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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

Distributions of eight meteorological variables at Cape Kennedy, Florida and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Extreme values, median values, and nine percentile values are tabulated for eight meteorological variables at Cape Kennedy, Florida and at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The variables are temperature, relative humidity, station pressure, water vapor pressure, water vapor mixing ratio, density, and enthalpy. For each month eight hours are tabulated, namely, 0100, 0400, 0700, 1000, 1300, 1600, 1900, and 2200 local time. These statistics are intended for general use for the space shuttle design trade-off analysis and are not to be used for specific design values.

Graves, M. E.↗

An evaluation of Landsat data for input to a state geographic information system

The results of a study to evaluate Landsat digital data, categorized by land cover, for input to the Maryland Automated Geographic Information (MAGI) system, the state georeferenced data base, are presented. Good correspondence is found between the MAGI system and Landsat data for six of seven categories: forest, water, crop/pasture, medium-density residential, low-density residential, and transitional (disturbed land, construction). Discrepancies between the results are found for commercial/industrial/institutional areas which are due to differences in interpretative methodologies, not to deficiencies in either data source. It is concluded that Landsat data are suitable for future Maryland land cover inventories, and can also be used to augment MAGI system data.

Middleton, E. M.↗

Wave number spectra from temperature-humidity infrared radiometer 6.7-micron water vapor data

Wave number spectra from Nimbus 7 temperature-humidity infrared radiometer 6.7-micron water vapor data are analyzed using series 4800 km long, in regions free of high clouds and frontal zones. In these regions, the brightness temperatures approximate temperatures on a water vapor isosteric (constant density) surface, rather than averages over a broad vertical layer. Power above the noise can be extracted down to wavelengths of about 60 km. Fitting the power spectrum versus horizontal wave number k to a k to the -nth power law for wavelengths from 60 to a few hundred kilometers gives slopes of n = 2.7 to 3.0, depending on the exact wave numbers that are fitted. Thunderstorms and convective cloud systems may constitute an energy source for the reverse energy cascade which produces a -5/3 spectral slope. The results suggest that when these features are not present, the enstrophy-cascading process that gives a -3 slope may govern the motion at scales smaller than it has heretofore been observed.

Manney, Gloria L.↗

Natural versus anthropogenic factors affecting low-level cloud albedo over the North Atlantic

Cloud albedo plays a key role in regulating earth's climate. Cloud albedo depends on column-integrated liquid water content and the density of cloud condensation nuclei, which consists primarily of submicrometer-sized aerosol sulfate particles. A comparison of two independent satellite data sets suggests that, although anthropogenic sulfate emissions may enhance cloud albedo immediately adjacent to the east coast of the United States, over the central North Atlantic Ocean the variability in albedo can be largely accounted for by natural marine and atmospheric processes that probably have remained relatively constant since the beginning of the industrial revolution.

Falkowski, Paul G.↗

Flow-influenced stabilization of liquid columns in a dynamic plateau chamber

An apparatus designed to imbed a liquid column or bridge in an axial flow is described. The bridge liquid is density matched to the water in the external flow to simulate low gravity (about 0.001 earth G). The influence of flow on shape is the focus. Results show that flow modifies static shapes in a way that can be accounted for by static theory even for moderate deviations from cylindrical shape, at least for low flow rates.

Lowry, B. J.↗

An Analytical Study of Heat Requirements for Icing Protection of Radomes

The heat requirements for the icing protection of two radome configurations have been studied over a range of design icing conditions. Both the protection limits of a typical thermal protection system and the relative effects of the various icing variables have been determined. For full evaporation of all impinging water, an effective heat density of 14 watts per square inch was required. When a combination of the evaporation and running wet surface systems was employed, a heat requirement of 5 watts per square inch provided protection at severe icing and operating conditions.

James P. Lewis↗

Stabilization and Low-Frequency Oscillation of Capillary Bridges with Modulated Acoustic Radiation Pressure

In the work reported here it is demonstrated that acoustic radiation pressure may be used in simulated low gravity to produce stable bridges significantly beyond the Rayleigh limit with S as large as 3.6. The bridge (PDMS mixed with a dense liquid) has the same density as the surrounding water bath containing an ultrasonic standing wave. Modulation was first used to excite specific bridge modes. In the most recent work reported here the shape of the bridge is optically sensed and the ultrasonic drive is electronically adjusted such that the radiation stress distribution dynamically quenches the most unstable mode. This active control simulates passive stabilization suggested for low gravity. Feedback increases the mode frequency in the naturally stable region since the effective stiffness of the mode is increased.

