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At least 487 records · Page 27

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NASA NTRS1995

Ground-based grasslands data to support remote sensing and ecosystem modeling of terrestrial primary production

Estimating terrestrial net primary production (NPP) using remote-sensing tools and ecosystem models requires adequate ground-based measurements for calibration, parameterization, and validation. These data needs were strongly endorsed at a recent meeting of ecosystem modelers organized by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program's (IGBP's) Data and Information System (DIS) and its Global Analysis, Interpretation, and Modelling (GAIM) Task Force. To meet these needs, a multinational, multiagency project is being coordinated by the IGBP DIS to compile existing NPP data from field sites and to regionalize NPP point estimates to various-sized grid cells. Progress at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on compiling NPP data for grasslands as part of the IGBP DIS data initiative is described. Site data and associated documentation from diverse field studies are being acquired for selected grasslands and are being reviewed for completeness, consistency, and adequacy of documentation, including a description of sampling methods. Data are being compiled in a database with spatial, temporal, and thematic characteristics relevant to remote sensing and global modeling. NPP data are available from the ORNL Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) for biogeochemical dynamics. The ORNL DAAC is part of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System, of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Olson, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1981

The enchanted loom

The evolution of intelligence began with the movement of Crossopterygian fish onto land. The eventual appearance of large dinosaurs eliminated all but the smallest of mammalian creatures, with the survivors forced to move only nocturnally, when enhanced olfactory and aural faculties were favored and involved a larger grey matter/body mass ratio than possessed by the dinosaurs. Additionally, the mammals made comparisons between the inputs of various senses, implying the presence of significant memory capacity and an ability to abstract survival information. More complex behavior occurred with the advent of tree dwellers (forward-looking eyes), hands, color vision, and the ability to grip and manipulate objects. An extra pound of brain evolved in the human skull in less than a million years. The neural processes that can lead to an action by a creature with a brain are mimicked by the basic AND and OR gates in computers, which are rapidly approaching the circuit density of the human brain. It is suggested that humans will eventually produce computers of higher intelligence than people possess, and computer spacecraft, alive in an electronic sense, will travel outward to explore the universe.

Jastrow, R.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Gravity receptors and responses

The overall process of gravity sensing and response processes in plants may be divided conveniently into at least four components or stages: Stimulus susception (a physical event, characteristically the input to the G receptor system of environmental information about the G force magnitude, its vector direction, or both); information perception (an influence of susception on some biological structure or process that can be described as the transformation of environmental information into a biologicallly meaningful change); information transport (the export, if required, of an influence (often chemical) to cells and organs other than those at the sensor location); and biological response (almost always (in plants) a growth change of some kind). Some analysts of the process identify, between information perception and information transport, an additional stage, transduction, which would emphasize the importance of a transformation from one form of information to another, for example from mechanical statolith displacement to an electric, chemical, or other alteration that was its indirect result. These four (or five) stages are temporally sequential. Even if all that occurs at each stage can not be confidently identified, it seems evident that during transduction and transport, matters dealt with are found relatively late in the information flow rather than at the perception stage. As more and more is learned about the roles played by plant hormones which condition the G responses, the mechanism(s) of perception which should be are not necessarily better understood. However, if by asking the right questions and being lucky with experiments perhaps the discovery of how some process (such as sedimentation of protoplasmic organelles) dictates what happens down stream in the information flow sequence may be made.

Brown, Allan H.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Magnetic-Bearing Test Fixture

Microcomputer-controlled magnetic-bearing test fixture used to develop approaches to design of controls for magnetic bearing actuators designed and constructed. Includes load cells connected to bar, in turn, connected through screw positioners to geared drive motors. Position of equivalent suspended element sensed by position sensors and controlled by drive motors. Provides control of gap in magnetic bearing and of current in electromagnet coil. Measurements made include magnetic-bearing gaps, magnetic flux in bearing gaps, and bearing forces. Approaches to linearization and control developed by use of fixture applicable to wide range of small-gap suspension systems.

