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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 199 records · Page 11
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Microwave radiometer studies of atmospheric water over the oceans, volume 2

Since the Seasat carried the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) into space in July of 1978, shortly followed by the SMMR on Nimbus 7, which operated for almost a decade, a new type of data source on atmospheric water vapor and other meteorological parameters has been available for analysis of weather systems over the ocean. Since 1987, we have had the Scanning Multichannel Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) instrument on Defense Meteorological Satellites providing similar data. We present a collection of our work performed over the last years of the study.

Katsaros, Kristina B.↗
NASA NTRS2020

AWARE: The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) West Antarctic Radiation Experiment

The US Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) West Antarctic Radiation Experiment (AWARE) performed comprehensive meteorological and aerosol measurements, and ground-based atmospheric remote sensing at two Antarctic stations using the most advanced instrumentation available. A suite of cloud research radars, lidars, spectral and broadband radiometers, aerosol chemical and microphysical sampling equipment, and meteorological instrumentation was deployed at McMurdo Station on Ross Island from December 2015 through December 2016. A smaller suite of radiometers and meteorological equipment including radiosondes, optimized for surface energy budget measurement, was deployed on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet between 4 December 2015 and 17 January 2016. AWARE provided Antarctic atmospheric data comparable to several well-instrumented high Arctic sites that have operated for many years and that reveal numerous contrasts with the Arctic in aerosol and cloud microphysical properties. These include persistent differences in liquid cloud occurrence, cloud height and cloud thickness. Antarctic aerosol properties are also quite different from the Arctic in both seasonal cycle and composition, due to the continent’s isolation from lower latitudes by Southern Ocean storm tracks. Antarctic aerosol number and mass concentrations are not only non-negligible but perhaps play a more important role than previously recognized because of the higher sensitivities of clouds at the very low concentrations caused by the large-scale dynamical isolation. Antarctic aerosol chemical composition, particularly organic components, has implications for local cloud microphysics. The AWARE data set, fully available online in the ARM Program data archive, offers numerous case studies for unique and rigorous evaluation of mixed-phase cloud parameterization in climate models.

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Special Observing Period (SOP) data for the Year of Polar Prediction site Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP)

The rapid changes occurring in the polar regions require an improved understanding of the processes that are driving these changes. At the same time, increased human activities such as marine navigation, resource exploitation, aviation, commercial fishing, and tourism require reliable and relevant weather information. One of the primary goals of the World Meteorological Organization's Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) project is to improve the accuracy of numerical weather prediction (NWP) at high latitudes. During YOPP, two Canadian “supersites” were commissioned and equipped with new ground-based instruments for enhanced meteorological and system process observations. Additional pre-existing supersites in Canada, the United States, Norway, Finland, and Russia also provided data from ongoing long-term observing programs. These supersites collected a wealth of observations that are well suited to address YOPP objectives. In order to increase data useability and station interoperability, novel Merged Observatory Data Files (MODFs) were created for the seven supersites over two Special Observing Periods (February to March 2018 and July to September 2018). All observations collected at the supersites were compiled into this standardized NetCDF MODF format, simplifying the process of conducting pan-Arctic NWP verification and process evaluation studies. This paper describes the seven Arctic YOPP supersites, their instrumentation, data collection and processing methods, the novel MODF format, and examples of the observations contained therein. MODFs comprise the observational contribution to the model intercomparison effort, termed YOPP site Model Intercomparison Project (YOPPsiteMIP). All YOPPsiteMIP MODFs are publicly accessible via the YOPP Data Portal (Whitehorse: https://doi.org/10.21343/a33e-j150, Huang et al., 2023a; Iqaluit: https://doi.org/10.21343/yrnf-ck57, Huang et al., 2023b; Sodankylä: https://doi.org/10.21343/m16p-pq17, O'Connor, 2023; Utqiagvik: https://doi.org/10.21343/a2dx-nq55, Akish and Morris, 2023c; Tiksi: https://doi.org/10.21343/5bwn-w881, Akish and Morris, 2023b; Ny-Ålesund: https://doi.org/10.21343/y89m-6393, Holt, 2023; and Eureka: https://doi.org/10.21343/r85j-tc61, Akish and Morris, 2023a), which is hosted by MET Norway, with corresponding output from NWP models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2019

Saildrone Baja Field Campaign: A Comparison of Surface Meteorology with GEOS Products

The Saildrone Baja field campaign was an international effort to collect measurements across the air-sea interface for a 62-day period between April 11-June 11, 2018. The field campaign was executed using a saildrone, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) carrying a comprehensive suite of instruments to measure meteorological, ocean surface, and subsurface data. We use these data to validate near-surface meteorology and ocean surface temperature fields in theGlobal Earth Observing System (GEOS). This is the first study using Saildrone data to validate GEOS products. As these USV platforms become more prevalent, they could be used to improve model representation of the air-sea interface variables.

