WorldWideScience

Sample records for surface reflectance quality

  1. Quality Assessment of Landsat Surface Reflectance Products Using MODIS Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Min; Huang, Chengquan; Channan, Saurabh; Vermote, Eric; Masek, Jeffrey G.; Townshend, John R.

    2012-01-01

    Surface reflectance adjusted for atmospheric effects is a primary input for land cover change detection and for developing many higher level surface geophysical parameters. With the development of automated atmospheric correction algorithms, it is now feasible to produce large quantities of surface reflectance products using Landsat images. Validation of these products requires in situ measurements, which either do not exist or are difficult to obtain for most Landsat images. The surface reflectance products derived using data acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), however, have been validated more comprehensively. Because the MODIS on the Terra platform and the Landsat 7 are only half an hour apart following the same orbit, and each of the 6 Landsat spectral bands overlaps with a MODIS band, good agreements between MODIS and Landsat surface reflectance values can be considered indicators of the reliability of the Landsat products, while disagreements may suggest potential quality problems that need to be further investigated. Here we develop a system called Landsat-MODIS Consistency Checking System (LMCCS). This system automatically matches Landsat data with MODIS observations acquired on the same date over the same locations and uses them to calculate a set of agreement metrics. To maximize its portability, Java and open-source libraries were used in developing this system, and object-oriented programming (OOP) principles were followed to make it more flexible for future expansion. As a highly automated system designed to run as a stand-alone package or as a component of other Landsat data processing systems, this system can be used to assess the quality of essentially every Landsat surface reflectance image where spatially and temporally matching MODIS data are available. The effectiveness of this system was demonstrated using it to assess preliminary surface reflectance products derived using the Global Land Survey (GLS) Landsat

  2. High quality broadband spatial reflections of slow Rayleigh surface acoustic waves modulated by a graded grooved surface

    KAUST Repository

    Xu, Yanlong

    2015-01-21

    We report high quality broadband spatial reflections of Rayleigh surface acoustic waves (SAWs) through a graded grooved surface. High quality means that no wave is allowed to transmit and the incident wave is nearly all reflected to the input side. The graded grooved surface is structured by drilling one dimensional array of graded grooves with increased depths on a flat surface. We investigate SAW dispersion relations, wave field distribution at several typical SAW wavelengths, and time evolution of a Gaussian pulse through the graded grooved surface. Results show that the input broadband Rayleigh SAWs can be slowed, spatially enhanced and stopped, and finally reflected to the input side. The study suggests that engraving the flat surface can be used as an efficient and economical way to manipulate Rayleigh SAWs, which has potential application in novel SAW devices such as filters, reflectors, sensors, energy harvesters, and diodes.

  3. Landsat surface reflectance quality assurance extraction (version 1.7)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, J.W.; Starbuck, M.J.; Jenkerson, Calli B.

    2013-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Land Remote Sensing Program is developing an operational capability to produce Climate Data Records (CDRs) and Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) from the Landsat Archive to support a wide variety of science and resource management activities from regional to global scale. The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center is charged with prototyping systems and software to generate these high-level data products. Various USGS Geographic Science Centers are charged with particular ECV algorithm development and (or) selection as well as the evaluation and application demonstration of various USGS CDRs and ECVs. Because it is a foundation for many other ECVs, the first CDR in development is the Landsat Surface Reflectance Product (LSRP). The LSRP incorporates data quality information in a bit-packed structure that is not readily accessible without postprocessing services performed by the user. This document describes two general methods of LSRP quality-data extraction for use in image processing systems. Helpful hints for the installation and use of software originally developed for manipulation of Hierarchical Data Format (HDF) produced through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Observing System are first provided for users who wish to extract quality data into separate HDF files. Next, steps follow to incorporate these extracted data into an image processing system. Finally, an alternative example is illustrated in which the data are extracted within a particular image processing system.

  4. Reflection properties of road surfaces. Contribution to OECD Scientific Expert Group AC4 on Road Surface Characteristics.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schreuder, D.A.

    1983-01-01

    Photometric characteristics of road surfaces are dealt with. Representation of reflection properties in public lighting; quality criteria of road lighting installations; classification of road surfaces; the relation between reflection characteristics and other properties of road pavements in public

  5. Angle-resolved reflection spectroscopy of high-quality PMMA opal crystal

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemtsev, Ivan V.; Tambasov, Igor A.; Ivanenko, Alexander A.; Zyryanov, Victor Ya.

    2018-02-01

    PMMA opal crystal was prepared by a simple hybrid method, which includes sedimentation, meniscus formation and evaporation. We investigated three surfaces of this crystal by angle-resolved reflective light spectroscopy and SEM study. The angle-resolved reflective measurements were carried out in the 400-1100 nm range. We have determined the high-quality ordered surface of the crystal region. Narrow particle size distribution of the surface has been revealed. The average particle diameter obtained with SEM was nearly 361 nm. The most interesting result was that reflectivity of the surface turned out up to 98% at normal light incidence. Using a fit of dependences of the maximum reflectivity wavelength from an angle based on the Bragg-Snell law, the wavelength of maximum 0° reflectivity, the particle diameter and the fill factor have been determined. For the best surface maximum reflectivity wavelength of a 0° angle was estimated to be 869 nm. The particle diameter and fill factor were calculated as 372 nm and 0.8715, respectively. The diameter obtained by fitting is in excellent agreement with the particle diameter obtained with SEM. The reflectivity maximum is assumed to increase significantly when increasing the fill factor. We believe that using our simple approach to manufacture PMMA opal crystals will significantly increase the fabrication of high-quality photonic crystal templates and thin films.

  6. On automatic visual inspection of reflective surfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kulmann, Lionel

    1995-01-01

    surfaces, providing new and exciting applications subject to automated visual inspection. Several contextual features have been surveyed along with introduction of novel methods to perform data-dependent enhancement of local surface appearance . Morphological methods have been described and utilized......This thesis descrbes different methods to perform automatic visual inspection of reflective manufactured products, with the aim of increasing productivity, reduce cost and improve the quality level of the production. We investigate two different systems performing automatic visual inspection....... The first is the inspection of highly reflective aluminum sheets, used by the Danish company Bang & Olufsen, as a part of the exterior design and general appearance of their audio and video products. The second is the inspection of IBM hard disk read/write heads for defects during manufacturing. We have...

  7. Optimization of plasma mirror reflectivity and optical quality using double laser pulses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, G G; Clarke, R J; Green, J S; Heathcote, R I; Neely, D; Bagnoud, V; Brabetz, C; Zielbauer, B; Powell, H W; McKenna, P; Arber, T D

    2015-01-01

    We measure a record 96 ±2.5% specularly reflected energy fraction from an interaction with a plasma mirror (PM) surface preionized by a controlled prepulse and find that the optical quality is dependent on the inter pulse time delay. Simulations show that the main pulse reflected energy is a strong function of plasma density scale length, which increases with the time delay and reaches a peak reflectivity for a scale length of 0.3 μm, which is achieved here for a pulse separation time of 3 ps. It is found that the incident laser quasi near field intensity distribution leads to nonuniformities in this plasma expansion and consequent critical surface position distribution. The PM optical quality is found to be governed by the resultant perturbations in the critical surface position, which become larger with inter pulse time delay. (paper)

  8. Retrieval and Validation of aerosol optical properties from AHI measurements: impact of surface reflectance assumption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, H.; Choi, M.; Kim, J.; Go, S.; Chan, P.; Kasai, Y.

    2017-12-01

    This study attempts to retrieve the aerosol optical properties (AOPs) based on the spectral matching method, with using three visible and one near infrared channels (470, 510, 640, 860nm). This method requires the preparation of look-up table (LUT) approach based on the radiative transfer modeling. Cloud detection is one of the most important processes for guaranteed quality of AOPs. Since the AHI has several infrared channels, which are very advantageous for cloud detection, clouds can be removed by using brightness temperature difference (BTD) and spatial variability test. The Yonsei Aerosol Retrieval (YAER) algorithm is basically utilized on a dark surface, therefore a bright surface (e.g., desert, snow) should be removed first. Then we consider the characteristics of the reflectance of land and ocean surface using three visible channels. The known surface reflectivity problem in high latitude area can be solved in this algorithm by selecting appropriate channels through improving tests. On the other hand, we retrieved the AOPs by obtaining the visible surface reflectance using NIR to normalized difference vegetation index short wave infrared (NDVIswir) relationship. ESR tends to underestimate urban and cropland area, we improved the visible surface reflectance considering urban effect. In this version, ocean surface reflectance is using the new cox and munk method which considers ocean bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). Input of this method has wind speed, chlorophyll, salinity and so on. Based on validation results with the sun-photometer measurement in AErosol Robotic NETwork (AERONET), we confirm that the quality of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from the YAER algorithm is comparable to the product from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) retrieval algorithm. Our future update includes a consideration of improvement land surface reflectance by hybrid approach, and non-spherical aerosols. This will improve the quality of YAER

  9. A climatology of visible surface reflectance spectra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zoogman, Peter; Liu, Xiong; Chance, Kelly; Sun, Qingsong; Schaaf, Crystal; Mahr, Tobias; Wagner, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    We present a high spectral resolution climatology of visible surface reflectance as a function of wavelength for use in satellite measurements of ozone and other atmospheric species. The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument is planned to measure backscattered solar radiation in the 290–740 nm range, including the ultraviolet and visible Chappuis ozone bands. Observation in the weak Chappuis band takes advantage of the relative transparency of the atmosphere in the visible to achieve sensitivity to near-surface ozone. However, due to the weakness of the ozone absorption features this measurement is more sensitive to errors in visible surface reflectance, which is highly variable. We utilize reflectance measurements of individual plant, man-made, and other surface types to calculate the primary modes of variability of visible surface reflectance at a high spectral resolution, comparable to that of TEMPO (0.6 nm). Using the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Bidirection Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)/albedo product and our derived primary modes we construct a high spatial resolution climatology of wavelength-dependent surface reflectance over all viewing scenes and geometries. The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment–2 (GOME-2) Lambertian Equivalent Reflectance (LER) product provides complementary information over water and snow scenes. Preliminary results using this approach in multispectral ultraviolet+visible ozone retrievals from the GOME-2 instrument show significant improvement to the fitting residuals over vegetated scenes. - Highlights: • Our goals was visible surface reflectance for satellite trace gas measurements. • Captured the range of surface reflectance spectra through EOF analysis. • Used satellite surface reflectance products for each given scene to anchor EOFs. • Generated a climatology of time/geometry dependent surface reflectance spectra. • Demonstrated potential to

  10. Zerodur polishing process for high surface quality and high efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tesar, A.; Fuchs, B.

    1992-08-01

    Zerodur is a glass-ceramic composite importance in applications where temperature instabilities influence optical and mechanical performance, such as in earthbound and spaceborne telescope mirror substrates. Polished Zerodur surfaces of high quality have been required for laser gyro mirrors. Polished surface quality of substrates affects performance of high reflection coatings. Thus, the interest in improving Zerodur polished surface quality has become more general. Beyond eliminating subsurface damage, high quality surfaces are produced by reducing the amount of hydrated material redeposited on the surface during polishing. With the proper control of polishing parameters, such surfaces exhibit roughnesses of < l Angstrom rms. Zerodur polishing was studied to recommend a high surface quality polishing process which could be easily adapted to standard planetary continuous polishing machines and spindles. This summary contains information on a polishing process developed at LLNL which reproducibly provides high quality polished Zerodur surfaces at very high polishing efficiencies

  11. The differential equation of an arbitrary reflecting surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melka, Richard F.; Berrettini, Vincent D.; Yousif, Hashim A.

    2018-05-01

    A differential equation describing the reflection of a light ray incident upon an arbitrary reflecting surface is obtained using the law of reflection. The derived equation is written in terms of a parameter and the value of this parameter determines the nature of the reflecting surface. Under various parametric constraints, the solution of the differential equation leads to the various conic surfaces but is not generally solvable. In addition, the dynamics of the light reflections from the conic surfaces are executed in the Mathematica software. Our derivation is the converse of the traditional approach and our analysis assumes a relation between the object distance and the image distance. This leads to the differential equation of the reflecting surface.

  12. A Method of Retrieving BRDF from Surface-Reflected Radiance Using Decoupling of Atmospheric Radiative Transfer and Surface Reflection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Radkevich

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF defines anisotropy of the surface reflection. It is required to specify the boundary condition for radiative transfer (RT modeling used in aerosol retrievals, cloud retrievals, atmospheric modeling, and other applications. Ground based measurements of reflected radiance draw increasing attention as a source of information about anisotropy of surface reflection. Derivation of BRDF from surface radiance requires atmospheric correction. This study develops a new method of retrieving BRDF on its whole domain, making it immediately suitable for further atmospheric RT modeling applications. The method is based on the integral equation relating surface-reflected radiance, BRDF, and solutions of two auxiliary atmosphere-only RT problems. The method requires kernel-based BRDF. The weights of the kernels are obtained with a quickly converging iterative procedure. RT modeling has to be done only one time before the start of iterative process.

  13. Measuring Light Reflectance of BGO Crystal Surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janecek, Martin; Moses, William W.

    2008-10-01

    A scintillating crystal's surface reflectance has to be well understood in order to accurately predict and optimize the crystal's light collection through Monte Carlo simulations. In this paper, we measure the inner surface reflectance properties for BGO. The measurements include BGO crystals with a mechanically polished surface, rough-cut surface, and chemically etched surface, and with various reflectors attached, both air-coupled and with coupling compound. The measurements are performed with a laser aimed at the center of a hemispherical shaped BGO crystal. The hemispherical shape eliminates any non-perpendicular angles for light entering and exiting the crystal. The reflected light is collected with an array of photodiodes. The laser can be set at an arbitrary angle, and the photodiode array is rotated to fully cover 2pi of solid angle. The current produced in the photodiodes is readout with a digital multimeter connected through a multiplexer. The two rows of photodiodes achieve 5-degree by 4-degree resolution, and the current measurement has a dynamic range of 105:1. The acquired data was not described by the commonly assumed linear combination of specular and diffuse (Lambertian) distributions, except for a very few surfaces. Surface roughness proved to be the most important parameter when choosing crystal setup. The reflector choice was of less importance and of almost no consequence for rough-cut surfaces. Pure specular reflection distribution for all incidence angles was measured for polished surfaces with VM2000 film, while the most Lambertian distribution for any surface finish was measured for titanium dioxide paint. The distributions acquired in this paper will be used to create more accurate Monte Carlo models for light reflection distribution within BGO crystals.

  14. Implementation of solar-reflective surfaces: Materials and utility programs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bretz, S.; Akbari, H.; Rosenfeld, A.; Taha, H.

    1992-06-01

    This report focuses on implementation issues for using solar-reflective surfaces to cool urban heat islands, with specific examples for Sacramento, California. Advantages of solar-reflective surfaces for reducing energy use are: (1) they are cost-effective if albedo is increased during routine maintenance; (2) the energy savings coincide with peak demand for power; (3) there are positive effects on environmental quality; and (4) the white materials have a long service life. Important considerations when choosing materials for mitigating heat islands are identified as albedo, emissivity, durability, cost, pollution and appearance. There is a potential for increasing urban albedo in Sacramento by an additional 18%. Of residential roofs, we estimate that asphalt shingle and modified bitumen cover the largest area, and that built-up roofing and modified bitumen cover the largest area of commercial buildings. For all of these roof types, albedo may be increased at the time of re-roofing without any additional cost. When a roof is repaired, a solar-reflective roof coating may be applied to significantly increase albedo and extend the life of the root Although a coating may be cost-effective if applied to a new roof following installation or to an older roof following repair, it is not cost-effective if the coating is applied only to save energy. Solar-reflective pavement may be cost-effective if the albedo change is included in the routine resurfacing schedule. Cost-effective options for producing light-colored pavement may include: (1) asphalt concrete, if white aggregate is locally available; (2) concrete overlays; and (3) newly developed white binders and aggregate. Another option may be hot-rolled asphalt, with white chippings. Utilities could promote solar-reflective surfaces through advertisement, educational programs and cost-sharing of road resurfacing.

  15. Estimates of radiance reflected towards the zenith at the surface of the sea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Aas

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Remote sensing of water colour by ship-mounted sensors represents an important tool for the validation of satellite products and the monitoring of water quality. The recorded radiance from the sea has to be corrected for the surface-reflected radiance from sun and sky in order to obtain the water-leaving radiance. Here the simple case of radiance reflected towards the zenith is studied. A set of observed sky radiance and solar irradiance data from Oslo has been used together with a Gaussian slope distribution for the sea surface in order to estimate the reflected radiance. The spectral range studied is 405–650 nm, the solar zenith angles are in the range 37°–76°, and the wind speeds are up to 10 m s−1. The analysis of the results show that the reflected radiance has to be separated into three contributions: sky radiance and sun rays reflected at the foam-free surface and irradiance reflected by whitecaps and foam. It is then demonstrated that by using four input values, namely the downward irradiance, the sky radiance from the zenith, the solar zenith angle and the wind speed, it is possible to obtain by simple expressions estimates of the reflected radiance that only differ from the former calculated values by relative errors of less than 5%. The analysis also indicates that for the spectral range studied neither the water-leaving radiance nor the surface-reflected radiance can be disregarded relative to the other one in the Case 2 waters of the Oslofjord-Skagerrak area. The results form a first step towards the study of reflected radiance in viewing angles differing from the nadir direction.

  16. X-Ray Reflectivity from the Surface of a Liquid Crystal:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pershan, P.S.; Als-Nielsen, Jens Aage

    1984-01-01

    X-ray reflectivity from the surface of a nematic liquid crystal is interpreted as the coherent superposition of Fresnel reflection from the surface and Bragg reflection from smectic order induced by the surface. Angular dependence of the Fresnel effect yields information on surface structure....... Measurement of the intensity of diffuse critical scattering relative to the Fresnel reflection yields the absolute value of the critical part of the density-density correlation function....

  17. ASTER L2 Surface Reflectance SWIR and ASTER L2 Surface Reflectance VNIR V003

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The ASTER L2 Surface Reflectance is a multi-file product that contains atmospherically corrected data for both the Visible Near-Infrared (VNIR) and Shortwave...

  18. X-ray reflectivity and surface roughness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ocko, B.M.

    1988-01-01

    Since the advent of high brightness synchrotron radiation sources there has been a phenomenal growth in the use of x-rays as a probe of surface structure. The technique of x-ray reflectivity is particularly relevant to electrochemists since it is capable of probing the structure normal to an electrode surface in situ. In this paper the theoretical framework for x-ray reflectivity is reviewed and the results from previous non-electrochemistry measurements are summarized. These measurements are from the liquid/air interface (CCl 4 ), the metal crystal vacuum interface (Au(100)), and from the liquid/solid interface(liquid crystal/silicon). 34 refs., 5 figs

  19. Computation of Mach reflection from rigid and yielding surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buckingham, A.C.; Wilson, S.S.

    1976-01-01

    The present discussion centers on a theoretical description of one aspect of the irregular or Mach reflection from solid surfaces. The discussion is restricted to analytical considerations and some preliminary results using model approximations to the surface interaction phenomena. Currently, full numerical simulations of the irregular reflection surface interaction dynamics have not been obtained since the method is still under development. Discussion of the numerical method is, therefore, restricted to some special procedures for the gas-solid surface boundary dynamics. The discussion is divided into an introductory section briefly describing a particular Mach reflection process. Subsequently, some of the considerations on boundary conditions are submitted for numerical treatment of the gas-solid interface. Analysis and discussion of a yielding solid surface subjected to impulsive loading from an intense gas shock wave follows. This is used as a guide for the development of the numerical procedure. Mach reflection processes are then briefly reviewed with special attention for similitude and singular perturbation features

  20. Simulation Tool for GNSS Ocean Surface Reflections

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høeg, Per; von Benzon, Hans-Henrik; Durgonics, Tibor

    2015-01-01

    GNSS coherent and incoherent reflected signals have the potential of deriving large scale parameters of ocean surfaces, as barotropic variability, eddy currents and fronts, Rossby waves, coastal upwelling, mean ocean surfaceheights, and patterns of the general ocean circulation. In the reflection...... zone the measurements may deriveparameters as sea surface roughness, winds, waves, heights and tilts from the spectral measurements. Previous measurements from the top of mountains and airplanes have shown such results leading.The coming satellite missions, CYGNSS, COSMIC-2, and GEROS...

  1. Near-surface 3D reflections seismic survey; Sanjigen senso hanshaho jishin tansa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakahigashi, H; Mitsui, H; Nakano, O; Kobayashi, T [DIA Consultants Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    1997-05-27

    Faults are being actively investigated across Japan since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Discussed in this report is the application of the 3D near-surface reflection seismic survey in big cities. Data from trenching and drilling is used for the geological interpretation of the surroundings of a fault, and the reflection seismic survey is used to identify the position, etc., of the fault. In this article, when the results obtained from the experimental field are examined, it is found that the conventional 2D imaging reflection survey betrays the limit of its capability when the geological structure is complicated, that the 3D reflection seismic survey, on the contrary, is capable of high-precision imaging and, when augmented by drilling, etc., becomes capable of a more detailed interpretation, and that it also contributes effectively to the improvement of local disaster prevention in big cities. Using as the model the Tachikawa fault that runs near JR Tachikawa Station, embodiment of the 3D reflection seismic survey is reviewed. For the acquisition of data excellent in quality in a 3D reflection seismic survey conducted utilizing the roads in the sector chosen for experiment in the urban area, the shock generating points and receiving points should be positioned by taking into account the parameters in the bin arranging process so that the mid-points will be regularly distributed on the surface. 3 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.

  2. Retrieving background surface reflectance of Himawari-8/AHI using BRDF modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Sungwon; Seo, Minji; Lee, Kyeong-sang; Han, Kyung-soo

    2017-04-01

    In these days, remote sensing is more important than past. And retrieving surface reflectance in remote sensing is also important. So there are many ways to retrieve surface reflectance by my countries with polar orbit and geostationary satellite. We studied Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) which is used to retrieve surface reflectance. In BRDF equation, we calculate surface reflectance using BRD components and angular data. BRD components are to calculate 3 of scatterings, isotropic geometric and volumetric scattering. To make Background Surface Reflectance (BSR) of Himawari-8/AHI. We used 5 bands (band1, band2, band3, band4, band5) with BRDF. And we made 5 BSR for 5 channels. For validation, we compare BSR with Top of canopy (TOC) reflectance of AHI. As a result, bias are from -0.00223 to 0.008328 and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are from 0.045 to 0.049. We think BSR can be used to replace TOC reflectance in remote sensing to improve weakness of TOC reflectance.

  3. On the reflection point where light reflects to a known destination on quadratic surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Nuno

    2010-01-15

    We address the problem of determining the reflection point on a specular surface where a light ray that travels from a source to a target is reflected. The specular surfaces considered are those expressed by a quadratic equation. So far, there is no closed form explicit equation for the general solution of this determination of the reflection point, and the usual approach is to use the Snell law or the Fermat principle whose equations are derived in multidimensional nonlinear minimizations. We prove in this Letter that one can impose a set of three restrictions to the reflection point that can impose a set of three restrictions that culminates in a very elegant formalism of searching the reflection point in a unidimensional curve in space. This curve is the intersection of two quadratic equations. Some applications of this framework are also discussed.

  4. The Effect of Non-Lambertian Surface Reflectance on Aerosol Radiative Forcing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ricchiazzi, P.; O' Hirok, W.; Gautier, C.

    2005-03-18

    Surface reflectance is an important factor in determining the strength of aerosol radiative forcing. Previous studies of radiative forcing assumed that the reflected surface radiance is isotropic and does not depend on incident illumination angle. This Lambertian reflection model is not a very good descriptor of reflectance from real land and ocean surfaces. In this study we present computational results for the seasonal average of short and long wave aerosol radiative forcing at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface. The effect of the Lambertian assumption is found through comparison with calculations using a more detailed bi-direction reflectance distribution function (BRDF).

  5. Early Evaluation of the VIIRS Calibration, Cloud Mask and Surface Reflectance Earth Data Records

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vermote, Eric; Justice, Chris; Csiszar, Ivan

    2014-01-01

    Surface reflectance is one of the key products fromVIIRS and as withMODIS, is used in developing several higherorder land products. The VIIRS Surface Reflectance (SR) Intermediate Product (IP) is based on the heritageMODIS Collection 5 product (Vermote, El Saleous, & Justice, 2002). The quality and character of surface reflectance depend on the accuracy of the VIIRS Cloud Mask (VCM), the aerosol algorithms and the adequate calibration of the sensor. The focus of this paper is the early evaluation of the VIIRS SR product in the context of the maturity of the operational processing system, the Interface Data Processing System (IDPS). After a brief introduction, the paper presents the calibration performance and the role of the surface reflectance in calibration monitoring. The analysis of the performance of the cloud mask with a focus on vegetation monitoring (no snow conditions) shows typical problems over bright surfaces and high elevation sites. Also discussed is the performance of the aerosol input used in the atmospheric correction and in particular the artifacts generated by the use of the Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System. Early quantitative results of the performance of the SR product over the AERONET sites showthatwith the fewadjustments recommended, the accuracy iswithin the threshold specifications. The analysis of the adequacy of the SR product (Land PEATE adjusted version) in applications of societal benefits is then presented. We conclude with a set of recommendations to ensure consistency and continuity of the JPSS mission with the MODIS Land Climate Data Record.

  6. Use of reflective surfaces on roadway embankment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Anders Stuhr; Doré, Guy

    2007-01-01

    adherence characteristics for roadway use. In Kangerlussuaq Airport, western Greenland, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used to compare the variation of the frost table underneath a normal black asphalt surface and a more reflective surface (white paint). The GPR results have shown a clear...

  7. Remote measurement of surface roughness, surface reflectance, and body reflectance with LiDAR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaolu; Liang, Yu

    2015-10-20

    Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) intensity data are attracting increasing attention because of the great potential for use of such data in a variety of remote sensing applications. To fully investigate the data potential for target classification and identification, we carried out a series of experiments with typical urban building materials and employed our reconstructed built-in-lab LiDAR system. Received intensity data were analyzed on the basis of the derived bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model and the established integration method. With an improved fitting algorithm, parameters involved in the BRDF model can be obtained to depict the surface characteristics. One of these parameters related to surface roughness was converted to a most used roughness parameter, the arithmetical mean deviation of the roughness profile (Ra), which can be used to validate the feasibility of the BRDF model in surface characterizations and performance evaluations.

  8. Critical reflection activation analysis - a new near-surface probe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunn, J.M.F.; Trohidou, K.N.

    1988-09-01

    We propose a new surface analytic technique, Critical Reflection Activation Analysis (CRAA). This technique allows accurate depth profiling of impurities ≤ 100A beneath a surface. The depth profile of the impurity is simply related to the induced activity as a function of the angle of reflection. We argue that the technique is practical and estimate its accuracy. (author)

  9. Reflection on Cuboid Net with Mathematical Learning Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sari, Atikah; Suryadi, Didi; Syaodih, Ernawulan

    2017-09-01

    This research aims to formulate an alternative to the reflection in mathematics learning activities related to the activities of the professionalism of teachers motivated by a desire to improve the quality of learning. This study is a qualitative study using the Didactical Design research. This study was conducted in one of the elementary schools. The data collection techniques are triangulation with the research subject is teacher 5th grade. The results of this study indicate that through deep reflection, teachers can design learning design in accordance with the conditions of the class. Also revealed that teachers have difficulty in choosing methods of learning and contextual learning media. Based on the implementation of activities of reflection and make the learning design based on the results of reflection can be concluded that the quality of learning in the class will develop.

  10. Reflection of illumination laser from gas metal arc weld pool surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Xiaoji; Zhang, YuMing

    2009-01-01

    The weld pool is the core of the welding process where complex welding phenomena originate. Skilled welders acquire their process feedback primarily from the weld pool. Observation and measurement of the three-dimensional weld pool surface thus play a fundamental role in understanding and future control of complex welding processes. To this end, a laser line is projected onto the weld pool surface in pulsed gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and an imaging plane is used to intercept its reflection from the weld pool surface. Resultant images of the reflected laser are analyzed and it is found that the weld pool surface in GMAW does specularly reflect the projected laser as in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). Hence, the weld pool surface in GMAW is also specular and it is in principle possible that it may be observed and measured by projecting a laser pattern and then intercepting and imaging the reflection from it. Due to high frequencies of surface fluctuations, GMAW requires a relatively short time to image the reflected laser

  11. Effect of reflective surfaces on a greenhouse lettuce crop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Warman, P.R.; Mayhew, W.J.

    1979-01-01

    The Canadian greenhouse industry is an important segment of horticultural production, providing employment for thousands of people. Continuing increases in the costs of conventional fuel supplies, however, has placed the industry in some jeopardy since the cost of heating during the winter months is also escalating. In response to this problem the Brace Research Institute has developed a single roofed greenhouse designed to capture and store the sun's energy, and to increase the amount of downward solar radiation inside the greenhouse through the use of specularly-reflecting back and side walls. The research investigated the effect of a reflective surface on plant growth, development, and nutritional uptake during fall and the early months of winter. The inside walls of the greenhouse were lined with aluminized polyester to act as a reflective surface and flat black roofing felt paper to provide a non-reflecting surface. Grand Rapids Forcing lettuce was planted from seed into a peat-vermiculite bed and total solar radiation was monitored on the horizontal. Over the duration of the experiment, the reflective side of the greenhouse received more than twice as much solar radiation as the non-reflective side leading to significantly larger plant yields on the reflective side. There were no significant differences in the uptake of the plant macronutrients, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg.

  12. Tunable natural nano-arrays : controlling surface properties and light reflectance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watson, J.A.; Myhra, S.; Cribb, B.W.; Hope, G.A.; Watson, G.S.

    2005-01-01

    A sudden transition or impedance mismatch from one optical medium to another can result in unwanted reflections from the surface plane. Modification of a surface by creation of a gradual change in refractive index over a significant portion of a wavelength range will result in a reduction in reflection. Multi-layered thin film coatings based on this phenomenon are widely used on a number of different surfaces (e.g. solar cells, lenses, display screens etc.) to suppress undesired reflections and/or increase light transmittance. An alternative surface modification to the multi-layered stack coating (gradient index coating) is to produce a surface with structures having a period and heights shorter than the light wavelength. These structures act like a pseudo-gradient index coating and can be described by the effective medium theory. In this study we report on nano-structures (a natural pseudo-gradient index coating) which we have found on certain species of cicada wings demonstrating their reflective effectiveness using manipulative atomic force microscopy. (author). 2 refs., 5 figs

  13. SO2 frost - UV-visible reflectivity and Io surface coverage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nash, D. B.; Fanale, F. P.; Nelson, R. M.

    1980-01-01

    The reflectance spectrum in the range 0.24-0.85 microns of SO2 frost is measured in light of the discovery of SO2 gas in the atmosphere of Io and the possible discovery of the frost on its surface. Frost deposits up to 1.5 mm thick were grown in vacuum at 130 K and bi-directional reflectance spectra were obtained. Typical SO2 frost is found to exhibit very low reflectivity (2-5%) at 0.30 microns, rising steeply at 0.32 microns to attain a maximum reflectivity (75-80%) at 4.0 microns and uniformly high reflectivity throughout the visible and near infrared. Comparison with the full disk spectrum of Io reveals that no more than 20% of the surface can be covered with optically thick SO2 frost. Combinations of surface materials including SO2 frost which can produce the observed spectrum are indicated.

  14. Noninvasive assessment of articular cartilage surface damage using reflected polarized light microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huynh, Ruby N.; Nehmetallah, George; Raub, Christopher B.

    2017-06-01

    Articular surface damage occurs to cartilage during normal aging, osteoarthritis, and in trauma. A noninvasive assessment of cartilage microstructural alterations is useful for studies involving cartilage explants. This study evaluates polarized reflectance microscopy as a tool to assess surface damage to cartilage explants caused by mechanical scraping and enzymatic degradation. Adult bovine articular cartilage explants were scraped, incubated in collagenase, or underwent scrape and collagenase treatments. In an additional experiment, cartilage explants were subject to scrapes at graduated levels of severity. Polarized reflectance parameters were compared with India ink surface staining, features of histological sections, changes in explant wet weight and thickness, and chondrocyte viability. The polarized reflectance signal was sensitive to surface scrape damage and revealed individual scrape features consistent with India ink marks. Following surface treatments, the reflectance contrast parameter was elevated and correlated with image area fraction of India ink. After extensive scraping, polarized reflectance contrast and chondrocyte viability were lower than that from untreated explants. As part of this work, a mathematical model was developed and confirmed the trend in the reflectance signal due to changes in surface scattering and subsurface birefringence. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of polarized reflectance microscopy to sensitively assess surface microstructural alterations in articular cartilage explants.

  15. Influence of particle and surface quality on the vitrinite reflectance of dispersed organic matter: Comparative exercise using data from the qualifying system for reflectance analysis working group of ICCP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borrego, A.G.; Araujo, C.V.; Balke, A.; Cardott, B.; Cook, A.C.; David, P.; Flores, D.; Hamor-Vido, M.; Hiltmann, W.; Kalkreuth, W.; Koch, J.; Kommeren, C.J.; Kus, J.; Ligouis, B.; Marques, M.; Mendonca, Filho J.G.; Misz, M.; Oliveira, L.; Pickel, W.; Reimer, K.; Ranasinghe, P.; Suarez-Ruiz, I.; Vieth, A.

    2006-01-01

    The development of a qualifying system for reflectance analysis has been the scope of a working group within the International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) since 1999, when J. Koch presented a system to qualify vitrinite particles according to their size, proximity to bright components and homogeneity of the surface. After some years of work aimed at improving the classification system using photomicrographs, it was decided to run a round robin exercise on microscopy samples. The classification system tested consists of three qualifiers ranging from excellent to low quality vitrinites with an additional option for unsuitable vitrinites. This paper reports on the results obtained by 22 analysts who were asked to measure random reflectance readings on vitrinite particles assigning to each reading a qualifier. Four samples containing different organic matter types and a variety of vitrinite occurrences have been analysed. Results indicated that the reflectance of particles classified as excellent, good or poor compared to the total average reflectance did not show trends to be systematically lower or higher for the four samples analysed. The differences in reflectance between the qualifiers for any given sample were lower than the scatter of vitrinite reflectance among participants. Overall, satisfactory results were obtained in determining the reflectance of vitrinite in the four samples analysed. This was so for samples having abundant and easy to identify vitrinites (higher plant-derived organic matter) as well as for samples with scarce and difficult to identify particles (samples with dominant marine-derived organic matter). The highest discrepancies were found for the organic-rich oil shales where the selection of the vitrinite population to measure proved to be particularly difficult. Special instructions should be provided for the analysis of this sort of samples. The certainty of identification of the vitrinite associated with the vitrinite

  16. Calculation of Reflectance and Transmittance of Coating With Optically Rough Surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Depsy, A.; Shawky, A.M.

    2011-01-01

    For ideal surfaces, components of the reflected beam are related to the components of the incident beam by Fresnel reflection equation. The surfaces encountered in engineering applications deviate from ideal as a result of roughness, oxidization and contamination; hence the Radiative properties of these real surfaces differ greatly from those predicted by electromagnetic theory. In regard to problems of radiative heat transfer; the roughness of surfaces may be divided into two categories: (1) small surface irregularities such that the incident radiation cannot undergo more than a single reflection, (2) deep cavities in which the incident radiation undergoes multi-reflection. The normally incident radiation from rough surface having small irregularities is reflected partly specularly and partly diffusely [1]. Kubelka-Munk theory (K-M) [2] describes optical characteristics (e.g. reflectance, transmittance and absorbance) by a variety of light scattering media including paints, textiles and papers, and It is widely used in various industrial applications. Moder developments in radiative transfer theory (RTT) enable the derivation of (K-M) parameters from first principles [3]. Kubelka and Munk proposed a theory based on a model of two light fluxes travelling in the forward and backward directions. Subsequently a number of authors refined the theory and compared it with experimental data [4]. Several authors attempted to relate the Kubelka- Munk coefficients to the transport coefficients [5,6

  17. Reflectance of Antarctic surfaces from multispectral radiometers: The correction of atmospheric effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zibordi, G.; Maracci, G.

    1993-01-01

    Monitoring reflectance of polar icecaps has relevance in climate studies. In fact, climate changes produce variations in the morphology of ice and snow covers, which are detectable as surface reflectance change. Surface reflectance can be retrieved from remotely sensed data. However, absolute values independent of atmospheric turbidity and surface altitude can only be obtained after removing masking effects of the atmosphere. An atmospheric correction model, accounting for surface and sensor altitudes above sea level, is described and validated through data detected over Antarctic surfaces with a Barnes Modular Multispectral Radiometer having bands overlapping those of the Landsat Thematic Mapper. The model is also applied in a sensitivity analysis to investigate error induced in reflectance obtained from satellite data by indeterminacy in optical parameters of atmospheric constituents. Results show that indeterminacy in the atmospheric water vapor optical thickness is the main source of nonaccuracy in the retrieval of surface reflectance from data remotely sensed over Antarctic regions

  18. Combined analysis of surface reflection imaging and vertical seismic profiling at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daley, T.M.; Majer, E.L.; Karageorgi, E.

    1994-08-01

    This report presents results from surface and borehole seismic profiling performed by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) on Yucca Mountain. This work was performed as part of the site characterization effort for the potential high-level nuclear waste repository. Their objective was to provide seismic imaging from the near surface (200 to 300 ft. depth) to the repository horizon and below, if possible. Among the issues addressed by this seismic imaging work are location and depth of fracturing and faulting, geologic identification of reflecting horizons, and spatial continuity of reflecting horizons. The authors believe their results are generally positive, with tome specific successes. This was the first attempt at this scale using modem seismic imaging techniques to determine geologic features on Yucca Mountain. The principle purpose of this report is to present the interpretation of the seismic reflection section in a geologic context. Three surface reflection profiles were acquired and processed as part of this study. Because of environmental concerns, all three lines were on preexisting roads. Line 1 crossed the mapped surface trace of the Ghost Dance fault and it was intended to study the dip and depth extent of the fault system. Line 2 was acquired along Drill Hole wash and was intended to help the ESF north ramp design activities. Line 3 was acquired along Yucca Crest and was designed to image geologic horizons which were thought to be less faulted along the ridge. Unfortunately, line 3 proved to have poor data quality, in part because of winds, poor field conditions and limited time. Their processing and interpretation efforts were focused on lines 1 and 2 and their associated VSP studies

  19. Geometrical considerations in analyzing isotropic or anisotropic surface reflections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simonot, Lionel; Obein, Gael

    2007-05-10

    The bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) represents the evolution of the reflectance with the directions of incidence and observation. Today BRDF measurements are increasingly applied and have become important to the study of the appearance of surfaces. The representation and the analysis of BRDF data are discussed, and the distortions caused by the traditional representation of the BRDF in a Fourier plane are pointed out and illustrated for two theoretical cases: an isotropic surface and a brushed surface. These considerations will help characterize either the specular peak width of an isotropic rough surface or the main directions of the light scattered by an anisotropic rough surface without misinterpretations. Finally, what is believed to be a new space is suggested for the representation of the BRDF, which avoids the geometrical deformations and in numerous cases is more convenient for BRDF analysis.

  20. Reflectance spectroscopy and asteroid surface mineralogy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaffey, M.J.; Bell, J.F.; Cruikshank, D.P.

    1989-01-01

    Information available from reflectance spectroscopy on the surface mineralogy of asteroids is discussed. Current spectral interpretive procedures used in the investigations of asteroid mineralogy are described. Present understanding of the nature and history of asteroids is discussed together with some still unresolved issues such as the source of ordinary chondrites. 100 refs

  1. DETERMINING REFLECTANCE SPECTRA OF SURFACES AND CLOUDS ON EXOPLANETS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cowan, Nicolas B.; Strait, Talia E., E-mail: n-cowan@northwestern.edu [Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), Northwestern University, 2131 Tech Dr., IL 60208 (United States)

    2013-03-01

    Planned missions will spatially resolve temperate terrestrial planets from their host star. Although reflected light from such a planet encodes information about its surface, it has not been shown how to establish surface characteristics of a planet without assuming known surfaces to begin with. We present a reanalysis of disk-integrated, time-resolved, multiband photometry of Earth obtained by the Deep Impact spacecraft as part of the EPOXI Mission of Opportunity. We extract reflectance spectra of clouds, ocean, and land without a priori knowledge of the numbers or colors of these surfaces. We show that the inverse problem of extracting surface spectra from such data is a novel and extreme instance of spectral unmixing, a well-studied problem in remote sensing. Principal component analysis is used to determine an appropriate number of model surfaces with which to interpret the data. Shrink-wrapping a simplex to the color excursions of the planet yields a conservative estimate of the planet's endmember spectra. The resulting surface maps are unphysical, however, requiring negative or larger-than-unity surface coverage at certain locations. Our ''rotational unmixing'' supersedes the endmember analysis by simultaneously solving for the surface spectra and their geographical distributions on the planet, under the assumption of diffuse reflection and known viewing geometry. We use a Markov Chain Monte Carlo to determine best-fit parameters and their uncertainties. The resulting albedo spectra are similar to clouds, ocean, and land seen through a Rayleigh-scattering atmosphere. This study suggests that future direct-imaging efforts could identify and map unknown surfaces and clouds on exoplanets.

  2. Reflection properties of hydrogen ions at helium irradiated tungsten surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doi, K; Tawada, Y; Kato, S; Sasao, M; Kenmotsu, T; Wada, M; Lee, H T; Ueda, Y; Tanaka, N; Kisaki, M; Nishiura, M; Matsumoto, Y; Yamaoka, H

    2016-01-01

    Nanostructured W surfaces prepared by He bombardment exhibit characteristic angular distributions of hydrogen ion reflection upon injection of 1 keV H + beam. A magnetic momentum analyzer that can move in the vacuum chamber has measured the angular dependence of the intensity and the energy of reflected ions. Broader angular distributions were observed for He-irradiated tungsten samples compared with that of the intrinsic polycrystalline W. Both intensity and energy of reflected ions decreased in the following order: the polycrystalline W, the He-bubble containing W, and the fuzz W. Classical trajectory Monte Carlo simulations based on Atomic Collision in Amorphous Target code suggests that lower atom density near the surface can make the reflection coefficients lower due to increasing number of collisions. (paper)

  3. Internal reflection spectroscopic analysis of sulphide mineral surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaoma, J.

    1989-01-01

    To establish the reason for flotation of sulfide minerals in the absence of any conventional collector, internal reflection spectroscopic analysis (IRS) of their surfaces was conducted. sulfur, sulfates, thiosulfates, and hydrocarbonates have been detected on the surface of as-grand sulfide minerals. On sodium sulfide-treated surfaces, both sulfur and polysulfide have also been found to be present. From these findings, the flotation of sulfide minerals without collectors is discussed. (author). 26 refs

  4. Path integration guided with a quality map for shape reconstruction in the fringe reflection technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Xiaoli; Cheng, Haobo; Wen, Yongfu

    2018-04-01

    A new local integration algorithm called quality map path integration (QMPI) is reported for shape reconstruction in the fringe reflection technique. A quality map is proposed to evaluate the quality of gradient data locally, and functions as a guideline for the integrated path. The presented method can be employed in wavefront estimation from its slopes over the general shaped surface with slope noise equivalent to that in practical measurements. Moreover, QMPI is much better at handling the slope data with local noise, which may be caused by the irregular shapes of the surface under test. The performance of QMPI is discussed by simulations and experiment. It is shown that QMPI not only improves the accuracy of local integration, but can also be easily implemented with no iteration compared to Southwell zonal reconstruction (SZR). From an engineering point-of-view, the proposed method may also provide an efficient and stable approach for different shapes with high-precise demand.

  5. Surface composition of Mercury from reflectance spectrophotometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilas, Faith

    1988-01-01

    The controversies surrounding the existing spectra of Mercury are discussed together with the various implications for interpretations of Mercury's surface composition. Special attention is given to the basic procedure used for reducing reflectance spectrophotometry data, the factors that must be accounted for in the reduction of these data, and the methodology for defining the portion of the surface contributing the greatest amount of light to an individual spectrum. The application of these methodologies to Mercury's spectra is presented.

  6. Spectral curves of surface reflectance in some Antarctic regions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lupi, A.; Tomasi, C.; Orsini, A.; Cacciari, A.; Vitale, V.; Georgiadis, T.; Casacchia, R.; Salvatori, R.; Salvi, S.

    2001-01-01

    Four surface reflectance models of solar radiation were determined by examining several sets of field measurements taken for clear-sky conditions at various sites in Antarctica. Each model consists of the mean spectral curve of surface reflectance in the 0.25-2.7 μm wavelength range and of the dependence curve of total abedo on the solar elevation angle h, within the range from 5 0 to 55 0 . The TNB (Terra Nova Bay) model refers to a rocky terrain where granites are predominant; the NIS (Nansen Ice Sheet) model to a glacier surface made uneven by sastrugi and streaked by irregular fractures; the HAP (High Altitude Plateau) model to a flat ice surface covered by fresh snow and scored by light sastrugi; and the RIS (Ross Ice Shelf) model to an area covered by the sea ice pack presenting many discontinuities in the reflectance features, due to melt water lakes, puddles, refrozen ice and snow pots. The reflectance curve obtained for the TNB model presents gradually increasing values as wavelength increases through the visible spectral range and almost constant values at infrared wavelengths, giving a total albedo value equal to 0.264 at = 30 0 , which increases by about 80% through the lower range of h and decreases by 12% through the upper range. The reflectance curves of the NIS, HAP and RIS models are all peaked at visible wavelengths and exhibit decreasing values throughout the infrared spectral range, giving values of total albedo equal to 0.464, 0.738 and 0.426 at h 30 0 , respectively. These values were estimated to increase by 8-14% as h decreases from 30 0 to 5 0 and to decrease by 2-4% only as h increases from 30 0 to 55 0

  7. The use of UV-visible reflectance spectroscopy as an objective tool to evaluate pearl quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agatonovic-Kustrin, Snezana; Morton, David W

    2012-07-01

    Assessing the quality of pearls involves the use of various tools and methods, which are mainly visual and often quite subjective. Pearls are normally classified by origin and are then graded by luster, nacre thickness, surface quality, size, color and shape. The aim of this study was to investigate the capacity of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to classify and estimate the quality of 27 different pearls from their UV-Visible spectra. Due to the opaque nature of pearls, spectroscopy measurements were performed using the Diffuse Reflectance UV-Visible spectroscopy technique. The spectra were acquired at two different locations on each pearl sample in order to assess surface homogeneity. The spectral data (inputs) were smoothed to reduce the noise, fed into ANNs and correlated to the pearl's quality/grading criteria (outputs). The developed ANNs were successful in predicting pearl type, mollusk growing species, possible luster and color enhancing, donor condition/type, recipient/host color, donor color, pearl luster, pearl color, origin. The results of this study shows that the developed UV-Vis spectroscopy-ANN method could be used as a more objective method of assessing pearl quality (grading) and may become a valuable tool for the pearl grading industry.

  8. Interference effects in plasom excitation by particles reflected near a metal surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Denton, C.D.; Gervasoni, J.L.; Barrachina, R.O.; Arista, N.R.; Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza

    1993-01-01

    Using the dielectric formalism and the specular reflection model, we evaluate the probability of surface and bulk plasmon excitation by particles reflected in the proximity of a metal surface. We obtain a strong oscillatory behaviour as a function of the penetration distance. (author)

  9. Automatic and improved radiometric correction of Landsat imagery using reference values from MODIS surface reflectance images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pons, X.; Pesquer, L.; Cristóbal, J.; González-Guerrero, O.

    2014-12-01

    Radiometric correction is a prerequisite for generating high-quality scientific data, making it possible to discriminate between product artefacts and real changes in Earth processes as well as accurately produce land cover maps and detect changes. This work contributes to the automatic generation of surface reflectance products for Landsat satellite series. Surface reflectances are generated by a new approach developed from a previous simplified radiometric (atmospheric + topographic) correction model. The proposed model keeps the core of the old model (incidence angles and cast-shadows through a digital elevation model [DEM], Earth-Sun distance, etc.) and adds new characteristics to enhance and automatize ground reflectance retrieval. The new model includes the following new features: (1) A fitting model based on reference values from pseudoinvariant areas that have been automatically extracted from existing reflectance products (Terra MODIS MOD09GA) that were selected also automatically by applying quality criteria that include a geostatistical pattern model. This guarantees the consistency of the internal and external series, making it unnecessary to provide extra atmospheric data for the acquisition date and time, dark objects or dense vegetation. (2) A spatial model for atmospheric optical depth that uses detailed DEM and MODTRAN simulations. (3) It is designed so that large time-series of images can be processed automatically to produce consistent Landsat surface reflectance time-series. (4) The approach can handle most images, acquired now or in the past, regardless of the processing system, with the exception of those with extremely high cloud coverage. The new methodology has been successfully applied to a series of near 300 images of the same area including MSS, TM and ETM+ imagery as well as to different formats and processing systems (LPGS and NLAPS from the USGS; CEOS from ESA) for different degrees of cloud coverage (up to 60%) and SLC

  10. Iterative discrete ordinates solution of the equation for surface-reflected radiance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radkevich, Alexander

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents a new method of numerical solution of the integral equation for the radiance reflected from an anisotropic surface. The equation relates the radiance at the surface level with BRDF and solutions of the standard radiative transfer problems for a slab with no reflection on its surfaces. It is also shown that the kernel of the equation satisfies the condition of the existence of a unique solution and the convergence of the successive approximations to that solution. The developed method features two basic steps: discretization on a 2D quadrature, and solving the resulting system of algebraic equations with successive over-relaxation method based on the Gauss-Seidel iterative process. Presented numerical examples show good coincidence between the surface-reflected radiance obtained with DISORT and the proposed method. Analysis of contributions of the direct and diffuse (but not yet reflected) parts of the downward radiance to the total solution is performed. Together, they represent a very good initial guess for the iterative process. This fact ensures fast convergence. The numerical evidence is given that the fastest convergence occurs with the relaxation parameter of 1 (no relaxation). An integral equation for BRDF is derived as inversion of the original equation. The potential of this new equation for BRDF retrievals is analyzed. The approach is found not viable as the BRDF equation appears to be an ill-posed problem, and it requires knowledge the surface-reflected radiance on the entire domain of both Sun and viewing zenith angles.

  11. Surface quality monitoring for process control by on-line vibration analysis using an adaptive spline wavelet algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, G. Y.; Osypiw, D.; Irle, M.

    2003-05-01

    The dynamic behaviour of wood machining processes affects the surface finish quality of machined workpieces. In order to meet the requirements of increased production efficiency and improved product quality, surface quality information is needed for enhanced process control. However, current methods using high price devices or sophisticated designs, may not be suitable for industrial real-time application. This paper presents a novel approach of surface quality evaluation by on-line vibration analysis using an adaptive spline wavelet algorithm, which is based on the excellent time-frequency localization of B-spline wavelets. A series of experiments have been performed to extract the feature, which is the correlation between the relevant frequency band(s) of vibration with the change of the amplitude and the surface quality. The graphs of the experimental results demonstrate that the change of the amplitude in the selective frequency bands with variable resolution (linear and non-linear) reflects the quality of surface finish, and the root sum square of wavelet power spectrum is a good indication of surface quality. Thus, surface quality can be estimated and quantified at an average level in real time. The results can be used to regulate and optimize the machine's feed speed, maintaining a constant spindle motor speed during cutting. This will lead to higher level control and machining rates while keeping dimensional integrity and surface finish within specification.

  12. A Monte Carlo reflectance model for soil surfaces with three-dimensional structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, K. D.; Smith, J. A.

    1985-01-01

    A Monte Carlo soil reflectance model has been developed to study the effect of macroscopic surface irregularities larger than the wavelength of incident flux. The model treats incoherent multiple scattering from Lambertian facets distributed on a periodic surface. Resulting bidirectional reflectance distribution functions are non-Lambertian and compare well with experimental trends reported in the literature. Examples showing the coupling of the Monte Carlo soil model to an adding bidirectional canopy of reflectance model are also given.

  13. Effects of temporal distribution of specular and diffuse reflections on perceived music quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smitthakorn, Pattra

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the temporal distribution of diffuse and specular reflections on the perceived acoustic qualities of music performance. Sets of impulse responses were designed with different temporal distributions of early acoustic energy (specular and diffuse reflections). Then, three types of anechoic sound sources---orchestral music, trumpet, and piano---were convolved with the designed impulse responses. The results from the listening tests revealed that different room environments were needed to acoustically support different source characteristics. The results show the following: (1) specular reflections arriving within 40 msec of the direct sound improved perceived "clarity" and "intimacy"; (2) specular reflections arriving between 40-80 msec after the direct sound improved perceived "clarity" for orchestral music; (3) specular reflections arriving later than 80 msec after the direct sound are not desirable; (4) large numbers of diffuse reflections arriving within 40 and 80 msec of the direct sound improved perceived "intimacy", "texture", and "overall impression" for all sound sources, heightened perceived "clarity" for trumpet and piano, and reduced perceived "glare" for trumpet; and (5) diffuse reflections arriving between 80-160 msec of the direct sound preserved perceived "reverberance" and reduced perceived "echoes" as opposed to specular reflections arriving in the same time period. The results of this study indicate that music performance halls should be designed to include diffuse reflections from surfaces within the 80 msec time period to achieve preferred texture, intimacy, clarity and overall impression and in the 160 msec time period to reduce echoes; specular reflections arriving within the 40 msec time period should be provided to enhance perceived clarity.

  14. Backscattered EM-wave manipulation using low cost 1-bit reflective surface at W-band

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taher Al-Nuaimi, Mustafa K.; Hong, Wei; He, Yejun

    2018-04-01

    The design of low cost 1-bit reflective (non-absorptive) surfaces for manipulation of backscattered EM-waves and radar cross section (RCS) reduction at W-band is presented in this article. The presented surface is designed based on the reflection phase cancellation principle. The unit cell used to compose the proposed surface has an obelus (division symbol of short wire and two disks above and below) like shape printed on a grounded dielectric material. Using this unit cell, surfaces that can efficiently manipulate the backscattered RCS pattern by using the proposed obelus-shaped unit cell (as ‘0’ element) and its mirrored unit cell (as ‘1’ element) in one surface with a 180°  ±  35° reflection phase difference between their reflection phases are designed. The proposed surfaces can generate various kinds of backscattered RCS patterns, such as single, three, or four lobes or even a low-level (reduced RCS) diffused reflection pattern when those two unit cells are distributed randomly across the surface aperture. For experimental characterization purposes, a 50  ×  50 mm2 surface is fabricated and measured.

  15. The normalization of surface anisotropy effects present in SEVIRI reflectances by using the MODIS BRDF method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Proud, Simon Richard; Zhang, Qingling; Schaaf, Crystal

    2014-01-01

    A modified version of the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) algorithm is presented for use in the angular normalization of surface reflectance data gathered by the Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI...... acquisition period than the comparable MODIS products while, at the same time, removing many of the angular perturbations present within the original MSG data. The NBAR data are validated against reflectance data from the MODIS instrument and in situ data gathered at a field location in Africa throughout 2008....... It is found that the MSG retrievals are stable and are of high-quality across much of the SEVIRI disk while maintaining a higher temporal resolution than the MODIS BRDF products. However, a number of circumstances are discovered whereby the BRDF model is unable to function correctly with the SEVIRI...

  16. Assessment of biases in MODIS surface reflectance due to Lambertian approximation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cook, Robert B [ORNL; SanthanaVannan, Suresh K [ORNL

    2010-08-01

    Using MODIS data and the AERONET-based Surface Reflectance Validation Network (ASRVN), this work studies errors of MODIS atmospheric correction caused by the Lambertian approximation. On one hand, this approximation greatly simplifies the radiative transfer model, reduces the size of the look-up tables, and makes operational algorithm faster. On the other hand, uncompensated atmospheric scattering caused by Lambertian model systematically biases the results. For example, for a typical bowl-shaped bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), the derived reflectance is underestimated at high solar or view zenith angles, where BRDF is high, and is overestimated at low zenith angles where BRDF is low. The magnitude of biases grows with the amount of scattering in the atmosphere, i.e., at shorter wavelengths and at higher aerosol concentration. The slope of regression of Lambertian surface reflectance vs. ASRVN bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) is about 0.85 in the red and 0.6 in the green bands. This error propagates into the MODIS BRDF/albedo algorithm, slightly reducing the magnitude of overall reflectance and anisotropy of BRDF. This results in a small negative bias of spectral surface albedo. An assessment for the GSFC (Greenbelt, USA) validation site shows the albedo reduction by 0.004 in the near infrared, 0.005 in the red, and 0.008 in the green MODIS bands.

  17. Preparation of surface conductive and highly reflective silvered polyimide films by surface modification and in situ self-metallization technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Zhanpeng; Wu Dezhen; Qi Shengli; Zhang Teng; Jin Riguang

    2005-01-01

    Double surface conductive and reflective flexible silvered polyimide films have been prepared by alkali hydroxylation of polyimide film surface and incorporation of silver ions through subsequent ion exchange. Thermal curing of silver(I) polyamate precursor leads to re-cycloimidization of modified surface with concomitant silver reduction, yielding a reflective and conductive silver surface approaching that of native metal. The reflective and conductive surface evolves only when the cure temperature rises to 300 deg. C. The metallized films usually retain the essential mechanical properties of the parent films. Films were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM demonstrates that the diameter of close-packed silver particles of the silver layers was about 50-150 nm. TEM shows that thickness of silver layer on the polyimide film surface is about 400-600 nm

  18. Surface reflectance of Antarctic bryophytes and protection from UV and visible light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, S.A.; Wasley, J.; Turnbull, J.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: As well as determining the amount of solar radiation available for photosynthesis, the surface reflectance and absorptance characteristics of plants are their first defence against damaging effects of solar radiation. The solar spectrum can be damaging to plants in many ways. At shorter wavelengths, UV-B (280-320 nm) radiation can cause lesions in nucleic acid and proteins. Excess levels of visible radiation (400-750) can cause photoinhibition whilst high absorbtance of longer wavelengths (>750) leads to increases in temperature that can be detrimental in some environments. The adaptation of surface reflectance properties of vascular plants to particular environments are well known in some ecosystems. For example in desert ecosystems pubescent leaf surfaces that increase reflectance are common and have been demonstrated to be important to protection from photoinhibition. The epidermal characteristics of some plants are also known to change in absorptance, due to the accumulation of specific compounds. For example flavonoids which are effective screens against UV-B radiation, increase upon exposure to UV-B radiation. In this study we surveyed the natural variability in surface reflectance in mosses growing in continental Antarctica. Antarctica is experiencing large increases in incident UV-B radiation due to reductions in concentrations of stratospheric ozone. Additionally over the summer months (November January), when moss is exposed to direct sunlight, levels of visible solar radiation are also high, increasing the likelihood of photoinhibitory damage in moss. Our aim in this study is to describe the natural variability in the surface reflectance characteristics of moss, such that we have a baseline with which to assess future changes in response to changes in global climate, and imposed experimental treatments, and also to develop hypotheses with respect to how mosses have adapted to the cold and arid antarctic environment. Variability in surface

  19. Developmental prosopagnosia and super-recognition: no special role for surface reflectance processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Richard; Chatterjee, Garga; Nakayama, Ken

    2012-01-01

    Face recognition by normal subjects depends in roughly equal proportions on shape and surface reflectance cues, while object recognition depends predominantly on shape cues. It is possible that developmental prosopagnosics are deficient not in their ability to recognize faces per se, but rather in their ability to use reflectance cues. Similarly, super-recognizers' exceptional ability with face recognition may be a result of superior surface reflectance perception and memory. We tested this possibility by administering tests of face perception and face recognition in which only shape or reflectance cues are available to developmental prosopagnosics, super-recognizers, and control subjects. Face recognition ability and the relative use of shape and pigmentation were unrelated in all the tests. Subjects who were better at using shape or reflectance cues were also better at using the other type of cue. These results do not support the proposal that variation in surface reflectance perception ability is the underlying cause of variation in face recognition ability. Instead, these findings support the idea that face recognition ability is related to neural circuits using representations that integrate shape and pigmentation information. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Nanoscale silver-assisted wet etching of crystalline silicon for anti-reflection surface textures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Rui; Wang, Shuling; Chuwongin, Santhad; Zhou, Weidong

    2013-01-01

    We report here an electro-less metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) process as light management surface-texturing technique for single crystalline Si photovoltaics. Random Silver nanostructures were formed on top of the Si surface based on the thin film evaporation and annealing process. Significant reflection reduction was obtained from the fabricated Si sample, with approximately 2% reflection over a wide spectra range (300 to 1050 nm). The work demonstrates the potential of MacEtch process for anti-reflection surface texture fabrication of large area, high efficiency, and low cost thin film solar cell.

  1. Weighted least-square approach for simultaneous measurement of multiple reflective surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Shouhong; Bills, Richard E.; Freischlad, Klaus

    2007-09-01

    Phase shifting interferometry (PSI) is a highly accurate method for measuring the nanometer-scale relative surface height of a semi-reflective test surface. PSI is effectively used in conjunction with Fizeau interferometers for optical testing, hard disk inspection, and semiconductor wafer flatness. However, commonly-used PSI algorithms are unable to produce an accurate phase measurement if more than one reflective surface is present in the Fizeau interferometer test cavity. Examples of test parts that fall into this category include lithography mask blanks and their protective pellicles, and plane parallel optical beam splitters. The plane parallel surfaces of these parts generate multiple interferograms that are superimposed in the recording plane of the Fizeau interferometer. When using wavelength shifting in PSI the phase shifting speed of each interferogram is proportional to the optical path difference (OPD) between the two reflective surfaces. The proposed method is able to differentiate each underlying interferogram from each other in an optimal manner. In this paper, we present a method for simultaneously measuring the multiple test surfaces of all underlying interferograms from these superimposed interferograms through the use of a weighted least-square fitting technique. The theoretical analysis of weighted least-square technique and the measurement results will be described in this paper.

  2. Unmanned aerial system nadir reflectance and MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectances intercompared over Greenland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faulkner Burkhart, John; Kylling, Arve; Schaaf, Crystal B.; Wang, Zhuosen; Bogren, Wiley; Storvold, Rune; Solbø, Stian; Pedersen, Christina A.; Gerland, Sebastian

    2017-07-01

    Albedo is a fundamental parameter in earth sciences, and many analyses utilize the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF)/albedo (MCD43) algorithms. While derivative albedo products have been evaluated over Greenland, we present a novel, direct comparison with nadir surface reflectance collected from an unmanned aerial system (UAS). The UAS was flown from Summit, Greenland, on 210 km transects coincident with the MODIS sensor overpass on board the Aqua and Terra satellites on 5 and 6 August 2010. Clear-sky acquisitions were available from the overpasses within 2 h of the UAS flights. The UAS was equipped with upward- and downward-looking spectrometers (300-920 nm) with a spectral resolution of 10 nm, allowing for direct integration into the MODIS bands 1, 3, and 4. The data provide a unique opportunity to directly compare UAS nadir reflectance with the MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectance (NBAR) products. The data show UAS measurements are slightly higher than the MODIS NBARs for all bands but agree within their stated uncertainties. Differences in variability are observed as expected due to different footprints of the platforms. The UAS data demonstrate potentially large sub-pixel variability of MODIS reflectance products and the potential to explore this variability using the UAS as a platform. It is also found that, even at the low elevations flown typically by a UAS, reflectance measurements may be influenced by haze if present at and/or below the flight altitude of the UAS. This impact could explain some differences between data from the two platforms and should be considered in any use of airborne platforms.

  3. Biomimetic approaches to create anti-reflection glass surfaces for solar cells using self-organizing techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achtelik, J.; Sievers, W.; Lindner, J.K.N.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Nanostructured glass surfaces with theoretically near-to-zero reflectivity in the UVNIR region. ► Simple fabrication process using self-organization during reactive ion etching proposed. ► Prediction of optical reflectivity from AFM measured surface morphology. -- Abstract: Aiming to diminish the reflection losses of glass covered light harvesting devices, the optical reflectivity of nanostructured glass surfaces is studied theoretically and experimentally. The work is inspired by the nanoscale roughness of insect eyes, which is tried to be replicated on a technical glass surface. To this end, the reflectivity of glass surfaces with topographies represented by linear, parabolic and Fermi-shaped glass/air fill factor profiles is calculated for normal incidence. It is shown that using the latter ones, an almost complete suppression of reflections can be achieved. A simple, self-organization technique to create such Fermi-shaped filling factor profiles in glass experimentally is also presented

  4. Biomimetic approaches to create anti-reflection glass surfaces for solar cells using self-organizing techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Achtelik, J.; Sievers, W. [University of Paderborn, Department of Physics, 33098 Paderborn (Germany); Center of Optoelectronics and Photonics Paderborn CeOPP, 33098 Paderborn (Germany); Lindner, J.K.N., E-mail: lindner@physik.uni-paderborn.de [University of Paderborn, Department of Physics, 33098 Paderborn (Germany); Center of Optoelectronics and Photonics Paderborn CeOPP, 33098 Paderborn (Germany)

    2013-05-15

    Highlights: ► Nanostructured glass surfaces with theoretically near-to-zero reflectivity in the UVNIR region. ► Simple fabrication process using self-organization during reactive ion etching proposed. ► Prediction of optical reflectivity from AFM measured surface morphology. -- Abstract: Aiming to diminish the reflection losses of glass covered light harvesting devices, the optical reflectivity of nanostructured glass surfaces is studied theoretically and experimentally. The work is inspired by the nanoscale roughness of insect eyes, which is tried to be replicated on a technical glass surface. To this end, the reflectivity of glass surfaces with topographies represented by linear, parabolic and Fermi-shaped glass/air fill factor profiles is calculated for normal incidence. It is shown that using the latter ones, an almost complete suppression of reflections can be achieved. A simple, self-organization technique to create such Fermi-shaped filling factor profiles in glass experimentally is also presented.

  5. Repulsive Casimir-Polder potential by a negative reflecting surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Qi-Zhang

    2015-07-01

    We present a scheme to generate an all-range long repulsive Casimir-Polder potential between a perfect negative reflecting surface and a ground-state atom. The repulsive potential is stable and does not decay with time. The Casimir-Polder potential is proportional to z-2 at short atom-surface distances and to z-4 at long atom-surface distances. Because of these advantages, this potential can help in building quantum reflectors, quantum levitating devices, and waveguides for matter waves.

