Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Lakes”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2017

The Importance of Lake Overflow Floods for Early Martian Landscape Evolution: Insights From Licus Vallis

Open-basin lake outlet valleys are incised when water breaches the basin-confining topography and overflows. Outlet valleys record this flooding event and provide insight into how the lake and surrounding terrain evolved over time. Here we present a study of the paleolake outlet Licus Vallis, a >350 km long, >2 km wide, >100 m deep valley that heads at the outlet breach of an approx.30 km diameter impact crater. Multiple geomorphic features of this valley system suggest it records a more complex evolution than formation from a single lake overflow flood. This provides unique insight into the paleohydrology of lakes on early Mars, as we can make inferences beyond the most recent phase of activity..

Goudge, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Titan's Ionospheric Chemistry, Fullerenes, Oxygen, Galactic Cosmic Rays and the Formation of Exobiological Molecules on and Within Its Surfaces and Lakes

We discuss the formation of aerosols within Titan's thermosphere-ionosphere and the different chemical pathways. Negative ion measurements by the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) Electron Spectrometer (ELS) give evidence for formation of unsaturated anion carbon chains, while positive ion measurements of the Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) indicate formation of more aromatic cation hydrocarbons. There is presently no direct observational evidence for large neutral molecule growth in Titan's thermosphere-ionosphere. The hydrocarbon cations are expected to form Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), those with the addition of nitrogen being called PAHNs. We theorize anion carbon chains can eventually become long enough to fold into fullerene C60,70 carbon shells, of various charge states. Based on laboratory data the fullerenes can trap incoming O+ magnetospheric ions that have relatively high energy collisions with the fullerenes and, once trapped, protect the oxygen atom from Titan's reducing thermosphere-ionosphere. The fullerenes can form into larger onion fullerenes and condense into larger embryo aerosols (i.e., m/q (mass-to-charge ratio) greater than 10,000 amu/q (atomic mass unit-to-charge ratio) anions as observed by CAPS/ELS) eventually falling onto Titan's surface and precipitating to the bottom of its hydrocarbon lakes. Molecule production composed of H, C, N is known to occur in Titan's atmosphere with energy input from the magnetosphere, solar UV (ultraviolet), and deep-penetrating irradiation from galactic cosmic rays (GCR). Space radiation effects by GCR irradiation of Titan's surface and lakes can lead to the manufacture of exobiological molecules with oxygen as the new ingredient. We have developed a model of galactic cosmic ray irradiation of Titan's atmosphere, surface, subsurface and bottoms of Titan lakes. GCR would provide further energy for processing of the aerosols into more complex organic forms such as tholins and precursor molecules for amino acids. A second process called hydrolysis then converts the precursor molecules into amino acids. Hydrolysis is provided via meteor impacts with size greater than 10 kilometers and cryovolcanism both which can produce liquid water on Titan's surface for episodic periods more than several 100 to 1000 years. Our model shows that GCR secondary particles can penetrate ~100 meters below the ice surface (including the bottom of Titan's less dense hydrocarbon lakes ~150-meter depths) and produce chemically significant dosages over very long timescales ~450 million years. The GCR model is combined with laboratory data from experiments in which dry methyl ices were irradiated to doses producing prebiotic amino acids such as glycine. The model calculations show glycine can form to ~2.5 parts-per-billion levels near the surface after ~450 million years of GCR proton irradiation and potentially to 5 parts-per-billion if heavy-ion GCRs up through Fe are included. If such molecules were detected, this would not only confirm this model but indicate that life forms different from ours may not be required.

