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NASA NTRS1997

The CORSAGE Programme: Continuous Orbital Remote Sensing of Archipelagic Geochemical Effects

Current and pending oceanographic remote sensing technology allows the conceptualization of a programme designed to investigate ocean island interactions that could induce short-term nearshore fluxes of particulate organic carbon and biogenic calcium carbonate from pelagic island archipelagoes. These events will influence the geochemistry of adjacent waters, particularly the marine carbon system. Justification and design are provided for a study that would combine oceanographic satellite remote sensing (visible and infrared radiometry, altimetry and scatterometry) with shore-based facilities. A programme incorporating the methodology outlined here would seek to identify the mechanisms that cause such events, assess their geochemical significance, and provide both analytical and predictive capabilities for observations on greater temporal and spatial scales.

Acker, J. G.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Bio-Optical Properties of the Arabian Sea as Determined by In Situ and Sea WiFS Data

The overall objective of this work was to characterize optical and fluorescence properties in the euphotic zone during two British Ocean Flux Study (BOFS) Arabian Sea cruises. This was later expanded in 1995 to include three U.S. JGOFS Arabian Sea Cruises. The region was to be divided into one or more "bio-optical provinces," within each of which a single set of regression models was to be developed to relate the vertical distribution of irradiance attenuation and normalized fluorescence (SF and NF) to remote sensing reflectance and diffuse attenuation coefficient. The working hypothesis was that over relatively large spatial and temporal scales, the vertical profiles of bio-optical properties were predictable. The specific technical objectives were: (1) To characterize the vertical distribution of the inherent and apparent optical properties by measuring downwelling and upwelling irradiances, upwelling radiances, scalar irradiance of PAR, and beam transmissions at each station - from these data, spectral diffuse attenuation coefficients, irradiance reflectances, remote sensing reflectances, surface-leaving radiances and beam attenuation coefficients were determined; (2) To characterize the spectral absorption of total particulate, detrital, and dissolved organic material at each station from discrete water samples; (3) To describe the vertical distribution of photoadaptive properties in the water column by measuring profiles of stimulated (SF) and natural (NF) fluorescence and examining relationships between SF and NF as a function of diffuse optical depth, pigment biomass and primary productivity; and (4) To establish locally derived, in-water algorithms relating remote sensing reflectance spectra to diffuse attenuation coefficients, phytoplankton pigment concentrations and primary productivity, through intercomparisons with in situ measurements, for application to SeaWiFS data.

Trees, Charles C.↗

NASA NTRS1998

An Extended Objective Evaluation of the 29-km Eta Model for Weather Support to the United States Space Program

This report describes the Applied Meteorology Unit's objective verification of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction 29-km eta model during separate warm and cool season periods from May 1996 through January 1998. The verification of surface and upper-air point forecasts was performed at three selected stations important for 45th Weather Squadron, Spaceflight Meteorology Group, and National Weather Service, Melbourne operational weather concerns. The statistical evaluation identified model biases that may result from inadequate parameterization of physical processes. Since model biases are relatively small compared to the random error component, most of the total model error results from day-to-day variability in the forecasts and/or observations. To some extent, these nonsystematic errors reflect the variability in point observations that sample spatial and temporal scales of atmospheric phenomena that cannot be resolved by the model. On average, Meso-Eta point forecasts provide useful guidance for predicting the evolution of the larger scale environment. A more substantial challenge facing model users in real time is the discrimination of nonsystematic errors that tend to inflate the total forecast error. It is important that model users maintain awareness of ongoing model changes. Such changes are likely to modify the basic error characteristics, particularly near the surface.

Nutter, Paul↗

NASA NTRS1998

A Normal Incidence X-ray Telescope (NIXT) Sounding Rocket Payload

The solar corona, and the coronae of solar-type stars, consist of a low-density magnetized plasma at temperatures exceeding 10(exp 6) K. The primary coronal emission is therefore in the UV and soft X-ray range. The observed close connection between solar magnetic fields and the physical parameters of the corona implies a fundamental role for the magnetic field in coronal structuring and dynamics. Variability of the corona occurs on all temporal and spatial scales - at one extreme, as the result of plasma instabilities, and at the other extreme driven by the global magnetic flux emergence patterns of the solar cycle.

