Multispectral Thermal Imager satellite captures New York images

The Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite, a joint Los Alamos, Sandia National Laboratories and Savannah River Site project, acquired imagery of the New York City area, on mid-day Sept. 12, the day after the World Trade Center incident. The satellite continues to collect images.

Using information spanning 15 spectral bands, the data analysis team from Space and Remote Sensing Sciences (NIS-2) and Space Data Systems (NIS-3) is mapping the debris field and measuring the temperatures of the hotspots according to project leader John Szymanski of NIS-2. The team also hopes to measure some constituents of the smoke plume.

"One interesting aspect of our satellite is that we can see through the smoke to the ground," said Szymanski. "Compare the true color image to the some of the images from other satellites such as SPOT and IKONOS, where the smoke obscures the ground," Szymanski said. "We also can see the hotspots due to fires. Most of the other satellites cannot do this and the ones that can do it with much lower resolution than we do."

Los Alamos is receiving data from the satellite at the Laboratory's Data Processing and Analysis Center in building 287 at Technical Area 3. There the team processes MTI data into images and begins scientific analysis and distribution of data products to civilian and government research partners.

The Multispectral Thermal Imager is a space-based research and development project sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Nonproliferation and National Security. MTI's primary objective is to demonstrate advanced multispectral and thermal imaging, image processing, and associated technologies for national security and earth science applications.

To gather its image data, MTI looks through a 36-centimeter aperture and uses a bank of three sensor chip assemblies, each carrying 15 arrays of cryogenically cooled detectors. The arrays provide MTI with nearly 17,000 tiny detectors, each no larger than the tip of a pencil. The 510-pound instrument is designed to be self-correcting in its data gathering, adjusting for the effects of clouds, water vapor, and airborne particles present in each image of the ground. Such corrections ensure that data analysts have full information about the factors affecting images, exactly as they are captured.

The satellite also carries a high-energy X-ray spectrometer sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Czech Republic's Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences and developed by Space Devices Ltd., also of the Czech Republic. This instrument will collect data needed to better understand a rare type of solar flare associated with high-energy particle storms that can endanger astronauts and damage space equipment.

The project's three-year mission objectives are to advance the state-of-the-art in multispectral and thermal imaging, image processing and associated technologies, and to better understand the utility of these technologies. Data from the satellite are received at a ground station at Sandia, then transmitted to the Data Processing and Analysis Center at the Laboratory.

MTI's design is based on detailed physics-based modeling and analysis performed at Los Alamos, engineering by Sandia National Laboratories, and with major industrial partners including Ball Aerospace, TRW, Santa Barbara Research Corp., and Hughes Danbury Optical Systems. The satellite's instrument package was calibrated at Los Alamos; its system was integrated at Sandia, and it flew into orbit aboard an Orbital Sciences Corporation Taurus rocket, funded by the U.S. Air Force, from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

To view photos, click here.

--Nancy Ambrosiano

Book fair in Fuller Lodge today kicks off 2002 United Way campaign

Book fair continues this week at Los Alamos Research Park

The Laboratory's United Way campaign kicks off with a book fair from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in Fuller Lodge downtown. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the United Way. The band Estilo, composed of Lab employees, will play at the event and food will be available. Those attending the book fair also can make pledges at that time and obtain information from United Way agencies.

The book fair continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday on the second floor of the Research Park, across the street from the Otowi Building at Technical Area 3. There will be signs posted giving directions to the book fair.

University of California Laboratory employees will receive pledge cards for making contributions to this year's campaign in their mailboxes this week. Employees who don't receive pledge cards by Oct. 1, should contact Josephine Arellano in the Community Relations (CRO) Office at 7-2194.

For more information, questions or comments on the Lab's 2002 United Way campaign, write to unitedway@lanl.gov by electronic mail, or go to the United Way Web sites at http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/cr/unitedway/index.shtml or www.uwsfc.org online.