Edward C. Sittler Jr↗
NASA NTRS2019

Titan's Ionospheric Chemistry, Fullerenes, Oxygen, Galactic Cosmic Rays and the Formation of Exobiological Molecules on and within its Surfaces and Lakes

We discuss the formation of aerosols within Titan's thermosphere-ionosphere and the different chemical pathways. Negative ion measurements by the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) Electron Spectrometer (ELS) give evidence for formation of unsaturated anion carbon chains, while positive ion measurements of the Cassini Ion Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) indicate formation of more aromatic cation hydrocarbons. There is presently no direct observational evidence for large neutral molecule growth in Titan's thermosphere-ionosphere. The hydrocarbon cations are expected to form Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH), those with the addition of nitrogen being called PAHNs. We theorize anion carbon chains can eventually become long enough to fold into fullerene C(60,70) carbon shells, of various charge states. Based on laboratory data the fullerenes can trap incoming O(sup +) magnetospheric ions that have relatively high energy collisions with the fullerenes and, once trapped, protect the oxygen atom from Titan's reducing thermosphere-ionosphere. The fullerenes can form into larger onion fullerenes and condense into larger embryo aerosols (i.e., m/q > 10,000 amu/q anions as observed by CAPS/ELS) eventually falling onto Titan's surface and precipitating to the bottom of its hydrocarbon lakes. Molecule production composed of H, C, N is known to occur in Titan's atmosphere with energy input from the magnetosphere, solar UV, and deeppenetrating irradiation from galactic cosmic rays (GCR). Space radiation effects by GCR irradiation of Titan's surface and lakes can lead to the manufacture of exobiological molecules with oxygen as the new ingredient. We have developed a model of galactic cosmic ray irradiation of Titan's atmosphere, surface, subsurface and bottoms of Titan lakes. GCR would provide further energy for processing of the aerosols into more complex organic forms such as tholins and precursor molecules for amino acids. A second process called hydrolysis then converts the precursor molecules into amino acids. Hydrolysis is provided via meteor impacts with size > 10 km and cryovolcanism both which can produce liquid water on Titan's surface for episodic periods > several 100 to 1000 years. Our model shows that GCR secondary particles can penetrate ~ 100 m below the ice surface (including the bottom of Titan's less dense hydrocarbon lakes ~ 150 m depths) and produce chemically significant dosages over very long timescales ~ 450 Myrs. The GCR model is combined with laboratory data from experiments in which dry methyl ices were irradiated to doses producing prebiotic amino acids such as glycine. The model calculations show glycine can form to ~ 2.5 ppb levels near the surface after ~450 Myrs of GCR proton irradiation and potentially to 5 ppb if heavy-ion GCRs up through Fe are included. If such molecules were detected, this would not only confirm this model but indicate that life forms different from ours may not be required.

Edward C. Sittler Jr↗
NASA NTRS2021

Extreme Lake-Effect Snow from a GPM Microwave Imager Perspective: Observational Analysis and Precipitation Retrieval Evaluation

This study focuses on the ability of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) passive microwave sensors to detect and provide quantitative precipitation estimates (QPE) for extreme lake-effect snowfall events over the United States lower Great Lakes region. GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) high frequency channels can clearly detect intense shallow convective snowfall events. However, GMI Goddard PROfiling (GPROF) QPE retrievals produce inconsistent results when compared against the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor (MRMS) ground-based radar reference dataset. While GPROF retrievals adequately capture intense snowfall rates and spatial patterns of one event, GPROF systematically underestimates intense snowfall rates in another event. Furthermore, GPROF produces abundant light snowfall rates that do not conform with MRMS observations. Ad-hoc precipitation rate thresholds are suggested to partially mitigate GPROF’s overproduction of light snowfall rates. The sensitivity and retrieval efficiency of GPROF to key parameters (2-meter temperature, total precipitable water, and background surface type) used to constrain the GPROF a-priori retrieval database are investigated. Results demonstrate that typical lake-effect snow environmental and surface conditions, especially coastal surfaces, are underpopulated in the database and adversely affect GPROF retrievals. For the two presented case studies, using snow cover a-priori database in the locations of originally deemed as coastline improves retrieval. This study suggests that it is particularly important to have more accurate GPROF surface classifications and better representativeness of the a-priori databases to improve intense lake-effect snow detection and retrieval performance.

