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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 577 records · Page 32

Electronic structure of Alq 3 and Liq using soft X-ray spectroscopy and density functional theory calculation

We show the electronic structure of aluminum tris-8-hydroxyquinoline (Alq 3 ) and 8-hydroquinolatolithium (Liq) was investigated using a combination of X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and spectral simulation with density functional theory. The chemical bonding states of Alq 3 and Liq were analyzed using XPS core-level spectra. The band gaps of Alq 3 and Liq were measured by combining the XAS and XES results. Additionally, resonant and non-resonant XES were used to measure the density of states for O sites in the molecules.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Estimating Expressed Temperature and Fractional Area of Hot Lava at the Kilauea Vent with AVIRIS Spectral Measurements

Imaging spectroscopy offers a framework based in physics and chemistry for scientific investigation of a wide range of phenomena of interest in the Earth environment. In the scientific discipline of volcanology knowledge of lava temperature and distribution at the surface provides insight into the volcano status and subsurface processes. A remote sensing strategy to measure surface lava temperatures and distribution would support volcanology research. Hot targets such as molten lava emit spectral radiance as a function of temperature. A figure shows a series of Planck functions calculated radiance spectra for hot targets at different temperatures. A maximum Lambertian solar reflected radiance spectrum is shown as well. While similar in form, each hot target spectrum has a unique spectral shape and is distinct from the solar reflected radiance spectrum. Based on this temperature-dependent signature, imaging spectroscopy provides an innovative approach for the remote-sensing-based measurement of lava temperature. A natural site for investigation of the measurement of lava temperature is the Big Island of Hawaii where molten lava from the Kilauea vent is present at the surface. In the past, Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data sets have been used for the analysis of hot volcanic targets and hot burning fires. The research presented here builds upon and extends this earlier work. The year 2000 Hawaii AVIRIS data set has been analyzed to derive lava temperatures taking into account factors of fractional fill, solar reflected radiance, and atmospheric attenuation of the surface emitted radiance. The measurements, analyses, and current results for this research are presented here.

Green, Robert O.↗

Measuring and modeling near surface reflected and emitted radiation fluxes at the FIFE site

Research was conducted during the four Intensive Field Campaigns (IFC) of the FIFE project in 1987. The research was done on a tall grass prairie with specific measurement sites on and near the Konza Prairie in Kansas. Measurements were made to help meet the following objectives: determination of the variability in reflected and emitted radiation fluxes in selected spectral wavebands as a function of topography and vegetative community; development of techniques to account for slope and sun angle effects on the radiation fluxes; estimation of shortwave albedo and net radiation fluxes using the reflected and emitted spectral measurements described; estimation of leaf and canopy spectral properties from calculated normalized differences coupled with off-nadir measurements using inversion techniques; estimation of plant water status at several locations with indices utilizing plant temperature and other environmental parameters; and determination of relationships between estimated plant water status and measured soil water content. Results are discussed.

