Engineering topics

Mccormick, M. P.

Publications and source records attributed to Mccormick, M. P..

At least 73 records · Page 4

NASA NTRS1989

Stratospheric ozone measurements from the 1985 MAP/GLOBUS NO(x) campaign

Nine experiments obtained stratospheric ozone measurements during the fall 1985 Middle Atmosphere Program (MAP) Global Budget of Stratospheric Trace Constituents (GLOBUS) NO(x) campaign. Measurements are grouped into four sets from four air masses and compared. Agreement between individual experiments and weighted mean profiles is generally within 10 percent and within absolute accuracies. Dobson Umkehr values in layer 5 differ by more than absolute accuracies from weighted mean profiles. Brewer sonde values for one data set are outside absolute accuracies near the ozone peak. Solar UV occultation measurements are 30-35 percent less than the weighted mean profile and outside absolute accuracies. Measurements from the Exospheric Satellite backscattered ultraviolet experiment, not previously compared with other techniques, agree within 10-15 percent of weighted mean profiles. Results of the campaign are generally consistent with those of four previous intercomparison campaigns.

Robbins, D.↗

NASA NTRS1989

SAGE II aerosol data validation and initial data use - An introduction and overview

The process of validating data from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II and the initial use of the validated data are reviewed. The instruments developed for the SAGE II, the influence of the eruption of El Chichon on the global stratospheric aerosol, and various data validation experiments are discussed. Consideration is given to methods for deriving aerosol physical and optical properties from SAGE II extinction data and for inferring particle size distribution moments from SAGE II spectral extinction values.

Russell, P. B.↗

NASA NTRS1989

SAGE II inversion algorithm

The operational Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II multichannel data inversion algorithm is described. Aerosol and ozone retrievals obtained with the algorithm are discussed. The algorithm is compared to an independently developed algorithm (Lenoble, 1989), showing that the inverted aerosol and ozone profiles from the two algorithms are similar within their respective uncertainties.

Chu, W. P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

SAGE II aerosol correlative observations - Profile measurements

Profiles of the aerosol extinction measurements from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II are compared with profiles from five correlative experiments between November 1984 and July 1986. The correlative profiles were derived from six-channel dustsonde measurements and two-wavelength lidar backscatter data. The correlation between the dustsonde- and lidar-derived measurements and the SAGE II data is good, validating the SAGE II lower stratospheric aerosol extinction measurements.

Osborn, M. T.↗

NASA NTRS1989

SAGE II aerosol data validation based on retrieved aerosol model size distribution from SAGE II aerosol measurements

Consideration is given to aerosol correlative measurements experiments for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II, conducted between November 1984 and July 1986. The correlative measurements were taken with an impactor/laser probe, a dustsonde, and an airborne 36-cm lidar system. The primary aerosol quantities measured by the ground-based instruments are compared with those calculated from the aerosol size distributions from SAGE II aerosol extinction measurements. Good agreement is found between the two sets of measurements.

Wang, Pi-Huan↗

NASA NTRS1989

Comparative studies of aerosol extinction measurements made by the SAM II and SAGE II satellite experiments

Results from the Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) II and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II are compared for measurement locations which are coincident in time and space. At 1.0 micron, the SAM II and SAGE II aerosol extinction profiles are similar within their measurement errors. In addition, sunrise and sunset aerosol extinction data at four different wavelengths are compared for occasions when the SAGE II and SAM II measurements are nearly coincident in space and about 12 hours apart.

Yue, Glenn K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Inference of stratospheric aerosol composition and size distribution from SAGE II satellite measurements

A method for inferring stratospheric aerosol composition and size distribution from the water vapor concentration and aerosol extinction measurements obtained in the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II and the associated temperature from the NMC. The aerosols are assumed to be sulfuric acid-water droplets. A modified Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is used to determine model size distribution parameters based on the SAGE II multiwavelength aerosol extinctions. It is found that the best aerosol size information is contained in the aerosol radius range between about 0.25 and 0.80 micron.

