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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 217 records · Page 12
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NASA NTRS2010

The Relation Between Magnetospheric State Parameters and the Occurrence of Plasma Depletion Events in the Night-Time Mid-Latitude F-Region

Studies using all-sky imagers have revealed the presence of various ionospheric irregularities in the night-time mid-latitude F-region. The most prevalent and well known of these are the Medium Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs) that usually occur when the geomagnetic activity is low, and mid-latitude spread-F plumes that are often observed when the geomagnetic activity is high. The inverse and direct relations between geomagnetic activity (particularly Kp) and the occurrence rate of MSTIDs and midlatitude plumes, respectively, have been observed by several studies using different instruments. In order to understand the underlying causes of these two relations, it is illuminating to better characterize the occurrence of MSTIDs and plumes using multiple magnetospheric state parameters. Here we statistically compare multiple geomagnetic driver and response parameters (such as Kp, AE, Dst, and solar wind parameters) with the occurrence rates of night-time MSTIDs and plumes observed using an all-sky imager at Arecibo Observatory (AO) between 2003 and 2008. The results not only allow us to better distinguish MSTIDs and plumes, but also shed further light on the generation mechanism and electrodynamics of these two different phenomena occurring at night-time in the mid-latitude F-region.

Seker, Ilgin↗
NASA NTRS2010

Persistent Longitudinal Variations of Plasma Density and DC Electric Fields in the Low Latitude Ionosphere Observed with Probes on the C/NOFS Satellite

Continuous measurements using in situ probes on consecutive orbits of the C/N0FS satellite reveal that the plasma density is persistently organized by longitude, in both day and night conditions and at all locations within the satellite orbit, defined by its perigee and apogee of 401 km and 867 km, respectively, and its inclination of 13 degrees. Typical variations are a factor of 2 or 3 compared to mean values. Furthermore, simultaneous observations of DC electric fields and their associated E x B drifts in the low latitude ionosphere also reveal that their amplitudes are also strongly organized by longitude in a similar fashion. The drift variations with longitude are particularly pronounced in the meridional component perpendicular to the magnetic field although they are also present in the zonal component as well. The longitudes of the peak meridional drift and density values are significantly out of phase with respect to each other. Time constants for the plasma accumulation at higher altitudes with respect to the vertical drift velocity must be taken into account in order to properly interpret the detailed comparisons of the phase relationship of the plasma density and plasma velocity variations. Although for a given period corresponding to that of several days, typically one longitude region dominates the structuring of the plasma density and plasma drift data, there is also evidence for variations organized about multiple longitudes at the same time. Statistical averages will be shown that suggest a tidal "wave 4" structuring is present in both the plasma drift and plasma density data. We interpret the apparent association of the modulation of the E x B drifts with longitude as well as that of the ambient plasma density as a manifestation of tidal forces at work in the low latitude upper atmosphere. The observations demonstrate how the high duty cycle of the C/NOFS observations and its unique orbit expose fundamental processes at work in the low latitude, inner regions of geospace.

Pfaff, R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Observations of a Unique Type of ULF Waves by Low-Latitude Space Technology 5 Satellites

We report a unique type of ULF waves observed by low-altitude Space Technology 5 (ST-5) constellation mission. ST-5 is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, and sun synchronous polar orbit with 105.6deg inclination angle. Due to the Earth s rotation and the dipole tilt effect, the spacecraft s dawn-dusk orbit track can reach as low as subauroral latitudes during the course of a day. Whenever the spacecraft traverse across the dayside closed field line region at subauroral latitudes, they frequently observe strong transverse oscillations at 30-200 mHz, or in the Pc 2-3 frequency range. These Pc 2-3 waves appear as wave packets with durations in the order of 5-10 minutes. As the maximum separations of the ST-5 spacecraft are in the order of 10 minutes, the three ST-5 satellites often observe very similar wave packets, implying these wave oscillations occur in a localized region. The coordinated ground-based magnetic observations at the spacecraft footprints, however, do not see waves in the Pc 2-3 band; instead, the waves appear to be the common Pc 4-5 waves associated with field line resonances. We suggest that this unique Pc 2-3 waves seen by ST-5 are in fact the Doppler-shifted Pc 4-5 waves as a result of rapid traverse of the spacecraft across the resonant field lines azimuthally at low altitudes. The observations with the unique spacecraft dawn-disk orbits at proper altitudes and magnetic latitudes reveal the azimuthal characteristics of field-aligned resonances.

