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At least 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

Airborne lidar observations of Arctic polar stratospheric clouds - Indications of two distinct growth stages

Airborne lidar observations of Arctic polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) during January 1984 and January 1986 show contrast suggestive of two distinct PSC growth stages delineated by the frost-point temperature. Results obtained at temperatures 2-6 K above the frost point indicate a stage of significant, but limited, particle growth such as proposed in recent models of PSC formation by co-deposition of HNO3 and H2O vapors. Results obtained at a temperature near the frost point indicate the formation of somewhat larger crystalline particles.

Poole, Lamont R↗
NASA NTRS1990

Dynamics of Triton's atmosphere

It is argued here that the facts about Triton's atmosphere discovered by the recent Voyager encounter can be explained if Triton, like Mars, has a global, well-structured atmosphere in equilibrium with surface frosts. The subliming frost cap produces a polar anticyclone at low altitudes, with northeastward winds of about 5 m/s within the Ekman boundary layer. The temperature contrast between the cold frost-covered pole and the warm unforested equator produces westward winds at high altitudes.

Ingersoll, Andrew P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Infrared imaging of Mars for volatile distribution and seasonal variability between 2.4 and 5.1 microns

Recent advances in ground-based infrared imaging now allow for sub-arc second spectral imaging. Data collected at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility using protocam, a 62 x 58 InSb array camera with a circular variable filter and a plate scale 0.2 arc-seconds/pixel, are discussed. These images are a first attempt at extended seasonal infrared coverage of Mars to look for seasonal variations. Currently, data collected in Jun. 1990 at Ls = 241 (southern spring) and in Jan. 1991 Ls = 360 (late southern summer) are being reduced and analyzed. The 3 micron bound water band is the strongest surface absorption feature on Mars in the infrared. Infrared spectroscopy can also be useful in the detection of ice and frost deposits, especially in the polar regions. While imaging and spectroscopy at visible wavelengths allows for the detection of condensates, infrared information is needed to distinguish between water and CO2 ice/frost deposits. In the Jun. images, the southern polar cap totally disappears in the 3.4 micron CO2 frost band and is bright in the 3.1 micron water ice band, indicating that water ice is not a detectable component of the southern polar cap at this season. Further investigations are currently under way to look for residual water ice after the disappearance of the seasonal south polar cap in the Jan. images. The Jun. images that were focused on had a sub-earth point located at 184 longitude, and 23.8 S latitude which put the center of the disk in the southern highland region between Elysium and Amazonis. Examination of the Jun. images show that there are four surface units identifiable: a CO2 frost deposit, a northern plains unit, an equatorial unit, and a southern highland unit. At this resolution there does not appear to be any latitudinal variations in the 3 micron band that is independent of the 2.4 micron albedo features. The northern planes unit and the southern highland unit have very similar 'color' in the three micron band as demonstrated by the rise out of the band, but different brightness levels. The equatorial unit has a distinct three micron color implying a compositional difference. The albedo features at 2.4 microns have decreased contrast at longer wavelengths, till they are unrecognizable at 4 microns.

Blaney, Diana L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Modeling interannual variability in the Martian seasonal CO2 cycle

One aspect of the seasonal pressure variations measured at the Viking Lander sites is their nearly perfect interannual repeatability. This presents a problem because it implies that the behavior of the seasonal polar caps should be highly repeatable from year to year as well. There are a number of observations and theories suggesting that the presence of dust and water ice clouds in the Martian atmosphere should have significant direct and indirect effects on the rates of CO2 condensation and sublimation in the north and south polar regions. These effects include (1) reduced rates of CO2 frost condensation during polar night seasons due to the radiative effects of dust and water ice clouds and associated CO2 clouds or elevated atmospheric temperatures and (2) reduced or elevated rates of frost sublimation due to the radiative effects of atmospheric dust or to changes in frost emissivities and albedos due to contamination by water ice and dust. The Viking Landing pressure observations are examined to determine the range and character of the interannual variations present. Then a diurnal and seasonal thermal model is used to examine the effects of interannual variations in the polar heat balance on seasonal pressure variations.

Wood, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A Pluto thermal model

The recent discovery of nitrogen on Pluto suggests that Pluto's volatile cycles may be similar to those on Neptune's moon Triton. Here, we report the first results of our efforts to apply a thermal model that we developed to study the seasonal nitrogen cycle on Triton to the case of Pluto. The model predicts volatile behavior as a function of time to calculate frost deposit depth, polar cap boundaries, temperature of the frost and substrate, and atmospheric pressure, assuming nitrogen frost deposits in solid-vapor equilibrium with nitrogen in the atmosphere.

