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At least 451 records · Page 25

Photography equipment and techniques. A survey of NASA developments

The Apollo program has been the most complex exploration ever attempted by man, requiring extensive research, development, and engineering in most of the sciences before the leap through space could begin. Photography has been used at each step of the way to document the efforts and activities, isolate mistakes, reveal new phenomena, and to record much that cannot be seen by the human eye. At the same time, the capabilities of photography were extended because of the need of meeting space requirements. The results of this work have been applied to community planning and ecology, for example, as well as to space and engineering. Special uses of standard equipment, modifications and new designs, as well as film combinations that indicate actual or potential ecological problems are described.

Derr, A. J.↗

Mathematical modeling of control subsystems for CELSS: Application to diet

The dynamic control of a Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) in a closed space habitat is of critical importance. The development of a practical method of control is also a necessary step for the selection and design of realistic subsystems and processors for a CELSS. Diet is one of the dynamic factors that strongly influences, and is influenced, by the operational states of all major CELSS subsystems. The problems of design and maintenance of a stable diet must be obtained from well characterized expert subsystems. The general description of a mathematical model that forms the basis of an expert control program for a CELSS is described. The formulation is expressed in terms of a complete set of time dependent canonical variables. System representation is dynamic and includes time dependent storage buffers. The details of the algorithm are described. The steady state results of the application of the method for representative diets made from wheat, potato, and soybean are presented.

Waleh, Ahmad↗

Solutions Network Formulation Report. Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite and Landsat Data Continuity Mission Simulated Data Products for the Great Lakes Basin Ecological Team

The proposed solution would simulate VIIRS and LDCM sensor data for use in the USGS/USFWS GLBET DST. The VIIRS sensor possesses a spectral range that provides water-penetrating bands that could be used to assess water clarity on a regional spatial scale. The LDCM sensor possesses suitable spectral bands in a range of wavelengths that could be used to map water quality at finer spatial scales relative to VIIRS. Water quality, alongshore sediment transport and pollutant discharge tracking into the Great Lakes system are targeted as the primary products to be developed. A principal benefit of water quality monitoring via satellite imagery is its economy compared to field-data collection methods. Additionally, higher resolution satellite imagery provides a baseline dataset(s) against which later imagery can be overlaid in GIS-based DST programs. Further, information derived from higher resolution satellite imagery can be used to address public concerns and to confirm environmental compliance. The candidate solution supports the Public Health, Coastal Management, and Water Management National Applications.

Estep, Leland↗

Columbia River Surface Water and Pore Water Unaligned FTICR-MS Data Associated with “Using Community Assembly Metrics from Metacommunity Ecology to Understand Environmental Metabolomes”

Surface water and pore water samples were collected at five sites along a shoreline transect of the Columbia River, southeastern WA, USA in 2017. This dataset is comprised of (1) high resolution characterization of dissolved organic matter via 12 Tesla Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) analyzed through the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL; https://www.pnnl.gov/environmental-molecular-sciences-laboratory) and (2) a metadata csv file. The FTICR-MS files are .xml, and the data package includes instructions for using Formularity (https://omics.pnl.gov/software/formularity) and an R script to process the data based on the user’s specific needs. The data are associated with the publication “Using community assembly metrics from metacommunity ecology to understand environmental metabolomes” that will be published in Nature Communications (Danczak et al.). The study aimed to investigate gaps in understanding the spatiotemporal organization of environmental metabolomes to improve the ability to predict ecosystem function. Associated sequencing data will be published via NCBI. The access information for NCBI and the publication DOI will be added to this abstract when they are available. Please use the data package’s DOI to cite the data package. We ask that you acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Subsurface Biogeochemical Research (SBR) program when using the data. All data are free to be used for any purpose, such as for manuscripts, presentations, and grant proposals. There is no obligation to include data package authors as co-authors.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Modeling the growth dynamics of four candidate crops for Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS)

