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At least 55 records · Page 3

Two-dimensional radiation and scattering at short wave length

In the present investigation of radiation and scattering by objects when the wavelengths are much smaller than the characteristic dimensions of the radiator or scatterer, the boundary-element method is used to obtain computational accuracy and efficiency. The approach employed for wavelengths less than 5 percent of object characteristic dimensions involves cubic elements, approximate polynomial and asymptotic evaluations of the fundamental solution, and a tailoring of the order of the Gaussian quadrature according to the local demands dictated by the distance between sending and receiving points. The method addresses the propagation of low-frequency sound over large terrain features.

Yoon, W. S.↗

Meteorological Conditions in Urban Sites in Knoxville, USA. 2025

This 2025 dataset, which contains five csv files, reports hourly air temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, incident short wave, reflected short wave, incident long wave, emitted long wave, net radiation, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) data measured in urban parks in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The sites include Cumberland Estates Park (CEP), Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED), West Hills Park (WHP), West View Park (WVP), and Victor Ashe Park (VAP). Air temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation data were obtained from a METER ATMOS 41 All-in-One Weather Station (Pullman, Washington, USA). Incident and emitted radiation (shortwave and longwave) measurements were made using an Apogee (Logan, Utah, USA) net radiometer (Model SN-500-SS). The SQ-521 Full-Spectrum Quantum sensor (Apogee Instruments, Inc) recorded the PAR. The measurement data for all the sites started on January 1, 2025. and all measurement ended on December 31, 2025. This work is a part of a larger study which investigates the impact of soil moisture and plant evapotranspiration on ambient temperature and relative humidity in several city parks in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Salvador, Christian [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283287777↗

Meteorological Conditions in Urban Sites in Knoxville, USA. 2023

This 2023 dataset, which contains four csv files, reports hourly air temperature, wind speed, solar radiation, incident short wave, reflected short wave, incident long wave, emitted long wave, net radiation, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) data measured in urban parks in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The sites include Cumberland Estates Park (CEP), Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED), West Hills (WHP), and Victor Ashe Park (VAP). Air temperature, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation data were obtained from a METER ATMOS 41 All-in-One Weather Station (Pullman, Washington, USA). Incident and emitted radiation (shortwave and longwave) measurements were made using an Apogee (Logan, Utah, USA) net radiometer (Model SN-500-SS). The SQ-521 Full-Spectrum Quantum sensor (Apogee Instruments, Inc) recorded the PAR. The measurement data for CEP, SEEED, and VAP started on July 1, 2023, while WHP started on August 26, 2023. All measurement ended on December 31, 2023. This work is a part of a larger study which investigates the impact of soil moisture and plant evapotranspiration on ambient temperature and relative humidity in several city parks in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Salvador, Christian [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000283287777↗

Continuous sensor suite measurements of weather, energy, soil and flux at four PumpHouse sites at the East River, Colorado

The purpose of this package is to monitor energy and water fluxes using a comprehensive set of sensors integrated on a tripod set up at 4 locations at the East River watershed in Colorado in the Upper Colorado River Basin as part of the Scientific Focus Area (SFA) research led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL). This is a continuous sensor suite measurements of weather, energy, soil and flux at four East River pumphouse sites (ER-PHS1, ER-PHS2, ER-PHS3 and ER-PHS4) include: (1) soil CO2 concentration, CO2 flux and heat flux from soil surface; (2) photosynthetic active radiation flux at 1 m; (3) incoming/outcoming short and long wave radiation at 1 m, and user calculated net short and long wave radiation; (4) oxygen concentration and surface infrared temperature; (5) soil volumetric water content, temperature, and electrical conductivity at 10, 30, 60, 115 cm depth 115 cm depth; (6) soil matric potential and temperature at 30 cm depth; (7) incoming short wave radiation at 3 m height; (8) rainfall precipitation; (9) lightning strikes and strike distances; (10) wind direction and speed, maximum wind gust at 3 m; (11) air temperature, vapor pressure and barometric pressure at 3 m; (12) X _axis_level and Y_axis_level_(degree), tilt of the ATMOS 41 sensor; (13) maximum rainfall rate; (14) relative humidity sensor temperature at 3 m; (15) internally calculated vapor pressure deficit at 3 m with vapor pressure, relative humidity and sensor temperature measurements; (16) user calculated vapor pressure.These datasets contain data from Oct 11 2019 to March 20, 2020, and new datasets will be updated on annual basis. Files uploaded in Excel and Word, with copies in csv and pdf format.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An Improved Algorithm for Estimating Surface Shortwave Radiation: Preliminary Evaluation With MODIS Products

