Results for “extreme patterns” — Page 18

NASA NTRS2007

Inner Magnetospheric Electric Fields Derived from IMAGE EUV

The local and global patterns of plasmaspheric plasma transport reflect the influence of electric fields imposed by all sources in the inner magnetosphere. Image sequences of thermal plasma G:istribution obtained from the IMAGE Mission Extreme Ultraviolet Imager can be used to derive plasma motions and, using a magnetic field model, the corresponding electric fields. These motions and fields directly reflect the dynamic coupling of injected plasmasheet plasma and the ionosphere, in addition to solar wind and atmospheric drivers. What is being learned about the morphology of inner magnetospheric electric fields during storm and quite conditions from this new empirical tool will be presented and discussed.

Gallagher, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS2009

DC Electric Fields and Associated Plasma Drifts Observed with the C/NOFS Satellite

Initial DC electric field observations and associated plasma drifts are presented from the Vector Electric Field Investigation (VEFI) on the Air Force Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite. We present statistical averages of the vector fields for the first year of operations that include both the zonal and radial components of the resulting E x B plasma flows at low latitudes. Magnetic field data from the VEFI science magnetometer are used to compute the plasma flows. The DC electric field detector reveals zonal and radial electric fields that undergo strong diurnal variations, typically displaying eastward and outward-directed fields during the day and westward and downward-directed fields at night. There is considerable variation in the large scale DC electric field data, in both the daytime and nighttime cases, with enhanced structures typically observed at night. In general, the measured zonal DC electric field amplitudes include excursions that extend within the 0.4 - 2 m V/m range, corresponding to E x B drifts of the order of 30-150 m/s. The average vertical or radial electric fields may exceed the zonal fields in amplitude by a factor of 1.5 to 2. Although the data compare well, in a general sense, with previous satellite observations and statistical patterns of vertical ion drifts, the E x B drifts we report from C/NOFS rarely show a pronounced pre-reversal enhancement after sunset. We attribute this to a combination of extreme solar minimum conditions and the fact that the C/NOFS orbit of 401 by 867 km carries the probes essentially above the lower altitude regions where the wind-driven dynamo might be expected to create enhanced upwards drifts in the early evening. Evidence for wavenumber 4 tidal effects and other longitudinal signatures have been detected and will be presented. We also discuss off-equatorial electric fields and their relation to the ambient plasma density.

Pfaff, R.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Medicine Delivery Device with Integrated Sterilization and Detection

Sterile delivery devices can be created by integrating a medicine delivery instrument with surfaces that are coated with germicidal and anti-fouling material. This requires that a large-surface-area template be developed within a constrained volume to ensure good contact between the delivered medicine and the germicidal material. Both of these can be integrated using JPL-developed silicon nanotip or cryo-etch black silicon technologies with atomic layer deposition (ALD) coating of specific germicidal layers. Nanofabrication techniques that are used to produce a microfluidics device are also capable of synthesizing extremely hig-hsurface-area templates in precise locations, and coating those surfaces with conformal films to manipulate their surface properties. This methodology has been successfully applied at JPL to produce patterned and coated silicon nanotips (also known as black silicon) to manipulate the hydrophilicity of surfaces to direct the spreading of fluids in microdevices. JPL s ALD technique is an ideal method to produce the highly conformal coatings required for this type of application. Certain materials, such as TiO2, have germicidal and anti-fouling properties when they are illuminated with UV light. The proposed delivery device contacts medicine with this high-surface-area black silicon surface coated with a thin-film germicidal deposited conformally with ALD. The coating can also be illuminated with ultraviolet light for the purpose of sterilization or identification of the medicine itself. This constrained volume that is located immediately prior to delivery into a patient, ensures that the medicine delivery device is inherently sterile.

Sheam, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Medicine Delivery Device with Integrated Sterilization and Detection

