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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 NTRS1999

On Europa's Magnetospheric Interaction: A MHD Simulation of the E4 Flyby

The global three-dimensional interaction of Europa with the Jovian magnetosphere is modeled by using a complete set of ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The model accounts for exospheric mass loading, ion-neutral charge exchange, recombination, and a possible intrinsic dipole magnetic field of Europa. The single-fluid MHD equations are solved by using a modem, finite volume, higher-order, Godunov-type method on an adoptively refined unstructured grid, which allows detailed modeling of the region near Europa while still resolving both the upstream region and the satellite's wake. The magnetic field and plasma density measured during Galileo's EGA flyby of December 19, 1996, are reproduced reasonably well in the simulation. We find the agreement between the data and our model particularly convincing if we assume that the plasma velocity during the EGA flyby deviated from the nominal corotation direction by approximately 20 deg. Evidence from the Galileo energetic particle detector also supports this assumption. In this case, we can fit the data using a dipole with orientation close to that of an induced dipole arising from the interaction of a hypothetical conducting subsurface layer on Europa with the periodically changing magnetic field of Jupiter. However, the magnitude of the dipole in our model is somewhat smaller (70%) than that suggested by Khurana et al. The total mass loading and ion-neutral charge exchange rates are consistent with the estimates of Europa's atmosphere and ionosphere.

Kabin, K.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Icebreaker-3 Drill Integration and Testing at Two Mars-Analog Sites

A decade of evolutionary development of integrated automated drilling and sample handling at analog sites and in test chambers has made it possible to go 1 meter through hard rocks and ice layers on Mars. The latest Icebreaker-3 drill has been field tested in 2014 at the Haughton Crater Marsanalog site in the Arctic and in 2015 with a Mars lander mockup in Rio Tinto, Spain, (with sample transfer arm and with a prototype life-detection instrument). Tests in Rio Tinto in 2015 successfully demonstrated that the drill sample (cuttings) was handed-off from the drill to the sample transfer arm and thence to the on-deck instrument inlet where it was taken in and analyzed ("dirt-to-data").

astrobiology↗
NASA NTRS2018

Smap: A Hydrologist Goes Crazy with a New High-Quality Dataset

By providing global measurements of near-surface soil moisture (down to about 5 cm) with unprecedented accuracy, the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) satellite mission has opened the door to new and (in my opinion) exciting hydrological science. In this seminar, I present the results of a recent series of analyses performed with SMAP soil moisture data, covering a wide range of topics: (a) the characterization of the dynamics of near-surface soil moisture, with implications for forecasting soil moisture days into the future; (b) the multi-faceted character of the SMAP data, in the sense that different, established analysis approaches can extract information from the data that is largely (and perhaps unexpectedly) complementary; and (c) the interpretation of the data in the context of large-scale water fluxes. This final analysis is particularly exciting to me because it shows that, once the relevant algorithms are calibrated, precipitation and streamflow rates in hydrological basins can be estimated from the SMAP data alone - a reflection of the fact that the near-surface soil is a critical gateway between the atmospheric and subsurface branches of the hydrological cycle.

SMAP↗
NASA NTRS1998

Advances in Understanding Decadal Climate Variability

Recently, a joint Brazil-France-U.S. program, known as PIRATA (Pilot Research moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic), was proposed to begin the deployment of moored measurement platforms in the tropical Atlantic in order to enhance the existing observational data base and subsequent understanding of the processes by which the ocean and atmosphere couple in key regions of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Empirical studies have suggested that there are strong relationships between tropical Atlantic upper ocean variability, SST, ocean-atmosphere coupling and regional climate variability. During the early 1980's a coordinated set of surface wind, subsurface thermal structure, and subsurface current observations were obtained as part of the U.S.-France SEQUAL- FOCAL process experiment designed to observe the seasonal response of the tropical Atlantic Ocean to surface forcing. Since that time, however, the observational data base for the tropical Atlantic Ocean has disintegrated to a few shiptracks measuring ocean temperatures and a small collection of tide gauge stations measuring sea level. A more comprehensive set of observations, modeling and empirical studies is now in order to make progress on understanding the regional climate variability. The proposed PIRATA program will use mooring platforms similar to the tropical Pacific Ocean TAO array to measure surface fluxes of momentum and heat and the corresponding changes in the upper ocean thermal structure. It is anticipated that the oceanic data from this monitoring array will also be used in a predictive mode for initialization studies of regional coupled climate models. Of particular interest are zonal and meridional modes of ocean-atmosphere variability within the tropical Atlantic basin that have significant impacts on the regional climate of the bordering continents.

