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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: The LABOCA/ACT survey of clusters at all Redshifts

We present a multi-wavelength analysis of 11 Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect (SZE)-selected galaxy clusters (10 with new data) from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) southern survey. We have obtained new imaging from the Large APEX Bolometer Camera (345 GHz; LABOCA) on the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope, the Australia Telescope Compact Array (2.1 GHz; ATCA), and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (250, 350, and 500 μm; SPIRE) on the Herschel Space Observatory.{sup 24} Spatially resolved 345 GHz SZE increments with integrated signal-to-noise ratio (S/N)>5 are found in six clusters. We compute 2.1 GHz number counts as a function of cluster-centric radius and find significant enhancements in the counts of bright sources at projected radii θ<θ{sub 2500c}. By extrapolating in frequency, we predict that the combined signals from 2.1 GHz-selected radio sources and 345 GHz-selected submillimeter galaxies (SMGs) contaminate the 148 GHz SZE decrement signal by ∼5% and the 345 GHz SZE increment by ∼18%. After removing radio source and SMG emission from the SZE signals, we use ACT, LABOCA, and (in some cases) new Herschel SPIRE imaging to place constraints on the clusters’ peculiar velocities. The sample’s average peculiar velocity relative to the cosmic microwave background is 〈v{sub p}〉=153±383 km s{sup −1}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

THE WISE BLAZAR-LIKE RADIO-LOUD SOURCES: AN ALL-SKY CATALOG OF CANDIDATE γ-RAY BLAZARS

We present a catalog of radio-loud candidate γ-ray emitting blazars with WISE mid-infrared colors similar to the colors of confirmed γ-ray blazars. The catalog is assembled from WISE sources detected in all four WISE filters, with colors compatible with the three-dimensional locus of the WISE γ-ray emitting blazars, and which can be spatially cross-matched with radio sources from one of the three radio surveys: NVSS, FIRST, and/or SUMSS. Our initial WISE selection uses a slightly modified version of previously successful algorithms. We then select only the radio-loud sources using a measure of the radio-to-IR flux, the q {sub 22} parameter, which is analogous to the q {sub 24} parameter known in the literature but which instead uses the WISE band-four flux at 22 μm. Our final catalog contains 7855 sources classified as BL Lacs, FSRQs, or mixed candidate blazars; 1295 of these sources can be spatially re-associated as confirmed blazars. We describe the properties of the final catalog of WISE blazar-like radio-loud sources and consider possible contaminants. Finally, we discuss why this large catalog of candidate γ-ray emitting blazars represents a new and useful resource to address the problem of finding low-energy counterparts to currently unidentified high-energy sources.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2024

Investigation of Lunar Regolith Reduction via Hydrogen Plasma in Different Plasma Environments

The team at NASA KSC explored the use of hydrogen plasma as a reducing agent for Lunar regolith simulant in order to prove the viability of oxygen extraction from oxides. The focus of this work was to investigate the hydrogen ion production of different plasma power sources. An optimization trade study was completed by maximizing the production of the hydrogen ion and comparing the amount produced to the energy consumed. Hydrogen ion production was determined via residual gas analysis and a rough calibration using injected water. The hydrogen ions reduce the oxides present in the Lunar regolith, forming an OH molecule, which can further react with the hydrogen environment to form water vapor. This water vapor can then be measured through a residual gas analysis. Through this study, it was found that a direct current (DC) glow discharge operating at approximately 1 torr in a hydrogen environment produced the largest amount of reduced regolith when compared with a nanosecond pulsed system and alternating current (AC) source. Radiofrequency devices beyond AC were not studied in this work. Although the DC source performed the best here, limitations in design and experiment setup/scalability may lead to the selection of an alternative plasma power source in the future.