Hansen, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

On Io's 2.788-micron band: Origin by SO2 or H2O?

Laboratory reflectance spectra of SO2 frost and ice and thin H2O frost show that the recently reported band at 2.788 microns in Io's disk-integrated spectrum can be qualitatively explained by the presence of solid SO2 on Io's surface. However, the reported width of the Io band is too great to be explained by SO2 frost or ice alone. Lab spectra presented here, and other data cited here, show clearly that solid SO2 has a strong band at 2.789 microns, and that Io should have such a band. These results do not support the claim of Bregman et al. that H2O is the primary cause of the Io band.

Nash, Douglas B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Polarimetric scattering from layered media with multiple species of scatterers

Geophysical media are usually heterogeneous and contain multiple species of scatterers. In this paper a model is presented to calculate effective permittivities and polarimetric backscattering coefficients of multispecies-layered media. The same physical description is consistently used in the derivation of both permittivities and scattering coefficients. The strong permittivity fluctuation theory is extended to account for the multiple species of scatterers with a general ellipsoidal shape whose orientations are randomly distributed. Under the distorted Born approximation, polarimetric scattering coefficients are obtained. These calculations are applicable to the special cases of spheroidal and spherical scatterers. The model is used to study effects of scatterer shapes and multispecies mixtures on polarimetric signatures of heterogeneous media. The multispecies model accounts for moisture content in scattering media such as snowpack in an ice sheet. The results indicate a high sensitivity of backscatter to moisture with a stronger dependence for drier snow and ice grain size is important to the backscatter. For frost-covered saline ice, model results for bare ice are compared with measured data at C band and then the frost flower formation is simulated with a layer of fanlike ice crystals including brine infiltration over a rough interface. The results with the frost cover suggest a significant increase in scattering coefficients and a polarimetric signature closer to isotropic characteristics compared to the thin saline ice case.

Nghiem, S. V.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Global Warming on Triton

Triton, Neptune's largest moon, has been predicted to undergo significant seasonal changes that would reveal themselves as changes in its mean frost temperature. But whether this temperature should at the present time be increasing, decreasing or constant depends on a number of parameters (such as the thermal properties of the surface, and frost migration patterns) that are unknown. Here we report observations of a recent stellar occultation by Triton which, when combined with earlier results, show that Triton has undergone a period of global warming since 1989. Our most conservative estimates of the rate of temperature and surface-pressure increase during this period imply that the atmosphere is doubling in bulk every 10 years, significantly faster than predicted by any published frost model for Triton. Our result suggests that permanent polar caps on Triton play a c dominant role in regulating seasonal atmospheric changes. Similar processes should also be active on Pluto.

Elliot, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Seasonally Frozen Soil Monitoring Using Passive Microwave Satellite Data and Simulation Modeling

Satellite data and simulation modeling were used to assess seasonally frozen soils in the central US - Canada borders area (46-53 degrees N and 96-108 degrees). We used Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) satellite data to delineate the top layer of frozen soils. SMMR is a passive microwave sensor having five channels (6.6, 10, 18, 21 and 37 GHz) with a horizontal and vertical polarization. SMRR data are available between 1978-1987 with noon and midnight overpass and footprint sizes between 25 km and 150 km. SMMR data were processed from resampled 1/4 degree grid cells during fall freeze-up and spring thaw (fall 1985 - spring 1987). The dielectric properties of a target may directly affect the satellite signal. The dielectric value is an order of magnitude smaller for frozen soil water. There are other significant changes to the emitted microwave signal from changes to the surface physical temperature, attenuation of the soil signal from plant water and soil moisture. We further characterized the temporal and spatial dynamic of frozen soils using the FroST (Frozen Soil Temperature) simulation model. The FroST model was used to further predict soil water and ice content, and soil temperature. SMMR results were compared versus 5-cm soil temperature data from available weather stations (14 in Canada and 11 for available months in the US). SMMR data were analyzed as a function of frequency, polarization, polarization difference, and "frequency gradient". In addition, vegetation density, physical temperature and snow depth were also considered. Preliminary analysis of SMMR derived frozen soil/thaw classification using a simple threshold classification indicates a mean overall classification accuracy by season of 85 percent. A sensitivity analysis for different soils with varying amounts of snow was conducted with FroST, which showed that the amount of snow, and the time of snow fall and melt affected the ice and water content, and depth of thaw. These results indicate a potential source of flooding and erosion under conditions when melting snow and spring rains provide a source of infiltrating water.

