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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Global Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) Results: Aerosol Backscatter Global Distribution and Wavelength Dependence

The GLObal Backscatter Experiment (GLOBE) was initiated by NASA in 1986 as an interagency and international research effort to characterize tropospheric backscatter properties. The primary objective of the program is to develop realistic aerosol backscatter inputs for design and simulation studies for NASA's prospective Laser Atmospheric Wind Sounder (LAWS). To achieve this, GLOBE incorporates several different types of aerosol sensors, which operate from a variety of sensor platforms, covering a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, and measure a diverse set of aerosol physical, chemical, and optical properties. The results of this analysis have provided important new information on the life cycles and physicochemical properties of global scale tropospheric aerosol systems. In addition, GLOBE analytical methods will be useful for the Earth Observing System (EOS) and other studies that involve the assimilation of large, complex atmospheric aerosol databases.

Bowdle, David A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Results from the Radio Frequency Mass Gauge Technology Demonstration on the Intuitive Machines Nova-C Lunar Lander

A cryogenic propellant mass gauge known as the Radio Frequency Mass Gauge (RFMG) was integrated into the Intuitive Machines (IM) Nova-C lunar lander and provided an estimate of the liquid oxygen and liquid methane mass in the lander propellant tanks throughout the IM-1 mission, including during microgravity coast phases. An RFMG electronics controller was used to measure and record the spectrum of the RF signal reflected from an antenna sensor in each tank over the frequency range 100 to 1,300 MHz. The RF spectrum of each of the tanks is unique and is sensitive to the index of refraction of the propellants and the spatial distribution of the liquid within the tanks. Electromagnetic simulation software was used to simulate the antenna response spectra for a given tank geometry, fluid properties, and liquid–vapor configurations within the tank. Over 10,000 antenna response simulations were completed for each propellant tank prior to the IM-1 mission and represented various volumetric fill levels and fluid configurations. The simulated spectra served as a database against which measured tank spectra were compared. For analysis, a spectral matching algorithm was used to find the best match between measured and simulated spectra, and the gauged mass was calculated from the most highly correlated fluid mass simulations. RFMG measurements were recorded during tank loading on the launch pad and during translunar coast, lunar orbit insertion, low lunar orbit, powered descent to the lunar surface, and postlanding on the Moon. This paper describes the RF and fluid simulations, the RFMG measurements and analysis of spectral data, the RFMG instrument, and the gauged results throughout all phases of the IM-1 mission.

lunar lander↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Results from the Radio Frequency Mass Gauge Technology Demonstration on the Intuitive Machines Nova-C Lunar Lander

A cryogenic propellant mass gauge known as the Radio Frequency Mass Gauge (RFMG) was integrated into the Intuitive Machines (IM) Nova-C lunar lander and provided an estimate of the liquid oxygen and liquid methane mass in the lander propellant tanks throughout the IM-1 mission, including during microgravity coast phases. An RFMG electronics controller was used to measure and record the spectrum of the RF signal reflected from an antenna sensor in each tank over the frequency range 100 to 1,300 MHz. The RF spectrum of each of the tanks is unique and is sensitive to the index of refraction of the propellants and the spatial distribution of the liquid within the tanks. Electromagnetic simulation software was used to simulate the antenna response spectra for a given tank geometry, fluid properties, and liquid–vapor configurations within the tank. Over 10,000 antenna response simulations were completed for each propellant tank prior to the IM-1 mission and represented various volumetric fill levels and fluid configurations. The simulated spectra served as a database against which measured tank spectra were compared. For analysis, a spectral matching algorithm was used to find the best match between measured and simulated spectra, and the gauged mass was calculated from the most highly correlated fluid mass simulations. RFMG measurements were recorded during tank loading on the launch pad and during translunar coast, lunar orbit insertion, low lunar orbit, powered descent to the lunar surface, and postlanding on the Moon. This paper describes the RF and fluid simulations, the RFMG measurements and analysis of spectral data, the RFMG instrument, and the gauged results throughout all phases of the IM-1 mission.

