space shuttle Endeavour. The city of Hilo can be seen at the top. The image shows the different types of lava flows around the crater Pu'u O'o. Ash deposits which erupted in 1790 from the summit of Kilauea volcano show up as dark in this image, and fine details associated with lava flows which erupted in 1919 and 1974 can be seen to the south of the summit in an area called the Ka'u Desert. In addition, the other historic lava flows created in 1881 and 1984 from Mauna Loa volcano (out of view to the left of this image) can be easily seen despite the fact that the surrounding area is covered by forest. Such information will be used to map the extent of such flows, which can pose a hazard to the subdivisions of Hilo. Highway 11 is the linear feature running from Hilo to the Kilauea volcano. The Kilauea volcano has been almost continuously active for more than the last 11 years. Field teams that were on the ground specifically to support these radar observations report that there was vigorous surface activity about 400 meters (one-quarter mile) inland from the coast. A moving lava flow about 200 meters (660 feet) in length was observed at the time of the shuttle overflight, raising the possibility that subsequent images taken during this mission will show changes in the landscape. This image is centered at 19.2 degrees north latitude and 155.2 degrees west longitude. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific

  20. Multi-anode microchannel arrays. [for use in ground-based and spaceborne telescopes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Timothy, J. G.; Mount, G. H.; Bybee, R. L.

    1979-01-01

    The Multi-Anode Microchannel Arrays (MAMA's) are a family of photoelectric, photon-counting array detectors being developed for use in instruments on both ground-based and space-borne telescopes. These detectors combine high sensitivity and photometric stability with a high-resolution imaging capability. MAMA detectors can be operated in a windowless configuration at extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelengths or in a sealed configuration at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths. Prototype MAMA detectors with up to 512 x 512 pixels are now being tested in the laboratory and telescope operation of a simple (10 x 10)-pixel visible-light detector has been initiated. The construction and modes-of-operation of the MAMA detectors are briefly described and performance data are presented.

  1. Space Radar Image of County Kerry, Ireland

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    The Iveragh Peninsula, one of the four peninsulas in southwestern Ireland, is shown in this spaceborne radar image. The lakes of Killarney National Park are the green patches on the left side of the image.

  2. Space Radar Image of Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a false-color, three-frequency image of the Oberpfaffenhofen supersite, southwest of Munich in southern Germany, which shows the differences in what the three radar bands can see on the ground. The image covers a 27- by 36-kilometer (17- by 22-mile) area. The center of the site is 48.09 degrees north and 11.29 degrees east. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard space shuttle Endeavour on April 13, 1994, just after a heavy storm which covered the all area with 20 centimeters (8 inches) of snow. The dark area in the center of the image is Lake Ammersee. The two smaller lakes above the Ammersee are the Worthsee and the Pilsensee. On the right of the image is the tip of the Starnbergersee. The outskirt of the city of Munich can be seen at the top of the image. The Oberpfaffenhofen supersite is the major test site for X-SAR calibration and scientific experiments such as ecology, hydrology and geology. This color composite image is a three-frequency overlay. L-band total power was assigned red, the C-band total power is shown in green and the X-band VV polarization appears blue. The colors on the image stress the differences between the L-band, C-band and X-band images. If the three frequencies were seeing the same thing, the image will appear in black and white. For example, the blue areas corresponds to area for which the X-band backscatter is relatively higher than the backscatter at L-and C-band; this behavior is characteristic of clear cuts or shorter vegetation. Similarly, the forested areas have a reddish tint. Finally, the green areas seen at the southern tip of both the Ammersee and the Pilsensee lakes indicate a marshy area. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR

  3. Monitoring morphological changes in an arid zone by spaceborne images and aerial photography between 1945 - 2009; the Yamin Plateau, Israel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hetz, Guy; Blumberg, Dan; Avraham, Dody; Cohen, Hai

    2010-05-01

    This research focuses on a geomorphic mapping of the Yamin Plateau in southern Israel which is part of the Yamin-Rotem Syncline and covers about 200 km2. This area has been restricted since the 1950s and therefore, provides a unique opportunity to study undisturbed geomorphic processes. Nowadays, the national nuclear waste depository is located in this area accepting waste from industrial factories, research institutes and hospitals. This is the main reason why environmental processes are of major interest in terms of landform changes in space and time. The exposed geology section of the Yamin Plateau mostly consists of the Miocene Hazeva Group where sedimentary processes started 20 million years ago and continued for 12-14 million years. Two formations of the Miocene Hazeva Group appear in the study area Zefa and Rotem. The compositions of these two formations are similar and sometimes defined as "the main sand body" in the Hazeva Group. The restriction of the area stopped the grazing and let the development of a biological soil crust on the surface. The research objective was to document and characterize landform changes from 1945 until 2009 within the Yamin Plateau based on spaceborne images and aerial photography. All the parameters we extracted in the laboratory were validated with field measurements. A combination of the spaceborne images, aerial photography and field measurements leads us to the following conclusions: The research results show that soil stabilization processes took place earlier than the area closure. Inspite of decreasing precipitation tendencies as measured during the last 50 years in Yamin Plateau, the vegetation cover increased from 55% in 1945 to 67% in 2009. The main reason for this is the area closure and reduction in grazing along with developing of vegetation and biological soil crusts. Field studies and image processing of aerial photographs and recent QuickBird images alongside grain-size distribution show that in the past there

  4. AC Coupled Interconnect for Low Power Spaceborne Electronics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-09-30

    Final Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 20/05/2003 to 30/09/2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE AC COUPLED INTERCONNECT FOR LOW POWER SPACEBORNE...14. ABSTRACT The primary objective of this effort was to establish that AC Coupled Interconnect could be used to create multiple solutions to...

  5. Space Radar Image of Manaus, Brazil

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-01-27

    This false-color L-band image of the Manaus region of Brazil was acquired by NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar SIR-C/X-SAR aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on orbit 46 of the mission.

  6. Space Radar Image of Kilauea, Hawaii

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-01-27

    This color composite C-band and L-band image of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii was acquired by NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar SIR-C/X-SAR flying on space shuttle Endeavour.

  7. Image data processing system requirements study. Volume 1: Analysis. [for Earth Resources Survey Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Honikman, T.; Mcmahon, E.; Miller, E.; Pietrzak, L.; Yorsz, W.

    1973-01-01

    Digital image processing, image recorders, high-density digital data recorders, and data system element processing for use in an Earth Resources Survey image data processing system are studied. Loading to various ERS systems is also estimated by simulation.

  8. Development of detailed design concepts for the EarthCARE multi-spectral imager

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lobb, Dan; Escadero, Isabel; Chang, Mark; Gode, Sophie

    2017-11-01

    The EarthCARE mission is dedicated to the study of clouds by observations from a satellite in low Earth orbit. The payload will include major radar and LIDAR instruments, supported by a multi-spectral imager (MSI) and a broadband radiometer. The paper describes development of detailed design concepts for the MSI, and analysis of critical performance parameters. The MSI will form Earth images at 500m ground sample distance (GSD) over a swath width of 150km, from a nominal platform altitude of around 400km. The task of the MSI is to provide spatial context for the single-point measurements made by the radar and LIDAR systems; it will image Earth in 7 spectral bands: one visible, one near-IR, two short-wave IR and three thermal IR. The MSI instrument will be formed in two parts: a visible-NIR-SWIR (VNS) system, radiometrically calibrated using a sunilluminated diffuser, and a thermal IR (TIR) system calibrated using cold space and an internal black-body. The VNS system will perform push-broom imaging, using linear array detectors (silicon and InGaAs) and 4 separate lenses. The TIR system will use a microbolometer array detector in a time delay and integration (TDI) mode. Critical issues discussed for the VNS system include detector selection and detailed optical design trade-offs. The latter are related to the desirability of dichroics to achieve a common aperture, which influences the calibration hardware and lens design. The TIR system's most significant problems relate to control of random noise and bias errors, requiring optimisation of detector operation and calibration procedures.

  9. The NASA Earth Science Flight Program: an update

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neeck, Steven P.

    2015-10-01

    Earth's changing environment impacts every aspect of life on our planet and climate change has profound implications on society. Studying Earth as a single complex system is essential to understanding the causes and consequences of climate change and other global environmental concerns. NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD) shapes an interdisciplinary view of Earth, exploring interactions among the atmosphere, oceans, ice sheets, land surface interior, and life itself. This enables scientists to measure global and climate changes and to inform decisions by government, other organizations, and people in the United States and around the world. The data collected and results generated are accessible to other agencies and organizations to improve the products and services they provide, including air quality indices, disaster prediction and response, agricultural yield projections, and aviation safety. ESD's Flight Program provides the space based observing systems and infrastructure for mission operations and scientific data processing and distribution that support NASA's Earth science research and modeling activities. The Flight Program currently has 21 operating Earth observing space missions, including the recently launched Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2), the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, and the International Space Station (ISS) RapidSCAT and Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) instruments. The ESD has 22 more missions and instruments planned for launch over the next decade. These include first and second tier missions from the 2007 Earth Science Decadal Survey, Climate Continuity missions and selected instruments to assure availability of key climate data sets, operational missions to ensure sustained land imaging provided by the Landsat system, and small-sized competitively selected orbital missions and instrument missions of opportunity belonging to the Earth Venture (EV) Program. Some

  10. Spaceborne power systems preference analyses. Volume 1: Summary

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, J. H.; Feinberg, A.; Miles, R. F., Jr.

    1985-01-01

    Sixteen alternative spaceborne nuclear power system concepts were ranked using multiattribute decision analysis to identify promising concepts for further technology development. Four groups interviewed were: safety, systems definition and design, technology assessment, and mission analysis. The ranking results were consistent from group and for different utility function models for individuals.

  11. Space Radar Image of Mississippi Delta

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a radar image of the Mississippi River Delta where the river enters into the Gulf of Mexico along the coast of Louisiana. This multi-frequency image demonstrates the capability of the radar to distinguish different types of wetlands surfaces in river deltas. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 2, 1995. The image is centered on latitude 29.3 degrees North latitude and 89.28 degrees West longitude. The area shown is approximately 63 kilometers by 43 kilometers (39 miles by 26 miles). North is towards the upper right of the image. As the river enters the Gulf of Mexico, it loses energy and dumps its load of sediment that it has carried on its journey through the mid-continent. This pile of sediment, or mud, accumulates over the years building up the delta front. As one part of the delta becomes clogged with sediment, the delta front will migrate in search of new areas to grow. The area shown on this image is the currently active delta front of the Mississippi. The migratory nature of the delta forms natural traps for oil and the numerous bright spots along the outside of the delta are drilling platforms. Most of the land in the image consists of mud flats and marsh lands. There is little human settlement in this area due to the instability of the sediments. The main shipping channel of the Mississippi River is the broad red stripe running northwest to southeast down the left side of the image. The bright spots within the channel are ships. The colors in the image are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; blue is X-band vertically transmitted, vertically received. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars

  12. Space Radar Image of Ruiz Volcano, Colombia

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This spaceborne radar image shows the Ruiz-Tolima volcanic region in central Colombia, about 150 kilometers 93 miles west of Bogata. The town of Manizales, Colombia, is the pinkish area in the upper right of the image.

  13. Radar Image of Galapagos Island

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1996-10-23

    This is an image showing part of Isla Isabella in the western Galapagos Islands. It was taken by the L-band radar in HH polarization from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar on the 40th orbit of NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour.

  14. Space Radar Image of Saline Valley, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a three-dimensional perspective view of Saline Valley, about 30 km (19 miles) east of the town of Independence, California created by combining two spaceborne radar images using a technique known as interferometry. Visualizations like this one are helpful to scientists because they clarify the relationships of the different types of surfaces detected by the radar and the shapes of the topographic features such as mountains and valleys. The view is looking southwest across Saline Valley. The high peaks in the background are the Inyo Mountains, which rise more than 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above the valley floor. The dark blue patch near the center of the image is an area of sand dunes. The brighter patches to the left of the dunes are the dry, salty lake beds of Saline Valley. The brown and orange areas are deposits of boulders, gravel and sand known as alluvial fans. The image was constructed by overlaying a color composite radar image on top of a digital elevation map. The radar image was taken by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-bandSynthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on board the space shuttleEndeavour in October 1994. The digital elevation map was producedusing radar interferometry, a process in which radar data are acquired on different passes of the space shuttle. The two data passes are compared to obtain elevation information. The elevation data were derived from a 1,500-km-long (930-mile) digital topographic map processed at JPL. Radar image data are draped over the topography to provide the color with the following assignments: red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is C-band vertically transmitted, vetically received; and blue is the ratio of C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received to L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received. This image is centered near 36.8 degrees north latitude and 117.7 degrees west longitude. No vertical exaggeration factor has been applied to the data. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint

  15. Intercomparison of spaceborne precipitation radars and its applications in examining precipitation-topography relationships in the Tibetan Plateau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, G.; Gao, J.; Long, D.

    2017-12-01

    Precipitation is one of the most important components in the water and energy cycles. Spaceborne radars are considered the most direct technology for observing precipitation from space since 1998. This study compares and evaluates the only three existing spaceborne precipitation radars, i.e., the Ku-band precipitation radar (TRMM PR), the W-band Cloud Profiling Radar (CloudSat CPR), and the Ku/Ka-band Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (GPM DPR). In addition, TRMM PR and GPM DPR are evaluated against hourly rain gauge data in Mainland China. The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is known as the Earth's third pole where precipitation is affected profoundly by topography. However, ground gauges are extremely sparse in the TP, and spaceborne radars can provide valuable data with relatively high accuracy. The relationships between precipitation and topography over the TP are investigated using 17-year TRMM PR data and 2-year GPM DPR data, in combination with rain gauge data. Results indicate that: (1) DPR and PR agree with each other and correlate very well with gauges in Mainland China. DPR improves light precipitation detectability significantly compared with PR. However, DPR high sensitivity scans (HS) deviates from DPR normal and matched scans (NS and MS) and PR in the comparison based on global coincident events and rain gauges in China; (2) CPR outperforms the other two radars in terms of light precipitation detection. In terms of global snowfall estimation, DPR and CPR show very different global snowfall distributions originating from different frequencies, retrieval algorithms, and sampling characteristics; and (3) Precipitation generally decreases exponentially with increasing elevation in the TP. The precipitation-topography relationships are regressed using exponential fitting in seventeen river basins in the TP with good coefficients of determination. Due to the short time span of GPM DPR, the relationships based on GPM DPR data are less robust than those derived from

  16. Beyond seismic interferometry: imaging the earth's interior with virtual sources and receivers inside the earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wapenaar, C. P. A.; Van der Neut, J.; Thorbecke, J.; Broggini, F.; Slob, E. C.; Snieder, R.

    2015-12-01

    Imagine one could place seismic sources and receivers at any desired position inside the earth. Since the receivers would record the full wave field (direct waves, up- and downward reflections, multiples, etc.), this would give a wealth of information about the local structures, material properties and processes in the earth's interior. Although in reality one cannot place sources and receivers anywhere inside the earth, it appears to be possible to create virtual sources and receivers at any desired position, which accurately mimics the desired situation. The underlying method involves some major steps beyond standard seismic interferometry. With seismic interferometry, virtual sources can be created at the positions of physical receivers, assuming these receivers are illuminated isotropically. Our proposed method does not need physical receivers at the positions of the virtual sources; moreover, it does not require isotropic illumination. To create virtual sources and receivers anywhere inside the earth, it suffices to record the reflection response with physical sources and receivers at the earth's surface. We do not need detailed information about the medium parameters; it suffices to have an estimate of the direct waves between the virtual-source positions and the acquisition surface. With these prerequisites, our method can create virtual sources and receivers, anywhere inside the earth, which record the full wave field. The up- and downward reflections, multiples, etc. in the virtual responses are extracted directly from the reflection response at the surface. The retrieved virtual responses form an ideal starting point for accurate seismic imaging, characterization and monitoring.

  17. Lightweight ZERODUR: a cost-effective thermally stable approach to both large and small spaceborne telescopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hull, Tony; Westerhoff, Thomas

    2014-06-01

    ZERODUR®, known as the "gold standard" material for systems which require dimensional stability in the presence of gradients and transients, is now available lightweighted to the 85% to 90% level for use in high performance spaceborne telescopes and sensor systems. This establishes a design option that may have cost, testability, performance and risk advantages for an entire sensor system payload. The technical approach to making these primary mirrors is the same, whether the aperture is <0.3m to <4.0m. Since each mirror blank is made from a single monolithic billet of near zero-expansion, isotropic and homogeneous ZERODUR® material, the resulting mirror is very stable over a wide range of scenes and orbits, with minimal to no need for ancillary thermal stability and wavefront sensing and control systems. Telescopes using ZERODUR® and low expansion metering structures can accommodate thermal design challenges of both non-thermal (UV, VIS, LLLTV, NIR, SWIR and mm) and thermal (MWIR, LWIR) imaging systems, and deliver optimal performance. This lightweight mirror technology is discussed, with actual examples by SCHOTT of 0.3m and 1.2m mirrors presented. Lightweight ZERODUR® mirrors offer superior optical performance, attractive cost and aggressive lead times, and are available to present and future spaceborne sensor trades.

  18. Iterative electromagnetic Born inversion applied to earth conductivity imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alumbaugh, D. L.

    1993-08-01

    This thesis investigates the use of a fast imaging technique to deduce the spatial conductivity distribution in the earth from low frequency (less than 1 MHz), cross well electromagnetic (EM) measurements. The theory embodied in this work is the extension of previous strategies and is based on the Born series approximation to solve both the forward and inverse problem. Nonlinear integral equations are employed to derive the series expansion which accounts for the scattered magnetic fields that are generated by inhomogeneities embedded in either a homogenous or a layered earth. A sinusoidally oscillating, vertically oriented magnetic dipole is employed as a source, and it is assumed that the scattering bodies are azimuthally symmetric about the source dipole axis. The use of this model geometry reduces the 3-D vector problem to a more manageable 2-D scalar form. The validity of the cross well EM method is tested by applying the imaging scheme to two sets of field data. Images of the data collected at the Devine, Texas test site show excellent correlation with the well logs. Unfortunately there is a drift error present in the data that limits the accuracy of the results. A more complete set of data collected at the Richmond field station in Richmond, California demonstrates that cross well EM can be successfully employed to monitor the position of an injected mass of salt water. Both the data and the resulting images clearly indicate the plume migrates toward the north-northwest. The plausibility of these conclusions is verified by applying the imaging code to synthetic data generated by a 3-D sheet model.

  19. Space Radar Image of Bebedauro, Brazil, seasonal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an X-band image showing seasonal changes at the hydrological test site of Bebedouro in Brazil. The image is centered at 9 degrees south latitude and 40.2 degrees west longitude. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 10, 1994, during the first flight of the radar system, and on October 1, 1994, during the second mission. The swath width is approximately 16.5 kilometers (10.5 miles) wide. The image channels have the following color assignments: red represents data acquired on April 10; green represents data acquired on October 1; blue corresponds to the ratio of the two data sets. Agriculture plays an important economic and social role in Brazil. One of the major problems related to Brazilian agriculture is estimating the size of planting areas and their productivity. Due to cloud cover and the rainy season, which occurs from November through April, optical and infrared Earth observations are seldom used to survey the region. An additional goal of monitoring this region is to watch the floodplains of rivers like Rio Sao Francisco in order to determine suitable locations for additional agricultural fields. This area belongs to the semi-arid northeastern region of Brazil, where estimates have suggested that about 10 times more land could be used for agriculture, including some locations which could be used for irrigation projects. Monitoring of soil moisture during the important summer crop season is of high priority for the future development and productivity of this region. In April the area was covered with vegetation because of the moisture of the soil and only small differences could be seen in X-band data. In October the run-off channels of this hilly region stand out quite clearly because the greenish areas indicated much less soil moisture and water content in plants. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR

  20. Space Radar Image of Colombian Volcano

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a radar image of a little known volcano in northern Colombia. The image was acquired on orbit 80 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994, by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The volcano near the center of the image is located at 5.6 degrees north latitude, 75.0 degrees west longitude, about 100 kilometers (65 miles) southeast of Medellin, Colombia. The conspicuous dark spot is a lake at the bottom of an approximately 3-kilometer-wide (1.9-mile) volcanic collapse depression or caldera. A cone-shaped peak on the bottom left (northeast rim) of the caldera appears to have been the source for a flow of material into the caldera. This is the northern-most known volcano in South America and because of its youthful appearance, should be considered dormant rather than extinct. The volcano's existence confirms a fracture zone proposed in 1985 as the northern boundary of volcanism in the Andes. The SIR-C/X-SAR image reveals another, older caldera further south in Colombia, along another proposed fracture zone. Although relatively conspicuous, these volcanoes have escaped widespread recognition because of frequent cloud cover that hinders remote sensing imaging in visible wavelengths. Four separate volcanoes in the Northern Andes nations ofColombia and Ecuador have been active during the last 10 years, killing more than 25,000 people, including scientists who were monitoring the volcanic activity. Detection and monitoring of volcanoes from space provides a safe way to investigate volcanism. The recognition of previously unknown volcanoes is important for hazard evaluations because a number of major eruptions this century have occurred at mountains that were not previously recognized as volcanoes. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of

  1. Space Radar Image of Moscow, Russia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is a vertically polarized L-band image of the southern half of Moscow, an area which has been inhabited for 2,000 years. The image covers a diameter of approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) and was taken on September 30, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. The city of Moscow was founded about 750 years ago and today is home to about 8 million residents. The southern half of the circular highway (a road that looks like a ring) can easily be identified as well as the roads and railways radiating out from the center of the city. The city was named after the Moskwa River and replaced Russia's former capital, St. Petersburg, after the Russian Revolution in 1917. The river winding through Moscow shows up in various gray shades. The circular structure of many city roads can easily be identified, although subway connections covering several hundred kilometers are not visible in this image. The white areas within the ring road and outside of it are buildings of the city itself and it suburban towns. Two of many airports are located in the west and southeast of Moscow, near the corners of the image. The Kremlin is located north just outside of the imaged city center. It was actually built in the 16th century, when Ivan III was czar, and is famous for its various churches. In the surrounding area, light gray indicates forests, while the dark patches are agricultural areas. The various shades from middle gray to dark gray indicate different stages of harvesting, ploughing and grassland. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific

  2. ASTER Images San Francisco Bay Area

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    These images of the San Francisco Bay region were acquired on March 3, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. Each covers an area 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and 75 kilometers (47 miles) long. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

    Upper Left: The color infrared composite uses bands in the visible and reflected infrared. Vegetation is red, urban areas are gray; sediment in the bays shows up as lighter shades of blue. Thanks to the 15 meter (50-foot) spatial resolution, shadows of the towers along the Bay Bridge can be seen.

    Upper right: A composite of bands in the short wave infrared displays differences in soils and rocks in the mountainous areas. Even though these regions appear entirely vegetated in the visible, enough surface shows through openings in the vegetation to allow the ground to be imaged.

    Lower left: This composite of multispectral thermal bands shows differences in urban materials in varying colors. Separation of materials is due to differences in thermal emission properties, analogous to colors in the visible.

    Lower right: This is a color coded temperature image of water temperature, derived from the thermal bands. Warm waters are in white and yellow, colder waters are blue. Suisun Bay in the upper right is fed directly from the cold Sacramento River. As the water flows through San Pablo and San Francisco Bays on the way to the Pacific, the waters warm up.

    Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched December 18, 1999, on NASA's Terra satellite. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of International Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is

  3. ASTER Images San Francisco Bay Area

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    This image of the San Francisco Bay region was acquired on March 3, 2000 by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra satellite. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters about 50 to 300 feet ), ASTER will image Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

    Image: This image covers an area 60 kilometers (37 miles) wide and 75 kilometers (47 miles) long in three bands of the reflected visible and infrared wavelength region. The combination of bands portrays vegetation in red, and urban areas in gray. Sediment in the Suisun Bay, San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean shows up as lighter shades of blue. Along the west coast of the San Francisco Peninsula, strong surf can be seen as a white fringe along the shoreline. A powerful rip tide is visible extending westward from Daly City into the Pacific Ocean. In the lower right corner, the wetlands of the South San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge appear as large dark blue and brown polygons. The high spatial resolution of ASTER allows fine detail to be observed in the scene. The main bridges of the area (San Mateo, San Francisco-Oakland Bay, Golden Gate, Richmond-San Rafael, Benicia-Martinez, and Carquinez) are easily picked out, connecting the different communities in the Bay area. Shadows of the towers along the Bay Bridge can be seen over the adjacent bay water. With enlargement the entire road network can be easily mapped; individual buildings are visible, including the shadows of the high-rises in downtown San Francisco.

    Inset: This enlargement of the San Francisco Airport highlights the high spatial resolution of ASTER. With further enlargement and careful examination, airplanes can be seen at the terminals.

    Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is one of five Earth

  4. Real-Time On-Board Processing Validation of MSPI Ground Camera Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pingree, Paula J.; Werne, Thomas A.; Bekker, Dmitriy L.

    2010-01-01

    The Earth Sciences Decadal Survey identifies a multiangle, multispectral, high-accuracy polarization imager as one requirement for the Aerosol-Cloud-Ecosystem (ACE) mission. JPL has been developing a Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (MSPI) as a candidate to fill this need. A key technology development needed for MSPI is on-board signal processing to calculate polarimetry data as imaged by each of the 9 cameras forming the instrument. With funding from NASA's Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST) Program, JPL is solving the real-time data processing requirements to demonstrate, for the first time, how signal data at 95 Mbytes/sec over 16-channels for each of the 9 multiangle cameras in the spaceborne instrument can be reduced on-board to 0.45 Mbytes/sec. This will produce the intensity and polarization data needed to characterize aerosol and cloud microphysical properties. Using the Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA including PowerPC440 processors we have implemented a least squares fitting algorithm that extracts intensity and polarimetric parameters in real-time, thereby substantially reducing the image data volume for spacecraft downlink without loss of science information.

  5. 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.

  6. ASTER Images Mt. Usu Volcano

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    On April 3, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA's Terra Satellite captured this image of the erupting Mt. Usu volcano in Hokkaido, Japan. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region, and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER will image the Earth for the next 6 years to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

    This false color infrared image of Mt Usu volcano is dominated by Lake Toya, an ancient volcanic caldera. On the south shore is the active Usu volcano. On Friday, March 31, more than 11,000 people were evacuated by helicopter, truck and boat from the foot of Usu, that began erupting from the northwest flank, shooting debris and plumes of smoke streaked with blue lightning thousands of feet in the air. Although no lava gushed from the mountain, rocks and ash continued to fall after the eruption. The region was shaken by thousands of tremors before the eruption. People said they could taste grit from the ash that was spewed as high as 2,700 meters (8,850 ft) into the sky and fell to coat surrounding towns with ash. 'Mount Usu has had seven significant eruptions that we know of, and at no time has it ended quickly with only a small scale eruption,' said Yoshio Katsui, a professor at Hokkaido University. This was the seventh major eruption of Mount Usu in the past 300 years. Fifty people died when the volcano erupted in 1822, its worst known eruption.

    In the image, most of the land is covered by snow. Vegetation, appearing red in the false color composite, can be seen in the agricultural fields, and forests in the mountains. Mt. Usu is crossed by three dark streaks. These are the paths of ash deposits that rained out from eruption plumes two days earlier. The prevailing wind was from the northwest, carrying the ash away from the main city of Date. Ash deposited can be traced on the image as far away as 10 kilometers (16

  7. Space Radar Image of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is a deformation map of the south flank of Kilauea volcano on the big island of Hawaii, centered at 19.5 degrees north latitude and 155.25 degrees west longitude. The map was created by combining interferometric radar data -- that is data acquired on different passes of the space shuttle which are then overlayed to obtain elevation information -- acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar during its first flight in April 1994 and its second flight in October 1994. The area shown is approximately 40 kilometers by 80 kilometers (25 miles by 50 miles). North is toward the upper left of the image. The colors indicate the displacement of the surface in the direction that the radar instrument was pointed (toward the right of the image) in the six months between images. The analysis of ground movement is preliminary, but appears consistent with the motions detected by the Global Positioning System ground receivers that have been used over the past five years. The south flank of the Kilauea volcano is among the most rapidly deforming terrains on Earth. Several regions show motions over the six-month time period. Most obvious is at the base of Hilina Pali, where 10 centimeters (4 inches) or more of crustal deformation can be seen in a concentrated area near the coastline. On a more localized scale, the currently active Pu'u O'o summit also shows about 10 centimeters (4 inches) of change near the vent area. Finally, there are indications of additional movement along the upper southwest rift zone, just below the Kilauea caldera in the image. Deformation of the south flank is believed to be the result of movements along faults deep beneath the surface of the volcano, as well as injections of magma, or molten rock, into the volcano's 'plumbing' system. Detection of ground motions from space has proven to be a unique capability of imaging radar technology. Scientists hope to use deformation data acquired by SIR-C/X-SAR and future imaging

  8. Space technology for directly imaging and characterizing exo-Earths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crill, Brendan P.; Siegler, Nicholas

    2017-09-01

    The detection of Earth-like exoplanets in the habitable zone of their stars, and their spectroscopic characterization in a search for biosignatures, requires starlight suppression that exceeds the current best ground-based performance by orders of magnitude. The required planet/star brightness ratio of order 10-10 at visible wavelengths can be obtained by blocking stellar photons with an occulter, either externally (a starshade) or internally (a coronagraph) to the telescope system, and managing diffracted starlight, so as to directly image the exoplanet in reflected starlight. Coronagraph instruments require advancement in telescope aperture (either monolithic or segmented), aperture obscurations (obscured by secondary mirror and its support struts), and wavefront error sensitivity (e.g. line-of-sight jitter, telescope vibration, polarization). The starshade, which has never been used in a science application, benefits a mission by being decoupled from the telescope, allowing a loosening of telescope stability requirements. In doing so, it transfers the difficult technology from the telescope system to a large deployable structure (tens of meters to greater than 100 m in diameter) that must be positioned precisely at a distance of tens of thousands of kilometers from the telescope. We describe in this paper a roadmap to achieving the technological capability to search for biosignatures on an Earth-like exoplanet from a future space telescope. Two of these studies, HabEx and LUVOIR, include the direct imaging of Earth-sized habitable exoplanets as a central science theme.

