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NASA NTRS2010

2009 Goose Bay Experiment Ocean Measurements: Data - Part 1

During late February and early March 2009, a field experiment was performed using the NASA P3 over the Labrador Sea. During this experiment, expendable probes deployed from the aircraft acquired ocean mixed layer temperature, salinity and currents Probes were deployed during three flights of the four. Overall 7 AXBTs, 15 AXCTDs and 7 AXCPs were deployed with a success rate of nearly 70%. This is much lower than expected based on prior experience deploying from other aircraft. But given the difficulties associated with the Pneumatic Sonobuoy Launch Tube mechanism on the NASA P3, this rate likely can be improved significantly by using a different deployment mechanism. Additionally, two sets of collocated measurements of AXBTs, AXCPs and AXCTDs were made to verify the drop rates and measurements of the old AXBTs. While there were differences in the measurements, the old AXCTDs are performing well. The expendable data from the experiment are compared to the Argo profiles in the region to check for consistency. Comparisons indicate all the expendable probes acquired useful data and are well within the range of values measured by Argo floats.

Jacob, S. Daniel↗

NASA NTRS1998

[MODIS Investigation]

The objective of the last six months were: (1) Continue analysis of Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) bio-optical mooring data, and Southern Ocean bio-optical drifter data; (2) Complete development of documentation of MOCEAN algorithms and software for use by MOCEAN team and GLI team; (3) Deploy instrumentation during JGOFS cruises in the Southern Ocean; (4) Participate in test cruise for Fast Repetition Rate (FRR) fluorometer; (5) Continue chemostat experiments on the relationship of fluorescence quantum yield to environmental factors; and (6) Continue to develop and expand browser-based information system for in situ bio-optical data. We are continuing to analyze bio-optical data collected at the Hawaii Ocean Time Series mooring as well as data from bio-optical drifters that were deployed in the Southern Ocean. A draft manuscript has now been prepared and is being revised. A second manuscript is also in preparation that explores the vector wind fields derived from NSCAT measurements. The HOT bio-optical mooring was recovered in December 1997. After retrieving the data, the sensor package was serviced and redeployed. We have begun preliminary analysis of these data, but we have only had the data for 3 weeks. However, all of the data were recovered, and there were no obvious anomalies. We will add second sensor package to the mooring when it is serviced next spring. In addition, Ricardo Letelier is funded as part of the SeaWiFS calibration/validation effort (through a subcontract from the University of Hawaii, Dr. John Porter), and he will be collecting bio-optical and fluorescence data as part of the HOT activity. This will provide additional in situ measurements for MODIS validation. As noted in the previous quarterly report, we have been analyzing data from three bio-optical drifters that were deployed in the Southern Ocean in September 1996. We presented results on chlorophyll and drifter speed. For the 1998 Ocean Sciences meeting, a paper will be presented on this data set, focusing on the diel variations in fluorescence quantum yield. Briefly, there are systematic patterns in the apparent quantum yield of fluorescence (defined as the slope of the line relating fluorescence/chlorophyll and incoming solar radiation). These systematic variations appear to be related to changes in the circulation of the Antarctic Polar Front which force nutrients into the upper ocean. A more complete analysis will be provided in the next Quarterly report.

Abbott, Mark R.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study

The Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study (AOSWTS) is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to understand and facilitate the transmission of electricity from wind in the Atlantic Ocean. It was informed by the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Literature Review and Gaps Analysis (Bothwell et al. 2021) and the convening workshops hosted in 2022-2023 by DOE and the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The study results help to inform An Action Plan for Offshore Wind Transmission Development in the U.S. Atlantic Region (Baker et al. 2023). DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office funded AOSWTS. The AOSWTS identifies and evaluates pathways to enable offshore wind energy deployment in the Atlantic Ocean through coordinated offshore transmission solutions in the near term (by 2030) and long term (by 2050). The study fills gaps in prior analyses by providing a multiregional planning perspective that evaluates offshore wind generation development with transmission planning. It incorporates environmental, ocean co-use, and other siting considerations into defining potential offshore transmission routes. The study also compares different multiregional offshore transmission topologies and their associated costs (using potential cable routes) and benefits (in terms of production cost savings and enhanced resource adequacy). In addition, the AOSWTS analyzes reliability impacts from a multiregional perspective. The study provides guidance for policymakers and transmission stakeholders on possible outcomes resulting from a proactive, coordinated, and interregional approach to transmission planning for offshore wind energy development in the Atlantic. While this study presents possibilities, additional work following system operator methods and procedures can help build on this analysis.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study: Executive Summary

