Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a fast analytical method, but can also be complicated. This spectroscopic method is used to provide a qualitative and quantitative analysis of a sample. The analysis is carried out by capturing the emission radiation of the generated plasma. The accuracy and stability of the measurement is affected by several parameters, such as stability of the laser, physical and chemical properties of the sample, its homogeneity and others, that can not always be eliminated. For this reason other methods are being added to the LIBS experiment that could improve the quality of this analysis. This diploma thesis is focused on a research of the literature on the standardization of laser-induced plasma signal and the possibility of using an acoustic signal for this purpose. For this reason , it is necessary to perform basic experiments and to verify if the acoustic signal correlates with the emission signal. If these signals correlate together, it would be possible to use the acoustic signal for standardization og the LIBS data, which would improve the accuracy of the analysis. In the theoretical part at the beginning other spectroscopic methods are summarised. Then the work is focused on the description of the LIBS method, possible ways of the analysis, standardization of emission signals and its review in the literature. The experimental part is aimed at the study of the acoustic signal that was performed in the framework of this study. At the beginning, there are introduced results of the basic measurements on steel and brass samples. These results were important for an optimization of the experiment. The following section shows the results obtained from the measurements of the acoustic signal on the samples with the same chemical composition but different hardness. At the end the correlation between the acoustic and emission signals is discussed.

The Gatun Structure (N 09º 05’ 58.1”, W 79º 47’ 21.8”, situated in the triple-canopy rainforest 10 km to the WSW of the Gamboa and about 2 km south of the Isle of Barbacoas, Republic de Panama), is a partially inundated, quasi-concentric surface feature ~3km in diameter, which appears in aerial photographs and in radar imagery as an arcuate chain of islands with a raised center. Although the structure has been heavily weathered and altered, it has retained morphology consistent with complex craters: an elevated circular central uplift 500-600 m in diameter and approximately 70 m high, and arcuate boundary ridges (a rim structure?) ranging from ~50-110 meters high. Within the central peak, highly altered and fractured siltstone of the Gatuncillo Formation (?) (Eocene) ± older rocks are uplifted and exposed through surrounding calcareous units of the Caimito Formation (Oligocene) and the Las Cascadas Formation (Miocene), the major target rocks in the region. Lithologies in the structure include highly fractured siliciclastic rocks (siltstone, sandstones and greywackes), limestones with anomalous spherical glass inclusions, both black and white hypocrystalline glasses (possible melt rocks), lithic fragmental breccias, and melt-bearing breccias (possible impact melt breccias and suevites) containing flow banding and evidence for selective melting of minerals. Three types of spherules (glass, fluid-drop and lithic), a pyroxenequartz “necklace” disequilibrium structure (coronas), plagioclase feldspars exhibiting mosaicism and partially amorphization and zeolitization, possible liquid immiscibility between melts of calcite and felpspathic glass, as well as decomposition of titano-magnetite, are all petrographic criteria that suggest a hypervelocity impact event. The structure is crosscut by numerous dikes of unshocked basalt and basaltic andesite related to volcanism along the Panamanian segment of the Central American arc to the south. However, the lithologies of the Gatun Structure are chemically inconsistent with the regional volcanic rocks and the unshocked volcanic rocks that crosscut the structure. An impact origin is our preferred interpretation for the Gatun structure due to the lack of an igneous relationship between the Gatun structure and the explosive volcanism of Panamanian arc, the presence of classical impactite lithologies within the site, the occurrence of spherules, maskelynite (as suggested by Raman Spectroscopy) and other disequilibrium shock features in the Gatun suite of rocks.

