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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 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1994

Vapor generator wand

In low speed wind tunnels it is often desirable to visualize airflow to augment observations made with instruments such as strain and pressure gages. Current technology devices for delivery of a vapor are bulky and thus disrupt local airflow. It is the object of this invention to provide a device capable of delivering a stream of vapor with a minimal effect on local airflow. The present invention achieves this object by utilizing a narrow tube as a heating device for producing the vapor. Running an electrical current through the tube provides resistive heating to a liquid which produces a vapor when boiled. As the entire heating and delivery portion of the device is simply a small cylinder the disruption to airflow within the tunnel is minimized. this allows an experimenter to place the source of vapor fairly close to a model without causing too much change to the model data. The novelty of the present invention lies in reducing the bulk of current technology devices by combining the acts of heating and delivery.

Robelen, David B.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Movement of water vapor in the atmosphere measured by an imaging spectrometer at Rogers Dry Lake, CA

Movement of water as vapor in the atmosphere is a fundamental process in the Earth's hydrological cycle. Investigations of spatial and time scales of water vapor transport in the atmosphere are important areas of research. Water vapor transmits energy as a function of its abundance across the spectrum. This is shown in the 400- to 2500-nm spectral region where the transmission of the terrestrial atmosphere has been modeled using the MODTRAN radiative transfer code for a range of water vapor abundances. Based on these model results, spectra measured by the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) have been used to investigate the movement of water vapor at 20-m spatial resolution over an 11-by-30-km area at approximately 15-minute time intervals (1.25 hours total). AVIRIS measures the upwelling spectral radiance from 400 to 2500 nm at 10-nm spectral intervals and collects images of 11-by-up-to-1000 km at 20-m spatial resolution. Data are collected at a rate of 1 km of flight line per 4.5 seconds. A set of five AVIRIS flight lines was acquired in rapid succession over Rogers Dry Lake, CA on May 18, 1993 at 18:59, 19:13, 19:29, 19:47, and 19:59 UTC. Rogers Dry lake is located 2 hours north of Los Angeles, CA at 34.84 degrees north latitude and 117.83 degrees west longitude in the Mojave Desert.

Green, Robert O.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Correcting infrared satellite estimates of sea surface temperature for atmospheric water vapor attenuation

A new satellite sea surface temperature (SST) algorithm is developed that uses nearly coincident measurements from the microwave special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I) to correct for atmospheric moisture attenuation of the infrared signal from the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR). This new SST algorithm is applied to AVHRR imagery from the South Pacific and Norwegian seas, which are then compared with simultaneous in situ (ship based) measurements of both skin and bulk SST. In addition, an SST algorithm using a quadratic product of the difference between the two AVHRR thermal infrared channels is compared with the in situ measurements. While the quadratic formulation provides a considerable improvement over the older cross product (CPSST) and multichannel (MCSST) algorithms, the SSM/I corrected SST (called the water vapor or WVSST) shows overall smaller errors when compared to both the skin and bulk in situ SST observations. Applied to individual AVHRR images, the WVSST reveals an SST difference pattern (CPSST-WVSST) similar in shape to the water vapor structure while the CPSST-quadratic SST difference appears unrelated in pattern to the nearly coincident water vapor pattern. An application of the WVSST to week-long composites of global area coverage (GAC) AVHRR data demonstrates again the manner in which the WVSST corrects the AVHRR for atmospheric moisture attenuation. By comparison the quadratic SST method underestimates the SST corrections in the lower latitudes and overestimates the SST in th e higher latitudes. Correlations between the AVHRR thermal channel differences and the SSM/I water vapor demonstrate the inability of the channel difference to represent water vapor in the midlatitude and high latitudes during summer. Compared against drifting buoy data the WVSST and the quadratic SST both exhibit the same general behavior with the relatively small differences with the buoy temperatures.

Emery, William J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (MIR) data processing and development of water vapor retrieval algorithms

This document describes the progress of the task of the Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (MIR) data processing and the development of water vapor retrieval algorithms, for the second six-month performing period. Aircraft MIR data from two 1995 field experiments were collected and processed with a revised data processing software. Two revised versions of water vapor retrieval algorithm were developed, one for the execution of retrieval on a supercomputer platform, and one for using pressure as the vertical coordinate. Two implementations of incorporating products from other sensors into the water vapor retrieval system, one from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), the other from the High-resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS). Water vapor retrievals were performed for both airborne MIR data and spaceborne SSM/T-2 data, during field experiments of TOGA/COARE, CAMEX-1, and CAMEX-2. The climatology of water vapor during TOGA/COARE was examined by SSM/T-2 soundings and conventional rawinsonde.