Wang, Pi-Huan↗

NASA NTRS1989

Validation of SAGE II ozone measurements

Five ozone profiles from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II are compared with coincident ozonesonde measurements obtained at Natal, Brazil, and Wallops Island, Virginia. It is shown that the mean difference between all of the measurements is about 1 percent and that the agreement is within 7 percent at altitudes between 20 and 53 km. Good agreement is also found for ozone mixing ratios on pressure surfaces. It is concluded that the SAGE II profiles provide useful ozone information up to about 60 km altitude.

Cunnold, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Lidar detection of leads in Arctic sea ice

REMOTE sensing using an airborne infrared lidar has shown an unexpected capability to detect open leads in Arctic sea ice and their associated meteorology in winter. It is shown here that vertical profiles of backscattered radiation demonstrate strong returns from hydrometeor plumes originating from leads having a surface water temperature near -1.8 C. Recently refrozen leads are also distinguishable by the lidar backscatter from adjacent thicker, older sea ice. Wide leads release enough energy to create buoyant plumes which penetrate the Arctic boundary layer inversion, transporting heat and moisture into the troposphere. These results show that the role of the Arctic as a global heat sink may need to be reevaluated, and that lead plumes have a significant effect on the radiation budget.

Schnell, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Validation of satellite solar occultation measurements 1975-1988

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II) is discussed. SAGE II was launched from the Space Shuttle in October, 1984 as part of the Earth Radiation Budget satellite and uses the solar occultation technique to measure the extinction of solar radiation caused by the earth's atmosphere. The solar radiance data are compared with data from ground-based systems, airborne missions, balloonborne in situ measurements, ancillary measurements, and other satellite systems. The SAGE II instrument, data processing methods, and correlative measurements program are examined.

Maddrea, G. L., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1989

SAGE II aerosol data validation - Comparative studies of SAGE II and SAM II data sets

Data from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II) satellite are compared with data from the Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM II) satellite. Both experiments produce aerosol extinction profiles by measuring the attenuation of solar radiation during each sunrise and sunset observed by the satelltie. The SAGE II obtains profiles at 1.02 microns and three smaller wavelengths, whereas the SAM II measures at only one radiometric channel at 1.0 microns. It is found that the differences between the two sets of data are generally within the error bars associated with each measurement. In addition, the sunrise and sunset data from SAGE II are analyzed.

Yue, G. K.↗

NASA NTRS1989

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III instrument proposed for EOS - A conceptual design

This paper describes the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III (SAGE III) instrument proposed for the Earth Observing System (EOS), which is designed to monitor the vertical distribution of stratospheric aerosols, ozone, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide, and temperature by measuring the extinction and scattering of solar radiation in the 03 to 1.6 micron range through the atmosphere. The SAGE III employs proven concepts which have evolved from the SAM II, SAGE, and SAGE II programs. The launch is scheduled for the summer of 1996. The SAGE II block diagram is included.

Mauldin, L. E.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Trends in ozone profile measurements

From an examination of the agreements and differences between different satellite instruments, it is difficult to believe that existing satellite instruments determine upper stratospheric ozone much better than 4 pct.; by extension, it probably would require at least a 4 pct. change to be reliably detected as a change. The best estimates of the vertical profiles of ozone change in the upper stratosphere between 1979 and 1986 are judged to be those given by the two SAGE satellite instruments. SAGE-2 minus SAGE-1 gives a much lower ozone reduction than that given by the archived Solar Backscatter UV data. The average SAGE profiles of ozone changes between 20 and 50 degs north and between 20 and 50 degs south are given. The SAGE-1 and SAGE-2 comparison gives an ozone reduction of about 4 pct. at 25 km over temperate latitudes. Five ground based Umkehr stations between 36 and 52 degs north, corrected for the effects of volcanic aerosols, report an ozone reduction between 1979 and 1987 at Umkehr layer 8 of 9 + or - 5 pct. The central estimate of upper stratospheric ozone reduction given by SAGE at 40 km is less than the central value estimated by the Umkehr method at layer 8.