The production of food for human life support for advanced space missions will require the management of many different crops. The research to design these food production capabilities along with the waste management to recycle human metabolic wastes and inedible plant components are parts of Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS). Since complete operating CELSS were not yet built, a useful adjunct to the research developing the various pieces of a CELSS are system simulation models that can examine what is currently known about the possible assembly of subsystems into a full CELSS. The growth dynamics of four crops (wheat, soybeans, potatoes, and lettuce) are examined for their general similarities and differences within the context of their important effects upon the dynamics of the gases, liquids, and solids in the CELSS. Data for the four crops currently under active research in the CELSS program using high-production hydroponics are presented. Two differential equations are developed and applied to the general characteristics of each crop growth pattern. Model parameters are determined by closely approximating each crop's data.

Volk, Tyler↗

Bioregenerative life support: not a picnic

If humans are to live permanently in space, regenerative life support systems are an enabling technology and must replace the picnic approach of taking all supplies required for each mission. These systems are classified by technologies as either physical/chemical or bioregenerative. Both of these system-types can recycle water, remove carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and recover essential elements from waste products. Bioregenerative can also produce food, thus, making it essential if humans are to exist in space independent of earth. A solely bioregenerative life support system includes plants as a biomass production module and microbial organisms in bioreactors as a resource recovery module. In the Advanced Life Support Program, bioregenerative life support systems are being investigated through a research and technology development project which includes large scale testing as part of the Breadboard Project and human tests conducted in the soon to be constructed BioPlex facility. Research and technology development efforts are directed toward optimizing biomass productivity in controlled chambers by developing light weight, energy efficient, and automated systems; recycling liquid and solid wastes; baselining the operation of bioreactors; determining system microbial stability; assessing chemical contamination; and building models required for long term system operations. The program will include space flight studies in the near future to determine if these life support technologies will function in microgravity. When a bioregenerative system is finally incorporated into a mission, the conversion from a picnic and resupply mentality to permanent recycling and independence from earth will be complete.

NASA Center KSC↗

Successful Implementation of a Natural Resource Restoration Plan at the Fernald Preserve - 19568

The Fernald Preserve, Ohio, Site is a former uranium-processing plant that underwent extensive remediation pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). It is situated on a 425-hectare (ha) (1050-acre) tract of land, approximately 29 kilometers (km) (18 miles) northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio. The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management is responsible for management of the site. Site remediation and subsequent ecological restoration have converted the site from an industrial production facility to an undeveloped park, encompassing a series of wetlands, prairies, and forested communities. The remediation of buildings and contaminated soil was completed in 2006, but aquifer remediation is ongoing. Portions of the site are open to the public, including approximately 11 km (7 miles) of walking trails that are open year-round and a Fernald Preserve Visitors Center open four days a week. Stakeholders were instrumental in providing recommendations for final land use of the site as an undeveloped park with an emphasis on wildlife. Final land use decisions were also instrumental in the resolution of a CERCLA natural resource damage claim. The State of Ohio sued DOE in 1986 for damages to state natural resources under Section 107 of CERCLA. The suit was stayed until completion of all Records of Decision (RODs) for the site. The last ROD was signed in 1996. DOE, which was both a Natural Resource Trustee (NRT) and a potentially responsible party (PRP) under CERCLA, initiated consultation with other site NRTs in 1993. A Trustee Council was formed that included DOE, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (representing the State of Ohio), and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (representing the US Department of the Interior). The NRTs agreed collectively to conduct sitewide ecological restoration, consistent with the stakeholder vision of final land use. A conceptual restoration plan was drafted in 1998. This Natural Resource Restoration Plan (NRRP) developed goals for site restoration, as well as provisions for monitoring and maintenance of restored areas. The NRTs signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2001, and DOE integrated ecological restoration design and construction into remediation and closure activities for the site. The NRT relationship became contentious in the following years as a result of a disagreement over monitoring commitments and compensation for groundwater injury. Final settlement was reached in 2008. As part of the settlement, DOE paid $13.75 million into the NRT fund as compensation for natural resource damages. In addition, the NRRP was finalized, and long-term commitments for monitoring and maintenance of ecologically restored areas were put in place. An Environmental Covenant was established and recorded with Hamilton and Butler Counties that ensures site activity and use limitations remain in place. The NRTs used a portion of the settlement funds to initiate the Paddys Run Conservation Project. This effort is a means to secure development rights and conservation easements within the Paddys Run watershed. Paddys Run is a third-order stream located on the western side of the Fernald Preserve. The NRTs partnered with Three Valley Conservation Trust to obtain assistance with land acquisition and conservation easement management, and since the program's inception in the Fall of 2012, more than 1820 ha (4500 acres) have been permanently protected via easement or purchase. Future decisions by the NRTs regarding monitoring and maintenance of restored areas will be negotiated in 2020. The site Restored Area Maintenance Plan (RAMP) was developed in 2010. The RAMP is a requirement within the NRRP and is scheduled for review following 10 years of implementation. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