17 WIND ENERGY↗

NASA NTRS1994

Optical Rain Gauge Performance: Second Workshop on Optical Rain Gauge Measurements

The primary focus of the workshop was on the performance and reliability of STi mini-Optical Rain Gauges in a number of environments, including deployments on ships and buoys in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean during the TOGA/COARE field experiment, deployments on buoys in U.S. coastal waters, and comparisons with other types of rain gauges on the Virginia coast and in Florida. The workshop was attended by 20 investigators, representing 10 different institutions, who gathered to present new results obtained since the first workshop (April 1993), to discuss problems, to consider solutions, and to chart future directions. Post-TOGA/COARE calibration studies were also presented.

Short, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Convection and Easterly Waves Observed in the Eastern Pacific ITCZ During EPIC2001

During the last three weeks of September 2001, the East Pacific Investigation of Climate Processes in the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere System (EPIC2001) intensive field campaign focused on studies of deep convection in the ITCZ-cold tongue complex over the Mexican warm-pool region (10 deg. N 95 deg. W) of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Major observational platforms deployed during this phase of EPIC2001 included two ships, the NOAA R/V Ronald H. Brown and the NSF R/V Horizon, and two research aircraft including a NOAA P-3 and the NCAR C-130. This study utilizes new C-band Doppler radar and sounding observations collected aboard the R/V Ronald Brown to describe the 4-D structure of ITCZ convection as a function of the environmental forcing and phase of 3-5 day easterly wave passages. Three distinct easterly wave passages occurred during EPIC2001. Each wave originated in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and after moving over Central America and into the eastern Pacific, were easily identified in time-height profiles of wind and thermodynamic data collected at the position of the R/V Brown. In all cases, the wave trough axes (as defined by changes in the meridional and zonal wind direction and changes in pressure altitude) exhibited relatively weak shear at low to mid-levels and tilted westward with height. The humidity profile in each wave did not exhibit as great a tilt in the vertical as the trough axes. Consistent with previous studies of westward tilting waves over the western Pacific Ocean, peaks in radar diagnosed rainfall tended to lead the passage of the surface wave trough by 0-2 days.

Petersen, Walter A.↗

NASA NTRS2022

Going to Extremes: Architecting Holographic Microscopes for Extreme Environments

Bacterial life exists on earth in extreme environments. These are environments described by large temperature excur- sions, large pressure excursions, and large radiation excursions from the nominal conditions near sea level which are largely populated by humans. These extreme locales represent such places as the ocean ice, the briny pools of Death Valley and deep mines, the acidic hot springs of the High Sierra or Yellowstone, or even the clouds of our upper atmosphere. The preponderance of bacterial life in these extreme environments here on earth suggests that bacterial life might likely exist in the extreme environments of our own solar system, such as the icy moons of Europa or Enceladus. Thus, architecting instruments for detect- ing life in these extreme environments on earth builds confidence that we can architect such instruments for flight missions. In this paper, we discuss our experience with designing digital holo- graphic microscope instruments to enable detection of bacteria in several extreme environments. In particular we discuss three different instruments. The first is our field instrument which is a small, portable instrument for examination of remote sites. The second is submersible instrument which enables exploration of deep aquatic environments and is deployed on a ocean-going drone. The third is a balloon-borne instrument to examine the bacterial content of the upper atmosphere. We will provide a review of each instrument and discuss aspects of instrument engineering for each particular application.