Groom, Nelson J.↗

NASA NTRS1939

Flight Tests of Retractable Ailerons on a Highly Tapered Wing

A flight investigation was conducted to determine the lateral-control characteristics of retractable ailerons installed on a highly tapered wing. The effectiveness of the ailerons in producing roll was measured at various air speeds with full-span plain flaps both neutral and deflected 45 degrees. The direction of the yawing moment created by the ailerons was also noted. The lateral control provided by the retractable ailerons used in this investigation was approximately the same as that obtained with the plain ailerons of equal span with which the airplane was previously equipped. The amount of control available was found to be somewhat inadequate, apparently because of the rather short span of the ailerons (0.327 of the wing span). It is likely that, with an aileron span of from 0.50 to 0.60 of the wing span, a satisfactory degree of control would be obtained. With the full-span flaps deflected 45 degrees, the rolling action of the ailerons was increased about 30 percent over that obtained with the flaps neutral at the same speed. The yawing moment produced by the ailerons was in the same sense as the rolling moment, i.e., right roll was accompanied by yaw. Lag in the response of the rolling action to control application was not large enough to be noticed by the pilots. No appreciable control force was apparent to the pilots, which was considered somewhat undesirable. Minor modifications in the design of the ailerons, however, would probably correct this fault.

Wetmore, J W↗

NASA NTRS1997

Simultaneous Retrieval of Multiple Aerosol Parameters Using a Multi-Angular Approach

Atmospheric aerosol particles, both natural and anthropogenic, are important to the earth's radiative balance through their direct and indirect effects. They scatter the incoming solar radiation (direct effect) and modify the shortwave reflective properties of clouds by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (indirect effect). Although it has been suggested that aerosols exert a net cooling influence on climate, this effect has received less attention than the radiative forcing due to clouds and greenhouse gases. In order to understand the role that aerosols play in a changing climate, detailed and accurate observations are a prerequisite. The retrieval of aerosol optical properties by satellite remote sensing has proven to be a difficult task. The difficulty results mainly from the tenuous nature and variable composition of aerosols. To date, with single-angle satellite observations, we can only retrieve reliably against dark backgrounds, such as over oceans and dense vegetation. Even then, assumptions must be made concerning the chemical composition of aerosols. The best hope we have for aerosol retrievals over bright backgrounds are observations from multiple angles, such as those provided by the MISR and POLDER instruments. In this investigation we examine the feasibility of simultaneous retrieval of multiple aerosol optical parameters using reflectances from a typical set of twelve angles observed by the French POLDER instrument. The retrieved aerosol optical parameters consist of asymmetry factor, single scattering albedo, surface albedo, and optical thickness.

Kuo, K. S.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Simultaneous Retrieval of Multiple Aerosol Parameters Using a Multi-Angular Approach

Atmospheric aerosol particles, both natural and anthropogenic, are important to the earth's radiative balance through their direct and indirect effects. They scatter the incoming solar radiation (direct effect) and modify the shortwave reflective properties of clouds by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (indirect effect). Although it has been suggested that aerosols exert a net cooling influence on climate, this effect has received less attention than the radiative forcing due to clouds and greenhouse gases. In order to understand the role that aerosols play in a changing climate, detailed and accurate observations are a prerequisite. The retrieval of aerosol optical properties by satellite remote sensing has proven to be a difficult task. The difficulty results mainly from the tenuous nature and variable composition of aerosols. To date, with single-angle satellite observations, we can only retrieve reliably against dark backgrounds, such as over oceans and dense vegetation. Even then, assumptions must be made concerning the chemical composition of aerosols. In this investigation we examine the feasibility of simultaneous retrieval of multiple aerosol optical parameters using reflectances from a typical set of twelve angles observed by the French POLDER instrument. The retrieved aerosol optical parameters consist of asymmetry factor, single scattering albedo, surface albedo, and optical thickness.

