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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Midlatitude Cloud Shifts, Their Primary Link to the Hadley Cell, and Their Diverse Radiative Effects

We investigate the interannual relationship among clouds, their radiative effects, and two key indices of the atmospheric circulation: the latitudinal positions of the Hadley cell edge and the midlatitude jet. From reanalysis data and satellite observations, we find a clear and consistent relationship between the width of the Hadley cell and the high cloud field, statistically significant in nearly all regions and seasons. In contrast, shifts of the midlatitude jet correlate significantly with high cloud shifts only in the North Atlantic region during the winter season. While in that region and season poleward high cloud shifts are associated with shortwave radiative warming, over the Southern Oceans during all seasons they are associated with shortwave radiative cooling. Finally, a trend analysis reveals that poleward high cloud shifts observed over the 1983-2009 period are more likely related to Hadley cell expansion, rather than poleward shifts of the midlatitude jets.

Satellite observatioin↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dust Direct Radiative Effect Including Large Particles and Component Minerals

The direct radiative effect (DRE) of dust aerosols in Earth system models (ESMs) remains highly uncertain, largely due to inadequate representations of particle size distribution (PSD) and mineral composition. Using NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) soil mineralogy data and observed PSD in an ESM that resolves dust mineral composition and emitted diameters from 0.1 to 70 μm, we find a near-neutral global dust net DRE (−0.057 W m −2 ), weaker than most previous estimates. Large dust (diameter >10 μm) contributes 30% of the global longwave dust optical depth, providing observational constraints on large-particle abundance, and offsets 20% of the dust shortwave cooling over major source regions. Incorporation of EMIT mineralogy reduces shortwave uncertainty by more than 50%. The remaining uncertainty mainly exists in processes controlling dust abundance, particularly the poorly understood transport of large dust, and longwave optical properties, which require additional observational constraints to more accurately quantify the dust DRE.

Li, Longlei [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United Sta↗
NASA NTRS1996

Internal Radiation Effects in Zirconia Thermal Barrier Coatings

Using thermal barrier coatings on combustor liners, turbine vanes, and rotating blades is important for reducing metal temperatures in current and advanced aircraft engines. Zirconia is a common coating material, and it is partially transparent to thermal radiation. Radiation becomes more significant as temperatures are raised for higher efficiency in advanced engines. Calculations are often made with radiation effects neglected inside the coating. The effect of radiation is illustrated here, where an analytical procedure is provided by using the two-flux method for the radiative contribution. A detailed study was made of ceramic thermal barrier coatings for diesel engines, and a two-flux analysis was developed for radiation in semitransparent multilayer composites. These efforts provide the basis for the present analysis where illustrative solutions are obtained for typical conditions in an aircraft engine. The formulation and solution of the exact spectral radiative transfer equations including large scattering, as is characteristic of zirconia, are rather complicated. The two-flux method is used here to provide a simplified method.

Siegel, Robert↗
NASA NTRS2021

Quantifying the range of the dust direct radiative effect due to source mineralogy uncertainty

The large uncertainty in the mineral dust direct radiative effect (DRE) hinders projections of future climate change due to anthropogenic activity. Resolving modeled dust mineral speciation allows for spatially and temporally varying refractive indices consistent with dust aerosol composition. Here, for the first time, we quantify the range in dust DRE at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) due to current uncertainties in the surface soil mineralogical content using a dust mineral-resolving climate model. We propagate observed uncertainties in soil mineral abundances from two soil mineralogy atlases along with the optical properties of each mineral into the DRE and compare the resultant range with other sources of uncertainty across six climate models. The shortwave DRE responds region-specifically to the dust burden depending on the mineral speciation and underlying shortwave surface albedo: positively when the regionally averaged annual surface albedo is larger than 0.28 and negatively otherwise. Among all minerals examined, the shortwave TOA DRE and single scattering albedo at the 0.44–0.63 µm band are most sensitive to the fractional contribution of iron oxides to the total dust composition. The global net (shortwave plus longwave) TOA DRE is estimated to be within −0.23 to +0.35 W/sq. m. Approximately 97 % of this range relates to uncertainty in the soil abundance of iron oxides. Representing iron oxide with solely hematite optical properties leads to an overestimation of shortwave DRE by +0.10 W/sq. m at the TOA, as goethite is not as absorbing as hematite in the shortwave spectrum range. Our study highlights the importance of iron oxides to the shortwave DRE: they have a disproportionally large impact on climate considering their small atmospheric mineral mass fractional burden (∼2 %). An improved description of iron oxides, such as those planned in the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT), is thus essential for more accurate estimates of the dust DRE.

mineral dust↗
NASA NTRS1975

Investigation of space radiation effects in polymeric film-forming materials

The literature search in the field of ultraviolet radiation effects that was conducted during the previous program, Contract No. NAS1-12549, has been expanded to include the effects of charged particle radiation and high energy electromagnetic radiation. The literature from 1958 to 1969 was searched manually, while the literature from 1969 to present was searched by using a computerized keyword system. The information generated from this search was utilized for the design of an experimental program aimed at the development of materials with improved resistance to the vacuum-radiation environment of space. Preliminary irradiation experiments were performed which indicate that the approaches and criteria employed are very promising and may provide a solution to the challenging problem of polymer stability to combined ultraviolet/high energy radiation.