Golub, Leon↗

NASA NTRS1998

Globalized Newton-Krylov-Schwarz Algorithms and Software for Parallel Implicit CFD

Implicit solution methods are important in applications modeled by PDEs with disparate temporal and spatial scales. Because such applications require high resolution with reasonable turnaround, "routine" parallelization is essential. The pseudo-transient matrix-free Newton-Krylov-Schwarz (Psi-NKS) algorithmic framework is presented as an answer. We show that, for the classical problem of three-dimensional transonic Euler flow about an M6 wing, Psi-NKS can simultaneously deliver: globalized, asymptotically rapid convergence through adaptive pseudo- transient continuation and Newton's method-, reasonable parallelizability for an implicit method through deferred synchronization and favorable communication-to-computation scaling in the Krylov linear solver; and high per- processor performance through attention to distributed memory and cache locality, especially through the Schwarz preconditioner. Two discouraging features of Psi-NKS methods are their sensitivity to the coding of the underlying PDE discretization and the large number of parameters that must be selected to govern convergence. We therefore distill several recommendations from our experience and from our reading of the literature on various algorithmic components of Psi-NKS, and we describe a freely available, MPI-based portable parallel software implementation of the solver employed here.

Gropp, W. D.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Ionospheric Multi-Point Measurements Using Tethered Satellite Sensors

Many scientific questions concerning the distribution of electromagnetic fields and plasma structures in the ionosphere require measurements over relatively small temporal and spatial scales with as little ambiguity as possible. It is also often necessary to differentiate several geophysical parameters between horizontal and vertical gradients unambiguously. The availability of multiple tethered satellites or sensors, so-called "pearls-on-a-string," may make the necessary measurements practical. In this report we provide two examples of scientific questions which could benefit from such measurements (1) high-latitude magnetospheric-ionospheric coupling; and, (2) plasma structure impact on large and small-scale electrodynamics. Space tether state-of-the-art and special technical considerations addressing mission lifetime, sensor pointing, and multi-stream telemetry are reviewed.

Gilchrist, B. E.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Mapping of Glacial Motion and Surface Topography of Hielo Patagonico Norte, Chile, Using Satellite SAR L-band Interferometry Data

The first topographic and ice-motion maps of the northwestern flank of Hielo Patagonico Norte (HPN, northern Patagonia Icefield), in Chile, were produced using satellite synthetic-aperture interferometric radar data acquired by NASA's Spaceborne Imaging Radar C instrument in October 1994. The topographic map has a IO m vertical precision with a 30 m horizontal spacing, which should be sufficient to serve as a reference for monitoring future mass changes of the icefield. The ice-motion map is accurate to within 4 mm/ d (or 1/ ma). The radar-derived surface topography and ice velocity are used to estimate the ice discharge from the accumulation area of four outlet glaciers, and the calving flux and mass balance of Glaciar San Rafael. The results demonstrate the use of SAR interferometry for monitoring glaciological parameters on a spatial and temporal scale unattainable by any other means.

Rignot, Eric↗

NASA NTRS1998

Bio-Optical Properties of the Arabian Sea as Determined by In-Situ and SeaWifs Data

Trees, Charles C.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Dynamic Nucleation of Supercooled Melts and Measurement of the Surface Tension and Viscosity

