WORK STATUS REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2012
• Sequence Number: 71
• Publication Date: May 5, 1967
• Content Type: MISC

ueciassitiea in Hart - 5anitizea copy Hpprovea for Keiease 1u~li~ui~~ : c;iH-KUNiyttuutti:~H000ttuuuluui~-i
Period: March 1 through April 30, 1967
STAT
May 5 , 19 67
STAT
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 ' ` Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
? ~
~'IN'TR ODUC TION
This progress report covers the period from 1 March
through 30 April 1967. Four areas of effort are included:
II. Noah's Ark
III. Low Gamma Reversal Process
IV. Color Support
The financial information included in this report is for
the entire contract period from 18 October 1966 through 31
March 19 67.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 " Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
The purpose of this project is to replace the glass platen on a Richards Model 940
viewer with an electrostatic hold-down platen and to evaluate the resulting instrument.
The electrostatic panel is manufactured
in order to examine and discuss the electrostatic panel, it was
concluded .that the major problems in using the electrostatic panel will be in making the
initial film-panel contact and in removing film. The panel does not attract the film so
that the film must be smoothed onto the panel by hand or with a special brush. Turning
off the electrical power does not cause the holding force to release so that the film must
be pulled off the platen. Blowing ionized air across the film will aid this somewhat.
Some additional minor problems or disadvantages noted at the time of the Simco
1. The film, after removal, has a static charge which will attract dust.
There are however, methods for discharging the film.
2. Operators are subject to electrical shocks. We have been assured
that there is no personnel danger but the shocks may be. annoying. Operating proce-
dures can be established which will eliminate these shocks.
3. If "static bars" are used to discharge the film or if ionized air is
used, an ozone odor may be noticed. Once again we have been assured that the ozone
level is low enough so that there is no personnel hazard but, at least to some people,
it may be annoying. Good ventilation may eliminate this problem.
4. There is a 1-1/2 inch opaque border around the panel. This has re-
duced the viewing area to 8 x 37 inches.
STAT
I
STAT
STAT
On the plus side, the panel demonstrated did hold the film flat, as ex- STAT
pected, without the grooves or holes necessary with vacuum systems.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 "' Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
? ~
The panel and auxiliary equipment were received on April 6, 1967. Unfortunate-
ly the panel was slightly oversize and would not directly replace the original glass
panel. Rather than delay the program by returning the panel, we modified the viewer
to the extent necessary to accommodate the panel. The modification. is such that the
viewer can be returned to its original condition very easily, This arrangement has
permitted us to undertake our evaluation. If the results of the evaluation are favorable,
a new panel should be obtained before the viewer is placed in actual use,
The evaluation of the electrostatic hold-down system at our facility has .led to the
following conclusions thus far:
1. The panel will hold single frames adequately. Removal of single frames,
however, is difficult.
2. The panel will not hold film strips (2 to 3 feet in length for example) , which
have a tendency to curl after removal from the spool. If both film~~ends remain on
spools, the film is held satisfactorily. We have repositioned the reels so that film on
spools may be raised from the platen by a slight rotation of the reel.
3. It is necessary to smooth the film onto the panel either by hand or with the
provided grounding brush. We have not, as yet, observed any film scratching as a re-
sult of using the brush but this has not been fully evaluated::
4. It is necessary to discharge the film in order to prevent its attracting dust
after the film is removed from the panel. We have mounted "static bars" at each end
of the table to discharge the film before winding on the spool. The adequacy of this has
not yet been determined.
5. While discharging the film will prevent its attracting dust, it does not itself
remove dust previously attracted to the film while it was on the panel. We are investi-
gating the use of an ionized air blower to discharge the film and to remove dust. If this
is satisfactory, the static bars discussed above can be eliminated.
6. The electrostatic panel has reduced the light level to about 30% of the level
obtained with the original platen. Evenness of illumination has not been significantly
affected. The light level available is still adequate for most film.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 ~~ Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT PERIOD
The work planned for the next month will include the following items:
1. Determine if the grounding brush is scratching film.
2. Devise an adequate method for discharging the .film and
removing previously attracted dust.
3. Obtain comments, suggestions, criticisms, etc. from
various staff members ith regard
to the operating convenience, adequacy of hold-down, etc.
while using the viewer.
STAT
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 " Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
? ~
II. NOAH'S AR.K
PROGRESS DURING THE PERIOD
The experimental design of the Noah's Ark program has been completed. Quota-
tions on the power supply the electroluminescent panel
and bromine cycle lamps
have been received and forwarded to the customer.
In a discussion with
on 6 April 1967, consideration was given to the availability of two sets of 40 photographs
to be presented to the photointerpreters in the Noah's Ark experiment. Obtaining the
necessary photographs seems to be the only major problem at the present time. Also
discussed were the general personality traits of photointerpreters and the fact that as a
group they tend to be temperamental and uncooperative, thereby making it quite .difficult
to achieve valid experimental results.
also indicated that within the near future he
d the human factors engineers of the Boeing Aircraft Company would
meet to discuss and correlate the work being accomplished on Noah's Ark with similar
work being undertaken by Boeing.