Ramirez, Alex↗

DOE OSTI2022

Aircraft Observations of Turbulence in Cloudy and Cloud-Free Boundary Layers Over the Western North Atlantic Ocean From ACTIVATE and Implications for the Earth System Model Evaluation and Development

This study examines boundary layer turbulence derived from high temporal resolution meteorological measurements from 40 research flights over the western North Atlantic Ocean during the 2020 deployments of ACTIVATE. Frequency distributions of various turbulent quantities reveal stronger turbulence during the winter deployment than in summer and for cloud‐topped than in cloud‐free boundary layers during the summer deployment. Maximum turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) is most often within cloud from observations in winter and summer, whereas it is mostly below cloud in both seasons by a global model turbulence parameterization. Further, bivariate frequency distributions are consistent with the bivariate Gaussian probability distribution functions assumed for the closure of higher‐order turbulence/shallow convection parameterizations used by some global models. Turbulence simulated by the Community Atmosphere Model version 6 and the Energy Exascale Earth System Model Atmosphere Model version 2 using such parameterizations is not as strong as observed, with more TKE going into vertical wind perturbations rather than into zonal wind perturbations as observed, suggesting that the treatment of turbulence in Earth system models still needs to be further improved.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1981

Observations and models of inertial waves in the deep ocean

A study of the structure of the inertial peak in deep ocean kinetic energy is presented, based on records taken from Polymode arrays deployed in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Results are interpreted in terms of both local sources and turning point effects on internal waves generated at lower latitudes, and it is found that three classes of environment and their corresponding spectra emerge from peak height variations: (1) the 1500-m level near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with the greatest peak height of 18 dB; (2) the upper and deep ocean over rough topography and the deep ocean underneath the Gulf Stream, with the intermediate peak height of 11.5 dB; and (3) the deep ocean over smooth topography, with the lowest peak height of 7.5 dB. Using the globally valid wave functions obtained by Munk and Phillips (1968), frequency spectra near f are calculated numerically. The model is latitudinally dependent, with the frequency shift and bandwidth of the inertial peak decreasing with latitude.

Fu, L.-L.↗

DOE OSTI2020

A High-resolution Regional Wave Resource Characterization For The U.S. West Coast

Objectives/Scope: Wave resource characterization is a critical step for wave energy converter deployment in the coastal ocean and relies on long-term, high-resolution wave datasets. This study presents a detailed modeling study of the wave resource along the U.S. West Coast (Washington, Oregon, and California), a coastal region that was identified with high wave energy potential in earlier studies. Methods, Procedures, Process: The wave hindcast covers a 32-year period from 1979 to 2010 and is based on a multi-resolution, unstructured-grid SWAN model framework. Model configuration closely follows and meets the requirements recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical Specification (IEC TS) for wave energy resource assessment and characterization (Class 2 - feasibility study). The model domain covers the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the West Coast and has a spatial resolution varying from ~300 m in the nearshore region (20 km from the shoreline) to ~2500 m within the EEZ and ~5000 m at the open boundary, which extends beyond the EEZ. The model was forced by hourly 2-D wave spectra produced by a two-way nested WaveWatch III model, which covers the global ocean domain and the broader U.S. West Coast region domain with spatial resolutions of 0.5 degree and 10 arc-minutes, respectively. Both wave models are forced by hourly, 0.5-degree wind forcing obtained from NCEP’s Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) product. Results, Observations, Conclusions: The standard model output for the SWAN model includes 3-hourly output for the six IEC wave resource parameters (e.g., omnidirectional wave power) at each grid point and hourly 2-D spectra at more than 50 NDBC buoys. Extensive model validation was achieved by comparing the six model-predicted IEC parameters with those derived from field observations at representative NDBC buoys. The error statistics indicated the model’s satisfactory performance. Further analyses were conducted to systematically evaluate the temporal and spatial distributions of wave energy potential and wave climate along the U.S. West Coast. Results suggest that Washington and Oregon coasts have similar nearshore wave resource, which is significantly higher than resources in Southern California. Strong seasonal variations are also observed, e.g., high wave energy tends to occur in the winter months. In summary, this study produced the first high-resolution, comprehensive dataset on wave energy distribution along the U.S. West Coast. Novel/Additive Information: The results are being used by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to update the MHK Atlas, which was originally derived from NOAA’s 4-arc-minute WaveWatch III model output. In addition, the monthly averaged wave energy climatology dataset can be readily shared to support a variety of research and application efforts within the EEZ of the U.S. West Coast.