Akella, Santha↗
NASA NTRS2012

Summary of 2011 Direct and Nearby Lightning Strikes to Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A Lightning Protection System (LPS) was designed and built at Launch Complex 39B (LC39B), at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida in 2009. This LPS was instrumented with comprehensive meteorological and lightning data acquisition systems that were deployed from late 2010 until mid 2011. The first direct strikes to the LPS were recorded in March of 2011, when a limited number of sensors had been activated. The lightning instrumentation system detected a total of 70 nearby strokes and 19 direct strokes to the LPS, 2 of the 19 direct strokes to the LPS had two simultaneous ground attachment points (in both instances one channel terminated on the LPS and the other on the nearby ground). Additionally, there are more unaccounted nearby strokes seen on video records for which limited data was acquired either due to the distance of the stroke or the settings of the data acquisition system. Instrumentation deployment chronological milestones, a summary of lightning strikes (direct and nearby), high speed video frames, downconductor currents, and dH/dt and dE/dt typical waveforms for direct and nearby strokes are presented.

Mata, C.T.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Turbulence Measurements by the DC-8 Meteorological Measurement System

The instrumentation of a new MMS on the DC-8 aircraft is briefly described. Methods to compute and evaluate the turbulent dissipation rate epsilon, based on theory and MMS data, are discussed. Examples of turbulence measurements during encounters of a wake vortex, wave clouds, persistent contrails, mountain are gravity waves are illustrated.

Chan, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Field Results from Three Campaigns to Validate the Performance of the Miniaturized Laser Heterodyne Radiometer (Mini‐LHR) for Measuring Carbon Dioxide and Methane in the Atmospheric Column

In a collaboration between NASA GSFC and GWU, a low-cost, surface instrument is being developed that can continuously monitor key carbon cycle gases in the atmospheric column: carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). The instrument is based on a miniaturized, laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) using near infrared (NIR) telecom lasers. Despite relatively weak absorption line strengths in this spectral region, spectrallyresolved atmospheric column absorptions for these two molecules fall in the range of 60-80% and thus sensitive and precise measurements of column concentrations are possible. In the last year, the instrument was deployed for field measurements at Park Falls, Wisconsin; Castle Airport near Atwater, California; and at the NOAA Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. For each subsequent campaign, improvement in the figures of merit for the instrument has been observed. In the latest work the absorbance noise is approaching 0.002 optical density (OD) noise on a 1.8 OD signal. An overview of the measurement campaigns and the data retrieval algorithm for the calculation of column concentrations will be presented. For light transmission through the atmosphere, it is necessary to account for variation of pressure, temperature, composition, and refractive index through the atmosphere that are all functions of latitude, longitude, time of day, altitude, etc. For temperature, pressure, and humidity profiles with altitude we use the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) data. Spectral simulation is accomplished by integrating short-path segments along the trajectory using the SpecSyn spectral simulation suite developed at GW. Column concentrations are extracted by minimizing residuals between observed and modeled spectrum using the Nelder-Mead simplex algorithm. We will also present an assessment of uncertainty in the reported concentrations from assumptions made in the meteorological data, LHR instrument and tracker noise, and radio frequency bandwidth and describe additional future goals in instrument development and deployment target

meteorological data↗
NASA NTRS1971

A rocket borne instrument to measure electric fields inside electrified clouds

The development of a rocket borne instrument to measure electric fields in thunderstorms is described. Corona currents from a sharp needle atop a small rocket are used to sense the electric field. A high ohm resistor in series with the corona needle linearizes the relationship between corona current and electric field. The corona current feeds a relaxation oscillator, whose pulses trigger a transmitter which operates in the 395 to 410 MHz meteorological band. The instrument senses fields between 5 kV/m and 100 kV/m.

