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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Middle atmosphere electrodynamics: Report of the Workshop on the Role of the Electrodynamics of the Middle Atmosphere on Solar Terrestrial Coupling

The middle atmosphere (MA), which is defined as the region bounded below by the tropopause near 10 km and above by the mesopause near 90 to 100 km, is regarded as a passive medium through which electric fields and currents are transmitted from sources above and below. A scientific background is given for: sources of MA electric fields; MA conductivity and currents; and MA plasma characteristics. Recommendations are given for research in MA electrodynamics in the following areas: (1) MA electrodynamical parameters; (2) models and supportive laboratory measurements; and (3) investigation of specific problems in the coupled systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

Initial Results of Aperture Area Comparisons for Exo-Atmospheric Total Solar Irradiance Measurements

In the measurement of exo-atmospheric total solar irradiance (TSI), instrument aperture area is a critical component in converting solar radiant flux to irradiance. In a May 2000 calibration workshop for the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) on the Earth Observing System (EOS) Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE), the solar irradiance measurement community recommended that NASA and NISI coordinate an aperture area measurement comparison to quantify and validate aperture area uncertainties and their overall effect on TSI uncertainties. From May 2003 to February 2006, apertures from 4 institutions with links to the historical TSI database were measured by NIST and the results were compared to the aperture area determined by each institution. The initial results of these comparisons are presented and preliminary assessments of the participants' uncertainties are discussed.

Johnson, B. Carol↗
NASA NTRS1971

Lunar atmosphere

Solar wind, meteoric volatilization, and internal degassing contributing to lunar rarefied atmosphere, and transient contributions produced by rocket gases during lunar missions

Johnson, F. S.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Solar and atmospheric effects on satellite imagery derived from aircraft reflectance measurements

Solar and atmospheric effects on satellite imagery were investigated by measuring terrain reflectance from low-flying aircraft. Radiometric data were recorded over three test sites in California, Georgia, and South Dakota. Radiance from Skylab (EREP) S190A and ERTS-1 (Landsat-1) sensors was linearly correlated with wide-band terrain reflectance. The results support the proposition that the coefficients of the regression equation are the path radiance and a quantity representing the product of total irradiance and beam transmittance at the time of satellite overflight. These coefficients should be useful as linear conversion coefficients for extending spectral signatures in computer-aided classification work on satellite imagery.

Dana, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The nature of microturbulence in the solar photosphere

It is shown that the increase in apparent Doppler width as the limb is approached is a natural consequence of the fact that the solar atmosphere is not homogeneous. The work on the sodium D line cores which assumes the solar atmosphere to be homogeneous is reviewed. It appears that the cores of the sodium D lines have been distorted by fluctuations in the solar atmosphere in a systematic manner. It is concluded that the increase in apparent Doppler width observed in the sodium D line is a natural consequence of the temperature fluctuations in the solar atmosphere. The presence of a velocity field is not required to produce this effect.

Wilson, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Solar Magnetism eXplorer (Solme X)

The magnetic field plays a pivotal role in many fields of Astrophysics. This is especially true for the physics of the solar atmosphere. Measuring the magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere is crucial to understand the nature of the underlying physical processes that drive the violent dynamics of the solar corona-that can also affect life on Earth. SolmeX, a fully equipped solar space observatory for remote-sensing observations, will provide the first comprehensive measurements of the strength and direction of the magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere. The mission consists of two spacecraft, one carrying the instruments, and another one in formation flight at a distance of about 200 m carrying the occulter to provide an artificial total solar eclipse. This will ensure high-quality coronagraphic observations above the solar limb. SolmeX integrates two spectro-polarimetric coronagraphs for off-limb observations, one in the EUV and one in the IR, and three instruments for observations on the disk. The latter comprises one imaging polarimeter in the EUV for coronal studies, a spectro-polarimeter in the EUV to investigate the low corona, and an imaging spectro-polarimeter in the UV for chromospheric studies. SOHO and other existing missions have investigated the emission of the upper atmosphere in detail (not considering polarization), and as this will be the case also for missions planned for the near future. Therefore it is timely that SolmeX provides the final piece of the observational quest by measuring the magnetic field in the upper atmosphere through polarimetric observations

