The project deals with a helicopter-borne geophysical and remote sensing ystem that integrates two subsystems for generating electromagnetic fieldscovering a very broad frequency spectrum from 100 Hertz to 1 gigaHertz, or higher. Innovative techniques are used to probe the Earth down from the surface to 30 meters and to provide compensation for surface scattering effects in the higher frequencies. Conductivity and dielectric constant measurements provide information on the subsurface characteristics. The project objective is to provide the detailed design parameters for an operational system and to explore and verify certain concepts for use on the suppression of surface scattering. A program will be defined to achieve these objectives involving some assembly of equipment and specific types of field tests to be performed. Verification of the basic concepts to be used is anticipated and included will be the assessment of ground conditions down to 30 meters in areas of interest to NASA. Also, the potential future development of radars capable of measuring soil moisture over large areas either from aircraft or from space will be assessed.Results would be applicable in surveys of wetlands and semi-arid terrains measuring soil salination and saltwater intrusion; measurement of soil moisture in near-surface and at depths for agriculture, irrigation control, gravel resource exploration; surveys of routes for roads and pipelines, and permafrost assessment; and crop forecasting.airborne, dielectric constant, conductivity, geophysical, scatterometer, radar, surface scattering, remote sensingSTATUS: Phase I Only