Busalaacchi, Antonio J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Can MARSIS Measure the Low-Altitude Components of the Mars Magnetic Field?

Measuring the magnetic field anomaly of Mars at low altitudes (e.g. 100-200 km) can be an interesting application of Mars Advance Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounder (MARSIS). Due to a low HF operation frequency, the radio wave propagating in the ionosphere of Mars, over the magnetic anomaly regions, will be affected and distorted by the localized magnetic field. This distortion in the sounder signal is due to the Faraday rotation and provides information about the strength of the magnetic field. MARSIS is especially sensitive to the radial magnetic field at altitudes where the electron density in the ionosphere peaks (i.e. 100-200 km). Consequently, MARSIS is potentially capable of providing measurements for the radial component of the magnetic field at altitudes between 100 to 200 km that are normally out of reach for orbital magnetometers (with the exception of the aero-braking phase). Such low-altitude measurements would be complementary to already existing measurements at 400 km by MAG-ER on Mars Global Surveyor. This paper will explain the sensitivity of MARSIS as a magnetometer and the method envisioned to measure the radial magnetic field component. MARSIS (Picardi et al.), the first major planetary radar sounder, is the result of an international collaboration between NASA, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and European Space Agency (ESA), and will arrive at Mars in early 2004 for a two-year mission. MARSIS has a frequency range between 0.1-5.5 MHz and is designed to penetrate the subsurface to a depth of a few kilometers. MARSIS primary objective is to map and characterize the subsurface geological structure of Mars, and search for subsurface liquid water reservoirs. The secondary objective of MARSIS is to study the ionosphere of Mars providing the most extensive amount of data on Martian ionosphere to date. In addition to MARSIS, a second radar sounder named SHARAD (SHallow RADar) with operation frequency of 15-25 MHz is under development. SHARAD is an Italian instrument (Seu et. al) that will fly on NASA s Mars Reconnaissance orbiter in 2005. SHARAD can also provide magnetic measurements, however, it is not expected to be as sensitive as MARSIS to magnetic field variations.

A Safaeinili↗
NASA NTRS2005

Application of an Orbital GPR Model to Detecting Martian Polar Subsurface Features

There are numerous challenges in successfully implementing and interpreting planetary ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements. Many are due to substantial uncertainties in the target ground parameters and the intervening medium (i.e., the ionosphere). These uncertainties generate a compelling need for meaningful quantitative simulation of the planetary GPR problem. An accurate numerical model would enable realistic numerical GPR simulations using parameter regimes much broader than are possible in laboratory or field experiments. Parameters such as source bandwidth and power, surface and subsurface features, and ionospheric profiles could be rapidly iterated to understand their impact on GPR performance and the reliable interpretation of GPR data.

Xu, Y.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Modeling Landslide Susceptibility Over Large Regions with Fuzzy Overlay

Landslide susceptibility mapping is most effective if detailed surface and subsurface information can be combined with authoritative landslide catalogs or a deep understanding of local conditions. However, these types of homogeneous input data and catalogs are frequently not available over large areas. In this study, we model landslide susceptibility in Central America and the Caribbean islands by combining three globally available datasets and one regional dataset with fuzzy overlay. This primarily heuristic model provides the flexibility to test a range of different contributing variables and the capability to compare landslide inventories within the model framework that vary greatly in their size, spatiotemporal scope, and collection methods. We create a regional susceptibility map and evaluate its performance using receiver operating characteristics for both continuous and binned susceptibility values. This susceptibility map forms the basis for a near-real-time landslide hazard assessment system that couples susceptibility with rainfall and soil moisture triggers to estimate potential landslide activity at a regional scale. The application of this susceptibility model at the regional scale provides a foundation for transferring the methodology to other geographic areas.

