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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 55 records · Page 3

Radar Wind Profiler / Raw Data

This dataset contains data from a NOAA Radar Wind Profiler located on Block island. Data can be found at https://psl.noaa.gov/data/obs/datadisplay/ with the following filters: Active Sites: bid Instrument: 915 MHz Wind Profiler Product: Radar 915MHz Sub-Hourly Weber Wuertz Wind

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Colorado State University (CSU) X-Band Precipitation Radar Plan Position Indicator Data Processed with Corrected Moments in Antenna Coordinates (CMAC) Value-Added Product Report

In 2010 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility procured 3- and 5-cm wavelength radars for documenting the macrophysical, microphysical, and dynamical structure of precipitating systems. To maximize the scientific impact, ARM supported the development of an application chain to correct for various phenomena in order to retrieve the “point” values of moments of the radar spectrum and polarimetric measurements. We have now used the lessons learned from the processing of the 3- and 5-cm wavelength radars obtained by ARM to help process X-band radar data from the Surface Atmospheric Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) field campaign. This report details the motivation, science, and progress to date as well as charting a path forward.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

A traffic accident dataset for Chattanooga, Tennessee

This publication presents an annotated accident dataset which fuses traffic data from radar detection sensors, weather condition data, and light condition data with traffic accident data (as illustrated in Fig. 1) in a format that is easy to process using machine learning tools, databases, or data workflows. The purpose of this data is to analyze, predict, and detect traffic patterns when accidents occur. Each file contains a timeseries of traffic speeds, flows, and occupancies at the sensor nearest to the accident, as well as 5 neighboring sensors upstream and downstream. It also contains information about the accident type, date, and time. In addition to the accident data, we provide baseline data for typical traffic patterns during a given time of day. Overall, the dataset contains 6 months of annotated traffic data from November 2020 to April 2021. During this timeframe, and 361 accidents occurred in the monitored area around Chattanooga, Tennessee. This dataset served as the basis for a study on topology-aware automated accident detection for a companion publication [1].

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Merged W-band radar and Ceilometer / Derived Data

The dataset contains the first three moments of radar Doppler spectra from the vertically pointing W-band radar and Ceilometer backscatter and cloud base heights at a uniform temporal and spatial resolution. The radar reflectivity and ceilometer backscatter has been calibrated.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Merged W-band Radar and Ceilometer / Derived Data

The dataset contains the first three moments of radar Doppler spectra from the vertically pointing W-band radar and Ceilometer backscatter and cloud base heights at a uniform temporal and spatial resolution. The radar reflectivity and ceilometer backscatter have been calibrated.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Assessing the suitability of sites near Pine Island Glacier for subglacial bedrock drilling aimed at detecting Holocene retreat–readvance

Abstract. Unambiguous identification of past episodes of ice sheet thinning below the modern surface and grounding line retreat inboard of present requires recovery and exposure dating of subglacial bedrock. Such efforts are needed to understand the significance and potential future reversibility of ongoing and projected change in Antarctica. Here we evaluate the suitability for subglacial bedrock drilling of sites in the Hudson Mountains, which are located in the Amundsen Sea sector of West Antarctica. We use an ice sheet model and field data – geological observations, glaciological observations and bedrock samples from nunataks, and ground-penetrating radar from subglacial ridges – to rate each site against four key criteria: (i) presence of ridges extending below the ice sheet, (ii) likelihood of increased exposure of those ridges if the grounding line was inboard of present, (iii) suitability of bedrock for drilling and geochemical analysis, and (iv) accessibility for aircraft and drilling operations. Our results demonstrate that although no site in the Hudson Mountains is perfect for this study when assessed against all criteria, the accessibility, N–S orientation and basaltic bedrock lithology of Winkie Nunatak's southernmost ridge (74.86° S, 99.77° W) make it a feasible site both for drilling and subsequent cosmogenic nuclide analysis. Furthermore, the ridge is strewn with glacial erratics at all elevations, providing valuable constraints on its early Holocene deglacial history. Based on our experiences during this study, we conclude with a series of recommendations for assessing site suitability for future bedrock drilling campaigns. We emphasise the importance of consulting a range of expertise prior to drilling and ensuring that sufficient field reconnaissance is undertaken (including obtaining detailed grids of radar survey data and bedrock samples).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Imaging systems and related methods including radar imaging with moving arrays or moving targets