lunar lander↗
NASA NTRS2009

Dynamic Hurricane Data Analysis Tool

A dynamic hurricane data analysis tool allows users of the JPL Tropical Cyclone Information System (TCIS) to analyze data over a Web medium. The TCIS software is described in the previous article, Tropical Cyclone Information System (TCIS) (NPO-45748). This tool interfaces with the TCIS database to pull in data from several different atmospheric and oceanic data sets, both observed by instruments. Users can use this information to generate histograms, maps, and profile plots for specific storms. The tool also displays statistical values for the user-selected parameter for the mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum values. There is little wait time, allowing for fast data plots over date and spatial ranges. Users may also zoom-in for a closer look at a particular spatial range. This is version 1 of the software. Researchers will use the data and tools on the TCIS to understand hurricane processes, improve hurricane forecast models and identify what types of measurements the next generation of instruments will need to collect.

Knosp, Brian W.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Light Detection and Ranging-Based Terrain Navigation: A Concept Exploration

This paper discusses the use of Airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) equipment for terrain navigation. Airborne LiDAR is a relatively new technology used primarily by the geo-spatial mapping community to produce highly accurate and dense terrain elevation maps. In this paper, the term LiDAR refers to a scanning laser ranger rigidly mounted to an aircraft, as opposed to an integrated sensor system that consists of a scanning laser ranger integrated with Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data. Data from the laser range scanner and IMU will be integrated with a terrain database to estimate the aircraft position and data from the laser range scanner will be integrated with GPS to estimate the aircraft attitude. LiDAR data was collected using NASA Dryden's DC-8 flying laboratory in Reno, NV and was used to test the proposed terrain navigation system. The results of LiDAR-based terrain navigation shown in this paper indicate that airborne LiDAR is a viable technology enabler for fully autonomous aircraft navigation. The navigation performance is highly dependent on the quality of the terrain databases used for positioning and therefore high-resolution (2 m post-spacing) data was used as the terrain reference.

Campbell, Jacob↗
DOE OSTI2024

Carbon Storage Site Mapping Inquiry Tool (MapIT)

To date, 48 projects, consisting of 139 wells, are currently under review with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Class VI – wells used for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. The number of applications submitted is expected to increase in coming years with the increase of the 45Q tax credit available to projects that initiate construction prior to 2033. The amount of data collected to submit a Class VI permit is vast, and often disparate, coming from state, federal, and commercial entities, as well as field-specific data collected within an area of interest. When preparing for site selection and permitting, the initial aggregation of relevant public data can be time intensive. The Carbon Storage Site Mapping Inquiry tool (MapIT) was created to support and accelerate the discovery and accessibility of open-source data and information available across the USA. Data was aggregated and organized based on data types described within the EPA UIC Class VI permit documentation. The online tool enables users to explore hundreds of geospatial data layers and connect to additional external resources, leveraging API and REST services where possible to ensure updates to data in real time. MapIT enables users to explore state and federal data related to geologic, geophysical, structural, hydrologic, and contextual information. In addition to displaying spatial data and linking to external resources, MapIT leverages custom widgets to ensure that internal data and external data are discoverable and accessible. The widgets connect users to resources such as the USGS publications and the USGS Earthquake Catalog based on a user-defined location. This talk will describe data aggregation workflows, data types, data preparation, and tool development for MapIT. The Carbon Storage Site Mapping Inquiry Tool and underlying database are valuable, intuitive resources that empower government, academic, commercial and industry stakeholders to explore, analyze, and acquire carbon storage related data.

Morkner, Paige↗
DOE OSTI2024

Global Geo-processed Data of Aquifer Properties by 0.5° Grid, Country and Water Basins