Blad, Blaine L.↗

Optical Performance Modeling of FUSE Telescope Mirror

We describe the Metrology Data Processor (METDAT), the Optical Surface Analysis Code (OSAC), and their application to the image evaluation of the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) mirrors. The FUSE instrument - designed and developed by the Johns Hopkins University and launched in June 1999 is an astrophysics satellite which provides high resolution spectra (lambda/Delta(lambda) = 20,000 - 25,000) in the wavelength region from 90.5 to 118.7 nm The FUSE instrument is comprised of four co-aligned, normal incidence, off-axis parabolic mirrors, four Rowland circle spectrograph channels with holographic gratings, and delay line microchannel plate detectors. The OSAC code provides a comprehensive analysis of optical system performance, including the effects of optical surface misalignments, low spatial frequency deformations described by discrete polynomial terms, mid- and high-spatial frequency deformations (surface roughness), and diffraction due to the finite size of the aperture. Both normal incidence (traditionally infrared, visible, and near ultraviolet mirror systems) and grazing incidence (x-ray mirror systems) systems can be analyzed. The code also properly accounts for reflectance losses on the mirror surfaces. Low frequency surface errors are described in OSAC by using Zernike polynomials for normal incidence mirrors and Legendre-Fourier polynomials for grazing incidence mirrors. The scatter analysis of the mirror is based on scalar scatter theory. The program accepts simple autocovariance (ACV) function models or power spectral density (PSD) models derived from mirror surface metrology data as input to the scatter calculation. The end product of the program is a user-defined pixel array containing the system Point Spread Function (PSF). The METDAT routine is used in conjunction with the OSAC program. This code reads in laboratory metrology data in a normalized format. The code then fits the data using Zernike polynomials for normal incidence systems or Legendre-Fourier polynomials for grazing incidence systems. It removes low order terms from the metrology data, calculates statistical ACV or PSD functions, and fits these data to OSAC models for the scatter analysis. In this paper we briefly describe the laboratory image testing of FUSE spare mirror performed in the near and vacuum ultraviolet at John Hopkins University and OSAC modeling of the test setup performed at NASA/GSFC. The test setup is a double-pass configuration consisting of a Hg discharge source, the FUSE off-axis parabolic mirror under test, an autocollimating flat mirror, and a tomographic imaging detector. Two additional, small fold flats are used in the optical train to accommodate the light source and the detector. The modeling is based on Zernike fitting and PSD analysis of surface metrology data measured by both the mirror vendor (Tinsley) and JHU. The results of our models agree well with the laboratory imaging data, thus validating our theoretical model. Finally, we predict the imaging performance of FUSE mirrors in their flight configuration at far-ultraviolet wavelengths.

Saha, Timo T.↗

High redshift QSOs and the x ray background

ROSAT pointed observations were made of 9 QSO's from the Large Bright Quasar Survey (LBQS). The LBQS is based on machine measurement of objective prism plates taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope. Software has been used to select QSO's by both color and by the presence of spectral features and continuum breaks. The probability of detection can be calculated as a function of magnitude, redshift and spectral features, and the completeness of the survey can be accurately estimated. Nine out of 1040 QSO's in the LBQS have z greater than 3. The observations will provide an important data point in the X-ray luminosity function of QSO's at high redshift. The QSO's with z greater than 3 span less than a magnitude in M(sub B), so can be combined as a homogeneous sample. This analysis is only possible with a sample drawn from a large and complete catalog such as the LBQS. Four of the 9 QSO's that were observed with the ROSAT PSPC for this proposal were detected, including one of the most luminous X-ray sources ever observed. The April 1992 version of the PROS DETECT package was used to reduce the data. The results have been used to search for evolution of the X-ray properties of QSO's in redshift. The 9 QSO's lie in the range -28.7 less than M(sub B) less than -27.8. When combined with data for 16 QSO's in a similar luminosity range at lower redshift correlations with luminosity and redshift can be separated out. The LBQS sample also yields a new constraint on the contribution of high redshift QSO's to the X-ray background. An initial requirement is knowledge of the X-ray properties (alpha(sub OX)) as a function of redshift. Integration over the evolving luminosity function of the LBQS then gives the QSO contribution to the source counts.

Impey, Chris↗

Performance of code division multiple access systems

The performance of code division multiple-access (CDMA) systems is determined using direct sequence spectral spreading. Under relatively ideal conditions, the degradation in system performance as a function of the number of users is shown to have a threshold effect. This basic limitation in the number of users of the system is further limited if the powers are unequal. For two users, system performance as a function of their power ratio also has a threshold effect. System performance as a function of the amount of spectral spreading is determined. The performance of both coded and uncoded systems is predicted.

