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DOE OSTI2026

Corundum Discovered by SuperCam and the Perseverance Rover at Jezero Crater, Mars

Minerals provide clues to the type of geologic environments in which they form. The primary types of minerals that have been identified on Mars indicate a history dominated by volcanism followed by interaction with water. However, other minerals are sometimes found. Here we present results from the SuperCam instrument on the Perseverance rover in which the mineral corundum (α-Al2O3) has been identified using a technique called time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. Corundum has a unique light-emitting (luminescence) feature based on two well-known peaks as well as the time it takes for this light to fade after being excited by a laser, which is referred to as the lifetime. Corundum forms in specific environments that are enriched in aluminum and depleted in silicon and have been subjected to high temperature and pressure. Such places include deep subsurface magmas or shallower locations that have been exposed to high temperature through tectonic processes or meteorite impacts. Given their small size, association with a mineral called plagioclase, and location on the heavily impacted crater rim, we propose that these corundum minerals formed through impact processes.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Mesoscopic analyses of the impact of morphology and operating conditions on the transport resistances in a proton-exchange-membrane fuel-cell catalyst layer

Exploring the origins of local transport resistance and characterizing the oxygen transport resistances in the catalyst layer (RCL) are critical for cost reduction. In this paper, a comprehensive mesoscopic model for simulating coupled transport processes of oxygen and water vapor for different structural parameters under different operating conditions in reconstructed microstructures is proposed. The local transport resistance is calculated after achieving the limiting current density and the effective diffusivity of oxygen. The results demonstrate that RCL increases greatly with decreasing platinum loading (LPt) and the transport resistances in other components of the cell dominate for high-loadings. Both the reduced oxygen permeation coefficient in the ionomer thin-film and the adsorption resistance account for the origins of local transport resistance. The local transport resistance increases with the bare carbon ratio for a constant LPt and Pt/C ratio due to the decreased effective ionomer surface, and increases with the I/C ratio due to the increased ionomer thickness and decreased Knudsen diffusivity. Due to the presence of liquid water, a slight decrease followed by an increase of the local transport resistance versus relative humidity is obtained. The contribution of ionomer thin-films to RCL is more sensitive to liquid saturation compared with that of pores. This journal is

Mu, YT↗

DOE OSTI2024

Atmospheric pressure plasmas interacting with wet and dry microchannels: reverse surface ionization waves

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) are increasingly being used to functionalize polymers and dielectric materials for biomedical and biotechnology applications. Once such application is microfluidic labs-on-a-chip consisting of dielectric slabs with microchannel grooves hundreds of microns in width and depth. The periodic channels, an example of a complex surface, present challenges in terms of directly and uniformly exposing the surface to the plasma. In this paper, we discuss results from computational and experimental investigations of negative APPJs sustained in Ar/N 2 mixtures flowing into ambient air and incident onto a series of microchannels. Results from two-dimensional plasma hydrodynamics modeling are compared to experimental measurements of electric field and fast-camera imaging. The propagation of the plasma across dry microchannels largely consists of a sequence of surface ionization waves (SIWs) on the top ridges of the channels and bulk ionization waves (IWs) crossing over the channels. The IWs are directed into electric field enhanced vertices of the next ridge. The charging of these ridges produce reverse IWs responsible for the majority of the ionization. The propagation of the plasma across water filled microchannels evolve into hopping SIWs between the leading edges of the water channels, regions of electric enhancement due to polarization of the water. Positive, reverse IWs follow the pre-ionized path of the initial negative waves.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Version 2 - Tidal Energy Resource Characterization, Velocity and Turbulence Measurements, Cook Inlet, AK, 2021

