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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Chamber For Testing Infrared Imaging Detectors

Chamber provides cold, vacuum, low-background-radiation environment and optical and electrical feedthroughs needed for testing and calibration of planar arrays of long-wavelength infrared photodetectors. Equipped with multiple ports for vacuum pumps, vacuum gauges, cryogenic fluids, sources of radiation, and camera heads. Accommodates variety of infrared sources, detectors, and associated equipment for testing at temperatures down to about 4.2 K in low-background-radiation environment.

Staller, Craig O.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Determination of the NOAA-20 VIIRS TEB RVS from Emissive Radiation Measurements During the Pitch Maneuver

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a key sensor carried on the newly launched (November 18, 2017) Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1), now transitioned to NOAA-20, and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite. The two VIIRS sensors are nearly identical in design. Its on-board calibration components include a solar diffuser (SD) and a solar diffuser stability monitor (SDSM) for the reflective solar bands (RSB), a V-groove blackbody for the thermal emissive bands (TEB), and a space view (SV) port for background subtraction. These on-board calibrators are located at fixed scan angles. The VIIRS response versus scan angle (RVS) was characterized prelaunch in lab ambient conditions and is currently used to calibrate the on-orbit response for all scan angles relative to the calibrator's scan angle. A spacecraft level pitch maneuver was scheduled during the initial intensive Cal/Val testing for both the NOAA-20 and SNPP. The pitch maneuver provided a rare opportunity for VIIRS to make observations of deep space over the entire scan angle range, which can be used to characterize the TEB RVS. This study provides our analysis of the NOAA-20 pitch maneuver data and assessment of the derived TEB RVS. A comparison between the RVS determined by the pitch maneuver observations and prelaunch lab measurements is conducted for each band, detector, and mirror side of the half angle mirror.

VIIRS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Kilometric radiation power flux dependence on area of discrete aurora

Kilometer wavelength radiation, measured from distant positions over the North Pole and over the Earth's equator, was compared to the area of discrete aurora imaged by several low-altitude spacecraft. Through correlative studies of auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) with about two thousand auroral images, a stereoscopic view of the average auroral acceleration region was obtained. A major result is that the total AKR power increases as the area of the discrete auroral oval increases. The implications are that the regions of parallel potentials or the auroral plasma cavities, in which AKR is generated, must possess the following attributes: (1) they are shallow in altitude and their radial position depends on wavelength, (2) they thread flux tubes of small cross section, (3) the generation mechanism in them reaches a saturation limit rapidly, and (4) their distribution over the discrete auroral oval is nearly uniform. The above statistical results are true for large samples collected over a long period of time (about six months). In the short term, AKR frequently exhibits temporal variations with scales as short as three minutes (the resolution of the averaged data used). These fluctuations are explainable by rapid quenchings as well as fast starts of the electron cyclotron maser mechanism. There were times when AKR was present at substantial power levels while optical emissions were below instrument thresholds. A recent theoretical result may account for this set of observations by predicting that suprathermal electrons, of energies as low as several hundred eV, can generate second harmonic AKR. The indirect observations of second harmonic AKR require that these electrons have mirror points high above the atmosphere so as to minimize auroral light emissions. The results provide evidence supporting the electron cyclotron maser mechanism.

Saflekos, N. A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Analysis of the Advantages and Limitations of Stationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer

New developments in infrared sensor technology have potentially made possible a new space-based system which can measure far-infrared radiation at lower costs (mass, power and expense). The Stationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (SIFTS) proposed by NASA Langley Research Center, makes use of new detector array technology. A mathematical model which simulates resolution and spectral range relationships has been developed for analyzing the utility of such a radically new approach to spectroscopy. Calculations with this forward model emulate the effects of a detector array on the ability to retrieve accurate spectral features. Initial computations indicate significant attenuation at high wavenumbers.

