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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

A measurement of the (C-12)O/(C-13)O) ratio in the mesosphere of Venus

Measurements of the absorptions in the Venus atmosphere by (C-12)O and (C-13)O in the J = 1-2 microwave, rotational transitions are reported. Radiative transfer models were fitted to the spectra in order to estimate the isotopic ratio (C-12)O/(C-13)O = 185. Based on an extensive error analysis it is suggested that the standard deviation of this value is + or - 69. This result applies to the mesosphere of Venus, i.e., from about 80 to 110 km. Values of the (C-12)O/(C-13)O ratio measured deeper in the Venus atmosphere are closer to the terrestrial value of 89. Several possible, qualitative mechanisms to explain the higher value of (C-12)O/(C-13)O found for the nightside mesosphere of Venus are offered.

Clancy, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1998

An Evanescent Microwave Probe for Super-Resolution Nondestructive Imaging of Metals, Semiconductors, Dielectrics, Composites and Biological Specimens

Using evanescent microwaves with decay lengths determined by a combination of microwave wavelength (lambda) and waveguide termination geometry, we have imaged and mapped material non-uniformities and defects with a resolving capability of lambda/3800=79 microns at 1 GHz. In our method a microstrip quarter wavelength resonator was used to generate evanescent microwaves. We imaged materials with a wide range of conductivities. Carbon composites, dielectrics (Duroid, polymers), semiconductors (3C-SiC, polysilicon, natural diamond), metals (tungsten alloys, copper, zinc, steel), high-temperature superconductors, and botanical samples were scanned for defects, residual stresses, integrity of brazed junctions, subsurface features, areas of different film thickness and moisture content. The evanescent microwave probe is a versatile tool and it can be used to perform very fast, large scale mapping of a wide range of materials. This method of characterization compares favorably with ultrasound testing, which has a resolution of about 0.1 mm and suffers from high absorption in composite materials and poor transmission across boundaries. Eddy current methods which can have a resolution on the order of 50 microns are restricted to evaluating conducting materials. Evanescent microwave imaging, with careful choice of operating frequency and probe geometry, can have a resolution of up to 1 micron. In this method we can scan hot and moving objects, sample preparation is not required, testing is non-destructive, non-invasive and non-contact, and can be done in air, in liquid or in vacuum.

Pathak, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Impacts of Marine Surface Pressure Observations From A Spaceborne Differential Absorption Radar Investigated With an Observing System Simulation Experiment

A new instrument has been proposed for measuring surface air pressure over the marine surface with a combined active/passive scanning multi-channel differential absorption radar (DAR) to provide an estimate of the total atmospheric column oxygen content. A demonstrator instrument, the Microwave Barometric Radar and Sounder (MBARS), has been funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for airborne test missions. Here, a proof-of-concept study to evaluate the potential impact of spaceborne surface pressure data on numerical weather prediction is performed using the Goddard Modeling and Assimilation Office global observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) framework. This OSSE framework employs the Goddard Earth Observing System model and the hybrid 4D ensemble variational Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation data assimilation system. Multiple flight and scanning configurations of potential spaceborne orbits are examined. Swath width and observation spacing for the surface pressure data are varied to explore a range of sampling strategies. For wider swaths, the addition of surface pressures reduces the root mean square surface pressure analysis error by as much as 20% over some ocean regions. The forecast sensitivity observation impact tool estimates impacts on the Pacific Ocean basin boundary layer 24-hour forecast temperatures for spaceborne surface pressures on par with rawinsondes and aircraft, and greater impacts than the current network of ships and buoys. The largest forecast impacts are found in the southern hemisphere extratropics.

N.C. Privé↗
DOE OSTI2021

Electro-Optical Measurement Techniques

Utilize the unique characteristics of photons across different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum to probe the optical and electronic properties of chemical systems, materials and devices for energy conversion technologies.

absorption↗
NASA NTRS1987

Microwave emission above steady and moving sunspots

Two-dimensional maps of radio brightness temperature and polarization, computed assuming thermal emission with free-free and gyroresonance absorption, are compared with observations of active region 2502, performed at Westerbork at lambda = 6.16 cm during a period of 3 days in June 1980. The computation is done assuming a homogeneous model in the whole field of view and a force-free extrapolation of the photospheric magnetic field observed at MSFC with a resolution of 2.34 arcsec. The mean results are the following: (1) a very good agreement is found above the large leading sunspot of the group, assuming a potential extrapolation of the magnetic field and a constant conductive flux in the transition region ranging from .2 x 10 to the 6th to 10 to the 7th erg/sq cm 5; (2) a strong radio source, associated with a new-born moving sunspot, cannot be ascribed to thermal emission. It is suggested that this source may be due to synchrotron radiation by mildly relativistic electrons accelerated by resistive instabilities occurring in the evolving magnetic configuration. An order-of-magnitude computation of the expected number of accelerated particles seems to confirm this hypothesis.