This repository of global hydrogeologic datasets contains aquifer properties on 0.5° scale, including depth to groundwater (Fan et al., 2013), aquifer thickness (de Graaf et al., 2015), WHYMap aquifer classes (Richts et al., 2011), recharge (Döll and Fiedler, 2008; Gleeson et al., 2016), lakes (Messager et al., 2016), porosity and permeability (Gleeson et al., 2014), digitized and geo-processed from their respective sources. Globally gridded aquifer properties could be used independently to estimate global groundwater availability or used as critical inputs to the superwell model to simulate groundwater extraction and provide estimates of pumped volumes and unit costs under user-specific scenarios. Key resources related to this data are: Niazi, H., Ferencz, S. B., Graham, N. T., Yoon, J., Wild, T. B., Hejazi, M., Watson, D. J., & Vernon, C. R. (2025). Long-term hydro-economic analysis tool for evaluating global groundwater cost and supply: Superwell v1.1. Geoscientific Model Development, 18(5), 1737-1767. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-1737-2025 superwell model repository which uses this data to simulate groundwater extraction and provides estimates of the global extractable volumes and unit-costs ($/km3) of accessible groundwater production under user-specified extraction scenarios. Repository Overview Main output: aquifer_properties_rec.csv contains all processed outputs, including aquifer properties like porosity, permeability, recharge, lake areas, aquifer thickness, and depth to groundwater. shapefiles.zip: contains all digitized GIS databases and shapefile for all aquifer properties prep_inputs.R and prep_inputs_recharge_lakes.R: R scripts that process the shapefiles to produce the aquifer_properties_rec.csv file plot_inputs.R: R script for plotting the maps and conducting preliminary analysis on the available groundwater volume basin_to_country_mapping.csv, basin_country_region_mapping.csv and continent_county_mapping.csv provide the mapping between continents, 32 energy-economic macro regions, countries, and water basins for post-processing aquifer_properties_rec.csv Maps: Each map visualizes the spatial distribution of one of the aquifer properties across the globe map_in_Porosity.png map_in_Permeability.png map_in_Aquifer_thickness.png map_in_Depth_to_water.png map_in_Recharge.png map_in_Grid_area_km.png map_in_Lake_area_km.png map_in_WHYClass.png Sample inputs sample_inputs.py: this script samples inputs from the aquifer_properties_rec dataset, ensuring the sampled and original inputs maintain the same distributions sampled_data_100.csv contains 100 sampled data points and sampled_data_100.png compares their distributions Dataset Overview The main outputs are consolidated in a comprehensive aquifer_properties_rec.csv file and include the following fields: GridCellID: Unique identifier for each (roughly 0.5°) grid cell Continent: Continent name Country: Country name GCAM_basin_ID: Identifier for GCAM hydrologic basin Basin_long_name: Full name of the basin WHYClass: Hydrogeologic classification based on WHYMap aquifer classes (Richts et al., 2011) Porosity: Soil porosity (%) (Gleeson et al., 2014) Permeability: Soil permeability (in square meters; Gleeson et al., 2014) Aquifer_thickness: Thickness of the aquifer (in meters; de Graaf et al., 2015) Depth_to_water: Depth to groundwater (in meters; Fan et al., 2013) Recharge: long-term annual averaged recharge rates (in m/yr; Döll and Fiedler, 2008; Gleeson et al., 2016) Grid_area: Area of the grid cell (in square meters) Lakes_area: Area of inland lakes (in square meters; Messager et al., 2016) Key References The datasets are digitized versions of global hydrogeologic properties from the following key literature sources: Depth to Groundwater: Fan, Y., Li, H., & Miguez-Macho, G. (2013). Global Patterns of Groundwater Table Depth. Science, 339(6122), 940-943. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1229881 Aquifer Thickness: de Graaf, I. E. M., Sutanudjaja, E. H., van Beek, L. P. H., & Bierkens, M. F. P. (2015). A high-resolution global-scale groundwater model. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19(2), 823-837. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-823-2015 Porosity and Permeability: Gleeson, T., Moosdorf, N., Hartmann, J., & van Beek, L. P. H. (2014). A glimpse beneath earth's surface: GLobal HYdrogeology MaPS (GLHYMPS) of permeability and porosity. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(11), 3891-3898. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL059856 Aquifer classes: Richts, A., Struckmeier, W. F., & Zaepke, M. (2011). WHYMAP and the Groundwater Resources Map of the World 1:25,000,000. In J. A. A. Jones (Ed.), Sustaining Groundwater Resources: A Critical Element in the Global Water Crisis (pp. 159-173). Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3426-7_10 Recharge: Döll, P., & Fiedler, K. (2008). Global-scale modeling of groundwater recharge. Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 12(3), 863-885. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-12-863-2008; Gleeson, T., Befus, K. M., Jasechko, S., Luijendijk, E., & Cardenas, M. B. (2016). The global volume and distribution of modern groundwater. Nature Geoscience, 9(2), 161-167. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2590 Inland Lakes: Messager, M. L., Lehner, B., Grill, G., Nedeva, I., & Schmitt, O. (2016). Estimating the volume and age of water stored in global lakes using a geo-statistical approach. Nature Communications, 7(1), 13603. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13603 Cite as Niazi, H., Watson, D., Hejazi, M., Yonkofski, C., Ferencz, S., Vernon, C., Graham, N., Wild, T., & Yoon, J. (2024). Global Geo-processed Data of Aquifer Properties by 0.5° Grid, Country and Water Basins. MultiSector Dynamics-Living, Intuitive, Value-adding, Environment. https://doi.org/10.57931/2484226 Contact Reach out to Hassan Niazi or open an issue in the superwell repository for questions or suggestions.

