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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Use of SAR in Regional Methane Exchange Studies

Significant sources of uncertainty in global trace gas budgets are due to lack of knowledge concerning the areal and temporal extent of source and sink areas. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is particularly suited to studies of northern ecosystems because of its all-weather operating capability which enables the acquisition of seasonal data. As key controls on methane exchange, the ability to differentiate major vegetation communities, inundation, and leaf area index (LAI) with satellite and airborne SAR data would increase the accuracy and precision of regional and seasonal estimates of methane exchange. The utility of SAR data for monitoring key controls on methane emissions from Arctic and boreal ecosystems is examined.

Morrissey, L. A.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Stratospheric Observations of CH3D and HDO from ATMOS Infrared Solar Spectra: Enrichments of Deuterium in Methane and Implications for HD

Stratospheric mixing ratios of CH3D from 100 mb to 17mb (approximately equals 15 to 28 km)and HDO from 100 mb to 10 mb (approximately equals 15 to 32 km) have been inferred from high resolution solar occultation infrared spectra from the Atmospheric Trace MOlecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) Fourier-transform interferometer. The spectra, taken on board the Space Shuttle during the Spacelab 3 and ATLAS-1, -2, and -3 missions, extend in latitude from 70 deg S to 65 deg N. We find CH3D entering the stratosphere at an average mixing ratio of (9.9 +/- 0.8) x 10(exp -10) with a D/H ratio in methane (7.1 +/- 7.4)% less than that in Standard Mean Ocean Water (SMOW) (1 sigma combined precision and systematic error). In the mid to lower stratosphere, the average lifetime of CH3D is found to be (1.19 +/- 0.02) times that of CH4, resulting in an increasing D/H ratio in methane as air 'ages' and the methane mixing ratio decreases. We find an average of (1.0 +/- 0.1) molecules of stratospheric HDO are produced for each CH3D destroyed (1 sigma combined precision and systematic error), indicating that the rate of HDO production is approximately equal to the rate of CH3D destruction. Assuming negligible amounts of deuterium in species other than HDO, CH3D and HD, this limits the possible change in the stratospheric HD mixing ratio below about 10 mb to be +/- 0.1 molecules HD created per molecule CH3D destroyed.

Irion, F. W.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Control of Methane Production and Exchange in Northern Peatlands

This proposal has successfully supported studies that have developed unique long ten-n datasets of methane (CH4) emissions and carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange in order to quantify the controls on CH4 production and exchange especially the linkages to the carbon cycle in northern peatlands. The primary research site has been a small fen in southeastern New Hampshire where a unique multi-year data baseline of CH4 flux measurements was begun (with NASA funding) in 1989. The fen has also been instrumented for continuous hydrological and meteorological observations and year-round porewater sampling. Multiyear datasets of methane flux are very valuable and very rare. Datasets using the same sampling techniques at the same sites are the only way to assess the effect of the integrated ecosystem response to climatological variability. The research has had two basic objectives: 1. To quantify the effect of seasonal and interannual variability on CH4flux. 2. To examine process level controls on methane dynamics.

Crill, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS1993

Ecophysiological Characteristics of Obligate Methanotrophic Bacteria and Methane Oxidation In Situ

Most of the obligate methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) described to date are neutrophilic mesophiles that grow optimally in dilute media. Kinetic analyses generally indicate that bacterial methane uptake occurs by transport systems with a K(sub m) greater than l micronM. These and other properties of MOB are inconsistent with characteristics of methane oxidation in situ. The inconsistencies indicate a need for greater attention to the ecophysiological characteristics of isolates and the design of enrichment and isolation schemes which emphasize ecologically relevant parameters (e.g., low temperature, limited and diverse substrate availability, low water potential).

