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Results for “Absorption spectroscopy”

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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

Interstellar X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of the Crab Pulsar with the LETGS

We study the interstellar X-ray absorption along the line of sight to the Crab Pulsar. The Crab was observed with the Low Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer on the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the pulsar, a point source, produces a full resolution spectrum. The continuum spectrum appears smooth, and we compare its parameters with other measurements of the pulsar spectrum. The spectrum clearly shows absorption edges due to interstellar Ne, Fe, and O. The O edge shows spectral structure that is probably due to O bound in molecules or dust. We search for near-edge structure (EXAFS) in the O absorption spectrum. The Fe L absorption spectrum is largely due to a set of unresolved discrete n=2-3 transitions in neutral or near-neutral Fe, and we analyze it using a new set of dedicated atomic structure calculations, which provide absolute cross sections. In addition to being interesting in its own right, the ISM absorption needs to be understood in quantitative detail in order to derive spectroscopic constraints on possible soft thermal radiation from the pulsar.

Paerels, Frits↗
NASA NTRS1977

The determination of aluminum, copper, iron, and lead in glycol formulations by atomic absorption spectroscopy

Initial screening tests and the results obtained in developing procedures to determine Al, Cu, Fe, and Pb in glycol formulations are described. Atomic absorption completion was selected for Cu, Fe and Pb, and after comparison with emission spectroscopy, was selected for Al also. Before completion, carbon, iron, and lead are extracted with diethyl dithio carbamate (DDC) into methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Aluminum was also extracted into MIBK using 8-hydroxyquinoline as a chelating agent. As little as 0.02 mg/l carbon and 0.06 mg/l lead or iron may be determined in glycol formulations. As little as 0.3 mg/l aluminum may be determined.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1976

Laser absorption spectroscopy - Method for monitoring complex trace gas mixtures

A frequency stabilized CO2 laser was used for accurate determinations of the absorption coefficients of various gases in the wavelength region from 9 to 11 microns. The gases investigated were representative of the types of contaminants expected to build up in recycled atmospheres. These absorption coefficients were then used in determining the presence and amount of the gases in prepared mixtures. The effect of interferences on the minimum detectable concentration of the gases was measured. The accuracies of various methods of solution were also evaluated.

Green, B. D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Electronic absorption spectroscopy of matrix-isolated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon cations. I - The naphthalene cation (C10H8/+/)

The ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared absorption spectra of naphthalene (C10H8) and its radical ion (C10H8/+/), formed by vacuum ultraviolet irradiation, were measured in argon and neon matrices at 4.2 K. The associated vibronic band systems and their spectroscopic assignments are discussed together with the physical and chemical conditions governing ion production in the solid phase. The absorption coefficients were calculated for the ion and found lower than previous values, presumably due to the low polarizability of the neon matrix.

Salama, F.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Near simultaneous measurements of NO2 and NO3 over tropics by ground-based absorption spectroscopy

The present study concentrates on measurements of NO2 and NO3. NO2 has been measured during twilight period using zenith sky absorption spectrometric technique in the 436 to 448 nm region. NO3 has been measured during night time using direct moon as a source of light in the 655 to 667 nm region. These measurements have been taken at low latitude station, Ahmedabad (23 deg N, 76 deg E), India for the past two years.

Lal, M.↗
NASA NTRS2017

High-Resolution IR Absorption Spectroscopy of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the 3-micrometers Region: Role of Periphery

In this work we report on high-resolution IR absorption studies that provide a detailed view on how the peripheral structure of irregular polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) affects the shape and position of their 3-micrometers absorption band. To this purpose we present mass-selected, high-resolution absorption spectra of cold and isolated phenanthrene, pyrene, benz[a]antracene, chrysene, triphenylene, and perylene molecules in the 2950-3150 per cm range. The experimental spectra are compared with standard harmonic calculations, and anharmonic calculations using a modified version of the SPECTRO program that incorporates a Fermi resonance treatment utilizing intensity redistribution. We show that the 3-micrometers region is dominated by the effects of anharmonicity, resulting in many more bands than would have been expected in a purely harmonic approximation. Importantly, we find that anharmonic spectra as calculated by SPECTRO are in good agreement with the experimental spectra. Together with previously reported high-resolution spectra of linear acenes, the present spectra provide us with an extensive dataset of spectra of PAHs with a varying number of aromatic rings, with geometries that range from open to highly-condensed structures, and featuring CH groups in all possible edge configurations. We discuss the astrophysical implications of the comparison of these spectra on the interpretation of the appearance of the aromatic infrared 3-micrometers band, and on features such as the two-component emission character of this band and the 3-micrometers emission plateau.