Drago, F. Chiuderi↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ground-based temperature and humidity profiling: combining active and passive remote sensors

Abstract. Thermodynamic profiles in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) are important observations for a range of atmospheric research and operational needs. These profiles can be retrieved from passively sensed spectral infrared (IR) or microwave (MW) radiance observations or can be more directly measured by active remote sensors such as water vapor differential absorption lidars (DIALs). This paper explores the synergy of combining ground-based IR, MW, and DIAL observations using an optimal-estimation retrieval framework, quantifying the reduction in the uncertainty in the retrieved profiles and the increase in information content as additional observations are added to IR-only and MW-only retrievals. This study uses ground-based observations collected during the Perdigão field campaign in central Portugal in 2017 and during the DIAL demonstration campaign at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site in 2017. The results show that the information content in both temperature and water vapor is higher for the IR instrument relative to the MW instrument (thereby resulting in smaller uncertainties) and that the combined IR + MW retrieval is very similar to the IR-only retrieval below 1.5 km. However, including the partial profile of water vapor observed by the DIAL increases the information content in the combined IR + DIAL and MW + DIAL water vapor retrievals substantially, with the exact impact vertically depending on the characteristics of the DIAL instrument itself. Furthermore, there is a slight increase in the information content in the retrieved temperature profile using the IR + DIAL relative to the IR-only; this was not observed in the MW + DIAL retrieval.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1974

Research Investigation Directed Toward Extending the Useful Range of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

The report discusses completed and proposed research in atomic and molecular physics conducted at the Columbia Radiation Laboratory from July 1972 to June 1973. Central topics described include the atomic spectra and electronic structure of alkali metals and helium, molecular microwave spectroscopy, the resonance physics of photon echoes in some solid state systems (including Raman echoes, superradiance, and two photon absorption), and liquid helium superfluidity.

Hartmann, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Galaxy formation by dust

It has been known since the early 1940's that radiation can cause an instability in the interstellar medium. Absorbing dust particles in an isotropic radiation field shadow each other by a solid angle which is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two particles, leading to an inverse-square attractive force - mock gravity. The effect is largest in an optically thin medium. Recently Hogan and White (HW, hereafter) proposed that if the pre-galactic universe contained suitable sources of radiation and dust, instability in the dust distribution caused by mock gravity may have led to the formation of galaxies and galaxy clusters. In their picture of a well-coupled dust-gas medium, HW show that mock gravity begins to dominate gravitational instability when the perturbation becomes optically thin, provided that the radiation field at the time is strong enough. The recent rocket observation of the microwave background at submillimeter wavelengths by Matsumoto et al. might be from pre-galactic stars, the consequence of the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by dust, and infrared reemission which is subsequently redshifted. HW's analysis omits radiative drag, incomplete collisional coupling of gas and dust, finite dust albedo, and finite matter pressure. These effects could be important. In a preliminary calculation including them, the authors have confirmed that mock gravitational instability is effective if there is a strong ultraviolet radiation at the time, but any galaxies that form would be substantially enriched in heavy elements because the contraction of the dust is more rapid than that of the gas. Moreover, since the dust moves with supersonic velocity through the gas soon after the perturbation becomes optically thin, the sputtering of dust particles by gas is significant, so the dust could disappear before the instability develops significantly. They conclude that the mock gravity by dust is not important in galaxy formations.

Wang, Boqi↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Composite View of Ozone Evolution in the 1995-1996 Northern Winter Polar Vortex Developed from Airborne Lidar and Satellite Observations

The processes which contribute to the ozone evolution in the high latitude northern lower stratosphere are evaluated using a three dimensional model simulation and ozone observations. The model uses winds and temperatures from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System. The simulation results are compared with ozone observations from three platforms: the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) which was flown on the NASA DC-8 as part of the Vortex Ozone Transport Experiment; the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS); the Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM II) solar occultation instrument. Time series for the different data sets are consistent with each other, and diverge from model time series during December and January. The model ozone in December and January is shown to be much less sensitive to the model photochemistry than to the model vertical transport, which depends on the model vertical motion as well as the model vertical gradient. We evaluate the dependence of model ozone evolution on the model ozone gradient by comparing simulations with different initial conditions for ozone. The modeled ozone throughout December and January most closely resembles observed ozone when the vertical profiles between 12 and 20 km within the polar vortex closely match December DIAL observations. We make a quantitative estimate of the uncertainty in the vertical advection using diabatic trajectory calculations. The net transport uncertainty is significant, and should be accounted for when comparing observations with model ozone. The observed and modeled ozone time series during December and January are consistent when these transport uncertainties are taken into account.