Malea Planum is a volcanic plain on the southern rim of Hellas Planitia, the largest impact basin on Mars. Four large circular structures on Malea Planum have traditionally been identified as paterae, or low relief, central vent volcanoes (Plescia and Saunders, 1979). A geologic map was constructed and new crater counts made to explore the ages and origins of the paterae. Amphitrites and Peneus Paterae have radial patterns of wrinkle ridges on their flanks and distinct summit calderas (95 km and 130 km across) with arcuate bounding scarps. In contrast, Malea and Pityusa Paterae are broad depressions with diameters greater than 400 km. In some ways Pityusa and Malea Paterae resemble old, filled impact craters (Plescia, 2003) but they also have characteristics of volcanic subsidence features (Roche et al., 2000). A very strong positive gravity anomaly is centered over Amphitrites and smaller positive anomalies are associated with Peneus and Malea Paterae. A slight annular positive anomaly is associated with Pityusa. The geology of the Malea Planum Region has been influenced by impact cratering, volcanic, tectonic, fluvial, and most recently, eolian processes. The Noachian was dominated by impact cratering, the formation of Hellas Basin, and the eruption of flood lavas. Malea Planum formed during the mid- to late-Noachian, likely the result of sills liquefying the volatile-rich crust. Malea and Pityusa Paterae formed during the late Noachian. The Hesperian was marked by the formation of Peneus and Amphitrites and complex valley networks. During the mid-Hesperian, southern Malea Planum may have been covered by a very thick polar mantle deposit that melted and sublimated during the late Hesperian. Smaller episodes of polar mantle deposition continued through the Amazonian to the present. The Amazonian is also characterized by eolian activity creating dune fields, etched surfaces, and dust devil tracks. Based on the topographic and geophysical evidence, Amphitrites and Peneus are typical highland paterae. We conclude that a mid-crustal sill complex similar to that thought to exist beneath the eastern Snake River Plain in Idaho may be the best explanation for the formation of Malea and Pityusa Paterae. A lack of associated flow features on the surface suggests that the loads are the result of an accumulation of dense intrusions. A surficial load (e.g., lava flows) is insufficient to cause the amount of subsidence observed. A mid-crustal mafic or ultra-mafic sill or a dense network of sills and dikes may have contributed to the subsidence.

As one of the most common minerals in crustal rocks, quartz has been widely used as an indicator for shock metamorphism. Shocked quartz is found in the Chicxulub impact crater, an impact crater that has been linked to the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction ~66 million years ago. The microstructural deformation features found in the shocked quartz do not form randomly, and their orientation provides a better understanding of the impact cratering process. At present, there are no studies of EBSD data analysis of shocked quartz from Chicxulub. We investigated six thin sections from two samples from the M0077A borehole in the lower peak ring of the Chicxulub impact crater, using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)-EBSD technique. Both samples consist of shocked granite, with a significant amount of quartz.  Therefore, this study investigates the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of shocked quartz and predicts the seismic velocities and anisotropy, based on the EBSD data. We carried out the analysis of EBSD data by using the MATLAB-based MTEX toolbox that can perform CPO analysis from pole figure plots and the prediction of seismic properties of minerals based on the Voigt-Reuss-Hill effective medium method. Although acquiring the EBSD data from these samples is challenging, leading to the lack of data measured, we found out that the prediction of P wave seismic velocity is in good agreement with other recent studies conducted in the same area. The range of predicted P wave velocities is 5.5-6.5 km/s with anisotropy of 8-15%. The actual observed laboratory measurements and in-situ seismic measurements are considerably smaller than this velocity range because our calculations do not incorporate pores or take microcracks into account.  A likely explanation for the large variability of anisotropy in shocked quartz is the relatively few mapped grains with EBSD, which would influence the CPO and lead to high predicted seismic anisotropy. Considering a greaternumber of grains in the CPO analysis, the CPO is reduced, and seismic anisotropy becomes smaller.