  9. GeoDash: Assisting Visual Image Interpretation in Collect Earth Online by Leveraging Big Data on Google Earth Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Markert, Kel; Ashmall, William; Johnson, Gary; Saah, David; Mollicone, Danilo; Diaz, Alfonso Sanchez-Paus; Anderson, Eric; Flores, Africa; Griffin, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Collect Earth Online (CEO) is a free and open online implementation of the FAO Collect Earth system for collaboratively collecting environmental data through the visual interpretation of Earth observation imagery. The primary collection mechanism in CEO is human interpretation of land surface characteristics in imagery served via Web Map Services (WMS). However, interpreters may not have enough contextual information to classify samples by only viewing the imagery served via WMS, be they high resolution or otherwise. To assist in the interpretation and collection processes in CEO, SERVIR, a joint NASA-USAID initiative that brings Earth observations to improve environmental decision making in developing countries, developed the GeoDash system, an embedded and critical component of CEO. GeoDash leverages Google Earth Engine (GEE) by allowing users to set up custom browser-based widgets that pull from GEE's massive public data catalog. These widgets can be quick looks of other satellite imagery, time series graphs of environmental variables, and statistics panels of the same. Users can customize widgets with any of GEE's image collections, such as the historical Landsat collection with data available since the 1970s, select date ranges, image stretch parameters, graph characteristics, and create custom layouts, all on-the-fly to support plot interpretation in CEO. This presentation focuses on the implementation and potential applications, including the back-end links to GEE and the user interface with custom widget building. GeoDash takes large data volumes and condenses them into meaningful, relevant information for interpreters. While designed initially with national and global forest resource assessments in mind, the system will complement disaster assessments, agriculture management, project monitoring and evaluation, and more.

  10. GeoDash: Assisting Visual Image Interpretation in Collect Earth Online by Leveraging Big Data on Google Earth Engine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Markert, K. N.; Ashmall, W.; Johnson, G.; Saah, D. S.; Anderson, E.; Flores Cordova, A. I.; Díaz, A. S. P.; Mollicone, D.; Griffin, R.

    2017-12-01

    Collect Earth Online (CEO) is a free and open online implementation of the FAO Collect Earth system for collaboratively collecting environmental data through the visual interpretation of Earth observation imagery. The primary collection mechanism in CEO is human interpretation of land surface characteristics in imagery served via Web Map Services (WMS). However, interpreters may not have enough contextual information to classify samples by only viewing the imagery served via WMS, be they high resolution or otherwise. To assist in the interpretation and collection processes in CEO, SERVIR, a joint NASA-USAID initiative that brings Earth observations to improve environmental decision making in developing countries, developed the GeoDash system, an embedded and critical component of CEO. GeoDash leverages Google Earth Engine (GEE) by allowing users to set up custom browser-based widgets that pull from GEE's massive public data catalog. These widgets can be quick looks of other satellite imagery, time series graphs of environmental variables, and statistics panels of the same. Users can customize widgets with any of GEE's image collections, such as the historical Landsat collection with data available since the 1970s, select date ranges, image stretch parameters, graph characteristics, and create custom layouts, all on-the-fly to support plot interpretation in CEO. This presentation focuses on the implementation and potential applications, including the back-end links to GEE and the user interface with custom widget building. GeoDash takes large data volumes and condenses them into meaningful, relevant information for interpreters. While designed initially with national and global forest resource assessments in mind, the system will complement disaster assessments, agriculture management, project monitoring and evaluation, and more.

  11. Earth Observing-1 Advanced Land Imager: Imaging Performance On-Orbit

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hearn, D. R.

    2002-01-01

    This report analyzes the on-orbit imaging performance of the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on the Earth Observing-1 satellite. The pre-flight calibrations are first summarized. The methods used to reconstruct and geometrically correct the image data from this push-broom sensor are described. The method used here does not refer to the position and attitude telemetry from the spacecraft. Rather, it is assumed that the image of the scene moves across the focal plane with a constant velocity, which can be ascertained from the image data itself. Next, an assortment of the images so reconstructed is presented. Color images sharpened with the 10-m panchromatic band data are shown, and the algorithm for producing them from the 30-m multispectral data is described. The approach taken for assessing spatial resolution is to compare the sharpness of features in the on-orbit image data with profiles predicted on the basis of the pre-flight calibrations. A large assortment of bridge profiles is analyzed, and very good fits to the predicted shapes are obtained. Lunar calibration scans are analyzed to examine the sharpness of the edge-spread function at the limb of the moon. The darkness of the space beyond the limb is better for this purpose than anything that could be simulated on the ground. From these scans, we find clear evidence of scattering in the optical system, as well as some weak ghost images. Scans of planets and stars are also analyzed. Stars are useful point sources of light at all wavelengths, and delineate the point-spread functions of the system. From a quarter-speed scan over the Pleiades, we find that the ALI can detect 6th magnitude stars. The quality of the reconstructed images verifies the capability of the ALI to produce Landsat-type multi spectral data. The signal-to-noise and panchromatic spatial resolution are considerably superior to those of the existing Landsat sensors. The spatial resolution is confirmed to be as good as it was designed to be.

  12. Measuring the Earth System in a Time of Global Environmental Change with Image Spectroscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Green, Robert O.

    2005-01-01

    Measuring the Earth system in a time of global environmental change. Imaging Spectroscopy enables remote measurement. Remote Measurement determination of the properties of the Earth's surface and atmosphere through the physics, chemistry and biology of the interaction of electromagnetic energy with matter.

  13. Micro-Imagers for Spaceborne Cell-Growth Experiments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Behar, Alberto; Matthews, Janet; SaintAnge, Beverly; Tanabe, Helen

    2006-01-01

    A document discusses selected aspects of a continuing effort to develop five micro-imagers for both still and video monitoring of cell cultures to be grown aboard the International Space Station. The approach taken in this effort is to modify and augment pre-existing electronic micro-cameras. Each such camera includes an image-detector integrated-circuit chip, signal-conditioning and image-compression circuitry, and connections for receiving power from, and exchanging data with, external electronic equipment. Four white and four multicolor light-emitting diodes are to be added to each camera for illuminating the specimens to be monitored. The lens used in the original version of each camera is to be replaced with a shorter-focal-length, more-compact singlet lens to make it possible to fit the camera into the limited space allocated to it. Initially, the lenses in the five cameras are to have different focal lengths: the focal lengths are to be 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 cm. Once one of the focal lengths is determined to be the most nearly optimum, the remaining four cameras are to be fitted with lenses of that focal length.

  14. Accessing, Utilizing and Visualizing NASA Remote Sensing Data for Malaria Modeling and Surveillance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kiang, Richard K.; Adimi, Farida; Kempler, Steven

    2007-01-01

    This poster presentation reviews the use of NASA remote sensing data that can be used to extract environmental information for modeling malaria transmission. The authors discuss the remote sensing data from Landsat, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Earth Observing One (EO-1), Advanced Land Imager (ALI) and Seasonal to Interannual Earth Science Information Partner (SIESIP) dataset.

  15. Box Tomography: An efficient tomographic method for imaging localized structures in the deep Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masson, Yder; Romanowicz, Barbara

    2017-04-01

    The accurate imaging of localized geological structures inside the deep Earth is key to understand our planet and its history. Since the introduction of the Preliminary Reference Earth Model, many generations of global tomographic models have been developed and give us access to the 3D structure of the Earth's interior. The latest generation of global tomographic models has emerged with the development of accurate numerical wavefield computations in a 3D earth combined with access to enhanced HPC capabilities. These models have sharpened up mantle images and unveiled relatively small scale structures that were blurred out in previous generation models. Fingerlike structures have been found at the base of the oceanic asthenosphere, and vertically oriented broad low velocity plume conduits [1] extend throughout the lower mantle beneath those major hotspots that are located within the perimeter of the deep mantle large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs). While providing new insights into our understanding of mantle dynamics, the detailed morphology of these features requires further efforts to obtain higher resolution images. In recent years, we developed a theoretical framework [2][3] for the tomographic imaging of localised geological structures buried inside the Earth, where no seismic sources nor receivers are necessarily present. We call this "box tomography" [4]. The essential difference between box-tomography and standard tomographic methods is that the numerical modeling (i.e. the raytracing in travel time tomography and the wave propagation in waveform tomography or full waveform inversion) is completely confined within the small box-region imaged. Thus, box tomography is a lot more efficient than global tomography (i.e. where we invert for the velocity in the larger volume that encompasses all the sources and receivers), for imaging localised objects. We present 2D and 3D examples showing that box tomography can be employed for imaging structures present

  16. Variable optical filters for earth-observation imaging minispectrometers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piegari, A.; Bulir, J.; Krasilnikova, A.; Dami, M.; Harnisch, B.

    2017-11-01

    Small-dimension, low-mass spectrometers are useful for both Earth observation and planetary missions. A very compact multi-spectral mini-spectrometer that contains no moving parts, can be constructed combining a graded-thickness filter, having a spatially variable narrow-band transmission, to a CCD array detector. The peak wavelength of the transmission filter is moving along one direction of the filter surface, such that each line of a two-dimensional array detector, equipped with this filter, will detect radiation in a different pass band. The spectrum of interest for image spectrometry of the Earth surface is very wide, 400-1000nm. This requirement along with the need of a very small dimension, makes this filter very difficult to manufacture. Preliminary results on metal-dielectric wedge filters, with a gradient of the transmission peak wavelength equal to 60nm/mm, are reported.

  17. Charge-coupled device image sensor study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1973-01-01

    The design specifications and predicted performance characteristics of a Charge-Coupled Device Area Imager and a Charge-Coupled Device Linear Imager are presented. The Imagers recommended are intended for use in space-borne imaging systems and therefore would meet the requirements for the intended application. A unique overlapping metal electrode structure and a buried channel structure are described. Reasons for the particular imager designs are discussed.

  18. Earth observation photo taken by JPL with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Earth observation photo taken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A). This image shows the Los Angeles basin. The area's freeways are visible as dark lines. The Los Angles harbor breakwater off Long Beach is seen as a bright line. Vessels in the harbor show as bright points.

  19. Development of compact integral field unit for spaceborne solar spectro-polarimeter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suematsu, Y.; Koyama, M.; Sukegawa, T.; Enokida, Y.; Saito, K.; Okura, Y.; Nakayasu, T.; Ozaki, S.; Tsuneta, S.

    2017-11-01

    optics is the best option among the three. However, the image slicers are presently limited either by their risk in the case of classical glass polishing techniques (see Vivès et al. [11] for recent development) or by their optical performances when constituted by metallic mirrors. For space instruments, small sized units are much advantageous and demands that width of each slicer mirror is as narrow as an optimal slit width (< 100 micron) of spectrograph which is usually hard to manufacture with glass polishing techniques. On the other hand, Canon is developing a novel technique for such as high performance gratings which can be applicable for manufacturing high optical performance metallic mirrors of small dimensions. For the space-borne spectrograph of SUVIT to be aboard SOLAR-C, we designed the IFS made of a micro image slicer of 45 arrayed 30-micron-thick metal mirrors and a pseudo-pupil metal mirror array re-formatting three pseudo-slits; the design is feasible for optical configuration sharing a spectrograph with a conventional real slit. According to the optical deign, Canon manufactured a prototype IFU for evaluation, demonstrating high performances of micro image slicer and pupil mirrors; enough small micro roughness for visible light spectrographs, sharp edges for efficient image slices, surface figure for high image quality, etc. In the following, we describe the optical design of IFU feasible for space-borne spectrograph, manufacturing method to attain high optical performance of metal mirrors developed by Canon, and resulted performance of prototype IFU in detail.

  20. Space Radar Image of Kliuchevskoi Volcano, Russia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an image of the Kliuchevskoi volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, which began to erupt on September 30, 1994. Kliuchevskoi is the bright white peak surrounded by red slopes in the lower left portion of the image. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 25th orbit on October 1, 1994. The image shows an area approximately 30 kilometers by 60 kilometers (18.5 miles by 37 miles) that is centered at 56.18 degrees north latitude and 160.78 degrees east longitude. North is toward the top of the image. The Kamchatka volcanoes are among the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcanic zone sits above a tectonic plate boundary, where the Pacific plate is sinking beneath the northeast edge of the Eurasian plate. The Endeavour crew obtained dramatic video and photographic images of this region during the eruption, which will assist scientists in analyzing the dynamics of the current activity. The colors in this image were obtained using the following radar channels: red represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received); green represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received); blue represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received). The Kamchatka River runs from left to right across the image. An older, dormant volcanic region appears in green on the north side of the river. The current eruption included massive ejections of gas, vapor and ash, which reached altitudes of 20,000 meters (65,000 feet). New lava flows are visible on the flanks of Kliuchevskoi, appearing yellow/green in the image, superimposed on the red surfaces in the lower center. Melting snow triggered mudflows on the north flank of the volcano, which may threaten agricultural zones and other settlements in the valley to the north. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars

  1. Spaceborne synthetic aperture radar pilot study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1974-01-01

    A pilot study of a spaceborne sidelooking radar is summarized. The results of the system trade studies are given along with the electrical parameters for the proposed subsystems. The mechanical aspects, packaging, thermal control and dynamics of the proposed design are presented. Details of the data processor are given. A system is described that allows the data from a pass over the U. S. to be in hard copy form within two hours. Also included are the proposed schedule, work breakdown structure, and cost estimate.

  2. Space Radar Image of Flevoland, Netherlands

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a three-frequency false color image of Flevoland, The Netherlands, centered at 52.4 degrees north latitude, 5.4 degrees east longitude. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994. It was produced by combining data from the X-band, C-band and L-band radars. The area shown is approximately 25 kilometers by 28 kilometers (15-1/2 by 17-1/2 miles). Flevoland, which fills the lower two-thirds of the image, is a very flat area that is made up of reclaimed land that is used for agriculture and forestry. At the top of the image, across the canal from Flevoland, is an older forest shown in red; the city of Harderwijk is shown in white on the shore of the canal. At this time of the year, the agricultural fields are bare soil, and they show up in this image in blue. The changes in the brightness of the blue areas are equal to the changes in roughness. The dark blue areas are water and the small dots in the canal are boats. This SIR-C/X-SAR supersite is being used for both calibration and agricultural studies. Several soil and crop ground-truth studies will be conducted during the shuttle flight. In addition, about 10calibration devices and 10 corner reflectors have been deployed to calibrate and monitor the radar signal. One of these transponders can be seen as a bright star in the lower right quadrant of the image. This false-color image was made using L-band total power in the red channel, C-band total power in the green channel, and X-band VV polarization in the blue channel. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be

  3. Earth observation photo taken by JPL with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Photos of earth observations taken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A). This image shows Lake Okeechobee (right) and Lake Istokopoga (left) in Central Florida. Lake Okeechobee is bounded on the east by rectangular agricultural fields and to the south and west by swamps and wetlands which appear as bright features.

  4. Space Radar Image of the Silk route in Niya, Taklamak, China

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This composite image is of an area thought to contain the ruins of the ancient settlement of Niya. It is located in the southwest corner of the Taklamakan Desert in China's Sinjiang Province. This region was part of some of China's earliest dynasties and from the third century BC on was traversed by the famous Silk Road. The Silk Road, passing east-west through this image, was an ancient trade route that led across Central Asia's desert to Persia, Byzantium and Rome. The multi-frequency, multi-polarized radar imagery was acquired on orbit 106 of the space shuttle Endeavour on April 16, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar. The image is centered at 37.78 degrees north latitude and 82.41 degrees east longitude. The area shown is approximately 35 kilometers by 83 kilometers (22 miles by 51 miles). The image is a composite of an image from an Earth-orbiting satellite called Systeme Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre (SPOT)and a SIR-C multi-frequency, multi-polarized radar image. The false-color radar image was created by displaying the C-band (horizontally transmitted and received) return in red, the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received) return in green, and the L-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received) return in blue. The prominent east/west pink formation at the bottom of the image is most likely a ridge of loosely consolidated sedimentary rock. The Niya River -- the black feature in the lower right of the French satellite image -- meanders north-northeast until it clears the sedimentary ridge, at which point it abruptly turns northwest. Sediment and evaporite deposits left by the river over millennia dominate the center and upper right of the radar image (in light pink). High ground, ridges and dunes are seen among the riverbed meanderings as mottled blue. Through image enhancement and analysis, a new feature probably representing a man-made canal has been discovered and mapped. Spaceborne Imaging Radar

  5. Kingfisher: a system for remote sensing image database management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruzzo, Michele; Giordano, Ferdinando; Dellepiane, Silvana G.

    2003-04-01

    At present retrieval methods in remote sensing image database are mainly based on spatial-temporal information. The increasing amount of images to be collected by the ground station of earth observing systems emphasizes the need for database management with intelligent data retrieval capabilities. The purpose of the proposed method is to realize a new content based retrieval system for remote sensing images database with an innovative search tool based on image similarity. This methodology is quite innovative for this application, at present many systems exist for photographic images, as for example QBIC and IKONA, but they are not able to extract and describe properly remote image content. The target database is set by an archive of images originated from an X-SAR sensor (spaceborne mission, 1994). The best content descriptors, mainly texture parameters, guarantees high retrieval performances and can be extracted without losses independently of image resolution. The latter property allows DBMS (Database Management System) to process low amount of information, as in the case of quick-look images, improving time performance and memory access without reducing retrieval accuracy. The matching technique has been designed to enable image management (database population and retrieval) independently of dimensions (width and height). Local and global content descriptors are compared, during retrieval phase, with the query image and results seem to be very encouraging.

  6. Space Radar Image of Pinacate Volcanic Field, Mexico

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This spaceborne radar image shows the Pinacate Volcanic Field in the state of Sonora, Mexico, about 150 kilometers 93 miles southeast of Yuma, Arizona. The United States/Mexico border runs across the upper right corner of the image.

  7. Earth-Atmospheric Coupling Prior to Strong Earthquakes Analyzed by IR Remote Sensing Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freund, F.; Ouzounov, D.

    2001-12-01

    Earth-atmosphere interactions during major earthquakes (M>5) are the subject of this study. A mechanism has recently been proposed to account for the appearance of hole-type electronic charge carriers in rocks subjected to transient stress [Freund, 2000]. If such charge carriers are activated in the crust prior to large earthquakes, the predictable consequences are: injection of currents into the rocks, low frequency electromagnetic emission, changes in ground potentials, corona discharges with attendant light emission from high points at the surface of the Earth, and possibly an enhanced emission in the 8-12 μ m region similar to the thermal emission observed during laboratory rock deformation experiments [Geng et al., 1999]. Using data from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission & Reflection radiometer) onboard NASA's TERRA satellite launched in Dec. 1999 we have begun analyzing vertical atmospheric profiles, land surface and kinetic temperatures. We looked for correlations between atmospheric dynamics and solid Earth processes prior to the Jan. 13, 2001 earthquake in El Salvador (M=7.6) and the Jan. 26, 2001 Gujarat earth-quake in India (M=7.7). With MODIS covering the entire Earth every 1-2 days in 36 wavelength bands (20 visible and 16 infrared) at different spatial resolutions (250 m, 500 m, and 1 km) we find evidence for a thermal anomaly pattern related to the pre-seismic activity. We also find evidence for changes in the aerosol content and atmospheric instability parameters, possibly due to changes in the ground potential that cause ion emission and lead to the formation of a thin near-ground aerosol layer. We analyze the aerosol content, atmospheric pressure, moisture profile and lifted index.

  8. STS-68 radar image: Glasgow, Missouri

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1994-10-07

    STS068-S-055 (7 October 1994) --- This is a false-color L-Band image of an area near Glasgow, Missouri, centered at about 39.2 degrees north latitude and 92.8 degrees west longitude. The image was acquired using the L-Band radar channel (horizontally transmitted and received and horizontally transmitted and vertically received) polarization's combined. The data were acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on orbit 50 on October 3, 1994. The area shown is approximately 37 by 25 kilometers (23 by 16 miles). The radar data, coupled with pre-flood aerial photography and satellite data and post-flood topographic and field data, are being used to evaluate changes associated with levee breaks in land forms, where deposits formed during the widespread flooding in 1993 along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The distinct radar scattering properties of farmland, sand fields and scoured areas will be used to inventory flood plains along the Missouri River and determine the processes by which these areas return to preflood conditions. The image shows one such levee break near Glasgow, Missouri. In the upper center of the radar image, below the bend of the river, is a region covered by several meters of sand, shown as dark regions. West (left) of the dark areas, a gap in the levee tree canopy shows the area where the levee failed. Radar data such as these can help scientists more accurately assess the potential for future flooding in this region and how that might impact surrounding communities. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses the three microwave wavelengths: the L-Band (24 centimeters), C-Band (6 centimeters) and X-Band (3 centimeters). The multi

  9. The Deep Space Gateway Lightning Mapper (DLM) — Monitoring Global Change and Thunderstorm Processes through Observations of Earth's High-Latitude Lightning from Cis-Lunar Orbit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lang, T. J.; Blakeslee, R. J.; Cecil, D. J.; Christian, H. J.; Gatlin, P. N.; Goodman, S. J.; Koshak, W. J.; Petersen, W. A.; Quick, M.; Schultz, C. J.; Tatum, P. F.

    2018-02-01

    We propose the Deep Space Gateway Lightning Mapper (DLM) instrument. The primary goal of the DLM is to optically monitor Earth's high-latitude (50° and poleward) total lightning not observed by current and planned spaceborne lightning mappers.

  10. Resolution verification targets for airborne and spaceborne imaging systems at the Stennis Space Center

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McKellip, Rodney; Yuan, Ding; Graham, William; Holland, Donald E.; Stone, David; Walser, William E.; Mao, Chengye

    1997-06-01

    The number of available spaceborne and airborne systems will dramatically increase over the next few years. A common systematic approach toward verification of these systems will become important for comparing the systems' operational performance. The Commercial Remote Sensing Program at the John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC) in Mississippi has developed design requirements for a remote sensing verification target range to provide a means to evaluate spatial, spectral, and radiometric performance of optical digital remote sensing systems. The verification target range consists of spatial, spectral, and radiometric targets painted on a 150- by 150-meter concrete pad located at SSC. The design criteria for this target range are based upon work over a smaller, prototypical target range at SSC during 1996. This paper outlines the purpose and design of the verification target range based upon an understanding of the systems to be evaluated as well as data analysis results from the prototypical target range.

  11. Space Radar Image of Mammoth, California in 3-D

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-01-27

    This is a three-dimensional perspective of Mammoth Mountain, California. This view was constructed by overlaying a NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C SIR-C radar image on a U.S. Geological Survey digital elevation map.

  12. System for Measuring Flexing of a Large Spaceborne Structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Scharf, Daniel; Kuhnert, Andreas; Kovalik, Joseph; Hadaegh, Fred; Shaddock, Daniel

    2008-01-01

    An optoelectronic metrology system is used for determining the attitude and flexing of a large spaceborne radar antenna or similar structure. The measurements are needed for accurate pointing of the antenna and correction and control of the phase of the radar signal wavefront. The system includes a dual-field-of-view star tracker; a laser ranging unit (LRU) and a position-sensitive-detector (PSD)-based camera mounted on an optical bench; and fiducial targets at various locations on the structure. The fiducial targets are illuminated in sequence by laser light coupled via optical fibers. The LRU and the PSD provide measurements of the position of each fiducial target in a reference frame attached to the optical bench. During routine operation, the star tracker utilizes one field of view and functions conventionally to determine the orientation of the optical bench. During operation in a calibration mode, the star tracker also utilizes its second field of view, which includes stars that are imaged alongside some of the fiducial targets in the PSD; in this mode, the PSD measurements are traceable to star measurements.

  13. Analysis of Spaceborne GPS Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cosmo, Mario L.; Davis, James L.; Elosegui, Pedro; Hill, Michael; ScireScapuzzo, Francesca

    1998-01-01

    A reasonable amount of literature can be found on the general topic of GPS receiving antennas, but very little has been published on spaceborne GPS receiving antennas. This very new topic seems to be so far more of interest for the industrial world than for the academic community. For satellite applications, microstrip antennas are usually preferred over other types of antennas mainly because of their non-electrical characteristics, such as small size, relatively lightweight, shape, possibility of integration with microwave integrated circuits, and relatively low costs. Careful design of patch antennas could meet all the requirements (electrical and non-electrical) of GPS receiving antenna to be mounted on a tethered satellite.

  14. Dimensionally stable composite structures and composite mirrors for spaceborne optical instruments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sippel, Rudolf; Stute, Thomas; Erdl, Günther

    2018-04-01

    This paper, "Dimensionally stable composite structures and composite mirrors for spaceborne optical instruments," was presented as part of International Conference on Space Optics—ICSO 1997, held in Toulouse, France.

  15. Shuttle Imaging Radar - Geologic applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Macdonald, H.; Bridges, L.; Waite, W.; Kaupp, V.

    1982-01-01

    The Space Shuttle, on its second flight (November 12, 1981), carried the first science and applications payload which provided an early demonstration of Shuttle's research capabilities. One of the experiments, the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A), had as a prime objective to evaluate the capability of spaceborne imaging radars as a tool for geologic exploration. The results of the experiment will help determine the value of using the combination of space radar and Landsat imagery for improved geologic analysis and mapping. Preliminary analysis of the Shuttle radar imagery with Seasat and Landsat imagery from similar areas provides evidence that spaceborne radars can significantly complement Landsat interpretation, and vastly improve geologic reconnaissance mapping in those areas of the world that are relatively unmapped because of perpetual cloud cover.

  16. Educational program using four-dimensional presentation of space data and space-borne data with Dagik Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saito, Akinori; Yoshida, Daiki; Odagi, Yoko; Takahashi, Midori; Tsugawa, Takuya; Kumano, Yoshisuke

    We developed an educational program of space science data and science data observed from the space using a digital globe system, Dagik Earth. Dagik Earth is a simple and affordable four dimensional (three dimension in space and one dimension in time) presentation system. The educational program using Dagik Earth has been carried out in classrooms of schools, science museums, and research institutes to show the scientific data of the earth and planets in an intuitive way. We are developing the hardware system, data contents, and education manuals in cooperation with teachers, museum staffs and scientists. The size of the globe used in this system is from 15cm to 2m in diameter. It is selected according to the environment of the presentation. The contents cover the space science, such as aurora and geomagnetic field, the earth science, such as global clouds and earthquakes, and planetary science. Several model class plans are ready to be used in high school and junior high school. In public outreach programs of universities, research institutes, and scientific meetings, special programs have been carried out. We are establishing a community to use and develop this program for the space science education.

  17. Extreme lightweight ZERODUR mirrors (ELZM): supporting characteristics for spaceborne applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hull, Tony; Westerhoff, Thomas

    2014-08-01

    Extreme Lightweight ZERODUR® Mirrors (ELZM) have been developed expressly to provide architects of spaceborne missions a new, cost-effective, option for implementation of medium and large Optical Telescope Assemblies (OTAs, up to 4+ meters in diameter). ZERODUR® is a traditional material in space with over a 30 year heritage. We will discuss the attributes of the material and fabrication methods to aggressively reduce weight to an extent now routinely available. Recent and emerging independent measurements of material properties will confirm the utility of this approach for new generations of OTAs. Data on dimensional stability over a broad practical temperature range will be referenced, as will recent mechanical strength data. Other data confirming suitability for use in space will be referenced. We will discuss how this data can be used for the architecture of a ELZM based cost-effective spaceborne OTA.