Weber, C. L.↗

Contamination Observed on the Passive Optical Sample Assembly (POSA)-1 Experiment

The Passive Optical Sample Assembly-1 (POSA-1), part of the Mir Environmental Effects Payload (MEEP), was designed to study the combined effects of contamination, atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, vacuum, thermal cycling, and other constituents of the space environment on spacecraft materials. The MEEP program is a Phase 1 International Space Station Risk Mitigation Experiment. The payload was attached by EVA to the exterior of the Mir docking module during the Space Shuttle mission STS-76. It was removed during STS-86 after exposure to the Mir environment for 18 months. POSA-1 consists of nearly 400 samples of thermal control paints, chemical conversion coatings, mirrors, optics, and other candidate materials for International Space Station Alpha (ISSA). POSA-1 also flew state-of-the-art materials, such as electrically conductive thermal control coatings developed under contract by IITRI and AZ Technology, and passive instruments for monitoring the atomic oxygen and ultraviolet radiation dose to the experiment. Contamination was detected on the POSA-1 experiment. On the side facing space (-Z(sub B) direction using the Mir coordinate system), visible contamination was observed. The contamination was uniform as would occur from a slow photodeposition process. A very definite film was deposited on the optical samples. The deposition appears to have directionality with definite shadowing effects. On the side facing the main Mr core (+ZB direction using the Mir coordinate system), no visible contamination was noted. Pre- and post-flight characterization of candidate spacecraft materials is discussed, particularly the effect of contamination on total hemispherical spectral reflectance (250 - 2500 nm), infrared emittance, the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), and vacuum ultraviolet spectral reflectance. Extensive photography under normal and black light was performed. Results of electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and Fourier Transform Infrared Analysis (FTIR) on selected samples are also discussed.

Zwiener, James M.↗

A parameterization of the absorption in the 15 micron CO2 spectral region with application to climate sensitivity studies

A technique for quantifying the absorption that takes place in the 15 micron CO2 band in the atmosphere is developed as a function of the scaled CO2 content. A spectrally averaged transmission function is defined and a scaling approximation for the absorption coefficient is calculated, as is the width of the absorption band. An assessment is made of the accuracies of the parameterized atmospheric transmittance and cooling rate. The resulting radiation parameterization is applied in a climate sensitivity study. The model is concluded useful in examining atmospheres with a variable CO2 content, with the highest accuracies being available in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere. CO2 doubling the earth's atmosphere is projected to cause a 20 percent warming in the surface temperatures and a 30 percent warming for the tripling of the CO2 content, provided the spectral range for CO2 absorption is extended from 580-760 to 540-800/cm.

Chou, M.-D.↗

Reconstruction of an infrared band of meteorological satellite imagery with abductive networks

As the current fleet of meteorological satellites age, the accuracy of the imagery sensed on a spectral channel of the image scanning system is continually and progressively degraded by noise. In time, that data may even become unusable. We describe a novel approach to the reconstruction of the noisy satellite imagery according to empirical functional relationships that tie the spectral channels together. Abductive networks are applied to automatically learn the empirical functional relationships between the data sensed on the other spectral channels to calculate the data that should have been sensed on the corrupted channel. Using imagery unaffected by noise, it is demonstrated that abductive networks correctly predict the noise-free observed data.

Singer, Harvey A.↗

Unified Wind-Wave Growth and Spectrum Functions for All Water Depths: Field Observations and Model Results

Abstract Wind-wave development is governed by the fetch- or duration-limited growth principle that is expressed as a pair of similarity functions relating the dimensionless elevation variance (wave energy) and spectral peak frequency to fetch or duration. Combining the pair of similarity functions, the fetch or duration variable can be removed to form a dimensionless function of elevation variance and spectral peak frequency, which is interpreted as the wave energy evolution with wave age. The relationship is initially developed for quasi-neural stability and quasi-steady wind forcing conditions. Further analyses show that the same fetch, duration, and wave-age similarity functions are applicable to unsteady wind forcing conditions, including rapidly accelerating and decelerating mountain gap wind episodes and tropical cyclone (TC) wind fields. Here it is shown that with the dimensionless frequency converted to dimensionless wavenumber using the surface wave dispersion relationship, the same similarity function is applicable in all water depths. Field data collected in shallow to deep waters and mild to TC wind conditions and synthetic data generated by spectrum model computations are assembled to illustrate the applicability. For the simulation work, the finite-depth wind-wave spectrum model and its shoaling function are formulated for variable spectral slopes. Given wind speed, wave age, and water depth, the measured and spectrum-computed significant wave heights and the associated growth parameters are in good agreement in forcing conditions from mild to TC winds and in all depths from deep ocean to shallow lake. Significance Statement This paper presents a growth function and spectrum model to describe wind-wave development in all water depths. Their applicability covers a wide range of wind forcing conditions including steady, accelerating, decelerating, and tropical cyclone events. Support for the unified spectrum model and growth function is presented with field observations and numerical computations.