Landslide↗
NASA NTRS1999

Advances in Understanding Decadal Climate Variability

Recently, a joint Brazil-France-U.S. program, known as PIRATA (Pilot Research moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic), was proposed to begin the deployment of moored measurement platforms in the tropical Atlantic in order to enhance the existing observational data base and subsequent understanding of the processes by which the ocean and atmosphere couple in key regions of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Empirical studies have suggested that there are strong relationships between tropical Atlantic upper ocean variability, SST, ocean-atmosphere coupling and regional climate variability. During the early 1980's a coordinated set of surface wind, subsurface thermal structure, and subsurface current observations were obtained as part of the U.S.-France SEQUAL-FOCAL process experiment designed to observe the seasonal response of the tropical Atlantic Ocean to surface forcing. Since that time, however, the observational data base for the tropical Atlantic Ocean has disintegrated to a few ship-tracks measuring ocean temperatures and a small collection of tide gauge stations measuring sea level. A more comprehensive set of observations, modeling and empirical studies is now in order to make progress on understanding the regional climate variability. The proposed PIRATA program will use mooring platforms similar to the tropical Pacific Ocean TAO array to measure surface fluxes of momentum and heat and the corresponding changes in the upper ocean thermal structure. It is anticipated that the oceanic data from this monitoring array will also be used in a predictive mode for initialization studies of regional coupled climate models. Of particular interest are zonal and meridional modes of ocean-atmosphere variability within the tropical Atlantic basin that have significant impacts on the regional climate of the bordering continents.

Busalacchi, Antonio J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Connecting Paleo and Modern Oceanographic Data to Understand Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Over Decades to Centuries

Modeling is an important tool for understanding AMOC on all timescales. Mechanistic studies of modern AMOC variability have been hampered by a lack of consistency between free-running models and the sensitivity of AMOC to resolution and parameterization. Recent work within the framework of the phase two Coordinated Ocean- Reference Experiments (CORE-II) addresses this issue head on, looking at model differences of AMOC mean state and interannual variability. One consistent feature across the models is that AMOC mean transport is related to mixed layer depths and Labrador Sea salt content, whereas interannual variability is primarily associated with Labrador Sea temperature anomalies. This is consistent with the hypothesized importance of salt balance for AMOC variability on geological timescales. The simulated relationships between AMOC and subsurface temperature anomalies in fully coupled climate models reveal subsurface AMOC fingerprints that could be used to reconstruct historical AMOC variations at low frequency.With the lack of long-term AMOC observations, models of ocean state that assimilate observational data have been explored as a way to reconstruct AMOC, but comparisons between models indicate they are quite variable in their AMOC representations. Karspeck et al. (2015) found that historical reconstructions of AMOC in such models are sensitive to the details of the data assimilation procedure. The ocean data assimilation community continues to address these issues through improved models and methods for estimating and representing error information.Two objectives of paleoclimate modeling are 1) to provide mechanistic information for interpretation of paleoclimate observations, and 2) to test the ability of predictive models to simulate Earth's climate under different background forcing states. In a good example of the first objective, Schmittner and Lund (2015) and Menviel et al. (2014) provided key information about the proxy signals expected under freshwater disturbance of AMOC, which were used to support the paleoclimate observations made by Henry et al. (2016). In an example of the second objective, Muglia and Schmittner (2015) analyzed Third Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP3) models of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and found consistently more intense and deeper AMOC transports relative to preindustrial simulations, counter to the paleoclimate consensus of LGM conditions, indicating that some processes are not well represented in the PMIP3 models. One challenge is to find adequate paleo observations against which to test these models. PMIP is now in phase 4 (part of CMIP6), which includes experiments covering five periods in Earth's history: the last millennium, last glacial maximum, last interglacial, and the mid-Pliocene. Newly compiled paleoclimate datasets from the PAGES2k project, more transient simulations, and participation of isotope enabled models planned for CMIP6PMIP4 will enable richer paleo data-model comparisons in the near future.