Le, G.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Observations of a Unique Type of ULF Waves by Low-Latitude Space Technology 5 Mission

We report a unique type of ULF waves observed by low-altitude Space Technology 5 (ST-5) constellation mission. ST-5 is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, and sun synchronous polar orbit with 105.6 inclination angle. Due to the Earth's rotation and the dipole tilt effect, the spacecraft's dawn-dusk orbit track can reach as low as sub auroral latitudes during the course of a day. Whenever the spacecraft traverse across the dayside closed field line region at sub auroral latitudes, they frequently observe strong transverse oscillations at 30-200 mHz, or in the Pc 2-3 frequency range. These Pc 2-3 waves appear as wave packets with durations in the order of 5-10 minutes. As the maximum separations of the ST-5 spacecraft are in the order of 10 minutes, the three ST -5 satellites often observe very similar wave packets, implying these wave oscillations occur in a localized region. The coordinated ground-based magnetic observations at the spacecraft footprints, however, do not see waves in the Pc 2-3 band; instead, the waves appear to be the common Pc 4-5 waves associated with field line resonances. We suggest that these unique Pc 2-3 waves seen by ST-5 are in fact the Doppler-shifted Pc 4-5 waves as a result of rapid traverse of the spacecraft across the resonant field lines azimuthally at low altitudes. The observations with the unique spacecraft dawn-disk orbits at proper altitudes and magnetic latitudes reveal the azimuthal characteristics of field-aligned resonances.

Le, Guan↗
NASA NTRS2010

Observations of a Unique Type of ULF Waves by Low-Latitude Space Technology 5 Mission

We report a unique type of ULF waves observed by low-altitude Space Technology 5 (ST-5) constellation mission. ST-5 is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, and sun synchronous polar orbit with 105.6 degree inclination angle. Due to the Earth's rotation and the dipole tilt effect, the spacecraft's dawn-dusk orbit track can reach as low as subauroral latitudes during the course of a day. Whenever the spacecraft traverse across the dayside closed field line region at sub auroral latitudes, they frequently observe strong transverse oscillations at 30-200 mHz, or in the Pc 2-3 frequency range. These Pc 2-3 waves appear as wave packets with durations in the order of 5-10 minutes. As the maximum separations of the ST-5 spacecraft are in the order of 10 minutes, the three ST-5 satellites often observe very similar wave packets, implying these wave oscillations occur in a localized region. The coordinated ground-based magnetic observations at the spacecraft footprints, however, do not see waves in the Pc 2-3 band; instead, the waves appear to be the common Pc 4-5 waves associated with field line resonances. We suggest that these unique Pc 2-3 waves seen by ST-5 are in fact the Doppler-shifted Pc 4-5 waves as a result of rapid traverse of the spacecraft across the resonant field lines azimuthally at low altitudes. The observations with the unique spacecraft dawn-disk orbits at proper altitudes and magnetic latitudes reveal the azimuthal characteristics of field-aligned resonances.

Le, G.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Observations of a Unique Type of ULF Waves by Low-Latitude Space Technology Five Mission

We report a unique type of ULF waves observed by low-altitude Space Technology 5 (ST-5) constellation mission. ST-5 is a three micro-satellite constellation deployed into a 300 x 4500 km, dawn-dusk, and sun synchronous polar orbit with 105.6deg inclination angle. Due to the Earth s rotation and the dipole tilt effect, the spacecraft s dawn-dusk orbit track can reach as low as subauroral latitudes during the course of a day. Whenever the spacecraft traverse across the dayside closed field line region at subauroral latitudes, they frequently observe strong transverse oscillations at 30-200 mHz, or in the Pc 2-3 frequency range. These Pc 2-3 waves appear as wave packets with durations in the order of 5-10 minutes. As the maximum separations of the ST-5 spacecraft are in the order of 10 minutes, the three ST-5 satellites often observe very similar wave packets, implying these wave oscillations occur in a localized region. The coordinated ground-based magnetic observations at the spacecraft footprints, however, do not see waves in the Pc 2-3 band; instead, the waves appear to be the common Pc 4-5 waves associated with field line resonances. We suggest that these unique Pc 2-3 waves seen by ST-5 are in fact the Doppler-shifted Pc 4-5 waves as a result of rapid traverse of the spacecraft across the resonant field lines azimuthally at low altitudes. The observations with the unique spacecraft dawn-disk orbits at proper altitudes and magnetic latitudes reveal the azimuthal characteristics of field-aligned resonances.

