Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Water temperature”

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 253 records · Page 14

Worswick Hot Springs: A Radioactive Hydrothermal Field Site

We report on a systematic characterization of the radiation environment and water temperatures of Worswick Hot Springs, which is in support of companion biochemical and microbial investigations of iron respiration in the ‘extreme’ microbial systems found at the field site. We have discovered localized areas of elevated radioactivity that are approximately four to five times greater than background radiation. Additionally, we have observed that both the radiation environment and the temperature of the spring waters vary over time. Because localized “hot spots” of elevated radiation and biofilms are easily accessible, various biological studies of radiation resistance and biosignature formation are possible, making this field site relevant for analog field studies that consider microbiology, geochemistry, and ionizing radiation. In addition to Worswick being a natural radiation biology laboratory that may also be relevant for space biology applications, we assert that these unusual environmental conditions may inform us about locations on Mars that are also enriched in radioactive elements and their potential for hosting biosignatures.

Jon C. Rask↗

Mississippi Sound remote sensing study

A study of the Mississippi Sound was initiated in early 1971 by personnel of NASA Earth Resources Laboratory. Four separate seasonal experiments consisting of quasi-synoptic remote and surface measurements over the entire area were planned. Approximately 80 stations distributed throughout Mississippi Sound were occupied. Surface water temperature and secchi extinction depth were measured at each station and water samples were collected for water quality analyses. The surface distribution of three water parameters of interest from a remote sensing standpoint - temperature, salinity and chlorophyll content - are displayed in map form. Areal variations in these parameters are related to tides and winds. A brief discussion of the general problem of radiative measurements of water temperature is followed by a comparison of remotely measured temperatures (PRT-5) to surface vessel measurements.

Atwell, B. H.↗

Pressure pulsations above turbomolecular pumps

Lange and Singleton (1978) have observed pressure pulses above a turbomolecular pump. They reported that the mean pulse frequency increased with the temperature of the pump cooling water and that the evolved gas was mainly hydrogen. The present investigation takes into account tests conducted with a similar pumping system. The pumping system was equipped with additional pressure-monitoring equipment in order to study these pulsations in more detail. It was found that at least two distinct types of pressure pulsations may be present in a turbomolecular-pumped ultrahigh vacuum system. The random hydrogen pulses are easily eliminated for period of days by changing the cooling water temperature. The cyclic pulses consisting mainly of water vapor are not likely to be a problem in normal experiments.

Danziger, S.↗

Oxidation of Ultra High Temperature Ceramics in Water Vapor

Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs) including HfB2 + 20v/0 SiC (HS), ZrB2 + 20v/0 SiC (ZS), and ZrB2 + 30v/0 C + 14v/0 SiC (ZCS) have been investigated for use as potential aeropropulsion engine materials. These materials were oxidized in water vapor (90 percent) using a cyclic vertical furnace at 1 atm. The total exposure time was 10 h at temperatures of 1200, 1300, and 1400 C. CVD SiC was also evaluated as a baseline for comparison. Weight change, X-ray diffraction analyses, surface and cross-sectional SEM and EDS were performed. These results are compared with tests ran in a stagnant air furnace at temperatures of 1327 C for 100 min, and with high pressure burner rig (HPBR) results at 1100 and 1300 C at 6 atm for 50 h. Low velocity water vapor does not make a significant contribution to the oxidation rates of UHTCs when compared to stagnant air. The parabolic rate constants at 1300 C, range from 0.29 to 16.0 mg(sup 2)cm(sup 4)/h for HS and ZCS, respectively, with ZS results between these two values. Comparison of results for UHTCs tested in the furnace in 90 percent water vapor with HPBR results was difficult due to significant sample loss caused by spallation in the increased velocity of the HPBR. Total recession measurements are also reported for the two test environments.

Nguyen, QuynhGiao N.↗

In-situ electrochemical and water quality data; Slate River and East River floodplains, Crested Butte, CO; May 2022-September 2022

This data package includes a time-series of field measurements from May to September 2022 in groundwater and surface water from the Slate River and East River floodplains in Crested Butte, CO, a focus field site for the SLAC Floodplain Hydro-Biogeochemistry SFA. The data was generated as part of the work targeting the overarching research question for the SLAC SFA: How do ubiquitous subsurface interfaces mediate molecular-scale biogeochemical processes and groundwater quality in floodplains and watersheds? The data package includes 5 data files, one for each measured variable: specific conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, water temperature and alkalinity. All measurements were recorded in the field immediately after water sampling. Groundwater samples were extracted from a network of installed rhizons (Rhizosphere Research Products, part no. 19.60.21F, 0.6 micrometer mesh size) and piezometer wells within the floodplain. In addition to the data files, there is a terminology file explaining the terms used, a file level metadata file, and a sensor file with metadata about the sensors used.All files are in csv format.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Oxidation of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics in Water Vapor

Ultra High Temperature Ceramics (UHTCs) including HfB2 + 20% SiC (HS), and ZrB2 + 20% SiC (ZC), and ZrB2 + 30% C + 14% SiC (ZCS) have been investigated for use as potential aeropropolsion engine materials. These materials were oxidized in water vapor (90%) using a cyclic vertical furnace at 1 atm. The total exposure time was 10 hours at temperature of 1200, 1300, and 1400 C. CVD SiC was also evaluate as a baseline for comparison. Weight change, X-ray diffraction analysis, surface and cross-sectional SEM and EDS were performed. These results are compared with tests conducted in a stagnant air furnace at temperatures of 1327 C for 100 minutes, and with high pressure burner rig (HPBR) results at 1100 and 1300 C at 6 atm for 50 h. Total recession measurements are also reported for the two tests environments.