Imaging systems, including radio frequency, microwave and millimeter-wave arrangements, and related methods are described. According to one aspect, an imaging system includes an antenna array, a position capture system configured to generate position information indicative of locations of one of the antenna array and the target at the first and second moments in time, and wherein the one of the antenna array and the target move between the first and second moments in time, a transceiver configured to control the antenna array to emit electromagnetic energy towards the target and to generate an output that is indicative of the received electromagnetic energy, a data acquisition system configured to generate radar data, processing circuitry configured to process the position information and the radar data to generate image data regarding the target, and an interface configured to use the image data to generate visual images regarding the target.

Sheen, David M.↗

High-resolution fully-polarimetric synthetic aperture radar dataset

Fully-polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) data contain a rich body of elementary scattering physics information that is critically valuable for a broad range of applications and scientific purposes. However, there is a lack of available high-resolution (< 0.3048-m) data available for PolSAR phenomenology research. This article introduces a high-resolution PolSAR data set collected and provided by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). The data sets were collected to support studying high-resolution scattering physics from different types of clutter and applications such as polarimetric-based terrain classification.

West, Roger Derek↗

Drought-induced changes in groundwater-surface water exchange at Lake Mead area

This study focuses on the Lake Mead region in the southwestern United States, a key water reservoir serving over 25 million people and agricultural lands across several states. The area has experienced recurring anthropogenic droughts since the early 2000s. We investigate the hydrological response of the coupled surface-groundwater system to the 2020–2022 drought, one of the most severe on record. To this end, we use Sentinel-1 Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data to quantify vertical land motion caused by the elastic response of the crust to water-mass loss in the lake vicinity. Next, we apply an inverse elastic load modeling framework to quantify water loss. We further assess possible hydraulic connectivity between Lake Mead and adjacent groundwater reservoirs. We detect ground uplift of up to 8 mm/yr near the lake center, likely due to crustal rebound from reduced water-mass loading. We estimated the total water storage loss at 3.03 ± 0.25 km 3 /yr across a 3150 km 2 area surrounding Lake Mead. Groundwater accounts for approximately a third of that, being 0.94 ± 0.32 km 3 /yr. In addition, observed time lags of 6–98 days between lake and groundwater level responses, corresponding to a lateral diffusivity of 3.2–86 m 2 /s, suggest spatially variable connectivity between the lake and aquifers. These findings highlight that drought impacts propagate through the subsurface within interconnected systems, resulting in reduced buffering capacity of groundwater resources following droughts, and emphasizing the need for more integrated surface and groundwater management strategies to enhance resilience under climate and anthropogenic stressors.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Forest aboveground biomass estimation through integration of sentinel-2 and PALSAR-2 time series: assessing models trained on GEDI and field inventory benchmarks

Accurate and spatially explicit forest Aboveground Biomass (AGB) mapping through remote sensing is critical for quantifying terrestrial carbon stocks and informing effective forest management strategies. However, AGB estimation in dense forests with complex terrain remains challenging due to satellite sensor signal saturation problem (saturation issue occurs in high biomass forests), structural complexity, and limited ground truth for calibration. This study presents a novel framework that integrates multi-temporal Sentinel-2 optical imagery, ALOS PALSAR-2 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data, and topographic variables with explainable Machine Learning to map AGB across mountainous forests within subtropical and temperate oceanic climate zones of Mexico. We evaluate the effects of temporal granularity and sensor synergy by comparing multiple temporal inputs and sensor configurations (Sentinel-2, PALSAR-2, and their fusion), and assess model performance using two reference datasets: NASA GEDI LiDAR-derived biomass and Mexico’s National Forest and Soil Inventory (INFyS). Our results showed that models trained on INFyS consistently outperformed those trained on GEDI, highlighting limitations in GEDI’s reliability in biomass estimates within this study region. Furthermore, the integration of Sentinel-2 and PALSAR-2 provided improved predictions compared to single-sensor models, particularly when combined with temporally explicit yearly statistics. The best-performing model, which was trained on INFyS data, and considered both Sentinel-2 and PALSAR-2 yearly statistics, as well as topographic variables, achieved an R2 of 0.64, RMSE of 51.10 Mg/ha, and relative RMSE (rRMSE) of 58.69%. Explainable ML analysis identified Sentinel-2 spectral indices and topographic features as key predictors, while PALSAR-2 metrics provided complementary information, partially mitigating saturation effects in high-biomass areas. Specifically, integrating both sensors substantially improved AGB estimation in high biomass forest (≥200 Mg/ha), yielding 98% gains over optical-only model, with resulting estimates exceeding GEDI L4B by 29% and ESA-CCI-BIOMASS by 174%. Terrain-stratified analysis indicated close agreement with GEDI in low-slope areas, with increasing divergence as slope steepness increased, while estimates remained consistently higher than ESA-CCI-BIOMASS across all slope classes. The proposed approach advances multi-sensor fusion and temporal feature engineering for AGB mapping using open-access satellite datasets, providing a scalable and reproducible framework for annual biomass monitoring in topographically complex mountainous forests. The resulting 25 m resolution biomass product has the potential to provide spatially detailed information for forest monitoring and may support applications in carbon accounting and forest management.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Advanced Precipitation and Boundary Layer Data Products Derived from ARM Radar Wind Profilers