Chang, L. Aron↗
NASA NTRS1995

Alexandrite laser transmitter development for airborne water vapor DIAL measurements

In the DIAL technique, the water vapor concentration profile is determined by analyzing the lidar backscatter signals for laser wavelengths tuned 'on' and 'off' a water vapor absorption line. Desired characteristics of the on-line transmitted laser beam include: pulse energy greater than or equal to 100 mJ, high-resolution tuning capability (uncertainty less than 0.25 pm), good spectral stability (jitter less than 0.5 pm about the mean), and high spectral purity (greater than 99 percent). The off-line laser is generally detuned less than 100 pm away from the water vapor line. Its spectral requirements are much less stringent. In our past research, we developed and demonstrated the airborne DIAL technique for water vapor measurements in the 720-nm spectral region using a system based on an alexandrite laser as the transmitter for the on-line wavelength and a Nd:YAG laser-pumped dye laser for the off-line wavelength. This off-line laser has been replaced by a second alexandrite laser. Diode lasers are used to injection seed both lasers for frequency and linewidth control. This eliminates the need for the two intracavity etalons utilized in our previous alexandrite laser and thereby greatly reduces the risk of optical damage. Consequently, the transmitted pulse energy can be substantially increased, resulting in greater measurement range, higher data density, and increased measurement precision. In this paper, we describe the diode injection seed source, the two alexandrite lasers, and the device used to line lock the on-line seed source to the water vapor absorption feature.

Chyba, Thomas H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Water vapor spectroscopy in the 815-nm wavelength region for Differential Absorption Lidar measurements

The differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique was first applied to the remote measurement of atmospheric water vapor profiles from airborne platforms in 1981. The successful interpretation of the lidar profiles relies strongly on an accurate knowledge of specific water vapor absorption line parameters: line strength, pressure broadening coefficient, pressure-induced shift coefficient and the respective temperature-dependence factors. NASA Langley Research Center has developed and is currently testing an autonomous airborne water vapor lidar system: LASE (Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment). This DIAL system uses a Nd:YAG-pumped Ti:Sapphire laser seeded by a diode laser as a lidar transmitter. The tunable diode has been selected to operate in the 813-818 nm wavelength region. This 5-nm spectral interval offers a large distribution of strengths for temperature-insensitive water vapor absorption lines. In support of the LASE project, a series of spectroscopic measurements were conducted for the 16 absorption lines that have been identified for use in the LASE measurements. Prior to this work, the experimental data for this water vapor absorption band were limited - to our knowledge - to the line strengths and to the line positions.

Ponsardin, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS1995

First lidar measurements of water vapor and aerosols from a high-altitude aircraft

Water vapor plays an important role in many atmospheric processes related to radiation, climate change, atmospheric dynamics, meteorology, the global hydrologic cycle, and atmospheric chemistry, and yet our knowledge of the global distribution of water vapor is very limited. The differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique has the potential of providing needed high resolution water vapor measurements from aircraft and from space, and the Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment (LASE) is a key step in the development of this capability. The LASE instrument is the first fully engineered, autonomous DIAL system, and it is designed to operate from a high-altitude aircraft (ER-2) and to make water vapor and aerosol profile measurements across the troposphere. The LASE system was flown from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in a series of engineering flights during September 1994. This paper discusses the characteristics of the LASE system and presents the first LASE measurements of water vapor and aerosol profiles.

Browell, Edward V.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Spectral control of an alexandrite laser for an airborne water-vapor differential absorption lidar system

A narrow-linewidth pulsed alexandrite laser has been greatly modified for improved spectral stability in an aircraft environment, and its operation has been evaluated in the laboratory for making water-vapor differential absorption lidar measurements. An alignment technique is described to achieve the optimum free spectral range ratio for the two etalons inserted in the alexandrite laser cavity, and the sensitivity of this ratio is analyzed. This technique drastically decreases the occurrence of mode hopping, which is commonly observed in a tunable, two-intracavity-etalon laser system. High spectral purity (greater than 99.85%) at 730 nm is demonstrated by the use of a water-vapor absorption line as a notch filter. The effective cross sections of 760-nm oxygen and 730-nm water-vapor absorption lines are measured at different pressures by using this laser, which has a finite linewidth of 0.02 cm(exp -1) (FWHM). It is found that for water-vapor absorption linewidths greater than 0.04 cm(exp -1) (HWHM), or for altitudes below 10 km, the laser line can be considered monochromatic because the measured effective absorption cross section is within 1% of the calculated monochromatic cross section. An analysis of the environmental sensitivity of the two intracavity etalons is presented, and a closed-loop computer control for active stabilization of the two intracavity etalons in the alexandrite laser is described. Using a water-vapor absorption line as a wavelength reference, we measure a long-term frequency drift (approximately 1.5 h) of less than 0.7 pm in the laboratory.