Meeting of the customer, ~.nd Boeing personnel will be held to
compare program plans in human factors area.. A reworking of the present program is
anticipated.
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
STAT
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 '- Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
The program objectives call for the formulation of a black and white photographic
developing process- capable of producing gamma products of 2.0, 1.0 and 0.5 using
camera negative emulsions such as Plus-X or Panchromatic-X. (The gamma product
is the product of the negative gamma and reversal positive gamma.) Gamma products'
of 2.0 and 1.0 are not uncommon or are, at least, easily achievable. However, a gam-
ma product of 0.5 is very difficult to obtain. Such a product requires negative gammas
of 0. 6 to 0.8 and positive gammas of . 83 to . 63. Our original proposal contained sever-
al alternative solutions to the problem.. One approach employed alkyl mercaptans to
effect the silver halide solubility in hypo. The process offered direct reversal in three
steps with the potential of very low gamma. Another class of alternatives employed
low gamma developers with a silver halide solvent bleach prior to reversal development,
or combinations thereof.
Preliminary experimentation centered on developing a reversal process using
alkyl mercaptans. In order for the process to work the camera emulsion must be bath-
ed in the mercaptan solution, resulting in absorption on the silver halide grain. Expo=
sure of the film results in chemical desorbtion of the mercaptan. Bathing the film in
fixer removes the exposed silver halide. Subsequent processing, after light fog, in a
developer produces a positive reversal. Various emulsions, both spectrally and non-
spectrally sensitized, were used for the absorption study. Since we were unable to ab-
sorb the mercaptan on the grain surface, primarily because of the protection offered by
gelatin, the process could not be applied successfully.
Our research efforts were then turned to a more conventional approach to the
problem.. We decided the next most feasible approach was development of a low gamma
first developer, followed by a low energy,~o-to-completion developer. To date we have
formulated a developer that is characterized by fine grain images of low gamma and long
straight line portions of the D log E curve.. With Plus-X emulsion and processing for
5 minutes at 70? F. a gamma of 0.65 was obtained. (Refer to the time vs gamma curves
included herein. )
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 `' Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
?
A suitable bleach has been formulated using an acidic ferro-ferricyanide complex..
Some of the first reversals made were characterized by high D in the reversed
min
image. _ Inclusion of a small amount of Sodium thiosulfate in the first developer elimi=
nated most of this problem by chemically "etching" the emulsion layer to the point at
which only Dmax m the negative was left in the layer. Consequently, upon reversal
the D areas were void of silver halide capable of fogging and developing to any sig-
. min
nificant density.
Although we have produced reversal gammas and gamma products of 0.5, as
stated in the program objective, the process needs further work to eliminate mottle
and the time dependence of the second developer step. The second developer will be
formulated to act as a monobath, completion solution after which washing can be car-
ried out.. Work is also planned to obviate the need of reversal exposure by inclusion of
a chemical foggant in the second developer.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
? ~
The search for a high resolution color film to meet customer needs has indicated
that Scientia film from Gevaert is the most promising at present.
There were no specific requests from the customer to provide support in this
area except to finish some of the illustrations for the color manual which have been
delivered to the customer.
A trip to Gevaert is planned to obtain further information on the Scientia film with
respect to its availability, chemistry and processing facilities required.
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 STAT
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/10/16 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012!10116 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7
Da ~`F ~ Control # o Y, Taak Prepared b ~ Date tiQ. // 7 Control # Taek T~ ~ / 6
STEP NUMBERS Material r'lus - x - 3~ ~m
STAT
Mfr Eosf~nn /~a~f~/~
Mfr/Exp Date Coating/Emulsion #
E~oaure Data Processing, Data
Instrument Z (~ Processor 1/ /i c,? l~ n
Aluminant ,~~'~~ '
Time ~, D Chemistry ~~- `~
Intensity Modulator - ~'
Z 3.4
0
u ~'~
W
? ~
W ~~~
OC
Z 1.8
0
~ 1.6
N
~ 1.4
Z
Q 1.2
?
11lOlETE
E00 E
.3 .6 .9 1.2 1.S 1,8 4.1
~Q RELATIVE LOG EXP6SURE
3.4
3
0
Filters
~~~A
,
3'$
MCS/Film Plane
Z.6
Densitometry
Instrument
~,~ -~ 4 ~
Type
a.s
Aperture 31ze
~'0
Filter (s)
Nc~n ~
1,8
1.6
1.4
Analysis
.+.r..F..+.
~~ .h ~, + ~. ~ r
. aa..,a. w.~.~. {
.;..~., ~,~,..;~ ~..;
..~. .:.y a.., :.~
. +.;, + ~... ~ ~
Time(s) / t :S , ,7 , / G rh
Temp (s) of ~ G } L
Agitation; Rate sCc~ f,,, c,~~r s
Type f~Ca n ~~
Seneitometric Properties
speed ( )
Gamma ~~ % ~6.GC ,
Base + Fog ,-.~ (T,'/ ;~~ , ''^'
STAT
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012!10116 :CIA-RDP79B00873A000800020071-7