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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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NASA NTRS2018

Curating NASA's Past, Present, and Future Extraterrestrial Sample Collections

As codified in NASA Policy Directive 7100.10F, the Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office at NASA Johnson Space Center (hereafter JSC Curation) is charged with curation of all extraterrestrial material under NASA control, including future NASA missions. JSC Curation curates all or part of nine astromaterial collections in seven clean room suites: (1) Apollo Samples (1969; ISO 6-7), (2) Luna Samples (from USSR; 1972; ISO 7), (3) Antarctic Meteorites (1976; ISO 7), (4) Cosmic Dust (1981; ISO 5), (5) Microparticle Impact Collection (formerly called Space Exposed Hardware; 1985; ISO 5), (6) Genesis Solar Wind Atoms (2004; ISO 4); (7) Stardust Comet Particles (2006; ISO 5), (8) Stardust Interstellar Particles (2006; ISO 5), (9) Hayabusa Asteroid Particles (from JAXA; 2010; ISO 5). In addition to the labs that house the samples, we have installed and maintained a wide variety of facilities and infrastructure required to support the clean-rooms: more than 10 different HEPA-filtered air-handling systems, ultrapure dry gaseous nitrogen systems, an ultrapure water system (UPW) and cleaning facilities to provide clean tools and equipment for the labs. We also have sample preparation facilities for making thin sections, microtome sections, and even focused ion-beam (FIB) sections to meet the research requirements of scientists. To ensure that we are keeping the samples as pristine as possible, we routinely monitor the cleanliness of our clean rooms and infrastructure systems. This monitoring includes: daily monitoring of the quality of our UPW, weekly airborne particle counts in the labs, monthly monitoring of the stable isotope composition of the gaseous N2 system, and annual measurements of inorganic or organic contamination in processing cabinets. We track within our databases the current and ever-changing characteristics of more than 250,000 individual samples across our various collections (including the 19,141 samples on loan to 433 Principal Investigators in 24 countries). The next sample return missions that NASA will participate in are Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security - Regolith Explorer). The designs for a new state-of-the-art suite of clean rooms to house these samples at JSC have been finalized. This includes separate ISO class 5 clean rooms to house each collection, a common ISO class 7 area for general use, an ISO class 7 microtome laboratory, and a separate thin section lab. Additionally, a new cleaning facility is being designed and procedures developed that will allow for enhanced cleaning of cabinets and tools in an inorganically, organically, and biologically clean manner. We are also designing a large multi-purpose Advanced Curation laboratory that will allow us to develop the techniques necessary to fully support the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions, as well as future possible sample return missions (e.g., Lunar Polar Volatiles, Mars, Comet Surface). A micro-CT (micro Computed Tomography) laboratory dedicated to the study of astromaterials has come online within JSC Curation, and we plan to add additional facilities that will enable non-destructive (or minimally-destructive) analyses of astromaterials in the near future (e.g., micro-XRF (micro X-Ray Fluorescence), confocal imaging Raman Spectroscopy). These facilities will be available to: (1) develop sample handling and storage techniques for future sample return missions, (2) be utilized by PET (Positron Emission Tomography) for future sample return missions, (3) for retroactive PET-style analyses of our existing collections, and (4) for periodic assessments of the existing sample collections.

Zeigler, Ryan A.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Investigation of NO2 Measurements Made During DISCOVER-AQ and KORUS-AQ Campaigns in Conjunction with NO2 Tropospheric Column from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and High-Resolution Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) Model Simulation

Atmospheric NO2 is produced by combustion, lightning, and in soil. NO2 affects ozone production and criteria pollutant itself.It also has indirect radiative impacts in the troposphere, since ozone has largest warming effect in upper troposphere. Tropospheric vertical column densities (VCD) of NO2 are available from satellites (GOME, OMI, SCIAMACHY, GOME-2). DISCOVER-AQ and KORUS-AQ aircraft campaigns we reconducted to improve the use of satellites to monitor air quality for public health and environmental benefit in United States and South Korea. In this study, we investigate 1) How do these measurements compare? 2) What is the best way to make comparisons of space- and ground-based measurements?

multi-scale air quality↗
NASA NTRS1974

Systematic monitoring and evaluation of M7 scanner performance and data quality

An investigation was conducted to provide the information required to maintain data quality of the Michigan M7 Multispectral scanner by systematic checks on specific system performance characteristics. Data processing techniques which use calibration data gathered routinely every mission have been developed to assess current data quality. Significant changes from past data quality are thus identified and attempts made to discover their causes. Procedures for systematic monitoring of scanner data quality are discussed. In the solar reflective region, calculations of Noise Equivalent Change in Radiance on a permission basis are compared to theoretical tape-recorder limits to provide an estimate of overall scanner performance. M7 signal/noise characteristics are examined.

