Plan for the uniform mapping of earth resources and environmental complexes from Skylab imagery

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Detecting a rotation in the epsilon Eridani debris disc

The evidence for a rotation of the epsilon Eridani debris disc is examined. Data at 850 micron wavelength were previously obtained using the Submillimetre Common User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) over periods in 1997-1998 and 2000-2002. By chi-square fitting after shift and rotation operations, images from these two epochs were compared to recover proper motion and orbital motion of the disc. The same procedures were then performed on simulated images to estimate the accuracy of the results. Minima in the chi-square plots indicate a motion of the disc of approximately 0.6'' per year in the direction of the star's proper motion. This underestimates the true value of 1'' per year, implying that some of the structure in the disc region is not associated with epsilon Eridani, originating instead from background galaxies. From the chi-square fitting for orbital motion, a counterclockwise rotation rate of ~2.75 degrees per year is deduced. Comparisons with simulated data in which the disc is not rotating show that noise and background galaxies result in approximately Gaussian fluctuations with a standard deviation +/-1.5 degrees per year. Thus counterclockwise rotation of disc features is supported at approximately a 2-sigma level, after a 4-year time difference. This rate is faster than the Keplerian rate of 0.65 degrees per year for features at ~65 AU from the star, suggesting their motion is tracking a planet inside the dust ring. Future observations with SCUBA-2 can rule out no rotation of the epsilon Eridani dust clumps with ~4-sigma confidence. Assuming a rate of about 2.75 degrees per year, the rotation of the features after a 10-year period could be shown to be >1 degree per year at the 3-sigma level.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

An interregional analysis of natural vegetation analogues using ERTS-1 imagery

The identification of ecological analogs of natural vegetation and food crops using ERTS-1 imagery is discussed. Signatures of four natural vegetation analogs have been determined from color photography. Color additive techniques to improve the photointerpretation are examined. Tests were conducted at test sites in Louisiana, California, and Colorado

Plan for the uniform mapping of earth resources and environmental complexes from Skylab imagery. Assessment of natural vegetation, environmental, and crop analogs

The author has identified the following significant results. For interpreting a wide range of natural vegetation analogs, S-190A color infrared and the ERTS-1 color composite were consistently more useful than were conventional color or black and white photos. Color infrared was superior for five vegetation analogs while color was superior for only three. The errors in identification appeared to associate more with black and white single band images than with multiband color. For rice crop analogs, spectral and spatial discriminations both contribute to the usefulness of images for data collection. Tests and subjective analyses conducted in this study indicated that the spectral bands exploited in color infrared film were the most useful for agricultural crop analysis. Accuracy of crop identification on any single date of Skylab images was less than that of multidate analysis due to differences in crop calendar, cultural practices used, rice variety, planting date, planting method, water use, fertilization, disease, or mechanical problems

First Year Projects and Activities of the Environmental Remote Sensing Applications Laboratory (ERSAL)

Activities, pilot projects, and research that will effectively close the gap between state-of-the-art remote sensing technology and the potential users and beneficiaries of this technological and scientific progress are discussed in light of the first year of activity. A broad spectrum of resource and man-environment problems are described in terms of the central thrust of the first-year program to support land use planning decisions with information derived from the interpretation of NASA highlight and satellite imagery

The influence of ship motion of manual control skills

The effects of ship motion on a range of typical manual control skills were examined on the Warren Spring ship motion simulator driven in heave, pitch, and roll by signals taken from the frigate HMS Avenger at 13 m/s (25 knots) into a force 4 wind. The motion produced a vertical r.m.s. acceleration of 0.024g, mostly between 0.1 and 0.3 Hz, with comparatively little pitch or roll. A task involving unsupported arm movements was seriously affected by the motion; a pursuit tracking task showed a reliable decrement although it was still performed reasonably well (pressure and free moving tracking controls were affected equally by the motion); a digit keying task requiring ballistic hand movements was unaffected. There was no evidence that these effects were caused by sea sickness. The differing response to motion of the different tasks, from virtual destruction to no effect, suggests that a major benefit could come from an attempt to design the man/control interface onboard ship around motion resistant tasks

A comparative interregional analysis of selected data from LANDSAT-1 and EREP for the inventory and monitoring of natural ecosystems

Comparative statistics were presented on the capability of LANDSAT-1 and three of the Skylab remote sensing systems (S-190A, S-190B, S-192) for the recognition and inventory of analogous natural vegetations and landscape features important in resource allocation and management. Two analogous regions presenting vegetational zonation from salt desert to alpine conditions above the timberline were observed, emphasizing the visual interpretation mode in the investigation. An hierarchical legend system was used as the basic classification of all land surface features. Comparative tests were run on image identifiability with the different sensor systems, and mapping and interpretation tests were made both in monocular and stereo interpretation with all systems except the S-192. Significant advantage was found in the use of stereo from space when image analysis is by visual or visual-machine-aided interactive systems. Some cost factors in mapping from space are identified. The various image types are compared and an operational system is postulated

Inventory and analysis of natural vegetation and related resources from space and high altitude photography

A multiple sampling technique was developed whereby spacecraft photographs supported by aircraft photographs could be used to quantify plant communities. Large scale (1:600 to 1:2,400) color infrared aerial photographs were required to identify shrub and herbaceous species. These photos were used to successfully estimate a herbaceous standing crop biomass. Microdensitometry was used to discriminate among specific plant communities and individual plant species. Large scale infrared photography was also used to estimate mule deer deaths and population density of northern pocket gophers