Kenneth Engeling↗
DOE OSTI2017

A Study of Quasar Selection in the Supernova Fields of the Dark Energy Survey

In this paper, we present a study of quasar selection using the supernova fields of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We used a quasar catalog from an overlapping portion of the SDSS Stripe 82 region to quantify the completeness and efficiency of selection methods involving color, probabilistic modeling, variability, and combinations of color/probabilistic modeling with variability. In all cases, we considered only objects that appear as point sources in the DES images. We examine color selection methods based on the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mid-IR W1-W2 color, a mixture of WISE and DES colors (g - i and i-W1), and a mixture of Vista Hemisphere Survey and DES colors (g - i and i - K). For probabilistic quasar selection, we used XDQSO, an algorithm that employs an empirical multi-wavelength flux model of quasars to assign quasar probabilities. Our variability selection uses the multi-band χ 2 -probability that sources are constant in the DES Year 1 griz-band light curves. The completeness and efficiency are calculated relative to an underlying sample of point sources that are detected in the required selection bands and pass our data quality and photometric error cuts. We conduct our analyses at two magnitude limits, i < 19.8 mag and i < 22 mag. For the subset of sources with W1 and W2 detections, the W1-W2 color or XDQSOz method combined with variability gives the highest completenesses of >85% for both i-band magnitude limits and efficiencies of >80% to the bright limit and >60% to the faint limit; however, the giW1 and giW1+variability methods give the highest quasar surface densities. The XDQSOz method and combinations of W1W2/giW1/XDQSOz with variability are among the better selection methods when both high completeness and high efficiency are desired. We also present the OzDES Quasar Catalog of 1263 spectroscopically confirmed quasars from three years of OzDES observation in the 30 deg 2 of the DES supernova fields. Finally, the catalog includes quasars with redshifts up to z ~ 4 and brighter than i = 22 mag, although the catalog is not complete up to this magnitude limit.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Adsorption of polyelectrolyte multilayers imparts high monovalent/divalent cation selectivity to aliphatic polyamide cation-exchange membranes

Nafion membranes coated with polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) exhibit outstanding monovalent/divalent cation electrodialysis selectivity in a single-membrane cell. Nevertheless, the high cost of Nafion and the extensive pretreatments required for polyelectrolyte adsorption on this surface may preclude the use of these membranes in many applications. Here this work reports that native aliphatic polyamide Fujifilm type 1 cation-exchange membranes modified with protonated poly(allylamine) (PAH)/poly (4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) films also show extremely high K + /Mg 2+ cation selectivities in ED with a single-membrane cell. Even with 0.1 M salt in the source phase, the K + /Mg 2+ selectivity is >1000. The very low transfer of divalent cations implies that the PEM forms a complete, continuous coating on the smooth Fujifilm surface. Moreover, for a membrane coated on both sides, the PEM on the anode side is responsible for most of the selectivity. However, the current efficiency is only ~0.6 for PAH/PSS-modified Fujifilm or Nafion membranes. Adsorption of highly water-swollen (PDADMAC/PSS) n films on Nafion membranes leads to high K + /Mg 2+ and Li + /Co 2+ selectivities in ED, and the monovalent cation current efficiency reaches 0.8.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Cryo nanomanipulator probe with integrated gas injection

A probe assembly for use with a charged particle instrument includes an elongate body having a proximal end for positioning outside of a charged particle instrument enclosed environment, a distal end for positioning within the enclosed environment and a longitudinal axis. A port interface is located on the body between the proximal and distal ends, and is coupleable to a nanomanipulator system of the charged particle instrument. A probe needle is positioned at a distal end of the body and is selectively positionable from outside the enclosed environment to contact a specimen within the enclosed environment. At least one gas injection needle is adjustably positioned near the probe needle. The gas injection needle is connectable to a source of pressurized gas to selectively inject gas in the area of the probe needle within the enclosed environment.

Perea, Daniel E.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Crowd Sourcing Medical Data Collection Using Medical Students