An Intelligent Crop Planning Tool for Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems

This paper describes a crop planning tool developed for the Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) project which is in the research phases at various NASA facilities. The Crop Planning Tool was developed to assist in the understanding of the long term applications of a CELSS environment. The tool consists of a crop schedule generator as well as a crop schedule simulator. The importance of crop planning tools such as the one developed is discussed. The simulator is outlined in detail while the schedule generator is touched upon briefly. The simulator consists of data inputs, plant and human models, and various other CELSS activity models such as food consumption and waste regeneration. The program inputs such as crew data and crop states are discussed. References are included for all nominal parameters used. Activities including harvesting, planting, plant respiration, and human respiration are discussed using mathematical models. Plans provided to the simulator by the plan generator are evaluated for their 'fitness' to the CELSS environment with an objective function based upon daily reservoir levels. Sample runs of the Crop Planning Tool and future needs for the tool are detailed.

Whitaker, Laura O.↗

Brain-Pituitary Axis Development In The CEBAS Minimodule

The CEBAS minimodule system is a man-made aquatic ecological system that incorporates animals, plants, snails, and microorganisms. It has been proposed that CEBAS will lead to a multigenerational experimental facility for utilization in a space station as well as for the development of an aquatic CELSS to produce animal and plant biomass for human nutrition. In this context, research on the reproductive biology of the organisms within the system should receive the highest priority. 1bus, the goals of our proposal were to provide information on space-flight-induced changes in the brain-pituitary axis and in the organs that receive information from the environment in the vertebrate selected for the CEBAS Minimodule program, the freshwater teleost Xiphophorus helleri (the swordtail). We studied the development of the brain- pituitary axis in neonates, immature and mature swordtails using histology, cytology, immunohistochemistry, morphometry, and in situ histochemistry to evaluate the synthesis, storage, and release of neurotransmitters, neuroregulatory peptides, neurohormones, and pituitary hormones as well as the structure of the organs and cells that produce, store, or are the target organs for these substances. We flew experiments in the CEBAS-minimodule on two shuttle missions, STS-89 and STS-90. In both flights four gravid females and about 200 juvenile (7 days old) swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) constituted the aquatic vertebrates to be studied, in addition to the plants and snails that were studied by other team members. In a sample sharing agreement developed with Dr. Volker Bluem, organizer of the CEBAS research program, we received a small number of the juveniles and shared the brains of two adult females.