Version 2 of MHKDR submission #475, which also contains the metadata for these measurements. Files here are stored in netCDF4 format, which can be read in Python using the "netcdf4" or "xarray" packages or in MATLAB using the "ncread()" function. Changes are as follows: MWM1 (mid-water mooring 1) ADV - Time length of data now ends when bottom track data is lost - Improved filtering and quality control of bottom track measurements - improved motion correction of velocity - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved velocity, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), Reynolds stress, time interval (TI), and dissipation rate estimations MWM1 Down-Looking ADCP - Improved filtering and quality control of bottom track measurements - improved motion correction of velocity - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved TI and dissipation rate estimations - Removed TKE calculations - accuracy could not be verified MWM1 Up-Looking ADCP - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved TI and dissipation rate estimations - Removed TKE calculations - accuracy could not be verified - Velocity unchanged MWM2 ADV - Removes data after instrument was hit by debris - Improved filtering and quality control of bottom track measurements - improved motion correction of velocity - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved velocity, TKE, Reynolds stress, TI, and dissipation rate estimations MWM2 Down-Looking ADCP - Improved filtering and quality control of bottom track measurements - improved motion correction of velocity - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved TI and dissipation rate estimations - Removed TKE calculations - accuracy could not be verified MWM2 Up-Looking ADCP - Improved filtering and quality control of bottom track measurements - improved motion correction of velocity - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved TI and dissipation rate estimations - Removed TKE calculations - accuracy could not be verified THEOM (bottom lander) ADV - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved TKE, Reynolds stress, TI, and dissipation rate estimations - Velocity unchanged THEOM ADCP (up-looking) - Improved Doppler noise subtraction - improved TKE, TI, and dissipation rate estimations - Removed vertical TKE component (w'w' bar) - Velocity unchanged

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

NASA NTRS1973

Sediment pattern correlation with inflow and tidal action

The author has identified the following significant results. At the time the two scenes of the Chesapeake Bay Study Area were taken, ground truth data were taken at a number of stations within each of the test areas. Where local conditions permitted, either all or a part of the following parameters were measured: water temperature, spectral transmittance, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, current velocity, and pH. In addition, a sample of water was taken at each location and the concentration of suspended material in each sample was determined. In the analysis the relationship of each measured parameter and the corresponding radiance values (reflectance spectrum) detected by the ERTS-1 were evaluated. Thus far, the analysis has shown a good correlation with concentrations of suspended material contained in the water.

Grabau, W. E.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Surveys of the earth's resources and environment by satellites

The potential and promise of observing the earth from the vantage point of space is discussed. The systematic surveying of processes and phenomena occurring on the surface of the earth by Landsat 1 and Nimbus 5 is considered to be useful in the following areas: assessment of water resources; mineral and petroleum exploration; land use planning; crop, forest, and rangeland inventory; assessment of flood, earthquake, and other environmental hazards; monitoring coastal processes; environmental effects of industrial effluents and of air pollution; mapping the distribution and types of ice covering the earth's polar caps and global soil moisture distributions.

Nordberg, W.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Utilization of Skylab EREP system for appraising changes in continental migratory bird habitat

The author has identified the following significant results. Surface water statistics using data obtained by supporting aircraft were generated. Signature extraction and refinement preliminary to wetland and associated upland vegetation recognition were accomplished, using a selected portion of the aircraft data. Final classification mapping and analysis of surface water trends will be accomplished.

Gilmer, D. S.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Remote sensing analysis of Lake Livingston aquatic plants

Results obtained during 1975 to monitor the growth of aquatic plants in the Lake Livingston area, using remote sensing photographic imagery, were described. Sequential total coverage was provided of the Jungle and White Rock Creek, plus coverage of smaller areas of localized infestation downlake, including Brushy Creek, KOA Kampground Marina, Penwaugh Slough, Memorial Point Marina, the Beacon Bay marinas and Pine Island. The imagery was generally good, photographic exposure being increased as the season progressed in order to obtain better pictures of the submerged vegetation. Some very significant differences in growth patterns, species interaction, and species dominance were observed when compared to 1974. Observation of the following plants was discussed: water hyacinth, hydrilla, coontail, potamageton. In general, the level of infestation was lower in 1975 than in 1974, due to the combined effect of more systematic application of herbicides and harsher intervening winter weather conditions.

