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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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NASA NTRS2017

Accuracy/Computation Performance of a New Trilateration Scheme for GPS-Style Localization

We recently introduced a new geometric trilateration (GT) method for GPS-style positioning. Preliminary singlepoint analysis using simplistic error assumptions indicates that the new scheme delivers almost indistinguishable localization accuracy as the traditional Newton-Raphson (NR) approach. Also, the same computation procedure can be used to perform high-accuracy relative positioning between a reference vehicle and an arbitrary number of target vehicles. This scheme has the potential to enable a) new mission concepts in collaborative science, b) in-situ navigation services for human Mars missions, and c) lower cost and faster acquisition of GPS signals for consumer-grade GPS products. The new GT scheme differs from the NR scheme as follows: 1. The new scheme is derived from Pythagoras Theorem, whereas the NR method is based on the principle of linear regression. 2. The NR method uses the absolute locations (xi, yi, zi)’s of the GPS satellites as input to each step of the localization computation. The GT method uses the Directional Cosines Ui’s from Earth’s center to the GPS satellite Si. 3. Both the NR method and the GT method iterate to converge to a localized solution. In each iteration step, multiple matrix operations are performed. The NR method constructs a different matrix in each iterative step, thus requires performing a new set of matrix operations in each step. The GT scheme uses the same matrix in each iteration, thus requiring computing the matrix operations only once for all subsequent iterations. In this paper, we perform an in-depth comparison between the GT scheme and the NR method in terms of a) GPS localization accuracy in the GPS operation environment, b) its sensitivity with respect to systematic errors and random errors, and c) computation load required to converge to a localization solution.

Lee, Charles↗
NASA NTRS1996

Blood vessel adaptation to gravity in a semi-arboreal snake

The effects of vasoactive agonists on systemic blood vessels were examined with respect to anatomical location and gravity acclimation in the semi-arboreal snake, Elaphe Obsoleta. Major blood vessels were reactive to putative neurotransmitters, hormones or local factors in vessel specific patterns. Catecholamines, adenosine triphosphate, histamine and high potassium (80 mM) stimulated significantly greater tension per unit vessel mass in posterior than anterior arteries. Anterior vessels were significantly more sensitive to catecholamines than midbody and posterior vessels. Angiotensin II stimulated significantly greater tension in carotid artery than in midbody and posterior dorsal aorta. Arginine vasotocin strongly contracted the left and right aortic arches and anterior dorsal aorta. Veins were strongly contracted by catecholamines, high potassium and angiotensin II, but less so by adenosine triphosphate, arginine vasotocin and histamine. Precontracted vessel were relaxed by acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside, but not by atrial natriuretic peptide or bradykinin. Chronic exposure of snakes to intermittent hypergravity stress ( + 1.5 Gz at tail) did not affect the majority of vessel responses. These data demonstrate that in vitro tension correlates with that catecholamines, as well as other agonists, are important in mediating vascular responses to gravitational stresses in snakes.

NASA Discipline Number 14-10↗
NASA NTRS2004

Calibration, Data Acquisition, and Post Analysis of Turbulent Fluid Flow in a Calibration Jet Using Hot-wire Anemometry

The Turbine Branch concentrates on the following areas: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and implementing experimental procedures to obtain physical modeling data. Hot-wire Anemometry is a valuable tool for obtaining physical modeling data. Hot-wire Anemometry is likely to remain the principal research tool for most turbulent air/gas flow studies. The Hot-wire anemometer consists of a fine wire heated by electric current. When placed in a fluid stream, the hot-wire loses heat to the fluid by forced convection. In forced convection, energy transfer is due to molecular motion imposed by an extraneous force moving fluid parcels. When the hot-wire is in "equilibrium", the rate of heat input to the wire is equal to the rate of heat loss at the wire ends. The equality between heat input and heat loss is the basis for King s equation, which relates the electrical parameters of the hot-wire to the flow parameters of the fluid. Hot-wire anemometry is based on convective heat transfer from a heated wire element placed in a fluid flow. Any change in the fluid flow condition that affects the heat transfer from the heated element will be detected virtually instantaneously by a constant-temperature Hot-wire anemometry system. The system implemented for this research is the IFA 300. The system is a fully-integrated, thermal anemometer-based system that measures mean and fluctuating velocity components in air, water, and other fluids. It also measures turbulence and makes localized temperature measurements. A constant-temperature anemometer is a bridge and amplifier circuit that controls a tiny wire at constant temperature. As a fluid flow passes over the heated sensor, the amplifier senses the bridge off-balance and adjusts the voltage to the top of the bridge, keeping the bridge in balance. The voltage on top of the bridge can then be related to the velocity of the flow. The bridge voltage is sensitive to temperature as well as velocity and so the built-in thermocouple circuit can be attached to a thermocouple that can measure the fluid temperature. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Moreno, Michelle↗
NASA NTRS2016

Analysis of Summer-Time Ozone and Precursor Species in the Southeast United States