Sterile delivery devices can be created by integrating a medicine delivery instrument with surfaces that are coated with germicidal and anti-fouling material. This requires that a large-surface-area template be developed within a constrained volume to ensure good contact between the delivered medicine and the germicidal material. Both of these can be integrated using JPL-developed silicon nanotip or cryo-etch black silicon technologies with atomic layer deposition (ALD) coating of specific germicidal layers. The application of semiconductor processing techniques and technologies to the problems of fluid manipulation and delivery has enabled the integration of chemical, electrical, and mechanical manipulation of samples all within a single microfluidic device. This approach has been successfully applied at JPL to the automated processing, detection, and analysis of minute quantities (parts per trillion level) of biomaterials to develop instruments for in situ exploration or extraterrestrial bodies. The same nanofabrication techniques that are used to produce a microfluidics device are also capable of synthesizing extremely high-surface-area templates in precise locations, and coating those surfaces with conformal films to manipulate their surface properties. This methodology has been successfully applied at JPL to produce patterned and coated silicon nanotips (also known as black silicon) to manipulate the hydrophilicity of surfaces to direct the spreading of fluids in microdevices. JPL's ALD technique is an ideal method to produce the highly conformal coatings required for this type of application. Certain materials, such as TiO2, have germicidal and anti-fouling properties when they are illuminated with UV light. The proposed delivery device contacts medicine with this high-surface-area black silicon surface coated with a thin-film germicidal deposited conformally with ALD. The coating can also be illuminated with ultraviolet light for the purpose of sterilization or identification of the medicine itself. This constrained volume that is located immediately prior to delivery into a patient, ensures that the medicine delivery device is inherently sterile. An additional benefit to integrating a high-surface-area template within the fluid channel of a medicine delivery device is that one can envision a number of different functional coatings that could facilitate the capture and analysis of either microbial contaminants or the medicine itself. For example, one could attach antibodies or some other binding agent with a specific affinity to the silicon nanotip template. Once a target molecule or microbe is bound to the high-surface- area template, one could use an optical analytical technique such as fluorescence or adsorption to determine the identity and potentially the concentration of the species of interest. By illuminating the bound species from the back, it may also be possible to probe only the molecules with an evanescent wave, making detection of the species from the front side of the device much simpler.

Shearn, Michael J.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Nonuniform visual pattern image sequence coding

Visual Pattern Image Sequence Coding (VPISC) is a pyramidal image coding scheme which utilizes human visual system (HVS) properties to achieve low bit rates while maintaining a good perceived image quality, all with extremely low computational cost. This paper describes extensions of VPISC, termed Foveal VPISC (FVPISC) and Adaptive VPISC (AVPISC). Both algorithms produce decreased bit rates by selectively allowing some image regions to be coded at low resolution. In FVPISC, a foveation criterion is used to select a region of interest. In AVPISC, the algorithm adaptively determines which regions require high-resolution coding in order to maintain uniform image quality over the entire image.

Silsbee, Peter L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Characterization of Optical Lenses to be Considered for the Imaging of Crystal Dendrite Growth

Dynamic fracture is a phenomenon that is extremely sensitive to small perturbations in system parameters. This phenomenon is, in some ways, similar to that of dendritic crystal growth, although it is governed by different physical principles. Crystal dendrite growth patterns are affected by parameters such as temperature, pressure, and gravity. By studying the behavior of crystal dendrites in a controlled, microgravity environment, a greater understanding of dynamic fracture could be revealed. A sealed cubical container contains four stingers, which facilitate the growth of crystal dendrites. The container has five windows and is emersed in a liquid, for thermal isolation. The tip of a dendrite can advance in any direction, therefore three-dimensional images of the process are desired. Furthermore, because of the rapid growth rate, a fast image frame rate is required for accurate tracking of dendrite tip velocity. In addition, optical parameters such as field of view, depth of focus, and resolution are examined, as well as the working distance between a lens and the target of observation.

Wing, Frank M.↗

NASA NTRS2004

The QuakeSim Project: Numerical Simulations for Active Tectonic Processes

In order to develop a solid earth science framework for understanding and studying of active tectonic and earthquake processes, this task develops simulation and analysis tools to study the physics of earthquakes using state-of-the art modeling, data manipulation, and pattern recognition technologies. We develop clearly defined accessible data formats and code protocols as inputs to the simulations. these are adapted to high-performance computers because the solid earth system is extremely complex and nonlinear resulting in computationally intensive problems with millions of unknowns. With these tools it will be possible to construct the more complex models and simulations necessary to develop hazard assessment systems critical for reducing future losses from major earthquakes.

tectonic processes↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Dynamical Mechanisms Underlying the 2022/23 California Flooding: Analysis With A Stationary Wave Model

In late December 2022 and the first half of January 2023, much of California experienced an unprecedented series of atmospheric rivers that produced heavy rains and near-record flooding. Previous work shows that a chain of dynamical events contributed to the extreme precipitation, including the development of a Rossby wave (as a result of forcing linked to the MJO) that emerged from the Indian Ocean in mid-December, and the subsequent development of a persistent positive Pacific North American (PNA) pattern that ultimately directed moisture onto the US West Coast starting in late December. Here, we use a stationary wave model (SWM) to further elucidate the dynamical and thermodynamical processes that drove the aforementioned chain of events. The results reveal the following: 1) The mid-December Rossby wave was likely induced by vorticity stretching and advection in the middle East linked indirectly to the MJO, 2) The initial development of the PNA in late December was triggered by transient and stretching sources of vorticity in the Pacific that were themselves induced by the aforementioned Rossby wave, and 3) The PNA was maintained through mid-January in part by diabatic heating west of Hawaii that was associated with anomalous precipitation influenced by the PNA circulation anomalies, thus representing a feedback on the PNA. One key finding from the SWM analysis is the limited direct role of tropical heating for inducing any of the dynamical mechanisms related to the California extreme event.