Hwang, Paul A.↗

Effects of signal analysis parameters and noise removal on measured aircraft spectra

Special techniques must be applied when analyzing acoustic noise data from nonstationary sources such as aircraft flyover measurements. Since the Fourier transform is time dependent, the noise signal is divided into short time segments by introducing a window function so that the spectral characteristics remain reasonably stationary. Reducing the window width reduces the frequency resolution while increasing the window duration can lead to spectral smearing. A trade-off must be made between time resolution and frequency resolution. The effects of varying the window duration on narrow-band acoustic spectra and thus the frequency bin width are addressed in this study. The influence of window functions (rectangular, Hamming, etc.) are also investigated. Both a tonal noise source, XV-15 aircraft in the airplane mode, and a broadband noise source, a F-18 aircraft, are considered. When dealing with flight test data, not only is the signal nonstationary, often it is contaminated by both ambient background noise and internal noise generated by the data acquisition system and power generators. Since generator noise is highly tonal, this can be particularly troublesome when computing tone-corrected perceived noise level (PNLT). A scheme is presented in this paper to eliminate unwanted background and internal noise.

Kelly, Jeffrey J.↗

Nonlinear damping model for flexible structures

The study of nonlinear damping problem of flexible structures is addressed. Both passive and active damping, both finite dimensional and infinite dimensional models are studied. In the first part, the spectral density and the correlation function of a single DOF nonlinear damping model is investigated. A formula for the spectral density is established with O(Gamma(sub 2)) accuracy based upon Fokker-Planck technique and perturbation. The spectral density depends upon certain first order statistics which could be obtained if the stationary density is known. A method is proposed to find the approximate stationary density explicitly. In the second part, the spectral density of a multi-DOF nonlinear damping model is investigated. In the third part, energy type nonlinear damping model in an infinite dimensional setting is studied.

Zang, Weijian↗

Spectral reflectance of thin snow

A radiative transfer model was used to calculate the spectral reflectance of thin snow overlying dark soil. Model results show that directional hemispherical reflectance depends on density, grain size, and solar and viewing geometries. Measurements of thin snow spectral Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) show that the reflectance in the visible wavelengths is reduced when the sensor is near nadir yet, at a viewing zenith of 75 degrees the same snowpack will appear to be optically thick. If the snow is sufficiently thin and snow grains are large, the spectral signature of the substrate may influence snow reflectance. This phenomenon was also detected in reflectance data collected using the ground based PIDAS (Portable Instantaneous Display and Analysis Spectrometer). Concurrent airborne data from the AVIRIS instrument (Advanced Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer) show effects of thin snow and mixed pixels for areas of thin and patchy spring snow.

Nolin, Anne W.↗

Interplanetary Magnetic Field Power Spectrum Variations: A VHO Enabled Study

The newly reprocessed high time resolution (11/22 vectors/sec) Wind mission interplanetary magnetic field data and the solar wind key parameter search capability of the Virtual Heliospheric Observatory (VHO) affords an opportunity to study magnetic field power spectral density variations as a function of solar wind conditions. In the reprocessed Wind Magnetic Field Investigation (MFI) data, the spin tone and its harmonics are greatly reduced that allows the meaningful fitting of power spectra to the approx.2 Hz limit above which digitization noise becomes apparent. The power spectral density is computed and the spectral index is fitted for the MHD and ion inertial regime separately along with the break point between the two for various solar wind conditions . The time periods of fixed solar wind conditions are obtained from VHO searches that greatly simplify the process. The functional dependence of the ion inertial spectral index and break point on solar wind plasma and magnetic field conditions will be discussed