techniques: spectroscopic↗
NASA NTRS1994

Electronic absorption spectroscopy of matrix-isolated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon cations. II. The phenanthrene cation (C14H10+) and its 1-methyl derivative

The ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared absorption spectra of phenanthrene (C14H10), 1-methylphenanthrene [(CH3)C14H9], and their radical ions [C14H10+; (CH3)C14H9+], formed by vacuum-ultraviolet irradiation, were measured in neon matrices at 4.2 K. The associated vibronic band systems and their spectroscopic assignments are discussed. The oscillator strengths were calculated for the phenanthrene ion and found lower than the theoretical predictions. This study presents the first spectroscopic data for phenanthrene and its methyl derivative trapped in a neon matrix where the perturbation of the isolated species by its environment is minimum; a condition crucial to astrophysical applications.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
NASA NTRS2018

A Singular Value Decomposition Framework for Retrievals with Vertical Distribution Information from Greenhouse Gas Column Absorption Spectroscopy Measurements

We review the singular value decomposition (SVD) framework and use it for quantifying and discerning vertical information in greenhouse gas retrievals from column integrated absorption measurements. While the commonly used traditional Bayesian optimal estimation (OE) assumes a prior distribution in order to regularize the inversion problem, the SVD approach identifies principal components that can be retrieved from the measurement without explicitly specifying a prior mean and prior covariance matrix. We review the SVD method, explicitly recognize the use of an uninformative prior and show it to incur no bias from the choice of the prior. We also make the connection between the SVD method and the pseudo-inverse, which makes it more intuitive and easy to understand. We illustrate the use of the SVD method on an integrated path differential absorption CO2 lidar measurement model and verify our derivations and bias-free properties versus optimal estimation using numerical simulations. In contrast, traditional OE retrievals exhibit bias when the prior mean used in the retrieval differs from the true mean. Hence, the SVD method is particularly useful for situations in which knowledge of the prior mean and prior covariance of the true state (e.g., greenhouse gas profiles) is inadequate.

Ramanathan, Anand K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

High-resolution laser absorption spectroscopy of ozone near 1129.4 cm (-1)

A Beer's Law experiment was performed with a tunable diode laser to determine self broadened line shape parameters of one infrared absorption ozone line in the nu1 band for ten pressures from 0.26 to 6.29 torr at 285 K. The SO2 line positions were used for wavelength calibration. Line shapes were iteratively fitted to the Voigt function at a Doppler width of 29.54 MHz (HWHM) resulting in values for the integrated line strength, (S), of (0.144 +/- 0.007) x 10 to the minus 20th/cm molecule/cu cm, line center frequency, nu sub o, of 1129.426/cm and the Lorentzian contributions to halfwidth. A linear least squares fit of (alpha sub L)5 as a function of pressure yielded a zero intercept of 15.27 +/- 0.29 MHz (rho = 0.99) and a broadening parameter, (alpha sub L)5, of 5.71 +/- 0.29 MHz/Torr. This results in a line width (FWHM) of 0.144 +/- .007/cm at 760 torr and 285 K.

Majorana, L. N.↗
NASA NTRS2018

A Singular Value Decomposition Framework for Retrievals with Vertical Distribution Information from Greenhouse Gas Column Absorption Spectroscopy Measurements

We describe a variation of the Optimal Estimation (OE) method for greenhouse gas remote sensing retrievals using a singular value decomposition (SVD) and an uninformative prior. The SVD method is capable of discerning vertical information in column integrated absorption measurements. While traditional Bayesian optimal estimation (OE) assumes a prior distribution in order to regularize the inversion problem, the SVD approach identifies principal components that can be retrieved from the measurement without explicitly specifying a prior mean and prior covariance matrix. We discuss the method, illustrate its use on an integrated path differential absorption CO2 lidar measurement model, and compare it to traditional optimal estimation using numerical simulations. In the absence of forward model error, the mathematics behind the SVD method guarantee it to be bias-free, which is confirmed by the numerical simulations. In contrast, traditional OE retrievals exhibit bias when the prior mean used in the retrieval differs from the true mean. While the SVD approach can be used for most trace gas retrievals, it is particularly useful for situations where prior knowledge of the trace gas profile is poor. The SVD analysis is also useful in illustrating how vertical information is treated by the traditional OE approach.

