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At least 361 records · Page 20

Calculation of the relative influence of cloud layers on received ultraviolet and integrated solar radiation

Discrete ordinate radiative transfer calculations are used to examine the relative influence of cloud layers on the received ultraviolet flux and the received solar energy for a plane parallel atmosphere. The wavelength dependence for the cloud influence on the integrated solar radiation is primarily a function of the interaction of the cloud layer with the surrounding atmosphere and the underlying surface. It is found that for uv wavelengths greater than 300 nm, the ratio of uv to solar energy flux transmission through the atmosphere is insensitive to changes of cloud height, cloud scattering parameters and surface albedo (for realistic values), but is dependent on cloud thickness. For wavelengths approaching and less than 300 nm, absorption by tropospheric ozone results in sensitivity to cloud height and surface albedo.

Spinhirne, J. D.↗

Shock waves in the interstellar medium

Calculations of the optical and UV emission-line intensities and column densities of ions observable in the optical and UV are presented for plane-parallel steady-state shock waves in the interstellar medium. The range of shock velocities considered is from 50 to 200 km/s, and preshock densities are between 1 and 300 per cu cm. The ionization state of the preshock gas is found to be an important parameter, and several sets of elemental abundances corresponding to various amounts of depletion onto grains are used. The results are compared with observations of the Cygnus Loop, the Vela supernova remnant, and Herbig-Haro objects.

Raymond, J. C.↗

Investigation of wing shielding effects on CTOL engine noise

A full scale engine wing shielding investigation was conducted at the Lewis Research Center using a 97,900-N (22,000 lb) thrust turbofan engine and a simulated wing section sized around a conventional-take-off type four-engine narrow body airplane. Sound data were obtained for the wing placed at seven positions in a plane parallel to the engine axis, and were compared to data obtained without the wing at both take off and approach power. In addition the engine was operated with and without extensive acoustic treatment including a sonic inlet in order to evaluate wing shielding effectiveness with a highly suppressed engine. The wing shielding effectiveness was also calibrated using a 3.8 cm diam air nozzle as a sound source. Results indicated that even though about 10 dB broad band shielding was achieved, the equivalent flyover noise reduction was less than 3.0 EPNdB for most configurations.

Bloomer, H. E.↗

Numerical results for the thermal scattering functions

A recent formulation in radiative transfer defined the thermal scattering functions that characterize radiative transfer from a general plane-parallel finite medium driven solely by an internal distribution of thermal sources. Exiting diffuse intensities are expressed as space convolutions of the thermal scattering functions with any thermal source distribution. A parametric study is presented to obtain the basic structure of these scattering functions. The independent variables of these azimuthally independent functions are the direction cosine and source location, while the parameters are the single-scattering albedo, total optical depth, and the asymmetry factor in the Henyey-Greenstein phase function. The basic functional trends are discussed by using various parametric plots, and selected results are given to allow numerical checks. The computational method is invariant imbedding.

Cogley, A. C.↗

Scattering of emitted radiation from inhomogeneous and nonisothermal layers

A parametric study is performed for the exiting monochromatic intensities scattered from finite plane-parallel inhomogeneous layers that are driven solely by a distribution of thermal sources. Intensities are obtained by invariantly imbedding the standard and thermal scattering functions. The single-scattering albedo and the Henyey-Greenstein phase-function parameter are varied independently, and both linear and exponential profiles are considered. Linear temperature profiles are used, including temperature inversions. The resulting intensities, as a function of the direction cosine of propagation, are discussed from a remote-sensing point of view. For an isothermal and homogeneous medium, the gross characteristics of the exiting intensity, represented by its overall slope, mean value (magnitude), and an interior maximum value, can be related to the total optical depth, single-scattering albedo, and phase function, respectively. For a homogeneous medium, linearly decreasing (in the line of sight) temperature profiles tend to obscure the phase-function information and decrease the apparent optical depth. On the other hand, linearly increasing temperature profiles tend to retain phase-function information and increase the apparent optical depth. Temperature inversion profiles give intensities very similar to those for purely linear profiles.

Bergstrom, R. W.↗

The energy balance and pressure in the solar transition zone for network and active region features

The electron pressure and energy balance in the solar transition zone are determined for about 125 network and active region features on the basis of high spectral and spatial resolution extreme ultraviolet spectra. Si III line intensity ratios obtained from the Naval Research Laboratory high-resolution telescope and spectrograph during a rocket flight are used as diagnostics of electron density and pressure for solar features near 3.5 x 10 to the 4th K. Observed ratios are compared with the calculated dependence of the 1301 A/1312 A and 1301 A/1296 A line intensity ratios on electron density, temperature and pressure. Electron densities ranging from 2 x 10 to the 10th/cu cm to 10 to the 12th/cu cm and active region pressures from 3 x 10 to the 15th to 10 to the 16th/cu cm K are obtained. Energy balance calculations reveal the balance of the divergence of the conductive flux and turbulent energy dissipation by radiative energy losses in a plane-parallel homogeneous transition zone (fill factor of 1), and an energy source requirement for a cylindrical zone geometry (fill factor less than 0.04).