Anthony M. DeAngelis↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Dynamical Mechanisms Underlying the 2022/23 California Flooding: Analysis With A Stationary Wave Model

In late December 2022 and the first half of January 2023, much of California experienced an unprecedented series of atmospheric rivers that produced heavy rains and near-record flooding. Previous work shows that a chain of dynamical events contributed to the extreme precipitation, including the development of a Rossby wave (as a result of forcing linked to the MJO) that emerged from the Indian Ocean in mid-December, and the subsequent development of a persistent positive Pacific North American (PNA) pattern that ultimately directed moisture onto the US West Coast starting in late December. Here, we use a stationary wave model (SWM) to further elucidate the dynamical and thermodynamical processes that drove the aforementioned chain of events. The results reveal the following: 1) The mid-December Rossby wave was likely induced by vorticity stretching and advection in the middle East linked indirectly to the MJO, 2) The initial development of the PNA in late December was triggered by transient and stretching sources of vorticity in the Pacific that were themselves induced by the aforementioned Rossby wave, and 3) The PNA was maintained through mid-January in part by diabatic heating west of Hawaii that was associated with anomalous precipitation influenced by the PNA circulation anomalies, thus representing a feedback on the PNA. One key finding from the SWM analysis is the limited direct role of tropical heating for inducing any of the dynamical mechanisms related to the California extreme event.

Anthony M. DeAngelis↗

NASA NTRS2022

Global Assessment of the Capability of Satellite Precipitation Products to Retrieve Landslide-Triggering Extreme Rainfall Events

Rainfall-induced landsliding is a global and systemic hazard that is likely to increase with the projections of increased frequency of extreme precipitation with current climate change. However, our ability to understand and mitigate landslide risk is strongly limited by the availability of relevant rainfall measurements in many landslide prone areas. In the last decade, global satellite multisensor precipitation products (SMPP) have been proposed as a solution, but very few studies have assessed their ability to adequately characterize rainfall events triggering landsliding. Here, we address this issue by testing the rainfall pattern retrieved by two SMPPs (IMERG and GSMaP) and one hybrid product [Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP)] against a large, global database of 20 comprehensive landslide inventories associated with well-identified storm events. We found that, after converting total rainfall amounts to an anomaly relative to the 10-yr return rainfall R*, the three products do retrieve the largest anomaly (of the last 20 years) during the major landslide event for many cases. However, the degree of spatial collocation of R* and landsliding varies from case to case and across products, and we often retrieved R* > 1 in years without reported landsliding. In addition, the few (four) landslide events caused by short and localized storms are most often undetected. We also show that, in at least five cases, the SMPP’s spatial pattern of rainfall anomaly matches landsliding less well than does ground-based radar rainfall pattern or lightning maps, underlining the limited accuracy of the SMPPs. We conclude on some potential avenues to improve SMPPs’ retrieval and their relation to landsliding.

Extreme events↗

NASA NTRS2002

Flow Patterns During Friction Stir Welding

Friction Stir Welding is a relatively new technique for welding that uses a cylindrical pin or nib inserted along the weld seam. The nib (usually threaded) and the shoulder in which it is mounted are rapidly rotated and advanced along the seam. Extreme deformation takes place leaving a fine equiaxed structure in the weld region., The flow of metal during Friction Stir Welding is investigated using a faying surface tracer and a nib frozen in place during welding. It is shown that material is transported by two processes. The first is a wiping of material from the advancing front side of the nib onto a zone of material that rotates and advances with the nib. The material undergoes a helical motion within the rotational zone that both rotates and advances and descends in the wash of the threads on the nib and rises on the outer part of the rotational zone. After one or more rotations, this material is sloughed off in its wake of the nib, primarily on the advancing side. The second process is an entrainment of material from the front retreating side of the nib that fills in between the sloughed off pieces from the advancing side.