Lisa Milani↗
NASA NTRS2021

Tonlé Sap Food Security and Agriculture: Evaluating the Effects of Land Use and Hydrological Change on Ecosystem Vitality using Remotely-Sensed Data in the Tonlé Sap Lake Basin

Tonlé Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, is a critical source of fish and freshwater resources for the region. The health of this freshwater system is under pressure from accelerating dam construction, intensifying agriculture, deforestation, and changing climate patterns, forcing tradeoffs between immediate food security and the long-term vitality and productivity of the ecosystem. Efficient freshwater system monitoring is crucial to navigating these challenges. In collaboration with Conservation International, the Cambodian Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, and the Tonlé Sap Authority, we developed and tested remotely-sensed proxies for sub-indicators of the Freshwater Health Index (FHI), which is typically calculated using in situ datasets. We used landcover datasets derived from Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), PROBA-V Vegetation sensor (VGT), Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imager (MSI), Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), and Envisat Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) as inputs to calculate land cover naturalness and bank modification. Additionally, we created a lake-level time series using a collection of altimetry data sources to estimate deviation from natural flow. We observed a decrease in landcover naturalness and a breakdown in the volume and regularity of annual lake levels from 2000-2020, reflecting increased pressure on water supply and agricultural productivity. At least 8% of forested areas in the basin were lost and rice harvest intensity increased over the course of the study period. These results will help our partners make informed decisions regarding freshwater management. Furthermore, our remotely-sensed FHI analysis can be replicated in other regions, providing decision makers with a snapshot of freshwater health in data-scarce environments.

Marco Vallejos↗
NASA NTRS2022

Enhancement of a global lake and reservoir database to aid climate studies and resource monitoring utilizing satellite radar altimetry

Here, we describe the expansion and enhancement of a large (surface area ≥100 sq. km) lake and reservoir database (1.GREALD). These efforts have also resulted in the spin-off of two additional databases, one containing lakes and reservoirs (2.GREALD, area 10–99 sq. km), and the other containing ephemeral lakes (3.GELD, area ≥100 sq. km). These databases are unique sources for projects that utilize satellite radar altimeter data to monitor surface water levels. While 1.GREALD aims to be a complete catalog, 2.GREALD focuses on reservoirs in response to applied sciences programs that monitor water and energy resources. The creation of 3.GELD has climate change objectives as well as water resources and ecosystem conservation applications. The recording of information pertaining to the potential overpasses (waterbody crossings) of the current and archive satellite altimeters is a primary objective as is the need to highlight any form of controlled water level variation. The permanent water databases now contain 6282 entries, half experience some form of anthropogenic influence and ∼430 have been identified as potential climatically sensitive terminal lakes. The revised integral surface area distribution is a power law with exponent −1.016. Statistics reveal that with altimetric repeat visit times of 10-day to monthly, at least 80% of the permanent water bodies (≥10 sq. km) have been overflown at some period since the 1990s. Current information on water use and reservoir formation date show that the primary use of the reservoir class is hydroelectric power, and that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, and Vietnam dominate the dam building in recent decades.

Charon M. Birkett↗
NASA NTRS2019

New Insights into the Heterogeneity of the Tagish Lake Meteorite: Soluble Organic Compositions of Variously Altered Specimens

The Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite exhibits a unique compositional heterogeneity that may be attributed to varying degrees of aqueous alteration within the parent body asteroid. Previous analyses of soluble organic compounds from four Tagish Lake meteorite specimens (TL5b, TL11h, TL11i, TL11v) identified distinct distributions and isotopic compositions that appeared to be linked to their degree of parent body processing (Herd et al. 2011; Glavin et al. 2012; Hilts et al. 2014). In the present study, we build upon these initial observations and evaluate the molecular distribution of amino acids, aldehydes and ketones, monocarboxylic acids, and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, including compound‐specific δ13C compositions, for three additional Tagish Lake specimens: TL1, TL4, and TL10a. TL1 contains relatively high abundances of soluble organics and appears to be a moderately altered specimen, similar to the previously analyzed TL5b and TL11h lithologies. In contrast, specimens TL4 and TL10a both contain relatively low abundances of all of the soluble organic compound classes measured, similar to TL11i and TL11v. The organic‐depleted composition of TL4 appears to have resulted from a relatively low degree of parent body aqueous alteration. In the case of TL10a, some unusual properties (e.g., the lack of detection of intrinsic monocarboxylic acids and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons) suggest that it has experienced extensive alteration and/or a distinct organic‐depleted alteration history. Collectively, these varying compositions provide valuable new insights into the relationships between asteroidal aqueous alteration and the synthesis and preservation of soluble organic compounds.

