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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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NASA NTRS2026

Characterizing the subglacial environment of lower Thwaites Glacier using radar modeling

Understanding the spatial heterogeneity beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, is vital to projecting its impact on future sea levels. Radar-echo sounding (RES) is commonly used to infer subglacial conditions, but these data can be challenging to interpret. We assess basal heterogeneity across Thwaites Glacier by comparing RES returns to a radar backscattering simulator for over 400 km of RES data. The modeled variations in bed returned power exhibited a strong correlation with actual RES data in 40% of our simulated flight segments, which we consider evidence for a relatively homogeneous glacier bed. Other sites (40%) demonstrated improved fit quality when hydrology or substrate transitions were introduced in the bed material model. The remaining simulated segments (20%) were diagnosed as having more complex basal heterogeneity. The spatial distribution of complex heterogeneity appears to coincide with asymmetric patterns in the RES specularity content, which has been interpreted in previous studies as a signature for channelized hydrology. Conversely, the homogeneous substrate locations coincide with areas of fast-moving ice in western Thwaites. Our simulation method can isolate power variations induced by material heterogeneity vs topography, which is an important limitation of existing RES analysis methods.

Antarctic glaciology↗
NASA NTRS2022

A Transient Hydrodynamic Model of Screen Channel Liquid Acquisition Devices for In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Management

Screen channel liquid acquisition devices (LADs) will play a crucial role in future deep space travel. It is essential that vapor-free delivery of propellants during tank-to-tank transfer is ensured to maximize yield from storage tanks and prevent potential combustion instabilities. The screen channel LAD utilizes a fine screen wire mesh that can separate phases in a low Bond number (i.e. microgravity) environment using surface tension forces. This study presents the development and verification of a new model for transient screen compliance, one of the influential factors for screen channel LAD design. Screen compliance is crucial during LAD channel outflow transients because the slight deflection of the screen can provide needed mass to satisfy rapid outflow demands and reduce the pressure difference across the screen. The model is successfully verified against CFD simulations. In addition, the characteristic speed for the governing screen compliance equations is derived which allows for numerical stability criteria to be established. As shown in this study, the transient maximum pressure difference across the screen can greatly exceed the steady state maximum pressure difference across the screen in many cases.

Hydrodynamics Simulations↗
NASA NTRS2019

Earth Observations and Integrative Models in Support of Food and Water Security

Global food production depends upon many factors that Earth observing satellites routinely measure about water, energy, weather, and ecosystems. Increasingly sophisticated, publicly-available satellite data products can improve efficiencies in resource management and provide earlier indication of environmental disruption. Satellite remote sensing provides a consistent, long-term record that can be used effectively to detect large-scale features over time, such as a developing drought. Accuracy and capabilities have increased along with the range of Earth observations and derived products that can support food security decisions with actionable information. This paper highlights major capabilities facilitated by satellite observations and physical models that have been developed and validated using remotely-sensed observations. Although we primarily focus on variables relevant to agriculture, we also include a brief description of the growing use of Earth observations in support of aquaculture and fisheries.

Water Resources↗
NASA NTRS2026

Predicting Operational Performance of xEMU Boot at Lunar South Pole Temperatures using Thermal Desktop ®

The spacesuit boots that will be used on Artemis lunar south pole surface missions will be exposed to extremely cold temperatures (down to ~50 K). To assess the performance of the government’s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) lunar boot in these permanently shadowed regions, testing was performed at the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in the Cryogenic Ice Transfer, Acquisition Development, and Excavation Laboratory (CITADEL) thermal vacuum (TVAC) chamber. This paper documents the data analysis, thermal boot model correlation, and operational predictions conducted using data from the xEMU CITADEL TVAC test. Expected thermal conductances within the boot and between the boot and environment were calculated from test data, which was then used as an initial guess for conductances within a Thermal Desktop (TD) model. Correlation of the TD model using the internal SOLVER feature was performed across 10 different test points which varied external temperature, internal boot ventilation flowrate, and contact pressure. Operational performance at the lunar south pole was then predicted using results from the correlated model. While the predictions provide evidence for acceptable performance of the boots at the 100K environment test point, there is still substantial uncertainty in performance, especially at the 48K test point. This uncertainty is due in part to testing limitations such as contacting the foot to a hard metal plate rather than granular regolith, and model limitations such as the lack of a realistic foot model. These limitations and their impacts are addressed in detail in this paper. The results of this test series and model correlation underscore the importance of additional improved testing and modeling for characterizing the expected thermal resistance between the outside of the boot and the lunar surface.

