139,744 research outputs found
A novel design concept for space-based polar remote sensing
Space-based remote sensing of the Earth is conducted from a fleet of spacecraft in two basic orbital positions, near-polar low-Earth orbits and geosynchronous orbits, with each offering its own advantages and disadvantages. Low-Earth orbits provide high-resolution observations at the expense of large-scale contextual information, while geosynchronous orbits provide near-global, continuous coverage at reduced resolutions. However, due to the rapidly decreasing horizontal resolution data-products derived from geosynchronous orbits are of degraded value beyond approximately 55 degrees of latitude. A novel mission design is introduced to enable continuous observation of all longitudes at latitudes between 55 and 90 degrees with an observation zenith angle of less than 60 degrees, without the use of composite images. A single Soyuz launch is used to deliver three spacecraft to 12-hr, highly eccentric true-polar orbits with apogee at 40170 km and electric propulsion is used to maintain the orbit apse-line coincident with the Earth’s poles. It is shown that the science payload mass can be traded against the mission duration, with a payload mass varying between 120 – 90 kg for mission durations between 3 – 5 years, respectively. It is further shown that the payload would have approximately of 2kW of power available during operations as the electric propulsion system is not operated at these times. Whilst the payload mass is less than a typical remote sensing platform in geosynchronous orbit it is considered that the concept would offer an excellent technology demonstrator mission for operational missions, whilst also enabling unique and valuable science
Non-Local Compressive Sensing Based SAR Tomography
Tomographic SAR (TomoSAR) inversion of urban areas is an inherently sparse
reconstruction problem and, hence, can be solved using compressive sensing (CS)
algorithms. This paper proposes solutions for two notorious problems in this
field: 1) TomoSAR requires a high number of data sets, which makes the
technique expensive. However, it can be shown that the number of acquisitions
and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be traded off against each other,
because it is asymptotically only the product of the number of acquisitions and
SNR that determines the reconstruction quality. We propose to increase SNR by
integrating non-local estimation into the inversion and show that a reasonable
reconstruction of buildings from only seven interferograms is feasible. 2)
CS-based inversion is computationally expensive and therefore barely suitable
for large-scale applications. We introduce a new fast and accurate algorithm
for solving the non-local L1-L2-minimization problem, central to CS-based
reconstruction algorithms. The applicability of the algorithm is demonstrated
using simulated data and TerraSAR-X high-resolution spotlight images over an
area in Munich, Germany.Comment: 10 page
Sun-synchronous highly elliptical orbits using low-thrust propulsion
Due to restrictions within the current architecture of the global observing system (GOS), space-based remote sensing of Earth suffers from an acute data-deficit over the critical polar-regions. Currently, observation of high-latitude regions is conducted using composite images from spacecraft in geostationary (GEO) and low-Earth orbits (LEOs) [1]. However, the oblique viewing geometry from GEO-based systems to latitudes above around 55 deg [2] and the insufficient temporal resolution of spacecraft in LEO means there is currently no source of continuous imagery for polar-regions obtained with a data refresh rate of less than 15 minutes, as is typically available elsewhere for meteorological observations
Recognition of landslides in lunar impact craters
Landslides have been observed on several planets and minor bodies of the solar System, including the Moon. Notwithstanding different types of slope failures have been studied on the Moon, a detailed lunar landslide inventory is still pending. Undoubtedly, such will be in a benefit for future geological and morphological studies, as well in hazard, risk and suscept- ibility assessments. A preliminary survey of lunar landslides in impact craters has been done using visual inspection on images and digital elevation model (DEM) (Brunetti et al. 2015) but this method suffers from subjective interpretation. A new methodology based on polynomial interpolation of crater cross-sections extracted from global lunar DEMs is presented in this paper. Because of their properties, Chebyshev polynomials were already exploited for para- metric classification of different crater morphologies (Mahanti et al., 2014). Here, their use has been extended to the discrimination of slumps in simple impact craters. Two criteria for recognition have provided the best results: one based on fixing an empirical absolute thresholding and a second based on statistical adaptive thresholding. The application of both criteria to a data set made up of 204 lunar craters’ cross-sections has demonstrated that the former criterion provides the best recognition
Extension of the Molniya orbit using low-thrust propulsion
Extension of the standard Molniya orbit using low-thrust propulsion is presented. These newly proposed, highly elliptical orbits are enabled by existing low-thrust propulsion technology, enabling new Earth Observation science and offering a new set of tools for mission design. In applying continuous low-thrust propulsion to the conventional Molniya orbit the critical inclination may be altered from the natural value of 63.4deg, to any inclination required to optimally fulfill the mission goals. Analytical expressions, validated using numerical methods, reveal the possibility of enabling a Molniya orbit inclined at 90deg to the equator. Fuel optimal low-thrust control profiles are then generated by the application of pseudo spectral numerical optimization techniques to these so-called Polar-Molniya orbits. These orbits enable continuous, high elevation visibility of the Frigid and Neighboring Temperate regions, using only two spacecraft compared with six spacecraft required for coverage of the same area with a conventional Molniya orbit. This can be achieved using existing ion engines, meaning no development in technology is required to enable these new, novel orbits. Order of magnitude mission lifetimes for a range of mass fractions and specific impulses are also determined, and are found to range from 1.2 years to 9.4 years. Where, beyond 9.4 years the outline mass budget analysis for spacecraft of initial masses of 500kg, 1000kg and 2500kg, illustrated there is no longer a capacity for payload for all initial mass of spacecraft
