Mission Overview
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      Approximately 50 scientists from eight universities and three
      NASA centers participated in the Geologic Remote Sensing Field
      Experiment (GRSFE), which was co-sponsored by the NASA
      Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program and the NASA Geology
      Program.
 
      The GRSFE airborne campaign included data acquisition by
      several airborne instruments within a period of a few months,
      including the Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging
      Spectrometer (AVIRIS; collected September 28, 29 and October 4,
      1989), Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS; collected
      July 17 and September 27 and 29, 1989), Advanced Solid-State
      Array Spectroradiometer (ASAS; July 17, 1989), and Polarimetric
      Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR; September 13 and 14, 1989).
      The sites covered were Lunar Crater Volcanic Field in Nevada,
      and a number of locations in the Mojave Desert of California.
 
      Field measurements were done at the time of the flights and
      were concentrated in the Lunar Lake area.  They included
      meteorological measurements using a Weather Station (WTHS) and
      wind speed towers (AWND), measurements using the Portable
      Apparatus for Rapid Acquisition of Bidirectional Observations
      of the Land and Atmosphere (PARABOLA), a spectral hygrometer
      (SHYG), and a Reagan radiometer (REAG).  Visible/near-infrared
      measurements were made using the Single Beam Visible/Infrared
      Intelligent Spectroradiometer (SIRIS), and a Daedalus
      Spectrafax AA440 field spectrometer (DAED).  Thermal spectral
      radiance measurements were made with the Portable Field
      Emission Spectrometer (PFES).  Surface temperatures were
      measured using a Raynger Raytek II Plus Radiometer (RMTR) and
      arrays of buried thermistors (THRM) and temperatures were made
      with these same instruments in a study of the directional
      character of emissivity from various surfaces.
 
      To assist in the calibration of the radar data, corner
      reflectors were deployed.  Stereo photography (from a
      helicopter, HSTP) was acquired, and topographic profiles were
      constructed.  Finally, GPS techniques were also used to extract
      topographic profiles.  Archive release version 1.0 of GRSFE
      consists of a set of 9 CD-ROMs.  Complete, detailed
      descriptions of the experiment, the sites over which data were
      acquired, data processing procedures, and data file formats are
      included, in addition to data proper.

Mission Objectives Summary
    ==================================
 
      GRSFE data will be used in a variety of investigations,
      including tests of multispectral radiative transfer models for
      scattering and emission from planetary surfaces in support of
      the Earth Observing System (EOS), Mars Observer and Magellan
      Missions.  Studies will be pursued to establish the neotectonic
      and paleoclimatic history of the arid southwestern United
      States.  GRSFE data will also be used to support Mars Rover
      Sample Return (MRSR) simulation studies.  Finally, this
      collection of data will be a useful tool for teaching
      geological remote sensing.