Stewart, S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Real-time single-element-detection structured illumination optical metrology for laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a type of metal additive manufacturing which could benefit from improved process monitoring to improve quality control. We demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, the coaxial monitoring of melt track formation in steel powder with spatial frequency modulation imaging (SPIFI), an enhanced-resolution imaging technique which uses a photodiode to record one-dimensional images. Using a custom live-display software and a high-speed SPIFI geometry, we offset the SPIFI field of view from the fusing beam to monitor different regions of the LPBF melt pool and surrounding area. This demonstrates the potential of SPIFI to monitor spatial features within the melt pool in real-time with increased data efficiency.

Hunter, Scott (ORCID:0009000886150312)↗
DOE OSTI2019

MY EXES and EDM for Automated Remediation Data Quality Assessments - 19053

MY Electronic data exchange and Evaluation System (EXES) is a new web-based technology providing external admin access and full control to the Web-based EXES tool developed by GD for EPA for automated environmental remediation data quality assessments. EXES replaces most manual assessment processes, reducing remediation data review time and costs and ensuring that data are of known and documented quality. This tool is available from EPA to federal agencies and remediation firms and has successfully been used to support over 190 site investigations, 105 Remedial investigations and over 20 compliance monitoring efforts. The new MY EXES functionality has been developed for project managers and decision makers to setup projects, track receipt of environmental remediation monitoring data, assess data quality, and manage data. It is designed to be flexible and configurable to meet any government agency's data review and data management needs. It is accessible 24/7 through a secure portal. MY EXES efficiently evaluates analytical data regardless of the underlying method and data reporting requirements. It is a centralized project and data assessment tool that is scalable, flexible and configurable; improving data quality while reducing cost through the following: - Provides users with the ability to create a project and to specify the analytical methods corresponding to the data that will be submitted for that project. A project can be modified and managed anytime during the project's life cycle. - Allows users to manage a library of analytical methods that can be made available for association to their projects. - Users can specify the automated tests and assessment that needs to be performed on the analytical data deliverables based on specific requirements in the project's Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). - Users specify: - The format of the incoming data deliverables from the laboratory; - The type and level of review services to be performed; - The assessment deliverables to be generated - output spreadsheets and reports; - Project owner sets up system access and permissions for members of the project team. - A faster (600%) and less expensive (85%) process than the traditional data usability/validation. The EXES Data Manager application (EDM) provides a centralized data repository to view and retrieve generated reports, spreadsheets, and other data deliverables as defined by the client, eliminating the need for data transfer between project team members. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS2024

Overview of the International Space Station’s Water and Cabin Air Quality: A Five-Year Status

Since the beginning of the International Space Station (ISS), water and air quality have been monitored to ensure crew health and verify the performance of the regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) systems. Over the last 25 years, the ISS has evolved greatly with significant changes to operations, crew complement sizes, visiting vehicles, payloads, and upgrades within the regenerative hardware, seen through Technology Demonstration integrations. In particular, better assessment and prevention of volatile organic releases from payloads and crew hygiene products, and implementation of advanced sorbents both on the air and water strings have been successful in reducing contaminant loads. Data on air and water quality for the last five years on ISS will be presented (nominal and contingency air grab samples, in-flight monitoring for air and water quality, and water samples from all segments of the ISS water system), including some notable events. The available data demonstrate the performance of existing ECLS systems and overall status of how the approach to air and water quality have evolved through the new ISS architecture baseline operations.

air quality↗
NASA NTRS2004

Habitat Inspection Scanner, Bio-Structure Scanner, and In Situ Sub-Surface Composition Sensor

The extension of dielectric and inductive spectroscopy into in situ observations represents a significant exploration-enabling tool. This technology can be widely applied from microscopic to macroscopic. Dielectrometry and inductometry can measure sub-surface composition and its distribution. The primary environment that we cannot easily explored is the sub-surface of solid bodies. Weather as part of our equipment that we bring with us, or the locations we are exploring. These fundamental questions lie at the core of the exploration Initiative. To answer them we must use a whole host of complimentary tools including those that allow us to practically examine the sub-surface environment. A nondestructive approach offers significant advantages for both the initial identification of likely samples but also the monitoring of ecosystems and crew health. These include materials characterization, nondestructive inspection, and process quality control, damage monitoring, and hidden object detection and identification. The identification of natural resources such as water on the Moon or Mars is of great importance to the utilization of local resource in the support of human exploration crews. On the macroscopic scale, the understanding of what resources are available and how they are distributed is of primary importance to their productive utilization. Even if initial explorations do not require the use of local resources to succeed, eventual settlement and commercial development will. The routine examination of the structural integrity (micro cracks, leaks) of hi.inafi habitats in harsh envkmments ww!d also be enabled.