Tagish Lake↗
NASA NTRS1993

Evaluation of the TOPEX/Poseidon Altimeter System Over the Great Lakes

The TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter measurement system is evaluated over the Great Lakes. Using in situ lake level measurements, the temporal variations in lake level are removed from the altimeter measurements, thus permitting the performance of the altimeter system to be assessed.

TOPEX/POSEIDON↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Observing Supraglacial Lakes Using Deep Learning and PlanetScope Imagery

Supraglacial lakes (SGL)s result from melt water accumulation in topographic depressions on the surface of glaciers. SGLs primarily affect glacial dynamics through a positive feedback loop in which the albedo-lowering effect of SGLs can escalate surface melt leading to increases in lake extent and depth, amplifying the afore mentioned albedo-lowering effect. The implications of accelerated glacial melt include increased sea level rise and modifications to ocean primary productivity. SGLs are critical indicators of surface melt and its downstream impacts and should be monitored efficiently. In situ observations and measurements of SGLs are time consuming, cost-prohibitive and difficult to scale. Earth observation data and machine learning enable scalable monitoring of SGLs through pattern detection and quantification of lake evolution over time [1]. This work presents a model developed by training a convolutional neural network with imagery and labels from NASA Operation IceBridge and predicting SGLs in high temporal and spatial resolution PlanetScope imagery.

Supraglacial lake↗
NASA NTRS1971

Analytical solution for the wind-driven circulation in a lake containing an island

An analysis was carried out to determine analytically the effect of an island on the wind driven currents in a shallow lake (or sea). A general analysis is developed that can be applied to a large class of lake and island geometries and bottom topographies. Detailed numerical results are obtained for a circular island located eccentrically or concentrically in a circular lake with a logarithmic bottom topography. It is shown that an island can produce volume flow (vertically integrated velocities) gyres that are completely different from those produced by a normal basin without an island. These gyres in the neighborhood of the island will produce different velocity patterns, which include the acceleration of flow near the island shore.

Goldstein, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Effect of eddy diffusivity on wind-driven currents in a two-layer stratified lake

The steady state wind-driven circulation was numerically calculated in a rectangular stratified lake. The lake is composed of two layers having uniform but unequal densities and eddy diffusivities. The position in thermocline and the three-dimensional velocities in both layers calculated using shallow lake equations. The results show that, as the eddy diffusivity in the hypolimnion is increased, the thermocline tilt and hypolimnetic velocities increase. The effect of the other variables such as wind stress, density, basin length, and mean thermocline depth are also shown.

Gedney, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1972

ERTS-1 imagery of the Lake Champlain region: A first look

The author has identified the following significant results. First-look analysis of RBV imagery of Lake Champlain and adjacent areas provided the following information on land and water resources: (1) location and shape of islands over 200 meters at narrowest part; (2) location of manmade structures at least 10 meters across; (3) location of shoreline; (4) identification of algal blooms and major turbidity boundary; (5) identification of lake bottom features in sandy, shallow areas; (6) identification of major lake shore wetland and floodplain wetlands; (7) location of major streams; (8) identification of ice marginal deposits of major proportions and former shorelines of Champlain Sea; (9) identification of wooded areas, open land, and built-up areas.

Lind, A. O.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Environmental study of ERTS-1 imagery Lake Champlain Basin and Vermont

The author has idenfified the following significant results. A first approximation land-type map using three categories of classification was generated for the Burlington area. The identification and mapping of a major turbidity front separating turbid waters of the southern arm of Lake Champlain from the clearer main water mass was reported on RBV 1 and 2 imagery and on subsequent MSS bands 4 and 5. Significant industrial pollution of Lake Champlain has degraded environmental quality in certain sections of the lake. Wetlands were detected and recognized using a combination of RBV bands 2 and 3. Using first-look RBV band 2 imagery, major ice marginal features were identified by using tonal patterns associated with vegetative cover. Major rivers were detected and recognized through the use of RBV band 3 imagery and MSS bands 6 and 7.