Ruhnke, L. H.↗
NASA NTRS1990

NRL tethered balloon measurements at San Nicolas Island during FIRE IFO 1987

An overview is given of the tethered balloon measurements made during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE) marine stratocumulus intensive field observations (IFO) at San Nicolas Island in 1987. The instrument utilized on the balloon flights, the 17 flights over a 10 day period, the state of the data analysis, and some preliminary results are described. A goal of the measurements with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) balloon was to give a unique and greatly improved look at the microphysics of the clear and cloud-topped boundary layer. For this goal, collocated measurements were made of turbulence, aerosol, cloud particles, and meteorology. Two new instruments which were expected to make significant contributions to this effort were the saturation hygrometer, capable of measuring 95 percent less than RH 105 percent (with an accuracy of 0.05 percent near 100 percent) and used for the first time in clouds; and the forward scatter meter which gives in situ LWC measurements at more than 10 Hz. The data set, while unfortunately only partially simultaneous with the bulk of the FIRE stratocumulus observations, is unique and worthwhile in its own right. For the first time accurate RH measurements near 100 percent have been made in-cloud; although, the use of the saturation hygrometer reflected a learning experience which will result is substantially better performance the next time. These measurements were made in conjunction with other microphysical measurements such as aerosol and cloud droplet spectra, and perhaps most important of all, they were all collocated with bivane turbulence measurements thus permitting flux calculations. Thus the analysis of this data set, which consisted of about 50 percent stratocumulus cases including increasing and decreasing partial cloud cover, should lead to new insights on the physical mechanisms which drive the boundary-layer/cloud/turbulence system.

Gerber, Hermann↗
NASA NTRS1989

Mobile, high-wind, balloon-launching apparatus

In order to place instruments for measuring meteorological and electrical parameters into thunderstorms, an inexpensive apparatus has been developed which makes it possible to inflate, transport, and launch balloons in high winds. The launching apparatus is a cylinder of bubble plastic that is made by joining the sides of the cylinder together with a velcro rip strip. A balloon is launched by pulling the rip strip rapidly. This allows the balloon to pop upward into the ambient low-level wind and carry its instrumentation aloft. Different-sized launch tubes are constructed to accommodate particular sizes of balloons. Balloons have been launched in winds of about 20 m/s.

Rust, W. David↗
NASA NTRS1984

Facilities for meteorological research at NASA Goddard/Wallops Flight Facility

The technical characteristics of the Atmospheric Sciences Research Facility, the improvements being made to the instrumentation there which will enhance its usefulness in atmospheric research, and several of the on-going research programs are described. Among the area of atmospheric research discussed are clouds and precipitation, lightning, ozone, wind, and storms. Meteorological instruments including Doppler radar, spectrophotometers, and ozone sensors are mentioned. Atmospheric research relevant to aircraft design and COMSTAR communication satellites is briefly discussed.

Gerlach, J. C.↗
DOE OSTI2024

NDVI and Multispectral Images, UAS Flights, Council Road Site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, June 2022

The dataset contains Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and multispectral images collected on June 18, 2022 using an UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) Yuneec H520, Mapir Survey 3, and Parrot Sequoia cameras. This data was created to accompany the following datasets:- NGEE Arctic CO2, CH4 and Energy Eddy-Covariance (EC) Flux Tower Auxiliary Measurements, Council Road Mile Marker 71, Seward Peninsula, Alaska (https://doi.org/10.5440/1526749)- Sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence/eddy covariance measurements at NGEE Arctic Council site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.15485/2466175)- NGEE Arctic Meteorological Data from Instrumented PCDC Stations, Council Site, Seward Peninsula, Alaska, 2018 - 2023 (https://doi.org/10.5440/1529604)Survey 3 is RGN (Red, Greeen, Near Infra Red) camera with 87° Horizontal Field of View (HFOV) (19mm) f/2.8 Aperture, 550nm/660nm/850nm (Red+Green+NIR) filter transmission and produced geo referenced jpg and raw format images. Parrot Sequoia is a camera with 16 megapixel RGB (Red, Green, Blue) sensor and 1.2 megapixel monochrome sensors in discrete spectral bands: Green (550nm - 40Nm Bandwidth), Red (660nm - 40nm Bandwidth), Red Edge (735nm - 10nm Bandwidth) and Near Infrared (790nm - 40nm Bandwidth).The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