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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 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Earth Science System of the Future: Observing, Processing, and Delivering Data Products Directly to Users

Advancement of our predictive capabilities will require new scientific knowledge, improvement of our modeling capabilities, and new observation strategies to generate the complex data sets needed by coupled modeling networks. New observation strategies must support remote sensing from a variety of vantage points and will include "sensorwebs" of small satellites in low Earth orbit, large aperture sensors in Geostationary orbits, and sentinel satellites at L1 and L2 to provide day/night views of the entire globe. Onboard data processing and high speed computing and communications will enable near real-time tailoring and delivery of information products (i.e., predictions) directly to users.

Crisp, David↗
NASA NTRS1993

NASA/MSFC FY92 Earth Science and Applications Program Research Review

A large amount of attention has recently been given to global issues such as the ozone hole, tropospheric temperature variability, etc. A scientific challenge is to better understand atmospheric processes on a variety of spatial and temporal scales in order to predict environmental changes. Measurement of geophysical parameters such as wind, temperature, and moisture are needed to validate theories, provide analyzed data sets, and initialize or constrain numerical models. One of NASA's initiatives is the Mission to Planet Earth Program comprised of an Earth Observation System (EOS) and the scientific strategy to analyze these data. This work describes these efforts in the context of satellite data analysis and fundamental studies of atmospheric dynamics which examine selected processes important to the global circulation.

Arnold, James E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Earth Science Futuristic Trends and Implementing Strategies

For the last several years, there is a strong trend among the science community to increase the number of space-based observations to get a much higher temporal and spatial resolution. Such information will eventually be useful in higher resolution models that can provide predictability with higher precision. Such desirability puts a tremendous burden on any single implementing entity in terms of budget, technology readiness and compute power. The health of planet Earth is not governed by a single country, but in reality, is everyone's business living on this planet. Therefore, with this notion, it is becoming an impractical problem by any single organization/country to undertake. So far, each country per their means has proceeded along satisfactorily in implementing or benefiting directly or indirectly from the Earth observation data and scientific products. However, time has come that this is becoming a humongous problem to be undertaken by a single country. Therefore, this paper gives some serious thoughts in what options are there in undertaking this tremendous challenge. The problem is multi-dimensional in terms of budget, technology availability, environmental legislations, public awareness, and communication limitations. Some of these issues are introduced, discussed and possible implementation strategies are provided in this paper to move out of this predicament. A strong emphasis is placed on international cooperation and collaboration to see a collective benefit for this effort.

Habib, Shahid↗
NASA NTRS1993

Advanced data visualization and sensor fusion: Conversion of techniques from medical imaging to Earth science

Hughes Aircraft Company and the University of Chicago propose to transfer existing medical imaging registration algorithms to the area of multi-sensor data fusion. The University of Chicago's algorithms have been successfully demonstrated to provide pixel by pixel comparison capability for medical sensors with different characteristics. The research will attempt to fuse GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite), AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer), and SSM/I (Special Sensor Microwave Imager) sensor data which will benefit a wide range of researchers. The algorithms will utilize data visualization and algorithm development tools created by Hughes in its EOSDIS (Earth Observation SystemData/Information System) prototyping. This will maximize the work on the fusion algorithms since support software (e.g. input/output routines) will already exist. The research will produce a portable software library with documentation for use by other researchers.

Savage, Richard C.↗
NASA NTRS2008

NASA's Earth Science Use of Commercially Availiable Remote Sensing Datasets: Cover Image

The cover image incorporates high resolution stereo pairs acquired from the DigitalGlobe(R) QuickBird sensor. It shows a digital elevation model of Meteor Crater, Arizona at approximately 1.3 meter point-spacing. Image analysts used the Leica Photogrammetry Suite to produce the DEM. The outside portion was computed from two QuickBird panchromatic scenes acquired October 2006, while an Optech laser scan dataset was used for the crater s interior elevations. The crater s terrain model and image drape were created in a NASA Constellation Program project focused on simulating lunar surface environments for prototyping and testing lunar surface mission analysis and planning tools. This work exemplifies NASA s Scientific Data Purchase legacy and commercial high resolution imagery applications, as scientists use commercial high resolution data to examine lunar analog Earth landscapes for advanced planning and trade studies for future lunar surface activities. Other applications include landscape dynamics related to volcanism, hydrologic events, climate change, and ice movement.

