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At least 199 records · Page 11

Simulation of the Impact of New Aircraft- and Satellite-Based Ocean Surface Wind Measurements on H*Wind Analyses and Numerical Forecasts

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is a new airborne microwave remote sensor for hurricane observations that is currently under development by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NOAA Hurricane Research Division, the University of Central Florida and the University of Michigan. HIRAD is being designed to enhance the realtime airborne ocean surface winds observation capabilities of NOAA and USAF Weather Squadron hurricane hunter aircraft using the operational airborne Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR). Unlike SFMR, which measures wind speed and rain rate along the ground track directly beneath the aircraft, HIRAD will provide images of the surface wind and rain field over a wide swath (~ 3 x the aircraft altitude). The present paper describes a set of Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) in which measurements from the new instrument as well as those from existing instruments (air, surface, and space-based) are simulated from the output of a detailed numerical model, and those results are used to construct H*Wind analyses. The H*Wind analysis, a product of the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, brings together wind measurements from a variety of observation platforms into an objective analysis of the distribution of wind speeds in a tropical cyclone. This product is designed to improve understanding of the extent and strength of the wind field, and to improve the assessment of hurricane intensity. See http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/data_sub/wind.html. Evaluations will be presented on the impact of the HIRAD instrument on H*Wind analyses, both in terms of adding it to the full suite of current measurements, as well as using it to replace instrument(s) that may not be functioning at the future time the HIRAD instrument is implemented. Also shown will be preliminary results of numerical weather prediction OSSEs in which the impact of the addition of HIRAD observations to the initial state on numerical forecasts of the hurricane intensity and structure is assessed.

Miller, Timothy↗

Simulation of the Impact of New Aircraft-and Satellite-based Ocean Surface Wind Measurements on Wind Analyses and Numerical Forecasts

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is a new airborne microwave remote sensor for hurricane observations that is currently under development by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NOAA Hurricane Research Division, the University of Central Florida and the University of Michigan. HIRAD is being designed to enhance the realtime airborne ocean surface winds observation capabilities of NOAA and USAF Weather Squadron hurricane hunter aircraft currently using the operational airborne Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer (SFMR). Unlike SFMR, which measures wind speed and rain rate along the ground track directly beneath the aircraft, HIRAD will provide images of the surface wind and rain field over a wide swath (approx. 3 x the aircraft altitude). The present paper describes a set of Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) in which measurements from the new instrument as well as those from existing instruments (air, surface, and space-based) are simulated from the output of a detailed numerical model, and those results are used to construct H*Wind analyses, a product of the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. Evaluations will be presented on the impact of the HIRAD instrument on H*Wind analyses, both in terms of adding it to the full suite of current measurements, as well as using it to replace instrument(s) that may not be functioning at the future time the HIRAD instrument is implemented. Also shown will be preliminary results of numerical weather prediction OSSEs in which the impact of the addition of HIRAD observations to the initial state on numerical forecasts of the hurricane intensity and structure is assessed.

Miller, TImothy↗

Extracting structural insights from soft X-ray scattering of biological assemblies

Resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS), a technique that combines X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray scattering, can probe the nano- and meso-scale structure of biological assemblies with chemical specificity. RSoXS experiments yield scattering data collected at several photon energies, for example across an elemental absorption edge of interest. Collecting a near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectrum complements RSoXS experiments and determines X-ray energies that are best suited for RSoXS measurements. The analysis of RSoXS data is similar in many ways to analysis of small angle X-ray scattering using hard X-rays, with an added dimension that includes an X-ray energy dependence. This chapter discusses procedures for predicting scattering contrast and thereby identifying energies suitable for RSoXS measurements using NEXAFS spectra, analyses of 2D RSoXS images through integration into 1D profiles, and strategies for elucidating the origin of RSoXS scattering features. As a result, it also discusses existing and potential methods for interpretation of RSoXS data to gain detailed structural insights into biological systems.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Reduced volume of diabetic pancreatic islets in rodents detected by synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast microtomography and deep learning network

The pancreatic islet is a highly structured micro-organ that produces insulin in response to rising blood glucose. Here we develop a label-free and automatic imaging approach to visualize the islets in situ in diabetic rodents by the synchrotron radiation X-ray phase-contrast microtomography (SRμCT) at the ID17 station of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The large-size images (3.2 mm × 15.97 mm) were acquired in the pancreas in STZ-treated mice and diabetic GK rats. Each pancreas was dissected by 3000 reconstructed images. The image datasets were further analysed by a self-developed deep learning method, AA-Net. All islets in the pancreas were segmented and visualized by the three-dimension (3D) reconstruction. After quantifying the volumes of the islets, we found that the number of larger islets (=>1500 μm 3 ) was reduced by 2-fold (wt 1004 ± 94 vs GK 419 ± 122, P < 0.001) in chronically developed diabetic GK rat, while in STZ-treated diabetic mouse the large islets were decreased by half (189 ± 33 vs 90 ± 29, P < 0.001) compared to the untreated mice. Our study provides a label-free tool for detecting and quantifying pancreatic islets in situ. It implies the possibility of monitoring the state of pancreatic islets in vivo diabetes without labelling.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Morphological controls on flow conductivity and viscosity of bentonite–polymer composites