  18. Primary studies of Chinese spaceborne SAR

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Zhen-Song; Wu, Guo-Xiang; Guo, Hua-Dong; Wei, Zhong-Quan; Zhu, Min-Hui

    1993-01-01

    The primary studies on spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in China are discussed. The SAR will be launched aboard a Chinese satellite and operated at L-band with HH polarization. The purpose of the mission in consideration is dedicated to resources and environment uses, especially to natural disaster monitoring. The ground resolution is designed as 25 m x 25 m for detailed mode and 100 m x 100 m for wide scan-SAR mode. The off-nadir angle can be varied from 20 to 40 deg. The key system concepts are introduced.

  19. Space Radar Image of St. Louis, Missouri

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This is a spaceborne radar image of the area surrounding St. Louis, Missouri, where the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers come together. The city of St. Louis is the bright gold area within a bend in the Mississippi River at the lower center of the image.

  20. Space Radar Image of Cape Cod, Massachusetts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image shows the famous 'hook' of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Cape, which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean about 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of Boston, actually consists of sandy debris left behind by the great continental ice sheets when they last retreated from southern New England about 20,000 years ago. Today's landscape consists of sandy forests, fields of scrub oak and other bushes and grasses, salt marshes, freshwater ponds, as well as the famous beaches and sand dunes. In this image, thickly forested areas appear green, marshes are dark blue, ponds and sandy areas are black, and developed areas are mostly pink. The dark L-shape in the lower center is the airport runways in Hyannis, the Cape's largest town. The dark X-shape left of the center is Otis Air Force Base. The Cape Cod Canal, above and left of center, connects Buzzards Bay on the left with Cape Cod Bay on the right. The northern tip of the island of Martha's Vineyard is seen in the lower left. The tip of the Cape, in the upper right, includes the community of Provincetown, which appears pink, and the protected National Seashore areas of sand dunes that parallel the Atlantic coast east of Provincetown. Scientists are using radar images like this one to study delicate coastal environments and the effects of human activities on the ecosystem and landscape. This image was acquired by Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 15, 1994. The image is 81.7 kilometers by 43.1 kilometers (50.7 miles by 26.7 miles) and is centered at 41.8 degrees north latitude, 70.3 degrees west longitude. North is toward the upper right. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is C-band, horizontally transmitted, vertically received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted and received. SIR

  1. Earth Observing-1 Advanced Land Imager: Radiometric Response Calibration

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mendenhall, J. A.; Lencioni, D. E.; Evans, J. B.

    2000-01-01

    The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) is one of three instruments to be flown on the first Earth Observing mission (EO-1) under NASA's New Millennium Program (NMP). ALI contains a number of innovative features, including a wide field of view optical design, compact multispectral focal plane arrays, non-cryogenic HgCdTe detectors for the short wave infrared bands, and silicon carbide optics. This document outlines the techniques adopted during ground calibration of the radiometric response of the Advanced Land Imager. Results from system level measurements of the instrument response, signal-to-noise ratio, saturation radiance, and dynamic range for all detectors of every spectral band are also presented.

  2. Studies of Bagley Icefield during surge and Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, using spaceborne SAR interferometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fatland, Dennis Robert

    1998-12-01

    This thesis presents studies of two temperate valley glaciers---Bering Glacier in the Chugach-St.Elias Mountains, South Central Alaska, and Black Rapids Glacier in the Alaska Range, Interior Alaska---using differential spaceborne radar interferometry. The first study was centered on the 1993--95 surge of Bering Glacier and the resultant ice dynamics on its accumulation area, the Bagley Icefield. The second study site was chosen for purposes of comparison of the interferometry results with conventional field measurements, particularly camera survey data and airborne laser altimetry. A comprehensive suite of software was written to interferometrically process synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data in order to derive estimates of surface elevation and surface velocity on these subject glaciers. In addition to these results, the data revealed unexpected but fairly common concentric rings called 'phase bull's-eyes', image features typically 0.5 to 4 km in diameter located over the central part of various glaciers. These bull's-eyes led to a hypothetical model in which they were interpreted to indicate transitory instances of high subglacial water pressure that locally lift the glacier from its bed by several centimeters. This model is associated with previous findings about the nature of glacier bed hydrology and glacier surging. In addition to the dynamical analysis presented herein, this work is submitted as a contribution to the ongoing development of spaceborne radar interferometry as a glaciological tool.

  3. Observation planning algorithm of a Japanese space-borne sensor: Hyperspectral Imager SUIte (HISUI) onboard International Space Station (ISS) as platform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogawa, Kenta; Konno, Yukiko; Yamamoto, Satoru; Matsunaga, Tsuneo; Tachikawa, Tetsushi; Komoda, Mako

    2017-09-01

    Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI) is a Japanese future space-borne hyperspectral instrument being developed by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI). HISUI will be launched in 2019 or later onboard International Space Station (ISS) as platform. HISUI has 185 spectral band from 0.4 to 2.5 μm with 20 by 30 m spatial resolution with swath of 20 km. Swath is limited as such, however observations in continental scale area are requested in HISUI mission lifetime of three years. Therefore we are developing a scheduling algorithm to generate effective observation plans. HISUI scheduling algorithm is to generate observation plans automatically based on platform orbit, observation area maps (we say DAR; "Data Acquisition Request" in HISUI project), their priorities, and available resources and limitation of HISUI system such as instrument operation time per orbit and data transfer capability. Then next we need to set adequate DAR before start of HISUI observation, because years of observations are needed to cover continental scale wide area that is difficult to change after the mission started. To address these issues, we have developed observation simulator. The simulator's critical inputs are DAR and the ISS's orbit, HISUI limitations in observation minutes per orbit, data storage and past cloud coverage data for term of HISUI observations (3 years). Then the outputs of simulator are coverage map of each day. Areas with cloud free image are accumulated for the term of observation up to three years. We have successfully tested the simulator and tentative DAR and found that it is possible to estimate coverage for each of requests for the mission lifetime.

  4. Airborne Radar Observations of Severe Hailstorms: Implications for Future Spaceborne Radar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Heymsfield, Gerald M.; Tian, Lin; Li, Lihua; McLinden, Matthew; Cervantes, Jaime I.

    2013-01-01

    A new dual-frequency (Ku and Ka band) nadir-pointing Doppler radar on the high-altitude NASA ER-2 aircraft, called the High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP), has collected data over severe thunderstorms in Oklahoma and Kansas during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). The overarching motivation for this study is to understand the behavior of the dualwavelength airborne radar measurements in a global variety of thunderstorms and how these may relate to future spaceborne-radar measurements. HIWRAP is operated at frequencies that are similar to those of the precipitation radar on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (Ku band) and the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement mission satellite's dual-frequency (Ku and Ka bands) precipitation radar. The aircraft measurements of strong hailstorms have been combined with ground-based polarimetric measurements to obtain a better understanding of the response of the Ku- and Ka-band radar to the vertical distribution of the hydrometeors, including hail. Data from two flight lines on 24 May 2011 are presented. Doppler velocities were approx. 39m/s2at 10.7-km altitude from the first flight line early on 24 May, and the lower value of approx. 25m/s on a second flight line later in the day. Vertical motions estimated using a fall speed estimate for large graupel and hail suggested that the first storm had an updraft that possibly exceeded 60m/s for the more intense part of the storm. This large updraft speed along with reports of 5-cm hail at the surface, reflectivities reaching 70 dBZ at S band in the storm cores, and hail signals from polarimetric data provide a highly challenging situation for spaceborne-radar measurements in intense convective systems. The Ku- and Ka-band reflectivities rarely exceed approx. 47 and approx. 37 dBZ, respectively, in these storms.

  5. Space Radar Image of Los Angeles, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This radar image shows the massive urbanization of Los Angeles, California. The image extends from the Santa Monica Bay at the left to the San Gabriel Mountains at the right. Downtown Los Angeles is in the center of the image. The runways of the Los Angeles International Airport appear as black strips at the left center of the image. The waterways of Marina del Rey are seen just above the airport. The San Gabriel Mountains and the city of Pasadena are at the right center of the image. Black areas on the mountains on the right are fire scars from the 1993 Altadena fire. The Rose Bowl is shown as a small circle near the right center. The complex freeway system is visible as dark lines throughout the image. Some city areas, such as Santa Monica in the upper left, appear red due to the alignment of streets and buildings to the incoming radar beam. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 3, 1994. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. This image is centered at 34.04 degrees North latitude and 118.2 degrees West longitude with North pointing toward the upper right. The area shown measures 40 kilometers by 50 kilometers (25 miles by 31 miles).

  6. Space Radar Image of Owens Valley, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a three-dimensional perspective view of Owens Valley, near the town of Bishop, California that was created by combining two spaceborne radar images using a technique known as interferometry. Visualizations like this one are helpful to scientists because they clarify the relationships of the different types of surfaces detected by the radar and the shapes of the topographic features such as mountains and valleys. The view is looking southeast along the eastern edge of Owens Valley. The White Mountains are in the center of the image, and the Inyo Mountains loom in the background. The high peaks of the White Mountains rise more than 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above the valley floor. The runways of the Bishop airport are visible at the right edge of the image. The meandering course of the Owens River and its tributaries appear light blue on the valley floor. Blue areas in the image are smooth, yellow areas are rock outcrops, and brown areas near the mountains are deposits of boulders, gravel and sand known as alluvial fans. The image was constructed by overlaying a color composite radar image on top of a digital elevation map. The radar data were taken by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on board the space shuttle Endeavour in October 1994. The digital elevation map was produced using radar interferometry, a process in which radar data are acquired on different passes of the space shuttle. The two data passes are compared to obtain elevation information. The elevation data were derived from a 1,500-km-long (930-mile) digital topographic map processed at JPL. Radar image data are draped over the topography to provide the color with the following assignments: red is L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; green is C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received; and blue is the ratio of C-band vertically transmitted, vertically received to L-band vertically transmitted, vertically received. This image is

  7. OnEarth: An Open Source Solution for Efficiently Serving High-Resolution Mapped Image Products

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thompson, C. K.; Plesea, L.; Hall, J. R.; Roberts, J. T.; Cechini, M. F.; Schmaltz, J. E.; Alarcon, C.; Huang, T.; McGann, J. M.; Chang, G.; Boller, R. A.; Ilavajhala, S.; Murphy, K. J.; Bingham, A. W.

    2013-12-01

    This presentation introduces OnEarth, a server side software package originally developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), that facilitates network-based, minimum-latency geolocated image access independent of image size or spatial resolution. The key component in this package is the Meta Raster Format (MRF), a specialized raster file extension to the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) consisting of an internal indexed pyramid of image tiles. Imagery to be served is converted to the MRF format and made accessible online via an expandable set of server modules handling requests in several common protocols, including the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) compliant Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) as well as Tiled WMS and Keyhole Markup Language (KML). OnEarth has recently transitioned to open source status and is maintained and actively developed as part of GIBS (Global Imagery Browse Services), a collaborative project between JPL and Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The primary function of GIBS is to enhance and streamline the data discovery process and to support near real-time (NRT) applications via the expeditious ingestion and serving of full-resolution imagery representing science products from across the NASA Earth Science spectrum. Open source software solutions are leveraged where possible in order to utilize existing available technologies, reduce development time, and enlist wider community participation. We will discuss some of the factors and decision points in transitioning OnEarth to a suitable open source paradigm, including repository and licensing agreement decision points, institutional hurdles, and perceived benefits. We will also provide examples illustrating how OnEarth is integrated within GIBS and other applications.

  8. Evolution of Satellite Imagers and Sounders for Low Earth Orbit and Technology Directions at NASA

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pagano, Thomas S.; McClain, Charles R.

    2010-01-01

    Imagers and Sounders for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) provide fundamental global daily observations of the Earth System for scientists, researchers, and operational weather agencies. The imager provides the nominal 1-2 km spatial resolution images with global coverage in multiple spectral bands for a wide range of uses including ocean color, vegetation indices, aerosol, snow and cloud properties, and sea surface temperature. The sounder provides vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature, water vapor cloud properties, and trace gases including ozone, carbon monoxide, methane and carbon dioxide. Performance capabilities of these systems has evolved with the optical and sensing technologies of the decade. Individual detectors were incorporated on some of the first imagers and sounders that evolved to linear array technology in the '80's. Signal-to-noise constraints limited these systems to either broad spectral resolution as in the case of the imager, or low spatial resolution as in the case of the sounder. Today's area 2-dimensional large format array technology enables high spatial and high spectral resolution to be incorporated into a single instrument. This places new constraints on the design of these systems and enables new capabilities for scientists to examine the complex processes governing the Earth System.

  9. Next generation of spaceborne rain radars: science rationales and technology status

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Im, Eastwood; Durden, Stephen L.; Kakar, Ramesh K.; Kummerow, Christian D.; Smith, Eric A.

    2003-04-01

    Global rainfall is the primary distributor of latent heat through atmospheric circulation. This important atmospheric parameter can only be measured reliably from space. The on-going Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is the first space based mission dedicated to advance our understanding of tropical precipitation patterns and their implications on global climate and its change. The Precipitation Radar (PR) aboard the satellite is the first radar ever flown in space and has provided exciting, new data on the 3-D rain structures for a variety of scientific applications. The continuous success of TRMM has led to new development of the next generation of spaceborne satellites and sensors for global rainfall and hydrological parameter measurements. From science and cost efficiency prospective, these new sensing instruments are expected to provide enhanced capabilities and reduced consumption on the spacecraft resources. At NASA, the Earth Science Enterprise has strengthened its investment on instrument technologies to help achieving these two main goals and to obtain the best science values from the new earth science instruments. It is with this spirit that a notional instrument concept, using a dual-frequency rain radar with a deployable 5-meter electronically-scanned membrane antenna and real-time digital signal processing, is developed. This new system, the Second Generation Precipitation Radar (PR-2), has the potential of offering greatly enhanced performance accuracy while using only a fraction of the mass of the current TRMM PR. During the last two years, several of the technology items associated with this notional instrument have also been prototyped. In this paper, the science rationales, the instrument design concept, and the technology status for the PR-2 notional system will be presented.

  10. An overview of the web-based Google Earth coincident imaging tool

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Chander, Gyanesh; Kilough, B.; Gowda, S.

    2010-01-01

    The Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) Visualization Environment (COVE) tool is a browser-based application that leverages Google Earth web to display satellite sensor coverage areas. The analysis tool can also be used to identify near simultaneous surface observation locations for two or more satellites. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) CEOS System Engineering Office (SEO) worked with the CEOS Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV) to develop the COVE tool. The CEOS member organizations are currently operating and planning hundreds of Earth Observation (EO) satellites. Standard cross-comparison exercises between multiple sensors to compare near-simultaneous surface observations and to identify corresponding image pairs are time-consuming and labor-intensive. COVE is a suite of tools that have been developed to make such tasks easier.

  11. Earth on the Horizon

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-13

    This is the first image ever taken of Earth from the surface of a planet beyond the Moon. It was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit one hour before sunrise on the 63rd martian day, or sol, of its mission. Earth is the tiny white dot in the center. The image is a mosaic of images taken by the rover's navigation camera showing a broad view of the sky, and an image taken by the rover's panoramic camera of Earth. The contrast in the panoramic camera image was increased two times to make Earth easier to see. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05560

  12. Earth observation photo taken by JPL with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Earth observation photo taken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A). This image shows a 50 by 120 kilometer (30 by 75 mile) area of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern coast of Central Sardinia (left). The city of Arbatose is seen as a bright area along the coast in the lower part of the image, and the star-like spot off the coast is a ship's reflection. The Gulf of Orsei is near the top of the image. Bright, mottled features in the sea (right) represent surface choppiness.

  13. Key optical components for spaceborne lasers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Löhring, J.; Winzen, M.; Faidel, H.; Miesner, J.; Plum, D.; Klein, J.; Fitzau, O.; Giesberts, M.; Brandenburg, W.; Seidel, A.; Schwanen, N.; Riesters, D.; Hengesbach, S.; Hoffmann, H.-D.

    2016-03-01

    Spaceborne lidar (light detection and ranging) systems have a large potential to become powerful instruments in the field of atmospheric research. Obviously, they have to be in operation for about three years without any maintenance like readjusting. Furthermore, they have to withstand strong temperature cycles typically in the range of -30 to +50 °C as well as mechanical shocks and vibrations, especially during launch. Additionally, the avoidance of any organic material inside the laser box is required, particularly in UV lasers. For atmospheric research pulses of about several 10 mJ at repetition rates of several 10 Hz are required in many cases. Those parameters are typically addressed by DPSSL that comprise components like: laser crystals, nonlinear crystals in pockels cells, faraday isolators and frequency converters, passive fibers, diode lasers and of course a lot of mirrors and lenses. In particular, some components have strong requirements regarding their tilt stability that is often in the 10 μrad range. In most of the cases components and packages that are used for industrial lasers do not fulfil all those requirements. Thus, the packaging of all these key components has been developed to meet those specifications only making use of metal and ceramics beside the optical component itself. All joints between the optical component and the laser baseplate are soldered or screwed. No clamps or adhesives are used. Most of the critical properties like tilting after temperature cycling have been proven in several tests. Currently, these components are used to build up first prototypes for spaceborne systems.

  14. Infrared cloud imaging in support of Earth-space optical communication.

    PubMed

    Nugent, Paul W; Shaw, Joseph A; Piazzolla, Sabino

    2009-05-11

    The increasing need for high data return from near-Earth and deep-space missions is driving a demand for the establishment of Earth-space optical communication links. These links will require a nearly obstruction-free path to the communication platform, so there is a need to measure spatial and temporal statistics of clouds at potential ground-station sites. A technique is described that uses a ground-based thermal infrared imager to provide continuous day-night cloud detection and classification according to the cloud optical depth and potential communication channel attenuation. The benefit of retrieving cloud optical depth and corresponding attenuation is illustrated through measurements that identify cloudy times when optical communication may still be possible through thin clouds.

  15. Solar variability. [measurements by spaceborne instruments

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sofia, S.

    1981-01-01

    Reference is made to direct measurements carried out by space-borne detectors which have shown variations of the solar constant at the 0.2 percent level, with times scales ranging from days to tens of days. It is contended that these changes do not necessarily reflect variations in the solar luminosity and that, in general, direct measurements have not yet been able to establish (or exclude) solar luminosity changes with longer time scales. Indirect techniques, however, especially radius measurements,suggest that solar luminosity variations of up to approximately 0.7 percent have occurred within a period of tens to hundreds of years.

  16. Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report 5: System design and specifications. Volume 2: EOS-A system specification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1974-01-01

    The objectives of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) program are defined. The system specifications for the satellite payload are examined. The broad objectives of the EOS-A program are as follows: (1) to develop space-borne sensors for the measurement of land resources, (2) to evolve spacecraft systems and subsystems which will permit earth observation with greater accuracy, coverage, spatial resolution, and continuity than existing systems, (3) to develop improved information processing, extraction, display, and distribution systems, and (4) to use space transportation systems for resupply and retrieval of the EOS.

  17. The Far Infrared Earth

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harries, John; Carli, Bruno; Rizzi, Rolando; Serio, Carmine; Mlynczak, Martin G.; Palchetti, Luca; Maestri, T.; Brindley, H.; Masiello, Guido

    2007-01-01

    The paper presents a review of the far infrared (FIR) properties of the Earth's atmosphere, and the role of these properties in climate. These properties have been relatively poorly understood, and it is one of the purposes of this review to demonstrate that, in recent years, we have made great strides in improving this understanding. Seen from space, the Earth is a cool object, with an effective emitting temperature of about 255 K. This contrasts with a global mean surface temperature of 288 K, and is due primarily to strong absorption of outgoing longwave energy by water vapour, carbon dioxide and clouds (especially ice). A large fraction of this absorption occurs in the FIR, and so the Earth is effectively a FIR planet. The FIR is important in a number of key climate processes, for example the water vapour and cloud feedbacks (especially ice clouds). The FIR is also a spectral region which can be used to remotely sense and retrieve atmospheric composition in the presence of ice clouds. Recent developments in instrumentation have allowed progress in each of these areas, which are described, and proposals for a spaceborne FIR instrument are being formulated. It is timely to review the FIR properties of the clear and cloudy atmosphere, the role of FIR processes in climate, and its use in observing our planet from space.

  18. Evaluating and improving cloud phase in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 using spaceborne lidar observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kay, Jennifer E.; Bourdages, Line; Miller, Nathaniel B.; Morrison, Ariel; Yettella, Vineel; Chepfer, Helene; Eaton, Brian

    2016-04-01

    Spaceborne lidar observations from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite are used to evaluate cloud amount and cloud phase in the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5), the atmospheric component of a widely used state-of-the-art global coupled climate model (Community Earth System Model). By embedding a lidar simulator within CAM5, the idiosyncrasies of spaceborne lidar cloud detection and phase assignment are replicated. As a result, this study makes scale-aware and definition-aware comparisons between model-simulated and observed cloud amount and cloud phase. In the global mean, CAM5 has insufficient liquid cloud and excessive ice cloud when compared to CALIPSO observations. Over the ice-covered Arctic Ocean, CAM5 has insufficient liquid cloud in all seasons. Having important implications for projections of future sea level rise, a liquid cloud deficit contributes to a cold bias of 2-3°C for summer daily maximum near-surface air temperatures at Summit, Greenland. Over the midlatitude storm tracks, CAM5 has excessive ice cloud and insufficient liquid cloud. Storm track cloud phase biases in CAM5 maximize over the Southern Ocean, which also has larger-than-observed seasonal variations in cloud phase. Physical parameter modifications reduce the Southern Ocean cloud phase and shortwave radiation biases in CAM5 and illustrate the power of the CALIPSO observations as an observational constraint. The results also highlight the importance of using a regime-based, as opposed to a geographic-based, model evaluation approach. More generally, the results demonstrate the importance and value of simulator-enabled comparisons of cloud phase in models used for future climate projection.

  19. Space Radar Image of Mt. Etna, Italy

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    The summit of the Mount Etna volcano on the island of Sicily, Italy, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, is shown near the center of this radar image. Lava flows of different ages and surface roughness appear in shades of purple, green, yellow and pink surrounding the four small craters at the summit. Etna is one of the best-studied volcanoes in the world and scientists are using this radar image to identify and distinguish a variety of volcanic features. Etna has erupted hundreds of times in recorded history, with the most recent significant eruption in 1991-1993. Scientists are studying Etna as part of the international "Decade Volcanoes" project, because of its high level of activity and potential threat to local populations. This image was acquired on October 11, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The image is centered at 37.8 degrees North latitude and 15.1 degrees East longitude and covers an area of 51.2 kilometers by 22.6 kilometers (31.7 miles by 14.0 miles). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01776

  20. Space Radar Image of Taal Volcano, Philippines

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is an image of Taal volcano, near Manila on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The black area in the center is Taal Lake, which nearly fills the 30-kilometer-diameter (18-mile) caldera. The caldera rim consists of deeply eroded hills and cliffs. The large island in Taal Lake, which itself contains a crater lake, is known as Volcano Island. The bright yellow patch on the southwest side of the island marks the site of an explosion crater that formed during a deadly eruption of Taal in 1965. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 78th orbit on October 5, 1994. The image shows an area approximately 56 kilometers by 112 kilometers (34 miles by 68 miles) that is centered at 14.0 degrees north latitude and 121.0 degrees east longitude. North is toward the upper right of the image. The colors in this image were obtained using the following radar channels: red represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and received); green represents the L-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received); blue represents the C-band (horizontally transmitted and vertically received). Since 1572, Taal has erupted at least 34 times. Since early 1991, the volcano has been restless, with swarms of earthquakes, new steaming areas, ground fracturing, and increases in water temperature of the lake. Volcanologists and other local authorities are carefully monitoring Taal to understand if the current activity may foretell an eruption. Taal is one of 15 'Decade Volcanoes' that have been identified by the volcanology community as presenting large potential hazards to population centers. The bright area in the upper right of the image is the densely populated city of Manila, only 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of the central crater. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth

  1. Application of the multiple PRF technique to resolve Doppler centroid estimation ambiguity for spaceborne SAR

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chang, C. Y.; Curlander, J. C.

    1992-01-01

    Estimation of the Doppler centroid ambiguity is a necessary element of the signal processing for SAR systems with large antenna pointing errors. Without proper resolution of the Doppler centroid estimation (DCE) ambiguity, the image quality will be degraded in the system impulse response function and the geometric fidelity. Two techniques for resolution of DCE ambiguity for the spaceborne SAR are presented; they include a brief review of the range cross-correlation technique and presentation of a new technique using multiple pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs). For SAR systems, where other performance factors control selection of the PRF's, an algorithm is devised to resolve the ambiguity that uses PRF's of arbitrary numerical values. The performance of this multiple PRF technique is analyzed based on a statistical error model. An example is presented that demonstrates for the Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) C-band SAR, the probability of correct ambiguity resolution is higher than 95 percent for antenna attitude errors as large as 3 deg.

  2. Space Radar Image of Manaus, Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    Estaciais, during the first and second flights of the SIR-C/X-SAR system have validated the interpretation of the radar images. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  3. Instrument technology for magnetosphere plasma imaging from high Earth orbit. Design of a radio plasma sounder

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Haines, D. Mark; Reinisch, Bodo W.

    1995-01-01

    The use of radio sounding techniques for the study of the ionospheric plasma dates back to G. Briet and M. A. Tuve in 1926. Ground based swept frequency sounders can monitor the electron number density (N(sub e)) as a function of height (the N(sub e) profile). These early instruments evolved into a global network that produced high-resolution displays of echo time delay vs frequency on 35-mm film. These instruments provided the foundation for the success of the International Geophysical Year (1958). The Alouette and International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) programs pioneered the used of spaceborne, swept frequency sounders to obtain N(sub e) profiles of the topside of the ionosphere, from a position above the electron density maximum. Repeated measurements during the orbit produced an orbital plane contour which routinely provided density measurements to within 10%. The Alouette/ISIS experience also showed that even with a high powered transmitter (compared to the low power sounder possible today) a radio sounder can be compatible with other imaging instruments on the same satellite. Digital technology was used on later spacecraft developed by the Japanese (the EXOS C and D) and the Soviets (Intercosmos 19 and Cosmos 1809). However, a full coherent pulse compression and spectral integrating capability, such as exist today for ground-based sounders (Reinisch et al., 1992), has never been put into space. NASA's 1990 Space Physics Strategy Implementation Study "The NASA Space Physics Program from 1995 to 2010" suggested using radio sounders to study the plasmasphere and the magnetopause and its boundary layers (Green and Fung, 1993). Both the magnetopause and plasmasphere, as well as the cusp and boundary layers, can be observed by a radio sounder in a high-inclination polar orbit with an apogee greater than 6 R(sub e) (Reiff et al., 1994; Calvert et al., 1995). Magnetospheric radio sounding from space will provide remote density measurements of

  4. Altimetric system: Earth observing system. Volume 2h: Panel report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bindschadler, Robert A.; Born, George; Chase, Robert R. P.; Fu, Lee-Lueng; Mouginis-Mark, Peter; Parsons, Chester; Tapley, Byron

    1987-01-01

    A rationale and recommendations for planning, implementing, and operating an altimetric system aboard the Earth observing system (Eos) spacecraft is provided. In keeping with the recommendations of the Eos Science and Mission Requirements Working Group, a complete altimetric system is defined that is capable of perpetuating the data set to be derived from TOPEX/Poseidon, enabling key scientific questions to be addressed. Since the scientific utility and technical maturity of spaceborne radar altimeters is well documented, the discussion is limited to highlighting those Eos-specific considerations that materially impact upon radar altimetric measurements.

  5. Kepler: NASA's First Mission Capable of Finding Earth-Size Planets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Borucki, William J.