Benton, A. R., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Analysis of the Tanana River Basin using LANDSAT data

Digital image classification techniques were used to classify land cover/resource information in the Tanana River Basin of Alaska. Portions of four scenes of LANDSAT digital data were analyzed using computer systems at Ames Research Center in an unsupervised approach to derive cluster statistics. The spectral classes were identified using the IDIMS display and color infrared photography. Classification errors were corrected using stratification procedures. The classification scheme resulted in the following eleven categories; sedimented/shallow water, clear/deep water, coniferous forest, mixed forest, deciduous forest, shrub and grass, bog, alpine tundra, barrens, snow and ice, and cultural features. Color coded maps and acreage summaries of the major land cover categories were generated for selected USGS quadrangles (1:250,000) which lie within the drainage basin. The project was completed within six months.

Morrissey, L. A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

The Antarctic cryptoendolithic ecosystem - Relevance to exobiology

Cryptoendolithic microorganisms in the Antarctic desert live inside porous sandstone rocks, protected by a thin rock crust. While the rock surface is abiotic, the microclimate inside the rock is comparatively mild. These organisms may have descended from early, pre-glaciation Antarctic life forms and thus may represent the last outpost of life in a gradually deteriorating environment. Assuming that life once arose on Mars, it is conceivable that, following the loss of water, the last of surviving organisms withdrew to similar insulated microenvironments. Because such microscopic pockets have little connection with the outside environment, their detection may be difficult. The chances that the Viking lander could sample cryptoendolithic microorganisms in the Antarctic desert would be infinitesimal.

Friedmann, E. I.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Effects of fire on composition, biomass, and nutrients in oak scrub vegetation on John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Four stands of oak scrub two, four, eight, and 25 years since fire were sampled with permanent 15 m line transects. Percent cover by species was determined. Plant samples were analyzed for a variety of substances. Transects were resurveyed in 1985 for vegetation parameters. Nutrient pools in biomass were calculated from biomass data and tissue nutrient concentrations. Soil nutrient pools were calculated from nutrient concentrations and bulk density. Species distribution and soil chemical properties were found to be closely related to water table depth. The following fire-related conclusions are reached: (1) major structural changes occur in scrub after fire in that shrub height is reduced and requires four to six years to exceed 1 m; (2) reduction in shrub height affects the suitability of scrub for the Florida scrub jay (3) live biomass increases with time since fire; (4) nutrient concentrations in live biomass do not change with time since fire; (5) species composition and richness are little changed after fire; and (6) imposition of a continued regime of burning on a three-year cycle may have adverse impacts not indicated by the recovery of scrub from a single fire.

Schmalzer, Paul A.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Predictions of airfoil aerodynamic performance degradation due to icing

An overview of NASA's ongoing efforts to develop an airfoil icing analysis capability is developed. An indication is given to the approaches being followed to calculate the water droplet trajectories past the airfoil, the buildup of ice on the airfoil, and the resultant changes in aerodynamic performance due to the leading edge ice accretion. Examples are given of current code capabilities/limitations through comparisons of predictions with experimental data gathered in various calibration/validation experiments. A brief discussion of future efforts to extend the analysis to handle three dimensional components is included.

Shaw, Robert J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Predictions of airfoil aerodynamic performance degradation due to icing

Shaw, Robert J.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Climate and atmospheric modeling studies. Climate applications of Earth and planetary observations. Chemistry of Earth and environment

The research conducted during the past year in the climate and atmospheric modeling programs concentrated on the development of appropriate atmospheric and upper ocean models, and preliminary applications of these models. Principal models are a one-dimensional radiative-convective model, a three-dimensional global climate model, and an upper ocean model. Principal applications have been the study of the impact of CO2, aerosols and the solar 'constant' on climate. Progress was made in the 3-D model development towards physically realistic treatment of these processes. In particular, a map of soil classifications on 1 degree x 1 degree resolution has been digitized, and soil properties have been assigned to each soil type. Using this information about soil properties, a method was developed to simulate the hydraulic behavior of soils of the world. This improved treatment of soil hydrology, together with the seasonally varying vegetation cover, will provide a more realistic study of the role of the terrestrial biota in climate change. A new version of the climate model was created which follows the isotopes of water and sources of water (or colored water) throughout the planet. Each isotope or colored water source is a fraction of the climate model's water. It participates in condensation and surface evaporation at different fractionation rates and is transported by the dynamics. A major benefit of this project has been to improve the programming techniques and physical simulation of the water vapor budget of the climate model.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1991