Giori, C.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Creation and utilization of a World Wide Web based space radiation effects code: SIREST

In order for humans and electronics to fully and safely operate in the space environment, codes like HZETRN (High Charge and Energy Transport) must be included in any designer's toolbox for design evaluation with respect to radiation damage. Currently, spacecraft designers do not have easy access to accurate radiation codes like HZETRN to evaluate their design for radiation effects on humans and electronics. Today, the World Wide Web is sophisticated enough to support the entire HZETRN code and all of the associated pre and post processing tools. This package is called SIREST (Space Ionizing Radiation Effects and Shielding Tools). There are many advantages to SIREST. The most important advantage is the instant update capability of the web. Another major advantage is the modularity that the web imposes on the code. Right now, the major disadvantage of SIREST will be its modularity inside the designer's system. This mostly comes from the fact that a consistent interface between the designer and the computer system to evaluate the design is incomplete. This, however, is to be solved in the Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE) program currently being funded by NASA.

NASA Discipline Radiation Health↗
NASA NTRS2021

JSC Avionics Ionizing Radiation Effects Standard (AIRES)

This document, the JSC Engineering Directorate Avionics Ionizing Radiation Effects Standard (AIRES), provides design, test, and analysis requirements to ensure electronic hardware meets functional, performance and reliability requirements in the mission ionizing radiation environment. This suite of activities is referred to as Radiation Hardening Assurance (RHA) and is an integral part of the hardware design process.

Ionizing Radiation↗
NASA NTRS1991

The NASA Microelectronics Space Radiation Effects Program (MSREP) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

The primary objective of the Microelectronics Space Radiation Effects Program (MSREP) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is to assist NASA in the selection of radiation hardened microelectronic parts for insertion in NASA space systems through radiation testing and research. Prior to presenting examples of the research and testing on Single Event Effects (SEE) and Total Ionizing Dose (TID) effects, the space radiation environment and radiation requirements for the CRAFT/Cassini program, a typical JPL space project, are discussed.

Barnes, C.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Aerosol Direct Radiative Effect at the Top of the Atmosphere Over Cloud Free Ocean Derived from Four Years of MODIS Data

A four year record of MODIS spaceborne data provides a new measurement tool to assess the aerosol direct radiative effect at the top of the atmosphere. MODIS derives the aerosol optical thickness and microphysical properties from the scattered sunlight at 0.55-2.1 microns. The monthly MODIS data used here are accumulated measurements across a wide range of view and scattering angles and represent the aerosol s spectrally resolved angular properties. We use these data consistently to compute with estimated accuracy of +/-0.6W/sq m the reflected sunlight by the aerosol over global oceans in cloud free conditions. The MODIS high spatial resolution (0.5 km) allows observation of the aerosol impact between clouds that can be missed by other sensors with larger footprints. We found that over the clear-sky global ocean the aerosol reflected 5.3+/-0.6W/sq m with an average radiative efficiency of 49+/-2W/sq m per unit optical thickness. The seasonal and regional distribution of the aerosol radiative effects are discussed. The analysis adds a new measurement perspective to a climate change problem dominated so far by models.

Remer, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Radiation effects response data for synthetic organic insulation and dielectrics

Existing radiation response data for 130 materials of the synthetic organic insulation and dielectric class are analyzed, and thresholds and 25-percent change dose levels for these materials are presented. Both the lowest reported threshold dose (LTD) and the 25-percent change dose level are found to vary widely among the different insulators (used as spacecraft components). The LTD is tabulated to indicate the levels where radiation effects become apparent. These level are of use in setting a lower limit where changes can be expected, and could be used to exempt synthetic insulation and dielectrics from radiation considerations when the environments are substantially below this limit. Cautions to be observed in applying the data to current problems are presented.

Bouquet, F. L.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Modeling the Radiative Effect on Microphysics in Cirrus Clouds Against Satellite Observations

The radiative effect on microphysics (REM) plays an important role in the dew/frost formation near the surface. How REM impacts cirrus clouds is investigated in this study, using bin microphysical model simulations and coincident data of the CloudSat and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellites. REM affects ice crystal spectrum with two types: radiative cooling and warming. Radiative cooling, as predicted by the bin-model simulations, favors the formation of horizontally oriented ice crystals (HOICs), but radiative warming does not. Hence, a test of REM can be transformed to a test of HOICs, because HOICs can be measured by the microwave polarization observations of the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) at 166 GHz. To analyze the GMI data for their HOIC distribution, clouds are sorted into four groups with different optical depth and altitude, based on the radiative cooling/warming ratio (or eta) computed with satellite-retrieved ice water content. Their HOIC distributions (e.g., the midlevel thick clouds have more HOICs than the high-level ones) agree well with those predicted by the bin-model simulations. The general agreement between the GMI observations and bin-model simulations suggests that REM is common in cirrus clouds and impacts cirrus clouds significantly.

clouds↗
NASA NTRS1992

Radiative effects of the smoke clouds from the Kuwait oil fires

The radiative effects of the smoke from the Kuwait oil fires were assessed by measuring downwelling and upwelling solar flux, as well as spectral solar extinction beneath, above, and within the smoke plume. Seven radiation flight missions were undertaken between May 16 and June 2, 1991, to characterize the plume between the source region in Kuwait and approximately 200 km south, near Manama, Bahrain. Results are presented from one flight representative of conditions of the composite plume. On May 18, 1991, in a homogeneous, well-mixed region of smoke approximately 100 km downstream of the fires, visible optical depths as high as 2 were measured, at which time transmission to the surface was 8 percent, while 78 percent of the solar radiation was absorbed by the smoke. The calculated instantaneous heating rate inside the plume reached 24 K/d. While these effects are probably typical of those regions in the Persian Gulf area directly covered by the smoke, there is no evidence to suggest significant climatic effects in other regions.

Pilewskie, Peter↗