This research project was successful in delivering on four main objectives. First, software was developed to accurately calculate 915-MHz radar wind profiler (RWP) spectrum moments from the recorded Doppler velocity power spectra. Second, software was developed to calibrate the RWP reflectivity factor using collocated surface disdrometer observations. Third, the Python processing code was documented and given to the ARM Infrastructure to produce ARM ‘b level’ calibrated RWP products. Fourth, calibrated RWP products were uploaded to the ARM Archive as PI Products for 10 years of SGP RWP observations and for GoAmazon and TRACER field campaign RWP observations. In addition to working with RWP observations, this research project also worked with KAZR observations to distinguish insects from boundary layer clouds to help improve the ARSCL cloud mask product. The PI worked with senior and early career ARM funded scientists at BNL exploring how to include calibrated RWP moments into future versions of the ARSCL product.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Satellite-based Investigation of Power-Line Vegetation Encroachment in the US (SILVANUS)

Rapid wide-area assessments of vegetation encroachment on transmission and distribution line rights-of-way (ROW) is a highly desirable capability for understanding risks to the power grid during severe weather and wildfire events. Conventional assessments are time-consuming and expensive due to the need for in-situ inspections and the use of aerial assets. Performing conventional assessments on a wide area would require immense resources and time that might not be available within the horizon of an expected adverse event. Developing a capability to accurately assess vegetation encroachment into ROWs will enable faster analysis of potential grid vulnerabilities in NAERM. This project sought to develop a prototype capability for rapid ROW vegetation encroachment assessments by using Puerto Rico as a test case. Puerto Rico is a heavily forested island territory frequently impacted by tropical cyclones that threaten the electric grid by downing trees across transmission and distribution lines. Multispectral satellite imagery (MSI) enable very high resolution (i.e., 0.5 - 2 meter) assessment of vegetation conditions at scale and with revisit times appropriate for regular monitoring (e.g., weekly to quarterly, depending on cloud cover) of the entire island. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from satellites was also investigated as solution to the cloud-cover issue as they are active sensors that emit and receive a microwave signal rather than relying on solar illumination, and are therefore unaffected by cloud cover and can collect data during day or night. Finally, MSI-derived digital surface models (DSMs) map the height of objects relative to sea level, and were assessed for their ability to estimate the height of forest canopies relative to coincident transmission lines. The results of the mapping investigation are described in this report.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Evaluation of Physical Microphysical Property Retrieval Algorithms During the 2020 IMPACTS Field Campaign

