Science Data Products Research Articles

The ScaRaB Earth Radiation Budget Dataset

Following an overview of the scientific objectives and organization of the French–Russian–German Scanner for Radiation Budget (ScaRaB) project, brief descriptions of the instrument, its ground calibration, and in-flight operating and calibration procedures are given. During the year (24 February 1994–6 March 1995) of ScaRaB Flight Model 1 operation on board Meteor-317, radiometer performance was generally good and well understood. Accuracy of the radiances is estimated to be better than 1% in the longwave and 2% in the shortwave domains. Data processing procedures are described and shown to be compatible with those used for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanner data, even though time sampling properties of the Meteor-3 orbit differ considerably from the ERBE system orbits. The resulting monthly mean earth radiation budget distributions exhibit no global bias when compared to ERBE results, but they do reveal interesting strong regional differences. The “ERBE-like” scientific data products are now available to the general scientific research community. Prospects for combining data from ScaRaB Flight Model 2 (to fly on board Ressurs-1 beginning in spring 1998) with data from the NASA Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument on board the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) are briefly discussed.

Statistical Distributions ofWind Speeds and Directions Contained in the Preliminary NSCAT Science Data Products

Statistical Distributions ofWind Speeds and Directions Contained in the Preliminary NSCAT Science Data Products

The multicentre trial philosophy in stress echocardiography: lessons learned from the EPIC study. EPIC-EDIC Study Project. Echo Persantine International Cooperative Study. Echo-Dobutamine International Cooperative Study.

The scientific assessment of diagnostic tests should not be based upon a small series of results published by the best academic institutions, but ought to require large scale, multicentre validation founded on grass roots institutions with real doctors, real patients and real problems. To this purpose, an international network of stress echo laboratories has been organized, and within a few years has collected data from thousands of studies using pharmacological stress echocardiography, performed with either dipyridamole (EPIC: Echo Persantine International Cooperative Study) or dobutamine (EDIC: Echo Dobutamine International Cooperative Study) stresses. In a widely deregulated field, all network laboratories have agreed: to pass a quality control examination on stress echo reading before entering the study; to adopt an identical drug infusion protocol; to code similarly the LV segments; and to adopt a common scoring system for wall motion analysis. A minimum amount of historical, clinical, and-when available-stress electrocardiographic, angiographic and follow-up data have been collected on each patient, and disseminated in the various centres, facilitating the creation of an international stress echo language that will help, not only the production of high quality scientific data, but also the build up of a common stress echo lab, with a standardized way of making the studies, unifying the methods and terminology, and archiving data. To date, we have 50 echo laboratories from 15 nations across four continents (Europe, America, Asia and Africa) actively involved in this project. These data will ultimately fill the gap between the academic theory of journals and the pragmatic experience of daily life in a busy echocardiographic laboratory.

ISTP science data systems and products

The International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) program will provide simultaneous coordinated scientific measurements from most of the major areas of geospace including specific locations on the Earth's surface. This paper describes the comprehensive ISTP ground science data handling system which has been developed to promote optimal mission planning and efficient data processing, analysis and distribution. The essential components of this ground system are the ISTP Central Data Handling Facility (CDHF), the Information Processing Division's Data Distribution Facility (DDF), the ISTP/Global Geospace Science (GGS) Science Planning and Operations Facility (SPOF) and the NASA Data Archive and Distribution Service (NDADS).

High resolution imaging spectrometer (Hiris): Science and instrument

AbstractThe High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (HIRIS) is a facility instrument slated for flight on the second of the EOS‐A series of platforms. HIRIS is designed to acquire 24‐km wide, 30‐m pixel images in 192 spectral bands simultaneously in the 0.4–2.45‐μm wavelength region. With pointing mirrors it can sample any place on Earth, except the poles, every two days. HIRIS operates at the intermediate scale between the human and the global and therefore links studies of Earth surface processes to global monitoring carried out by lower‐resolution instruments. So far, over 50 science data products from HIRIS images have been identified in the fields of atmospheric gases, clouds, snow and ice, water, vegetation, and rocks and soils. The key attribute of imaging spectrometry that makes it possible to derive quantitative information from the data is the large number of contiguous spectral bands. Therefore spectrum matching techniques can be applied. Such techniques are not possible with present‐day, multispectral scanner data.

Reproductive physiology studies in zoological species: Concerns and strategies

AbstractA sophisticated understanding of reproductive physiology of domestic animals has evolved over only the past several decades. Related technical advances in this field have permitted propagation through artificial insemination and/or embryo transfer using fresh or frozen‐thawed gametic or embryonic material. More recent studies in genetic engineering and embryo micromanipulation have generated additional potential for improved reproductive efficiency in the farm‐animal industry. Although these procedures provide incentive for solving management problems and improving the endangered status of many zoological species, achieving these objectives will be neither simple nor immediate. Major obstacles to confront include the poor image of research, unavailability of research stocks, lack of financial support, scarcity of trained personnel, and the idea that new reproductive techniques offer a “quick fix” to the problem of inadequate reproduction in an endangered species. Zoological researchers should now concentrate on establishing basic reproductive relationships in species of interest. Comparative studies in domesticated animals will accelerate progress. The immediate goal should be the production of sound scientific data of publishable quality. Only then can artificial propagation be considered as a viable alternative to preserving wildlife species.