VanSteenberg, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2020

Washington Health & Air Quality: Quantifying Air Quality Parameters and Validating Air Pollution Sources Impacting the Health of Puget Sound Residents Through the Use of NASA and ESA Remote Sensing Data

In the Puget Sound region of Washington, high levels of air pollutants put residents’ health at risk by increasing their likelihood of developing critical respiratory conditions. This project used remotely-sensed data to investigate aerosol optical depth (AOD) from NASA satellite sensors including the Terra and Aqua MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). The team visualized the most recent data in Google Earth Engine (GEE) API to display air pollution trends in Washington State, which will support the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s (PSCAA) decision-making processes. The team performed linear regressions using the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm to form a relationship between ground-level microscopic particles (PM2.5) and AOD in the Puget Sound region, validating the relationship using concentration readings taken from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality monitors. The team utilized estimated PM2.5 and other satellite data to produce a web-based tool and to evaluate the effectiveness of using such a tool for near real-time air quality monitoring within a particular region. The team found that the tool provides useful supplementary data that fills in the gaps of the PSCAA’s air monitoring network.

Health & Air Quality↗
NASA NTRS2020

Washington Health & Air Quality: Quantifying Air Quality Parameters and Validating Air Pollution Sources Impacting the Health of Puget Sound Residents Through the Use of NASA and ESA Remote Sensing Data

In the Puget Sound region of Washington, high levels of air pollutants put residents’ health at risk by increasing their likelihood of developing critical respiratory conditions. This project used remotely-sensed data to investigate aerosol optical depth (AOD) from NASA satellite sensors including the Terra and Aqua MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). The team visualized the most recent data in Google Earth Engine (GEE) API to display air pollution trends from Northern California to British Columbia, which will support the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s (PSCAA) decision-making processes. The team performed linear regressions using the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm to form a relationship between ground-level microscopic particles (PM2.5) and AOD in the Puget Sound region, validating the relationship using concentration readings taken from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality monitors. The team utilized estimated PM2.5 and other satellite data to produce a web-based tool and to evaluate the effectiveness of using such a tool for near real-time air quality monitoring within a particular region. The team found that the tool provides useful supplementary data that fills in the gaps of the PSCAA’s air monitoring network.

Health & Air Quality↗
DOE OSTI2025

Biophysical model of eelgrass and water quality in Coos Bay, OR shows greater mitigation potential for ocean acidification than hypoxia

Seagrass beds provide important ecosystem services and are valued, in part, for their potential to mediate stressors such as ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) for sensitive species. However, the susceptibility of seagrasses to anthropogenic impacts and recent declines motivate the need to better understand the drivers of seagrass and the water quality consequences that occur with variation in seagrass abundance. To meet this need, we leveraged existing monitoring data (water quality and seagrass), hydrodynamic circulation model, and biogeochemical model framework with seagrass submodel, to produce a biophysical model of Coos Bay estuary, Oregon, U.S. The model includes biogeochemical processes involving water quality, plankton, seagrass, and sediment-water interactions. Ecosystem models like this are useful for evaluating complex estuarine systems because they allow us to extend our understanding of system dynamics beyond existing observations and perform experiments to identify the processes driving observed patterns. We used the biophysical model of Coos Bay to evaluate the dynamics of water quality and native eelgrass (Zostera marina) under three eelgrass abundance scenarios (zero eelgrass, current extent, and maximum observed extent) to elucidate the relationship between eelgrass and OAH. Including eelgrass in the Coos Bay model produced results that more closely resembled water quality observations - dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH were more dynamic in simulations with eelgrass, often having both higher highs and lower lows. While there were some areas of the estuary where DO improved with the addition of eelgrass to the model there was overall a small net increase in harmful DO conditions (based on a salmon physiological threshold). In contrast, ocean acidification conditions, pH and calcium carbonate saturation state for aragonite (Ω), were improved (based on oyster requirements) with the addition of eelgrass - although the magnitude of improvement differed seasonally and spatially. Our new model represents a useful tool - one which accounts for and controls the relevant physical and biogeochemical processes - to evaluate conditions that confer resilience or enhance vulnerability to OAH in an important Pacific Northwest coastal estuary and results can inform the OAH-related dynamics occurring in other eastern boundary current estuaries.

