Comparison of Two Methodologies for Calibrating Satellite Instruments in the Visible and Near Infrared

Traditionally, satellite instruments that measure Earth-reflected solar radiation in the visible and near infrared wavelength regions have been calibrated for radiance response in a two-step method. In the first step, the spectral response of the instrument is determined using a nearly monochromatic light source, such a lamp-illuminated monochromator. Such sources only provide a relative spectral response (RSR) for the instrument, since they do not act as calibrated sources of light nor do they typically fill the field-of-view of the instrument. In the second step, the instrument views a calibrated source of broadband light, such as lamp-illuminated integrating sphere. In the traditional method, the RSR and the sphere spectral radiance are combined and, with the instrument's response, determine the absolute spectral radiance responsivity of the instrument. More recently, an absolute calibration system using widely tunable monochromatic laser systems has been developed, Using these sources, the absolute spectral responsivity (ASR) of an instrument can be determined on a wavelength-hy-wavelength basis. From these monochromatic ASRs. the responses of the instrument bands to broadband radiance sources can be calculated directly, eliminating the need for calibrated broadband light sources such as integrating spheres. Here we describe the laser-based calibration and the traditional broad-band source-based calibration of the NPP VIIRS sensor, and compare the derived calibration coefficients for the instrument. Finally, we evaluate the impact of the new calibration approach on the on-orbit performance of the sensor

Mutational analysis of highly conserved aspartate residues essential to the catalytic core of the piggyBac transposase

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>piggyBac </it>mobile element is quickly gaining popularity as a tool for the transgenesis of many eukaryotic organisms. By studying the transposase which catalyzes the movement of <it>piggyBac</it>, we may be able to modify this vector system to make it a more effective transgenesis tool. In a previous publication, Sarkar A, Sim C, Hong YS, Hogan JR, Fraser MJ, Robertson HM, and Collins FH have proposed the presence of the widespread 'DDE/DDD' motif for <it>piggyBac </it>at amino acid positions D268, D346, and D447.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study utilizes directed mutagenesis and plasmid-based mobility assays to assess the importance of these residues as the catalytic core of the <it>piggyBac </it>transposase. We have functionally analyzed individual point-mutations with respect to charge and physical size in all three proposed residues of the 'DDD' motif as well as another nearby, highly conserved aspartate at D450. All of our mutations had a significant effect on excision frequency in S2 cell cultures. We have also aligned the <it>piggyBac </it>transposase to other close family members, both functional and non-functional, in an attempt to identify the most highly conserved regions and position a number of interesting features.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found all the designated DDD aspartates reside in clusters of amino acids that conserved among <it>piggyBac </it>family transposase members. Our results indicate that all four aspartates are necessary, to one degree or another, for excision to occur in a cellular environment, but D450 seems to have a tolerance for a glutamate substitution. All mutants tested significantly decreased excision frequency in cell cultures when compared with the wild-type transposase.</p

The global abundance of tree palms

Aim Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change. Location Tropical and subtropical moist forests. Time period Current. Major taxa studied Palms (Arecaceae). Methods We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co‐occurring non‐palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure. Results On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long‐term climate stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non‐tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above‐ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work. Conclusions Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests

Absolute radiant flux measurement of the angular distribution of synchrotron radiation

We have measured the absolute radiant flux of synchrotron radiation as a function of the angle above and below the orbital plane with high accuracy at the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF III) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the results were compared with theoretical calculations. The radiant flux of synchrotron radiation was measured at effective wavelengths of 256.5, 397.8, and 799.8 nm using three calibrated narrow-band filter radiometers with electron energies ranging from 180 to 380 MeV at SURF III. The filter radiometers were positioned inside a beamline with an unobstructed view of synchrotron radiation. The measured radiant flux agrees with theoretical Schwinger formulation to better than 0.5% for angles up to several milliradians

Focused Ion beam source method and Apparatus

A focused ion beam having a cross section of submicron diameter, a high ion current, and a narrow energy range is generated from a target comprised of particle source material by laser ablation. The method involves directing a laser beam having a cross section of critical diameter onto the target, producing a cloud of laser ablated particles having unique characteristics, and extracting and focusing a charged particle beam from the laser ablated cloud. The method is especially suited for producing focused ion beams for semiconductor device analysis and modification

Spectroscopy and autodetachment dynamics of PtN-

The negative ion PtN- has been studied by autodetachment spectroscopy in a coaxial laser-ion beam spectrometer. Sharp resonances were observed at photon energies near the photodetachment threshold, and the sharp structure could be assigned as 11(v=0) transition, followed by autodetachment of the 1 state. A rotational assignment was accomplished and the observed linewidths as a function of rotational energy elucidate the dynamics of the autodetachment process. Saturation of this transition and the resulting optical pumping dips give a unique method of determining the absolute cross section of the transition. © 1987 The American Physical Society

Progress Towards an Absolute Calibration of Lunar Irradiance at Reflected Solar Wavelengths

Establishing the Moon as an absolute spectral irradiance reference source has the potential to improve on-orbit calibrations of earth-observing instruments, especially across gaps in the data record. The Moon is of comparable brightness to the Earth when viewed from orbit, its surface reflectance is exceptionally stable, and it has the advantage of not being obscured by the Earth\u27s atmosphere. Observations of the Moon have been used to track changes in satellite sensor response at the sub-percent level, relying on the USGS ROLO model of lunar irradiance to predict time-dependent changes in lunar irradiance. The absolute scale of the ROLO model, however, is not known accurately enough to allow the Moon to specify an absolute scale for instrument response. NIST is currently engaged in an effort to improve the absolute calibration of lunar irradiance at reflected solar wavelengths from an accuracy of ~10 % to 1 %, first in the spectral range accessible with silicon detectors, then at near-infrared wavelengths in subsequent years. Our prototype observation platform is a 4-inch telescope with an integrating sphere in the optical train at a position where the sphere aperture is slightly larger than the imaged lunar disk. The sphere is fiber-coupled to a laboratory-calibrated spectrometer with a resolution of 3 nm. We currently derive the lunar spectral irradiance from each night\u27s observations from a Langley analysis that also yields detailed information about atmospheric optical properties. We will present progress since the previous CALCON meeting, including an updated uncertainty budget for the instrument calibration, results from ground-based observations, and plans to complement ground-based observations with observations made above the Earth\u27s atmosphere