Le, G.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Diurnal Variation in Gravity Wave Activity at Low and Middle Latitudes

We employ a modified composite day extension of the Hocking (2005) analysis method to study gravity wave (GW) activity in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere using 4 meteor radars spanning latitudes from 7deg S to 53.6deg S. Diurnal and semidiurnal modulations were observed in GW variances over all sites. Semidiurnal modulation with downward phase propagation was observed at lower latitudes mainly near the equinoxes. Diurnal modulations occur mainly near solstice and, except for the zonal component at Cariri (7deg S), do not exhibit downward phase propagation. At a higher latitude (SAAMER, 53.6deg S) these modulations are only observed in the meridional component where we can observe diurnal variation from March to May, and semidiurnal, during January, February, October (above 88 km) and November. Some of these modulations with downward phase progression correlate well with wind shear. When the wind shear is well correlated with the maximum of the variances the diurnal tide has its largest amplitudes, i.e., near equinox. Correlations exhibiting variations with tidal phases suggest significant GW-tidal interactions that have different characters depending on the tidal components and possible mean wind shears. Modulations that do not exhibit phase variations could be indicative of diurnal variations in GW sources.

waves↗
NASA NTRS2012

The First in situ Observation of Kelvin-Helmholtz Waves at High-Latitude Magnetopause during Strongly Dawnward Interplanetary Magnetic Field Conditions

We report the first in situ observation of high-latitude magnetopause (near the northern duskward cusp) Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (KHW) by Cluster on January 12, 2003, under strongly dawnward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions. The fluctuations unstable to Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) are found to propagate mostly tailward, i.e., along the direction almost 90 deg. to both the magnetosheath and geomagnetic fields, which lowers the threshold of the KHI. The magnetic configuration across the boundary layer near the northern duskward cusp region during dawnward IMF is similar to that in the low-latitude boundary layer under northward IMF, in that (1) both magnetosheath and magnetospheric fields across the local boundary layer constitute the lowest magnetic shear and (2) the tailward propagation of the KHW is perpendicular to both fields. Approximately 3-hour-long periods of the KHW during dawnward IMF are followed by the rapid expansion of the dayside magnetosphere associated with the passage of an IMF discontinuity that characterizes an abrupt change in IMF cone angle, Phi = acos (B(sub x) / absolute value of Beta), from approx. 90 to approx. 10. Cluster, which was on its outbound trajectory, continued observing the boundary waves at the northern evening-side magnetopause during sunward IMF conditions following the passage of the IMF discontinuity. By comparing the signatures of boundary fluctuations before and after the IMF discontinuity, we report that the frequencies of the most unstable KH modes increased after the discontinuity passed. This result demonstrates that differences in IMF orientations (especially in f) are associated with the properties of KHW at the high-latitude magnetopause due to variations in thickness of the boundary layer, and/or width of the KH-unstable band on the surface of the dayside magnetopause.

solar wind↗
NASA NTRS2015

High-Latitude Topside Ionospheric Vertical Electron-Density-Profile Changes in Response to Large Magnetic Storms

Large magnetic-storm induced changes have been detected in high-latitude topside vertical electron-density profiles Ne(h). The investigation was based on the large database of topside Ne(h) profiles and digital topside ionograms from the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) program available from the NASA Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF) at http://spdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/isis/isis-status.html. This large database enabled Ne(h) profiles to be obtained when an ISIS satellite passed through nearly the same region of space before, during, and after a major magnetic storm. A major goal was to relate the magnetic-storm induced high-latitude Ne(h) profile changes to solar-wind parameters. Thus an additional data constraint was to consider only storms where solar-wind data were available from the NASA/SPDF OMNIWeb database. Ten large magnetic storms (with Dst less than -100 nT) were identified that satisfied both the Ne(h) profile and the solar-wind data constraints. During five of these storms topside ionospheric Ne(h) profiles were available in the high-latitude northern hemisphere and during the other five storms similar ionospheric data were available in the southern hemisphere. Large Ne(h) changes were observed during each one of these storms. Our concentration in this paper is on the northern hemisphere. The data coverage was best for the northern-hemisphere winter. Here Ne(h) profile enhancements were always observed when the magnetic local time (MLT) was between 00 and 03 and Ne(h) profile depletions were always observed between 08 and 10 MLT. The observed Ne(h) deviations were compared with solar-wind parameters, with appropriate time shifts, for four storms.

