The Effects of Vegetation on the Dynamic State of the Ground
Abstract
The Battlespace Terrain Reasoning and Awareness (BTRA) research program edict for the Future Combat System(s) (FCS) is to "provide warfighters with an accurate and timely understanding of the battlespace environment's effect on personnel, platforms, sensors and systems in order to develop improved tactics, techniques, procedures and plans that insure information superiority and situational awareness" (R. Davis, ERDCCRREL, personal communication). BTRA is developing tools which will be embedded in DTSS (Digital Topographic Support System) and CJMTK (Commercial Joint Mapping Tool Kit). These tools will "use measured and forecasted weather to predict weapon sensor performance and weather influences upon on - and offroad mobility; to analyze and predict maneuver options by looking at cover, concealment, defensible positions, etc.; and to perform automated terrain analysis based on enemy doctrine, equipment constraints, operational posture and terrain effects" (M. Powers, ERDC-TEC, personal communication). As part of the BTRA program we developed a dynamic state of the ground model, FASST (Fast All-season Soil STrength) to provide input to mobility (STDMOB) and infrared and acoustic sensor performance overlay algorithms (RSPD and SPEBE respectively). This model predicts the soil moisture, ice content, temperature and strength as well as snow and ice accretion/depletion as a function of meteorological forcing and site characteristics. Recently, a two tier, multilayer vegetation algorithm was added. We will start by briefly discussing the original model followed by details of the new vegetation subroutines. How the vegetation affects the above model outputs will also be presented.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA433706
Entities
People
- George Koenig
- Susan Frankenstein
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center