Cloud parameters, as key inputs in radiative transfer algorithms, have a critical impact on surface shortwave radiation (SSR) computation. By introducing a parameterization of cloud transmittance and reflectance, based on radiative transfer simulations, this study improves the accuracy of an existing physically based model which severely underestimates SSR under thick cloud conditions. The cloud parameterization adopts the single-layer cloud model and simulates cloud transmittances and reflectances by varying cloud optical thickness, cloud particle size, and solar zenith angle. The revised model is applied to estimate instantaneous SSR using Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) atmospheric and land products. The retrieved SSR is evaluated against observation data from 41 Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) stations and is also compared with the MODIS official SSR product. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the estimated instantaneous radiation is approximately 52 and 98 W m -2 under clear-sky and all-sky conditions, respectively. The accuracy of the improved parameterization is higher than that of the original model, and there is no obvious underestimation of SSR in the case of high cloud optical thickness. Therefore, the new algorithm improves the accuracy of SSR estimates in the presence of thick clouds. Retrievals with the improved model also achieve higher accuracy than the MODIS official SSR product (MCD18A1). To conclude, the reliable performance of the scheme at most BSRN stations illustrates that the improved model can be used to map SSR on a global scale.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Cloudy-sky contributions to the direct aerosol effect

The radiative forcing of the aerosol–radiation interaction can be decomposed into clear-sky and cloudy-sky portions. Two sets of multi-model simulations within Aerosol Comparisons between Observations and Models (AeroCom), combined with observational methods, and the time evolution of aerosol emissions over the industrial era show that the contribution from cloudy-sky regions is likely weak. A mean of the simulations considered is 0.01±0.1 W m-2. Multivariate data analysis of results from AeroCom Phase II shows that many factors influence the strength of the cloudy-sky contribution to the forcing of the aerosol–radiation interaction. Overall, single-scattering albedo of anthropogenic aerosols and the interaction of aerosols with the short-wave cloud radiative effects are found to be important factors. A more dedicated focus on the contribution from the cloud-free and cloud-covered sky fraction, respectively, to the aerosol–radiation interaction will benefit the quantification of the radiative forcing and its uncertainty range.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Top-of-the-Atmosphere Shortwave Flux Estimation from UV Observations: An Empirical Approach

Measurements of top of the atmosphere (TOA) radiation are essential to the understanding of Earth's climate. Clouds, aerosols, and ozone (0,) are among the most important agents impacting the Earth's short-wave (SW) radiation budget. There are several sensors in orbit that provide independent information related to the Earth's SW radiation budget. Having coincident information from these sensors is important for understanding their potential contributions. The A-train constellation of satellites provides a unique opportunity to analyze near-simultaneous data from several of these sensors. They include the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), on the NASA Aura satellite, that makes TOA hyper-spectral measurements from ultraviolet (UV) to visible wavelengths, and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument, on the NASA Aqua satellite, that makes broadband measurements in both the long- and short-wave. OMI measurements have been successfully utilized to derive the information on trace gases (e.g., 0 1, NO" and SO,), clouds, and absorbing aerosols. TOA SW fluxes are estimated using a combination of data from CERES and the Aqua MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In this paper, OMI retrievals of cloud/aerosol parameters and 0 1 have been collocated with CERES TOA SW flux retrievals. We use this collocated data to develop a neural network that estimates TOA shortwave flux globally over ocean using data from OMI and meteorological analyses. This input data include the effective cloud fraction, cloud optical centroid pressure (OCP), total-column 0" and sun-satellite viewing geometry from OMI as well as wind speed and water vapor from the Goddard Earth Observing System 5 Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (GEOS-5 MERRA) along with a climatology of chlorophyll content. We train the neural network using a subset of CERES retrievals of TOA SW flux as the target output (truth) and withhold a different subset of the CERES data to be used for validation.