King, Gary M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Gaseous abundances and methane supersaturation in Titan's troposphere

Various properties of Titan's troposphere are inferred from an analysis of Voyager I infrared spectrometer (IRIS) data between 200 and 600/ cm. Two homogeneous spectral averages acquired at widely separated emission angles are chosen for the analysis. Both data sets are associated with northern low latitudes very close to that of the radio science ingress occultation point. Solutions require simultaneous nonlinear least-squares fits to the two IRIS data sets, coupled with iteration of the radio occultation refractivity data. Values and associated 1-sigma uncertainties of several parameters are inferred from our analysis. These include mole fractions for molecular hydrogen (approx. 0.0011), argon (small), and methane near the surface ( approx. 0.057). Solutions are also obtained for the hydrogen parafraction (close to equilibrium, with considerable uncertainty), air temperature near the surface ( approx. 93 K), surface surface temperature discontinuity (approx. 1 K), and maximum degree of methane supersaturation in the upper troposphere (approx. 1.5). Actual values for the above-mentioned parameters depend on the amount of ethane cloud near the tropopause. There is no evidence for methane clouds in the upper troposphere, nor is their presence compatible with large degrees of supersaturation. A wave number dependence for the stratospheric haze opacity is inferred similar to that found for a polymeric residue created in laboratory discharge experiments. This haze appears to be uniformly distributed with latitude between altitudes of 40 and 160 km, provided those nighttime data at southern high latitudes that are discounted.

Samuelson, Robert E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Evidence for Methane Segregation at the Surface of Pluto

In May 1995, a set of spectrophotometric curves of the system Pluto-Charon was recorded with the UKIRT telescope equipped with the spectrometer CGS4. As for the previous observations, the spectra cover a part of the near infrared range, between 1.4 and 2.55 micrometers, but with a higher resolution of approximately 700. In both the 1992 and 1995 data, the existence of solid methane is confirmed by numerous absorption bands, and the carbon monoxide and the nitrogen ices are identified by their respective signatures at 2.35 and 2.15 um. The solid nitrogen seems to be the principal icy component and forms a matrix in which the CH4 and CO molecules are diluted. However a spectroscopic analysis of the 1995 observations indicates that pure methane may coexist with its diluted phase in N2. In order to derive the horizontal and vertical distribution of these different species and to obtain some quantitative information about their characteristics, we have modeled the spectrum of May 15 that corresponds to the maximum of Pluto's visible light curve. This was achieved by means of a radiative transfer algorithm dealing with compact and stratified media. Among the various representations we have tested to describe the surface of Pluto, only a geographical mixture of three distinct units explains all the significant structures of the analyzed spectrum. The first unit is a thin granular layer of pure CH4 covering a compact polycrystalline substratum of N2-CH4-CO, which are in a molecular mixture (concentrations of and CO of the order of 0.45%, 0.1-0.2% respectively). It covers about 70% of the observed area and corresponds to volatile deposits that are sublimating under solar illumination. The second unit is either (a) a single thick layer of pure granular methane or (b) a unit similar to the first unit but with the two components inverted (i.e. with CH4 forming a substratum and the N2-CH4-CO mixture a superficial layer of fine grains). Covering 20% of the surface, it represents some old surfaces that have been sublimated for a long time, and eventually recovered later by very small amounts of fresh deposits of the molecular mixture N2-CH4-CO. Finally, the third unit may result from the condensation of very fine grains of nearly pure N2. It covers the remainder of the surface (about 10%). All these results allow a better understanding of the processes of deposition, metamorphism, sublimation and transport affecting the different ices detected on Pluto during its climatic cycles.

Doute, S.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Contribution of Changing Sources and Sinks to the Growth Rate of Atmospheric Methane Concentrations for the Last Two Decades

In situ measurements of atmospheric methane concentrations begun in the early 1980s show decadal trends, as well as large interannual variations, in growth rate. Recent research indicates that while wetlands can explain several of the large growth anomalies for individual years, the decadal trend may be the combined effect of increasing sinks, due to increases in tropospheric OH, and stabilizing sources. We discuss new 20-year histories of annual, global source strengths for all major methane sources, i.e., natural wetlands, rice cultivation, ruminant animals, landfills, fossil fuels, and biomass burning, and present estimates of the temporal pattern of the sink required to reconcile these sources and atmospheric concentrations over the time period. Analysis of the individual emission sources, together with model-derived estimates of the OH sink strength, indicates that the growth rate of atmospheric methane observed over the last 20 years can only be explained by a combination of changes in source emissions and an increasing tropospheric sink.