OBJECTIVE We undertook an upgrade of the Evidence Library database of NASA HRP’s Integrated Medical Model, assessing 120 medical conditions which integrate with a novel probabilistic risk assessment (IMPACT) tool of medical risk and resource utilization for long duration exploration human spaceflight. This data collection process included a selection of these conditions crowd sourced over one year via three 4-week medical student electives at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (IDPT 8059 Space Medicine: Human Spaceflight Factors & Medical Risk Assessment). Students undertook a rapid systematic review of each medical condition, under close preceptors with backgrounds in clinical medicine, library science, epidemiology, biostatistics, and evidence-based medicine. As part of the elective, students also received instruction in core space medicine concepts, evidence based medicine and problem based learning sessions as a flight surgeon supporting a simulated Mars mission. METHODS The list of 120 medical conditions includes both common, terrestrial illness/injury (epistaxis, diverticulitis) as well as spaceflight-specific ones (space adaptation conditions, EVA-related injuries). A rapid systematic review process was developed that would allow students to find the data for determining disease incidence/prevalence, return to definitive care (often a surrogate such as hospitalization rates), loss of crew life, and treatment duration. Each data point required a tailored, specialized search process using different databases and corresponding specialized search filters. Databases were selected on their ability to provide high quality literature in an efficient manner and prioritized by their ability to provide graded evidence via a set rubrics specific to human spaceflight. Students were responsible for performing all literature searches and identifying the highest quality available evidence for each data point. Completed student data sheets underwent initial review by faculty preceptors followed by a secondary editing review by the ExMC Clinical Science Team. RESULTS Over the course of three electives, approximately 105 medical conditions were researched by students using spreadsheets with pre-crafted search strategies. Overall, this process was successful in allowing students to perform the preponderance of work to update incidence, treatment duration, return to definitive care, and loss of crew life data points. Students were successful in running searches, identifying the necessary data points within the literature, and determining the types of terrestrial data that most aligns with the astronaut population for successful completion of their tasks. Limitations included variable student experience with search methodologies [PubMed], differing values of evidence grading [best practice evidence based medicine vs. relevant to spaceflight], and students’ unfamiliarity with spaceflight specific conditions. CONCLUSION Finding the relevant literature for medical conditions in spaceflight within terrestrial databases in a systematic method is time consuming and not intuitive. However, the stepwise process that balanced sensitivity with specificity allowed for students to be highly successful in a short amount of time. Additionally, as the process was refined over the course of three electives, preceptors were better able to anticipate where students were likely to encounter barriers, which allowed the course to be adjusted to account for certain data points needing more time for completion. This replicable process may be an efficient way to accomplish rapid systematic reviews for a large volume of data in a short amount of time.

J Lemery↗
NASA NTRS2003

Cloud Property Retrieval and 3D Radiative Transfer

Cloud thickness and photon mean-free-path together determine the scale of "radiative smoothing" of cloud fluxes and radiances. This scale is observed as a change in the spatial spectrum of cloud radiances, and also as the "halo size" seen by off beam lidar such as THOR and WAIL. Such of beam lidar returns are now being used to retrieve cloud layer thickness and vertical scattering extinction profile. We illustrate with recent measurements taken at the Oklahoma ARM site, comparing these to the-dependent 3D simulations. These and other measurements sensitive to 3D transfer in clouds, coupled with Monte Carlo and other 3D transfer methods, are providing a better understanding of the dependence of radiation on cloud inhomogeneity, and to suggest new retrieval algorithms appropriate for inhomogeneous clouds. The international "Intercomparison of 3D Radiation Codes" or I3RC, program is coordinating and evaluating the variety of 3D radiative transfer methods now available, and to make them more widely available. Information is on the Web at: http://i3rc.gsfc.nasa.gov/. Input consists of selected cloud fields derived from data sources such as radar, microwave and satellite, and from models involved in the GEWEX Cloud Systems Studies. Output is selected radiative quantities that characterize the large-scale properties of the fields of radiative fluxes and heating. Several example cloud fields will be used to illustrate. I3RC is currently implementing an "open source" 3d code capable of solving the baseline cases. Maintenance of this effort is one of the goals of a new 3DRT Working Group under the International Radiation Commission. It is hoped that the 3DRT WG will include active participation by land and ocean modelers as well, such as 3D vegetation modelers participating in RAMI.