We investigate the phenomenon of acoustic pressure-induced nucleation by using a novel approach involving the large amplitude resonant radial oscillations and collapse of a single bubble intentionally injected into a supercooled liquid. Using a combination of previously developed and proven techniques, the bubble is suspended in a fluid host by an ultrasonic field which supplies both the levitation capability as well as the forcing of the radial oscillations. We observe the effects of an increase in pressure (due to bubble collapse) in a region no larger than 100 microns within the supercooled melt to rigorously probe the hypothesis of pressure-induced nucleation of the solid phase. The use of single bubbles operating in narrow temporal and spatial scales will allow the direct and unambiguous correlation between the origin and location of the generation of the disturbance and the location and timing of the nucleation event. In a companion research effort, we are developing novel techniques for the non-contact measurements of the surface tension and viscosity of highly viscous supercooled liquids. Currently used non-invasive methods of surface tension measurement for the case of undercooled liquids generally rely of the quantitative determination of the resonance frequencies of drop shape oscillations, of the dynamics of surface capillary waves, or of the velocity of streaming flows. These methods become quickly ineffective when the liquid viscosity rises to a significant value. An alternate and accurate method which would be applicable to liquids of significant viscosity is therefore needed. We plan to develop such a capability by measuring the equilibrium shape of levitated undercooled melt droplets as they undergo solid-body rotation. The experimental measurement of the characteristic point of transition (bifurcation point) between axisymmetric and two-lobed shapes will be used to calculate the surface tension of the liquid. Such an approach has already been validated through the experimental verification of numerical modeling results. The experimental approach involves levitation, melting, and solidification of undercooled droplets using a hybrid ultrasonic-electrostatic technique in both a gaseous as well as a vacuum environment. A shape relaxation method will be investigated in order to derive a reliable method to measure the viscosity of undercooled melts. The analysis of the monotonic relaxation to equilibrium shape of a drastically deformed and super-critically damped free drop has been used to derive interfacial tension of immiscible liquid combinations where one of the component has high viscosity. A standard approach uses the initial elongation of a droplet through shear flows, but an equivalent method could involve the initial deformation of a drop levitated in a gas by ultrasonic radiation pressure, electric stresses, or even solid body rotation. The dynamic behavior of the free drop relaxing back to equilibrium shape will be modeled, and its characteristic time dependence should provide a quantitative means to evaluate the liquid viscosity.

Trinh, E. H.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Impact of Assimilating GOES-Derived Land Surface Variables into the PSU/NCAR MM5

Land surface processes are known to have a profound impact on the overlying atmosphere over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Many atmospheric numerical models include special parameterizations to improve the specification and partitioning of surface fluxes which are critical to the accurate prediction of warm season boundary layer behavior, organized mesoscale circulations, and convective precipitation. However, the added degrees of freedom resulting from the inclusion of vegetation and soil schemes require the specification of additional surface parameters such as vegetative resistances, green vegetation fraction, leaf area index, soil physical and hydraulic characteristics, and the vertical distribution of soil moisture. As satellite data have become more readily available in recent years, many investigations have attempted to use these new measurements to infer missing components of the surface energy budget. Sensitivity studies have shown land-skin temperature (LST) tendencies during the mid-morning hours are strongly sensitive to the surface moisture availability (a function of soil wetness and vegetation) and less sensitive to other parameters such as surface roughness. Based upon results from these and other studies, developed a simple technique that dynamically assimilates Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) derived land-surface products into the surface energy budget of a mesoscale model. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that assimilating the GOES satellite data has the potential to improve the representation of land surface characteristics within the model without prior knowledge of the land surface characteristics. The assimilation technique is presented in Section 2 and the numerical experiments are detailed in Section 3. Preliminary results and conclusions are presented in Sections 4 and 5, respectively.

Lapenta, William M.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Intercomparison of Various Algorithms in Determining Convective and Stratiform Precipitation

The paper presents the intercomparison of various algorithms in determining the convective and stratiform precipitation in tropical convection. The latent heat released from precipitation is the driving mechanism for the general circulation of the atmosphere and exhibits different vertical profile in convective and stratiform regimes of the tropical convection. The primary goal of this paper is to evaluate the performance of the operational convective/stratiform algorithm that is employed by the NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) ground validation program. The operational algorithm is based on the texture of radar reflectivity field at constant altitude. The TRMM ground validation program continuously monitors the tropical convection through ground based radar and rain gauge network at selected sites around the tropics and generates the rainfall products including the convective/stratiform rainfall map that can readily be used by the TRMM satellite program. An evaluation and improvement of these rainfall products requires additional measurements that can be available through field campaigns. The data used in this study was collected during the second phase of the Texas Florida Underflights (TEFLUN-B) field campaign in East Central Florida, a primary site of the TRMM ground validation program. The TEFLUN-B field campaign was conducted in August and September 1998 in support of the NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite observations. An objective of the TEFLUN-B field campaign was to obtain the ground based precipitation measurements of Florida convection at different temporal and spatial scales. The field campaign had various components of precipitation measurements including dual wavelength precipitation profiler, various types of disdrometers and rain gauges, collocated about 40 km southwest of Melbourne NEXRAD radar. In this study, we examine the profiler based reflectivity and Doppler velocity and the disdrometer based drop size distribution observations to evaluate the operational scanning radar (i.e. NEXRAD) based convective/stratiform algorithm.