Marston, Philip L.↗

Simulating Snow Over Sea Ice In Climate Models

We have evaluated two methods of simulating the seasonal cycle of snow over sea ice in and around the Arctic: The NCAR global climate model CCM3, with its standard snow hydrology, and the snow pack model SNTHERM, forced with hourly atmospheric output from CCM3. A new dataset providing dates for the onset of snow melt over Arctic sea ice provides a means for assessing basin-wide how well the models simulate melt onset, but contains no information on how long it then takes for all the snow to melt. Use of data from the SHEBA site provides very detailed information on the behavior of the snow before and during the melt season, but only for a very limited area. Russian drift data provide climatological data on the seasonal cycle of snow water equivalent and snow density, over multi-year sea ice in the central Arctic basin. These datasets are used to compare the two modeling methods, and to see if use of the more physically-realistic SNTHERM provides any significant improvements. Conclusions obtained so far include: 1. Both CCM3 and CCM3/SNTHERM do a good job overall of matching the onset of snow melt dataset; although CCM3/SNTHERM consistently trends to underestimate the date and CCM3 to overestimate it. 2. SHEBA and ice drift data for the Arctic show that CCM3/ SNTHERM does a better job than CCM3 at simulating the total melt period. 3. Ice drift snow density and accumulation data suggest that while providing superior results, CCM3/SNTHERM may still suffer from overly vigorous melting. 4. Both the large-scale atmospheric forcing and snow pack physical processes are important in proper simulation of the snow seasonal cycle. Ongoing work includes further diagnosis of CCM3/SNTHERM, use of more observational datasets, especially from marginal seas in the pan-Arctic, and full coupling of SNTHERM into CCM3 (work to date has all been off-line simulations).

Arnold, James E.↗

Temperature Data Assimilation with Salinity Corrections: Validation for the NSIPP Ocean Data Assimilation System in the Tropical Pacific Ocean, 1993-1998

The NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project (NSIPP) has developed an Ocean data assimilation system to initialize the quasi-isopycnal ocean model used in our experimental coupled-model forecast system. Initial tests of the system have focused on the assimilation of temperature profiles in an optimal interpolation framework. It is now recognized that correction of temperature only often introduces spurious water masses. The resulting density distribution can be statically unstable and also have a detrimental impact on the velocity distribution. Several simple schemes have been developed to try to correct these deficiencies. Here the salinity field is corrected by using a scheme which assumes that the temperature-salinity relationship of the model background is preserved during the assimilation. The scheme was first introduced for a zlevel model by Troccoli and Haines (1999). A large set of subsurface observations of salinity and temperature is used to cross-validate two data assimilation experiments run for the 6-year period 1993-1998. In these two experiments only subsurface temperature observations are used, but in one case the salinity field is also updated whenever temperature observations are available.

Troccoli, Alberto↗

An Earth-based Model of Microgravity Pulmonary Physiology

There are currently only two practical methods of achieving microgravity for experimentation: parabolic flight in an aircraft or space flight, both of which have limitations. As a result, there are many important aspects of pulmonary physiology that have not been investigated in microgravity. We propose to develop an earth-based animal model of microgravity by using liquid ventilation, which will allow us to fill the lungs with perfluorocarbon, and submersing the animal in water such that the density of the lungs is the same as the surrounding environment. By so doing, we will eliminate the effects of gravity on respiration. We will first validate the model by comparing measures of pulmonary mechanics, to previous space flight and parabolic flight measurements. After validating the model, we will investigate the impact of microgravity on aspects of lung physiology that have not been previously measured. These will include pulmonary blood flow distribution, ventillation distribution, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, ventilation-perfusion matching and pleural pressures and flows. We expect that this earth-based model of microgravity will enhance our knowledge and understanding of lung physiology in space which will increase in importance as space flights increase in time and distance.