Abstract Impact cratering is a fundamental geomorphic process on planetary surfaces. More than 60% of known hypervelocity impact craters on Earth are either partially or completely buried beneath post-impact sediments and one-third have been discovered with geophysical methods. In this thesis, geophysical surveys (gravity, magnetics, seismic, bathymetric mapping) were conducted at the deeply buried (>400 m) Holleford impact crater (~2.35 km) and two probable impact structures (Charity Shoal, Skeleton Lake) in southern Ontario, Canada. 3-D potential field models were constructed to determine the subsurface geology and buried crater morphology, and to evaluate evidence for possible impact versus endogenic origins. Holleford Crater is a deeply buried, Late Proterozoic-Early Cambrian (ca. 550 ±100 Ma) simple impact crater (~2.4 km) in southeastern Ontario, Canada. Land-based magnetic and gravity surveys and modelling were conducted in this study, recorded a ~ -3 mGal Bouguer anomaly and small (~30 nT) magnetic anomaly over the crater basin. 3-D gravity modelling revealed a deeply buried simple impact basin in Mesoproterozoic basement with an estimated rim-to-rim diameter (D) of 1.8-2 km, a residual rim height of ~20-30 m and true depth (dt) >400 m. The southeast crater rim is dissected by a 150 m deep, 400 m wide erosional channel produced by fluvial rim dissection. The outflow is infilled by >50 m of Late Cambrian clastic sediments, indicating a probable Late Proterozoic to Early Paleozoic impact event. Charity Shoal is a 1.2-km-diameter, 20 m deep, circular bedrock shoal in eastern Lake Ontario. Marine seismic profiling and total field magnetic surveys (140-line km) were conducted over a 9-km2 area and combined with available multi-beam bathymetric data to evaluate the subsurface geology and structure origin. Seismic surveys revealed ~30 m of Quaternary sediments overlying Middle Ordovician (Trenton Group) carbonates in the central basin and evidence for folding and faulting of the structure rim. Magnetic surveys recorded an annular magnetic high (> 600 nT) and a central magnetic low (~500-600 nT) coincident with a ~-1.7 mGal Bouguer gravity anomaly. The continuity of Middle Ordovician bedrock below the structure rules out a post-Paleozoic intrusion and a pre-Paleozoic intrusion is ruled out with the gravity anomaly. A deeply-buried (> 450 m) impact crater is the only scenario consistent with geophysical evidence. The crater has a rim-to-rim diameter of ~1.2 km, and rim height of ~15-20 m. A 100-m wide breach in the southwestern rim records a possible outflow channel. Skeleton Lake is a suspected (~4.0 km) Paleozoic-age impact structure in Muskoka, Ontario. The lakebed morphology, subsurface structure and possible impact origin were investigated with high-resolution geophysical surveys (magnetics, bathymetry; ~140 line-km) and 3-D magnetic modelling. Bathymetric data reveal a deep (>65 m) central basin with arcuate (Paleozoic?) bedrock ridges that rise >30 m above the southwestern lakebed. Magnetic surveys recorded a >700 nT magnetic low, which truncates northwest-southeast regional magnetic trends. Low-amplitude, northwest-trending magnetic lineaments delineate basement shear zones below the basin centre. Through-going magnetic lineaments and lack of thermal alteration (e.g., dikes, fenitization) in Mesoproterozoic rocks indicate a volcanic origin is unlikely. A 1.2 km diameter volcanic plug with an Early Cambrian remanence (D = 82.2°, I = 82.7°) can reproduce some aspects of the magnetic anomaly but is at odds with the Bouguer gravity anomaly (~ -3 mGal). Forward modelling of a crater-form basin with induction and remanence magnetization yielded an estimated structure depth of ~1200 m. The basement surface model shows a complex basement topography with no apparent rim structure and elevated ‘pinnacles’ that may represent eroded remnants of a central uplift or a highly-dissected basement topography. The structure apparent diameter (> 4.2 km) and complex basement topography suggest a heavily-modified transitional crater, similar with the Gow (Saskatchewan, Canada) and Kärdla (Estonia) impact structures. This thesis demonstrates the subsurface exploration of confirmed and suspected impact structures, integrating seismic, potential field (magnetics, gravity) and digital elevation data within a 3-D geophysical modelling workflow. The approach provides important new insights into the surface and subsurface geology, morphology, and post-emplacement modification of the Holleford impact crater, and new geophysical constraints for evaluating two suspected impact structures. Geophysical data confirm that Charity Shoal and Skeleton Lake are deep-seated, crater-form depressions in Mesoproterozoic basement rocks. The weight of geophysical and geological evidence points to impact cratering processes as opposed to an endogenic (volcanic) origin for both structures. / Thesis / Doctor of Science (PhD)