Guerra, M.↗

NASA NTRS2002

ENSO Variations in Tropical Precipitation

TRMM was launched during the height of the 1997-98 El Nino and offered new insights into the evolution of precipitation during this event. The rapid decline of the El Nino in May 1998 was followed by a long lasting La Nina. Extreme wet and dry regions in the tropics during this El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle will be compared with the previous 23 years using the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) products. In particular, patterns of precipitation anomalies preceding El Nino will be examined. It has been shown that 30-60 day oscillations in convection appear in the western Pacific before the onset of El Nino. Also, a fast traveling equatorial wave of rainfall circled the globe during the demise of 1997-98 El Nino. Recent work has revealed an interesting relationship between a gradient of anomalous precipitation in the eastern Indian Ocean and the initiation of El Nino. This link will be explored as well as other anomaly patterns in 2002, which may signal an upcoming El Nino.

Curtis, Scott↗

NASA NTRS2009

Changes in the Extent of Surface Mining and Reclamation in the Central Appalachians Detected Using a 1976-2006 Landsat Time Series

Surface mining and reclamation is the dominant driver of land cover land use change (LCLUC) in the Central Appalachian Mountain region of the Eastern U.S. Accurate quantification of the extent of mining activities is important for assessing how this LCLUC affects ecosystem services such as aesthetics, biodiversity, and mitigation of flooding.We used Landsat imagery from 1976, 1987, 1999 and 2006 to map the extent of surface mines and mine reclamation for eight large watersheds in the Central Appalachian region of West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. We employed standard image processing techniques in conjunction with a temporal decision tree and GIS maps of mine permits and wetlands to map active and reclaimed mines and track changes through time. For the entire study area, active surface mine extent was highest in 1976, prior to implementation of the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act in 1977, with 1.76% of the study area in active mines, declining to 0.44% in 2006. The most extensively mined watershed, Georges Creek in Maryland, was 5.45% active mines in 1976, declining to 1.83% in 2006. For the entire study area, the area of reclaimed mines increased from 1.35% to 4.99% from 1976 to 2006, and from 4.71% to 15.42% in Georges Creek. Land cover conversion to mines and then reclaimed mines after 1976 was almost exclusively from forest. Accuracy levels for mined and reclaimed cover was above 85% for all time periods, and was generally above 80% for mapping active and reclaimed mines separately, especially for the later time periods in which good accuracy assessment data were available. Among other implications, the mapped patterns of LCLUC are likely to significantly affect watershed hydrology, as mined and reclaimed areas have lower infiltration capacity and thus more rapid runoff than unmined forest watersheds, leading to greater potential for extreme flooding during heavy rainfall events.

Townsend, Philip A.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Thinking Outside of the Blue Marble: Novel Ocean Applications Using the VIIRS Sensor

While planning for future space-borne sensors will increase the quality, quantity, and duration of ocean observations in the years to come, efforts to extend the limits of sensors currently in orbit can help shed light on future scientific gains as well as associated uncertainties. Here, we present several applications that are unique to the polar orbiting Visual Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), each of which challenge the threshold capabilities of the sensor and provide lessons for future missions. For instance, while moderate resolution polar orbiters typically have a one day revisit time, we are able to obtain multiple looks of the same area by focusing on the extreme zenith angles where orbital views overlap, and pair these observations with those from other sensors to create pseudo-geostationary data sets. Or, by exploiting high spatial resolution (imaging) channels and analyzing patterns of synoptic covariance across the visible spectrum, we can obtain higher spatial resolution bio-optical products. Alternatively, non-traditional products can illuminate important biological interactions in the ocean, such as the use of the Day-Night-Band to provide some quantification of phototactic behavior of marine life along light polluted beaches, as well as track the location of marine fishing vessel fleets along ocean fronts. In this talk, we explore ways to take full advantage of the capabilities of existing sensors in order to maximize insights for future missions.

ocean color↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Study the Vertical Structure and Transportation of the Extreme African Dust Storms using MERRA-2 Data

The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Application, Version 2 (MERRA-2) provides the first long-term global reanalysis to assimilate space-based observations of aerosols and represents their interactions with other physical processes in the climate system. In this study, we have examined the variations of atmospheric aerosols for the last 20 years since 2002 using the sub-daily MERRA-2 data and found seven extreme African dust storms that were transported westward across the Atlantic Ocean from the Sahara, crossing 70o-80oW. In particular, the well-known ‘Godzilla’ dust storm occurred in June 2020, and its dust cloud, with the highest-on-record aerosol optical depths, was transported toward the Americas. This storm greatly degraded air quality over large areas of the Caribbean Basin and the United States. The air quality index reached unhealthy levels for sensitive groups in more than ten U.S. states. In our study, the vertical structure and transport characteristics of the dust layers during this extreme dust event are investigated. The geopotential height and temperature were found anomalously low (around 600 hPa) over the Atlantic Ocean off northwest Africa before the June 2020 dust storm. This anomalous circulation pattern was persistent for more than 12 days starting from around May 30, breaking the regular easterly waves that transport dust from the Sahara Desert to the west. To verify the data quality, daily MERRA-2 PM2.5 data were calculated and compared with PM2.5 observations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at several selected ground stations in Florida. We provide this case study to illustrate how to effectively use various MERRA-2 data services at Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) where MERRA-2 data are archived, hoping to help data users in exploring their own topics of interest using data services at GES DISC.