Matthews, Elaine↗
NASA NTRS1983

Biomass measurement of methane forming bacteria in environmental samples

Methane-forming bacteria contain unusual phytanylglycerol ether phospholipids which can be extracted from the bacteria in sediments and assayed quantitatively by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this procedure the lipids were extracted, the phospholipids recovered, hydrolyzed, purified by thin layer chromatography, derivatized and assayed by HPLC. Ether lipids were recovered quantitatively from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum and sediments at levels as low as 8 x 10(-14) moles. In freshwater and marine sediments the flux of methane to the atmosphere and the methane levels in the pore water reflects the recovery of the phytanyl glycerol ether lipid 'signature'. The proportion of the ether phospholipid to the total recoverable phospholipid was highest in anaerobic digester sewage sludge and deeper subsurface freshwater sediment horizons.

Methanobacterium/metabolism/physiology↗
NASA NTRS2007

Hydrogen Migration and Vinylidene Pathway for Formation of Methane in the 193 nm Photodissociation of Propene: CH3CH=CH2 and CD3CD=CD2

Photodissociation channels and the final product yields from the 193 nm photolysis of propene-h6 (CH2=CHCH3) and propene-d6 (CD2=CDCD3) have been investigated, employing gas chromatography, mass spectroscopy, and flame ionization (GC/MS/FID) detection methods. The yields of methane as well as butadiene relative to ethane show considerable variations when propene-h6 or propene-d6 are photolyzed. This suggests significant variances in the relative importance of primary photolytic processes and/or secondary radical reactions, occurring subsequent to the photolysis. Theoretical calculations suggest the potential occurrence of an intramolecular dissociation through a mechanism involving vinylidene formation, accompanied by an ethylenic H-migration through the pi-orbitals. This process affects the final yields of methane-h4 versus methane-d4 with respect to other products. The product yields from previous studies of the 193 nm photolysis of methyl vinyl ketone-h6 and -d6 (CH2=CHCOCH3, CD2=CDCOCD3), alternative precursors for generating methyl and vinyl radicals, are compared with the current results for propene.

Zhao, Yi-Lei↗
NASA NTRS2008

Igniters for Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Methane Technology Development

As part of NASA's technology development of liquid methane / liquid oxygen engines for future exploration missions, two different igniters were recently studied at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The first igniter tested was an impinging injection, spark-initiated torch igniter, and the second was a microwave-generated plasma igniter. The purpose of the ignition tests was to define the ignition limits under vacuum conditions and characterize the transient start-up performance as a function of propellant mixture ratio (MR), mass flow rates, inlet temperatures, and pre-ignition chamber pressure. In addition, for the impinging igniter two different spark plugs were tested, and for the microwave igniter the magnetron filament warm-up time and the magnetron input power were both varied. The results gathered from these tests indicated that the impinging igniter is capable of operating over an MR range of 2 - 27, with methane and oxygen inlet temperatures as low as -161 F and -233 F, respectively. The microwave igniter was tested over an MR range of 2 - 9, with methane and oxygen inlet temperatures as low as -90 F and -200 F, respectively. The microwave igniter achieved ignition over this range, although an upper ignition limit was determined for the oxidizer mass flow rate. In general, the torch exhaust temperatures for the microwave igniter were not as high as those attained with the impinging igniter. The microwave igniter, however, was hot-fired 17 times and was still operational, whereas the impinging igniter spark plugs experienced thermal shock and erosion over nine hot-fire tests. It was concluded that for the microwave igniter better mixing of the propellants might be required in order to both raise the torch exhaust temperature and decrease the required magnetron input power, and for the impinging igniter the spark plug position within the igniter chamber should be varied in future tests to identify a more optimal location. All of the igniter tests were supported by the Propulsion & Cryogenics Advanced Development project, which is part of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program.