Beecken, Brian P.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Analysis of Co-Located MODIS and CALIPSO Observations Near Clouds

The purpose of this paper is to help researchers combine data from different satellites and thus gain new insights into two critical yet poorly understood aspects of anthropogenic climate change, aerosol-cloud interactions and aerosol radiative effects, For this, the paper explores whether cloud information from the Aqua satellite's MODIS instrument can help characterize systematic aerosol changes near clouds by refining earlier perceptions of these changes that were based on the CALIPSO satellite's CALIOP instrument. Similar to a radar but using visible and ncar-infrared light, CALIOP sends out laser pulses and provides aerosol and cloud information along a single line that tracks the satellite orbit by measuring the reflection of its pulses. In contrast, MODIS takes images of reflected sunlight and emitted infrared radiation at several wavelengths, and covers wide areas around the satellite track. This paper analyzes a year-long global dataset covering all ice-free oceans, and finds that MODIS can greatly help the interpretation of CALIOP observations, especially by detecting clouds that lie outside the line observed by CALlPSO. The paper also finds that complications such as differences in view direction or clouds drifting in the 72 seconds that elapse between MODIS and CALIOP observations have only a minor impact. The study also finds that MODIS data helps refine but does not qualitatively alter perceptions of the systematic aerosol changes that were detected in earlier studies using only CALIOP data. It then proposes a statistical approach to account for clouds lying outside the CALIOP track even when MODIS cannot as reliably detect low clouds, for example at night or over ice. Finally, the paper finds that, because of variations in cloud amount and type, the typical distance to clouds in maritime clear areas varies with season and location. The overall median distance to clouds in maritime clear areas around 4-5 km. The fact that half of all clear areas is closer than 5 km to clouds implies that pronounced near-cloud changes in aerosol properties have significant implications for overall clear-sky characteristics, including the radiative impact of aerosols.

Varnai, Tamas↗
NASA NTRS2013

Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography for the Packed Bed Reactor ISS Flight Experiment

Fixed packed bed reactors are compact, require minimum power and maintenance to operate, and are highly reliable. These features make this technology a highly desirable unit operation for long duration life support systems in space. NASA is developing an ISS experiment to address this technology with particular focus on water reclamation and air revitalization. Earlier research and development efforts funded by NASA have resulted in two hydrodynamic models which require validation with appropriate instrumentation in an extended microgravity environment. To validate these models, the instantaneous distribution of the gas and liquid phases must be measured.Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) is a non-invasive imaging technology recently developed for multi-phase flow applications. It is based on distributing flexible capacitance plates on the peripheral of a flow column and collecting real-time measurements of inter-electrode capacitances. Capacitance measurements here are directly related to dielectric constant distribution, a physical property that is also related to material distribution in the imaging domain. Reconstruction algorithms are employed to map volume images of dielectric distribution in the imaging domain, which is in turn related to phase distribution. ECVT is suitable for imaging interacting materials of different dielectric constants, typical in multi-phase flow systems. ECVT is being used extensively for measuring flow variables in various gas-liquid and gas-solid flow systems. Recent application of ECVT include flows in risers and exit regions of circulating fluidized beds, gas-liquid and gas-solid bubble columns, trickle beds, and slurry bubble columns. ECVT is also used to validate flow models and CFD simulations. The technology is uniquely qualified for imaging phase concentrations in packed bed reactors for the ISS flight experiments as it exhibits favorable features of compact size, low profile sensors, high imaging speed, and flexibility to fit around columns of various shapes and sizes. ECVT is also safer than other commonly used imaging modalities as it operates in the range of low frequencies (1 MHz) and does not radiate radioactive energy. In this effort, ECVT is being used to image flow parameters in a packed bed reactor for an ISS flight experiment.

Tomography↗
NASA NTRS2022

VLTI-MATISSE L- and N-Band Aperture-Synthesis Imaging of the Unclassified B[e] star FS Canis Majoris

Context. FS Canis Majoris (FS CMa, HD 45677) is an unclassified B[e] star surrounded by an inclined dust disk. The evolutionary stage of FS CMa is still debated. Perpendicular to the circumstellar disk, a bipolar outflow was detected. Infrared aperture-synthesis imaging provides us with a unique opportunity to study the disk structure. Aims. Our aim is to study the intensity distribution of the disk of FS CMa in the mid-infrared L and N bands. Methods. We performed aperture-synthesis imaging of FS CMa with the MATISSE instrument (Multi AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment) in the low spectral resolution mode to obtain images in the L and N bands. We computed radiative transfer models that reproduce the L- and N-band intensity distributions of the resolved disks. Results. We present L- and N-band aperture-synthesis images of FS CMa reconstructed in the wavelength bands of 3.4–3.8 and 8.6–9.0 μm. In the L-band image, the inner rim region of an inclined circumstellar disk and the central object can be seen with a spatial resolution of 2.7 milliarcsec (mas). An inner disk cavity with an angular diameter of ~6 × 12 mas is resolved. The L-band disk consists of a bright northwestern (NW) disk region and a much fainter southeastern (SE) region. The images suggest that we are looking at the bright inner wall of the NW disk rim, which is on the far side of the disk. In the N band, only the bright NW disk region is seen. In addition to deriving the inclination and the inner disk radius, fitting the reconstructed brightness distributions via radiative transfer modelling allows one to constrain the innermost disk structure, in particular the shape of the inner disk rim.