Cahalan, Robert F.↗
DOE OSTI2016

( Chandra Chandra) counterparts of CANDELS GOODS-S sources

Improving the capabilities of detecting faint X-ray sources is fundamental for increasing the statistics on faint high-z active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and star-forming galaxies (SFGs). We performed a simultaneous maximum likelihood point-spread function fit in the [0.5–2] keV and [2–7] keV energy bands of the 4 Ms Chandra Deep Field South (CDFS) data at the position of the 34,930 CANDELS H-band selected galaxies. For each detected source we provide X-ray photometry and optical counterpart validation. We validated this technique by means of a ray-tracing simulation. We detected a total of 698 X-ray point sources with a likelihood L>4.98 (i.e., >2.7σ). We show that prior knowledge of a deep sample of optical–NIR galaxies leads to a significant increase in the detection of faint (i.e., ∼10{sup −17} cgs in the [0.5–2] keV band) sources with respect to “blind” X-ray detections. By including previous X-ray catalogs, this work increases the total number of X-ray sources detected in the 4 Ms CDFS, CANDELS area to 793, which represents the largest sample of extremely faint X-ray sources assembled to date. Our results suggest that a large fraction of the optical counterparts of our X-ray sources determined by likelihood ratio actually coincides with the priors used for the source detection. Most of the new detected sources are likely SFGs or faint, absorbed AGNs. We identified a few sources with putative photometric redshift z > 4. Despite the low number statistics and the uncertainties on the photo z, this sample significantly increases the number of X-ray-selected candidate high-z AGNs.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Pulsed source for driving non-linear current dependent loads

A pulsed current source comprises a power source, a discharge capacitor, and an inductive element. The discharge capacitor is selectively coupled to either of the power source or the inductive element. When coupled to the power source, the discharge capacitor is charged. The inductive element can be connected to a load. The load can have a current-dependent impedance. When the discharge capacitor is coupled to the inductive element, the discharge capacitor discharges through the inductive element and the load. The discharge capacitor and the inductive element are configured so that the current through the load exhibits a substantially linear rise in a linear operational region. The inductive element is configured to saturate during discharge of the capacitor through the load, so that the saturation of the inductive element causes the current through the load to continue to rise in a substantially linear fashion.

Curtis, III, William C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A medium sensitivity X-ray survey using the Einstein Observatory - The log N-log S relation for extragalactic X-ray sources

The paper presents results of an X-ray survey of about 50 sq deg of the high galactic latitude sky at sensitivities in the range of 7 x 10 to the -14 to 5 x 10 to the -12 ergs/sq cm/s. The number-flux relation is derived for the extragalactic population to yield a best-fit power-law slope of 1.53 + or - 0.16, and the content of the sample is analyzed in terms of types of sources, appearing to be significantly different from the content of similar samples selected at higher fluxes. The medium sensitivity sample of extragalactic sources is dominated by active galactic nuclei, while samples selected at higher fluxes and higher energies are dominated by clusters of galaxies. Thus, the number-flux relation for extragalactic sources may be interpreted to a first approximation as the sum of the two different distributions with flatter and steeper slopes describing clusters and AGNs, respectively.

Maccacaro, T.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Applications of fuzzy logic and best-worst method for tritium sensor selection

Accurate assessment of tritium as a fuel source is critical in fusion reactions, necessitating effective sensor evaluation methods. This study investigates a multi-criteria decision-making framework for selecting tritium sensors, integrating fuzzy logic to enhance decision quality. Initial attempts at applying fuzzy logic were found to be too elementary and failed to capture the complexity of multi-criteria selection; this prompted a refined approach that incorporated expert insights and advanced ranking techniques for sensor evaluation. The research used a two-stage methodology. In the first stage, important criteria and sub-criteria for sensor performance were identified and defined. These criteria were then weighted and scored using a fuzzy best-worst method, drawing upon expert opinions to ensure relevance and validity. The second stage involved interpreting information about varying sensors to rank them based on their overall criteria scores, encouraging the selection of the most suitable options. The result of the study is a proposed method for effective sensor selection in fusion reactors, which in turn will significantly improve the reliability of tritium monitoring in fusion applications.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS1997

Portable light source unit for simulating fires having an adjustable aperture

A portable, hand held light source unit is employed to check operation of fire detectors, such as hydrogen fire detectors. The unit emits radiation in a narrow band of wavelengths which are generated by the type of fire to be tested, but not by other light sources such as the sun or incandescent lamps. The unit can test fire detectors at different distances, and of different sensitivities. The intensity of the radiation emitted by the unit is adjustable for this purpose by means of a rotatable disk having a plurality of different sized apertures for selective placement between the light source and an output lens. The disk can also be rotated to a calibration position which causes a microprocessor circuit in the unit to initiate a calibration procedure. During this procedure, the lamp intensity is measured by a photodetector contained within the unit, and the microprocessor adjusts the lamp current to insure that its intensity remains within a preset range of values. A green and a red LED are mounted on the unit which indicate to an operator whether the calibration is successful, as well as the condition of the unit's battery power supply.