Osborne, Robin J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

C-12/C-13 Ratio in Ethane on Titan and Implications for Methane's Replenishment

The C-12/C-13 abundance ratio in ethane in the atmosphere of Titan has been measured at 822 cm(sup -1) from high spectral resolution ground-based observations. The value 89(8), coincides with the telluric standard and also agrees with the ratio seen in the outer planets. It is almost identical to the result for ethane on Titan found by the composite infrared spectrometer (CIRS) on Cassini. The C-12/C-13 ratio for ethane is higher than the ratio measured in atmospheric methane by Cassini/Huygens GCMS, 82.3(l), representing an enrichment of C-12 in the ethane that might be explained by a kinetic isotope effect of approximately 1.1 in the formation of methyl radicals. If methane is being continuously resupplied to balance photochemical destruction, then we expect the isotopic composition in the ethane product to equilibrate at close to the same C-12/C-13 ratio as that in the supply. The telluric value of the ratio in ethane then implies that the methane reservoir is primordial.

Jennings, Donald E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Fuels Containing Methane of Natural Gas in Solution

While exploring ways of producing better fuels for propulsion of a spacecraft on the Mars sample return mission, a researcher at Johnson Space Center (JSC) devised a way of blending fuel by combining methane or natural gas with a second fuel to produce a fuel that can be maintained in liquid form at ambient temperature and under moderate pressure. The use of such a blended fuel would be a departure for both spacecraft engines and terrestrial internal combustion engines. For spacecraft, it would enable reduction of weights on long flights. For the automotive industry on Earth, such a fuel could be easily distributed and could be a less expensive, more efficient, and cleaner-burning alternative to conventional fossil fuels. The concept of blending fuels is not new: for example, the production of gasoline includes the addition of liquid octane enhancers. For the future, it has been commonly suggested to substitute methane or compressed natural gas for octane-enhanced gasoline as a fuel for internal-combustion engines. Unfortunately, methane or natural gas must be stored either as a compressed gas (if kept at ambient temperature) or as a cryogenic liquid. The ranges of automobiles would be reduced from their present values because of limitations on the capacities for storage of these fuels. Moreover, technical challenges are posed by the need to develop equipment to handle these fuels and, especially, to fill tanks acceptably rapidly. The JSC alternative to provide a blended fuel that can be maintained in liquid form at moderate pressure at ambient temperature has not been previously tried. A blended automotive fuel according to this approach would be made by dissolving natural gas in gasoline. The autogenous pressure of this fuel would eliminate the need for a vehicle fuel pump, but a pressure and/or flow regulator would be needed to moderate the effects of temperature and to respond to changing engine power demands. Because the fuel would flash as it entered engine cylinders, relative to gasoline, it would disperse more readily and therefore would mix with air more nearly completely. As a consequence, this fuel would burn more nearly completely (and, hence, more cleanly) than gasoline does. The storage density of this fuel would be similar to that of gasoline, but its energy density would be such that the mileage (more precisely, the distance traveled per unit volume of fuel) would be greater than that of either gasoline or compressed natural gas. Because the pressure needed to maintain the fuel in liquid form would be more nearly constant and generally lower than that needed to maintain compressed natural gas in liquid form, the pressure rating of a tank used to hold this fuel could be lower than that of a tank used to hold compressed natural gas. A mixture of natural gas and gasoline could be distributed more easily than could some alternative fuels. A massive investment in new equipment would not be necessary: One could utilize the present fuel-distribution infrastructure and could blend the gasoline and natural gas at almost any place in the production or distribution process - perhaps even at the retail fuel pump. Yet another advantage afforded by use of a blend of gasoline and natural gas would be a reduction in the amount of gasoline consumed. Because natural gas costs less than gasoline does and is in abundant supply in the United States, the cost of automotive fuel and the demand for imported oil could be reduced.

