Objective Methods for Determining Cloud Motions from Satellite Data.

摘要

The PDP 11computer,with a Vector General display interface,has been programmed to allow the generation of information representing artificial clouds using a cluster specification language. This language can also be used as input to a similar program that can be run on the CDC 6400computer to generate identical data and later track the identical data. A cloud-motion vector field is then applied to the artificial clouds and they are assumed to move into a new position at a later time. Thus,we are able to produce artificial cloud pictures having some of the main features of real pictures. In general,the problem is to vary the known and controllable parameters of the artificial clouds and wind-vector fields so that various features of the cloud motion programs developed so far can be tested. In this way the limits of their performance,can be discovered which enables improvements to be made to the cloud-motion recognition programs. (Modified author abstract)