Underwood, Lauren W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

CHARM: A CubeSat Water Vapor Radiometer for Earth Science

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Ames Research Center (ARC) are partnering in the CubeSat Hydrometric Atmospheric Radiometer Mission (CHARM), a water vapor radiometer integrated on a 3U CubeSat platform, selected for implementation under NASA Hands-On Project Experience (HOPE-3). CHARM will measure 4 channels at 183 GHz water vapor line, subsets of measurements currently performed by larger and more costly spacecraft (e.g. ATMS, AMSU-B and SSMI/S). While flying a payload that supports SMD science objectives, CHARM provides a hands-on opportunity to develop technical, leadership, and project skills. CHARM will furthermore advance the technology readiness level (TRL) of the 183 GHz receiver subsystem from TRL 4 to TRL 6 and the CubeSat 183 GHz radiometer system from TRL 4 to TRL 7.

Monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs)↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

FluxSat: Long-term Earth Science Data Record (ESDR) for Terrestrial Gross Primary Production (GPP) based on satellite data calibrated with eddy covariance data

Gross primary production (GPP), the amount of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) assimilated by plants through photosynthesis, is one of the most variable and uncertain components of the global carbon cycle. Global GPP has been estimated with a number of process-based models, data-driven, and hybrid approaches. Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs), driven by observed environmental changes, are used for global carbon budget assessments and long-term (climate) prediction. Benchmarking these and other models globally with data-driven GPP estimates is critical for understanding the land sink and ensuring accurate forecasts of the carbon cycle. In addition, global data-driven GPP estimates are crucial for studies of interannual variability, including trends that are linked to mechanisms with large uncertainties, such as the indirect CO 2 fertilization effect related to greening. In response to a community need for a GPP data set that well captures spatio-temporal variability, we developed FluxSat, a data-driven approach that optimizes the use of satellite reflectance data from the NASA MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra and Aqua satellites, calibrated using ground-based eddy covariance (EC) data. We are enhancing (spatially, higher resolution) and extending FluxSat (in time, with additional sensors) to create a high quality long term GPP Earth System Data Record (ESDR) for use in model benchmarking, carbon cycle modeling, and studies of trends and interannual variability. Our team’s objectives are to: 1. Update and document the current MODIS FluxSat GPP (daily, 0.05o and 0.5o resolutions) products with latest available MODIS and EC data sets; 2. Extend FluxSat GPP record forward in time with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on operational weather satellites going forward; 3. Extend FluxSat GPP record backward in time using the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on weather satellites dating back to 1981; 4. Provide higher spatial resolution MODIS and VIIRS GPP (0.0083o). 5. Thoroughly evaluate all FluxSat products with independent data; and 6. Create a homogenized long-term GPP record spanning 40+ years. We will discuss plans for this long-term data set that is supported through the NASA Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) program.

gross Primary Production↗
NASA NTRS2019

GOES-16 ABI Solar Reflective Channel Validation for Earth Science Application

This paper presents the validation results of GOES-16 Satellite's Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) obtained from a reflectance-based field campaign undertaken at the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia in June 2017. In situ ground measurements are used to characterize the surface reflectance and the atmosphere in order to constrain the radiative transfer code and predict at-sensor reflectance (also referred to as top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance) to compare with concurrent GOES-16 ABI measurements. The five-day field campaign provided repeated TOA reflectance estimates, allowing assessment not only of the calibration accuracy of the ABI reflective channels 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, but also of its stability over the duration of the campaign. The results show that the accuracy of the ABI reflective channels calibration is within specification for channels 1, 3, 5, and 6 - average biases within 2%; for channel 2 the bias is 5%. The estimated uncertainty on the derived biases is 2–2.4%. Some calibration stability issues were present in the ABI calibration at the time of the campaign: (i) a jump on the order of 2% in channels 1 and 6, coincident with an ABI solar calibration event, reflects an instability of the ABI gains in these channels, and (ii) short-term variability in channels 1 and 2 is due to striping (ABI detector-todetector calibration differences). Continued validation and subsequent reprocessing of ABI reflectance imagery would allow Earth scientists to fully benefit from the high spatial and spectral fidelity of the GOES-16 ABI diurnal measurements at the continental scale.