Kuo, K.-S.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Semiconductor sensors

A semiconductor sensor adapted to detect with a high degree of sensitivity small magnitudes of a mechanical force, presence of traces of a gas or light. The sensor includes a high energy gap (i.e., .about. 1.0 electron volts) semiconductor wafer. Mechanical force is measured by employing a non-centrosymmetric material for the semiconductor. Distortion of the semiconductor by the force creates a contact potential difference (cpd) at the semiconductor surface, and this cpd is determined to give a measure of the force. When such a semiconductor is subjected to illumination with an energy less than the energy gap of the semiconductors, such illumination also creates a cpd at the surface. Detection of this cpd is employed to sense the illumination itself or, in a variation of the system, to detect a gas. When either a gas or light is to be detected and a crystal of a non-centrosymmetric material is employed, the presence of gas or light, in appropriate circumstances, results in a strain within the crystal which distorts the same and the distortion provides a mechanism for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the gas or the light, as the case may be.

Gatos, Harry C.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Remote Sensing of Aerosol in the Terrestrial Atmosphere from Space: New Missions

The distribution and properties of atmospheric aerosols on a global scale are not well known in terms of determination of their effects on climate. This mostly is due to extreme variability of aerosol concentrations, properties, sources, and types. Aerosol climate impact is comparable to the effect of greenhouse gases, but its influence is more difficult to measure, especially with respect to aerosol microphysical properties and the evaluation of anthropogenic aerosol effect. There are many satellite missions studying aerosol distribution in the terrestrial atmosphere, such as MISR/Terra, OMI/Aura, AVHHR, MODIS/Terra and Aqua, CALIOP/CALIPSO. To improve the quality of data and climate models, and to reduce aerosol climate forcing uncertainties, several new missions are planned. The gap in orbital instruments for studying aerosol microphysics has arisen after the Glory mission failed during launch in 2011. In this review paper, we describe several planned aerosol space missions, including the Ukrainian project Aerosol-UA that obtains data using a multi-channel scanning polarimeter and wide-angle polarimetric camera. The project is designed for remote sensing of the aerosol microphysics and cloud properties on a global scale.

Aerosol↗

NASA NTRS1973

An implantable blood pressure and flow transmitter.

A miniature totally implantable FM/FM telemetry system has been developed to simultaneously measure blood pressure and blood flow, thus providing an appreciation of the hemodynamics of the circulation to the entire body or to a particular organ. Developed for work with animal subjects, the telemetry system's transmission time is controlled by an RF signal that permits an operating life of several months. Pressure is detected by a miniature intravascular transducer and flow is detected by an extravascular interferometric ultrasonic technique. Both pressure and flow are calibrated prior to implanting. The pressure calibration can be checked after the implanting by cannulation; flow calibration can be verified only at the end of the experiment by determining the voltage output from the implanted sensing system as a function of several measured flow rates. The utility of this device has been established by its use in investigating canine renal circulation during exercise, emotional encounters, administration of drugs, and application of accelerative forces.

Rader, R. D.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Micromachined Tunneling Accelerometer

Separation of tunneling electrodes adjusted by varying electrostatic force. Major components of tunneling transducer formed on two silicon chips by microfabrication techniques. Use of electrostatic deflection reduces sensitivity of transducer to thermal drift and simplifies design. Sensitivity suitable for applications in which larger acceleration-sensing instruments required.

Kenny, Thomas W.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hybrid Flush and Synthetic Air Data Filter for Entry Vehicle Atmospheric State Estimation

A hybrid flush/synthetic air data sensing filter utilizing Kalman-Schmidt and Rach-Tung-Striebel smoothers is developed to obtain entry vehicle atmosphere estimates. The filter/smoother blends information from pressure sensors distributed on the heatshield with measurements of the vehicle aerodynamic forces and moments computed from mass properties and inertial measurement unit data, and prior estimates of the atmosphere. The filter produces estimates of the atmospheric conditions along the entry trajectory, and systematic error estimates to reconcile differences between the pressure and aerodynamic data sources. The filter is applied to data acquired during the Mars Science Laboratory and Mars 2020 entry, descent, and landing at Gale crater and at Jezero crater, respectively. The results show that the hybrid filter produces estimates of the freestream flight condition with lower uncertainty than either the flush or synthetic air data algorithms. The filter accomplishes this result by incorporating additional data and computing estimates of systematic error parameters in the pressure data and the aerodynamic model to further reduce the uncertainties.