Toll, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Diagnostic Clast-Texture Criteria for Recognition of Impact Deposits

It is difficult to find definitive evidence for impact in the geological record because there are many endogenous geological processes that can produce diamictites similar to those generated by impact ejecta. The classic impact criteria of shock fabrics in certain minerals, and iridium layers, for example, may be either difficult to find, or long-since erased from the impact site (shock fabrics also anneal with time). It is important to be able to recognize impact-generated materials in order to understand earth's crustal development and biological evolution. In future exploration of Mars and other solar-system bodies, recognition of impact materials will be important for elucidating planetary evolution, planetary volatile inventories, and exobiological issues. The cobble depicted is typical of many that have been found in diamictite deposits in Belize generated by the Chicxulub K-T impact event. The pebbles are roughly-hewn in general shape with smoothed corners and edges. Surfaces are almost uniformly frosted (on both protuberances and hollows), but some asperities are glazed. Optical microscopy and thin-section petrographic microscopy reveal the frosting to be only a few microns thick, with a well-defined granular structure; grains are the same size as those composing the bulk of the limestone, but their clearer appearance may represent annealing. One or two adjacent pebble faces are often decorated with striated gouges and closely-spaced hemispherical depressions representing indentation hollows produced by well-rounded impacting clasts of up to 0.5 cm in diameter. Some of the impactors are still embedded in the cobble surface. Non-destructive x-ray diffraction techniques showed the impactors to be of the same mineralogy as the target cobble. We believe this unusual glazing and frosting to be related to the impact event, but this must be reconciled with its survival for over 60 my. since it is composed of one of the most alterable substances, CaCO3. We focus, however, on the non-fractured rounded pebbles that appear to have impacted the larger cobble as a swarm of clasts, probably encountered during ballistic flight. It cannot be defined whether the cobble swept through the pebble cloud, or the pebbles rained upon a slowermoving cobble. Two interesting questions arise: (1) Where did large numbers of such well rounded pebbles come from in the ejecta curtain?, and (2) How did they embed themselves in a nominally brittle rock without suffering damage? Are the well-rounded pebbles crystalline (devitrified) melt spherules? Further investigations are in progress. If the cobble was cold and brittle, impact of well-rounded pebbles would have produced Hertzian fracture patterns (a) in the virtually elastically isotropic cobble target. For penetration depths of about 0.5 of the impactor diameter, the pebbles would require a relative impact velocity sufficient to cause pebble fragmentation and crushing, and the development of a complex Hertzian-Boussinesq fracture field (b) involving deep fracturing and lateral surface spalling (impact velocities > 50 m/s). The existing relationship could only evolve by the impact of cold, hard pebbles into a soft, plastic cobble surface (c). For limestone to have been plastic, it must have been at elevated temperature, but to prevent calcification of the material, the ambient pressure must also have been elevated. This would be possible either in the impact's gas plume, or within the confines of a thin aerodynamically-produced shock bow generated by supersonic ballistic motion of the cobble. In the latter case, it is implied that the cobble swept through the pebbles rather than vice-versa. Although there are high T-P conditions associated with volcanism, such textures have not been reported on volcaniclastic materials, nor from other high T-P environments; e.g., metamorphic (as far as the authors are aware). We propose that this very easily recognizable embedding and indentation surface texture can be used as a diagnostic criterion for the recognition of impact ejecta. The term "peening texture" is suggested, because it is absolutely analogous to the plastic-deformation induced, metal-surface textures generated by ball-bearing bombardment used in engineering metallurgy to work-harden metal surfaces. Additional information is contained in the original (Figures).

Marshall, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

The Residual Polar Caps of Mars: Geological Differences and Possible Consequences

The Martian polar regions have been known to have thick layered sequences (presumed to consist of silicates and ice), CO2 seasonal frost, and residual frosts that remain through the summer: H2O in the north, largely CO2 in the south. The relationship of the residual frosts to the underlying layered deposits could not be determined from Viking images. The Mars Orbiter Camera on Mars Global Surveyor has provided a 50-fold increase in resolution that shows more differences between the two poles. The north residual cap surface has rough topography of pits, cracks, and knobs, suggestive of ablational forms. This topography is less than a few meters in height, and grades in to surfaces exposing the layers underneath. In contrast, the south residual cap has distinctive collapse and possibly ablational topography emplaced in four or more layers, each approx. two meters thick. The top surface has polygonal depressions suggestive of thermal contraction cracks. The collapse and erosional forms include circular and cycloidal depressions, long sinuous troughs, and nearly parallel sets of troughs. The distinctive topography occurs throughout the residual cap area, but not outside it. Unconformities exposed in polar layers, or other layered materials, do not approximate the topography seen on the south residual cap. The coincidence of a distinct geologic feature, several layers modified by collapse, ablation, and mass movement with the residual cap indicates a distinct composition and/or climate compared to both the remainder of the south polar layered units and those in the north.