Ponsardin, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS1996

A Burst Mode, Ultrahigh Temperature UF4 Vapor Core Reactor Rankine Cycle Space Power System Concept

Static and dynamic neutronic analyses have been performed on an innovative burst mode (100's of MW output for a few thousand seconds) Ulvahigh Temperature Vapor Core Reactor (UTVR) space nuclear power system. The NVTR employs multiple, neutronically-coupled fissioning cores and operates on a direct, closed Rankine cycle using a disk Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generater for energy conversion. The UTVR includes two types of fissioning core regions: (1) the central Ultrahigh Temperature Vapor Core (UTVC) which contains a vapor mixture of highly enriched UF4 fuel and a metal fluoride working fluid and (2) the UF4 boiler column cores located in the BeO moderator/reflector region. The gaseous nature of the fuel the fact that the fuel is circulating, the multiple coupled fissioning cores, and the use of a two phase fissioning fuel lead to unique static and dynamic neutronic characteristics. Static neutronic analysis was conducted using two-dimensional S sub n, transport theory calculations and three-dimensional Monte Carlo transport theory calculations. Circulating-fuel, coupled-core point reactor kinetics equations were used for analyzing the dynamic behavior of the UTVR. In addition to including reactivity feedback phenomena associated with the individual fissioning cores, the effects of core-to-core neutronic and mass flow coupling between the UTVC and the surrounding boiler cores were also included in the dynamic model The dynamic analysis of the UTVR reveals the existence of some very effectlve inherent reactivity feedback effects that are capable of quickly stabilizing this system, within a few seconds, even when large positive reactivity insertions are imposed. If the UTVC vapor fuel density feedback is suppressed, the UTVR is still inherently stable because of the boiler core liquid-fuel volume feedback; in contrast, suppression of the vapor fuel density feedback in 'conventional" gas core cavity reactors causes them to become inherently unstable. Due to the strength of the negative reactivity feedback in the UTVR, it is found that external reactivity insertions alone are inadequate for bringing about significant power level changes during normal reactor operations. Additional methods of reactivity control such as variations in the gaseous fuel mass flow rate, are needed to achieve the desired power level oontrol.

Dugan, E. T.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Simultaneous in situ Optical Monitoring Techniques during Crystal Growth of ZnSe by Physical Vapor Transport

ZnSe crystals grown in sealed ampoules by the physical vapor transport method were monitored in situ using three techniques, simultaneously. A Michelson interferometer was set-up to observe the growth rate and surface morphological evolution. An interference pattern (interferogram) is formed by the interaction between the reflection of a HeNe laser (632.8 nm wavelength) off the crystal-vapor interface and a reference beam from the same laser. Preliminary results indicate that the rate of growth/thermal-etching can be calculated using analog data acquisition and simple fringe counting techniques. Gross surface features may also be observed using a digital frame grabber and fringe analysis software. The second in situ technique uses optical absorption to determine the partial pressures of the vapor species. The Se2 and Zn vapor species present in the sealed ampoule absorb light at characteristic wavelengths. The optical absorption is determined by monitoring the light intensity difference between the sample and reference beams. The Se2 Partial pressure profile along the length of the ampoule was estimated from the vibronic absorption peaks at 340.5, 350.8, 361.3 and 379.2 nm using the Beer's law constants established in the calibration runs of pure Se. Finally, because the high temperature crystal growth furnace contains windows, in situ visual observation of the growing crystal is also possible. The use of these techniques not only permits in situ investigation of high temperature vapor growth of semiconductors, but also offers the potential for real time feed back on the growing crystal and allows the possibility of actively controlling the growth process.