Youngquist, Robert C.↗
DOE OSTI2017

Far-infrared Properties of Infrared-bright Dust-obscured Galaxies Selected with IRAS and AKARI Far-infrared All-sky Survey

We investigate the star-forming activity of a sample of infrared (IR)-bright dust-obscured galaxies (DOGs) that show an extreme red color in the optical and IR regime, (i−[22]){sub AB}>7.0. Combining an IR-bright DOG sample with the flux at 22 μm > 3.8 mJy discovered by Toba and Nagao with the IRAS faint source catalog version 2 and AKARI far-IR (FIR) all-sky survey bright source catalog version 2, we selected 109 DOGs with FIR data. For a subsample of seven IR-bright DOGs with spectroscopic redshifts (0.07<z<1.0) that were obtained from the literature, we estimated their IR luminosity, star formation rate (SFR), and stellar mass based on the spectral energy distribution fitting. We found that (1) the WISE 22 μm luminosity at the observed frame is a good indicator of IR luminosity for IR-bright DOGs and (2) the contribution of the active galactic nucleus to IR luminosity increases with IR luminosity. By comparing the stellar mass and SFR relation for our DOG sample and the literature, we found that most of the IR-bright DOGs lie significantly above the main sequence of star-forming galaxies at similar redshift, indicating that the majority of IRAS- or AKARI-detected IR-bright DOGs are starburst galaxies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

OPERA models for predicting physicochemical properties and environmental fate endpoints

The collection of chemical structure information and associated experimental data for quantitative structure–activity/ property relationship (QSAR/QSPR) modeling is facilitated by an increasing number of public databases containing large amounts of useful data. However, the performance of QSAR models highly depends on the quality of the data and modeling methodology used. This study aims to develop robust QSAR/QSPR models for chemical properties of environmental interest that can be used for regulatory purposes. This study primarily uses data from the publicly available PHYSPROP database consisting of a set of 13 common physicochemical and environmental fate properties. These datasets have undergone extensive curation using an automated workflow to select only high-quality data, and the chemical structures were standardized prior to calculation of the molecular descriptors. The modeling procedure was developed based on the five Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) principles for QSAR models. A weighted k-nearest neighbor approach was adopted using a minimum number of required descriptors calculated using PaDEL, an open-source software. The genetic algorithms selected only the most pertinent and mechanistically interpretable descriptors (2–15, with an average of 11 descriptors). The sizes of the modeled datasets varied from 150 chemicals for biodegradability half-life to 14,050 chemicals for logP, with an average of 3222 chemicals across all endpoints. The optimal models were built on randomly selected training sets (75%) and validated using fivefold cross-validation (CV) and test sets (25%). The CV Q2 of the models varied from 0.72 to 0.95, with an average of 0.86 and an R2 test value from 0.71 to 0.96, with an average of 0.82. Modeling and performance details are described in QSAR model reporting format and were validated by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center to be OECD compliant. All models are freely available as an open-source, command-line application called OPEn structure–activity/property Relationship App (OPERA). OPERA models were applied to more than 750,000 chemicals to produce freely available predicted data on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s CompTox Chemistry Dashboard.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1990

Infrared emission from X-ray binaries - IRAS observations

Theoretical calculations show that detectable amounts of FIR radiation can be produced by accretion disks around compact sources. Here, the HEAO A-1 Catalog (Wood et al., 1984) and Bradt and McClintock (1983) are used to select a likely set of candidate sources, and the IRAS Point Source Catalog and IRAS Serendipitous Survey Catalog are used to search for characteristic IR emission from sources in fields around them. Eighty-one candidates with 242 IRAS field sources were examined and color corrected. Eight of these have IR flux measurements which are consistent with emisison from an accretion disk S/N, although other mechanisms for their IR emission cannot yet be ruled out. Most have poor positional corespondences and must be considered suspect as identifications.