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 558 pages. / Original thesis submitted in HTML and can be accessed at http://www.lib.usf.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-10122001-142859/unrestricted/frame.html / td.pdf / Thesis (M.S.)--University of South Florida, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The Gatun Structure, (Latitude N 09° 05&softsign; 58.1", Longitude W 79° 47&softsign; 21.8", situated in the triple-canopy rainforest 10 km to the WSW of the Gamboa and about 2 km south of the Isle of Barbacoas, Republic de Panama), is a partially inundated, quasi-concentric surface feature 2.2 - 3km in diameter, which appears in aerial photographs and in radar imagery as an arcuate chain of islands with a raised center. Although the structure has been heavily weathered and altered, it has retained morphology consistent with complex craters: an elevated circular central uplift 500-600 m in diameter and 50m high, and arcuate boundary ridges (a rim structure?) ranging from 50-100 meters high. Within the central peak, highly altered and fractured siltstone of the Gatuncillo (?) formation (Eocene) (+-) older rocks are uplifted and exposed through surrounding calcareous units of the Caimito formation (Oligocene) and the Las Cascadas formation (Miocene), the major target rocks in the region. / ABSTRACT: Lithologies in the structure include highly fractured siliciclastic rocks (siltstone, sandstones and greywackes), limestones with anomalous spherical glass inclusions, both black and white hypocrystalline glasses (possible melt rocks), lithic fragmental breccias, and melt-bearing breccias (possible impact melt breccias and suevites), some of which contain flow banding and evidence for selective melting of minerals. Three types of spherules (glass, fluid-drop and lithic), a pyroxene-quartz "necklace" disequilibrium structure (coronas), plagioclase feldspars exhibiting mosaicism and partially amorphization, possible liquid immiscibility between melts of calcite and felpspathic glass, as well as decomposition of titanomagnite or ulvospinel, are all petrographic indicators of a hypervelocity impact event. / ABSTRACT: The structure is crosscut by numerous dikes of unshocked basalt and basaltic andesite related to volcanism along the Panamanian segment of the Central American arc to the south. However, the lithologies of the Gatun Structure are chemically inconsistent with the regional volcanic rocks and the unshocked volcanic rocks that crosscut the structure. The lack of an igneous relationship between the Gatun structure and the explosive volcanism of Panamanian arc the presence of classical shock lithologies within the site, and the occurrence of spherules, maskelynite and other disequilibrium shock features in the rocks, an impact origin is our preferred interpretation for the Gatun structure. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Cette thèse présente une étude expérimentale de l'impact de gouttes de fluides à seuil. Au-delà des applications (impression à jet d’encre solide, modélisation d’impact solide à grandes vitesses), cette étude permet de sonder le rôle de l'élasticité sur le comportement à temps court de ces fluides complexes. D'abord, nous nous sommes intéressés aux impacts sur une surface rigide. L'utilisation de fluides à seuil modèles (solutions concentrées d’argiles, micro-gel de Carbopol) et de surfaces d'impact variées (partiellement mouillante ou super-hydrophobe), révèle une grande variété de comportements, allant de l'étalement viscoplastique irréversible jusqu'à des déformations élastiques géantes. Un modèle minimal d'étalement inertiel, incluant une rhéologie élasto/viscoplastique, permet de décrire dans un cadre unique les principaux régimes observés. Au cours de cette étude, nous avons mis en évidence un phénomène spécifique avec le Carbopol : pour des grandes vitesses d'impact, on observe un étalement beaucoup plus grand sur des surfaces rugueuses hydrophobes que sur des surfaces lisses. Cette réduction apparente du frottement basal est discutée en termes de longueur de glissement et d'instabilité de « splash ». Enfin, nous avons étudié l’impact d'une goutte de fluide sur un sol constitué du même fluide, en utilisant un fluide à seuil transparent (Carbopol). La combinaison de lois d'échelle, d’expériences en « micro-gravité » et de mesures locales du champ de déformation montre que la dynamique du cratère transitoire est dominée par l’élasticité, même au-delà du seuil d’écoulement. Ces résultats pourraient avoir des implications dans le contexte des impacts de météorites en astrophysique. / This thesis presents an experimental study on the drop impact of yield-stress fluids. Beyond applications (solid ink-jet printing, lab modelling of high-speed collision of solids), this study offers a mean to probe the role of the elasticity on the short-time behaviour of these complex fluids. We have first studied drop impacts on solid rigid surfaces. Using different model yield-stress fluids (clay suspensions, Carbopol micro-gel) and impacted surfaces (partially wettable, super-hydrophobic), we have observed a rich variety of behaviours ranging from irreversible viscoplastic coating to giant elastic spreading and recoil. A minimal model of inertial spreading, including an elasto/viscoplastic rheology, allows explaining in a single framework the different regimes and scaling laws. In this study, we identified a specific phenomenon with Carbopol: for large impact velocities, the drop spreads much more on rough hydrophobic surfaces than on smooth surfaces. This apparent reduction of the basal friction is discussed in terms of slip length and splash instability. Endly, we investigated the impact of a drop onto a pool of the same fluid, using a transparent yield-stress fluid (Carbopol). The combination of scaling laws, micro-gravity experiments and local deformation measurements shows that the transient crater is dominated by elasticity, even beyond the flow threshold. These results could have implications for impact cratering in Planetary Sciences.