Ozone (O3) is a greenhouse gas and toxic pollutant which plays a major role in air quality and atmospheric chemistry. The understanding and ability to model the horizontal and vertical structure of O3 mixing ratios is difficult due to the complex formation/destruction processes and transport pathways that cause large variability of O3. The Environmental Protection Agency has National Ambient Air Quality Standards for O3 set at 75 ppb with future standards proposed to be as low as 65 ppb. These lower values emphasize the need to better understand/simulate the transport processes, emission sources, and chemical processes controlling precursor species (e.g., NOx, VOCs, and CO) which influence O3 mixing ratios. The uncertainty of these controlling variables is particularly large in the southeast United States (US) which is a region impacted by multiple different emission sources of precursor species (anthropogenic and biogenic) and transport processes resulting in complex spatio-temporal O3 patterns. During this work we will evaluate O3 and precursor species in the southeast US applying models, ground-based and airborne in situ data, and lidar observations. In the summer of 2013, the UAH O3 Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) (part of the Tropospheric Ozone Lidar Network (TOLNet)) measured vertical O3 profiles from the surface up to approximately 12 km. During this period, the lidar observed numerous periods of dynamic temporal and vertical O3 structures. In order to determine the sources/processes impacting these O3 mixing ratios we will apply the CTM GEOS-Chem (v9-02) at a 0.25 deg x 0.3125 deg resolution. Using in situ ground-based (e.g., SEARCH Network, CASTNET), airborne (e.g., NOAA WP-3D - SENEX 2013, DC-8 - SEAC4RS), and TOLNet lidar data we will first evaluate the model to determine the capability of GEOS-Chem to simulate the spatio-temporal variability of O3 in the southeast US. Secondly, we will perform model sensitivity studies in order to quantify which emission sources (e.g., anthropogenic, biogenic, lighting, wildfire) and transport processes (e.g., stratospheric, long-range, local scale) are contributing to these TOLNet-observed dynamic O3 patterns. Results from the evaluation of the model and the study of sources/processes impacting observed O3 mixing ratios will be presented.

Optical Radar↗
NASA NTRS2007

Weather Research and Forecasting Model Sensitivity Comparisons for Warm Season Convective Initiation

Mesoscale weather conditions can significantly affect the space launch and landing operations at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During the summer months, land-sea interactions that occur across KSC and CCAFS lead to the formation of a sea breeze, which can then spawn deep convection. These convective processes often last 60 minutes or less and pose a significant challenge to the forecasters at the National Weather Service (NWS) Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG). The main challenge is that a "GO" forecast for thunderstorms and precipitation at the Shuttle Landing Facility is required at the 90 minute deorbit decision for End Of Mission (EOM) and at the 30 minute Return To Launch Site (RTLS) decision. Convective initiation, timing, and mode also present a forecast challenge for the NWS in Melbourne, FL (MLB). The NWS MLB issues such tactical forecast information as Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF5), Spot Forecasts for fire weather and hazardous materials incident support, and severe/hazardous weather Watches, Warnings, and Advisories. Lastly, these forecasting challenges can also affect the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS), which provides comprehensive weather forecasts for shuttle launch, as well as ground operations, at KSC and CCAFS. The need for accurate mesoscale model forecasts to aid in their decision making is crucial. This study specifically addresses the skill of different model configurations in forecasting warm season convective initiation. Numerous factors influence the development of convection over the Florida peninsula. These factors include sea breezes, river and lake breezes, the prevailing low-level flow, and convergent flow due to convex coastlines that enhance the sea breeze. The interaction of these processes produces the warm season convective patterns seen over the Florida peninsula. However, warm season convection remains one of the most poorly forecast meteorological parameters. To determine which configuration options are best to address this specific forecast concern, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, which has two dynamical cores - the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) and the Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM) was employed. In addition to the two dynamical cores, there are also two options for a "hot-start" initialization of the WRF model - the Local Analysis and Prediction System (LAPS; McGinley 1995) and the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) Data Analysis System (ADAS; Brewster 1996). Both LAPS and ADAS are 3- dimensional weather analysis systems that integrate multiple meteorological data sources into one consistent analysis over the user's domain of interest. This allows mesoscale models to benefit from the addition of highresolution data sources. Having a series of initialization options and WRF cores, as well as many options within each core, provides SMG and MLB with considerable flexibility as well as challenges. It is the goal of this study to assess the different configurations available and to determine which configuration will best predict warm season convective initiation.

Watson, Leela R.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Field Exploration and Life Detection Sampling Through Planetary Analogue Sampling (FELDSPAR).