    2009-01-01

    Kepler, a NASA Discovery mission, is a spaceborne telescope designed to search a nearby region of our galaxy for Earth-size planets orbiting in the habitable zone of stars like our sun. The habitable zone is that region around a start where the temperature permits water to be liquid on the surface of a planet. Liquid water is considered essential forth existence of life. Mission Phases: Six mission phases have been defined to describe the different periods of activity during Kepler's mission. These are: launch; commissioning; early science operations, science operations: and decommissioning

  6. The NASA Airborne Earth Science Microwave Imaging Radiometer (AESMIR): A New Sensor for Earth Remote Sensing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kim, Edward

    2003-01-01

    The Airborne Earth Science Microwave Imaging Radiometer (AESMIR) is a versatile new airborne imaging radiometer recently developed by NASA. The AESMIR design is unique in that it performs dual-polarized imaging at all standard passive microwave frequency bands (6-89 GHz) using only one sensor headscanner package, providing an efficient solution for Earth remote sensing applications (snow, soil moisture/land parameters, precipitation, ocean winds, sea surface temperature, water vapor, sea ice, etc.). The microwave radiometers themselves will incorporate state-of-the-art receivers, with particular attention given to instrument calibration for the best possible accuracy and sensitivity. The single-package design of AESMIR makes it compatible with high-altitude aircraft platforms such as the NASA ER-2s. The arbitrary 2-axis gimbal can perform conical and cross-track scanning, as well as fixed-beam staring. This compatibility with high-altitude platforms coupled with the flexible scanning configuration, opens up previously unavailable science opportunities for convection/precip/cloud science and co-flying with complementary instruments, as well as providing wider swath coverage for all science applications. By designing AESMIR to be compatible with these high-altitude platforms, we are also compatible with the NASA P-3, the NASA DC-8, C-130s and ground-based deployments. Thus AESMIR can provide low-, mid-, and high- altitude microwave imaging. Parallel filter banks allow AESMIR to simultaneously simulate the exact passbands of multiple satellite radiometers: SSM/I, TMI, AMSR, Windsat, SSMI/S, and the upcoming GPM/GMI and NPOESS/CMIS instruments --a unique capability among aircraft radiometers. An L-band option is also under development, again using the same scanner. With this option, simultaneous imaging from 1.4 to 89 GHz will be feasible. And, all receivers except the sounding channels will be configured for 4-Stokes polarimetric operation using high-speed digital

  7. Space Radar Image of Kilauea, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    Data acquired on April 13, 1994 and on October 4, 1994 from the X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar on board the space shuttle Endeavour were used to generate interferometric fringes, which were overlaid on the X-SAR image of Kilauea. The volcano is centered in this image at 19.58 degrees north latitude and 155.55 degrees west longitude. The image covers about 9 kilometers by 13 kilometers (5.6 miles by 8 miles). The X-band fringes correspond clearly to the expected topographic image. The yellow line indicates the area below which was used for the three-dimensional image using altitude lines. The yellow rectangular frame fences the area for the final topographic image. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR. The Instituto Ricerca Elettromagnetismo Componenti Elettronici (IRECE) at the University of Naples was a partner in interferometry analysis.

  8. Space Radar Image of Maui, Hawaii

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This spaceborne radar image shows the Valley Island of Maui, Hawaii. The cloud-penetrating capabilities of radar provide a rare view of many parts of the island, since the higher elevations are frequently shrouded in clouds.

  9. Estimating the age of arid-zone alluvial fan surfaces using roughness measurements from spaceborne radar backscatter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hetz, G.; Mushkin, A.; Blumberg, D. G.; Baer, G.; Trabelsky, E.

    2012-12-01

    Alluvial fan surfaces respond to geologic and climate changes as they record the deposition and erosion processes that govern their evolution, which amongst others is manifested in the micro and meso scale topography of the surface. Remote sensing provides a regional view that is very useful for mapping. Some previous publications have demonstrated that relative dating can also be achieved by remote sensing using techniques common in planetary geology such as overlap relationships. This work focuses on the use of radar backscatter as suggested originally by Evans et al., (1992) to map ages but here we will try to provide an absolute geologic age. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the use of radar backscatter to constrain surface roughness as a calibrated proxy for estimating age of alluvial surfaces. With the unique regional spatial perspective provided by spaceborne imaging, we aim at providing a new and complementary regional perspective for studying neotectonic and recent landscape evolution processes as well as paleoclimate. Moreover, the method (by radar backscattering measure) can be applied to the geomorphology of other planets. The current study is located in the southeastern part of the Negev desert, Israel on the late Pleistocene - Holocene Shehoret alluvial fan sequence. High resolution (0.5 cm) 3D roughness measurements were collected using a ground-based LIDAR (Leica HDS 3000) and these show a robust relationship between independently obtained OSL surface age and surface roughness; the fan surfaces become smoother with time over 103-105 yr timescales. Spaceborne backscatter radar data respond primarily to surface slope, roughness at a scale comparable to the radar wavelength, and other parameters such as dielectric properties of the surface. Therefore, radar can provide a good quantitative indication of surface roughness in arid zones, where vegetation cover is low. Preliminary results show a relationship between surface age and roughness

  10. The Earth & Moon

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1998-06-04

    During its flight, NASA’s Galileo spacecraft returned images of the Earth and Moon. Separate images of the Earth and Moon were combined to generate this view. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00342

  11. Multipurpose hyperspectral imaging system

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A hyperspectral imaging system of high spectral and spatial resolution that incorporates several innovative features has been developed to incorporate a focal plane scanner (U.S. Patent 6,166,373). This feature enables the system to be used for both airborne/spaceborne and laboratory hyperspectral i...

  12. The visible, near-infrared and short wave infrared channels of the EarthCARE multi-spectral imager

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Doornink, J.; de Goeij, B.; Marinescu, O.; Meijer, E.; Vink, R.; van Werkhoven, W.; van't Hof, A.

    2017-11-01

    The EarthCARE satellite mission objective is the observation of clouds and aerosols from low Earth orbit. The payload will include active remote sensing instruments being the W-band Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) and the ATLID LIDAR. These are supported by the passive instruments Broadband Radiometer (BBR) and the Multispectral Imager (MSI) providing the radiometric and spatial context of the ground scene being probed. The MSI will form Earth images over a swath width of 150 km; it will image the Earth atmosphere in 7 spectral bands. The MSI instrument consists of two parts: the Visible, Near infrared and Short wave infrared (VNS) unit, and the Thermal InfraRed (TIR) unit. Subject of this paper is the VNS unit. In the VNS optical unit, the ground scene is imaged in four spectral bands onto four linear detectors via separate optical channels. Driving requirements for the VNS instrument performance are the spectral sensitivity including out-of-band rejection, the MTF, co-registration and the inter-channel radiometric accuracy. The radiometric accuracy performance of the VNS is supported by in-orbit calibration, in which direct solar radiation is fed into the instrument via a set of quasi volume diffusers. The compact optical concept with challenging stability requirements together with the strict thermal constraints have led to a sophisticated opto-mechanical design. This paper, being the second of a sequence of two on the Multispectral Imager describes the VNS instrument concept chosen to fulfil the performance requirements within the resource and accommodation constraints.

  13. Space Radar Image of the Yucatan Impact Crater Site

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-01-27

    This is a radar image of the southwest portion of the buried Chicxulub impact crater in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The radar image was acquired on orbit 81 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The image is centered at 20 degrees north latitude and 90 degrees west longitude. Scientists believe the crater was formed by an asteroid or comet which slammed into the Earth more than 65 million years ago. It is this impact crater that has been linked to a major biological catastrophe where more than 50 percent of the Earth's species, including the dinosaurs, became extinct. The 180-to 300-kilometer-diameter (110- to 180-mile) crater is buried by 300 to 1,000 meters (1,000 to 3,000 feet) of limestone. The exact size of the crater is currently being debated by scientists. This is a total power radar image with L-band in red, C-band in green, and the difference between C-band L-band in blue. The 10-kilometer-wide (6-mile) band of yellow and pink with blue patches along the top left (northwestern side) of the image is a mangrove swamp. The blue patches are islands of tropical forests created by freshwater springs that emerge through fractures in the limestone bedrock and are most abundant in the vicinity of the buried crater rim. The fracture patterns and wetland hydrology in this region are controlled by the structure of the buried crater. Scientists are using the SIR-C/X-SAR imagery to study wetland ecology and help determine the exact size of the impact crater. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01723

  14. An experimental evaluation of the REE SIFT environment for spaceborne applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whistnant, K.; Iyer, R. K.; Jones, P.; Some, R.; Rennels, D.

    2002-01-01

    This paper presents an experimental evaluation of a software-implemented fault tolerance environment built around a set of self-checking ARMOR proceses running on different machines that provide error detection and recovery services to themselves and to spaceborne scientific applications.

  15. 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.

  16. Space Radar Image of Oetzal, Austria

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This image is a false-color composite of Oetzal, Austria located in the Central Alps centered at 46.8 degrees north latitude, 10.70 degrees east longitude, at the border between Switzerland (top), Italy (left) and Austria (right and bottom). The area shown is 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of Innsbruck, Austria. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 14th orbit. Oetztal is a SIR-C/X-SAR hydrology supersite. Approximately one quarter of this image is covered by glaciers, the largest of which, Gepatschferner, is visible as a triangular yellow patch in the center of the scene. The summits of the main peaks reach elevations between 3,500 and 3,768 meters (11,500 and 12,362 feet) above sea level. The tongues of the glaciers are descending from elevated plateaus down into narrow valleys which were formed during the last ice age. This color image was produced in C-band using multi-polarization information (red=CHV, green=CVV,blue=CVV/CHV). The blue areas are lakes (Gepatsch dam at center right; Lake Muta at top right) and glacier ice. The yellow areas are slopes facing the radar and areas of dry snow. Purple corresponds to slopes facing away from the radar. Yellow in the valley bottom corresponds to tree covered areas. There is 30 to 50 centimeters (12 to 20 inches) of dry, fresh snow on the glaciers, and about 10 centimeters (4 inches) in the valley at the city of Vent, Austria (center). At these data were taken, the weather was cold, with snow and thick fog. The entire area would appear white to an optical sensor because it is all covered under a winter snowpack. Researchers are interested in Oetztal because knowing how glaciers shrink and grow over time is an important indication of climatic change. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE). The radars illuminate Earth with

  17. Space Radar Image of Saline Valley, California

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This is a three-dimensional perspective view of Saline Valley, about 30 km 19 miles east of the town of Independence, California created by combining two spaceborne radar images using a technique known as interferometry.

  18. Space Radar Image of Tuva, Central Asia

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This spaceborne radar image shows part of the remote central Asian region of Tuva, an autonomous republic of the Russian Federation. Tuva is a mostly mountainous region that lies between western Mongolia and southern Siberia.

  19. Space Radar Image of Victoria, Canada

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This three-frequency spaceborne radar image shows the southern end of Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada. The white area in the lower right is the city of Victoria, the capital of the province of British Columbia.

  20. Shuttle imaging radar-C science plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1986-01-01

    The Shuttle Imaging Radar-C (SIR-C) mission will yield new and advanced scientific studies of the Earth. SIR-C will be the first instrument to simultaneously acquire images at L-band and C-band with HH, VV, HV, or VH polarizations, as well as images of the phase difference between HH and VV polarizations. These data will be digitally encoded and recorded using onboard high-density digital tape recorders and will later be digitally processed into images using the JPL Advanced Digital SAR Processor. SIR-C geologic studies include cold-region geomorphology, fluvial geomorphology, rock weathering and erosional processes, tectonics and geologic boundaries, geobotany, and radar stereogrammetry. Hydrology investigations cover arid, humid, wetland, snow-covered, and high-latitude regions. Additionally, SIR-C will provide the data to identify and map vegetation types, interpret landscape patterns and processes, assess the biophysical properties of plant canopies, and determine the degree of radar penetration of plant canopies. In oceanography, SIR-C will provide the information necessary to: forecast ocean directional wave spectra; better understand internal wave-current interactions; study the relationship of ocean-bottom features to surface expressions and the correlation of wind signatures to radar backscatter; and detect current-system boundaries, oceanic fronts, and mesoscale eddies. And, as the first spaceborne SAR with multi-frequency, multipolarization imaging capabilities, whole new areas of glaciology will be opened for study when SIR-C is flown in a polar orbit.

  1. Space Radar Image of Los Angeles, California

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This radar image shows the massive urbanization of Los Angeles, California. The image extends from the Santa Monica Bay at the left to the San Gabriel Mountains at the right. Downtown Los Angeles is in the center of the image. The runways of the Los Angeles International Airport appear as black strips at the left center of the image. The waterways of Marina del Rey are seen just above the airport. The San Gabriel Mountains and the city of Pasadena are at the right center of the image. Black areas on the mountains on the right are fire scars from the 1993 Altadena fire. The Rose Bowl is shown as a small circle near the right center. The complex freeway system is visible as dark lines throughout the image. Some city areas, such as Santa Monica in the upper left, appear red due to the alignment of streets and buildings to the incoming radar beam. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 3, 1994. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. This image is centered at 34.04 degrees North latitude and 118.2 degrees West longitude with North pointing toward the upper right. The area shown measures 40 kilometers by 50 kilometers (25 miles by 31 miles). http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01789

  2. On the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM): Bringing NASA's Earth System Science Program to the Classroom

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shepherd, J. Marshall

    1998-01-01

    The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission is the first mission dedicated to measuring tropical and subtropical rainfall using a variety of remote sensing instrumentation, including the first spaceborne rain-measuring radar. Since the energy released when tropical rainfall occurs is a primary "fuel" supply for the weather and climate "engine"; improvements in computer models which predict future weather and climate states may depend on better measurements of global tropical rainfall and its energy. In support of the STANYS conference theme of Education and Space, this presentation focuses on one aspect of NASA's Earth Systems Science Program. We seek to present an overview of the TRMM mission. This overview will discuss the scientific motivation for TRMM, the TRMM instrument package, and recent images from tropical rainfall systems and hurricanes. The presentation also targets educational components of the TRMM mission in the areas of weather, mathematics, technology, and geography that can be used by secondary school/high school educators in the classroom.

  3. Tracking morphological changes and slope instability using spaceborne and ground-based SAR data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Traglia, Federico; Nolesini, Teresa; Ciampalini, Andrea; Solari, Lorenzo; Frodella, William; Bellotti, Fernando; Fumagalli, Alfio; De Rosa, Giuseppe; Casagli, Nicola

    2018-01-01

    Stromboli (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy) is an active volcano that is frequently affected by moderate to large mass wasting, which has occasionally triggered tsunamis. With the aim of understanding the relationship between the geomorphologic evolution and slope instability of Stromboli, remote sensing information from space-born Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) change detection and interferometry (InSAR) () and Ground Based InSAR (GBInSAR) was compared with field observations and morphological analyses. Ground reflectivity and SqueeSAR™ (an InSAR algorithm for surface deformation monitoring) displacement measurements from X-band COSMO-SkyMed satellites (CSK) were analysed together with displacement measurements from a permanent-sited, Ku-band GBInSAR system. Remote sensing results were compared with a preliminary morphological analysis of the Sciara del Fuoco (SdF) steep volcanic flank, which was carried out using a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Finally, field observations, supported by infrared thermographic surveys (IRT), allowed the interpretation and validation of remote sensing data. The analysis of the entire dataset (collected between January 2010 and December 2014) covers a period characterized by a low intensity of Strombolian activity. This period was punctuated by the occurrence of lava overflows, occurring from the crater terrace evolving downslope toward SdF, and flank eruptions, such as the 2014 event. The amplitude of the CSK images collected between February 22nd, 2010, and December 18th, 2014, highlights that during periods characterized by low-intensity Strombolian activity, the production of materials ejected from the crater terrace towards the SdF is generally low, and erosion is the prevailing process mainly affecting the central sector of the SdF. CSK-SqueeSAR™ and GBInSAR data allowed the identification of low displacements in the SdF, except for high displacement rates (up to 1.5 mm/h) that were measured following both lava

  4. Earth Reflectivity from Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) Earth Polychromatic Camera (EPIC)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Song, W.; Knyazikhin, Y.; Wen, G.; Marshak, A.; Yan, G.; Mu, X.; Park, T.; Chen, C.; Xu, B.; Myneni, R. B.

    2017-12-01

    Earth reflectivity, which is also specified as Earth albedo or Earth reflectance, is defined as the fraction of incident solar radiation reflected back to space at the top of the atmosphere. It is a key climate parameter that describes climate forcing and associated response of the climate system. Satellite is one of the most efficient ways to measure earth reflectivity. Conventional polar orbit and geostationary satellites observe the Earth at a specific local solar time or monitor only a specific area of the Earth. For the first time, the NASA's Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) collects simultaneously radiance data of the entire sunlit earth at 8 km resolution at nadir every 65 to 110 min. It provides reflectivity images in backscattering direction with the scattering angle between 168º and 176º at 10 narrow spectral bands in ultraviolet, visible, and near-Infrared (NIR) wavelengths. We estimate the Earth reflectivity using DSCOVR EPIC observations and analyze errors in Earth reflectivity due to sampling strategy of polar orbit Terra/Aqua MODIS and geostationary Goddard Earth Observing System-R series missions. We also provide estimates of contributions from ocean, clouds, land and vegetation to the Earth reflectivity. Graphic abstract shows enhanced RGB EPIC images of the Earth taken on July-24-2016 at 7:04GMT and 15:48 GMT. Parallel lines depict a 2330 km wide Aqua MODIS swath. The plot shows diurnal courses of mean Earth reflectance over the Aqua swath (triangles) and the entire image (circles). In this example the relative difference between the mean reflectances is +34% at 7:04GMT and -16% at 15:48 GMT. Corresponding daily averages are 0.256 (0.044) and 0.231 (0.025). The relative precision estimated as root mean square relative error is 17.9% in this example.

  5. Space Radar Image of Florence, Italy

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This radar image shows land use patterns in and around the city of Florence, Italy, shown here in the center of the image. Florence is situated on a plain in the Chianti Hill region of Central Italy. The Arno River flows through town and is visible as the dark line running from the upper right to the bottom center of the image. The city is home to some of the world's most famous art museums. The bridges seen crossing the Arno, shown as faint red lines in the upper right portion of the image, were all sacked during World War II with the exception of the Ponte Vecchio, which remains as Florence's only covered bridge. The large, black V-shaped feature near the center of the image is the Florence Railroad Station. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on April 14, 1994. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. This image is centered at 43.7 degrees north latitude and 11.15 degrees east longitude with North toward the upper left of the image. The area shown measures 20 kilometers by 17 kilometers (12.4 miles by 10.6 miles). The colors in the image are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band horizontally transmitted, horizontally received; green is L-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received; blue is C-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01795

  6. Versatile data handling system study

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1974-01-01

    The objective of the study is discussed to arrive at recommendations for the most suitable image recording equipment for the use with various spaceborne earth observation sensors. Future sensors presently under consideration were included in the study, as well as existing sensors and those under development.

  7. Space Radar Image of Manaus region of Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    the first and second flights of the SIR-C/X-SAR system have validated the interpretation of the radar images. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  8. Space Radar Image of Kiluchevskoi, Volcano, Russia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    flanks of the volcano. Paths of these flows can be seen as thin lines in various shades of blue and green on the north flank in the center of the image. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.v.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  9. Space Radar Image of Dnieper River, Ukraine

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This spaceborne radar image shows the intensive agricultural development in central Ukraine, along the Dnieper River. The area shown lies about 320 kilometers 198 miles southeast of Kiev and about 360 kilometers 223 miles northeast of Odessa.

  10. 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.

  11. (abstract) The Evolving Spaceborne Radar Data Support to Earth Science and Operations at the Alaska SAR Facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Carsey, Frank D.

    1996-01-01

    The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) has been receiving, processing, archiving, and distributing data for Earth scientists and operations since it began receiving data in 1991. Four radar satellites are now being handled. Recent developments have served to increase the level of services of ASF to the Earth science community considerably. These developments are discussed.

  12. Earth - South America (first frame of Earth Spin Movie)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1990-01-01

    This color image of the Earth was obtained by Galileo at about 6:10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Dec. 11, 1990, when the spacecraft was about 1.3 million miles from the planet during the first of two Earth flybys on its way to Jupiter. The color composite used images taken through the red, green and violet filters. South America is near the center of the picture, and the white, sunlit continent of Antarctica is below. Picturesque weather fronts are visible in the South Atlantic, lower right. This is the first frame of the Galileo Earth spin movie, a 500- frame time-lapse motion picture showing a 25-hour period of Earth's rotation and atmospheric dynamics.

  13. Flight Test Results of the Earth Observing-1 Advanced Land Imager Advanced Land Imager

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mendenhall, Jeffrey A.; Lencioni, Donald E.; Hearn, David R.; Digenis, Constantine J.

    2002-09-01

    The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) is the primary instrument on the Earth Observing-1 spacecraft (EO-1) and was developed under NASA's New Millennium Program (NMP). The NMP mission objective is to flight-validate advanced technologies that will enable dramatic improvements in performance, cost, mass, and schedule for future, Landsat-like, Earth Science Enterprise instruments. ALI contains a number of innovative features designed to achieve this objective. These include the basic instrument architecture, which employs a push-broom data collection mode, a wide field-of-view optical design, compact multi-spectral detector arrays, non-cryogenic HgCdTe for the short wave infrared bands, silicon carbide optics, and a multi-level solar calibration technique. The sensor includes detector arrays that operate in ten bands, one panchromatic, six VNIR and three SWIR, spanning the range from 0.433 to 2.35 μm. Launched on November 21, 2000, ALI instrument performance was monitored during its first year on orbit using data collected during solar, lunar, stellar, and earth observations. This paper will provide an overview of EO-1 mission activities during this period. Additionally, the on-orbit spatial and radiometric performance of the instrument will be compared to pre-flight measurements and the temporal stability of ALI will be presented.

  14. Multiscale optical imaging of rare-earth-doped nanocomposites in a small animal model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Higgins, Laura M.; Ganapathy, Vidya; Kantamneni, Harini; Zhao, Xinyu; Sheng, Yang; Tan, Mei-Chee; Roth, Charles M.; Riman, Richard E.; Moghe, Prabhas V.; Pierce, Mark C.

    2018-03-01

    Rare-earth-doped nanocomposites have appealing optical properties for use as biomedical contrast agents, but few systems exist for imaging these materials. We describe the design and characterization of (i) a preclinical system for whole animal in vivo imaging and (ii) an integrated optical coherence tomography/confocal microscopy system for high-resolution imaging of ex vivo tissues. We demonstrate these systems by administering erbium-doped nanocomposites to a murine model of metastatic breast cancer. Short-wave infrared emissions were detected in vivo and in whole organ imaging ex vivo. Visible upconversion emissions and tissue autofluorescence were imaged in biopsy specimens, alongside optical coherence tomography imaging of tissue microstructure. We anticipate that this work will provide guidance for researchers seeking to image these nanomaterials across a wide range of biological models.

  15. Q selection for an electro-optical earth imaging system: theoretical and experimental results.

    PubMed

    Cochrane, Andy; Schulz, Kevin; Kendrick, Rick; Bell, Ray

    2013-09-23

    This paper explores practical design considerations for selecting Q for an electro-optical earth imaging system, where Q is defined as (λ FN) / pixel pitch. Analytical methods are used to show that, under imaging conditions with high SNR, increasing Q with fixed aperture cannot lead to degradation of image quality regardless of the angular smear rate of the system. The potential for degradation of image quality under low SNR is bounded by an increase of the detector noise scaling as Q. An imaging test bed is used to collect representative imagery for various Q configurations. The test bed includes real world errors such as image smear and haze. The value of Q is varied by changing the focal length of the imaging system. Imagery is presented over a broad range of parameters.

  16. Application of Spaceborne Scatterometer to Study Typhoon, Tropical Hydrologic Balance and El Nino

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, W. Timothy

    1995-01-01

    The high spatial resolution and global coverage of a spaceborne microwave scatterometer make it a power instrument to study phenomena ranging from typhoon to El Nino Southern Oscillation which have regional and short term economic and ecological impacts as well as effects on long term and global climate changes. In this report, the application of scatterometer data, by itself, to study the intensity and the evolution of typhoon is demonstrated. The potential of combining wind vector and precipitable water derived from two spaceborne sensors to study the hydrologic balance in the tropics is discussed. The role of westerly wind bursts as a precursor of anomalous warming in the equatorial Pacific is investigated with coincident data from microwave scatterometer, altimeter and radiometer.

  17. Radiometric Calibration of Earth Science Imagers Using HyCalCam on the Deep Space Gateway Platform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Butler, J. J.; Thome, K. J.

    2018-02-01

    HyCalCam, an SI-traceable imaging spectrometer on the Deep Space Gateway, acquires images of the Moon and Earth to characterize the lunar surface and terrestrial scenes for use as absolute calibration targets for on-orbit LEO and GEO sensors.

  18. Cloud Imagers Offer New Details on Earth's Health

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2009-01-01

    A stunning red sunset or purple sunrise is an aesthetic treat with a scientific explanation: The colors are a direct result of the absorption or reflectance of solar radiation by atmospheric aerosols, minute particles (either solid or liquid) in the Earth s atmosphere that occur both naturally and because of human activity. At the beginning or end of the day, the Sun s rays travel farther through the atmosphere to reach an observer s eyes and more green and yellow light is scattered, making the Sun appear red. Sunset and sunrise are especially colorful when the concentration of atmospheric particles is high. This ability of aerosols to absorb and reflect sunlight is not just pretty; it also determines the amount of radiation and heat that reaches the Earth s surface, and can profoundly affect climate. In the atmosphere, aerosols are also important as nuclei for the condensation of water droplets and ice crystals. Clouds with fewer aerosols cannot form as many water droplets (called cloud particles), and consequently, do not scatter light well. In this case, more sunlight reaches the Earth s surface. When aerosol levels in clouds are high, however, more nucleation points can form small liquid water droplets. These smaller cloud particles can reflect up to 90 percent of visible radiation to space, keeping the heat from ever reaching Earth s surface. The tendency for these particles to absorb or reflect the Sun s energy - called extinction by astronomers - depends on a number of factors, including chemical composition and the humidity and temperature in the surrounding air; because cloud particles are so small, they are affected quickly by minute changes in the atmosphere. Because of this sensitivity, atmospheric scientists study cloud particles to anticipate patterns and shifts in climate. Until recently, NASA s study of atmospheric aerosols and cloud particles has been focused primarily on satellite images, which, while granting large-scale atmospheric analysis

  19. An Assessment of Spaceborne Near-Nadir Interferometric SAR Performance Over Inland Waters with Real

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, H.; Li, S. Y.; Liu, Z. W.

    2018-04-01

    Elevation measurements of the continental water surface have been poorly collected with in situ measurements or occasionally with conventional altimeters with low accuracy. Techniques using InSAR at near-nadir angles to measure the inland water elevation with large swath and with high accuracy have been proposed, for instance, the WSOA on Jason 2 and the KaRIn on SWOT. However, the WSOA was abandoned unfortunately and the SWOT is planned to be launched in 2021. In this paper, we show real acquisitions of the first spaceborne InSAR of such kind, the Interferometric Imaging Radar Altimeter (InIRA), which has been working on Tiangong II spacecraft since 2016. We used the 90-m SRTM DEM as a reference to estimate the phase offset, and then an empirical calibration model was used to correct the baseline errors.

  20. Earth and Moon as viewed from Mars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2003-01-01

    MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-368, 22 May 2003

    [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Globe diagram illustrates the Earth's orientation as viewed from Mars (North and South America were in view).

    Earth/Moon: This is the first image of Earth ever taken from another planet that actually shows our home as a planetary disk. Because Earth and the Moon are closer to the Sun than Mars, they exhibit phases, just as the Moon, Venus, and Mercury do when viewed from Earth. As seen from Mars by MGS on 8 May 2003 at 13:00 GMT (6:00 AM PDT), Earth and the Moon appeared in the evening sky. The MOC Earth/Moon image has been specially processed to allow both Earth (with an apparent magnitude of -2.5) and the much darker Moon (with an apparent magnitude of +0.9) to be visible together. The bright area at the top of the image of Earth is cloud cover over central and eastern North America. Below that, a darker area includes Central America and the Gulf of Mexico. The bright feature near the center-right of the crescent Earth consists of clouds over northern South America. The image also shows the Earth-facing hemisphere of the Moon, since the Moon was on the far side of Earth as viewed from Mars. The slightly lighter tone of the lower portion of the image of the Moon results from the large and conspicuous ray system associated with the crater Tycho.

    A note about the coloring process: The MGS MOC high resolution camera only takes grayscale (black-and-white) images. To 'colorize' the image, a Mariner 10 Earth/Moon image taken in 1973 was used to color the MOC Earth and Moon picture. The procedure used was as follows: the Mariner 10 image was converted from 24-bit color to 8-bit color using a JPEG to GIF conversion program. The 8-bit color image was converted to 8-bit grayscale and an associated lookup table mapping each gray value of the image to a red-green-blue color triplet (RGB). Each color triplet was root-sum-squared (RSS), and sorted in increasing RSS

  1. Space Radar of Image Aorounga Impact Crater, Chad

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    The impact of an asteroid or comet several hundred million years ago left scars in the landscape that are still visible in this spaceborne radar image of an area in the Sahara Desert of northern Chad.

  2. Tunable Light-Guide Image Processing Snapshot Spectrometer (TuLIPSS) for Earth and Moon Observations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tkaczyk, T. S.; Alexander, D.; Luvall, J. C.; Wang, Y.; Dwight, J. G.; Pawlowsk, M. E.; Howell, B.; Tatum, P. F.; Stoian, R.-I.; Cheng, S.; Daou, A.

    2018-02-01

    A tunable light-guide image processing snapshot spectrometer (TuLIPSS) for Earth science research and observation is being developed through a NASA instrument incubator project with Rice University and Marshall Space Flight Center.

  3. Hurricane Katrina as Observed by NASA's Spaceborne Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2005-01-01

    [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Figure 1: click on image for larger AIRS microwave image

    At 1:30 a.m. local time this morning, the remnants of (now Tropical Depression) Katrina were centered on the Mississippi-Tennessee border. This microwave image from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder instrument on NASA's Aqua spacecrat shows that the area of most intense precipitation was concentrated to the north of the center of activity.