Asteroid Models from Multiple Data Sources
In the past decade, hundreds of asteroid shape models have been derived using
the lightcurve inversion method. At the same time, a new framework of 3-D shape
modeling based on the combined analysis of widely different data sources such
as optical lightcurves, disk-resolved images, stellar occultation timings,
mid-infrared thermal radiometry, optical interferometry, and radar
delay-Doppler data, has been developed. This multi-data approach allows the
determination of most of the physical and surface properties of asteroids in a
single, coherent inversion, with spectacular results. We review the main
results of asteroid lightcurve inversion and also recent advances in multi-data
modeling. We show that models based on remote sensing data were confirmed by
spacecraft encounters with asteroids, and we discuss how the multiplication of
highly detailed 3-D models will help to refine our general knowledge of the
asteroid population. The physical and surface properties of asteroids, i.e.,
their spin, 3-D shape, density, thermal inertia, surface roughness, are among
the least known of all asteroid properties. Apart for the albedo and diameter,
we have access to the whole picture for only a few hundreds of asteroids. These
quantities are nevertheless very important to understand as they affect the
non-gravitational Yarkovsky effect responsible for meteorite delivery to Earth,
or the bulk composition and internal structure of asteroids.Comment: chapter that will appear in a Space Science Series book Asteroids I
On Sun-to-Earth Propagation of Coronal Mass Ejections: 2. Slow Events and Comparison with Others
As a follow-up study on Sun-to-Earth propagation of fast coronal mass
ejections (CMEs), we examine the Sun-to-Earth characteristics of slow CMEs
combining heliospheric imaging and in situ observations. Three events of
particular interest, the 2010 June 16, 2011 March 25 and 2012 September 25
CMEs, are selected for this study. We compare slow CMEs with fast and
intermediate-speed events, and obtain key results complementing the attempt of
\citet{liu13} to create a general picture of CME Sun-to-Earth propagation: (1)
the Sun-to-Earth propagation of a typical slow CME can be approximately
described by two phases, a gradual acceleration out to about 20-30 solar radii,
followed by a nearly invariant speed around the average solar wind level, (2)
comparison between different types of CMEs indicates that faster CMEs tend to
accelerate and decelerate more rapidly and have shorter cessation distances for
the acceleration and deceleration, (3) both intermediate-speed and slow CMEs
would have a speed comparable to the average solar wind level before reaching 1
AU, (4) slow CMEs have a high potential to interact with other solar wind
structures in the Sun-Earth space due to their slow motion, providing critical
ingredients to enhance space weather, and (5) the slow CMEs studied here lack
strong magnetic fields at the Earth but tend to preserve a flux-rope structure
with axis generally perpendicular to the radial direction from the Sun. We also
suggest a "best" strategy for the application of a triangulation concept in
determining CME Sun-to-Earth kinematics, which helps to clarify confusions
about CME geometry assumptions in the triangulation and to improve CME analysis
and observations.Comment: 37 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Supplemen
Coma Anisotropy and the Rotation Pole of Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov
Hubble Space Telescope observations of interstellar comet 2I/Borisov near
perihelion show the ejection of large (>~100 um) particles at <~9 m/s speeds,
with estimated mass-loss rates of ~35 kg/s. The total mass loss from comet
Borisov corresponds to loss of a surface shell on the nucleus only ~0.4 m
thick. This shell is thin enough to be susceptible to past chemical processing
in the interstellar medium by cosmic rays, meaning that the ejected materials
cannot necessarily be considered as pristine. Our high-resolution images reveal
persistent asymmetry in the dust coma, best explained by a thermal lag on the
rotating nucleus causing peak mass loss to occur in the comet nucleus
afternoon. In this interpretation, the nucleus rotates with an obliquity of 30
deg (pole direction RA = 205 deg and Dec. = 52 deg). The subsolar latitude
varied from -35 deg (southern solstice) at the time of discovery to 0 deg
(equinox) in 2020 January, suggesting the importance of seasonal effects.
Subsequent activity likely results from regions freshly activated as the
northern hemisphere is illuminated for the first time.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Change detection in SAR time-series based on the coefficient of variation
This paper discusses change detection in SAR time-series. Firstly, several
statistical properties of the coefficient of variation highlight its pertinence
for change detection. Then several criteria are proposed. The coefficient of
variation is suggested to detect any kind of change.
Then other criteria based on ratios of coefficients of variations are
proposed to detect long events such as construction test sites, or point-event
such as vehicles.
These detection methods are evaluated first on theoretical statistical
simulations to determine the scenarios where they can deliver the best results.
Then detection performance is assessed on real data for different types of
scenes and sensors (Sentinel-1, UAVSAR). In particular, a quantitative
evaluation is performed with a comparison of our solutions with
state-of-the-art methods
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