  6. Measurement of integrated coefficients of ultracold neutron reflection from solid surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Golikov, V.V.; Kulagin, E.N.; Nikitenko, Yu.V.

    1985-01-01

    The method of measurement of the integrated coefficients of ultracold neutrons (UCN) reflection from solid surfaces is reported. A simple formula is suggested which expresses the integrated coefficients of UCN reflection from a given sample through the measured counting rate of the detector with and without strong absorber (polyethelene). The parameters are determined describing anisotropic and inhomogeneity properties of UCN reflection from Al, Mg, Pb, Zn, Mo, stainless steel, T and V are measured. The thickness of oxide layers is determined within the 5-10A accuracy limits from the experimental coefficients of UCN reflection from metals having on their surfaces the oxides with boundary velocity larger than that for the metal. It has been determined that the density of 5000 A layer of heavy ice freezed on aluminium is 0.83 +- 0.05 from the crystal ice density

  7. Assessing Pearl Quality Using Reflectance UV-Vis Spectroscopy: Does the Same Donor Produce Consistent Pearl Quality?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul C. Southgate

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Two groups of commercial quality (“acceptable” pearls produced using two donors, and a group of “acceptable” pearls from other donors were analyzed using reflectance UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Three pearls with different colors produced by the same donor showed different absorption spectra. Cream and gold colored pearls showed a wide absorption from 320 to about 460 nm, while there was just slight reflectance around 400 nm by the white pearl with a pink overtone. Cream and gold pearls reached a reflectance peak at 560 to 590 nm, while the white pearl with pink overtone showed slightly wider absorption in this region. Both cream and gold pearls showed an absorption peak after the reflectance peak, at about 700 nm for the cream pearl and 750 nm for the gold pearl. Two other pearls produced by the same donor (white with cream overtone and cream with various overtones showed similar spectra, which differed in their intensity. One of these pearls had very high lustre and its spectrum showed a much higher percentage reflectance than the second pearl with inferior lustre. This result may indicate that reflectance is a useful quantitative indicator of pearl lustre. The spectra of two white pearls resulting from different donors with the same color nacre (silver showed a reflectance at 260 nm, followed by absorption at 280 nm and another reflectance peak at 340 nm. After this peak the spectra for these pearls remained flat until a slight absorption peak around 700 nm. Throughout the visible region, all white pearls used in this study showed similar reflectance spectra although there were differences in reflectance intensity. Unlike the spectral results from white pearls, the results from yellow and gold pearls varied according to color saturation of the pearl. The results of this study show that similarities between absorption and reflectance spectra of cultured pearls resulting from the same saibo donor are negligible and could not be detected

  8. Optical Estimation of the 3D Shape of a Solar Illuminated, Reflecting Satellite Surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antolin, J.; Yu, Z.; Prasad, S.

    2016-09-01

    The spatial distribution of the polarized component of the power reflected by a macroscopically smooth but microscopically roughened curved surface under highly directional illumination, as characterized by an appropriate bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), carries information about the three-dimensional (3D) shape of the surface. This information can be exploited to recover the surface shape locally under rather general conditions whenever power reflectance data for at least two different illumination or observation directions can be obtained. We present here two different parametric approaches for surface reconstruction, amounting to the recovery of the surface parameters that are either the global parameters of the family to which the surface is known a priori to belong or the coefficients of a low-order polynomial that can be employed to characterize a smoothly varying surface locally over the observed patch.

  9. ASSESSMENT OF SURFACE QUALITY FOR CHOSEN MILLING STRATEGIES WHEN PRODUCING RELIEF SURFACES

    OpenAIRE

    Jan Varga; Jozef Stahovec; Jozef Beno; Marek Vrabeľ

    2014-01-01

    The paper deals with design and modeling of the relief surfaces that are produced in milling. Modeled and real surface quality is presented for the chosen fragments of the relief surfaces. Fragmentation of the relief surfaces has been made by the surface sampling. Milling strategies are compared with regard to surface formation. Surface quality was checked with regard to applied cutting conditions.

  10. Reflectance variability of surface coatings reveals characteristic eigenvalue spectra

    Science.gov (United States)

    Medina, José M.; Díaz, José A.; Barros, Rui

    2012-10-01

    We have examined the trial-to-trial variability of the reflectance spectra of surface coatings containing effect pigments. Principal component analysis of reflectances was done at each detection angle separately. A method for classification of principal components is applied based on the eigenvalue spectra. It was found that the eigenvalue spectra follow characteristic power laws and depend on the detection angle. Three different subsets of principal components were examined to separate the relevant spectral features related to the pigments from other noise sources. Reconstruction of the reflectance spectra by taking only the first subset indicated that reflectance variability was higher at near-specular reflection, suggesting a correlation with the trial-to-trial deposition of effect pigments. Reconstruction by using the second subset indicates that variability was higher at short wavelengths. Finally, reconstruction by using only the third subset indicates that reflectance variability was not totally random as a function of the wavelength. The methods employed can be useful in the evaluation of color variability in industrial paint application processes.

  11. Critical coupling of surface plasmons in graphene attenuated total reflection geometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuevas, Mauro, E-mail: cuevas@df.uba.ar [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología Informática, Universidad de Belgrano, Villanueva 1324, C1426BMJ, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Grupo de Electromagnetismo Aplicado, Departamento de Física, FCEN, Universidad de Buenos Aires and IFIBA, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón I, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2016-12-09

    We study the optical response of an attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure in Otto configuration with graphene sheet, paying especial attention to the occurrence of total absorption. Our results show that due to excitation of surface plasmons on the graphene sheet, two different conditions of total absorption may occur. At these conditions, the energy loss of the surface plasmon by radiation is equal to its energy loss by absorption into the graphene sheet. We give necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption. - Highlights: • Attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure with graphene sheet. • Surface plasmons and power matched condition. • Necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption.

  12. Critical coupling of surface plasmons in graphene attenuated total reflection geometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cuevas, Mauro

    2016-01-01

    We study the optical response of an attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure in Otto configuration with graphene sheet, paying especial attention to the occurrence of total absorption. Our results show that due to excitation of surface plasmons on the graphene sheet, two different conditions of total absorption may occur. At these conditions, the energy loss of the surface plasmon by radiation is equal to its energy loss by absorption into the graphene sheet. We give necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption. - Highlights: • Attenuated total reflection (ATR) structure with graphene sheet. • Surface plasmons and power matched condition. • Necessary conditions on ATR parameters for the existence of total absorption.

  13. Manifestation of surface phonons in far infrared reflectivity of diamond-type semiconductors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perez-Sanchez, F.L.; Perez-Rodriguez, F. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, Apdo. Post. J-48, Puebla, Pue. 72570 (Mexico)

    2004-11-01

    The coupling of surface phonons with light at (001) surfaces of diamond-structure crystals and its manifestation in far-infrared anisotropy spectra are theoretically studied. We apply the adiabatic bond charge model to describe short-range mechanical interactions together with long-range Coulomb forces and radiation fields, and we solve the corresponding system of coupled equations for the electromagnetic field and the lattice vibrations. We calculate far-infrared normal reflectance spectra of (001) surfaces of semi-infinite diamond-type crystals. In particular, we analyse reflectance spectra for the Si(001) (2 x 1) surface, which exhibit a resonance structure associated with the excitation of surface phonon modes. (copyright 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  14. Copper-assisted, anti-reflection etching of silicon surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toor, Fatima; Branz, Howard

    2014-08-26

    A method (300) for etching a silicon surface (116) to reduce reflectivity. The method (300) includes electroless deposition of copper nanoparticles about 20 nanometers in size on the silicon surface (116), with a particle-to-particle spacing of 3 to 8 nanometers. The method (300) includes positioning (310) the substrate (112) with a silicon surface (116) into a vessel (122). The vessel (122) is filled (340) with a volume of an etching solution (124) so as to cover the silicon surface (116). The etching solution (124) includes an oxidant-etchant solution (146), e.g., an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The silicon surface (116) is etched (350) by agitating the etching solution (124) with, for example, ultrasonic agitation, and the etching may include heating (360) the etching solution (124) and directing light (365) onto the silicon surface (116). During the etching, copper nanoparticles enhance or drive the etching process.

  15. Anti-reflection textured structures by wet etching and island lithography for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chao, Bo-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Cheng, Hsin-Hung [Department of Marine Engineering, Taipei College of Maritime Technology, Taipei 11174, Taiwan (China); Nien, Li-Wei; Chen, Miin-Jang [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Nagao, Tadaaki [Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Li, Jia-Han [Department of Engineering Science and Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Hsueh, Chun-Hway, E-mail: hsuehc@ntu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China)

    2015-12-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We fabricated textured SERS substrate with a high surface area and low reflectance. • Large surface area of substrate contains more gold nanodroplets to absorb analytes. • Low reflectance of textured SERS substrate enabled multiple reflections of incident laser light. • We obtained strong SERS enhancement from nanopillar-on-pyramid SERS substrate. - Abstract: A high surface area and low reflection textured surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate with plasmonic gold nanodroplets fabricated by wet etching and island lithography was reported in the present study. Specifically, four textured substrates, planar, pyramid, nanopillar, and nanopillar-on-pyramid, were fabricated. The fabricated structures were simulated using the finite-difference time-domain method and the results agreed with the reflection and dark-field scattering measurements. Although the SERS signals varied in different measured regions because of the random nanostructure, the SERS substrates with nanopillar-on-pyramid structure always have the stronger enhancement factor than the SERS substrates with only pyramids or nanopillars. Based on the atomic force microscope and reflection measurements, the nanopillar-on-pyramid structure provided a large surface area and multiple reflections for SERS enhancement, which was about 3 orders of magnitude larger than that of the planar substrate. Our results can be applied to fabricate the inexpensive, large surface area, and high SERS enhancement substrates.

  16. Accounting for surface reflectance anisotropy in satellite retrievals of tropospheric NO₂

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhou, Yipin; Brunner, D.; Spurr, R.J.D.; Boersma, K.F.; Sneep, M.; Popp, C.; Buchmann, B.

    2010-01-01

    Surface reflectance is a key parameter in satellite trace gas retrievals in the UV/visible range and in particular for the retrieval of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) vertical tropospheric columns (VTCs). Current operational retrievals rely on coarse-resolution reflectance data and do not account for the

  17. Real-time defect detection on highly reflective curved surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosati, G.; Boschetti, G.; Biondi, A.; Rossi, A.

    2009-03-01

    This paper presents an automated defect detection system for coated plastic components for the automotive industry. This research activity came up as an evolution of a previous study which employed a non-flat mirror to illuminate and inspect high reflective curved surfaces. According to this method, the rays emitted from a light source are conveyed on the surface under investigation by means of a suitably curved mirror. After the reflection on the surface, the light rays are collected by a CCD camera, in which the coating defects appear as shadows of various shapes and dimensions. In this paper we present an evolution of the above-mentioned method, introducing a simplified mirror set-up in order to reduce the costs and the complexity of the defect detection system. In fact, a set of plane mirrors is employed instead of the curved one. Moreover, the inspection of multiple bend radius parts is investigated. A prototype of the machine vision system has been developed in order to test this simplified method. This device is made up of a light projector, a set of plane mirrors for light rays reflection, a conveyor belt for handling components, a CCD camera and a desktop PC which performs image acquisition and processing. Like in the previous system, the defects are identified as shadows inside a high brightness image. At the end of the paper, first experimental results are presented.

  18. The effect of surface texture on total reflection of neutrons and X-rays from modified interfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Goldar, A.; Roser, S.J.; Hughes, A.

    2002-01-01

    X-ray and neutron scattering from macroscopically rough surfaces and interfaces is considered and a new method of analysis based on the variation of the shape of the total reflection edge in the reflectivity profile is proposed. It was shown that in the limit that the correlation length and the h......X-ray and neutron scattering from macroscopically rough surfaces and interfaces is considered and a new method of analysis based on the variation of the shape of the total reflection edge in the reflectivity profile is proposed. It was shown that in the limit that the correlation length...... and the height of the surface roughness are larger than the wavelength (at least 100 times bigger) of the incoming beam, the total reflection edge in the reflection profile becomes rounded. This technique allows direct analysis of the variation of the reflectivity pro le in terms of the structure of the surface...

  19. Mercury's Surface Magnetic Field Determined from Proton-Reflection Magnetometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winslow, Reka M.; Johnson, Catherine L.; Anderson, Brian J.; Gershman, Daniel J.; Raines, Jim M.; Lillis, Robert J.; Korth, Haje; Slavin, James A.; Solomon, Sean C.; Zurbuchen, Thomas H.; hide

    2014-01-01

    Solar wind protons observed by the MESSENGER spacecraft in orbit about Mercury exhibit signatures of precipitation loss to Mercury's surface. We apply proton-reflection magnetometry to sense Mercury's surface magnetic field intensity in the planet's northern and southern hemispheres. The results are consistent with a dipole field offset to the north and show that the technique may be used to resolve regional-scale fields at the surface. The proton loss cones indicate persistent ion precipitation to the surface in the northern magnetospheric cusp region and in the southern hemisphere at low nightside latitudes. The latter observation implies that most of the surface in Mercury's southern hemisphere is continuously bombarded by plasma, in contrast with the premise that the global magnetic field largely protects the planetary surface from the solar wind.

  20. Intercomparison of 30+ years of AVHRR and Landsat-5 TM Surface Reflectance using Multiple Pseudo-Invariant Calibration Sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santamaría-Artigas, A. E.; Franch, B.; Vermote, E.; Roger, J. C.; Justice, C. O.

    2017-12-01

    The 30+ years daily surface reflectance long term data record (LTDR) from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is a valuable source of information for long-term studies of the Earth surface. This LTDR was generated by combining observations from multiple AVHRR sensors aboard different NOAA satellites starting from the early 1980s, and due to the lack of on-board calibration its quality should be evaluated. Previous studies have used observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over pseudo-invariant calibration sites (PICS) as a calibrated reference to assess the performance of AVHRR products. However, this limits the evaluation to the period after MODIS launch. In this work, the AVHRR surface reflectance LTDR was evaluated against Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) data using observations from 4 well known pseudo-invariant calibration sites (i.e. Sonoran, Saharan, Sudan1, and Libya4) over an extended time period (1984-2011). For the intercomparison, AVHRR and TM observations of each site were extracted and averaged over a 20 km x 20 km area and aggregated to monthly mean values. In order to account for the spectral differences between sensors, Hyperion hyperspectral data from the Sonoran and Libya4 sites were convolved with sensor-specific relative spectral responses, and used to compute spectral band adjustment factors (SBAFs). Results of the intercomparison are reported in terms of the root mean square difference (RMSD) and determination coefficient (r2). In general, there is good agreement between the surface reflectance products from both sensors. The overall RMSD and r2 for all the sites and AVHRR/TM combinations were 0.03 and 0.85 for the red band, and 0.04 and 0.81 for the near-infrared band. These results show the strong performance of the AVHRR surface reflectance LTDR through all of the considered period. Thus, remarking its usefulness and value for long term Earth studies. Figure 1 shows the red (filled markers

  1. Temporal variations of surface water quality in urban, suburban and rural areas during rapid urbanization in Shanghai, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Junying; Da Liangjun; Song Kun; Li Bailian

    2008-01-01

    As the economic and financial center of China, Shanghai has experienced an extensive urban expansion since the early 1980s, with an attendant cost in environmental degradation. We use an integrated pollution index to study the temporal variations of surface water quality in urban, suburban and rural areas between 1982 and 2005. Data on monitored cross-sections were collected from the Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center. The results indicated that the spatial pattern of surface water quality was determined by the level of urbanization. Surface water qualities in urban and suburban areas were improved by strengthening the environmental policies and management, but were worsening in rural areas. The relationship between economic growth and surface water quality in Shanghai showed an inversed-U-shaped curve, which reflected a similar pattern in most developed countries. This research suggests that decision makers and city officials should be more aware of the recent pollution increases in Shanghai. - An integrated pollution index documents the deterioration of water quality in greater Shanghai, recently most serious in rural sections

  2. Reflection of slow hydrogen and helium ions from solid surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akkerman, A.F.

    1978-01-01

    Some characteristics of the proton and helium ion flux (E < 10 keV), reflected from solid surfaces are presented. A 'condensed walk' scheme, previously used for electron transport calculations, was adapted. Results obtained either by the scheme or by a more detailed 'consequent' scheme agreed closely. The presented data permit calculations of the mean energy of reflected particles and other values for various energy and angular distributions of incident particles. (author)

  3. Surface roughness and gloss study of prints: application of specular reflection at near infrared

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silfsten, P; Dutta, R; Pääkkönen, P; Peiponen, K-E; Tåg, C-M; Gane, P A C

    2012-01-01

    Absolute reflectance data were measured with a spectrophotometer in the visible and near infrared (NIR) spectral range. The specular reflectance data in the NIR were used for the assessment of the surface roughness of magenta, yellow, cyan and black prints on paper. In addition, surface roughness data obtained from the prints with a mechanical diamond stylus, an optical profiling system and the spectrophotometer are compared with each other. The surface roughness obtained with the aid of the spectrophotometer data suggests a smoother surface than when measured with the diamond stylus and the optical profiling system. The gloss of the prints can be obtained from the absolute specular reflectance spectra in the spectral region of visible light. It is shown that specular reflection data at a fixed wavelength in the NIR are useful also in the interpretation of gloss in the visible spectral range, but using an unconventional grazing angle of incidence. (paper)

  4. A comparison of reflectance properties on polymer micro-structured functional surface

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Regi, Francesco; Li, Dongya; Nielsen, Jannik Boll

    In this study, a functional micro-structure surface [1] has been developed as a combination of arrays of micro ridges. The scope of the surface is to achieve specific directional optical properties: that is, under constrained lighting, maximizing the reflectance from a certain viewing direction, ...

  5. Quantification of the optical surface reflection and surface roughness of articular cartilage using optical coherence tomography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saarakkala, Simo; Wang Shuzhe; Huang Yanping; Zheng Yongping [Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (China)], E-mail: simo.saarakkala@uku.fi, E-mail: ypzheng@ieee.org

    2009-11-21

    Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising new technique for characterizing the structural changes of articular cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). The calculation of quantitative parameters from the OCT signal is an important step to develop OCT as an effective diagnostic technique. In this study, two novel parameters for the quantification of optical surface reflection and surface roughness from OCT measurements are introduced: optical surface reflection coefficient (ORC), describing the amount of a ratio of the optical reflection from cartilage surface with respect to that from a reference material, and OCT roughness index (ORI) indicating the smoothness of the cartilage surface. The sensitivity of ORC and ORI to detect changes in bovine articular cartilage samples after enzymatic degradations of collagen and proteoglycans using collagenase and trypsin enzymes, respectively, was tested in vitro. A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in ORC as well as a significant increase (p < 0.001) in ORI was observed after collagenase digestion. After trypsin digestion, no significant changes in ORC or ORI were observed. To conclude, the new parameters introduced were demonstrated to be feasible and sensitive to detect typical OA-like degenerative changes in the collagen network. From the clinical point of view, the quantification of OCT measurements is of great interest since OCT probes have been already miniaturized and applied in patient studies during arthroscopy or open knee surgery in vivo. Further studies are still necessary to demonstrate the clinical capability of the introduced parameters for naturally occurring early OA changes in the cartilage.

  6. Mechanisms for the reflection of light atoms from crystal surfaces at kilovolt energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, M.; Robinson, M.T.

    1978-01-01

    The computer program MARLOWE was used to investigate the backscattering of protons from the (110) surface of a nickel crystal. Grazing incidence was considered so that anisotropic effects originated mainly from the surface region. The contribution of aligned scattering was studied by comparing the results with similar calculations for an amorphous target. Energy distributions of backscattered particles were investigated for incident energies ranging from 0.1 to 5 keV. The structure of these distributions was explained by making calculations for several target thickness. Specular reflection was found to depend on the structure of the first few atomic planes only. The (110) rows in the surface plane were responsible for focusing into surface semichannels. Focusing in these semichannels was found to be the strongest under total reflection conditions (below about 1.3 keV) while the scattering intensity from surface rows increased with increasing incident energy. The orientation of the plane of incidence was found to have large influence on the relative contributions of the reflection mechanisms involved. (orig.) [de

  7. Solar flux incident on an orbiting surface after reflection from a planet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modest, M. F.

    1980-01-01

    Algorithms describing the solar radiation impinging on an infinitesimal surface after reflection from a gray and diffuse planet are derived. The following conditions apply: only radiation from the sunny half of the planet is taken into account; the radiation must fall on the top of the orbiting surface, and radiation must come from that part of the planet that can be seen from the orbiting body. A simple approximate formula is presented which displays excellent accuracy for all significant situations, with an error which is always less than 5% of the maximum possible reflected flux. Attention is also given to solar albedo flux on a surface directly facing the planet, the influence of solar position on albedo flux, and to solar albedo flux as a function of the surface-planet tilt angle.

  8. Nanoimprinted reflecting gratings for long-range surface plasmon polaritons

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Rasmus Haugstrup; Boltasseva, Alexandra; Johansen, Dan Mario

    2007-01-01

    We present a novel design, fabrication, and characterization of reflecting gratings for long-range surface plasmon polaritons (LR-SPPs) at telecom wavelengths. LR-SPP waveguides consisting of a thin (12 nm) gold film embedded in a thick (45 μm) layer of dielectric polymer cladding are structured...

  9. Generating Land Surface Reflectance for the New Generation of Geostationary Satellite Sensors with the MAIAC Algorithm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, W.; Wang, Y.; Hashimoto, H.; Li, S.; Takenaka, H.; Higuchi, A.; Lyapustin, A.; Nemani, R. R.

    2017-12-01

    The latest generation of geostationary satellite sensors, including the GOES-16/ABI and the Himawari 8/AHI, provide exciting capability to monitor land surface at very high temporal resolutions (5-15 minute intervals) and with spatial and spectral characteristics that mimic the Earth Observing System flagship MODIS. However, geostationary data feature changing sun angles at constant view geometry, which is almost reciprocal to sun-synchronous observations. Such a challenge needs to be carefully addressed before one can exploit the full potential of the new sources of data. Here we take on this challenge with Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm, recently developed for accurate and globally robust applications like the MODIS Collection 6 re-processing. MAIAC first grids the top-of-atmosphere measurements to a fixed grid so that the spectral and physical signatures of each grid cell are stacked ("remembered") over time and used to dramatically improve cloud/shadow/snow detection, which is by far the dominant error source in the remote sensing. It also exploits the changing sun-view geometry of the geostationary sensor to characterize surface BRDF with augmented angular resolution for accurate aerosol retrievals and atmospheric correction. The high temporal resolutions of the geostationary data indeed make the BRDF retrieval much simpler and more robust as compared with sun-synchronous sensors such as MODIS. As a prototype test for the geostationary-data processing pipeline on NASA Earth Exchange (GEONEX), we apply MAIAC to process 18 months of data from Himawari 8/AHI over Australia. We generate a suite of test results, including the input TOA reflectance and the output cloud mask, aerosol optical depth (AOD), and the atmospherically-corrected surface reflectance for a variety of geographic locations, terrain, and land cover types. Comparison with MODIS data indicates a general agreement between the retrieved surface reflectance

  10. How Can Polarization States of Reflected Light from Snow Surfaces Inform Us on Surface Normals and Ultimately Snow Grain Size Measurements?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, A. M.; Flanner, M.; Yang, P.; Yi, B.; Huang, X.; Feldman, D.

    2016-12-01

    The Snow Grain Size and Pollution (SGSP) algorithm is a method applied to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data to estimate snow grain size from space-borne measurements. Previous studies validate and quantify potential sources of error in this method, but because it assumes flat snow surfaces, however, large scale variations in surface normals can cause biases in its estimates due to its dependence on solar and observation zenith angles. To address these variations, we apply the Monte Carlo method for photon transport using data containing the single scattering properties of different ice crystals to calculate polarization states of reflected monochromatic light at 1500nm from modeled snow surfaces. We evaluate the dependence of these polarization states on solar and observation geometry at 1500nm because multiple scattering is generally a mechanism for depolarization and the ice crystals are relatively absorptive at this wavelength. Using 1500nm thus results in a higher number of reflected photons undergoing fewer scattering events, increasing the likelihood of reflected light having higher degrees of polarization. In evaluating the validity of the model, we find agreement with previous studies pertaining to near-infrared spectral directional hemispherical reflectance (i.e. black-sky albedo) and similarities in measured bidirectional reflectance factors, but few studies exist modeling polarization states of reflected light from snow surfaces. Here, we present novel results pertaining to calculated polarization states and compare dependences on solar and observation geometry for different idealized snow surfaces. If these dependencies are consistent across different ice particle shapes and sizes, then these findings could inform the SGSP algorithm by providing useful relationships between measurable physical quantities and solar and observation geometry to better understand variations in snow surface normals from remote sensing observations.

  11. Excitations of surface plasmon polaritons by attenuated total reflection, revisited

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barchesi, D.; Otto, A.

    2013-01-01

    Many textbooks and review papers are devoted to plasmonics based on a selection of the numerous bibliography. But none describes the details of the first culmination of plasmonics in 1968, when surface plasmons become a field of optics. The coupling of light with the surface plasmon leads to the surface plasmon polariton (SPP). Therefore, the authors chose to associate historical insight (not avoiding a personal touch), a modern mathematical formulation of the excitation of the SPP by attenuated total reflection (ATR), considered as well understood since decades, and experimental applications since 1969, including recent developments.

  12. GLOBAL LAND COVER CLASSIFICATION USING MODIS SURFACE REFLECTANCE PROSUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Fukue

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study is to develop high accuracy land cover classification algorithm for Global scale by using multi-temporal MODIS land reflectance products. In this study, time-domain co-occurrence matrix was introduced as a classification feature which provides time-series signature of land covers. Further, the non-parametric minimum distance classifier was introduced for timedomain co-occurrence matrix, which performs multi-dimensional pattern matching for time-domain co-occurrence matrices of a classification target pixel and each classification classes. The global land cover classification experiments have been conducted by applying the proposed classification method using 46 multi-temporal(in one year SR(Surface Reflectance and NBAR(Nadir BRDF-Adjusted Reflectance products, respectively. IGBP 17 land cover categories were used in our classification experiments. As the results, SR and NBAR products showed similar classification accuracy of 99%.

  13. Comparison of cloud optical depth and cloud mask applying BRDF model-based background surface reflectance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, H. W.; Yeom, J. M.; Woo, S. H.

    2017-12-01

    Over the thin cloud region, satellite can simultaneously detect the reflectance from thin clouds and land surface. Since the mixed reflectance is not the exact cloud information, the background surface reflectance should be eliminated to accurately distinguish thin cloud such as cirrus. In the previous research, Kim et al (2017) was developed the cloud masking algorithm using the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), which is one of significant instruments for Communication, Ocean, and Meteorology Satellite (COMS). Although GOCI has 8 spectral channels including visible and near infra-red spectral ranges, the cloud masking has quantitatively reasonable result when comparing with MODIS cloud mask (Collection 6 MYD35). Especially, we noticed that this cloud masking algorithm is more specialized in thin cloud detections through the validation with Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data. Because this cloud masking method was concentrated on eliminating background surface effects from the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. Applying the difference between TOA reflectance and the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model-based background surface reflectance, cloud areas both thick cloud and thin cloud can be discriminated without infra-red channels which were mostly used for detecting clouds. Moreover, when the cloud mask result was utilized as the input data when simulating BRDF model and the optimized BRDF model-based surface reflectance was used for the optimized cloud masking, the probability of detection (POD) has higher value than POD of the original cloud mask. In this study, we examine the correlation between cloud optical depth (COD) and its cloud mask result. Cloud optical depths mostly depend on the cloud thickness, the characteristic of contents, and the size of cloud contents. COD ranges from less than 0.1 for thin clouds to over 1000 for the huge cumulus due to scattering by droplets. With

  14. Quality Is Key--The Impact of Community Service, Community Service Quality, and Reflection on Adolescents' Volunteering Intentions

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Goethem, Anne A. J.; van Hoof, Anne; Orobio de Castro, Bram; van Aken, Marcel A. G.

    2014-01-01

    This study examined the effect of community service program-quality on changes in adolescents' intentions to volunteer. Based on the literature, volunteering intentions were expected to increase by programs with high quality community service activities (e.g., instructive activities) and educational activities including reflection. Adolescents (N=…

  15. Gain-Enhanced On-Chip Antenna Utilizing Artificial Magnetic Conductor Reflecting Surface at 94 GHz

    KAUST Repository

    Nafe, Mahmoud

    2015-01-01

    In this work, the use of specially patterned reflecting surfaces for improving on- chip antenna performance is investigated. By using a periodic metallic surface on top of a grounded substrate, the structure can mimic the behavior of a perfect mag- netic conductor, hence called Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) surface. Unlike conventional ground plane reflecting surfaces, AMC surfaces generally enhance the radiation and impedance characteristics of close-by antennas. Based on this property, a ring-based AMC reflecting surface has been designed in the oxide layer for on-chip antennas operating at 94 GHz. Furthermore, a folded dipole antenna with its associ- ated planar feeding structures has been optimized and integrated with the developed ring-based AMC surface. The proposed design is then fabricated at KAUST clean- room facilities. Prototype characterization showed very promising results with good correlation to simulations, with the antenna exhibiting an impedance bandwidth of 10% (90-100 GHz) and peak gain of -1.4 dBi, which is the highest gain reported for on-chip antennas at this frequency band without the use of any external o↵-chip components or post-fabrication steps.

  16. The Normalization of Surface Anisotropy Effects Present in SEVIRI Reflectances by Using the MODIS BRDF Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proud, Simon Richard; Zhang, Qingling; Schaaf, Crystal; Fensholt, Rasmus; Rasmussen, Mads Olander; Shisanya, Chris; Mutero, Wycliffe; Mbow, Cheikh; Anyamba, Assaf; Pak, Ed; hide

    2014-01-01

    A modified version of the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) algorithm is presented for use in the angular normalization of surface reflectance data gathered by the Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) aboard the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites. We present early and provisional daily nadir BRDFadjusted reflectance (NBAR) data in the visible and near-infrared MSG channels. These utilize the high temporal resolution of MSG to produce BRDF retrievals with a greatly reduced acquisition period than the comparable MODIS products while, at the same time, removing many of the angular perturbations present within the original MSG data. The NBAR data are validated against reflectance data from the MODIS instrument and in situ data gathered at a field location in Africa throughout 2008. It is found that the MSG retrievals are stable and are of high-quality across much of the SEVIRI disk while maintaining a higher temporal resolution than the MODIS BRDF products. However, a number of circumstances are discovered whereby the BRDF model is unable to function correctly with the SEVIRI observations-primarily because of an insufficient spread of angular data due to the fixed sensor location or localized cloud contamination.

  17. Improving Image Matching by Reducing Surface Reflections Using Polarising Filter Techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conen, N.; Hastedt, H.; Kahmen, O.; Luhmann, T.

    2018-05-01

    In dense stereo matching applications surface reflections may lead to incorrect measurements and blunders in the resulting point cloud. To overcome the problem of disturbing reflexions polarising filters can be mounted on the camera lens and light source. Reflections in the images can be suppressed by crossing the polarising direction of the filters leading to homogeneous illuminated images and better matching results. However, the filter may influence the camera's orientation parameters as well as the measuring accuracy. To quantify these effects, a calibration and an accuracy analysis is conducted within a spatial test arrangement according to the German guideline VDI/VDE 2634.1 (2002) using a DSLR with and without polarising filter. In a second test, the interior orientation is analysed in more detail. The results do not show significant changes of the measuring accuracy in object space and only very small changes of the interior orientation (Δc ≤ 4 μm) with the polarising filter in use. Since in medical applications many tiny reflections are present and impede robust surface measurements, a prototypic trinocular endoscope is equipped with polarising technique. The interior and relative orientation is determined and analysed. The advantage of the polarising technique for medical image matching is shown in an experiment with a moistened pig kidney. The accuracy and completeness of the resulting point cloud can be improved clearly when using polarising filters. Furthermore, an accuracy analysis using a laser triangulation system is performed and the special reflection properties of metallic surfaces are presented.

  18. IMPROVING IMAGE MATCHING BY REDUCING SURFACE REFLECTIONS USING POLARISING FILTER TECHNIQUES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Conen

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In dense stereo matching applications surface reflections may lead to incorrect measurements and blunders in the resulting point cloud. To overcome the problem of disturbing reflexions polarising filters can be mounted on the camera lens and light source. Reflections in the images can be suppressed by crossing the polarising direction of the filters leading to homogeneous illuminated images and better matching results. However, the filter may influence the camera’s orientation parameters as well as the measuring accuracy. To quantify these effects, a calibration and an accuracy analysis is conducted within a spatial test arrangement according to the German guideline VDI/VDE 2634.1 (2002 using a DSLR with and without polarising filter. In a second test, the interior orientation is analysed in more detail. The results do not show significant changes of the measuring accuracy in object space and only very small changes of the interior orientation (Δc ≤ 4 μm with the polarising filter in use. Since in medical applications many tiny reflections are present and impede robust surface measurements, a prototypic trinocular endoscope is equipped with polarising technique. The interior and relative orientation is determined and analysed. The advantage of the polarising technique for medical image matching is shown in an experiment with a moistened pig kidney. The accuracy and completeness of the resulting point cloud can be improved clearly when using polarising filters. Furthermore, an accuracy analysis using a laser triangulation system is performed and the special reflection properties of metallic surfaces are presented.

  19. Unmanned aerial system nadir reflectance and MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectances intercompared over Greenland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. F. Burkhart

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Albedo is a fundamental parameter in earth sciences, and many analyses utilize the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF/albedo (MCD43 algorithms. While derivative albedo products have been evaluated over Greenland, we present a novel, direct comparison with nadir surface reflectance collected from an unmanned aerial system (UAS. The UAS was flown from Summit, Greenland, on 210 km transects coincident with the MODIS sensor overpass on board the Aqua and Terra satellites on 5 and 6 August 2010. Clear-sky acquisitions were available from the overpasses within 2 h of the UAS flights. The UAS was equipped with upward- and downward-looking spectrometers (300–920 nm with a spectral resolution of 10 nm, allowing for direct integration into the MODIS bands 1, 3, and 4. The data provide a unique opportunity to directly compare UAS nadir reflectance with the MODIS nadir BRDF-adjusted surface reflectance (NBAR products. The data show UAS measurements are slightly higher than the MODIS NBARs for all bands but agree within their stated uncertainties. Differences in variability are observed as expected due to different footprints of the platforms. The UAS data demonstrate potentially large sub-pixel variability of MODIS reflectance products and the potential to explore this variability using the UAS as a platform. It is also found that, even at the low elevations flown typically by a UAS, reflectance measurements may be influenced by haze if present at and/or below the flight altitude of the UAS. This impact could explain some differences between data from the two platforms and should be considered in any use of airborne platforms.

  20. Antarctic Surface Reflectivity Measurements from the ANITA-3 and HiCal-1 Experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorham, P. W.; Allison, P.; Banerjee, O.; Beatty, J. J.; Belov, K.; Besson, D. Z.; Binns, W. R.; Bugaev, V.; Cao, P.; Chen, C.; Chen, P.; Clem, J. M.; Connolly, A.; Dailey, B.; Dasgupta, P.; Deaconu, C.; Cremonesi, L.; Dowkontt, P. F.; Fox, B. D.; Gordon, J.; Hill, B.; Hupe, R.; Israel, M. H.; Jain, P.; Kowalski, J.; Lam, J.; Learned, J. G.; Liewer, K. M.; Liu, T. C.; Matsuno, S.; Miki, C.; Mottram, M.; Mulrey, K.; Nam, J.; Nichol, R. J.; Novikov, A.; Oberla, E.; Prohira, S.; Rauch, B. F.; Romero-Wolf, A.; Rotter, B.; Ratzlaff, K.; Russell, J.; Saltzberg, D.; Seckel, D.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Stafford, S.; Stockham, J.; Stockham, M.; Strutt, B.; Tatem, K.; Varner, G. S.; Vieregg, A. G.; Wissel, S. A.; Wu, F.; Young, R.

    The primary science goal of the NASA-sponsored ANITA project is measurement of ultra-high energy neutrinos and cosmic rays, observed via radio-frequency signals resulting from a neutrino or cosmic ray interaction with terrestrial matter (e.g. atmospheric or ice molecules). Accurate inference of the energies of these cosmic rays requires understanding the transmission/reflection of radio wave signals across the ice-air boundary. Satellite-based measurements of Antarctic surface reflectivity, using a co-located transmitter and receiver, have been performed more-or-less continuously for the last few decades. Our comparison of four different reflectivity surveys, at frequencies ranging from 2 to 45GHz and at near-normal incidence, yield generally consistent maps of high versus low reflectivity, as a function of location, across Antarctica. Using the Sun as an RF source, and the ANITA-3 balloon borne radio-frequency antenna array as the RF receiver, we have also measured the surface reflectivity over the interval 200-1000MHz, at elevation angles of 12-30∘. Consistent with our previous measurement using ANITA-2, we find good agreement, within systematic errors (dominated by antenna beam width uncertainties) and across Antarctica, with the expected reflectivity as prescribed by the Fresnel equations. To probe low incidence angles, inaccessible to the Antarctic Solar technique and not probed by previous satellite surveys, a novel experimental approach (“HiCal-1”) was devised. Unlike previous measurements, HiCal-ANITA constitute a bi-static transmitter-receiver pair separated by hundreds of kilometers. Data taken with HiCal, between 200 and 600MHz shows a significant departure from the Fresnel equations, constant with frequency over that band, with the deficit increasing with obliquity of incidence, which we attribute to the combined effects of possible surface roughness, surface grain effects, radar clutter and/or shadowing of the reflection zone due to Earth

  1. Seismic reflection imaging, accounting for primary and multiple reflections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wapenaar, Kees; van der Neut, Joost; Thorbecke, Jan; Broggini, Filippo; Slob, Evert; Snieder, Roel

    2015-04-01

    Imaging of seismic reflection data is usually based on the assumption that the seismic response consists of primary reflections only. Multiple reflections, i.e. waves that have reflected more than once, are treated as primaries and are imaged at wrong positions. There are two classes of multiple reflections, which we will call surface-related multiples and internal multiples. Surface-related multiples are those multiples that contain at least one reflection at the earth's surface, whereas internal multiples consist of waves that have reflected only at subsurface interfaces. Surface-related multiples are the strongest, but also relatively easy to deal with because the reflecting boundary (the earth's surface) is known. Internal multiples constitute a much more difficult problem for seismic imaging, because the positions and properties of the reflecting interfaces are not known. We are developing reflection imaging methodology which deals with internal multiples. Starting with the Marchenko equation for 1D inverse scattering problems, we derived 3D Marchenko-type equations, which relate reflection data at the surface to Green's functions between virtual sources anywhere in the subsurface and receivers at the surface. Based on these equations, we derived an iterative scheme by which these Green's functions can be retrieved from the reflection data at the surface. This iterative scheme requires an estimate of the direct wave of the Green's functions in a background medium. Note that this is precisely the same information that is also required by standard reflection imaging schemes. However, unlike in standard imaging, our iterative Marchenko scheme retrieves the multiple reflections of the Green's functions from the reflection data at the surface. For this, no knowledge of the positions and properties of the reflecting interfaces is required. Once the full Green's functions are retrieved, reflection imaging can be carried out by which the primaries and multiples are

  2. An instrument for the measurement of road surface reflection properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Corell, Dennis Dan; Sørensen, K.

    2017-01-01

    surfaces in use have changed - for instance to road surface types with less noise from wheel passages. Because of this, a co-operation between the road administrations of the Nordic countries (abbreviated NMF) decided to construct a portable instrument to be used on selections of traffic roads within......Road surface reflection data in the form of standard r-tables serve as input for design calculations of road lighting installations on traffic roads. However, in several countries the use of the standard r-tables has not been verified by measurement in a long period of time, while the types of road...

  3. Lunar surface remanent magnetic fields detected by the electron reflection method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, R. P.; Anderson, K. A.; Bush, R.; Mcguire, R. E.; Mccoy, J. E.

    1976-01-01

    We present maps of the lunar surface remanent magnetic fields detected by the electron reflection method. These maps provide substantial coverage of the latitude band from 30 N southward to 30 S with a resolution of about 40 km and a sensitivity of about 0.2 gamma at the lunar surface. Regions of remanent magnetization are observed ranging in size from the resolution limit of 1.25 deg to above approximately 60 deg. The largest contiguous region fills the Big Backside Basin where it is intersected by the spacecraft orbital tracks. Preliminary analyses of the maps show that the source regions of lunar limb compressions correspond to regions of strong surface magnetism, and that there does not appear to be sharply discontinuous magnetization at the edges of maria. We also analyze the electron reflection observations to obtain information on the direction and distribution of magnetization in the Van de Graaff anomaly region.

  4. NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) of AVHRR Surface Reflectance, Version 4

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset contains gridded daily surface reflectance and brightness temperatures derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensors onboard...

  5. Self-consistent approach to x-ray reflection from rough surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feranchuk, I. D.; Feranchuk, S. I.; Ulyanenkov, A. P.

    2007-01-01

    A self-consistent analytical approach for specular x-ray reflection from interfaces with transition layers [I. D. Feranchuk et al., Phys. Rev. B 67, 235417 (2003)] based on the distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA) is used for the description of coherent and incoherent x-ray scattering from rough surfaces and interfaces. This approach takes into account the transformation of the modeling transition layer profile at the interface, which is caused by roughness correlations. The reflection coefficients for each DWBA order are directly calculated without phenomenological assumptions on their exponential decay at large scattering angles. Various regions of scattering angles are discussed, which show qualitatively different dependence of the reflection coefficient on the scattering angle. The experimental data are analyzed using the method developed

  6. Energy loss of MeV protons specularly reflected from metal surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juaristi, J.I.; Garcia de Abajo, F.J.; Echenique, P.M.

    1996-01-01

    A parameter-free model is presented to study the energy loss of fast protons specularly reflected from metal surfaces. The contributions to the energy loss from excitation of valence-band electrons and ionization of localized target-atom electronic states are calculated separately. The former is calculated from the induced surface wake potential using linear response theory and the specular-reflection model, while the latter is calculated in the first Born approximation. The results obtained are in good agreement with available experimental data. However, the experimental qualitative trend of the energy loss as a function of the angle of incidence is obtained when the valence-band electron model is replaced by localized target atom electron states, though with a worse quantitative agreement. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

  7. Comparison of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function of various surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez, R.; Seasholtz, R.G.; Oberle, L.G.; Kadambi, J.R.

    1989-01-01

    This paper describes the development and use of a system to measure the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of various surfaces. The BRDF measurements are to be used in the analysis and design of optical measurement systems such as laser anemometers. An Ar-ion laser (514 nm) was the light source. Preliminary results are presented for eight samples: two glossy black paints, two flat black paints, black glass, sand-blasted Al, unworked Al, and a white paint. A BaSO4 white reflectance standard was used as the reference sample throughout the tests. 8 refs

  8. Evaluation of BRDF Archetypes for Representing Surface Reflectance Anisotropy Using MODIS BRDF Data

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Hu; Jiao, Ziti; Dong, Yadong; Li, Xiaowen

    2015-01-01

    Bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) archetypes extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) BRDF/Albedo product over the global Earth Observing System Land Validation Core Sites can be used to simplify BRDF models. The present study attempts to evaluate the representativeness of BRDF archetypes for surface reflectance anisotropy. Five-year forward-modeled MODIS multi-angular reflectance (MCD-ref) and aditional actual MODIS multi-angular observat...

  9. Reflectivity reduction of retro-reflector installed in LHD due to plasma surface interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, N.; Ohtawa, Y.; Ebihara, A.; Akiyama, T.; Tokitani, M.; Ashikawa, N.; Kawahata, K.

    2008-10-01

    Optical reflectivity of the retro-reflector installed in LHD as the first mirror was reduced seriously by plasma wall interaction. In order to understand the mechanism of the reflectivity reduction, optical and material properties of the mirror surfaces have been examined extensively. It was found that the deposited impurity layers caused the serious reduction of the reflectivity. Formation of iron oxide, bulges structure and He bubbles are the major factors for the reflectivity reduction in the wide wave length range. (author)

  10. A geometrical optics polarimetric bidirectional reflectance distribution function for dielectric and metallic surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyde, M W; Schmidt, J D; Havrilla, M J

    2009-11-23

    A polarimetric bidirectional reflectance distribution function (pBRDF), based on geometrical optics, is presented. The pBRDF incorporates a visibility (shadowing/masking) function and a Lambertian (diffuse) component which distinguishes it from other geometrical optics pBRDFs in literature. It is shown that these additions keep the pBRDF bounded (and thus a more realistic physical model) as the angle of incidence or observation approaches grazing and better able to model the behavior of light scattered from rough, reflective surfaces. In this paper, the theoretical development of the pBRDF is shown and discussed. Simulation results of a rough, perfect reflecting surface obtained using an exact, electromagnetic solution and experimental Mueller matrix results of two, rough metallic samples are presented to validate the pBRDF.

  11. Impact of initial surface parameters on the final quality of laser micro-polished surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Michael; Bordatchev, Evgueni V.; Knopf, George K.

    2012-03-01

    Laser micro-polishing (LμP) is a new laser-based microfabrication technology for improving surface quality during a finishing operation and for producing parts and surfaces with near-optical surface quality. The LμP process uses low power laser energy to melt a thin layer of material on the previously machined surface. The polishing effect is achieved as the molten material in the laser-material interaction zone flows from the elevated regions to the local minimum due to surface tension. This flow of molten material then forms a thin ultra-smooth layer on the top surface. The LμP is a complex thermo-dynamic process where the melting, flow and redistribution of molten material is significantly influenced by a variety of process parameters related to the laser, the travel motions and the material. The goal of this study is to analyze the impact of initial surface parameters on the final surface quality. Ball-end micromilling was used for preparing initial surface of samples from H13 tool steel that were polished using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The height and width of micromilled scallops (waviness) were identified as dominant parameter affecting the quality of the LμPed surface. By adjusting process parameters, the Ra value of a surface, having a waviness period of 33 μm and a peak-to-valley value of 5.9 μm, was reduced from 499 nm to 301 nm, improving the final surface quality by 39.7%.

  12. 3D shape measurement of automotive glass by using a fringe reflection technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skydan, O. A.; Lalor, M. J.; Burton, D. R.

    2007-01-01

    In automotive and glass making industries, there is a need for accurately measuring the 3D shapes of reflective surfaces to speed up and ensure product development and manufacturing quality by using non-contact techniques. This paper describes a technique for the measurement of non-full-field reflective surfaces of automotive glass by using a fringe reflection technique. Physical properties of the measurement surfaces do not allow us to apply optical geometries used in existing techniques for surface measurement based upon direct fringe pattern illumination. However, this property of surface reflectivity can be used to implement similar ideas from existing techniques in a new improved method. In other words, the reflective surface can be used as a mirror to reflect illuminated fringe patterns onto a screen behind. It has been found that in the case of implementing the reflective fringe technique, the phase-shift distribution depends not only on the height of the object but also on the slope at each measurement point. This requires the solving of differential equations to find the surface slope and height distributions in the x and y directions and development of the additional height reconstruction algorithms. The main focus has been made on developing a mathematical model of the optical sub-system and discussing ways for its practical implementation including calibration procedures. A number of implemented image processing algorithms for system calibration and data analysis are discussed and two experimental results are given for automotive glass surfaces with different shapes and defects. The proposed technique showed the ability to provide accurate non-destructive measurement of 3D shapes of the reflective automotive glass surfaces and can be used as a key element for a glass shape quality control system on-line or in a laboratory environment.

  13. Influence of materials in reflection of the high and the luminous quality; Influencia de los materiales en la reflexion de la luz y en la caulidad del espacio lminoso

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piderit, M. B.

    2004-07-01

    This study objective of was to define the aspects of the surfaces and the materials that influence in the reflection of the light and the luminous quality of the architectonic space, to generate a tool of application to the architecture project. In the first part, a study is made of different surfaces to define photometric aspects and qualitative aspects for the typologies elaboration . The following stage included the analysis of different materials to establish the aspects that modify the photometry of the surface and the luminous quality. The conclusions show the importance of the correct election of the type of surface and materiality to obtain the wished luminosity. (Author)

  14. MODIS/Aqua Near Real Time (NRT) Surface Reflectance Daily L2G Global 250m SIN Grid

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The MODIS Near Real Time (NRT) Surface Reflectance products are an estimate of the surface spectral reflectance as it would be measured at ground level in the...

  15. Surface Flux Modeling for Air Quality Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Limei Ran

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available For many gasses and aerosols, dry deposition is an important sink of atmospheric mass. Dry deposition fluxes are also important sources of pollutants to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The surface fluxes of some gases, such as ammonia, mercury, and certain volatile organic compounds, can be upward into the air as well as downward to the surface and therefore should be modeled as bi-directional fluxes. Model parameterizations of dry deposition in air quality models have been represented by simple electrical resistance analogs for almost 30 years. Uncertainties in surface flux modeling in global to mesoscale models are being slowly reduced as more field measurements provide constraints on parameterizations. However, at the same time, more chemical species are being added to surface flux models as air quality models are expanded to include more complex chemistry and are being applied to a wider array of environmental issues. Since surface flux measurements of many of these chemicals are still lacking, resistances are usually parameterized using simple scaling by water or lipid solubility and reactivity. Advances in recent years have included bi-directional flux algorithms that require a shift from pre-computation of deposition velocities to fully integrated surface flux calculations within air quality models. Improved modeling of the stomatal component of chemical surface fluxes has resulted from improved evapotranspiration modeling in land surface models and closer integration between meteorology and air quality models. Satellite-derived land use characterization and vegetation products and indices are improving model representation of spatial and temporal variations in surface flux processes. This review describes the current state of chemical dry deposition modeling, recent progress in bi-directional flux modeling, synergistic model development research with field measurements, and coupling with meteorological land surface models.

  16. Earth surface reflectance climatology from 3 years of OMI data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleipool, Q.L.; Dobber, M.R.; Haan, de J.F.; Levelt, P.F.

    2008-01-01

    Global maps of the Earth's surface Lambertian equivalent reflectance (LER) are constructed using 3 years of Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements obtained between October 2004 and October 2007 at 23 wavelengths between 328 and 500 nm. The maps are constructed on a 0.5° by 0.5°

  17. Mars analog minerals' spectral reflectance characteristics under Martian surface conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poitras, J. T.; Cloutis, E. A.; Salvatore, M. R.; Mertzman, S. A.; Applin, D. M.; Mann, P.

    2018-05-01

    We investigated the spectral reflectance properties of minerals under a simulated Martian environment. Twenty-eight different hydrated or hydroxylated phases of carbonates, sulfates, and silica minerals were selected based on past detection on Mars through spectral remote sensing data. Samples were ground and dry sieved to <45 μm grain size and characterized by XRD before and after 133 days inside a simulated Martian surface environment (pressure 5 Torr and CO2 fed). Reflectance spectra from 0.35 to 4 μm were taken periodically through a sapphire (0.35-2.5 μm) and zinc selenide (2.5-4 μm) window over a 133-day period. Mineral stability on the Martian surface was assessed through changes in spectral characteristics. Results indicate that the hydrated carbonates studied would be stable on the surface of Mars, only losing adsorbed H2O while maintaining their diagnostic spectral features. Sulfates were less stable, often with shifts in the band position of the SO, Fe, and OH absorption features. Silicas displayed spectral shifts related to SiOH and hydration state of the mineral surface, while diagnostic bands for quartz were stable. Previous detection of carbonate minerals based on 2.3-2.5 μm and 3.4-3.9 μm features appears to be consistent with our results. Sulfate mineral detection is more questionable since there can be shifts in band position related to SO4. The loss of the 0.43 μm Fe3+ band in many of the sulfates indicate that there are fewer potential candidates for Fe3+ sulfates to permanently exist on the Martian surface based on this band. The gypsum sample changed phase to basanite during desiccation as demonstrated by both reflectance and XRD. Silica on Mars has been detected using band depth ratio at 1.91 and 1.96 μm and band minimum position of the 1.4 μm feature, and the properties are also used to determine their age. This technique continues to be useful for positive silica identifications, however, silica age appears to be less consistent

  18. Seismic data enhancement with Common Reflection Surface (CRS) stack method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baykulov, M.; Brink, H.J.; Gajewski, D.; Yoon, Mi-Kyung [Hamburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Geophysik

    2008-10-23

    We present the results of partial stacking of prestack seismic reflection data based on the kinematic wavefield attributes computed during the automatic CRS stack. The resulting CRS supergathers are more regularised and have better signal to noise ratio compared to original CMP gathers. The improved data can be used in any conventional processing tool instead of the original data, providing enhanced images of better quality. The CRS supergather method is especially suited for low fold seismic reflection data. Application of the new method to synthetic and real low fold data shows a clear improvement of seismograms as well as time and depth-migrated sections. (orig.)

  19. Gain-Enhanced On-Chip Antenna Utilizing Artificial Magnetic Conductor Reflecting Surface at 94 GHz

    KAUST Repository

    Nafe, Mahmoud

    2015-08-04

    Nowadays, there is a growing demand for high frequency-bandwidth mm-wave (30-300 GHz) electronic wireless transceiver systems to support applications such as high data-rate wireless communication and high resolution imaging. Such mm-wave systems are becoming more feasible due to the extreme transistor downscaling in silicon-based integrated circuits, which enabled densely-integrated high-speed elec- tronics operating up to more than 100 GHz with low fabrication cost. To further enhance system integrability, it is required to implement all wireless system compo- nents on the chip. Presently, the last major barrier to true System-on-Chip (SoC) realization is the antenna implementation on the silicon chip. Although at mm-wave frequencies the antenna size becomes small enough to fit on chip, the antenna performance is greatly deteriorated due the high conductivity and high relative permittivity of the silicon substrate. The negative e↵ects of the silicon substrate could be avoided by using a metallic reflecting surface on top of silicon, which e↵ectively isolates the antenna from the silicon. However, this approach has the shortcoming of having to implement the antenna on the usually very thin silicon oxide layer of a typical CMOS fabrication process (10’s of μm). This forces the antenna to be in a very close proximity (less than one hundredth of a wavelength) to the reflecting surface. In this regime, the use of conventional metallic reflecting surface for silicon shielding has severe e↵ects on the antenna performance as it tends to reduce the antenna radiation resistance resulting in most of the energy being absorbed rather than radiated. In this work, the use of specially patterned reflecting surfaces for improving on- chip antenna performance is investigated. By using a periodic metallic surface on top of a grounded substrate, the structure can mimic the behavior of a perfect mag- netic conductor, hence called Artificial Magnetic Conductor (AMC) surface

  20. Influence of Aerosols And Surface Reflectance On NO2 Retrieval Over China From 2005 to 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, M.; Lin, J.

    2016-12-01

    Satellite observation is a powerful way to analysis annual and seasonal variations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). However, much retrieval of vertical column densities (VCDs) of normally do not explicitly account for aerosol optical effects and surface reflectance anisotropy that vary with space and time. In traditional retrieval, aerosols' effects are often considered as cloud. However, China has complicated aerosols type and aerosol loading. Their optical properties may be very different from the cloud. Furthermore, China has undergone big changes in land use type in recent 10 years. Traditional climatology surface reflectance data may not have representation. In order to study spatial-temporal variation of and influences of these two factors on variations and trends, we use an improved retrieval method of VCDs over China, called the POMINO, based on measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), and we compare the results of without aerosol, without surface reflectance treatments and without both to the original POMINO product from 2005 to 2015. Furthermore, we will study correspondent spatial-temporal variations of aerosols, represented by MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) data and CALIOP extinction data; surface reflectance, represented by MODIS bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data.

  1. LiDAR Relative Reflectivity Surface (2011) for Coral Bay, St. John

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This image represents a LiDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) 0.3x0.3 meter resolution relative seafloor reflectivity surface for Coral Bay, St. John in the U.S....

  2. LiDAR Relative Reflectivity Surface (2011) for Fish Bay, St. John

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This image represents a LiDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) 0.3x0.3 meter resolution relative seafloor reflectivity surface for Fish Bay, St. John in the U.S....

  3. An instrument for the measurement of road surface reflection properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Corell, Dennis Dan; Sørensen, K.

    2017-01-01

    Road surface reflection data in the form of standard r-tables serve as input for design calculations of road lighting installations on traffic roads. However, in several countries the use of the standard r-tables has not been verified by measurement in a long period of time, while the types of road...

  4. Bi-directional Reflectance of Icy Surface Analogs: A Dual Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quinones, Juan Manuel; Vides, Christina; Nelson, Robert M.; Boryta, Mark; Mannat, Ken s.

    2018-01-01

    Bi-directional reflectance measurements of analogs for planetary regolith have provided insight into the surface properties of planetary satellites and small bodies. Because Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) and water ice share a similar hexagonal crystalline structure, the former has been used in laboratory experiments to simulate the regolith of both icy and dusty planetary bodies. By measuring various sizes of well sorted size fractions of Al2O3, the reflectance phase curve and porosity of a planetary regolith can be determined. We have designed an experiment to test the laboratory measurements produced by Nelson et al. (2000). Additionally, we made reflectance measurements for other alkali-halide compounds that could be used for applications beyond astronomy and planetary science.In order to provide an independent check on the Nelson et al. data, we designed an instrument with a different configuration. While both instruments take bidirectional reflectance measurements, our instrument, the Rigid Photometric Goniometer (RPG), is fixed at a phase angle of 5° and detects the scattered light with a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The PMT current is then measured with an electrometer. Following the example of Nelson et al., we measured the bidirectional reflectance of Al2O3 particulate size fractions between 0.1sizes from 20size that provided optimal, or maximum, reflectance for each compound. Our conclusions bring confirmation and clarity to photometric sciences.

  5. Glazed ceramic roof tiles: influence of surface features in the solar reflectance index

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bortoli, Leitcia Silva de; Stapait, Camila Cristina; Marinoski, Deivis Luis; Fredel, Marcio Celso; Schabbach, Luciana M.

    2016-01-01

    In this study the influence of surface features of ceramic roof tiles in the solar reflectance index were evaluated. Two glazed ceramic roof tiles (type stoneware) with the same color (ivory) but with different appearance (matte and brilliant) were the focus of the analysis. The Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of the roofs tiles were determined by the solar reflectance values (UV-VIS-NIR) and emittance, measured in laboratory. The samples showed SRI> 39 in accordance with LEED certification criteria (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), contributing to minimizing the Heat Island Effects. Although the matte roof tile shows a slightly higher SRI value (82) than the brilliant one (78), the results for the variables that composes the SRI value (reflectance and emittance) were very similar. Analysis of XRD, SEM and EDS performed on the surfaces of the two roofs indicated for the matte glaze the presence of microcrystals (with barium and zinc) that can contribute to the slightly highest value of SRI. The roughness (optical interferometer white light) and the brightness (brightness meter) of the samples were also measured. (author)

  6. Quality-control design for surface-water sampling in the National Water-Quality Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riskin, Melissa L.; Reutter, David C.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Mueller, David K.

    2018-04-10

    The data-quality objectives for samples collected at surface-water sites in the National Water-Quality Network include estimating the extent to which contamination, matrix effects, and measurement variability affect interpretation of environmental conditions. Quality-control samples provide insight into how well the samples collected at surface-water sites represent the true environmental conditions. Quality-control samples used in this program include field blanks, replicates, and field matrix spikes. This report describes the design for collection of these quality-control samples and the data management needed to properly identify these samples in the U.S. Geological Survey’s national database.

  7. An assessment of thin cloud detection by applying bidirectional reflectance distribution function model-based background surface reflectance using Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI): A case study for South Korea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hye-Won; Yeom, Jong-Min; Shin, Daegeun; Choi, Sungwon; Han, Kyung-Soo; Roujean, Jean-Louis

    2017-08-01

    In this study, a new assessment of thin cloud detection with the application of bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model-based background surface reflectance was undertaken by interpreting surface spectra characterized using the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) over a land surface area. Unlike cloud detection over the ocean, the detection of cloud over land surfaces is difficult due to the complicated surface scattering characteristics, which vary among land surface types. Furthermore, in the case of thin clouds, in which the surface and cloud radiation are mixed, it is difficult to detect the clouds in both land and atmospheric fields. Therefore, to interpret background surface reflectance, especially underneath cloud, the semiempirical BRDF model was used to simulate surface reflectance by reflecting solar angle-dependent geostationary sensor geometry. For quantitative validation, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data were used to make a comparison with the proposed cloud masking result. As a result, the new cloud masking scheme resulted in a high probability of detection (POD = 0.82) compared with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (POD = 0.808) for all cloud cases. In particular, the agreement between the CALIPSO cloud product and new GOCI cloud mask was over 94% when detecting thin cloud (e.g., altostratus and cirrus) from January 2014 to June 2015. This result is relatively high in comparison with the result from the MODIS Collection 6 cloud mask product (MYD35).

  8. Recent Developments in the X-Ray Reflectivity Analysis for Rough Surfaces and Interfaces of Multilayered Thin Film Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshikazu Fujii

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available X-ray reflectometry is a powerful tool for investigations on rough surface and interface structures of multilayered thin film materials. The X-ray reflectivity has been calculated based on the Parratt formalism, accounting for the effect of roughness by the theory of Nevot-Croce conventionally. However, in previous studies, the calculations of the X-ray reflectivity often show a strange effect where interference effects would increase at a rough surface. And estimated surface and interface roughnesses from the X-ray reflectivity measurements did not correspond to the TEM image observation results. The strange result had its origin in a used equation due to a serious mistake in which the Fresnel transmission coefficient in the reflectivity equation is increased at a rough interface because of a lack of consideration of diffuse scattering. In this review, a new accurate formalism that corrects this mistake is presented. The new accurate formalism derives an accurate analysis of the X-ray reflectivity from a multilayer surface of thin film materials, taking into account the effect of roughness-induced diffuse scattering. The calculated reflectivity by this accurate reflectivity equation should enable the structure of buried interfaces to be analyzed more accurately.

  9. Light reflection models for computer graphics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, D P

    1989-04-14

    During the past 20 years, computer graphic techniques for simulating the reflection of light have progressed so that today images of photorealistic quality can be produced. Early algorithms considered direct lighting only, but global illumination phenomena with indirect lighting, surface interreflections, and shadows can now be modeled with ray tracing, radiosity, and Monte Carlo simulations. This article describes the historical development of computer graphic algorithms for light reflection and pictorially illustrates what will be commonly available in the near future.

  10. Plasmonic reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy of metal nanoparticles on a semiconductor surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosobukin, V. A.; Korotchenkov, A. V.

    2016-12-01

    A theory of plasmonic differential anisotropic reflection of light from nanoparticles located near the interface between media is developed. The model of a monolayer consisting of identical ellipsoidal metal particles occupying sites of a rectangular lattice is investigated. Effective plasmonic polarizabilities of nanoparticles in the layer are calculated self-consistently using the Green's function technique in the quasipoint dipole approximation. The local-field effect caused by anisotropic dipole plasmons of particles in the layer and their image dipoles is taken into account. The lately observed resonant reflectance anisotropy spectra of indium nanoclusters on InAs surface are explained by the difference between frequencies of plasmons with the orthogonal polarizations in the surface plane. The difference between the plasmon frequencies is attributed to anisotropy of the particles shape or/and the layer structure; the signs of frequency difference for the two types of anisotropy being different.

  11. Evaluation of BRDF Archetypes for Representing Surface Reflectance Anisotropy Using MODIS BRDF Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hu Zhang

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF archetypes extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS BRDF/Albedo product over the global Earth Observing System Land Validation Core Sites can be used to simplify BRDF models. The present study attempts to evaluate the representativeness of BRDF archetypes for surface reflectance anisotropy. Five-year forward-modeled MODIS multi-angular reflectance (MCD-ref and aditional actual MODIS multi-angular observations (MCD-obs in four growing periods in 2008 over three tiles were taken as validation data. First, BRDF archetypes in the principal plane were qualitatively compared with the time-series MODIS BRDF product of randomly sampled pixels. Secondly, BRDF archetypes were used to fit MCD-ref, and the average root-mean-squared errors (RMSEs over each tile were examined for these five years. Finally, both BRDF archetypes and the MODIS BRDF were used to fit MCD-obs, and the histograms of the fit-RMSEs were compared. The consistency of the directional reflectance between the BRDF archetypes and MODIS BRDFs in nadir-view, hotspot and entire viewing hemisphere at 30° and 50° solar geometries were also examined. The results confirm that BRDF archetypes are representative of surface reflectance anisotropy for available snow-free MODIS data.

  12. Temporal reflectance changes in vegetables

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dissing, Bjørn Skovlund; Clemmensen, Line Katrine Harder; Ersbøll, Bjarne Kjær

    2009-01-01

    Quality control in the food industry is often performed by measuring various chemical compounds of the food involved. We propose an imaging concept for acquiring high quality multispectral images to evaluate changes of carrots and celeriac over a period of 14 days. Properties originating...... in the surface chemistry of vegetables may be captured in an integrating sphere illumination which enables the creation of detailed surface chemistry maps with a good combination of spectral and spatial resolutions. Prior to multispectral image recording, the vegetables were prefried and frozen at -30Â......°C for four months. During the 14 days of image recording, the vegetables were kept at +5°C in refrigeration. In this period, surface changes and thereby reflectance properties were very subtle. To describe this small variation we employed advanced statistical techniques to search a large featurespace...

  13. Ray splitting in the reflection and refraction of surface acoustic waves in anisotropic solids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Every, A G; Maznev, A A

    2010-05-01

    This paper examines the conditions for, and provides examples of, ray splitting in the reflection and refraction of surface acoustic waves (SAW) in elastically anisotropic solids at straight obstacles such as edges, surface breaking cracks, and interfaces between different solids. The concern here is not with the partial scattering of an incident SAW's energy into bulk waves, but with the occurrence of more than one SAW ray in the reflected and/or transmitted wave fields, by analogy with birefringence in optics and mode conversion of bulk elastic waves at interfaces. SAW ray splitting is dependent on the SAW slowness curve possessing concave regions, which within the constraint of wave vector conservation parallel to the obstacle allows multiple outgoing SAW modes for certain directions of incidence and orientation of obstacle. The existence of pseudo-SAW for a given surface provides a further channel for ray splitting. This paper discusses some typical material configurations for which SAW ray splitting occurs. An example is provided of mode conversion entailing backward reflection or negative refraction. Experimental demonstration of ray splitting in the reflection of a laser generated SAW in GaAs(111) is provided. The calculation of SAW mode conversion amplitudes lies outside the scope of this paper.