Douglass, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Composite View of Ozone Evolution in the 1995-96 Northern Winter Polar Vortex Developed from Airborne Lidar and Satellite Observations

The processes which contribute to the ozone evolution in the high latitude lower stratosphere are evaluated using a three dimensional model simulation and ozone observations. The model uses winds and temperatures from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System. The simulation results are compared with ozone observations from three platforms: the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) which was flown on the NASA DC-8 as part of the Vortex Ozone Transport Experiment; the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite; and the Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM II) solar occulation instrument, on board the French Satellite Pour I'Observations de la Terre. Comparisons of the different data sets with the model simulation are shown to provide complementary information and a consistent view of the ozone evolution. The model ozone in December and January is shown to be sensitive to the ozone vertical gradient and the model vertical transport, and only weakly sensitive to the model photochemistry. The most consistent comparison between observed and modeled ozone evolution is found for a simulation where the vertical profiles between 12 and 20 km within the polar vortex closely match December DIAL observations. Diabatic trajectory calculations are used to estimate the uncertainty due to vertical advection quantitatively. The transport uncertainty is significant, and should be accounted for when comparing observations with model ozone. The model ozone evolution during December and January is broadly consistent with the observations when these transport uncertainties are taken into account.

Douglass, Anne R.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Feasibility Study For A Spaceborne Ozone/Aerosol Lidar System

Because ozone provides a shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation, determines the temperature profile in the stratosphere, plays important roles in tropospheric chemistry and climate, and is a health risk near the surface, changes in natural ozone layers at different altitudes and their global impact are being intensively researched. Global ozone coverage is currently provided by passive optical and microwave satellite sensors that cannot deliver high spatial resolution measurements and have particular limitations in the troposphere. Vertical profiling DIfferential Absorption Lidars (DIAL) have shown excellent range-resolved capabilities, but these systems have been large, inefficient, and have required continuous technical attention for long term operations. Recently, successful, autonomous DIAL measurements have been performed from a high-altitude aircraft (LASE - Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment), and a space-qualified aerosol lidar system (LITE - Laser In-space Technology Experiment) has performed well on Shuttle. Based on the above successes, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency are jointly studying the feasibility of developing ORACLE (Ozone Research with Advanced Cooperative Lidar Experiments), an autonomously operated, compact DIAL instrument to be placed in orbit using a Pegasus class launch vehicle.

Campbell, Richard E.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Saturns Thermal Emission at 2.2-cm Wavelength as Imaged by the Cassini RADAR Radiometer

We present well-calibrated, high-resolution maps of Saturn's thermal emission at 2.2-cm wavelength obtained by the Cassini RADAR radiometer through the Prime and Equinox Cassini missions, a period covering approximately 6 years. The absolute brightness temperature calibration of 2% achieved is more than twice better than for all previous microwave observations reported for Saturn, and the spatial resolution and sensitivity achieved each represent nearly an order of magnitude improvement. The brightness temperature of Saturn in the microwave region depends on the distribution of ammonia, which our radiative transfer modeling shows is the only significant source of absorption in Saturn's atmosphere at 2.2-cm wavelength. At this wavelength the thermal emission comes from just below and within the ammonia cloud-forming region, and yields information about atmospheric circulations and ammonia cloud-forming processes. The maps are presented as residuals compared to a fully saturated model atmosphere in hydrostatic equilibrium. Bright regions in these maps are readily interpreted as due to depletion of ammonia vapor in, and, for very bright regions, below the ammonia saturation region. Features seen include the following: a narrow equatorial band near full saturation surrounded by bands out to about 10deg planetographic latitude that demonstrate highly variable ammonia depletion in longitude; narrow bands of depletion at -35deg latitude; occasional large oval features with depleted ammonia around -45deg latitude; and the 2010-2011 storm, with extensive saturated and depleted areas as it stretched halfway around the planet in the northern hemisphere. Comparison of the maps over time indicates a high degree of stability outside a few latitudes that contain active regions.

composition↗
NASA NTRS1974

Microwave spectra of some sulfur and nitrogen compounds

A computer-controlled microwave spectrometer was used to catalog reference spectra for chemical analysis. The apparatus, software, and experimental procedures are described. Tables of absorption frequencies, peak absorption coefficients, and integrated intensities are included for 13 sulfur compounds, 14 nitrogen compounds, and 1 compound containing both sulfur and nitrogen. The frequency range covered was 26,500 to 40,000 MHz for most compounds and 18,000 to 40,000 MHz for some.

White, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Passive microwave observations of snow, ice, and rain from satellites

Observations of precipitation performed with the five-channel passive Scanning Microwave Spectrometer of Nimbus 6 are discussed. It is shown that, at centimeter wavelengths, the rain emission is generally dominated by absorption processes except in the cores of intense precipitation cells where the wavelength dependence can shift markedly. The observations of rainfall over the ocean exhibit considerable long-range order in both instantaneous and two-week average maps. The observations of snow and ice also reveal interesting systematic behavior associated with the inhomogeneities and loss tangent of the bulk subsurface material. In general, ice is more isotropically organized internally than the accumulated layers of snow in Antarctica and Greenland.

Staelin, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Retrieval of total precipitable water using radiometric measurements near 92 and 183 GHz

This paper describes a method for the retrieval of total precipitable water (W) in dry atmospheres, which relies on the strong water vapor absorption line at 183 GHz (for W less than 0.6 g/sq cm) and on the absorption near 90 GHz (for W above 0.6 g/sq cm). The method is very sensitive to the variations of W less than 0.5 g/sq cm and is complementary to the established methods that use the weak 22 GHz water vapor absorption line to retrieve W in the 1-6 g/sq cm. The technique was demonstrated by the analysis of two Advanced Microwave Moisture Sounder observations of dry atmospheres following cold-air outbreaks on March 13, 1983, and February 23, 1986.

Wang, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Laboratory measurements of the microwave opacity of gaseous ammonia (NH3) under simulated conditions for the Jovian atmosphere

Microwave opacity measurements have been conducted for gaseous ammonia simulating Jovian atmosphere conditions at five frequencies from 18.5 to 1.38 cm, at temperatures from 178 to 300 K and 1-6 atm pressures. The atmospheric composition is 90-percent H/10-percent He. In the 1.38-18.5 cm wavelength range, ammonia absorption is well expressed by Berge and Gulkis' (1976) lineshape. The results obtained suggest that either an ammonia abundance 1.5-2.0 times greater than solar must be present at less than 1-2 bar, or some other microwave absorber is present.

Steffes, Paul G.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Numerical Studies of Scattering Properties of Leaves and Leaf Moisture Influences on the Scattering at Microwave Wavelengths

This study uses 3-dimensional finite difference time domain method to accurately calculate single-scattering properties of randomly orientated leaves and evaluate the influences of vegetation water content (VWC) on these properties at 19 and 37 GHz frequencies. The studied leaves are assumed to be thin elliptic disks with two different sizes and have various VWC values. Although the leaf moisture produces considerable absorption during scattering processes, the effective efficiencies of extinction and scattering of leaves still near-linearly increase with VWC. Calculated asymmetry factors and phase functions indicate that there are significant amounts of scattering at large scattering angles in microwave wavelengths, which provides good opportunities for off-nadir microwave remote sensing of forests. This study lays a basic foundation in future quantifications of the relations between satellite measurements and physical properties of vegetation canopies.

Lin, Bing↗
NASA NTRS1979

A passive microwave technique for profiling of atmospheric water vapor

There is considerable interest in remote measurements of the vertical distribution of water vapor, particularly under cloud conditions. The net integrated amount of water vapor has been measured using the 22.235-GHz water vapor line (Staelin et al., 1975). Attempts to use this line for obtaining vertical distribution information have not been fruitful because of the weakness of absorption even at line center. The 183.310-GHz line is much stronger and thus provides a possibility of profiling water vapor. The paper presents a preliminary analysis of this possibility. A technique is described for retrieval of water vapor profiles from microwave radiometric measurements near the 183-GHz water vapor line, and weighting functions useful in the retrievals are developed. The results suggest that microwave radiometry near the 183-GHz water vapor line could yield interesting water vapor profiles, at least over oceans.

Schaerer, G.↗