Gupta, P.↗

Physical characteristics of interplanetary space

The Sun The properties of interplanetary space are determined, to a considerable extent, by the central body of the solar system-the Sun which is the source of powerful streams of corpuscular and electromagnetic radiation, and is responsible for the structure of the interplanetary magnetic fields. Many phenomena on the Earth are closely related to processes occurring on the Sun. The mechanism of this relationship is not yet fully understood, but it is clear that the solar wind, the corpuscular streams, and short-wave electromagnetic radiation of the Sun play a prominent role in these processes. Before describing the manifestations of Sun-Earth relationships, the elements of solar activity should be discussed.

S. N. Vernov↗

Breast Cancer Molecular Subtype as a Predictor of Radiation Therapy Fractionation Sensitivity

The predictive benefit of breast cancer molecular subtypes for systemic therapy approaches has been well established; yet, there is a paucity of data regarding their use as a predictor of radiation therapy fractionation sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether rates of local recurrence (LR) for patients treated with hypofractionated (HF) radiation therapy, in comparison to conventional fractionation, differ across breast cancer molecular subtypes in a large, prospectively collected cohort treated with modern systemic therapy.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Skylab and solar exploration

Review of some of the findings concerning solar structure, energy production, and heat transport obtained with the aid of the manned Skylab space station observatory launched on May 14, 1973. Among the topics discussed are the observation of thermonuclear fusion processes which cannot be simulated on earth, the observation of short-wave solar radiation not visible to observers on earth, and the investigation of energy-transport processes occurring in the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. An apparent paradox is noted in that the cooler chromosphere is heating the hotter corona, seemingly in defiance of the second law of thermodynamics, thus suggesting that a nonthermal mechanism underlies the energy transport. Understanding of this nonthermal mechanism is regarded as an indispensable prerequisite for future development of plasma systems for terrestrial applications.

Von Puttkamer, J.↗

Saltless solar pond

A solar pond adapted for efficiently trapping and storing radiant solar energy without the use of a salt concentration gradient in the pond is disclosed. A body of water which may be fresh, saline, relatively clear or turbid, is substantially covered by a plurality of floating honeycomb panels. The honeycomb panels are made of a material such as glass which is pervious to short wave solar radiation but impervious to infrared radiation. Each honeycomb panel includes a multitude of honeycomb cells. The honeycomb panels are divided into the elongated honeycomb cells by a multitude of intermediate plates disposed between a bottom plate and top plate of the panel. The solar pond is well suited for providing hot water of approximately 85 to 90 C temperature for direct heating applications, and for electrical power generation.