Exploration missions to Mars rely on rovers to perform analyses over small sampling areas; however, landing sites for these missions are selected based on large-scale, low-resolution remote data. The use of Earth analogue environments to estimate the multi-scale spatial distributions of key signatures of habitability can help ensure mission science goals are met. A main goal of FELDSPAR is to conduct field operations analogous to Mars sample return in its science, operations, and technology from landing site selection, to in-field sampling location selection, remote or stand-off analysis, in situ analysis, and home laboratory analysis. Lava fields and volcanic regions are relevant analogues to Martian landscapes due to desiccation, low nutrient availability, and temperature extremes. Operationally, many Icelandic lava fields are remote enough to require that field expeditions address several sampling constraints that are experienced in robotic exploration, including in situ and sample return missions. The Fimmvruhls lava field was formed by a basaltic effusive eruption associated with the 2010 Eyjafjallajkull eruption. Mlifellssandur is a recently deglaciated plain to the north of the Myrdalsjkull glacier. Holuhraun was formed by a 2014 fissure eruptions just north of the large Vatnajkull glacier. Dyngjusandur is an alluvial plain apparently kept barren by repeated mechanical weathering. Informed by our 2013 expedition, we collected samples in nested triangular grids every decade from the 10 cm scale to the 1 km scale (as permitted by the size of the site). Satellite imagery is available for older sites, and for Mlifellssandur, Holuhraun, and Dyngjusandur we obtained overhead imagery at 1 m to 200 m elevation. PanCam-style photographs were taken in the field by sampling personnel. In-field reflectance spectroscopy was also obtained with an ASD spectrometer in Dyngjusandur. All sites chosen were 'homogeneous' in apparent color, morphology, moisture, grain size, and reflectance spectra at all scales greater than 10 cm. Field lab assays were conducted to monitor microbial habitation, including ATP quantification, qPCR for fungal, bacterial, and archaeal DNA, and direct cell imaging using fluorescence microscopy. Home laboratory analyses include Raman spectroscopy and community sequencing. ATP appeared to be significantly more sensitive to small changes in sampling location than qPCR or fluorescence microscopy. Bacterial and archaeal DNA content were more consistent at the smaller scales, but similarly variable across more distant sites. Conversely, cell counts and fungal DNA content have significant local variation but appear relatively homogeneous over scales of 1 km. ATP, bacterial DNA, and archaeal DNA content were relatively well correlated at many spatial scales. While we have observed spatial variation at various scales and are beginning to observe how that variation fluctuates over time as biodiversity recovers after an eruption, we do not yet fully understand what parameters lead to the observed spatial variation. Home laboratory analyses will help us further understand the elemental and structural composition of the basaltic matrices, but further field analyses are vital for the understanding how temperature, moisture, incident radiation, and so forth influence the habitability of a microclimate.

Field↗
NASA NTRS1996

Eye Movements Reveal Hierarchical Motion Processing

Purpose: In the analysis of visual motion, local features such as orientation are analyzed early in the cortical processing stream (V1), while integration across orientation and space is thought to occur in higher cortical areas such as MT, MST, etc. If all areas provide inputs to eye movement control centers, we would expect that local properties would drive eye movements with relatively short latencies, while global properties would require longer latencies. When such latencies are observed, they can provide information about when (and where?) various stimulus properties are analyzed. Methods: The stimulus employed was an elliptical Gabor patch with a drifting carrier, in which the orientations of the carrier grating and the contrast window were varied independently. We have previously demonstrated that the directional percepts evoked by this stimulus vary between the "grating direction" (the normal to the grating's orientation) and the "window direction", and that similar effects can be observed in reflexive eye movements. Subjects viewed such a stimulus while attempting to maintain steady fixation on the center of the pattern, and the small reflexive eye movements ("stare OKN") were recorded. In the middle of the trial, the orientation of either the grating or the window was rotated smoothly by 30 degrees. Results: Responses to the shift of both grating orientation and window orientation are seen in the average OKN slow phase velocity. Grating rotations produce a rapid OKN rotation to the grating direction (100 ms latency, 300 ms time constant), followed by a slower rebound to the steady state perceived direction midway between the grating and window directions. Window rotations, on the other hand, evoke a slower response (200 ms latency, 500 ms time constant). Conclusions: The results demonstrate multiple cortical inputs to eye movement control: a fast, early input driven by orientation, and a slower input from higher areas sensitive to global stimulus properties.

Mulligan, Jeffrey B.↗
NASA NTRS2015

An Assessment of Actual and Potential Building Climate Zone Change and Variability From the Last 30 Years Through 2100 Using NASA's MERRA and CMIP5 Simulations

Background: In the US, residential and commercial building infrastructure combined consumes about 40% of total energy usage and emits about 39% of total CO2 emission (DOE/EIA "Annual Energy Outlook 2013"). Building codes, as used by local and state enforcement entities are typically tied to the dominant climate within an enforcement jurisdiction classified according to various climate zones. These climate zones are based upon a 30-year average of local surface observations and are developed by DOE and ASHRAE. Establishing the current variability and potential changes to future building climate zones is very important for increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and reducing energy costs and emissions in the future. Objectives: This paper demonstrates the usefulness of using NASA's Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) atmospheric data assimilation to derive the DOE/ASHRAE building climate zone maps and then using MERRA to define the last 30 years of variability in climate zones for the Continental US. An atmospheric assimilation is a global atmospheric model optimized to satellite, atmospheric and surface in situ measurements. Using MERRA as a baseline, we then evaluate the latest Climate Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP) climate model Version 5 runs to assess potential variability in future climate zones under various assumptions. Methods: We derive DOE/ASHRAE building climate zones using surface and temperature data products from MERRA. We assess these zones using the uncertainties derived by comparison to surface measurements. Using statistical tests, we evaluate variability of the climate zones in time and assess areas in the continental US for statistically significant trends by region. CMIP 5 produced a data base of over two dozen detailed climate model runs under various greenhouse gas forcing assumptions. We evaluate the variation in building climate zones for 3 different decades using an ensemble and quartile statistics to provide an assessment of potential building climate zone changes relative to the uncertainties demonstrated using MERRA. Findings and Conclusions: These results show that there is a statistically significant increase in the area covered by warmer climate zones and a tendency for a reduction of area in colder climate zones in some limited regions. The CMIP analysis shows that models vary from relatively little building climate zone change for the least sensitive and conservation assumptions to a warming of at most 3 zones for certain areas, particularly the north central US by the end of the 21st century.

