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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 361 records · Page 20

Microwave remote sensing of soil water content

Microwave remote sensing of soils to determine water content was considered. A layered water balance model was developed for determining soil water content in the upper zone (top 30 cm), while soil moisture at greater depths and near the surface during the diurnal cycle was studied using experimental measurements. Soil temperature was investigated by means of a simulation model. Based on both models, moisture and temperature profiles of a hypothetical soil were generated and used to compute microwave soil parameters for a clear summer day. The results suggest that, (1) soil moisture in the upper zone can be predicted on a daily basis for 1 cm depth increments, (2) soil temperature presents no problem if surface temperature can be measured with infrared radiometers, and (3) the microwave response of a bare soil is determined primarily by the moisture at and near the surface. An algorithm is proposed for monitoring large areas which combines the water balance and microwave methods.

Cihlar, J.↗

A comparison of operational and LANDSAT-aided snow water content estimation systems

How LANDSAT imagery can be cost effectively employed to augment an operational hydrologic model is described. Attention is directed toward the estimation of snow water content, a major predictor variable in the volumetric runoff forecasting model. A stratified double sampling scheme is supplemented with qualitative and quantitative analyses of existing operations to develop a comparison between the existing and satellite-aided approaches to snow water content estimation. Results show a decided advantage for the LANDSAT-aided approach.

Sharp, J. M.↗

Electron content of the ionosphere and the plasma sphere on the basis of ATS-6-Data, NNSS-data, and ionograms

The reported investigation takes into account data obtained with the aid of the geostationary satellite ATS-6, the satellites of the U.S. navy navigation system (NNSS) at an altitude between 900 and 1200 km, and the satellites ISIS 1 and ISIS 2. The altitude range between ground and ATS-6 is divided into two regions, including the 'ionosphere', involving the region with an upper limit of 2000 km, and the 'plasma sphere', involving the region above an altitude of 2000 km. Data concerning the electron content obtained from different sources are compared, taking into account discrepancies between ionogram-derived values and values computed on the basis of satellite measurements. Attention is also given to the vertical electron content of the ionosphere on the basis of a combination of data obtained with the aid of the ATS-6 and the NNSS.

Leitinger, R.↗

Short period oscillations in total electron content

The paper describes measurements of fluctuations in the total electron content along the propagation path of the radio beam between the ATS-6 geostationary satellite and the ground station. Short-period oscillations of the total electron content of about plus or minus 8 time 10 to the 13th electrons per sq m with a period of about 30 to 50 seconds were detected. These oscillations appear to be well correlated with the appearance of Type PC 4 micropulsations.

Davies, K.↗

A cost-effectiveness comparison of existing and Landsat-aided snow water content estimation systems

This study describes how Landsat imagery can be cost-effectively employed to augment an operational hydrologic model. Attention is directed toward the estimation of snow water content, a major predictor variable in the volumetric runoff forecasting model presently used by the California Department of Water Resources. A stratified double sampling scheme is supplemented with qualitative and quantitative analyses of existing operations to develop a comparison between the existing and satellite-aided approaches to snow water content estimation. Results show a decided advantage for the Landsat-aided approach.

Sharp, J. M.↗

Short-period fluctuations in total columnar electron content

Small sinusoidal fluctuations in the total columnar electron content of the atmosphere were found in recordings of the carrier phase of radio signals from ATS 6 received at Bozeman (Montana), Boulder (Colorado) and Dallas (Texas). Four such events are examined. A large latitudinal gradient in total electron content was found from Bozeman to Boulder. The sinusoidal oscillations have periods of 30 to 50 sec and may continue for several hours on magnetically quiet days. There is evidence that they are associated with micropulsations at ground and geostationary heights.