  14. Retrieval of reflections from ambient noise using illumination diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, C. Almagro; Draganov, D.; van der Neut, J.; Drijkoningen, G.; Wapenaar, K.

    2014-09-01

    Seismic interferometry (SI) enables the retrieval of virtual sources at the location of receivers. In the case of passive SI, no active sources are used for the retrieval of the reflection response of the subsurface, but ambient-noise recordings only. The resulting retrieved response is determined by the illumination characteristics of the recorded ambient noise. Characteristics like geometrical distribution and signature of the noise sources, together with the complexity of the medium and the length of the noise records, determine the quality of the retrieved virtual-shot events. To retrieve body wave reflections, one needs to correlate body-wave noise. A source of such noise might be regional seismicity. In regions with notable human presence, the dominant noise sources are generally located at or close to the surface. In the latter case, the noise will be dominated by surface waves and consequently also the retrieved virtual common-source panels will contain dominant retrieved surface waves, drowning out possible retrieved reflections. In order to retrieve reflection events, suppression of the surface waves becomes the most important pre-processing goal. Because of the reasons mentioned above, we propose a fast method to evaluate the illumination characteristics of ambient noise using the correlation results from ambient-noise records. The method is based on the analysis of the so-called source function of the retrieved virtual-shot panel, and evaluates the apparent slowness of arrivals in the correlation results that pass through the position of the virtual source and at zero time. The results of the diagnosis are used to suppress the retrieval of surface waves and therefore to improve the quality of the retrieved reflection response. We explain the approach using modelled data from transient and continuous noise sources and an example from a passive field data set recorded at Annerveen, Northern Netherlands.

  15. Characterizing Land Surface Anisotropic Reflectance over Rugged Terrain: A Review of Concepts and Recent Developments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianguang Wen

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Rugged terrain, including mountains, hills, and some high lands are typical land surfaces around the world. As a physical parameter for characterizing the anisotropic reflectance of the land surface, the importance of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF has been gradually recognized in the remote sensing community, and great efforts have been dedicated to build BRDF models over various terrain types. However, on rugged terrain, the topography intensely affects the shape and magnitude of the BRDF and creates challenges in modeling the BRDF. In this paper, after a brief introduction of the theoretical background of the BRDF over rugged terrain, the status of estimating land surface BRDF properties over rugged terrain is comprehensively reviewed from a historical perspective and summarized in two categories: BRDFs describing solo slopes and those describing composite slopes. The discussion focuses on land surface reflectance retrieval over mountainous areas, the difference in solo slope and composite slope BRDF models, and suggested future research to improve the accuracy of BRDFs derived with remote sensing satellites.

  16. Decadal changes of surface elevation over permafrost area estimated using reflected GPS signals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lin; Larson, Kristine M.

    2018-02-01

    Conventional benchmark-based survey and Global Positioning System (GPS) have been used to measure surface elevation changes over permafrost areas, usually once or a few times a year. Here we use reflected GPS signals to measure temporal changes of ground surface elevation due to dynamics of the active layer and near-surface permafrost. Applying the GPS interferometric reflectometry technique to the multipath signal-to-noise ratio data collected by a continuously operating GPS receiver mounted deep in permafrost in Barrow, Alaska, we can retrieve the vertical distance between the antenna and reflecting surface. Using this unique kind of observables, we obtain daily changes of surface elevation during July and August from 2004 to 2015. Our results show distinct temporal variations at three timescales: regular thaw settlement within each summer, strong interannual variability that is characterized by a sub-decadal subsidence trend followed by a brief uplift trend, and a secular subsidence trend of 0.26 ± 0.02 cm year-1 during 2004 and 2015. This method provides a new way to fully utilize data from continuously operating GPS sites in cold regions for studying dynamics of the frozen ground consistently and sustainably over a long time.

  17. Scanning tunnel microscopic image of tungsten (100) and (110) real surfaces and nature of conduction electron reflection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pryadkin, S.L.; Tsoj, V.S.

    1988-01-01

    The electrically polished (100) and (110) surfaces of tungsten are studied with the aid of a scanning tunnel microscope at atmospheric pressure. The (110) surface consists of a large number of atomically plane terraces whereas the (100) surface is faceted. The scanning tunnel microscope data can explain such results of experiments on transverse electron focussing as the strong dependence of the probability for specular reflection of conduction electrons scattered by the (100) surface on the electron de Broglie wavelength and the absence of a dependence of the probability for specular reflection on the wavelength for the (110) surface

  18. Ultraviolet (UV)-reflective paint with ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) improves decontamination of nosocomial bacteria on hospital room surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jelden, Katelyn C; Gibbs, Shawn G; Smith, Philip W; Hewlett, Angela L; Iwen, Peter C; Schmid, Kendra K; Lowe, John J

    2017-06-01

    An ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) generator (the TORCH, ClorDiSys Solutions, Inc.) was used to compare the disinfection of surface coupons (plastic from a bedrail, stainless steel, and chrome-plated light switch cover) in a hospital room with walls coated with ultraviolet (UV)-reflective paint (Lumacept) or standard paint. Each surface coupon was inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VRE), placed at 6 different sites within a hospital room coated with UV-reflective paint or standard paint, and treated by 10 min UVC exposure (UVC dose of 0-688 mJ/cm 2 between sites with standard paint and 0-553 mJ/cm 2 with UV-reflective paint) in 8 total trials. Aggregated MRSA concentrations on plastic bedrail surface coupons were reduced on average by 3.0 log 10 (1.8 log 10 Geometric Standard Deviation [GSD]) with standard paint and 4.3 log 10 (1.3 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p = 0.0005) with no significant reduction differences between paints on stainless steel and chrome. Average VRE concentrations were reduced by ≥4.9 log 10 (surface types with UV-reflective paint and ≤4.1 log 10 (hospital bed from the UVGI generator, MRSA concentrations on average were reduced by 1.3 log 10 (1.7 log 10 GSD) with standard paint and 4.7 log 10 (1.3 log 10 GSD) with UV-reflective paint (p hospital room walls with UV-reflective paint enhanced UVGI disinfection of nosocomial bacteria on various surfaces compared to standard paint, particularly at a surface placement site indirectly exposed to UVC light.

  19. An efficient approach for computing the geometrical optics field reflected from a numerically specified surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittra, R.; Rushdi, A.

    1979-01-01

    An approach for computing the geometrical optic fields reflected from a numerically specified surface is presented. The approach includes the step of deriving a specular point and begins with computing the reflected rays off the surface at the points where their coordinates, as well as the partial derivatives (or equivalently, the direction of the normal), are numerically specified. Then, a cluster of three adjacent rays are chosen to define a 'mean ray' and the divergence factor associated with this mean ray. Finally, the ampilitude, phase, and vector direction of the reflected field at a given observation point are derived by associating this point with the nearest mean ray and determining its position relative to such a ray.

  20. Study on the effect of ambient gas on nanostructure formation on metal surfaces during femtosecond laser ablation for fabrication of low-reflective surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smausz, Tomi, E-mail: tomi@physx.u-szeged.hu [MTA-SZTE Research Group on Photoacoustic Spectroscopy, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Csizmadia, Tamás [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Attosecond Light Pulse Source, ELI-Hu Nkft, H-6720 Szeged, Dugonics ter 13 (Hungary); Tápai, Csaba; Kopniczky, Judit [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Oszkó, Albert [Department of Physical Chemistry and Material Science, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Aradi vértanuk tere 1 (Hungary); Ehrhardt, Martin; Lorenz, Pierre; Zimmer, Klaus; Prager, Andrea [Leibniz-Institut für Oberflächenmodifizierung e.V., Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Hopp, Béla [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • Metal surfaces were irradiated with femtosecond laser in different gas environments. • The reflectivity, morphology and chemical composition of the surfaces were studied. • Darkening was influenced by chemical and physical interaction of the plume and gas. • Molecular mass of the applied gas had an impact on the nanostructure formation. • For some of the used metals the oxide formation affected the reflective properties. - Abstract: Nanostructure formation on bulk metals (silver, gold, copper and titanium) by femtosecond Ti-sapphire laser irradiation (775 nm, 150 fs) is studied aiming the production of low-reflectivity surfaces and the better understanding of the development process. The experiments were performed in nitrogen, air, oxygen and helium environments at atmospheric pressure. The samples were irradiated with fluences in the 0.1–2 J/cm{sup 2} range and an average pulse number of 100 falling over a given area. The reflectivity of the treated surfaces was determined by a microspectrometer in the 450–800 nm range and their morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The gas ambience influenced the results via two effects: formation processes and the chemically-induced modifications of the nanostructures. In case of He the nanoparticle aggregates–otherwise generally present–are predominantly missing, which leads to a lower darkening efficiency. The presence of oxygen enhances the darkening effect for copper mostly at lower fluences, while causes a slow increase in reflectivity in the case of titanium (in case of pure oxygen) in the high fluence range. The surface morphology in case of nitrogen and air were quite similar probably due to their close molecular mass values.

  1. Probing Ultrafast Electron Dynamics at Surfaces Using Soft X-Ray Transient Reflectivity Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, L. Robert; Husek, Jakub; Biswas, Somnath; Cirri, Anthony

    The ability to probe electron dynamics with surface sensitivity on the ultrafast time scale is critical for understanding processes such as charge separation, injection, and surface trapping that mediate efficiency in catalytic and energy conversion materials. Toward this goal, we have developed a high harmonic generation (HHG) light source for femtosecond soft x-ray reflectivity. Using this light source we investigated the ultrafast carrier dynamics at the surface of single crystalline α-Fe2O3, polycrystalline α-Fe2O3, and the mixed metal oxide, CuFeO2. We have recently demonstrated that CuFeO2 in particular is a selective catalyst for photo-electrochemical CO2 reduction to acetate; however, the role of electronic structure and charge carrier dynamics in mediating catalytic selectivity has not been well understood. Soft x-ray reflectivity measurements probe the M2,3, edges of the 3d transition metals, which provide oxidation and spin state resolution with element specificity. In addition to chemical state specificity, these measurements are also surface sensitive, and by independently simulating the contributions of the real and imaginary components of the complex refractive index, we can differentiate between surface and sub-surface contributions to the excited state spectrum. Accordingly, this work demonstrates the ability to probe ultrafast carrier dynamics in catalytic materials with element and chemical state specificity and with surface sensitivity.

  2. Retrieval of the Land Surface Reflectance for Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 and its validation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roger, J. C.; Vermote, E.; Skakun, S.; Franch, B.; Holben, B. N.; Justice, C. O.

    2017-12-01

    The land surface reflectance is a fundamental climate data record at the basis of the derivation of other climate data records (Albedo, LAI/Fpar, Vegetation indices) and a key parameter in the understanding of the land-surface-climate processes. For 25 years, Vermote and al. develop atmospheric corrections methods to define a land surface reflectance product for various satellites (AVHRR, MODIS, VIIRS…). This presentation highlights the algorithms developed both for Landsant-8 and Sentinel-2. We also emphasize the validation of the "Land surface reflectance" satellite products, which is a very important step to be done. For that purpose, we compared the surface reflectance products to a reference determined by using the accurate radiative transfer code 6S and very detailed measurements of the atmosphere obtained over the AERONET network (which allows to test for a large range of aerosol characteristics); formers being important inputs for atmospheric corrections. However, the application of this method necessitates the definition of a very detailed protocol for the use of AERONET data especially as far as size distribution and absorption are concerned, so that alternative validation methods or protocols could be compared. We describe here the protocol we have been working on based on our experience with the AERONET data and its application to Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2). We also derive a detailed error budget in relation to this approach. For a mean loaded atmosphere, t550 less than 0.25, the maximum uncertainty is 0.0025 corresponding to a relative uncertainty (in the RED channels): U 0.10, and 1% rsurf > 0.04.

  3. Non-invasive identification of metal-oxalate complexes on polychrome artwork surfaces by reflection mid-infrared spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monico, Letizia; Rosi, Francesca; Miliani, Costanza; Daveri, Alessia; Brunetti, Brunetto G

    2013-12-01

    In this work a reflection mid-infrared spectroscopy study of twelve metal-oxalate complexes, of interest in art conservation science as alteration compounds, was performed. Spectra of the reference materials highlighted the presence of derivative-like and/or inverted features for the fundamental vibrational modes as result of the main contribution from the surface component of the reflected light. In order to provide insights in the interpretation of theses spectral distortions, reflection spectra were compared with conventional transmission ones. The Kramers-Kronig (KK) algorithm, employed to correct for the surface reflection distortions, worked properly only for the derivative-like bands. Therefore, to pay attention to the use of this algorithm when interpreting the reflection spectra is recommended. The outcome of this investigation was exploited to discriminate among different oxalates on thirteen polychrome artworks analyzed in situ by reflection mid-infrared spectroscopy. The visualization of the νs(CO) modes (1400-1200 cm(-1)) and low wavenumber bands (below 900 cm(-1)) in the raw reflection profiles allowed Ca, Cu and Zn oxalates to be identified. Further information about the speciation of different hydration forms of calcium oxalates were obtained by using the KK transform. The work proves reflection mid-infrared spectroscopy to be a reliable and sensitive spectro-analytical method for identifying and mapping different metal-oxalate alteration compounds on the surface of artworks, thus providing conservation scientists with a non-invasive tool to obtain information on the state of conservation and causes of alteration of artworks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Accounting for surface reflectance in the derivation of vertical column densities of NO2 from airborne imaging DOAS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meier, Andreas Carlos; Schönhardt, Anja; Richter, Andreas; Bösch, Tim; Seyler, André; Constantin, Daniel Eduard; Shaiganfar, Reza; Merlaud, Alexis; Ruhtz, Thomas; Wagner, Thomas; van Roozendael, Michel; Burrows, John. P.

    2016-04-01

    Nitrogen oxides, NOx (NOx = NO + NO2) play a key role in tropospheric chemistry. In addition to their directly harmful effects on the respiratory system of living organisms, they influence the levels of tropospheric ozone and contribute to acid rain and eutrophication of ecosystems. As they are produced in combustion processes, they can serve as an indicator for anthropogenic air pollution. In the late summers of 2014 and 2015, two extensive measurement campaigns were conducted in Romania by several European research institutes, with financial support from ESA. The AROMAT / AROMAT-2 campaigns (Airborne ROmanian Measurements of Aerosols and Trace gases) were dedicated to measurements of air quality parameters utilizing newly developed instrumentation at state-of-the-art. The experiences gained will help to calibrate and validate the measurements taken by the upcoming Sentinel-S5p mission scheduled for launch in 2016. The IUP Bremen contributed to these campaigns with its airborne imaging DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) instrument AirMAP (Airborne imaging DOAS instrument for Measurements of Atmospheric Pollution). AirMAP allows retrieving spatial distributions of trace gas columns densities in a stripe below the aircraft. The measurements have a high spatial resolution of approximately 30 x 80 m2 (along x across track) at a typical flight altitude of 3000 m. Supported by the instrumental setup and the large swath, gapless maps of trace gas distributions above a large city, like Bucharest or Berlin, can be acquired within a time window of approximately two hours. These properties make AirMAP a valuable tool for the validation of trace gas measurements from space. DOAS retrievals yield the density of absorbers integrated along the light path of the measurement. The light path is altered with a changing surface reflectance, leading to enhanced / reduced slant column densities of NO2 depending on surface properties. This effect must be considered in

  5. Classification of Clean and Dirty Pighouse Surfaces Based on Spectral Reflectance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blanke, Mogens; Braithwaite, Ian David; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

    2004-01-01

    of designing a vision based system to locate dirty areas and subsequently direct a cleaning robot to remove dirt. Novel results include the characterisation of the spectral reflectance of real surfaces and dirt in a pig house and the design of illumination to obtain discrimination of clean from dirty areas...

  6. Surface water quality assessment using factor analysis

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2006-01-16

    Jan 16, 2006 ... Surface water, groundwater quality assessment and environ- .... Urbanisation influences the water cycle through changes in flow and water ..... tion of aquatic life, CCME water quality Index 1, 0. User`s ... Water, Air Soil Pollut.

  7. Water Pollution Detection by Reflectance Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goolsby, A. D.

    1971-01-01

    Measurement of the intensity of light reflected from various planar liquid surfaces has been performed. The results of this brief study show that the presence of a film of foreign material floating on a reference substrate is easily detected by reflectance measurement if the two liquids possess significantly different refractive indices, for example, oil (n = 1.40) and water (n = 1.33). Additional study of various optical configurations, and the building and testing of a prototype monitoring device revealed that the method is sufficiently practical for application to continuous water quality monitoring.

  8. Micro reflectance difference techniques: Optical probes for surface exploration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lastras-Martinez, L.F.; Del Pozo-Zamudio, O.; Herrera-Jasso, R.; Ulloa-Castillo, N.A.; Balderas-Navarro, R.E.; Ortega-Gallegos, J.; Lastras-Martinez, A. [Instituto de Investigacion en Comunicacion Optica, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Alvaro Obregon 64, 78000 San Luis Potosi, S.L.P. (Mexico)

    2012-06-15

    Micro reflectance difference spectroscopy ({mu}-RDS) is a promising tool for the in-situ and ex-situ characterization of semiconductors surfaces and interfaces. We discuss and compare two different approaches used to measure {mu}-RD spectra. One is based on a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, while the other uses a laser and a XY translation stage. To show the performance of these systems, we have measured surface optical anisotropies of GaSb(001) sample on which anisotropic strains have been generated by preferential mechanical polishing along [110] and [1 anti 10] directions. The spectrometers are complementary and the selection of one of them depends on the sample to be investigated and on experimental conditions. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  9. Factors influencing the surface quality of polished tool steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rebeggiani, S; Rosén, B-G

    2014-01-01

    Today’s demands on surface quality of moulds for injection moulding of plastic components involve no/low defect contents and roughness levels in the nm-range for high gloss applications. Material properties as well as operating conditions influence the mould finish, and thus the final surface of moulded products. This paper focuses on how particle content and different polishing strategies influence final surface qualities of moulds. Visual estimations of polished tool steel samples were combined with non-contact 3D-surface texture analysis in order to correlate traditional assessments to more quantitative methods, and to be able to analyse the surfaces at nanometre-level. It was found that steels with a lower proportion of particles, like carbides and oxides, gave rise to smoother polished surfaces. In a comparative study of polishers from different polishing shops, it was found that while different surface preparation strategies can lead to similar final roughness, similar preparation techniques can produce high-quality surfaces from different steel grades. However, the non-contact 3D-surface texture analysis showed that not all smooth polished surfaces have desirable functional topographies for injection moulding of glossy plastic components. (paper)

  10. A method for the characterization of the reflectance of anisotropic functional surfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Regi, Francesco; Nielsen, J B; Li, Dongya

    2018-01-01

    The functional properties of micro-structured surfaces have gained increasing interest thanks to many applications such as wetting, adhesion, thermal and/or electrical conductivity. In this study, directional optical properties, i.e. contrast between two regions of a surface, were achieved...... reflectance of the surface for a range of design-specific view-illumination configurations was determined using a method that involves a Hirox RH-2000 digital microscope, used as a gonioreflectometer. This method allows the empirical determination of the optimum surface microstructure for maximizing contrast...... between two horizontally orthogonal views. The results show that even if the uncertainty related to the instrumentation is up to 20% in some cases, this procedure is suitable for the characterization of the surface of both metal and plastic counterpart....

  11. A new theory and its application to remove the effect of surface-reflected light in above-surface radiance data from clear and turbid waters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dev, Pravin Jeba; Shanmugam, Palanisamy

    2014-01-01

    Water-leaving radiances (L w ) measured from the deck of a ship or boat in oceanic and lake waters are widely and operationally used for satellite sensor vicarious calibration and validation and development of remote-sensing algorithms to understand interdisciplinary coastal ocean properties and processes. However, accurate determination of L w remains to be a challenging issue because of the limitations of the existing methods to accurately remove the undesired signal (surface-reflected light of the sky and sun) from above-surface measurements of the total upwelling radiance leaving the water surface. In this study, a new theory is developed and applied to the above-surface radiometric data measured from clear, turbid and eutrophic waters. The new method effectively removes surface-reflected contributions from the total upwelling radiance signal under different sky (clear sky to overcast sky) and sun glint conditions. The L w spectra obtained from the above-surface radiance data using the new method are found to match well with those extrapolated from the upwelling radiances (L u ) measured with another set of underwater radiometers (used just below the sea surface). The new method proves to be a viable alternative, especially in circumstances when the above-surface measurements of radiances are severally contaminated by the surface-reflected light fields. Since spectral radiance measurements are also sensitive to the observation angles, and to the magnitude of the radiometer's solid angle field of view, above-surface radiances are also measured for different viewing angles in highly eutrophic waters. Such measurements show large deviations in L w spectra except at lower viewing angles (30°). When applied to these data, the new method eliminates the undesired signal encountered at higher viewing angles and delivers accurate water-leaving radiance data. These results suggest that the new method is capable of removing the surface-reflected light fields from both

  12. Effect of surface characteristics on diffuse reflection radiation at lambda=0. 40. mu. m

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takashima, T [Atmospheric Environment Service, Downsview, Ontario (Canada)

    1976-08-01

    The diffuse radiation in the upward direction at the top and at an internal level of an inhomogeneous atmosphere is computed at lambda=0.40 ..mu..m. The surface is assumed to reflect light in accordance with a hybrid mode of a diffuse and specular reflector. The objective is to estimate the effect of underlying surface characteristics in terms of the diffuse radiation field. By making use of these results, accuracy in monitoring the atmospheric aerosols would be increased for the use of remote sensing satellite techniques. Junge power law (..gamma..*=3) is adopted for the size distribution of aerosols (1963), while the data given by McClatchy et al. (1971) is used for the number density of aerosols with height distribution. It is noted from the computations that the diffuse reflection radiation is affected by the surface characteristics, even if the albedo of the surface is a fixed constant and very small.

  13. Development and applications of retro-reflective surfaces for ultrasound in LBE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2015-07-01

    pulse or a complete absence of a reflection like a shadow. In that way, it suffices to align the sensor with the diaphragm instead of the fuel assembly which is much easier to achieve as the robotics on which the sensor is mounted move parallel with the diaphragm. The alignment requirement in the latter approach can be further relaxed by using a tiling of retro-reflectors on the lower surface of the diaphragm. In that way, alignment becomes less vital and the main source of acoustic energy loss - geometric spread of the beam - is almost completely removed, leaving only absorption losses. In this paper, we present the first results in developing a retro reflectance surface for ultrasound in LBE. We present experimental results for different designs of retro-reflectors in both water and LBE. We discuss both linear and array retro-reflectors of different sizes and investigate the influence of the main relevant ultrasonic parameters such as wavelength and spot size on the strength of the received reflection under different alignment angles. We also demonstrate how retro-reflective surfaces can be exploited when localizing objects using linear and rotating scanning methods. (authors)

  14. High quality broadband spatial reflections of slow Rayleigh surface acoustic waves modulated by a graded grooved surface

    KAUST Repository

    Xu, Yanlong; Peng, Pai

    2015-01-01

    . The graded grooved surface is structured by drilling one dimensional array of graded grooves with increased depths on a flat surface. We investigate SAW dispersion relations, wave field distribution at several typical SAW wavelengths, and time evolution of a

  15. Stormwater Priority Pollutants Versus Surface Water Quality Criteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksson, Eva; Ledin, Anna; Baun, Anders

    2011-01-01

    Stormwater in urban areas comprises of a substantial part of the urban water cycle, dominating the flow in many small urban streams, and the pollution levels are sizeable. No stormwater quality criteria were found here and no European or national emission limit values exist. Stormwater pollutants...... however are present in levels exceeding most of the regulated surface water quality criteria and environmental quality standards. Therefore catchment characterisation is needed to chose suitable treatment prior to discharge into receiving surface waters, as the mixing may be insufficient in small streams....

  16. Evaluation of the global MODIS 30 arc-second spatially and temporally complete snow-free land surface albedo and reflectance anisotropy dataset

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Qingsong; Wang, Zhuosen; Li, Zhan; Erb, Angela; Schaaf, Crystal B.

    2017-06-01

    Land surface albedo is an essential variable for surface energy and climate modeling as it describes the proportion of incident solar radiant flux that is reflected from the Earth's surface. To capture the temporal variability and spatial heterogeneity of the land surface, satellite remote sensing must be used to monitor albedo accurately at a global scale. However, large data gaps caused by cloud or ephemeral snow have slowed the adoption of satellite albedo products by the climate modeling community. To address the needs of this community, we used a number of temporal and spatial gap-filling strategies to improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the global land surface MODIS BRDF, albedo and NBAR products. A rigorous evaluation of the gap-filled values shows good agreement with original high quality data (RMSE = 0.027 for the NIR band albedo, 0.020 for the red band albedo). This global snow-free and cloud-free MODIS BRDF and albedo dataset (established from 2001 to 2015) offers unique opportunities to monitor and assess the impact of the changes on the Earth's land surface.

  17. Reflectance spectroscopy of biochemical components as indicators of tea, Camellia Sinensis, quality

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bian, B.M.; Skidmore, A.K.; Schlerf, M.; Fei, T.; Liu, Y.F.; Wang, T.

    2010-01-01

    The potential of reflectance spectroscopy to estimate the concentration of biochemical compounds related to tea (Camellia sinensis (L.)) quality (total tea polyphenols and free amino acids) is demonstrated. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was performed to establish the relationship between

  18. Degradation of Silicon Carbide Reflective Surfaces in the LEO Environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mileti, Sandro; Coluzzi, Plinio; Marchetti, Mario

    2009-01-01

    Space mirrors in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) encounter a degradation problem caused by the impact of atomic oxygen (ATOX) in the space environment. This paper presents an experiment of the atomic oxygen impact degradation and UV synergic effects on ground simulation. The experiment was carried out in a dedicated ATOX simulation vacuum chamber. As target materials, a polished CVD Beta-silicon carbide (SiC) coating was investigated. The selection of silicon carbide is due to its high potential candidate as a mirror layer substrate material for its good reflectance at UV wavelengths and excellent thermal diffusivity. It has highly desirable mechanical and thermal properties and can achieve an excellent surface finish. The deposition of the coatings were on carbon-based material substrate; i.e., silicon impregnated carbon fiber composite (C/SiC). Mechanical and thermal properties of the coatings such as hardness and Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) were achieved. Several atomic oxygen impact angles were studied tilting the target samples respect to the flux direction. The various impact angles permitted to analyze the different erosion rates and typologies which the mirrors would encounter in LEO environment. The degradation was analyzed in various aspects. Macroscopic mass loss per unit area, surface roughness and morphology change were basically analyzed. The exposed surfaces of the materials were observed through a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Secondly, optical diagnostic of the surfaces were performed in order to investigate their variation in optical properties as the evaluation of reflectance degradation. The presence of micro-cracks caused by shrinkage, grinding, polishing or thermal cycling and the porosity in the coatings, could have led to the undercutting phenomenon. Observation of uprising of undercutting was also conducted. Remarks are given regarding capabilities in short-term mission exposures to the LEO environment of this coating.

  19. Part 2: Surface water quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-01-01

    In 1996 the surface water quality measurements were performed, according to the Agreement, at 8 profiles on the Hungarian territory and at 15 profiles on the Slovak territory. Basic physical and chemical parameters (as water temperature, pH values, conductivity, suspended solids, cations and anions (nitrates, ammonium ion, nitrites, total nitrogen, phosphates, total phosphorus, oxygen and organic carbon regime parameters), metals (iron, manganese and heavy metals), biological and microbiological parameters (coliform bacteria, chlorophyll-a, saprobity index and other biological parameters) and quality of sediment were measured

  20. Determining surface coverage of ultra-thin gold films from X-ray reflectivity measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kossoy, A.; Simakov, D.; Olafsson, S.; Leosson, K.

    2013-01-01

    The paper describes usage of X-ray reflectivity for characterization of surface coverage (i.e. film continuity) of ultra-thin gold films which are widely studied for optical, plasmonic and electronic applications. The demonstrated method is very sensitive and can be applied for layers below 1 nm. It has several advantages over other techniques which are often employed in characterization of ultra-thin metal films, such as optical absorption, Atomic Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy or Scanning Electron Microscopy. In contrast to those techniques our method does not require specialized sample preparation and measurement process is insensitive to electrostatic charge and/or presence of surface absorbed water. We validate our results with image processing of Scanning Electron Microscopy images. To ensure precise quantitative analysis of the images we developed a generic local thresholding algorithm which allowed us to treat series of images with various values of surface coverage with similar image processing parameters. - Highlights: • Surface coverage/continuity of ultra-thin Au films (up to 7 nm) was determined. • Results from X-ray reflectivity were verified by scanning electron microscopy. • We developed local thresholding algorithm to treat non-homogeneous image contrast

  1. Variability of the reflectance coefficient of skylight from the ocean surface and its implications to ocean color.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilerson, Alexander; Carrizo, Carlos; Foster, Robert; Harmel, Tristan

    2018-04-16

    The value and spectral dependence of the reflectance coefficient (ρ) of skylight from wind-roughened ocean surfaces is critical for determining accurate water leaving radiance and remote sensing reflectances from shipborne, AERONET-Ocean Color and satellite observations. Using a vector radiative transfer code, spectra of the reflectance coefficient and corresponding radiances near the ocean surface and at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) are simulated for a broad range of parameters including flat and windy ocean surfaces with wind speeds up to 15 m/s, aerosol optical thicknesses of 0-1 at 440nm, wavelengths of 400-900 nm, and variable Sun and viewing zenith angles. Results revealed a profound impact of the aerosol load and type on the spectral values of ρ. Such impacts, not included yet in standard processing, may produce significant inaccuracies in the reflectance spectra retrieved from above-water radiometry and satellite observations. Implications for satellite cal/val activities as well as potential changes in measurement and data processing schemes are discussed.

  2. Exploration of a Polarized Surface Bidirectional Reflectance Model Using the Ground-Based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J. Diner

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Accurate characterization of surface reflection is essential for retrieval of aerosols using downward-looking remote sensors. In this paper, observations from the Ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (GroundMSPI are used to evaluate a surface polarized bidirectional reflectance distribution function (PBRDF model. GroundMSPI is an eight-band spectropolarimetric camera mounted on a rotating gimbal to acquire pushbroom imagery of outdoor landscapes. The camera uses a very accurate photoelastic-modulator-based polarimetric imaging technique to acquire Stokes vector measurements in three of the instrument’s bands (470, 660, and 865 nm. A description of the instrument is presented, and observations of selected targets within a scene acquired on 6 January 2010 are analyzed. Data collected during the course of the day as the Sun moved across the sky provided a range of illumination geometries that facilitated evaluation of the surface model, which is comprised of a volumetric reflection term represented by the modified Rahman-Pinty-Verstraete function plus a specular reflection term generated by a randomly oriented array of Fresnel-reflecting microfacets. While the model is fairly successful in predicting the polarized reflection from two grass targets in the scene, it does a poorer job for two manmade targets (a parking lot and a truck roof, possibly due to their greater degree of geometric organization. Several empirical adjustments to the model are explored and lead to improved fits to the data. For all targets, the data support the notion of spectral invariance in the angular shape of the unpolarized and polarized surface reflection. As noted by others, this behavior provides valuable constraints on the aerosol retrieval problem, and highlights the importance of multiangle observations.

  3. Analysing the impact of reflectance distributions and well geometries on vertical surface daylight levels in atria for overcast skies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Jiangtao; Sharples, Steve [School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, Crookesmoor Building, Conduit Road, Sheffield S10 1FL (United Kingdom)

    2010-07-15

    This study investigated the impacts of different diffuse reflectance distributions and well geometries on vertical daylight factors and vertical internally reflected components in atria. Two forms of reflectance distribution patterns of wall surface were examined: horizontal and vertical reflectance band variation. The square atrium models studied have a broader WI range of 0.25-2.0, which represent shallow, medium and high atria. Radiance, a powerful package based on backward ray tracing technique, was used for the simulations of vertical daylight levels. The results show that different reflectance distributions of square atrium walls do have an impact on the vertical daylight factors and vertical internally reflected components under overcast sky condition. The impact relates to the orientation of the band with different reflectance distributions on the wall. Compared with the vertical band surface, the horizontal band surface has a much more complicated effect. The horizontal distributions of the reflectances significantly affects the vertical daylight levels at the locations more than 30% atrium height on the wall. For an atrium with a height more than 1/2 the width, the effect tends to increase with the increasing well index. The vertical distributions of the reflectance, nevertheless, do not substantially take effect on the vertical daylight levels in atria except for some special reflectance distribution patterns. (author)

  4. Impacts of dust aerosol and adjacency effects on the accuracy of Landsat 8 and RapidEye surface reflectances

    KAUST Repository

    Houborg, Rasmus; McCabe, Matthew

    2017-01-01

    The atmospheric correction of satellite data is challenging over desert agricultural systems, due to the relatively high aerosol optical thicknesses (τ550), bright soils, and a heterogeneous surface reflectance field. Indeed, the contribution of reflected radiation from adjacent pixels scattered into the field of view of a target pixel is considerable and can significantly affect the fidelity of retrieved reflectances. In this study, uncertainties and quantitative errors associated with the atmospheric correction of multi-spectral Landsat 8 and RapidEye data were characterized over a desert agricultural landscape in Saudi Arabia. Surface reflectances were retrieved using an implementation of the 6SV atmospheric correction code, and validated against field collected spectroradiometer measurements over desert, cultivated soil, and vegetated surface targets. A combination of satellite and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) data were used to parameterize aerosol properties and atmospheric state parameters. With optimal specification of τ550 and aerosol optical properties and correction for adjacency effects, the relative Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) for all bands combined was 5.4% for RapidEye and 6.8% for Landsat 8. However uncertainties associated with satellite-based τ550 retrievals were shown to introduce significant error into the reflectance estimates. With respect to deriving common vegetation indices from corrected reflectance data, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was associated with the smallest errors (3–8% MAD). Surface reflectance errors were highest for bands in the visible part of the spectrum, particularly the blue band (5–16%), while there was more consistency within the red-edge (~ 5%) and near-infrared (5–7%). Results were generally better constrained when a τ550-dependent aerosol model for desert dust particles, parameterized on the basis of nearby AERONET site data, was used in place of a generic rural or background

  5. Impacts of dust aerosol and adjacency effects on the accuracy of Landsat 8 and RapidEye surface reflectances

    KAUST Repository

    Houborg, Rasmus

    2017-03-29

    The atmospheric correction of satellite data is challenging over desert agricultural systems, due to the relatively high aerosol optical thicknesses (τ550), bright soils, and a heterogeneous surface reflectance field. Indeed, the contribution of reflected radiation from adjacent pixels scattered into the field of view of a target pixel is considerable and can significantly affect the fidelity of retrieved reflectances. In this study, uncertainties and quantitative errors associated with the atmospheric correction of multi-spectral Landsat 8 and RapidEye data were characterized over a desert agricultural landscape in Saudi Arabia. Surface reflectances were retrieved using an implementation of the 6SV atmospheric correction code, and validated against field collected spectroradiometer measurements over desert, cultivated soil, and vegetated surface targets. A combination of satellite and Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) data were used to parameterize aerosol properties and atmospheric state parameters. With optimal specification of τ550 and aerosol optical properties and correction for adjacency effects, the relative Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) for all bands combined was 5.4% for RapidEye and 6.8% for Landsat 8. However uncertainties associated with satellite-based τ550 retrievals were shown to introduce significant error into the reflectance estimates. With respect to deriving common vegetation indices from corrected reflectance data, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was associated with the smallest errors (3–8% MAD). Surface reflectance errors were highest for bands in the visible part of the spectrum, particularly the blue band (5–16%), while there was more consistency within the red-edge (~ 5%) and near-infrared (5–7%). Results were generally better constrained when a τ550-dependent aerosol model for desert dust particles, parameterized on the basis of nearby AERONET site data, was used in place of a generic rural or background

  6. [A Method to Reconstruct Surface Reflectance Spectrum from Multispectral Image Based on Canopy Radiation Transfer Model].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yong-guang; Ma, Ling-ling; Li, Chuan-rong; Zhu, Xiao-hua; Tang, Ling-li

    2015-07-01

    Due to the lack of enough spectral bands for multi-spectral sensor, it is difficult to reconstruct surface retlectance spectrum from finite spectral information acquired by multi-spectral instrument. Here, taking into full account of the heterogeneity of pixel from remote sensing image, a method is proposed to simulate hyperspectral data from multispectral data based on canopy radiation transfer model. This method first assumes the mixed pixels contain two types of land cover, i.e., vegetation and soil. The sensitive parameters of Soil-Leaf-Canopy (SLC) model and a soil ratio factor were retrieved from multi-spectral data based on Look-Up Table (LUT) technology. Then, by combined with a soil ratio factor, all the parameters were input into the SLC model to simulate the surface reflectance spectrum from 400 to 2 400 nm. Taking Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) image as reference image, the surface reflectance spectrum was simulated. The simulated reflectance spectrum revealed different feature information of different surface types. To test the performance of this method, the simulated reflectance spectrum was convolved with the Landsat ETM + spectral response curves and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) spectral response curves to obtain the simulated Landsat ETM+ and MODIS image. Finally, the simulated Landsat ETM+ and MODIS images were compared with the observed Landsat ETM+ and MODIS images. The results generally showed high correction coefficients (Landsat: 0.90-0.99, MODIS: 0.74-0.85) between most simulated bands and observed bands and indicated that the simulated reflectance spectrum was well simulated and reliable.

  7. Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy for Surface Measurement of Liver Pathology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nilsson, Jan H; Reistad, Nina; Brange, Hannes; Öberg, Carl-Fredrik; Sturesson, Christian

    2017-01-01

    Liver parenchymal injuries such as steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome can lead to increased morbidity and liver failure after liver resection. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is an optical measuring method that is fast, convenient, and established. DRS has previously been used on the liver with an invasive technique consisting of a needle that is inserted into the parenchyma. We developed a DRS system with a hand-held probe that is applied to the liver surface. In this study, we investigated the impact of the liver capsule on DRS measurements and whether liver surface measurements are representative of the whole liver. We also wanted to confirm that we could discriminate between tumor and liver parenchyma by DRS. The instrumentation setup consisted of a light source, a fiber-optic contact probe, and two spectrometers connected to a computer. Patients scheduled for liver resection due to hepatic malignancy were included, and DRS measurements were performed on the excised liver part with and without the liver capsule and alongside a newly cut surface. To estimate the scattering parameters and tissue chromophore volume fractions, including blood, bile, and fat, the measured diffuse reflectance spectra were applied to an analytical model. In total, 960 DRS spectra from the excised liver tissue of 18 patients were analyzed. All factors analyzed regarding tumor versus liver tissue were significantly different. When measuring through the capsule, the blood volume fraction was found to be 8.4 ± 3.5%, the lipid volume fraction was 9.9 ± 4.7%, and the bile volume fraction was 8.2 ± 4.6%. No differences could be found between surface measurements and cross-sectional measurements. In measurements with/without the liver capsule, the differences in volume fraction were 1.63% (0.75-2.77), -0.54% (-2.97 to 0.32), and -0.15% (-1.06 to 1.24) for blood, lipid, and bile, respectively. This study shows that it is possible to manage DRS

  8. Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser vapor sensor using swelling polymer reflection modulation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ansbæk, Thor; Nielsen, Claus Højgård; Dohn, Søren

    2012-01-01

    Vapor detection using a low-refractive index polymer for reflection modulation of the top mirror in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) is demonstrated. The VCSEL sensor concept presents a simple method to detect the response of a sensor polymer in the presence of volatile organic...

  9. Surface Compositional Units on Mercury from Spectral Reflectance at Ultraviolet to Near-infrared Wavelengths

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izenberg, N. R.; Holsclaw, G. M.; Domingue, D. L.; McClintock, W. E.; Klima, R. L.; Blewett, D. T.; Helbert, J.; Head, J. W.; Sprague, A. L.; Vilas, F.; Solomon, S. C.

    2012-12-01

    The Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft has been acquiring reflectance spectra of Mercury's surface for over 16 months. The Visible and Infrared Spectrograph (VIRS) component of MASCS has accumulated a global data set of more than 2 million spectra over the wavelength range 300-1450 nm. We have derived a set of VIRS spectral units (VSUs) from the following spectral parameters: visible brightness (R575: reflectance at 575 nm); visible/near-infrared reflectance ratio (VISr: reflectance at 415 nm to that at 750 nm); and ultraviolet reflectance ratio (UVr: reflectance at 310 nm to that at 390 nm). Five broad, slightly overlapping VSUs may be distinguished from these parameters. "Average VSU" areas have spectral parameters close to mean global values. "Dark blue VSU" areas have spectra with low R575 and high UVr. "Red VSU" areas have spectra with low UVr and higher VISr and R575 than average. "Intermediate VSU" areas have spectra with higher VISr than VSU red, generally higher R575, and a wide range of UVr. "Bright VSU" areas have high R575 and VISr and intermediate UVr. Several units defined by morphological or multispectral criteria correspond to specific VSUs, including low-reflectance material (dark blue VSU), pyroclastic deposits (red VSU), and hollows (intermediate VSU), but these VSUs generally include other types of areas as well. VSU definitions are complementary to those obtained by unsupervised clustering analysis. The global distribution of VIRS spectral units provides new information on Mercury's geological evolution. Much of Mercury's northern volcanic plains show spectral properties ranging from those of average VSU to those of red VSU, as does a large region in the southern hemisphere centered near 50°S, 245°E. Dark blue VSU material is widely distributed, with concentrations south of the northern plains, around the Rembrandt and

  10. X-ray Reflectivity Study of Ionic Liquids at Electrified Surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Miaoqi

    X-ray reflectivity (XRR) versatile technique that characterize the surface structures. However, due to the lack of phase information of X-ray data, the reconstruction of electron density profile (EDP) from XRR data is an ill-posed inverse problem that requires extra attention. In Chapter 1, several key concepts in XRR data analysis are reviewed. The typical XRR data acquisition procedure and methods of modeling electron density are introduced. The widely used logarithm form of merit function is justified with mathematical deduction and numerical experiment. A scheme that generates artificial reflectivity data with theoretical statistical error but not systematical error is proposed. With the methods and schemes described in Chapter 1, simulated reflectivity data of a simple one-slab model is generated and fitted to test the efficient of EDP reconstruction. By isolating the parameters, the effects of slab width, electron density contrast and maximal wave transfer are studied individually. It?s demonstrated that best-fit/global minima, result reported by most XRR studies, don?t necessary reflect the real EDP. By contrast, mapping the merit function in the parametric space can capture much more details. Additionally, the widely accepted concept about the XRR theoretical spatial resolution (pi/q_{max}) as well the using Patterson function are brought to test. In the perspective of XRR data analysis, this chapter puts forward general rules to design and optimize XRR experiments. It also demonstrates how susceptible the fitting result will be if it?s not done carefully. In Chapter 3, the interface between hydrophobic OTS film and several solvents is studied with XRR in a transmission-cell setup. The solvents, from water, acetone, to alcohol (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol), to alkane (pentane, hexane and heptane), vary significantly in terms of polarity and hydrogen bonding. However, the XRR data from different solvents are subtle. The methods and principles elicited in

  11. An Operational Scheme for Deriving Standardised Surface Reflectance from Landsat TM/ETM+ and SPOT HRG Imagery for Eastern Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neil Flood

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Operational monitoring of vegetation and land surface change over large areas can make good use of satellite sensors that measure radiance reflected from the Earth’s surface. Monitoring programs use multiple images for complete spatial coverage over time. Accurate retrievals of vegetation cover and vegetation change estimates can be hampered by variation, in both space and time, in the measured radiance, caused by atmospheric conditions, topography, sensor location, and sun elevation. In order to obtain estimates of cover that are comparable between images, and to retrieve accurate estimates of change, these sources of variation must be removed. In this paper we present a preprocessing scheme for minimising atmospheric, topographic and bi-directional reflectance effects on Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM+ and SPOT-5 HRG imagery. The approach involves atmospheric correction to compute surface-leaving radiance, and bi-directional reflectance modelling to remove the effects of topography and angular variation in reflectance. The bi-directional reflectance model has been parameterised for eastern Australia, but the general approach is more widely applicable. The result is surface reflectance standardised to a fixed viewing and illumination geometry. The method can be applied to the entire record for these instruments, without intervention, which is of increasing importance with the increased availability of long term image archives. Validation shows that the corrections improve the estimation of reflectance at any given angular configuration, thus allowing the removal from the reflectance signal of much variation due to factors independent of the land surface. The method has been used to process over 45,000 Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-7 ETM+ scenes and 2,500 SPOT-5 scenes, over eastern Australia, and is now in use in operational monitoring programs.

  12. Variability of Surface Reflection Amplitudes of GPR Horn Antenna Depending on Distance between Antenna and Surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Komačka Jozef

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The study focused on variability of surface reflections amplitudes of GPR horn antenna in relation to distance between an antenna and a surface is presented in the paper. The air-coupled antenna with the central frequency of 1 GHz was used in the investigation. Four types of surfaces (dry pavement, wet pavement, metal plate and composite layer from gypsum and wood were tested. The distance of antenna above the surfaces was changed in the range from 37.5 cm to 53.5 cm. The amplitudes of negative and positive peaks and their variability were analysed in relation to the distance of antenna above the surfaces. Moreover, the influence of changes in the peaks of negative and positive amplitudes on the total amplitudes was assessed. It was found out the amplitudes of negative peaks for all investigated surfaces were relatively consistent in the range from 40.5 cm to 48.5 cm and the moderate decline was identified in the case of amplitudes of positive peaks in the range of distances from 37.5 cm to 51.5 cm. This decline influences the tendency of total amplitudes. Based on the results of analysis it can be stated the distance of air-coupled antenna above the surface can influence the value of total amplitude and the differences depend on the type of surface.

  13. Lactoperoxidase catalyzed radioiodination of cell surface immunoglobulin: incorporated radioactivity may not reflect relative cell surface Ig density

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilder, R.L.; Yuen, C.C.; Mage, R.G.

    1979-01-01

    Rabbit and mouse splenic lymphocytes were radioiodinated by the lactoperoxidase technique, extracted with non-ionic detergent, immunoprecipitated with high titered rabbit anti-kappa antisera, and compared by SDS-PAGE. Mouse sIg peaks were reproducibly larger in size than rabbit sIg peaks (often greater than 10 times). Neither differences in incorporation of label into the rabbit cell surface, nor differences in average sIg density explain this result. Total TCA-precipitable radioactivity was similar in each species. Estimation of the relative amounts of sIg in the mouse and rabbit showed similar average sIg densities. Differences in detergent solubility, proteolytic lability, or antisera used also do not adequately account for this difference. Thus, these data indicate that radioactivity incorporated after lactoperoxidase catalyzed cell surface radioiodination may not reflect cell surface Ig density. Conclusions about cell surface density based upon relative incorporation of radioactivity should be confirmed by other approaches

  14. Sunlight reflection off the spacecraft with a solar sail on the surface of mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starinova, O. L.; Rozhkov, M. A.; Gorbunova, I. V.

    2018-05-01

    Modern technologies make it possible to fulfill many projects in the field of space exploration. One such project is the colonization of Mars and providing favorable conditions for living on it. Authors propose principles of functioning of the spacecraft with a solar sail, intended to create a thermal and light spot in a predetermined area of the Martian surface. This additional illumination can maintain and support certain climatic conditions on a small area where a Mars base could be located. This paper investigate the possibility of the spacecraft continuously reflect the sunlight off the solar sail on the small area of the Mars surface. The mathematical motion model in such condition of the solar sail's orientation is considered and used for motion simulation session. Moreover, the analysis of this motion is performed. Thus, were obtained parameters of the synchronic non-Keplerian orbit and spacecraft construction. In addition, were given recommendations for further applying satellites to reflect the sunlight on a planet's surface.

  15. Tool steel quality and surface finishing of plastic molds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Agnelli Mesquita

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Plastic industry is today in a constant growth, demanding several products from other segments, which includes the plastic molds, mainly used in the injection molding process. Considering all the requirements of plastic molds, the surface finishing is of special interest, as the injected plastic part is able to reproduce any details (and also defects from the mold surface. Therefore, several aspects on mold finishing are important, mainly related to manufacturing conditions - machining, grinding, polishing and texturing, and also related to the tool steel quality, in relation to microstructure homogeneity and non-metallic inclusions (cleanliness. The present paper is then focused on this interrelationship between steel quality and manufacturing process, which are both related to the final quality of plastic mold surfaces. Examples are discussed in terms of surface finishing of plastic molds and the properties or the microstructure of mold steels.

  16. A fiber-coupled displacement measuring interferometer for determination of the posture of a reflective surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mao, Shuai; Hu, Peng-Cheng; Ding, Xue-Mei; Tan, Jiu-Bin

    2016-01-01

    A fiber-coupled displacement measuring interferometer capable of determining of the posture of a reflective surface of a measuring mirror is proposed. The newly constructed instrument combines fiber-coupled displacement and angular measurement technologies. The proposed interferometer has advantages of both the fiber-coupled and the spatially beam-separated interferometer. A portable dual-position sensitive detector (PSD)-based unit within this proposed interferometer measures the parallelism of the two source beams to guide the fiber-coupling adjustment. The portable dual PSD-based unit measures not only the pitch and yaw of the retro-reflector but also measures the posture of the reflective surface. The experimental results of displacement calibration show that the deviations between the proposed interferometer and a reference one, Agilent 5530, at two different common beam directions are both less than ±35 nm, thus verifying the effectiveness of the beam parallelism measurement. The experimental results of angular calibration show that deviations of pitch and yaw with the auto-collimator (as a reference) are less than ±2 arc sec, thus proving the proposed interferometer’s effectiveness for determination of the posture of a reflective surface.

  17. Chromatic X-ray magnifying method and apparatus by Bragg reflective planes on the surface of Abbe sphere

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoe, Robert S.

    1991-01-01

    Method and apparatus for producing sharp, chromatic, magnified images of X-ray emitting objects, are provided. The apparatus, which constitutes an X-ray microscope or telescope, comprises a connected collection of Bragg reflecting planes, comprised of either a bent crystal or a synthetic multilayer structure, disposed on and adjacent to a locus determined by a spherical surface. The individual Bragg planes are spatially oriented to Bragg reflect radiation from the object location toward the image location. This is accomplished by making the Bragg planes spatially coincident with the surfaces of either a nested series of prolate ellipsoids of revolution, or a nested series of spheres. The spacing between the Bragg reflecting planes can be tailored to control the wavelengths and the amount of the X-radiation that is Bragg reflected to form the X-ray image.

  18. Transient reflection and transmission of E polarized electromagnetic waves at boundary surface between air and moving isotropic plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saito, Yukimasa

    1977-01-01

    The transient reflection and transmission waves of E polarized electromagnetic waves coming into the boundary surface between air and moving isotropic plasma were theoretically investigated. By using the Laplace transformation in the moving system, the formulae of Lorentz and inverse Lorentz transformations concerning electromagnetic field were transformed, thus the transient reflection and transmission waves were obtained. These waves were normalized with the angular frequency of the incident waves, and the variation of the wave form was obtained. Examples of the numerical calculation of reflected waves are shown for the plasma moving in parallel to the boundary surface. (Kato, T.)

  19. Laser surface texturing of tool steel: textured surfaces quality evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šugár, Peter; Šugárová, Jana; Frnčík, Martin

    2016-05-01

    In this experimental investigation the laser surface texturing of tool steel of type 90MnCrV8 has been conducted. The 5-axis highly dynamic laser precision machining centre Lasertec 80 Shape equipped with the nano-second pulsed ytterbium fibre laser and CNC system Siemens 840 D was used. The planar and spherical surfaces first prepared by turning have been textured. The regular array of spherical and ellipsoidal dimples with a different dimensions and different surface density has been created. Laser surface texturing has been realized under different combinations of process parameters: pulse frequency, pulse energy and laser beam scanning speed. The morphological characterization of ablated surfaces has been performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The results show limited possibility of ns pulse fibre laser application to generate different surface structures for tribological modification of metallic materials. These structures were obtained by varying the processing conditions between surface ablation, to surface remelting. In all cases the areas of molten material and re-cast layers were observed on the bottom and walls of the dimples. Beside the influence of laser beam parameters on the machined surface quality during laser machining of regular hemispherical and elipsoidal dimple texture on parabolic and hemispherical surfaces has been studied.

  20. An analytical two-flow model to simulate the distribution of irradiance in coastal waters with a wind-roughed surface and bottom reflectance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Wei-Ming

    1997-06-01

    An analytical two-flow model is derived from the radiative transfer equation to simulate the distribution of irradiance in coastal waters with a wind-roughed surface and bottom reflectance. The model utilizes unique boundary conditions, including the surface slope of the downwelling and upwelling irradiance as well as the influence of wind and bottom reflectance on simulated surface reflectance. The developed model provides a simple mathematical concept for understanding the irradiant light flux and associated processes in coastal or fresh water as well as turbid estuarine waters. The model is applied to data from the Banana River and coastal Atlantic Ocean water off the east coast of central Florida, USA. The two-flow irradiance model is capable of simulating realistic above-surface reflectance signatures under wind-roughened air-water surface given realistic input parameters including a specular flux conversion coefficient, absorption coefficient, backscattering coefficient, atmospheric visibility, bottom reflectance, and water depth. The root-mean-squared error of the calculated above-surface reflectances is approximately 3% in the Banana River and is less than 15% in coastal Atlantic Ocean off the east of Florida. Result of the subsurface reflectance sensitivity analysis indicates that the specular conversion coefficient is the most sensitive parameter in the model, followed by the beam attenuation coefficient, absorption coefficient, water depth, backscattering coefficient, specular irradiance, diffuse irradiance, bottom reflectance, and wind speed. On the other hand, result of the above-surface reflectance sensitivity analysis indicates that the wind speed is the most important parameter, followed by bottom reflectance, attenuation coefficient, water depth, conversion coefficient, specular irradiance, downwelling irradiance, absorption coefficient, and backscattering coefficient. Model results depend on the accuracy of these parameters to a large degree and

  1. IRAS surface brightness maps of reflection nebulae in the Pleiades

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castelaz, Michael W.; Werner, M. W.; Sellgren, K.

    1987-01-01

    Surface brightness maps at 12, 25, 60, and 100 microns were made of a 2.5 deg x 2.5 deg area of the reflection nebulae in the Pleiades by coadding IRAS scans of this region. Emission is seen surrounding 17 Tau, 20 Tau, 23 Tau, and 25 Tau in all four bands, coextensive with the visible reflection nebulosity, and extending as far as 30 arcminutes from the illuminating stars. The infrared energy distributions of the nebulae peak in the 100 micron band, but up to 40 percent of the total infrared power lies in the 12 and 25 micron bands. The brightness of the 12 and 25 micron emission and the absence of temperature gradients at these wavelengths are inconsistent with the predictions of equilibrium thermal emission models. The emission at these wavelengths appears to be the result of micron nonequilibrium emission from very small grains, or from molecules consisting of 10-100 carbon atoms, which have been excited by ultraviolet radiation from the illuminating stars.

  2. Giant enhancement of reflectance due to the interplay between surface confined wave modes and nonlinear gain in dielectric media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Sangbum; Kim, Kihong

    2017-12-11

    We study theoretically the interplay between the surface confined wave modes and the linear and nonlinear gain of the dielectric layer in the Otto configuration. The surface confined wave modes, such as surface plasmons or waveguide modes, are excited in the dielectric-metal bilayer by obliquely incident p waves. In the purely linear case, we find that the interplay between linear gain and surface confined wave modes can generate a large reflectance peak with its value much greater than 1. As the linear gain parameter increases, the peak appears at smaller incident angles, and the associated modes also change from surface plasmons to waveguide modes. When the nonlinear gain is turned on, the reflectance shows very strong multistability near the incident angles associated with surface confined wave modes. As the nonlinear gain parameter is varied, the reflectance curve undergoes complicated topological changes and sometimes displays separated closed curves. When the nonlinear gain parameter takes an optimally small value, a giant amplification of the reflectance by three orders of magnitude occurs near the incident angle associated with a waveguide mode. We also find that there exists a range of the incident angle where the wave is dissipated rather than amplified even in the presence of gain. We suggest that this can provide the basis for a possible new technology for thermal control in the subwavelength scale.

  3. Reflection-type hologram for atoms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimizu, Fujio; Fujita, Jun-ichi

    2002-01-01

    A cold metastable neon atomic beam was manipulated with a reflective amplitude hologram that was encoded on a silicon surface. A black-and-white pattern of atoms was reconstructed on a microchannel plate detector. The hologram used the enhanced quantum reflection developed by authors and was made of a two-dimensional array of rectangular low and high reflective cells. The surface of the high reflective cell was composed of regularly spaced roof-shaped ridges, while the low reflective cell was simply a flat surface. The hologram was the first demonstration of reflective atom-optical elements that used universal interaction between a neutral atom and solid surface

  4. Morphology and phase structures of CW laser-induced oxide layers on iron surface with evolving reflectivity and colors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Taotao, E-mail: wutaotao@nint.ac.cn; Wang, Lijun; Wei, Chenghua; Zhou, Menglian; He, Minbo; Wu, Lixiong

    2016-11-30

    Highlights: • Firstly, iron samples with different color features were obtained by continuous wave laser irradiation depending on progressive durations. The real-time reflectivity and temperature of samples were measured. The color and the reflectivity evolution were related. They were both caused by the forming oxide films. • Secondly, laser-induced oxidation process of iron was studied by microscope, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum. The first formed magnetite made the surface reflectivity decline rapidly and caused the “positive feedback” effect because of molecular absorption. The later formed hematite oscillated the reflectivity by interference effect. • Lastly, the laser-induced oxide films were thin, orientated and badly crystallized. The Wagner oxidation theory was incapable of describing the non-isothermal and early stage oxidation process. So we emphasized that a precise oxidation model depending on the experiment and the optical constants of the laser-induced oxides must be studied. - Abstract: Laser-induced oxidation will change the laser reflectivity and color features of metal surface. Both changes can be theoretically calculated based on the oxidation kinetics and the optical constants of oxides. For the purpose of calculation, the laser-induced oxidation process of pure polycrystalline iron was studied. Samples with various color features were obtained by continuous wave Nd:YAG fiber laser (1.06 μm) irradiation depending on progressive durations in the intensity of 1.90 W/cm{sup 2}. The real-time reflectivity and temperature were measured with integral sphere and thermocouples. The irradiated surface morphology and phase structures were characterized by microscope, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum. It was found that the first formed magnetite made the surface reflectivity decline rapidly and caused the “positive feedback” effect because of molecular absorption. The later formed hematite oscillated the reflectivity by

  5. Surface qualities after chemical-mechanical polishing on thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, Wei-En; Lin, Tzeng-Yow; Chen, Meng-Ke; Chen, Chao-Chang A.

    2009-01-01

    Demands for substrate and film surface planarizations significantly increase as the feature sizes of Integrated Circuit (IC) components continue to shrink. Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP), incorporating chemical and mechanical interactions to planarize chemically modified surface layers, has been one of the major manufacturing processes to provide global and local surface planarizations in IC fabrications. Not only is the material removal rate a concern, the qualities of the CMP produced surface are critical as well, such as surface finish, defects and surface stresses. This paper is to examine the CMP produced surface roughness on tungsten or W thin films based on the CMP process conditions. The W thin films with thickness below 1000 nm on silicon wafer were chemical-mechanical polished at different down pressures and platen speeds to produce different surface roughness. The surface roughness measurements were performed by an atomic force microscope (DI D3100). Results show that the quality of surface finish (R a value) is determined by the combined effects of down pressures and platen speeds. An optimal polishing condition is, then, possible for selecting the down pressures and platen speeds.

  6. Land Surface Reflectance Retrieval from Hyperspectral Data Collected by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle over the Baotou Test Site

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Si-Bo; Li, Zhao-Liang; Tang, Bo-Hui; Wu, Hua; Ma, Lingling; Zhao, Enyu; Li, Chuanrong

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the in-flight performance of a new hyperspectral sensor onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV-HYPER), a comprehensive field campaign was conducted over the Baotou test site in China on 3 September 2011. Several portable reference reflectance targets were deployed across the test site. The radiometric performance of the UAV-HYPER sensor was assessed in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the calibration accuracy. The SNR of the different bands of the UAV-HYPER sensor was estimated to be between approximately 5 and 120 over the homogeneous targets, and the linear response of the apparent reflectance ranged from approximately 0.05 to 0.45. The uniform and non-uniform Lambertian land surface reflectance was retrieved and validated using in situ measurements, with root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 0.01–0.07 and relative RMSE of approximately 5%–12%. There were small discrepancies between the retrieved uniform and non-uniform Lambertian land surface reflectance over the homogeneous targets and under low aerosol optical depth (AOD) conditions (AOD = 0.18). However, these discrepancies must be taken into account when adjacent pixels had large land surface reflectance contrast and under high AOD conditions (e.g. AOD = 1.0). PMID:23785513

  7. Quantifying the Uncertainty in High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Synthetic Land Surface Reflectance at Pixel Level Using Ground-Based Measurements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, J.; Ryu, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Algorithms for fusing high temporal frequency and high spatial resolution satellite images are widely used to develop dense time-series land surface observations. While many studies have revealed that the synthesized frequent high spatial resolution images could be successfully applied in vegetation mapping and monitoring, validation and correction of fused images have not been focused than its importance. To evaluate the precision of fused image in pixel level, in-situ reflectance measurements which could account for the pixel-level heterogeneity are necessary. In this study, the synthetic images of land surface reflectance were predicted by the coarse high-frequency images acquired from MODIS and high spatial resolution images from Landsat-8 OLI using the Flexible Spatiotemporal Data Fusion (FSDAF). Ground-based reflectance was measured by JAZ Spectrometer (Ocean Optics, Dunedin, FL, USA) on rice paddy during five main growth stages in Cheorwon-gun, Republic of Korea, where the landscape heterogeneity changes through the growing season. After analyzing the spatial heterogeneity and seasonal variation of land surface reflectance based on the ground measurements, the uncertainties of the fused images were quantified at pixel level. Finally, this relationship was applied to correct the fused reflectance images and build the seasonal time series of rice paddy surface reflectance. This dataset could be significant for rice planting area extraction, phenological stages detection, and variables estimation.

  8. Formation of reflective and conductive silver film on ABS surface via covalent grafting and solution spray

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Dexin; Zhang, Yan [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Bessho, Takeshi [Higashifuji Technical Center, Toyota Motor Corporation, 1200 Mishuku, Susono, Shizuoka 410-1193 (Japan); Kudo, Takahiro; Sang, Jing; Hirahara, Hidetoshi; Mori, Kunio [Faculty of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Kang, Zhixin, E-mail: zxkang@scut.edu.cn [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • A pure and homogenous silver film was deposited by spray-style plating technique. • The mechanism of covalent bonding between coating and substrate was studied. • The silver coating is highly reflective and conductive. • UV light was used to activate the ABS surface with triazine azide derivative. - Abstract: Conductive and reflective silver layers on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastics have been prepared by photo grafting of triazine azides upon ultraviolet activation, self-assembling of triazine dithiols and silver electroless plating by solution spray based on silver mirror reaction. The as-prepared silver film exhibited excellent adhesion with ABS owing to covalent bonds between coating and substrate, and the detailed bonding mechanism have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) result revealed that silver film on ABS was pure and with a nanocrystalline structure. Atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis demonstrated that massive silver particles with sizes varying from 80 to 120 nm were deposited on ABS and formed a homogenous and smooth coating, resulting in highly reflective surface. Furthermore, silver maintained its unique conductivity even as film on ABS surface in term of four-point probe method.

  9. Formation of reflective and conductive silver film on ABS surface via covalent grafting and solution spray

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Dexin; Zhang, Yan; Bessho, Takeshi; Kudo, Takahiro; Sang, Jing; Hirahara, Hidetoshi; Mori, Kunio; Kang, Zhixin

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A pure and homogenous silver film was deposited by spray-style plating technique. • The mechanism of covalent bonding between coating and substrate was studied. • The silver coating is highly reflective and conductive. • UV light was used to activate the ABS surface with triazine azide derivative. - Abstract: Conductive and reflective silver layers on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastics have been prepared by photo grafting of triazine azides upon ultraviolet activation, self-assembling of triazine dithiols and silver electroless plating by solution spray based on silver mirror reaction. The as-prepared silver film exhibited excellent adhesion with ABS owing to covalent bonds between coating and substrate, and the detailed bonding mechanism have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) result revealed that silver film on ABS was pure and with a nanocrystalline structure. Atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis demonstrated that massive silver particles with sizes varying from 80 to 120 nm were deposited on ABS and formed a homogenous and smooth coating, resulting in highly reflective surface. Furthermore, silver maintained its unique conductivity even as film on ABS surface in term of four-point probe method

  10. Modeling and analysis of surface roughness effects on sputtering, reflection, and sputtered particle transport

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, J.N.; Ruzic, D.N.

    1990-01-01

    The microstructure of the redeposited surface in tokamaks may affect sputtering and reflection properties and subsequent particle transport. This subject has been studied numerically using coupled models/codes for near-surface plasma particle kinetic transport (WBC code) and rough surface sputtering (fractal-TRIM). The coupled codes provide an overall Monte Carlo calculation of the sputtering cascade resulting from an initial flux of hydrogen ions. Beryllium, carbon, and tungsten surfaces are analyzed for typical high recycling, oblique magnetic field, divertor conditions. Significant variations in computed sputtering rates are found with surface roughness. Beryllium exhibits high D-T and self-sputtering coefficients for the plasma regime studied (T e = 30-75 eV). Carbon and tungsten sputtering is significantly lower. 9 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

  11. Image potential effect on the specular reflection coefficient of alkali ions scattered from a nickel surface at low energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zemih, R.; Boudjema, M.; Benazeth, C.; Boudouma, Y.; Chami, A.C.