Stackhouse, Paul W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1992

SAR backscatter from coniferous forest gaps

A study is in progress comparing Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) backscatter from coniferous forest plots containing gaps to backscatter from adjacent gap-free plots. Issues discussed are how do gaps in the range of 400 to 1600 sq m (approximately 4-14 pixels at intermediate incidence angles) affect forest backscatter statistics and what incidence angles, wavelengths, and polarizations are most sensitive to forest gaps. In order to visualize the slant-range imaging of forest and gaps, a simple conceptual model is used. This strictly qualitative model has led us to hypothesize that forest radar returns at short wavelengths (eg., C-band) and large incidence angles (e.g., 50 deg) should be most affected by the presence of gaps, whereas returns at long wavelengths and small angles should be least affected. Preliminary analysis of 1989 AIRSAR data from forest near Mt. Shasta supports the hypothesis. Current forest backscatter models such as MIMICS and Santa Barbara Discontinuous Canopy Backscatter Model have in several cases correctly predicted backscatter from forest stands based on inputs of measured or estimated forest parameters. These models do not, however, predict within-stand SAR scene texture, or 'intrinsic scene variability' as Ulaby et al. has referred to it. For instance, the Santa Barbara model, which may be the most spatially coupled of the existing models, is not truly spatial. Tree locations within a simulated pixel are distributed according to a Poisson process, as they are in many natural forests, but tree size is unrelated to location, which is not the case in nature. Furthermore, since pixels of a simulated stand are generated independently in the Santa Barbara model, spatial processes larger than one pixel are not modeled. Using a different approach, Oliver modeled scene texture based on an hypothetical forest geometry. His simulated scenes do not agree well with SAR data, perhaps due to the simple geometric model used. Insofar as texture is the expression of biological forest processes, such as succession and disease, and physical ones, such as fire and wind-throw, it contains useful information about the forest, and has value in image interpretation and classification. Forest gaps are undoubtedly important contributors to scene variance. By studying the localized effects of gaps on forest backscatter, guided by our qualitative model, we hope to understand more clearly the manner in which spatial heterogeneities in forests produce variations in backscatter, which collectively give rise to scene texture.

Day, John L.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Eye Movement Latencies to Direction Change for Different Classes of Motion

In the analysis of visual motion, local features such as orientation are analyzed early in the cortical processing stream (V1), while integration across orientation and space is thought to occur in higher cortical areas such as MT, MST, etc. If all areas provide inputs to eye movement control centers, we would expect that local properties would drive eye movements with relatively short latencies, while global properties would require longer latencies. When such latencies are observed, they can provide information about when (and where?) various stimulus properties are analyzed. To this end, a stimulus was employed in which local and global properties determining perceived direction-of-motion could be manipulated independently: an elliptical Gabor patch with a drifting carrier, with variable orientation of the carrier grating and the contrast window. We have previously demonstrated that the directional percepts evoked by this stimulus vary between the "grating direction" (the normal to the grating's orientation) and the "window direction" (ARVO 91, 94), and that similar effects can be observed in reflexive eye movements (ARVO 95). Subjects viewed such a stimulus while attempting to maintain steady fixation on the center of the pattern, and the small reflexive eye movements ("stare OKN") were recorded. In the middle of the trial, the orientation of either the grating or the window was rotated smoothly by 30 degrees. Responses to the shift of both grating orientation and window orientation are seen in the average OKN slow phase velocity. Grating rotations produce a rapid OKN rotation to the grating direction (100 ms latency, 300 ms time constant), followed by a slower rebound to the steady state perceived direction midway between the grating and window directions. Window rotations, on the other hand, evoke a slower response (200 ms latency, 500 ms time constant). The results demonstrate multiple cortical inputs to eye movement control: a taste early input driven by orientation, and a slower input from higher areas sensitive to global stimulus properties.

Mulligan, Jeffrey B.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Towards a Theory of Tropical/Midlatitude Mass Exchange from the Earth's Surface through the Stratosphere

The main findings of this research project have been the following: (1) there is a significant feedback from the stratosphere on tropospheric dynamics, and (2) a detailed analysis of the interaction between tropical and polar wave breaking in controlling stratospheric mixing. Two papers are were written and are included. The first paper is titled, "A New Perspective on the Dynamical Link Between the Stratosphere and Troposphere." Atmospheric processes of tropospheric origin can perturb the stratosphere, but direct feedback in the opposite direction is usually assumed to be negligible, despite the troposphere's sensitivity to changes in the release of wave activity into the stratosphere. Here, however, we present evidence that such a feedback exists and can be significant. We find that if the wintertime Arctic polar stratospheric vortex is distorted, either by waves propagating upward from the troposphere or by eastward-travelling stratospheric waves, then there is a concomitant redistribution of stratospheric potential vorticity that induces perturbations in key meteorological fields in the upper troposphere. The feedback is large despite the much greater mass of the troposphere: it can account for up to half of the geopotential height anomaly at the tropopause. Although the relative strength of the feedback is partly due to a cancellation between contributions to these anomalies from lower altitudes, our results imply that stratospheric dynamics and its feedback on the troposphere are more significant for climate modelling and data assimilation than was previously assumed. The second article is titled "Diagnosing the Polar Excitation of Subtropical Waves in the Stratosphere". The poleward migration of planetary scale tongues of subtropical air has often been associated with intense polar vortex disturbances in the stratosphere. This question of vortex influence is reexamined from a potential vorticity (PV) perspective. Anomalous geopotential height and wind fields associated solely with vortex PV anomalies are derived and their impact on the stratospheric subtropical circulation is evaluated. Combined PV inversion and Contour Advection (CA) calculations indicate that transient large scale disturbances of the polar vortex do have a far reaching impact that extends beyond the midlatitude surf zone all the way to the subtropics. This vortex influence is clearly non-local so that even simple wave 2 distortions that leave the vortex well confined within the midlatitudes are observed to excite subtropical waves. Treating subtropical PV as active tracers also showed that upon entrainment, these large scale tongues of low PV air also influenced the dynamics of their own poleward migration.