Thomas, P. C.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Albedo of the South Pole on Mars Determined by Topographic Forcing of Atmosphere Dynamics

The nature of the martian south polar cap has remained enigmatic since the first spacecraft observations. In particular, the presence of a perennial carbon dioxide ice cap, the formation of a vast area of black slab ice known as the Cryptic region and the asymmetric springtime retreat of the cap have eluded explanation. Here we present observations and climate modelling that indicate the south pole of Mars is characterized by two distinct regional climates that are the result of dynamical forcing by the largest southern impact basins, Argyre and Hellas. The style of surface frost deposition is controlled by these regional climates. In the cold and stormy conditions that exist poleward of 60 degrees S and extend 180 degrees in longitude west from the Mountains of Mitchel (about 30 degrees W), surface frost accumulation is dominated by precipitation. In the opposite hemisphere, the polar atmosphere is relatively warm and clear and frost accumulation is dominated by direct vapour deposition. It is the differences in these deposition styles that determine the cap albedo.

Colaprete, Anthony↗
NASA NTRS1977

Heat Pipes For Alyeska

The heat pipes job is to keep the arctic ground frozen. The permafrost soil alternately freezes and thaws with seasonal temperature changes causing surface dislocations and problems for the builders. In winter, a phenomenon called frost-heaving uplifts the soil. It is something like the creation of highway potholes by the freezing of rainwater below the roadbed, but frost-heaving exerts a far greater force. Thawing of the frost in the summer causes the soil to settle unevenly. Therefore it is necessary to keep the soil in a continually frozen state so the pipeline won't rupture. To solve this problem, McDonnell Douglas Corp. applied heat pipe principles in the design of the vertical supports that hold up the pipeline.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2012

Climate Variability and Weather Extremes: Model-Simulated and Historical Data

Extremes in weather and climate encompass a wide array of phenomena including tropical storms, mesoscale convective systems, snowstorms, floods, heat waves, and drought. Understanding how such extremes might change in the future requires an understanding of their past behavior including their connections to large-scale climate variability and trends. Previous studies suggest that the most robust findings concerning changes in short-term extremes are those that can be most directly (though not completely) tied to the increase in the global mean temperatures. These include the findings that (IPCC 2007): There has been a widespread reduction in the number of frost days in mid-latitude regions in recent decades, an increase in the number of warm extremes, particularly warm nights, and a reduction in the number of cold extremes, particularly cold nights. For North America in particular (CCSP SAP 3.3, 2008): There are fewer unusually cold days during the last few decades. The last 10 years have seen a lower number of severe cold waves than for any other 10-year period in the historical record that dates back to 1895. There has been a decrease in the number of frost days and a lengthening of the frost-free season, particularly in the western part of North America. Other aspects of extremes such as the changes in storminess have a less clear signature of long term change, with considerable interannual, and decadal variability that can obscure any climate change signal. Nevertheless, regarding extratropical storms (CCSP SAP 3.3, 2008): The balance of evidence suggests that there has been a northward shift in the tracks of strong low pressure systems (storms) in both the North Atlantic and North Pacific basins. For North America: Regional analyses suggest that there has been a decrease in snowstorms in the South and lower Midwest of the United States, and an increase in snowstorms in the upper Midwest and Northeast. Despite the progress already made, our understanding of the basic mechanisms by which extremes vary is incomplete. As noted in IPCC (2007), Incomplete global data sets and remaining model uncertainties still restrict understanding of changes in extremes and attribution of changes to causes, although understanding of changes in the intensity, frequency and risk of extremes has improved. Separating decadal and other shorter-term variability from climate change impacts on extremes requires a better understanding of the processes responsible for the changes. In particular, the physical processes linking sea surface temperature changes to regional climate changes, and a basic understanding of the inherent variability in weather extremes and how that is impacted by atmospheric circulation changes at subseasonal to decadal and longer time scales, are still inadequately understood. Given the fundamental limitations in the time span and quality of global observations, substantial progress on these issues will rely increasingly on improvements in models, with observations continuing to play a critical role, though less as a detection tool, and more as a tool for addressing physical processes, and to insure the quality of the climate models and the verisimilitude of the simulations (CCSP SAP 1.3, 2008).