In this study, the authors investigate the morphological organisation of polymers in bentonite–polymer composites (BPCs) used in geosynthetic clay liners and controls on hydraulic conductivity and viscosity. A limited understanding of the relationship between the microstructure of BPCs and their macroscopic engineering behaviour motivates this study. The polymer resides in the inter-granular pores of bentonite based on synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, scanning electron microscopy imaging and pore size analyses. On wetting, the polymer swells to produce a swollen hydrogel residing in the inter-granular pores. Enhanced tortuosity arising from hydrogel formation reduces the hydraulic conductivity of BPCs. The higher viscosity of the BPC slurry is attributed to the higher shear resistance emerging from swelling of the polymer fraction on wetting. These findings link the morphological features of BPCs to the observed hydraulic conductivity and viscosity of these materials.

Engineering↗

Corrosion of Zinc Cold Spray Coatings in a Wet Sweet and Sour Gas Environment

Internal corrosion is a problem for steel pipelines transporting natural gas or CO 2 containing water and partial pressures of H 2 S higher than 0.3 kPa (0.05 psi). This work aims to mitigate internal corrosion in steel pipelines transporting natural gas containing H 2 S using cold spray coatings. Two types of the cold spray binary metallic coatings (zinc chromium [ZnCr]. zinc niobium [ZnNb]) were studied using electrochemical techniques: potentiodynamic polarization, linear polarization resistance, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The corrosion resistance of cold spray coatings (ZnCr, ZnNb) was evaluated in an environment containing 4 bar CO 2 pressure, simulating the partial pressures found in gas transmission lines over a solution of 3.5 wt% NaCl heated to 40°C. A concentration of 0.003 M Na 2 S 2 O 3 ·5H 2 O, corresponding to H 2 S partial pressures around 0.079 bar (1.146 psi), was used to simulate sour conditions. Postcorrosion surface characterization was performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscope (EDS) and x-ray diffraction analysis. The data showed that the presence of 0.003 M Na 2 S 2 O 3 ·5H 2 O shifted the corrosion potential to more anodic values and decreased the corrosion current density. Both coatings showed similar behavior after 1 h of exposure in the CO 2 /H 2 S environment, indicating that similar electrochemical reactions were occurring on ZnNb and ZnCr. SEM images and EDS surface analyses for specimens showed a significant change in the surface chemical composition of carbon steel coated with ZnNb and ZnCr after 24 h of immersion. In the presence of thiosulfate (under sour conditions), the formation of corrosion product layers (ZnCO 3 and ZnS) on top of ZnNb and ZnCr coatings increased their corrosion resistance, which helped to reduce their corrosion by a factor of 2. Under a sweet environment, the corrosion rates for steel coated with cold spray coatings after 14 d of exposure are lower than that for galvanized steel by a factor of 5 due to the ZnCO 3 layer formed on top of the coatings. The ZnCO 3 layer formed on the steel surface acts as a physical barrier against corrosion by blocking the diffusion of corrosive species to the surface. No localized attack was observed. ZnCr Cold spray coating with defect showed promising corrosion protection against CO 2 corrosion (sweet corrosion) after 14 d of exposure to a CO 2 environment. Here, the scratch on the coating simulated damage created in service, and it was deep enough to expose the substrate material (steel). The formation of zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc carbonate (ZnCO 3 ) on the scratch confirmed the cathodic protection of the steel by ZnCr and ZnNb coatings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Geologic and mineral and water resources investigations in western Colorado using ERTS-1 data

The author has identified the following significant results. Geologic interpretation of ERTS-1 imagery is dependent on recognition of the distribution, continuity, trend, and geometry of key surface features. In the examination of ERTS-1 imagery, lithology must be interpreted largely from the geomorphic expression of the terrain. ERTS-1 imagery is extremely useful in detecting local structures. Most mapped structures are topographically-expressed. Consequently, ERTS-1 imagery acquired during mid-winter, when the solar illumination angle is low, provides the largest amount of structural information. Stereoscopic analyses of ERTS-1 images significantly aid geologic interpretation. Positive transparencies of ERTS-1 images (1:1,000,000) commonly contain more geologic information than can be adequately annotated during geologic interpretation.