techniques↗
NASA NTRS1990

Imaging spectrophotometry of the nuclear outflow of NGC 1068

This observational program (in conjunction with R. B. Tully (IfA, Honolulu), and J. Bland (Rice U., Houston)) aims to constrain the kinematic organization and dominant excitation mechanisms of ionized gas in active galaxies. More generally, researchers are interested in the dynamics of radiative, supersonic flows in the Interstellar Medium (ISM). Imaging Fabry-Perot interferometers and low-noise Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) are used for complete spatial coverage of the complex gas distribution in circumnuclear narrow-line regions (NLRs). Extranuclear emission line widths in NLRs can exceed 3000 km s(-1), so to avoid inter-order confusion researchers use an etalon of 4000 km s(-1) free spectral range to map (N II) lambda lambda 6548, 6583 and H alpha. To maximize spatial resolution, researchers select nearby active systems independent of luminosity but known to possess interesting morphologies and/or high-velocity extranuclear ionized gas. Monochromatic images Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) approx. 65 km s(-1) have thus far been obtained in 1 second or better seeing at the U. Hawaii 2.2m, CFH 3.6m, and CTIO 4.0m telescopes. These are stacked into grids of line profiles, of spectrophotometric quality, at sub-arcsecond increments across a 3 second field. To handle the approx. 20,000 to 300,000 useful spectra that arise from a typical night's work, researchers have developed a complete analysis and reduction package for VAX and Sun image workstations. Reduction involves parametrization of approx. 10 to the 8th raw data points to a few maps (e.g., velocities of each kinematic subsystem, continuum-free line fluxes) containing approx. 10 to the 5th pixels. Researchers identify kinematic and structural symmetries by examining these maps and the point to point variations of the synthesized line profiles. The combination of monochromatic images and full spatial sampling of line profiles has allowed them to isolate such symmetries and has led to reliable kinematic deprojections.

Cecil, Gerald↗
NASA NTRS1982

Derivation of the radiation budget at ground level from satellite measurements

Determination of the Earth radiaton budget and progress in measurement of the budget components and in the treatment of imaging data from satellites are described. Methods for calculating the radiation budget in a general circulation model, radiative transfer characteristics of clouds, computation of solar radiation at ground level using meteorological data and development of a 10-channel radiometer are discussed.

Raschke, E.↗
NASA NTRS2004

3D Cloud Radiative Effects on Aerosol Optical Thickness Retrievals in Cumulus Cloud Fields in the Biomass Burning Region in Brazil

Aerosol amount in clear regions of a cloudy atmosphere is a critical parameter in studying the interaction between aerosols and clouds. Since the global cloud cover is about 50%, cloudy scenes are often encountered in any satellite images. Aerosols are more or less transparent, while clouds are extremely reflective in the visible spectrum of solar radiation. The radiative transfer in clear-cloudy condition is highly three- dimensional (3D). This paper focuses on estimating the 3D effects on aerosol optical thickness retrievals using Monte Carlo simulations. An ASTER image of cumulus cloud fields in the biomass burning region in Brazil is simulated in this study. The MODIS products (i-e., cloud optical thickness, particle effective radius, cloud top pressure, surface reflectance, etc.) are used to construct the cloud property and surface reflectance fields. To estimate the cloud 3-D effects, we assume a plane-parallel stratification of aerosol properties in the 60 km x 60 km ASTER image. The simulated solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere is compared with plane-parallel calculations. Furthermore, the 3D cloud radiative effects on aerosol optical thickness retrieval are estimated.