Johnston, H.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Trends in stratospheric minor constituents

Photochemical models predict that increasing source gas concentrations are also expected to lead to changes in the concentrations of both catalytically active radical species (such as NO2, ClO, and OH) and inactive reservoir species (such as HNO3, HCl, and H2O). For simplicity, we will refer to all these as trace species. Those species that are expected to have increasing concentration levels are investigated. Additionally, the trace species concentration levels are monitored for unexpected changes on the basis of the measure increase in source gases. Carrying out these investigations is difficult due to the limited data base of measurements of stratospheric trace species. In situ measurements are made only infrequently, and there are few satelliteborne measurements, most over a time space insufficient for trend determination. Instead, ground-based measurements of column content must be used for many species, and interpretation is complicated by contributions from the troposphere or mesosphere or both. In this chapter, we examine existing measurements as published or tabulated.

Stolarski, R. S.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Trends in aerosol abundances and distributions

The properties of aerosols that reside in the upper atmosphere are described. Special emphasis is given to the influence these aerosols have on ozone observation systems, mainly through radiative effects, and on ambient ozone concentrations, mainly through chemical effects. It has long been appreciated that stratospheric particles can interfere with the remote sensing of ozone distribution. The mechanism and magnitude of this interference are evaluated. Separate sections deal with the optical properties of upper atmospheric aerosols, long-term trends in stratospheric aerosols, perturbations of the stratospheric aerosol layer by volcanic eruptions, and estimates of the impacts that such particles have on remotely measured ozone concentrations. Another section is devoted to a discussion of the polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's). These unique clouds, recently discovered by satellite observation, are now thought to be intimately connected with the Antarctic ozone hole. Accordingly, interest in PSC's has grown considerably in recent years. This chapter describes what we know about the morphology, physical chemistry, and microphysics of PSC's.

Turco, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Satellite/rocket ozone comparisons at Natal, Brazil

Comparisons are presented of satellite, rocket, and balloon ozone profiles near Natal, Brazil (5.9 deg S, 35.2 deg W). The low variability of stratospheric ozone at Natal during March and April of 1985 has allowed intercomparisons of reasonably large data sets, rather than a small number of paired satellite/in situ comparisons. There are sharp differences between the profile from the SBUV instrument on Nimbus 7 and the in situ measurements. These results support the conclusions of the NASA Ozone Trends Panel that there is an instrumental cause for the very large changes in upper stratospheric ozone seen by SBUV. Along with other comparisons, these results are being used in a reassessment of the SBUV instrument and its data reduction procedures. The agreement between the ozone profiles from the SAGE II instrument on the ERBS satellite and the rocket values is excellent over the full range of comparisons. Both SAGE II and ROCOZ-A must convert from altitude to pressure for intercomparisons with SME and with SBUV-type instruments. The conversion between pressure and altitude is as important as the ozone measurements, especially in the upper stratosphere where the scale height for ozone is approximately half that for pressure.

Barnes, Robert A.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Time-periodic variations in stratospheric ozone from satellite observations

The time-periodic variations in stratospheric zonal mean ozone number density are examined with emphasis on annual and semi-annual oscillations. The data base for this analysis is the ozone observation from the SAGE II satellite instrument. A multiple linear regression method is adopted for the analysis. The results show that the amplitudes and phases of the time-periodic ozone variations are functions of altitude and latitude.

Wang, Pi-Huan↗

NASA NTRS1989

Radiative relaxation in the polar stratosphere - The role of ozone

Radiative relaxation processes of the thermal disturbances associated with planetary waves in the Antarctic stratospheric polar region have been studied by using satellite ozone measurements of the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE II) and the associated temperature data from the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

Wang, Pi-Huan↗