FVCOM-ICM↗
NASA NTRS2019

Characterization and Measurement of Spacecraft Airborne Particulate Matter

The International Space Station (ISS) gives a 6-member astronaut crew the ability to live and work in low Earth orbit. It is a unique indoor environment, which has served as both home and workplace to over 230 people since the year 2000. In this low gravity environment, smoke does not rise and cookie crumbs do not settle the way they do on Earth, causing airborne particulate matter, or aerosols, to behave differently and pose unique hazards for crew members. In its existence, virtually the same volume of ISS air has been continuously conditioned and ‘revitalized,’ including the removal of particles by filtration. While gaseous constituents of ISS air are monitored meticulously, sparse data exists on the indoor aerosols. The quantity and types of ISS airborne debris have been investigated in NASA’s Aerosol Sampling Experiment. Both active and passive samplers successfully collected airborne particulate matter in U.S. segments of the ISS, which were returned to Earth for characterization by microscopy and other techniques. The resulting data has informed the design of candidate particle instruments for spacecraft. In 2020, a reference-quality aerosol instrument will be flown to ISS, and will provide real-time data of particle concentrations in various modules. Smaller, more compact instruments will be necessary in future space missions, for example, in smaller vehicles, in habitats on lunar and planetary surfaces with ubiquitous dust, and also for use as wearable technology throughout missions. Miniaturized aerosol sensors, though lower fidelity than reference-quality instruments, can monitor the environment well when calibrated appropriately. Indoor air quality in spacecraft is fundamentally important to human health and comfort, and several particulate monitoring technologies will be at sufficient technology readiness levels for operational use within the next two years. Results of the Aerosol Sampling Experiment will be presented, along with the status of NASA’s aerosol instrument technology demonstrations on ISS.

Meyer, Marit E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Joint Conference on Sensing of Environmental Pollutants, 4th, New Orleans, La., November 6-11, 1977, Proceedings

Papers are presented on such topics as environmental chemistry, the effects of sulfur compounds on air quality, the prediction and monitoring of biological effects caused by environmental pollutants, environmental indicators, the satellite remote sensing of air pollution, weather and climate modification by pollution, and the monitoring and assessment of radioactive pollutants. Consideration is also given to empirical and quantitative modeling of air quality, disposal of hazardous and nontoxic materials, sensing and assessment of water quality, pollution source monitoring, and assessment of some environmental impacts of fossil and nuclear fuels.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2022

NuMI Beam Monitoring Simulation and Data Analysis Status and Progress

With the Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) experiment decommissioned, muon and hadron monitors became an important diagnostic tool for the NuMI O↵- axis vμ Appearance (NOvA) experiment at Fermilab to monitor the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam. The goal of this study is to maintain the quality of the monitor signals and to establish correlations with the neutrino beam profile. And we carry out a systematic study of the response of the muon monitors to the changes in the parameters of the proton beam and lattice parameters. We report here on the progress of the beam data analysis and comparison with the simulation results.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS1975

Annual review of earth observations from space

An overview is given of the present state of satellites making observations of the earth. Satellite systems discussed include the NOAA series of Synchronous Meteorological Satellites (SMS) and sun-synchronous satellites, the two LANDSATS (formerly called ERTS), and the NIMBUS series. Examples are presented of the types of observations being made as well as their purposes. These include observations of synoptic and mesoscale atmospheric processes for daily weather forecasting, global atmospheric processes for long-range weather forecasting, planetary radiation budget and ocean circulation for monitoring climatic trends, earth dynamics and tectonic structure for mineral exploration and assessing earthquake hazards, atmospheric composition and water quality for environment monitoring, and thematic mapping for monitoring land use, managing crops and water resources, and assessing environmental impacts.

Nordberg, W.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Story Behind the Numbers: Lessons Learned from the Integration of Monitoring Resources in Addressing an ISS Water Quality Anomaly

Beginning in June of 2010 an environmental mystery was unfolding on the International Space Station (ISS). The U.S. Water Processor Assembly (WPA) began to produce water with increasing levels of total organic carbon (TOC). A surprisingly consistent upward TOC trend was observed through weekly in-flight total organic carbon analyzer (TOCA) monitoring. As TOC is a general organics indicator, return of water archive samples was needed to make better-informed crew health decisions and to aid in WPA troubleshooting. TOCA-measured TOC was more than halfway to its health-based screening limit before archive samples could be returned on Soyuz 22 and analyzed. Although TOC was confirmed to be elevated, somewhat surprisingly, none of the typical target compounds were the source. After some solid detective work, it was confirmed that the TOC was associated with a compound known as dimethylsilanediol (DMSD). DMSD is believed to be a breakdown product of silicon-containing compounds present on ISS. A toxicological limit was set for DMSD and a forward plan developed for operations given this new understanding of the source of the TOC. This required extensive coordination with ISS stakeholders and innovative use of available in-flight and archive monitoring resources. Behind the numbers and scientific detail surrounding this anomaly, there exists a compelling story of multi-disciplinary awareness, teamwork, and important environmental lessons learned.