Sullivan, Thomas A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Titan's Tropopause Temperatures from CIRS: Implications for Stratospheric Methane Cloud Formation

Analysis of Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) far-IR spectra enable the construction of Titan's temperature profile in the altitude region containing the tropopause. Whereas the methane V4 band at 1306/cm (7.7 microns) is the primary opacity source for deducing thermal structure between 100 km and 500 km, N2-N2 collision-induced absorption between 70 and 140/cm (143 microns and 71 microns) is utilized to determine temperatures at Titan's tropopause. Additional opacity due to aerosol and nitrile ices must also be taken into account in this part of the far-IR spectral region. The spectral characteristics of these particulate opacities have been deduced from CIRS limb data at 58degS, 15degS, 15degN, and 85degN. Empirically, the spectral shapes of these opacities appear to be independent of both latitude and altitude below 300 km (Anderson and Samuelson, 2011, Icarus 212, 762-778), justifying the extension of these spectral properties to all latitudes. We find that Titan's tropopause temperature is cooler than the HAS! value of 70.5K by approx. 6K. This leads to the possibility that subsidence at high northern latitudes can cause methane condensation in the winter polar stratosphere. A search for methane clouds in this region is in progress.

Anderson, C. M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Creating Methane from Plastics: Recycling at a Lunar Outpost

The high cost of re-supply from Earth demands resources to be utilized to the fullest extent for exploration missions. Recycling is a key technology that maximizes the available resources by converting waste products into useful commodities. One example of this is to convert crew member waste such as plastic packaging, food scraps, and human waste, into fuel. The ability to refuel on the lunar surface would reduce the vehicle mass during launch and provide excess payload capability. The goal of this project is to determine the feasibility of recycling waste into methane on the lunar outpost by performing engineering assessments and lab demonstrations of the technology. The first goal of the project was to determine how recycling could influence lunar exploration. Table I shows an estimation of the typical dried waste stream generated each day for a crew of four. Packaging waste accounts for nearly 86% of the dry waste stream and is a significant source of carbon on the lunar surface. This is important because methane (CH4) can be used as fuel and no other source of carbon is available on the lunar surface. With the initial assessment indicating there is sufficient resources in the waste stream to provide refueling capabilities, the project was designed to examine the conversion of plastics into methane.

Captain, Janine↗
NASA NTRS2012

Global Air Quality and Health Co-benefits of Mitigating Near-term Climate Change Through Methane and Black Carbon Emission Controls

Tropospheric ozone and black carbon (BC), a component of fine particulate matter (PM < or = 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter; PM2.5), are associated with premature mortality and they disrupt global and regional climate. Objectives: We examined the air quality and health benefits of 14 specific emission control measures targeting BC and methane, an ozone precursor, that were selected because of their potential to reduce the rate of climate change over the next 20-40 years. Methods: We simulated the impacts of mitigation measures on outdoor concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone using two composition-climate models, and calculated associated changes in premature PM2.5‑ and ozone-related deaths using epidemiologically derived concentration-response functions. Results: We estimated that, for PM2.5 and ozone, respectively, fully implementing these measures could reduce global population-weighted average surface concentrations by 23-34% and 7-17% and avoid 0.6-4.4 and 0.04-0.52 million annual premature deaths globally in 2030. More than 80% of the health benefits are estimated to occur in Asia. We estimated that BC mitigation measures would achieve approximately 98% of the deaths that would be avoided if all BC and methane mitigation measures were implemented, due to reduced BC and associated reductions of nonmethane ozone precursor and organic carbon emissions as well as stronger mortality relationships for PM2.5 relative to ozone. Although subject to large uncertainty, these estimates and conclusions are not strongly dependent on assumptions for the concentration-response function. Conclusions: In addition to climate benefits, our findings indicate that the methane and BC emission control measures would have substantial co-benefits for air quality and public health worldwide, potentially reversing trends of increasing air pollution concentrations and mortality in Africa and South, West, and Central Asia. These projected benefits are independent of carbon dioxide mitigation measures. Benefits of BC measures are underestimated because we did not account for benefits from reduced indoor exposures and because outdoor exposure estimates were limited by model spatial resolution.

air quality↗
NASA NTRS2016

Foundational Methane Propulsion Related Technology Efforts, and Challenges for Applications to Human Exploration Beyond Earth Orbit