Lind, A. O.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Dynamics of suspended sediment in Lake Ontario

The author has identified the following significant results. The suspended sediment plumes generated by the Welland Canal and the Genesee River are identifiable in most band 5 frames received from ERTS-1. In descending order of value for plume detection in Lake Ontario are bands 4, 6, and 7. Little or no information content relative to plume detection is available in band 7. The Oswego River plume was not visible during low flow periods; however, it was identifiable immediately following storms. Increased suspended sediment loading emanating from storm runoff increases turbidity levels to the point where the plume becomes visible in the ERTS-1 imagery. Despite the fact that it is detectable from high altitude (60,000 feet) photography, the Niagara River plume was not visible in any of the ERTS-1 frames. Numerous examples of shoreline erosion were evident in the December 7, 1972, imagery of western Lake Ontario. Near shore lake circulation patterns are usually apparent whenever turbidity plumes are sensed by the satellite.

Pluhowski, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Ice development on Lake Champlain

The author has identified the following significant results. Only one usable ERTS-1 scene was available for lake ice survey of Lake Champlain. The January 8, 1973, coverage (image no. 1169-11521) revealed the presence of various ice tones, patterns, and arrangements as well as open water. MSS band 5 imagery provided the most useful data. While it was not possible to differentiate open water from one - two day old ice, which only occurred over a small portion of the lake area, it was possible to interpret the tonal signatures of the frozen portion in terms of freezing history or age. The dark gray-tones of new, smooth ice contrasts with the medium gray-tones of older ice, and the rough texture of wind-jammed bay ice. Mapping of these patterns seems quite feasible with moderate enlargement of the scene (2 to 3X).

Lind, A. O.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Remote Sensing in Lake Superior Studies

An investigation was made of surface water transport in the extreme western arm of Lake Superior from July 25 to September 15, 1972. Temperature and water velocity profile measurements were made to determine the nature of currents at the tip of the lake. Bathythermographs and thermistor probes were used for these measurements. From the end of July to August 9, no pronounced steady stratification took place. A series of days with variable winds produced, under N.E. winds, warm water pileup at the tip of the lake, which was subsequently driven out by westerly winds. Some evidence of upwelling was indicated by cold surface waters near the shore. After August 9 considerable stratification with slight upwelling was noted.

Sydor, M.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Dynamics of suspended sediment plumes in Lake Ontario

The author has identified the following significant results. An extensive clear-water plume emanating at the mouth of the Niagara River was detected on imagery obtained September 3, 1973 (frame no. 1407-15343). This plume (area over 500 sq. km.), which appears darker than the surrounding lake waters, extended 30 km offshore, or more than 60% across the width of the lake. The plume was 20 km across at its widest point. This plume is, by far, the largest generated by the Niagara River as viewed from the ERTS-1 satellite. A combination of high background lake turbidity relative to that of the Niagara River and gentle offshore (southerly) winds produced the well-defined turbidity feature.

Pluhowski, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Snow-extent mapping and lake ice studies using ERTS-1 MSS together with NOAA-2 VHRR

Five snow extent maps of the 5,601 sq km American River Basin were prepared using a Zoom Transfer Scope from ERTS-1 MSS band 4 imagery. The maps were generally completed within one hour. A snowmelt curve based on ERTS-1 imagery was used as a calibration standard or comparison for maps prepared from NOAA-2 VHRR imagery in the same manner. Cost comparisons with U-2 derived imagery indicate that ERTS-1 snow mapping of the basins is six times faster. Conservative estimates of comparable aircraft snow survey flights yields a cost figure 200 times that of the ERTS-1 snow map. Snow mapping attempts in the Lake Ontario Basin demonstrated that ERTS-1 is not well suited to large basins. Optimum size of basins for ERTS studies is believed to range from about 250 sq km to 30,000 sq km. The value of the ERTS-1 MSS for Great Lake ice evaluation was proved during the past winter on Lake Erie. Not only were ice features and types of ice identified, but melting ice was detected through the combined use of band 5 and band 7. Ice movement (direction and speed) was mapped by examining imagery from two successive days.

Wiesnet, D. R.↗