Szabo, A.↗

Interplanetary Magnetic Field Power Spectrum Variations: A VHO Enabled Study

The newly reprocessed high time resolution (11/22 vectors/sec) Wind mission interplanetary magnetic field data and the solar wind key parameter search capability of the Virtual Heliospheric Observatory (VHO) affords an opportunity to study magnetic field power spectral density variations as a function of solar wind conditions. In the reprocessed Wind Magnetic Field Investigation (MFI) data, the spin tone and its harmonics are greatly reduced that allows the meaningful fitting of power spectra to the ~2 Hz limit above which digitization noise becomes apparent. The power spectral density is computed and the spectral index is fitted for the MHD and ion inertial regime separately along with the break point between the two for various solar wind conditions. The time periods of fixed solar wind conditions are obtained from VHO searches that greatly simplify the process. The functional dependence of the ion inertial spectral index and break point on solar wind plasma and magnetic field conditions will be discussed

Szabo, A.↗

Spectral characteristics of earth-space paths at 2 and 30 FHz

Spectral characteristics of 2 and 30 GHz signals received from the Applications Technology Satellite-6 (ATS-6) are analyzed in detail at elevation angles ranging from 0 deg to 44 deg. The spectra of the received signals are characterized by slopes and break frequencies. Statistics of these parameters are presented as probability density functions. Dependence of the spectral characteristics on elevation angle is investigated. The 2 and 30 GHz spectral shapes are contrasted through the use of scatter diagrams. The results are compared with those predicted from turbulence theory. The average spectral slopes are in close agreement with theory, although the departure from the average value at any given elevation angle is quite large.

Baxter, R. A.↗

Higher-Order Statistical Moments of Predicted Sonic Boom Waveforms Through Turbulence

Sonic booms generated by supersonic aircraft are affected by turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer through which they propagate. Turbulence effects lead to random variability of the sonic boom waveforms measured on the ground, complicating the prediction of such waveforms. As an initial effort to predict the waveform variability, the solution of the coherent or mean sonic boom waveform has previously been formulated by the author. The current paper extends the formulation to derive an expression of the second-order statistical moment necessary to calculate the variance of the spectral amplitudes. Since the derivation uses a full wave equation, results using the derived expression will be compared with those obtained using a parabolic approximation. In order to fully quantify the uncertainty of our predictions, the higher order statistical moments are also formulated and are shown to be approximately zero. Consequently, the probability density function (pdf) of the spectral amplitudes is predicted to be Gaussian. The formulation is further extended to determine the pdf of the loudness of sonic booms and quantify the uncertainties associated with the loudness prediction. Results from the formulation are compared with available flight test data.

sonic booms↗

Accessing Transient Isomers in the Photoreaction of Metastable‐State Photoacid

The photoreaction of a metastable‐state photoacid (mPAH) generally involves multiple isomers with various connected pathways of photoinduced structural changes during a single reaction cycle. However, only a limited number of isomers have been identified experimentally so far owing to the inherent complexity in combination with the presence of various competing electronic and vibrational processes, as well as the constantly varying interactions between mPAH isomers and solvent molecules. Here, in this work, an optical spectroscopic study on a benzimidazole‐based mPAH, a novel photoacid using benzimidazole as the structural moiety with the active proton, is reported. Through measurements of linear absorption and steady‐state fluorescence in neat solvents and binary mixtures, a pronounced effect of neat water and its binary mixture with glycerol is discovered on the photoreaction of this benzimidazole‐mPAH, manifested by the remarkably distinct spectral responses to irradiation from that observed for an organic solution under identical conditions. Measurements of time‐ and frequency‐resolved fluorescence emission further enable to access transient isomers and the associated spectral characteristics from other competing electronic excited‐state relaxation processes. Spectral deconvolution analysis and time‐dependent density functional theory calculations are applied to separate distinct spectral components and access their potential origin.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