Christopher D. Karlgaard↗

NASA NTRS1992

Control System For Spacecraft Ballistic Trajectory

Proposed system senses nongravitational accelerations and controls trajectory of spacecraft in close encounter with Sun or massive outer planets in order to perform relativistic and gravitational science experiments. Compensates for drag from solar-wind and for solar-radiation forces, and for any other nongravitational effects, with view toward making trajectory nearly ballistic as possible.

Mettler, Edward↗

NASA NTRS2002

Characterization of Dust Properties during ACE-Asia and PRIDE: A Column Satellite-Surface Perspective

Many recent field experiments are designed to study the compelling variability in spatial and temporal scale of both pollution-derived and naturally occurring aerosols, which often exist in high concentration over particular pathways around the globe. For example, the ACE-Asia (Aerosol Characterization Experiment-Asia) was conducted from March-May 2001 in the vicinity of the Taklimakan and Gobi deserts, East Coast of China, Yellow Sea, Korea, and Japan, along the pathway of Kosa (severe events that blanket East Asia with yellow desert dust, peaked in the Spring season). The PRIDE (Puerto RIco Dust Experiment, July 2000) was designed to measure the properties of Saharan dust transported across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. Dust particles typically originate in desert areas far from polluted urban regions. During transport, dust layers can interact with anthropogenic sulfate and soot aerosols from heavily polluted urban areas. Added to the complex effects of clouds and natural marine aerosols, dust particles reaching the marine environment can have drastically different properties than those from the source. Thus, understanding the unique temporal and spatial variations of dust aerosols is of special importance in regional-to-global climate issues such as radiative forcing, the hydrological cycle, and primary biological productivity in the ocean. During ACE-Asia and PRIDE we had measured aerosol physical/optical/radiative properties, column precipitable water amount, and surface reflectivity over homogeneous areas from ground-based remote sensing. The inclusion of flux measurements permits the determination of aerosol radiative flux in addition to measurements of loading and optical depth. At the time of the Terra/MODIS, SeaWiFS, TOMS and other satellite overpasses, these ground-based observations can provide valuable data to compare with satellite retrievals over land. We will present the results and discuss their implications in regional climatic effects.

Lau, William K. M.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Transduction of mechanical strain in bone

One physiologic consequence of extended periods of weightlessness is the rapid loss of bone mass associated with skeletal unloading. Conversely, mechanical loading has been shown to increase bone formation and stimulate osteoblastic function. The mechanisms underlying mechanotransduction, or how the osteoblast senses and converts biophysical stimuli into cellular responses has yet to be determined. For non-innervated mechanosensitive cells like the osteoblast, mechanotransduction can be divided into four distinct phases: 1) mechanocoupling, or the characteristics of the mechanical force applied to the osteoblast, 2) biochemical coupling, or the mechanism through which mechanical strain is transduced into a cellular biochemical signal, 3) transmission of signal from sensor to effector cell and 4) the effector cell response. This review examines the characteristics of the mechanical strain encountered by osteoblasts, possible biochemical coupling mechanisms, and how the osteoblast responds to mechanical strain. Differences in osteoblastic responses to mechanical strain are discussed in relation to the types of strain encountered and the possible transduction pathways involved.

