Skylab-EREP studies in computer mapping of terrain in the Cripple Creek-Canon City area of Colorado

Multispectral-scanner data from satellites are used as input to computers for automatically mapping terrain classes of ground cover. Some major problems faced in this remote-sensing task include: (1) the effect of mixtures of classes and, primarily because of mixtures, the problem of what constitutes accurate control data, and (2) effects of the atmosphere on spectral responses. The fundamental principles of these problems are presented along with results of studies of them for a test site of Colorado, using LANDSAT-1 data

The mixture problem in computer mapping of terrain: Improved techniques for establishing spectral signatures, atmospheric path radiance, and transmittance

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Characterization of vegetation by microwave and optical remote sensing

Two series of carefully controlled experiments were conducted. First, plots of important crops (corn, soybeans, and sorghum), prairie grasses (big bluestem, switchgrass, tal fescue, orchardgrass, bromegrass), and forage legumes (alfalfa, red clover, and crown vetch) were manipulated to produce wide ranges of phytomass, leaf area index, and canopy architecture. Second, coniferous forest canopies were simulated using small balsam fir trees grown in large pots of soil and arranged systematically on a large (5 m) platform. Rotating the platform produced many new canopies for frequency and spatial averaging of the backscatter signal. In both series of experiments, backscatter of 5.0 GHz (C-Band) was measured as a function of view angle and polarization. Biophysical measurements included leaf area index, fresh and dry phytomass, water content of canopy elements, canopy height, and soil roughness and moisture content. For a subset of the above plots, additional measurements were acquired to exercise microwave backscatter models. These measurements included size and shape of leaves, stems, and fruit and the probability density function of leaf and stem angles. The relationships of the backscattering coefficients and the biophysical properties of the canopies were evaluated using statistical correlations, analysis of variance, and regression analysis. Results from the corn density and balsam fir experiments are discussed and analyses of data from the other experiments are summarized

Soybean canopy reflectance modeling data sets

Numerous mathematical models of the interaction of radiation with vegetation canopies have been developed over the last two decades. However, data with which to exercise and validate these models are scarce. During three days in the summer of 1980, experiments are conducted with the objective of gaining insight about the effects of solar illumination and view angles on soybean canopy reflectance. In concert with these experiment, extensive measurements of the soybean canopies are obtained. This document is a compilation of the bidirectional reflectance factors, agronomic, characteristics, canopy geometry, and leaf, stem, and pod optical properties of the soybean canopies. These data sets should be suitable for use with most vegetation canopy reflectance models

Strategies for coping with the costs of inpatient care: a mixed methods study of urban and rural poor in Vadodara District, Gujarat, India

Background In India, coping mechanisms for inpatient care costs have been explored in rural areas, but seldom among urbanites. This study aims to explore and compare mechanisms employed by the urban and rural poor for coping with inpatient expenditures, in order to help identify formal mechanisms and policies to provide improved social protection for health care

Development of basic theories and techniques for determining stresses in rotating turbine or compressor blades

A method for measuring in-plane displacement of a rotating structure by using two laser speckle photographs is described. From the displacement measurements one can calculate strains and stresses due to a centrifugal load. This technique involves making separate speckle photographs of a test model. One photograph is made with the model loaded (model is rotating); the second photograph is made with no load on the model (model is stationary). A sandwich is constructed from the two speckle photographs and data are recovered in a manner similar to that used with conventional speckle photography. The basic theory, experimental procedures of this method, and data analysis of a simple rotating specimen are described. In addition the measurement of in-plane surface displacement components of a deformed solid, and the application of the coupled laser speckle interferometry and boundary-integral solution technique to two dimensional elasticity problems are addressed