Ramanathan, Anand K.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Monitoring Temperature in High Enthalpy Arc-heated Plasma Flows using Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy

A tunable diode laser sensor was designed for in situ monitoring of temperature in the arc heater of the NASA Ames IHF arcjet facility (60 MW). An external cavity diode laser was used to generate light at 777.2 nm and laser absorption used to monitor the population of electronically excited oxygen atoms in an air plasma flow. Under the assumption of thermochemical equilibrium, time-resolved temperature measurements were obtained on four lines-of-sight, which enabled evaluation of the temperature uniformity in the plasma column for different arcjet operating conditions.

Martin, Marcel Nations↗
NASA NTRS1976

Monitoring spacecraft atmosphere contaminants by laser absorption spectroscopy

Laser-based spectrophotometric methods which have been proposed for the detection of trace concentrations of gaseous contaminants include Raman backscattering (LIDAR) and passive radiometry (LOPAIR). Remote sensing techniques using laser spectrometry are presented and in particular a simple long-path laser absorption method (LOLA), which is capable of resolving complex mixtures of closely related trace contaminants at ppm levels is discussed. A number of species were selected for study which are representative of those most likely to accumulate in closed environments, such as submarines or long-duration manned space flights. Computer programs were developed which will permit a real-time analysis of the monitored atmosphere. Estimates of the dynamic range of this monitoring technique for various system configurations, and comparison with other methods of analysis, are given.

Steinfeld, J. I.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Absorption Spectroscopy of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons under Interstellar Conditions

The presence and importance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, a large family of organic compounds containing carbon and hydrogen) in the interstellar medium has already been well established. The Astrochemistry Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center (under the direction of Louis Allamandola and Scott Sandford) has been the center of pioneering work in performing spectroscopy on these molecules under simulated interstellar conditions, and consequently in the identification of these species in the interstellar medium by comparison to astronomically obtained spectra. My project this summer was twofold: (1) We planned on obtaining absorption spectra of a number of PAHs and their cations in cold (4K) Ne matrices. The purpose of these experiments was to increase the number of different PAHs for which laboratory spectra have been obtained under these simulated interstellar conditions; and (2) I was to continue the planning and design of a new laser facility that is being established in the Astrochemistry laboratory. The laser-based experimental set-up will greatly enhance our capability in examining this astrophysically important class of compounds.

Stone, Bradley M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

High temperature kinetic study of the reactions H + O2 = OH + O and O + H2 = OH + H in H2/O2 system by shock tube-laser absorption spectroscopy

The reactions: (1) H + O2 = OH + O; and (2) O + H2 = OH + H are the most important elementary reactions in gas phase combustion. They are the main chain-branching reaction in the oxidation of H2 and hydrocarbon fuels. In this study, rate coefficients of the reactions and have been measured over a wide range of composition, pressure, density and temperature behind the reflected shock waves. The experiments were performed using the shock tube - laser absorption spectroscopic technique to monitor OH radicals formed in the shock-heated H2/O2/Ar mixtures. The OH radicals were detected using the P(1)(5) line of (0,0) band of the A(exp 2) Sigma(+) from X(exp 2) Pi transition of OH at 310.023 nm (air). The data were analyzed with the aid of computer modeling. In the experiments great care was exercised to obtain high time resolution, linearity and signal-to-noise. The results are well represented by the Arrhenius expressions. The rate coefficient expression for reaction (1) obtained in this study is k(1) = (7.13 +/- 0.31) x 10(exp 13) exp(-6957+/- 30 K/T) cu cm/mol/s (1050 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 2500 K) and a consensus expression for k(1) from a critical review of the most recent evaluations of k(1) (including our own) is k(1) = 7.82 x 10(exp 13) exp(-7105 K/T) cu cm/mol/s (960 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 5300 K). The rate coefficient expression of k(2) is given by k(2) = (1.88 +/- 0.07) x 10(exp 14) exp(-6897 +/- 53 K/T) cu cm/mol/s (1424 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 2427 K). For k(1), the temperature dependent A-factor and the correlation between the values of k(1) and the inverse reactant densities were not found. In the temperature range of this study, non-Arrhenius expression of k(2) which shows the upward curvature was not supported.