Joel McCorkel↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Unbounded Learning Environments as an Approach to Preserving Design Flexibility Demonstrated With Nasa Stem Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Students

The Artemis Lunar program is providing opportunity for young scientists and engineers to contribute towards leading edge design concepts regarding early on-surface work areas that are aligned with major national initiatives. Therefore, it is imperative in any discovery process that those young scientists and engineers be provided the bandwidth or operating in a ‘greenfield’ technology environment that encourages new ideas, and perhaps the discovery of ideas that would not be realized within typical structured engineering constraints. To facilitate this concept, the use of unbounded teaching methods was utilized to provide a low-constraint environment from which students can design and discover the requirements that are bounded by the natural environment of the lunar surface, and then build up design requirements un-hindered by budgetary and/or logistics realizations of the moment funding capabilities. Specifically, this design exercise provided the students to operate with unlimited budgets, and unlimited up-mass lifts to the lunar surface to develop a preliminary feasible process for establishing a working lunar research based upon the near-area permanently shadowed regions within the lunar surface. In concept, working near PSRs will be advantageous as they receive near eternal shielding from solar radiation and may potentially host numerous volatile substances such as water ice, methane, hydrogen sulfide and helium-3 that will be the target of scientific investigation and in-situ resource utilization ISRU. The advantage of an upstream working area is that the quality of return materials could potentially be exponential when including an upstream analysis prior to earth-return missions. Furthermore, it’s well known within the scientific and engineering community that working with the base materials in front of human eyes elucidates new features and observations that may not survive when stored and shipped to Earth. Finally, it is theorized that these methods and techniques developing on the lunar surface would be applicable to other planets or cometary surfaces.

Education↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nano- and Earth-Science-inspired Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling to Secure Battery Supply Chain

With the expected growth of electric vehicles (EV) in the transportation sector, recycling or upcycling spent battery materials will be required to reduce EV costs, lessen waste, and ease critical material supply chain pressure for EV battery applications. “Direct” recycling or upcycling is an alternative to current industrial approaches. Many challenges remain for viable direct battery upcycling, including upgrading the transition metal ratio in the costliest component (cathode oxide); separation of transition metal ions in the exit stream; battery disassembly; improving cathode exfoliation which can lead to a new way of direct recycling; and lithium metal anode recycling -- including safety concerns. We devise and deploy a suite of methods to deal with these challenges. The results pave the way to future work on battery recycling, in areas of technological/commercial readiness level ranging from basic research to large-scale commercialization.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS1972

Standards guide for space and earth sciences computer software

Guidelines for the preparation of systems analysis and programming work statements are presented. The data is geared toward the efficient administration of available monetary and equipment resources. Language standards and the application of good management techniques to software development are emphasized.

Mason, G.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Finite element analysis of elasto-plastic soils. Report no. 4: Finite element analysis of elasto-plastic frictional materials for application to lunar earth sciences

The behavior of finite element models employing different constitutive relations to describe the stress-strain behavior of soils is investigated. Three models, which assume small strain theory is applicable, include a nondilatant, a dilatant and a strain hardening constitutive relation. Two models are formulated using large strain theory and include a hyperbolic and a Tresca elastic perfectly plastic constitutive relation. These finite element models are used to analyze retaining walls and footings. Methods of improving the finite element solutions are investigated. For nonlinear problems better solutions can be obtained by using smaller load increment sizes and more iterations per load increment than by increasing the number of elements. Suitable methods of treating tension stresses and stresses which exceed the yield criteria are discussed.

Marr, W. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Evaluation of data utility for earth sciences from methodical point of view

The author has identified the following signficant results. A very distinct line representing the Ra-substage of the last deglaciation period is observable around the outer parts of the Oslo fjord. The moraine line is also traceable in some parts of the forest district on the Swedish side of the border forming part of the Central Swedish End Moraines. In the area of Lake Vanern to the southeast, the line is then again more distinct, partly due to the cultivation pattern. Outside the Central Swedish Moraine Line and nearer to the coast another not so distinct moraine line could be observed running NNW-SSE. This line crosses the coastline before reaching the Oslo fjord. Probably the moraine deposits on some outer islands in the fjord constitute part of this older moraine line. The study will be extended to districts of southern Sweden, where old moraine lines of the last deglaciation period are incompletely mapped.

Svensson, H.↗