Hartley, Dana↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Understanding and Utilizing PBL Height Data from Multiple Observing Systems in the GEOS System

The accuracy of PBL height simulation is a key issue in many applications including forecasting near surface meteorology and air quality, however, it is a very challenging problem due to the lack of not only comprehensive, global Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) observations but also a strategy and infrastructure to utilize PBL height data from a variety of sensors. Following the designation of PBL as an incubation class observable in the 2017 Decadal Survey, the PBL Incubation Study Team Report [14] made clear that “a future global PBL observing system requires modeling and data assimilation as essential components.” There is an urgent need for global modeling development in order to utilize Program of Record (POR) observations, assess their impacts, and identify gaps to be filled by future PBL missions. Our overall objective is to develop PBL data assimilation capabilities in the NASA Global Earth Observing System (GEOS), focusing on PBL height from multiple observing systems, to support the assessment and use of future PBL observations. The NASA GEOS system is composed of the GEOS global atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) and the atmospheric data assimilation system (ADAS). The PBL parameterizations include the “Lock” K-profile scheme driven by surface and cloud-top buoyancy fluxes ([4]), and the “Louis” local scheme for stable conditions based on the Richardson number ([5]). Above the mixed layer defined by the Lock surface plume, shallow cumulus convection is represented by the mass flux scheme of [9]. Additional parameterizations are summarized in [1]. The ADAS employs the hybrid 4D Ensemble- Variational (EnVar) configuration ([15]), with the ensemble providing flow-dependent background error covariance information. The resultant analysis increments are fed back to the forecast model through the 4D incremental analysis update (IAU) approach ([11]). In this study, PBL height data are being or have been generated from radiosondes, GNSS RO, satellite (CATS, CALIPSO and ICESat-2) and ground-based (MPLNET) lidars, and wind profiler. Investigations have been conducted to specify quality marks for PBL height retrievals for the data assimilation purpose. These PBL height data have different strengths and weaknesses ([2], [3], [6], [7], [8], [10]), and the satellite PBL height data provide better global coverage and complement in-situ PBL height data. Radiosondes offer high accuracy and in situ measurement of temperature and humidity profiles, but with poor spatio-temporal sampling. The in-situ observing systems like MPLNET and wind profiler provide long history of PBL height records at each station. The GNSS RO based PBL height is retrieved based on the sharp gradients in refractivity profile that represent the fine vertical structure of temperature and moisture changes above the PBL. However, not all RO refractivity profiles reach the surface depending on location and regime, and RO refractivity retrievals can be negatively biased below 2km. The PBL height data from satellite lidars provide high resolution along track PBL height retrievals, but over land they are affected by previous day convective PBL aerosol and strongly associated with mixing layer and retrievals cannot be made below thick, attenuating clouds. A successful assimilation of PBL height data requires a thorough understanding of the observing method and the retrieval algorithm for each observing system in order to use the PBL height data from multiple observing systems properly. Due to the sensitivity of PBL height data to the observing method and choice of algorithm, it is important to use a model definition appropriate for each observation type to compute differences between PBL height data and model PBL height (OmFs). The GEOS model currently includes two PBL height definitions suitable for direct comparison with observed PBL height, and additional definitions are being added in this study. Evaluation of different model PBL height definitions is underway. Meanwhile, efforts have been made in the GEOS data assimilation system to develop PBL height data assimilation capability. PBL height data can be assimilated using two different approaches. The traditional approach is to construct an observation operator and its tangent linear and adjoint, which link control variables to PBL height data from each observing system. This observation operator can be very complicated, e.g., the lidar-based PBL height observation operator includes the backscatter lidar forward observation operator, the algorithm to derive PBL height from attenuated total backscatter, interpolation, and calculations handling the mismatch between observed and model scales. The other approach is to augment PBL height to the control variable vector, and it is adopted in this study. The latter approach was also used in previous studies, e.g., the assimilation of PBL height data from radiosonde and aircraft in the Real Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA) system for a dispersion modelling study ([13]); the PBL height assimilation study using lidar PBL height data at Greensburg, Kansas for a field campaign ([12]). The PBL height assimilation from multiple observing systems in this study allows us to take advantage of the diverse PBL height data that provide much better global coverage collectively under different meteorological conditions and with different temporal and spatial scales. As all the PBL heights are tightly coupled with the PBL thermodynamic variables, the strong correlations, which are provided by the 4D ensemble forecast, enable PBL height data from various sources to interact and combine coherently and provide additional information for PBL temperature and moisture fields. The results of comparisons among PBL height data from different sources and the evaluation of the model PBL height definitions with the PBL height data will be presented, and the PBL height data synergy strategies and preliminary results will also be discussed at the conference.

