The Photometric Effect of Macroscopic Surface Roughness on Sediment Surfaces

The focus of this work was on explaining the effect of macroscopic surface roughness on the reflected light from a soil surface. These questions extend from deciding how to best describe roughness mathematically, to figuring out how to quantify its effect on the spectral reflectance from a soil’s surface. In this document, I provide a background of the fundamental literature in the fields of remote sensing and computer vision that have been instrumental in my research. I then outline the software and hardware tools that I have developed to quantify roughness. This includes a detailed outline of a custom LiDAR operating mode for the GRIT-T goniometer system that was developed and characterized over the course of this research, as well as proposed methods for using convergent images acquired by our goniometer system’s camera to derive useful structure from motion point clouds. These tools and concepts are then used in two experiments that aim to explain the relationship between soil surface roughness and spectral BRF phenomena. In the first experiment, clay sediment samples were gradually pulverized into a smooth powderized state and in steps of reduced surface roughness. Results show that variance in the continuum spectra as a function of viewing angle increased with the roughness of the sediment surface. This result suggests that inter-facet multiple scattering caused a variance in absorption band centering and depth due to an increased path length traveled through the medium. In the second experiment, we examine the performance of the Hapke photometric roughness correction for sand sediment surfaces of controlled sample density. We find that the correction factor potentially underpredicts the effect of shadowing in the forward scattering direction. The percentage difference between forward-modeled BRF measurements and empirically measured BRF measurements is constant across wavelength, suggesting that a factor can be empirically derived. Future results should also investigate the scale at which the photometric correction factor should be applied. Finally, I also outline a structure from motion processing chain aimed at deriving meaningful metrics of vegetation structure. Results show that correlations between these metrics and observed directional reflectance phenomena of chordgrass are strong for peak growing state plants. We observe good agreement between destructive LAI metrics and contact-based LAI metrics

Digital image processing of Landsat data for mapping hydrothermally altered rocks in New Mexico

Imperial Users onl

Summaries of the Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop

This publication contains the summaries for the Sixth Annual JPL Airborne Earth Science Workshop, held in Pasadena, California, on March 4-8, 1996. The main workshop is divided into two smaller workshops as follows: (1) The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) workshop, on March 4-6. The summaries for this workshop appear in Volume 1; (2) The Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) workshop, on March 6-8. The summaries for this workshop appear in Volume 2

Caractérisation des propriétés physiques de la surface de Mars à partir de mesures spectro-photométriques orbitales