Schreibman, Martin P.↗

The Citizens and Remote Sensing Observational Network (CARSON) Guide: Merging NASA Remote Sensing Data with Local Environmental Awareness

"Citizen science" generally refers to observatoinal research and data collection conducted by non-professionals, commonly as volunteers. In the environmental science field, citizen scientists may be involved with local nad regional issues such as bird and wildlife populations, weather, urban sprawl, natural hazards, wetlands, lakes and rivers, estuaries, and a spectrum of public health concerns. Some citizen scientists may be primarily motivated by the intellectual challenge of scientific observations. Citizen scientists may now examine and utilize remote-sensing data related to their particular topics of interest with the easy-to-use NASA Web-based tools Giovanni and NEO, which allow exploration and investigation of a wide variety of Earth remote sensing data sets. The CARSON (Citizens and Remote Sensing Observational Network) Guide will be an online resource consisting of chapters each demonstrating how to utilize Giovanni and NEO to access and analyze specific remote-sensing data. Integrated in each chapter will be descriptions of methods that citizen scientists can employ to collect, monitor, analyze, and share data related to the chapter topic which pertain to environmental and ecological conditions in their local region. A workshop held in August 2008 initiated the development of prototype chapters on water quality, air quality, and precipitation. These will be the initial chapters in the first release of the CARSON Guide, which will be used in a pilot project at the Maryland Science Center in spring 2009. The goal of the CARSON Guide is to augment and enhance citizen scientist environmental research with NASA satellite data by creating a participatory network consisting of motivated individuals, environmental groups and organizations, and science-focused institutions such as museuma and nature centers. Members of the network could potentially interact with government programs, academic research projects, and not-for-profit organizations focused on environmental issues.

Acker, James↗

Integrated Intermodal Passenger Transportation System

Modern transportation consists of many unique modes of travel. Each of these modes and their respective industries has evolved independently over time, forming a largely incoherent and inefficient overall transportation system. Travelers today are forced to spend unnecessary time and efforts planning a trip through varying modes of travel each with their own scheduling, pricing, and services; causing many travelers to simply rely on their relatively inefficient and expensive personal automobile. This paper presents a demonstration program system to not only collect and format many different sources of trip planning information, but also combine these independent modes of travel in order to form optimal routes and itineraries of travel. The results of this system show a mean decrease in inter-city travel time of 10 percent and a 25 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions over personal automobiles. Additionally, a 55 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is observed for intra-city travel. A conclusion is that current resources are available, if somewhat hidden, to drastically improve point to point transportation in terms of time spent traveling, the cost of travel, and the ecological impact of a trip. Finally, future concepts are considered which could dramatically improve the interoperability and efficiency of the transportation infrastructure.

Klock, Ryan↗

Daily evapotranspiration changes during heatwaves at 32 NEON sites, 2019-2021

This dataset provides partitioned evapotranspiration (ET, the combined loss of water from soil and plant surfaces) anomalies during heatwave events—soil evaporation (E) and transpiration (T)—for 268 heatwave events across 32 National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) flux sites in the contiguous United States from 2019–2021. Using an ensemble of four high-frequency turbulence methods (Flux-variance Similarity, Conditional Eddy Covariance [CEC], CEC with Water-Use Efficiency, and Conditional Eddy Accumulation; see Zahn and Bou-Zeid 2024), half-hourly transpiration-to-evapotranspiration (T/ET) ratios were derived from 20 hertz (Hz, cycles per second) eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O) concentrations. The dataset spans six vegetation types including evergreen and deciduous forests, grasslands, cultivated crops, shrublands, and emergent herbaceous wetlands. Data Package Contents: The dataset includes a single CSV (comma-separated values) file containing daily anomalies (deviations from baseline conditions) for transpiration (Delta_T), evaporation (Delta_E), total evapotranspiration (Delta_ET), and T/ET ratio (Delta_T_ET) during each day of identified heatwave events. The file also includes site codes, dates, heatwave event identifiers, and day-of-heatwave indicators. The CSV file can be opened with spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets) or programming environments (Python, R, MATLAB). This resource enables researchers to investigate ecosystem-specific responses to thermal extremes, validate land surface model partitioning of ET fluxes, and examine feedbacks between water cycling and surface energy balance during heatwaves. The dataset is particularly valuable for studies linking vegetation hydraulic strategies to climate resilience, as it captures the divergent responses of shallow-rooted versus deep-rooted ecosystems. Potential applications include improving drought early warning systems, informing irrigation management strategies, and advancing our mechanistic understanding of land-atmosphere interactions under extreme heat conditions.

