First estimations of the aerosol optical thickness using Langley Method at Southern Brazil (29.4°S, 53.8°W)

The first estimations of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) using Langley Method at Southern Space Observatory (SSO) at Southern Brazil (29.4°S, 53.8°W) are presented. In addition to ozone and sulphur dioxide columns, AOT can be obtained using Brewer Spectrophotometer at specific wavelengths: 306.3, 310.1, 313.5, 316.8 and 320.1 nm. The AOT was obtained for the period from November/2002 to May/2003. Very low AOT averages were obtained, whose values were about 0.21 ± 0.03 at 306.3 nm, 0.21 ± 0.02 at 310.1 nm, 0.19 ± 0.02 at 313.5 nm, 0.20 ± 0.02 at 316.8 nm and 0.20 ± 0.02 at 320.0 nm for all period analysed. Different behaviour of AOT were obtained at two daily specific periods of aerosol accumulation, one in the afternoons from November/2002 to February/2003, caused mainly by a mild biomass burning season’s in the region and other in the mornings from March to May/2003, due the high relative humidity presented in the region studied.     

Problem of precision missile guidance: LQR and H/sup /spl infin// control frameworks

Addressed here is the precision missile guidance problem where the successful intercept criterion has been defined in terms of both minimizing the miss distance and controlling the missile body attitude with respect to the target at the terminal point. We show that the H/sup /spl infin// control theory, when suitably modified, provides an effective framework for the precision missile guidance problem. The existence of feedback controllers (guidance laws) is investigated for the case of finite horizon and non-zero initial conditions. Both state feedback and output feedback implementations are explored.     

Automated video protection, monitoring & detection

The latest generation of computer vision technology is revolutionizing concepts, applications, and products in video surveillance and CCTV. This is of prime relevance to security for large outdoor facilities such as commercial airfields, refineries, power plants, and office/industrial campuses. Most airfields, for example, have open (unfenced) perimeters, high volume heterogeneous traffic, are easily accessed on foot or by water, and exist in areas where regulations providing a safety buffer are difficult to legislate or enforce. And all airfields require 24/7 outdoor monitoring - snow, fog, rain, or shine. Likewise, most high-value facilities appealing to criminals and terrorists are in close proximity to public areas (roads, residences, city, etc.). The appeal of automated real-time surveillance is obvious $maximizing efficiency and effectiveness of security personnel and resources while increasing the probability of preventing a serious security breach. Computer vision based solutions have the potential for very discriminating detection and very low false alarms. The bottom line is that applied computer vision has the potential for the greatest return on investment (ROI), both short-term and long-term.     

How Operational Oceanography Can Benefit from Dynamic Topography Estimates as Derived from Altimetry and Improved Geoid

With a precise geoid, GOCE will allow an estimation of absolute dynamic topography from altimetry. The projected benefits to operational oceanography and its applications are analyzed herein. After a brief overview of operational oceanography, we explain how the new geoids will be used in the future to improve real time altimeter products and to better constrain modelling and data assimilation systems. A significant impact is expected both for mesoscale (e.g. better estimations and forecasts of currents for pollution monitoring, marine safety, offshore industry) and climate (better initialization of coupled ocean/atmosphere models) applications. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Monte Carlo transport model comparison with 1A GeV accelerated iron experiment: heavy-ion shielding evaluation of NASA space flight-crew foodstuff.

Deep-space manned flight as a reality depends on a viable solution to the radiation problem. Both acute and chronic radiation health threats are known to exist, with solar particle events as an example of the former and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) of the latter. In this experiment Iron ions of 1A GeV are used to simulate GCR and to determine the secondary radiation field created as the GCR-like particles interact with a thick target. A NASA prepared food pantry locker was subjected to the iron beam and the secondary fluence recorded. A modified version of the Monte Carlo heavy ion transport code developed by Zeitlin at LBNL is compared with experimental fluence. The foodstuff is modeled as mixed nuts as defined by the 71st edition of the Chemical Rubber Company (CRC) Handbook of Physics and Chemistry. The results indicate a good agreement between the experimental data and the model. The agreement between model and experiment is determined using a linear fit to ordered pairs of data. The intercept is forced to zero. The slope fit is 0.825 and the R2 value is 0.429 over the resolved fluence region. The removal of an outlier, Z=14, gives values of 0.888 and 0.705 for slope and R2 respectively.     

Real-Time Specifications of the Geospace Environment

We report the recent progress in our joint program of real-time mapping of ionospheric electric fields and currents and field-aligned currents through the Geospace Environment Data Analysis System (GEDAS) at the Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory and similar computer systems in the world. Data from individual ground magnetometers as well as from the solar wind are collected by these systems and are used as input for the KRM and AMIE magnetogram-inversion algorithms, which calculate the two-dimensional distribution of the ionospheric parameters. One of the goals of this program is to specify the solar-terrestrial environment in terms of ionospheric processes, providing the scientific community with more than what geomagnetic activity indices and statistical models provide. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Measuring the matter distribution within z = 0.2 cluster lenses with XMM-Newton

We present an analysis of seven clusters observed by XMM-Newton as part of our survey of 17 most X-ray luminous clusters of galaxies at z  0.2 selected for a comprehensive and unbiased study of the mass distribution in massive clusters. Using the public software FTOOLS and XMMSAS we have set up an automated pipeline to reduce the EPIC MOS and pn spectro-imaging data, optimized for extended sources analysis. We also developped a code to perform intensive spectral and imaging analysis particularly focussing on proper background estimate and removal. XMM-Newton deep spectro-imaging of these clusters allowed us to fit a standard β-model to their gas emission profiles as well as a standard MEKAL emission model to their extracted spectra, and test their inferred characteristics against already calibrated relations.     

Ground Radiation Pattern Generated by High-Altitude Reflectors

A method is given to calculate the shape a high-altitude reflector must have to produce any intensity distribution inside the illuminated ground area. The method consists of setting up and solving a differential equation appropriate to the required ground intensity distribution. Cylindrical and spherical mirrors are discussed in detail, and mirror shapes for producing a particular type of uniform ground illumination are derived. These shapes approach paraboloids in the limit when the mirror altitude is much greater than the diameter of the illuminated area.     

Ground penetrating radar VIY-2

VIY-2 ground penetrating radar (GPR) with unique sounding possibilities and use simplicity is presented at this paper. VIY-2 GPR combines all units (synchronizer, transmitting and receiving modules, powering, and antenna system) into single case. The VIY-2 GPR communicates with computer via standard interface RS232 or USB1.0. Technical solutions utilized by the VIY-2 GPR reduce deployment time and simplify surveying process. The VIY-2 GPR design features and its components interaction are considered at this paper. Some field results are also presented here. The VIY-2 GPR design concept allows reducing the data acquisition time,, optimizing the time-varying gain control function, applying depth-stacking dependence, controlling the surveying window position and interference reducing by pulse repetition frequency randomizing.