Wen, Guo-Yong↗
NASA NTRS1999

Consistency Between Tropical Divergent Circulations from Reanalysis Data Sets and Satellite-Derived Precipitation, Radiation, and Surface Fluxes

Large-scale divergent circulations are part of the atmospheric dynamic response to diabatic heating from condensation, radiative processes, and surface heat fluxes. Vertical motion and the associated divergent wind is thus intimately tied to the hydrologic cycle and the global heat balance. Vertical motions are recovered diagnostically from reanalyses and, as such, are subject to shortcommings in model physics, numerics, and data availability. We use several Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Earth Observation System (EOS) data sets derived from satellite data to assess interannual divergent flow anomalies in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and GSFC Data Assimilation Office (DAO) analyses. Among the data sets are monthly, 2.5 degree gridded precipitation (Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I-based)), Top or the atmosphere (TOA) radiative fluxes from ERBS, surface radiative fluxes from the SRB project, and surface latent and sensible flux estimates from SSM/I. These data sets can be considered as independent of the reanalysis fields. We focus largely on the period 1987-1989 encompassing a strong El Nino / la Nina couplet. Consequently we emphasize interannual changes as well as climatological aspects of the reanalyses. In the processes of this study we use simple integral constraints enforced through the satellite-derived data sets to derive corrections to the divergent circulation produced from the reanalyses. We examine the implications of these corrections in describing how perturbations to the tropical heat balance evolve during a warm / cool couplet. In particular the perturbations to the planetary scale water vapor transport, and the resulting changes in TOA and surface radiative fluxes are considered.

Robertson, Franklin R.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Evaluation of EPIC Oxygen Bands Stability With Radiative Transfer Simulations Over the South Pole

The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite orbiting the Sun at the Lagrange-1 point was launched without onboard calibration systems. Vicarious calibration is conducted for 8 of the 10 UV/VIS/NIR channels using other low earth orbiting satellite instruments, while its two O 2 bands (688 nm and 764nm) rely on indirect moon-view calibrations because the same narrow-band O 2 bands are not readily available from other in-flight instruments. This study compares EPIC measurements from the four O 2 bands aiming at examining sensor stability over a uniquely suited location, i.e., the permanently snow-covered South Pole. The study utilizes radiative transfer model simulations with in-situ atmospheric soundings taken at South Pole during months of December and January from 2015 to 2022. The absolute discrepancy between the model simulations and observations is less than 1.0% for the two reference bands, but 5.75% and 15.63% for the 688nm, and 764 nm absorption bands, respectively. The simulated A-band and B-band ratios are 16.09% and 4.74% higher than that from the observations. Various sensitivities are conducted to estimate possible contributions to the discrepancies from input atmospheric profiles, spectral surface albedos and surface BRDF. While none of the input uncertainties is likely to account for the large discrepancies in the oxygen absorption bands, a small shift in the instrument response function could be the main reason for these biases. On the other hand, the model simulations are able to capture systematic variations with observed angular measurements and explain the multi-year trends found in observed O 2 band ratios due to satellite orbit shifting. When model simulated contributions from the angle variations are deducted from the observed O 2 band ratios, the residual O 2 band ratios are found to be stable since 2015.

EPIC↗
NASA NTRS2013

3D Radiative Transfer Effects in Multi-Angle/Multi-Spectral Radio-Polarimetric Signals from a Mixture of Clouds and Aerosols Viewed by a Non-Imaging Sensor

When observing a spatially complex mix of aerosols and clouds in a single relatively large field-of-view, nature entangles their signals non-linearly through polarized radiation transport processes that unfold in the 3D position and direction spaces. In contrast, any practical forward model in a retrieval algorithm will use only 1D vector radiative transfer (vRT) in a linear mixing technique. We assess the difference between the observed and predicted signals using synthetic data from a high-fidelity 3D vRT model with clouds generated using a Large Eddy Simulation model and an aerosol climatology. We find that this difference is signal--not noise--for the Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS), an instrument developed by NASA. Moreover, the worst case scenario is also the most interesting case, namely, when the aerosol burden is large, hence hase the most impact on the cloud microphysics and dynamics. Based on our findings, we formulate a mitigation strategy for these unresolved cloud adjacency effects assuming that some spatial information is available about the structure of the clouds at higher resolution from "context" cameras, as was planned for NASA's ill-fated Glory mission that was to carry the APS but failed to reach orbit. Application to POLDER (POLarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances) data from the period when PARASOL (Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar) was in the A-train is briefly discussed.