The NASA Investigation of Microphysics and Precipitation for Atlantic Coast Threatening Snowstorms (IMPACTS) field campaign provides high-quality, high-altitude aircraft lidar (532 nm), radar (W-band) and in-cloud microphysical aircraft data taken during wintertime storm events impacting the United States. This study evaluates two mass-dimensional relationships (Brown and Francis (1995, BF95); Heymsfield (2014, H14) and two lidar-radar microphysical retrieval algorithms (Cloudsat and CALIPSO Ice Cloud Property Product (2C-ICE); VarPy (a variational method derived from the satellite lidar-radar data community)) to estimate aircraft-retrieved volume extinction coefficient (σ), ice water content (IWC), and effective radius (r e ) during the 2020 IMPACTS deployment. BF95 and H14 have a close 1:1 correlation (R 2 = 0.98) with in-situ observations of σ. However, only BF95 displays a linear, consistent, and almost temperature-independent low bias for IWC and r e , which likely arises from the environmental conditions used to determine each. Unlike the field-campaign-derived BF95 and H14 relationships, VarPy and 2C-ICE directly ingest the aircraft-based lidar and radar data to simulate σ, IWC, and r e . For all three microphysical parameters, VarPy and 2C-ICE retrieval errors became notably more pronounced around the dendritic growth zone (-15°C to -10°C) and near freezing (≥-5°C), which suggests that both algorithms experience difficulty addressing riming and aggregation processes and with larger particles (dendrites and plates) due in part to their simplified ice particle assumptions. However, the mean-melt diameter ice-particle assumption did yield more accurate IWC estimates, which led to slightly better overall results for VarPy.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

W-Band ARM Scanning Cloud Radar (WSACR) 2nd Generation CF-Radial Spectral Data, Vertically-Pointing Scan, Cross Mode (a1)

ARM's scanning cloud radars are fully coherent dual-frequency, dual-polarization Doppler radars mounted on a common scanning pedestal. Each pedestal includes a Ka-band radar (2kW peak power) and the deployment location determines whether the second radar is a W-band (WSACR; 1.7 kW peak power) or X-band (XSACR; 20 kW peak power). Beamwidths at Ka and W bands are roughly matched at 0.3 degrees. Due to the narrow antenna beamwidth, ARM’s scanning cloud radars use scanning strategies that are unlike typical weather radars. Rather than focusing on plan position indicator, or PPI, scans, the Ka-SACR uses range height indicator, or RHI, scans at numerous azimuths to obtain cloud volume data. Measurements collected with the W-SACR are copolar and cross-polar radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, spectra width and spectra when not scanning, and linear depolarization ration.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

W-Band ARM Scanning Cloud Radar (WSACR) 2nd Generation CF-Radial Spectral Data, Vertically-Pointing Scan, Co-Polarization Mode (a1)

ARM's scanning cloud radars are fully coherent dual-frequency, dual-polarization Doppler radars mounted on a common scanning pedestal. Each pedestal includes a Ka-band radar (2kW peak power) and the deployment location determines whether the second radar is a W-band (WSACR; 1.7 kW peak power) or X-band (XSACR; 20 kW peak power). Beamwidths at Ka and W bands are roughly matched at 0.3 degrees. Due to the narrow antenna beamwidth, ARM’s scanning cloud radars use scanning strategies that are unlike typical weather radars. Rather than focusing on plan position indicator, or PPI, scans, the Ka-SACR uses range height indicator, or RHI, scans at numerous azimuths to obtain cloud volume data. Measurements collected with the W-SACR are copolar and cross-polar radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, spectra width and spectra when not scanning, and linear depolarization ration.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

W-Band ARM Scanning Cloud Radar (WSACR) 2nd Generation CF-Radial Spectral Data, Vertically-Pointing Scan, Cross-Polarization Model (a1)

ARM's scanning cloud radars are fully coherent dual-frequency, dual-polarization Doppler radars mounted on a common scanning pedestal. Each pedestal includes a Ka-band radar (2kW peak power) and the deployment location determines whether the second radar is a W-band (WSACR; 1.7 kW peak power) or X-band (XSACR; 20 kW peak power). Beamwidths at Ka and W bands are roughly matched at 0.3 degrees. Due to the narrow antenna beamwidth, ARM’s scanning cloud radars use scanning strategies that are unlike typical weather radars. Rather than focusing on plan position indicator, or PPI, scans, the Ka-SACR uses range height indicator, or RHI, scans at numerous azimuths to obtain cloud volume data. Measurements collected with the W-SACR are copolar and cross-polar radar reflectivity, Doppler velocity, spectra width and spectra when not scanning, and linear depolarization ration.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