Tokay, Ali↗

NASA NTRS1999

Remote Sensing in Geography in the New Millennium: Prospects, Challenges, and Opportunities

Remote sensing science contributes greatly to our understanding of the Earth's ecosystems and cultural landscapes. Almost all the natural and social sciences, including geography, rely heavily on remote sensing to provide quantitative, and indispensable spatial information. Many geographers have made significant contributions to remote sensing science since the 1970s, including the specification of advanced remote sensing systems, improvements in analog and digital image analysis, biophysical modeling, and terrain analysis. In fact, the Remote Sensing Specialty Group (RSSG) is one of the largest specialty groups within the AAG with over 500 members. Remote sensing in concert with a geographic information systems, offers much value to geography as both an incisive spatial-analytical tool and as a scholarly pursuit that adds to the body of geographic knowledge on the whole. The "power" of remote sensing as a research endeavor in geography lies in its capabilities for obtaining synoptic, near-real time data at many spatial and temporal scales, and in many regions of the electromagnetic spectrum - from microwave, to RADAR, to visible, and reflective and thermal infrared. In turn, these data present a vast compendium of information for assessing Earth attributes and characte6stics that are at the very core of geography. Here we revisit how remote sensing has become a fundamental and important tool for geographical research, and how with the advent of new and improved sensing systems to be launched in the near future, remote sensing will further advance geographical analysis in the approaching New Millennium.

Quattrochi, Dale A.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Stratospheric Impact of 1D-Variation Assimilation of TOVS/ATOVS Data

This paper will present an assessment of the impact to the stratospheric circulation of the DAO-GEOS2 (Data Assimilation Office -Goddard Earth Observing System) attributable to an improved 1D-Variational retrieval of heights. The assimilated heights are retrieved from both the TOVS (TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder) and the ATOVS (Advanced TOVS) sounders. Each sounder's sensitivity to temperature changes in the stratosphere will be addressed and its relationship to the model's background flow evaluated. Also detailed are the steps to ensure the quality of the data being assimilated. Finally the temporal and spatial scales, important to the stratospheric mean flow, will be evaluated in terms of the DAO-GEOS2 response to the assimilated heights.

Rokke, Laurie↗

NASA NTRS2000

Crustal Deformation Associated with Glacial Fluctuations in the Eastern Chugach Mountains, Alaska

The changes of the solid Earth in south central Alaska in response to two major glacial fluctuations on different temporal and spatial scales have been estimated and we evaluated their influence on the stress state and ongoing tectonic deformation of the region. During the recent (1993-1995) Bering Glacier surge, a large transfer of ice from the Bagley Ice Field to the Bering Glacier terminus region occurred. We estimated the elastic displacement of the solid Earth due to ice mass redistribution from Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements at sites near the surging glacier. We can account for these displacements by transfer of an ice volume of about 14 cubic km from the surge reservoir area to the terminus region. We examined the background seismicity (M(sub L) > 2.5) before, during, and after the surge. We found that the occurrence of small earthquakes (M(sub L) < 4.0) in the surge reservoir region increased during the surge time interval possibly in response to a decrease in ice mass. This suggests that a small decrease in the vertical stress, o,3, could be enough to modulate the occurrence of small, shallow earthquakes in this dominantly thrust fault setting. During this century the southern Alaska coastal glaciers have been undergoing an overall decrease in volume. Based on our compilation of changes in the extent and thickness of the coastal glaciers between the Malaspina and Bering, we calculated surface displacements due to the Earth's viscoelastic response to annual thinning and to the cumulative retreat over the last 100 years. The uplift of the region due to an average annual thinning rate of 1-6 m/yr in the ablation region is 1-12 mm/yr. For our reference model with a viscosity of 5 x 10(exp 19) Pa s for depths between approximately equal 40 and 200 km the total viscoelastic response due to the retreat over the last century may be as much as a couple of meters within the coastal ablation zone near Icy Bay. The maximum decrease in sigma(sub V) between 0 and 10 km was approximately equal 1.0 MPa, which is significant in relation to the stress drops in recent earthquakes (approximately 2 to 10 MPa) but small in relation to the estimated tectonic stress magnitude. Therefore the occurrence of an earthquake such as the St. Elias (1979, M(sub S) = 7.2) may have been advanced in time; however, most of the ongoing stress accumulation would be primarily due to tectonic forces.