data management, reanalysis↗

DOE OSTI2025

Regional and Temporal Variability of Atmospheric River Seasonality: Influences of Detection Algorithms and Moisture Transport Dynamics

Abstract Understanding the regional and temporal variability of atmospheric river (AR) seasonality is crucial for preparedness and mitigation of extreme events. While ARs were thought to peak in winter, recent research shows they exhibit region‐specific seasonality and are heavily influenced by the chosen detection algorithm. This study examines the link between the year‐to‐year consistency of peak‐AR activity to the presence of a dominant seasonal pattern, considering both location and algorithm choice. Regions are categorized by their temporal characteristics: consistent patterns (e.g., East Asia), patterns with occasional outliers (e.g., British Columbia coast), and regions lacking a clear dominant peak season (e.g., South Atlantic, parts of Australia). Hence, not all regions display a consistent seasonal cycle of AR activity. This study quantifies the extent to which a region experiences a dominant peak season of AR activity (or lacks one) and offers insights to enhance decision‐making in water management, natural hazard preparedness, and forecasting. Furthermore, given our finding that detection algorithms influence the peak season of AR activity, we also examine two diagnostic variables representative of moisture transport to corroborate our results. Integrated vapor transport, which captures meridional and zonal moisture transport, and Moist Wave Activity, representing moisture intrusions from lower to higher latitudes, are examined. Our analysis indicates that inconsistencies in the seasonal cycle of AR activity are not solely due to discrepancies in detection algorithms but also arise from changes in moisture transport. Plain Language Summary Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are critical weather phenomena that can cause extreme events like heavy rainfall and flooding. Understanding when and where ARs are most likely to occur throughout the year is essential for preparing and responding to these events. Traditionally, ARs were thought to peak in winter, but recent studies show this varies by region. Our study helps address the challenge decision‐makers face in anticipating and preparing for AR events by providing insights into the consistency of peak seasonal patterns across different areas. Some regions, like East Asia, and the British Columbia coast, show a consistent peak season, while others, like the South Atlantic and parts of Australia, have significant year‐to‐year variations, making it hard to identify a dominant season. To better understand these changes over time, the study also examines how moisture moves in the atmosphere, using Integrated Vapor Transport (which looks at moisture movement in various directions) and Moist Wave Activity (which tracks moisture shifts from lower to higher latitudes). The findings suggest that inconsistencies in AR patterns are due not only to detection methods but also due to changes in moisture transport. Key Points The peak season of atmospheric river activity can change depending on the year in some areas Interannual variations in the peak season can make identifying a dominant season challenging for some regions Frequent shifts in peak season across years reflect inconsistencies tied to detection algorithms and to underlying dynamics

Kamnani, Diya↗

DOE OSTI2024

Exploring Interferometry Diagnostics for Optical Stochastic Cooling at FAST/IOTA

Optical Stochastic Cooling (OSC) is an advanced beam-cooling technique that will precede the traditional stochastic cooling. This method leverages optical radiation and high-precision feedback to cool the particles more efficiently than traditional stochastic methods by more than three orders of magnitude. As such, it is an enabler for the development of next generation discovery science machines at the frontiers of energy and intensity. This paper focuses on the development of the second phase of OSC and improving extreme beam cooling technique in accelerators. Along with the assembly and use of an interferometer to provide diagnostics and optimization to OSC systems. The interferometer can allow for the observation and analysis of fringe patterns from a recreated simpler version in the laser room. By leveraging interferometric techniques, OSC can achieve higher efficiency, verification, stability and performance.

Teriba, Folashade↗

NASA NTRS1978

SAR antenna calibration techniques

Calibration of SAR antennas requires a measurement of gain, elevation and azimuth pattern shape, boresight error, cross-polarization levels, and phase vs. angle and frequency. For spaceborne SAR antennas of SEASAT size operating at C-band or higher, some of these measurements can become extremely difficult using conventional far-field antenna test ranges. Near-field scanning techniques offer an alternative approach and for C-band or X-band SARs, give much improved accuracy and precision as compared to that obtainable with a far-field approach.

Carver, K. R.↗