Su, C.- H.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Millimeter-Wave Imaging Radiometer (MIR) Data Processing and Development of Water Vapor Retrieval Algorithms

This document describes the final report of the Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer (MIR) Data Processing and Development of Water Vapor Retrieval Algorithms. Volumes of radiometric data have been collected using airborne MIR measurements during a series of field experiments since May 1992. Calibrated brightness temperature data in MIR channels are now available for studies of various hydrological parameters of the atmosphere and Earth's surface. Water vapor retrieval algorithms using multichannel MIR data input are developed for the profiling of atmospheric humidity. The retrieval algorithms are also extended to do three-dimensional mapping of moisture field using continuous observation provided by airborne sensor MIR or spaceborne sensor SSM/T-2. Validation studies for water vapor retrieval are carried out through the intercomparison of collocated and concurrent measurements using different instruments including lidars and radiosondes. The developed MIR water vapor retrieval algorithm is capable of humidity profiling under meteorological conditions ranging from clear column to moderately cloudy sky. Simulative water vapor retrieval studies using extended microwave channels near 183 and 557 GHz strong absorption lines indicate feasibility of humidity profiling to layers in the upper troposphere and improve the overall vertical resolution through the atmosphere.

Chang, L. Aron↗
NASA NTRS1999

Inter-Annual Variability of Atmospheric Water Vapor as seen from the TOVS Pathfinder Path a Data Set

The atmospheric water vapor is a major greenhouse gas and plays a critical role in determining energy and water cycle in the climate system. A new, global, long-term (1985-98) water vapor data set derived from the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) Path A system will be introduced in the presentation. An assessment of the accuracy of the TOVS Path A water vapor data will he presented. The focus of this oral presentation will be on the inter-annual variability of the water vapor distribution in the atmosphere. Also, water vapor distribution observed during 1997/98 ENSO event will be shown.

Mehta, Amita↗
NASA NTRS1999

Simulations of Water Vapor in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

A detailed study of the water vapor budget in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere of the "Finite Volume CCM3" (FVCCM3) model is presented. The model is based on a combination of a finite-volume dynamical core (developed by Lin and Rood) and the physical package from Version 3 of the Community Climate Model (CCM3, developed at NCAR). The model was used with a horizontal resolution of 2 by 2.5 degrees and 55 levels, with the upper boundary at 0.0lhPa and a vertical resolution of about 1.2km near the tropopause. Most results presented are from a 17-year simulation performed for the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project. It is shown that the model simulates a realistic thermal structure in the tropical tropopause region and that water vapor distributions are in qualitative accord with observations (which are uncertain). The longitudinal structure of the tropical atmosphere is slightly too asymmetric, compared to reasonable estimates of the truth. The processes leading to the horizontal and vertical transport of water vapor in the tropopause region are analyzed in detail. Special attention is given to the realism of horizontal transport events (the ability of the model to retain sharply defined features) and to the role of localized vertical motions in transporting air (and water vapor) between the troposphere and stratosphere. It is shown that the vertical transport of water vapor in the tropical lower stratosphere occurs at about the same rate as that observed, while in many other models this vertical transport is too fast.

Pawson, Steven↗
NASA NTRS1999

Differential Absorption Measurements of Atmospheric Water Vapor with a Coherent Lidar at 2050.532 nm

Wind and water vapor are two major factors driving the Earth's atmospheric circulation, and direct measurement of these factors is needed for better understanding of basic atmospheric science, weather forecasting, and climate studies. Coherent lidar has proved to be a valuable tool for Doppler profiling of wind fields, and differential absorption lidar (DIAL) has shown its effectiveness in profiling water vapor. These two lidar techniques are generally considered distinctly different, but this paper explores an experimental combination of the Doppler and DIAL techniques for measuring both wind and water vapor with an eye-safe wavelength based on a solid-state laser material. Researchers have analyzed and demonstrated coherent DIAL water vapor measurements at 10 micrometers wavelength based on CO2 lasers. The hope of the research presented here is that the 2 gm wavelength in a holmium or thulium-based laser may offer smaller packaging and more rugged operation that the CO2-based approach. Researchers have extensively modeled 2 um coherent lasers for water vapor profiling, but no published demonstration is known. Studies have also been made, and results published on the Doppler portion, of a Nd:YAG-based coherent DIAL operating at 1.12 micrometers. Eye-safety of the 1.12 micrometer wavelength may be a concern, whereas the longer 2 micrometer and 10 micrometer systems allow a high level of eyesafety.