Sauber, Jeanne↗

NASA NTRS1997

Antarctic Surface Temperatures Using Satellite Infrared Data from 1979 Through 1995

The large scale spatial and temporal variations of surface ice temperature over the Antarctic region are studied using infrared data derived from the Nimbus-7 Temperature Humidity Infrared Radiometer (THIR) from 1979 through 1985 and from the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) from 1984 through 1995. Enhanced techniques suitable for the polar regions for cloud masking and atmospheric correction were used before converting radiances to surface temperatures. The observed spatial distribution of surface temperature is highly correlated with surface ice sheet topography and agrees well with ice station temperatures with 2K to 4K standard deviations. The average surface ice temperature over the entire continent fluctuates by about 30K from summer to winter while that over the Antarctic Plateau varies by about 45K. Interannual fluctuations of the coldest interannual variations in surface temperature are highest at the Antarctic Plateau and the ice shelves (e.g., Ross and Ronne) with a periodic cycle of about 5 years and standard deviations of about 11K and 9K, respectively. Despite large temporal variability, however, especially in some regions, a regression analysis that includes removal of the seasonal cycle shows no apparent trend in temperature during the period 1979 through 1995.

Comiso, Josefino C.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Evaluation of Landscape Structure Using AVIRIS Quicklooks and Ancillary Data

Currently the best tool for examining landscape structure is remote sensing, because remotely sensed data provide complete and repeatable coverage over landscapes in many climatic regimes. Many sensors, with a variety of spatial scales and temporal repeat cycles, are available. The Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has imaged over 4000 scenes from over 100 different sites throughout North America. For each of these scenes, one-band "quicklook" images have been produced for review by AVIRIS investigators. These quicklooks are free, publicly available over the Internet, and provide the most complete set of landscape structure data yet produced. This paper describes the methodologies used to evaluate the landscape structure of quicklooks and generate corresponding datasets for climate, topography and land use. A brief discussion of preliminary results is included at the end. Since quicklooks correspond exactly to their parent AVIRIS scenes, the methods used to derive climate, topography and land use data should be applicable to any AVIRIS analysis.

Sanderson, Eric W.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Metastability of Liquid Water on Mars

This talk reviews reasonable spatial and temporal scales for melting and flowing of water on Mars, and relates them to plausible martian conditions. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

Hecht, M. H.↗

NASA NTRS2001

SIMBIOS Project Data Processing and Analysis Results

The Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project is concerned with ocean color satellite sensor data intercomparison and merger for biological and interdisciplinary studies of the global oceans. Imagery from different ocean color sensors can now be processed by a single software package using the same algorithms, adjusted by different sensor spectral characteristics, and the same ancillary meteorological and environmental data. This enables cross-comparison and validation of the data derived from satellite sensors and, consequently, creates continuity in ocean color information on both the temporal and spatial scale. The next step in this process is the integration of in situ ocean and atmospheric parameters to enable cross-validation and further refinement of the ocean color methodology. The SIMBIOS Project Office accomplishments during 2000 year are summarized under satellite data processing, data product validation, SeaWiFS Bio-Optical Archive and Storage System (SeaBASS) database, supporting services, sun photometers and calibration activities, and calibration round robins. These accomplishments are described.

Ainsworth, Ewa↗