aquifer thickness↗
DOE OSTI2025

National serosurvey and risk mapping reveal widespread distribution of Coxiella burnetii in Kenya

Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, is an emerging pathogen that has the potential to cause severe chronic infections in animals and humans worldwide. The detrimental impact on public health is projected to be higher in the low- and middle-income countries given their lower capacity to sustain effective surveillance and response measures. We implemented a national serosurvey of cattle in Kenya to map the spatial distribution of the pathogen. The study used serum samples that were collected from randomly selected cattle in different ago-ecological zones across the country. These samples were screened for the pathogen using PrioCHECK Ruminant Q Fever AB Plate ELISA kit. The laboratory findings were analyzed using INLA package to identify risk factors for C. burnetii exposure from herd- and animal-level factors, area, and bioclimatic datasets accessed from online databases. A total of 6,593 cattle were recruited for the study; of these, 7.9% (95% CI; 7.2–8.5) were seropositive. Outputs from the multivariable analysis revealed that the animal age and some of the geographical variables including wind speed, area under shrubs and “petric calcisols” type of soil were significantly associated with C. burnetii seropositivity. Being a calf, weaner or subadult was associated with lower odds of exposure compared to being an adult by 0.24 (credibility interval: 2.5% and 97.5%), 0.41 (0.30–0.55) and 0.51 (0.38–0.69), respectively. In addition, a unit increase in the wind speed increased the odds of C. burnetii seropositivity by 1.27 (1.05–1.52) while an increase on the land area under shrubs was associated with lower odds of exposure (0.67 [0.47–0.69]). The effect of petric calcisols was non-linear; an increase of the land area with this soil type was associated with an exponential increase in C. burnetii seropositivity. This study provides new data on C. burnetii seroprevalence, information of its risk factors and a prevalence map that can be used for C. burnetii risk surveillance and control. The identification of environmental risk factors for C. burnetii exposure, and the increasing awareness of the zoonotic potential of the pathogen, calls for the need to enhance the existing collaborations for the surveillance and control of C. burnetii in line with the One Health framework. The evidence generated on the potential role of environmental factors can also be used to design nature-based interventions, such as replacement of vegetation in denuded areas, to reduce potential for the aerosolization of the pathogen. Livestock vaccination in the hotspots would also reduce animal infections and hence the contamination of the environment.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1994