Knepper, D. H., Jr.↗

Analyses of the cloud contents of multispectral imagery from LANDSAT 2: Mesoscale assessments of cloud and rainfall over the British Isles

The author has identified the following significant results. It was demonstrated that satellites with sufficiently high resolution capability in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum could be used to check the accuracy of estimates of total cloud amount assessed subjectively from the ground, and to reveal areas of performance in which corrections should be made. It was also demonstrated that, in middle latitude in summer, cloud shadow may obscure at least half as much again of the land surface covered by an individual LANDSAT frame as the cloud itself. That proportion would increase with latitude and/or time of year towards the winter solstice. Analyses of sample multispectral images for six different categories of clouds in summer revealed marked differences between the reflectance characteristics of cloud fields in the visible/near infrared region of the spectrum.

Barrett, E. C.↗

LANDSAT-4 image data quality analysis for energy related applications

No useable LANDSAT 4 TM data were obtained for the Hanford site in the Columbia Plateau region, but TM simulator data for a Virginia Electric Company nuclear power plant was used to test image processing algorithms. Principal component analyses of this data set clearly indicated that thermal plumes in surface waters used for reactor cooling would be discrenible. Image processing and analysis programs were successfully testing using the 7 band Arkansas test scene and preliminary analysis of TM data for the Savanah River Plant shows that current interactive, image enhancement, analysis and integration techniques can be effectively used for LANDSAT 4 data. Thermal band data appear adequate for gross estimates of thermal changes occurring near operating nuclear facilities especially in surface water bodies being used for reactor cooling purposes. Additional image processing software was written and tested which provides for more rapid and effective analysis of the 7 band TM data.

Wukelic, G. E.↗

X-ray astronomy and plasma astrophysics

X-ray astronomy studies of thin, thermal plasmas in stellar coronas, supernova remnants, and clusters of galaxies are reviewed. Plasma diagnostics for density, temperature and elemental abundance, as well as for departures from ionization equilibrium are described. These were used in analyses of data from imaging and spectroscopic intruments on the Einstein satellite. Results of these diagnostics were used to study the nature of coronal loops in RS CVn stars; the masses and abundances in Type I and Type II supernova remnants with implications for stellar evolution and the enrichment of the interstellar medium; the structure of the interstellar medium; the quantity and distribution of dark matter in galaxy halos; and the existence of cooling accretion flow in clusters.

Canizares, C. R.↗

Earth science research

The analysis of ground-truth data from the boreal forest plots in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota, was completed. Development of statistical methods was completed for dimension analysis (equations to estimate the biomass of trees from measurements of diameter and height). The dimension-analysis equations were applied to the data obtained from ground-truth plots, to estimate the biomass. Classification and analyses of remote sensing images of the Superior National Forest were done as a test of the technique to determine forest biomass and ecological state by remote sensing. Data was archived on diskette and tape and transferred to UCSB to be used in subsequent research.

Botkin, Daniel B.↗

Seasat - Results of the mission

The scientific results of the Seasat mission are reviewed, including altimeter, scatterometer, microwave radiometer, and imaging radar studies. The analyses of Seasat data showed that global calibrations of satellite observations are much more accurate than measurements made at points on the ocean. It is found that the accuracy of satellite measurements of a particular variable are improved if the variable is measured by different instruments on the same satellite. The results suggest that important oceanographic variables can be mapped from space with accuracies required by climatological and scientific studies.

Stewart, Robert H.↗

The evolution of volcanism, tectonics, and volatiles on Mars - An overview of recent progress

Significant results of the 'Mars: Evolution of Volcanism, Tectonics, and Volatiles' (MEVTV) project are presented. The data for the project are based on geological mapping from the Viking images, petrologic and chemical analyses of SNC meteorites, and both mapping and temporal grouping of major fault systems. The origin of the planet's crustal dichotomy is examined in detail, the kinematics and formation of wrinkle ridges are discussed, and some new theories are set forth. Because the SNC meteorites vary petrologically and isotopically, the sources of the parental Martian magma are heterogeneous. Transcurrent faulting coupled with the extensional strains that form Valles Marineris suggest early horizontal movement of lithospheric blocks. A theory which connects the formation of the crustal dichotomy to the Tharsis region associates the horizontal motions with plate tectonics that generated a new lithosphere.