Spacesuit↗
NASA NTRS2026

Developing a Pyrolysis Gas Thermal Blocking Model for Reentry Demise

In NASA’s Object Reentry Survival Analysis Tool (ORSAT), aerodynamic drag and aerothermal heating coefficients are computed for each of the free-molecular, continuum, and transitional flow regimes using analytical and semi-analytical methods. These heating coefficients were derived for typical metallic materials that melt and do not have a strong gas-phase contribution to the flow in the boundary layer. Modern satellites typically feature fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) components, such as solar array booms, facesheets of sandwich panels, or overwraps for composite-overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV). These FRP materials do not behave the same as metals in the reentry environment, but instead will pyrolyze and develop significant volumes of gas into the boundary layer. Accurately predicting the reentry demise of FRP components is critical to assessing the reentry casualty risk for modern spacecraft. Research in recent years has shown that this demisability can depend heavily on how the expulsion of gaseous pyrolysis products through the outer surface of the material affects the heat flux at the surface. The ODPO has been developing a reduced-order model of the effect of pyrolysis gas blowing on the heat flux based on correlations between a blowing factor and a non-dimensional heat flux to be incorporated in the upcoming version 7.3 of the Object Reentry Survivability Analysis Tool (ORSAT). This presentation discusses the progress of this development project and the challenges remaining for generalizing the model across families of FRP materials.

Benton Greene↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Integrated Process-Structure-Property Simulations for Additive Manufacturing Using the Open-Source Materialite Package

The microstructure and properties of additively manufactured (AM) metals are strongly dependent on process conditions. Therefore, process-structure-property (PSP) simulations are a useful tool for exploring process parameter space, studying process variations, and quantifying uncertainty in material properties. However, integrating process-structure and structure-property simulations often involves connecting multiple software packages. Each package may use unique data structures and require substantial domain knowledge. This presentation demonstrates PSP simulation capabilities of Materialite, an open-source package developed at NASA Langley Research Center. Materialite simplifies model linkages by using a common data structure and model interface, enabling straightforward simulation across a PSP model chain. Physics-based models, including kinetic Monte Carlo and crystal plasticity, are implemented within the package. The model interface is also intended to simplify implementation of new models and enable integration with external simulation tools. Example use cases include uncertainty quantification with PSP models and GPU-accelerated powder bed fusion AM process models.

additive manufacturing↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Under Pressure: The Artemis I Heatshield Char Loss Investigation and Artemis II’s Successful Entry

Following the successful Artemis I skip reentry on December 11, 2022, unexpected char liberation from the Orion heat- shield prompted formation of an Anomaly Response Team to determine root cause and establish flight rationale and corrective actions for subsequent missions. Through a comprehensive investigation including detailed hardware analysis, modeling & simulation, and ground testing, the team determined that the low permeability Avcoat experienced extreme internal gas pressure buildup during the skip entry that could not adequately outgas, leading to crack formation and char liberation. Key discoveries included significant performance differences between permeable and impermeable heatshield regions and successful replication of the anomaly through ground testing. Based on extensive ground testing and analysis, Artemis II flew a modified trajectory without the skip entry to minimize crack-inducing conditions, and successfully splashed down on April 10, 2026 with significantly reduced char loss. For Artemis III and beyond, a corrective action was implemented to produce a more permeable version of Avcoat that will substantially reduce internal pressure accumulation during entry.