Observations of loops and prominences

We review recent observations by the Yohkoh-SXT (Soft X-ray Telescope) in collaboration with other spacecraft and ground-based observatories of coronal loops and prominences. These new results point to problems that SoHO will be able to address. With a unique combination of rapid-cadence digital imaging (greater than or equal to 32 s full-disk and greater than or equal to 2 s partial-frame images), high spatial resolution (greater than or equal to 2.5 arcsec pixels), high sensitivity (EM less than or equal to 10(exp 42) cm(exp -3)), a low-scatter mirror, and large dynamic range, SXT can observe a vast range of targets on the Sun. Over the first 21 months of Yohkoh operations SXT has taken over one million images of the corona and so is building up an invaluable long-term database on the large-scale corona and loop geometry. The most striking thing about the SXT images is the range of loop sizes and shapes. The active regions are a bright tangle of magnetic field lines, surrounded by a network of large-scale quiet-Sun loops stretching over distances in excess of 105 km. The cross-section of most loops seems to be constant. Loops displaying significant Gamma's are the exception, not the rule, implying the presence of widespread currents in the corona. All magnetic structures show changes. Time scales range from seconds to months. The question of how these structures are formed, become filled with hot plasma, and are maintained is still open. While we see the propagation of brightenings along the length of active-region loops and in X-ray jets with velocities of several hundred km/s, much higher velocities are seen in the quiet Sun. In XBP flares, for example, velocities of over 1000 km/s are common. Active-region loops seem to be in constant motion, moving slowly outward, carrying plasma with them. During flares, loops often produce localized brightenings at the base and later at the apex of the loop. Quiescent filaments and prominences have been observed regularly. Their coronal manifestation seems to be an extended arcade of loops overlying the filament. Reliable alignment of the ground-based data with the X-ray images make it possible to make a detailed intercomparison of the hot and cold plasma structures over extended periods. Hence we are able to follow the long-term evolution of these structures and see how they become destabilized and erupt.

Strong, Keith T.↗
NASA NTRS1997

A Well-Calibrated Ocean Algorithm for Special Sensor Microwave/Imager

I describe an algorithm for retrieving geophysical parameters over the ocean from special sensor microwave/imager (SSM/I) observations. This algorithm is based on a model for the brightness temperature T(sub B) of the ocean and intervening atmosphere. The retrieved parameters are the near-surface wind speed W, the columnar water vapor V, the columnar cloud liquid water L, and the line-of-sight wind W(sub LS). I restrict my analysis to ocean scenes free of rain, and when the algorithm detects rain, the retrievals are discarded. The model and algorithm are precisely calibrated using a very large in situ database containing 37,650 SSM/I overpasses of buoys and 35,108 overpasses of radiosonde sites. A detailed error analysis indicates that the T(sub B) model rms accuracy is between 0.5 and 1 K and that the rms retrieval accuracies for wind, vapor, and cloud are 0.9 m/s, 1.2 mm, and 0.025 mm, respectively. The error in specifying the cloud temperature will introduce an additional 10% error in the cloud water retrieval. The spatial resolution for these accuracies is 50 km. The systematic errors in the retrievals are smaller than the rms errors, being about 0.3 m/s, 0.6 mm, and 0.005 mm for W, V, and L, respectively. The one exception is the systematic error in wind speed of -1.0 m/s that occurs for observations within +/-20 deg of upwind. The inclusion of the line-of-sight wind W(sub LS) in the retrieval significantly reduces the error in wind speed due to wind direction variations. The wind error for upwind observations is reduced from -3.0 to -1.0 m/s. Finally, I find a small signal in the 19-GHz, horizontal polarization (h(sub pol) T(sub B) residual DeltaT(sub BH) that is related to the effective air pressure of the water vapor profile. This information may be of some use in specifying the vertical distribution of water vapor.

Wentz, Frank J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

An imaging spectrometric observatory for Spacelab

The large payload capacity of the Space Shuttle Orbiter offers the first opportunity to launch into space an instrument able to simultaneously measure the entire spectrum of atmospheric emission, from the extreme UV to the near-IR, with high spectral resolution and high sensitivity while obtaining global and altitude coverage. This capability would provide a database for atmospheric process studies. The Spacelab Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) comprises an array of five spectrometers designed to make full use of the Space Shuttle as an observing platform for atmosphere remote sensing, and covers the 300-12,000-A wavelength range with a 2-7 A resolution. Area array detectors can scan the entire wavelength range in less than 20 sec and, being two-dimensional, permit spectral imaging in one direction and spatial imaging on the other.