Smith, Howard A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Cloud Spatial Structure and 3D Radiative Transfer

Cloud radiative properties are sensitive to drop size and other parameters of cloud micro-structure, but also to cloud shape,spacing, and other parameters of cloud macro-structure, including internal fractal structure. New information on cloud structure is being derived from a variety of cloud radars. Ongoing field programs such as Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (DoE/ARM) are improving the measurement and modelling of physical and radiative properties of clouds. A parallel effort is underway to improve cloud remote sensing, especially from the new suite of EOS-AM1 instruments which will provide higher spectral, spatial resolution, and/or angular resolution. Key parameters for improving pixel-scale retrievals are cloud thickness and photon mean-free-path, which together determine the scale of "radiative smoothing" of cloud fluxes and radiances. This scale has been observed as a change in the spatial spectrum of Landsat cloud radiances, and was also recently found with the Goddard micropulse lidar, by searching for returns from directions nonparallel to the incident beam. "Offbeam" Lidar returns are now being used to estimate the cloud "radiative Green's function", G,which depends on cloud thickness and may be used to retrieve that important quantity. G is also being applied to improving simple IPA estimates of cloud radiative properties. This and other measurements of 3D transfer in clouds, coupled with Monte Carlo and other 3D transfer methods, are beginning to provide a better understanding of the dependence of adiation on cloud inhomogeneity, and to suggest new retrieval and parameterization algorithms which take account of cloud inhomogeneity. An international "Intercomparison of 3D Radiation Codes" or I3RC, program is beginning to coordinate and evaluate the variety of 3D radiative transfer methods now available, and to make them more widely available. Information is on the Web at: http://climate.qsfc.nasa.crov/I3RC. Input consists of selected cloud fields derived from data sources such as radar, microwave and satellite, and from models involved in the GEWEX Cloud Systems Studies. Output is selected radiative quantities that characterize the large- scale properties of the fields of radiative fluxes and heating. Several example cloud fields will be used to illustrate.

Cahalan, Robert F.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Cloud Spatial Structure and 3D Radiative Transfer

Cloud radiative properties are sensitive to drop size and other parameters of cloud micro-structure, but also to cloud shape, spacing, and other parameters of cloud macro-structure, including internal fractal structure. New information on cloud structure is being derived from a variety of cloud radars and lidars. Ongoing field programs such as DoE/ARM are improving the measurement and modelling of physical and radiative properties of clouds. A parallel effort is underway to improve cloud remote sensing, especially from the new suite of EOS (Earth Observing System) instruments which are beginning to provide higher spectral, spatial resolution, and/or angular resolution. Key parameters for improving pixel-scale retrievals are cloud thickness and photon mean-free-path, which together determine the scale of "radiative smoothing" of cloud fluxes and radiances. This scale has been observed as a change in the spatial spectrum of Landsat cloud radiances, and was also recently found with the Goddard micropulse lidar, by searching for returns from directions nonparallel to the incident beam. "Offbeam" Lidar returns are now being used to estimate the cloud "radiative Green's function", (G). G depends on cloud thickness and may be used to retrieve that important quantity. G is also being applied to improving simple estimates of cloud radiative properties that are based on the "Independent Pixel Approximation" or IPA. This and other measurements of 3D transfer in clouds, coupled with Monte Carlo and other 3D transfer methods, are beginning to provide a better understanding of the dependence of radiation on cloud inhomogeneity, and to suggest new retrieval and parameterization algorithms which take account of cloud inhomogeneity. An international "Intercomparison of 3D Radiation Codes" or I3RC, program is underway to coordinate and evaluate the variety of 3D radiative transfer methods now available, and to make them more widely available. Information is on the Web at: http://climate.gsfc.nasa.gov/I3RC. Input consists of selected cloud fields derived from data sources such as radar, microwave and satellite, and from models involved in the GEWEX Cloud Systems Studies. Output is selected radiative quantities that characterize the large-scale properties of the fields of radiative fluxes and heating. Several example cloud fields will be used to illustrate the effects of cloud inhomogeneity and 3D radiation.

Cahalan, Robert F.↗