An integrated study of earth resources in the State of California based on Skylab and supporting aircraft data

Skylab data has been used: (1) as an aid to resource management in Northern California; (2) to assess and monitor change in the Southern California environment; and (3) for resource inventory and analysis of The California Desert Program

ERTS-1 imagery and high flight photographs as aids to fire hazard appraisal at the NASA San Pablo Reservoir test site

The identification of fire hazards at the San Pablo Reservoir Test Site in California using ERTS-1 data is discussed. It is stated that the two primary fire hazards in the area are caused by wild oat plants and eucalyptus trees. The types of imagery used in conducting the study are reported. Aerial photographs of specific areas are included to show the extent of the fire hazards

Study to determine the aquatic biological effects on the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB)

The surface of the reusable solid rocket boosters (SRB), which are jettisoned from the Shuttle Orbiter to parachute in the sea, are studied for colonization by marine life. Techniques for monitoring the marine microbial fouling of SRB materials are presented. An assessment of the nature and degree of the biofouling expected on the SRB materials in the recovery zone is reported. A determination of the degree and the effects of seasonal variation occurring on microbial fouling in the retrieval zone waters is made. The susceptibility of the SRB parachute recovery system to microbial fouling and biodeterioration is investigated. The development of scanning electron microscopy and epifluorescence microscopic observation techniques for rapid assessment of microbial fouling is discussed

Testing the concept and practical application of multiband reconnaissance Semiannual status report, Oct. 1, 1966 - Mar. 31, 1967

Multiband reconnaissance concepts, and color photography techniques for target identificatio

Remote sensing research for agricultural applications

The thematic mapper simulator (TMS) flown by the U-2/ER-2 aircraft is being used as a surrogate for LANDSAT-4TM data. Progress is reported on spectral data acquisition including TMS, color infrared high altitude aerial photography, and LANDSAT 3 MSS and ground data collection to support classification and testing. A test site in San Joaquin County was selected for analysis

Analysis of the quality of image data acquired by the LANDSAT-4 thematic mapper and multispectral scanners

Image products and numeric data were extracted from both TM and MSS data in an effort to evaluate the quality of these data for interpreting major agricultural resources and conditions in California's Central Valley. The utility of TM data appears excellent for meeting most of the inventory objectives of the agricultural resource specialist. These data should be extremely valuable for crop type and area proportion estimation, for updating agricultural land use survey maps at 1:24,000-scale and smaller, for field boundary definition, and for determining the size and location of individual farmsteads

Analysis of the quality of image data acquired by the LANDSAT-4 thematic mapper and multispectral scanners

A seven step procedure developed for evaluating the geometric properties of MSS and TM film produces is being implemented. Some 476 control points were selected of which 238 are being tested and edited for digitization and scaling errors. Tables show statistics established for assessing the spectral characteristics and variability, as well as the spatial resolution and radiometric sensitivity of TM data for a forest environment in an effort to determine the extent to which major forest cover type can be detected and identified on TM digital and image products. Results thus far show that the high quality obtained are more than sufficient for meeting most of the inventory objectives of the renewable resource specialist. The TM data should be extremely valuable for: (1) estimating forest cover types; (2) updating land use survey maps; and (3) determining the size and shape and location of individual forest clearings and water resources

Skylab data as an aid to resource management in northern California

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Analysis of the quality of image data acquired by the LANDSAT-4 thematic mapper and multispectral scanners

The three types of LANDSAT 4 film products generally accessible to the user community were analyzed and attempts were made to acquire a data set consisting of a variety of TM and MSS image products for the Sacramento and San Francisco Bay Area test sites. On request, the EDC developed an interim TM analytical film by using a leaser beam recorder to produce black and white masters from which natural and false color composites were created

Analysis of the quality of image data acquired by the LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper and Multispectral Scanners

The geometric quality of TM film and digital products is evaluated by making selective photomeasurements and by measuring the coordinates of known features on both the TM products and map products. These paired observations are related using a standard linear least squares regression approach. Using regression equations and coefficients developed from 225 (TM film product) and 20 (TM digital product) control points, map coordinates of test points are predicted. The residual error vectors and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed on the east and north residual using nine image segments (blocks) as treatments. Based on the root mean square error of the 223 (TM film product) and 22 (TM digital product) test points, users of TM data expect the planimetric accuracy of mapped points to be within 91 meters and within 117 meters for the film products, and to be within 12 meters and within 14 meters for the digital products