Nguyen, QuynGiao N.↗

Effect of water velocity and temperature on energy use, behaviour and mortality of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus larvae

Abstract Natural reproduction of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus has been limited for decades and a recruitment bottleneck is hypothesized to occur during the larval stage of development. In this study, we evaluated the effects of water velocity and temperature on the swimming activity, energy use, settling behaviour and mortality of endogenously feeding larvae. The swimming activity of drifting sturgeon larvae ( i.e. , fish exhibiting negative rheotaxis) increased at low water velocity. In subsequent experiments, we observed greater energy depletion and resultant mortality of larvae in no‐flow environments (0 cm s −1 ) compared to tanks with water velocity ranging from 3.5 to 8.3 cm s −1 . The growth rate of drifting larvae was positively related to water temperature (18.7–23.3°C), but reduced growth rate at low water temperature (18.7°C) resulted in protracted development that extended average drift duration by ~4 days compared to larvae reared at 23.3°C. This study provides evidence that cooler summer water temperatures, characteristic of present‐day conditions in the upper Missouri River, can reduce larval development and extend both the drift duration and distance requirements of S. albus . Moreover, if dispersed into low velocity environments, such as in reservoir headwaters, larvae may experience increased mortality owing to a mismatch between early life stage drift requirements and habitat conditions in the river. Manipulation of water releases to increase seasonal water temperature below dams may aid survival of S. albus larvae by shortening the time and distance spent drifting.

Mrnak, Joseph T.↗

Riparian vegetation shade restoration and loss effects on recent and future stream temperatures

River temperatures are expected to increase this century harming species requiring cold-water habitat unless restoration activities protect or improve habitat availability. Local shading by riparian vegetation can cool water temperatures, but uncertainty exists over the scaling of this local effect to larger spatial extents. Here, we evaluate this issue using a regional spatial stream network temperature model with covariates representing shade effects to predict mean August stream temperatures across 78,195 km of tributaries flowing into the Columbia River in the northwestern United States. We evaluate nine scenarios predicting stream temperatures for three riparian shade conditions (current, restored, and no riparian vegetation) within three different climate periods (2000s, 2040s, and 2080s). Results suggest riparian shade restoration (2000s climate) could decrease mean August stream temperatures by 0.62°C across the study network. Under the same restored shade conditions, temperature predictions for tributaries at their confluence with the Columbia River range from 0.02 to 2.08°C cooler than under current shade conditions. The climate warming effect predicted for the 2040s and 2080s, however, is greater than the cooling effect from restoring riparian shade. Streams less than 10-m bankfull width cooled more frequently with riparian shade restoration. In Oregon, the proportion of fish habitat for salmon and trout rearing and migration that meet temperature numeric water quality criteria could be increased by 20% under restored shade conditions although net habitat declines may still occur in the future. We conclude riparian vegetation restoration could partially mitigate future warming and help maintain cold-water habitats that function as thermal refuges if implemented strategically.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Computational design of the basic dynamical processes of the UCLA general circulation model

The 12-layer UCLA general circulation model encompassing troposphere and stratosphere (and superjacent 'sponge layer') is described. Prognostic variables are: surface pressure, horizontal velocity, temperature, water vapor and ozone in each layer, planetary boundary layer (PBL) depth, temperature, moisture and momentum discontinuities at PBL top, ground temperature and water storage, and mass of snow on ground. Selection of space finite-difference schemes for homogeneous incompressible flow, with/without a free surface, nonlinear two-dimensional nondivergent flow, enstrophy conserving schemes, momentum advection schemes, vertical and horizontal difference schemes, and time differencing schemes are discussed.

Arakawa, A.↗

Oxidation of Ultra-High Temperature Ceramics in Water Vapor

Ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) including HfB2 + SiC (20% by volume), ZrB2 + SiC (20% by volume) and ZrB2 + SiC (14% by volume) + C (30% by volume) have historically been evaluated as reusable thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles. This study investigates UHTCs for use as potential combustion and aeropropulsion engine materials. These materials were oxidized in water vapor (90%) using a cyclic vertical furnace at 1 atm. The total exposure time was 10 hours at temperatures of 1200, 1300, and 1400 C. CVD SiC was also evaluated as a baseline comparison. Weight change measurements, X-ray diffraction analyses, surface and cross-sectional SEM and EDS were performed. These results will be compared with tests ran in static air at temperatures of 1327, 1627, and 1927 C. Oxidation comparisons will also be made to the study by Tripp. A small number of high pressure burner rig (HPBR) results at 1100 and 1300 C will also be discussed. Specific weight changes at all three temperatures along with the SIC results are shown. SiC weight change is negligible at such short duration times. HB2 + SiC (HS) performed the best out of all the tested UHTCS for all exposure temperatures. ZrB2 + Sic (ZS) results indicate a slightly lower oxidation rate than that of ZrBl + SiC + C (ZCS) at 1200 and 1400 C, but a clear distinction can not be made based on the limited number of tested samples. Scanning electron micrographs of the cross-sections of all the UHTCs were evaluated. A representative area for HS is presented at 1400 C for 26 hours which was the composition with the least amount of oxidation. A continuous SiO2 scale is present in the outer most edge of the surface. An image of ZCS is presented at 1400 C for 10 hours, which shows the most degradation of all the compositions studied. Here, the oxide surface is a mixture of ZrSiO4, ZrO2 and SO2.

Nguyen, QuynhGiao N.↗