Nicolas, K. R.↗

Grooves on Phobos - Their distribution, morphology and possible origin

The global distribution, morphology, age, possible origin and significance of the long, linear depressions termed grooves on the surface of Phobos are discussed, based on Viking Orbiter data. The grooves, which consist of linear strings of coalesced and separate depressions in a loose regolith up to 100-200 m in depth, are observed to define the intersection of several sets of parallel planes with the surface of Phobos, with the widest and deepest grooves occurring just outside the rim of the 10-km crater, Stickney. The superposition of the grooves on older craters, crater density within the grooves and the intersections of groove sets suggest that the grooves are all of the same age, with their formation closely following that of Stickney. The evidence of groove morphology and distribution is used to attribute their formation to the enlargement of preexisting fractures or the formation of new fractures by the Stickney impact, causing the mobilization of the regolith along the fractures. The lack of observable grooves on Deimos is explained by the absence of a crater large enough to have severly fractured its surface.

Thomas, P.↗

Line formation in the solar chromosphere. II - An optically thick region of the chromosphere-corona transition region observed with OSO 8

The University of Colorado ultraviolet spectrometer aboard the Orbiting Solar Observatory 8(OSO 8) has measured self-reversed profiles of the resonance line of C IV lamda 1548.2 at the limb passage of an active region. The degree of the self-reversal together with the absolute intensity of the line profile determine the electron density in the active region at 10 to the 10th/cu cm at temperatures where the C IV line is formed. The nonthermal component of the broadening velocity is no more than 14km/s, and the physical thickness of an equivalent plane-parallel slab in hydrostatic equilibrium that would give rise to the observed line profiles is about 430 km.

Lites, B. W.↗

Theoretical model applicable to the experimental determination of surface anchoring energies of nematic liquid crystals

For a cell configuration consisting of a thin nematic layer bounded by two parallel plane surfaces, with opposing surfaces suitably treated to produce dissimilar molecular orientations, the elastic continuum theory for nematic liquid crystals was applied to derive an expression relating surface anchoring energies to elastic constants, director orientations at the substrate surfaces, and cell thickness. A numerical comparison with the elastically isotropic result over a range K sub 3 = 1.5 K sub 1 to K sub 3 = 10 K sub 1 showed the effect of elastic anisotropy could be quite significant. Surface anchoring energies calculated for anisotropic of K sub 3 = 2 K sub 1 and K sub 3 + 10 K sub 1 were approximately 50% and 500%, respectively, than the isotropic values.

Wintucky, E. G.↗

Jupiter's magnetopause, bow shock, and 10-hour modulated magnetosheath: Voyagers 1 and 2

Fine scale magnetic field data from the Voyager 1 and 2 magnetopause and bow shock crossings at Jupiter were analyzed. Explicit models of the dawnside magnetopause and bow shock in Jupiter's orbital plane employ an axisymmetric parabola and hyperbola, respectively, and are determined separately for the encounters. A new phenomenon was discovered in the magnetosheath. It is manifested as (5 or) 10 hour quasi-periodic modulation of the direction of the magnetic field in the outbound magnetosheath, predominantly in the northward (N) and southward (S) directions. It was seen to occur during both encounters and appears most evident in Voyager 2 outbound observations, probably due to the extreme tailward extent of the Voyager 2 trajectory through the magnetosheath. The durations of the N to and from S transitions range from tens of minutes to approximately 3 hours. The directional variation of the field during these transitions is fairly well restricted to a plane parallel to the local model magnetopause location. These signatures may be due to magnetosheath field line draping modulated by the large scale motion of the magnetospheric plasma disk.

Lepping, R. P.↗

Transport of infrared radiation in cuboidal clouds

The transport of infrared radiation in a single cuboidal cloud using a vertical two steam approximation was modeled. The emittance of the top face of the model cloud is always less than that for a plane parallel cloud of the same optical depth. The hemisphere flux escaping from the cloud top has a gradient from the center to the edges which brighten when the cloud is over warmer ground. Cooling rate calculations in the 8 to 13.6 micrometer region show that there is cooling from the sides of the cloud at all levels even when there is heating of the core from the ground below. The radiances exiting from model cuboidal clouds were computed by path integration over the source function obtained with the two stream approximation. It is suggested that the brightness temperature measured from finite clouds will overestimate the cloud top temperature.