Hirschl, Ronald B.↗

Gravity and space flight: effects on nutritional status

The final decade of the millennium has seen an enormous amount of on-orbit life sciences research, including both short- and long-duration flight research. Life sciences dedicated Space Shuttle flights have made intensive research opportunities available to study on the acute adaptation to weightlessness. The NASA/Mir Science Program combined resources of the USA and Russia to provide the first long-duration flight opportunities for the United States since the Skylab program of the early 1970s. Many of the results of these studies are still being evaluated, and in some cases data are still being collected to assess long-term readaptation to gravity after several months in weightlessness. The surge in life sciences research during this decade serves as a preamble to the opportunities to be provided by the latest addition to the Earth-orbiting structures--the International Space Station.

short duration↗

An Earth-Based Model of Microgravity Pulmonary Physiology

There are currently only two practical methods of achieving micro G for experimentation: parabolic flight in an aircraft or space flight, both of which have limitations. As a result, there are many important aspects of pulmonary physiology that have not been investigated in micro G. We propose to develop an earth-based animal model of micro G by using liquid ventilation, which will allow us to fill the lungs with perfluorocarbon, and submersing the animal in water such that the density of the lungs is the same as the surrounding environment. By so doing, we will eliminate the effects of gravity on respiration. We will first validate the model by comparing measures of pulmonary physiology, including cardiac output, central venous pressures, lung volumes, and pulmonary mechanics, to previous space flight and parabolic flight measurements. After validating the model, we will investigate the impact of micro G on aspects of lung physiology that have not been previously measured. These will include pulmonary blood flow distribution, ventilation distribution, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, ventilation-perfusion matching, and pleural pressures and flows. We expect that this earth-based model of micro G will enhance our knowledge and understanding of lung physiology in space which will increase in importance as space flights increase in time and distance.

Hirschl, Ronald B.↗

Understanding Sea Level Changes

Today more than 100 million people worldwide live on coastlines within one meter of mean sea level; any short-term or long-term sea level change relative to vertical ground motion is of great societal and economic concern. As palm-environment and historical data have clearly indicated the existence and prevalence of such changes in the past, new scientific information regarding to the nature and causes and a prediction capability are of utmost importance for the future. The 10-20 cm global sea-level rise recorded over the last century has been broadly attributed to two effects: (1) the steric effect (thermal expansion and salinity-density compensation of sea water) following global climate; (2) mass-budget changes due to a number of competing geophysical and hydrological processes in the Earth-atmosphere-hydrosphere-cryosphere system, including water exchange from polar ice sheets and mountain glaciers to the ocean, atmospheric water vapor and land hydrological variations, and anthropogenic effects such as water impoundment in artificial reservoirs and extraction of groundwater, all superimposed on the vertical motions of solid Earth due to tectonics, rebound of the mantle from past and present deglaciation, and other local ground motions. As remote-sensing tools, a number of space geodetic measurements of sea surface topography (e.g., TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason), ice mass (e.g., ICESat), time-variable gravity (e.g. GRACE), and ground motions (SLR, VLBI, GPS, InSAR, Laser altimetry, etc.) become directly relevant. Understanding sea level changes "anywhere, anytime" in a well-defined terrestrial reference frame in terms of climate change and interactions among ice masses, oceans, and the solid Earth, and being able to predict them, emerge as one of the scientific challenges in the Solid Earth Science Working Group (SESWG, 2003) conclusions.

Chao, Benjamin F.↗

Multi-sensor Cloud Retrieval Simulator and Remote Sensing from Model Parameters : Synthetic Sensor Radiance Formulation - Pt. 1

In this paper we describe a general procedure for calculating synthetic sensor radiances from variable output from a global atmospheric forecast model. In order to take proper account of the discrepancies between model resolution and sensor footprint, the algorithm takes explicit account of the model subgrid variability, in particular its description of the probability density function of total water (vapor and cloud condensate.) The simulated sensor radiances are then substituted into an operational remote sensing algorithm processing chain to produce a variety of remote sensing products that would normally be produced from actual sensor output. This output can then be used for a wide variety of purposes such as model parameter verification, remote sensing algorithm validation, testing of new retrieval methods and future sensor studies.We show a specific implementation using the GEOS-5 model, the MODIS instrument and the MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS) Data Collection 5.1 operational remote sensing cloud algorithm processing chain (including the cloud mask, cloud top properties and cloud optical and microphysical properties products). We focus on clouds because they are very important to model development and improvement.