    2002-01-01

    The resonant charge exchange in the incoming path of alkali ions scattered at low energy from a polycrystalline nickel surface is studied by using the image effect occurring at glancing incidence (2-10 deg. from the surface plane) and for specular reflection. The part of the experimental artefacts (geometrical factor, surface roughness ...) is extracted from the reflection coefficient of almost completely neutralised projectiles (He + or Ne + ) compared with the coefficient obtained from numerical simulations (TRIM and MARLOWE codes). The present model explains very well the lowering of the reflection coefficient measured at grazing incidence (below 4 deg.). Furthermore, the optimised values of the charge fraction in the incoming path and the image potential are in agreement with the theoretical calculations in the case of Na + /Ni at 4 keV

  12. Characterization of the Vajont landslide (North-Eastern Italy) by means of reflection and surface wave seismics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petronio, Lorenzo; Boaga, Jacopo; Cassiani, Giorgio

    2016-05-01

    The mechanisms of the disastrous Vajont rockslide (North-Eastern Italy, October 9, 1963) have been studied in great detail over the past five decades. Nevertheless, the reconstruction of the rockslide dynamics still presents several uncertainties, including those related to the accurate estimation of the actual landslide mass. This work presents the results of a geophysical characterization of the Vajont landslide body in terms of material properties and buried geometry. Both aspects add new information to the existing dataset and will help a better understanding of the rockslide failure mechanisms and dynamics. In addition, some general considerations concerning the intricacies of landslide characterization can be drawn, with due attention to potential pitfalls. The employed techniques are: (i) high resolution P-wave reflection, (ii) high resolution SH-wave reflection, (iii) controlled source surface wave analysis. We adopted as a seismic source a vibrator both for P waves and SH waves, using vertical and horizontal geophones respectively. For the surface wave seismic survey we used a heavy drop-weight source and low frequency receivers. Despite the high noise level caused by the fractured conditions of the large rock body, a common situation in landslide studies, we managed to achieve a satisfying imaging quality of the landslide structure thanks to the large number of active channels, the short receiver interval and the test of appropriate seismic sources. The joint use of different seismic techniques help focus the investigation on the rock mass mechanical properties. Results are in good agreement with the available borehole data, the geological sections and the mechanical properties of the rockmass estimated by other studies. In general the proposed approach is likely to be applicable successfully to similar situations where scattering and other noise sources are a typical bottleneck to geophysical data acquisition on landslide bodies.

  13. Control of surface quality of sub-millimeter cylindrical gold targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yunwang; Du Kai; Wan Xiaobo; Xiao Jiang; Zheng Wei; Zhang Lin; Sun Jingyuan; Chen Jing

    2010-01-01

    The morphology, composition and causes of defects are analyzed to reduce defects on the gold layer prepared by electrochemical deposition from sulfite solution, and to improve the surface quality of sub-millimeter cylindrical gold targets, by means of SEM and EDS. The effects of current density, metallic impurity, organic pollution, pre-deposition parameters and mandrel quality on the quality of the gold plating are discussed, along with their mechanisms. The result indicates that the current density must be controlled strictly. The optimal current density ranges from 2.4 to 3.2 mA/cm 2 when the concentration of gold ranges from 13 to 22 g/L, and from 2.0 to 2.6 mA/ cm 2 when the concentration of gold ranges from 5 to 13 g/L. The parameters of predeposition must be optimized and the predeposition time should be no longer than 1 minute to improve the surface quality. In addition, organic pollution should be removed from the bath, and the mandrels should be of good quality without oxide on their surfaces. (authors)

  14. Viscoelasticity evaluation of rubber by surface reflection of supersonic wave.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omata, Nobuaki; Suga, Takahiro; Furusawa, Hirokazu; Urabe, Shinichi; Kondo, Takeru; Ni, Qing-Qing

    2006-12-22

    The main characteristic of rubber is a viscoelasticity. So it is important to research the characteristic of the viscoelasticity of the high frequency band for the friction between a rubber material and the hard one with roughness, for instance, the tire and the road. As for the measurement of the viscoelasticity of rubber, DMA (dynamic mechanical analysis) is general. However, some problems are pointed out to the measurement of the high frequency band by DMA. Then, we evaluated the viscoelasticity characteristic by the supersonic wave measurement. However, attenuation of rubber is large, and when the viscoelasticity is measured by the supersonic wave therefore, it is inconvenient and limited in a past method by means of bottom reflection. In this report, we tried the viscoelasticity evaluation by the method of using complex surface reflection coefficient and we compared with the friction coefficient under wide-range friction velocity. As a result, some relationships had been found for two properties. We report the result that character of viscoelasticity of rubber was comparable to friction coefficient.

  15. Experimental Study in Taguchi Method on Surface Quality Predication of HSM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Yan; Li, Yueen

    2018-05-01

    Based on the study of ball milling mechanism and machining surface formation mechanism, the formation of high speed ball-end milling surface is a time-varying and cumulative Thermos-mechanical coupling process. The nature of this problem is that the uneven stress field and temperature field affect the machined surface Process, the performance of the processing parameters in the processing interaction in the elastic-plastic materials produced by the elastic recovery and plastic deformation. The surface quality of machining surface is characterized by multivariable nonlinear system. It is still an indispensable and effective method to study the surface quality of high speed ball milling by experiments.

  16. Assessment of Satellite-Derived Surface Reflectances by NASA's CAR Airborne Radiometer over Railroad Valley, Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharbouche, Said; Muller, Jan-Peter; Gatebe, Charles K.; Scanlon, Tracy; Banks, Andrew C.

    2017-01-01

    CAR (Cloud Absorption Radiometer) is a multi-angular and multi-spectral airborne radiometer instrument, whose radiometric and geometric characteristics are well calibrated and adjusted before and after each flight campaign. CAR was built by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in 1984. On 16 May 2008, a CAR flight campaign took place over the well-known calibration and validation site of Railroad Valley in Nevada (38.504 deg N, 115.692 deg W).The campaign coincided with the overpasses of several key EO (Earth Observation) satellites such as Landsat-7, Envisat and Terra. Thus, there are nearly simultaneous measurements from these satellites and the CAR airborne sensor over the same calibration site. The CAR spectral bands are close to those of most EO satellites. CAR has the ability to cover the whole range of azimuth view angles and a variety of zenith angles depending on altitude and, as a consequence, the biases seen between satellite and CAR measurements due to both unmatched spectral bands and unmatched angles can be significantly reduced. A comparison is presented here between CARs land surface reflectance (BRF or Bidirectional Reflectance Factor) with those derived from Terra/MODIS (MOD09 and MAIAC), Terra/MISR, Envisat/MERIS and Landsat-7. In this study, we utilized CAR data from low altitude flights (approx. 180 m above the surface) in order to minimize the effects of the atmosphere on these measurements and then obtain a valuable ground-truth data set of surface reflectance. Furthermore, this study shows that differences between measurements caused by surface heterogeneity can be tolerated, thanks to the high homogeneity of the study site on the one hand, and on the other hand, to the spatial sampling and the large number of CAR samples. These results demonstrate that satellite BRF measurements over this site are in good agreement with CAR with variable biases across different spectral bands. This is most likely due to residual aerosol

  17. Use of total internal reflection Raman (TIR) and attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy to analyze component separation in thin offset ink films after setting on coated paper surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kivioja, Antti; Hartus, Timo; Vuorinen, Tapani; Gane, Patrick; Jääskeläinen, Anna-Stiina

    2013-06-01

    The interactive behavior of ink constituents with porous substrates during and after the offset print process has an important effect on the quality of printed products. To help elucidate the distribution of ink components between the retained ink layer and the substrate, a variety of spectroscopic and microscopic analysis techniques have been developed. This paper describes for the first time the use of total internal reflection (TIR) Raman spectroscopy to analyze the penetration behavior of separated offset ink components (linseed oil, solid color pigment) in coated papers providing chemically intrinsic information rapidly, nondestructively, and with minimal sample preparation. In addition, the already widely applied technique of attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) was evaluated in parallel and compared. The results of the ATR-IR Raman clearly revealed an improvement in uppermost depth resolution compared with values previously published from other nondestructive techniques, and the method is shown to be capable of providing new knowledge of the setting of thin (0.25-2 μm) offset ink films, allowing the spreading and the penetration behavior on physically different paper coating surfaces to be studied.

  18. Environmetric data interpretation to assess surface water quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simeonova, P.; Papazova, P.; Lovchinov, V.

    2013-01-01

    Two multivariate statistical methods (Cluster analysis /CA/ and Principal components analysis /PCA/) were applied for model assessment of the water quality of Maritsa River and Tundja River on Bulgarian territory. The study used long-term monitoring data from many sampling sites characterized by various surface water quality indicators. The application of CA to the indicators results in formation of clusters showing the impact of biological, anthropogenic and eutrophication sources. For further assessment of the monitoring data, PCA was implemented, which identified, again, latent factors confirming, in principle, the clustering output. Their identification coincide correctly to the location of real pollution sources along the rivers catchments. The linkage of the sampling sites along the river flow by CA identified several special patterns separated by specific tracers levels. The apportionment models of the pollution determined the contribution of each one of identified pollution factors to the total concentration of each one of the water quality parameters. Thus, a better risk management of the surface water quality is achieved both on local and national level

  19. Estimating the Augmented Reflectance Ratio of the Ocean Surface When Whitecaps Appear

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhantang Xu

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The presence of foam influences the accuracy of satellite-derived water-leaving radiance. A model has been developed to estimate the augmented reflectance ratio (A(λ,U due to differences in the fraction of whitecap coverage (w on the ocean surface. A(λ,U can be calculated from the product of w and ρ(λ,U, where ρ(λ,U is the augmented ratio of the reflectance of background water (Rb(λ caused by the presence of whitecaps. Our results showed that the average A(400~700,U in the visible region was approximately 1.3% at U = 9 m∙s−1, 2.2% at U = 10 m∙s−1, 4.4% at U = 12 m∙s−1, 7.4% at U = 14 m∙s−1, 19% at U = 19 m∙s−1 and 37.9% at U = 24 m∙s−1, making it is necessary to consider the augmented reflectance ratio for remote sensing applications. By estimating remote sensing augmented reflectance using A(λ,U, it was found that the result was in good agreement with previous studies conducted in other areas with U from 9 to 12 m∙s−1. Since Rb(λ is temporally and spatially variable, our model considered the variation of Rb(λ, whereas existing models have assumed that Rb(λ is constant. Therefore, the proposed model is more suitable for estimating the augmented reflectance ratio due to whitecaps.

  20. Near-surface, marine seismic-reflection data defines potential hydrogeologic confinement bypass in a tertiary carbonate aquifer, southeastern Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunningham, Kevin J.; Walker, Cameron; Westcott, Richard L.

    2012-01-01

    Approximately 210 km of near-surface, high-frequency, marine seismic-reflection data were acquired on the southeastern part of the Florida Platform between 2007 and 2011. Many high-resolution, seismic-reflection profiles, interpretable to a depth of about 730 m, were collected on the shallow-marine shelf of southeastern Florida in water as shallow as 1 m. Landward of the present-day shelf-margin slope, these data image middle Eocene to Pleistocene strata and Paleocene to Pleistocene strata on the Miami Terrace. This high-resolution data set provides an opportunity to evaluate geologic structures that cut across confining units of the Paleocene to Oligocene-age carbonate rocks that form the Floridan aquifer system.Seismic profiles image two structural systems, tectonic faults and karst collapse structures, which breach confining beds in the Floridan aquifer system. Both structural systems may serve as pathways for vertical groundwater flow across relatively low-permeability carbonate strata that separate zones of regionally extensive high-permeability rocks in the Floridan aquifer system. The tectonic faults occur as normal and reverse faults, and collapse-related faults have normal throw. The most common fault occurrence delineated on the reflection profiles is associated with karst collapse structures. These high-frequency seismic data are providing high quality structural analogs to unprecedented depths on the southeastern Florida Platform. The analogs can be used for assessment of confinement of other carbonate aquifers and the sealing potential of deeper carbonate rocks associated with reservoirs around the world.

  1. Shale gas development impacts on surface water quality in Pennsylvania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olmstead, Sheila M.; Muehlenbachs, Lucija A.; Shih, Jhih-Shyang; Chu, Ziyan; Krupnick, Alan J.

    2013-01-01

    Concern has been raised in the scientific literature about the environmental implications of extracting natural gas from deep shale formations, and published studies suggest that shale gas development may affect local groundwater quality. The potential for surface water quality degradation has been discussed in prior work, although no empirical analysis of this issue has been published. The potential for large-scale surface water quality degradation has affected regulatory approaches to shale gas development in some US states, despite the dearth of evidence. This paper conducts a large-scale examination of the extent to which shale gas development activities affect surface water quality. Focusing on the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, we estimate the effect of shale gas wells and the release of treated shale gas waste by permitted treatment facilities on observed downstream concentrations of chloride (Cl−) and total suspended solids (TSS), controlling for other factors. Results suggest that (i) the treatment of shale gas waste by treatment plants in a watershed raises downstream Cl− concentrations but not TSS concentrations, and (ii) the presence of shale gas wells in a watershed raises downstream TSS concentrations but not Cl− concentrations. These results can inform future voluntary measures taken by shale gas operators and policy approaches taken by regulators to protect surface water quality as the scale of this economically important activity increases. PMID:23479604

  2. Spectral reflectance is a reliable water-quality estimator for small, highly turbid wetlands

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vinciková, H.; Hanuš, Jan; Pechar, L.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 23, č. 5 (2015), s. 933-946 ISSN 0923-4861 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2010007; GA MŠk 2B06068 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : remote sensing * water quality * hyperspectral reflectance * turbid inland waters * chlorophyll * TSS Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 1.407, year: 2015

  3. Effect of surface treatment of tailings on effluent quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murray, D.R.

    1980-01-01

    Successful reclamation treatment, in preparation for long range abandonment of mining wastes, involves both surface treatment and water quality control containment of waste solids and liquid contaminants. This paper describes use of lysimeters containing 125 tonnes of tailings to determine the impact of gravel, sawdust, and vegetation as surface treatments on the quality and quantity of effluent produced from sulphide-containing uranium mill tailings. Over a five-year period these treatments were observed and compared with bare tailings where no surface addition was made. The treatments did not alter the effluent quality to a level acceptable to regulatory requirements. Surface treatments did not appear to affect the leaching of Ra-226, NH 4 and NO 3 . The concentration of Fe, SO 4 , Cu, Pb, and Al increased with the rise of acidity as the pH changed from pH 9.5 to pH 2 in four and one-half years. However the rate and extent of changes of some of these parameters vary with the treatment. The experimental results for the observed trends are presented with limited explanation. Original design problems and unexpected delays in tailing reactions have made firm conclusions impossible at this stage. These data, however, provide a base for further investigation and development of explanations and firm conclusions, as to the role of surface treatment in long-term waste abandonment

  4. Effect of surface plasmon polaritons on the sensitivity of refractive index measurement using total internal reflection method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roshan Entezar, S.

    2015-01-01

    The phase difference between two p-polarized and s-polarized plane waves which are reflected under total internal reflection from the base of a prism with a thin metal coating is studied. Typically such a quantity can be used to measure the refractive index of a test material using the total internal reflection method. It is shown that due to the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons at the interface between the tested dielectric material and the thin metal layer, the p-polarized light experiences a large phase shift which enlarges the phase difference between the p-polarized and the s-polarized waves. As a result, the sensitivity of refractive index measurement increases and the error in determining the refractive index decreases. - Highlights: • Phase difference of totally internally reflected p and s polarized beams is studied. • Excitation of the surface wave increases the phase shift of the p-polarized light. • The sensitivity of refractive index measurement increases by using a coated prism. • The error in determining the refractive index decreases using the coated prism

  5. LiDAR Relative Reflectivity Surface (2011) for the St. Thomas East End Reserve, St. Thomas

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This image represents a LiDAR (Light Detection & Ranging) 0.3x0.3 meter resolution relative seafloor reflectivity surface for the St. Thomas East End Reserve...

  6. Absorption and reflectivity of the lithium niobate surface masked with a graphene layer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Salas

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We performed simulations of the interaction of a graphene layer with the surface of lithium niobate utilizing density functional theory and molecular dynamics at 300K and atmospheric pressure. We found that the graphene layer is physisorbed on the lithium niobate surface with an adsorption energy of -0.8205 eV/(carbon-atom. Subsequently, the energy band structure, the optical absorption and reflectivity of the new system were calculated. We found important changes in these physical properties with respect to the corresponding ones of a graphene layer and of a lithium niobate crystal.

  7. Radius of curvature measurement of spherical smooth surfaces by multiple-beam interferometry in reflection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelsalam, D. G.; Shaalan, M. S.; Eloker, M. M.; Kim, Daesuk

    2010-06-01

    In this paper a method is presented to accurately measure the radius of curvature of different types of curved surfaces of different radii of curvatures of 38 000,18 000 and 8000 mm using multiple-beam interference fringes in reflection. The images captured by the digital detector were corrected by flat fielding method. The corrected images were analyzed and the form of the surfaces was obtained. A 3D profile for the three types of surfaces was obtained using Zernike polynomial fitting. Some sources of uncertainty in measurement were calculated by means of ray tracing simulations and the uncertainty budget was estimated within λ/40.

  8. Bidirectional reflectance distribution function modeling of one-dimensional rough surface in the microwave band

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Li-Xin; Gou Xue-Yin; Zhang Lian-Bo

    2014-01-01

    In this study, the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of a one-dimensional conducting rough surface and a dielectric rough surface are calculated with different frequencies and roughness values in the microwave band by using the method of moments, and the relationship between the bistatic scattering coefficient and the BRDF of a rough surface is expressed. From the theory of the parameters of the rough surface BRDF, the parameters of the BRDF are obtained using a genetic algorithm. The BRDF of a rough surface is calculated using the obtained parameter values. Further, the fitting values and theoretical calculations of the BRDF are compared, and the optimization results are in agreement with the theoretical calculation results. Finally, a reference for BRDF modeling of a Gaussian rough surface in the microwave band is provided by the proposed method. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

  9. Indices of quality surface water bodies in the planning of water resources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodríguez-Miranda, Juan Pablo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper considers a review of the literature major and significant methods of quality indices of water applied in surface water bodies, used and proposed for assessing the significance of parameters of water quality in the assessment of surface water currents and they are usually used in making decisions for intervention and strategic prevention measures for those responsible for the conservation and preservation of watersheds where these water bodies belong. An exploratory methodology was applied to realize the conceptualization of each water quality index. As a result, it is observed that there are several important methods for determining the water quality index applied in surface water bodies.

  10. Kaguya observations of the lunar wake in the terrestrial foreshock: Surface potential change by bow-shock reflected ions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishino, Masaki N.; Harada, Yuki; Saito, Yoshifumi; Tsunakawa, Hideo; Takahashi, Futoshi; Yokota, Shoichiro; Matsushima, Masaki; Shibuya, Hidetoshi; Shimizu, Hisayoshi

    2017-09-01

    There forms a tenuous region called the wake behind the Moon in the solar wind, and plasma entry/refilling into the wake is a fundamental problem of the lunar plasma science. High-energy ions and electrons in the foreshock of the Earth's magnetosphere were detected at the lunar surface in the Apollo era, but their effects on the lunar night-side environment have never been studied. Here we show the first observation of bow-shock reflected protons by Kaguya (SELENE) spacecraft in orbit around the Moon, confirming that solar wind plasma reflected at the terrestrial bow shock can easily access the deepest lunar wake when the Moon stays in the foreshock (We name this mechanism 'type-3 entry'). In a continuous type-3 event, low-energy electron beams from the lunar night-side surface are not obvious even though the spacecraft location is magnetically connected to the lunar surface. On the other hand, in an intermittent type-3 entry event, the kinetic energy of upward-going field-aligned electron beams decreases from ∼ 80 eV to ∼ 20 eV or electron beams disappear as the bow-shock reflected ions come accompanied by enhanced downward electrons. According to theoretical treatment based on electric current balance at the lunar surface including secondary electron emission by incident electron and ion impact, we deduce that incident ions would be accompanied by a few to several times higher flux of an incident electron flux, which well fits observed downward fluxes. We conclude that impact by the bow-shock reflected ions and electrons raises the electrostatic potential of the lunar night-side surface.

  11. Simulation of reflecting surface deviations of centimeter-band parabolic space radiotelescope (SRT) with the large-size mirror

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotik, A.; Usyukin, V.; Vinogradov, I.; Arkhipov, M.

    2017-11-01

    he realization of astrophysical researches requires the development of high-sensitive centimeterband parabolic space radiotelescopes (SRT) with the large-size mirrors. Constructively such SRT with the mirror size more than 10 m can be realized as deployable rigid structures. Mesh-structures of such size do not provide the reflector reflecting surface accuracy which is necessary for the centimeter band observations. Now such telescope with the 10 m diameter mirror is developed in Russia in the frame of "SPECTR - R" program. External dimensions of the telescope is more than the size of existing thermo-vacuum chambers used to prove SRT reflecting surface accuracy parameters under the action of space environment factors. That's why the numerical simulation turns out to be the basis required to accept the taken designs. Such modeling should be based on experimental working of the basic constructive materials and elements of the future reflector. In the article computational modeling of reflecting surface deviations of a centimeter-band of a large-sized deployable space reflector at a stage of his orbital functioning is considered. The analysis of the factors that determines the deviations - both determined (temperatures fields) and not-determined (telescope manufacturing and installation faults; the deformations caused by features of composite materials behavior in space) is carried out. The finite-element model and complex of methods are developed. They allow to carry out computational modeling of reflecting surface deviations caused by influence of all factors and to take into account the deviations correction by space vehicle orientation system. The results of modeling for two modes of functioning (orientation at the Sun) SRT are presented.

  12. Observation on Surface Change of Fragile Glass: Temperature - Time Dependence Studied by X-Ray Reflectivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikkawa, Hiroyuki; Kitahara, Amane; Takahashi, Isao

    2004-01-01

    The structural change of a fragile glass surface close to the glass transition temperature Tg is studied by using X-ray reflectivity. Measurements were performed on surfaces of maltitol, which is a typical polyalcohol fragile glass with Tg = 320K. Upon both heating and cooling, we find the following features which are also noticed in silicate glass surfaces: (i) On heating, the surface morphology indicates a variation at temperatures below Tg; (ii) A drastic increase in surface roughness occurs at a temperature about 333K on heating, which is 13K higher than Tg; (iii) During the cooling of the sample, formation of a low-density surface layer (3nm at 293K) is observed. Prior to the crystallization, nm - μm sized domains were grown at the surface, which might not be reported for other glasses

  13. Application of Sol-Gel Method as a Protective Layer on a Specular Reflective Surface for Secondary Reflector in a Solar Receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Afrin, Samia; Dagdelen, John; Ma, Zhiwen; Kumar, Vinod

    2017-01-01

    Highly-specular reflective surfaces that can withstand elevated-temperatures are desirable for many applications including reflective heat shielding in solar receivers and secondary reflectors, which can be used between primary concentrators and heat collectors. A high-efficiency, high-temperature solar receiver design based on arrays of cavities needs a highly-specular reflective surface on its front section to help sunlight penetrate into the absorber tubes for effective flux spreading. Since this application is for high-temperature solar receivers, this surface needs to be durable and to maintain its optical properties through the usable life. Degradation mechanisms associated with elevated temperatures and thermal cycling, which include cracking, delamination, corrosion/oxidation, and environmental effects, could cause the optical properties of surfaces to degrade rapidly in these conditions. Protected mirror surfaces for these applications have been tested by depositing a thin layer of SiO2 on top of electrodeposited silver by means of the sol-gel method. To obtain an effective thin film structure, this sol-gel procedure has been investigated extensively by varying process parameters that affect film porosity and thickness. Endurance tests have been performed in a furnace at 150 degrees C for thousands of hours. This paper presents the sol-gel process for intermediate-temperature specular reflective coatings and provides the long-term reliability test results of sol-gel protected silver-coated surfaces.

  14. Eggshell spottiness reflects maternally transferred antibodies in blue tits.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie-Jeanne Holveck

    Full Text Available Blue-green and brown-spotted eggshells in birds have been proposed as sexual signals of female physiological condition and egg quality, reflecting maternal investment in the egg. Testing this hypothesis requires linking eggshell coloration to egg content, which is lacking for brown protoporphyrin-based pigmentation. As protoporphyrins can induce oxidative stress, and a large amount in eggshells should indicate either high female and egg quality if it reflects the female's high oxidative tolerance, or conversely poor quality if it reflects female physiological stress. Different studies supported either predictions but are difficult to compare given the methodological differences in eggshell-spottiness measurements. Using the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus as a model species, we aimed at disentangling both predictions in testing if brown-spotted eggshell could reflect the quality of maternal investment in antibodies and carotenoids in the egg, and at improving between-study comparisons in correlating several common measurements of eggshell coloration (spectral and digital measures, spotted surface, pigmentation indices. We found that these color variables were weakly correlated highlighting the need for comparable quantitative measurements between studies and for multivariate regressions incorporating several eggshell-color characteristics. When evaluating the potential signaling function of brown-spotted eggshells, we thus searched for the brown eggshell-color variables that best predicted the maternal transfer of antibodies and carotenoids to egg yolks. We also tested the effects of several parental traits and breeding parameters potentially affecting this transfer. While eggshell coloration did not relate to yolk carotenoids, the eggs with larger and less evenly-distributed spots had higher antibody concentrations, suggesting that both the quantity and distribution of brown pigments reflected the transfer of maternal immune compounds in egg yolks

  15. Near zero reflection by nanostructured anti-reflection coating design for Si substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Fandi, Mohamed; Makableh, Yahia F.; Khasawneh, Mohammad; Rabady, Rabi

    2018-05-01

    The nanostructure design of near zero reflection coating for Si substrates by using ZnO Nanoneedles (ZnONN) is performed and optimized for the visible spectral range. The design investigates the ZnONN tip to body ratio effect on the anti-reflection coating properties. Different tip to body ratios are used on Si substrates. Around zero reflection is achieved by the Nanoneedles structure design presented in this work, leading to minimal reflection losses from the Si surface. The current design evolves a solution to optical losses and surface contamination effects associated with Si solar cells.

  16. Anomalous Quasiparticle Reflection from the Surface of a ^{3}He-^{4}He Dilute Solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikegami, Hiroki; Kim, Kitak; Sato, Daisuke; Kono, Kimitoshi; Choi, Hyoungsoon; Monarkha, Yuriy P

    2017-11-10

    A free surface of a dilute ^{3}He-^{4}He liquid mixture is a unique system where two Fermi liquids with distinct dimensions coexist: a three-dimensional (3D) ^{3}He Fermi liquid in the bulk and a two-dimensional (2D) ^{3}He Fermi liquid at the surface. To investigate a novel effect generated by the interaction between the two Fermi liquids, the mobility of a Wigner crystal of electrons formed on the free surface of the mixture is studied. An anomalous enhancement of the mobility, compared with the case where the 3D and 2D systems do not interact with each other, is observed. The enhancement is explained by the nontrivial reflection of 3D quasiparticles from the surface covered with the 2D ^{3}He system.

  17. Effect of surface treatment of tailings on effluent quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murray, D.R.; Okuhara, D.

    1980-01-01

    Lysimeters containing 125 tons of mine tailings were used to determine the impact of gravel, sawdust, and vegetation as surface treatments on the quality and quantity of effluent produced from sulfide-containing uranium mill tailings. Over a 5-yr period, treatments did not alter the effluent quality to a level acceptable to regulatory requirements. The concentration of iron, copper, lead, aluminum, and sulfate increased with the rise of acidity during this period. However, the rate and extent of changes did vary with the treatment. The role of surface treatment in long-term waste abandonment must be investigated further

  18. Quantum state-resolved gas/surface reaction dynamics probed by reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen Li [Department of Dynamics at Surfaces, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Goettingen (Germany); Ueta, Hirokazu; Beck, Rainer D. [Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Moleculaire, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland); Bisson, Regis [Aix-Marseille Universite, PIIM, CNRS, UMR 7345, 13397 Marseille (France)

    2013-05-15

    We report the design and characterization of a new molecular-beam/surface-science apparatus for quantum state-resolved studies of gas/surface reaction dynamics combining optical state-specific reactant preparation in a molecular beam by rapid adiabatic passage with detection of surface-bound reaction products by reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS). RAIRS is a non-invasive infrared spectroscopic detection technique that enables online monitoring of the buildup of reaction products on the target surface during reactant deposition by a molecular beam. The product uptake rate obtained by calibrated RAIRS detection yields the coverage dependent state-resolved reaction probability S({theta}). Furthermore, the infrared absorption spectra of the adsorbed products obtained by the RAIRS technique provide structural information, which help to identify nascent reaction products, investigate reaction pathways, and determine branching ratios for different pathways of a chemisorption reaction. Measurements of the dissociative chemisorption of methane on Pt(111) with this new apparatus are presented to illustrate the utility of RAIRS detection for highly detailed studies of chemical reactions at the gas/surface interface.

  19. Remote Sensing Reflectance at 667 nm, Aqua MODIS, NPP, 0.05 degrees, Global, Science Quality

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — MODIS measures the remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) at 667nm. This can be used to view very high concentrations of phytoplankton in the very surface of the water.

  20. OMI/Aura Surface Reflectance Climatology Level 3 Global 0.5deg Lat/Lon Grid V003

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The OMI Earth Surface Reflectance Climatology product, OMLER (Global 0.5deg Lat/Lon grid) which is based on Version 003 Level-1B top of atmosphere upwelling radiance...

  1. To what extent do food purchases reflect shoppers? diet quality and nutrient intake?

    OpenAIRE

    Appelhans, Bradley M.; French, Simone A.; Tangney, Christy C.; Powell, Lisa M.; Wang, Yamin

    2017-01-01

    Background Food purchasing is considered a key mediator between the food environment and eating behavior, and food purchasing patterns are increasingly measured in epidemiologic and intervention studies. However, the extent to which food purchases actually reflect individuals? dietary intake has not been rigorously tested. This study examined cross-sectional agreement between estimates of diet quality and nutrient densities derived from objectively documented household food purchases and thos...

  2. Land Surface Process and Air Quality Research and Applications at MSFC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quattrochi, Dale; Khan, Maudood

    2007-01-01

    This viewgraph presentation provides an overview of land surface process and air quality research at MSFC including atmospheric modeling and ongoing research whose objective is to undertake a comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of the effects of accurate land surface characterization on atmospheric modeling results, and public health applications. Land use maps as well as 10 meter air temperature, surface wind, PBL mean difference heights, NOx, ozone, and O3+NO2 plots as well as spatial growth model outputs are included. Emissions and general air quality modeling are also discussed.

  3. Developing a more useful surface quality metric for laser optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turchette, Quentin; Turner, Trey

    2011-02-01

    Light scatter due to surface defects on laser resonator optics produces losses which lower system efficiency and output power. The traditional methodology for surface quality inspection involves visual comparison of a component to scratch and dig (SAD) standards under controlled lighting and viewing conditions. Unfortunately, this process is subjective and operator dependent. Also, there is no clear correlation between inspection results and the actual performance impact of the optic in a laser resonator. As a result, laser manufacturers often overspecify surface quality in order to ensure that optics will not degrade laser performance due to scatter. This can drive up component costs and lengthen lead times. Alternatively, an objective test system for measuring optical scatter from defects can be constructed with a microscope, calibrated lighting, a CCD detector and image processing software. This approach is quantitative, highly repeatable and totally operator independent. Furthermore, it is flexible, allowing the user to set threshold levels as to what will or will not constitute a defect. This paper details how this automated, quantitative type of surface quality measurement can be constructed, and shows how its results correlate against conventional loss measurement techniques such as cavity ringdown times.

  4. Surface sediment quality relative to port activities: A contaminant-spectrum assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Shen; Hong, Bing; Ma, Jun; Chen, Yongshan; Xi, Xiuping; Gao, Jingbo; Hu, Xiuqin; Xu, Xiangrong; Sun, Yuxin

    2017-10-15

    Ports are facing increasing environmental concerns with their importance to the global economy. Numerous studies indicated sediment quality deterioration in ports; however, the deterioration is not discriminated for each port activity. This study investigated a spectrum of contaminants (metals and organic pollutants) in surface sediments at 20 sampling points in Port Ningbo, China, one of the top five world ports by volume. The spectrum of contaminants (metals and organic pollutants) was quantified following marine sediment quality guidelines of China and USA and surface sediment quality was assessed according to thresholds of the two guidelines. Coupling a categorical matrix of port activities with the matrix of sedimentary contaminants revealed that contaminants were highly associated with the port operations. Ship repair posed a severe chemical risk to sediment. Operations of crude oil and coal loadings were two top activities related to organic pollutants in sediments while port operations of ore and container loadings discharged metals. Among the 20 sampling points, Cu, Zn, Pb, and DDT and its metabolites were the priority contaminants influencing sediment quality. Overall, surface sediments in Port Ningbo had relatively low environmental risks but ship repair is an environmental concern that must be addressed. This study provides a practical approach for port activity-related quality assessment of surface sediments in ports that could be applicable in many world sites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Reflectance Modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, J. A.; Cooper, K.; Randolph, M.

    1984-01-01

    A classical description of the one dimensional radiative transfer treatment of vegetation canopies was completed and the results were tested against measured prairie (blue grama) and agricultural canopies (soybean). Phase functions are calculated in terms of directly measurable biophysical characteristics of the canopy medium. While the phase functions tend to exhibit backscattering anisotropy, their exact behavior is somewhat more complex and wavelength dependent. A Monte Carlo model was developed that treats soil surfaces with large periodic variations in three dimensions. A photon-ray tracing technology is used. Currently, the rough soil surface is described by analytic functions and appropriate geometric calculations performed. A bidirectional reflectance distribution function is calculated and, hence, available for other atmospheric or canopy reflectance models as a lower boundary condition. This technique is used together with an adding model to calculate several cases where Lambertian leaves possessing anisotropic leaf angle distributions yield non-Lambertian reflectance; similar behavior is exhibited for simulated soil surfaces.

  6. QUALITY INFLUENCE OF SURFACE ON AIRCRAFT TAKE-OFF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The article considers quality impact influence of surface on aircraft take-off. It considers the IL-114 takeoff with all the operating engines. The goal of this research is to conduct calculating experiment to determine quality influence of surface on alteration of IL-114 takeoff characteristics during operation. Researches were carried out using the system of mathematical modeling of a flight dynamics. The main part of the system is a unit for calculating increments of aerodynam- ic coefficients caused with changing of technical condition of the surface of the airframe (roughness, waviness, available protruding elements on the airframe surface, etc. and residual deformation of the wing, fuselage, vertical and horizontal tail, as well as the difference between the rods symmetrically operating engines. In order to compute loss of rod and an increase in engine fuel consumption due to engine operation time during operation, an integral factor of thrust loss and increase in fuel consumption coefficient were introduced. Research proved that the individual characteristics of the aircraft, due to loss of engine power and increase in drag do not affect the assigned level of flight safety. The plane has a considera- ble reserve as for unsafe takeoff speed and the full gradient of climb, that ensures safety of operation.

  7. Shear-wave seismic reflection imaging and impedance inversion for a near-surface point-bar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benton, N. W.; Morrison, M.; Lorenzo, J. M.; Odom, B.; Clift, P. D.; Olson, E.; Gostic, A.

    2017-12-01

    Imaging and inversion of SH-waves are useful to detect, map, and quantitatively characterize near-surface point-bar strata. We conduct a horizontally-polarized (SH) reflection survey across and along a near-surface (9 - 40 m) downstream point-bar. We invert for shear-impedance profiles and correlate our interpretation to electrical conductivity (EC) logs in adjacent wells to study the internal architecture and lithology of point-bars. We acquire two common-midpoint (CMP) SH-wave seismic reflection lines at False River (Point Coupee Parish, Louisiana). A 104 m long seismic line (L1) is oriented orthogonal (NW - SE) to point-bar strike. A second line (L2) is 48 m long and set parallel to point-bar strike (NE - SW). Two EC wells lie 33 m apart. Both wells are parallel with respect to the L1 survey and offset from it by 15 m. EC log measurements range from 1 - 25 m depth. Interference of Love-waves prevents seismic imaging at depths less than 9 m. The L1 and L2 data sets are inverted for shear-impedance using a model-based band-limited impedance (BLIMP) algorithm that incorporates a low-frequency velocity model. This model is also used for the depthing processing. The L1 cross-section shows coherent dipping reflection events ( 4 - 7º) from 0.15 - 0.35 s (10 - 40 m). The corresponding shear-impedance profile also reveals coherent and dipping impedance contrasts that grow in magnitude with increasing depth. The L2 cross-section shows comparatively less dip ( 1º) as well as sharper and shallower continuity of reflection events (0.1 - 0.28 s TWT or 9 - 25 m). Depth-converted (TVD) seismic amplitudes and impedance values correlate to near-surface point-bar geology via superposition of log data. The first well (W5) shows distinct EC local maxima (+50 - 70 mS/m) at 14.5 and 15.5 m depth that correlate well with the seismic amplitudes and impedance values from both L1 and L2 data sets. The second well (W7) shows comparatively lower local maxima (+40 - 60 mS/m) but at greater

  8. Derivation of Land Surface Albedo at High Resolution by Combining HJ-1A/B Reflectance Observations with MODIS BRDF Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Gao

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Land surface albedo is an essential parameter for monitoring global/regional climate and land surface energy balance. Although many studies have been conducted on global or regional land surface albedo using various remote sensing data over the past few decades, land surface albedo product with a high spatio–temporal resolution is currently very scarce. This paper proposes a method for deriving land surface albedo with a high spatio–temporal resolution (space: 30 m and time: 2–4 days. The proposed method works by combining the land surface reflectance data at 30 m spatial resolution obtained from the charge-coupled devices in the Huanjing-1A and -1B (HJ-1A/B satellites with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS land surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF parameters product (MCD43A1, which is at a spatial resolution of 500 m. First, the land surface BRDF parameters for HJ-1A/B land surface reflectance with a spatial–temporal resolutions of 30 m and 2–4 day are calculated on the basis of the prior knowledge from the MODIS BRDF product; then, the calculated high resolution BRDF parameters are integrated over the illuminating/viewing hemisphere to produce the white- and black-sky albedos at 30 m resolution. These results form the basis for the final land surface albedo derivation by accounting for the proportion of direct and diffuse solar radiation arriving at the ground. The albedo retrieved by this novel method is compared with MODIS land surface albedo products, as well as with ground measurements. The results show that the derived land surface albedo during the growing season of 2012 generally achieved a mean absolute accuracy of ±0.044, and a root mean square error of 0.039, confirming the effectiveness of the newly proposed method.

  9. Simulation of reflectance from white-anodised aluminium surfaces using polyurethane–TiO2 composite coatings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gudla, Visweswara Chakravarthy; Johansen, Villads Egede; Ambat, Rajan

    2015-01-01

    of anodised surfaces. PU matrix was selected for its matching refractive-index (n = 1.7) with anodic alumina layer. Three different TiO2 particle size distributions were dispersed in PU and spin coated onto bright high-gloss and matte caustic-etched aluminium substrates. The reflectance spectra of coated...

  10. Peer group reflection helps clinical teachers to critically reflect on their teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boerboom, Tobias B B; Jaarsma, Debbie; Dolmans, Diana H J M; Scherpbier, Albert J J A; Mastenbroek, Nicole J J M; Van Beukelen, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Student evaluations can help clinical teachers to reflect on their teaching skills and find ways to improve their teaching. Studies have shown that the mere presentation of student evaluations is not a sufficient incentive for teachers to critically reflect on their teaching. We evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two feedback facilitation strategies that were identical except for a peer reflection meeting. In this study, 54 clinical teachers were randomly assigned to two feedback strategies. In one strategy, a peer reflection was added as an additional step. All teachers completed a questionnaire evaluating the strategy that they had experienced. We analysed the reflection reports and the evaluation questionnaire. Both strategies stimulated teachers to reflect on feedback and formulate alternative actions for their teaching practice. The teachers who had participated in the peer reflection meeting showed deeper critical reflection and more concrete plans to change their teaching. All feedback strategies were considered effective by the majority of the teachers. Strategies with student feedback and self-assessment stimulated reflection on teaching and helped clinical teachers to formulate plans for improvement. A peer reflection meeting seemed to enhance reflection quality. Further research should establish whether it can have lasting effects on teaching quality.

  11. Potential Long-Term Records of Surface Albedo at Fine Spatiotemporal Resolution from Landsat/Sentinle-2A Surface Reflectance and MODIS/VIIRS BRDF

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Z.; Schaaf, C.; Shuai, Y.; Liu, Y.; Sun, Q.; Erb, A.; Wang, Z.

    2016-12-01

    The land surface albedo products at fine spatial resolutions are generated by coupling surface reflectance (SR) from Landsat (30 m) or Sentinel-2A (20 m) with concurrent surface anisotropy information (the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function - BRDF) at coarser spatial resolutions from sequential multi-angular observations by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) or its successor, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). We assess the comparability of four types of fine-resolution albedo products (black-sky and white-sky albedos over the shortwave broad band) generated by coupling, (1) Landsat-8 Optical Land Imager (OLI) SR with MODIS BRDF; (2) OLI SR with VIIRS BRDF; (3) Sentinel-2A MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) SR with MODIS BRDF; and (4) MSI SR with VIIRS BRDF. We evaluate the accuracy of these four types of fine-resolution albedo products using ground tower measurements of surface albedo over six SURFace RADiation Network (SURFRAD) sites in the United States. For comparison with the ground measurements, we estimate the actual (blue-sky) albedo values at the six sites by using the satellite-based retrievals of black-sky and white-sky albedos and taking into account the proportion of direct and diffuse solar radiation from the ground measurements at the sites. The coupling of the OLI and MSI SR with MODIS BRDF has already been shown to provide accurate fine-resolution albedo values. With demonstration of a high agreement in BRDF products from MODIS and VIIRS, we expect to see consistency between all four types of fine-resolution albedo products. This assurance of consistency between the couplings of both OLI and MSI with both MODIS and VIIRS guarantees the production of long-term records of surface albedo at fine spatial resolutions and an increased temporal resolution. Such products will be critical in studying land surface changes and associated surface energy balance over the dynamic and heterogeneous landscapes

  12. How to care for and clean optical surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ismael Cordero

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Many ophthalmic devices have optical components such as windows, lenses, mirrors, filters, and prisms; even very small irregularities (such as scratches can cause unwanted scattering of light which reduces quality. The surfaces of lenses, prisms, and windows are often coated with an antireflective layer to prevent loss of light due to reflection. Mirrors have a highly reflecting coating to get maximum reflection of light. Filters have coatings to cut out undesired wavelengths. The coatings are very thin and delicate and can be damaged by improper handling and cleaning.By following these suggestions, you will help ensure that all of the optical surfaces in your eye care equipment perform optimally.

  13. Final report for the project "Improving the understanding of surface-atmosphere radiative interactions by mapping surface reflectance over the ARM CART site" (award DE-FG02-02ER63351)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alexander P. Trishchenko; Yi Luo; Konstantin V. Khlopenkov, William M. Park; Zhanqing Li; Maureen Cribb

    2008-11-28

    Surface spectral reflectance (albedo) is a fundamental variable affecting the transfer of solar radiation and the Earth’s climate. It determines the proportion of solar energy absorbed by the surface and reflected back to the atmosphere. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified surface albedo among key factors influencing climate radiative forcing. Accurate knowledge of surface reflective properties is important for advancing weather forecasting and climate change impact studies. It is also important for determining radiative impact and acceptable levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which makes this work strongly linked to major scientific objectives of the Climate Change Research Division (CCRD) and Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. Most significant accomplishments of eth project are listed below. I) Surface albedo/BRDF datasets from 1995 to the end of 2004 have been produced. They were made available to the ARM community and other interested users through the CCRS public ftp site ftp://ftp.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca/ad/CCRS_ARM/ and ARM IOP data archive under “PI data Trishchenko”. II) Surface albedo properties over the ARM SGP area have been described for 10-year period. Comparison with ECMWF data product showed some deficiencies in the ECMWF surface scheme, such as missing some seasonal variability and no dependence on sky-conditions which biases surface energy budget and has some influence of the diurnal cycle of upward radiation and atmospheric absorption. III) Four surface albedo Intensive Observation Period (IOP) Field Campaigns have been conducted for every season (August, 2002, May 2003, February 2004 and October 2004). Data have been prepared, documented and transferred to ARM IOP archive. Nine peer-reviewed journal papers and 26 conference papers have been published.

  14. Regional-Scale Surface Magnetic Fields and Proton Fluxes to Mercury's Surface from Proton-Reflection Magnetometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winslow, R. M.; Johnson, C. L.; Anderson, B. J.; Gershman, D. J.; Raines, J. M.; Lillis, R. J.; Korth, H.; Slavin, J. A.; Solomon, S. C.; Zurbuchen, T.

    2014-12-01

    The application of a recently developed proton-reflection magnetometry technique to MESSENGER spacecraft observations at Mercury has yielded two significant findings. First, loss-cone observations directly confirm particle precipitation to Mercury's surface and indicate that solar wind plasma persistently bombards the planet not only in the magnetic cusp regions but over a large fraction of the southern hemisphere. Second, the inferred surface field strengths independently confirm the north-south asymmetry in Mercury's global magnetic field structure first documented from observations of magnetic equator crossings. Here we extend this work with 1.5 additional years of observations (i.e., to 2.5 years in all) to further probe Mercury's surface magnetic field and better resolve proton flux precipitation to the planet's surface. We map regions where proton loss cones are observed; these maps indicate regions where protons precipitate directly onto the surface. The augmentation of our data set over that used in our original study allows us to examine the proton loss cones in cells of dimension 10° latitude by 20° longitude in Mercury body-fixed coordinates. We observe a transition from double-sided to single-sided loss cones in the pitch-angle distributions; this transition marks the boundary between open and closed field lines. At the surface this boundary lies between 60° and 70°N. Our observations allow the estimation of surface magnetic field strengths in the northern cusp region and the calculation of incident proton fluxes to both hemispheres. In the northern cusp, our regional-scale observations are consistent with an offset dipole field and a dipole moment of 190 nT RM3, where RM is Mercury's radius, implying that any regional-scale variations in surface magnetic field strengths are either weak relative to the dipole field or occur at length scales smaller than the resolution of our observations (~300 km). From the global proton flux map (north of 40° S

  15. Surface Relief of Mapping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Manuel F.; Almeida, Jose B.

    1989-02-01

    We will describe in this communication a noncont act method of measuring surface profile, it does not require any surface preparation, and it can be used with a very large range of surfaces from highly reflecting to non reflecting ones and as complex as textile surfaces. This method is reasonably immune to dispersion and diffraction, which usually make very difficult the application of non contact profilometry methods to a wide range of materials and situations, namely on quality control systems in industrial production lines. The method is based on the horizontal shift of the bright spot on a horizontal surface when this is illuminated with an oblique beam and moved vertically. in order to make the profilometry the sample is swept by an oblique light beam and the bright spot position is compared with a reference position. The bright spot must be as small as possible, particularly in very irregular surfaces; so the light beam diameter must be as small as possible and the incidence angle must not be too small. The sensivity of a system based on this method will be given, mostly, by the reception optical system.

  16. Sea Surface Height, Absolute, Aviso, 0.25 degrees, Global, Science Quality

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aviso Absolute Sea Surface Height is the Sea Surface Height Deviation plus the long term mean dynamic height. This is Science Quality data.

  17. The impact of uncontrolled waste disposal on surface water quality ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The main threat to the surface water quality in Addis Ababa is environmental pollution derived from domestic and industrial activities. Due to the inadequacy of controlled waste management strategies and waste treatment plants, people are forced to discharge wastes both on open surface and within water bodies.

  18. STUDY OF REFLECTION COEFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION FOR ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS ON SMALL-RADIUS OPTICAL PARTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. A. Gubanova

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with findings for the energy reflection coefficient distribution of anti- reflection coating along the surface of optical elements with a very small radius (2-12 mm. The factors influencing the magnitude of the surface area of the optical element, in which the energy reflection coefficient is constant, were detected. The main principles for theoretical models that describe the spectral characteristics of the multilayer interference coatings were used to achieve these objectives. The relative size of the enlightenment area is defined as the ratio of the radius for the optical element surface, where the reflection is less than a certain value, to its radius (ρ/r. The result of research is the following: this size is constant for a different value of the curvature radius for the optical element made of the same material. Its value is determined by the refractive index of material (nm, from which the optical element was made, and the design of antireflection coatings. For single-layer coatings this value is ρ/r = 0.5 when nm = 1.51; and ρ/r = 0.73 when nm = 1.75; for two-layer coatings ρ/r = 0.35 when nm = 1.51 and ρ/r = 0.41 when nm = 1.75. It is shown that with increasing of the material refractive index for the substrate size, the area of minimum reflection coefficient is increased. The paper considers a single-layer, two-layer, three-layer and five-layer structures of antireflection coatings. The findings give the possibility to conclude that equal thickness coverings formed on the optical element surface with a small radius make no equal reflection from the entire surface, and distribution of the layer thickness needs to be looked for, providing a uniform radiation reflection at all points of the spherical surface.

  19. Simulation calculations of physical sputtering and reflection coefficient of plasma-irradiated carbon surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawamura, T.; Ono, T.; Yamamura, Y.

    1994-08-01

    Physical sputtering yields from the carbon surface irradiated by the boundary plasma are obtained with the use of a Monte Carlo simulation code ACAT. The yields are calculated for many random initial energy and angle values of incident protons or deuterons with a Maxwellian velocity distribution, and then averaged. Here the temperature of the boundary plasma, the sheath potential and the angle δ between the magnetic field line and the surface normal are taken into account. A new fitting formula for an arrangement of the numerical data of sputtering yield is introduced, in which six fitting parameters are determined from the numerical results and listed. These results provide a way to estimate the erosion of carbon materials irradiated by boundary plasma. The particle reflection coefficients for deuterons and their neutrals from a carbon surface are also calculated by the same code and presented together with, for comparison, that for the case of monoenergetic normal incidence. (author)

  20. Mathematical Modeling of Radiant Heat Transfer in Mirror Systems Considering Deep Reflecting Surface Defects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. V. Leonov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available When designing large-sized mirror concentrating systems (MCS for high-temperature solar power plants, one must have at disposal reasonably reliable and economical methods and tools, making it possible to analyze its characteristics, to predict them depending on the operation conditions and accordingly to choose the most suitable system for the solution of particular task.Experimental determination of MCS characteristics requires complicated and expensive experimentation, having significant limitations on interpretation of the results, as well as limitations imposed due to the size of the structure. Therefore it is of particular interest to develop a mathematical model capable of estimating power characteristics of MCS considering the influence of operating conditions, design features, roughness and other surface defects.For efficient solution of the tasks the model must ensure simulation of solar radiant flux as well as simulation of geometrical and optical characteristics of reflection surface and their interaction. In this connection a statistical mathematical model of radiation heat exchange based on use of Monte Carlo methods and Finite Element Method was developed and realized in the software complex, making it possible to determine main characteristics of the MCS.In this paper the main attention is given to definition of MCS radiation characteristics with account for deep reflecting surface defects (cavities, craters. Deep cavities are not typical for MCS, but their occurrence is possible during operation as a result of erosion or any physical damage. For example, for space technology it is primarily micrometeorite erosion.

  1. AISI/DOE Technology Roadmap Program: Improved Surface Quality of Exposed Automotive Sheet Steels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    John G. Speer; David K. Matlock; Noel Meyers; Young-Min Choi

    2002-10-10

    Surface quality of sheet steels is an important economic and technical issue for applications such as critical automotive surfaces. This project was therefore initiated to develop a more quantitative methodology for measuring surface imperfections, and to assess their response to forming and painting, particularly with respect to their visibility or invisibility after painting. The objectives were met, and included evaluation of a variety of imperfections present on commercial sheet surfaces or simulated using methods developed in the laboratory. The results are expected to have significant implications with respect to the methodology for assessing surface imperfections, development of quantitative criteria for surface inspection, and understanding and improving key painting process characteristics that influence the perceived quality of sheet steel surfaces.

  2. Impact of dielectric parameters on the reflectivity of 3C–SiC wafers with a rough surface morphology in the reststrahlen region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engelbrecht, J.A.A.; Janzén, E.; Henry, A.; Rooyen, I.J. van

    2014-01-01

    A layer-on-substrate model is used to obtain the infrared reflectance for 3C–SiC with a rough surface morphology. The effect of varying dielectric parameters of the “damaged layer” on the observed reflectivity of the 3C–SiC in the reststrahlen region is assessed. Different simulated reflectance spectra are obtained to those if the dielectric parameters of the “substrate” were varied. Most notable changes in the shape of the simulated reststrahlen peak are observed for changes in the high frequency dielectric constant, the phonon damping constant, the phonon frequencies and “thickness” of damaged surface layer.

  3. Impact of dielectric parameters on the reflectivity of 3C–SiC wafers with a rough surface morphology in the reststrahlen region

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Engelbrecht, J.A.A., E-mail: Japie.Engelbrecht@nmmu.ac.za [Physics Department, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Janzén, E.; Henry, A. [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping (Sweden); Rooyen, I.J. van [Fuel Performance and Design Department, Idaho National Laboratory, PO Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States)

    2014-04-15

    A layer-on-substrate model is used to obtain the infrared reflectance for 3C–SiC with a rough surface morphology. The effect of varying dielectric parameters of the “damaged layer” on the observed reflectivity of the 3C–SiC in the reststrahlen region is assessed. Different simulated reflectance spectra are obtained to those if the dielectric parameters of the “substrate” were varied. Most notable changes in the shape of the simulated reststrahlen peak are observed for changes in the high frequency dielectric constant, the phonon damping constant, the phonon frequencies and “thickness” of damaged surface layer.

  4. Light reflection from a rough liquid surface including wind-wave effects in a scattering atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salinas, Santo V.; Liew, S.C.

    2007-01-01

    Visible and near-IR images of the ocean surface, taken from remote satellites, often contain important information of near-surface or sub-surface processes, which occur on, or over the ocean. Remote measurements of near surface winds, sea surface temperature and salinity, ocean color and underwater bathymetry, all, one way or another, depend on how well we understand sea surface roughness. However, in order to extract useful information from our remote measurements, we need to construct accurate models of the transfer of solar radiation inside the atmosphere as well as, its reflection from the sea surface. To approach this problem, we numerically solve the radiative transfer equation (RTE) by implementing a model for the atmosphere-ocean system. A one-dimensional atmospheric radiation model is solved via the widely known doubling and adding method and the ocean body is treated as a boundary condition to the problem. The ocean surface is modeled as a rough liquid surface which includes wind interaction and wave states, such as wave age. The model can have possible applications to the retrieval of wind and wave states, such as wave age, near a Sun glint region

  5. Effect of finishing process on the surface quality of Co-Cr-Mo dental alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Klimecka -Tatar

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Preparatory procedures for the material have a significant influence on the surface stereometry of the material. This study investigated the effect of the electropolishing process on the surface quality of metallic prosthetic constructions based on Co-Cr-Mo alloys. It has been found that the process of electropolishing prevents to excessive development of the surface of a material and consequently improves surface quality.

  6. From Intensity Profile to Surface Normal: Photometric Stereo for Unknown Light Sources and Isotropic Reflectances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Feng; Matsushita, Yasuyuki; Sato, Imari; Okabe, Takahiro; Sato, Yoichi

    2015-10-01

    We propose an uncalibrated photometric stereo method that works with general and unknown isotropic reflectances. Our method uses a pixel intensity profile, which is a sequence of radiance intensities recorded at a pixel under unknown varying directional illumination. We show that for general isotropic materials and uniformly distributed light directions, the geodesic distance between intensity profiles is linearly related to the angular difference of their corresponding surface normals, and that the intensity distribution of the intensity profile reveals reflectance properties. Based on these observations, we develop two methods for surface normal estimation; one for a general setting that uses only the recorded intensity profiles, the other for the case where a BRDF database is available while the exact BRDF of the target scene is still unknown. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations are conducted using both synthetic and real-world scenes, which show the state-of-the-art accuracy of smaller than 10 degree without using reference data and 5 degree with reference data for all 100 materials in MERL database.

  7. Modified polarimetric bidirectional reflectance distribution function with diffuse scattering: surface parameter estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Hanyu; Voelz, David G.

    2016-12-01

    The polarimetric bidirectional reflectance distribution function (pBRDF) describes the relationships between incident and scattered Stokes parameters, but the familiar surface-only microfacet pBRDF cannot capture diffuse scattering contributions and depolarization phenomena. We propose a modified pBRDF model with a diffuse scattering component developed from the Kubelka-Munk and Le Hors et al. theories, and apply it in the development of a method to jointly estimate refractive index, slope variance, and diffuse scattering parameters from a series of Stokes parameter measurements of a surface. An application of the model and estimation approach to experimental data published by Priest and Meier shows improved correspondence with measurements of normalized Mueller matrix elements. By converting the Stokes/Mueller calculus formulation of the model to a degree of polarization (DOP) description, the estimation results of the parameters from measured DOP values are found to be consistent with a previous DOP model and results.

  8. Does peer coaching with video feedback improve the quality of teachers' reflections on own professional behaviour?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J. van den Akker; dr Rita Schildwacht; Dr. S. Bolhuis

    2008-01-01

    Meetings with other professionals are considered crucial for enhancing the quality of teachers' reflections. However, little is yet known about how any beneficial effects of such meetings are brought about. This study explores the peer coach's roles and their influences on the learning processes of

  9. Investigation and Evaluation on Influence of Machining (CNC Conditions on Surface Quality of Paulownia Wood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Aghajani

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the effective factors on surface quality of paulownia wood during machining by advanced computer numerical controled (CNC machine. For this aim paulownia logs were provided and were converted to proper sizes (2.5 x 10 x 15 cm and then air dried. The Variable of this study were cutting speed (8.37 and 15.07 m/s, feeding rate (6 and 12 m/min, cutting depth (1and 5 mm, cutting method (down and up-milling and cutting pattern (tangential and radial. Roughness of cut specimens edge were evaluated by profilometer method according to ISO 13565 standard. For evaluation of surface quality, average roughness (Ra, maximum roughness (R max, valley roughness (Rv and peak roughness (Rp were used. Degrees of effectiveness of the parameters were evaluated by fractional factorial design as completely random design at confidence level of 95%. The result showed that cutting speed, cutting method and feed rate are influencive factors on surface quality of machined specimens and their effects were significant. With increasing cutting speed and decreasing feeding rate the roughness decreased and surface quality improved. In up-milling cutting method, degree of roughness was higher and consequently surface quality was inferior. It is to be noted that cutting method in comparison to other factors had the high influence on surface quality. The rest variables did now have independent influence on surface quality at 95% Confidence level. This study for achieving the optimum surface quality recommends that cutting speed of 15.07 m/s, feeding rate of 6 m/min, cutting method of down-milling and cutting depth of 1 mm for tangential cross section.

  10. Determination of Groundwater and Surface Water Qualities at Si Racha, Chon Buri

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wangsawang, Jarinee; Naenorn, Warinlada; Khuntong, Soontree; Wongsorntam, Krirk; Udomsomporn, Suchin

    2011-06-01

    Full text: Groundwater (13 wells) and surface water (7 ponds) at Si Racha, Chon Buri province were collected for measurement of water qualities and radionuclides. The water qualities included physical and chemical analysis such as pH, EC, TS, TDS, TSS, TKN, total phosphate, BOD, COD, total hardness and FOG based on standard methods for examination of water and wastewater. Heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn) were analyzed by ICP-AES while total coliform was determined by Multiple Tube Methods. Moreover, radionuclides were analyzed by gamma spectrometer and gross beta and gross alpha were obtained from low background gas proportional counter. Values of most parameters in groundwater were below water qualities standards but all parameters in surface water samples were exceeded water qualities standards. It was found that all radionuclides in water samples were originated from natural uranium and thorium series. The data obtained enabled evaluation of pollutants in groundwater and surface water

  11. High-precision reflectivity measurements: improvements in the calibration procedure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jupe, Marco; Grossmann, Florian; Starke, Kai; Ristau, Detlev

    2003-05-01

    The development of high quality optical components is heavily depending on precise characterization procedures. The reflectance and transmittance of laser components are the most important parameters for advanced laser applications. In the industrial fabrication of optical coatings, quality management is generally insured by spectral photometric methods according to ISO/DIS 15386 on a medium level of accuracy. Especially for high reflecting mirrors, a severe discrepancy in the determination of the absolute reflectivity can be found for spectral photometric procedures. In the first part of the CHOCLAB project, a method for measuring reflectance and transmittance with an enhanced precision was developed, which is described in ISO/WD 13697. In the second part of the CHOCLAB project, the evaluation and optimization for the presented method is scheduled. Within this framework international Round-Robin experiment is currently in progress. During this Round-Robin experiment, distinct deviations could be observed between the results of high precision measurement facilities of different partners. Based on the extended experiments, the inhomogeneity of the sample reflectivity was identified as one important origin for the deviation. Consequently, this inhomogeneity is also influencing the calibration procedure. Therefore, a method was developed that allows the calibration of the chopper blade using always the same position on the reference mirror. During the investigations, the homogeneity of several samples was characterized by a surface mapping procedure for 1064 nm. The measurement facility was extended to the additional wavelength 532 nm and a similar set-up was assembled at 10.6 μm. The high precision reflectivity procedure at the mentioned wavelengths is demonstrated for exemplary measurements.

  12. Investigating the Effect of Approach Angle and Nose Radius on Surface Quality of Inconel 718

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sunil; Singh, Dilbag; Kalsi, Nirmal S.

    2017-11-01

    This experimental work presents a surface quality evaluation of a Nickel-Cr-Fe based Inconel 718 superalloy, which has many applications in the aero engine and turbine components. However, during machining, the early wear of tool leads to decrease in surface quality. The coating on cutting tool plays a significant role in increasing the wear resistance and life of the tool. In this work, the aim is to study the surface quality of Inconel 718 with TiAlN-coated carbide tools. Influence of various geometrical parameters (tool nose radius, approach angle) and machining variables (cutting velocity, feed rate) on the quality of machined surface (surface roughness) was determined by using central composite design (CCD) matrix. The mathematical model of the same was developed. Analysis of variance was used to find the significance of the parameters. Results showed that the tool nose radius and feed were the main active factors. The present experiment accomplished that TiAlN-coated carbide inserts result in better surface quality as compared with uncoated carbide inserts.

  13. Virtual-stereo fringe reflection technique for specular free-form surface testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Suodong; Li, Bo

    2016-11-01

    Due to their excellent ability to improve the performance of optical systems, free-form optics have attracted extensive interest in many fields, e.g. optical design of astronomical telescopes, laser beam expanders, spectral imagers, etc. However, compared with traditional simple ones, testing for such kind of optics is usually more complex and difficult which has been being a big barrier for the manufacture and the application of these optics. Fortunately, owing to the rapid development of electronic devices and computer vision technology, fringe reflection technique (FRT) with advantages of simple system structure, high measurement accuracy and large dynamic range is becoming a powerful tool for specular free-form surface testing. In order to obtain absolute surface shape distributions of test objects, two or more cameras are often required in the conventional FRT which makes the system structure more complex and the measurement cost much higher. Furthermore, high precision synchronization between each camera is also a troublesome issue. To overcome the aforementioned drawback, a virtual-stereo FRT for specular free-form surface testing is put forward in this paper. It is able to achieve absolute profiles with the help of only one single biprism and a camera meanwhile avoiding the problems of stereo FRT based on binocular or multi-ocular cameras. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique.

  14. Study on the cloud detection of GOCI by using the simulated surface reflectance from BRDF-model for the land application and meteorological utilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hye-Won; Yeom, Jong-Min; Woo, Sun-Hee; Chae, Tae-Byeong

    2016-04-01

    COMS (Communication, Ocean, and Meteorological Satellite) was launched at French Guiana Kourou space center on 27 June 2010. Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), which is the first ocean color geostationary satellite in the world for observing the ocean phenomena, is able to obtain the scientific data per an hour from 00UTC to 07UTC. Moreover, the spectral channels of GOCI would enable not only monitoring for the ocean, but for extracting the information of the land surface over the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Eastern China. Since it is extremely important to utilize GOCI data accurately for the land application, cloud pixels over the surface have to be removed. Unfortunately, infra-red (IR) channels that can easily detect the water vapor with the cloud top temperature, are not included in the GOCI sensor. In this paper, the advanced cloud masking algorithm will be proposed with visible and near-IR (NIR) bands that are within GOCI bands. The main obstacle of cloud masking with GOCI is how to handle the high variable surface reflectance, which is mainly depending on the solar zenith angle. In this study, we use semi-empirical BRDF model to simulate the surface reflectance by using 16 day composite cloudy free image. When estimating the simulated surface reflectance, same geometry for GOCI observation was applied. The simulated surface reflectance is used to discriminate cloud areas especially for the thin cloud and shows more reasonable result than original threshold methods.

  15. A BRDF-BPDF database for the analysis of Earth target reflectances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breon, Francois-Marie; Maignan, Fabienne

    2017-01-01

    Land surface reflectance is not isotropic. It varies with the observation geometry that is defined by the sun, view zenith angles, and the relative azimuth. In addition, the reflectance is linearly polarized. The reflectance anisotropy is quantified by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), while its polarization properties are defined by the bidirectional polarization distribution function (BPDF). The POLDER radiometer that flew onboard the PARASOL microsatellite remains the only space instrument that measured numerous samples of the BRDF and BPDF of Earth targets. Here, we describe a database of representative BRDFs and BPDFs derived from the POLDER measurements. From the huge number of data acquired by the spaceborne instrument over a period of 7 years, we selected a set of targets with high-quality observations. The selection aimed for a large number of observations, free of significant cloud or aerosol contamination, acquired in diverse observation geometries with a focus on the backscatter direction that shows the specific hot spot signature. The targets are sorted according to the 16-class International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) land cover classification system, and the target selection aims at a spatial representativeness within the class. The database thus provides a set of high-quality BRDF and BPDF samples that can be used to assess the typical variability of natural surface reflectances or to evaluate models. It is available freely from the PANGAEA website (PANGAEA.864090" target="_blank">doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.864090). In addition to the database, we provide a visualization and analysis tool based on the Interactive Data Language (IDL). It allows an interactive analysis of the measurements and a comparison against various BRDF and BPDF analytical models. The present paper describes the input data, the selection principles, the database format, and the analysis tool

  16. Collection and corrections of oblique multiangle hyperspectral bidirectional reflectance imagery of the water surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bostater, Charles R.; Oney, Taylor S.