Magnetic Fields↗
NASA NTRS1975

The effect of intermediate-scale motions on line formation

The problem of LTE and non-LTE line formation in the presence of nonthermal velocity fields with geometric scales between the microscopic and macroscopic limits is investigated in the cases of periodic sinusoidal and sawtooth waves. For a fixed source function (the LTE case), it is shown that time-averaged line profiles progress smoothly from the microscopic to the macroscopic limits as the geometric scale of the motions increases, that the sinusoidal motions produce symmetric time-averaged profiles, and that the sawtooth motions cause a redshift. In several idealized non-LTE cases, it is found that intermediate-scale velocity fields can significantly increase the surface source functions and line-core intensities. Calculations are made for a two-level atom in an isothermal atmosphere for a range of velocity scales and non-LTE coupling parameters and also for a two-level atom and a four-level representation of Na I line formation in the Harvard-Smithsonian Reference Atmosphere (1971) solar model. It is found that intermediate-scale velocity fields in the solar atmosphere could explain the central intensities of the Na I D lines and other strong absorption lines without invoking previously suggested high electron densities.

Shine, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Orbiting solar observatory 8 high resolution ultraviolet spectrometer experiment

Oscillations, physical properties of the solar atmosphere, motions in the quiet solar atmosphere, coronal holes, motions in solar active regions, solar flares, the structure of plage regions, an atlas, and aeronomy are summarized. Photometric sensitivity, scattered light, ghosts, focus and spectral resolution, wavelength drive, photometric sensitivity, and scattered light, are also summarized. Experiments are described according to spacecraft made and experiment type. Some of the most useful data reduction programs are described.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1982

Particle acceleration by coronal and interplanetary shock waves

Utilizing many years of observation from deep space and near-earth spacecraft a theoretical understanding has evolved on how ions and electrons are accelerated in interplanetary shock waves. This understanding is now being applied to solar flare-induced shock waves propagating through the solar atmosphere. Such solar flare phenomena as gamma-ray line and neutron emissions, interplanetary energetic electron and ion events, and Type II and moving Type IV radio bursts appear understandable in terms of particle acceleration in shock waves.

Pesses, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Surface solitary waves and solitons

The solar atmosphere and solar wind are magnetically structured. The structuring can include tangential discontinuities, which can support surface waves. Such waves can be dispersive. This means that dispersion and nonlinearity can balance in such a way that solitary waves (or solitons) can result. This general point is illustrated by a two-dimensional nonlinear analysis which explicitly demonstrates the presence of long-wavelength solitary waves propagating on tangential discontinuities. If the waves are only weakly nonlinear, then they obey the Korteweg-de Vries equation and are true solitons.

Hollweg, J. V.↗
NASA NTRS2023

In-Flight Validation of the Metis Visible-Light Polarimeter Coronagraph on Board Solar Orbiter

Context. The Metis coronagraph is one of the remote sensing instruments of the ESA-NASA Solar Orbiter mission. The goal for the instrument is to enable the study of the solar atmosphere and solar wind by simultaneously acquiring images of the solar corona at two different wavelengths: visible light (VL), within a band ranging from 580 nm to 640 nm, and ultraviolet light, in the HI Lyα 121.6 ± 10 nm. The visible-light channel of the coronagraph includes a polarimeter with electro-optically modulating liquid crystal variable retarders to measure the linearly polarized brightness of the K-corona and derive the electron density. Aims. In this paper, we present the first in-flight validation results of the Metis polarimetric channel together with a comparison to the on-ground calibrations. This paper seeks to validate the first use of an electro-optical device, the liquid crystal-based polarimeter, in deep space and within a hard radiation environment. Methods. We used the orientation of the K-corona’s linear polarization vector during the roll maneuvers of the Space Orbiter spacecraft for the in-flight calibration. Results. The Metis coronagraph on board the Solar Orbiter shows good agreement with the on-ground measurements. The in-flight validation confirms the expected performance of the visible-light channel polarimeter. Furthermore, a comparison between the first polarized brightness value obtained by Metis and the polarized brightness values obtained by the space-based coronagraph LASCO and the ground-based coronagraph K-Cor shows the consistency of the Metis calibrated results.