Koch, Grady J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Water Vapor Transport Over the Tropical Oceans During ENSO as Diagnosed from TRMM and SSM/I Data

Traditionally, large-scale water vapor transport [div Q] has been derived directly from circulation statistics in which transport processes are often depicted by mean and eddy motions. Thus detailed and accurate calculations of moisture transport terms over the globe are required. Notably, the lack of systematically spaced conventional measurements of meteorological variables over oceans has hindered understanding of the distribution and transport of water vapor. This motivates the use of indirect calculation methods in which horizontal divergence of water vapor is balanced by the evaporation minus precipitation, assuming the rate of changes of precipitable water and condensates is small over a sufficiently long time period. In order to obtain the water vapor transport, we need evaporation rate minus precipitation (E-P). Focussing on the differences in water vapor transport between El Nino and La Nina periods and their influences on atmospheric circulations, we study January, February, and March of 1998 and 1999 periods which represent El Nino and La Nina respectively. SSM/I-derived precipitation and evaporation rate from SSM/I wind and total precipitable water, in conjunction with NCEP SST and surface air temperature, are used for the calculation of the transport potential function. For the retrieval of evaporation we use a stability-dependent aerodynamic bulk scheme developed by Chou (1993). It was tested against aircraft covariance fluxes measured during cold air outbreaks over the North Atlantic Ocean. Chou et al. (1997) reported that the SSM/I retrieved latent heat flux over the western Pacific warm pool area were found to be comparable with daily mean fluxes of a ship measurements during TOGA/COARE.

Robertson, Franklin R.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A New Raman Water Vapor Lidar Calibration Technique and Measurements in the Vicinity of Hurricane Bonnie

The NAcA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scanning Raman Lidar has made measurements of water vapor and aerosols for almost ten years. Calibration of the water vapor data has typically been performed by comparison with another water vapor sensor such as radiosondes. We present a new method for water vapor calibration that only requires low clouds, and surface pressure and temperature measurements. A sensitivity study was performed and the cloud base algorithm agrees with the radiosonde calibration to within 10- 15%. Knowledge of the true atmospheric lapse rate is required to obtain more accurate cloud base temperatures. Analysis of water vapor and aerosol measurements made in the vicinity of Hurricane Bonnie are discussed.

Evans, Keith D.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A New Raman Water Vapor Lidar Calibration Technique and Measurements in the Vicinity of Hurricane Bonnie

The NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scanning Raman Lidar has made measurements of water vapor and aerosols for almost ten years. Calibration of the water vapor data has typically been performed by comparison with another water vapor sensor such as radiosondes. We present a new method for water vapor calibration that only requires low clouds, and surface pressure and temperature measurements. A sensitivity study was performed and the cloud base algorithm agrees with the radiosonde calibration to within 10-15%. Knowledge of the true atmospheric lapse rate is required to obtain more accurate cloud base temperatures. Analysis of water vapor and aerosol measurements made in the vicinity of Hurricane Bonnie are discussed.

Evans, Keith D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Uncertainties of the Intensity of the 1130 nm Band of Water Vapor

Belmiloud, et al have recently suggested that the HITRAN line intensities in the 1130 nm water vapor band are much too weak. Giver, et at corrected unit conversion errors to make the HITRAN intensities compatible with the original measurements of Mandin, et al, but Belmiloud, et al believe that many of those line intensity measurements were too weak, and they propose the total intensity of the 1130 nm water vapor band is 38% stronger than the sum of the HITRAN line intensities in this region. We have made independent assessments of this proposal using 2 spectra obtained with the Ames 25 meter base path White cell. The first was made using the moderate resolution (8 nm) solar spectral flux radiometer (SSFR) flight instrument with a White cell absorbing path of 506 meters and 10 torr water vapor pressure. Modeling this spectrum using the HITRAN linelist gives a reasonable match, and the model is not compatible when the HITRAN line intensities are increased by 38%. The second spectrum was obtained with a White cell path of 1106 meters and 12 torr water vapor pressure, using a Bomem FTIR with near Doppler width resolution. This spectrum is useful for measuring intensities of isolated weak lines to compare with the measurements of Mandin, et al. Unfortunately, as Belmiloud et al point out, at these conditions the strong lines are much too saturated for good intensity measurements. Our measurements of the weak lines are in reasonable agreement with those of Mandin, et al. Neither of our spectra supports the proposal of Belmiloud et al for a general 38% increase of the absorption intensity in the 1130 nm water vapor band.

Giver, L. P.↗