Kilbourne, Hali↗
NASA NTRS1990

Evaluation of geophysical properties of the lunar regolith for the design of precursor scientific missions for the space exploration initiative

The following topics are addressed: (1) the frequency of encountering boulders that represent hazards to lunar operations; (2) the ease of lunar soil excavation; (3) the use of explosives in excavation operation; (4) the trafficability of the regolith; (5) problems encountered in mining (probably strip mining) of the regolith; (6) the stable angle(s) of repose in excavation of the regolith; (7) the layering to be encountered in the subsurface; (8) knowledge of the regolith site and the possibility of its general application to any site on the lunar surface; (9) the data needed to characterize a site for a lunar base; (10) the influence of regolith properties on the design of geophysical experiments from the lunar base; and (11) terrestrial analogues for the geophysical properties of the lunar regolith.

Morgan, Paul↗
NASA NTRS1990

Remote sensing science for the Nineties; Proceedings of IGARSS '90 - 10th Annual International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, University of Maryland, College Park, May 20-24, 1990. Vols. 1, 2, & 3

Various papers on remote sensing (RS) for the nineties are presented. The general topics addressed include: subsurface methods, radar scattering, oceanography, microwave models, atmospheric correction, passive microwave systems, RS in tropical forests, moderate resolution land analysis, SAR geometry and SNR improvement, image analysis, inversion and signal processing for geoscience, surface scattering, rain measurements, sensor calibration, wind measurements, terrestrial ecology, agriculture, geometric registration, subsurface sediment geology, radar modulation mechanisms, radar ocean scattering, SAR calibration, airborne radar systems, water vapor retrieval, forest ecosystem dynamics, land analysis, multisensor data fusion. Also considered are: geologic RS, RS sensor optical measurements, RS of snow, temperature retrieval, vegetation structure, global change, artificial intelligence, SAR processing techniques, geologic RS field experiment, stochastic modeling, topography and Digital Elevation model, SAR ocean waves, spaceborne lidar and optical, sea ice field measurements, millimeter waves, advanced spectroscopy, spatial analysis and data compression, SAR polarimetry techniques. Also discussed are: plant canopy modeling, optical RS techniques, optical and IR oceanography, soil moisture, sea ice back scattering, lightning cloud measurements, spatial textural analysis, SAR systems and techniques, active microwave sensing, lidar and optical, radar scatterometry, RS of estuaries, vegetation modeling, RS systems, EOS/SAR Alaska, applications for developing countries, SAR speckle and texture.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2006

Europa Surface Radiation Environment for Lander Assessment

The Jovian magnetospheric particle environment at Europa's surface is critical to assessment of landed astrobiological experiments in three respects: (1) the landing site must be chosen for the best prospects for detectable organic or inorganic signs of Life, e.g. regions of freshly emergent flows from the subsurface; (2) lander systems must reach the surface through the Jovian magnetospheric environment and operate long enough on the surface to return useful data; (3) lander instrumentation must be capable of detecting signs of life in the context of the local environmental radiation and associated chemistry. The Galileo, Voyager, and Pioneer missions have provided a wealth of data on energetic particle intensities throughout the Jovian magnetosphere including from many flybys of Europa. cumulative radiation dosages for spacecraft enroute to Europa can be well characterized, but knowledge of the surface radiation environment is very limited. Energetic electrons should primarily impact the trailing hemisphere with decreasing intensity towards the center of the leading hemisphere and are the most significant radiation component down to meter depths in the surface regolith due to secondary interactions. Observed surface distribution for sulfates is suggestive of electron irradiation but may have alternative interpretations. Having much-larger magnetic gyroradii than electrons, energetic protons and heavier ions irradiate more of the global surface. The particular orientations of electron, proton, and ion gyromotion would project into corresponding directional (e.g., east-west) anisotropies of particle flu into the surface. Particular topographic features at the landing site may therefore offer shielding from part of the incident radiation.