    2017-10-01

    Hyperspectral images of coastal waters in urbanized regions were collected from fixed platform locations. Surf zone imagery, images of shallow bays, lagoons and coastal waters are processed to produce bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) signatures corrected for changing viewing angles. Angular changes as a function of pixel location within a scene are used to estimate changes in pixel size and ground sampling areas. Diffuse calibration targets collected simultaneously from within the image scene provides the necessary information for calculating BRF signatures of the water surface and shorelines. Automated scanning using a pushbroom hyperspectral sensor allows imagery to be collected on the order of one minute or less for different regions of interest. Imagery is then rectified and georeferenced using ground control points within nadir viewing multispectral imagery via image to image registration techniques. This paper demonstrates the above as well as presenting how spectra can be extracted along different directions in the imagery. The extraction of BRF spectra along track lines allows the application of derivative reflectance spectroscopy for estimating chlorophyll-a, dissolved organic matter and suspended matter concentrations at or near the water surface. Imagery is presented demonstrating the techniques to identify subsurface features and targets within the littoral and surf zones.

  17. Classification of reflected signals from cavitated tooth surfaces using an artificial intelligence technique incorporating a fiber optic displacement sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Husna Abdul; Harun, Sulaiman Wadi; Arof, Hamzah; Irawati, Ninik; Musirin, Ismail; Ibrahim, Fatimah; Ahmad, Harith

    2014-05-01

    An enhanced dental cavity diameter measurement mechanism using an intensity-modulated fiber optic displacement sensor (FODS) scanning and imaging system, fuzzy logic as well as a single-layer perceptron (SLP) neural network, is presented. The SLP network was employed for the classification of the reflected signals, which were obtained from the surfaces of teeth samples and captured using FODS. Two features were used for the classification of the reflected signals with one of them being the output of a fuzzy logic. The test results showed that the combined fuzzy logic and SLP network methodology contributed to a 100% classification accuracy of the network. The high-classification accuracy significantly demonstrates the suitability of the proposed features and classification using SLP networks for classifying the reflected signals from teeth surfaces, enabling the sensor to accurately measure small diameters of tooth cavity of up to 0.6 mm. The method remains simple enough to allow its easy integration in existing dental restoration support systems.

  18. Surface reflectance drives nest box temperature profiles and thermal suitability for target wildlife.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen R Griffiths

    Full Text Available Thermal properties of tree hollows play a major role in survival and reproduction of hollow-dependent fauna. Artificial hollows (nest boxes are increasingly being used to supplement the loss of natural hollows; however, the factors that drive nest box thermal profiles have received surprisingly little attention. We investigated how differences in surface reflectance influenced temperature profiles of nest boxes painted three different colors (dark-green, light-green, and white: total solar reflectance 5.9%, 64.4%, and 90.3% respectively using boxes designed for three groups of mammals: insectivorous bats, marsupial gliders and brushtail possums. Across the three different box designs, dark-green (low reflectance boxes experienced the highest average and maximum daytime temperatures, had the greatest magnitude of variation in daytime temperatures within the box, and were consistently substantially warmer than light-green boxes (medium reflectance, white boxes (high reflectance, and ambient air temperatures. Results from biophysical model simulations demonstrated that variation in diurnal temperature profiles generated by painting boxes either high or low reflectance colors could have significant ecophysiological consequences for animals occupying boxes, with animals in dark-green boxes at high risk of acute heat-stress and dehydration during extreme heat events. Conversely in cold weather, our modelling indicated that there are higher cumulative energy costs for mammals, particularly smaller animals, occupying light-green boxes. Given their widespread use as a conservation tool, we suggest that before boxes are installed, consideration should be given to the effect of color on nest box temperature profiles, and the resultant thermal suitability of boxes for wildlife, particularly during extremes in weather. Managers of nest box programs should consider using several different colors and installing boxes across a range of both orientations and

  19. Urban Surface Water Quality, Flood Water Quality and Human Health Impacts in Chinese Cities. What Do We Know?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuhan Rui

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Climate change and urbanization have led to an increase in the frequency of extreme water related events such as flooding, which has negative impacts on the environment, economy and human health. With respect to the latter, our understanding of the interrelationship between flooding, urban surface water and human health is still very limited. More in-depth research in this area is needed to further strengthen the process of planning and implementation of responses to mitigate the negative health impacts of flooding in urban areas. The objective of this paper is to assess the state of the research on the interrelationship between surface water quality, flood water quality and human health in urban areas based on the published literature. These insights will be instrumental in identifying and prioritizing future research needs in this area. In this study, research publications in the domain of urban flooding, surface water quality and human health were collated using keyword searches. A detailed assessment of these publications substantiated the limited number of publications focusing on the link between flooding and human health. There was also an uneven geographical distribution of the study areas, as most of the studies focused on developed countries. A few studies have focused on developing countries, although the severity of water quality issues is higher in these countries. The study also revealed a disparity of research in this field across regions in China as most of the studies focused on the populous south-eastern region of China. The lack of studies in some regions has been attributed to the absence of flood water quality monitoring systems which allow the collection of real-time water quality monitoring data during flooding in urban areas. The widespread implementation of cost effective real-time water quality monitoring systems which are based on the latest remote or mobile phone based data acquisition techniques is recommended

  20. IMPROVING THE ACCURACY OF EXTRACTING SURFACE WATER QUALITY LEVELS (SWQLs USING REMOTE SENSING AND ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK: A CASE STUDY IN THE SAINT JOHN RIVER, CANADA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. Sharaf El Din

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Delineating accurate surface water quality levels (SWQLs always presents a great challenge to researchers. Existing methods of assessing surface water quality only provide individual concentrations of monitoring stations without providing the overall SWQLs. Therefore, the results of existing methods are usually difficult to be understood by decision-makers. Conversely, the water quality index (WQI can simplify surface water quality assessment process to be accessible to decision-makers. However, in most cases, the WQI reflects inaccurate SWQLs due to the lack of representative water samples. It is very challenging to provide representative water samples because this process is costly and time consuming. To solve this problem, we introduce a cost-effective method which combines the Landsat-8 imagery and artificial intelligence to develop models to derive representative water samples by correlating concentrations of ground truth water samples to satellite spectral information. Our method was validated and the correlation between concentrations of ground truth water samples and predicted concentrations from the developed models reached a high level of coefficient of determination (R2 > 0.80, which is trustworthy. Afterwards, the predicted concentrations over each pixel of the study area were used as an input to the WQI developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to extract accurate SWQLs, for drinking purposes, in the Saint John River. The results indicated that SWQL was observed as 67 (Fair and 59 (Marginal for the lower and middle basins of the river, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of using our approach in surface water quality management.

  1. Improving the Accuracy of Extracting Surface Water Quality Levels (SWQLs) Using Remote Sensing and Artificial Neural Network: a Case Study in the Saint John River, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sammartano, G.; Spanò, A.

    2017-09-01

    Delineating accurate surface water quality levels (SWQLs) always presents a great challenge to researchers. Existing methods of assessing surface water quality only provide individual concentrations of monitoring stations without providing the overall SWQLs. Therefore, the results of existing methods are usually difficult to be understood by decision-makers. Conversely, the water quality index (WQI) can simplify surface water quality assessment process to be accessible to decision-makers. However, in most cases, the WQI reflects inaccurate SWQLs due to the lack of representative water samples. It is very challenging to provide representative water samples because this process is costly and time consuming. To solve this problem, we introduce a cost-effective method which combines the Landsat-8 imagery and artificial intelligence to develop models to derive representative water samples by correlating concentrations of ground truth water samples to satellite spectral information. Our method was validated and the correlation between concentrations of ground truth water samples and predicted concentrations from the developed models reached a high level of coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.80, which is trustworthy. Afterwards, the predicted concentrations over each pixel of the study area were used as an input to the WQI developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to extract accurate SWQLs, for drinking purposes, in the Saint John River. The results indicated that SWQL was observed as 67 (Fair) and 59 (Marginal) for the lower and middle basins of the river, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of using our approach in surface water quality management.

  2. Model for the ultrasound reflection from micro-beads and cells distributed in layers on a uniform surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Couture, O; Cherin, E; Foster, F S [Imaging Research, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre/University of Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

    2007-07-21

    A model predicting the reflection of ultrasound from multiple layers of small scattering spheres is developed. Predictions of the reflection coefficient, which takes into account the interferences between the different sphere layers, are compared to measurements performed in the 10-80 MHz and 15-35 MHz frequency range with layers of glass beads and spherical acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, respectively. For both types of scatterers, the reflection coefficient increases as a function of their density on the surface for less than three superimposed layers, at which point it saturates at 0.38 for glass beads and 0.02 for AML cells. Above three layers, oscillations of the reflection coefficient due to constructive or destructive interference between layers are observed experimentally and are accurately predicted by the model. The use of such a model could lead to a better understanding of the structures observed in layered tissue images.

  3. Surface topography analysis for dimensional quality control of replication at the micrometre scale

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Balcon, M.; Marinello, F.; Tosello, Guido

    2011-01-01

    Replication of geometrical features and surfaces are present at different production levels, from realization of moulds to final product. Geometrical features must be reproduced within specification limits, to ensure product functionality . In order to control the replication quality, mould...... and replica surfaces must be quantitatively analysed and compared. In the present work, reference simulated surfaces were considered and studied in order to evaluate the effectiveness and traceability of different analysis tools for replication quality control. Topographies were analysed simulating different...

  4. IRAS surface brightness maps of visible reflection nebulae: evidence for non-equilibrium infrared emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castelaz, M.W.; Werner, M.W.; Sellgren, K.

    1986-01-01

    Surface brightness maps at 12, 25, 60, and 100 microns of 16 visible reflection nebulae were extracted from the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) database. The maps were produced by coadding IRAS survey scans over areas centered on the illuminating stars, and have spatial resolutions of 0.9' x 4' at 12 and 25 microns, 1.8' x 4.5' at 60 microns, and 3.6' x 5' at 100 microns. Extended emission in the four IRAS bandpasses was detected in fourteen of the reflection nebulae. The IRAS data were used to measure the flux of the infrared emission associated with each source. The energy distributions show that the 12 micron flux is greater than the 25 micron flux in 11 of the nebulae, and the peak flux occurs in the 60 or 100 micron bandpass in all 16 nebular. The 60 and 100 micron flux can be approximated by blackbodies with temperatures between 30 and 50 K, consistent with temperatures expected from extrapolation of greybody fits to the 60 and 100 micron data. The excess 12 and 25 micron emission is attributed to a nonequilibrium process such as emission from thermal fluctuations of very small grains excited by single ultraviolet photons, or emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) excited by ultraviolet radiation. The common features of the energy distributions of the 16 reflection nebulae, also seen in the reflection nebulae associated with the Pleiades, suggest that PAHs or very small grains may be found in most reflection nebulae

  5. CLARA-SAL: a global 28 yr timeseries of Earth's black-sky surface albedo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Riihelä

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available We present a novel 28 yr dataset of Earth's black-sky surface albedo, derived from AVHRR instruments. The dataset is created using algorithms to separately derive the surface albedo for different land use areas globally. Snow, sea ice, open water and vegetation are all treated independently. The product features corrections for the atmospheric effect in satellite-observed surface radiances, a BRDF correction for the anisotropic reflectance properties of natural surfaces, and a novel topography correction of geolocation and radiometric accuracy of surface reflectance observations over mountainous areas. The dataset is based on a homogenized AVHRR radiance timeseries. The product is validated against quality-controlled in situ observations of clear-sky surface albedo at various BSRN sites around the world. Snow and ice albedo retrieval validation is given particular attention using BSRN sites over Antarctica, Greenland Climate Network stations on the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS, as well as sea ice albedo data from the SHEBA and Tara expeditions. The product quality is found to be comparable to other previous long-term surface albedo datasets from AVHRR.

  6. Structured light optical microscopy for three-dimensional reconstruction of technical surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kettel, Johannes; Reinecke, Holger; Müller, Claas

    2016-04-01

    In microsystems technology quality control of micro structured surfaces with different surface properties is playing an ever more important role. The process of quality control incorporates three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of specularand diffusive reflecting technical surfaces. Due to the demand on high measurement accuracy and data acquisition rates, structured light optical microscopy has become a valuable solution to solve this problem providing high vertical and lateral resolution. However, 3D reconstruction of specular reflecting technical surfaces still remains a challenge to optical measurement principles. In this paper we present a measurement principle based on structured light optical microscopy which enables 3D reconstruction of specular- and diffusive reflecting technical surfaces. It is realized using two light paths of a stereo microscope equipped with different magnification levels. The right optical path of the stereo microscope is used to project structured light onto the object surface. The left optical path is used to capture the structured illuminated object surface with a camera. Structured light patterns are generated by a Digital Light Processing (DLP) device in combination with a high power Light Emitting Diode (LED). Structured light patterns are realized as a matrix of discrete light spots to illuminate defined areas on the object surface. The introduced measurement principle is based on multiple and parallel processed point measurements. Analysis of the measured Point Spread Function (PSF) by pattern recognition and model fitting algorithms enables the precise calculation of 3D coordinates. Using exemplary technical surfaces we demonstrate the successful application of our measurement principle.

  7. Estimation of Melt Ponds over Arctic Sea Ice using MODIS Surface Reflectance Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Y.; Cheng, X.; Liu, J.

    2017-12-01

    Melt ponds over Arctic sea ice is one of the main factors affecting variability of surface albedo, increasing absorption of solar radiation and further melting of snow and ice. In recent years, a large number of melt ponds have been observed during the melt season in Arctic. Moreover, some studies have suggested that late spring to mid summer melt ponds information promises to improve the prediction skill of seasonal Arctic sea ice minimum. In the study, we extract the melt pond fraction over Arctic sea ice since 2000 using three bands MODIS weekly surface reflectance data by considering the difference of spectral reflectance in ponds, ice and open water. The preliminary comparison shows our derived Arctic-wide melt ponds are in good agreement with that derived by the University of Hamburg, especially at the pond distribution. We analyze seasonal evolution, interannual variability and trend of the melt ponds, as well as the changes of onset and re-freezing. The melt pond fraction shows an asymmetrical growth and decay pattern. The observed melt ponds fraction is almost within 25% in early May and increases rapidly in June and July with a high fraction of more than 40% in the east of Greenland and Beaufort Sea. A significant increasing trend in the melt pond fraction is observed for the period of 2000-2017. The relationship between melt pond fraction and sea ice extent will be also discussed. Key Words: melt ponds, sea ice, Arctic

  8. Surface Quality of Staggered PCD End Mill in Milling of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guangjun Liu

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Machined surface quality determines the reliability, wear resistance and service life of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP workpieces. In this work, the formation mechanism of the surface topography and the machining defects of CFRPs are proposed, and the influence of milling parameters and fiber cutting angles on the surface quality of CFRPs is obtained, which can provide a reference for extended tool life and good surface quality. Trimming and slot milling tests of unidirectional CFRP laminates are performed. The surface roughness of the machined surface is measured, and the influence of milling parameters on the surface roughness is analyzed. A regression model for the surface roughness of CFRP milling is established. A significance test of the regression model is conducted. The machined surface topography of milling CFRP unidirectional laminates with different fiber orientations is analyzed, and the effect of fiber cutting angle on the surface topography of the machined surface is presented by using a digital super depth-of-field microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM. To study the influence of fiber cutting angle on machining defects, the machined topography under different fiber orientations is analyzed. The slot milling defects and their formation mechanism under different fiber cutting angles are investigated.

  9. Use of pre-pulse in laser spot welding of materials with high optical reflection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mys, Ihor; Geiger, Manfred

    2003-11-01

    Laser micro welding has become a standard manufacturing technique, particularly in industry sectors, such as automotive and aerospace electronics or medical devices, where the requirements for strength, miniaturization and temperature resistance are constantly rising. So far the use of laser micro welding is limited due to the fluctuation of the quality of the welded joints, because the welding results for material with high optical reflection and thermal conductivity, such as copper and copper alloys, depend very strongly on the condition of the material surface. This paper presents investigations on the use of a laser pre-pulse in spot welding of electronic materials with Nd:YAG laser. In order to achieve reproducible joining results two strategies are followed-up. The first one utilizes a reflection-based process control for measuring the reflection during the short pre-pulse. The intensity of the reflected light is used to calculate an appropriated welding pulse power, which corresponds to the measured relative absorption. Adjustment of laser parameters according to the condition of the surface is done in real time before laser main pulse. A second possibility for the stabilization of copper welding is the employment of a short and powerful laser pre-pulse before laser main pulse. This pre-pulse affects the workpiece surface and creates more reproducible absorption conditions for the main pulse, independent from the initial situation on material surface.

  10. Capabilities of using white x-rays for the reconstruction of surface morphology from coherent reflectivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sant, Tushar, E-mail: tushar@physik.uni-siegen.de [Solid State Physics Group, University of Siegen, 57068 Siegen (Germany); Panzner, Tobias [Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland); Pietsch, Ullrich [Solid State Physics Group, University of Siegen, 57068 Siegen (Germany)

    2010-10-15

    We present a new method to reconstruct the surface profile of a sample from coherent reflectivity data of a white x-ray beam experiment. As an example the surface profile of a laterally confined silicon wafer has been reconstructed quantitatively from static speckle measurements using white coherent x-rays from a bending magnet in the energy range between 5 < E < 20 keV. As a consequence of using white radiation, speckles appear in addition to the Airy pattern caused by scattering at the entrance pinhole. Nevertheless, the surface profile of a triangularly shaped specimen was reconstructed considering sufficient oversampling between the beam-footprint and the effective sample width. For the profile reconstruction the Error-Reduction phase retrieval algorithm was modified by including the spectral illumination function and a Fresnel propagator term. The simultaneous use of different x-ray energies having different penetration depth provides information on the evolution of the surface profile from the near-surface towards the bulk. The limitations of present experiment can be overcome using white or pink radiation from a source with higher photon flux.

  11. Highly directive Fabry-Perot leaky-wave nanoantennas based on optical partially reflective surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lorente-Crespo, M.; Mateo-Segura, C., E-mail: C.Mateo-Segura@hw.ac.uk [Institute of Sensors, Signals and Systems, Heriot-Watt University, EH14 4AS Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

    2015-05-04

    Nanoantennas enhance the conversion between highly localized electromagnetic fields and far-field radiation. Here, we investigate the response of a nano-patch partially reflective surface backed with a silver mirror to an optical source embedded at the centre of the structure. Using full wave simulations, we demonstrate a two orders of magnitude increased directivity compared to the isotropic radiator, 50% power confinement to a 13.8° width beam and a ±16 nm bandwidth. Our antenna does not rely on plasmonic phenomena thus reducing non-radiative losses and conserving source coherence.

  12. Monitoring surface water quality using social media in the context of citizen science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Hang; Hong, Yang; Long, Di; Jing, Hua

    2017-02-01

    Surface water quality monitoring (SWQM) provides essential information for water environmental protection. However, SWQM is costly and limited in terms of equipment and sites. The global popularity of social media and intelligent mobile devices with GPS and photography functions allows citizens to monitor surface water quality. This study aims to propose a method for SWQM using social media platforms. Specifically, a WeChat-based application platform is built to collect water quality reports from volunteers, which have been proven valuable for water quality monitoring. The methods for data screening and volunteer recruitment are discussed based on the collected reports. The proposed methods provide a framework for collecting water quality data from citizens and offer a primary foundation for big data analysis in future research.

  13. Surface and groundwater quality assessment of Marikina river

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dela Pena, Jowell P.; Pael, Limela G.

    2009-03-01

    The study used the physico-chemical characteristics to determine the degree of pollution in different surface and groundwater sources in Marikina. The hydrogen ion concentration in all the stations for surface water was generally basic ranging from 7.24 to 7.44, while conductivity was observed to be highest in Royal Ville station that has a value of 253 μ/cm. Among the four stations in groundwater which obtained an acidic pH, Brgy. Singkamas deep-well has a neutral value. The conductivity was observed to be highest in Brgy. Conception which has a value of 1026 μ/cm. The major ions result showed that the three stations from Marikina River have conformed to the water quality criteria for fresh waters set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, while results from different deep-well stations showed that among four stations, Brgy. Singkamas and Conception deep-well have exceeded the recommended value concentration for drinking water quality standards. The multi-element results were obtained from an Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Results showed that significant concentrations of metals like Al, Cd, Cr, Fe, and Pb in both surface and groundwater stations have exceeded the maximum concentrations set by both DENR and PNSDW. The significant differences in the concentrations of physico-chemical components facilitate detection of contamination from domestic and industrial wastes. (author)

  14. Improved surface quality of anisotropically etched silicon {111} planes for mm-scale optics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cotter, J P; Hinds, E A; Zeimpekis, I; Kraft, M

    2013-01-01

    We have studied the surface quality of millimetre-scale optical mirrors produced by etching CZ and FZ silicon wafers in potassium hydroxide to expose the {111} planes. We find that the FZ surfaces have four times lower noise power at spatial frequencies up to 500 mm −1 . We conclude that mirrors made using FZ wafers have higher optical quality. (technical note)

  15. The conditions for total reflection of low-energy atoms from crystal surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, M.; Robinson, M.T.

    1978-01-01

    The critical angles for the total reflection of low-energy particles from Cu rows and (001) planes have been investigated, using the binary collision approximation computer simulation code MARLOWE Breakthrough angles were evaluated for H, N, Ne, Ar, Cu, Xe, and Au in the energy range from 0.1 to 7.5 keV. In both the axial and the planar cases, recoiling of the target atoms lowers the energy barrier which the target surface presents to the heavy projectiles. Consequently, the breakthrough angles are reduced for heavy projectiles below the values expected either from observations on light projectiles or from analytical channeling theory. (orig.) [de

  16. Red-Edge Spectral Reflectance as an Indicator of Surface Moisture Content in an Alaskan Peatland Ecosystem

    Science.gov (United States)

    McPartland, M.; Kane, E. S.; Turetsky, M. R.; Douglass, T.; Falkowski, M. J.; Montgomery, R.; Edwards, J.

    2015-12-01

    Arctic and boreal peatlands serve as major reservoirs of terrestrial organic carbon (C) because Net Primary Productivity (NPP) outstrips C loss from decomposition over long periods of time. Peatland productivity varies as a function of water table position and surface moisture content, making C storage in these systems particularly vulnerable to the climate warming and drying predicted for high latitudes. Detailed spatial knowledge of how aboveground vegetation communities respond to changes in hydrology would allow for ecosystem response to environmental change to be measured at the landscape scale. This study leverages remotely sensed data along with field measurements taken at the Alaska Peatland Experiment (APEX) at the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research site to examine relationships between plant solar reflectance and surface moisture. APEX is a decade-long experiment investigating the effects of hydrologic change on peatland ecosystems using water table manipulation treatments (raised, lowered, and control). Water table levels were manipulated throughout the 2015 growing season, resulting in a maximum separation of 35 cm between raised and lowered treatment plots. Water table position, soil moisture content, depth to seasonal ice, soil temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), CO2 and CH4 fluxes were measured as predictors of C loss through decomposition and NPP. Vegetation was surveyed for percent cover of plant functional types. Remote sensing data was collected during peak growing season, when the separation between treatment plots was at maximum difference. Imagery was acquired via a SenseFly eBee airborne platform equipped with a Canon S110 red-edge camera capable of detecting spectral reflectance from plant tissue at 715 nm band center to within centimeters of spatial resolution. Here, we investigate empirical relationships between spectral reflectance, water table position, and surface moisture in relation to peat carbon balance.

  17. A Harmonized Landsat-Sentinel-2 Surface Reflectance product: a resource for Agricultural Monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masek, J. G.; Claverie, M.; Ju, J.; Vermote, E.; Justice, C. O.

    2015-12-01

    The combination of Landsat and Sentinel-2 data offers a unique opportunity to observe globally the land every 2-3 days at medium (reflectance data from Landsat and Sentinel-2 missions and to deliver them to the community in a combined, seamless form. The HLS will be beneficial for global agricultural monitoring applications that require medium spatial resolution and weekly or more frequent observations. In particular, the provided opportunity to track crop phenology at the scale of individual fields will support detailed mapping of crop type and type-specific vegetation conditions. To create a compatible set of radiometric measurements, the HLS product relies on rigorous pre- and post-launch cross-calibration (Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2 MSI) activities. The processing chain includes the following components: atmospheric correction, cloud/shadow masking, nadir BRDF-adjustment, spectral-adjustment, regridding, and temporal composite. The atmospheric correction and cloud masking is based on the OLI atmospheric correction developed at NASA-GSFC and has been adapted to the MSI data. The BRDF-adjustment is based on a disaggregation technique using MODIS-based BRDF coefficients. The technique has been evaluated using the multi-angular acquisition from the SPOT 4 and 5 (Take5) experiments. The spectral-adjustment relies on a linear regression that has been calibrated and evaluated using synthetic data and surface reflectance processed from a large number of hyperspectral EO-1 Hyperion scenes. Finally, significant effort is placed on product validation and evaluation. The delivered data set will include surface reflectance products at different levels: Using the native gridding, i.e. UTM, 30m for Landsat-8, and UTM, 10-20m for Sentinel-2 Using a common global gridding (Sinusoidal, 30m) Temporal composite (Sinusoidal, 30m, 5-day) During the first year of operation of Sentinel-2A, the HLS will be prototyped over a selection of 30 sites that includes some of the JECAM sites

  18. Monitoring surface-water quality in Arizona: the fixed-station network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadayon, Saeid

    2000-01-01

    Arizona is an arid State in which economic development is influenced largely by the quantity and quality of water and the location of adequate water supplies. In 1995, surface water supplied about 58 percent of total withdrawals in Arizona. Of the total amount of surface water used in 1995, about 89 percent was for agriculture, 10 percent for public supply, and 1 percent for industrial supply (including mining and thermoelectric; Solley and others, 1998). As a result of rapid population growth in Arizona, historic agricultural lands in the Phoenix (Maricopa County) and Tucson (Pima County) areas are now being developed for residential and commercial use; thus, the amount of water used for public supply is increasing. The Clean Water Act was established by U.S. Congress (1972) in response to public concern about water-pollution control. The act defines a process by which the United States Congress and the citizens are informed of the Nation’s progress in restoring and maintaining the quality of our waters. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is the State-designated agency for this process and, as a result, has developed a monitoring program to assess water quality in Arizona. The ADEQ is required to submit a water-quality assessment report to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) every 2 years. The USEPA summarizes the reports from each State and submits a report to the Congress characterizing water quality in the United States. These reports serve to inform Congress and the public of the Nation’s progress toward the restoration and maintenance of water quality in the United States (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, 1998).

  19. Observations of discrete energy loss effects in spectra of positrons reflected from solid surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dale, J.M.; Hulett, L.D.; Pendyala, S.

    1980-01-01

    Surfaces of tungsten and silicon have been bombarded with monoenergetic beams of positrons and electrons. Spectra of reflected particles show energy loss tails with discrete peaks at kinetic energies about 15 eV lower than that of the elastic peaks. In the higher energy loss range for tungsten, positron spectra show fine structure that is not apparent in the electron spectra. This suggests that the positrons are losing energy through mechanisms different from that of the electrons

  20. Airborne hyperspectral observations of surface and cloud directional reflectivity using a commercial digital camera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Ehrlich

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Spectral radiance measurements by a digital single-lens reflex camera were used to derive the directional reflectivity of clouds and different surfaces in the Arctic. The camera has been calibrated radiometrically and spectrally to provide accurate radiance measurements with high angular resolution. A comparison with spectral radiance measurements with the Spectral Modular Airborne Radiation measurement sysTem (SMART-Albedometer showed an agreement within the uncertainties of both instruments (6% for both. The directional reflectivity in terms of the hemispherical directional reflectance factor (HDRF was obtained for sea ice, ice-free ocean and clouds. The sea ice, with an albedo of ρ = 0.96 (at 530 nm wavelength, showed an almost isotropic HDRF, while sun glint was observed for the ocean HDRF (ρ = 0.12. For the cloud observations with ρ = 0.62, the cloudbow – a backscatter feature typically for scattering by liquid water droplets – was covered by the camera. For measurements above heterogeneous stratocumulus clouds, the required number of images to obtain a mean HDRF that clearly exhibits the cloudbow has been estimated at about 50 images (10 min flight time. A representation of the HDRF as a function of the scattering angle only reduces the image number to about 10 (2 min flight time.

    The measured cloud and ocean HDRF have been compared to radiative transfer simulations. The ocean HDRF simulated with the observed surface wind speed of 9 m s−1 agreed best with the measurements. For the cloud HDRF, the best agreement was obtained by a broad and weak cloudbow simulated with a cloud droplet effective radius of Reff = 4 μm. This value agrees with the particle sizes derived from in situ measurements and retrieved from the spectral radiance of the SMART-Albedometer.

  1. A prototype for automation of land-cover products from Landsat Surface Reflectance Data Records

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rover, J.; Goldhaber, M. B.; Steinwand, D.; Nelson, K.; Coan, M.; Wylie, B. K.; Dahal, D.; Wika, S.; Quenzer, R.

    2014-12-01

    Landsat data records of surface reflectance provide a three-decade history of land surface processes. Due to the vast number of these archived records, development of innovative approaches for automated data mining and information retrieval were necessary. Recently, we created a prototype utilizing open source software libraries for automatically generating annual Anderson Level 1 land cover maps and information products from data acquired by the Landsat Mission for the years 1984 to 2013. The automated prototype was applied to two target areas in northwestern and east-central North Dakota, USA. The approach required the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) and two user-input target acquisition year-days. The Landsat archive was mined for scenes acquired within a 100-day window surrounding these target dates, and then cloud-free pixels where chosen closest to the specified target acquisition dates. The selected pixels were then composited before completing an unsupervised classification using the NLCD. Pixels unchanged in pairs of the NLCD were used for training decision tree models in an iterative process refined with model confidence measures. The decision tree models were applied to the Landsat composites to generate a yearly land cover map and related information products. Results for the target areas captured changes associated with the recent expansion of oil shale production and agriculture driven by economics and policy, such as the increase in biofuel production and reduction in Conservation Reserve Program. Changes in agriculture, grasslands, and surface water reflect the local hydrological conditions that occurred during the 29-year span. Future enhancements considered for this prototype include a web-based client, ancillary spatial datasets, trends and clustering algorithms, and the forecasting of future land cover.

  2. Relation between seasonally detrended shortwave infrared reflectance data and land surface moisture in semi-arid Sahel

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Jørgen Lundegaard; Ceccato, Pietro; Proud, Simon Richard

    2013-01-01

    in vegetation moisture status, and is compared to detrended time series of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). It was found that when plant available water is low, the SIWSI anomalies increase over time, while the NDVI anomalies decrease over time, but less systematically. Therefore SIWSI may......In the Sudano-Sahelian areas of Africa droughts can have serious impacts on natural resources, and therefore land surface moisture is an important factor. Insufficient conventional sites for monitoring land surface moisture make the use of Earth Observation data for this purpose a key issue...... Second Generation (MSG) satellite. We focused on responses in surface reflectance to soil- and surface moisture for bare soil and early to mid- growing season. A method for implementing detrended time series of the Shortwave Infrared Water Stress Index (SIWSI) is examined for detecting variations...

  3. Quality factor due to roughness scattering of shear horizontal surface acoustic waves in nanoresonators

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palasantzas, G.

    2008-01-01

    In this work we study the quality factor associated with dissipation due to scattering of shear horizontal surface acoustic waves by random self-affine roughness. It is shown that the quality factor is strongly influenced by both the surface roughness exponent H and the roughness amplitude w to

  4. Temporal variability in groundwater and surface water quality in humid agricultural catchments; Driving processes and consequences for regional water quality monitoring

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rozemeijer, Joachim; Van Der Velde, Ype

    2014-01-01

    Considering the large temporal variability in surface water quality is essential for adequate water quality policy and management. Neglecting these dynamics may easily lead to decreased effectiveness of measures to improve water quality and to inefficient water quality monitoring. The objective of

  5. Temporal variability in groundwater and surface water quality in humid agricultural catchments; driving processes and consequences for regional water quality monitoring

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rozemeijer, J.; Velde, van der Y.

    2014-01-01

    Considering the large temporal variability in surface water quality is essential for adequate water quality policy and management. Neglecting these dynamics may easily lead to decreased effectiveness of measures to improve water quality and to inefficient water quality monitoring. The objective of

  6. Modeling the Anisotropic Reflectance of a Surface with Microstructure Engineered to Obtain Visible Contrast after Rotation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Luongo, Andrea; Falster, Viggo; Doest, Mads Emil Brix

    2017-01-01

    in previous work. The benefit of an analytical model like the one we provide is its potential to be used in computer vision for estimating the quality of a surface sample. The quality of a sample is indicated by the resemblance of camera-based contrast measurements with contrasts predicted for an idealized...

  7. Low reflectance radio frequency load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ives, R. Lawrence; Mizuhara, Yosuke M

    2014-04-01

    A load for traveling microwave energy has an absorptive volume defined by cylindrical body enclosed by a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap has an aperture for the passage of an input waveguide with a rotating part that is coupled to a reflective mirror. The inner surfaces of the absorptive volume consist of a resistive material or are coated with a coating which absorbs a fraction of incident RF energy, and the remainder of the RF energy reflects. The angle of the reflector and end caps is selected such that reflected RF energy dissipates an increasing percentage of the remaining RF energy at each reflection, and the reflected RF energy which returns to the rotating mirror is directed to the back surface of the rotating reflector, and is not coupled to the input waveguide. Additionally, the reflector may have a surface which generates a more uniform power distribution function axially and laterally, to increase the power handling capability of the RF load. The input waveguide may be corrugated for HE11 mode input energy.

  8. Research on the effect of coverage rate on the surface quality in laser direct writing process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Xuetao; Tu, Dawei

    2017-07-01

    Direct writing technique is usually used in femtosecond laser two-photon micromachining. The size of the scanning step is an important factor affecting the surface quality and machining efficiency of micro devices. According to the mechanism of two-photon polymerization, combining the distribution function of light intensity and the free radical concentration theory, we establish the mathematical model of coverage of solidification unit, then analyze the effect of coverage on the machining quality and efficiency. Using the principle of exposure equivalence, we also obtained the analytic expressions of the relationship among the surface quality characteristic parameters of microdevices and the scanning step, and carried out the numerical simulation and experiment. The results show that the scanning step has little influence on the surface quality of the line when it is much smaller than the size of the solidification unit. However, with increasing scanning step, the smoothness of line surface is reduced rapidly, and the surface quality becomes much worse.

  9. Responses of Surface Ozone Air Quality to Anthropogenic Nitrogen Deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, L.; Zhao, Y.; Tai, A. P. K.; Chen, Y.; Pan, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Human activities have substantially increased atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen to the Earth's surface, inducing unintentional effects on ecosystems with complex environmental and climate consequences. One consequence remaining unexplored is how surface air quality might respond to the enhanced nitrogen deposition through surface-atmosphere exchange. We combine a chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) and a global land model (Community Land Model) to address this issue with a focus on ozone pollution in the Northern Hemisphere. We consider three processes that are important for surface ozone and can be perturbed by addition of atmospheric deposited nitrogen: emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone dry deposition, and soil nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. We find that present-day anthropogenic nitrogen deposition (65 Tg N a-1 to the land), through enhancing plant growth (represented as increases in vegetation leaf area index (LAI) in the model), could increase surface ozone from increased biogenic VOC emissions, but could also decrease ozone due to higher ozone dry deposition velocities. Meanwhile, deposited anthropogenic nitrogen to soil enhances soil NOx emissions. The overall effect on summer mean surface ozone concentrations show general increases over the globe (up to 1.5-2.3 ppbv over the western US and South Asia), except for some regions with high anthropogenic NOx emissions (0.5-1.0 ppbv decreases over the eastern US, Western Europe, and North China). We compare the surface ozone changes with those driven by the past 20-year climate and historical land use changes. We find that the impacts from anthropogenic nitrogen deposition can be comparable to the climate and land use driven surface ozone changes at regional scales, and partly offset the surface ozone reductions due to land use changes reported in previous studies. Our study emphasizes the complexity of biosphere-atmosphere interactions, which can have important

  10. Native SrTiO3 (001) surface layer from resonant Ti L2,3 reflectance spectroscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valvidares, Manuel; Huijben, Mark; Yu, Pu; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Kortright, Jeffrey

    2010-11-03

    We quantitatively model resonant Ti L2,3 reflectivity Rs,p(q, hn) from several SrTiO3 (001) single crystals having different initial surface preparations and stored in ambient conditions before and between measurements. All samples exhibit unexpected 300 K Rs(hn) - Rp(hn) anisotropy corresponding to weak linear dichroism and tetragonal distortion of the TiO6 octahedra indicating a surface layer with properties different from cubic SrTiO3. Oscillations in Rs(q) confirm a ubiquitous surface layer 2-3 nm thick that evolves over a range of time scales. Resonant optical constant spectra derived from Rs,p(hn) assuming a uniform sample are refined using a single surface layer to fit measured Rs(q). Differences in surface layer and bulk optical properties indicate that the surface is significantly depleted in Sr and enriched in Ti and O. While consistent with the tendency of SrTiO3 surfaces toward non-stoichiometry, this layer does not conform simply to existing models for the near surface region and apparently forms via room temperature surface reactions with the ambient. This new quantitative spectral modeling approach is generally applicable and has potential to study near-surface properties of a variety of systems with unique chemical and electronic sensitivities.

  11. Conductivity as an indicator of surface water quality in the proximity ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2015-10-05

    Oct 5, 2015 ... FeCr smelting did not significantly impact surface water quality, but that surface run-off and/or groundwater leaching ... (EIAs) were required, or for older FeCr smelters during the .... then used for the determination of conductivity with a Hanna ... significant differences in the conductivity values measured at.

  12. Objective and Subjective Evaluation of Reflecting and Diffusing Surfaces in Auditoria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cox, Trevor John

    Available from UMI in association with The British Library. Requires signed TDF. The performance of reflectors and diffusers used in auditoria have been evaluated both objectively and subjectively. Two accurate systems have been developed to measure the scattering from surfaces via the cross correlation function. These have been used to measure the scattering from plane panels, curved panels and quadratic residue diffusers (QRDs). The scattering measurements have been used to test theoretical prediction methods based on the Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral equation. Accurate prediction methods were found for all surfaces tested. The limitations of the more approximate methods have been defined. The assumptions behind Schroeder's design of the QRD have been tested and the local reacting admittance assumption found to be valid over a wide frequency range. It was found that the QRD only produces uniform scattering at low frequencies. For an on-axis source the scattering from a curved panel was as good as from a QRD. For an oblique source the QRD produced much more uniform scattering than the curved panel. The subjective measurements evaluated the smallest perceivable change in the early sound field, the part most influenced by reflectors and diffusers. A natural sounding simulation of a concert hall field within an anechoic chamber was used. Standard objective parameters were reasonable values when compared to values found in real halls and subjective preference measurements. A difference limen was measured for early lateral energy fraction (.048 +/-.005); inter aural cross correlation (.075 +/-.008); clarity index (.67 +/-.13 dB); and centre time (8.6 +/- 1.6 ms). It was found that: (i) when changes are made to diffusers and reflectors, changes in spatial impression will usually be larger than those in clarity; and (ii) acousticians can gain most by paying attention to lateral sound in auditoria. It was also found that: (i) diffuse reflections in the early sound field

  13. Use of MODIS Terra Imagery to Estimate Surface Water Quality Standards, Using Lake Thonotosassa, Florida, as a Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Max J.; Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z.; Estes, Maurice G., Jr.; Rickman, Douglas L.

    2010-01-01

    Lake Thonotosassa is a highly eutrophied lake located in an area with rapidly growing population in the Tampa Bay watershed, Florida. The Florida Administrative Code has designated its use for "recreation, propagation and maintenance of a healthy, well-balanced population of fish and wildlife." Although this lake has been the subject of efforts to improve water quality since 1970, overall water quality has remained below the acceptable state standards, and has a high concentration of nutrients. This condition is of great concern to public health since it has favored episodic blooms of Cyanobacteria. Some Cyanobacterial species release toxins that can reach humans through drinking water, fish consumption, and direct contact with contaminated water. The lake has been historically popular for fishing and water sports, and its overflow water drains into the Hillsborough River, the main supply of municipal water for the City of Tampa, this explains why it has being constantly monitored in situ for water quality by the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County (EPC). Advances in remote sensing technology, however, open the possibility of facilitating similar types of monitoring in this and similar lakes, further contributing to the implementation of surveillance systems that would benefit not just public health, but also tourism and ecosystems. Although traditional application of this technology to water quality has been focused on much larger coastal water bodies like bays and estuaries, this study evaluates the feasibility of its application on a 46.6 km2 freshwater lake. Using surface reflectance products from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra, this study evaluates associations between remotely sensed data and in situ data from the EPC. The parameters analyzed are the surface water quality standards used by the State of Florida and general indicators of trophic status.

  14. Evaluation of surface quality by Fractal Dimension and Volume ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Experimental and simulation results have enabled to show than the large diameter ball under low loads and medium feed speeds, favors the elimination of peaks and reduction of fractal dimension whence quality improvement of surface. Keywords: burnishing, volume parameters, fractal dimension, experimental designs ...

  15. Enhancing quality of student teachers' practices through reflective ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper explores the role of journal writing in enhancing student teachers' learning during school practice. It analyses data from 22 student teachers' journals and 23 questionnaires. The study focuses on the areas that student teachers reflected on most, the nature of their reflection and the extent to which previous ...

  16. Improving the indoor air quality by using a surface emissions trap

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markowicz, Pawel; Larsson, Lennart

    2015-04-01

    The surface emissions trap, an adsorption cloth developed for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds and particulate matter from surfaces while allowing evaporation of moisture, was used to improve the indoor air quality of a school building with elevated air concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol. An improvement of the perceived air quality was noticed a few days after the device had been attached on the PVC flooring. In parallel, decreased air concentrations of 2-ethyl-1-hexanol were found as well as a linear increase of the amounts of the same compound adsorbed on the installed cloth as observed up to 13 months after installation. Laboratory studies revealed that the performance of the device is not affected by differences in RH (35-85%), temperature (30-40 °C) or by accelerated aging simulating up to 10 years product lifetime, and, from a blinded exposure test, that the device efficiently blocks chemical odors. This study suggests that the device may represent a fast and efficient means of restoring the indoor air quality in a building e.g. after water damage leading to irritating and potentially harmful emissions from building material surfaces indoors.

  17. Impacts of Solid Waste Leachate on Groundwater and Surface Water Quality

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karim, S.

    2010-01-01

    The present investigation was carried out to assess the impacts of solid waste leachate on groundwater and surface water quality at unlined dumping site. Six leachate samples collected from different locations have average values of COD and BOD 2563 mg/L and 442 mg/L, respectively. Surface water samples were collected in two different seasons (rainy and non- rainy). Samples collected during non-rainy season were found to be more contaminated than rainy season. Soil samples collected from the depth of 1.5 m are contaminated with heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Fe and Zn) and E.coli. Presence of E.coli shows that leachate has deteriorated groundwater quality. (author)

  18. Radiative transfer in shrub savanna sites in Niger: preliminary results from HAPEX-Sahel. 1. Modelling surface reflectance using a geometric-optical approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franklin, J.; Duncan, J.; Huete, A.R.; Leeuwen, W.J.D. van; Li, X.; Bégué, A.

    1994-01-01

    To use optical remote sensing to monitor land surface-climate interactions over large areas, algorithms must be developed to relate multispectral measurements to key variables controlling the exchange of matter (water, carbon dioxide) and energy between the land surface and the atmosphere. The proportion of the ground covered by vegetation and the interception of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by vegetation are examples of two variables related to evapotranspiration and primary production, respectively. An areal-proportion model of the multispectral reflectance of shrub savanna, composed of scattered shrubs with a grass, forb or soil understory, predicted the reflectance of two 0.5 km 2 sites as the area-weighted average of the shrub and understory or ‘background’ reflectances. Although the shaded crown and shaded background have darker reflectances, ignoring them in the area-weighted model is not serious when shrub cover is low and solar zenith angle is small. A submodel predicted the reflectance of the shrub crown as a function of the foliage reflectance and amount of plant material within the crown, and the background reflectance scattered or transmitted through canopy gaps (referred to as a soil—plant ‘spectral interaction’ term). One may be able to combine these two models to estimate both the fraction of vegetation cover and interception of PAR by green vegetation in a shrub savanna. (author)

  19. RAINWATER MANAGEMENT AIMING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF URBAN SURFACE RUNOFF

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. HAIDU

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Rainwater Management Aiming to Improve the Quality of Urban Surface Runoff. Currently many urban areas experience the quality degradation of rooftop runoff and accumulated rainwater. The present study aims to estimate the volume of water draining from rooftops within an area of 0.68 km² in the municipality of Cluj-Napoca. The volume of water flowing from rooftops presents a beneficial alternative not only for collecting rainwater for later use, but also for reducing the volume of water and for improving surface runoff quality in urban areas. The procedure was based on the Michel Simplified SCS-CN model, a derived variant of the most popular hydrological model, the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN. The results of the applied method reveal that the highest rooftop runoff water values correspond to the summer months, these being based on daily rainfall data. Estimating the volume of water draining from rooftops for future harvesting is an important step in the sustainable management of rainwater in urban areas and in improving water quality.

  20. Plasma surface reflectance spectroscopy for non-invasive and continuous monitoring of extracellular component of blood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakota, Daisuke; Takatani, Setsuo

    2012-04-01

    To achieve the quantitative optical non-invasive diagnosis of blood during extracorporeal circulation therapies, the instrumental technique to extract extracellular spectra from whole blood was developed. In the circuit, the continuous blood flow was generated by a centrifugal blood pump. The oxygen saturation was maintained 100% by an oxygenator. The developed glass optical flow cell was attached to the outlet tubing of the oxygenator. The halogen lamp including the light from 400 to 900 nm wavelength was used for the light source. The light was guided into an optical fiber. The light emitted by the fiber was collimated and emitted to the flow cell flat surface at the incident angle of 45 degrees. The light just reflected on the boundary between inner surface of the flow cell and plasma at 45 degrees was detected by the detection fiber. The detected light was analyzed by a spectral photometer. The obtained spectrum from 400 to 600nm wavelength was not changed with respect to the hematocrit. In contrast, the signal in the spectral range was changed when the plasma free hemoglobin increased. By using two spectral range, 505+/-5 nm and 542.5+/-2.5 nm, the differential spectrum was correlated with the free hemoglobin at R2=0.99. On the other hand, as for the hematocrit, the differential spectrum was not correlated at R2=0.01. Finally, the plasma free hemoglobin was quantified with the accuracy of 22+/-19mg/dL. The result shows that the developed plasma surface reflectance spectroscopy (PSRS) can extract the plasma spectrum from flowing whole blood.

  1. Evidence for Surface Water Ice in the Lunar Polar Regions Using Reflectance Measurements from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter and Temperature Measurements from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Elizabeth A.; Lucey, Paul G.; Lemelin, Myriam; Greenhagen, Benjamin T.; Siegler, Matthew A.; Mazarico, Erwan; Aharonson, Oded; Williams, Jean-Pierre; Hayne, Paul O.; Neumann, Gregory A.; hide

    2017-01-01

    We find that the reflectance of the lunar surface within 5 deg of latitude of theSouth Pole increases rapidly with decreasing temperature, near approximately 110K, behavior consistent with the presence of surface water ice. The North polar region does not show this behavior, nor do South polar surfaces at latitudes more than 5 deg from the pole. This South pole reflectance anomaly persists when analysis is limited to surfaces with slopes less than 10 deg to eliminate false detection due to the brightening effect of mass wasting, and also when the very bright south polar crater Shackleton is excluded from the analysis. We also find that south polar regions of permanent shadow that have been reported to be generally brighter at 1064 nm do not show anomalous reflectance when their annual maximum surface temperatures are too high to preserve water ice. This distinction is not observed at the North Pole. The reflectance excursion on surfaces with maximum temperatures below 110K is superimposed on a general trend of increasing reflectance with decreasing maximum temperature that is present throughout the polar regions in the north and south; we attribute this trend to a temperature or illumination-dependent space weathering effect (e.g. Hemingway et al. 2015). We also find a sudden increase in reflectance with decreasing temperature superimposed on the general trend at 200K and possibly at 300K. This may indicate the presence of other volatiles such as sulfur or organics. We identified and mapped surfaces with reflectances so high as to be unlikely to be part of an ice-free population. In this south we find a similar distribution found by Hayne et al. 2015 based on UV properties. In the north a cluster of pixels near that pole may represent a limited frost exposure.

  2. Evidence for surface water ice in the lunar polar regions using reflectance measurements from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter and temperature measurements from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisher, Elizabeth A.; Lucey, Paul G.; Lemelin, Myriam; Greenhagen, Benjamin T.; Siegler, Matthew A.; Mazarico, Erwan; Aharonson, Oded; Williams, Jean-Pierre; Hayne, Paul O.; Neumann, Gregory A.; Paige, David A.; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.

    2017-08-01

    We find that the reflectance of the lunar surface within 5° of latitude of the South Pole increases rapidly with decreasing temperature, near ∼110 K, behavior consistent with the presence of surface water ice. The North polar region does not show this behavior, nor do South polar surfaces at latitudes more than 5° from the pole. This South pole reflectance anomaly persists when analysis is limited to surfaces with slopes less than 10° to eliminate false detection due to the brightening effect of mass wasting, and also when the very bright south polar crater Shackleton is excluded from the analysis. We also find that south polar regions of permanent shadow that have been reported to be generally brighter at 1064 nm do not show anomalous reflectance when their annual maximum surface temperatures are too high to preserve water ice. This distinction is not observed at the North Pole. The reflectance excursion on surfaces with maximum temperatures below 110 K is superimposed on a general trend of increasing reflectance with decreasing maximum temperature that is present throughout the polar regions in the north and south; we attribute this trend to a temperature or illumination-dependent space weathering effect (e.g. Hemingway et al., 2015). We also find a sudden increase in reflectance with decreasing temperature superimposed on the general trend at 200 K and possibly at 300 K. This may indicate the presence of other volatiles such as sulfur or organics. We identified and mapped surfaces with reflectances so high as to be unlikely to be part of an ice-free population. In this south we find a similar distribution found by Hayne et al. (2015) based on UV properties. In the north a cluster of pixels near that pole may represent a limited frost exposure.

  3. Improved analytical formulas for x-ray and neutron reflection from surface films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, X.; Chen, S.; Felcher, G.P.

    1992-01-01

    A general and exact expression for x-ray and neutron reflectance and transmittance is given in terms of an integral of the real-space scattering-length-density profile fluctuation of the film, with respect to an arbitrary constant reference density level, over the wave function inside the film. Various special cases and approximations are then derived from this exact form by suitable approximations of the wave function. In particular, two practical approximate formulas are derived which are improvement over the corresponding distorted-wave Born approximations. One is for an arbitrary film deposited on a known substrate and the other for a free liquid surface. Numerical results are used to illustrate the accuracy of these formulas

  4. Surface Quality Improvement of AA6060 Aluminum Extruded Components through Liquid Nitrogen Mold Cooling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Francesco Ciuffini

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available 6xxx aluminum alloys are suitable for the realization of both structural applications and architectural decorative elements, thanks to the combination of high corrosion resistance and good surface finish. In areas where the aesthetic aspects are fundamental, further improvements in surface quality are significant. The cooling of the extrusion mold via internal liquid nitrogen fluxes is emerging as an important innovation in aluminum extrusion. Nowadays, this innovation is providing a large-scale solution to obtain high quality surface finishes in extruded aluminum semi-finished products. These results are also coupled to a significant increase in productivity. The aim of the work is to compare the surface quality of both cooled liquid nitrogen molds and classically extruded products. In this work, adhesion phenomena, occurring during the extrusion between the mold and the flowing material, have been detected as the main causes of the presence of surface defects. The analysis also highlighted a strong increase in the surface quality whenever the extrusion mold was cooled with liquid nitrogen fluxes. This improvement has further been confirmed by an analysis performed on the finished products, after painting and chromium plating. This work on the AA6060 alloy has moreover proceeded to roughness measurements and metallographic analyses, to investigate the eventual occurrence of other possible benefits stemming from this new extrusion mold cooling technology.

  5. Effects of electromagnetic field and lubricate condition on the surface quality of magnesium alloy billet during LFEC processing

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2009-01-01

    The microstructures of the magnesium billets could be improved markedly by low-frequency electro-magnetic casting (LFEC) processing. In fact, the low-frequency electromagnetic field (LFEF) also has favorite effect on the surface quality of billet. However, few public reports on the surface quality of LFEC magnesium billets could be found. Therefore, a new crystallizer with a metal internal sleeve to-gether with a kind of lubricant was designed aiming at lowing surface turning quantity, and the effects of casting velocity, electromagnetic condition and lubrication on the surface quality of magnesium billets were investigated. The results indicate that LFEF together with the lubricate condition would be responsible for the surface quality of the billets, and the high surface quality billets could be achieved by optimizing the casting conditions.

  6. Infrared spectral reflectances of asteroid surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larson, H. P.; Veeder, G. J.

    1979-01-01

    This review compares the types of compositional information produced by three complementary techniques used in infrared observations of asteroid surfaces: broadband JHKL photometry, narrow band photometry, and multiplex spectroscopy. The high information content of these infrared observations permits definitive interpretations of asteroid surface compositions in terms of the major meteoritic minerals (olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase feldspar, hydrous silicates, and metallic Ni-Fe). These studies emphasize the individuality of asteroid surface compositions, the inadequacy of simple comparisons with spectra of meteorites, and the need to coordinate spectral measurements of all types to optimize diagnostic capabilities.

  7. Theory of reflection reflection and transmission of electromagnetic, particle and acoustic waves

    CERN Document Server

    Lekner, John

    2016-01-01

    This book deals with the reflection of electromagnetic and particle waves by interfaces. The interfaces can be sharp or diffuse. The topics of the book contain absorption, inverse problems, anisotropy, pulses and finite beams, rough surfaces, matrix methods, numerical methods,  reflection of particle waves and neutron reflection. Exact general results are presented, followed by long wave reflection, variational theory, reflection amplitude equations of the Riccati type, and reflection of short waves. The Second Edition of the Theory of Reflection is an updated and much enlarged revision of the 1987 monograph. There are new chapters on periodically stratified media, ellipsometry, chiral media, neutron reflection and reflection of acoustic waves. The chapter on anisotropy is much extended, with a complete treatment of the reflection and transmission properties of arbitrarily oriented uniaxial crystals. The book gives a systematic and unified treatment reflection and transmission of electromagnetic and particle...

  8. Nonlinear reflection of a spherically divergent N-wave from a plane surface: Optical interferometry measurements in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karzova, M.; Yuldashev, P.; Khokhlova, V.; Ollivier, S.; Blanc-Benon, Ph.

    2015-01-01

    Mach stem is a well-known structure typically observed in the process of strong (acoustic Mach numbers greater than 0.4) step-shock waves reflection from a rigid boundary. However, this phenomenon has been much less studied for weak shocks in nonlinear acoustic fields where Mach numbers are in the range from 0.001 to 0.01 and pressure waveforms have more complicated waveforms than step shocks. The goal of this work was to demonstrate experimentally how nonlinear reflection occurs in air for very weak spherically divergent acoustic spark-generated pulses resembling an N-wave. Measurements of reflection patterns were performed using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A thin laser beam with sub-millimeter cross-section was used to obtain the time resolution of 0.4 µs, which is 6 times higher than the time resolution of the condenser microphones. Pressure waveforms were reconstructed using the inverse Abel transform applied to the phase of the signal measured by the interferometer. The Mach stem formation was observed experimentally as a result of collision of the incident and reflected shock pulses. It was shown that irregular reflection of the pulse occurred in a dynamic way and the length of the Mach stem increased linearly while the pulse propagated along the surface. Since the front shock of the spark-generated pulse was steeper than the rear shock, irregular type of reflection was observed only for the front shock of the pulse while the rear shock reflection occurred in a regular regime

  9. Nonlinear reflection of a spherically divergent N-wave from a plane surface: Optical interferometry measurements in air

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karzova, M., E-mail: masha@acs366.phys.msu.ru [Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides et d’Acoustique, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully (France); Physics Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Yuldashev, P.; Khokhlova, V. [Physics Faculty, Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Ollivier, S.; Blanc-Benon, Ph. [Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides et d’Acoustique, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, 69134 Ecully (France)

    2015-10-28

    Mach stem is a well-known structure typically observed in the process of strong (acoustic Mach numbers greater than 0.4) step-shock waves reflection from a rigid boundary. However, this phenomenon has been much less studied for weak shocks in nonlinear acoustic fields where Mach numbers are in the range from 0.001 to 0.01 and pressure waveforms have more complicated waveforms than step shocks. The goal of this work was to demonstrate experimentally how nonlinear reflection occurs in air for very weak spherically divergent acoustic spark-generated pulses resembling an N-wave. Measurements of reflection patterns were performed using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. A thin laser beam with sub-millimeter cross-section was used to obtain the time resolution of 0.4 µs, which is 6 times higher than the time resolution of the condenser microphones. Pressure waveforms were reconstructed using the inverse Abel transform applied to the phase of the signal measured by the interferometer. The Mach stem formation was observed experimentally as a result of collision of the incident and reflected shock pulses. It was shown that irregular reflection of the pulse occurred in a dynamic way and the length of the Mach stem increased linearly while the pulse propagated along the surface. Since the front shock of the spark-generated pulse was steeper than the rear shock, irregular type of reflection was observed only for the front shock of the pulse while the rear shock reflection occurred in a regular regime.

  10. ChemCam passive reflectance spectroscopy of surface materials at the Curiosity landing site, Mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Jeffrey R.; Bell, J. F.; Bender, S.; Blaney, D.; Cloutis, E.; DeFlores, L.; Ehlmann, B.; Gasnault, O.; Gondet, B.; Kinch, K.; Lemmon, M.; Le Mouélic, S.; Maurice, S.; Rice, M.; Wiens, R. C.

    2015-03-01

    The spectrometers on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) ChemCam instrument were used in passive mode to record visible/near-infrared (400-840 nm) radiance from the martian surface. Using the onboard ChemCam calibration targets' housing as a reflectance standard, we developed methods to collect, calibrate, and reduce radiance observations to relative reflectance. Such measurements accurately reproduce the known reflectance spectra of other calibration targets on the rover, and represent the highest spatial resolution (0.65 mrad) and spectral sampling (rocks and soils match those from orbital observations and multispectral data from the MSL Mastcam camera. Preliminary analyses of the band depths, spectral slopes, and reflectance ratios of the more than 2000 spectra taken during the first year of MSL operations demonstrate at least six spectral classes of materials distinguished by variations in ferrous and ferric components. Initial comparisons of ChemCam spectra to laboratory spectra of minerals and Mars analog materials demonstrate similarities with palagonitic soils and indications of orthopyroxene in some dark rocks. Magnesium-rich "raised ridges" tend to exhibit distinct near-infrared slopes. The ferric absorption downturn typically found for martian materials at rocks and drill tailings, consistent with their more ferrous nature. Calcium-sulfate veins exhibit the highest relative reflectances observed, but are still relatively red owing to the effects of residual dust. Such dust is overall less prominent on rocks sampled within the "blast zone" immediately surrounding the landing site. These samples were likely affected by the landing thrusters, which partially removed the ubiquitous dust coatings. Increased dust coatings on the calibration targets during the first year of the mission were documented by the ChemCam passive measurements as well. Ongoing efforts to model and correct for this dust component should improve calibration of the relative reflectance

  11. The Effect of Nylon and Polyester Peel Ply Surface Preparation on the Bond Quality of Composite Laminates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moench, Molly K.

    The preparation of the surfaces to be bonded is critical to the success of composite bonds. Peel ply surface preparation is attractive from a manufacturing and quality assurance standpoint, but is a well known example of the extremely system-specific nature of composite bonds. This study examined the role of the surface energy, morphology, and chemistry left by peel ply removal in resulting bond quality. It also evaluated the use of contact angle surface energy measurement techniques for predicting the resulting bond quality of a prepared surface. The surfaces created by preparing three aerospace fiber-reinforced composite prepregs were compared when prepared with a nylon vs a polyester peel ply. The prepared surfaces were characterized with contact angle measurements with multiple fluids, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and x-ray electron spectroscopy. The laminates were bonded with aerospace grade film adhesives. Bond quality was assessed via double cantilever beam testing followed by optical and scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surfaces.The division was clear between strong bonds (GIC of 600- 1000J/m2 and failure in cohesion) and weak bonds (GIC of 80-400J/m2 and failure in adhesion). All prepared laminates showed the imprint of the peel ply texture and evidence of peel ply remnants after fabric removal, either through SEM or XPS. Within an adhesive system, large amounts of SEM-visible peel ply material transfer correlated with poor bond quality and cleaner surfaces with higher bond quality. The both sides of failed weak bonds showed evidence of peel ply remnants under XPS, showing that at least some failure is occurring through the remnants. The choice of adhesive was found to be significant. AF 555 adhesive was more tolerant of peel ply contamination than MB 1515-3. Although the bond quality results varied substantially between tested combinations, the total surface energies of all prepared surfaces were very similar. Single fluid contact angle

  12. Learning How to Write an Academic Text: The Effect of Instructional Method and Reflection on Text Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Loo, Janneke; Krahmer, Emiel; van Amelsvoort, Marije

    2016-01-01

    In this paper we present preliminary results on a study on the effect of instructional method (observational learning and learning by doing) and reflection (yes or no) on academic text quality and self-efficacy beliefs. 56 undergraduate students were assigned to either an observational learning or learning-by-doing condition, with or without…

  13. Surface quality prediction model of nano-composite ceramics in ultrasonic vibration-assisted ELID mirror grinding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Bo; Chen, Fan; Jia, Xiao-feng; Zhao, Chong-yang; Wang, Xiao-bo [Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo (China)

    2017-04-15

    Ultrasonic vibration-assisted Electrolytic in-process dressing (ELID) grinding is a highly efficient and highly precise machining method. The surface quality prediction model in ultrasonic vibration-assisted ELID mirror grinding was studied. First, the interaction between grits and workpiece surface was analyzed according to kinematic mechanics, and the surface roughness model was developed. The variations in surface roughness under different parameters was subsequently calculated and analyzed by MATLAB. Results indicate that compared with the ordinary ELID grinding, ultrasonic vibration-assisted ELID grinding is superior, because it has more stable and better surface quality and has an improved range of ductile machining.

  14. Microbiological quality control of single-walled carbon-nanotubes-coated surfaces experimentally contaminated

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Natalizi, T.; Frioni, A.; Passeri, D.; Pantanella, F.

    2013-01-01

    The emergence of new nanotechnologies involves the spreading of nanoparticles in various fields of human life. Nanoparticles in general and, more specifically, carbon nanotubes have been adopted for many practical approaches i.e.: coatings for medical devices, food process industry and drug delivery. Humans will be increasingly exposed to nanoparticles but the susceptibility of nanostructured materials to microbial colonization in process of manufacturing and storage has not been thoroughly considered. Therefore, the microbiological quality control of nanoparticles plays a pivotal role. Different analytical methods have been attempted for detecting bacterial population contaminating a surface, but no one can be considered fully appropriate. Here, BioTimer Assay (BTA) and conventional sonication followed by colony forming units method (S-CFU) were applied for microbiological quality control of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-coated surfaces experimentally contaminated with Streptococcus mutans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results demonstrated that S-CFU is unreliable to actually determine the number of bacteria, contaminating abiotic surfaces, as it does not detach all adherent bacteria and kills part of the bacterial population. Instead, BTA is a reliable method to enumerate bacteria colonizing SWCNTs-coated surfaces and can be considered a useful tool for microbiological quality control of nanomaterials for human use.

  15. Using Neural Networks to Improve the Performance of Radiative Transfer Modeling Used for Geometry Dependent Surface Lambertian-Equivalent Reflectivity Calculations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fasnacht, Zachary; Qin, Wenhan; Haffner, David P.; Loyola, Diego; Joiner, Joanna; Krotkov, Nickolay; Vasilkov, Alexander; Spurr, Robert

    2017-01-01

    Surface Lambertian-equivalent reflectivity (LER) is important for trace gas retrievals in the direct calculation of cloud fractions and indirect calculation of the air mass factor. Current trace gas retrievals use climatological surface LER's. Surface properties that impact the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) as well as varying satellite viewing geometry can be important for retrieval of trace gases. Geometry Dependent LER (GLER) captures these effects with its calculation of sun normalized radiances (I/F) and can be used in current LER algorithms (Vasilkov et al. 2016). Pixel by pixel radiative transfer calculations are computationally expensive for large datasets. Modern satellite missions such as the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) produce very large datasets as they take measurements at much higher spatial and spectral resolutions. Look up table (LUT) interpolation improves the speed of radiative transfer calculations but complexity increases for non-linear functions. Neural networks perform fast calculations and can accurately predict both non-linear and linear functions with little effort.

  16. Effect of non-uniform surface resistance on the quality factor of superconducting niobium cavity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Weiwei; Lu, Xiangyang; Yang, Ziqin; Zhao, Jifei; Yang, Deyu; Yang, Yujia

    2016-08-01

    The formula Rs = G /Q0 is commonly used in the calculation of the surface resistance of radio frequency niobium superconducting cavities. The applying of such equation is under the assumption that surface resistance is consistent over the cavity. However, the distribution of the magnetic field varies over the cavity. The magnetic field in the equator is much higher than that in the iris. According to Thermal Feedback Theory, it leads non-uniform distribution of the density of heat flux, which results in a different temperature distribution along the cavity inter surface. The BCS surface resistance, which depends largely on the temperature, is different in each local inner surface. In this paper, the effect of surface non-uniform resistance on the quality factor has been studied, through the calculation of Q0 in the original definition of it. The results show that it is necessary to consider the non-uniform distribution of magnetic field when the accelerating field is above 20 MV/m for TESLA cavities. Also, the effect of inhomogeneity of residual resistance on the quality factor is discussed. Its distribution barely affects the quality factor.