Artemis II↗
NASA NTRS2026

GVIPS Prediction of Cyclic Ratchetting Behavior and Cycles with Interrupted Relaxation Periods of TIMETAL 21S at 650 °C

The predictive performance of a multimechanism GVIPS model with saturating hardening function is assessed against a set of high temperature cyclic experiments under both strain-control and stress-control at varying rates of loading as well as several complex interrupted cyclic responses. The material specimens were composed of the titanium alloy, TIMETAL 21S, and tested at 650 °C, see Lissenden et al., 2007. The model did a very good job of predicting the variety of tests, particularly given the fact that only monotonic loading tests (tensile, creep, relaxation) and a single fully reversed cycle was used for characterization. It was particularly interesting that the model was capable of reasonably capturing the rate of accumulated strain during ratchetting under tensile mean stress. Given complex interrupted cyclic response, the model was able to both qualitatively and even quantitatively predict reasonably well both the cyclic and associated relaxation periods (in all quadrants of the stress-strain space) thus confirming the validity of the chosen functional forms for both hardening and thermal recovery. The quantitative inaccuracy is associated with the fact that the material specimens tested by Lissenden et al., 2007 was significantly “softer” than those tested by Castelli in Saleeb et al., 1994 which were used for characterization of the GVIPS model parameters.

Viscoplaticity↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the NASA High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor Vaned Stage Geometry and Aerodynamic Performance

Since its inception in the early 2010s, the NASA High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor (HECC) has been enigmatic for the propulsion research community: experimental data and numerical simulations of the stage have generally not aligned in their quantifications of performance metrics. Typically, the fault for these disagreements is assigned to the numerical simulations as the simulations are models, and models are inherently incomplete representations of the experiment. This “incompleteness” may manifest in assumptions regarding roughness or heat transfer, simplifications of the flow path (i.e., neglecting bleed flows), or the oft-scapegoated turbulence model. In the case of HECC, recent work showed unexpected discrepancies between the intended impeller geometry defined in the design report (termed Design-Intent) and the manufactured impeller used in the experimental campaigns (termed As-Manufactured). That work used numerical simulations to establish that the geometric differences between the Design-Intent and As-Manufactured impellers were significant enough to result in drastically different performance predictions for the HECC vaneless diffuser configuration. The Design-Intent impeller simulations over predicted the performance relative to the experiment, whereas the As-Manufactured simulations better represented the experimental data, both in terms of one-dimensional performance metrics and spanwise flow profiles. This effort expands on that work by examining in detail the geometry and aerodynamic performance of the HECC vaned diffuser configuration. Further differences between the Design-Intent and As-Manufactured geometries have been discovered in the vaned diffuser and exit guide vanes, and these differences are documented herein. The summations of the geometric differences for all of the components were used to create two numerical models of HECC vaned diffuser configuration: the Design-Intent simulations which are generated from the original geometry definitions given in the design report and the As-Manufactured simulations which are the best available representation of the manufactured compressor hardware used in the experimental test campaigns. In congruence with the earlier vaneless diffuser work, the numerical predictions of the Design-Intent choked mass flow rate, total pressure ratio, and efficiency were notably greater than that of the As-Manufactured simulations. To increase confidence in the experimental dataset, measurements from a recent test campaign conducted in 2024 are used to validate the original experimental data acquired from 2012 to 2014 with good repeatability overall, especially considering the passage of time and differences in the data acquisition systems between the test campaigns. Both numerical simulations were then extensively evaluated against the experimental data. The As-Manufactured simulations provided better estimates of the stage performance than the Design-Intent cases in terms of most performance metrics. Nonetheless, more detailed results still show opportunities for improvement. Despite a more accurate representation of the physical hardware, characterization of the impeller work input remains a challenge even for rigorously developed numerical models.

vaned diffuser↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the NASA High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor Vaned Stage Geometry and Aerodynamic Performance