Sun: corona↗
NASA NTRS1994

Pressure Sounding of the Middle Atmosphere from ATMOS Solar Occultation Measurements of Atmospheric CO(sub 2) Absorption Lines

A method for retrieving the atmospheric pressure corresponding to the tangent point of an infrared spectrum recorded in the solar occultation mode is described and applied to measurements made by the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) Fourier transform spectrometer. Tangent pressure values are inferred from measurements of isolated CO(sub 2) lines with temperature-insensitive intensities. Tangent pressures are determined with a spectroscopic precision of 1-3%, corresponding to a tangent point height precision, depending on the scale height, of 70-210 meters.

Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy ATMOS atmo↗
NASA NTRS1974

Physics of solar cosmic rays

A review of the historical development of solar cosmic ray research is presented and details concerning the solar atmosphere, the interplanetary space, and solar activity are considered, giving attention to solar-atmosphere structure, problems of radiative transfer, questions of solar magnetism, solar wind, and interplanetary plasmas. Solar flares and associated phenomena are discussed along with the generation of solar cosmic ray events, the mechanism of solar flares, the acceleration process of solar cosmic rays, the propagation of solar cosmic rays, and relations between the flow of energetic protons and solar active regions. Questions regarding the origin theory of cosmic rays are also explored, taking into account the solar origin theory and problems of flare stars.

Sakurai, K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Response of the middle atmosphere to solar UV and dynamical perturbations

Recent studies of solar UV related changes of ozone and temperature have considerably improved the understanding of the solar UV and ozone relationship in the middle atmosphere on time scales of a solar rotation. These studies have shown that during periods of high solar activity, ozone in the upper stratosphere has a measurable response to changes in the solar UV flux in accordance with theoretical predictions. The problem of measuring solar response of the stratospheric ozone and temperature on time scales of a solar cycle is more difficult. In the altitude range of 2 mb, the model based calculations, based on plausible scenarios of solar UV variation, suggest a change of less than 4 percent in ozone mixing ratio and 1 to 2 K in temperature. The relative response was studied of the middle atmosphere to solar forcing at 155 and 27 day periods as indicated from the spectral analyses of a number of solar indices.

Chandra, S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A technique for correcting ERTS data for solar and atmospheric effects

A technique is described by which ERTS investigators can obtain and utilize solar and atmospheric parameters to transform spacecraft radiance measurements to absolute target reflectance signatures. A radiant power measuring instrument (RPMI) and its use in determining atmospheric paramaters needed for ground truth are discussed. The procedures used and results achieved in processing ERTS CCTs to correct for atmospheric parameters to obtain imagery are reviewed. Examples are given which demonstrate the nature and magnitude of atmospheric effects on computer classification programs.

Rogers, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1971

The magnetic field structure in the active solar corona.

The structure of the magnetic field of the active solar corona is discussed with reference to optical and radio observations of the solar atmosphere. Eclipse observations provide evidence of fine scale structures in the solar atmosphere that appear to relate to the coronal magnetic field. The coronal magnetic field used for comparison is calculated from potential theory; the influence of solar activity upon the potential theory field is discussed with reference to observations of the Faraday rotation of a microwave signal from Pioneer 6 as it was occulted by the solar atmosphere. Evidence has been found suggesting the existence of expanding magnetic bottles located at 10 solar radii above flaring active regions. The dynamics of these events is discussed. It is further suggested that these magnetic bottles are an important component in the solar corona.

Schatten, K. H.↗