Multiscale Observing System of the Ocean Surface

The Multiscale Observing System of the Ocean Surface (MOSES) is an aerial observing system that was developed jointly at UCLA and Ifremer (France). It is a relatively low-cost package that includes off-the-shelf cameras, combined with accurate Applanix IMU/GPS to provide geo-referenced observations of the ocean surface. The primary camera in the system is a FLIR A6751 SLS longwave infrared camera, providing measurements of sea surface temperature at a resolution of several meters.

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GRC Hyperspectral Imager

The airborne HSI3.1 has been developed in-house at NASA Glenn Research Center. This pushbroom imager collects three-dimensional (3D) hyperspectral data in the 400 to 900 nm wavelength range, which is ideal for harmful algae identification. The spatial resolution can be adjusted by flying at different altitudes and speeds. The image swath can also be adjusted by changing the FOV lens up to 72°.

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WB-57 Ascent Video Experiment

The WB-57 Ascent Video Experiment (WAVE) provides both ascent and entry imagery and enables better observation of the Shuttle on days of heavier cloud cover and areas obscured from ground cameras by the launch exhaust plume. WAVE comprises a 32-inch-ball turret system mounted on the nose of two WB-57 aircraft. The turret houses an optical bench, providing installation of both HDTV and infrared cameras. Optics consist of an 11-inch-diameter, 4.2 meter fixed-focal-length lens. The system can be operated in both auto track and manual modes.

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Video Uplink

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Utah State University Airglow Study

The 1999 Leonid MAC campaign consisted of five consecutive nighttime flights including stops in the United States, England, Israel, and the Azores. The Space Dynamics Laboratory of Utah State University operated several instruments in the visible and infrared spectral bands. One system obtained high-resolution (4 cm-1) measurements of the night sky emission spectra in the 1 to 1.65-micrometer band. Measurements were obtained above the clouds providing exceptional viewing conditions. The OH airglow emission layer originates at an altitude of ~87 km and has a half-width of typically 8–10 km. Its behavior during the storm night of 17/18 November 1999 was of particular interest because the OH airglow emission may be affected by the Leonid meteor ablation products that can penetrate to altitudes as low as 80 to 90 km altitudes. Typical Leonid meteor end-heights are much higher above ~100 km. Variability of the OH emission was measured to investigate any changes that may result from meteor interactions with the atmosphere that could cause changes in the natural airglow emission via excitation caused by the meteor ablation products. It is also possible that organic materials in the meteors could be broken down into simpler products that include the OH hydroxyl radical.

To search for these effects, airglow data were collected by a Bomem Michelson M-150 interferometer. This interferometer operates at 4 cm-1 resolution (apodized) with a scan rate of about 1 scan every 3 seconds. The interferometer field of view is 1.5° and it is sensitive from 1 to 1.65 micrometers. An intensified Xibion camera recorded the instrument field of view during the flight, providing information on the pointing elevation and azimuth. This sensor operated almost continuously during the entire 1999 Leonid MAC campaign and collected an extensive set of night airglow spectra.

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Telescopic High Definition Television

THDTV provides high definition TV imaging with long focal length optics. It consists of a professional Sony HDTV Camcorder studio with a broadcast quality low f-number zoom lens.

This instrument detects wake phenomena at highest possible spatial resolution.

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Leica RC-30 metric camera

The RC-30 is an airborne film camera system, using color infrared, natural color and black and white film, to obtain high resolution earth imagery.

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IRIS II Panoramic Camera

The Itek Iris II Panoramic Camera has been employed to acquire high resolution land use and land cover data. The Forest Service has used this camera extensively for assessing timber resources and monitoring gypsy moth defoliation in the Appalachian hardwood forests. The Iris II provides a 4.5 x 34.7 inch (11.4 x 88.1 cm) image covering 2.0 x 21.4 miles (3.2 x 34.2 km) on the ground. The high resolution twenty-four inch lens provides a scale at nadir on the panoramic image of half-mile to the inch. With its 10,000 foot film capacity the Iris II allows extended flight duration allowing photography acquisition over very large areas.

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HR-732 Aerial Cameras

Hycon HR-732 cameras are used to acquire high resolution photography in a 9 x 18 inch format. These cameras can be flown in pairs or one camera may be paired with an RC-10 mapping camera. The HR-732s acquire high resolution photography with twenty-four inch focal length lenses providing an image scale of half-mile to the inch. The large scale high resolution photography provided by these cameras is used by agencies such as the Forest Service for timber resource management and by the Fish and Wildlife Service for wetlands inventories and wildlife habitat mapping.

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Large Pixel Format CCD Camera

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