Lin, E. I. H.↗

Ozone, Tropospheric

In the early part of the 20th century, ground-based and balloon-borne measurements discovered that most of atmosphere's ozone is located in the stratosphere with highest concentrations located between 15 and 30 km (9,3 and 18.6 miles). For a long time, it was believed that tropospheric ozone originated from the stratosphere and that most of it was destroyed by contact with the earth's surface. Ozone, O3, was known to be produced by the photo-dissociation of molecular oxygen, O2, a process that can only occur at wavelengths shorter than 242 nm. Because such short-wave-length radiation is present only in the stratosphere, no tropospheric ozone production is possible by this mechanism. In the 1940s, however, it became obvious that production of ozone was also taking place in the troposphere. The overall reaction mechanism was eventually identified by Arie Haagen-Smit of the California Institute of Technology, in highly polluted southern California. The copious emissions from the numerous cars driven there as a result of the mass migration to Los Angeles after World War 2 created the new unpleasant phenomenon of photochemical smog, the primary component of which is ozone. These high levels of ozone were injuring vegetable crops, causing women's nylons to run, and generating increasing respiratory and eye-irritation problems for the populace. Our knowledge of tropospheric ozone increased dramatically in the early 1950s as monitoring stations and search centers were established throughout southern California to see what could be done to combat this threat to human health and the environment.

Fishman, Jack↗

Enhanced Climatic Warming in the Tibetan Plateau Due to Double CO2: A Model Study

The NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) regional climate model (RegCM2) with time-dependent lateral meteorological fields provided by a 130-year transient increasing CO2 simulation of the NCAR Climate System Model (CSM) has been used to investigate the mechanism of enhanced ground temperature warming over the TP (Tibetan Plateau). From our model results, a remarkable tendency of warming increasing with elevation is found for the winter season, and elevation dependency of warming is not clearly recognized in the summer season. This simulated feature of elevation dependency of ground temperature is consistent with observations. Based on an analysis of surface energy budget, the short wave solar radiation absorbed at the surface plus downward long wave flux reaching the surface shows a strong elevation dependency, and is mostly responsible for enhanced surface warming over the TP. At lower elevations, the precipitation forced by topography is enhanced due to an increase in water vapor supply resulted from a warming in the atmosphere induced by doubling CO2. This precipitation enhancement must be associated with an increase in clouds, which results in a decline in solar flux reaching surface. At higher elevations, large snow depletion is detected in the 2xCO2run. It leads to a decrease in albedo, therefore more solar flux is absorbed at the surface. On the other hand, much more uniform increase in downward long wave flux reaching the surface is found. The combination of these effects (i.e. decrease in solar flux at lower elevations, increase in solar flux at higher elevation and more uniform increase in downward long wave flux) results in elevation dependency of enhanced ground temperature warming over the TP.

Chen, Baode↗

Living with a Star: New Opportunities in Sun-Climate Research

Living With a Star is a NASA initiative employing the combination of dedicated spacecraft with targeted research and modeling efforts to improve what we know of solar effects of all kinds on the Earth and its surrounding space environment, with particular emphasis on those that have significant practical impacts on life and society. The highest priority among these concerns is the subject of this report: the potential effects of solar variability on regional and global climate, including the extent to which solar variability has contributed to the well-documented warming of the Earth in the last 100 years. Understanding how the climate system reacts to external forcing from the Sun will also greatly improve our knowledge of how climate will respond to other climate drivers, including those of anthropogenic origin. A parallel element of the LWS program addresses solar effects on space weather : the impulsive emissions of charged particles, short-wave electromagnetic radiation and magnetic disturbances in the upper atmosphere and near-Earth environment that also affect life and society. These include a wide variety of solar impacts on aeronautics, astronautics, electric power transmission, and national defense. Specific examples are (1) the impacts of potentially- damaging high energy radiation and atomic particles of solar origin on satellites and satellite operations, spacecraft electronics systems and components, electronic communications, electric power distribution grids, navigational and GPS systems, and high altitude aircraft; and (2) the threat of sporadic, high-energy solar radiation to astronauts and high altitude aircraft passengers and crews. Elements of the LWS program include an array of dedicated spacecraft in near- Earth and near-Sun orbits that will closely study and observe both the Sun itself and the impacts of its variations on the Earth's radiation belts and magnetosphere, the upper atmosphere, and ionosphere. These spacecraft, positioned to study and monitor changing conditions in the Sun-Earth neighborhood, will also serve as sentinels of solar storms and impulsive events.

Source record↗