Day of Heatwave↗

A Landsat-Based Assessment of Mobile Bay Land Use and Land Cover Change from 1974 to 2008

The Mobile Bay region has experienced noteworthy land use and land cover (LULC) change in the latter half of the 20th century. Accompanying this change has been urban expansion and a reduction of rural land uses. Much of this LULC change has reportedly occurred since the landfall of Hurricane Frederic in 1979. The Mobile Bay region provides great economic and ecologic benefits to the Nation, including important coastal habitat for a broad diversity of fisheries and wildlife. Regional urbanization threatens the estuary s water quality and aquatic-habitat dependent biota, including commercial fisheries and avian wildlife. Coastal conservation and urban land use planners require additional information on historical LULC change to support coastal habitat restoration and resiliency management efforts. This presentation discusses results of a Gulf of Mexico Application Pilot project that was conducted in 2008 to quantify and assess LULC change from 1974 to 2008. This project was led by NASA Stennis Space Center and involved multiple Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) partners, including the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (NEP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration s (NOAA s) National Coastal Data Development Center (NCDDC), and the NOAA Coastal Services Center. Nine Landsat images were employed to compute LULC products because of their availability and suitability for the application. The project also used Landsat-based national LULC products, including coastal LULC products from NOAA s Coastal Change & Analysis Program (C-CAP), available at 5-year intervals since 1995. Our study was initiated in part because C-CAP LULC products were not available to assess the region s urbanization prior to 1995 and subsequent to post Hurricane Katrina in 2006. This project assessed LULC change across the 34-year time frame and at decadal and middecadal scales. The study area included the majority of Mobile and Baldwin counties that encompass Mobile Bay. In doing so, each date of Landsat data was classified using an end-user defined modified Anderson level 1 classification scheme. LULC classifications were refined using a decision rule approach in conjunction with available C-CAP products. Individual dates of LULC classifications were validated by image interpretation of stratified random locations on raw Landsat color composite imagery in combination with higher resolution remote sensing and in-situ reference data. The results indicate that during the 34-year study period, urban areas increased from 96,688 to 150,227 acres, representing a 55.37% increase, or 1.63% per annum. Most of the identified urban expansion results from conversion of rural forest and agriculture to urban cover types. Final LULC mapping and metadata products were produced for the entire study area as well as watersheds of concern within the study area. Final project products, including LULC trend information, were incorporated into the Mobile Bay NEP State of the Bay report. Products and metadata were transferred to NOAA NCDDC to allow free online accessibility and use by GOMA partners and by the public.

Spruce, Joseph↗

The conversion of lignocellulosics to fermentable sugars: A survey of current research and application to CELSS

An overview of the options for converting lignocellulosics into fermentable sugars as applied to the Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) is given. A requirement for pretreatment is shown as well as the many available options. At present, physical/chemical methods are the simplest and best characterized options, but enzymatic processes will likely be the method of choice in the future. The use of pentose sugars by microorganisms to produce edibles at levels comparable to conventional plants is shown. The possible use of mycelial food production on pretreated but not hydrolyzed lignocelluloscis is also presented. Simple tradeoff analysis among some of the many possible biological pathways to regeneration of waste lignocellulosics was undertaken. Comparisons with complete oxidation processes were made. It is suggested that the NASA Life Sciences CELSS program maintain relationships with other government agencies involved in lignocellulosic conversions and use their expertise when the actual need for such conversion technology arises rather than develop this expertise within NASA.