Torr, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Extreme Lake-Effect Snow from a GPM Microwave Imager Perspective: Observational Analysis and Precipitation Retrieval Evaluation

This study focuses on the ability of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) passive microwave sensors to detect and provide quantitative precipitation estimates (QPE) for extreme lake-effect snowfall events over the United States lower Great Lakes region. GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) high frequency channels can clearly detect intense shallow convective snowfall events. However, GMI Goddard PROfiling (GPROF) QPE retrievals produce inconsistent results when compared against the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor (MRMS) ground-based radar reference dataset. While GPROF retrievals adequately capture intense snowfall rates and spatial patterns of one event, GPROF systematically underestimates intense snowfall rates in another event. Furthermore, GPROF produces abundant light snowfall rates that do not conform with MRMS observations. Ad-hoc precipitation rate thresholds are suggested to partially mitigate GPROF’s overproduction of light snowfall rates. The sensitivity and retrieval efficiency of GPROF to key parameters (2-meter temperature, total precipitable water, and background surface type) used to constrain the GPROF a-priori retrieval database are investigated. Results demonstrate that typical lake-effect snow environmental and surface conditions, especially coastal surfaces, are underpopulated in the database and adversely affect GPROF retrievals. For the two presented case studies, using snow cover a-priori database in the locations of originally deemed as coastline improves retrieval. This study suggests that it is particularly important to have more accurate GPROF surface classifications and better representativeness of the a-priori databases to improve intense lake-effect snow detection and retrieval performance.

Lisa Milani↗
NASA NTRS2003

Jet Noise Physics and Modeling Using First-principles Simulations

An extensive analysis of our jet DNS database has provided for the first time the complex correlations that are the core of many statistical jet noise models, including MGBK. We have also for the first time explicitly computed the noise from different components of a commonly used noise source as proposed in many modeling approaches. Key findings are: (1) While two-point (space and time) velocity statistics are well-fitted by decaying exponentials, even for our low-Reynolds-number jet, spatially integrated fourth-order space/retarded-time correlations, which constitute the noise "source" in MGBK, are instead well-fitted by Gaussians. The width of these Gaussians depends (by a factor of 2) on which components are considered. This is counter to current modeling practice, (2) A standard decomposition of the Lighthill source is shown by direct evaluation to be somewhat artificial since the noise from these nominally separate components is in fact highly correlated. We anticipate that the same will be the case for the Lilley source, and (3) The far-field sound is computed in a way that explicitly includes all quadrupole cancellations, yet evaluating the Lighthill integral for only a small part of the jet yields a far-field noise far louder than that from the whole jet due to missing nonquadrupole cancellations. Details of this study are discussed in a draft of a paper included as appendix A.

Freund, Jonathan B.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Design and Construction of a NASA Airborne and Field Investigation Inventory

NASA conducts airborne and field investigations that produce a wealth of valuable research data. Unfortunately, this data is often scattered across individual scientist hard drives or NASA Distributed Active Archive Centers and it can be difficult to locate and retrieve. Although satellite data has been successfully consolidated by tools such as EarthData Search, airborne and field investigation data present unique challenges stemming from the variability of temporal, spatial, platform, and instrument metadata. To address these difficulties with data retrieval and metadata variability, the Interagency Implementation and Concepts Team established an Airborne Data Management Group to improve airborne data search, understanding, access, and use. Surveys have been conducted of end users in order to build query lists that will drive the augmentation and standardization of existing metadata. Detailed metadata was then laboriously compiled from present and historic airborne and field investigations to build a database that will enable intelligent data search and retrieval. The inventory structure and function will be described and demonstrated. The purpose of this presentation is to bring awareness to this effort, to highlight and describe the issues and complications in development, and to increase user interest prior to public release in 2020.

Davis, Carson↗
DOE OSTI2024

Assessment of Bird Strike Likelihood to Refine Bird Strike Risk Models

In its most basic form, bird strike risk is comprised of a frequency component that reflects the likelihood of a collision and a severity component that reflects the cost (monetary or otherwise) of the incident. The bird strike risk model currently used by United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services to evaluate the risk posed by individual bird species at airports and establish priorities for management was developed in 2018. The model uses airport-specific data on the number of reported strikes for a species recorded in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s National Wildlife Strike Database as a measure of frequency and the species’ relative hazard score as a measure of severity. The model was tested against independent data, found to perform well overall, and is being implemented widely across the United States. However, the model has limitations, including that species known to pose risk to aircraft locally, but not present in the strike record database, are not reflected as a major component of risk. Standard bird survey methodology commonly used at airports (e.g. point counts or transects) potentially can be used to complement wildlife strike records to calculate frequency or relative abundance of species. However, these methods generally focus on airport-wide population estimation and often ignore vital information that contributes to the true likelihood of a strike, such as use of runway protection zones and other critical areas, and spatial and temporal overlap with departing or approaching aircraft. As such, a more detailed understanding of space use by birds across landcovers and population fluctuations across the year is needed to accurately estimate the likelihood of bird strikes at airports. In this manuscript, we will review the extant risk model, including a discussion on its limitations. We then discuss approaches for refining our understanding of strike likelihood and briefly touch on needs for estimating probability of strike severity (cost).