Simulations↗

Equivalent Sensor Radiance Generation and Remote Sensing from Model Parameters: Equivalent Sensor Radiance Formulation - Part 1

In this paper we describe a general procedure for calculating equivalent sensor radiances from variables output from a global atmospheric forecast model. In order to take proper account of the discrepancies between model resolution and sensor footprint the algorithm takes explicit account of the model subgrid variability, in particular its description of the probably density function of total water (vapor and cloud condensate.) The equivalent sensor radiances are then substituted into an operational remote sensing algorithm processing chain to produce a variety of remote sensing products that would normally be produced from actual sensor output. This output can then be used for a wide variety of purposes such as model parameter verification, remote sensing algorithm validation, testing of new retrieval methods and future sensor studies. We show a specific implementation using the GEOS-5 model, the MODIS instrument and the MODIS Adaptive Processing System (MODAPS) Data Collection 5.1 operational remote sensing cloud algorithm processing chain (including the cloud mask, cloud top properties and cloud optical and microphysical properties products.) We focus on clouds and cloud/aerosol interactions, because they are very important to model development and improvement.

Simulations↗

Difference in Fractional Occurrences of Precipitation Categories in Terms of Cloud Properties

The relationship between the precipitation stage and water cloud properties was studied in the mid-latitudes using space-borne radar and radiometer data, with a focus on a comparison between continental (over China) and oceanic (over the northwest Pacific) clouds. More specifically, fractional occurrences of the precipitation categories were investigated in terms of two-dimensional representations of cloud parameters, such as combinations of optical depth - effective particle radius, and liquid water path - droplet number density. As a result, systematic changes in the transition regarding pairs of the cloud parameters were well captured for all precipitation categories. The transition pattern was similar for both land and oceanic clouds. Notably, the ranges of all values of cloud parameters (except cloud droplet number density) were considerably larger for oceanic clouds for the precipitating category.

drizzle↗

Using NASA Earth Observations to Identify Wildfire Impacts on Hydrologic Functions and Recovery in the Gila National Forest

Wildfires can dramatically influence both abiotic and biotic components of a landscape, including soil stability and chemistry; vegetation health, density, and composition; and water flow and quality. In addition to the immediate hazards posed by wildfires, subsequent hazards such as flooding and debris flow can impact the area. In New Mexico’s Gila National Forest, wildfire events have occurred with increasing frequency and severity over recent years, notably including the Whitewater Baldy Complex Fire (2012) and Silver Fire (2013), which burned over 290,000 acres and 138,698 acres, respectively, according to the Burned Area Emergency Response Team Executive Summary reports. Following a significant wildfire, land and resource management decisions are made, including when and where to focus vegetation and stream restoration efforts. This research is the result of a collaboration between the NASA DEVELOP National Program and the US Forest Service, which aimed to utilize NASA Earth observations to help inform those critical land management decisions. The project had two main objectives: 1) assess the efficacy of post-fire vegetation restoration efforts and 2) analyze the impact of burn events on the hydrology at the watershed-scale. To accomplish this first goal, data from Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) were used to study the vegetation health over time of treated and non-treated burn areas. To accomplish the latter, various aspects of stream behavior were examined in relation to burn events, including the runoff coefficient and “flashiness” of streams based on USGS stream gauge data and Integrated Multi-satelllite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) precipitation data. This will allow land managers to better understand the complex ecological relationship between the cascading effects after wildfire and the greater forest ecosystem.

Madeline Allen↗

Mars Rodwell Experiment Final Report

Developed by Army engineer Raul Rodriguez at Camp Century in Greenland during the early 1960s, a Rodriguez Well uses heat exchangers and a submersible pump to create a cavity deep under a glacier’s surface and cycle the heated water up an ice shaft, siphoning a portion of the flow for consumption before sending the rest back down to the well. To evaluate the performance of a Rodriguez Well as one of multiple approaches for extracting water from massive ice deposits on Mars, a series of tests were performed at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) Facility under Martian equivalent environmental factors such as atmospheric and water surface pressure and density. These values were then used to create an energy balance model for a Martian Rodriguez Well, replacing the terrestrial environmental factors with the found Martian equivalents in a computer model published by the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL). This report documents the test results and the subsequent findings from running the modified code.

Mars↗