Y. Zhu↗
NASA NTRS1997

The Gaseous Content of the Universe at Zeta less than 1.6

Together with graduate student Hsiao-Wen Chen, I have measured and analyzed structural and morphological parameters of 38 galaxies in eight fields for which sensitive measurements of corresponding Ly(alpha) absorption toward background QSOs are available. These measurements are based on Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) observations obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and provide a first look at how the incidence and extent of tenuous gas around galaxies depends on galaxy luminosity, size, and morphological type and on geometry of the impact. The primary result of the analysis is that the amount of gas encountered along the line of sight depends on the galaxy impact parameter and B-band luminosity but does not depend strongly on the galaxy average surface brightness, disk-to-bulge ratio, or redshift. This result confirms and improves upon an anti-correlation between Ly(alpha) absorption equivalent width and galaxy impact parameter found previously. More importantly, this result provides the first quantitative means of relating statistics of faint galaxies to statistics of Ly(alpha) absorption systems. which we plan to exploit to constrain the luminosity function of galaxies beyond the realm of current surveys. Results have been submitted for publication and will greatly improve our statistical conclusions . Together with graduate student Noriaki Yahata. I have measured and classified spectral properties of over 1000 faint galaxies and stars obtained in our low-resolution spectroscopic survey. The goal of this project is two-fold: (1) to exhaustively characterize the spectral properties of all faint galaxies that comprise our current survey, and (2) to gain experience with our measurement and classification code. which ultimately will be used on a data base of 20,000 galaxies to be obtained with the Two-Degree Field (2df) spectrograph at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). The results will ultimately be used for many goals, but so far we have concentrated on using the results to make a binary classification of the galaxies (i.e. early type versus late type) and to then exploit the density-morphology relationship to obtain a crude density indicator. The primary result of the analysis is that the incidence and extent of tenuous gas around galaxies shows no strong preference for local galaxy environment, at least over the range of densities spanned by the current observations. Along similar lines, two instances of Ly(alpha) absorption lines that arise in groups or clusters were examined. Analysis demonstrates that some can produce corresponding absorption lines and that LY(alpha) absorption lines do not avoid a high-density environment. A new measure of the galaxy-absorber cross-correlation function defines the statistical criterion by which galaxies and absorber pairs are to be matched. I have identified a damped Ly(alpha) absorption system at redshift z equals approximately 0.16, the lowest redshift confirmed to date. The most important results of the analysis are learning that the metal abundances of the absorption system are less than 10 percent of the solar metal abundance and that the absorbing gas is not rotating with the galaxy disk.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

An X-ray and optical study of the supernova remnant W44

We report the results of a 8000 s observation of the supernova remnant W44 using the ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC). The image shows the same centrally peaked morphology observed by the Einstein IPC and contrasts with the shell-like radio morphology. The eastern limb shows a lack of X-ray emission within the radio shell, probably due to the interaction between the Supernova Remnants (SNR) and a molecular cloud. No counterpart to the pulsar 1853 + 01 in W44 has been detected, with L(sub X) less than 1.3 x 10(exp 32) ergs/s in the 0.2 to 2.4 keV band. The spectral analysis of the central part of W44, combining EXOSAT ME and Einstein SSS data, shows that the shocked plasma has not reached ionization equilibrium. The best nonequilibrium fit to PSPC, ME, and SSS spectra gives Eta = 10(exp 51) ergs cm(exp -6), T(sub s) = 10(exp 7) K with T(sub e) = T(sub i), suggesting conditions are approaching ionization equilibrium. There is no evidence of enhanced abundances of Mg, Si, S, or Fe. The variation of temperature and column density was obtained region by region using the PSPC and Einstein IPC. The temperature is largely uniform over the remnant, but strong column density variations are found to be consistent with molecular clouds in the line of sight. An evaporation model with a two-phase interstellar medium structure of clumps and interclump gas (White & Long 1991) can explain the X-ray centrally peaked morphology of W44. The clumps remaining behind a SN shock provide a reservoir of material, and evaporat e to increase the density of X-ray emitting gas in the interior of a SNR. The uniform temperature distribution of W44 strongly supports the predictions of this model. In addition, mosaiced H alpha and (S II) images of W44, taken using the prime focus universal extragalactic instrument (PFUEI) camera on the Palomar 60 sec telescope, reveal the first discovery of optical filaments (both H alpha and (S II)) in the northwestern and southeastern portion of the remnant, within the X-ray emitting region. The optical filaments and the X-ray image showing locally brighter emission and clumps along the filaments suggest both are produced by the interaction between the supernova shock front and regions of enhanced ambient density.

Rho, Jeongee↗
NASA NTRS2012

Changes in Extratropical Storm Track Cloudiness 1983-2008: Observational Support for a Poleward Shift