Petersen, Gene R.↗

Real-time bioelectronic sensing of environmental contaminants

Real-time chemical sensing is crucial for applications in environmental and health monitoring. Biosensors can detect a variety of molecules through genetic circuits that use these chemicals to trigger the synthesis of a coloured protein, thereby producing an optical signal. However, the process of protein expression limits the speed of this sensing to approximately half an hour, and optical signals are often difficult to detect in situ. Here we combine synthetic biology and materials engineering to develop biosensors that produce electrical readouts and have detection times of minutes. Here we programmed Escherichia coli to produce an electrical current in response to specific chemicals using a modular, eight-component, synthetic electron transport chain. As designed, this strain produced current following exposure to thiosulfate, an anion that causes microbial blooms, within 2 min. This amperometric sensor was then modified to detect an endocrine disruptor. The incorporation of a protein switch into the synthetic pathway and encapsulation of the bacteria with conductive nanomaterials enabled the detection of the endocrine disruptor in urban waterway samples within 3 min. Our results provide design rules to sense various chemicals with mass-transport-limited detection times and a new platform for miniature, low-power bioelectronic sensors that safeguard ecological and human health.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Fingerprinting of Materials

Recent issues emerging in our fiscal and ecological environments have promulgated that federal agencies shall promote activities which respond to the improvement of both. In response to these developments, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has undertaken an innovative approach to improve the control of materials used in all NASA manufacturing activities. In concert with this goal, NASA is requiring that its contractors and their sub-contractors perform a more intensive consolidation of technologies that can provide an accounting of materials, which includes in-coming materials, materials in process, end-products and waste materials. The purpose of this handbook is to provide guidelines to NASA and its contractor personnel for the planning and implementation of chemical fingerprinting programs and to illustrate the chemical and statistical fundamentals needed for successful use of chemical fingerprinting.

Workman, Gary L↗

Transportation Network Topologies

The existing U.S. hub-and-spoke air transportation system is reaching saturation. Major aspects of the current system, such as capacity, safety, mobility, customer satisfaction, security, communications, and ecological effects, require improvements. The changing dynamics - increased presence of general aviation, unmanned autonomous vehicles, military aircraft in civil airspace as part of homeland defense - contributes to growing complexity of airspace. The system has proven remarkably resistant to change. NASA Langley Research Center and the National Institute of Aerospace conducted a workshop on Transportation Network Topologies on 9-10 December 2003 in Williamsburg, Virginia. The workshop aimed to examine the feasibility of traditional methods for complex system analysis and design as well as potential novel alternatives in application to transportation systems, identify state-of-the-art models and methods, conduct gap analysis, and thus to lay a foundation for establishing a focused research program in complex systems applied to air transportation.

Alexandrov, Natalia↗

Remote Sensing and Holocene Vegetation: History of Global Change

Predictions of the future evolution of the earth's atmospheric chemistry and its impact on global circulation patterns are based on Global Climate Models (GCM's) that integrate the complex interactions of the biosphere, atmosphere and the oceans. Most of the available records of climate and environment are shortterm records (from decades to a few hundred years) with convolved information of real trends and short-term fluctuations. GCM's must be tested beyond the short-term record of climate and environment to insure that predictions are based on trends and therefore are appropriate to support long term policy making. An appropriate timeframe should extend over the Holocene period (the last 10,000 years) when most contemporary climate and environmental processes began. Since its inception in 1916, pollen analysis has successfully reconstructed the paleoecology of the last 10,000 years for many sites around the world, thus providing a powerful time-link between short- and long-term processes in the biosphere. However, pollen analytic results cannot be used in physiological models driven by remotely sensed data. Further, modern ecology and climate data are necessary to calibrate pollen analytical models. These are available for extensive regions in the northern hemisphere, particularly for eastern United States and Canada, and western Europe. In other parts of the world, weather stations are scattered, records extend over a period of only few years, and there are no systematic climate records for large portions of the globe. This is the case of Patagonia in Argentina where a few weather stations are located close to the Atlantic seaports, fewer stations are in towns located near the eastern Andean foothill, and fewer still are scattered on the extensive Patagonian plateau. This problem became evident after completion of the Argentine-German Program of Palynology (PROPAL), a cooperative effort of National University of Mar del Plata (Argentina) and University Bamberg (Germany) to produce a modern pollen database for the Pampa and Patagonia regions.

DAntoni, Hector↗