John Silny

Large format imaging spectrometers for future hyperspectral Landsat mission

This paper describes a design concept for a Landsat-class imaging spectrometer. The challenge is to match the Landsat data parameters, including a 185 Km swath and a 30 meter ground sample distance (GSD) from a 705 Km sun-synchronous orbit with a sensor that has contiguous spectral coverage of the solar reflected spectrum (400 to 2500 nm). The result is a remote sensing satellite that provides global access imaging spectrometer data at moderate spatial resolution. Key design trades exist for the spectrometer, focal plane array, dispersive element, and calibrator. Recent developments in large format imaging spectrometers at Raytheon are presented in support of a monolithic spectrometer approach. Features of the design include (1) high signal-to-noise ratio, (2) well-corrected spectral fidelity across a 6,000 pixel push-broom field-of-view, (3) straightforward calibration of the data to units of absolute spectral radiance, and (4) real-time simulation of Thematic Mapper bands, vegetation indices, and water vapor maps for direct continuous downlink.

The Specular Array Radiometric Calibration (SPARC) method: a new approach for absolute vicarious calibration in the solar reflective spectrum

Physics-based exploitation of image data from Earth observing sensors requires knowledge of the accuracy, stability and repeatability of a sensors radiometric response within its in-flight environment. Vicarious radiometric calibration techniques, using terrestrial targets, provide an effective approach to obtaining this knowledge by measuring system performance under actual operational conditions. This paper introduces a new capability for performing the vicarious radiometric calibration of high spatial resolution sensors. The SPecular Array Radiometric Calibration (SPARC) method employs convex mirrors to create two arrays of calibration targets for deriving absolute calibration coefficients of Earth remote sensing systems in the solar reflective spectrum. The first is an array of single mirrors used to oversample the sensors point spread function (PSF) providing necessary spatial quality information needed to perform the radiometric calibration of a sensor when viewing small targets. The second is a set of panels consisting of multiple mirrors designed to stimulate detector response with known at-sensor irradiance traceable to the exo-atmospheric solar spectral constant. The outcome is improved radiometric performance knowledge compared to other in-flight vicarious techniques through reduced uncertainties in target reflectance, atmospheric effects, and temporal variability. The only ground truth needed is the measurement of atmospheric transmittance. In addition, the simplification of calibration targets and ground truth collection in the SPARC method makes the deployment more cost effective and portable, thus creating the opportunity to imbed spectral, spatial and radiometric targets at a study site providing references that improve a sensors interactivity as a phenomenological tool. A demonstration of the SPARC method is presented based on data collected with the IKONOS satellite operated by GeoEye. A SPARC measurement of absolute calibration coefficients for the IKONOS multispectral bands is compared to coefficients derived from the established reflectance-based vicarious calibration method.

Economic Survey of the Monetary Value Placed on Human Life by Government Agencies in the United States of America

Abstract This article presents the methods used by U.S. government agencies to assign a monetary value to human life as mandated by three Executive Orders. Since 1978, all regulations with an impact greater than

Future VIIRS enhancements for the integrated polar-orbiting environmental satellite system

100 million require a supporting analysis. By accounting for inflation over the past 28 years, this threshold has effectively been reduced by 2.5 to 3.0 times in real dollars. Monetary values assigned to a life directly impact the approval of government proposed projects through cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis. Two major methods are used to determine the value of a life. First, the value of a statistical life emphasizes that monetary value is not directly placed on life but rather on methodologies to prevent the statistical loss of life. Second, willingness to pay is the monetary value that an individual would pay to prevent the loss of their life. Previous works cite values of life ranging from

Imaging spectrometer trade studies: a detailed comparison of the Offner-Chrisp and reflective triplet optical design forms

0.1 to

System engineering studies for advanced geosynchronous remote sensors: some initial thoughts on the 4th generation

86.8 million (in year 2006 dollars U.S.). The values of a human life used by U.S. government agencies have significantly changed over time. The values used by government agencies in 2006 are as follows: the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration —

Best practices for radiometric modeling of imaging spectrometers

3.0 million, the Environmental Protection Agency —

Optically fast, wide field-of-view, five-mirror anastigmat (5MA) imagers for remote sensing applications

6.1 million, the Food and Drug Administration —

Resolution modeling of dispersive imaging spectrometers

6.5 million, and the Consumer Products Safety Commission—

Project and Engineering Management Certificates Offered by Professional Organizations

5.0 million. We believe that a single value should be used across all U.S. government agencies to provide consistency and fairness. We also believe that the