Climate model simulations suggest that the extratropical storm tracks will shift poleward as a consequence of global warming. In this study the northern and southern hemisphere storm tracks over the Pacific and Atlantic ocean basins are studied using observational data, primarily from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project, ISCCP. Potential shifts in the storm tracks are examined using the observed cloud structures as proxies for cyclone activity. Different data analysis methods are employed, with the objective to address difficulties and uncertainties in using ISCCP data for regional trend analysis. In particular, three data filtering techniques are explored; excluding specific problematic regions from the analysis, regressing out a spurious viewing geometry effect, and excluding specific cloud types from the analysis. These adjustments all, to varying degree, moderate the cloud trends in the original data but leave the qualitative aspects of those trends largely unaffected. Therefore, our analysis suggests that ISCCP data can be used to interpret regional trends in cloudiness, provided that data and instrumental artefacts are recognized and accounted for. The variation in magnitude between trends emerging from application of different data correction methods, allows us to estimate possible ranges for the observational changes. It is found that the storm tracks, here represented by the extent of the midlatitude-centered band of maximum cloud cover over the studied ocean basins, experience a poleward shift as well as a narrowing over the 25 year period covered by ISCCP. The observed magnitudes of these effects are larger than in current generation climate models (CMIP3). The magnitude of the shift is particularly large in the northern hemisphere Atlantic. This is also the one of the four regions in which imperfect data primarily prevents us from drawing firm conclusions. The shifted path and reduced extent of the storm track cloudiness is accompanied by a regional reduction in total cloud cover. This decrease in cloudiness can primarily be ascribed to low level clouds, whereas the upper level cloud fraction actually increases, according to ISCCP. Independent satellite observations of radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere are consistent with the changes in total cloud cover. The shift in cloudiness is also supported by a shift in central position of the mid-troposphere meridional temperature gradient. We do not find support for aerosols playing a significant role in the satellite observed changes in cloudiness. The observed changes in storm track cloudiness can be related to local cloud-induced changes in radiative forcing, using ERBE and CERES radiative fluxes. The shortwave and the longwave components are found to act together, leading to a positive (warming) net radiative effect in response to the cloud changes in the storm track regions, indicative of positive cloud feedback. Among the CMIP3 models that simulate poleward shifts in all four storm track areas, all but one show decreasing cloud amount on a global mean scale in response to increased CO2 forcing, further consistent with positive cloud feedback. Models with low equilibrium climate sensitivity to a lesser extent than higher-sensitivity models simulate a poleward shift of the storm tracks.

Bender, Frida A-M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

SWIPE: Spectral Water Inversion Processor and Emulator

Degradation of Earth’s inland water resources due to anthropogenic perturbations and climate anomalies at both local and global scales continues to place human health at substantial risk. There is now a growing necessity to develop pragmatic approaches that allow timely and effective extrapolation of local processes, to spatially resolved global products, and to promote operational and sustainable resource policy management. This presentation will be discussing the progress made developing SWIPE: Spectral Water Inversion Processor and Emulator. SWIPE is a platform for advanced modeling of coastal and inland aquatic habitats. The goal is create a comprehensive and cohesive system to leverage recent advancements in computation and machine learning to develop a synthetic training ground for sensitivity studies and algorithm development. The four principal facets of SWIPE include: 1. Advanced two-layer coated sphere bio-optical modeling and GPU radiative transfer modeling, 2. Big Data involving massive synthetic spectral libraries of optical properties of various global aquatic particles, surface reflectance, and top-of-atmosphere reflectance, all at hyperspectral resolution leveraging high-end computing systems at NASA Ames Research Center, 3. Deep Learning for algorithm development for water quality inversion of concentrations of common biogeophysical variables as well as optics, full uncertainty characterization by water type, and forward emulation, and lastly, 4. Image Processing for application of developed retrieval algorithms for both hyperspectral and multispectral sensors with experimental corrections for global adjacency, noise, sunglint, and benthic reflectance. This presentation will demonstrate the Equivalent Algal Populations (EAP) two-layer coated sphere scattering model which has been used develop spectral libraries of hyperspectral inherent optical properties of roughly 80 species of phytoplankton, covering 15 different classes and nine taxonomic functional types. The EAP model was also used to derive spectral properties of 10 different non-algal particle functional types. Examples of how the SMART-G (Speed-up Monte-carlo Advanced Radiative Transfer using GPU) radiative transfer code is used to model optically complex aquatic signals will be presented and discussed in the context of creating a massive synthetic database which can leverage the full power of next generation machine learning techniques and high end computing for water quality inversion. We will discuss our active investigation in things like appropriate model architectures, dimensionality reduction techniques such as PCA and autoencoders, uncertainty quantification and abstaining, and which variables actually benefit most from hyperspectral information versus multispectral resolution. We are also curious about questions relating to cost/benefit analysis in terms of computation resources, neural network complexity, and data volumes. Answers to these questions will hopefully elaborate on cost efficiency for potential future sensor design considerations.