Since its inception in the early 2010s, the NASA High Efficiency Centrifugal Compressor (HECC) has been enigmatic for the propulsion research community: experimental data and numerical simulations of the stage have generally not aligned in their quantifications of performance metrics. Typically, the fault for these disagreements is assigned to the numerical simulations as the simulations are models, and models are inherently incomplete representations of the experiment. This “incompleteness” may manifest in assumptions regarding roughness or heat transfer, simplifications of the flow path (i.e., neglecting bleed flows), or the oft-scapegoated turbulence model. In the case of HECC, recent work showed unexpected discrepancies between the intended impeller geometry defined in the design report (termed Design-Intent) and the manufactured impeller used in the experimental campaigns (termed As-Manufactured). That work used numerical simulations to establish that the geometric differences between the Design-Intent and As-Manufactured impellers were significant enough to result in drastically different performance predictions for the HECC vaneless diffuser configuration. The Design-Intent impeller simulations over predicted the performance relative to the experiment, whereas the As-Manufactured simulations better represented the experimental data, both in terms of one-dimensional performance metrics and spanwise flow profiles. This effort expands on that work by examining in detail the geometry and aerodynamic performance of the HECC vaned diffuser configuration. Further differences between the Design-Intent and As-Manufactured geometries have been discovered in the vaned diffuser and exit guide vanes, and these differences are documented herein. The summations of the geometric differences for all of the components were used to create two numerical models of HECC vaned diffuser configuration: the Design-Intent simulations which are generated from the original geometry definitions given in the design report and the As-Manufactured simulations which are the best available representation of the manufactured compressor hardware used in the experimental test campaigns. In congruence with the earlier vaneless diffuser work, the numerical predictions of the Design-Intent choked mass flow rate, total pressure ratio, and efficiency were notably greater than that of the As-Manufactured simulations. To increase confidence in the experimental dataset, measurements from a recent test campaign conducted in 2024 are used to validate the original experimental data acquired from 2012 to 2014 with good repeatability overall, especially considering the passage of time and differences in the data acquisition systems between the test campaigns. Both numerical simulations were then extensively evaluated against the experimental data. The As-Manufactured simulations provided better estimates of the stage performance than the Design-Intent cases in terms of most performance metrics. Nonetheless, more detailed results still show opportunities for improvement. Despite a more accurate representation of the physical hardware, characterization of the impeller work input remains a challenge even for rigorously developed numerical models.

centrifugal compressor↗
NASA NTRS2006

The 2004 NASA Aerospace Battery Workshop

Topics covered include: Super NiCd(TradeMark) Energy Storage for Gravity Probe-B Relativity Mission; Hubble Space Telescope 2004 Battery Update; The Development of Hermetically Sealed Aerospace Nickel-Metal Hydride Cell; Serial Charging Test on High Capacity Li-Ion Cells for the Orbiter Advanced Hydraulic Power System; Cell Equalization of Lithium-Ion Cells; The Long-Term Performance of Small-Cell Batteries Without Cell-Balancing Electronics; Identification and Treatment of Lithium Battery Cell Imbalance under Flight Conditions; Battery Control Boards for Li-Ion Batteries on Mars Exploration Rovers; Cell Over Voltage Protection and Balancing Circuit of the Lithium-Ion Battery; Lithium-Ion Battery Electronics for Aerospace Applications; Lithium-Ion Cell Charge Control Unit; Lithium Ion Battery Cell Bypass Circuit Test Results at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory; High Capacity Battery Cell By-Pass Switches: High Current Pulse Testing of Lithium-Ion; Battery By-Pass Switches to Verify Their Ability to Withstand Short-Circuits; Incorporation of Physics-Based, Spatially-Resolved Battery Models into System Simulations; A Monte Carlo Model for Li-Ion Battery Life Projections; Thermal Behavior of Large Lithium-Ion Cells; Thermal Imaging of Aerospace Battery Cells; High Rate Designed 50 Ah Li-Ion Cell for LEO Applications; Evaluation of Corrosion Behavior in Aerospace Lithium-Ion Cells; Performance of AEA 80 Ah Battery Under GEO Profile; LEO Li-Ion Battery Testing; A Review of the Feasibility Investigation of Commercial Laminated Lithium-Ion Polymer Cells for Space Applications; Lithium-Ion Verification Test Program; Panasonic Small Cell Testing for AHPS; Lithium-Ion Small Cell Battery Shorting Study; Low-Earth-Orbit and Geosynchronous-Earth-Orbit Testing of 80 Ah Batteries under Real-Time Profiles; Update on Development of Lithium-Ion Cells for Space Applications at JAXA; Foreign Comparative Technology: Launch Vehicle Battery Cell Testing; 20V, 40 Ah Lithium Ion Polymer Battery for the Spacesuit; Low Temperature Life-Cycle Testing of a Lithium-Ion Battery for Low-Earth-Orbiting Spacecraft; and Evaluation of the Effects of DoD and Charge Rate on a LEO Optimized 50 Ah Li-Ion Aerospace Cell.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2026