Review, Tutorial↗

NASA NTRS2008

Dominance of ENSO-Like Variability in Controlling Tropical Ocean Surface Energy Fluxes in the Satellite Era

Ocean surface turbulent and radiative fluxes are critical links in the climate system since they mediate energy exchange between the two fluid systems (ocean and atmosphere) whose combined heat transport determines the basic character of Earth's climate. Moreover, interannual to decadal climate variability depends crucially on the nature of these exchange processes. For example, addressing the question of the degree to which the global hydrologic cycle is changing depends on our ability to observe and model these fluxes accurately. In this work we investigate the interannual to decadal variation of fluxes over the global tropics, especially the tropical oceans. Recent versions of satellite-derived fresh water flux estimates as well as some reanalyses (e.g. products from Remote Sensing Systems, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and Global Precipitation Climatology Project) suggest that increases in evaporation and precipitation over the past 20 years exceed those expected on the basis of climate model projected responses to greenhouse gas forcing. At the same time, it is well known that E1 Nino / Southern Oscillation behavior in the Pacific exhibits significant variability at scales longer than interannual. We examine here the degree to which surface fluxes attending these interannual to decadal fluctuations are related to ENSO. We examine consistency between these data sets and explore relationships between SST variations, flux changes and modulation of tropical Walker and Hadley circulations.

Robertson, F. R.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Characterization Approaches to Place Invariant Sites on SI-Traceable Scales

The effort to understand the Earth's climate system requires a complete integration of remote sensing imager data across time and multiple countries. Such an integration necessarily requires ensuring inter-consistency between multiple sensors to create the data sets needed to understand the climate system. Past efforts at inter-consistency have forced agreement between two sensors using sources that are viewed by both sensors at nearly the same time, and thus tend to be near polar regions over snow and ice. The current work describes a method that would provide an absolute radiometric calibration of a sensor rather than an inter-consistency of a sensor relative to another. The approach also relies on defensible error budgets that eventually provides a cross comparison of sensors without systematic errors. The basis of the technique is a model-based, SI-traceable prediction of at-sensor radiance over selected sites. The predicted radiance would be valid for arbitrary view and illumination angles and for any date of interest that is dominated by clear-sky conditions. The effort effectively works to characterize the sites as sources with known top-of-atmosphere radiance allowing accurate intercomparison of sensor data that without the need for coincident views. Data from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection and Radiometer (ASTER), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are used to demonstrate the difficulties of cross calibration as applied to current sensors. Special attention is given to the differences caused in the cross-comparison of sensors in radiance space as opposed to reflectance space. The radiance comparisons lead to significant differences created by the specific solar model used for each sensor. The paper also proposes methods to mitigate the largest error sources in future systems. The results from these historical intercomparisons provide the basis for a set of recommendations to ensure future SI-traceable cross calibration using future missions such as CLARREO and TRUTHS. The paper describes a proposed approach that relies on model-based, SI-traceable predictions of at-sensor radiance over selected sites. The predicted radiance would be valid for arbitrary view and illumination angles and for any date of interest that is dominated by clear-sky conditions. The basis of the method is highly accurate measurements of at-sensor radiance of sufficient quality to understand the spectral and BRDF characteristics of the site and sufficient historical data to develop an understanding of temporal effects from changing surface and atmospheric conditions.

Thome, Kurtis↗

NASA NTRS2003

Molecular modeling of polymer composite-analyte interactions in electronic nose sensors

We report a molecular modeling study to investigate the polymer-carbon black (CB) composite-analyte interactions in resistive sensors. These sensors comprise the JPL electronic nose (ENose) sensing array developed for monitoring breathing air in human habitats. The polymer in the composite is modeled based on its stereoisomerism and sequence isomerism, while the CB is modeled as uncharged naphthalene rings with no hydrogens. The Dreiding 2.21 force field is used for the polymer, solvent molecules and graphite parameters are assigned to the carbon black atoms. A combination of molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (NPT-MD and NVT-MD) techniques are used to obtain the equilibrium composite structure by inserting naphthalene rings in the polymer matrix. Polymers considered for this work include poly(4-vinylphenol), polyethylene oxide, and ethyl cellulose. Analytes studied are representative of both inorganic and organic compounds. The results are analyzed for the composite microstructure by calculating the radial distribution profiles as well as for the sensor response by predicting the interaction energies of the analytes with the composites. c2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA Center JPL↗