HARSHVARDHAN↗

Directionality effects in the transfer of X-rays from a magnetized atmosphere: Beam pulse shape

A formalism is presented for radiation transfer in two normal polarization modes in finite and semiinfinite plane parallel uniform atmospheres with a magnetic field perpendicular to the surface and arbitrary propagation angles. This method is based on the coupled integral equations of transfer, including emission, absorption, and scattering. Calculations are performed for atmosphere parameters typical of X-ray pulsars. The directionality of the escaping radiation is investigated for several cases, varying the input distributions. Theoretical pencil beam profiles and X-ray pulse shapes are obtained assuming the radiation is emitted from the polar caps of spinning neutron stars. Implications for realistic models of accreting magnetized X-ray sources are briefly discussed.

Meszaros, P.↗

Spatial imaging of hydrogen Lyman-alpha emission from Jupiter

A sounding rocket measurement of the H I L-alpha emission from Jupiter made on Dec. 1, 1978 shows limb darkening and an average disk brightness of 13 kR. This brightness is significantly higher than in previous measurements, and was confirmed by an IUE observation on Dec. 10, 1978. Comparison with a plane-parallel hydrogen layer model indicates that there is enhanced emission from the equatorial regions, reaching a peak near 80 deg longitude.

Clarke, J. T.↗

Convective instability when the temperature gradient and rotation vector are oblique to gravity. II - Real fluids with effects of diffusion

The linear stability analysis of Hathaway et al. (1979) is repeated for Boussinesq fluids with viscous and thermal diffusion. The fluid is confined between plane parallel boundaries and the rotation vector is oblique to gravity; this tilted rotation vector introduces a preference for roll-like disturbances whose axes are oriented north-south. The presence of a latitudinal temperature gradient produces a thermal wind shear which favors axisymmetric convective rolls if the gradient exceeds some critical value. The axisymmetric rolls are similar in many respects to the cloud bands on Jupiter provided they extend to a depth of about 15,000 km.

Hathaway, D. H.↗

Semiempirical models of chromospheric flare regions

Homogeneous plane-parallel semiempirical flare model atmospheres which reproduce observations in lines and continua of H I, Si I, C I, Ca II, and Mg II have a thin transition zone at the top of the enhanced chromosphere, indicating a significant amount of heating from the zone to the temperature minimum level. The minimum temperature is located deeper and is higher than in the quiet-sun and active-region models. The results do not agree with the particle-heated theoretical models, and it is suggested that the models of Brown (1973) and Henoux and Nakagawa (1977, 1978) do not include an essential term for heat conduction in their energy balance equations. It is concluded that substantial Ly-alpha radiative heating occurs in the upper chromosphere resulting from the conductive energy flux in the transition zone where the Ly-alpha line cools the gas.

Machado, M. E.↗

11.5 micron emission from smokes computed using finite cloud geometry

This study presents the infrared radiative transport properties of smoke produced by brush fires under conditions when the smoke is confined to a finite horizontal area and the usual plane parallel model for radiative transfer in an absorbing and scattering medium may not be valid. The transport model is a three-dimensional version of the two-stream approximation applied to finite cuboidal clouds of water, carbon and silicates with known optical properties; assumptions are made regarding the particle size distribution of the polydispersion.

Harshvardhan, MR.↗

Infrared radiation emerging from smoke produced by brush fires

The IR radiative transport properties of brush fire smoke clouds, computed for a model with finite horizontal dimensions as well as the more common plane-parallel model, are presented. The finite model is a three-dimensional version of the two-stream approximation applied to cubic clouds of steam, carbon, and silicates. Assumptions are made with regard to the shape and size distributions of the smoke particles. It is shown that 11.5-micron radiometry can detect fires beneath smoke clouds if the path integrated mass density of the smoke is less than or equal to 3 g/sq m.

Weinman, J. A.↗

Multiple scattering effects on wave propagation due to rain

The paper examines the multiple scattering of microwaves due to rain and the resulting incoherent intensity for a plane wave incident on a plane-parallel rain region. General formulations of the transfer equation using Stokes parameters are presented, and an extinction matrix which takes into account depolarization effects and nonspherical droplet shape is introduced. Scattering characteristics are calculated for spherical droplets using the Mie solution and the Laws-Parsons distributions. The ratios of incoherent to coherent received powers are calculated at 30 GHz for rain rates of 12.5, 50, 100, and 150 mm/h, rain thicknesses of 3 km and 10 km, and fields of view of 1.5, 5, and 15 deg.

Ishimaru, A.↗