solar wind↗
NASA NTRS2016

High-Latitude Topside Ionospheric Vertical Electron Density Profile Changes in Response to Large Magnetic Storms

Large magnetic-storm-induced changes were detected in high-latitude topside vertical electron density profiles Ne(h) in a database of profiles and digital topside ionograms, from the International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) program, that enabled Ne(h) profiles to be obtained in nearly the same region of space before, during, and after a major magnetic storm (Dst -100nT). Storms where Ne(h) profiles were available in the high-latitude Northern Hemisphere had better coverage of solar wind parameters than storms with available Ne(h) profiles in the high-latitude Southern Hemisphere. Large Ne(h) changes were observed during all storms, with enhancements and depletions sometimes near a factor of 10 and 0.1, respectively, but with substantial differences in the responses in the two hemispheres. Large spatial andor temporal Ne(h) changes were often observed during Dst minimum and during the storm recovery phase. The storm-induced Ne(h) changes were the most pronounced and consistent in the Northern Hemisphere in that large enhancements were observed during winter nighttime and large depletions during winter and spring daytime. The limited available cases suggested that these Northern Hemisphere enhancements increased with increases of the time-shifted solar wind velocity v, magnetic field B, and with more negative values of the B components except for the highest common altitude (1100km) of the profiles. There was also some evidence suggesting that the Northern Hemisphere depletions were related to changes in the solar wind parameters. Southern Hemisphere storm-induced enhancements and depletions were typically considerably less with depletions observed during summer nighttime conditions and enhancements during summer daytime and fall nighttime conditions.

Benson, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Effect of Latitude Bias in Entry Angle on Ground Casualty Risk from Naturally Decaying Space Objects

An improvement to the long-term estimation of ground casualties from naturally decaying space objects is the refinement to the distribution of entry angle at the entry interface as a function of latitude. Previous analyses were based on an assumed "small angle," typically -0.1°, and entry interface at the equator. This study expands on work by Bacon and Matney that indicated there is significant latitude bias in the location of reentries, compared to prior assumptions of equal temporal probability. A new model has been developed, which describes the distribution of entry angle as a function of orbital inclination and argument of latitude. This model has been used to generate inputs for ODPO’s certified reentry survivability software, Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool (ORSAT). These new results are compared with the prior standard model to assess the magnitude of the effects on reentry casualty risk.

Ostrom, Chris L.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Calipso Observations of the Dependence of Homo- and Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation in Cirrus Clouds on Latitude, Season and Surface Condition

There are two fundamental mechanisms through which cirrus clouds form; homo- and heterogeneous ice nucleation (henceforth hom and het). The relative contribution of each mechanism to ice crystal production often determines the microphysical and radiative properties of a cirrus cloud. A new satellite remote sensing method is described in this study to estimate cirrus cloud ice particle number concentration and the relative contribution of hom and het to cirrus cloud formation as a function of altitude, latitude, season and surface type (e.g. land vs. ocean). This method uses co-located observations from the Infrared Imaging Radiometer (IIR) and from the CALIOP (Cloud and Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) lidar aboard the CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation) polar orbiting satellite, employing IIR channels at 10.6 μm and 12.05 μm. The method is applied here to single-layered clouds of visible optical depth between about 0.3 and 3. Two years of Version 3 data have been analyzed for the years 2008 and 2013, with each season characterized in terms of 532 nm cirrus cloud centroid altitude and temperature, the cirrus cloud ice particle number concentration, effective diameter, layer-average ice water content and visible optical depth. Using a conservative criterion for hom cirrus, on average, the sampled cirrus clouds formed through hom occur about 43% of the time in the Arctic and 50% of the time in the Antarctic, and during winter at mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, hom cirrus occur 37% of the time. Elsewhere (and during other seasons in the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes), this hom cirrus fraction is lower. Processes that could potentially explain these observations are discussed, as well as the potential relevancy of these results to ice nucleation studies, climate modeling and jet-stream dynamics.