  17. Bio-inspired, subwavelength surface structures to control reflectivity, transmission, and scattering in the infrared

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lora Gonzalez, Federico

    Controlling the reflection of visible and infrared (IR) light at interfaces is extremely important to increase the power efficiency and performance of optics, electro-optical and (thermo)photovoltaic systems. The eye of the moth has evolved subwavelength protuberances that increase light transmission into the eye tissue and prevent reflection. The subwavelength protuberances effectively grade the refractive index from that of air (n=1) to that of the tissue (n=1.4), making the interface gradual, suppressing reflection. In theory, the moth-eye (ME) structures can be implemented with any material platform to achieve an antireflectance effect by scaling the pitch and size of protuberances for the wavelength range of interest. In this work, a bio-inspired, scalable and substrate-independent surface modification protocol was developed to realize broadband antireflective structures based on the moth-eye principle. Quasi-ordered ME arrays were fabricated in IR relevant materials using a colloidal lithography method to achieve highly efficient, omni-directional transmission of mid and far infrared (IR) radiation. The effect of structure height and aspect ratio on transmittance and scattering is explored, with discussion on experimental techniques and effective medium theory (EMT). The highest aspect ratio structures (AR = 9.4) achieved peak single-side transmittance of 98%, with >85% transmission for lambda = 7--30 microns. A detailed photon balance constructed by transmission, forward scattering, specular reflection and diffuse reflection measurements to quantify optical losses due to near-field effects will be discussed. In addition, angle-dependent transmission measurements showed that moth-eye structures provide superior antireflective properties compared to unstructured interfaces over a wide angular range (0--60° incidence). Finally, subwavelength ME structures are incorporated on a Si substrate to enhance the absorption of near infrared (NIR) light in PtSi films to

  18. Surface quality inspection of PbWO4 crystals by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mengucci, P.; Di Cristoforo, A.; Lebeau, M.; Majni, G.; Paone, N.; Pietroni, P.; Rinaldi, D.

    2005-01-01

    High-quality scintillating crystals are required for applications in radiographic systems and high-energy physics detectors to achieve the specified optical properties. In order to study the state of the single crystals surface we propose the use of the grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GID) technique. This technique allows performing a depth profiling of the sample by changing the incidence angle of the X-ray beam with respect to the sample surface. In this work, two samples of a large PbWO 4 (PWO) single crystal exhibiting different surface roughness values have been studied. Results have shown that GID is a suitable technique for surface quality inspection

  19. Quality of the surface of Coffea arabica wood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Paulo de Carvalho Braga

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The wood of Coffea arabica L. is considered a a residue of the coffee industry and is widely used as a source of energy. Few studies have shown other destinations such as the manufacture of small objects and furniture with rustic design. The objective of this work was to find the best fit in cutting speed during machining planer trowel the wood of Coffea arabica, taking into consideration the quality of the machined surface. The wood from the Coffea arabica came from an 15 years planting, spacing 3 x 2 m, of the municipality of Machado / MG. The tree was pruned, unfolded and flattened, in order for getting cut-proof of 30 mm thick, with variables length and width. The machining tests were performed at the Laboratory of Wood Machining (DCF / UFLA, varying the cutting speed in plane trowel. The qualification of the machined surface was performed by the feed per tooth (fz, visual analysis (ASTM D 1666-87 and roughness Ra and Rz. It was used a completely randomized design with 30 repetitions. We conducted the analysis of variance test and the average of Scott-Knott, at 5% significance level. It was calculated the percentage of marks obtained for the feed per tooth. The results showed that the quality of machined surface with cutting speeds of 19 and 21 m∙s-1 and forward speed of 6 m∙min-1 were satisfactory with small surveys of fiber and low values of feed per tooth ( fz and roughness Ra and Rz.

  20. Ultraviolet reflectance by the cere of raptors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mougeot, François; Arroyo, Beatriz E

    2006-01-01

    Ultraviolet (UV) signals have been shown to play key roles in social and sexual signalling in birds. Using a spectrophotometer, we analysed the colour of the cere (skin above the beak) of a diurnal raptor, the Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus), and show that it reflects in the UV part of the spectrum. The cere is a well-known sexual signal in raptors, with carotenoid based pigmentation being indicative of quality. We thus hypothesized that UV reflectance also signals quality. Accordingly, we found that in our sample of wild males, the location of the UV peak was related to the orangeness of cere and correlated with male body mass and condition (mass corrected for size). Also, males with brighter UV were mated to females that laid earlier, as expected if UV reflectance relates to a male's quality and attractiveness. Future studies should investigate the relationships between UV reflectance and carotenoid pigmentation of cere, and test how UV reflectance influences mate choice. PMID:17148356

  1. Surface segregation of InGaAs films by the evolution of reflection high-energy electron diffraction patterns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou Xun; Luo Zi-Jiang; Guo Xiang; Zhang Bi-Chan; Shang Lin-Tao; Zhou Qing; Deng Chao-Yong; Ding Zhao

    2012-01-01

    Surface segregation is studied via the evolution of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns under different values of As 4 BEP for InGaAs films. When the As 4 BEP is set to be zero, the RHEED pattern keeps a 4×3/(n × 3) structure with increasing temperature, and surface segregation takes place until 470 °C. The RHEED pattern develops into a metal-rich (4 × 2) structure as temperature increases to 495 °C. The reason for this is that surface segregation makes the In inside the InGaAs film climb to its surface. With the temperature increasing up to 515 °C, the RHEED pattern turns into a GaAs(2 × 4) structure due to In desorption. While the As 4 BEP comes up to a specific value (1.33 × 10 -4 Pa−1.33 × 10 -3 Pa), the surface temperature can delay the segregation and desorption. We find that As 4 BEP has a big influence on surface desorption, while surface segregation is more strongly dependent on temperature than surface desorption. (condensed matter: structural, mechanical, and thermal properties)

  2. Protocol for Validation of the Land Surface Reflectance Fundamental Climate Data Record using AERONET: Application to the Global MODIS and VIIRS Data Records

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roger, J. C.; Vermote, E.; Holben, B. N.

    2014-12-01

    The land surface reflectance is a fundamental climate data record at the basis of the derivation of other climate data records (Albedo, LAI/Fpar, Vegetation indices) and a key parameter in the understanding of the land-surface-climate processes. It is essential that a careful validation of its uncertainties is performed on a global and continuous basis. One approach is the direct comparison of this product with ground measurements but that approach presents several issues related to scale, the episodic nature of ground measurements and the global representativeness. An alternative is to compare the surface reflectance product to reference reflectance determined from Top of atmosphere reflectance corrected using accurate radiative transfer code and very detailed measurements of the atmosphere obtained over the AERONET sites (Vermote and al, 2014, RSE) which allows to test for a large range of aerosol characteristics; formers being important inputs for atmospheric corrections. However, the application of this method necessitates the definition of a very detailed protocol for the use of AERONET data especially as far as size distribution and absorption are concerned, so that alternative validation methods or protocols could be compared. This paper describes the protocol we have been working on based on our experience with the AERONET data and its application to the MODIS and VIIRS record.

  3. Low reflectance high power RF load

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ives, R. Lawrence; Mizuhara, Yosuke M.

    2016-02-02

    A load for traveling microwave energy has an absorptive volume defined by cylindrical body enclosed by a first end cap and a second end cap. The first end cap has an aperture for the passage of an input waveguide with a rotating part that is coupled to a reflective mirror. The inner surfaces of the absorptive volume consist of a resistive material or are coated with a coating which absorbs a fraction of incident RF energy, and the remainder of the RF energy reflects. The angle of the reflector and end caps is selected such that reflected RF energy dissipates an increasing percentage of the remaining RF energy at each reflection, and the reflected RF energy which returns to the rotating mirror is directed to the back surface of the rotating reflector, and is not coupled to the input waveguide. Additionally, the reflector may have a surface which generates a more uniform power distribution function axially and laterally, to increase the power handling capability of the RF load. The input waveguide may be corrugated for HE11 mode input energy.

  4. VNIR Reflectance and MIR Emissivity Spectra of Ordinary Chondrite Meteorites Under Simulated Asteroid Surface Conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gemma, M.; Shirley, K.; Glotch, T. D.; Ebel, D. S. S.

    2017-12-01

    Recent missions have revealed much about the nature of many Near-Earth asteroids, including the NEAR-Shoemaker target 433 Eros and Hayabusa target 25142 Itokawa. Both asteroids appear to have mineralogy consistent with ordinary chondrite meteorites. Laboratory spectral analysis of well-constrained meteorite samples can be employed as a reference tool to characterize and constrain data from current and future asteroid studies. A sample set of ordinary chondrite meteorites was chosen from the collection at the American Museum of Natural History. Six meteorites, spanning groups H, L, and LL, were prepared at four different size fractions (25-63 μm, 63-90 μm, 90-125 μm, 125-250 μm) in an attempt to mimic regolith known to exist on asteroids such as 433 Eros and 25142 Itokawa. At the Center for Planetary Exploration at Stony Brook University, spectra of the ordinary chondrite material were measured under simulated asteroid surface conditions ( 10-6 mbar, 150 K chamber temperature, low intensity illumination). The samples were used in two experiments: one measuring visible and near-infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectra at a series of temperatures, and the other measuring mid-infrared (MIR) emissivity spectra. The emissivity measurements require accurate simulation of the thermal environment within asteroid regolith, achieved by inducing a thermal gradient within the sample that results in a surface brightness temperature around 323 K (similar to the surface of 25142 Itokawa). Mid-IR emissivity spectra were collected for each sample at a surface temperature of 323 K, and reflectance spectra were collected in increments of 10 K, over the range 283 K to 373 K. Preliminary VNIR spectra show spreads similar to those seen in Hinrichs and Lucey (2002). Preliminary MIR emissivity spectra suggest that under asteroid surface conditions, the position of the Christiansen feature shifts to shorter wavelengths and emissivity is lower in the Reststrahlen bands when compared to

  5. Variability in surface infrared reflectance of thirteen nitrile rubber gloves at key wavelengths for analysis of captan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phalen, R N; Que Hee, Shane S

    2007-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the surface variability of 13 powder-free, unlined, and unsupported nitrile rubber gloves using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectrophotometry at key wavelengths for analysis of captan contamination. The within-glove, within-lot, and between-lot variability was measured at 740, 1124, 1252, and 1735 cm(-1), the characteristic captan reflectance minima wavelengths. Three glove brands were assessed after conditioning overnight at relative humidity (RH) values ranging from 2 +/- 1 to 87 +/- 4% and temperatures ranging from -8.6 +/- 0.7 to 59.2 +/- 0.9 degrees C. For all gloves, 1735 cm(-1) provided the lowest background absorbance and greatest potential sensitivity for captan analysis on the outer glove surface: absorbances ranged from 0.0074 +/- 0.0005 (Microflex) to 0.0195 +/- 0.0024 (SafeSkin); average within-glove coefficients of variation (CV) ranged from 2.7% (Best, range 0.9-5.3%) to 10% (SafeSkin, 1.2-17%); within-glove CVs greater than 10% were for one brand (SafeSkin); within-lot CVs ranged from 2.8% (Best N-Dex) to 28% (SafeSkin Blue); and between-lot variation was statistically significant (p < or = 0.05) for all but two SafeSkin lots. The RH had variable effects dependent on wavelength, being minimal at 1735, 1252, and 1124 cm(-1) and highest at 3430 cm(-1) (O-H stretch region). There was no significant effect of temperature conditioning. Substantial within-glove, within-lot, and between-lot variability was observed. Thus, surface analysis using ATR-FT-IR must treat glove brands and lots as different. ATR-FT-IR proved to be a useful real-time analytical tool for measuring glove variability, detecting surface humidity effects, and choosing selective and sensitive wavelengths for analysis of nonvolatile surface contaminants.

  6. A net decrease in the Earth's cloud, aerosol, and surface 340 nm reflectivity during the past 33 yr (1979–2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Herman

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Measured upwelling radiances from Nimbus-7 SBUV (Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet and seven NOAA SBUV/2 instruments have been used to calculate the 340 nm Lambertian equivalent reflectivity (LER of the Earth from 1979 to 2011 after applying a common calibration. The 340 nm LER is highly correlated with cloud and aerosol cover because of the low surface reflectivity of the land and oceans (typically 2 to 6 RU, reflectivity units, where 1 RU = 0.01 = 1.0% relative to the much higher reflectivity of clouds plus nonabsorbing aerosols (typically 10 to 90 RU. Because of the nearly constant seasonal and long-term 340 nm surface reflectivity in areas without snow and ice, the 340 nm LER can be used to estimate changes in cloud plus aerosol amount associated with seasonal and interannual variability and decadal climate change. The annual motion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ, episodic El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO, and latitude-dependent seasonal cycles are apparent in the LER time series. LER trend estimates from 5° zonal average and from 2° × 5° , latitude × longitude, time series show that there has been a global net decrease in 340 nm cloud plus aerosol reflectivity. The decrease in cos2(latitude weighted average LER from 60° S to 60° N is 0.79 ± 0.03 RU over 33 yr, corresponding to a 3.6 ± 0.2% decrease in LER. Applying a 3.6% cloud reflectivity perturbation to the shortwave energy balance partitioning given by Trenberth et al. (2009 corresponds to an increase of 2.7 W m−2 of solar energy reaching the Earth's surface and an increase of 1.4% or 2.3 W m−2 absorbed by the surface, which is partially offset by increased longwave cooling to space. Most of the decreases in LER occur over land, with the largest decreases occurring over the US (−0.97 RU decade−1, Brazil (−0.9 RU decade−1, and central Europe (−1.35 RU decade−1. There are reflectivity increases near the west coast of Peru and Chile (0.8 ± 0.1 RU

  7. NEW METHOD FOR ACTIVE SURFACES QUALITY INSPECTION FOR HIGH DIMENSIONS BEARINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BRAUN Barbu

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a stage of an ample research on high quality control for different type of large dimension bearings, with application in wind turbines for electrical energy production. There is presented a new and efficient method for bearing’s active surfaces quality control, in terms of roughness, to ensure a good and safety functioning and a long life of these. The research involved the use of a powerful digital microscope for surface analysis followed by an assisted by PC algorithm for results obtaining in terms of roughness values. It has been observed that the proposed analyzing method could in the future to be successfully applied for a very large range of bearings, different dimensions and applications.

  8. Investigation of surface roughness on etched glass surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papa, Z.; Budai, J.; Farkas, B.; Toth, Z.

    2011-01-01

    Roughening the surface of solar cells is a common practice within the photovoltaic industry as it reduces reflectance, and thus enhances the performance of devices. In this work the relationship between reflectance characterized by the haze parameter, surface roughness and optical properties was investigated. To achieve this goal, model samples were prepared by hydrofluoric acid etching of glass for various times and measured by optical microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Our investigation showed that the surface reflectance was decreased not only by the roughening of the surface but also by the modification of the depth profile and lowering of the refractive index of the surface domain of the samples.

  9. Formation of plasmonic silver nanoparticles using rapid thermal annealing at low temperature and study in reflectance reduction of Si surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barman, Bidyut; Dhasmana, Hrishikesh; Verma, Abhishek; Kumar, Amit; Pratap Chaudhary, Shiv; Jain, V. K.

    2017-09-01

    This work presents studies of plasmonic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) formation at low temperatures (200 °C-300 °C) onto Si surface by sputtering followed with rapid thermal processing (RTP) for different time durations(5-30 min). The study reveals that 20 min RTP at all temperatures show minimum average size of AgNPs (60.42 nm) with corresponding reduction in reflectance of Si surface from 40.12% to mere 1.15% only in wavelength region 300-800 nm for RTP at 200 °C. A detailed supporting growth mechanism is also discussed. This low temperature technique can be helpful in achieving efficiency improvement in solar cells via reflectance reduction with additional features such as reproducibility, minimal time and very good adhesion without damaging underlying layers device parameters.

  10. Noncontact Surface Roughness Estimation Using 2D Complex Wavelet Enhanced ResNet for Intelligent Evaluation of Milled Metal Surface Quality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weifang Sun

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Machined surfaces are rough from a microscopic perspective no matter how finely they are finished. Surface roughness is an important factor to consider during production quality control. Using modern techniques, surface roughness measurements are beneficial for improving machining quality. With optical imaging of machined surfaces as input, a convolutional neural network (CNN can be utilized as an effective way to characterize hierarchical features without prior knowledge. In this paper, a novel method based on CNN is proposed for making intelligent surface roughness identifications. The technical scheme incorporates there elements: texture skew correction, image filtering, and intelligent neural network learning. Firstly, a texture skew correction algorithm, based on an improved Sobel operator and Hough transform, is applied such that surface texture directions can be adjusted. Secondly, two-dimensional (2D dual tree complex wavelet transform (DTCWT is employed to retrieve surface topology information, which is more effective for feature classifications. In addition, residual network (ResNet is utilized to ensure automatic recognition of the filtered texture features. The proposed method has verified its feasibility as well as its effectiveness in actual surface roughness estimation experiments using the material of spheroidal graphite cast iron 500-7 in an agricultural machinery manufacturing company. Testing results demonstrate the proposed method has achieved high-precision surface roughness estimation.

  11. Sea Surface Height Deviation, Aviso, 0.25 degrees, Global, Science Quality

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aviso Sea Surface Height Deviation is the deviation from the mean geoid as measured from 1993 - 1995. This is Science Quality data.

  12. Effects of Surface BRDF on the OMI Cloud and NO2 Retrievals: A New Approach Based on Geometry-Dependent Lambertian Equivalent Reflectivity (GLER) Derived from MODIS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilkov, Alexander; Qin, Wenhan; Krotkov, Nickolay; Lamsal, Lok; Spurr, Robert; Haffner, David; Joiner, Joanna; Yang, Eun-Su; Marchenko, Sergey

    2017-01-01

    The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) cloud and NO2 algorithms use a monthly gridded surface reflectivity climatology that does not depend upon the observation geometry. In reality, reflection of incoming direct and diffuse solar light from land or ocean surfaces is sensitive to the sun sensor geometry. This dependence is described by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). To account for the BRDF, we propose to use a new concept of geometry-dependent Lambertian equivalent reflectivity (GLER). Implementation within the existing OMI cloud and NO2 retrieval infrastructure requires changes only to the input surface reflectivity database. GLER is calculated using a vector radiative transfer model with high spatial resolution BRDF information from MODIS over land and the Cox Munk slope distribution over ocean with a contribution from water-leaving radiance. We compare GLER and climatological LER at 466 nm, which is used in the OMI O2-O2cloud algorithm to derive effective cloud fractions. A detailed comparison of the cloud fractions and pressures derived with climatological and GLERs is carried out. GLER and corresponding retrieved cloud products are then used as input to the OMI NO2 algorithm. We find that replacing the climatological OMI-based LERs with GLERs can increase NO2 vertical columns by up to 50 % in highly polluted areas; the differences include both BRDF effects and biases between the MODIS and OMI-based surface reflectance data sets. Only minor changes to NO2 columns (within 5 %) are found over unpolluted and overcast areas.

  13. An assessment on the MODIS quality data over the Iberian Peninsula (Southern Europe)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huesca, Margarita; Merino-de-Miguel, Silvia; Cicuéndez, Víctor; Litago, Javier; Palacios-Orueta, Alicia

    2014-05-01

    Satellite remote sensing may provide land surface processes observations at high temporal frequency over long periods of time. However, many influences have a bearing on the spectral properties which may be derived from multi-spectral data. The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Land Science Team provides quality assessment (QA) data. QA is key information for the correct interpretation of remote sensing products since we need to discrimite between real changes on the Earth surface and satellite product artefacts (Roy et al., 2002). The present work focuses on evaluating the quality of the MOD09A1 (Surface Reflectance 8-Day L3 Global 500m) product over the Iberian Peninsula during the period 2000-2008. The quality was estimated in terms of identifying the most important noise sources that might distort the data as well as identifying the areas and seasons where they were dominant. The specific objectives were: (i) to select the most relevant QA parameters based on their frequency over the study area, (ii) to analyze the spatial distribution of the QA parameters and stratify the territory based on this information, and (iii) to analyze the temporal distribution of the QA parameters. The quality data founded within the MOD09A1 product provides information: (i) at the pixel level, (ii) per reflectance band and (iii) for the whole file. In particular, QA is stored in two different layers or bands, one related to each band and based on sensor characteristics and image acquisition (named 'Surface Reflectance Data' QA layer), and the other one related to each pixel and based on external conditions (named 'Surface Reflectance Data State' QA layer). The present work focuses only on this second one. The QA parameters were analyzed in terms of the number of dates where we found low quality pixels, and of the presence of long gaps (four or more consecutive low quality dates). The next step consisted of using the number of low quality dates and the number of

  14. Study of Surface Wettability Change of Unconsolidated Sand Using Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy and Thermogravimetric Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómora-Herrera, Diana; Navarrete Bolaños, Juan; Lijanova, Irina V; Olivares-Xometl, Octavio; Likhanova, Natalya V

    2018-04-01

    The effects exerted by the adsorption of vapors of a non-polar compound (deuterated benzene) and a polar compound (water) on the surface of Ottawa sand and a sample of reservoir sand (Channel), which was previously impregnated with silicon oil or two kinds of surfactants, (2-hydroxyethyl) trimethylammonium oleate (HETAO) and (2-hydroxyethyl)trimethylammonium azelate (HETAA), were studied by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The surface chemistry of the sandstone rocks was elucidated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Terminal surface groups such as hydroxyls can strongly adsorb molecules that interact with these surface groups (surfactants), resulting in a wettability change. The wettability change effect suffered by the surface after treating it with surfactants was possible to be detected by the DRIFTS technique, wherein it was observed that the surface became more hydrophobic after being treated with silicon oil and HETAO; the surface became more hydrophilic after treating it with HETAA.

  15. Accounting for the Effects of Surface BRDF on Satellite Cloud and Trace-Gas Retrievals: A New Approach Based on Geometry-Dependent Lambertian-Equivalent Reflectivity Applied to OMI Algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilkov, Alexander; Qin, Wenhan; Krotkov, Nickolay; Lamsal, Lok; Spurr, Robert; Haffner, David; Joiner, Joanna; Yang, Eun-Su; Marchenko, Sergey

    2017-01-01

    Most satellite nadir ultraviolet and visible cloud, aerosol, and trace-gas algorithms make use of climatological surface reflectivity databases. For example, cloud and NO2 retrievals for the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) use monthly gridded surface reflectivity climatologies that do not depend upon the observation geometry. In reality, reflection of incoming direct and diffuse solar light from land or ocean surfaces is sensitive to the sun-sensor geometry. This dependence is described by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). To account for the BRDF, we propose to use a new concept of geometry-dependent Lambertian equivalent reflectivity (LER). Implementation within the existing OMI cloud and NO2 retrieval infrastructure requires changes only to the input surface reflectivity database. The geometry-dependent LER is calculated using a vector radiative transfer model with high spatial resolution BRDF information from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over land and the Cox-Munk slope distribution over ocean with a contribution from water-leaving radiance. We compare the geometry-dependent and climatological LERs for two wavelengths, 354 and 466 nm, that are used in OMI cloud algorithms to derive cloud fractions. A detailed comparison of the cloud fractions and pressures derived with climatological and geometry-dependent LERs is carried out. Geometry-dependent LER and corresponding retrieved cloud products are then used as inputs to our OMI NO2 algorithm. We find that replacing the climatological OMI-based LERs with geometry-dependent LERs can increase NO2 vertical columns by up to 50% in highly polluted areas; the differences include both BRDF effects and biases between the MODIS and OMI-based surface reflectance data sets. Only minor changes to NO2 columns (within 5 %) are found over unpolluted and overcast areas.

  16. Accounting for the effects of surface BRDF on satellite cloud and trace-gas retrievals: a new approach based on geometry-dependent Lambertian equivalent reflectivity applied to OMI algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilkov, Alexander; Qin, Wenhan; Krotkov, Nickolay; Lamsal, Lok; Spurr, Robert; Haffner, David; Joiner, Joanna; Yang, Eun-Su; Marchenko, Sergey

    2017-01-01

    Most satellite nadir ultraviolet and visible cloud, aerosol, and trace-gas algorithms make use of climatological surface reflectivity databases. For example, cloud and NO2 retrievals for the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) use monthly gridded surface reflectivity climatologies that do not depend upon the observation geometry. In reality, reflection of incoming direct and diffuse solar light from land or ocean surfaces is sensitive to the sun-sensor geometry. This dependence is described by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). To account for the BRDF, we propose to use a new concept of geometry-dependent Lambertian equivalent reflectivity (LER). Implementation within the existing OMI cloud and NO2 retrieval infrastructure requires changes only to the input surface reflectivity database. The geometry-dependent LER is calculated using a vector radiative transfer model with high spatial resolution BRDF information from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over land and the Cox-Munk slope distribution over ocean with a contribution from water-leaving radiance. We compare the geometry-dependent and climatological LERs for two wavelengths, 354 and 466 nm, that are used in OMI cloud algorithms to derive cloud fractions. A detailed comparison of the cloud fractions and pressures derived with climatological and geometry-dependent LERs is carried out. Geometry-dependent LER and corresponding retrieved cloud products are then used as inputs to our OMI NO2 algorithm. We find that replacing the climatological OMI-based LERs with geometry-dependent LERs can increase NO2 vertical columns by up to 50 % in highly polluted areas; the differences include both BRDF effects and biases between the MODIS and OMI-based surface reflectance data sets. Only minor changes to NO2 columns (within 5 %) are found over unpolluted and overcast areas.

  17. Barium fluoride surface preparation, analysis and UV reflective coatings at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wuest, C.R.

    1992-01-01

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has begun a program of study on barium fluoride scintillating crystals for the Barium Fluoride Electromagnetic Calorimeter Collaboration. This program has resulted in a number of significant improvements in the mechanical processing, polishing and coating of barium fluoride crystals. Techniques have been developed using diamond-loaded pitch lapping that can produce 15 angstrom RMS surface finishes over large areas. These lapped surfaces have been shown to be crystalline using Rutherford Back-scattering (RBS). Also, special polishing fixtures have been designed based on mounting technology developed for the 1.1 m diameter optics used in LLNL's Nova Laser. These fixtures allow as many as five 25--50 cm long barium fluoride crystals to be polished and lapped at a time with the necessary tolerances for the 16,000 crystal Barium Fluoride Calorimeter. In addition, results will be presented on coating barium fluoride with UV reflective layers of magnesium fluoride and aluminum

  18. Surface quality in rapid prototype MMD process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisandro Vargas Henríquez

    2004-09-01

    Full Text Available This article summarises a Manufacturing Materials and Processes MSc thesis written for the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department. The paper shows the interaction of process, gap (deposition distance and extursion terminal velocity modelled process parameters for CEIF's (Centro de Equipos Interfacultades rapid prototype molten material deposit (MMD Titan SH-1 machine by analysing prototupes improved surface quality and resistence to tension and characterising material. The project applies experimental design criteria for orientating the selection of experimental process parameters. Acrylonitrile-buttadin-styrene (ABS had alredy been mechanically and physicochemically characterised (i.e the material used in the MMD process.

  19. Quality Control of Valerianae Radix by Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikzad-Langerodi, Ramin; Arth, Katharina; Klatte-Asselmeyer, Valerie; Bressler, Sabine; Saukel, Johannes; Reznicek, Gottfried; Dobeš, Christoph

    2018-04-01

    (Acetoxy-)valerenic acid and total essential oil content are important quality attributes of pharmacy grade valerian root (Valerianae radix). Traditional analysis of these quantities is time-consuming and necessitates (harmful) solvents. Here we investigated an application of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for extractionless analysis of these quality attributes on a representative sample comprising 260 wild-crafted individuals covering the Central European taxonomic diversity of the Valeriana officinalis L. s. l. species aggregate with its three major ploidy cytotypes (i.e., di-, tetra- and octoploid). Calibration models were built by orthogonal partial least squares regression for quantitative analysis of (acetoxy-)valerenic acid and total essential oil content. For the latter, we propose a simplistic protocol involving apolar extraction followed by gas chromatography as a reference method for multivariate calibration in order to handle the analysis of samples taken from individual plants. We found good predictive ability of chemometric models for quantification of valerenic acid, acetoxyvalerenic acid, total sesquiterpenoid acid, and essential oil content with a root mean squared error of cross-validation of 0.064, 0.043, and 0.09 and root mean squared error of prediction of 0.066, 0.057, and 0.09 (% content), respectively. Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis revealed good discriminability between the most productive phenotype (i.e., the octoploid cytotype) in terms of sesquiterpenoid acids, and the less productive ones (i.e., di- and tetraploid). All in all, our results demonstrate the application of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for rapid, extractionless estimation of the most important quality attributes of valerian root and minimally invasive identification of the most productive phenotype in terms of sesquiterpenoid acids. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New

  20. Raman scattering and attenuated-total-reflection studies of surface-plasmon polaritons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurosawa, K.; Pierce, R.M.; Ushioda, S.; Hemminger, J.C.

    1986-01-01

    We have made in situ measurements of attenuated total reflection (ATR) and Raman scattering from a layered structure consisting of a glass prism, a thin silver film, an MgF 2 spacer, and a liquid mixture whose refractive index is matched to that of MgF 2 . When the incident angle of the laser beam coincides with the ATR angle, the surface-plasmon polariton (SPP) of the silver film is excited resonantly and the Raman scattering intensity of the liquid shows a maximum. The same effect is observed at the frequency of the Stokes scattered light. By measuring the decrease of the Raman scattering intensity of the liquid with increase of the thickness of the MgF 2 spacer layer, we have determined the decay length (l/sub d/) of the SPP field into the liquid. The measured value of l/sub d/ = 1539 A agrees with the calculated value, 1534 A

  1. Development of Surfaces Optically Suitable for Flat Solar Panels. [using a reflectometer which separately evaluates spectral and diffuse reflectivities of surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    1979-01-01

    A reflectometer which can separately evaluate the spectral and diffuse reflectivities of surfaces is described. A phase locked detection system for the reflectometer is also described. A selective coating on aluminum potentially useful for flat plate solar collector applications is presented. The coating is composed of strongly bound copper oxide (divalent) and is formed by an etching process performed on an aluminum alloy with high copper content. Fabrication costs are expected to be small due to the one stop fabrication process. A number of conclusions gathered from the literature as to the required optical properties of flat plate solar collectors are discussed.

  2. Additive manufacturing of reflective optics: evaluating finishing methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leuteritz, G.; Lachmayer, R.

    2018-02-01

    Individually shaped light distributions become more and more important in lighting technologies and thus the importance of additively manufactured reflectors increases significantly. The vast field of applications ranges from automotive lighting to medical imaging and bolsters the statement. However, the surfaces of additively manufactured reflectors suffer from insufficient optical properties even when manufactured using optimized process parameters for the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process. Therefore post-process treatments of reflectors are necessary in order to further enhance their optical quality. This work concentrates on the effectiveness of post-process procedures for reflective optics. Based on already optimized aluminum reflectors, which are manufactured with a SLM machine, the parts are differently machined after the SLM process. Selected finishing methods like laser polishing, sputtering or sand blasting are applied and their effects quantified and compared. The post-process procedures are investigated on their impact on surface roughness and reflectance as well as geometrical precision. For each finishing method a demonstrator will be created and compared to a fully milled sample and among themselves. Ultimately, guidelines are developed in order to figure out the optimal treatment of additively manufactured reflectors regarding their optical and geometrical properties. Simulations of the light distributions will be validated with the developed demonstrators.

  3. Relation between Cutting Surface Quality and Alloying Element Contents when Using a CO2 Laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Litecká

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the influence of material content on changes in the quality parameters of the cutting surface when cutting with a laser. The study focuses on experiments to find the effect of material structure and cutting parameters on surface roughness, Vickers microhardness and precision of laser cutting. The experimental results are shown in graphs which illustrate the suitability of materials for achieving required cutting surface quality parameters. These results can be used for optimizing production in practical applications using a laser cutting machine.

  4. Surface water-quality activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in New England

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huntington, Thomas G.

    2016-03-23

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collaborates with a variety of Federal, State, local, and tribal partners on scientific projects to provide reliable and impartial water-quality data and interpretation to resource managers, planners, stakeholders, and the general public. The themes related to surface water quality include the following:

  5. Automated Method for Monitoring Water Quality Using Landsat Imagery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Clay Barrett

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Regular monitoring of water quality is increasingly necessary to keep pace with rapid environmental change and protect human health and well-being. Remote sensing has been suggested as a potential solution for monitoring certain water quality parameters without the need for in situ sampling, but universal methods and tools are lacking. While many studies have developed predictive relationships between remotely sensed surface reflectance and water parameters, these relationships are often unique to a particular geographic region and have little applicability in other areas. In order to remotely monitor water quality, these relationships must be developed on a region by region basis. This paper presents an automated method for processing remotely sensed images from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+ and extracting corrected reflectance measurements around known sample locations to allow rapid development of predictive water quality relationships to improve remote monitoring. Using open Python scripting, this study (1 provides an openly accessible and simple method for processing publicly available remote sensing data; and (2 allows determination of relationships between sampled water quality parameters and reflectance values to ultimately allow predictive monitoring. The method is demonstrated through a case study of the Ozark/Ouchita-Appalachian ecoregion in eastern Oklahoma using data collected for the Beneficial Use Monitoring Program (BUMP.

  6. Simple method for measuring reflectance of optical coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Gui Wang; Yi Sheng Chen

    1995-01-01

    The quality of optical coatings has an important effect on the performance of optical instrument. The last few years, the requirements for super low loss dielectric mirror coatings used in low gain laser systems such as free electron laser and the ring laser etc., have given an impetus to the development of the technology of precise reflectance measurement of optical coatings. A reliable and workable technique is to measure the light intensity decay time of optical resonant cavity. This paper describes a measuring method which is dependent on direct measurement of the light intensity decay time of a resonant cavity comprised of low loss optical components. According to the evolution of a luminous flux stored inside the cavity, this method guarantees not only a quick and precise reflectance measurements of low loss highly reflecting mirror coatings but also transmittance measurements of low loss antireflection coatings and is especially effective with super los loss highly reflecting mirror. From the round-trip path length of the cavity and the speed of light, the light intensity exponential decay time of an optical cavity is easy to obtain and the cavity losses can be deduced. An optical reflectance of low loss highly mirror coatings and antireflection coatings is precisely measured as well. This is highly significant for the discrimination of the coating surface characteristics, the improvement of the performance of optical instrument and the development of high technology

  7. Surface Water Quality Trends from EPA's LTM Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Funk, C.; Lynch, J. A.

    2013-12-01

    Surface water chemistry provides direct indicators of the potential effects of anthropogenic impacts, such as acid deposition and climate change, on the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. Long-term surface water monitoring networks provide a host of environmental data that can be used, in conjunction with other networks, to assess how water bodies respond to stressors and if they are potentially at risk (e.g., receiving pollutant deposition beyond its critical load). Two EPA-administered monitoring programs provide information on the effects of acidic deposition on headwater aquatic systems: the Long Term Monitoring (LTM) program and the Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME) program, designed to track the effectiveness of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) in reducing the acidity of surface waters in acid sensitive ecoregions of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Here we present regional variability of long term trends in surface water quality in response to substantial reductions in atmospheric deposition. Water quality trends at acid sensitive LTM sites exhibit decreasing concentrations of sulfate at 100% of monitored sites in the Adirondack Mountains and New England, 80% of Northern Appalachian Plateau sites, and yet only 15% of sites in the Ridge and Blue Ridge Provinces over the 1990-2011 period of record. Across all regions, most LTM sites exhibited constant or only slightly declining nitrate concentrations over the same time period. Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC) levels improved at 68% and 45% of LTM sites in the Adirondacks and Northern Appalachian Plateau, respectively, but few sites showed increases in New England or the Ridge and Blue Ridge Provinces due to lagging improvements in base cation concentration. The ANC of northeastern TIME lakes was also evaluated from 1991 to 1994 and 2008 to 2011. The percentage of lakes with ANC values below 50 μeq/L, lakes of acute or elevated concern, dropped by about 7%, indicating improvement

  8. Surface energy loss processes in XPS studied by absolute reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagatomi, T.; Goto, K.

    2010-01-01

    The results of the investigation of the inelastic interaction of 300-3000 eV electrons with the Ni and Au surfaces by the analysis of absolute reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) spectra were described. The present analysis enables the inelastic mean free path (IMFP), surface excitation parameter (SEP) and differential SEP (DSEP) to be obtained simultaneously from an absolute REELS spectrum. The obtained IMFPs for Ni and Au showed a good agreement with those calculated using the TPP-2M predictive equation. The present SEPs determined for Ni and Au were fitted to the Chen's formula describing the dependence of the SEP on the electron energy, and material parameters for Ni and Au in Chen's formula were proposed. The present DESPs were compared with the theoretical results, and a reasonable agreement between the experimentally determined DSEPs and theoretical results was confirmed. The MC modeling of calculating the REELS spectrum, in which energy loss processes due to surface excitations are taken into account, was also described. The IMFP, SEP and DSEP determined by the present absolute REELS analysis were employed to describe energy loss processes by inelastic scattering in the proposed MC simulation. The simulated REELS spectra were found to be in a good agreement with the experimental spectra for both Ni and Au.

  9. Non-Destructive Quality Evaluation of Pepper (Capsicum annuum L. Seeds Using LED-Induced Hyperspectral Reflectance Imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Changyeun Mo

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we developed a viability evaluation method for pepper (Capsicum annuum L. seeds based on hyperspectral reflectance imaging. The reflectance spectra of pepper seeds in the 400–700 nm range are collected from hyperspectral reflectance images obtained using blue, green, and red LED illumination. A partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA model is developed to classify viable and non-viable seeds. Four spectral ranges generated with four types of LEDs (blue, green, red, and RGB, which were pretreated using various methods, are investigated to develop the classification models. The optimal PLS-DA model based on the standard normal variate for RGB LED illumination (400–700 nm yields discrimination accuracies of 96.7% and 99.4% for viable seeds and nonviable seeds, respectively. The use of images based on the PLS-DA model with the first-order derivative of a 31.5-nm gap for red LED illumination (600–700 nm yields 100% discrimination accuracy for both viable and nonviable seeds. The results indicate that a hyperspectral imaging technique based on LED light can be potentially applied to high-quality pepper seed sorting.

  10. A sea surface reflectance model for (AATSR, and application to aerosol retrievals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. M. Sayer

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available A model of the sea surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF is presented for the visible and near-IR channels (over the spectral range 550 nm to 1.6 μm of the dual-viewing Along-Track Scanning Radiometers (ATSRs. The intended application is as part of the Oxford-RAL Aerosols and Clouds (ORAC retrieval scheme. The model accounts for contributions to the observed reflectance from whitecaps, sun-glint and underlight. Uncertainties in the parametrisations used in the BRDF model are propagated through into the forward model and retrieved state. The new BRDF model offers improved coverage over previous methods, as retrievals are possible into the sun-glint region, through the ATSR dual-viewing system. The new model has been applied in the ORAC aerosol retrieval algorithm to process Advanced ATSR (AATSR data from September 2004 over the south-eastern Pacific. The assumed error budget is shown to be generally appropriate, meaning the retrieved states are consistent with the measurements and a priori assumptions. The resulting field of aerosol optical depth (AOD is compared with colocated MODIS-Terra observations, AERONET observations at Tahiti, and cruises over the oceanic region. MODIS and AATSR show similar spatial distributions of AOD, although MODIS reports values which are larger and more variable. It is suggested that assumptions in the MODIS aerosol retrieval algorithm may lead to a positive bias in MODIS AOD of order 0.01 at 550 nm over ocean regions where the wind speed is high.

  11. Manipulating Acoustic Wavefront by Inhomogeneous Impedance and Steerable Extraordinary Reflection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jiajun; Li, Baowen; Chen, Zhining; Qiu, Cheng-Wei

    2013-08-01

    We unveil the connection between the acoustic impedance along a flat surface and the reflected acoustic wavefront, in order to empower a wide wariety of novel applications in acoustic community. Our designed flat surface can generate double reflections: the ordinary reflection and the extraordinary one whose wavefront is manipulated by the proposed impedance-governed generalized Snell's law of reflection (IGSL). IGSL is based on Green's function and integral equation, instead of Fermat's principle for optical wavefront manipulation. Remarkably, via the adjustment of the designed specific acoustic impedance, extraordinary reflection can be steered for unprecedented acoustic wavefront while that ordinary reflection can be surprisingly switched on or off. The realization of the complex discontinuity of the impedance surface has been proposed using Helmholtz resonators.

  12. Neutron reflectivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cousin Fabrice

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The specular neutron reflectivity is a technique enabling the measurement of neutron scattering length density profile perpendicular to the plane of a surface or an interface, and thereby the profile of chemical composition. The characteristic sizes that are probed range from around 5 Å up 5000 Å. It is a scattering technique that averages information on the entire surface and it is therefore not possible to obtain information within the plane of the interface. The specific properties of neutrons (possibility of tuning the contrast by isotopic substitution, sensitivity to magnetism, negligible absorption, low energy of the incident neutrons makes it particularly interesting in the fields of soft matter, biophysics and magnetic thin films. This course is a basic introduction to the technique and does not address the magnetic reflectivity. It is composed of three parts describing respectively its principle and its formalism, the experimental aspects of the method (spectrometers, samples and two examples related to the materials for energy.

  13. MODELING OF QUALITY FORMATION OF PIG IRON BILLET SURFACE AT WIRE BRUSH MILLING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. L. Barshaj

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Formation of topography, geometrical structure and micro-hardness of pig iron billet surface is considered in the paper. Mathematical models pertaining to formation of the above-mentioned characteristics of surface quality according to parameters of machining regime have been developed on the basis of the executed investigations.

  14. Strategic Evaluation Tool for Surface Water Quality Management Remedies in Drinking Water Catchments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huda Almaaofi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Drinking water catchments (DWC are under pressure from point and nonpoint source pollution due to the growing human activities. This worldwide challenge is causing number of adverse effects, such as degradation in water quality, ecosystem health, and other economic and social pressures. Different evaluation tools have been developed to achieve sustainable and healthy drinking water catchments. However, a holistic and strategic framework is still required to adequately consider the uncertainty associated with feasible management remedies of surface water quality in drinking water catchments. A strategic framework was developed to adequately consider the uncertainty associated with management remedies for surface water quality in drinking water catchments. A Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (FMCDA approach was embedded into a strategic decision support framework to evaluate and rank water quality remediation options within a typical fixed budget constraint faced by bulk water providers. The evaluation framework consists of four core aspects; namely, water quality, environmental, economic and social, and number of associated quantitative and qualitative criteria and sub-criteria. Final remediation strategy ranking was achieved through the application of the Euclidean Distance by the In-center of Centroids (EDIC.

  15. Impact of indoor surface material on perceived air quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senitkova, I

    2014-03-01

    The material combination impact on perceived indoor air quality for various surface interior materials is presented in this paper. The chemical analysis and sensory assessments identifies health adverse of indoor air pollutants (TVOCs). In this study, emissions and odors from different common indoor surface materials were investigated in glass test chamber under standardized conditions. Chemical measurements (TVOC concentration) and sensory assessments (odor intensity, air acceptability) were done after building materials exposure to standardized conditions. The results of the chemical and sensory assessment of individual materials and their combinations are compared and discussed within the paper. The using possibility of individual material surface sorption ability was investigated. The knowledge of targeted sorption effects can be used in the interior design phase. The results demonstrate the various sorption abilities of various indoor materials as well as the various sorption abilities of the same indoor material in various combinations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Berlin Reflectance Spectral Library (BRSL)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henckel, D.; Arnold, G.; Kappel, D.; Moroz, L. V.; Markus, K.

    2017-09-01

    The Berlin Reflectance Spectral Library (BRSL) provides a collection of reflectance spectra between 0.3 and 17 µm. It was originally dedicated to support space missions to small solar system bodies. Meanwhile the library includes selections of biconical reflectance spectra for spectral data analysis of other planetary bodies as well. The library provides reference spectra of well-characterized terrestrial analogue materials and meteorites for interpretation of remote sensing reflectance spectra of planetary surfaces. We introduce the BRSL, summarize the data available, and access to use them for further relevant applications.

  17. Reflectance, illumination, and appearance in color constancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCann, John J; Parraman, Carinna; Rizzi, Alessandro

    2014-01-01

    We studied color constancy using a pair of identical 3-D Color Mondrian displays. We viewed one 3-D Mondrian in nearly uniform illumination, and the other in directional, nonuniform illumination. We used the three dimensional structures to modulate the light falling on the painted surfaces. The 3-D structures in the displays were a matching set of wooden blocks. Across Mondrian displays, each corresponding facet had the same paint on its surface. We used only 6 chromatic, and 5 achromatic paints applied to 104 block facets. The 3-D blocks add shadows and multiple reflections not found in flat Mondrians. Both 3-D Mondrians were viewed simultaneously, side-by-side. We used two techniques to measure correlation of appearance with surface reflectance. First, observers made magnitude estimates of changes in the appearances of identical reflectances. Second, an author painted a watercolor of the 3-D Mondrians. The watercolor's reflectances quantified the changes in appearances. While constancy generalizations about illumination and reflectance hold for flat Mondrians, they do not for 3-D Mondrians. A constant paint does not exhibit perfect color constancy, but rather shows significant shifts in lightness, hue and chroma in response to the structure in the nonuniform illumination. Color appearance depends on the spatial information in both the illumination and the reflectances of objects. The spatial information of the quanta catch from the array of retinal receptors generates sensations that have variable correlation with surface reflectance. Models of appearance in humans need to calculate the departures from perfect constancy measured here. This article provides a dataset of measurements of color appearances for computational models of sensation.

  18. Reflectance, illumination, and appearance in color constancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John J. McCann

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We studied color constancy using a pair of identical 3-D Color Mondrian displays. We viewed one 3-D Mondrian in nearly uniform illumination, and the other in directional, nonuniform illumination. We used the three dimensional structures to modulate the light falling on the painted surfaces. The 3-D structures in the displays were a matching set of wooden blocks. Across Mondrian displays, each corresponding facet had the same paint on its surface. We used only 6 chromatic, and 5 achromatic paints applied to 104 block facets. The 3-D blocks add shadows and multiple reflections not found in flat Mondrians. Both 3-D Mondrians were viewed simultaneously, side-by-side. We used two techniques to measure correlation of appearance with surface reflectance. First, observers made magnitude estimates of changes in the appearances of identical reflectances. Second, an author painted a watercolor of the 3-D Mondrians. The watercolor’s reflectances quantified the changes in appearances. While constancy generalizations about illumination and reflectance hold for flat Mondrians, they do not for 3-D Mondrians. A constant paint does not exhibit perfect color constancy, but rather shows significant shifts in lightness, hue and chroma in response to the structure in the nonuniform illumination. Color appearance depends on the spatial information in both the illumination and the reflectances of objects. The spatial information of the quanta catch from the array of retinal receptors generates sensations that have variable correlation with surface reflectance. Models of appearance in humans need to calculate the departures from perfect constancy measured here. This article provides a dataset of measurements of color appearances for computational models of sensation.

  19. Satellite skill in detecting extreme episodes in near-surface air quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruiz, D. J.; Prather, M. J.

    2017-12-01

    Ozone (O3) contributes to ambient air pollution, adversely affecting public health, agriculture, and ecosystems. Reliable, long-term, densely distributed surface networks are required to establish the scale, intensity and repeatability of major pollution events (designated here in a climatological sense as air quality extremes, AQX as defined in Schnell's work). Regrettably, such networks are only available for North America (NA) and Europe (EU), which does not include many populated regions where the deaths associated with air pollution exposure are alarmingly high. Directly measuring surface pollutants from space without lidar is extremely difficult. Mapping of daily pollution events requires cross-track nadir scanners and these have limited sensitivity to surface O3 levels. This work examines several years of coincident surface and OMI satellite measurements over NA-EU, in combination with a chemistry-transport model (CTM) hindcast of that period to understand how the large-scale AQX episodes may extend into the free troposphere and thus be more amenable to satellite mapping. We show how extreme NA-EU episodes are measured from OMI and then look for such patterns over other polluted regions of the globe. We gather individual high-quality O3 surface site measurements from these other regions, to check on our satellite detection. Our approach with global satellite detection would avoid issues associated with regional variations in seasonality, chemical regime, data product biases; and it does not require defining a separate absolute threshold for each data product (surface site and satellite). This also enables coherent linking of the extreme events into large-scale pollution episodes whose magnitude evolves over 100's of km for several days. Tools used here include the UC Irvine CTM, which shows that much of the O3 surface variability is lost at heights above 2 km, but AQX local events are readily seen in a 0-3 km column average. The OMI data are taken from X

  20. Reflection seismic investigations of western Canadian coalfields. Final report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lawton, D.C.; Bertram, M.B.

    1983-03-01

    High resolution reflection seismic studies using a seisgun surface source were undertaken at four sites in Alberta. The objective of the project was to test the feasibility of the seismic method for the exploration and evaluation of coal deposits in a range of environments in western Canada. At Camrose, coherent reflections from a coal zone 70-110 m below the surface were recorde along a 5 km profile. Variations in reflection amplitude and character were interpreted in terms of two main seams. Channel washouts, faults with throws of 5 m or greater, and effects of differential compaction were resolved. Studies at a foothills site showed that good data can be obtained in structurally disturbed areas with mild deformation. At this site, faults with vertical throws of up to 40 m were delineated. In the mountain region, studies indicated that the seismic method is not appropriate in areas with strong deformation. Deep weathering, variable topography and rapid lateral changes in reflector dip were the main reasons for poor data quality. The seisgun is a threshold seismic source which performs well in areas with a shallow water table and a zone of interest within 350 m of the surface. Its effectiveness decreases dramatically if the overburden is both thick and dry. Careful selection of field geometry and recording parameters is critical. In data processing, important aspects are the careful muting of first breaks and evaluation of short and long wavelength weathering statics corrections. A computer program listing for static correction analysis is included. The seismic method is very appropriate for evaluation of Plains and Foothills coal deposits in Alberta. It can provide continuous subsurface coverage between drillholes and therefore reduce the density of drillholes required to delineate a prospective area. 29 refs., 33 figs., 2 tabs.

  1. Information content in reflected signals during GPS Radio Occultation observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aparicio, Josep M.; Cardellach, Estel; Rodríguez, Hilda

    2018-04-01

    The possibility of extracting useful information about the state of the lower troposphere from the surface reflections that are often detected during GPS radio occultations (GPSRO) is explored. The clarity of the reflection is quantified, and can be related to properties of the surface and the low troposphere. The reflected signal is often clear enough to show good phase coherence, and can be tracked and processed as an extension of direct non-reflected GPSRO atmospheric profiles. A profile of bending angle vs. impact parameter can be obtained for these reflected signals, characterized by impact parameters that are below the apparent horizon, and that is a continuation at low altitude of the standard non-reflected bending angle profile. If there were no reflection, these would correspond to tangent altitudes below the local surface, and in particular below the local mean sea level. A forward operator is presented, for the evaluation of the bending angle of reflected GPSRO signals, given atmospheric properties as described by a numerical weather prediction system. The operator is an extension, at lower impact parameters, of standard bending angle operators, and reproduces both the direct and reflected sections of the measured profile. It can be applied to the assimilation of the reflected section of the profile as supplementary data to the direct section. Although the principle is also applicable over land, this paper is focused on ocean cases, where the topographic height of the reflecting surface, the sea level, is better known a priori.

  2. Spontaneous acoustic emission of a corrugated shock wave in the presence of a reflecting surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wouchuk, J.G.; Lopez Cavada, J.

    2004-01-01

    An analytic model to study perturbation evolution in the space between a corrugated shock and a piston surface is presented. The conditions for stable oscillation patterns are obtained by looking at the poles of the exact Laplace transform. It is seen that besides the standard D'yakov-Kontorovich (DK) mode of oscillation, the shock surface can exhibit an additional finite set of discrete frequencies, due to the interaction with the piston which reflects sound waves from behind. The additional eigenmodes are excited when the shock is launched at t=0 + . The first eigenmode (the DK mode) is always present, if the Hugoniot curve has the correct slope in the V-p plane. However, the additional frequencies could be excited for strong enough shocks. The predictions of the model are verified for particular cases by studying a van der Waals gas, as in the work of Bates and Montgomery [Phys. Fluids 11, 462 (1999); Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 1180 (2000)]. Only acoustic emission modes are considered

  3. Impact of Bay-Breeze Circulations on Surface Air Quality and Boundary Layer Export

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loughner, Christopher P.; Tzortziou, Maria; Follette-Cook, Melanie; Pickering, Kenneth E.; Goldberg, Daniel; Satam, Chinmay; Weinheimer, Andrew; Crawford, James H.; Knapp, David J.; Montzka, Denise D.; hide

    2014-01-01

    Meteorological and air-quality model simulations are analyzed alongside observations to investigate the role of the Chesapeake Bay breeze on surface air quality, pollutant transport, and boundary layer venting. A case study was conducted to understand why a particular day was the only one during an 11-day ship-based field campaign on which surface ozone was not elevated in concentration over the Chesapeake Bay relative to the closest upwind site and why high ozone concentrations were observed aloft by in situ aircraft observations. Results show that southerly winds during the overnight and early-morning hours prevented the advection of air pollutants from the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, metropolitan areas over the surface waters of the bay. A strong and prolonged bay breeze developed during the late morning and early afternoon along the western coastline of the bay. The strength and duration of the bay breeze allowed pollutants to converge, resulting in high concentrations locally near the bay-breeze front within the Baltimore metropolitan area, where they were then lofted to the top of the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Near the top of the PBL, these pollutants were horizontally advected to a region with lower PBL heights, resulting in pollution transport out of the boundary layer and into the free troposphere. This elevated layer of air pollution aloft was transported downwind into New England by early the following morning where it likely mixed down to the surface, affecting air quality as the boundary layer grew.

  4. DRINKING WATER QUALITY IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OF SURFACE AND GROUND WATERWORKS IN FINLAND

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenni Meirami Ikonen

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Physico-chemical and microbiological water quality in the drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs of five waterworks in Finland with different raw water sources and treatment processes was explored. Water quality was monitored during four seasons with on-line equipment and bulk water samples were analysed in laboratory. Seasonal changes in the water quality were more evident in DWDSs of surface waterworks compared to the ground waterworks and artificially recharging ground waterworks (AGR. Between seasons, temperature changed significantly in every system but pH and EC changed only in one AGR system. Seasonal change was seen also in the absorbance values of all systems. The concentration of microbially available phosphorus (MAP, μg PO₄-P/l was the highest in drinking water originating from the waterworks supplying groundwater. Total assimilable organic carbon (AOC, μg AOC-C/l concentrations were significantly different between the DWDSs other than between the two AGR systems. This study reports differences in the water quality between surface and ground waterworks using a wide set of parameters commonly used for monitoring. The results confirm that every distribution system is unique, and the water quality is affected by environmental factors, raw water source, treatment methods and disinfection.

  5. The effect of welding parameters on surface quality of AA6351 aluminium alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yacob, S; Ariffin, N; Ali, R; Arshad, A; Wahab, M I A; Ismail, S A; Roji, NS M; Din, W B W; Zakaria, M H; Abdullah, A; Yusof, M I; Kamarulzaman, K Z; Mahyuddin, A; Hamzah, M N; Roslan, R; MAli, M A; Ahsan, Q

    2015-01-01

    In the present work, the effects of gas metal arc welding-cold metal transfer (GMAW-CMT) parameters on surface roughness are experimentally assessed. The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the effects of welding speed, material thickness and contact tip to work distance on the surface roughness. Experiments are conducted using single pass gas metal arc welding-cold metal transfer (GMAW-CMT) welding technique to join the material. The material used in this experiment was AA6351 aluminum alloy with the thickness of 5mm and 6mm. A Mahr Marsuft XR 20 machine was used to measure the average roughness (Ra) of AA6351 joints. The main and interaction effect analysis was carried out to identify process parameters that affect the surface roughness. The results show that all the input process parameters affect the surface roughness of AA6351 joints. Additionally, the average roughness (Ra) results also show a decreasing trend with increased of welding speed. It is proven that gas metal arc welding-cold metal transfer (GMAW-CMT)welding process has been successful in term of providing weld joint of good surface quality for AA6351 based on the low value surface roughness condition obtained in this setup. The outcome of this experimental shall be valuable for future fabrication process in order to obtained high good quality weld. (paper)

  6. To what extent do food purchases reflect shoppers' diet quality and nutrient intake?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appelhans, Bradley M; French, Simone A; Tangney, Christy C; Powell, Lisa M; Wang, Yamin

    2017-04-11

    Food purchasing is considered a key mediator between the food environment and eating behavior, and food purchasing patterns are increasingly measured in epidemiologic and intervention studies. However, the extent to which food purchases actually reflect individuals' dietary intake has not been rigorously tested. This study examined cross-sectional agreement between estimates of diet quality and nutrient densities derived from objectively documented household food purchases and those derived from interviewer-administered 24-h diet recalls. A secondary aim was to identify moderator variables associated with attenuated agreement between purchases and dietary intake. Primary household food shoppers (N = 196) collected and annotated receipts for all household food and beverage purchases (16,356 total) over 14 days. Research staff visited participants' homes four times to photograph the packaging and nutrition labels of each purchased item. Three or four multiple-pass 24-h diet recalls were performed within the same 14-d period. Nutrient densities and Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) scores were calculated from both food purchase and diet recall data. HEI-2010 scores derived from food purchases (median = 60.9, interquartile range 49.1-71.7) showed moderate agreement (ρc = .57, p social desirability, household income, household size, and body mass. Concordance for individual nutrient densities from food purchases and 24-h diet recalls varied widely from ρc = .10 to .61, with the strongest associations observed for fiber (ρc = .61), whole fruit (ρc = .48), and vegetables (ρc = .39). Objectively documented household food purchases yield an unbiased and reasonably accurate estimate of overall diet quality as measured through 24-h diet recalls, but are generally less useful for characterizing dietary intake of specific nutrients. Thus, some degree of caution is warranted when interpreting food purchase data as a reflection of diet in

  7. Experimental study of surface quality and damage when drilling unidirectional CFRP composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eshetu D. Eneyew

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In this study, an experimental investigation on the drilling of unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced plastic (UD-CFRP composite was conducted using polycrystalline diamond (PCD tipped eight facet drill. The quality of the drilled hole surface was examined through surface roughness measurements and surface damage by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. It was found that fiber pullout occurred in two specific sectors relative to the angle between the cutting direction and the fiber orientation. The thrust force was highly influenced by the feed rate than the cutting speed and it shows a significant variation throughout the rotation of the drill.

  8. Reflective ‘cool’ roofs under aerosol-burdened skies: radiative benefits across selected Indian cities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Millstein, D E; Fischer, M L

    2014-01-01

    The use of reflective surfaces offers one low-cost solution for reducing solar loading to urban environments and the Earth that should be considered as part of sustainable urban design. Here, we characterize the radiative benefits, i.e. the additional shortwave radiation leaving the atmosphere, from the installation of highly reflective ‘cool’ roofs in urban areas in India that face relatively large local aerosol burdens. We use a previously tested column radiative transfer model to estimate the energy per unit area reflected to space from increasing the surface albedo at six cities within India. The model is used to characterize radiative transfer each day over five years (2008–2012) based on mid-day satellite retrievals of MODIS aerosol depth, cloud water path, and average surface albedo and MERRA atmospheric profiles of temperature and composition. Compared against ten months of field observations in two cities, the model derived incoming surface shortwave radiation estimates relative to observations show small biases (0.5% and −2.6%, at Pantnagar and Nainital, respectively). Despite the high levels of local aerosols we found cool roofs provided significant radiative benefits at all locations. Averaged over the five year period we found that increasing the albedo of 1 m 2 of roof area by 0.5 would reflect to space 0.9–1.2 kWh daily from 08:30–15:30 LST, depending on location. This is equivalent to a constant forcing of 37–50 W m −2 (equivalent to reducing CO 2 emissions by 74 to 101 kg CO 2 m −2 roof area). Last, we identify a co-benefit of improving air quality, in that removing aerosols from the atmosphere could increase the radiative benefits from cool roofs by 23–74%, with the largest potential increase found at Delhi and the smallest change found at Nainital. (letter)

  9. Understanding the Impact of Intensive Horticulture Land-Use Practices on Surface Water Quality in Central Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faith K. Muriithi

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Rapid expansion of commercial horticulture production and related activities contribute to declining surface water quality. The study sought to understand the impacts on select rivers in Laikipia and Meru, production hotspots. The specific aims were (1 to identify prevailing surface water quality by examining variations of 14 physico-chemical parameters, and (2 to categorize measured surface water quality parameters into land use types highlighting potential pollutant source processes. Water samples were collected in July and August 2013 along 14 rivers in the study area. The data were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA and discriminant analysis (DA. Principal components (PCs explained 70% of the observed total variability of water quality, indicating a prevalence of heavy metal traces (cadmium, phosphate, and zinc. These were linked to the rigorous use of phosphate fertilizers and copper-based agrochemicals in intensive farming. DA provided four significant (p < 0.05 discriminant functions, with 89.5% correct assignment enabling the association of land use with observed water quality. Concentrations of dissolved solids, electro-conductivity, and salinity spiked at locations with intensive small-scale and large-scale horticulture. Understanding the impacts of intensive commercial horticulture and land use practices on water quality is critical to formulating ecologically sound watershed management and pollution abatement plans.

  10. Crystals with an Open Wave-Vector Surface: Peculiarities of Reflection and Possibilities of Designing Flat Lenses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eritsyan, O. S.; Lalayan, A. A.; Arakelyan, O. M.; Papoyan, A. A.; Kostanyan, R. B.

    2010-01-01

    The frequency dependence of the reflection coefficient of MgF 2 crystal in the frequency range of 200-800 cm -1 at different orientations of the optical axis has been investigated. The experimental data are compared with the calculation results. This comparison confirms that the wave vectors for the extraordinary wave have an open surface. This makes it possible to focus a divergent beam refracted at a flat boundary ori- ented perpendicularly to the optical crystal axis. The focusing effect of a plane-parallel MgF 2 crystal plate is calculated.

  11. Particle reflection and TFTR neutral beam diagnostics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamperschroer, J.H.; Grisham, L.R.; Kugel, H.W.; O'Connor, T.E.; Newman, R.A.; Stevenson, T.N.; von Halle, A.; Williams, M.D.

    1992-04-01

    Determination of two critical neutral beam parameters, power and divergence, are affected by the reflection of a fraction of the incident energy from the surface of the measuring calorimeter. On the TFTR Neutral Beam Test Stand, greater than 30% of the incident power directed at the target chamber calorimeter was unaccounted for. Most of this loss is believed due to reflection from the surface of the flat calorimeter, which was struck at a near grazing incidence (12 degrees). Beamline calorimeters, of a ''V''-shape design, while retaining the beam power, also suffer from reflection effects. Reflection, in this latter case, artificially peaks the power toward the apex of the ''V'', complicating the fitting technique, and increasing the power density on axis by 10 to 20%; an effect of import to future beamline designers. Agreement is found between measured and expected divergence values, even with 24% of the incident energy reflected

  12. Application of various surface passivation layers in solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Ji Youn; Lee, Soo Hong

    2004-01-01

    In this work, we have used different techniques for surface passivation: conventional thermal oxidation (CTO), rapid thermal oxidation (RTO), and plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). The surface passivation qualities of eight different single and combined double layers have been investigated both on phosphorus non-diffused p-type Float Zone (FZ) silicon wafers and on diffused emitters (100 Ω/□ and 40 Ω/□). CTO/SiN 1 passivates very well not only on a non-diffused surface (τ eff = 1361 μs) but also on an emitter (τ eff = 414 μs). However, we concluded that RTO/SiN 1 and RTO/SiN 2 stacks were more suitable than CTO/SiN stacks for surface passivation in solar cells since those stacks had relatively good passivation qualities and suitable optical reflections. RTO/SiN 1 for rear-surface passivation and RTO/SiN 2 for front-surface passivation were applied to the fabrication of solar cells. We achieved efficiencies of 18.5 % and 18.8 % on 0.5 Ω-cm (FZ) silicon with planar and textured front surfaces, respectively. An excellent open circuit voltage (V oc ) of 675.6 mV was obtained for the planar cell.

  13. In situ reflectivity investigations of solid/liquid interface during laser backside etching

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boehme, R.; Otto, T.; Zimmer, K.

    2006-01-01

    In situ reflectivity measurements of the solid/liquid interface with a pump-probe setup were performed during laser-induced backside wet etching (LIBWE) of fused silica with KrF excimer laser using toluene as absorbing liquid. The intensity, the temporal shape, and the duration of the reflected light measured in dependence on the laser fluence are discussed referring to the surface modification and the bubble formation. The vaporisation of the superheated liquid at the solid interface causes a considerable increase of the reflectivity and gives information about the bubble lifetime. The alterations of the reflectivity after bubbles collapse can be explained with the changed optical properties due to surface modifications of the solid surface. Comparative studies of the reflectivity at different times and the etch rate behaviour in dependence on the laser fluence show that the in situ measured surface modification begins just at the etch threshold fluence and correlates further with etch rate behaviour and the etched surface appearance. The already observed surface modification at LIBWE due to a carbon deposition and structural changes of the near surface region are approved by the changes of the interface reflectivity and emphasizes the importance of the modified surface region in the laser-induced backside wet etching process

  14. Effects of future land use and ecosystem changes on boundary-layer meteorology and air quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, A. P. K.; Wang, L.; Sadeke, M.

    2017-12-01

    Land vegetation plays key roles shaping boundary-layer meteorology and air quality via various pathways. Vegetation can directly affect surface ozone via dry deposition and biogenic emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Transpiration from land plants can also influence surface temperature, soil moisture and boundary-layer mixing depth, thereby indirectly affecting surface ozone. Future changes in the distribution, density and physiology of vegetation are therefore expected to have major ramifications for surface ozone air quality. In our study, we examine two aspects of potential vegetation changes using the Community Earth System Model (CESM) in the fully coupled land-atmosphere configuration, and evaluate their implications on meteorology and air quality: 1) land use change, which alters the distribution of plant functional types and total leaf density; and 2) ozone damage on vegetation, which alters leaf density and physiology (e.g., stomatal resistance). We find that, following the RCP8.5 scenario for 2050, global cropland expansion induces only minor changes in surface ozone in tropical and subtropical regions, but statistically significant changes by up to +4 ppbv in midlatitude North America and East Asia, mostly due to higher surface temperature that enhances biogenic VOC emissions, and reduced dry deposition to a lesser degree. These changes are in turn to driven mostly by meteorological changes that include a shift from latent to sensible heat in the surface energy balance and reduced soil moisture, reflecting not only local responses but also a northward expansion of the Hadley Cell. On the other hand, ozone damage on vegetation driven by rising anthropogenic emissions is shown to induce a further enhancement of ozone by up to +6 ppbv in midlatitude regions by 2050. This reflects a strong localized positive feedback, with severe ozone damage in polluted regions generally inducing stomatal closure, which in turn reduces transpiration, increases

  15. In Situ Nondestructive Analysis of Kalanchoe pinnata Leaf Surface Structure by Polarization-Modulation Infrared Reflection-Absorption Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hama, Tetsuya; Kouchi, Akira; Watanabe, Naoki; Enami, Shinichi; Shimoaka, Takafumi; Hasegawa, Takeshi

    2017-12-14

    The outermost surface of the leaves of land plants is covered with a lipid membrane called the cuticle that protects against various stress factors. Probing the molecular-level structure of the intact cuticle is highly desirable for understanding its multifunctional properties. We report the in situ characterization of the surface structure of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves using polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). Without sample pretreatment, PM-IRRAS measures the IR spectra of the leaf cuticle of a potted K. pinnata plant. The peak position of the CH 2 -related modes shows that the cuticular waxes on the leaf surface are mainly crystalline, and the alkyl chains are highly packed in an all-trans zigzag conformation. The surface selection rule of PM-IRRAS revealed the average orientation of the cuticular molecules, as indicated by the positive and negative signals of the IR peaks. This unique property of PM-IRRAS revealed that the alkyl chains of the waxes and the main chains of polysaccharides are oriented almost perpendicular to the leaf surface. The nondestructive, background-free, and environmental gas-free nature of PM-IRRAS allows the structure and chemistry of the leaf cuticle to be studied directly in its native environment.