Schubert, Siegfried D.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Development of Cryogenic Phase Change Materials for Lunar Sample Return

One of the scientific goals of NASA’s Artemis missions is to return regolith samples from the lunar surface. To maintain scientific integrity of these samples, including any volatiles that may exist, cryogenic stowage is desired. FROSTE (Frozen Return Of Samples To Earth) is the element of the Moon to Mars architecture that is tasked with developing and advancing concepts related to this goal. Both active and passive solutions are being considered, but active solutions (cryo-coolers) have high mass and cost penalties. Phase change materials (PCMs) are commonly used as passive thermal management solutions, particularly for sensitive scientific samples. However, there are currently no PCMs capable of providing cooling at the cryogenic temperatures needed to enable lunar sample return with volatiles intact (<120 K). FROSTE has identified two possible candidate materials that could fill this gap. Testing is required to verify the thermal performance of these materials, as well as gain experience with their handling characteristics. We are conducting this testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center’s Space Environmental Effects laboratory, in vacuum, with liquid nitrogen providing cooling ability below the freezing point of the materials. In this talk, we will present an overview of the FROSTE program element and share results from the initial development testing of two cryogenic phase change materials.

phase change material↗
DOE OSTI2021

Air entraining admixtures: Mechanisms, evaluations, and interactions

Air entraining admixtures (AEAs) are surfactant-based solutions and powders that are used to stabilize air voids in cement paste that protect concrete against frost damage. After reviewing the chemical and structural features of AEA that govern their performance, we discuss: (i) how they establish a stabilizing shell around air voids, (ii) methods for quantifying the distribution of voids after mixing and after hardening, (iii) mechanisms by which voids protect against frost damage, (iv) effects of AEA on other properties of wet and hardened concrete, and (v) interactions of AEA with other chemical and supplementary cementitious materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Numerical Study of Coupled Water and Vapor Flow, Heat Transfer, and Solute Transport in Variably-Saturated Deformable Soil During Freeze-Thaw Cycles

As climate change intensifies, soil water flow, heat transfer, and solute transport in the active, unfrozen zones within permafrost and seasonally frozen ground exhibit progressively more complex interactions that are difficult to elucidate with measurements alone. For example, frozen conditions impede water flow and solute transport in soil, while heat and mass transfer are significantly affected by high thermal inertia generated from water-ice phase change during the freeze-thaw cycle. To assist in understanding these subsurface processes, the current study presents a coupled two-dimensional model, which examines heat conduction-convection with water-ice phase change, soil water (liquid water and vapor) and groundwater flow, advective-dispersive solute transport with sorption, and soil deformation (frost heave and thaw settlement) in variably saturated soils subjected to freeze-thaw actions. This coupled multiphysics problem is numerically solved using the finite element method. The model's performance is first verified by comparison to a well-documented freezing test on unsaturated soil in a laboratory environment obtained from the literature. Then based on the proposed model, we quantify the impacts of freeze-thaw cycles on the distribution of temperature, water content, displacement history, and solute concentration in three distinct soil types, including sand, silt and clay textures. The influence of fluctuations in the air temperature, groundwater level, hydraulic conductivity, and solute transport parameters was also comparatively studied. The results show that (a) there is a significant bidirectional exchange between groundwater in the saturated zone and soil water in the vadose zone during freeze-thaw periods, and its magnitude increases with the combined influence of higher hydraulic conductivity and higher capillarity; (b) the rapid dewatering ahead of the freezing front causes local volume shrinkage within the non-frozen region when the freezing front propagates downward during the freezing stage and this volume shrinkage reduces the impact of frost heave due to ice formation. This gradually recovers when the thawed water replenishes the water loss zone during the thawing stage; and (c) the profiles of soil moisture, temperature, displacement, and solute concentration during freeze-thaw cycles are sensitive to the changes in amplitude and freeze-thaw period of the sinusoidal varying air temperature near the ground surface, hydraulic conductivity of soil texture, and the initial groundwater levels. Our modeling framework and simulation results highlight the need to account for coupled thermal-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical behaviors to better understand soil water and groundwater dynamics during freeze-thaw cycles and further help explain the observed changes in water cycles and landscape evolution in cold regions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Freeze It or Leave It? Evaluating the Role of Cryo-Electron Microscopy in Battery Research

Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) continues to gain prominence in materials science, particularly in battery research where it has enabled high-resolution, multimodal characterization of electrode materials and interfaces that otherwise degrade quickly under electron beam irradiation. But as anyone who has attempted cryo-EM techniques knows, freezing comes at a cost; cryo-EM experiments are time-consuming, highly sensitive, and carry an increased risk of artifacts due to issues such as frost contamination. Thus, when planning new characterization of battery materials or other beam-sensitive samples, it is critical to consider whether (and which) cryo-EM techniques are appropriate, based on study goals and an understanding of electron beam-sample interactions. Here we review such considerations for battery materials to elucidate the questions of when, why, and how to freeze to achieve high-quality characterization.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