    The infrared image shows how the storms look through an AIRS Infrared window channel. Window channels measure the temperature of the cloud tops or the surface of the Earth in cloud-free regions. The lowest temperatures are associated with high, cold cloud tops that make up the top of the hurricane. The infrared signal does not penetrate through clouds, so the purple color indicates the cool cloud tops of the storm. In cloud-free areas, the infrared signal is retrieved at the Earth's surface, revealing warmer temperatures. Cooler areas are pushing to purple and warmer areas are pushing to red.

    The microwave image (figure 1) reveals where the heaviest precipitation in the hurricane is taking place. The blue areas within the storm show the location of this heavy precipitation. Blue areas outside of the storm where there are moderate or no clouds are where the cold (in the microwave sense) sea surface shines through.

    The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Experiment, with its visible, infrared, and microwave detectors, provides a three-dimensional look at Earth's weather. Working in tandem, the three instruments can make simultaneous observations all the way down to the Earth's surface, even in the presence of heavy clouds. With more than 2,000 channels sensing different regions of the atmosphere, the system creates a global, 3-D map of atmospheric temperature and humidity and provides information on clouds, greenhouse gases, and many other atmospheric phenomena. The AIRS Infrared Sounder Experiment flies onboard

  4. Comparison Analysis of Recognition Algorithms of Forest-Cover Objects on Hyperspectral Air-Borne and Space-Borne Images

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kozoderov, V. V.; Kondranin, T. V.; Dmitriev, E. V.

    2017-12-01

    The basic model for the recognition of natural and anthropogenic objects using their spectral and textural features is described in the problem of hyperspectral air-borne and space-borne imagery processing. The model is based on improvements of the Bayesian classifier that is a computational procedure of statistical decision making in machine-learning methods of pattern recognition. The principal component method is implemented to decompose the hyperspectral measurements on the basis of empirical orthogonal functions. Application examples are shown of various modifications of the Bayesian classifier and Support Vector Machine method. Examples are provided of comparing these classifiers and a metrical classifier that operates on finding the minimal Euclidean distance between different points and sets in the multidimensional feature space. A comparison is also carried out with the " K-weighted neighbors" method that is close to the nonparametric Bayesian classifier.

  5. Space Radar Image of Harvard Forest

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a radar image of the area surrounding the Harvard Forest in north-central Massachusetts that has been operated as a ecological research facility by Harvard University since 1907. At the center of the image is the Quabbin Reservoir, and the Connecticut River is at the lower left of the image. The Harvard Forest itself is just above the reservoir. Researchers are comparing the naturally occurring physical disturbances in the forest and the recent and projected chemical disturbances and their effects on the forest ecosystem. Agricultural land appears dark blue/purple, along with low shrub vegetation and some wetlands. Urban development is bright pink; the yellow to green tints are conifer-dominated vegetation with the pitch pine sand plain at the middle left edge of the image appearing very distinctive. The green tint may indicate pure pine plantation stands, and deciduous broadleaf trees appear gray/pink with perhaps wetter sites being pinker. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The image is centered at 42.50 degrees North latitude and 72.33 degrees West longitude and covers an area of 53 kilometers 63 by kilometers (33 miles by 39 miles). The colors in the image are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band horizontally transmitted and horizontally received; green is L-band horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is C-band horizontally transmitted and horizontally received.

  6. Accelerating Spaceborne SAR Imaging Using Multiple CPU/GPU Deep Collaborative Computing.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Fan; Li, Guojun; Li, Wei; Hu, Wei; Hu, Yuxin

    2016-04-07

    With the development of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technologies in recent years, the huge amount of remote sensing data brings challenges for real-time imaging processing. Therefore, high performance computing (HPC) methods have been presented to accelerate SAR imaging, especially the GPU based methods. In the classical GPU based imaging algorithm, GPU is employed to accelerate image processing by massive parallel computing, and CPU is only used to perform the auxiliary work such as data input/output (IO). However, the computing capability of CPU is ignored and underestimated. In this work, a new deep collaborative SAR imaging method based on multiple CPU/GPU is proposed to achieve real-time SAR imaging. Through the proposed tasks partitioning and scheduling strategy, the whole image can be generated with deep collaborative multiple CPU/GPU computing. In the part of CPU parallel imaging, the advanced vector extension (AVX) method is firstly introduced into the multi-core CPU parallel method for higher efficiency. As for the GPU parallel imaging, not only the bottlenecks of memory limitation and frequent data transferring are broken, but also kinds of optimized strategies are applied, such as streaming, parallel pipeline and so on. Experimental results demonstrate that the deep CPU/GPU collaborative imaging method enhances the efficiency of SAR imaging on single-core CPU by 270 times and realizes the real-time imaging in that the imaging rate outperforms the raw data generation rate.

  7. Accelerating Spaceborne SAR Imaging Using Multiple CPU/GPU Deep Collaborative Computing

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Fan; Li, Guojun; Li, Wei; Hu, Wei; Hu, Yuxin

    2016-01-01

    With the development of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technologies in recent years, the huge amount of remote sensing data brings challenges for real-time imaging processing. Therefore, high performance computing (HPC) methods have been presented to accelerate SAR imaging, especially the GPU based methods. In the classical GPU based imaging algorithm, GPU is employed to accelerate image processing by massive parallel computing, and CPU is only used to perform the auxiliary work such as data input/output (IO). However, the computing capability of CPU is ignored and underestimated. In this work, a new deep collaborative SAR imaging method based on multiple CPU/GPU is proposed to achieve real-time SAR imaging. Through the proposed tasks partitioning and scheduling strategy, the whole image can be generated with deep collaborative multiple CPU/GPU computing. In the part of CPU parallel imaging, the advanced vector extension (AVX) method is firstly introduced into the multi-core CPU parallel method for higher efficiency. As for the GPU parallel imaging, not only the bottlenecks of memory limitation and frequent data transferring are broken, but also kinds of optimized strategies are applied, such as streaming, parallel pipeline and so on. Experimental results demonstrate that the deep CPU/GPU collaborative imaging method enhances the efficiency of SAR imaging on single-core CPU by 270 times and realizes the real-time imaging in that the imaging rate outperforms the raw data generation rate. PMID:27070606

  8. Multiscale optical imaging of rare-earth-doped nanocomposites in a small animal model.

    PubMed

    Higgins, Laura M; Ganapathy, Vidya; Kantamneni, Harini; Zhao, Xinyu; Sheng, Yang; Tan, Mei-Chee; Roth, Charles M; Riman, Richard E; Moghe, Prabhas V; Pierce, Mark C

    2018-03-01

    Rare-earth-doped nanocomposites have appealing optical properties for use as biomedical contrast agents, but few systems exist for imaging these materials. We describe the design and characterization of (i) a preclinical system for whole animal in vivo imaging and (ii) an integrated optical coherence tomography/confocal microscopy system for high-resolution imaging of ex vivo tissues. We demonstrate these systems by administering erbium-doped nanocomposites to a murine model of metastatic breast cancer. Short-wave infrared emissions were detected in vivo and in whole organ imaging ex vivo. Visible upconversion emissions and tissue autofluorescence were imaged in biopsy specimens, alongside optical coherence tomography imaging of tissue microstructure. We anticipate that this work will provide guidance for researchers seeking to image these nanomaterials across a wide range of biological models. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

  9. Error analysis for a spaceborne laser ranging system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pavlis, E. C.

    1979-01-01

    The dependence (or independence) of baseline accuracies, obtained from a typical mission of a spaceborne ranging system, on several factors is investigated. The emphasis is placed on a priori station information, but factors such as the elevation cut-off angle, the geometry of the network, the mean orbital height, and to a limited extent geopotential modeling are also examined. The results are obtained through simulations, but some theoretical justification is also given. Guidelines for freeing the results from these dependencies are suggested for most of the factors.

  10. Earth as art 4

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2016-03-29

    Landsat 8 is the latest addition to the long-running series of Earth-observing satellites in the Landsat program that began in 1972. The images featured in this fourth installment of the Earth As Art collection were all acquired by Landsat 8. They show our planet’s diverse landscapes with remarkable clarity.Landsat satellites see the Earth as no human can. Not only do they acquire images from the vantage point of space, but their sensors record infrared as well as visible wavelengths of light. The resulting images often reveal “hidden” details of the Earth’s land surface, making them invaluable for scientific research.As with previous Earth As Art exhibits, these Landsat images were selected solely for their aesthetic appeal. Many of the images have been manipulated to enhance color variations or details. They are not intended for scientific interpretation—only for your viewing pleasure. What do you see in these unique glimpses of the Earth’s continents, islands, and coastlines?

  11. Space Radar Image of Kliuchevskoi, Russia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    mature in Kamchatka's 120-day growing season. The forest industry is managing these forests and practicing selective cutting to allow younger trees time to grow and reseed. X-SAR images will aid in mapping these deforested areas and in encouraging further recultivation efforts. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtange-legenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  12. ISS EarthKam: Taking Photos of the Earth from Space

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haste, Turtle

    2008-01-01

    NASA is involved in a project involving the International Space Station (ISS) and an Earth-focused camera called EarthKam, where schools, and ultimately students, are allowed to remotely program the EarthKAM to take images. Here the author describes how EarthKam was used to help middle school students learn about biomes and develop their…

  13. Unlocking the Full Potential of Earth Observation During the 2015 Texas Flood Disaster

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schumann, G. J-P.; Frye, S.; Wells, G.; Adler, R.; Brakenridge, R.; Bolten, J.; Murray, J.; Slayback, D.; Policelli, F.; Kirschbaum, D.; hide

    2016-01-01

    Intense rainfall during late April and early May 2015 in Texas and Oklahoma led to widespread and sustained flooding in several river basins. Texas state agencies relevant to emergency response were activated when severe weather then ensued for 6 weeks from 8 May until 19 June following Tropical Storm Bill. An international team of scientists and flood response experts assembled and collaborated with decision-making authorities for user-driven high-resolution satellite acquisitions over the most critical areas; while experimental automated flood mapping techniques provided daily ongoing monitoring. This allowed mapping of flood inundation from an unprecedented number of spaceborne and airborne images. In fact, a total of 27,174 images have been ingested to the USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) Explorer, except for the SAR images used. Based on the Texas flood use case, we describe the success of this effort as well as the limitations in fulfilling the needs of the decision-makers, and reflect upon these. In order to unlock the full potential for Earth observation data in flood disaster response, we suggest in a call for action(i) stronger collaboration from the onset between agencies, product developers, and decision-makers;(ii) quantification of uncertainties when combining data from different sources in order to augment information content; (iii) include a default role for the end-user in satellite acquisition planning; and(iv) proactive assimilation of methodologies and tools into the mandated agencies.

  14. Unlocking the full potential of Earth observation during the 2015 Texas flood disaster

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schumann, G. J.-P.; Frye, S.; Wells, G.; Adler, R.; Brakenridge, R.; Bolten, J.; Murray, J.; Slayback, D.; Policelli, F.; Kirschbaum, D.; Wu, H.; Cappelaere, P.; Howard, T.; Flamig, Z.; Clark, R.; Stough, T.; Chini, M.; Matgen, P.; Green, D.; Jones, B.

    2016-05-01

    Intense rainfall during late April and early May 2015 in Texas and Oklahoma led to widespread and sustained flooding in several river basins. Texas state agencies relevant to emergency response were activated when severe weather then ensued for 6 weeks from 8 May until 19 June following Tropical Storm Bill. An international team of scientists and flood response experts assembled and collaborated with decision-making authorities for user-driven high-resolution satellite acquisitions over the most critical areas; while experimental automated flood mapping techniques provided daily ongoing monitoring. This allowed mapping of flood inundation from an unprecedented number of spaceborne and airborne images. In fact, a total of 27,174 images have been ingested to the USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS) Explorer, except for the SAR images used. Based on the Texas flood use case, we describe the success of this effort as well as the limitations in fulfilling the needs of the decision-makers, and reflect upon these. In order to unlock the full potential for Earth observation data in flood disaster response, we suggest in a call for action (i) stronger collaboration from the onset between agencies, product developers, and decision-makers; (ii) quantification of uncertainties when combining data from different sources in order to augment information content; (iii) include a default role for the end-user in satellite acquisition planning; and (iv) proactive assimilation of methodologies and tools into the mandated agencies.

  15. Determination of the Earth's Plasmapause Location from the CE-3 EUVC Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    He, Fei; Zhang, Xiao-Xin; Chen, Bo; Fok, Mei-Ching; Nakano, Shinya

    2016-01-01

    The Moon-based Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUVC) aboard China's Chang'e-3 (CE-3) mission has successfully imaged the entire Earth's plasmasphere for the first time from the side views on lunar surface. An EUVC image on 21 April 2014 is used in this study to demonstrate the characteristics and configurations of the Moon-based EUV imaging and to illustrate the determination algorithm of the plasmapause locations on the magnetic equator. The plasmapause locations determined from all the available EUVC images with the Minimum L Algorithm are quantitatively compared with those extracted from insitu observations (Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms, and Radiation Belt Storm Probes). Excellent agreement between the determined plasmapauses seen by EUVC and the extracted ones from other satellites indicates the reliability of the Moon-based EUVC images as well as the determination algorithm. This preliminary study provides an important basis for future investigation of the dynamics of the plasmasphere with the Moon-based EUVC imaging.

  16. Guidance and control 1991; Proceedings of the Annual Rocky Mountain Guidance and Control Conference, Keystone, CO, Feb. 2-6, 1991

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Culp, Robert D.; McQuerry, James P.

    1991-07-01

    The present conference on guidance and control encompasses advances in guidance, navigation, and control, storyboard displays, approaches to space-borne pointing control, international space programs, recent experiences with systems, and issues regarding navigation in the low-earth-orbit space environment. Specific issues addressed include a scalable architecture for an operational spaceborne autonavigation system, the mitigation of multipath error in GPS-based attitude determination, microgravity flight testing of a laboratory robot, and the application of neural networks. Other issues addressed include image navigation with second-generation Meteosat, Magellan star-scanner experiences, high-precision control systems for telescopes and interferometers, gravitational effects on low-earth orbiters, experimental verification of nanometer-level optical pathlengths, and a flight telerobotic servicer prototype simulator. (For individual items see A93-15577 to A93-15613)

  17. Evidence for Crater Ejecta on Venus Tessera Terrain from Earth-Based Radar Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Campbell, Bruce A.; Campbell, Donald B.; Morgan, Gareth A.; Carter, Lynn M.; Nolan, Michael C.; Chandler, John F.

    2014-01-01

    We combine Earth-based radar maps of Venus from the 1988 and 2012 inferior conjunctions, which had similar viewing geometries. Processing of both datasets with better image focusing and co-registration techniques, and summing over multiple looks, yields maps with 1-2 km spatial resolution and improved signal to noise ratio, especially in the weaker same-sense circular (SC) polarization. The SC maps are unique to Earth-based observations, and offer a different view of surface properties from orbital mapping using same-sense linear (HH or VV) polarization. Highland or tessera terrains on Venus, which may retain a record of crustal differentiation and processes occurring prior to the loss of water, are of great interest for future spacecraft landings. The Earth-based radar images reveal multiple examples of tessera mantling by impact ''parabolas'' or ''haloes'', and can extend mapping of locally thick material from Magellan data by revealing thinner deposits over much larger areas. Of particular interest is an ejecta deposit from Stuart crater that we infer to mantle much of eastern Alpha Regio. Some radar-dark tessera occurrences may indicate sediments that are trapped for longer periods than in the plains. We suggest that such radar information is important for interpretation of orbital infrared data and selection of future tessera landing sites.

  18. Mapping alteration using imagery from the Tiangong-1 hyperspectral spaceborne system: Example for the Jintanzi gold province, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Lei; Feng, Jilu; Rivard, Benoit; Xu, Xinliang; Zhou, Jun; Han, Ling; Yang, Junlu; Ren, Guangli

    2018-02-01

    The Tiangong-1 Hyperspectral Imager (HSI) is a relatively new spaceborne hyperspectral remote sensing system that was launched by the Chinese government on September 29th 2011. The system has 64 shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectral bands (1000-2500 nm) and imagery is at a spatial resolution of 20 m. This study represents an evaluation of Tiangong-1 data for the production of alteration mineral maps. Alteration mineral maps resulting from the analysis of Tiangong-1 HSI data and airborne SASI (Shortwave infrared Airborne Spectrographic Imager) data are compared for the Jintanzi area, Beishan, Gansu province, northwest China where gold bearing veins are documented. The results illustrate the detection of muscovite, kaolinite, chlorite, epidote, calcite and dolomite from Tiangong-1 HSI data and most anomalies seen in the airborne SASI data are captured. The Tiangong-1 data appears to be well suited for the detection of surface mineralogy in support of regional mapping and exploration. The data complements that which will be offered by the Chinese GF-5 Hyperspectral Imager and the German EnMAP system, both scheduled for launch in 2018.

  19. A New Paradigm in Earth Environmental Monitoring with the CYGNSS Small Satellite Constellation.

    PubMed

    Ruf, Christopher S; Chew, Clara; Lang, Timothy; Morris, Mary G; Nave, Kyle; Ridley, Aaron; Balasubramaniam, Rajeswari

    2018-06-08

    A constellation of small, low-cost satellites is able to make scientifically valuable measurements of the Earth which can be used for weather forecasting, disaster monitoring, and climate studies. Eight CYGNSS satellites were launched into low Earth orbit on December 15, 2016. Each satellite carries a science radar receiver which measures GPS signals reflected from the Earth surface. The signals contain information about the surface, including wind speed over ocean, and soil moisture and flooding over land. The satellites are distributed around their orbit plane so that measurements can be made more often to capture extreme weather events. Innovative engineering approaches are used to reduce per satellite cost, increase the number in the constellation, and improve temporal sampling. These include the use of differential drag rather than propulsion to adjust the spacing between satellites and the use of existing GPS signals as the science radars' transmitter. Initial on-orbit results demonstrate the scientific utility of the CYGNSS observations, and suggest that a new paradigm in spaceborne Earth environmental monitoring is possible.

  20. A New Paradigm in Earth Environmental Monitoring with the CYGNSS Small Satellite Constellation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ruf, C. S.; Chew, C.; Lang, T.; Morris, M. G.; Kyle, K.; Ridley, A.; Balasubramaniam, R.

    2018-01-01

    A constellation of small, low-cost satellites is able to make scientifically valuable measurements of the Earth which can be used for weather forecasting, disaster monitoring, and climate studies. Eight CYGNSS satellites were launched into low Earth orbit on December 15, 2016. Each satellite carries a science radar receiver which measures GPS signals reflected from the Earth surface. The signals contain information about the surface, including wind speed over ocean and soil moisture and flooding over land. The satellites are distributed around the globe so that measurements can be made more often to capture extreme weather events. Innovative engineering approaches are used to reduce per satellite cost, increase the number in the constellation, and improve temporal sampling. These include the use of differential drag rather than propulsion to adjust the spacing between satellites and the use of existing GPS signals as the science radars’ transmitter. Initial on-orbit results demonstrate the scientific utility of the CYGNSS observations, and suggest that a new paradigm in spaceborne Earth environmental monitoring is possible.

  1. Space Radar Image of Rabaul Volcano, New Guinea

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    the image. Ashfall and subsequent rains caused the collapse of most buildings in the town of Rabaul. Mudflows and flooding continue to pose serious threats to the town and surrounding villages. Volcanologists and local authorities expect to use data such as this radar image to assist them in identifying the mechanisms of the eruption and future hazardous conditions that may be associated with the vigorously active volcano. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.v.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  2. SPICES: Spectro-Polarimetric Imaging and Characterization of Exoplanetary Systems - From Planetary Disks To Nearby Super Earths

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boccaletti, Anthony; Schneider, Jean; Traub, Wes; Lagage, Pierre-Olivier; Stam, Daphne; Gratton, Raffaele; Trauger, John; Cahoy, Kerri; Snik, Frans; Baudoz, Pierre; hide

    2012-01-01

    SPICES (Spectro-Polarimetric Imaging and Characterization of Exoplanetary Systems) is a five-year M-class mission proposed to ESA Cosmic Vision. Its purpose is to image and characterize long-period extrasolar planets and circumstellar disks in the visible (450-900 nm) at a spectral resolution of about 40 using both spectroscopy and polarimetry. By 2020/2022, present and near-term instruments will have found several tens of planets that SPICES will be able to observe and study in detail. Equipped with a 1.5 m telescope, SPICES can preferentially access exoplanets located at several AUs (0.5-10 AU) from nearby stars (less than 25 pc) with masses ranging from a few Jupiter masses to Super Earths (approximately 2 Earth radii, approximately 10 mass compared to Earth) as well as circumstellar disks as faint as a few times the zodiacal light in the Solar System.

  3. Spheres of Earth: An Introduction to Making Observations of Earth Using an Earth System's Science Approach. Student Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Graff, Paige Valderrama; Baker, Marshalyn (Editor); Graff, Trevor (Editor); Lindgren, Charlie (Editor); Mailhot, Michele (Editor); McCollum, Tim (Editor); Runco, Susan (Editor); Stefanov, William (Editor); Willis, Kim (Editor)

    2010-01-01

    Scientists from the Image Science and Analysis Laboratory (ISAL) at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) work with astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) who take images of Earth. Astronaut photographs, sometimes referred to as Crew Earth Observations, are taken using hand-held digital cameras onboard the ISS. These digital images allow scientists to study our Earth from the unique perspective of space. Astronauts have taken images of Earth since the 1960s. There is a database of over 900,000 astronaut photographs available at http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov . Images are requested by ISAL scientists at JSC and astronauts in space personally frame and acquire them from the Destiny Laboratory or other windows in the ISS. By having astronauts take images, they can specifically frame them according to a given request and need. For example, they can choose to use different lenses to vary the amount of area (field of view) an image will cover. Images can be taken at different times of the day which allows different lighting conditions to bring out or highlight certain features. The viewing angle at which an image is acquired can also be varied to show the same area from different perspectives. Pointing the camera straight down gives you a nadir shot. Pointing the camera at an angle to get a view across an area would be considered an oblique shot. Being able to change these variables makes astronaut photographs a unique and useful data set. Astronaut photographs are taken from the ISS from altitudes of 300 - 400 km (185 to 250 miles). One of the current cameras being used, the Nikon D3X digital camera, can take images using a 50, 100, 250, 400 or 800mm lens. These different lenses allow for a wider or narrower field of view. The higher the focal length (800mm for example) the narrower the field of view (less area will be covered). Higher focal lengths also show greater detail of the area on the surface being imaged. Scientists from the Image Science and Analysis

  4. Cloud Detection with the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meyer, Kerry; Marshak, Alexander; Lyapustin, Alexei; Torres, Omar; Wang, Yugie

    2011-01-01

    The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) on board the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) would provide a unique opportunity for Earth and atmospheric research due not only to its Lagrange point sun-synchronous orbit, but also to the potential for synergistic use of spectral channels in both the UV and visible spectrum. As a prerequisite for most applications, the ability to detect the presence of clouds in a given field of view, known as cloud masking, is of utmost importance. It serves to determine both the potential for cloud contamination in clear-sky applications (e.g., land surface products and aerosol retrievals) and clear-sky contamination in cloud applications (e.g., cloud height and property retrievals). To this end, a preliminary cloud mask algorithm has been developed for EPIC that applies thresholds to reflected UV and visible radiances, as well as to reflected radiance ratios. This algorithm has been tested with simulated EPIC radiances over both land and ocean scenes, with satisfactory results. These test results, as well as algorithm sensitivity to potential instrument uncertainties, will be presented.

  5. You are here: Earth as seen from Mars

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2004-03-11

    This is the first image ever taken of Earth from the surface of a planet beyond the Moon. It was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit one hour before sunrise on the 63rd martian day, or sol, of its mission. The image is a mosaic of images taken by the rover's navigation camera showing a broad view of the sky, and an image taken by the rover's panoramic camera of Earth. The contrast in the panoramic camera image was increased two times to make Earth easier to see. The inset shows a combination of four panoramic camera images zoomed in on Earth. The arrow points to Earth. Earth was too faint to be detected in images taken with the panoramic camera's color filters. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05547

  6. Multipurpose Hyperspectral Imaging System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mao, Chengye; Smith, David; Lanoue, Mark A.; Poole, Gavin H.; Heitschmidt, Jerry; Martinez, Luis; Windham, William A.; Lawrence, Kurt C.; Park, Bosoon

    2005-01-01

    A hyperspectral imaging system of high spectral and spatial resolution that incorporates several innovative features has been developed to incorporate a focal plane scanner (U.S. Patent 6,166,373). This feature enables the system to be used for both airborne/spaceborne and laboratory hyperspectral imaging with or without relative movement of the imaging system, and it can be used to scan a target of any size as long as the target can be imaged at the focal plane; for example, automated inspection of food items and identification of single-celled organisms. The spectral resolution of this system is greater than that of prior terrestrial multispectral imaging systems. Moreover, unlike prior high-spectral resolution airborne and spaceborne hyperspectral imaging systems, this system does not rely on relative movement of the target and the imaging system to sweep an imaging line across a scene. This compact system (see figure) consists of a front objective mounted at a translation stage with a motorized actuator, and a line-slit imaging spectrograph mounted within a rotary assembly with a rear adaptor to a charged-coupled-device (CCD) camera. Push-broom scanning is carried out by the motorized actuator which can be controlled either manually by an operator or automatically by a computer to drive the line-slit across an image at a focal plane of the front objective. To reduce the cost, the system has been designed to integrate as many as possible off-the-shelf components including the CCD camera and spectrograph. The system has achieved high spectral and spatial resolutions by using a high-quality CCD camera, spectrograph, and front objective lens. Fixtures for attachment of the system to a microscope (U.S. Patent 6,495,818 B1) make it possible to acquire multispectral images of single cells and other microscopic objects.

  7. 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.

  8. Boosting the down-shifting luminescence of rare-earth nanocrystals for biological imaging beyond 1500 nm.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Yeteng; Ma, Zhuoran; Zhu, Shoujun; Yue, Jingying; Zhang, Mingxi; Antaris, Alexander L; Yuan, Jie; Cui, Ran; Wan, Hao; Zhou, Ying; Wang, Weizhi; Huang, Ngan F; Luo, Jian; Hu, Zhiyuan; Dai, Hongjie

    2017-09-29

    In vivo fluorescence imaging in the near-infrared region between 1500-1700 nm (NIR-IIb window) affords high spatial resolution, deep-tissue penetration, and diminished auto-fluorescence due to the suppressed scattering of long-wavelength photons and large fluorophore Stokes shifts. However, very few NIR-IIb fluorescent probes exist currently. Here, we report the synthesis of a down-conversion luminescent rare-earth nanocrystal with cerium doping (Er/Ce co-doped NaYbF 4 nanocrystal core with an inert NaYF 4 shell). Ce doping is found to suppress the up-conversion pathway while boosting down-conversion by ~9-fold to produce bright 1550 nm luminescence under 980 nm excitation. Optimization of the inert shell coating surrounding the core and hydrophilic surface functionalization minimize the luminescence quenching effect by water. The resulting biocompatible, bright 1550 nm emitting nanoparticles enable fast in vivo imaging of blood vasculature in the mouse brain and hindlimb in the NIR-IIb window with short exposure time of 20 ms for rare-earth based probes.Fluorescence imaging in the near-infrared window between 1500-1700 nm (NIR-IIb window) offers superior spatial resolution and tissue penetration depth, but few NIR-IIb probes exist. Here, the authors synthesize rare earth down-converting nanocrystals as promising fluorescent probes for in vivo imaging in this spectral region.

  9. Earth - South America First Frame of Earth Spin Movie

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1996-01-29

    This color image of the Earth was obtained by NASA's Galileo at about 6:10 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on Dec. 11, 1990, when the spacecraft was about 1.3 million miles from the planet during the first of two Earth flybys on its way to Jupiter. The color composite used images taken through the red, green and violet filters. South America is near the center of the picture, and the white, sunlit continent of Antarctica is below. Picturesque weather fronts are visible in the South Atlantic, lower right. This is the first frame of the Galileo Earth spin movie, a 500- frame time-lapse motion picture showing a 25-hour period of Earth's rotation and atmospheric dynamics. A movie is availalble at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00114

  10. Space Radar Image of Possible String of Impact Creaters

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    The impact of an asteroid or comet several hundred million years ago left scars in the landscape that are still visible in this spaceborne radar image of an area in the Sahara Desert of northern Chad.

  11. Space Radar Image of Rhine River, France and Germany

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This spaceborne radar image shows a segment of the Rhine River where it forms the border between the Alsace region of northeastern France on the left and the Black Forest region of Germany on the right.