Modeling Study of Hatch Spacing’s Effect on Grain Morphology in Repairing Damaged Metal Parts with Welding and Hatch Spacing’s Potential Use in Lunar Exploration

The welding process is a potential way of repairing a damaged metal component, especially cavity damage caused by a harsh environment like the lunar environment, which is characterized by large temperature differences and reduced gravity. The adjustment of welding parameter (e.g., hatch spacing) can improve production efficiency in the repair process. Seen from the microstructural level, hatch spacing sensitivity affects the metallic grain evolution and morphology in the welding process, which can further influence a repaired part’s mechanical properties; however, the study of hatch spacing’s effect on microstructure is challenging. Traditional experimental procedures are costly and time-consuming, and any change in hatch spacing value needs roll-back of experimental procedure. A modeling study can address the above challenges in experimental observation. In this research, a modeling approach based on the Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) Potts theory was used to simulate grain evolution and morphology with three hatch spacings. Through quantifying and analyzing the predicted grain morphologies, the effect of hatch spacing on microstructure in a welding-fabricated part was investigated. The predicted grain morphologies were validated with an EBSD image of welding microstructure, which has been published before. The primary grain morphologies were columnar grains with a small amount of fine equiaxed grains formed in the scanning path centerline. When increasing the hatch spacing, the columnar grains become larger and more lengthy, while the effect of hatch spacing on the equiaxed grains is not obvious.

Welding for repairing↗
NASA NTRS1994

What to Do Until the Money Runs Out: A Refinement Framework for Cognitive Engineering in the Real World

A case study is presented to illustrate some of the problems of applying cognitive science to complex human-machine systems. Disregard for facts about human cognition often undermines the safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of complex systems. Yet single-point methods (for example, better user-interface design), whether rooted in computer science or in experimental psychology, fall far short of addressing systems-level problems in a timely way using realistic resources. A model-based methodology is proposed for organizing and prioritizing the cognitive engineering effort, focusing appropriate expertise on major problems first, then moving to more sophisticated refinements if time and resources permit. This case study is based on a collaborative effort between the Human Factors Division at NASA-Ames and the Spaceborne Imaging Radar SIR-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California institute of Technology. The first SIR-C/X-SAR Shuttle mission flew successfully in April, 1994. A series of such missions is planned to provide radar data to study Earth's ecosystems, climatic and geological processes, hydrologic cycle, and ocean circulation. In addition to JPL and NASA personnel, the SIR-C/X-SAR operations team included Scientists and engineers from the German and Italian space agencies.

Shafto, Michael G.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Optical properties of morphologically complex black carbon aerosols: Effects of coatings

Optical properties are computed for fractal-like aggregate black carbon (BC) aerosols coated with different substances. Two models are used for these aerosols: (i) the coated aggregate model (model I), where coating is added to the voids and surroundings of BC fractal-like aggregates; and (ii) the closed-cell aggregate model (model II), where coating is added concentrically to each monomer of BC fractal-like aggregates. Our results favor choosing the coated aggregate model (model I) to simulate scattering and absorption by coated BC aerosols because this model is morphologically more realistic, and because this model yields mass absorption cross section (MAC) and backscattering linear depolarization ratio (LDR) values that are consistent with field measurements. Moreover the corresponding computed degree of linear polarization (DoLP) and LDR values are very sensitive to changes in the coating volume fraction (fvol) and the coating refractive index (m). With the same absorbing BC core, the MAC value increases steadily with increasing fvol and m values. For example, using a density of 1.8 g/cm 3 and BC refractive index 1.95 + i0.79, the calculated MAC values for uncoated BC aggregates range from 6.2 to 6.8 m 2 /g at 0.55 µm. When coating material is applied to the BC aggregates, the calculated MAC values for model I particles increase to between 9.8 and 13.2 m 2 /g (depending on m) when fvol = 87.5%. The backscattering LDR values also tend to increase with the increasing m values for the shapes and sizes considered in our study. For model I particles, the backscattering LDR values span a wide range of 4.2–27.8% at a wavelength of 0.35 µm at fvol = 87.5% when m increases from 1.33 to 1.55. Our results are relevant to analyses of polarimetric and lidar observations of smoke particles, especially when these particles undergo hygroscopic growth.