McCoy, Torin↗
DOE OSTI2022

Image Analysis for Rapid Assessment and Quality-Based Sorting of Corn Stover

Imaging in the visible spectrum is a low-cost tool that can be readily deployed for in-field or over-belt monitoring of biomass quality for bio-refining operations. Rapid image analysis coupled with innovative preprocessing may reduce the impacts of feedstock variability through identification of contaminants or other material attributes to guide selective sorting and quality management. Image analysis was employed to evaluate the quality of corn stover in red-green-blue (RGB) chromatic space. This study used controlled, bench-scale imaging as a proof-of-concept for rapid quality assessment of corn stover based on variations in material attributes, including chemical and physical attributes, that relate to biological degradation and soil contamination. Additionally, logistic regression-based classification algorithms were used to develop a method for biomass screening as a function of biological degradation or soil contamination. This study demonstrated the use of image analysis to extract features from RGB color space to investigate variations in critical material attributes from chemical composition of corn stover. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) suggested a correlation between red band intensity and biological degradation, while detailed surface texture analysis was found to distinguish among variations in ash. These insights offer promise for development of a rapid screening tool that could be deployed by farmers for in-field assessment of biomass quality or biorefinery operators for in-line sorting and process optimization.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
NASA NTRS2013

Portable 4.6 Micrometers Laser Absorption Spectrometer for Carbon Monoxide Monitoring and Fire Detection

The air quality aboard manned spacecraft must be continuously monitored to ensure crew safety and identify equipment malfunctions. In particular, accurate real-time monitoring of carbon monoxide (CO) levels helps to prevent chronic exposure and can also provide early detection of combustion-related hazards. For long-duration missions, environmental monitoring grows in importance, but the mass and volume of monitoring instruments must be minimized. Furthermore, environmental analysis beyond low-Earth orbit must be performed in-situ, as sample return becomes impractical. Due to their small size, low power draw, and performance reliability, semiconductor-laser-based absorption spectrometers are viable candidates for this purpose. To reduce instrument form factor and complexity, the emission wavelength of the laser source should coincide with strong fundamental absorption lines of the target gases, which occur in the 3 to 5 micrometers wavelength range for most combustion products of interest, thereby reducing the absorption path length required for low-level concentration measurements. To address the needs of current and future NASA missions, we have developed a prototype absorption spectrometer using a semiconductor quantum cascade laser source operating near 4.6 micrometers that can be used to detect low concentrations of CO with a compact single-pass absorption cell. In this study, we present the design of the prototype instrument and report on measurements of CO emissions from the combustion of a variety of aerospace plastics.

Tunable Environmental Laser Spectrometer (TELS)↗
NASA NTRS2007

Environmental Public Health Surveillance for Exposure to Respiratory Health Hazards: A Joint NASA/CDC Project to Use Remote Sensing Data for Estimating Airborne Particulate Matter Over the Atlanta, Georgia Metropolitan Area

As part of the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (EPHTN) the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is leading a project called Health and Environment Linked for Information Exchange (HELiX-Atlanta). The goal of developing the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network is to improve the health of communities. Currently, few systems exist at the state or national level to concurrently track many of the exposures and health effects that might be associated with environmental hazards. An additional challenge is estimating exposure to environmental hazards such as particulate matter whose aerodynamic diameter is less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). HELIX-Atlanta's goal is to examine the feasibility of building an integrated electronic health and environmental data network in five counties of Metropolitan Atlanta, GA. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA/MSFC) is collaborating with CDC to combine NASA earth science satellite observations related to air quality and environmental monitoring data to model surface estimates of PM2.5 concentrations that can be linked with clinic visits for asthma. While use of the Air Quality System (AQS) PM2.5 data alone could meet HELIX-Atlanta specifications, there are only five AQS sites in the Atlanta area, thus the spatial coverage is not ideal. We are using NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) data for estimating daily ground level PM2.5 at 10 km resolution over the metropolitan Atlanta area supplementing the AQS ground observations and filling their spatial and temporal gaps.

Quattrochi, Dale A.↗