  12. Development of micro-mirror slicer integral field unit for space-borne solar spectrographs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suematsu, Yoshinori; Saito, Kosuke; Koyama, Masatsugu; Enokida, Yukiya; Okura, Yukinobu; Nakayasu, Tomoyasu; Sukegawa, Takashi

    2017-12-01

    We present an innovative optical design for image slicer integral field unit (IFU) and a manufacturing method that overcomes optical limitations of metallic mirrors. Our IFU consists of a micro-mirror slicer of 45 arrayed, highly narrow, flat metallic mirrors and a pseudo-pupil-mirror array of off-axis conic aspheres forming three pseudo slits of re-arranged slicer images. A prototype IFU demonstrates that the final optical quality is sufficiently high for a visible light spectrograph. Each slicer micro-mirror is 1.58 mm long and 30 μm wide with surface roughness ≤1 nm rms, and edge sharpness ≤ 0.1 μm, etc. This IFU is small size and can be implemented in a multi-slit spectrograph without any moving mechanism and fore optics, in which one slit is real and the others are pseudo slits from the IFU. The IFU mirrors were deposited by a space-qualified, protected silver coating for high reflectivity in visible and near IR wavelength regions. These properties are well suitable for space-borne spectrograph such as the future Japanese solar space mission SOLAR-C. We present the optical design, performance of prototype IFU, and space qualification tests of the silver coating.

  13. Spaceborne GNSS reflectometry for ocean winds: First results from the UK TechDemoSat-1 mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foti, Giuseppe; Gommenginger, Christine; Jales, Philip; Unwin, Martin; Shaw, Andrew; Robertson, Colette; Roselló, Josep

    2015-07-01

    First results are presented for ocean surface wind speed retrieval from reflected GPS signals measured by the low Earth orbiting UK TechDemoSat-1 satellite (TDS-1). Launched in July 2014, TDS-1 provides the first new spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) data since the pioneering UK-Disaster Monitoring Mission (UK-DMC) experiment in 2003. Examples of onboard-processed delay-Doppler maps reveal excellent data quality for winds up to 27.9 m/s. Collocated Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) winds are used to develop and evaluate a wind speed algorithm based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the bistatic radar equation. For SNRs greater than 3 dB, wind speed is retrieved without bias and a precision around 2.2 m/s between 3 and 18 m/s even without calibration. Exploiting lower SNR signals, however, requires good knowledge of the antenna beam, platform attitude, and instrument gain setting. This study demonstrates the capabilities of low-cost, low-mass, and low-power GNSS-R receivers ahead of their launch on the NASA Cyclone GNSS (CYGNSS) constellation in 2016.

  14. Space Radar Image of Mammoth, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    These two images were created using data from the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The image on the left is a false-color composite of the Mammoth Mountain area in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains centered at 37.6 degrees north, 119.0 degrees west. It was acquired on-board the space shuttle Endeavour on its 67th orbit on April 13, 1994. In the image on the left, red is C-band HV-polarization, green is C-band HH-polarization and blue is the ratio of C-band VV-polarization to C-band HV-polarization. On the right is a classification map of the surface features which was developed by SIR-C/X-SAR science team members at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The area is about 23 by 46 kilometers (14 by 29 miles). In the classification image, the colors represent the following surfaces: White snow Red frozen lake, covered by snow Brown bare ground Blue lake (open water) Yellow short vegetation (mainly brush) Green sparse forest Dark green dense forest Maps like this one are helpful to scientists studying snow wetness and snow water equivalent in the snow pack. Across the globe, over major portions of the middle and high latitudes, and at high elevations in the tropical latitudes, snow and alpine glaciers are the largest contributors to run-off in rivers and to ground-water recharge. Snow hydrologists are using radar in an attempt to estimate both the quantity of water held by seasonal snow packs and the timing of snow melt. Snow and ice also play important roles in regional climates; understanding the processes in seasonal snow cover is also important for studies of the chemical balance of alpine drainage basins. SIR-C/X-SAR is a powerful tool because it is sensitive to most snow pack conditions and is less influenced by weather conditions than other remote sensing instruments, such as the Landsat satellite. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth

  15. Earth as art three

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    ,

    2010-01-01

    For most of us, deserts, mountains, river valleys, coastlines even dry lakebeds are relatively familiar features of the Earth's terrestrial environment. For earth scientists, they are the focus of considerable scientific research. Viewed from a unique and unconventional perspective, Earth's geographic attributes can also be a surprising source of awe-inspiring art. That unique perspective is space. The artists for the Earth as Art Three exhibit are the Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 satellites, which orbit approximately 705 kilometers (438 miles) above the Earth's surface. While studying the images these satellites beam down daily, researchers are often struck by the sheer beauty of the scenes. Such images inspire the imagination and go beyond scientific value to remind us how stunning, intricate, and simply amazing our planet's features can be. Instead of paint, the medium for these works of art is light. But Landsat satellite sensors don't see light as human eyes do; instead, they see radiant energy reflected from Earth's surface in certain wavelengths, or bands, of red, green, blue, and infrared light. When these different bands are combined into a single image, remarkable patterns, colors, and shapes emerge. The Earth as Art Three exhibit provides fresh and inspiring glimpses of different parts of our planet's complex surface. The images in this collection were chosen solely based on their aesthetic appeal. Many of the images have been manipulated to enhance color variations or details. They are not intended for scientific interpretation only for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

  16. Earth

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2012-01-30

    Behold one of the more detailed images of the Earth yet created. This Blue Marble Earth montage shown above -- created from photographs taken by the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument on board the new Suomi NPP satellite -- shows many stunning details of our home planet. The Suomi NPP satellite was launched last October and renamed last week after Verner Suomi, commonly deemed the father of satellite meteorology. The composite was created from the data collected during four orbits of the robotic satellite taken earlier this month and digitally projected onto the globe. Many features of North America and the Western Hemisphere are particularly visible on a high resolution version of the image. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA18033

  17. 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.

  18. CERES Detects Earth's Heat and Energy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System, CERES, monitors solar energy reflected from the Earth and heat energy emitted from the Earth. In this image, heat energy radiated from the earth is shown in varying shades of yellow, red, blue and white. The brightest yellow areas, such as the Sahara Desert and Arabian Peninsula, are emitting the most energy out to space, while the dark blue polar regions and bright white clouds are the coldest areas on Earth, and are emitting the least energy. The animation (1.5MB) (high-res (4MB)) shows roughly a week of CERES data. For more information: CERES images through Visible Earth. CERES web site Image courtesy of the CERES instrument team

  19. Feasibility of inter-comparing airborne and spaceborne observations of radar backscattering coefficients

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This paper investigates the feasibility of using an airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to validate spaceborne SAR data. This is directed at soil moisture sensing and the recently launched Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite. The value of this approach is related to the fact that vicar...

  20. Application of Geostatistical Simulation to Enhance Satellite Image Products

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hlavka, Christine A.; Dungan, Jennifer L.; Thirulanambi, Rajkumar; Roy, David

    2004-01-01

    With the deployment of Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites that provide daily, global imagery, there is increasing interest in defining the limitations of the data and derived products due to its coarse spatial resolution. Much of the detail, i.e. small fragments and notches in boundaries, is lost with coarse resolution imagery such as the EOS MODerate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. Higher spatial resolution data such as the EOS Advanced Spaceborn Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Landsat and airborne sensor imagery provide more detailed information but are less frequently available. There are, however, both theoretical and analytical evidence that burn scars and other fragmented types of land covers form self-similar or self-affine patterns, that is, patterns that look similar when viewed at widely differing spatial scales. Therefore small features of the patterns should be predictable, at least in a statistical sense, with knowledge about the large features. Recent developments in fractal modeling for characterizing the spatial distribution of undiscovered petroleum deposits are thus applicable to generating simulations of finer resolution satellite image products. We will present example EOS products, analysis to investigate self-similarity, and simulation results.

  1. Shuttle imaging radar views the Earth from Challenger: The SIR-B experiment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ford, J. P.; Cimino, J. B.; Holt, B.; Ruzek, M. R.

    1986-01-01

    In October 1984, SIR-B obtained digital image data of about 6.5 million km2 of the Earth's surface. The coverage is mostly of selected experimental test sites located between latitudes 60 deg north and 60 deg south. Programmed adjustments made to the look angle of the steerable radar antenna and to the flight attitude of the shuttle during the mission permitted collection of multiple-incidence-angle coverage or extended mapping coverage as required for the experiments. The SIR-B images included here are representative of the coverage obtained for scientific studies in geology, cartography, hydrology, vegetation cover, and oceanography. The relations between radar backscatter and incidence angle for discriminating various types of surfaces, and the use of multiple-incidence-angle SIR-B images for stereo measurement and viewing, are illustrated with examples. Interpretation of the images is facilitated by corresponding images or photographs obtained by different sensors or by sketch maps or diagrams.

  2. Earth observation photo taken by JPL with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Earth observation photo taken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A). This image shows a 50 by 100 kilometer (30 by 60 mile) area of the Imperial Valley in Southern California and neighboring Mexico. The checkered patterns represent agricultural fields where different types of crops in different stages of growth are cultivated. The very bright areas are (top left to lower right) the U.S. towns of Brawley, Imperial, El Centro, Calexico and the Mexican city of Mexicali. The bright L-shaped line (upper right) is the All-American water canal.

  3. Earth Science

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1994-03-08

    Workers at the Astrotech processing facility in Titusville prepared for a news media showing of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-1 (GOES-1). GOES-1 was the first in a new generation of weather satellites deployed above Earth. It was the first 3-axis, body-stabilized meteorological satellite to be used by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA. These features allowed GOES-1 to continuously monitor the Earth, rather than viewing it just five percent of the time as was the case with spin-stabilized meteorological satellites. GOES-1 also has independent imaging and sounding instruments which can operate simultaneously yet independently. As a result, observations provided by each instrument will not be interrupted. The imager produces visual and infrared images of the Earth's surface, oceans, cloud cover and severe storm development, while the prime sounding products include vertical temperature and moisture profiles, and layer mean moisture.

  4. 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.

  5. Space Radar Image of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This three-dimensional image of the volcano Kilauea was generated based on interferometric fringes derived from two X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar data takes on April 13, 1994 and October 4, 1994. The altitude lines are based on quantitative interpolation of the topographic fringes. The level difference between neighboring altitude lines is 20 meters (66 feet). The ground area covers 12 kilometers by 4 kilometers (7.5 miles by 2.5 miles). The altitude difference in the image is about 500 meters (1,640 feet). The volcano is located around 19.58 degrees north latitude and 155.55 degrees west longitude. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR. The Instituto Ricerca Elettromagnetismo Componenti Elettronici (IRECE) at the University of Naples was a partner in the interferometry analysis.

  6. Space Radar Image of Karisoke & Virunga Volcanoes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    vegetation maps of the area to aid in their studies of the last 650 mountain gorillas in the world. The faint lines above the bamboo forest are the result of agricultural terracing by the people who live in the region. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  7. Earth orbital experiment program and requirements study, volume 1, sections 1 - 6

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1971-01-01

    A reference manual for planners of manned earth-orbital research activity is presented. The manual serves as a systems approach to experiment and mission planning based on an integrated consideration of candidate research programs and the appropriate vehicle, mission, and technology development requirements. Long range goals and objectives for NASA activities during the 1970 to 1980 time period are analyzed. The useful and proper roles of manned and automated spacecraft for implementing NASA experiments are described. An integrated consideration of NASA long range goals and objectives, the system and mission requirements, and the alternative implementation plans are developed. Specific areas of investigation are: (1) manned space flight requirements, (2) space biology, (3) spaceborne astronomy, (4) space communications and navigation, (5) earth observation, (6) supporting technology development requirements, (7) data management system matrices, (8) instrumentation matrices, and (9) biotechnology laboratory experiments.

  8. Synergistic surface current mapping by spaceborne stereo imaging and coastal HF radar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matthews, John Philip; Yoshikawa, Yutaka

    2012-09-01

    Well validated optical and radar methods of surface current measurement at high spatial resolution (nominally <100 m) from space can greatly advance our ability to monitor earth's oceans, coastal zones, lakes and rivers. With interest growing in optical along-track stereo techniques for surface current and wave motion determinations, questions of how to interpret such data and how to relate them to measurements made by better validated techniques arise. Here we make the first systematic appraisal of surface currents derived from along-track stereo Sun glitter (ATSSG) imagery through comparisons with simultaneous synoptic flows observed by coastal HF radars working at frequencies of 13.9 and 24.5 MHz, which return averaged currents within surface layers of roughly 1 m and 2 m depth respectively. At our Tsushima Strait (Japan) test site, we found that these two techniques provided largely compatible surface current patterns, with the main difference apparent in current strength. Within the northwest (southern) comparison region, the magnitudes of the ATSSG current vectors derived for 13 August 2006 were on average 22% (40%) higher than the corresponding vectors for the 1-m (2-m) depth radar. These results reflect near-surface vertical current structure, differences in the flow components sensed by the two techniques and disparities in instrumental performance. The vertical profile constructed here from ATSSG, HF radar and ADCP data is the first to resolve downwind drift in the upper 2 m of the open ocean. The profile e-folding depth suggests Stokes drift from waves of 10-m wavelength visible in the images.

  9. Space Radar Image of the Lost City of Ubar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1999-01-01

    This is a radar image of the region around the site of the lost city of Ubar in southern Oman, on the Arabian Peninsula. The ancient city was discovered in 1992 with the aid of remote sensing data. Archeologists believe Ubar existed from about 2800 B.C. to about 300 A.D. and was a remote desert outpost where caravans were assembled for the transport of frankincense across the desert. This image was acquired on orbit 65 of space shuttle Endeavour on April 13, 1994 by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR). The SIR-C image shown is centered at 18.4 degrees north latitude and 53.6 degrees east longitude. The image covers an area about 50 by 100 kilometers (31 miles by 62 miles). The image is constructed from three of the available SIR-C channels and displays L-band, HH (horizontal transmit and receive) data as red, C-band HH as blue, and L-band HV (horizontal transmit, vertical receive) as green. The prominent magenta colored area is a region of large sand dunes, which are bright reflectors at both L-and C-band. The prominent green areas (L-HV) are rough limestone rocks, which form a rocky desert floor. A major wadi, or dry stream bed, runs across the middle of the image and is shown largely in white due to strong radar scattering in all channels displayed (L and C HH, L-HV). The actual site of the fortress of the lost city of Ubar, currently under excavation, is near the Wadi close to the center of the image. The fortress is too small to be detected in this image. However, tracks leading to the site, and surrounding tracks, appear as prominent, but diffuse, reddish streaks. These tracks have been used in modern times, but field investigations show many of these tracks were in use in ancient times as well. Mapping of these tracks on regional remote sensing images was a key to recognizing the site as Ubar in 1992. This image, and ongoing field investigations, will help shed light on a little known early civilization. Spaceborne

  10. Guidelines for spaceborne microwave remote sensors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Litman, V.; Nicholas, J.

    1982-01-01

    A handbook was developed to provide information and support to the spaceborne remote sensing and frequency management communities: to guide sensor developers in the choice of frequencies; to advise regulators on sensor technology needs and sharing potential; to present sharing analysis models and, through example, methods for determining sensor sharing feasibility; to introduce developers to the regulatory process; to create awareness of proper assignment procedures; to present sensor allocations; and to provide guidelines on the use and limitations of allocated bands. Controlling physical factors and user requirements and the regulatory environment are discussed. Sensor frequency allocation achievable performance and usefulness are reviewed. Procedures for national and international registration, the use of non-allocated bands and steps for obtaining new frequency allocations, and procedures for reporting interference are also discussed.

  11. Billion shot flashlamp for spaceborne lasers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richter, Linda; Schuda, Felix; Degnan, John

    1990-01-01

    A billion-shot flashlamp developed under a NASA contract for spaceborne laser missions is presented. Lifetime-limiting mechanisms are identified and addressed. Two energy loadings of 15 and 44 Joules were selected for the initial accelerated life testing. A fluorescence-efficiency test station was used for measuring the useful-light output degradation of the lamps. The design characteristics meeting NASA specifications are outlined. Attention is focused on the physical properties of tungsten-matrix cathodes, the chemistry of dispenser cathodes, and anode degradation. It is reported that out of the total 83 lamps tested in the program, 4 lamps reached a billion shots and one lamp is beyond 1.7 billion shots, while at 44 Joules, 4 lamps went beyond 100 million shots and one lamp reached 500 million shots.

  12. Conservation of design knowledge. [of large complex spaceborne systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sivard, Cecilia; Zweben, Monte; Cannon, David; Lakin, Fred; Leifer, Larry

    1989-01-01

    This paper presents an approach for acquiring knowledge about a design during the design process. The objective is to increase the efficiency of the lifecycle management of a space-borne system by providing operational models of the system's structure and behavior, as well as the design rationale, to human and automated operators. A design knowledge acquisition system is under development that compares how two alternative design versions meet the system requirements as a means for automatically capturing rationale for design changes.

  13. Where on Earth...? MISR Mystery Image Quiz #6

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    Here's another chance to play geographical detective! This Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) image covers an area of about 298 kilometers x 358 kilometers, and was captured by the instrument's vertical-viewing (nadir) camera on December 27, 2001. Use any reference materials you like and answer the following five questions: The large lagoon in the image is named for a particular type of bird. Name the bird. Note the sediment plume emanating from the southern end of the lagoon. Sailors in the 16th century imagined this outlet to be the mouth of a large river. What did they call the river? A series of wave-like points and curls form 'cusps' on the inner shores of the lagoon. Which ONE of the following is most responsible for the formation of these cusps? Violent storm impacts on erosion and accretion Wind and tide-driven sediment transport and circulation Tectonic folding associated with nearby mountain ridges Bathymetric effects of dredging operations True or false: Changes in regional precipitation associated with large scale atmospheric circulation patterns have no effect on the salinity of the lagoon's water. Which one of these is NOT distributed within the area covered by this image? Ruppia maritima Chelonia mydas Tapirus bairdii Microcystis aeruginosa E-mail your answers, name (initials are acceptable if you prefer), and your hometown by Tuesday, February 19, 2002 to suggestions@mail-misr.jpl.nasa.gov. Answers will be published on the MISR web site in conjunction with the next weekly image release. The names and home towns of respondents who answer all questions correctly by the deadline will also be published in the order responses were received. The first 3 people on this list who are not affiliated with NASA, JPL, or MISR and who did not win a prize in the last quiz will be sent a print of the image. A new 'Where on Earth...?' mystery appears as the MISR 'image of the week' approximately once per month. A new image of the week is released every

  14. A study of a 63 K radiative cooler for the advanced moisture and temperature sounder. [earth-orbiting IR spectrometer for atmospheric measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Salazar, R.; Evans, N.

    1981-01-01

    A study was performed of cooling methods for a space-borne, earth observing infrared optical instrument, AMTS. Major requirements on the thermal design are an optics temperature below 200 K, a detector array temperature below 75 K, orbital lifetime of 3 to 5 years, a near polar, sun synchronous orbit with altitude near 800 km. Power dissipation of the detectors is 38 mW, in the optics compartment 1.4 W. Large radiative coolers positioned so as to be shielded from sun, spacecraft and earth result in predicted optics temperature of 156 K and detector temperature of 63 K.

  15. Earth Observation taken by the Expedition 25 crew

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2010-11-06

    ISS025-E-013054 (7 Nov. 2010) --- Man-made archipelagos near Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 25 crew member on the International Space Station, flying at 220 miles above Earth. The municipality of Dubai is the largest city of the Persian Gulf emirate of the same name, and has built a global reputation for large-scale developments and architectural works. Among the most visible of these developments -- particularly from the perspective of astronauts onboard the ISS -- are three man-made archipelagos. The two Palm Islands -- Palm Jumeirah to the left of center, and Palm Jebel Ali, just to the right of center, appear as stylized palm trees when viewed from above. The World Islands (near left edge) evoke a rough map of the world from an air- or space-borne perspective. The Palm Jumeirah project began in 2001 and required more than 50 million cubic meters of dredged sand to raise the islands above the Persian Gulf sea level. Construction of the Palm Jumeirah islands was completed in 2006; they are now being developed for residential and commercial housing and infrastructure. Creation of the World Islands was begun in 2003 and completed in 2008, using 320 million cubic meters of sand and 37 million tons of rock for the surrounding 27 kilometer-long protective breakwater.

  16. Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 39 Crew

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-04-13

    ISS039-E-011515 (13 April 2014) --- Man-made archipelagos near Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 39 crew member on the International Space Station, flying at 220 miles above Earth. The municipality of Dubai is the largest city of the Persian Gulf emirate of the same name, and has built a global reputation for large-scale developments and architectural works. Among the most visible of these developments -- particularly from the perspective of astronauts onboard the ISS -- are three man-made archipelagos. The two Palm Islands -- Palm Jumeirah to the left of center, and Palm Jebel Ali, just to the right of center, appear as stylized palm trees when viewed from above. The World Islands (near left edge) evoke a rough map of the world from an air- or space-borne perspective. The Palm Jumeirah project began in 2001 and required more than 50 million cubic meters of dredged sand to raise the islands above the Persian Gulf sea level. Construction of the Palm Jumeirah islands was completed in 2006; they are now being developed for residential and commercial housing and infrastructure. Creation of the World Islands was begun in 2003 and completed in 2008, using 320 million cubic meters of sand and 37 million tons of rock for the surrounding 27 kilometer-long protective breakwater.

  17. Flight Technology Improvement. [spaceborne optical radiometric instruments, attitude control, and electromechanical and power subsystems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1979-01-01

    Shortcomings in spaceborne instrumentation technology are analyzed and recommendations are given for corrections and technology development. The technologies discussed are optical radiometric instruments and calibration, attitude control and determination, and electromechanical and power subsystems.

  18. Spaceborne Processor Array

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chow, Edward T.; Schatzel, Donald V.; Whitaker, William D.; Sterling, Thomas

    2008-01-01

    A Spaceborne Processor Array in Multifunctional Structure (SPAMS) can lower the total mass of the electronic and structural overhead of spacecraft, resulting in reduced launch costs, while increasing the science return through dynamic onboard computing. SPAMS integrates the multifunctional structure (MFS) and the Gilgamesh Memory, Intelligence, and Network Device (MIND) multi-core in-memory computer architecture into a single-system super-architecture. This transforms every inch of a spacecraft into a sharable, interconnected, smart computing element to increase computing performance while simultaneously reducing mass. The MIND in-memory architecture provides a foundation for high-performance, low-power, and fault-tolerant computing. The MIND chip has an internal structure that includes memory, processing, and communication functionality. The Gilgamesh is a scalable system comprising multiple MIND chips interconnected to operate as a single, tightly coupled, parallel computer. The array of MIND components shares a global, virtual name space for program variables and tasks that are allocated at run time to the distributed physical memory and processing resources. Individual processor- memory nodes can be activated or powered down at run time to provide active power management and to configure around faults. A SPAMS system is comprised of a distributed Gilgamesh array built into MFS, interfaces into instrument and communication subsystems, a mass storage interface, and a radiation-hardened flight computer.

  19. Highly-efficient, frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser for spaceborne LIDARs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Treichel, R.; Hoffmann, H.-D.; Luttmann, J.; Morasch, V.; Nicklaus, K.; Wührer, C.

    2017-11-01

    For a spaceborne lidar a highly reliable, long living and efficient laser source is absolutely essential. Within the frame of the development of a laser source for the backscatter lidar ATLID, which will be flown on EarthCare mission, we setup and tested a predevelopment model of an injection-seeded, diode pumped, frequency tripled, pulsed high power Nd:YAG MOPA laser operating nominally at 100 Hz pulse repetition frequency. We also tested the burst operation mode. The excellent measured performance parameter will be introduced. The oscillator rod is longitudinally pumped from both sides. The oscillator has been operated with three cavity control methods: "Cavity Dither", "Pound-Drever-Hall" and "Adaptive Ramp & Fire". Especially the latter method is very suitable to operate the laser in harsh vibrating environment such in airplanes. The amplifier bases on the InnoSlab design concept. The constant keeping of a moderate fluence in the InnoSlab crystal permits excellent possibilities to scale the pulse energy to several 100 mJ. An innovative pump unit and optics makes the laser performance insensitive to inhomogeneous diode degradation and allows switching of additional redundant diodes. Further key features have been implemented in a FM design concept. The operational lifetime is extended by the implementation of internal redundancies for the most critical parts. The reliability is increased due to the higher margin onto the laser induced damage threshold by a pressurized housing. Additionally air-to-vacuum effects becomes obsolete. A high efficient heat removal concept has been implemented.

  20. Toward a Framework for Systematic Error Modeling of NASA Spaceborne Radar with NOAA/NSSL Ground Radar-Based National Mosaic QPE

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kirstettier, Pierre-Emmanual; Honh, Y.; Gourley, J. J.; Chen, S.; Flamig, Z.; Zhang, J.; Howard, K.; Schwaller, M.; Petersen, W.; Amitai, E.

    2011-01-01

    Characterization of the error associated to satellite rainfall estimates is a necessary component of deterministic and probabilistic frameworks involving space-born passive and active microwave measurement") for applications ranging from water budget studies to forecasting natural hazards related to extreme rainfall events. We focus here on the error structure of NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) at ground. The problem is addressed by comparison of PR QPEs with reference values derived from ground-based measurements using NOAA/NSSL ground radar-based National Mosaic and QPE system (NMQ/Q2). A preliminary investigation of this subject has been carried out at the PR estimation scale (instantaneous and 5 km) using a three-month data sample in the southern part of US. The primary contribution of this study is the presentation of the detailed steps required to derive trustworthy reference rainfall dataset from Q2 at the PR pixel resolution. It relics on a bias correction and a radar quality index, both of which provide a basis to filter out the less trustworthy Q2 values. Several aspects of PR errors arc revealed and quantified including sensitivity to the processing steps with the reference rainfall, comparisons of rainfall detectability and rainfall rate distributions, spatial representativeness of error, and separation of systematic biases and random errors. The methodology and framework developed herein applies more generally to rainfall rate estimates from other sensors onboard low-earth orbiting satellites such as microwave imagers and dual-wavelength radars such as with the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission.

  1. Space Radar Image of Samara, Russia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This three-frequency space radar image shows the city of Samara, Russia in pink and light green right of center. Samara is at the junction of the Volga and Samara Rivers approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of Moscow. The wide river in the center of the image is the Volga. Samara, formerly Kuybyshev, is a busy industrial city known for its chemical, mechanical and petroleum industries. Northwest of the Volga (upper left corner of the image) are deciduous forests of the Samarskaya Luka National Park. Complex patterns in the floodplain of the Volga are caused by 'cut-off' lakes and channels from former courses of the meandering river. The three radar frequencies allow scientists to distinguish different types of agricultural fields in the lower right side of the image. For example, fields which appear light blue are short grass or cleared fields. Purple and green fields contain taller plants or rough plowed soil. Scientists hope to use radar data such as these to understand the environmental consequences of industrial, agricultural and natural preserve areas coexisting in close proximity. This image is 50 kilometers by 26 kilometers (31 by 16 miles) and is centered at 53.2 degrees north latitude, 50.1 degrees east longitude. North is toward the top of the image. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is C-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is X-band, vertically transmitted and received. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on October 1, 1994 onboard the space shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

  2. Space Radar Image of Harvard Forest

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1999-04-15

    This is a radar image of the area surrounding the Harvard Forest in north-central Massachusetts that has been operated as a ecological research facility by Harvard University since 1907. At the center of the image is the Quabbin Reservoir, and the Connecticut River is at the lower left of the image. The Harvard Forest itself is just above the reservoir. Researchers are comparing the naturally occurring physical disturbances in the forest and the recent and projected chemical disturbances and their effects on the forest ecosystem. Agricultural land appears dark blue/purple, along with low shrub vegetation and some wetlands. Urban development is bright pink; the yellow to green tints are conifer-dominated vegetation with the pitch pine sand plain at the middle left edge of the image appearing very distinctive. The green tint may indicate pure pine plantation stands, and deciduous broadleaf trees appear gray/pink with perhaps wetter sites being pinker. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The image is centered at 42.50 degrees North latitude and 72.33 degrees West longitude and covers an area of 53 kilometers 63 by kilometers (33 miles by 39 miles). The colors in the image are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: red is L-band horizontally transmitted and horizontally received; green is L-band horizontally transmitted and vertically received; and blue is C-band horizontally transmitted and horizontally received. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA01788

  3. Space Radar Image of Washington D.C.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    The city of Washington, D.C., is shown is this space radar image. Images like these are useful tools for urban planners and managers, who use them to map and monitor land use patterns. Downtown Washington is the bright area between the Potomac (upper center to lower left) and Anacostia (middle right) rivers. The dark cross shape that is formed by the National Mall, Tidal Basin, the White House and Ellipse is seen in the center of the image. Arlington National Cemetery is the dark blue area on the Virginia (left) side of the Potomac River near the center of the image. The Pentagon is visible in bright white and red, south of the cemetery. Due to the alignment of the radar and the streets, the avenues that form the boundary between Washington and Maryland appear as bright red lines in the top, right and bottom parts of the image, parallel to the image borders. This image is centered at 38.85 degrees north latitude, 77.05 degrees west longitude. North is toward the upper right. The area shown is approximately 29 km by 26 km (18 miles by 16 miles). Colors are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: Red is the L-band horizontally transmitted, horizontally received; green is the L-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received; blue is the C-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture (SIR-C/X-SAR) imaging radar when it flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 18, 1994. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.