Semiannual progress report, April - September 1991

Research conducted during the past year in the climate and modeling programs has concentrated on the development of appropriate atmospheric and upper ocean models, and preliminary applications of these models. Principal models are a one-dimensional radiative-convective model, a three dimensional global climate model, and an upper ocean model. Principal applications have been the study of the impact of CO2, aerosols, and the solar constant on climate. Progress was made in the 3-D model development towards physically realistic treatment of these processes. In particular, a map of soil classifications on 1 degree by 1 degree resolution has now been digitized, and soil properties have been assigned to each soil type. Using this information about soil properties, a method has been developed to simulate the hydraulic behavior of the soils of the world. This improved treatment of soil hydrology, together with the seasonally varying vegetation cover, will provide a more realistic study of the role of the terrestrial biota in climate change. A new version of the climate model was created which follows the isotopes of water and sources of water throughout the planet.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1992

The life span of the biosphere revisited

How much longer the biosphere can survive on earth is reexamined using a more elaborate model than that of Lovelock and Whitfield (1982). The model includes a more accurate treatment of the greenhouse effect of CO2, a biologically mediated weathering parametrization, and the realization that C4 photosynthesis can persist to much lower concentrations of atmospheric CO2. It is found that a C4-plant-based biosphere could survive for at least another 0.9 Gyr to 1.5 Gyr after the present time, depending respectively on whether CO2 or temperature is the limiting factor. Within an additional 1 Gyr, earth may lose water to space, thereby following the path of Venus.

Caldeira, Ken↗

NASA NTRS1993

Hydroponic Crop Production using Recycled Nutrients from Inedible Crop Residues

The coupling of plant growth and waste recycling systems is an important step toward the development of bioregenerative life support systems. This research examined the effectiveness of two alternative methods for recycling nutrients from the inedible fraction (residue) of candidate crops in a bioregenerative system as follows: (1) extraction in water, or leaching, and (2) combustion at 550 C, with subsequent reconstitution of the ash in acid. The effectiveness of the different methods was evaluated by (1) comparing the percent recovery of nutrients, and (2) measuring short- and long-term plant growth in hydroponic solutions, based on recycled nutrients.

Garland, Jay L.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Seedborne fungal contamination: consequences in space-grown wheat

Plants grown in microgravity are subject to many environmental stresses that may promote microbial growth and result in disease symptoms. Wheat (cv. Super Dwarf) recovered from an 8-day mission aboard a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) space shuttle showed disease symptoms, including girdling of leaf sheaths and chlorosis and necrosis of leaf and root tissues. A Neotyphodium species was isolated from the seed and leaf sheaths of symptomatic wheat used in the spaceflight mission. Certain isozymes of a peroxidase unique to extracts from the microgravity-grown plants were observed in extracts from earth-grown Neotyphodium-infected plants but were not present in noninfected wheat. The endophytic fungus was eliminated from the wheat seed by prolonged heat treatment at 50 degrees C followed by washes with water at 50 degrees C. Plants from wheat seed infected with the Neotyphodium endophyte were symptomless when grown under greenhouse conditions, whereas symptoms appeared after only 4 days of growth in closed containers. Disease spread from an infected plant to noninfected plants in closed containers. Dispersion via spores was found on asymptomatic plants at distances of 7 to 18 cm from infected plants. The size and shape of the conidia, mycelia, and phialide-bearing structures and the ability to grow rapidly on carbohydrates, especially xylose, resembled the characteristics of N. chilense, which is pathogenic on orchard grass, Doctylis glomerati. The Neotyphodium wheat isolate caused disease symptoms on other cereals (wheat cv. Malcolm, orchard grass, barley, and maize) grown in closed containers.

NASA Discipline Plant Biology↗