Wang, Taiping↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Variations in radiative heating of humid biomass burning aerosols in the southeast Atlantic from airborne observations and reanalysis

The atmosphere over the southeast Atlantic Ocean (SEA) experiences consistent springtime biomass burning (BB) smoke from widespread agricultural fires on the African continent. This smoke layer is initially lofted high in a continental mixed layer (~5-6km) and is then transported westward into the free troposphere where it overlies and ultimately mixes into a stratocumulus-topped oceanic boundary layer. Coincident with this smoke is an elevated humidity signal which is present from the time a given airmass is over the continental source region. ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) was a NASA Earth Venture Suborbital mission with the goal of measuring aerosol, cloud, and atmospheric properties over this region over three deployments in September 2016, August 2017, and October 2018. Measurements included in situ profile measurements of aerosol physical and optical properties, trace gas concentrations, and cloud properties, as well as column measurements of aerosol optical depth and trace gas concentrations from an airborne sun photometer. Here we present results from each of the ORACLES deployments over the southeast Atlantic Ocean. Despite the differing locations and season of each deployment, we show that there is good agreement between the airborne ORACLES dataset and large-scale reanalyses, specifically the ECMWF ERA5 reanalyses (and, to a degree, the CAMS product) as compared to other available products. This agreement allows us to examine multi-year seasonal patterns and trends beyond the three months with available aircraft data. In both the data and reanalysis, we find distinct variations between each deployment in terms of vertical smoke distribution and correlation to atmospheric specific humidity, due to changing conditions over the BB season. We trace the origin and the history of these smoky airmasses and finally, we briefly discuss the broader radiative and dynamical implications of these results for conditions of aerosols overlying stratocumulus clouds.

K. Pistone↗

DOE OSTI2020

Multi-resolution, Multi-scale Modeling for Scalable Macroalgae Production

Macroalgae harvested along coastlines and in the open ocean has traditionally been used as food for human consumption, animal feed, and fertilizer. The U.S. ARPA-E MARINER Program estimates that the nation has suitable conditions and geography to produce at least 500 million dry metric tons of macroalgae per year, yielding approximately 2.7 quadrillion BTUs of energy in the form of liquid fuel, which is roughly 10% of the nation’s annual transportation energy demand. Adverse environmental effects of nutrient overload and ocean acidification may also be reduced by large-scale macroalgae cultivation in many coastal ocean regions. However, the successful deployment of large-scale marine macroalgae farms for fuel production depends on ambient hydrodynamic conditions and nutrient availability, as well as their interactions with macroalgae farm structures. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory led an ARPA-E MARINER project to develop a set of numerical modeling tools capable of simulating ocean hydrodynamic and biogeochemical processes, macroalgae trajectories for free-floating systems, macroalgae growth and biomass yields, and hydrodynamic load on macroalgae canopies and farm structures using a multi-resolution and multi-scale approach. This set of modeling tools provides a suite of information essential for system design, optimal project siting, risk analysis, and management of macroalgae production systems in the ocean. Better clarity can also help macroalgae system developers reduce deployment costs, operational risk, and potential impacts on the local marine environment.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS2018

A13H-2546: Intercomparison of biomass burning aerosol properties from in-situ and remote-sensing instruments in ORACLES-2016

The magnitude of the cumulative effects of aerosols, both directly and on cloud properties, remains the biggest source of uncertainty in our understanding of anthropogenic radiative forcing on the climate. The magnitude of aerosol effects in any given region will depend on not just the aerosol concentration, but also on the characteristics of the aerosol under consideration. The NASA ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) campaign was conducted in 2016-2018 over three deployments in the Southeast Atlantic Ocean (SEA), with the goal of making observations of seasonal biomass burning (BB) smoke plumes overlying persistent stratocumulus cloud decks. During the first ORACLES deployment (September 2016), two NASA aircraft (a P-3 and an ER-2) were flown with a suite of aerosol, cloud, radiation, and meteorological instruments for remote-sensing and in-situ observations. In ORACLES, data collected by eight different instrument teams are used to derive aerosol properties over this region by independent methods. Here we present a comparison of results from the different instrument retrievals with a focus on the measures of aerosol absorption. We focus on specific cases with near-coincident measurements from in-situ (PSAP or PTI for aerosol absorption combined with a nephelometer for aerosol scattering) and remote sensing (4STAR, AirMSPI, RSP, and SSFR) instruments from coordinated flights between the two aircraft. We use the single scattering albedo (SSA), a measure of the relative absorption versus total extinction by aerosols, as the main comparable property between the various remote sensing and in-situ methods. For the remote sensing instruments, we see general good agreement in the total aerosol loading (aerosol optical depth, AOD), though see some differences in the absorbing component (AAOD). We report values for the retrieved aerosol parameters measured in the ORACLES flights and comment upon the observed variability between different instruments. Finally, we discuss these ORACLES results in the context of previous measurements of BB aerosol over the SEA.