  4. FPGA Coprocessor for Accelerated Classification of Images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pingree, Paula J.; Scharenbroich, Lucas J.; Werne, Thomas A.

    2008-01-01

    An effort related to that described in the preceding article focuses on developing a spaceborne processing platform for fast and accurate onboard classification of image data, a critical part of modern satellite image processing. The approach again has been to exploit the versatility of recently developed hybrid Virtex-4FX field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to run diverse science applications on embedded processors while taking advantage of the reconfigurable hardware resources of the FPGAs. In this case, the FPGA serves as a coprocessor that implements legacy C-language support-vector-machine (SVM) image-classification algorithms to detect and identify natural phenomena such as flooding, volcanic eruptions, and sea-ice break-up. The FPGA provides hardware acceleration for increased onboard processing capability than previously demonstrated in software. The original C-language program demonstrated on an imaging instrument aboard the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite implements a linear-kernel SVM algorithm for classifying parts of the images as snow, water, ice, land, or cloud or unclassified. Current onboard processors, such as on EO-1, have limited computing power, extremely limited active storage capability and are no longer considered state-of-the-art. Using commercially available software that translates C-language programs into hardware description language (HDL) files, the legacy C-language program, and two newly formulated programs for a more capable expanded-linear-kernel and a more accurate polynomial-kernel SVM algorithm, have been implemented in the Virtex-4FX FPGA. In tests, the FPGA implementations have exhibited significant speedups over conventional software implementations running on general-purpose hardware.

  5. Lessons Learned from Previous Space-Borne Sounders as a Guide to Future Sounder Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Benson, Robert F.; Deshpande, Manohar D.; Farrell,William M.; Fung, Shing F.; Osherovich, Vladimir A.; Pfaff, Rovert E.; Rowland, Douglas E.; Adrian, Mark L.

    2008-01-01

    Space-borne radio sounding is considered to be the gold standard for electron-density (N(sub e)) measurements compared to other techniques even under low-density conditions, such as N(sub e) < 1/cu cm, when other techniques are known to experience difficulties. These reliable measurements are not restricted to in-situ N(sub e) determinations since a spaceborne sounder can provide vertical N(sub e) profiles (N(sub e)(h)) from the spacecraft altitude to the altitude of maximum N(sub e). Near-conjunction studies involving the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) satellites in the topside ionosphere and Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) near the altitude of the F-region peak density have verified that, even at the greatest distance from the sounder, the ISIS-derived N(sub e)(h) profiles agree with the DE-2 Langmuir-probe measurements to within about 30% over a density range of more than two decades. Space-borne sounders can also provide N(sub e) profiles along the magnetic-field B, by inverting echoes that are ducted along field-aligned irregularities (FAI), and can provide information about the terrain beneath the satellite by examining surface reflections in the frequency range above the ionospheric penetration frequency. Many nations have launched rocket and satellite radio sounders in geospace over more than 4 decades and there have been sounders on space-probes and in orbit around other planets. Here we will summarize some of the lessons learned from these accomplishments by analyzing data from radio sounders on the Alouette and ISIS satellites and the OEDIPUS and other rockets in the terrestrial ionosphere, the IMAGE satellite in the terrestrial magnetosphere, the Ulysses space probe in Jupiter's 10 plasma torus and the MARSIS satellite in orbit around Mars. The emphasis will be on information deduced concerning (1) fundamental plasma processes and gradients in N, and B in the vicinity of the sounders from sounder-stimulated plasma resonances and

  6. From Earth to the Universe: Image Exhibitions in the International Year of Astronomy 2009

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Watzke, M.; Arcand, K. K.; Christensen, L. L.

    2008-02-01

    The fantastic images of the Universe are largely responsible for the magical appeal that astronomy has for lay people. Indeed, popular images of the cosmos can engage the general public not only in the aesthetics of the visual realm, but also in the science of the knowledge and understanding behind them. The International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009) is an unprecedented opportunity to present astronomy to the global community. From Earth to the Universe (www.fromearthtotheuniverse.org) endeavours to bring these images to a wider audience in non-traditional venues, such as art museums, public galleries, shopping malls and public gardens.

  7. Sensor-agnostic photogrammetric image registration with applications to population modeling

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

    White, Devin A; Moehl, Jessica J

    2016-01-01

    Photogrammetric registration of airborne and spaceborne imagery is a crucial prerequisite to many data fusion tasks. While embedded sensor models provide a rough geolocation estimate, these metadata may be incomplete or imprecise. Manual solutions are appropriate for small-scale projects, but for rapid streams of cross-modal, multi-sensor, multi-temporal imagery with varying metadata standards, an automated approach is required. We present a high-performance image registration workflow to address this need. This paper outlines the core development concepts and demonstrates its utility with respect to the 2016 data fusion contest imagery. In particular, Iris ultra-HD video is georeferenced to the Earth surface viamore » registration to DEIMOS-2 imagery, which serves as a trusted control source. Geolocation provides opportunity to augment the video with spatial context, stereo-derived disparity, spectral sensitivity, change detection, and numerous ancillary geospatial layers. We conclude by leveraging these derivative data layers towards one such fusion application: population distribution modeling.« less

  8. On the vertical resolution for near-nadir looking spaceborne rain radar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kozu, Toshiaki

    A definition of radar resolution for an arbitrary direction is proposed and used to calculate the vertical resolution for a near-nadir looking spaceborne rain radar. Based on the calculation result, a scanning strategy is proposed which efficiently distributes the measurement time to each angle bin and thus increases the number of independent samples compared with a simple linear scanning.

  9. Investigatigating inter-/intra-annual variability of surface hydrology at northern high latitude from spaceborne measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, K.; Duguay, C. R.

    2014-12-01

    Lakes encompass a large part of the surface cover in the northern boreal and tundra areas of northern Canada and are therefore a significant component of the terrestrial hydrological system. To understand the hydrologic cycle over subarctic and arctic landscapes, estimating surface parameters such as surface net radiation, soil moisture, and surface albedo is important. Although ground-based field measurements provide a good temporal resolution, these data provide a limited spatial representation and are often restricted to the summer period (from June to August), and few surface-based stations are located in high-latitude regions. In this respect, spaceborne remote sensing provides the means to monitor surface hydrology and to estimate components of the surface energy balance with reasonable spatial and temporal resolutions required for hydrological investigations, as well as for providing more spatially representative lake-relevant information than available from in situ measurements. The primary objective of this study is to quantify the sources of temporal and spatial variability in surface albedo over subarctic wetland from satellite derived albedo measurements in the Hudson Bay Lowlands near Churchill, Manitoba. The spatial variability in albedo within each land-cover type is investigated through optical satellite imagery from Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper, Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus, and Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager obtained in different seasons from spring into fall (April and October) over a 30-year period (1984-2013). These data allowed for an examination of the spatial variability of surface albedo under relatively dry and wet summer conditions (i.e. 1984, 1998 versus 1991, 2005). A detailed analysis of Landsat-derived surface albedo (ranging from 0.09 to 0.15) conducted in the Churchill region for August is inversely related to surface water fraction calculated from Landsat images. Preliminary analysis of surface albedo observed between

  10. First Images from the Focusing Optics X-Ray Solar Imager

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Krucker, Säm; Christe, Steven; Glesener, Lindsay; Ishikawa, Shin-nosuke; Ramsey, Brian; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Watanabe, Shin; Saito, Shinya; Gubarev, Mikhail; Kilaru, Kiranmayee; Tajima, Hiroyasu; Tanaka, Takaaki; Turin, Paul; McBride, Stephen; Glaser, David; Fermin, Jose; White, Stephen; Lin, Robert

    2014-10-01

    The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket payload flew for the first time on 2012 November 2, producing the first focused images of the Sun above 5 keV. To enable hard X-ray (HXR) imaging spectroscopy via direct focusing, FOXSI makes use of grazing-incidence replicated optics combined with fine-pitch solid-state detectors. On its first flight, FOXSI observed several targets that included active regions, the quiet Sun, and a GOES-class B2.7 microflare. This Letter provides an introduction to the FOXSI instrument and presents its first solar image. These data demonstrate the superiority in sensitivity and dynamic range that is achievable with a direct HXR imager with respect to previous, indirect imaging methods, and illustrate the technological readiness for a spaceborne mission to observe HXRs from solar flares via direct focusing optics.

  11. Ocean wind and roughness retrieval with spaceborne GNSS-Reflectometry: first results from the UK TechDemoSat-1 mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gommenginger, C.; Foti, G.

    2015-12-01

    GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is a ground breaking ocean remote sensing technique that exploits reflected signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to retrieve geophysical information about the ocean surface such as near-surface winds above the ocean. Adopting a bistatic radar configuration, signals emitted by GNSS satellites flying in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) are received by a GNSS-R receiver on a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory utilizing both a zenith antenna to receive the direct signal from the GNSS and a nadir antenna to acquire the earth-reflected signal. The reflected signal originated from a glistening zone on the ocean surface sited around the Specular Point (SP), the geometrical point on the Earth surface where GNSS signals are forward scattered in the specular direction. The two signals are correlated for different shifts in time (delay) and frequency (Doppler) relative to the specular point (SP) to produce a so-called Delay Doppler Map (DDM) of forward-scattered electromagnetic power over the surface. This paper gives an overview of recent results obtained for wind speed and ocean roughness retrieval with the Low-Earth-Orbiting UK TechDemoSat-1 satellite (TDS-1). Launched in July 2014, TDS-1 provides the first new spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) data since the pioneering UK-Disaster Monitoring Mission experiment in 2003. We present examples of onboard-processed delay Doppler Maps, including excellent DDM data quality for winds up to 27.9 m/s. The relationship between observed GNSS-R signals, wind speed and ocean roughness is explored using global collocated matchup datasets with METOP ASCAT scatterometer winds and WaveWatch3 numerical wave model output. Several Geophysical Model Functions are proposed, that make it possible to retrieve wind speed without bias and with a precision of the order of 2 m/s even without calibration. This work demonstrates the capabilities of low-cost, low-mass, low-power GNSS

  12. Space Radar Image of Bahia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This is a color composite image of southern Bahia, Brazil, centered at 15.22 degree south latitude and 39.07 degrees west longitude. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on its 38th orbit of Earth on October 2, 1994. The image covers an area centered over the Una Biological Reserve, one the largest protected areas in northeastern Brazil. The 7,000-hectare reserve is administered by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and is part of the larger Atlantic coastal forest, a narrow band of rain forest extending along the eastern coast of Brazil. The Atlantic coastal forest of southern Bahia is one of the world's most threatened and diverse ecosystems. Due to widespread settlement, only 2 to 5 percent of the original forest cover remains. Yet the region still contains an astounding variety of plants and animals, including a large number of endemic species. More than half of the region's tree species and 80 percent of its animal species are indigenous and found nowhere else on Earth. The Una Reserve is also the only federally protected habitat for the golden-headed lion tamarin, the yellow-breasted capuchin monkey and many other endangered species. In the past few years, scientists from Brazilian and international conservation organizations have coordinated efforts to study the biological diversity of this region and to develop practical and economically viable options for preserving the remaining primary forests in southern Bahia. The shuttle imaging radar is used in this study to identify various land uses and vegetation types, including remaining patches of primary forest, cabruca forest (cacao planted in the understory of the native forest), secondary forest, pasture and coastal mangrove. Standard remote-sensing technology that relies on light reflected from the forest canopy cannot accurately distinguish between cabruca and undisturbed forest. Optical remote sensing is also

  13. Mapping tropical rainforest canopies using multi-temporal spaceborne imaging spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Somers, Ben; Asner, Gregory P.

    2013-10-01

    The use of imaging spectroscopy for florisic mapping of forests is complicated by the spectral similarity among coexisting species. Here we evaluated an alternative spectral unmixing strategy combining a time series of EO-1 Hyperion images and an automated feature selection strategy in MESMA. Instead of using the same spectral subset to unmix each image pixel, our modified approach allowed the spectral subsets to vary on a per pixel basis such that each pixel is evaluated using a spectral subset tuned towards maximal separability of its specific endmember class combination or species mixture. The potential of the new approach for floristic mapping of tree species in Hawaiian rainforests was quantitatively demonstrated using both simulated and actual hyperspectral image time-series. With a Cohen's Kappa coefficient of 0.65, our approach provided a more accurate tree species map compared to MESMA (Kappa = 0.54). In addition, by the selection of spectral subsets our approach was about 90% faster than MESMA. The flexible or adaptive use of band sets in spectral unmixing as such provides an interesting avenue to address spectral similarities in complex vegetation canopies.

  14. Space Radar Image of Yellowstone Park, Wyoming

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    indicates areas of canopy burn and mixed burn with a biomass of between 12 to 20 tons per hectare; light green is mixed burn and on-burn forest with a biomass of 20 to 35 tons per hectare; and green is non-burned forest with a biomass of greater than 35 tons per hectare. Forest recovery from the fire seems to depend on fire intensity and soil conditions. In areas of severe canopy burn and poor soil conditions, crown biomass was still low in 1994 (indicated by the brown areas at the center left), whereas in areas of mixed burn with nutrient-rich soils, seen west of Yellowstone Lake, crown biomass has increased significantly in six years (indicated by the yellow and light green areas). Imaging fire-affected regions with spaceborne radar illustrates SIR-C/X-SAR's keen abilities to monitor regrowth after a fire. Knowing the amount of carbon accumulated in the atmosphere by regenerating forest in the 20 to 50 years following a fire disturbance is also a significant factor in understanding the global carbon cycle. Measuring crown biomass is necessary to evaluate the effects of past and future fires in specific regions. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) are part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm), and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes that are caused by nature and those changes that are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche

  15. Space Radar Image of San Francisco, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This image of San Francisco, California shows how the radar distinguishes between densely populated urban areas and nearby areas that are relatively unsettled. Downtown San Francisco is at the center and the city of Oakland is at the right across the San Francisco Bay. Some city areas, such as the South of Market, called the SOMA district in San Francisco, appear bright red due to the alignment of streets and buildings to the incoming radar beam. Various bridges in the area are also visible including the Golden Gate Bridge (left center) at the opening of San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge (right center) connecting San Francisco and Oakland, and the San Mateo Bridge (bottom center). All the dark areas on the image are relatively smooth water: the Pacific Ocean to the left, San Francisco Bay in the center, and various reservoirs. Two major faults bounding the San Francisco-Oakland urban areas are visible on this image. The San Andreas fault, on the San Francisco peninsula, is seen in the lower left of the image. The fault trace is the straight feature filled with linear reservoirs which appear dark. The Hayward fault is the straight feature on the right side of the image between the urban areas and the hillier terrain to the east. The image is about 42 kilometers by 58 kilometers (26 miles by 36 miles) with north toward the upper right. This area is centered at 37.83 degrees north latitude, 122.38 degrees east longitude. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture (SIR-C/X-SAR) imaging radar when it flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on October 3, 1994. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

  16. Space Radar Image of Maui, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This spaceborne radar image shows the 'Valley Island' of Maui, Hawaii. The cloud-penetrating capabilities of radar provide a rare view of many parts of the island, since the higher elevations are frequently shrouded in clouds. The light blue and yellow areas in the lowlands near the center are sugar cane fields. The three major population centers, Lahaina on the left at the western tip of island, Wailuku left of center, and Kihei in the lower center appear as small yellow, white or purple mottled areas. West Maui volcano, in the lower left, is 1800 meters high (5900 feet) and is considered extinct. The entire eastern half of the island consists of East Maui volcano, which rises to an elevation of 3200 meters (10,500 feet) and features a spectacular crater called Haleakala at its summit. Haleakala Crater was produced by erosion during previous ice ages rather than by volcanic activity, although relatively recent small eruptions have produced the numerous volcanic cones and lava flows that can be seen on the floor of the crater. The most recent eruption took place near the coast at the southwestern end of East Maui volcano in the late 1700s. Such a time frame indicates that East Maui should be considered a dormant, rather than an extinct volcano. A new eruption is therefore possible in the next few hundred years. The multi-wavelength capability of the SIR-C radar also permits differences in the vegetation cover on the middle flanks of East Maui to be identified. Rain forests appear in yellow, while grassland is shown in dark green, pink and blue. Radar images such as this one are being used by scientists to understand volcanic processes and to assess potential threats that future activity may pose to local populations. This image was acquired by Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard the space shuttle Endeavour on April 16, 1994. The image is 73.7 kilometers by 48.7 kilometers (45.7 miles by 30.2 miles) and is centered at 20

  17. Coordinated Airborne, Spaceborne, and Ground-Based Measurements of Massive, Thick Aerosol Layers During the Dry Season in Southern Africa

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schmid, B.; Redemann, J.; Russell, P. B.; Hobbs, P. V.; Hlavka, D. L.; McGill, M. J.; Holben, B. N.; Welton, E. J.; Campbell, J.; Torres, O.; hide

    2002-01-01

    During the dry-season airborne campaign of the Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000), unique coordinated observations were made of massive, thick aerosol layers. These layers were often dominated by aerosols from biomass burning. We report on airborne Sunphotometer measurements of aerosol optical depth (lambda=354-1558 nm), columnar water vapor, and vertical profiles of aerosol extinction and water vapor density that were obtained aboard the University of Washington's Convair-580 research aircraft. We compare these with ground-based AERONET Sun/sky radiometer results, with ground based lidar data MPL-Net), and with measurements from a downward-pointing lidar aboard the high-flying NASA ER-2 aircraft. Finally, we show comparisons between aerosol optical depths from the Sunphotometer and those retrieved over land and over water using four spaceborne sensors (TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer), MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer), MISR (Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer) and ATSR-2 (Along Track Scanning Radiometer)).

  18. 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.

  19. Advanced components for spaceborne infrared astronomy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davidson, A. W.

    1984-01-01

    The need for improved cryogenic components to be used in future spaceborne infrared astronomy missions was identified. Improved low noise cryogenic amplifiers operated with infrared detectors, and better cryogenic actuators and motors with extremely low power dissipation are needed. The feasibility of achieving technological breakthroughs in both of these areas was studied. An improved silicon junction field effect transistor (JFET) could be developed if: (1) high purity silicon; (2) optimum dopants; and (3) very high doping levels are used. The feasibility of a simple stepper motor equipped with superconducting coils is demonstrated by construction of such a device based on a standard commercial motor. It is found that useful levels of torque at immeasurably low power levels were achieved. It is concluded that with modest development and optimization efforts, significant performance gains is possible for both cryogenic preamplifiers and superconducting motors and actuators.

  20. Earth Science World ImageBank (ESWIB): A Comprehensive Collection of Geoscience Images Being Developed by the American Geological Institute

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Howe, A. W.; Keane, C. M.

    2003-12-01

    Although there are geoscience images available in numerous locations around the World Wide Web, there is no universal comprehensive digital archive where teachers, students, scientists, and the general public can gather images related to the Earth Sciences. To fill this need, the American Geological Institute (AGI) is developing the largest image database available: the Earth Science World ImageBank (ESWIB). The goal of ESWIB is to provide a variety of users with free access to high-quality geoscience images and technical art gathered from photographers, government organizations, and scientists. Each image is cataloged by location, author, image rights, and a detailed description of what the image shows. Additionally, images are cataloged using keywords from AGI's precise Georef indexing methodology. Students, teachers, and the general public can search or browse and download these images for use in slide show presentations, lectures, papers, or for other educational and outreach uses. This resource can be used for any age level, in any kind of educational venue. Users can also contribute images of their own to the database through the ESWIB website. AGI is scanning these images at a very high resolution (16 x 20 inches) and depending on the author's rights, is making high-resolution copies (digital or print) available for non-commercial and commercial purposes. This ImageBank is different from other photo sites available in that the scope has more breadth and depth than other image resources, and the images are cataloged with a very high grade of detail and precision, which makes finding needed images fast and easy. The image services offered by ESWIB are also unique, such as the low-cost commercial options and high quality image printouts. AGI plans on adding more features to ESWIB in the future, including connecting this resource to the up-coming online Glossary of Geology, a geospatial search option, using the images to make generic PowerPoint presentations

  1. Making Mosaics Of SAR Imagery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Curlander, John C.; Kwok, Ronald; Pang, Shirley S.; Pang, Amy A.

    1990-01-01

    Spaceborne synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) images useful for mapping of planets and investigations in Earth sciences. Produces multiframe mosaic by combining images along ground track, in adjacent cross-track swaths, or in ascending and descending passes. Images registered with geocoded maps such as ones produced by MAPJTC (NPO-17718), required as input. Minimal intervention by operator required. MOSK implemented on DEC VAX 11/785 computer running VMS 4.5. Most subroutines in FORTRAN, but three in MAXL and one in APAL.

  2. Radar Image, Wrapped Color as Height, Lanai and West Maui, Hawaii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    This topographic radar image shows Lanai (left) and western Maui (right). Data such as these will be useful for studying the history of volcanic activity on these now extinct volcanoes. SRTM data also will help local officials evaluate and mitigate natural hazards for islands throughout the Pacific. For example, improved elevation data will make it easier for communities to plan for tsunamis (tidal waves generated by earthquakes around the perimeter of the Pacific) by helping them identify evacuation routes and areas prone to flooding.

    This image combines two types of data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The image brightness corresponds to the strength of the radar signal reflected from the ground, while colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM. Each cycle of colors (from pink through blue back to pink) represents an equal amount of elevation difference (400 meters or 1300 feet) similar to contour lines on a standard topographic map. This image contains about 1800 meters (5900 feet) of total relief.

    The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11,2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, an additional C-band imaging antenna and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) and the German (DLR) and Italian (ASI) space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise,Washington, DC.

    Size: 68 by 45 kilometers (42 by 28 miles) Location: 20.8 deg. North lat., 156.7 deg. West lon. Orientation: North toward upper

  3. Space Radar Image of Pishan, China

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This radar image is centered near the small town of Pishan in northwest China, about 280 km (174 miles) southeast of the city of Kashgar along the ancient Silk Route in the Taklamakan desert of the Xinjiang Province. Geologists are using this radar image as a map to study past climate changes and tectonics of the area. The irregular lavender branching patterns in the center of the image are the remains of ancient alluvial fans, gravel deposits that have accumulated at the base of the mountains during times of wetter climate. The subtle striped pattern cutting across the ancient fans are caused by thrusting of the Kun Lun Mountains north. This motion is caused by the continuing plate-tectonic collision of India with Asia. Modern fans show up as large lavender triangles above the ancient fan deposits. Yellow areas on the modern fans are vegetated oases. The gridded pattern results from the alignment of poplar trees that have been planted as wind breaks. The reservoir at the top of the image is part of a sophisticated irrigation system that supplies water to the oases. This image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in April 1994. This image is centered at 37.4 degrees north latitude, 78.3 degrees east longitude and shows an area approximately 50 km by 100 km (31 miles by 62 miles). The colors are assigned to different frequencies and polarizations of the radar as follows: Red is L-band horizontally transmitted, horizontally received; green is L-band horizontally transmitted, vertically received; and blue is C-band horizontally transmitted and vertically received. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian, and the United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.

  4. Intercomparison of vertical structure of storms revealed by ground-based (NMQ) and spaceborne radars (CloudSat-CPR and TRMM-PR).

    PubMed

    Fall, Veronica M; Cao, Qing; Hong, Yang

    2013-01-01

    Spaceborne radars provide great opportunities to investigate the vertical structure of clouds and precipitation. Two typical spaceborne radars for such a study are the W-band Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) and Ku-band Precipitation Radar (PR), which are onboard NASA's CloudSat and TRMM satellites, respectively. Compared to S-band ground-based radars, they have distinct scattering characteristics for different hydrometeors in clouds and precipitation. The combination of spaceborne and ground-based radar observations can help in the identification of hydrometeors and improve the radar-based quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). This study analyzes the vertical structure of the 18 January, 2009 storm using data from the CloudSat CPR, TRMM PR, and a NEXRAD-based National Mosaic and Multisensor QPE (NMQ) system. Microphysics above, within, and below the melting layer are studied through an intercomparison of multifrequency measurements. Hydrometeors' type and their radar scattering characteristics are analyzed. Additionally, the study of the vertical profile of reflectivity (VPR) reveals the brightband properties in the cold-season precipitation and its effect on the radar-based QPE. In all, the joint analysis of spaceborne and ground-based radar data increases the understanding of the vertical structure of storm systems and provides a good insight into the microphysical modeling for weather forecasts.

  5. Intercomparison of Vertical Structure of Storms Revealed by Ground-Based (NMQ) and Spaceborne Radars (CloudSat-CPR and TRMM-PR)

    PubMed Central

    Fall, Veronica M.; Hong, Yang

    2013-01-01

    Spaceborne radars provide great opportunities to investigate the vertical structure of clouds and precipitation. Two typical spaceborne radars for such a study are the W-band Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) and Ku-band Precipitation Radar (PR), which are onboard NASA's CloudSat and TRMM satellites, respectively. Compared to S-band ground-based radars, they have distinct scattering characteristics for different hydrometeors in clouds and precipitation. The combination of spaceborne and ground-based radar observations can help in the identification of hydrometeors and improve the radar-based quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). This study analyzes the vertical structure of the 18 January, 2009 storm using data from the CloudSat CPR, TRMM PR, and a NEXRAD-based National Mosaic and Multisensor QPE (NMQ) system. Microphysics above, within, and below the melting layer are studied through an intercomparison of multifrequency measurements. Hydrometeors' type and their radar scattering characteristics are analyzed. Additionally, the study of the vertical profile of reflectivity (VPR) reveals the brightband properties in the cold-season precipitation and its effect on the radar-based QPE. In all, the joint analysis of spaceborne and ground-based radar data increases the understanding of the vertical structure of storm systems and provides a good insight into the microphysical modeling for weather forecasts. PMID:24459424

  6. A Possible Technology Development Path to Direct Imaging of Exo-Earths from Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siegler, Nicholas

    2018-01-01

    We describe a possible roadmap to achieving the technological capability to search for biosignatures on an Earth-like exoplanet from a future space telescope. The detection of Earth-like exoplanets in the habitable zone of their stars, and their spectroscopic characterization in a search for biosignatures, requires starlight suppression that exceeds the current best ground-based performance by orders of magnitude. The required planet/star brightness ratio of order 1e-10 at visible wavelengths can be obtained by blocking stellar photons with an occulter, either externally (a starshade) or internally (a coronagraph) to the telescope system, and managing diffracted starlight, so as to directly image the exoplanet in reflected starlight. Coronagraph instruments require advancement in telescope aperture (either monolithic or segmented), aperture obscurations (obscured by secondary mirror and its support struts), and wavefront error sensitivity (e.g. line-of-sight jitter, telescope vibration, polarization). The starshade, which has never been used in a science application, benefits a mission by being decoupled from the telescope, allowing a loosening of telescope stability requirements. In doing so, it transfers the difficult technology from the telescope system to a large deployable structure (tens of meters to greater than ~ 100 m in diameter) that must be positioned precisely at a distance of tens of thousands of kilometers from the telescope. Two ongoing mission concept studies, HabEx and LUVOIR, include the direct imaging of Earth-sized habitable exoplanets as a central science theme.

  7. Effects of temperature-dependent molecular absorption coefficients on the thermal infrared remote sensing of the earth surface

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wan, Zhengming; Dozier, Jeff

    1992-01-01

    The effect of temperature-dependent molecular absorption coefficients on thermal infrared spectral signatures measured from satellite sensors is investigated by comparing results from the atmospheric transmission and radiance codes LOWTRAN and MODTRAN and the accurate multiple scattering radiative transfer model ATRAD for different atmospheric profiles. The sensors considered include the operational NOAA AVHRR and two research instruments planned for NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS): MODIS-N (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer-Nadir-Mode) and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer). The difference in band transmittance is as large as 6 percent for some thermal bands within atmospheric windows and more than 30 percent near the edges of these atmospheric windows. The effect of temperature-dependent molecular absorption coefficients on satellite measurements of sea-surface temperature can exceed 0.6 K. Quantitative comparison and factor analysis indicate that more accurate measurements of molecular absorption coefficients and better radiative transfer simulation methods are needed to achieve SST accuracy of 0.3 K, as required for global numerical models of climate, and to develop land-surface temperature algorithms at the 1-K accuracy level.

  8. Demonstration of Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) Performance for Planetary and Geostationary Earth Observing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Revercomb, Henry E.; Sromovsky, Lawrence A.; Fry, Patrick M.; Best, Fred A.; LaPorte, Daniel D.