Mitchell, David L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The ICESat-2 Mission: Land, Ocean, and Inland Water Data Products for Middle and Low Latitude Science and Applications

NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2) is a polar orbiting mission, launched on September 15, 2018, with over two years of nearly continuous observations. The sole instrument onboard is the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS), a micropulse, high repetition rate, six-beam, 532 nm Lidar with photon-counting technology. Although designed primarily for detecting height changes in ice caps and sea ice in the high latitudes, it continuously observes all terrain in its track including middle and low latitude regions as well, during approximately 15 orbits per day. The official ICESat-2 products include not only cryosphere data but also global high resolution parameters associated with tree canopies, land surface, oceans, and over 1.5 million inland water bodies consisting of lakes, rivers and coastal waters. This presentation provides an overview and the status of the ICESat-2 mission including: i) a summary of the salient technological features and orbit design, ii) the official ICESat-2 science data products for ice, vegetation canopy, ocean sea level, and inland water including several examples in the middle and low latitudes, iii) a list of NASA sponsored software tools for globally browsing the two year archive and for processing both the raw data and the official ICESat-2 geophysical data products, and iv) avenues for interested users to connect with the ICESat-2 Applications Program for answering questions and assistance in possibly using ICESat-2 data in your particular science or application. The overall goal is to facilitate the use of ICESat-2 data not only for science investigations but also for improved decision support applications with societal benefit. Additional ICESat-2 information, documentation and data products are publicly available at https://nsidc.org/data/icesat-2

ICESat-2↗
NASA NTRS2021

Canopy reflectance models illustrate varying NDVI responses to change in high latitude ecosystems

Multiyear trends in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) have been used as metrics of high latitude ecosystem change based on the assumption that NDVI change is associated with ecological change, generally as changes in green vegetation amount (green leaf area index [LAI] or plant cover). Further, no change in NDVI is often interpreted as no change in these variables. Three canopy reflectance models including linear mixture model, the SAIL (Scattering from Arbitrarily Inclined Leaves) model, and the GeoSail model were used to simulate scenarios representing high latitude landscape NDVI responses to changes in LAI and plant cover. The simulations showed inconsistent NDVI responses. Clear increases in NDVI are generally associated with increases in LAI and plant cover. At higher values of LAI, the change in NDVI per unit change in LAI decreases, with very little change in spruce forest NDVI where crown cover is >50% and at the tundra–taiga ecotone with transitions from shrub tundra to spruce woodland. These lower responses may bias the interpretation of greening/browning trends in boreal forests. Variations in water or snow coverage were shown to produce outsized nonbiological NDVI responses. Inconsistencies in NDVI responses exemplify the need for care in the interpretation of NDVI change as a metric of high latitude ecosystem change, and that landscape characteristics in terms of the type of cover and its characteristics, such as the initial plant cover, must be taken into account in evaluating the significance of any observed NDVI trends.

Karl F Huemmrich↗
NASA NTRS2021

Geomagnetically Induced Currents at Middle Latitudes: 1. Quiet-Time Variability

Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) at middle latitudes have received increased attention after reported power grid disruptions due to geomagnetic disturbances. However, quantifying the risk to the electric power grid at middle latitudes is difficult without understanding how the GIC sensors respond to geomagnetic activity on a daily basis. Therefore, in this study the question “Do measured GICs have distinguishable and quantifiable long-period and short-period characteristics?” is addressed. The study focuses on the long-term variability of measured GIC, and establishes the extent to which the variability relates to quiet-time geomagnetic activity. GIC quiet-day curves (QDCs) are computed from measured data for each GIC node, covering all four seasons, and then compared with the seasonal variability of thermosphere-ionosphere-electrodynamics general circulation model (TIE- GCM)-simulated neutral wind and height-integrated current density. The results show strong evidence that the middle-latitude nodes routinely respond to the tidal-driven Sq variation, with a local time and seasonal dependence on the direction of the ionospheric currents, which is specific to each node. The strong dependence of GICs on the Sq currents demonstrates that the GIC QDCs may be employed as a robust baseline from which to quantify the significance of GICs during geomagnetically active times and to isolate those variations to study independently. The QDC-based significance score computed in this study provides power utilities with a node-specific measure of the geomagnetic significance of a given GIC observation. Finally, this study shows that the power grid acts as a giant sensor that may detect ionospheric current systems.