Davies, K.↗

Argon content of the Martian atmosphere at the Viking 1 landing site - Analysis by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Spectra provided by the Viking 1 X-ray fluorescence spectrometer operating in the calibration mode (without a soil sample in the analysis chamber) were analyzed to determine the argon content of the Martian atmosphere at the landing site. This was found to be less than or equal to 0.15 millibar, or not more than 2% by volume, consistent with data obtained by the entry mass spectrometer and by the mass spectrometer on the lander. It is anticipated that analysis of the K content of surface samples using X-ray fluorescence data will provide information on the evolution of the atmosphere, since most atmospheric argon is apparently produced by decay of K-40.

Clark, B. C.↗

The stellar content of the nuclear regions of Sc galaxies

Stellar-population syntheses based on absolute spectral energy distributions over the wavelength range from 3300 to 10,400 A are used to determine the stellar content of the nuclear regions of seven nearby Sc galaxies (NGC 628, 1073, 1084, 1637, 2903, 4321, and 5194). A linear-programming procedure is employed to construct models of the overall stellar populations whose spectra closely match those of the seven galaxies. Absolute measurements of the emission-line spectra of the nuclear regions are also provided. It is found that: (1) intrinsic reddening is probably present in each nuclear region; (2) the upper main sequence is substantially populated in most of the models; (3) the lower main sequence contributes insignificantly to the luminosity in all optimal solutions; (4) substantial contributions are made by evolved M stars at long wavelengths in all the models; (5) the model photometric M/L ratios are low, of the order of unity; and (6) the O-B stars arising naturally in the population models are just sufficient to provide the observed nuclear ionization in all the galaxies except NGC 5194, which may be collisionally ionized. The properties of the nuclear regions are shown to be consistent with the existence of a common initial mass function for star formation and a variety of time dependences for the star-formation process. A possibly significant correlation is noted between nuclear stellar content and overall dynamical properties in four of the galaxies.

Turnrose, B. E.↗

Use of Landsat multispectral imagery in estimating snow areal extent and snow water content cost-effectively

Landsat color composites are used in conjunction with a limited amount of aerial survey data and ground-truth measurements in order to estimate snow areal extent and snow water content. The snow water content estimations are based on the inexpensive Landsat data and the much more expensively obtained information on ground snow courses. A cost-effectiveness analysis of the procedures showed the expenses involved in obtaining confidence intervals of 80, 90, 95 and 99% for the estimates.

Khorram, S.↗

Testing Evaluation of the Electrochemical Organic Content Analyzer

The breadboard electrochemical organic content analyzer was evalauted for aerospace applications. An awareness of the disadvantages of expendables in some systems resulted in an effort to investigate ways of reducing the consumption of the analyzer's electrolyte from the rate of 5.17 kg/30 days. It was found that the electrochemical organic content analyzer can result in an organic monitor in the water quality monitor having a range of 0.1 to 100 mg/1 total organic carbon for a large number of common organic solutes. In a flight version it is anticipated the analyzer would occupy .0002 cu m, weigh 1.4 kg, and require 10 W or less of power. With the optimum method of injecting electrolyte into the sample (saturation of the sample with a salt) it would expend only 0.04 kg of electrolyte during 30 days of continuous operation.

Davenport, R. J.↗

Equatorial electrojet control on the low latitude ionospheric total electron content

Faraday rotation measurements at 140 MHz were made at a number of locations (covering dip latitudes 3 deg N to 27 deg N) in India, during the period October 1975 to July 1976, when the geosynchronous satellite ATS-6 was positioned at 35 deg E. The ionospheric total electron content (TEC) derived from these measurements shows a semi-annual variation with maxima in equinoxes at all the stations. It is observed that the mean peak electron content is more in April than in October, for the stations situated to the north (poleward) of the crest of the equatorial anomaly whereas for the stations situated to the south (equatorward) of the crest of the equatorial anomaly, a peak larger in October than in April is observed. The equatorial electrojet in this period is found to be stronger in April than in October and can be considered as contributing to this asymmetry in the semi-annual variation of the ionospheric TEC.