The recent discovery of the 31-km-wide Hiawatha impact crater has raised unanswered questions about its age, impactor and highly unusual organic carbon component. Previous research suggests a fractionated iron meteorite impactor, a probable maximum 3–2.4 Ma impact age and a possible Younger Dryas impact age. The first objective in this study has been to investigate a possible link between the Cape York meteorites and the Hiawatha impact crater by comparing the chromium isotopic signature in chromite from a Cape York meteorite with the chromium isotopic signature in potential chromite from the Hiawatha impactor. The second objective has been to investigate a possible Hiawatha signature in the Younger Dryas deposits from Baffin Bay. The third objective has been to study the organic carbon component in impactites derived from the Hiawatha impact crater. Heavy mineral grains were separated from glaciofluvial sediment which contains Hiawatha impactite grains. Not a single chromite grain was found and the possible link to the Cape York meteorites could not be tested. The petrographic examination of Younger Dryas marine deposits resulted in absence of impact-related Hiawatha grains. A petrological investigation revealed that organic carbon was likely found in five of six variably shocked impactites derived from the Hiawatha impact crater. The character of the organic carbon varies between the samples and also within individual samples. Vitrinite reflectance measurements of the organic carbon in two impactites yielded low reflectance values compared to charcoalification experiments of wood. Organic particles with different reflectance in the same sample suggest that the particles had different impact histories prior to settling and becoming a rock. Diagnostic conifer cellular texture was found in at least one of the samples. The character of the organic particles in the impactites supports the suggestion in a previous study that the sources of the Hiawatha organic carbon component are unmetamorphosed surficial deposits containing dead conifer tree trunks and fine-grained layered clay and organic matter.  In this study it is concluded that the apparent absence of chromite in the examined glaciofluvial sediment sample corroborates the significance of previous research which suggests that the Hiawatha impactor was an iron meteorite. The apparent absence of impact related grains in the Younger Dryas deposits suggests that although a Younger Dryas age for the Hiawatha impact crater is less likely now, the possibility remains open. The organic carbon with diagnostic conifer cellular texture in the Hiawatha impactites corroborates the conclusion in a previous study that the Hiawatha impact-related organic carbon component stems from local, thermally degraded conifer trees with a probable age of ca. 3–2.4 Ma. It is also concluded that the relatively low reflectance values of the organic carbon in the Hiawatha impactites seem to be related to the short duration of the high-temperature excursion during the hypervelocity impact event.

Abstract: The interest of major space agencies in the world for vision sensors in their mission designs has been increasing over the years. Indeed, cameras offer an efficient solution to address the ever-increasing requirements in performance. In addition, these sensors are multipurpose, lightweight, proven and a low-cost technology. Several researchers in vision sensing for space application currently focuse on the navigation system for autonomous pin-point planetary landing and for sample and return missions to small bodies. In fact, without a Global Positioning System (GPS) or radio beacon around celestial bodies, high-accuracy navigation around them is a complex task. Most of the navigation systems are based only on accurate initialization of the states and on the integration of the acceleration and the angular rate measurements from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). This strategy can track very accurately sudden motions of short duration, but their estimate diverges in time and leads normally to high landing error. In order to improve navigation accuracy, many authors have proposed to fuse those IMU measurements with vision measurements using state estimators, such as Kalman filters. The first proposed vision-based navigation approach relies on feature tracking between sequences of images taken in real time during orbiting and/or landing operations. In that case, image features are image pixels that have a high probability of being recognized between images taken from different camera locations. By detecting and tracking these features through a sequence of images, the relative motion of the spacecraft can be determined. This technique, referred to as Terrain-Relative Relative Navigation (TRRN), relies on relatively simple, robust and well-developed image processing techniques. It allows the determination of the relative motion (velocity) of the spacecraft. Despite the fact that this technology has been demonstrated with space qualified hardware, its gain in accuracy remains limited since the spacecraft absolute