  16. [Studies on a sequential injection renewable surface reflectance spectrophotometric system using a microchip flow cell].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jian-ya; Fang, Zhao-lun

    2002-02-01

    A microchip flow cell was developed for flow injection renewable surface assay by reflectance spectrophotometry. The flow cell was coupled to a sequential injection system and optical fiber photometric detection system. The flow cell featured a three-layer structure. The flow channel was cut into a silicone rubber membrance which formed the middle layer, and a porous filter was inlayed across a widened section of the channel to trap microbeads introduced into the flow cell. The area of the detection window of the flow cell was approximately 3.6 mm2, the volume of the bead trapped in the flow cell was 2.2 microL, the depth of the bead layer was 600 microns. A multistrand bifurcated optical fiber was coupled with incident light, detector and flow cell. The chromogenic reaction of Cr(VI) with 1,5-diphenylcarbohydrazide (DPC) which was adsorbed on trapped Polysorb C-18 beads was used as a model reaction to optimize the flow cell design and the experimental system. The reflectance of the renewable reaction surface was monitored at 540 nm. With 100 microL sample loaded and 1.0 mL.min-1 carrier flow rate, the linear response range was 0-0.6 microgram.mL-1 Cr(VI). A detection limit (3 sigma) of 6 ng.mL-1, precision of 1.5% RSD(n = 11), and a throughput of 64 samples per hour were achieved. Considerations in system and flow cell design, the influence of depth of the bead layer, weight of beads used, and the flow rates of carrier stream on the performance were discussed.

  17. Effect of traditional gold mining to surface water quality in Murung Raya District, Central Kalimantan Province

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W.Wilopo

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available There are many locations for traditional gold mining in Indonesia. One of these is in Murung Raya District, Central Kalimantan Province. Mining activities involving the application of traditional gold processing technology have a high potential to pollute the environment, especially surface water. Therefore, this study aims to determine the impact of gold mining and processing on surface water quality around the mine site. Based on the results of field surveys and laboratory analysis, our data shows that the concentration of mercury (Hg and Cyanide (CN has reached 0.3 mg/L and 1.9 mg/L, respectively, in surface water. These values exceed the drinking water quality standards of Indonesia and WHO. Many people who live in the mining area use surface water for daily purposes including drinking, cooking, bathing and washing. This scenario is very dangerous because the effect of surface water contamination on human health cannot be immediately recognized or diagnosed. In our opinion the dissemination of knowledge regarding the treatment of gold mining wastewater is urgently required so that the quality of wastewater can be improved before it is discharged into the environment

  18. The impact of industries on surface water quality of River Ona and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Samples of water from two rivers (River Ona and River Alaro) in Oluyole ... were higher in the industrial zones than those found in the upstream of both rivers. ... Key words: River Ona, River Alaro, industrial discharges, surface water quality.

  19. Novel anti-reflection technology for GaAs single-junction solar cells using surface patterning and Au nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Youngjo; Lam, Nguyen Dinh; Kim, Kangho; Kim, Sangin; Rotermund, Fabian; Lim, Hanjo; Lee, Jaejin

    2012-07-01

    Single-junction GaAs solar cell structures were grown by low-pressure MOCVD on GaAs (100) substrates. Micro-rod arrays with diameters of 2 microm, 5 microm, and 10 microm were fabricated on the surfaces of the GaAs solar cells via photolithography and wet chemical etching. The patterned surfaces were coated with Au nanoparticles using an Au colloidal solution. Characteristics of the GaAs solar cells with and without the micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticles were investigated. The short-circuit current density of the GaAs solar cell with 2 microm rod arrays and Au nanoparticles increased up to 34.9% compared to that of the reference cell without micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticles. The conversion efficiency of the GaAs solar cell that was coated with Au nanoparticles on the patterned surface with micro-rod arrays can be improved from 14.1% to 19.9% under 1 sun AM 1.5G illumination. These results show that micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticle coating can be applied together in surface patterning to achieve a novel cost-effective anti-reflection technology.

  20. Water Quality Monitoring of Inland Waters using Meris data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potes, M.; Costa, M. J.; Salgado, R.; Le Moigne, P.

    2012-04-01

    The successful launch of ENVISAT in March 2002 has given a great opportunity to understand the optical changes of water surfaces, including inland waters such as lakes and reservoirs, through the use of the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS). The potential of this instrument to describe variations of optically active substances has been examined in the Alqueva reservoir, located in the south of Portugal, where satellite spectral radiances are corrected for the atmospheric effects to obtain the surface spectral reflectance. In order to validate this spectral reflectance, several field campaigns were carried out, with a portable spectroradiometer, during the satellite overpass. The retrieved lake surface spectral reflectance was combined with limnological laboratory data and with the resulting algorithms, spatial maps of biological quantities and turbidity were obtained, allowing for the monitoring of these water quality indicators. In the framework of the recent THAUMEX 2011 field campaign performed in Thau lagoon (southeast of France) in-water radiation, surface irradiation and reflectance measurements were taken with a portable spectrometer in order to test the methodology described above. At the same time, water samples were collected for laboratory analysis. The two cases present different results related to the geographic position, water composition, environment, resources exploration, etc. Acknowledgements This work is financed through FCT grant SFRH/BD/45577/2008 and through FEDER (Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPETE) and National funding through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia in the framework of projects FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-007122 (PTDC / CTE-ATM / 65307 / 2006) and FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-009303 (PTDC/CTE-ATM/102142/2008). Image data has been provided by ESA in the frame of ENVISAT projects AOPT-2423 and AOPT-2357. We thank AERONET investigators for their effort in establishing and maintaining Évora AERONET

  1. Layered magnets: polarized neutron reflection studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zabel, H; Schreyer, A [Ruhr-Univ. Bochum, Lehrstuhl fuer Experimentalphysik/Festkoerperphysik, Bochum (Germany)

    1996-11-01

    Neutron reflectivity measurements from extended surfaces, thin films and superlattices provide information on the chemical profile parallel to the film normal, including film thicknesses, average composition and interfacial roughness parameters. Reflectivity measurements with polarized neutrons are particularly powerful for analyzing the magnetic density profiles in thin films and superlattices in addition to chemical profiles. The basic theory of polarized neutron reflectivity is provided, followed by some examples and more recent applications concerning polarized neutron reflectivity studies from exchange coupled Fe/Cr superlattices. (author) 5 figs., 13 refs.

  2. The synergistic effect of manure supply and extreme precipitation on surface water quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motew, Melissa; Booth, Eric G.; Carpenter, Stephen R.; Chen, Xi; Kucharik, Christopher J.

    2018-04-01

    Over-enrichment of phosphorus (P) in agroecosystems contributes to eutrophication of surface waters. In the Midwest US and elsewhere, climate change is increasing the frequency of high-intensity precipitation events, which can serve as a primary conduit of P transport within watersheds. Despite uncertainty in their estimates, process-based watershed models are important tools that help characterize watershed hydrology and biogeochemistry and scale up important mechanisms affecting water quality. Using one such model developed for an agricultural watershed in Wisconsin, we conducted a 2 × 2 factorial experiment to test the effects of (high/low) terrestrial P supply (PSUP) and (high/low) precipitation intensity (PREC) on surface water quality. Sixty-year simulations were conducted for each of the four runs, with annual results obtained for watershed average P yield and concentration at the field scale (220 × 220 m grid cells), P load and concentration at the stream scale, and summertime total P concentration (TP) in Lake Mendota. ANOVA results were generated for the 2 × 2 factorial design, with PSUP and PREC treated as categorical variables. The results showed a significant, positive interaction (p loss may have important ecological consequences because dissolved P is highly bioavailable. Overall, the results suggest that high levels of terrestrial P supplied as manure can exacerbate water quality problems in the future as the frequency of high-intensity rainfall events increases with a changing climate. Conversely, lowering terrestrial manure P supply may help improve the resilience of surface water quality to extreme events.

  3. UMTRA project technical assistance contractor quality assurance implementation plan for surface and ground water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-09-01

    The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project Technical Assistance Contractor (TAC) Quality Assurance Implementation Plan (QAIP) outlines the primary requirements for integrating quality functions for TAC technical activities applied to the surface and ground water phases of the UMTRA Project. The QAIP is subordinate to the latest issue of the UMTRA Project TAC Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP). The QAIP addresses technical aspects of the TAC UMTRA Project surface and ground water programs. The QAIP is authorized and approved by the TAC Project Manager and QA manager. The QA program is designed to use monitoring, audit, and surveillance functions as management tools to ensure that all Project organization activities are carried out in a manner that will protect public health and safety, promote the success of the UMTRA Project and meet or exceed contract requirements

  4. Sequential fitting-and-separating reflectance components for analytical bidirectional reflectance distribution function estimation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yu; Yu, Chanki; Lee, Sang Wook

    2018-01-10

    We present a sequential fitting-and-separating algorithm for surface reflectance components that separates individual dominant reflectance components and simultaneously estimates the corresponding bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameters from the separated reflectance values. We tackle the estimation of a Lafortune BRDF model, which combines a nonLambertian diffuse reflection and multiple specular reflectance components with a different specular lobe. Our proposed method infers the appropriate number of BRDF lobes and their parameters by separating and estimating each of the reflectance components using an interval analysis-based branch-and-bound method in conjunction with iterative K-ordered scale estimation. The focus of this paper is the estimation of the Lafortune BRDF model. Nevertheless, our proposed method can be applied to other analytical BRDF models such as the Cook-Torrance and Ward models. Experiments were carried out to validate the proposed method using isotropic materials from the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MERL-MIT) BRDF database, and the results show that our method is superior to a conventional minimization algorithm.

  5. Influence of aerosols and surface reflectance on satellite NO2 retrieval: seasonal and spatial characteristics and implications for NOx emission constraints

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lin, J.T.; Liu, M.Y.; Xin, J.Y.; Boersma, K.F.; Spurr, R.; Zhang, Q.; Martin, R.

    2015-01-01

    Satellite retrievals of vertical column densities (VCDs) of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) normally do not explicitly account for aerosol optical effects and surface reflectance anisotropy that vary with space and time. Here, we conduct an improved retrieval of NO2 VCDs over China, called the

  6. Quality Assessment of S-NPP VIIRS Land Surface Temperature Product

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuling Liu

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The VIIRS Land Surface Temperature (LST Environmental Data Record (EDR has reached validated (V1 stage maturity in December 2014. This study compares VIIRS v1 LST with the ground in situ observations and with heritage LST product from MODIS Aqua and AATSR. Comparisons against U.S. SURFRAD ground observations indicate a similar accuracy among VIIRS, MODIS and AATSR LST, in which VIIRS LST presents an overall accuracy of −0.41 K and precision of 2.35 K. The result over arid regions in Africa suggests that VIIRS and MODIS underestimate the LST about 1.57 K and 2.97 K, respectively. The cross comparison indicates an overall close LST estimation between VIIRS and MODIS. In addition, a statistical method is used to quantify the VIIRS LST retrieval uncertainty taking into account the uncertainty from the surface type input. Some issues have been found as follows: (1 Cloud contamination, particularly the cloud detection error over a snow/ice surface, shows significant impacts on LST validation; (2 Performance of the VIIRS LST algorithm is strongly dependent on a correct classification of the surface type; (3 The VIIRS LST quality can be degraded when significant brightness temperature difference between the two split window channels is observed; (4 Surface type dependent algorithm exhibits deficiency in correcting the large emissivity variations within a surface type.

  7. Stretched membrane heliostats: design and structural analysis of reflectance module and support of a heliostats of 9 m. diaform and 60 m''3 of reflectance surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Figarola Torres, J. M.

    1993-01-01

    After having designed and built at CIEMAT a first prototype of a Btretched membrane heliostats of 3 m. diameter, the design and the structural analysis of the different components included in the reflectance module and support of another heliostats, this one of 9 m. diameter and 60 m2. of reflectance surface, are shown In this report. This last heliostats will be mounted on a pedestal and its driving device at the Solar Platform of Almeria. In order to optimize design and performance, the structural analysis of its basic components has been analyzed with the finite elements program ANSYS. The following elements have been subject to analysis: the membrane and their ring supports, stretching system and the structural support. A similar scheme to the one applied to the previous prototype has been used on the focus control system. That includes a linear transducer, a variable frequency and a fan. Finally it has to be pointed out that substantial improvements have been achieved with respect to the first prototype concerning design and cost. (Author) 5 refs

  8. Temporal aspects of surface water quality variation using robust statistical tools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mustapha, Adamu; Aris, Ahmad Zaharin; Ramli, Mohammad Firuz; Juahir, Hafizan

    2012-01-01

    Robust statistical tools were applied on the water quality datasets with the aim of determining the most significance parameters and their contribution towards temporal water quality variation. Surface water samples were collected from four different sampling points during dry and wet seasons and analyzed for their physicochemical constituents. Discriminant analysis (DA) provided better results with great discriminatory ability by using five parameters with (P < 0.05) for dry season affording more than 96% correct assignation and used five and six parameters for forward and backward stepwise in wet season data with P-value (P < 0.05) affording 68.20% and 82%, respectively. Partial correlation results revealed that there are strong (r(p) = 0.829) and moderate (r(p) = 0.614) relationships between five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS) and dissolved solids (DS) controlling for the linear effect of nitrogen in the form of ammonia (NH(3)) and conductivity for dry and wet seasons, respectively. Multiple linear regression identified the contribution of each variable with significant values r = 0.988, R(2) = 0.976 and r = 0.970, R(2) = 0.942 (P < 0.05) for dry and wet seasons, respectively. Repeated measure t-test confirmed that the surface water quality varies significantly between the seasons with significant value P < 0.05.

  9. Methods for measuring the spectral reflectivity of advanced materials at high temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salikhov, T.P.; Kan, V.V.

    1993-01-01

    For investigation in the domain of advanced materials as well as for new technologies there is an urgent need for knowledge of the spectral reflectivity of the materials specially at high temperatures. However the methods available are mostly intended for measuring the model materials with specular or diffuse reflection surface. This is not quite correct since advanced materials have mixed specular diffuse reflection surfaces. New methods for reflectivity measurements of materials in the visible, near and middle infrared range at high temperature, regardless of surface texture, have been developed. The advantages of the methods proposed are as flows: (a) the facility of performing the reflectivity measurements for materials with mixed specular diffuse reflectance; (b) wide spectral range 0,38-8 micro m; (c) wide temperature range 300-3000 K; (d) high accuracy and rapid measurements. The methods are based on the following principals (i) Diffuse irradiation of the sample surface and the use of Helkholtz reciprocity principle to determine the directional hemispherical reflectivity ii) Pulse polychromatic probing of the sample by additional light source. The first principle excludes the influence of the angular reflection distribution of sample surface on data obtained. The second principle gives the possibility of simultaneous measurements of the reflectivity. The second principle gives the possibility of simultaneous measurements of the reflectivity in wide spectral range. On the basis of these principles for high temperature reflectometers have been developed and discussed here. (author)

  10. Ultraviolet spectral reflectance of carbonaceous materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Applin, Daniel M.; Izawa, Matthew R. M.; Cloutis, Edward A.; Gillis-Davis, Jeffrey J.; Pitman, Karly M.; Roush, Ted L.; Hendrix, Amanda R.; Lucey, Paul G.

    2018-06-01

    A number of planetary spacecraft missions have carried instruments with sensors covering the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range. However, there exists a general lack of relevant UV reflectance laboratory data to compare against these planetary surface remote sensing observations in order to make confident material identifications. To address this need, we have systematically analyzed reflectance spectra of carbonaceous materials in the 200-500 nm spectral range, and found spectral-compositional-structural relationships that suggest this wavelength region could distinguish between otherwise difficult-to-identify carbon phases. In particular (and by analogy with the infrared spectral region), large changes over short wavelength intervals in the refractive indices associated with the trigonal sp2π-π* transition of carbon can lead to Fresnel peaks and Christiansen-like features in reflectance. Previous studies extending to shorter wavelengths also show that anomalous dispersion caused by the σ-σ* transition associated with both the trigonal sp2 and tetrahedral sp3 sites causes these features below λ = 200 nm. The peak wavelength positions and shapes of π-π* and σ-σ* features contain information on sp3/sp2, structure, crystallinity, and powder grain size. A brief comparison with existing observational data indicates that the carbon fraction of the surface of Mercury is likely amorphous and submicroscopic, as is that on the surface of the martian satellites Phobos and Deimos, and possibly comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, while further coordinated observations and laboratory experiments should refine these feature assignments and compositional hypotheses. The new laboratory diffuse reflectance data reported here provide an important new resource for interpreting UV reflectance measurements from planetary surfaces throughout the solar system, and confirm that the UV can be rich in important spectral information.

  11. Daytime Water Detection Based on Sky Reflections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rankin, Arturo; Matthies, Larry; Bellutta, Paolo

    2011-01-01

    A water body s surface can be modeled as a horizontal mirror. Water detection based on sky reflections and color variation are complementary. A reflection coefficient model suggests sky reflections dominate the color of water at ranges > 12 meters. Water detection based on sky reflections: (1) geometrically locates the pixel in the sky that is reflecting on a candidate water pixel on the ground (2) predicts if the ground pixel is water based on color similarity and local terrain features. Water detection has been integrated on XUVs.

  12. Harmonized Landsat/Sentinel-2 Reflectance Products for Land Monitoring

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masek, J. G.; Ju, J.; Claverie, M.; Vermote, E.; Dungan, J. L.; Roger, J. C.; Skakun, S.; Justice, C. O.

    2017-12-01

    Many land applications require more frequent observations than can be obtained from a single "Landsat class" sensor. Agricultural monitoring, inland water quality assessment, stand-scale phenology, and numerous other applications all require near-daily imagery at better than 1ha resolution. Thus the land science community has begun expressing a desire for a "30-meter MODIS" global monitoring capability. One cost-effective way to achieve this goal is via merging data from multiple, international observatories into a single virtual constellation. The Harmonized Landsat/Sentinel-2 (HLS) project has been working to generate a seamless surface reflectance product by combining observations from USGS/NASA Landsat-8 and ESA Sentinel-2. Harmonization in this context requires a series of radiometric and geometric transforms to create a single surface reflectance time series agnostic to sensor origin. Radiometric corrections include a common atmospheric correction using the Landsat-8 LaSRC/6S approach, a simple BRDF adjustment to constant solar and nadir view angle, and spectral bandpass adjustments to fit the Landsat-8 OLI reference. Data are then resampled to a consistent 30m UTM grid, using the Sentinel-2 global tile system. Cloud and shadow masking are also implemented. Quality assurance (QA) involves comparison of the output 30m HLS products with near-simultaneous MODIS nadir-adjusted observations. Prototoype HLS products have been processed for 7% of the global land area using the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) compute environment at NASA Ames, and can be downloaded from the HLS web site (https://hls.gsfc.nasa.gov). A wall-to-wall North America data set is being prepared for 2018.This talk will review the objectives and status of the HLS project, and illustrate applications of high-density optical time series data for agriculture and ecology. We also discuss lessons learned from HLS in the general context of implementing virtual constellations.

  13. Replication quality control of metal and polymer micro structured optical surfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gasparin, Stefania; Tosello, Guido; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

    2011-01-01

    replication methods based on polymer casting. The replica method is used in order to avoid damages of the structures and make feasible the measurement of optical specimens with non-contact instruments. Results show a quality replication equal to 95 - 99%. In both investigations the uncertainty......Non contact measurements are preferred for the characterization of ultra-finely finished surfaces which is particularly challenging if damages of the structures should be avoided. However, it is not always possible to use these methods because low roughness in metallic materials, as optical...... surfaces, quite often results in mirror-like surfaces which scatter the light and invalidate the optical measurements. This paper focuses on an analysis of a micro-structured optical component and the corresponding mould. A first investigation leads to a control of the manufacturing process through...

  14. A small-displacement sensor using total internal reflection theory and surface plasmon resonance technology for heterodyne interferometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shinn-Fwu

    2009-01-01

    A small-displacement sensor based on total-internal reflection theory and surface plasmon resonance technology is proposed for use in heterodyne interferometry. A small displacement can be obtained simply by measuring the variation in phase difference between s- and p-polarization states with the small-displacement sensor. The theoretical displacement resolution of the small-displacement sensor can reach 0.45 nm. The sensor has some additional advantages, e.g., a simple optical setup, high resolution, high sensitivity and rapid measurement. Its feasibility is also demonstrated.

  15. Seasonal lake surface water temperature trends reflected by heterocyst glycolipid-based molecular thermometers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauersachs, T.; Rochelmeier, J.; Schwark, L.

    2015-06-01

    preserved in the sediment record of Lake Schreventeich reflect summer surface water temperatures. As N2-fixing heterocystous cyanobacteria are widespread in present-day freshwater and brackish environments, we conclude that the distribution of HGs in sediments may allow for the reconstruction of surface water temperatures of modern and potentially ancient lacustrine settings.

  16. Engineering design of sub-micron topographies for simultaneously adherent and reflective metal-polymer interfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Christopher A.

    1993-01-01

    The approach of the project is to base the design of multi-function, reflective topographies on the theory that topographically dependent phenomena react with surfaces and interfaces at certain scales. The first phase of the project emphasizes the development of methods for understanding the sizes of topographic features which influence reflectivity. Subsequent phases, if necessary, will address the scales of interaction for adhesion and manufacturing processes. A simulation of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation, or light, with a reflective surface is performed using specialized software. Reflectivity of the surface as a function of scale is evaluated and the results from the simulation are compared with reflectivity measurements made on multi-function, reflective surfaces.

  17. Temporal dynamics of sand dune bidirectional reflectance characteristics for absolute radiometric calibration of optical remote sensing data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coburn, Craig A.; Logie, Gordon S. J.

    2018-01-01

    Attempts to use pseudoinvariant calibration sites (PICS) for establishing absolute radiometric calibration of Earth observation (EO) satellites requires high-quality information about the nature of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of the surfaces used for these calibrations. Past studies have shown that the PICS method is useful for evaluating the trend of sensors over time or for the intercalibration of sensors. The PICS method was not considered until recently for deriving absolute radiometric calibration. This paper presents BRDF data collected by a high-performance portable goniometer system to develop a temporal BRDF model for the Algodones Dunes in California. By sampling the BRDF of the sand surface at similar solar zenith angles to those normally encountered by EO satellites, additional information on the changing nature of the surface can improve models used to provide absolute radiometric correction. The results demonstrated that the BRDF of a reasonably simple sand surface was complex with changes in anisotropy taking place in response to changing solar zenith angles. For the majority of observation and illumination angles, the spectral reflectance anisotropy observed varied between 1% and 5% in patterns that repeat around solar noon.

  18. A uniform, quality controlled Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT)

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Pfeil, B.; Olsen, A; Bakker, D.C.E.; Hankin, S.; Koyuk, H.; Kozyr, A; Malczyk, J.; Manke, A; Metzl, N.; Sabine, C.L.; Akl, J.; Alin, S.R.; Bates, N.; Bellerby, R.G.J.; Borges, A; Boutin, J.; Brown, P.J.; Cai, W.-J.; Chavez, F.P.; Chen, A; Cosca, C.; Fassbender, A.J.; Feely, R.A.; Gonzalez-Davila, M.; Goyet, C.; Hales, B.; Hardman-Mountford, N.; Heinze, C.; Hood, M.; Hoppema, M.; Hunt, C.W.; Hydes, D.; Ishii, M.; Johannessen, T.; Jones, S.D.; Key, R.M.; Kortzinger, A.; Landschutzer, P.; Lauvset, S.K.; Lefevre, N.; Lenton, A.; Lourantou, A.; Merlivat, L.; Midorikawa, T.; Mintrop, L.; Miyazaki, C.; Murata, A.; Nakadate, A.; Nakano, Y.; Nakaoka, S.; Nojiri, Y.; Omar, A.M.; Padin, X.A.; Park, G.-H.; Paterson, K.; Perez, F.F.; Pierrot, D.; Poisson, A.; Rios, A.F.; Santana-Casiano, J.M.; Salisbury, J.; Sarma, V.V.S.S.; et al

    by the international marine carbon science community in 2007 with the aim of providing a comprehensive, publicly available, regularly updated, global data set of marine surface CO2, which had been subject to quality control (QC). Many additional CO2 data, not yet made...

  19. How Reflective Is the Academic Essay?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maclellan, Effie

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of reflection in academic essays. Forty essays, all previously deemed to be of merit quality, were analysed in terms of three elements of reflection--how the educational issue is conceptualized; what the issue means for practice; and how practice might be changed to resolve the problematic. Each…

  20. RESEARCH OF THE ENTRANCE ANGLE EFFECT ON THE REFLECTANCE SPECTRA OF THE STAINLESS STEEL SURFACE OXIDIZED BY PULSED LASER RADIATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. P. Veiko

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Subject of Research.Oxide films on the metal surfaces can be obtained both by surface-uniform infrared heating and local laser treatment e.g. by sequence of nanosecond laser pulses. Due to interference in created films the coloration of treated area is observed. The present work shows the results of spectrophotometric measurements for various light entrance angles in the range of 10-60°. Method. AISI 304 stainless steel plates were oxidized by two methods: in muffle furnace FM - 10 (Т= 500-600° С, t = 5-7 min. and at line-by-line scanning by sequence of nanosecond laser pulses (λ = 1.06 μm, τ =100 ns, r = 25 μm,q=2.91∙107 W/cm2, Nx = 30, Ny = 1. Surface research in optical resolution was realized by Carl Zeiss Axio Imager A1M. Reflectance spectra were obtained with spectrophotometer Lambda Perkin 1050 with integrating sphere at different fixed light incidence angles. Topographic features were detected by scanning probe microscopy investigation with NanoEducator equipment. Main Results. The quantitative surface geometry characteristics of AISI 304 stainless steel patterns treated by different methods are obtained. It was found that the increase of light entrance angle has no influence on the form of reflection coefficient dependence from a wavelength, but a blue-shift occurs especially for the case of laser treatment. This difference can be caused by surface topology formed by laser heating and variety of oxide film thickness. This effect results in more significant change in observed sample color for laser treatment then for infrared heating. Practical Relevance. The results obtained in the present work can be used to implement a new element of product protection against forgery with the product marking.

  1. Reconstructing turbidity in a glacially influenced lake using the Landsat TM and ETM+ surface reflectance climate data record archive, Lake Clark, Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baughman, Carson; Jones, Benjamin M.; Bartz, Krista K.; Young, Daniel B.; Zimmerman, Christian E.

    2015-01-01

    Lake Clark is an important nursery lake for sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska, the most productive wild salmon fishery in the world. Reductions in water clarity within Alaska lake systems as a result of increased glacial runoff have been shown to reduce salmon production via reduced abundance of zooplankton and macroinvertebrates. In this study, we reconstruct long-term, lake-wide water clarity for Lake Clark using the Landsat TM and ETM+ surface reflectance products (1985–2014) and in situwater clarity data collected between 2009 and 2013. Analysis of a Landsat scene acquired in 2009, coincident with in situ measurements in the lake, and uncertainty analysis with four scenes acquired within two weeks of field data collection showed that Band 3 surface reflectance was the best indicator of turbidity (r2 = 0.55,RMSE turbidity for Lake Clark between 1991 and 2014. We did, however, detect interannual variation that exhibited a non-significant (r2 = 0.20) but positive correlation (r = 0.20) with regional mean summer air temperature and found the month of May exhibited a significant positive trend (r2 = 0.68, p = 0.02) in turbidity between 2000 and 2014. This study demonstrates the utility of hindcasting turbidity in a glacially influenced lake using the Landsat surface reflectance products. It may also help land and resource managers reconstruct turbidity records for lakes that lack in situ monitoring, and may be useful in predicting future water clarity conditions based on projected climate scenarios.

  2. Developing a composite weighted quality metric to reflect the total benefit conferred by a health plan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taskler, Glen B; Braithwaite, R Scott

    2015-03-01

    To improve individual health quality measures, which are associated with varying degrees of health benefit, and composite quality metrics, which weight individual measures identically. We developed a health-weighted composite quality measure reflecting the total health benefit conferred by a health plan annually, using preventive care as a test case. Using national disease prevalence, we simulated a hypothetical insurance panel of individuals aged 25 to 84 years. For each individual, we estimated the gain in life expectancy associated with 1 year of health system exposure to encourage adherence to major preventive care guidelines, controlling for patient characteristics (age, race, gender, comorbidity) and variation in individual adherence rates. This personalized gain in life expectancy was used to proxy for the amount of health benefit conferred by a health plan annually to its members, and formed weights in our health-weighted composite quality measure. We aggregated health benefits across the health insurance membership panel to analyze total health system performance. Our composite quality metric gave the highest weights to health plans that succeeded in implementing tobacco cessation and weight loss. One year of compliance with these goals was associated with 2 to 10 times as much health benefit as compliance with easier-to-follow preventive care services, such as mammography, aspirin, and antihypertensives. For example, for women aged 55 to 64 years, successful interventions to encourage weight loss were associated with 2.1 times the health benefit of blood pressure reduction and 3.9 times the health benefit of increasing adherence with screening mammography. A single health-weighted quality metric may inform measurement of total health system performance.

  3. Effects of Northern Hemisphere Sea Surface Temperature Changes on the Global Air Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, K.; Liu, J.

    2017-12-01

    The roles of regional sea surface temperature (SST) variability on modulating the climate system and consequently the air quality are investigated using the Community Earth System Model (CESM). Idealized, spatially uniform SST anomalies of +/- 1 °C are superimposed onto the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and North Indian Oceans individually. Ignoring the response of natural emissions, our simulations suggest large seasonal and regional variability of surface O3 and PM2.5 concentrations in response to SST anomalies, especially during boreal summers. Increasing the SST by 1 °C in one of the oceans generally decreases the surface O3 concentrations from 1 to 5 ppbv while increases the anthropogenic PM2.5 concentrations from 0.5 to 3 µg m-3. We implement the integrated process rate (IPR) analysis in CESM and find that meteorological transport in response to SST changes is the key process causing air pollutant perturbations in most cases. During boreal summers, the increase in tropical SST over different ocean basins enhances deep convection, which significantly increases the air temperature over the upper troposphere and trigger large-scale subsidence over nearby and remote regions. These processes tend to increase tropospheric stability and suppress rainfall at lower mid-latitudes. Consequently, it reduces the vertical transport of O3 to the surface while facilitating the accumulation of PM2.5 concentrations over most regions. In addition, this regional SST warming may also considerably suppress intercontinental transport of air pollution as confirmed with idealized CO-like tracers. Our findings indicate a robust linkage between basin-scale SST variability and regional air quality, which can help local air quality management.

  4. Influence of surface roughness on the reflective properties of snow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuravleva, Tatiana B.; Kokhanovsky, Alexander A.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper the influence of 3D effect on snow reflection function (SRF) and albedo is studied in the framework of the stochastic radiative transfer theory. In particular, the corresponding equations for the averaged intensity of reflected light are solved for the ensemble of realizations of the stochastic field κ(r), describing the distribution of 3D elements on the flat semi-infinite snow layer (SISL). The reflection from the underlying SISL is modeled using the solution of the 1D radiative transfer equation. The corresponding look-up tables were compiled beforehand and used in the simulation process. In accordance with the previous studies, it was found that the albedo of snow layer is reduced (in particular, in the infrared region), if 3D effects are taken into account. There is no such a reduction, if light absorption in snow is absent. The 3D effects may increase or decrease SRF depending on the sastrugi fraction and illumination/observation conditions.

  5. Determination of solid surface composition by the X-ray fluorescence method under total external reflection with angular scanning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krasnolutskij, V.P.

    2000-01-01

    Possibilities of determination of composition of surface layers by X-ray fluorescence analysis under total reflection of incident radiation with angular scanning of a target are investigated. For the case of the GaAs target it is shown that the sensibility of this method is sufficient for a control of element composition in layer of thickness 1 nm. A simple method for solution of inverse task of analysis of a two component medium is considered [ru

  6. Reflection-time-of-flight spectrometer for two-electron (e,2e) coincidence spectroscopy on surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirschner, J.; Kerherve, G.; Winkler, C.

    2008-01-01

    In this article, a novel time-of-flight spectrometer for two-electron-emission (e,2e/γ,2e) correlation spectroscopy from surfaces at low electron energies is presented. The spectrometer consists of electron optics that collect emitted electrons over a solid angle of approximately 1 sr and focus them onto a multichannel plate using a reflection technique. The flight time of an electron with kinetic energy of E kin ≅25 eV is around 100 ns. The corresponding time- and energy resolution are typically ≅1 ns and ≅0.65 eV, respectively. The first (e,2e) data obtained with the present setup from a LiF film are presented

  7. Reflection curves—new computation and rendering techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan-Eugen Ulmet

    2004-05-01

    Full Text Available Reflection curves on surfaces are important tools for free-form surface interrogation. They are essential for industrial 3D CAD/CAM systems and for rendering purposes. In this note, new approaches regarding the computation and rendering of reflection curves on surfaces are introduced. These approaches are designed to take the advantage of the graphics libraries of recent releases of commercial systems such as the OpenInventor toolkit (developed by Silicon Graphics or Matlab (developed by The Math Works. A new relation between reflection curves and contour curves is derived; this theoretical result is used for a straightforward Matlab implementation of reflection curves. A new type of reflection curves is also generated using the OpenInventor texture and environment mapping implementations. This allows the computation, rendering, and animation of reflection curves at interactive rates, which makes it particularly useful for industrial applications.

  8. Agricultural applications of NIR reflectance and transmittance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gislum, René

    2009-01-01

    There has been a considerable increase in the use of near infrared (NIR) reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy technologies for rapid determination of quality parameters in agriculture, including applications within crop product quality, feed and food quality, manure quality, soil analyses etc....... As a result it was decided to arrange a seminar within the Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists. This is a report of the meeting....

  9. Quality Requirements Put On The Inconel 625 Austenite Layer Used On The Sheet Pile Walls Of The Boiler’s Evaporator To Utilize Waste Thermally

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Słania J.

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Quality requirements and tests taken on the surfacing layer Inconel 625 are presented in the article. The reasons of using surfacing layer Inconel 625 and technologies of its making with a particular emphasis on the CMT method are described. Quality requirements for the surfacing weld Inconel 625 are provided. Basic requirements included in the Merkblatt 1166, as well as additional requirements, which are reflected in the technical specifications of the boilers’ producers are specified.

  10. Ultrafast dark-field surface inspection with hybrid-dispersion laser scanning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yazaki, Akio; Kim, Chanju; Chan, Jacky; Mahjoubfar, Ata; Goda, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masahiro; Jalali, Bahram

    2014-01-01

    High-speed surface inspection plays an important role in industrial manufacturing, safety monitoring, and quality control. It is desirable to go beyond the speed limitation of current technologies for reducing manufacturing costs and opening a new window onto a class of applications that require high-throughput sensing. Here, we report a high-speed dark-field surface inspector for detection of micrometer-sized surface defects that can travel at a record high speed as high as a few kilometers per second. This method is based on a modified time-stretch microscope that illuminates temporally and spatially dispersed laser pulses on the surface of a fast-moving object and detects scattered light from defects on the surface with a sensitive photodetector in a dark-field configuration. The inspector's ability to perform ultrafast dark-field surface inspection enables real-time identification of difficult-to-detect features on weakly reflecting surfaces and hence renders the method much more practical than in the previously demonstrated bright-field configuration. Consequently, our inspector provides nearly 1000 times higher scanning speed than conventional inspectors. To show our method's broad utility, we demonstrate real-time inspection of the surface of various objects (a non-reflective black film, transparent flexible film, and reflective hard disk) for detection of 10 μm or smaller defects on a moving target at 20 m/s within a scan width of 25 mm at a scan rate of 90.9 MHz. Our method holds promise for improving the cost and performance of organic light-emitting diode displays for next-generation smart phones, lithium-ion batteries for green electronics, and high-efficiency solar cells.

  11. Ultrafast dark-field surface inspection with hybrid-dispersion laser scanning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yazaki, Akio; Kim, Chanju; Chan, Jacky; Mahjoubfar, Ata; Goda, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masahiro; Jalali, Bahram

    2014-06-01

    High-speed surface inspection plays an important role in industrial manufacturing, safety monitoring, and quality control. It is desirable to go beyond the speed limitation of current technologies for reducing manufacturing costs and opening a new window onto a class of applications that require high-throughput sensing. Here, we report a high-speed dark-field surface inspector for detection of micrometer-sized surface defects that can travel at a record high speed as high as a few kilometers per second. This method is based on a modified time-stretch microscope that illuminates temporally and spatially dispersed laser pulses on the surface of a fast-moving object and detects scattered light from defects on the surface with a sensitive photodetector in a dark-field configuration. The inspector's ability to perform ultrafast dark-field surface inspection enables real-time identification of difficult-to-detect features on weakly reflecting surfaces and hence renders the method much more practical than in the previously demonstrated bright-field configuration. Consequently, our inspector provides nearly 1000 times higher scanning speed than conventional inspectors. To show our method's broad utility, we demonstrate real-time inspection of the surface of various objects (a non-reflective black film, transparent flexible film, and reflective hard disk) for detection of 10 μm or smaller defects on a moving target at 20 m/s within a scan width of 25 mm at a scan rate of 90.9 MHz. Our method holds promise for improving the cost and performance of organic light-emitting diode displays for next-generation smart phones, lithium-ion batteries for green electronics, and high-efficiency solar cells.

  12. Different size biomolecules anchoring on porous silicon surface: fluorescence and reflectivity pores infiltration comparative studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giovannozzi, Andrea M.; Rossi, Andrea M. [National Institute for Metrological Research, Thermodynamic Division, Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135 Torino (Italy); Renacco, Chiara; Farano, Alessandro [Ribes Ricecrhe Srl, Via Lavoratori Vittime del Col du Mont 24, 11100 Aosta (Italy); Derosas, Manuela [Biodiversity Srl, Via Corfu 71, 25124 Brescia (Italy); Enrico, Emanuele [National Institute for Metrological Research, Electromagnetism Division, Strada delle Cacce 91, 10135 Torino (Italy)

    2011-06-15

    The performance of porous silicon optical based biosensors strongly depends on material nanomorphology, on biomolecules distribution inside the pores and on the ability to link sensing species to the pore walls. In this paper we studied the immobilization of biomolecules with different size, such as antibody anti aflatoxin (anti Aflatox Ab, {proportional_to}150 KDa), malate dehydrogenase (MDH, {proportional_to}36KDa) and metallothionein (MT, {proportional_to}6KDa) at different concentrations on mesoporous silicon samples ({proportional_to}15 nm pores diameter). Fluorescence measurements using FITC- labeled biomolecules and refractive index analysis based on reflectivity spectra have been employed together to detect the amount of proteins bound to the surface and to evaluate their diffusion inside the pores. Here we suggest that these two techniques should be used together to have a better understanding of what happens at the porous silicon surface. In fact, when pores dimensions are not perfectly tuned to the protein size a higher fluorescence signal doesn't often correspond to a higher biomolecules distribution inside the pores. When a too much higher concentration of biomolecule is anchored on the surface, steric crowd effects and repulsive interactions probably take over and hinder pores infiltration, inducing a small or absent shift in the fringe pattern even if a higher fluorescence signal is registered. (copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  13. How Do I Know That My Supervision Is Reflective? Identifying Factors and Validity of the Reflective Supervision Rating Scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallen, Robert T.; Ash, Jordana; Smith, Conner; Franco, Allison; Willford, Jennifer A.

    2016-01-01

    Reflective supervision and consultation (RS/C) is often defined as a "relationship for learning"(Fenichel, 1992, p.9). As such, measurement tools should include the perspective of each participant in the supervisory relationship when assessing RS/C fidelity, delivery quality, and the supervisee's experience. The Reflective Supervision…

  14. Automated sulcal depth measurement on cortical surface reflecting geometrical properties of sulci.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyuk Jin Yun

    Full Text Available Sulcal depth that is one of the quantitative measures of cerebral cortex has been widely used as an important marker for brain morphological studies. Several studies have employed Euclidean (EUD or geodesic (GED algorithms to measure sulcal depth, which have limitations that ignore sulcal geometry in highly convoluted regions and result in under or overestimated depth. In this study, we proposed an automated measurement for sulcal depth on cortical surface reflecting geometrical properties of sulci, which named the adaptive distance transform (ADT. We first defined the volume region of cerebrospinal fluid between the 3D convex hull and the cortical surface, and constructed local coordinates for that restricted region. Dijkstra's algorithm was then used to compute the shortest paths from the convex hull to the vertices of the cortical surface based on the local coordinates, which may be the most proper approach for defining sulcal depth. We applied our algorithm to both a clinical dataset including patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD and 25 normal controls and a simulated dataset whose shape was similar to a single sulcus. The mean sulcal depth in the mild AD group was significantly lower than controls (p = 0.007, normal [mean±SD]: 7.29±0.23 mm, AD: 7.11±0.29 and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was relatively high, showing the value of 0.818. Results from clinical dataset that were consistent with former studies using EUD or GED demonstrated that ADT was sensitive to cortical atrophy. The robustness against inter-individual variability of ADT was highlighted through simulation dataset. ADT showed a low and constant normalized difference between the depth of the simulated data and the calculated depth, whereas EUD and GED had high and variable differences. We suggest that ADT is more robust than EUD or GED and might be a useful alternative algorithm for measuring sulcal depth.

  15. Impact of chemical polishing on surface roughness and dimensional quality of electron beam melting process (EBM) parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dolimont, Adrien; Rivière-Lorphèvre, Edouard; Ducobu, François; Backaert, Stéphane

    2018-05-01

    Additive manufacturing is growing faster and faster. This leads us to study the functionalization of the parts that are produced by these processes. Electron Beam melting (EBM) is one of these technologies. It is a powder based additive manufacturing (AM) method. With this process, it is possible to manufacture high-density metal parts with complex topology. One of the big problems with these technologies is the surface finish. To improve the quality of the surface, some finishing operations are needed. In this study, the focus is set on chemical polishing. The goal is to determine how the chemical etching impacts the dimensional accuracy and the surface roughness of EBM parts. To this end, an experimental campaign was carried out on the most widely used material in EBM, Ti6Al4V. Different exposure times were tested. The impact of these times on surface quality was evaluated. To help predicting the excess thickness to be provided, the dimensional impact of chemical polishing on EBM parts was estimated. 15 parts were measured before and after chemical machining. The improvement of surface quality was also evaluated after each treatment.

  16. Validation of a spectral correction procedure for sun and sky reflections in above-water reflectance measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Groetsch, Philipp M M; Gege, Peter; Simis, Stefan G H; Eleveld, Marieke A; Peters, Steef W M

    2017-08-07

    A three-component reflectance model (3C) is applied to above-water radiometric measurements to derive remote-sensing reflectance Rrs (λ). 3C provides a spectrally resolved offset Δ(λ) to correct for residual sun and sky radiance (Rayleigh- and aerosol-scattered) reflections on the water surface that were not represented by sky radiance measurements. 3C is validated with a data set of matching above- and below-water radiometric measurements collected in the Baltic Sea, and compared against a scalar offset correction Δ. Correction with Δ(λ) instead of Δ consistently reduced the (mean normalized root-mean-square) deviation between Rrs (λ) and reference reflectances to comparable levels for clear (Δ: 14.3 ± 2.5 %, Δ(λ): 8.2 ± 1.7 %), partly clouded (Δ: 15.4 ± 2.1 %, Δ(λ): 6.5 ± 1.4 %), and completely overcast (Δ: 10.8 ± 1.7 %, Δ(λ): 6.3 ± 1.8 %) sky conditions. The improvement was most pronounced under inhomogeneous sky conditions when measurements of sky radiance tend to be less representative of surface-reflected radiance. Accounting for both sun glint and sky reflections also relaxes constraints on measurement geometry, which was demonstrated based on a semi-continuous daytime data set recorded in a eutrophic freshwater lake in the Netherlands. Rrs (λ) that were derived throughout the day varied spectrally by less than 2 % relative standard deviation. Implications on measurement protocols are discussed. An open source software library for processing reflectance measurements was developed and is made publicly available.

  17. Comparison of Anti-Reflective Coated and Uncoated Surfaces Figured by Pitch-Polishing and Magneto-Rheological Processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chow, R.; Thomas, M.D.; Bickel, R.; Taylor, J.R.

    2002-01-01

    When completed, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) will provide laser energies in the Mega-joule range. Successful pulse amplification to these extremely high levels requires that all small optics, found earlier in the beamline, have stringent surface and laser fluence requirements. In addition, they must operate reliably for 30 years constituting hundreds of thousands of shots. As part of the first four beamlines, spherical and aspherical lenses were required for the beam relaying telescopes. The magneto-rheological technique allows for faster and more accurate finishing of aspheres. The spherical and aspherical lenses were final figured using both conventional-pitch polishing processes for high quality laser optics and the magneto-rheological finishing process. The purpose of this paper is to compare the surface properties between these two finishing processes. Some lenses were set aside from production for evaluation. The surface roughness in the mid-frequency range was measured and the scatter was studied. Laser damage testing at 1064 nm (3-ns pulse width) was performed on surfaces in both the uncoated and coated condition.

  18. Hydrologic parameters and land use reflection on water quality at Mun river, Thailand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akter, A.; Babel, M.S.

    2005-01-01

    The 'River Basin' is the land area surrounding one river from its headwaters to its mouth whereas the area drained by a river and its tributaries. So that the land use changes and excessive application of nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) in predominant agricultural river basins may have a great influence on water quality. Here the study area Mun River Basin is approximately of 69,701 km/sup 2/ and in 1994, out of the total basin area 'about 80 percent was covered by agricultural purposes. Also one of the driest parts of Thailand as well as one of the industrialized provinces in Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima is situated at the upstream of the river. Accordingly the downstream part Ubon Ratchathani seems totally agricultural based area. To get the water quality changing trends due to land use, there are around forty water quality parameters has considered for the last ten years along with the basins hydrological parameters. For this study based on the fifteen years rainfall data, the whole year divided into two seasons namely wet season (May to October) and dry season (November to April). The result shows: (1) most of the physicochemical parameters are high in wet season; (2) heavy metals moreover appear higher at wet season and (3) although the presences of pesticides are very nominal, the higher values are detected at wet season. The conclusion draws for the water quality by having wet season water sampling and then the testing of water samples for selected seven parameters whereas the water samples are collected at a duration of one-week to three-week from April to October 2004. And this short duration analysis shows that the mean value of the nutrient shows not only higher at wet season (May to October) than April's data also exceed the existing Thailand's surface water quality standard. (author)

  19. An analytical and numerical study of the nonlinear reflection at a stress-free surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romer, Anne, E-mail: anne.romer@gmx.net; Kim, Jin-Yeon, E-mail: anne.romer@gmx.net [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States); Jacobs, Laurence J. [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA and G.W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 (United States)

    2015-03-31

    Implementation of the ultrasonic second harmonic generation has typically been restricted to simple setups such as through-transmission or Rayleigh surface waves. Recent research has evaluated the second harmonic waves generation in P- and SV- waves reflected from a stress-free surface to enable the single-sided interrogation of a specimen. This research considers the second harmonic generation in an aluminum specimen, which is analytically evaluated using an approach based on a perturbation method. Here, the model is chosen to mimic an experimental setup where the longitudinal wave is generated at oblique angle using a wedge transducer. Due to the mode conversion at the interface of the wedge and the specimen, it is necessary to evaluate longitudinal and shear waves, determining all second harmonic waves generated in the bulk and at the stress-free boundary. The theoretically developed model is then implemented in a commercial finite element code, COMSOL, using increasing fundamental wave amplitudes for different values of third order elastic constants. The results of this computational model verify the analytical approach and the proposed measurement setup, taking into account assumptions and approximations of the solution procedure. Furthermore, the computational model is used to draw important conclusions relevant to the experimental setup, including the need to avoid interaction with diffracted waves.

  20. Transmission and reflection properties of terahertz fractal metamaterials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malureanu, Radu; Lavrinenko, Andrei; Cooke, David

    2010-01-01

    We use THz time-domain spectroscopy to investigate transmission and reflection properties of metallic fractal metamaterial structures. We observe loss of free-space energy at certain resonance frequencies, indicating excitation of surface modes of the metamaterial.......We use THz time-domain spectroscopy to investigate transmission and reflection properties of metallic fractal metamaterial structures. We observe loss of free-space energy at certain resonance frequencies, indicating excitation of surface modes of the metamaterial....

  1. Reflectance analysis of porosity gradient in nanostructured silicon layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jurečka, Stanislav; Imamura, Kentaro; Matsumoto, Taketoshi; Kobayashi, Hikaru

    2017-12-01

    In this work we study optical properties of nanostructured layers formed on silicon surface. Nanostructured layers on Si are formed in order to reach high suppression of the light reflectance. Low spectral reflectance is important for improvement of the conversion efficiency of solar cells and for other optoelectronic applications. Effective method of forming nanostructured layers with ultralow reflectance in a broad interval of wavelengths is in our approach based on metal assisted etching of Si. Si surface immersed in HF and H2O2 solution is etched in contact with the Pt mesh roller and the structure of the mesh is transferred on the etched surface. During this etching procedure the layer density evolves gradually and the spectral reflectance decreases exponentially with the depth in porous layer. We analyzed properties of the layer porosity by incorporating the porosity gradient into construction of the layer spectral reflectance theoretical model. Analyzed layer is splitted into 20 sublayers in our approach. Complex dielectric function in each sublayer is computed by using Bruggeman effective media theory and the theoretical spectral reflectance of modelled multilayer system is computed by using Abeles matrix formalism. Porosity gradient is extracted from the theoretical reflectance model optimized in comparison to the experimental values. Resulting values of the structure porosity development provide important information for optimization of the technological treatment operations.

  2. Moth eye-inspired anti-reflective surfaces for improved IR optical systems & visible LEDs fabricated with colloidal lithography and etching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Lesley W; Morse, Daniel E; Gordon, Michael J

    2018-05-08

    Near- and sub-wavelength photonic structures are used by numerous organisms (e.g. insects, cephalopods, fish, birds) to create vivid and often dynamically-tunable colors, as well as create, manipulate, or capture light for vision, communication, crypsis, photosynthesis, and defense. This review introduces the physics of moth eye (ME)-like, biomimetic nanostructures and discusses their application to reduce optical losses and improve efficiency of various optoelectronic devices, including photodetectors, photovoltaics, imagers, and light emitting diodes. Light-matter interactions at structured and heterogeneous surfaces over different length scales are discussed, as are the various methods used to create ME-inspired surfaces. Special interest is placed on a simple, scalable, and tunable method, namely colloidal lithography with plasma dry etching, to fabricate ME-inspired nanostructures in a vast suite of materials. Anti-reflective surfaces and coatings for IR devices and enhancing light extraction from visible light emitting diodes are highlighted.

  3. Remote sensing as a surface water quality monitoring support in the semiarid region of Brazil

    OpenAIRE

    Fernando Bezerra Lopes

    2013-01-01

    The contamination of surface water bodies due to antropic action has made water ever more scarce. Knowledge of the water quality is essential to determine instruments for it's management . Monitoring water quality in huge areas requires a high number of saimples for water quality control. This fact, allied to the high costs of water analysis, limits the evaluation that can be made of continental waters. Even though in later years geoprocessing and remote sensin...

  4. Neutron reflectivity study of substrate surface chemistry effects on supported phospholipid bilayer formation on (1120) sapphire.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oleson, Timothy A. [University of Wisconsin, Madison; Sahai, Nita [University of Akron; Wesolowski, David J [ORNL; Dura, Joseph A [ORNL; Majkrzak, Charles F [ORNL; Giuffre, Anthony J. [University of Wisconsin, Madison

    2012-01-01

    Oxide-supported phospholipid bilayers (SPBs) used as biomimetric membranes are significant for a broad range of applications including improvement of biomedical devices and biosensors, and in understanding biomineralization processes and the possible role of mineral surfaces in the evolution of pre-biotic membranes. Continuous-coverage and/or stacjed SPBs retain properties (e.,g. fluidity) more similar to native biological membranes, which is desirable for most applications. Using neutron reflectivity, we examined face coverage and potential stacking of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers on the (1120) face of sapphire (a-Al2O3). Nearly full bilayers were formed at low to neutral pH, when the sapphire surface is positively charged, and at low ionic strength (l=15 mM NaCl). Coverage decreased at higher pH, close to the isoelectric point of sapphire, and also at high I>210mM, or with addition of 2mM Ca2+. The latter two effects are additive, suggesting that Ca2+ mitigates the effect of higher I. These trends agree with previous results for phospholipid adsorption on a-Al2O3 particles determined by adsorption isotherms and on single-crystal (1010) sapphire by atomic force microscopy, suggesting consistency of oxide surface chemistry-dependent effects across experimental techniques.

  5. Glazed ceramic roof tiles: influence of surface features in the solar reflectance index; Influencia das caracteristicas da superficie no indice de refletancia solar de telhas ceramicas esmaltadas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bortoli, Leitcia Silva de; Stapait, Camila Cristina; Marinoski, Deivis Luis; Fredel, Marcio Celso; Schabbach, Luciana M., E-mail: luciana.maccarini@ufsc.br [Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Blumenau, SC (Brazil)

    2016-07-01

    In this study the influence of surface features of ceramic roof tiles in the solar reflectance index were evaluated. Two glazed ceramic roof tiles (type stoneware) with the same color (ivory) but with different appearance (matte and brilliant) were the focus of the analysis. The Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) of the roofs tiles were determined by the solar reflectance values (UV-VIS-NIR) and emittance, measured in laboratory. The samples showed SRI> 39 in accordance with LEED certification criteria (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), contributing to minimizing the Heat Island Effects. Although the matte roof tile shows a slightly higher SRI value (82) than the brilliant one (78), the results for the variables that composes the SRI value (reflectance and emittance) were very similar. Analysis of XRD, SEM and EDS performed on the surfaces of the two roofs indicated for the matte glaze the presence of microcrystals (with barium and zinc) that can contribute to the slightly highest value of SRI. The roughness (optical interferometer white light) and the brightness (brightness meter) of the samples were also measured. (author)

  6. Personal Professional Reflection as Interdisciplinary Problem

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rezvan Oksana

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Consideration of professional reflection as interdisciplinary problem is the necessary condition of quality analysis for personal professional becoming. Personal becoming in a profession is related to forming the necessary professional skills of a person, behaviour stereotypes which is the area of pedagogics. Reflection processes are inalienable part of self-knowledge of a person which result must lead to his self-perfection (including professional one and studying within the psychology increasingly. Thus the aim of the article is to ground the determination of professional reflection as an interdisciplinary problem in pedagogics and psychology.

  7. Automatic specular reflections removal for endoscopic images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Ke; Wang, Bin; Gao, Yuan

    2017-07-01

    Endoscopy imaging is utilized to provide a realistic view about the surfaces of organs inside the human body. Owing to the damp internal environment, these surfaces usually have a glossy appearance showing specular reflections. For many computer vision algorithms, the highlights created by specular reflections may become a significant source of error. In this paper, we present a novel method for restoration of the specular reflection regions from a single image. Specular restoration process starts with generating a substitute specular-free image with RPCA method. Then the specular removed image was obtained by taking the binary weighting template of highlight regions as the weighting for merging the original specular image and the substitute image. The modified template was furthermore discussed for the concealment of artificial effects in the edge of specular regions. Experimental results on the removal of the endoscopic image with specular reflections demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method comparing to the existing methods.

  8. Vocal performance reflects individual quality in a nonpasserine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janicke, T.; Hahn, S.M.; Ritz, M.S.; Peter, H.-U.

    2008-01-01

    Recent studies on mate-quality recognition in passerines showed that females use subtle differences in sound production to assess males. We analysed long calls of brown skuas, Catharacta antarctica lonnbergi, to test whether vocal performance could serve as an indicator of individual quality in a

  9. Thermal consequences of colour and near-infrared reflectance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuart-Fox, Devi; Newton, Elizabeth; Clusella-Trullas, Susana

    2017-07-05

    The importance of colour for temperature regulation in animals remains controversial. Colour can affect an animal's temperature because all else being equal, dark surfaces absorb more solar energy than do light surfaces, and that energy is converted into heat. However, in reality, the relationship between colour and thermoregulation is complex and varied because it depends on environmental conditions and the physical properties, behaviour and physiology of the animal. Furthermore, the thermal effects of colour depend as much on absorptance of near-infrared ((NIR), 700-2500 nm) as visible (300-700 nm) wavelengths of direct sunlight; yet the NIR is very rarely considered or measured. The few available data on NIR reflectance in animals indicate that the visible reflectance is often a poor predictor of NIR reflectance. Adaptive variation in animal coloration (visible reflectance) reflects a compromise between multiple competing functions such as camouflage, signalling and thermoregulation. By contrast, adaptive variation in NIR reflectance should primarily reflect thermoregulatory requirements because animal visual systems are generally insensitive to NIR wavelengths. Here, we assess evidence and identify key research questions regarding the thermoregulatory function of animal coloration, and specifically consider evidence for adaptive variation in NIR reflectance.This article is part of the themed issue 'Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application'. © 2017 The Author(s).

  10. Development of paints with infrared radiation reflective properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane Coser

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available AbstractLarge buildings situated in hot regions of the Globe need to be agreeable to their residents. Air conditioning is extensively used to make these buildings comfortable, with consequent energy consumption. Absorption of solar visible and infrared radiations are responsible for heating objects on the surface of the Earth, including houses and buildings. To avoid excessive energy consumption, it is possible to use coatings formulated with special pigments that are able to reflect the radiation in the near- infrared, NIR, spectrum. To evaluate this phenomenon an experimental study about the reflectivity of paints containing infrared-reflective pigments has been made. By irradiating with an IR source and by measuring the surface temperatures of the samples we evaluated: color according to ASTM D 2244-14, UV/VIS/NIR reflectance according to ASTM E 903-12 and thermal performance. Additionally, the spectral reflectance and the IR emittance were measured and the solar reflectance of the samples were calculated. The results showed that plates coated with paints containing IR-reflecting pigments displayed lower air temperature on the opposite side as compared to conventional coatings, indicating that they can be effective to reflect NIR and decrease the temperature of buildings when used in roofs and walls.

  11. Detecting moisture status of pecan orchards and the potential of remotely-sensed surface reflectance data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Othman, Yahia Abdelrahman

    Demand for New Mexico's limited water resources coupled with periodic drought has increased the need to schedule irrigation of pecan orchards based on tree water status. The overall goal of this research was to develop advanced tree water status sensing techniques to optimize irrigation scheduling of pecan orchards. To achieve this goal, I conducted three studies in the La Mancha and Leyendecker orchards, both mature pecan orchards located in the Mesilla Valley, New Mexico. In the first study, I screened leaf-level physiological changes that occurred during cyclic irrigation to determine parameters that best represented changes in plant moisture status. Then, I linked plant physiological changes to remotely-sensed surface reflectance data derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+). In the second study, I assessed the impact of water deficits that developed during the flood irrigation dry-down cycles on photosynthesis (A) and gas exchange and established preliminary water deficit thresholds of midday stem water potential (Psi smd) critical to A and gas exchange of pecans. In a third study, I investigated whether hyperspectral data obtained from a handheld spectroradiometer and multispectral remotely-sensed data derived from Landsat 7 ETM+ and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) could detect moisture status in pecans during cyclic flood irrigations. I conducted the first study simultaneously in both orchards. Leaf-level physiological responses and remotely-sensed surface reflectance data were collected from trees that were either well watered or in water deficit. Midday stem water potential was the best leaf-level physiological response to detect moisture status in pecans. Multiple linear regression between Psismd and vegetation indices revealed a significant relationship (R 2 = 0.54) in both orchards. Accordingly, I concluded that remotely-sensed multispectral data form Landsat TMETM+ holds promise for detecting the moisture

  12. Harmonized Landsat/Sentinel-2 Reflectance Products for Land Monitoring (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masek, Jeffrey G.; Dungan, Jennifer L.; Ju, Junchang; Roger, Jean-Claude; Claverie, Martin P.; Skakun, Sergii; Vermote, Eric; Justice, Christopher Owen

    2017-01-01

    Many land applications require more frequent observations than can be obtained from a single 'Landsat class'� sensor. Agricultural monitoring, inland water quality assessment, stand-scale phenology, and numerous other applications all require near-daily imagery at better than 1ha resolution. Thus the land science community has begun expressing a desire for a '30-meter MODIS' global monitoring capability. One cost-effective way to achieve this goal is via merging data from multiple, international observatories into a single virtual constellation. The Harmonized Landsat/Sentinel-2 (HLS) project has been working to generate a seamless surface reflectance product by combining observations from USGS/NASA Landsat-8 and ESA Sentinel-2. Harmonization in this context requires a series of radiometric and geometric transforms to create a single surface reflectance time series agnostic to sensor origin. Radiometric corrections include a common atmospheric correction using the Landsat-8 LaSRC/6S approach, a simple BRDF adjustment to constant solar and nadir view angle, and spectral bandpass adjustments to fit the Landsat-8 OLI reference. Data are then resampled to a consistent 30m UTM grid, using the Sentinel-2 global tile system. Cloud and shadow masking are also implemented. Quality assurance (QA) involves comparison of the output 30m HLS products with near-simultaneous MODIS nadir-adjusted observations. Prototoype HLS products have been processed for approximately 7% of the global land area using the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX) compute environment at NASA Ames, and can be downloaded from the HLS web site (https://hls.gsfc.nasa.gov). A wall-to-wall North America data set is being prepared for 2018. This talk will review the objectives and status of the HLS project, and illustrate applications of high-density optical time series data for agriculture and ecology. We also discuss lessons learned from HLS in the general context of implementing virtual constellations.

  13. Bidirectional reflectance distribution function of Spectralon white reflectance standard illuminated by incoherent unpolarized and plane-polarized light.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhandari, Anak; Hamre, Børge; Frette, Øvynd; Zhao, Lu; Stamnes, Jakob J; Kildemo, Morten

    2011-06-01

    A Lambert surface would appear equally bright from all observation directions regardless of the illumination direction. However, the reflection from a randomly scattering object generally has directional variation, which can be described in terms of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). We measured the BRDF of a Spectralon white reflectance standard for incoherent illumination at 405 and 680 nm with unpolarized and plane-polarized light from different directions of incidence. Our measurements show deviations of the BRDF for the Spectralon white reflectance standard from that of a Lambertian reflector that depend both on the angle of incidence and the polarization states of the incident light and detected light. The non-Lambertian reflection characteristics were found to increase more toward the direction of specular reflection as the angle of incidence gets larger.

  14. Coil Tolerance Impact on Plasma Surface Quality for NCSX

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, Art; Reiersen, Wayne

    2003-01-01

    The successful operation of the National Compact Stellarator Experiment (NCSX) machine will require producing plasma configurations with good flux surfaces, with a minimum volume of the plasma lost to magnetic islands or stochastic regions. The project goal is to achieve good flux surfaces over 90% of the plasma volume. NCSX is a three period device designed to be operated with iota ranging from ∼0.4 on axis to ∼0.7 at the edge. The field errors of most concern are those that are resonant with 3/5 and 3/6 modes (for symmetry preserving field errors) and the 1/2 and 2/3 modes (for symmetry breaking field errors). In addition to losses inherent in the physics configuration itself, there will be losses from field errors arising from coil construction and assembly errors. Some of these losses can be recovered through the use of trim coils or correction coils. The impact of coil tolerances on plasma surface quality is evaluated herein for the NCSX design. The methods used in this evaluation are discussed. The ability of the NCSX trim coils to correct for field errors is also examined. The results are used to set coils tolerances for the various coil systems

  15. Optical fringe-reflection deflectometry with bundle adjustment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Yong-Liang; Li, Sikun; Zhang, Qican; Zhong, Jianxin; Su, Xianyu; You, Zhisheng

    2018-06-01

    Liquid crystal display (LCD) screens are located outside of a camera's field of view in fringe-reflection deflectometry. Therefore, fringes that are displayed on LCD screens are obtained through specular reflection by a fixed camera. Thus, the pose calibration between the camera and LCD screen is one of the main challenges in fringe-reflection deflectometry. A markerless planar mirror is used to reflect the LCD screen more than three times, and the fringes are mapped into the fixed camera. The geometrical calibration can be accomplished by estimating the pose between the camera and the virtual image of fringes. Considering the relation between their pose, the incidence and reflection rays can be unified in the camera frame, and a forward triangulation intersection can be operated in the camera frame to measure three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of the specular surface. In the final optimization, constraint-bundle adjustment is operated to refine simultaneously the camera intrinsic parameters, including distortion coefficients, estimated geometrical pose between the LCD screen and camera, and 3D coordinates of the specular surface, with the help of the absolute phase collinear constraint. Simulation and experiment results demonstrate that the pose calibration with planar mirror reflection is simple and feasible, and the constraint-bundle adjustment can enhance the 3D coordinate measurement accuracy in fringe-reflection deflectometry.

  16. A METHOD USING GNSS LH-REFLECTED SIGNALS FOR SOIL ROUGHNESS ESTIMATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Jia

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R is based on the concept of receiving GPS signals reflected by the ground using a passive receiver. The receiver can be on the ground or installed on a small aircraft or UAV and collects the electromagnetic field scattered from the surface of the Earth. The received signals are then analyzed to determine the characteristics of the surface. Many research has been reported showing the capability of the GNSS-R technique. However, the roughness of the surface impacts the phase and amplitude of the received signals, which is still a worthwhile study. This paper presented a method can be used by GNSS-R to estimate the surface roughness. First, the data was calculated in the specular reflection with the assumption of a flat surface with different permittivity. Since the power reflectivity can be evaluated as the ratio of left-hand (LH reflected signal to the direct right-hand (RH signal. Then a semi-empirical roughness model was applied to the data for testing. The results showed the method can distinguish the water and the soil surface. The sensitivity of the parameters was also analyzed. It indicates this method for soil roughness estimation can be used by GNSS-R LH reflected signals. In the next step, several experiments need to be done for improving the model and exploring the way of the estimation.

