+ 1970 News Releases (7.6 Mb PDF file) - NASA

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A computer printout clearly shows cornfields and the amount of
infestation based on a digital system from 1 to 5 indicating healthy
to severely infested corn blight. In addition_ each field was classified
according to number based on the numerical averages of each field.
Some fields show very little to severe damage from the blight and this is
reflected in the numbers printed out in the chart. Ground inspection has
shown the accuracy of the numerical printouts.
Because the affeetec leaves of the corn are low on the stalk in
the beginning stages of _nfestation_ the system to identify this from
overhead must be very sersitive.
Where numbers show _ in pastures or soybean fields it is incorrect
classification. However_ by repetitive coverage the number of errors
decrease rapidly to the _nishing point. Another way to eliminate this
type of error is to make reaeated runs through the computer which would
change the numbers to blank spots meaning "I don't know" or dashes meaning
"all other categories" - soybeans_ wheat or other crops.
The cornfields show almost uniform numbers so that they are easily
identified.
In addition to the Michigan aircraft_ high-altitude coverage from
60_000 feet was provided by NASA's Earth Resources aircraft_ an RB-57F
from the Manned Spacecraft Center_ Houston. It took both visual and
infrared color photographs as well as black and white.
A Purdue Beechcraft with multiband cameras flew between 5_000 and
107000 feet. An Air Force C-131 covered the Michigan City to Evansville
test area at 17_000 feet.
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