America's Pride Day / Community United Way Event fundraiser is Thursday The Department of Energy, the Laboratory, Johnson Controls Northern New Mexico, Protection Technology Los Alamos, the University of California, northern New Mexico office, Los Alamos County, Del Norte Credit Union and other community organizations are hosting a combined "America's Pride Day" fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Proceeds will go to the United Way September 11th Fund. Community organizations will sell frito pies, baked goods and other donated foods and drink at three locations: Technical Area 60 (Building 2), Johnson Controls Building; in town at the Metzger's parking lot at the corner of Central Avenue and 15th Street in front of the Laboratory's Community Relations (CRO) Office, and in White Rock at the Del Norte Credit Union branch. JCNNM has agreed to match their employee donations to this fundraiser. On Sept. 11, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., as well as the crash of flight #93 in Somerset County, Penn., resulted in countless injuries and the loss of thousands of lives. In response to the attacks, United Way and The New York Community Trust have established The September 11th Fund to help respond to the immediate and longer-term needs of the victims, their families, and communities affected by the events of that day. Contributions to this fund will be used to mobilize resources to respond to the urgent needs of victims and their families affected by these attacks. The Laboratory's United Way 2002 giving campaign, "Imagine! Our workforce United through Caring" begins today. The Laboratory's United Way campaign includes many agencies directly or indirectly involved in the disaster, and disaster relief in general. These agencies include the America Red Cross and the Salvation Army among others. The campaign also includes numerous other Northern New Mexico grief support, counseling and educational service agencies that are actively helping children and families respond to the incident. The Laboratory will have pledge cards available at the America's Pride fundraiser for employees who are encouraged not to forget the needs of the local community in their giving. Representatives from the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army also will be present. For more information, contact Tom Cordova of CRO at 7-1943. Or write to americaspride@lanl.gov by electronic mail.

Author-historian Torres speaks on Hispanic New Mexico Tuesday at the Laboratory

As part of the Laboratory's observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, Taos author-historian Larry Torres will speak at noon Tuesday about Hispanic New Mexico.

His talk, "A Panoramic view of Hispanic New Mexico: Heroes of Yesterday and Today," delves into the role Hispanics have played in the American Southwest from 1540 to present day," is in the Physics Building Auditorium at Technical Area 3 and is open to all Laboratory workers.

Torres teaches at the University of New Mexico Taos campus. He also writes a column for the Taos News weekly newspaper and has authored several books.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. The Laboratory's Hispanic Diversity Working Group and the Diversity (DVO) Office are sponsors of Hispanic Heritage Month at the Lab. The theme of this year's observance is "Paving the Way for Future Generations."

For more information, see the Sept. 11 Daily Newsbulletin.

MentorNet call for mentors

MentorNet is an online mentoring program which pairs community college, undergraduate and graduate women in engineering, related sciences and technologies, and math with engineers and scientists working in industry and national labs. MentorNet mentors who were involved with last year's program reported spending an average of 20 minutes per week while gaining personal satisfaction and skills from guiding future colleagues. To view memo, click here.

On today's bulletin board
Commuter's Corner | Parking areas around TA-3 | Parking shuttle routes (pdf) or jpeg
NEW2002 Shelter Alumni Calendar deadline is Oct. 1 NEWLost: earring Water Resources and water quality research information meeting today in Physics Building Auditorium Found: Palm IIIxe Retirement party for Mike Thuot on Sept. 27 MANA del Norte hosts Annual National Hispanic Heritage Month Scholarship banquet on Oct. 13 Lost: heart necklace Call for Nominations for the Leadership Institute Oct. 21 - 26 YMCA classes	Lost: men's eyeglasses Property Awareness Month winner United Blood Service blood donations information West Road open Computer Corner news Senior Scientist & Engineering Institute final call for nominations Family Strengths Network classes Meltdown outdoor climbing event set for Sept. 29 Laboratory Counsel reception area temporarily closed Employees leaving Lab must attend termination presentation