SWIPE↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

System Modeling of a Lunar Molten Regolith Electrolysis Plant

Introduction: In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is the process of extracting local resources to produce commodities for propulsion, life support systems, and off-planet construction rather than transporting consumables from Earth. Molten Regolith Electrolysis (MRE) is a novel ISRU method of extracting oxygen gas and metal alloy from lunar regolith. The MRE process involves placing lunar regolith between two electrodes, through which current is passed, to melt the regolith and reduce the metal oxide constituents by direct electrolysis (e.g. FeO, SiO2, MgO, Al2O3) into oxygen gas and metal alloys. The oxygen is liquefied and used as propellant for landers, while the metals (e.g. Ferro-alloys) are further processed and used in structural building materials and parts manufacturing. A system model was developed that accounted for the major processes of an MRE plant (from excavation of raw materials to storage of products) to assess the feasibility of a lunar MRE plant. The System Engineering and Integration (SE&I) ISRU Modeling and Analysis (SIMA) team utilized its previously documented system sizing model, the Mission Analysis and Integration Tool (MAIT) [1] as framework of the system model. MAIT uses MATLAB/Simulink to integrate subsystem models into a complete system model of the MRE plant. Total mass, volume, and power requirements were computed for numerous iterations of a MRE plant. System Model: Figure 1: MRE Plant Block Diagram The regolith excavation model determines the mass and power needed to excavate sufficient regolith. The preheating auger initiates the regolith heating process before regolith enters the MRE re-actor to reduce the energy required to turn the solid into a molten liquid. The MRE reactor is modeled in COMSOL Multiphysics and based on the research by Dominguez, Sibille, and Schreiner [2, 3, 4]. This preliminary reactor model provides an accurate calculation of thermal equilibrium during electrochemical operation of the reactor system to assess the optimal mass and power required to process the inlet flow of regolith. The model also computes the outlet flowrates of oxygen and molten products. For this analysis, the primary components of the metal alloy considered were iron and silicon. The oxygen is then purified using an Yttrium Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) electrode, followed by liquefaction using a 90K cryocooler to be stored as liquid oxygen in insulated cylindrical tanks. In future iterations of the system model, the molten metal tapped from the MRE reactor will undergo additional processing or refinement. However, downstream handling of metals is currently a technology gap that is missing a high TRL subsystem model. Therefore, for this analysis, the accumulated metal alloy stream terminates after leaving the MRE reactor. Study Goals: This analysis investigates multiple input variables to the system to determine the sensitivity of a (near) complete plant at full-scale. This preliminary investigation ran parametric sweeps on the MRE reactor geometry, electrical current supply, layers of multi-layer insulation (MLI) on the reactor, size of the electrodes in the oxygen purification model, and regolith composition (based on landing site location). Three production targets of oxygen (1,000, 10,000, and 50,000 kg/yr) were investigated for this analysis. The parametric sweeps conducted in this analysis provide valuable insight into the expected impact of the various model inputs on plant size. This information can be used to identify the most critical components of the plant and guide future decisions on allocating funding for research and development, providing subsystem developers with appropriate interfaces with downstream and upstream processes, and assessing the overall feasibility of MRE when compared to other ISRU plants. References: [1] Carlson, A. et al. (2024) ICES, ICES-2024-53. [2] Dominguez, D.A., and Sibille, L. (2011) AIAA, AIAA-2011-700. [3] Schreiner, S.S. (2015) MIT, Dissertation. [4] Schreiner, S.S. et al. (2016) ASR, 57(7), pp.1585-1603.

ISRU↗
NASA NTRS2010

Five-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe Observations: Data Processing, Sky Maps, and Basic Results

We present new full-sky temperature and polarization maps in five frequency bands from 23 to 94 GHz, based on data from the first five years of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) sky survey. The new maps are consistent with previous maps and are more sensitive. The five-year maps incorporate several improvements in data processing made possible by the additional years of data and by a more complete analysis of the instrument calibration and in-flight beam response. We present several new tests for systematic errors in the polarization data and conclude that W-band polarization data is not yet suitable for cosmological studies, but we suggest directions for further study. We do find that Ka-band data is suitable for use; in conjunction with the additional years of data, the addition of Ka band to the previously used Q- and V-band channels significantly reduces the uncertainty in the optical depth parameter, tau. Further scientific results from the five-year data analysis are presented in six companion papers and are summarized in Section 7 of this paper. With the five-year WMAP data, we detect no convincing deviations from the minimal six-parameter ACDM model: a flat universe dominated by a cosmological constant, with adiabatic and nearly scale-invariant Gaussian fluctuations. Using WMAP data combined with measurements of Type Ia supernovae and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in the galaxy distribution, we find (68% CL uncertainties): OMEGA(sub b)h(sup 2) = 0.02267(sup +0.00058)(sub -0.00059), OMEGA(sub c)h(sup 2) = 0.1131 plus or minus 0.0034, OMEGA(sub logical and) = 0.726 plus or minus 0.015, ns = .960 plus or minus 0.013, tau = 0.84 plus or minus 0.016, and DELTA(sup 2)(sub R) = (22.445 plus or minus 0.096) x 10(exp -9) at k = 0.002 Mpc(exp -1). From these we derive sigma(sub 8) = 0.812 plus or minus 0.026, H(sub 0) = 70.5 plus or minus 1.3 kilometers per second Mpc(exp -1), OMEGA(sub b) = 0.0456 plus or minus 0.0015, OMEGA(sub c) = .228 plus or minus 0.013, OMEGA(sub m)h(sup 2) = 0.1358(sup +0.0037)(sub -0.0036), z reion = 10.9 plus or minus 1.4, and t(sub 0) = 13.72 plus or minus 0.12 Gyr. The new limit on the tensor-to-scalar ration is r less than 0.22 (95% CL), while the evidence for a running spectral index is insignificant, dn(sub s)/d ln k = -0.028 plus or minus 0.020 (68% CL). We obtain tight, simultaneous limits on the (constant) dark energy equation of state and the spatial curvature of the universe: -0.14 less than 1 + w less than 0.12 (95% CL) and -0.0179 less than OMEGA(sub k) less than 0.0081 (95% CL). The number of relativistic degrees of freedom, expressed in units of the effective number of neutrino species, is found to be N(sub eff) = 4.4 plus or minus 1.5 (69% CL), consistent with the standard value of 3.04. Models with N(sub eff) = 0 are disfavored at greater than 99% confidence. Finally, new limits on physically motivated primordial non-Gaussianity parameters are -9 less than f(sup local)(sub NL) less than 111 (95% CL) and -151 less than f(sup equal)(sub NL) less than 253 (95% CL) for the local and equilateral models, respectively.

Hinshaw, G.↗