Cooper, John F.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Reconciling the MOLA, TES, and Neutron Observations of the North Polar CO2 Mass Budget on Mars

There are now three independent observations of the CO2 polar cap mass budget of Mars' north polar cap. The first is based elevation changes detected by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) on the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS). The second is based on MGS Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) broadband observations of the solar and infrared radiation fields at the top of the atmosphere. The third is based on neutron counts measured by the neutron spectrometer (NS) on Odyssey. The TES data are based on an energy balance. The net radiative loss (gain) in a column is balanced by latent heating due condensation (sublimation) of CO2. In calculating the mass budget, the other main energy sources, atmospheric heat transport and subsurface conduction, were neglected. At the pole, atmospheric heat transport is indeed a small term. However, subsurface heat conduction can be significant because at the North Pole water ice, which has a high thermal conductivity compared to bare soil, is a dominant component of the subsurface. Thus, heat conducted down into the ice during summer will slowly bleed back out during fall and winter reducing the amount of CO2 that condenses on the pole. We have taken a first cut at quantifying this effect by fitting a curve to Paige's estimates of the conducted energy flux in his analysis of Viking IRTM data.

Haberle, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Effects of subsurface volume scattering on the lunar microwave brightness temperature spectrum

The effects of volumetric scattering on the lunar microwave brightness temperature are examined for a broad range of feasible lunar rock population distributions. Mie-scattering phase functions and the radiative transfer method are utilized. Surveyor and Apollo data relevant to lunar rock size distributions are discussed, and parameters are chosen for nine scattering models which liberally cover the range of studied rock population distributions. Scattering model brightness temperature predictions are analyzed in terms of the lunar disk center emission averaged over a lunation for wavelengths of 3-30 cm. The effects of scattering on the amplitude of disk center brightness temperature variations and resultant deductions of regolith electrical loss are examined. Constraints on the global scale variability of subsurface scatterers imposed by microwave brightness temperature maps are considered.

Keihm, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Skylab altimeter applications and scientific results

Analysis of the Skylab S-193 Altimeter Experiment data has produced many significant results. The purpose of this paper is to present some of these results which illustrate the programmatic altimeter technology gained and show the scientific potential of altimetry for various applications, including correlation with existing topographic features, geoids and physical models. It will be shown that there exists a very strong correlation between subsurface topography in the broad ocean area and the shape of the ocean surface as determined from the altimeter. Modeled scattering waveforms will be correlated with Skylab Altimeter waveforms. The agreement of a variety of existing geoid models with the altimeter data will be shown. In addition the calibration, accuracy and stability of the S-193 altimeter instrumentation will be discussed.

Mcgoogan, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Robotic Subsurface Analyzer and Sample Handler for Resource Reconnaissance and Preliminary Site Assessment for ISRU Activities at the Lunar Cold Traps