Black carbon aerosols↗
NASA NTRS2012

Spacecraft Conceptual Design for Returning Entire Near-Earth Asteroids

In situ resource utilization (ISRU) in general, and asteroid mining in particular are ideas that have been around for a long time, and for good reason. It is clear that ultimately human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit will have to utilize the material resources available in space. Historically, the lack of sufficiently capable in-space transportation has been one of the key impediments to the harvesting of near-Earth asteroid resources. With the advent of high-power (or order 40 kW) solar electric propulsion systems, that impediment is being removed. High-power solar electric propulsion (SEP) would be enabling for the exploitation of asteroid resources. The design of a 40-kW end-of-life SEP system is presented that could rendezvous with, capture, and subsequently transport a 1,000-metric-ton near-Earth asteroid back to cislunar space. The conceptual spacecraft design was developed by the Collaborative Modeling for Parametric Assessment of Space Systems (COMPASS) team at the Glenn Research Center in collaboration with the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) team assembled to investigate the feasibility of an asteroid retrieval mission. Returning such an object to cislunar space would enable astronaut crews to inspect, sample, dissect, and ultimately determine how to extract the desired materials from the asteroid. This process could jump-start the entire ISRU industry.

solar electric propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2026

Isotopic Evidence for A Cold and Distant Origin of 3I/Atlas

Interstellar objects provide the only directly observable samples of icy planetesimals formed around other stars, and can therefore provide insight into the diversity of physical and chemical conditions occurring during exoplanet formation1−3. Here we report isotopic measurements of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, which reveal an elemental composition unlike any Solar System body. The water in 3I/ATLAS is enriched in deuterium, at a level of D/H = (0.98 ± 0.06)%, which is more than an order of magnitude higher than in known comets, while its range of 12 C/ 13 C ratios (141–191 for CO 2 and 123–172 for CO) exceeds typical values found in the Solar System, as well as nearby interstellar clouds and protoplanetary disks. Such extreme isotopic signatures indicate formation at temperatures ≲ 30 K in a relatively metal-poor environment. When interpreted with respect to models for Galactic chemical evolution, the carbon isotopic composition implies that 3I/ATLAS may have accreted as long ago as 12 billion years, following a period of intense, early star formation. 3I/ATLAS thus represents a preserved fragment of an ancient planetary system.

Martin A Cordiner↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SR-1 Freedom Thermal Architecture Challenges

The SR-1 Freedom mission aims to demonstrate nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) and deliver the Skyfall helicopter payload to Mars. Repurposing the existing Gateway Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) spacecraft and combining it with a 20 kWe-class nuclear power module (NPM) presents a variety of thermal architecture challenges. These include unprecedented waste heat rejection requirements, integration with a spacecraft bus originally designed for a different mission profile, and novel packaging constraints. This presentation will describe the simplified concept of operations as it relates to on-orbit thermal environments, early-phase architecture trades and supporting analyses, and planned forward work. We will also discuss our strategy for integrated thermal modeling of the complete spacecraft and examples of interface challenges necessitated by this ambitious effort.

Thermal↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Future of Oaks in the Santa Monica Mountains: A Case Study in Using Remote Sensing Data for Species Distributions Models

The Woolsey Fire began on November 8, 2018, and lasted for almost two weeks, during which it burned almost 100,000 acres of valuable landscape and habitat, including a vast area of woodland. The persistence of key woodland species provides aesthetic, monetary, and ecological value to the landscape through carbon sequestration, air temperature moderation, and erosion mitigation, among other ecosystem services. This study investigated the impact of the Woolsey Fire on native woodland species distributions and identified areas suitable for restoration within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The team partnered with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains; National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area; California Department of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles County Division; County of Los Angeles Fire Department, Prevention Services Bureau, Forestry Division; County of Los Angeles Department of Regional Planning; and the University of Montana. The Earth observations used include data from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager, NASA ER-2 Jet Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and RapidEye. The team produced maps of burn severity from the Woolsey Fire, its impact on plant species distributions, and habitat suitability projections for 2050 and 2099 to assist partners in prioritizing areas for restoration. A plant community classification was successfully created using Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA). Overall accuracy was assessed at 90.54% by comparing the classification to validation pixels derived from ground truth information provided by our partners.

Roger Ly↗