bird strike, aircraft collision, damage by wildlif↗
NASA NTRS1995

Estimation of polar stratospheric cloud infrared extinction climatology using visible satellite observations

Polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's) provide surfaces for heterogeneous processes which can dramatically alter the normal partitioning of odd nitrogen and chlorine families in the winter polar stratospheres, setting up conditions for significant ozone depletion as manifested in the springtime Antarctic ozone hole. The spatial and temporal distribution of PSC's is important for parameterizing PSC occurrence in multidimensional photochemical models whose use is essential for fully understanding observed Antarctic ozone losses as well as for accessing the possibility of a similar phemonenon occurring in the future in the Arctic. The Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) 2 sensor, a single-channel (1mu m) photometer launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit aboard the Nimbus 7 satellite in October 1978, provided a unique database to establish the climatology of PSC's. Poole and Pitts (1994) used the record of high-latitude aerosol extinction obtained by SAM II from 1979-1989 to establish the climatology of PSC occurrences in the Arctic and Antarctic. Unfortunately, little information about PSC composition or type was detectable from the single-wavelength SAM II data.

Pitts, Michael C.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Mapping Biophysical Parameters for Land Surface Modeling over the Continental US Using MODIS and Landsat

In terms of the space cities occupy, urbanization appears as a minor land transformation. However, it permanently modifies land's ecological functions, altering its carbon, energy, and water fluxes. It is therefore necessary to develop a land cover characterization at fine spatial and temporal scales to capture urbanization's effects on surface fluxes. We develop a series of biophysical vegetation parameters such as the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation, leaf area index, vegetation greenness fraction, and roughness length over the continental US using MODIS and Landsat products for 2001. A 13-class land cover map was developed at a climate modeling grid (CMG) merging the 500mMODIS land cover and the 30m impervious surface area from the National Land Cover Database. The landscape subgrid heterogeneity was preserved using fractions of each class from the 500 m and 30 m into the CMG. Biophysical parameters were computed using the 8-day composite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index produced by the North American Carbon Program. In addition to urban impact assessments, this dataset is useful for the computation of surface fluxes in land, vegetation, and urban models and is expected to be widely used in different land cover and land use change applications.

Biophysical↗
NASA NTRS2003

Development of a High-Pressure Gaseous Burner for Calibrating Optical Diagnostic Techniques

In this work-in-progress report, we show the development of a unique high-pressure burner facility (up to 60 atm) that provides steady, reproducible premixed flames with high precision, while having the capability to use multiple fuel/oxidizer combinations. The highpressure facility has four optical access ports for applying different laser diagnostic techniques and will provide a standard reference flame for the development of a spectroscopic database in high-pressure/temperature conditions. Spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) was the first diagnostic applied, and was used to successfully probe premixed hydrogen-air flames generated in the facility using a novel multi-jet micro-premixed array burner element. The SRS spectral data include contributions from H2, N2, O2, and H2O and were collected over a wide range of equivalence ratios ranging from 0.16 to 4.9 at an initial pressure of 10-atm via a spatially resolved point SRS measurement with a high-performance optical system. Temperatures in fuel-lean to stoichiometric conditions were determined from the ratio of the Stokes to anti-Stokes scattering of the Q-branch of N2, and those in fuel-rich conditions via the rotational temperature of H2. The SRS derived temperatures using both techniques were consistent and indicated that the flame temperature was approximately 500 K below that predicted by adiabatic equilibrium, indicating a large amount of heat-loss at the measurement zone. The integrated vibrational SRS signals show that SRS provides quantitative number density data in high-pressure H2-air flames.

Kojima, Jun↗