  17. a Method Using Gnss Lh-Reflected Signals for Soil Roughness Estimation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Y.; Li, W.; Chen, Y.; Lv, H.; Pei, Y.

    2018-04-01

    Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is based on the concept of receiving GPS signals reflected by the ground using a passive receiver. The receiver can be on the ground or installed on a small aircraft or UAV and collects the electromagnetic field scattered from the surface of the Earth. The received signals are then analyzed to determine the characteristics of the surface. Many research has been reported showing the capability of the GNSS-R technique. However, the roughness of the surface impacts the phase and amplitude of the received signals, which is still a worthwhile study. This paper presented a method can be used by GNSS-R to estimate the surface roughness. First, the data was calculated in the specular reflection with the assumption of a flat surface with different permittivity. Since the power reflectivity can be evaluated as the ratio of left-hand (LH) reflected signal to the direct right-hand (RH) signal. Then a semi-empirical roughness model was applied to the data for testing. The results showed the method can distinguish the water and the soil surface. The sensitivity of the parameters was also analyzed. It indicates this method for soil roughness estimation can be used by GNSS-R LH reflected signals. In the next step, several experiments need to be done for improving the model and exploring the way of the estimation.

  18. Reflective metallic coatings for first mirrors on ITER

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eren, Baran; Marot, Laurent; Litnovsky, Andrey; Matveeva, Maria; Steiner, Roland; Emberger, Valentin; Wisse, Marco; Mathys, Daniel; Covarel, Gregory; Meyer, Ernst

    2011-01-01

    Metallic mirrors are foreseen to play a crucial role for all optical diagnostics in ITER. Therefore, the development of reliable techniques for the production of mirrors which are able to maintain their optical properties in the harsh ITER environment is highly important. By applying magnetron sputtering and evaporation techniques, rhodium and molybdenum films have been prepared for tokamak tests. The films were characterised in terms of chemical composition, surface roughness, crystallite structure, reflectivity and adhesion. No impurities were detected on the surface after deposition. The effects of deposition parameters and substrate temperature on the resulting crystallite structure, surface roughness and hence on the reflectivity, were investigated. The films are found to exhibit nanometric crystallites with a dense columnar structure. Open boundaries between the crystallite columns, which are sometimes present after evaporation, are found to reduce the reflectivity as compared to rhodium or molybdenum references.

  19. Reflective metallic coatings for first mirrors on ITER

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eren, Baran, E-mail: baran.eren@unibas.ch [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Marot, Laurent [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Litnovsky, Andrey; Matveeva, Maria [Institut fuer Energieforschung (Plasmaphysik), Forschungszentrum Juelich, Association EURATOM-FZJ, D 52425 Juelich (Germany); Steiner, Roland; Emberger, Valentin; Wisse, Marco [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Mathys, Daniel [Centre of Microscopy, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland); Covarel, Gregory [Laboratoire de Physique et Mecanique Textile EA CNRS 7189, Universite de Haute Alsace, 61 rue Albert Camus, 68093 Mulhouse Cedex (France); Meyer, Ernst [Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)

    2011-10-15

    Metallic mirrors are foreseen to play a crucial role for all optical diagnostics in ITER. Therefore, the development of reliable techniques for the production of mirrors which are able to maintain their optical properties in the harsh ITER environment is highly important. By applying magnetron sputtering and evaporation techniques, rhodium and molybdenum films have been prepared for tokamak tests. The films were characterised in terms of chemical composition, surface roughness, crystallite structure, reflectivity and adhesion. No impurities were detected on the surface after deposition. The effects of deposition parameters and substrate temperature on the resulting crystallite structure, surface roughness and hence on the reflectivity, were investigated. The films are found to exhibit nanometric crystallites with a dense columnar structure. Open boundaries between the crystallite columns, which are sometimes present after evaporation, are found to reduce the reflectivity as compared to rhodium or molybdenum references.

  20. Is Ocean Reflectance Acquired by Citizen Scientists Robust for Science Applications?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuyan Yang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Monitoring the dynamics of the productivity of ocean water and how it affects fisheries is essential for management. It requires data on proper spatial and temporal scales, which can be provided by operational ocean colour satellites. However, accurate productivity data from ocean colour imagery is only possible with proper validation of, for instance, the atmospheric correction applied to the images. In situ water reflectance data are of great value due to the requirements for validation and reflectance is traditionally measured with the Surface Acquisition System (SAS solar tracker system. Recently, an application for mobile devices, “HydroColor”, was developed to acquire water reflectance data. We examined the accuracy of the water reflectance measures acquired by HydroColor with the help of both trained and untrained citizens, under different environmental conditions. We used water reflectance data acquired by SAS solar tracker and by HydroColor onboard the BC ferry Queen of Oak Bay from July to September 2016. Monte Carlo permutation F tests were used to assess whether the differences between measurements collected by SAS solar tracker and HydroColor with citizens were significant. Results showed that citizen HydroColor measurements were accurate in red, green, and blue bands, as well as red/green and red/blue ratios under different environmental conditions. In addition, we found that a trained citizen obtained higher quality HydroColor data especially under clear skies at noon.

  1. Shallow Reflection Method for Water-Filled Void Detection and Characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahari, M. N. H.; Madun, A.; Dahlan, S. H.; Joret, A.; Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Mohammad, A. H.; Izzaty, R. A.

    2018-04-01

    Shallow investigation is crucial in enhancing the characteristics of subsurface void commonly encountered in civil engineering, and one such technique commonly used is seismic-reflection technique. An assessment of the effectiveness of such an approach is critical to determine whether the quality of the works meets the prescribed requirements. Conventional quality testing suffers limitations including: limited coverage (both area and depth) and problems with resolution quality. Traditionally quality assurance measurements use laboratory and in-situ invasive and destructive tests. However geophysical approaches, which are typically non-invasive and non-destructive, offer a method by which improvement of detection can be measured in a cost-effective way. Of this seismic reflection have proved useful to assess void characteristic, this paper evaluates the application of shallow seismic-reflection method in characterizing the water-filled void properties at 0.34 m depth, specifically for detection and characterization of void measurement using 2-dimensional tomography.

  2. Accuracy and efficiency in the binary star reflection effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, R.E.

    1990-01-01

    The geometric and irradiation heating problems for the binary star reflection effect theory are developed in terms of equipotential level surfaces and are sufficiently general so as to include eccentric orbits and nonsynchronous (even centrifugally limited) rotation and to treat multiple reflection. The requisite physics, mathematics, and logic are then presented and the computations are organized so that a given quantity is computed only as often as necessary, emphasizing the distinction between local surface quantities and aspect-related quantities. The local geometric, bolometric, and wavelength-specific quantities are grouped for storage according to how often they need to be recomputed. Some tests of a computer program based on this reflection model are given in the form of graphs in which program results are compared to a special exact case, and with results from an earlier program. The new program gives intuitively reasonable output for all tests, and the tests give an idea of how accurate the old program is, adopting the detailed reflection computations of the new program as a standard for comparison. A table is given which shows the convergence of the multiple reflection computations to a constant distribution of surface effective temperature. 11 refs

  3. Characterization of Surface Water and Groundwater Quality in the Lower Tano River Basin Using Statistical and Isotopic Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edjah, Adwoba; Stenni, Barbara; Cozzi, Giulio; Turetta, Clara; Dreossi, Giuliano; Tetteh Akiti, Thomas; Yidana, Sandow

    2017-04-01

    Adwoba Kua- Manza Edjaha, Barbara Stennib,c,Giuliano Dreossib, Giulio Cozzic, Clara Turetta c,T.T Akitid ,Sandow Yidanae a,eDepartment of Earth Science, University of Ghana Legon, Ghana West Africa bDepartment of Enviromental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca Foscari University of Venice, Italy cInstitute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes, CNR, Venice, Italy dDepartment of Nuclear Application and Techniques, Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences University of Ghana Legon This research is part of a PhD research work "Hydrogeological Assessment of the Lower Tano river basin for sustainable economic usage, Ghana, West - Africa". In this study, the researcher investigated surface water and groundwater quality in the Lower Tano river basin. This assessment was based on some selected sampling sites associated with mining activities, and the development of oil and gas. Statistical approach was applied to characterize the quality of surface water and groundwater. Also, water stable isotopes, which is a natural tracer of the hydrological cycle was used to investigate the origin of groundwater recharge in the basin. The study revealed that Pb and Ni values of the surface water and groundwater samples exceeded the WHO standards for drinking water. In addition, water quality index (WQI), based on physicochemical parameters(EC, TDS, pH) and major ions(Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, HCO3-,NO3-, CL-, SO42-, K+) exhibited good quality water for 60% of the sampled surface water and groundwater. Other statistical techniques, such as Heavy metal pollution index (HPI), degree of contamination (Cd), and heavy metal evaluation index (HEI), based on trace element parameters in the water samples, reveal that 90% of the surface water and groundwater samples belong to high level of pollution. Principal component analysis (PCA) also suggests that the water quality in the basin is likely affected by rock - water interaction and anthropogenic activities (sea water intrusion). This

  4. Anthropogenic influence on surface water quality of the Nhue and Day sub-river systems in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanh, Pham Thi Minh; Sthiannopkao, Suthipong; Kim, Kyoung-Woong; Ba, Dang The; Hung, Nguyen Quang

    2010-06-01

    In order to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of 14 physical and chemical surface water parameters in the Nhue and Day sub-river systems of Vietnam, surface water samples were taken from 43 sampling sites during the dry and rainy seasons in 2007. The results were statistically examined by Mann-Whitney U-test and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results show that water quality of the Day River was significantly improved during the rainy season while this was not the case of the Nhue River. However, the river water did not meet the Vietnamese surface water quality standards for dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD(5)), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients, total coliform, and fecal coliform. This implies that the health of local communities using untreated river water for drinking purposes as well as irrigation of vegetables may be at risk. Forty-three sampling sites were grouped into four main clusters on the basis of water quality characteristics with particular reference to geographic location and land use and revealed the contamination levels from anthropogenic sources.

  5. Highly reflective polymeric substrates functionalized utilizing atomic layer deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuzuarregui, Ana; Coto, Borja; Rodríguez, Jorge; Gregorczyk, Keith E.; Ruiz de Gopegui, Unai; Barriga, Javier; Knez, Mato

    2015-08-01

    Reflective surfaces are one of the key elements of solar plants to concentrate energy in the receivers of solar thermal electricity plants. Polymeric substrates are being considered as an alternative to the widely used glass mirrors due to their intrinsic and processing advantages, but optimizing both the reflectance and the physical stability of polymeric mirrors still poses technological difficulties. In this work, polymeric surfaces have been functionalized with ceramic thin-films by atomic layer deposition. The characterization and optimization of the parameters involved in the process resulted in surfaces with a reflection index of 97%, turning polymers into a real alternative to glass substrates. The solution we present here can be easily applied in further technological areas where seemingly incompatible combinations of polymeric substrates and ceramic coatings occur.

  6. Highly reflective polymeric substrates functionalized utilizing atomic layer deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zuzuarregui, Ana, E-mail: a.zuzuarregui@nanogune.eu; Gregorczyk, Keith E. [CIC Nanogune Consolider, de Tolosa Hiribidea 76, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain); Coto, Borja; Ruiz de Gopegui, Unai; Barriga, Javier [IK4-Tekniker, Iñaki Goenaga 5, 20600 Eibar (Spain); Rodríguez, Jorge [Torresol Energy (SENER Group), Avda. de Zugazarte 61, 48930 Las Arenas (Spain); Knez, Mato [CIC Nanogune Consolider, de Tolosa Hiribidea 76, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain); IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Diaz de Haro 3, 48013 Bilbao (Spain)

    2015-08-10

    Reflective surfaces are one of the key elements of solar plants to concentrate energy in the receivers of solar thermal electricity plants. Polymeric substrates are being considered as an alternative to the widely used glass mirrors due to their intrinsic and processing advantages, but optimizing both the reflectance and the physical stability of polymeric mirrors still poses technological difficulties. In this work, polymeric surfaces have been functionalized with ceramic thin-films by atomic layer deposition. The characterization and optimization of the parameters involved in the process resulted in surfaces with a reflection index of 97%, turning polymers into a real alternative to glass substrates. The solution we present here can be easily applied in further technological areas where seemingly incompatible combinations of polymeric substrates and ceramic coatings occur.

  7. Highly reflective polymeric substrates functionalized utilizing atomic layer deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuzuarregui, Ana; Gregorczyk, Keith E.; Coto, Borja; Ruiz de Gopegui, Unai; Barriga, Javier; Rodríguez, Jorge; Knez, Mato

    2015-01-01

    Reflective surfaces are one of the key elements of solar plants to concentrate energy in the receivers of solar thermal electricity plants. Polymeric substrates are being considered as an alternative to the widely used glass mirrors due to their intrinsic and processing advantages, but optimizing both the reflectance and the physical stability of polymeric mirrors still poses technological difficulties. In this work, polymeric surfaces have been functionalized with ceramic thin-films by atomic layer deposition. The characterization and optimization of the parameters involved in the process resulted in surfaces with a reflection index of 97%, turning polymers into a real alternative to glass substrates. The solution we present here can be easily applied in further technological areas where seemingly incompatible combinations of polymeric substrates and ceramic coatings occur

  8. Identification of hydrogen and deuterium at the surface of water ice by reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yubero, F.; Toekesi, K.

    2009-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. The study of elastically backscattered electrons from surfaces by reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (REELS) has been recently recommended as an alternative technique to quantify the H content at the surface of a-C:H and polymer samples. This analysis is based on the fact that the energy loss of the incident electrons due to the recoil effect depends on the atomic mass of the particular atom present at the surface. The observed difference in recoil energies between H and O atoms (about 2 eV for 1.5 keV primary electrons) can be easily measured with standard electron spectrometers used in surface analysis. In this paper we go one step forward to explore if, with the same experimental approach, it is possible to differentiate between hydrogen and deuterium (D) in the surface region of a sample. This capability could be important for technological fields such as surface functionalization, where it is desired to distinguish between H and D at surfaces after interaction with labeled compounds. We have chosen normal and deuterated water as test labeled compounds because this polar molecule is of key importance in numerous surface reactions. It has been shown that H and D can be easily distinguished at the surface of water ice [4] using standard REELS measurements with 1000 - 1650 eV primary-electron energies, i.e., a surface analytical technique. Differences in recoil energies of the O - H and O - D atom pairs present in H 2 O and D 2 O have been found to agree with MC simulations (see Fig.1). There are many possible applications of H and D detection by REELS. Among many others, this study opens the possibility of nondestructive studies of deuterium-labeled atoms present or adsorbed on surfaces. For example, studies of H incorporation into a polymer or carbonbased surface after plasma activation with gas mixtures with several labeled molecules containing H atoms. Acknowledgements F.Y. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Science

  9. Water Quality Evaluation of the Yellow River Basin Based on Gray Clustering Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, X. Q.; Zou, Z. H.

    2018-03-01

    Evaluating the water quality of 12 monitoring sections in the Yellow River Basin comprehensively by grey clustering method based on the water quality monitoring data from the Ministry of environmental protection of China in May 2016 and the environmental quality standard of surface water. The results can reflect the water quality of the Yellow River Basin objectively. Furthermore, the evaluation results are basically the same when compared with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The results also show that the overall water quality of the Yellow River Basin is good and coincident with the actual situation of the Yellow River basin. Overall, gray clustering method for water quality evaluation is reasonable and feasible and it is also convenient to calculate.

  10. Precise shape reconstruction by active pattern in total-internal-reflection-based tactile sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saga, Satoshi; Taira, Ryosuke; Deguchi, Koichiro

    2014-03-01

    We are developing a total-internal-reflection-based tactile sensor in which the shape is reconstructed using an optical reflection. This sensor consists of silicone rubber, an image pattern, and a camera. It reconstructs the shape of the sensor surface from an image of a pattern reflected at the inner sensor surface by total internal reflection. In this study, we propose precise real-time reconstruction by employing an optimization method. Furthermore, we propose to use active patterns. Deformation of the reflection image causes reconstruction errors. By controlling the image pattern, the sensor reconstructs the surface deformation more precisely. We implement the proposed optimization and active-pattern-based reconstruction methods in a reflection-based tactile sensor, and perform reconstruction experiments using the system. A precise deformation experiment confirms the linearity and precision of the reconstruction.

  11. Implementation of 350-2500 nm diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography to rapidly assess manufacturing consistency and quality of cotrimoxazole tablets in Tanzania.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaale, Eliangiringa; Hope, Samuel M; Jenkins, David; Layloff, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    To assess the quality of cotrimoxazole tablets produced by a Tanzanian manufacturer by a newly instituted quality assurance programme. Tablets underwent a diffuse reflectance spectroscopy procedure with periodic quality assessment confirmation by assay and dissolution testing using validated HPTLC techniques (including weight variation and disintegration evaluations). Based on results from the primary test methods, the first group of product was 99% compliance. This approach provides a model for rapidly assuring product quality of future procurements of other products that is more cost-effective than traditional pharmaceutical testing techniques. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Self-Reflection and Professional Competences in the Master Program for Chemical Engineers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reijenga, J.C.; Vinken, E.; Gupta-Bhowon, M.; Jhaumeer-Laulloo, S.; Li Kam Wah, H.; Ramasami, P.

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents an investigation into the quality of self-reflection during industrial intern-ships by Chemical Engineering students at the Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands. The quality of the self-reflection reports written at the end of a compulsory in-dustrial internship

  13. Surface quality and topographic inspection of variable compliance part after precise turning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieslony, P.; Krolczyk, G. M.; Wojciechowski, S.; Chudy, R.; Zak, K.; Maruda, R. W.

    2018-03-01

    The paper presents the problem of precise turning of the mould parts with variable compliance and demonstrates a topographic inspection of the machined surface quality. The study was conducted for the cutting tools made of cemented carbide with coatings, in a range of variable cutting parameters. The long shaft with special axial hole, made of hardened 55NiCrMoV6 steel was selected as a workpiece. The carried out study included the stiffness measurement of the machining system, as well as the investigation of cutting force components. In this context, the surface topography parameters were evaluated using the stylus profile meter and analysed. The research revealed that the surface topography, alongside the 3D functional parameters, and PSD influences the performance of the machined surface. The lowest surface roughness parameters values, equalled to Sa = 1 μm and Sz = 4.3 μm have been obtained during turning with cutting speed vc = 90 m/min. The stable turning of variable compliance part affects the surface texture formation with a unidirectional perpendicular, anisotropic structure. Nevertheless, in case of unstable turning, the characteristic chatter marks are observed, and process dynamics has greater contribution in formation of surface finish than turning kinematics and elastic plastic deformation of workpiece.

  14. Effective signaling of surface boundaries by L-vertices reflect the consistency of their contrast in natural images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vessel, Edward A; Biederman, Irving; Subramaniam, Suresh; Greene, Michelle R

    2016-07-01

    An L-vertex, the point at which two contours coterminate, provides highly reliable evidence that a surface terminates at that vertex, thus providing the strongest constraint on the extraction of shape from images (Guzman, 1968). Such vertices are pervasive in our visual world but the importance of a statistical regularity about them has been underappreciated: The contours defining the vertex are (almost) always of the same direction of contrast with respect to the background (i.e., both darker or both lighter). Here we show that when the two contours are of different directions of contrast, the capacity of the L-vertex to signal the termination of a surface, as reflected in object recognition, is markedly reduced. Although image statistics have been implicated in determining the connectivity in the earliest cortical visual stage (V1) and in grouping during visual search, this finding provides evidence that such statistics are involved in later stages where object representations are derived from two-dimensional images.

  15. The impact of changing climate on surface and ground water quality in southeast of Ireland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tribak, Kamal

    2015-04-01

    In the current changing climate globally, Ireland have been experiencing a yearly recurrent extreme heavy rainfall events in the last decade, with damaging visible effects socially, economically and on the environment. Ireland intensive agriculture production is a major treat to the aquatic environment, Nitrogen and phosphorus losses to the water courses are major causes to eutrophication. The European Water Frame Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC) and Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) sets a number of measures to better protect and improve water status. Five years of high temporal resolution river water quality data measurement from two contrasting catchment in the southeast of Ireland were correlated with rain fall and nutrients losses to the ground and surface water, additional to the integrated Southeast River District Basin ground and surface water quality to establish spatiotemporal connection to the agriculture activities, the first well-drained soil catchment had high coefficient correlation with rain fall with higher losses to groundwater, on the other hand higher nutrients losses to surface water were higher with less influence from groundwater recharge of N and P transfer, the poorly clay base soil contributed to higher increased losses to surface water during excessive rain fall. Agriculture activities, hydrology, geology and human interaction can interact according to their site specific setting and the effects will fluctuate dependent on the conditions influencing the impact on water quality, there is a requirement to better distinguish those effects together and identify areas and land uses control and nutrients management to improve the water quality, stakeholders co-operation along with effective polices, long term monitoring, nutrients pathways management and better understanding of the environmental factors interaction on national, regional and catchment scale to enable planning policies and enforcement measures to be more focused on areas of high risk

  16. The reflectivity, wettability and scratch durability of microsurface features molded in the injection molding process using a dynamic tool tempering system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhn, Sascha; Burr, August; Kübler, Michael; Deckert, Matthias; Bleesen, Christoph

    2011-02-01

    In this paper the replication qualities of periodically and randomly arranged micro-features molded in the injection molding process and their effects on surface properties are studied. The features are molded in PC, PMMA and PP at different mold wall temperatures in order to point out the necessity and profitability of a variotherm mold wall temperature control system. A one-dimensional heat conduction model is proposed to predict the cycle times of the variotherm injection molding processes. With regard to these processes, the molding results are compared to the molded surface feature heights using an atomic force microscope. In addition, the effects of the molded surface features on macroscopic surfaces are characterized in terms of light reflection using a spectrometer and in terms of water wettability by measuring the static contact angle. Furthermore, due to the sensitivity of the surface features on the molded parts, their durability is compared in a scratch test with a diamond tip. This leads to successful implementation in applications in which the optical appearance, in terms of gloss and reflection, and the water repellence, in terms of drag flow and adhesion, are of importance.

  17. The reflectivity, wettability and scratch durability of microsurface features molded in the injection molding process using a dynamic tool tempering system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuhn, Sascha; Burr, August; Kübler, Michael; Deckert, Matthias; Bleesen, Christoph

    2011-01-01

    In this paper the replication qualities of periodically and randomly arranged micro-features molded in the injection molding process and their effects on surface properties are studied. The features are molded in PC, PMMA and PP at different mold wall temperatures in order to point out the necessity and profitability of a variotherm mold wall temperature control system. A one-dimensional heat conduction model is proposed to predict the cycle times of the variotherm injection molding processes. With regard to these processes, the molding results are compared to the molded surface feature heights using an atomic force microscope. In addition, the effects of the molded surface features on macroscopic surfaces are characterized in terms of light reflection using a spectrometer and in terms of water wettability by measuring the static contact angle. Furthermore, due to the sensitivity of the surface features on the molded parts, their durability is compared in a scratch test with a diamond tip. This leads to successful implementation in applications in which the optical appearance, in terms of gloss and reflection, and the water repellence, in terms of drag flow and adhesion, are of importance.

  18. X-ray reflectivity study of thermal capillary waves on liquid surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ocko, B.M.; Wu, X.Z.; Sirota, E.B.; Sinha, S.K.; Deutsch, M.

    1994-01-01

    X-ray reflectivity measurements have been carried out at the liquid/vapor interface of normal alkanes. The reflectivities over a large temperature range of different chain lengths (C20 and C36) provide a critical test of the various capillary wave models. Our data are most consistent with the hybrid model which allows for a molecular size dependent cutoff q max for the capillary waves and an intrinsic interface width σ 0

  19. Detection of Lettuce Discoloration Using Hyperspectral Reflectance Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mo, Changyeun; Kim, Giyoung; Lim, Jongguk; Kim, Moon S; Cho, Hyunjeong; Cho, Byoung-Kwan

    2015-11-20

    Rapid visible/near-infrared (VNIR) hyperspectral imaging methods, employing both a single waveband algorithm and multi-spectral algorithms, were developed in order to discrimination between sound and discolored lettuce. Reflectance spectra for sound and discolored lettuce surfaces were extracted from hyperspectral reflectance images obtained in the 400-1000 nm wavelength range. The optimal wavebands for discriminating between discolored and sound lettuce surfaces were determined using one-way analysis of variance. Multi-spectral imaging algorithms developed using ratio and subtraction functions resulted in enhanced classification accuracy of above 99.9% for discolored and sound areas on both adaxial and abaxial lettuce surfaces. Ratio imaging (RI) and subtraction imaging (SI) algorithms at wavelengths of 552/701 nm and 557-701 nm, respectively, exhibited better classification performances compared to results obtained for all possible two-waveband combinations. These results suggest that hyperspectral reflectance imaging techniques can potentially be used to discriminate between discolored and sound fresh-cut lettuce.

  20. Scattering of surface plasmons on graphene by a discontinuity in surface conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rejaei, Behzad; Khavasi, Amin

    2015-01-01

    The scattering of graphene surface plasmons from an arbitrary, one-dimensional discontinuity in graphene surface conductivity is treated analytically by an exact solution of the quasi-static integral equation for surface current density in the spectral domain. It is found that the reflection and transmission coefficients are not governed by the Fresnel formulas obtained by means of the effective medium approach. Furthermore, the reflection coefficient generally exhibits an anomalous reflection phase, which has so far only been reported for the particular case of reflection from abrupt edges. This anomalous phase becomes frequency-independent in the regime where the effect of inter-band transitions on graphene conductivity is negligible. The results are in excellent agreement with full-wave electromagnetic simulations, and can serve as a basis for the analysis of inhomogeneous graphene layers with a piecewise-constant conductivity profile. (paper)

  1. Medium-energy ion reflection from solids

    CERN Document Server

    Mashkova, ES

    1985-01-01

    ``Medium-Energy Ion Reflection from Solids'' analyses the results of experimental, theoretical and computer investigations on the process of scattering of ions by solid surfaces. Surface scattering is a relatively young and rapidly developing branch of the physics of atomic collisions and the literature on this subject has rapidly grown.As the first monograph devoted specifically to surface scattering of ions, this book is directed at scientists involved in ion-solid interaction studies.

  2. Radiative heat exchange between surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yener, Y.; Yuncu, H.

    1987-01-01

    The geometrical features of radiative heat exchange between surfaces are discussed first by developing various radiation shape factor relations. The governing equations for enclosures with diffusely emitting and diffusely reflecting surfaces, as well as the equations for enclosures with gray surfaces having specular component of reflectivity are introduced next. Finally, a simplified model for enclosures with isothermal surfaces under the assumption of uniform radiosity over the surfaces is discussed, and various working relations for different conditions are presented

  3. Fault analysis in the very shallow seismic reflection method; Gokusenso jishin hanshaho ni okeru danso kaiseki. 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagumo, S; Muraoka, S; Kaida, Y; Takahashi, T [OYO Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

    1996-10-01

    To effectively use the very shallow seismic reflection for active fault survey, a method has been investigated by which fault structures can be appropriately reconstructed from the fault information detected in the original records. The first step of reconstructing the fault system from the travel time reflection curve was to grasp an outline of fault structure from the patterns of travel time curve observed in the original record. For the very shallow seismic reflection method, especially, the low velocity layers in a shallow part succeeding from the ground surface made the issue complicated. Then, the travel time reflection curves were calculated in the case of existing several horizontal reflection surfaces in the surface layer. The constant values, mean velocities to the depth at individual reflection surfaces were used for the approximation of velocities. The outline of fault structure was grasped from the observation of original record. Then, the structure was reconstructed from the travel time curves. When the mean velocity in the medium was known, reconstruction of the feature of reflection surfaces from the travel time curves could be determined by simple mapping. When the mean velocity was unknown, it was calculated using the reciprocal travel time from the common reflection surface for individual reflection surfaces. 7 figs.

  4. An improved method to estimate reflectance parameters for high dynamic range imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shiying; Deguchi, Koichiro; Li, Renfa; Manabe, Yoshitsugu; Chihara, Kunihiro

    2008-01-01

    Two methods are described to accurately estimate diffuse and specular reflectance parameters for colors, gloss intensity and surface roughness, over the dynamic range of the camera used to capture input images. Neither method needs to segment color areas on an image, or to reconstruct a high dynamic range (HDR) image. The second method improves on the first, bypassing the requirement for specific separation of diffuse and specular reflection components. For the latter method, diffuse and specular reflectance parameters are estimated separately, using the least squares method. Reflection values are initially assumed to be diffuse-only reflection components, and are subjected to the least squares method to estimate diffuse reflectance parameters. Specular reflection components, obtained by subtracting the computed diffuse reflection components from reflection values, are then subjected to a logarithmically transformed equation of the Torrance-Sparrow reflection model, and specular reflectance parameters for gloss intensity and surface roughness are finally estimated using the least squares method. Experiments were carried out using both methods, with simulation data at different saturation levels, generated according to the Lambert and Torrance-Sparrow reflection models, and the second method, with spectral images captured by an imaging spectrograph and a moving light source. Our results show that the second method can estimate the diffuse and specular reflectance parameters for colors, gloss intensity and surface roughness more accurately and faster than the first one, so that colors and gloss can be reproduced more efficiently for HDR imaging.

  5. Quality Control of Laser-Beam-Melted Parts by a Correlation Between Their Mechanical Properties and a Three-Dimensional Surface Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimm, T.; Wiora, G.; Witt, G.

    2017-03-01

    Good correlations between three-dimensional surface analyses of laser-beam-melted parts of nickel alloy HX and their mechanical properties were found. The surface analyses were performed with a confocal microscope, which offers a more profound surface data basis than a conventional, two-dimensional tactile profilometry. This new approach results in a wide range of three-dimensional surface parameters, which were each evaluated with respect to their feasibility for quality control in additive manufacturing. As a result of an automated surface analysis process by the confocal microscope and an industrial six-axis robot, the results are an innovative approach for quality control in additive manufacturing.

  6. Infrared reflection properties and modelling of in situ reflection measurements on plasma-facing materials in Tore Supra

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reichle, R; Desgranges, C; Faisse, F; Pocheau, C; Lasserre, J-P; Oelhoffen, F; Eupherte, L; Todeschini, M

    2009-01-01

    Tore Supra has-like ITER-reflecting internal surfaces, which can perturb the machine protection systems based on infrared (IR) thermography. To ameliorate this situation, we have measured and modelled in the 3-5 μm wavelength range the bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF) of wall material samples from Tore Supra and conducted in situ reflection measurements and simulated them with the CEA COSMOS code. BRDF results are presented for B 4 C and carbon fibre composite (CFC) tiles. The hemispherical integrated reflection ranges from 0.12 for the B 4 C sample to 0.39 for a CFC tile from the limiter erosion zone. In situ measurements of the IR reflection of a blackbody source off an ICRH and an LHCD antenna of Tore Supra are well reproduced by the simulation.

  7. Infrared reflection properties and modelling of in situ reflection measurements on plasma-facing materials in Tore Supra

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reichle, R; Desgranges, C; Faisse, F; Pocheau, C [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France); Lasserre, J-P; Oelhoffen, F; Eupherte, L; Todeschini, M [CEA, DAM, CESTA, F-33114 Le Barp (France)

    2009-12-15

    Tore Supra has-like ITER-reflecting internal surfaces, which can perturb the machine protection systems based on infrared (IR) thermography. To ameliorate this situation, we have measured and modelled in the 3-5 {mu}m wavelength range the bi-directional reflection distribution function (BRDF) of wall material samples from Tore Supra and conducted in situ reflection measurements and simulated them with the CEA COSMOS code. BRDF results are presented for B{sub 4}C and carbon fibre composite (CFC) tiles. The hemispherical integrated reflection ranges from 0.12 for the B{sub 4}C sample to 0.39 for a CFC tile from the limiter erosion zone. In situ measurements of the IR reflection of a blackbody source off an ICRH and an LHCD antenna of Tore Supra are well reproduced by the simulation.

  8. Surface induced smectic order in ionic liquids - an X-ray reflectivity study of [C22C1im]+[NTf2].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mars, Julian; Hou, Binyang; Weiss, Henning; Li, Hailong; Konovalov, Oleg; Festersen, Sven; Murphy, Bridget M; Rütt, Uta; Bier, Markus; Mezger, Markus

    2017-10-11

    Surface induced smectic order was found for the ionic liquid 1-methyl-3-docosylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethlysulfonyl)imide by X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence scattering experiments. Near the free liquid surface, an ordered structure of alternating layers composed of polar and non-polar moieties is observed. This leads to an oscillatory interfacial profile perpendicular to the liquid surface with a periodicity of 3.7 nm. Small angle X-ray scattering and polarized light microscopy measurements suggest that the observed surface structure is related to fluctuations into a metastable liquid crystalline SmA 2 phase that was found by supercooling the bulk liquid. The observed surface ordering persists up to 157 °C, i.e. more than 88 K above the bulk melting temperature of 68.1 °C. Close to the bulk melting point, we find a thickness of the ordered layer of L = 30 nm. The dependency of L(τ) = Λ ln(τ/τ 1 ) vs. reduced temperature τ follows a logarithmic growth law. In agreement with theory, the pre-factor Λ is governed by the correlation length of the isotropic bulk phase.

  9. Physicochemical Assessment of Surface and Groundwater Quality of the Greater Chittagong Region of Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Ahmed

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The study was carried out to assess surface and groundwater quality of the greater Chittagong (Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar districts and Chittagong Hill Tracts (Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts of Bangladesh. To study the various physicochemical and microbiological parameters, surface water samples from the Karnafuli, Halda, Sangu, Matamuhuri, Bakkhali, Naf, Kasalong, Chingri and Mayani Rivers, Kaptai Lake and groundwater samples from almost every Upazilas, smaller administrative unit of Bangladesh, were collected and analyzed. The statistical methods of sampling were used for collecting samples. Samples were preserved using suitable preservation methods. Water samples from the freshwater resources were collected from different points and tide conditions and at different seasons for continuous monitoring during the hydrological years 2008-2009. The collected samples were analyzed for the following parameters: pH, electrical conductivity (EC, total dissolved solids (TDS, total suspended solids (TSS, total solids (TS, dissolved oxygen (DO, transparency, acidity, dissolved carbon dioxide, total alkalinity, total hardness, chloride, ammonia-N, hydrogen sulfide, sulphate-S, o-phosphate-P, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD, chemical oxygen demand (COD, nitrate-N, nitrite-N, total nitrite and nitrate-N, arsenic, iron, manganese, copper, nickel, chromium, cadmium, lead, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium using the procedure outlined in the standard methods. Average values of maximum physicochemical and microbiological parameters studied for the Karnafuli River were found higher than the World Health Organization (WHO guideline. The maximum water quality parameters of Kaptai Lake and other Rivers of Chittagong region were existed within the permissible limits of WHO guideline. The data showed the water quality slightly differs in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon than monsoon season. The concentration of different constituents of most of

  10. Research Needs: Glass Solar Reflectance and Vinyl Siding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hart, Robert; Curcija, Charlie; Arasteh, Dariush; Goudey, Howdy; Kohler, Christian; Selkowitz, Stephen

    2011-07-07

    The subject of glass solar reflectance and its contribution to permanent vinyl siding distortion has not been extensively studied, and some phenomena are not yet well understood. This white paper presents what is known regarding the issue and identifies where more research is needed. Three primary topics are discussed: environmental factors that control the transfer of heat to and from the siding surface; vinyl siding properties that may affect heat build-up and permanent distortion; and factors that determine the properties of reflected solar radiation from glass surfaces, including insulating window glass. Further research is needed to fully characterize the conditions associated with siding distortion, the scope of the problem, physical properties of vinyl siding, insulating window glass reflection characteristics, and possible mitigation or prevention strategies.

  11. Determining the influential depth for surface reflectance of sediment by BRDF measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, H; Voss, K; Reid, R

    2003-10-20

    We measure the Bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of ooid sand layers with three particle size distributions (0.5-1mm, 0.25-0.5mm and 0.125-0.25mm) and layer thicknesses on a reflecting mirror to determine the influential depth in the optical region at wavelengths of 658 nm (red), 570 nm (green) and 457 nm (blue). The hemispherical reflectance (albedo) was used as an indicator of BRDF changes between different layers. Measurements are carried out on both dry and water wetted grains. The results indicate that for both dry and wet and all size distributions, the influential depth is at most 2mm.

  12. A monthly quality assurance procedure for 3D surface imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wooten, H Omar; Klein, Eric E; Gokhroo, Garima; Santanam, Lakshmi

    2010-12-21

    A procedure for periodic quality assurance of a video surface imaging system is introduced. AlignRT is a video camera-based patient localization system that captures and compares images of a patient's topography to a DICOM-formatted external contour, then calculates shifts required to accurately reposition the patient. This technical note describes the tools and methods implemented in our department to verify correct and accurate operation of the AlignRT hardware and software components. The procedure described is performed monthly and complements a daily calibration of the system.

  13. Descriptive Characteristics of Surface Water Quality in Hong Kong by a Self-Organising Map.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Yan; Zou, Zhihong; Li, Ranran

    2016-01-08

    In this study, principal component analysis (PCA) and a self-organising map (SOM) were used to analyse a complex dataset obtained from the river water monitoring stations in the Tolo Harbor and Channel Water Control Zone (Hong Kong), covering the period of 2009-2011. PCA was initially applied to identify the principal components (PCs) among the nonlinear and complex surface water quality parameters. SOM followed PCA, and was implemented to analyze the complex relationships and behaviors of the parameters. The results reveal that PCA reduced the multidimensional parameters to four significant PCs which are combinations of the original ones. The positive and inverse relationships of the parameters were shown explicitly by pattern analysis in the component planes. It was found that PCA and SOM are efficient tools to capture and analyze the behavior of multivariable, complex, and nonlinear related surface water quality data.

  14. It's About Making Surfaces Invisible

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    It's About Making Surfaces Invisible ... light is reflected from the surface between two media. The in- tensity of ... The reflection from each new interface and the combined reflec- .... Let us see the requirements of a material for a good stamp. The.

  15. An experimental investigation of the reflection of low energy electrons from surfaces of 2H-MoS2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komolov, S.A.; Chadderton, L.T.

    1978-01-01

    Experiments are described in which a new technique - total current spectroscopy (TCS) - has been used to investigate the energy dependence of the reflection of low energy electrons from clean surfaces of the naturally occuring mineral molybdenite (2H-MoS 2 ). A theory involving both elastic and inelastic scattering of electrons is applied to a band structure calculated for molybdenite by Mattheiss. With relatively few approximations the results of numerical calculations for a TCS spectrum from molybdenite agree surprisingly well with experiment. It is suggested that TCS will prove to be a convenient and sensitive tool for the probing of energy structures in other solid surfaces. For the transition metal dichalcogenide series it should be possible to observe systematic changes in TCS spectra associated with changes in band structure, and subsequently to predict details in the density of states distributions using iterative computer procedures. (Auth.)

  16. Untreated runoff quality from roof and road surfaces in a low intensity rainfall climate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charters, Frances J; Cochrane, Thomas A; O'Sullivan, Aisling D

    2016-04-15

    Sediment and heavy metals in stormwater runoff are key pollutants of urban waterways, and their presence in stormwater is driven by climatic factors such as rainfall intensity. This study describes the total suspended solids (TSS) and heavy metal concentrations found in runoff from four different urban surfaces within a residential/institutional catchment, in a climate where rainfall is typically of low intensity (runoff quality from a compilation of international studies. The road runoff had the highest TSS concentrations, while copper and galvanized roof runoff had the highest copper and zinc concentrations, respectively. Pollutant concentrations were found to be significantly different between surfaces; quantification and prediction of pollutant contributions from urban surfaces should thus take account of the different surface materials, instead of being aggregated into more generalized categories such as land use. The TSS and heavy metal concentrations were found to be at the low to medium end of ranges observed internationally, except for total copper and zinc concentrations generated by dissolution of copper and galvanized roofing material respectively; these concentrations were at least as high as those reported internationally. TSS wash-off from the roofs was seen to be a source-limited process, where all available TSS is washed off during the rain event despite the low intensity rainfall, whereas both road TSS and heavy metals wash-off from roof and road surfaces appeared to all be transport-limited and therefore some carryover of pollutants occurs between rain events. A first flush effect was seen from most surfaces for TSS, but not for heavy metals. This study demonstrates that in low intensity rainfall climates, quantification of untreated runoff quality from key individual surface types in a catchment are needed to enable development of targeted and appropriately sized stormwater treatment systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Magnetoplasma reflectivity studies on Cd3As2

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schleijpen, H.M.A.; Ortenberg, von M.; Gelten, M.J.; Blom, F.A.P.

    1984-01-01

    Magnetoplasma reflectivity measurements were performed on Cd3As2 in order to obtain more experimental details about the structure of the plasma reflectivity edge. The experimental results can be explained by assuming the existence of a surface layer with a carrier concentration-gradient which is

  18. High-resolution seismic reflection surveying with a land streamer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cengiz Tapırdamaz, Mustafa; Cankurtaranlar, Ali; Ergintav, Semih; Kurt, Levent

    2013-04-01

    In this study, newly designed seismic reflection data acquisition array (land streamer) is utilized to image the shallow subsurface. Our acquisition system consist of 24 geophones screwed on iron plates with 2 m spacing, moving on the surface of the earth which are connected with fire hose. Completely original, 4.5 Kg weight iron plates provides satisfactory coupling. This land-streamer system enables rapid and cost effective acquisition of seismic reflection data due to its operational facilities. First test studies were performed using various seismic sources such as a mini-vibro truck, buffalo-gun and hammer. The final fieldwork was performed on a landslide area which was studied before. Data acquisition was carried out on the line that was previously measured by the seismic survey using 5 m geophone and shot spacing. This line was chosen in order to re-image known reflection patterns obtained from the previous field study. Taking penetration depth into consideration, a six-cartridge buffalo-gun was selected as a seismic source to achieve high vertical resolution. Each shot-point drilled 50 cm for gunshots to obtain high resolution source signature. In order to avoid surface waves, the offset distance between the source and the first channel was chosen to be 50 m and the shot spacing was 2 m. These acquisition parameters provided 12 folds at each CDP points. Spatial sampling interval was 1 m at the surface. The processing steps included standard stages such as gain recovery, editing, frequency filtering, CDP sorting, NMO correction, static correction and stacking. Furthermore, surface consistent residual static corrections were applied recursively to improve image quality. 2D F-K filter application was performed to suppress air and surface waves at relatively deep part of the seismic section. Results show that, this newly designed, high-resolution land seismic data acquisition equipment (land-streamer) can be successfully used to image subsurface. Likewise

  19. Reflections on Post-Evaluation of Baccalaureate Programs: Revisiting Education Quality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jianrong, Sun

    2009-01-01

    This paper discusses the distinction between two types of educational quality: quality at the institutional level and quality at the student learning level. The key element for continuous institutional improvement after completion of the evaluation of institutional teaching should be on redefining quality in student learning and developing a…

  20. The variability of surface water quality indicators in relation to watercourse typology, Czech Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Langhammer, J.; Hartvich, Filip; Mattas, D.; Rödlová, S.; Zbořil, A.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 184, č. 6 (2012), s. 3983-3999 ISSN 0167-6369 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30460519 Keywords : water framework directive * typology * Surface water quality Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography Impact factor: 1.592, year: 2012

  1. A Comprehensive Review of the Evidence of the Impact of Surface Water Quality on Property Values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Nicholls

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The desirability of living on or close to water is reflected in sometimes substantial property price premiums. Water quality has an important influence on property prices, since it impacts a water body’s appearance, capacity to support wildlife, and recreational potential. As water quality continues to be altered by human use and activity, and in light of new threats posed by projected climate and associated environmental change, understanding the impact of changing quality on property prices, and the associated property tax base, is paramount. This paper reviews the body of evidence on this topic to date. Of the 43 distinct studies represented in the 48 publications reviewed, the expected, statistically significant relationship between water quality and property price was demonstrated in at least one of the models developed in all but two studies. As a whole, they provide convincing evidence that clean water has a positive effect on property values.

  2. Alfven Wave Reflection Model of Field-Aligned Currents at Mercury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyatsky, Wladislaw; Khazanov, George V.; Slavin, James

    2010-01-01

    An Alfven Wave Reflection (AWR) model is proposed that provides closure for strong field-aligned currents (FACs) driven by the magnetopause reconnection in the magnetospheres of planets having no significant ionospheric and surface electrical conductance. The model is based on properties of the Alfven waves, generated at high altitudes and reflected from the low-conductivity surface of the planet. When magnetospheric convection is very slow, the incident and reflected Alfven waves propagate along approximately the same path. In this case, the net field-aligned currents will be small. However, as the convection speed increases. the reflected wave is displaced relatively to the incident wave so that the incident and reflected waves no longer compensate each other. In this case, the net field-aligned current may be large despite the lack of significant ionospheric and surface conductivity. Our estimate shows that for typical solar wind conditions at Mercury, the magnitude of Region 1-type FACs in Mercury's magnetosphere may reach hundreds of kilo-Amperes. This AWR model of field-aligned currents may provide a solution to the long-standing problem of the closure of FACs in the Mercury's magnetosphere. c2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Preparation of composite micro/nano structure on the silicon surface by reactive ion etching: Enhanced anti-reflective and hydrophobic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yu; Fan, Xiaoli; Chen, Jiajia; He, Siyu; Yi, Zao; Ye, Xin; Yi, Yougen

    2018-05-01

    A silicon substrate with micro-pyramid structure (black silicon) is prepared by wet chemical etching and then subjected to reactive ion etching (RIE) in the mixed gas condition of SF6, CHF3 and He. We systematically study the impacts of flow rates of SF6, CHF3 and He, the etching pressure and the etching time on the surface morphology and reflectivity through various characterizations. Meanwhile, we explore and obtain the optimal combination of parameters for the preparation of composite structure that match the RIE process based on the basis of micro-pyramid silicon substrate. The composite sample prepared under the optimum parameters exhibits excellent anti-reflective performance, hydrophobic, self-cleaning and anti-corrosive properties. Based on the above characteristics, the composite micro/nano structure can be applied to solar cells, photodetectors, LEDs, outdoor devices and other important fields.

  4. Fermi surfaces of the pyrite-type cubic AuSb2 compared with split Fermi surfaces of the ullmannite-type cubic chiral NiSbS and PdBiSe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishimura, K.; Kakihana, M.; Nakamura, A.; Aoki, D.; Harima, H.; Hedo, M.; Nakama, T.; Ōnuki, Y.

    2018-05-01

    We grew high-quality single crystals of AuSb2 with the pyrite (FeS2)-type cubic structure by the Bridgman method and studied the Fermi surface properties by the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) experiment and the full potential LAPW band calculation. The Fermi surfaces of AuSb2 are found to be similar to those of NiSbS and PdBiSe with the ullmannite (NiSbS)-type cubic chiral structure because the crystal structures are similar each other and the number of valence electrons is the same between two different compounds. Note that each Fermi surface splits into two Fermi surfaces in NiSbS and PdBiSe, reflecting the non-centrosymmetric crystal structure.

  5. Quality of groundwater and surface water, Wood River Valley, south-central Idaho, July and August 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, Candice B.; Bartolino, James R.

    2013-01-01

    Residents and resource managers of the Wood River Valley of south-central Idaho are concerned about the effects that population growth might have on the quality of groundwater and surface water. As part of a multi-phase assessment of the groundwater resources in the study area, the U.S. Geological Survey evaluated the quality of water at 45 groundwater and 5 surface-water sites throughout the Wood River Valley during July and August 2012. Water samples were analyzed for field parameters (temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and alkalinity), major ions, boron, iron, manganese, nutrients, and Escherichia coli (E.coli) and total coliform bacteria. This study was conducted to determine baseline water quality throughout the Wood River Valley, with special emphasis on nutrient concentrations. Water quality in most samples collected did not exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for drinking water. E. coli bacteria, used as indicators of water quality, were detected in all five surface-water samples and in two groundwater samples collected. Some analytes have aesthetic-based recommended drinking water standards; one groundwater sample exceeded recommended iron concentrations. Nitrate plus nitrite concentrations varied, but tended to be higher near population centers and in agricultural areas than in tributaries and less populated areas. These higher nitrate plus nitrite concentrations were not correlated with boron concentrations or the presence of bacteria, common indicators of sources of nutrients to water. None of the samples collected exceeded drinking-water standards for nitrate or nitrite. The concentration of total dissolved solids varied considerably in the waters sampled; however a calcium-magnesium-bicarbonate water type was dominant (43 out of 50 samples) in both the groundwater and surface water. Three constituents that may be influenced by anthropogenic activity (chloride, boron, and nitrate plus nitrite) deviate from this

  6. ZnO film for application in surface acoustic wave device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, X Y; Fu, Y Q; Tan, S C; Luo, J K; Flewitt, A J; Maeng, S; Kim, S H; Choi, Y J; Lee, D S; Park, N M; Park, J; Milne, W I

    2007-01-01

    High quality, c-axis oriented zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were grown on silicon substrate using RF magnetron sputtering. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices were fabricated with different thickness of ZnO ranging from 1.2 to 5.5 μmUm and the frequency responses were characterized using a network analyzer. Thick ZnO films produce the strongest transmission and reflection signals from the SAW devices. The SAW propagation velocity is also strongly dependent on ZnO film thickness. The performance of the ZnO SAW devices could be improved with addition of a SiO 2 layer, in name of reflection signal amplitude and phase velocity of Rayleigh wave

  7. Modified polarized geometrical attenuation model for bidirectional reflection distribution function based on random surface microfacet theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hong; Zhu, Jingping; Wang, Kai

    2015-08-24

    The geometrical attenuation model given by Blinn was widely used in the geometrical optics bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) models. Blinn's geometrical attenuation model based on symmetrical V-groove assumption and ray scalar theory causes obvious inaccuracies in BRDF curves and negatives the effects of polarization. Aiming at these questions, a modified polarized geometrical attenuation model based on random surface microfacet theory is presented by combining of masking and shadowing effects and polarized effect. The p-polarized, s-polarized and unpolarized geometrical attenuation functions are given in their separate expressions and are validated with experimental data of two samples. It shows that the modified polarized geometrical attenuation function reaches better physical rationality, improves the precision of BRDF model, and widens the applications for different polarization.

  8. Roughness-reflectance relationship of bare desert terrain: An empirical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shoshany, M.

    1993-01-01

    A study of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) in relation to surface roughness properties was conducted in arid land near Fowlers Gap Research Station, New South Wales, Australia. Such empirical study is necessary for investigating the possibility of determining terrain geomorphological parameters from bidirectional reflectance data. A new apparatus was developed to take accurate hemispherical directions radiance measurements (HDRM). A digitizer for three-dimensional in situ roughness measurements was also developed. More than 70 hemispherical data sets were collected for various illumination conditions and surface types of desert stony pavements and rocky terrain slopes. In general, it was found that most of the surfaces exhibited an anisotropic reflection, combining a major component of backscattering. The BRDF of different surface types in relation to their roughness properties as determined by the field digitizer were then examined. Results showed that sites that are considered to differ significantly from a geomorphological point of view would not necessarily form a different BRDF

  9. Measuring solar reflectance - Part II: Review of practical methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levinson, Ronnen; Akbari, Hashem; Berdahl, Paul [Heat Island Group, Environmental Energy Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

    2010-09-15

    A companion article explored how solar reflectance varies with surface orientation and solar position, and found that clear sky air mass 1 global horizontal (AM1GH) solar reflectance is a preferred quantity for estimating solar heat gain. In this study we show that AM1GH solar reflectance R{sub g,0} can be accurately measured with a pyranometer, a solar spectrophotometer, or an updated edition of the Solar Spectrum Reflectometer (version 6). Of primary concern are errors that result from variations in the spectral and angular distributions of incident sunlight. Neglecting shadow, background and instrument errors, the conventional pyranometer technique can measure R{sub g,0} to within 0.01 for surface slopes up to 5:12 [23 ], and to within 0.02 for surface slopes up to 12:12 [45 ]. An alternative pyranometer method minimizes shadow errors and can be used to measure R{sub g,0} of a surface as small as 1 m in diameter. The accuracy with which it can measure R{sub g,0} is otherwise comparable to that of the conventional pyranometer technique. A solar spectrophotometer can be used to determine R{sub g,0}{sup *}, a solar reflectance computed by averaging solar spectral reflectance weighted with AM1GH solar spectral irradiance. Neglecting instrument errors, R{sub g,0}{sup *} matches R{sub g,0} to within 0.006. The air mass 1.5 solar reflectance measured with version 5 of the Solar Spectrum Reflectometer can differ from R{sub g,0}{sup *} by as much as 0.08, but the AM1GH output of version 6 of this instrument matches R{sub g,0}{sup *} to within about 0.01. (author)

  10. Quality-factor and reflection-coefficient estimation using surface-wave ghost reflections from subvertical structures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Draganov, Deyan; Ruigrok, Elmer; Ghose, Ranajit; Mikesell, Dylan; van Wijk, Kasper

    Seismic interferometry can retrieve the Green's function between receivers from the cross-correlation and summation of recordings from a boundary of surrounding sources. Having the sources only along a boundary is sufficient if the medium is lossless. If the medium is dissipative, the retrieved

  11. Procedure for measuring the solar reflectance of flat or curved roofing assemblies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akbari, Hashem; Levinson, Ronnen [Heat Island Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Stern, Stephanie [Cool Roof Rating Council, Oakland, CA 94612 (United States)

    2008-07-15

    The widely used methods to measure the solar reflectance of roofing materials include ASTM standards E903 (spectrometer), C1549 (reflectometer), and E1918 (pyranometer). Standard E903 uses a spectrometer with an integrating sphere to measure the solar spectral reflectance of an area approximately 0.1 cm{sup 2}. The solar spectral reflectance is then weighted with a solar spectral irradiance to calculate the solar reflectance. Standard C1549 uses a reflectometer to measure the solar reflectance of an area approximately 5 cm{sup 2}. Both E903 and C1549 are best suited to measurement of the solar reflectance of flat, homogeneous surfaces. Standard E1918 uses a pyranometer to measure the solar reflectance of an area approximately 10 m{sup 2}, and is best applied to large surfaces that may also be rough and/or non-uniform. We describe a technique that uses a pyranometer to measure the solar reflectance of a uniform or variegated sample with diffusely reflective surface of an area of approximately 1 m{sup 2}, and use this technique (referred to as E1918A) to measure the solar reflectances of low- and high-profile tile assemblies. For 10 large (10 m{sup 2}) tile assemblies whose E1918 solar reflectances ranged from 0.10 to 0.50, the magnitude of the difference between the E1918A and E1918 measurements did not exceed 0.02 for unicolor assemblies, and did not exceed 0.03 for multicolor assemblies. (author)

  12. Constraining the uncertainty in emissions over India with a regional air quality model evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karambelas, Alexandra; Holloway, Tracey; Kiesewetter, Gregor; Heyes, Chris

    2018-02-01

    To evaluate uncertainty in the spatial distribution of air emissions over India, we compare satellite and surface observations with simulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Seasonally representative simulations were completed for January, April, July, and October 2010 at 36 km × 36 km using anthropogenic emissions from the Greenhouse Gas-Air Pollution Interaction and Synergies (GAINS) model following version 5a of the Evaluating the Climate and Air Quality Impacts of Short-Lived Pollutants project (ECLIPSE v5a). We use both tropospheric columns from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and surface observations from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to closely examine modeled nitrogen dioxide (NO2) biases in urban and rural regions across India. Spatial average evaluation with satellite retrievals indicate a low bias in the modeled tropospheric column (-63.3%), which reflects broad low-biases in majority non-urban regions (-70.1% in rural areas) across the sub-continent to slightly lesser low biases reflected in semi-urban areas (-44.7%), with the threshold between semi-urban and rural defined as 400 people per km2. In contrast, modeled surface NO2 concentrations exhibit a slight high bias of +15.6% when compared to surface CPCB observations predominantly located in urban areas. Conversely, in examining extremely population dense urban regions with more than 5000 people per km2 (dense-urban), we find model overestimates in both the column (+57.8) and at the surface (+131.2%) compared to observations. Based on these results, we find that existing emission fields for India may overestimate urban emissions in densely populated regions and underestimate rural emissions. However, if we rely on model evaluation with predominantly urban surface observations from the CPCB, comparisons reflect model high biases, contradictory to the knowledge gained using satellite observations. Satellites thus

  13. A Bayesian Reflection on Surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David R. Wolf

    1999-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: The topic of this paper is a novel Bayesian continuous-basis field representation and inference framework. Within this paper several problems are solved: The maximally informative inference of continuous-basis fields, that is where the basis for the field is itself a continuous object and not representable in a finite manner; the tradeoff between accuracy of representation in terms of information learned, and memory or storage capacity in bits; the approximation of probability distributions so that a maximal amount of information about the object being inferred is preserved; an information theoretic justification for multigrid methodology. The maximally informative field inference framework is described in full generality and denoted the Generalized Kalman Filter. The Generalized Kalman Filter allows the update of field knowledge from previous knowledge at any scale, and new data, to new knowledge at any other scale. An application example instance, the inference of continuous surfaces from measurements (for example, camera image data, is presented.

  14. Identifying diffraction effects in measured reflectances

    OpenAIRE

    Holzschuch , Nicolas; Pacanowski , Romain

    2015-01-01

    International audience; There are two different physical models connecting the micro-geometry of a surface and its physical reflectance properties (BRDF). The first, Cook-Torrance, assumes geometrical optics: light is reflected and masked by the micro-facets. In this model, the BRDF depends on the probability distribution of micro-facets normals. The second, Church-Takacs, assumes diffraction by the micro-geometry. In this model, the BRDF depends on the power spectral distribution of the surf...

  15. Correction for reflected sky radiance in low-altitude coastal hyperspectral images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Minsu; Park, Joong Yong; Kopilevich, Yuri; Tuell, Grady; Philpot, William

    2013-11-10

    Low-altitude coastal hyperspectral imagery is sensitive to reflections of sky radiance at the water surface. Even in the absence of sun glint, and for a calm water surface, the wide range of viewing angles may result in pronounced, low-frequency variations of the reflected sky radiance across the scan line depending on the solar position. The variation in reflected sky radiance can be obscured by strong high-spatial-frequency sun glint and at high altitude by path radiance. However, at low altitudes, the low-spatial-frequency sky radiance effect is frequently significant and is not removed effectively by the typical corrections for sun glint. The reflected sky radiance from the water surface observed by a low-altitude sensor can be modeled in the first approximation as the sum of multiple-scattered Rayleigh path radiance and the single-scattered direct-solar-beam radiance by the aerosol in the lower atmosphere. The path radiance from zenith to the half field of view (FOV) of a typical airborne spectroradiometer has relatively minimal variation and its reflected radiance to detector array results in a flat base. Therefore the along-track variation is mostly contributed by the forward single-scattered solar-beam radiance. The scattered solar-beam radiances arrive at the water surface with different incident angles. Thus the reflected radiance received at the detector array corresponds to a certain scattering angle, and its variation is most effectively parameterized using the downward scattering angle (DSA) of the solar beam. Computation of the DSA must account for the roll, pitch, and heading of the platform and the viewing geometry of the sensor along with the solar ephemeris. Once the DSA image is calculated, the near-infrared (NIR) radiance from selected water scan lines are compared, and a relationship between DSA and NIR radiance is derived. We then apply the relationship to the entire DSA image to create an NIR reference image. Using the NIR reference image

  16. Selectively reflective transparent sheets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waché, Rémi; Florescu, Marian; Sweeney, Stephen J.; Clowes, Steven K.

    2015-08-01

    We investigate the possibility to selectively reflect certain wavelengths while maintaining the optical properties on other spectral ranges. This is of particular interest for transparent materials, which for specific applications may require high reflectivity at pre-determined frequencies. Although there exist currently techniques such as coatings to produce selective reflection, this work focuses on new approaches for mass production of polyethylene sheets which incorporate either additives or surface patterning for selective reflection between 8 to 13 μ m. Typical additives used to produce a greenhouse effect in plastics include particles such as clays, silica or hydroxide materials. However, the absorption of thermal radiation is less efficient than the decrease of emissivity as it can be compared with the inclusion of Lambertian materials. Photonic band gap engineering by the periodic structuring of metamaterials is known in nature for producing the vivid bright colors in certain organisms via strong wavelength-selective reflection. Research to artificially engineer such structures has mainly focused on wavelengths in the visible and near infrared. However few studies to date have been carried out to investigate the properties of metastructures in the mid infrared range even though the patterning of microstructure is easier to achieve. We present preliminary results on the diffuse reflectivity using FDTD simulations and analyze the technical feasibility of these approaches.

  17. Air-quality implications of widespread adoption of cool roofs on ozone and particulate matter in southern California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ban-Weiss, G. A.; Lee, S. M.; Katzenstein, A. S.; Carreras-Sospedra, M.; Zhang, X.; Farina, S.; Vahmani, P.; Fine, P.; Epstein, S. A.

    2017-12-01

    The installation of roofing materials with increased solar reflectance (i.e., "cool roofs") can mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce energy use. In addition, meteorological changes, along with the possibility of enhanced UV reflection from these surfaces, can have complex impacts on ozone and PM2.5 concentrations. We aim to evaluate the air-quality impacts of widespread cool-roof installations prescribed by building energy efficiency standards within the heavily populated and polluted South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) in Southern California. Development of a comprehensive rooftop area database and evaluation of spectral reflectance measurements of roofing materials allows us to predict potential future changes in solar and UV reflectance for simulations using the Weather Research Forecast and Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) models. Meteorological simulations indicate a decrease in daily maximum temperatures, daily maximum boundary layer heights, and ventilation coefficients throughout the SoCAB upon widespread installation of cool roofs. CMAQ simulations show significant increases in PM2.5 concentrations and policy-relevant design values. Changes in 8-h ozone concentrations depend on the potential change in UV reflectance, ranging from a decrease in population-weighted concentrations when UV reflectance remains unchanged to an increase when changes in UV reflectance are at an upper bound. However, 8-h policy-relevant ozone design values increase in all cases. Although the other benefits of cool roofs could outweigh small air-quality penalties, UV reflectance standards for cool roofing materials could mitigate these negative consequences. Results of this study motivate the careful consideration of future rooftop and pavement solar reflectance modification policies.

  18. Analysis of bacteria on steel surfaces using reflectance micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojeda, Jesús J; Romero-González, María E; Banwart, Steven A

    2009-08-01

    Reflectance micro-Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis has been applied to characterize biofilm formation of Aquabacterium commune, a common microorganism present on drinking water distribution systems, onto the increasingly popular pipe material stainless steel EN1.4307. The applicability of the reflectance micro-FT-IR technique for analyzing the bacterial functional groups is discussed, and the results are compared to spectra obtained using more conventional FT-IR techniques: transmission micro-FT-IR, attenuated transmitted reflectance (ATR), and KBr pellets. The differences between the infrared spectra of wet and dried bacteria, as well as free versus attached bacteria, are also discussed. The spectra obtained using reflectance micro-FT-IR spectroscopy were comparable to those obtained using other FT-IR techniques. The absence of sample preparation, the potential to analyze intact samples, and the ability to characterize opaque and thick samples without the need to transfer the bacterial samples to an infrared transparent medium or produce a pure culture were the main advantages of reflectance micro-FT-IR spectroscopy.

  19. Effects of Rocket Exhaust on Lunar Soil Reflectance Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clegg, R. N.; Jolliff, B. L.; Robinson, M. S.; Hapke, B. W.; Plescia, J. B.

    2012-12-01

    The Apollo, Surveyor, and Luna spacecraft descent engine plumes affected the regolith at and surrounding their landing sites. Owing to the lack of rapid weathering processes on the Moon, surface alterations are still visible as photometric anomalies in Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images. These areas are interpreted as disturbance of the regolith by rocket exhaust during descent of the spacecraft, which we refer to as "blast zones" (BZs). The BZs consist of an area of lower reflectance (LR-BZ) compared to the surroundings that extends up to a few meters out from the landers, as well as a broader halo of higher reflectance (HR-BZ) that extends tens to hundreds of meters out from the landers. We use phase-ratio images for each landing site to determine the spatial extent of the disturbed regions and to quantify differences in reflectance and backscattering characteristics within the BZs compared to nearby undisturbed regolith. We also compare the reflectance changes and BZ dimensions at the Apollo sites with those at Luna and Surveyor sites. We seek to determine the effects of rocket exhaust in terms of erosion and particle redistribution, as well as the cause(s) of the reflectance variations, i.e., physical changes at the regolith surface. When approximated as an ellipse, the average Apollo BZ area is ~29,000 m2 (~175 ± 60 m by 200 ± 27 m) which is 10x larger than the average Luna BZ, and over 100x larger than the average Surveyor BZ. Moreover, BZ area scales roughly with lander mass (as a proxy for thrust). The LR-BZs are evident at the Apollo sites, especially where astronaut bioturbation has roughened the soil, leading to a 2-14% reduction in reflectance at ~30° phase. The LR-BZs at the Luna and Surveyor sites are less evident and may be mostly confined to the area below the landers. The average normalized reflectance in the HR-BZs for images with a 30° phase angle is 2-16% higher than in the undisturbed surrounding

  20. Descriptive Characteristics of Surface Water Quality in Hong Kong by a Self-Organising Map

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan An

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, principal component analysis (PCA and a self-organising map (SOM were used to analyse a complex dataset obtained from the river water monitoring stations in the Tolo Harbor and Channel Water Control Zone (Hong Kong, covering the period of 2009–2011. PCA was initially applied to identify the principal components (PCs among the nonlinear and complex surface water quality parameters. SOM followed PCA, and was implemented to analyze the complex relationships and behaviors of the parameters. The results reveal that PCA reduced the multidimensional parameters to four significant PCs which are combinations of the original ones. The positive and inverse relationships of the parameters were shown explicitly by pattern analysis in the component planes. It was found that PCA and SOM are efficient tools to capture and analyze the behavior of multivariable, complex, and nonlinear related surface water quality data.