APS↗
NASA NTRS1991

Surface radiation budget imagery

Linear regressions which summarize the relationships between the turbulent fluxes of heat and latent heat of vaporization leaving the surface and surface albedos are given. This observation is based on a semi-empirical analysis of the data collected from sets of Landsat/TM (Thematic Mapper) imagery as the top of the atmosphere images have been converted into maps of surface radiation budget. A preliminary analysis shows that in spite of the land surface's temporal and spatial variability, the transfer of latent and sensible heat into the atmosphere would appear to be governed by the land surface albedo.

Kim, Hongsuk H.↗
NASA NTRS2019

TPSAS-NF1676L-33668-DND

A three-color pyrometer has been developed based on plenoptic imaging technology. Three bandpass filters placed in front of the camera lens allows separate 2D images to be obtained at three different wavelengths. Images were obtained of different black- or grey-bodies including a calibration furnace, a radiation heater, a sooting butane flame and a luminous sulfur match flame. The images were processed to determine 2D temperature distributions. Calibration results in the furnace showed that the instrument could measure temperature with an accuracy and precision of 10 Kelvins between 1100 and 1350 K. Time-resolved 2D measurements of the radiation heater, flame and match are shown.

Paul M Danehy↗
NASA NTRS1992

Local-time asymmetries in the Venus thermosphere

Our current understanding of the global structure and dynamics of the Venus thermosphere is embodied in models such as the Venus Thermospheric General Circulation Model (VTGCM) and empirical composition models such as VIRA and VTS3. We have completed an analysis of ultraviolet images of Venus at 130 nm acquired by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (PVOUVS). We have examined 97 images spanning the 10-year period between 1980 and 1990, and have developed a technique for global radiative transfer modeling with which we create synthetic models of each image analyzed. We have developed a hypothesis for understanding the persistent local-time asymmetry observed as a signature of vertically propagating internal gravity waves interacting with the thermospheric SS-AS circulation. This hypothesis is presented.

Alexander, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

BOREAS RSS-14 Level 1a GOES-7 Visible, IR, and Water Vapor Images

The BOREAS RSS-14 team collected and processed GOES-7 and -8 images of the BOREAS region as part of its effort to characterize the incoming, reflected, and emitted radiation at regional scales. The level-1a BOREAS GOES-7 image data were collected by RSS-14 personnel at FSU and processed to level-1a products by BORIS personnel. The data cover the period of 01-Jan-1994 through 08-Jul-1995 with partial to complete coverage on the majority of the days. The data include three bands with eightbit pixel values. No major problems with the data have been identified. Due to the large size of the images, the level-1a GOES-7 data are not contained on the BOREAS CD-ROM set. An inventory listing file is supplied on the CD-ROM to inform users of what data were collected. The level-1a GOES-7 image data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). See sections 15 and 16 for more information. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

Hall, Forrest G.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Portable Hyperspectral Imaging Broadens Sensing Horizons

Broadband multispectral imaging can be very helpful in showing differences in energy being radiated and is often employed by NASA satellites to monitor temperature and climate changes. In addition, hyperspectral imaging is ideal for advanced laboratory uses, biomedical imaging, forensics, counter-terrorism, skin health, food safety, and Earth imaging. Lextel Intelligence Systems, LLC, of Jackson, Mississippi purchased Photon Industries Inc., a spinoff company of NASA's Stennis Space Center and the Institute for Technology Development dedicated to developing new hyperspectral imaging technologies. Lextel has added new features to and expanded the applicability of the hyperspectral imaging systems. It has made advances in the size, usability, and cost of the instruments. The company now offers a suite of turnkey hyperspectral imaging systems based on the original NASA groundwork. It currently has four lines of hyperspectral imaging products: the EagleEye VNIR 100E, the EagleEye SWIR 100E, the EagleEye SWIR 200E, and the EagleEye UV 100E. These Lextel instruments are used worldwide for a wide variety of applications including medical, military, forensics, and food safety.

Source record↗