Ryu, Si-Ok↗
NASA NTRS1985

Accurate quantum yields by laser gain vs absorption spectroscopy - Investigation of Br/Br(asterisk) channels in photofragmentation of Br2 and IBr

Various techniques have been used to study photodissociation dynamics of the halogens and interhalogens. The quantum yields obtained by these techniques differ widely. The present investigation is concerned with a qualitatively new approach for obtaining highly accurate quantum yields for electronically excited states. This approach makes it possible to obtain an accuracy of 1 percent to 3 percent. It is shown that measurement of the initial transient gain/absorption vs the final absorption in a single time-resolved signal is a very accurate technique in the study of absolute branching fractions in photodissociation. The new technique is found to be insensitive to pulse and probe laser characteristics, molecular absorption cross sections, and absolute precursor density.

Haugen, H. K.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Effective utilization of quantum-cascade distributed-feedback lasers in absorption spectroscopy

A variable duty cycle quasi-cw frequency scanning technique was applied to reduce thermal effects resulting from the high heat dissipation of type I quantum-cascade lasers. This technique was combined with a 100-m path-length multipass cell and a zero-air background-subtraction technique to enhance detection sensitivity to a parts-in-10(9) (ppb) concentration level for spectroscopic trace-gas detection of CH4, N2O, H2O, and C2H5OH in ambient air at 7.9 micrometers. A new technique for analysis of dense high resolution absorption spectra was applied to detection of ethanol in ambient air, yielding a 125-ppb detection limit.

NASA Discipline Environmental Health↗
NASA NTRS1994

Near-infrared absorption spectroscopy of interstellar hydrocarbon grains

We present new 3600 - 2700/cm (2.8 - 3.7 micrometer) spectra of objects whose extinction is dominated by dust in the diffuse interstellar medium. The observations presented here augment an ongoing study of the organic component of the diffuse interstellar medium. These spectra contain a broad feature centered near 3300/cm (3.0 micrometers) and/or a feature with a more complex profile near 2950/cm (3.4 micrometers), the latter of which is attributed to saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons in interstellar grains and is the primary interest of this paper. As in our earlier work, the similarity of the absorption bands near 2950/cm (3.4 micrometers) along different lines of sight and the correlation of these features with interstellar extinction reveal that the carrier of this band lies in the dust in the diffuse interstellar medium (DISM). At least 2.5% of the cosmic carbon in the local interstellar medium and 4% toward the Galactic center is tied up in the carrier of the 2950/cm (3.4 micrometer) band. The spectral structure of the diffuse dust hydrocarbon C-H stretch absorption features is reasonably similar to UV photolyzed laboratory ice residues and is quite similar to the carbonaceous component of the Murchison meteorite. The similarity between the DISM and the meteoritic spectrum suggests that some of the interstellar material originally incorporated into the solar nebula may have survived relatively untouched in primitive solar system bodies. Comparisons of the DISM spectrum to hydrogenated amorphous carbon and quenched carbonaceous composite are also presented. The A(sub V)/tau ratio for the 2950/cm (3.4 micrometer) feature is lower toward the Galactic center than toward sources in the local solar neighborhood (approximately 150 for the Galactic center sources vs. approximately 250 for the local ISM sources). A similar trend has been observed previously for silicates in the diffuse medium by Roche & Aitken, suggesting that (1) the silicate and carbonaceous materials in the DISM may be physically correlated and (2) there is either dust compositional variation in the galaxy or galactic variation in the grain population density distribution. We also note a possible absorption feature near 3050/cm (3.28 micrometers), a wavelength position that is characteristic of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Pendleton, Y. J.↗