Since the 1960s, claims have been made that water ice deposits should exist in permanently shadowed craters near both lunar poles. Recent interpretations of data from the Lunar Prospector-Neutron Spectrometer (LP- NS) confirm that significant concentrations of hydrogen exist, probably in the form of water ice, in the permanently shadowed polar cold traps. Yet, due to the large spatial resolution (45-60 Ian) of the LP-NS measurements relative to these shadowed craters (approx.5-25 km), these data offer little certainty regarding the precise location, form or distribution of these deposits. Even less is known about how such deposits of water ice might effect lunar regolith physical properties relevant to mining, excavation, water extraction and construction. These uncertainties will need to be addressed in order to validate fundamental lunar In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) precepts by 2011. Given the importance of the in situ utilization of water and other resources to the future of space exploration a need arises for the advanced deployment of a robotic and reconfigurable system for physical properties and resource reconnaissance. Based on a collection of high-TRL. designs, the Subsurface Analyzer and Sample Handler (SASH) addresses these needs, particularly determining the location and form of water ice and the physical properties of regolith. SASH would be capable of: (1) subsurface access via drilling, on the order of 3-10 meters into both competent targets (ice, rock) and regolith, (2) down-hole analysis through drill string embedded instrumentation and sensors (Neutron Spectrometer and Microscopic Imager), enabling water ice identification and physical properties measurements; (3) core and unconsolidated sample acquisition from rock and regolith; (4) sample handling and processing, with minimized contamination, sample containerization and delivery to a modular instrument payload. This system would be designed with three mission enabling goals, including: (1) a self-contained, low power, low mass, "black box'' configuration for operations from a lander, various classes of rovers or a surface-based platform with human assistance or robotic anchoring mechanisms; (2) reconfigurable and scalable sample handling for delivery to various types of instrumentation, depending on mission requirements; and (3) the use of advanced automation control and diagnostic techniques that will afford local human deployed, remote teleoperation and fully autonomous intelligent operations. Though a great deal of technology has been advanced toward these objectives, the SASH system faces significant design challenges, including the low gravity environment, various levels of autonomy in operations, radiation exposure, dust contamination, and temperature extremes and deltas. Significant input from the scientific and engineering communities, as well as a significant environmental testing program, will be required to guide the design process.

Gorevan, S. P.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Implications of isotopic compositions of N and Ne in the Martian atmosphere to temporal evolution of its atmosphere and regolith

The isotopic compositions of N and Ne in the Martian atmosphere are governed by several factors, principal among which are the temporal evolution in (1) the absolute surface pressure of oxygen, (2) the physicochemical characteristics of the regolith, and finally (3) the N-15 enrichment expected due to preferential hydrodynamical escape of N-14 (due to solar wind bombardment). Each of these factors is unique to Mars. In fact, no other planet offers the uniquely favorable situations for N-15 and Ne-21 enrichments. The cosmogenic production of N-15 is, in particular, unique. It promises to provide very valuable constraints on the temporal evolution of the martian CO2 and H2O, both in the atmosphere and regolith. The rate of production of cosmogenic (spallation) N-15 is dependent on the surface pressure of oxygen, the principal target element for formation of N-15. In view of the relatively high O/N ratio in the martian atmosphere, relatively high N-15/N ratio are expected to arise from cosmogenic reactions. The added bonus comes from the fact that an appreciable production of N-15 is expected in the martian regolith because of its thin atmosphere. From model calculations it is shown that if accurate isotopic composition data become available for N and Ne, it should be possible to put robust constraints on the time averages martian oxygen surface pressure and subsurface water in the upper layers.

Lal, D.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A combined surface/volume scattering retracking algorithm for ice sheet satellite altimetry

An algorithm that is based upon a combined surface-volume scattering model is developed. It can be used to retrack individual altimeter waveforms over ice sheets. An iterative least-squares procedure is used to fit the combined model to the return waveforms. The retracking algorithm comprises two distinct sections. The first generates initial model parameter estimates from a filtered altimeter waveform. The second uses the initial estimates, the theoretical model, and the waveform data to generate corrected parameter estimates. This retracking algorithm can be used to assess the accuracy of elevations produced from current retracking algorithms when subsurface volume scattering is present. This is extremely important so that repeated altimeter elevation measurements can be used to accurately detect changes in the mass balance of the ice sheets. By analyzing the distribution of the model parameters over large portions of the ice sheet, regional and seasonal variations in the near-surface properties of the snowpack can be quantified.

Davis, Curt H.↗