Sethia, G.↗

Dependence of growth rate of quartz in fused silica on pressure and impurity content

The effects of pressure, temperature, and some variations in impurity content on the growth rate u of quartz into fused silica were measured. Under all conditions the growth rate was interface controlled and increased exponentially with pressure with an activation volume averaging -21.2 cu cm/mole. The activation enthalpy for all specimens is extrapolated to a zero pressure value of 64 kcal/mole, within the experimental uncertainty. At a given stoichiometry the effect of hydroxyl content on growth rate is described entirely by a linear term C(OH) in the prefactor of the equation for the growth rate. The effect of chlorine impurity can be described similarly. Also u is increased as the ideal stoichiometry is approached from the partially reduced state.

Fratello, V. J.↗

Role of a decrease in body heat content in the thermoregulatory reaction of the concha auriculae vessels

At the constant ambient temperature 28-30 C the rabbit ear vessels were dilated and their temperature was 34.8/0.1 C. Administration of the 23-29 C water into the stomach entailed thermoregulatory construction of the ear vessels within 15-25 min. The response occurred at various combinations of temperature changes in different parts of the body. The heat content of the rabbit body, as calculated by the blood temperature in the aorta arc, reduced by 266.3 + or - 26.2 cal/kg at the beginning of the response. The decrease in the organism heat content seems to serve as a signal for occurrence of a corresponding thermoregulatory response.

Slepchuk, N. A.↗

Microwave remote sensing of soil moisture content over bare and vegetated fields

Remote measurements of soil moisture contents over bare fields and fields covered with orchard grass, corn, and soybean were made during October 1979 with 1.4 GHz and 5 GHz microwave radiometers mounted on a truck. Ground truth of soil moisture content, ambient air, and soil temperatures was acquired concurrently with the radiometric measurements. The biomass of the vegetation was sampled about once a week. The measured brightness temperatures over bare fields were compared with those of radiative transfer model calculations using as inputs the acquired soil moisture and temperature data with appropriate values of dielectric constants for soil-water mixtures. Good agreement was found between the calculated and the measured results over 10-70 deg incident angles. The presence of vegetation was found to reduce the sensitivity of soil moisture sensing. At 1.4 GHz the sensitivity reduction ranged from approximately 20% for 10-cm tall grassland to over 60% for the dense soybean field. At 5 GHz the corresponding reduction in sensitivity ranged from approximately 70 to approximately 90%.

Wang, J. R.↗

Measurements of plasmaspheric columnar electron content from ATS6 at Boulder, CO and Lorman, MS from December, 1976 to May, 1978

TEC measurements were made of the ionosphere and plasmasphere at Boulder, CO and Lorman, MS using the ATS-6 radio beacon, and winter diurnal behavior is compared for three time periods over North American and Europe. Analyses indicate that during the winter of 1976-1977 at Lorman, and the winter of 1977-1978 at Boulder, the plasmasphere content had no diurnal variation, although in the winter of 1974-1975 the peak occurred at night. Differences in diurnal behavior over North America and Europe are explained by a combination of plasma flow in and out of local and conjugate ionospheres. The difference appears to be temporal rather than spatial, thus, the cross-L drift of plasma tubes under the influence of electric fields is suggested to be an influence on the diurnal variation of the plasmaspheric columnar electron content.

Davies, K.↗

Flight Instrument for Measurement of Liquid-Water Content in Clouds at Temperatures Above and Below Freezing

A principle formerly used in an instrument for cloud detection was further investigated to provide a simple and rapid means for measuring the liquid-water content of clouds at temperatures above and below freezing. The instrument consists of a small cylindrical element so operated at high surface temperatures that the impingement of cloud droplets creates a significant drop in the surface temperature. ? The instrument is sensitive to a wide range of liquid-water content and was calibrated at one set of fixed conditions against rotating multicylinder measurements. The limited conditions of the calibration Included an air temperature of 20 F, an air velocity of 175 miles per hour, and a surface temperature in clear air of 475 F. The results obtained from experiments conducted with the instrument indicate that the principle can be used for measurements in clouds at temperatures above and below freezing. Calibrations for ranges of airspeed, air temperature, and air density will be necessary to adapt the Instrument for general flight use.

Perkins, Porter J.↗