Adam C Kellerman↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Nitric Oxide Production at High Latitudes During an ICME-driven Storm on Dec. 14, 2006

During geomagnetic storms driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), Earth’s upper atmosphere neutral mass density is directly driven by the geomagnetic storm cycle from intense driving and subsequent recovery. The neutral density heating and cooling times are shorter for stronger storms and longer for weaker storms. The influx of energy (Joule Heating and precipitation) into Earth’s upper atmosphere during the storm main phase allows for the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) at high latitudes, which in turn cools the thermosphere by radiating away excess energy. As a result, greater NO production results in quicker thermospheric cooling. Yet while the production of NO on a global scale has been examined in detail, the space and time evolution of NO is not well-known. In this study, we investigate the effects of a particular ICME-driven storm, which occurred on Dec. 14th, 2006, on the production of NO at high latitudes. We compare NO measurements from the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Dynamics (TIMED) spacecraft to neutral mass density measurements from the Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) spacecraft and find that the impact of the shock prior to the storm, not just the onset of the storm itself, is responsible for an increase in NO production. We also observe a dawn-dusk asymmetry in high-latitude NO production and discuss how the geometry of the solar wind driver may play a role in creating this asymmetry. Finally, we discuss how the improved hemispheric and local time coverage provided by the GDC and DYNAMIC missions will enable more robust studies of the spatiotemporal evolution of NO during storms. Since NO is an important factor in regulating the neutral density of the thermosphere, such studies will be relevant for more accurate orbital drag calculations.

Kevin Delano↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Lunar Latitude and Terrain Radiator Sensitivity Study

The thermal environment on the moon is highly complex and diverse. The lunar surface near the equator develops extreme hot average temperatures during the lunar day due to solar flux vectors that are nearly orthogonal to the surface. The lunar poles have a cold and uniquely complex thermal environment with low solar elevation angles and permanently shadowed regions located just kilometers from some of the most highly illuminated regions of the moon. Likewise, the topography can range from very flat crater basins to dramatically tall features such as mountains and crater rims. Consequently, when sizing the radiators of a lunar surface vehicle, the specific thermal environment found in the targeted landing or deployment zone must be well understood to build robust appropriately scaled thermal control systems. Here described are parametric studies that characterize the sensitivity of lunar radiator performance to lunar terrain and latitude. Heat rejection is calculated for different radiator tilt angles in a variety of terrain environments. Radiator performance as a function of underside thermal condition is also characterized at lunar latitudes ranging from equatorial to polar. Impacts of latitude and terrain on radiator performance are quantified, and regions are identified where the thermal environment is more or less favorable for specific radiator designs.

Lunar Vehicle Radiator↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Lunar Latitude and Terrain Radiator Sensitivity Study

The thermal environment on the moon is highly complex and diverse. The lunar surface near the equator develops extreme hot average temperatures during the lunar day due to solar flux vectors that are nearly orthogonal to the surface. The lunar poles have a cold and uniquely complex thermal environment with low solar elevation angles and permanently shadowed regions located just kilometers from some of the most highly illuminated regions of the moon. Likewise, the topography can range from very flat crater basins to dramatically tall features such as mountains and crater rims. Consequently, when sizing the radiators of a lunar surface vehicle, the specific thermal environment found in the targeted landing or deployment zone must be well understood to build robust, appropriately scaled thermal control systems. Here described are parametric studies that characterize the sensitivity of lunar radiator performance to lunar terrain and latitude. Heat rejection is calculated for different radiator tilt angles in a variety of terrain environments. Radiator performance as a function of underside thermal condition is also characterized at lunar latitudes ranging from equatorial to polar. Impacts of latitude and terrain on radiator performance are quantified, and regions are identified where the thermal environment is more or less favorable for specific radiator designs.

Lunar Vehicle Radiator↗