    2001-01-01

    The combination of massively parallel spatial sampling and accurate spectral radiometry offered by imaging FTS makes it extremely attractive for earth and planetary remote sensing. We constructed a breadboard instrument to help assess the potential for planetary applications of small imaging FTS instruments in the 1 - 5 micrometer range. The results also support definition of the NASA Geostationary Imaging FTS (GIFTS) instrument that will make key meteorological and climate observations from geostationary earth orbit. The Planetary Imaging FTS (PIFTS) breadboard is based on a custom miniaturized Bomen interferometer that uses corner cube reflectors, a wishbone pivoting voice-coil delay scan mechanism, and a laser diode metrology system. The interferometer optical output is measured by a commercial infrared camera procured from Santa Barbara Focalplane. It uses an InSb 128x128 detector array that covers the entire FOV of the instrument when coupled with a 25 mm focal length commercial camera lens. With appropriate lenses and cold filters the instrument can be used from the visible to 5 micrometers. The delay scan is continuous, but slow, covering the maximum range of +/- 0.4 cm in 37.56 sec at a rate of 500 image frames per second. Image exposures are timed to be centered around predicted zero crossings. The design allows for prediction algorithms that account for the most recent fringe rate so that timing jitter produced by scan speed variations can be minimized. Response to a fixed source is linear with exposure time nearly to the point of saturation. Linearity with respect to input variations was demonstrated to within 0.16% using a 3-point blackbody calibration. Imaging of external complex scenes was carried out at low and high spectral resolution. These require full complex calibration to remove background contributions that vary dramatically over the instrument FOV. Testing is continuing to demonstrate the precise radiometric accuracy and noise characteristics.

  9. Currents in Rivers Observed by Spaceborne Along-Track InSAR -CuRiOSATI-

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-09-30

    2315-2324, 2005. [3] Romeiser, R., H. Runge, S. Suchandt, J. Sprenger, H. Weilbeer, A. Sohrmann, and D. Stammer , Current measurements in rivers...by spaceborne along-track InSAR, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing, 45, 4019-4030, 2007 . 4 PUBLICATIONS [4] Romeiser, R., S. Suchandt, H. Runge

  10. Currents in Rivers Observed by Spaceborne Along-Track InSAR -- CuRiOSATI

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-09-30

    Runge, S. Suchandt, J. Sprenger, H. Weilbeer, A. Sohrmann, and D. Stammer , Current measurements in rivers by spaceborne along-track InSAR, IEEE Trans...Geosci. Remote Sensing, 45, 4019-4030, 2007 . PUBLICATIONS [4] Romeiser, R., S. Suchandt, H. Runge, U. Steinbrecher, and S. Grünler, First

  11. Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Isotopic Yttrium-90-Labeled Rare Earth Fluoride Nanocrystals for Multimodal Imaging.

    PubMed

    Paik, Taejong; Chacko, Ann-Marie; Mikitsh, John L; Friedberg, Joseph S; Pryma, Daniel A; Murray, Christopher B

    2015-09-22

    Isotopically labeled nanomaterials have recently attracted much attention in biomedical research, environmental health studies, and clinical medicine because radioactive probes allow the elucidation of in vitro and in vivo cellular transport mechanisms, as well as the unambiguous distribution and localization of nanomaterials in vivo. In addition, nanocrystal-based inorganic materials have a unique capability of customizing size, shape, and composition; with the potential to be designed as multimodal imaging probes. Size and shape of nanocrystals can directly influence interactions with biological systems, hence it is important to develop synthetic methods to design radiolabeled nanocrystals with precise control of size and shape. Here, we report size- and shape-controlled synthesis of rare earth fluoride nanocrystals doped with the β-emitting radioisotope yttrium-90 ((90)Y). Size and shape of nanocrystals are tailored via tight control of reaction parameters and the type of rare earth hosts (e.g., Gd or Y) employed. Radiolabeled nanocrystals are synthesized in high radiochemical yield and purity as well as excellent radiolabel stability in the face of surface modification with different polymeric ligands. We demonstrate the Cerenkov radioluminescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging capabilities of (90)Y-doped GdF3 nanoplates, which offer unique opportunities as a promising platform for multimodal imaging and targeted therapy.

  12. Infrared experiments for spaceborne planetary atmospheres research. Full report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    The role of infrared sensing in atmospheric science is discussed and existing infrared measurement techniques are reviewed. Proposed techniques for measuring planetary atmospheres are criticized and recommended instrument developments for spaceborne investigations are summarized for the following phenomena: global and local radiative budget; radiative flux profiles; winds; temperature; pressure; transient and marginal atmospheres; planetary rotation and global atmospheric activity; abundances of stable constituents; vertical, lateral, and temporal distribution of abundances; composition of clouds and aerosols; radiative properties of clouds and aerosols; cloud microstructure; cloud macrostructure; and non-LTE phenomena.

  13. Broadband infrared beam splitter for spaceborne interferometric infrared sounder.

    PubMed

    Yu, Tianyan; Liu, Dingquan; Qin, Yang

    2014-10-01

    A broadband infrared beam splitter (BS) on ZnSe substrate used for the spaceborne interferometric infrared sounder (SIIRS) is studied in the spectral range of 4.44-15 μm. Both broadband antireflection coating and broadband beam-splitter coating in this BS are designed and tested. To optimize the optical properties and the stability of the BS, suitable infrared materials were selected, and improved deposition techniques were applied. The designed structures matched experimental data well, and the properties of the BS met the application specification of SIIRS.

  14. STS-59 payload SIR-C/X-SAR antenna view

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1993-10-30

    S93-48551 (October 1993) --- The Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) antenna, developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE), will fly aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The radar antenna uses microwave energy which gives it the ability to collect data over virtually any region at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. The radar waves can penetrate clouds, and under certain conditions the radar can also see through vegetation, ice and dry sand. In many cases, spaceborne radar is the only way scientists can explore large-scale and inaccessible regions of the Earth's surface. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-Band (24 cm), C-Band (6 cm) and X-Ban (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to monitor global environmental processes with a focus on climate change. The MTPE spaceborne data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity.

  15. 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.

  16. Information extraction and transmission techniques for spaceborne synthetic aperture radar images

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frost, V. S.; Yurovsky, L.; Watson, E.; Townsend, K.; Gardner, S.; Boberg, D.; Watson, J.; Minden, G. J.; Shanmugan, K. S.

    1984-01-01

    Information extraction and transmission techniques for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery were investigated. Four interrelated problems were addressed. An optimal tonal SAR image classification algorithm was developed and evaluated. A data compression technique was developed for SAR imagery which is simple and provides a 5:1 compression with acceptable image quality. An optimal textural edge detector was developed. Several SAR image enhancement algorithms have been proposed. The effectiveness of each algorithm was compared quantitatively.

  17. Earth - Pacific Ocean

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1996-01-29

    This color image of the Earth was obtained by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft early Dec. 12, 1990, when the spacecraft was about 1.6 million miles from the Earth. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00123

  18. Rain rate range profiling from a spaceborne radar

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meneghini, R.

    1980-01-01

    At certain frequencies and incidence angles the relative invariance of the surface scattering properites over land can be used to estimate the total attenuation and the integrated rain from a spaceborne attenuation-wavelength radar. The technique is generalized so that rain rate profiles along the radar beam can be estimated, i.e., rain rate determination at each range bin. This is done by modifying the standard algorithm for an attenuating-wavelength radar to include in it the measurement of the total attenuation. Simple error analyses of the estimates show that this type of profiling is possible if the total attenuation can be measured with a modest degree of accuracy.

  19. Common spaceborne multicomputer operating system and development environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Craymer, L. G.; Lewis, B. F.; Hayes, P. J.; Jones, R. L.

    1994-01-01

    A preliminary technical specification for a multicomputer operating system is developed. The operating system is targeted for spaceborne flight missions and provides a broad range of real-time functionality, dynamic remote code-patching capability, and system fault tolerance and long-term survivability features. Dataflow concepts are used for representing application algorithms. Functional features are included to ensure real-time predictability for a class of algorithms which require data-driven execution on an iterative steady state basis. The development environment supports the development of algorithm code, design of control parameters, performance analysis, simulation of real-time dataflow applications, and compiling and downloading of the resulting application.

  20. NASA's Earth Observatory and Visible Earth: Imagery and Science on the Internet

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    King, Michael D.; Simmon, Robert B.; Herring, David D.

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of NASA s Earth Observatory and Visible Earth Web sites is to provide freely-accessible locations on the Internet where the public can obtain new satellite imagery (at resolutions up to a given sensor's maximum) and scientific information about our home planet. Climatic and environmental change are the sites main foci. As such, they both contain ample data visualizations and time-series animations that demonstrate geophysical parameters of particular scientific interest, with emphasis on how and why they vary over time. An Image Composite Editor (ICE) tool will be added to the Earth Observatory in October 2002 that will allow visitors to conduct basic analyses of available image data. For example, users may produce scatter plots to correlate images; or they may probe images to find the precise unit values per pixel of a given data product; or they may build their own true-color and false-color images using multi- spectral data. In particular, the sites are designed to be useful to the science community, public media, educators, and students.

  1. Radar image with color as height, Bahia State, Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    This radar image is the first to show the full 240-kilometer-wide (150 mile)swath collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). The area shown is in the state of Bahia in Brazil. The semi-circular mountains along the leftside of the image are the Serra Da Jacobin, which rise to 1100 meters (3600 feet) above sea level. The total relief shown is approximately 800 meters (2600 feet). The top part of the image is the Sertao, a semi-arid region, that is subject to severe droughts during El Nino events. A small portion of the San Francisco River, the longest river (1609 kilometers or 1000 miles) entirely within Brazil, cuts across the upper right corner of the image. This river is a major source of water for irrigation and hydroelectric power. Mapping such regions will allow scientists to better understand the relationships between flooding cycles, drought and human influences on ecosystems.

    This image combines two types of data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The image brightness corresponds to the strength of the radar signal reflected from the ground, while colors show the elevation as measured by SRTM. The three dark vertical stripes show the boundaries where four segments of the swath are merged to form the full scanned swath. These will be removed in later processing. Colors range from green at the lowest elevations to reddish at the highest elevations.

    The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), launched on February 11, 2000, uses the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The mission is designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, an additional C-band imaging antenna and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between the National Aeronautics and Space

  2. Earth observation photo taken by JPL with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Earth observation photo taken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with the Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A). Image of California's coast from Point Concepcion (far left) to Ventura (right). The city of Santa Barbara is visible as a bright region (center). The row of bright spots in the ocean are oil drilling platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel, while the random points of brightness in the channel are vessels. Lakes Cachuma (left) and Casitas (right) are seen as large dark areas. Folded sedimentary rock layers are visible in the Santa Ynez Mountain Range which stretches down the coastline; the stratification terminates at the Santa Ynez fault on the island side of the mountains.

  3. Space Radar Image of Oetzal, Austria

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    site is covered by glaciers. Corner reflectors are set up for calibration. Five corner reflectors can be seen on the Gepatschferner and two can be seen on the Vernagtferner. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C and X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. The radars illuminate Earth with microwaves, allowing detailed observations at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. SIR-C/X-SAR uses three microwave wavelengths: L-band (24 cm), C-band (6 cm) and X-band (3 cm). The multi-frequency data will be used by the international scientific community to better understand the global environment and how it is changing. The SIR-C/X-SAR data, complemented by aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists clearer insights into those environmental changes which are caused by nature and those changes which are induced by human activity. SIR-C was developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. X-SAR was developed by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German space agency, Deutsche Agentur fuer Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft und Raumfahrt e.V.(DLR), the major partner in science, operations and data processing of X-SAR.

  4. FIRST IMAGES FROM THE FOCUSING OPTICS X-RAY SOLAR IMAGER

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

    Krucker, Säm; Glesener, Lindsay; Turin, Paul

    2014-10-01

    The Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) sounding rocket payload flew for the first time on 2012 November 2, producing the first focused images of the Sun above 5 keV. To enable hard X-ray (HXR) imaging spectroscopy via direct focusing, FOXSI makes use of grazing-incidence replicated optics combined with fine-pitch solid-state detectors. On its first flight, FOXSI observed several targets that included active regions, the quiet Sun, and a GOES-class B2.7 microflare. This Letter provides an introduction to the FOXSI instrument and presents its first solar image. These data demonstrate the superiority in sensitivity and dynamic range that is achievable with amore » direct HXR imager with respect to previous, indirect imaging methods, and illustrate the technological readiness for a spaceborne mission to observe HXRs from solar flares via direct focusing optics.« less

  5. Geo-oculus: high resolution multi-spectral earth imaging mission from geostationary orbit

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vaillon, L.; Schull, U.; Knigge, T.; Bevillon, C.

    2017-11-01

    Geo-Oculus is a GEO-based Earth observation mission studied by Astrium for ESA in 2008-2009 to complement the Sentinel missions, the space component of the GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment & Security). Indeed Earth imaging from geostationary orbit offers new functionalities not covered by existing LEO observation missions, like real-time monitoring and fast revisit capability of any location within the huge area in visibility of the satellite. This high revisit capability is exploited by the Meteosat meteorogical satellites, but with a spatial resolution (500 m nadir for the third generation) far from most of GMES needs (10 to 100 m). To reach such ground resolution from GEO orbit with adequate image quality, large aperture instruments (> 1 m) and high pointing stability (<< 1 μrad) are required, which are the major challenges of such missions. To address the requirements from the GMES user community, the Geo-Oculus mission is a combination of routine observations (daily systematic coverage of European coastal waters) with "on-demand" observation for event monitoring (e.g. disasters, fires and oil slicks). The instrument is a large aperture imaging telescope (1.5 m diameter) offering a nadir spatial sampling of 10.5 m (21 m worst case over Europe, below 52.5°N) in a PAN visible channel used for disaster monitoring. The 22 multi-spectral channels have resolutions over Europe ranging from 40 m in UV/VNIR (0.3 to 1 μm) to 750 m in TIR (10-12 μm).

  6. Polar Applications of Spaceborne Scatterometers.

    PubMed

    Long, David G

    2017-05-01

    Wind scatterometers were originally developed for observation of near-surface winds over the ocean. They retrieve wind indirectly by measuring the normalized radar cross section ( σ o ) of the surface, and estimating the wind via a geophysical model function relating σ o to the vector wind. The σ o measurements have proven to be remarkably capable in studies of the polar regions where they can map snow cover; detect the freeze/thaw state of forest, tundra, and ice; map and classify sea ice; and track icebergs. Further, a long time series of scatterometer σ o observations is available to support climate studies. In addition to fundamental scientific research, scatterometer data are operationally used for sea-ice mapping to support navigation. Scatterometers are, thus, invaluable tools for monitoring the polar regions. In this paper, a brief review of some of the polar applications of spaceborne wind scatterometer data is provided. The paper considers both C-band and Ku-band scatterometers, and the relative merits of fan-beam and pencil-beam scatterometers in polar remote sensing are discussed.

  7. Polar Applications of Spaceborne Scatterometers

    PubMed Central

    Long, David G.

    2017-01-01

    Wind scatterometers were originally developed for observation of near-surface winds over the ocean. They retrieve wind indirectly by measuring the normalized radar cross section (σo) of the surface, and estimating the wind via a geophysical model function relating σo to the vector wind. The σo measurements have proven to be remarkably capable in studies of the polar regions where they can map snow cover; detect the freeze/thaw state of forest, tundra, and ice; map and classify sea ice; and track icebergs. Further, a long time series of scatterometer σo observations is available to support climate studies. In addition to fundamental scientific research, scatterometer data are operationally used for sea-ice mapping to support navigation. Scatterometers are, thus, invaluable tools for monitoring the polar regions. In this paper, a brief review of some of the polar applications of spaceborne wind scatterometer data is provided. The paper considers both C-band and Ku-band scatterometers, and the relative merits of fan-beam and pencil-beam scatterometers in polar remote sensing are discussed. PMID:28919936

  8. Coordinating an Autonomous Earth-Observing Sensorweb

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sherwood, Robert; Cichy, Benjamin; Tran, Daniel; Chien, Steve; Rabideau, Gregg; Davies, Ashley; Castano, Rebecca; frye, Stuart; Mandl, Dan; Shulman, Seth; hide

    2006-01-01

    A system of software has been developed to coordinate the operation of an autonomous Earth-observing sensorweb. Sensorwebs are collections of sensor units scattered over large regions to gather data on spatial and temporal patterns of physical, chemical, or biological phenomena in those regions. Each sensor unit is a node in a data-gathering/ data-communication network that spans a region of interest. In this case, the region is the entire Earth, and the sensorweb includes multiple terrestrial and spaceborne sensor units. In addition to acquiring data for scientific study, the sensorweb is required to give timely notice of volcanic eruptions, floods, and other hazardous natural events. In keeping with the inherently modular nature of the sensory, communication, and data-processing hardware, the software features a flexible, modular architecture that facilitates expansion of the network, customization of conditions that trigger alarms of hazardous natural events, and customization of responses to alarms. The soft8 NASA Tech Briefs, July 2006 ware facilitates access to multiple sources of data on an event of scientific interest, enables coordinated use of multiple sensors in rapid reaction to detection of an event, and facilitates the tracking of spacecraft operations, including tracking of the acquisition, processing, and downlinking of requested data.

  9. NASA Spacecraft Image Shows Location of Iranian Earthquake

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    On April 9, 2013 at 11:52 GMT, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit southwestern Iran's Bushehr province near the town of Kaki. Preliminary information is that several villages have been destroyed and many people have died, as reported by BBC News. This perspective view of the region was acquired Nov. 17, 2012, by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra spacecraft. The location of the earthquake's epicenter is marked with a yellow star. Vegetation is displayed in red; the vertical exaggeration of the topography is 2X. The image is centered near 28.5 degrees north latitude, 51.6 degrees east longitude. With its 14 spectral bands from the visible to the thermal infrared wavelength region and its high spatial resolution of 15 to 90 meters (about 50 to 300 feet), ASTER images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER is one of five Earth-observing instruments launched Dec. 18, 1999, on Terra. The instrument was built by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. A joint U.S./Japan science team is responsible for validation and calibration of the instrument and data products. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provides scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring of dynamic conditions and temporal change. Example applications are: monitoring glacial advances and retreats; monitoring potentially active volcanoes; identifying crop stress; determining cloud morphology and physical properties; wetlands evaluation; thermal pollution monitoring; coral reef degradation; surface temperature mapping of soils and geology; and measuring surface heat balance. The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. More information about ASTER is available at asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/. Image Credit: NASA

  10. Earth and Its Moon, as Seen From Mars

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-01-06

    This composite image of Earth and its moon, as seen from Mars, combines the best Earth image with the best moon image from four sets of images acquired on Nov. 20, 2016, by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Each was separately processed prior to combining them so that the moon is bright enough to see. The moon is much darker than Earth and would barely be visible at the same brightness scale as Earth. The combined view retains the correct sizes and positions of the two bodies relative to each other. HiRISE takes images in three wavelength bands: infrared, red, and blue-green. These are displayed here as red, green, and blue, respectively. This is similar to Landsat images in which vegetation appears red. The reddish feature in the middle of the Earth image is Australia. Southeast Asia appears as the reddish area (due to vegetation) near the top; Antarctica is the bright blob at bottom-left. Other bright areas are clouds. These images were acquired for calibration of HiRISE data, since the spectral reflectance of the Moon's near side is very well known. When the component images were taken, Mars was about 127 million miles (205 million kilometers) from Earth. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21260

  11. Spaceborne centrifugal relays for spacecraft propulsion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ouzidane, Malika

    1991-01-01

    Acceleration using centrifugal relays is a recently discovered method for the acceleration of spaceborne payloads to high velocity at high thrust. Centrifugal relays are moving rotors which progressively accelerate reaction mass to higher velocities. One important engineering problem consists of accurately tracking the position of the projectiles and rotors and guiding each projectile exactly onto the appropriate guide tracks on each rotor. The topics of this research are the system kinematics and dynamics and the computerized guidance system which will allow the projectile to approach each rotor with exact timing with respect to the rotor rotation period and with very small errors in lateral positions. Kinematics studies include analysis of rotor and projectile positions versus time and projectile/rotor interactions. Guidance studies include a detailed description of the tracking mechanism (interrupt of optical beams) and the aiming mechanism (electromagnetic focusing) including the design of electromagnetic deflection coils and the switching circuitry.

  12. Single-Mode, High Repetition Rate, Compact Ho:YLF Laser for Space-Borne Lidar Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bai, Yingxin; Yu, Jirong; Wong, Teh-Hwa; Chen, Songsheng; Petros, Mulugeta; Singh, Upendra N.

    2014-01-01

    A single transverse/longitudinal mode, compact Q-switched Ho:YLF laser has been designed and demonstrated for space-borne lidar applications. The pulse energy is between 34-40 mJ for 100-200 Hz operation. The corresponding peak power is >1 MW.

  13. Solar System Portrait - Earth as Pale Blue Dot

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1996-09-12

    This narrow-angle color image of the Earth, dubbed Pale Blue Dot, is a part of the first ever 'portrait' of the solar system taken by NASA’s Voyager 1. The spacecraft acquired a total of 60 frames for a mosaic of the solar system from a distance of more than 4 billion miles from Earth and about 32 degrees above the ecliptic. From Voyager's great distance Earth is a mere point of light, less than the size of a picture element even in the narrow-angle camera. Earth was a crescent only 0.12 pixel in size. Coincidentally, Earth lies right in the center of one of the scattered light rays resulting from taking the image so close to the sun. This blown-up image of the Earth was taken through three color filters -- violet, blue and green -- and recombined to produce the color image. The background features in the image are artifacts resulting from the magnification. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00452

  14. Earth Science

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1994-09-02

    This image depicts a full view of the Earth, taken by the Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES-8). The red and green charnels represent visible data, while the blue channel represents inverted 11 micron infrared data. The north and south poles were not actually observed by GOES-8. To produce this image, poles were taken from a GOES-7 image. Owned and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), GOES satellites provide the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. They circle the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit, which means they orbit the equatorial plane of the Earth at a speed matching the Earth's rotation. This allows them to hover continuously over one position on the surface. The geosynchronous plane is about 35,800 km (22,300 miles) above the Earth, high enough to allow the satellites a full-disc view of the Earth. Because they stay above a fixed spot on the surface, they provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric triggers for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and hurricanes. When these conditions develop, the GOES satellites are able to monitor storm development and track their movements. NASA manages the design and launch of the spacecraft. NASA launched the first GOES for NOAA in 1975 and followed it with another in 1977. Currently, the United States is operating GOES-8, positioned at 75 west longitude and the equator, and GOES-10, which is positioned at 135 west longitude and the equator. (GOES-9, which malfunctioned in 1998, is being stored in orbit as an emergency backup should either GOES-8 or GOES-10 fail. GOES-11 was launched on May 3, 2000 and GOES-12 on July 23, 2001. Both are being stored in orbit as a fully functioning replacement for GOES-8 or GOES-10 on failure.

  15. Challenges for Future UV Imaging of the Earth's Ionosphere and High Latitude Regions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Spann, James

    2006-01-01

    Large scale imaging of Geospace has played a significant role in the recent advances in the comprehension of the coupled Solar-Terrestrial System. The Earth's ionospheric far ultraviolet emissions provide a rich tapestry of observations that play a key role in sorting out the dominant mechanisms and phenomena associated with the coupling of the ionosphere and magnetosphere (MI). The MI coupling is an integral part of the Solar-Terrestrial and as such, future observations in this region should focus on understanding the coupling and the impact of solar variability. This talk will focus on the outstanding problems associated with the coupled Solar-Terrestrial system that can be best addressed using far ultraviolet imaging of the Earthls ionosphere. Challenges of global scale imaging and high-resolution imaging will be discussed and how these are driven by unresolved compelling science questions of magnetospheric configuration, and auroral dynamics.

  16. Lightweight ZERODUR mirror blanks: recent advances supporting faster, cheaper, and better spaceborne optical telescope assemblies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hull, Tony; Westerhoff, Thomas

    2014-10-01

    While there is no single material solution ideal for all missions, recent advances by SCHOTT in fabricating lightweight mirror blanks makes ZERODUR® a highly viable solution for many spaceborne telescopes. ZERODUR® is a well-characterized very low-expansion material. Monolithic mirrors are made without bonding or fusing out of highly homogeneous and isotropic blanks currently available in sizes up to 4m plus. We will summarize results recently given in a series of papers on the characteristics of these lightweight mirror blanks in sizes from 0.3m up, and describe the method of blank fabrication, with its compatibility to contemporary optical fabrication techniques that control of all optical spatial frequencies. ZERODUR® has a 35 year heritage in space on numerous missions, including the secondary mirror of Hubble, and all the Chandra mirrors. With the lightweighting we will discuss, ZERODUR® is now a high performing, affordable and rapidly produced mirror substrate suitable for lightweight imaging telescopes.

  17. Self-diffusion imaging by spin echo in Earth's magnetic field.

    PubMed

    Mohoric, A; Stepisnik, J; Kos, M; Planinsi

    1999-01-01

    The NMR of the Earth's magnetic field is used for diffusion-weighted imaging of phantoms. Due to a weak Larmor field, care needs to be taken regarding the use of the usual high field assumption in calculating the effect of the applied inhomogeneous magnetic field. The usual definition of the magnetic field gradient must be replaced by a generalized formula valid when the strength of a nonuniform magnetic field and a Larmor field are comparable (J. Stepisnik, Z. Phys. Chem. 190, 51-62 (1995)). It turns out that the expression for spin echo attenuation is identical to the well-known Torrey formula only when the applied nonuniform field has a proper symmetry. This kind of problem may occur in a strong Larmor field as well as when the slow diffusion rate of particles needs an extremely strong gradient to be applied. The measurements of the geomagnetic field NMR demonstrate the usefulness of the method for diffusion and flow-weighted imaging. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  18. Pathway to future sustainable land imaging: the compact hyperspectral prism spectrometer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kampe, Thomas U.; Good, William S.

    2017-09-01

    NASA's Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) program, managed through the Earth Science Technology Office, aims to develop technologies that will provide future Landsat-like measurements. SLI aims to develop a new generation of smaller, more capable, less costly payloads that meet or exceed current imaging capabilities. One projects funded by this program is Ball's Compact Hyperspectral Prism Spectrometer (CHPS), a visible-to-shortwave imaging spectrometer that provides legacy Landsat data products as well as hyperspectral coverage suitable for a broad range of land science products. CHPS exhibits extremely low straylight and accommodates full aperture, full optical path calibration needed to ensure the high radiometric accuracy demanded by SLI measurement objectives. Low polarization sensitivity in visible to near-infrared bands facilitates coastal water science as first demonstrated by the exceptional performance of the Operational Land Imager. Our goal is to mature CHPS imaging spectrometer technology for infusion into the SLI program. Our effort builds on technology development initiated by Ball IRAD investment and includes laboratory and airborne demonstration, data distribution to science collaborators, and maturation of technology for spaceborne demonstration. CHPS is a three year program with expected exiting technology readiness of TRL-6. The 2013 NRC report Landsat and Beyond: Sustaining and Enhancing the Nations Land Imaging Program recommended that the nation should "maintain a sustained, space-based, land-imaging program, while ensuring the continuity of 42-years of multispectral information." We are confident that CHPS provides a path to achieve this goal while enabling new science measurements and significantly reducing the cost, size, and volume of the VSWIR instrument.

  19. STS-68 radar image: Mt. Pinatubo, Philippines

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1994-10-07

    community of Bacolor, Pampanga, where thousands of homes were buried in meters of hot mud and rock as 80,000 people fled the lahar-stricken area. The 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption is well known for its near-global effects on the atmosphere and short-term climate due to the large amount of sulfur dioxide that was injected into the upper atmosphere. Locally, however, the effects will most likely continue to impact surrounding areas for as long as the next 10 to 15 years. Mud flows, quite certainly, will continue to pose severe hazards to adjacent areas. Radar observations like those obtained by SIR-C/X-SAR will play a key role in monitoring these changes because of the radar's ability to see daylight or darkness and even in the worst weather conditions. Radar imaging will be particularly useful during the monsoon season, when the lahars form. Frequent imaging of these lahar fields will allow scientists to better predict when they are likely to begin flowing again and which communities might be at risk. Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. (P-44729)

  20. Space Radar Image of Santa Cruz Island, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This space radar image shows the rugged topography of Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura, Calif. Santa Cruz, the largest island of the national park, is host to hundreds of species of plants, animals and birds, at least eight of which are known nowhere else in the world. The island is bisected by the Santa Cruz Island fault, which appears as a prominent line running from the upper left to the lower right in this image. The fault is part of the Transverse Range fault system, which extends eastward from this area across Los Angeles to near Palm Springs, Calif. Color variations in this image are related to the different types of vegetation and soils at the surface. For example, grass-covered coastal lowlands appear gold, while chaparral and other scrub areas appear pink and blue. The image is 35 kilometers by 32 kilometers (22 miles by 20 miles) and is centered at 33.8 degrees north latitude, 119.6 degrees west longitude. North is toward upper right. The colors are assigned to different radar frequencies and polarizations as follows: red is L-band, horizontally transmitted and received; green is C-band, horizontally transmitted and received; and blue is C-band, horizontally transmitted and vertically received. The image was acquired by the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) on October 10, 1994, onboard the space shuttle Endeavour. SIR-C/X-SAR, a joint mission of the German, Italian and United States space agencies, is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program.