Zimbelman, James R.↗

Mars Eolian Geology at Airphoto Scales: The Large Wind Streaks of Western Arabia Terra

More than 27,000 pictures at aerial photograph scales (1.5-12 m/pixel) have been acquired by the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) since September 1997. The pictures are valuable for testing hypotheses about geologic history and processes of Mars. Of particular interest are eolian features connected to surface albedo patterns. This work is focused on low-albedo wind streaks, some over 100 km long, in western Arabia Terra. Each streak is widest where it originates at an impact crater (typically 25-150 km diameter). The streaks taper downwind. Within the associated craters there is a lower-albedo surface that, in nearly all observed cases, includes barchan dunes indicative of transport in the same direction as the wind streaks. Upwind of the dunes there is usually an outcrop of layered material that might have served as a source for dune sand. MOC images show that the west Arabia streaks consist of a smooth-surfaced, multiple-meters-thick, mantle (smooth at 1.5 m/pixel) that appears to be superposed on local surfaces. No dunes are present, indicating that down-streak transport of sediment via saltation and traction have not occurred. Two models might explain the observed properties: (1) the streaks consist of dark silt- and clay-sized grains deflated from the adjacent crater interiors and deposited from suspension or (2) they are remnants (protected in the lee of impact crater rims) of a formerly much larger, regional covering of low albedo, smooth-surfaced mantle. The latter hypothesis is based on observation of low albedo mantled surfaces occurring south of west Arabia in Terra Meridiani. For reasons yet unknown, a large fraction of the martian equatorial regions are covered by low albedo, mesa-forming material that lies unconformably atop eroded layered and cratered terrain. Both hypotheses are being explored via continued selective targeting of new MOC images as well as analyses of the new data.

Edgett, Kenneth S.↗

TRMM Data Assimilation at NASA

We give an overview of the research at NASA in assimilating tropical rainfall and total precipitable water (TPW) retrievals derived from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and the Special Sensor Microwave/ Imager (SSM/I) instruments. Global analyses currently contain order-one errors in the primary fields of the hydrological cycle such as precipitation, evaporation, moisture, and the related cloud fields, especially in the tropics. We show that an effective strategy to assimilate tropical rainfall data is to use observations to compensate for errors in moisture tendencies produced by the assimilation model. Results show that assimilating TMI and SSM/I surface rainrates and TPW estimates improves shortrange forecasts and reduces state-dependent systematic errors in the hydrological cycle and related climate parameters such as cloud, radiation, and the large-scale circulation in the tropics. The study provides a demonstration of the potential of using rainfall and moisture observations derived from passive microwave instruments to improve the quality of 4-dimensional global datasets for climate analysis and weather forecasting applications.

Hou, Arthur Y.↗

Continuous auroral activity related to high speed streams with interplaneraty ALFV&N wave trains

We discuss a type of intense magnetospheric/auroral activity that is not always substorms: High-Intensity, Long-Duration, Continuous AE Activity (HILDCAA) events, which occur during high speed solar wind streams. The high speed streams contain large-amplitude, nonlinear Alfvtn waves. Analyses of POLAR UV images, demonstrate that the AE increases/AL decreases in HILDCAAs are not always substorm expansion phases (although some substorms may occur). The associated auroral W energy deposition is throughout a continuous (360') auroral oval. During some image intervals, the dayside aurora is the most remarkable feature. Our hypothesis is that solar wind energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere/ionosphere is primarily directly driven due to the finite wavelength Alfv6n waves and the rapid dBz/dt variability.

magnetospheric↗

Investigation of Synthetic Mg(1.3)V(1.7)O4 Spinel with MgO Inclusions: Case Study of a Spinel with an Apparently occupied Interstitial Site

A magnesium vanadate spinel crystal, ideally MgV2O4, synthesized at 1 bar, 1200 C and equilibrated under FMQ + 1.3 log f(sub o2) condition, was investigated using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe, and electron backscatter (EBSD). The initial X-ray structure refinements gave tetrahedral and octahedral site occupancies, along with the presence of 0.053 apfu Mg at an interstitial octahedral site . Back-scattered electron (BSE) images and electron microprobe analyses revealed the existence of an Mg-rich phase in the spinel matrix, which was too small (less than or equal to 3microns) for an accurate chemical determination. The EBSD analysis combined with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscop[y (XEDS) suggested that the Mg-rich inclusions are periclase oriented coherently with the spinel matrix. The final structure refinements were optimized by subtracting the X-ray intensity contributions (approx. 9%) of periclase reflections, which eliminated the interstitial Mg. This study provides insight into possible origins of refined interstitial cations reported in the the literature for spinel, and points to the difficulty of using only X-ray diffraction data to distinguish a spinel with interstitial cations from one with coherently oriented MgO inclusions.

Uchida, Hinako↗

Time-Distance Helioseismology with the HMI Instrument

We expect considerable improvement of time-distance results from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument as opposed to the earlier MDI and GONG data. The higher data rate makes possible several improvements, including faster temporal sampling (45 sec), smaller spatial pixels (0.5 arc sec), better wavelength coverage (6 samples across the line all transmitted to the ground), and year-round coverage of the full disk. The higher spatial resolution makes possible better longitude coverage of active regions and supergranulation and also better latitude coverage. Doppler, continuum, and line depth images have a strong granulation signal. Line core images show little granulation. Analyses to test the limits of these new capabilities will be presented.

Duvall, Thomas L., Jr.↗