position is not observable from the vision measurements. The vision-based navigation techniques currently studied consist in identifying features and in mapping them into an on-board cartographic database indexed by an absolute coordinate system, thereby providing absolute position determination. This technique, referred to as Terrain-Relative Absolute Navigation (TRAN), relies on very complex Image Processing Software (IPS) having an obvious lack of robustness. In fact, these software depend often on the spacecraft attitude and position, they are sensitive to illumination conditions (the elevation and azimuth of the Sun when the geo-referenced database is built must be similar to the ones present during mission), they are greatly influenced by the image noise and finally they hardly manage multiple varieties of terrain seen during the same mission (the spacecraft can fly over plain zone as well as mountainous regions, the images may contain old craters with noisy rims as well as young crater with clean rims and so on). At this moment, no real-time hardware-in-the-loop experiment has been conducted to demonstrate the applicability of this technology to space mission. The main objective of the current study is to develop autonomous vision-based navigation algorithms that provide absolute position and surface-relative velocity during the proximity operations of a planetary mission (orbiting phase and landing phase) using a combined approach of TRRN and TRAN technologies. The contributions of the study are: (1) reference mission definition, (2) advancements in the TRAN theory (image processing as well as state estimation) and (3) practical implementation of vision-based navigation. / Résumé: L’intérêt des principales agences spatiales envers les technologies basées sur la vision artificielle ne cesse de croître. En effet, les caméras offrent une solution efficace pour répondre aux exigences de performance, toujours plus élevées, des missions spatiales. De surcroît, ces capteurs sont multi-usages, légers, éprouvés et peu coûteux. Plusieurs chercheurs dans le domaine de la vision artificielle se concentrent actuellement sur les systèmes autonomes pour l’atterrissage de précision sur des planètes et sur les missions d’échantillonnage sur des astéroïdes. En effet, sans système de positionnement global « Global Positioning System (GPS) » ou de balises radio autour de ces corps célestes, la navigation de précision est une tâche très complexe. La plupart des systèmes de navigation sont basés seulement sur l’intégration des mesures provenant d’une centrale inertielle. Cette stratégie peut être utilisée pour suivre les mouvements du véhicule spatial seulement sur une courte durée, car les données estimées divergent rapidement. Dans le but d’améliorer la précision de la navigation, plusieurs auteurs ont proposé de fusionner les mesures provenant de la centrale inertielle avec des mesures d’images du terrain. Les premiers algorithmes de navigation utilisant l’imagerie du terrain qui ont été proposés reposent sur l’extraction et le suivi de traits caractéristiques dans une séquence d’images prises en temps réel pendant les phases d’orbite et/ou d’atterrissage de la mission. Dans ce cas, les traits caractéristiques de l’image correspondent à des pixels ayant une forte probabilité d’être reconnus entre des images prises avec différentes positions de caméra. En détectant et en suivant ces traits caractéristiques, le déplacement relatif du véhicule (la vitesse) peut être déterminé. Ces techniques, nommées navigation relative, utilisent des algorithmes de traitement d’images robustes, faciles à implémenter et bien développés. Bien que cette technologie a été éprouvée sur du matériel de qualité spatiale, le gain en précision demeure limité étant donné que la position absolue du véhicule n’est pas observable dans les mesures extraites de l’image. Les techniques de navigation basées sur la vision artificielle actuellement étudiées consistent à identifier des traits caractéristiques dans l’image pour les apparier avec ceux contenus dans une base de données géo-référencées de manière à fournir une mesure de position absolue au filtre de navigation. Cependant, cette technique, nommée navigation absolue, implique l’utilisation d’algorithmes de traitement d’images très complexes souffrant pour le moment des problèmes de robustesse. En effet, ces algorithmes dépendent souvent de la position et de l’attitude du véhicule. Ils sont très sensibles aux conditions d’illuminations (l’élévation et l’azimut du Soleil présents lorsque la base de données géo-référencée est construite doit être similaire à ceux observés pendant la mission). Ils sont grandement influencés par le bruit dans l’image et enfin ils supportent mal les multiples variétés de terrain rencontrées pendant la même mission (le véhicule peut survoler autant des zones de plaine que des régions montagneuses, les images peuvent contenir des vieux cratères avec des contours flous aussi bien que des cratères jeunes avec des contours bien définis, etc.). De plus, actuellement, aucune expérimentation en temps réel et sur du matériel de qualité spatiale n’a été réalisée pour démontrer l’applicabilité de cette technologie pour les missions spatiales. Par conséquent, l’objectif principal de ce projet de recherche est de développer un système de navigation autonome par imagerie du terrain qui fournit la position absolue et la vitesse relative au terrain d’un véhicule spatial pendant les opérations à basse altitude sur une planète. Les contributions de ce travail sont : (1) la définition d’une mission de référence, (2) l’avancement de la théorie de la navigation par imagerie du terrain (algorithmes de traitement d’images et estimation d’états) et (3) implémentation pratique de cette technologie.