Current interest in human exploration beyond earth orbit is driving requirements for high performance, long duration space transportation capabilities. Continued advancement in photovoltaic power systems and investments in high performance electric propulsion promise to enable solar electric options for cargo delivery and pre-deployment of operational architecture elements. However, higher thrust options are required for human in-space transportation as well as planetary descent and ascent functions. While high thrust requirements for interplanetary transportation may be provided by chemical or nuclear thermal propulsion systems, planetary descent and ascent systems are limited to chemical solutions due to their higher thrust to weight and potential planetary protection concerns. Liquid hydrogen fueled systems provide high specific impulse, but pose challenges due to low propellant density and the thermal issues of long term propellant storage. Liquid methane fueled propulsion is a promising compromise with lower specific impulse, higher bulk propellant density and compatibility with proposed in-situ propellant production concepts. Additionally, some architecture studies have identified the potential for commonality between interplanetary and descent/ascent propulsion solutions using liquid methane (LCH4) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants. These commonalities may lead to reduced overall development costs and more affordable exploration architectures. With this increased interest, it is critical to understand the current state of LOX/LCH4 propulsion technology and the remaining challenges to its application to beyond earth orbit human exploration. This paper provides a survey of NASA's past and current methane propulsion related technology efforts, assesses the accomplishments to date, and examines the remaining risks associated with full scale development.

Brown, Thomas↗
NASA NTRS2016

Airborne Measurements of Atmospheric Methane Using Pulsed Laser Transmitters

Atmospheric methane (CH4) is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas with approximately 25 times the radiative forcing of carbon dioxide (CO2) per molecule. At NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) we have been developing a laser-based technology needed to remotely measure CH4 from orbit. We report on our development effort for the methane lidar, especially on our laser transmitters and recent airborne demonstration. Our lidar transmitter is based on an optical parametric process to generate near infrared laser radiation at 1651 nanometers, coincident with a CH4 absorption. In an airborne flight campaign in the fall of 2015, we tested two kinds of laser transmitters --- an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and an optical parametric oscillator (OPO). The output wavelength of the lasers was rapidly tuned over the CH4 absorption by tuning the seed laser to sample the CH4 absorption line at several wavelengths. This approach uses the same Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA) technique we have used for our CO2 lidar for ASCENDS. The two laser transmitters were successfully operated in the NASAs DC-8 aircraft, measuring methane from 3 to 13 kilometers with high precision.

optical radar↗
NASA NTRS2016

Developing Atmospheric Retrieval Methods for Direct Imaging Spectroscopy of Gas Giants in Reflected Light I: Methane Abundances and Basic Cloud Properties

Reflected light spectroscopy and photometry of cool, directly imaged extrasolar giant planets are expected to be performed in the next decade by space-based telescopes equipped with optical wavelength coronagraphs and integral field spectrographs, such as the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST). We are developing a new atmospheric retrieval methodology to help assess the science return and inform the instrument design for such future missions, and ultimately interpret the resulting observations. Our retrieval technique employs an albedo model coupled with both a Markov chain Monte Carlo Ensemble Sampler (emcee) and a multimodal nested sampling algorithm (MultiNest) to map the posterior distribution. This combination makes the global evidence calculation more robust for any given model, and highlights possible discrepancies in the likelihood maps. Here we apply this methodology to simulated spectra of cool giant planets. As a proof-of-concept, our current atmospheric model contains 1 or 2 cloud layers, methane as a major absorber, and a H2-He background gas. This 6-to-9 parameter model is appropriate for Jupiter-like planets and can be easily expanded in the future. In addition to deriving the marginal likelihood distribution and confidence intervals for the model parameters, we perform model selection to determine the significance of methane and cloud detection as a function of expected signal-to-noise, in the presence of spectral noise correlations. After internal validation, the method is applied to realistic reflected-light spectra of Jupiter, Saturn, and HD 99492 c, a likely observing target. We find that the presence or absence of clouds and methane can be determined with high accuracy, while parameters uncertainties are model-dependent.

spectroscopy↗