The PhD work focuses on the characterization of geological processes on planetary surfaces. Due to the lack of broad scale in situ information about the surface physical properties of the Martian materials (recording the geological processes), my work centers on the development and validation of an approach for their estimation from orbital spaceborne datasets. In addition, determining the physical properties has an implication for the spectroscopic interpretation notably for the mineral abundances. More specifically, I developed an approach for the determination and the analysis of the Martian surface scattering properties using CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) observations [Murchie et al., 2007] on-board MRO (Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter). CRISM provides multi-angular (varied emission angles) hyperspectral images which allow the characterization of the surface scattering behavior at ∼200m/pixel. The scattering behavior depends on the material composition but also the physical properties such as the grain size, shape, internal structure, and the surface roughness / porosity. The main objective is to observe the spatial variations of the surface scattering properties and the photometric parameters as a function of geological units.The methodology I employ is based on the estimation of the surface photometric parameters in term of surface physical properties. After an atmospheric correction (aerosols) by the Multi-angle Approach for Retrieval of the Surface Reflectance from CRISM Observations (MARS-ReCO) [Ceamanos et al., 2013] developed in collaboration with X. Ceamanos and S. Douté (IPAG, France), I analyze the surface reflectance taken at varied geometries by inverting the Hapke photometric model [Hapke, 1993] depending on six parameters (single scattering albedo, 2-term phase function, macroscopic roughness and 2-term opposition effects parameters) in a Bayesian framework [Fernando et al., 2013]. The algorithm for the correction for the aerosols and the methodology for the estimates of surface photometric parameters have been validated by comparing the results from orbit to the in situ photometric measurements from Mars Exploration Rover (MER) rovers [Fernando et al. 2013].The MER landing sites located at Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum provide an excellent opportunity to ground truth and validate the interpretation of derived Hapke photometric parameters as both orbital and in situ data are readily available over numerous geological terrains. Orbital results are consistent with the in situ observations. In my work, I mapped the surface scattering properties in and around the rover path, providing extended information over a wider area. Significant variations in the scattering properties are observed inside a CRISM observation (10x10km) suggesting that the surfaces are controlled by local geological and climatic processes [Fernando et al., in revision].The last part of this work focuses on the determination of the surface photometric parameters of different Martian geological terrains under different contexts in order to identify variabilities of the scattering propertiesDepuis leur formation, les surfaces des corps de notre Système Solaire montrent une diversité étonnante. Cette diversité est le reflet des processus géologiques qui ont modelé les surfaces planétaires au cours du temps. Parmi les objets du Système Solaire, Mars constitue un objet particulièrement intéressant car il présente de nombreuses similitudes avec notre planète. La minéralogie de la surface de Mars est bien documentée. Cependant, on dispose de peu d'information sur les paramètres physiques des matériaux qui sont également des traceurs des processus géologiques. Un des objectifs de cette thèse est de développer et de valider un outil permettant leur détermination à partir de techniques d'investigation spatiale depuis l'orbite et d’interpréter les résultats. Pour cela, une approche basée sur la photométrie, qui étudie les propriétés de diffusion des matériaux de surface, a été développée et validée. Ces propriétés de diffusion dépendent de la composition mais aussi des propriétés physiques des matériaux comme la taille, la forme, la structure interne, la rugosité des grains et la rugosité de la surface. Les données hyperspectrales multi-angulaires CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) à bord de la sonde Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (11 images prises à des angles d'émergence variés) ont été utilisées, permettant de contraindre le comportement de diffusion des matériaux de surface. Tout d'abord, les données sont corrigées de la contribution atmosphérique à l'aide de l'algorithme nommée MARS-ReCO (Multi-angle Approach for Retrieval of Surface Reflectance for CRISM Observations), développé en collaboration avec Xavier Ceamanos et Sylvain Douté (IPAG) au cours de la thèse. Puis, les données de réflectance de surface à différentes géométries sont analysées en inversant à l’aide d’une approche bayésienne le modèle photométrique de Hapke qui décrit le transfert radiatif en milieu granulaire. Ce modèle dépend de six paramètres photométriques de surface (e.g., albédo de diffusion, fonction de phase, rugosité macroscopique de la surface), reliés aux propriétés physiques des matériaux comme la taille, la structure interne, la forme, la rugosité des grains, et la rugosité de la surface.Une première application a été menée au niveau des sites d'atterrissage des rovers de la mission Mars Exploration Rover, où des données orbitales et in situ sont disponibles. Ces dernières sont utilisées comme «vérité terrain» pour valider les interprétations des paramètres photométriques estimés. Dans ce travail, des cartes des paramètres photométriques ont été fournies le long et autour du trajet des rovers permettant d'avoir accès aux informations des propriétés des matériaux sur une étendue plus importante que les données in situ. Une interprétation de chacun des paramètres et un lien aux propriétés physiques et aux processus géologiques ont été fournis. Les résultats montrent des propriétés de diffusion variés au sein d'une observation CRISM (10x10km) suggérant que les surfaces sont contrôlées par des processus géologiques plus locaux (e.g., processus éoliens, fragmentation de la croûte par impact).Une dernière partie se focalise sur la détermination des propriétés de diffusion des matériaux de surface de différents terrains géologiques formés dans des contextes différents. Le but est d'identifier les variabilités des propriétés de diffusion à travers Mar

Abstracts for the 54th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritical Society

Abstracts of the papers presented at 54th Annual Meeting of the Meteoritic Society are compiled. The following subject areas are covered: Antarctic meteorites; nebula and parent body processing; primary and secondary SNC parent planet processes; enstatite chondrites and aubrites; achondrite stew; refractory inclusions; meteorite exposure ages and sizes; interstellar/meteorite connections; lunar origins, processes and meteorites; craters, cratering and tektites; cretaceous-tertiary impact(s); IDPs (LDEF, stratosphere, Greenland and Antarctica); chondrules; and chondrites