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2017-02-21T15:12:08Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_JoséVianneyMendonçaDeAlencastroJr.pdf: 648691 bytes, checksum: f2fbc98e547f0284f5aef34aee9249ca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-21T15:12:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_JoséVianneyMendonçaDeAlencastroJr.pdf: 648691 bytes, checksum: f2fbc98e547f0284f5aef34aee9249ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-09-09 / A lei de Newcomb-Benford, também conhecida como a lei do dígito mais significativo, foi descrita pela primeira vez por Simon Newcomb, sendo apenas embasada estatisticamente após 57 anos pelo físico Frank Benford. Essa lei rege grandezas naturalmente aleatórias e tem sido utilizada por várias áreas como forma de selecionar e validar diversos tipos de dados. Em nosso trabalho tivemos como primeiro objetivo propor o uso de um método substituto ao qui-quadrado, sendo este atualmente o método comumente utilizado pela literatura para verificação da conformidade da Lei de Newcomb-Benford. Fizemos isso pois em uma massa de dados com uma grande quantidade de amostras o método qui-quadrado tende a sofrer de um problema estatístico conhecido por excesso de poder, gerando assim resultados do tipo falso negativo na estatística. Dessa forma propomos a substituição do método qui-quadrado pelo método de Kolmogorov-Smirnov baseado na Função de Distribuição Empírica para análise da conformidade global, pois esse método é mais robusto não sofrendo do excesso de poder e também é mais fiel à definição formal da Lei de Benford, já que o mesmo trabalha considerando as mantissas ao invés de apenas considerar dígitos isolados. Também propomos investigar um intervalo de confiança para o Kolmogorov-Smirnov baseando-nos em um qui-quadrado que não sofre de excesso de poder por se utilizar o Bootstraping. Em dois artigos publicados recentemente, dados de exoplanetas foram analisados e algumas grandezas foram declaradas como conformes à Lei de Benford. Com base nisso eles sugerem que o conhecimento dessa conformidade possa ser usado para uma análise na lista de objetos candidatos, o que poderá ajudar no futuro na identificação de novos exoplanetas nesta lista. Sendo assim, um outro objetivo de nosso trabalho foi explorar diversos bancos e catálogos de dados astronômicos em busca de grandezas, cuja a conformidade à lei do dígito significativo ainda não seja conhecida a fim de propor aplicações práticas para a área das ciências astronômicas. / The Newcomb-Benford law, also known as the most significant digit law, was described for the first time by astronomer and mathematician Simon Newcomb. This law was just statistically grounded after 57 years after the Newcomb’s discovery. This law governing naturally random greatness and, has been used by many knowledge areas to validate several kind of data. In this work, the first goal is propose a substitute of qui-square method. The qui-square method is the currently method used in the literature to verify the Newcomb-Benford Law’s conformity. It’s necessary because in a greatness with a big quantity of samples, the qui-square method can has false negatives results. This problem is named Excess of Power. Because that, we proposed to use the Kolmogorov-Smirnov method based in Empirical Distribution Function (EDF) to global conformity analysis. Because this method is more robust and not suffering of the Excess of Power problem. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov method also more faithful to the formal definition of Benford’s Law since the method working considering the mantissas instead of single digits. We also propose to invetigate a confidence interval for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov method based on a qui-square with Bootstrapping strategy which doesn’t suffer of Excess of Power problem. Recently, two papers were published. I this papaers exoplanets data were analysed and some greatness were declared conform to a Newcomb-Benford distribution. Because that, the authors suggest that knowledge of this conformity can be used for help in future to indentify new exoplanets in the candidates list. Therefore, another goal of this work is explorer a several astronomicals catalogs and database looking for greatness which conformity of Benford’s law is not known yet. And after that , the authors suggested practical aplications for astronomical sciences area.