Kristina Pistone↗

DOE OSTI2021

Initial testing of wave energy powered UV-C LED anti-biofouling system (CRADA 523)

3newable is requesting technical assistance for laboratory testing at the Marine and Coastal Research (MCRL) Laboratory of a UV-C LED anti-biofouling system. Ocean observing sensors provide critical data sources from deployed buoys and other platforms at sea. However, in addition to the availability of reliable power sources, biofouling of sensors and instruments is a limiting factor for operation and maintenance of deployed instruments. In collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Ocean Observatories Initiative, 3newable has developed a novel solution to overcome these challenges and extend the deployment period of buoy-mounted sensors. The 3newable system co-locates wave energy converters to supply UV-C LED anti-biofouling units on powered buoy arrays. MCRL staff will implement an experiment to evaluate the efficacy of 3newable’s device under test for inhibiting growth of organisms on test coupons in a flow through seawater tank.

42 ENGINEERING↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Rideshare Tensegrity Rover Concept to Explore Titan's Lands and Oceans

The Tension Adjustable Network for Deploying Entry Membrane (TANDEM) tensegrity robot is redesigned for a mission to Titan. Focus is on the design of the aeroshell and the use of tensegrity algorithm to optimize the configuration and loading of the tensegrity structure within the aeroshell.

N Deitrich↗

NASA NTRS2022

A Rideshare Tensegrity Rover Concept to Explore Titan’s Lands and Oceans

The Tension Adjustable Network for Deploying Entry Membrane (TANDEM) concept is a phase II NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) project. One of the goals for this project was to extend the application of tensegrity-based rovers to a rideshare concept for a Titan mission. This report provides preliminary details of the TANDEM concept for Titan. System analyses of the entry vehicle were performed and compared to data from the Huygens mission to Titan. The entry aeroshell was based on Huygens and Stardust aeroshells. Modeling, simulation and design of the tensegrity deployment were performed using a nonlinear optimization form-finding algorithm. Lastly, a neuroevolution-based machine learning control strategy was applied, which produced efficient rolling locomotion gaits.

tensegrity↗

NASA NTRS1995

Ocean observations with EOS/MODIS: Algorithm development and post launch studies

Several significant accomplishments were made during the present reporting period. (1) Initial simulations to understand the applicability of the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) 1380 nm band for removing the effects of stratospheric aerosols and thin cirrus clouds were completed using a model for an aged volcanic aerosol. The results suggest that very simple procedures requiring no a priori knowledge of the optical properties of the stratospheric aerosol may be as effective as complex procedures requiring full knowledge of the aerosol properties, except the concentration which is estimated from the reflectance at 1380 nm. The limitations of this conclusion will be examined in the next reporting period; (2) The lookup tables employed in the implementation of the atmospheric correction algorithm have been modified in several ways intended to improve the accuracy and/or speed of processing. These have been delivered to R. Evans for implementation into the MODIS prototype processing algorithm for testing; (3) A method was developed for removal of the effects of the O2 'A' absorption band from SeaWiFS band 7 (745-785 nm). This is important in that SeaWiFS imagery will be used as a test data set for the MODIS atmospheric correction algorithm over the oceans; and (4) Construction of a radiometer, and associated deployment boom, for studying the spectral reflectance of oceanic whitecaps at sea was completed. The system was successfully tested on a cruise off Hawaii on which whitecaps were plentiful during October-November. This data set is now under analysis.

Gordon, Howard R.↗

NASA NTRS2004

The Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites (CLAMS) Experiment

NASA has developed an Earth Observing System (EOS) consisting of a series of satellites designed to study global change from space. The EOS flagship is the EOS TERRA satellite, launched in December 1999, equipped with five unique sensors to monitor and study the Earth s heat budget and many of the key controlling variables governing the Earth's climate system. CLAMS, the Chesapeake Lighthouse and Aircraft Measurements for Satellites field campaign was conducted from NASA Wallops Flight Facility and successfully executed over the middle Atlantic eastern seaboard from July 10 August 2, 2001. CLAMS is primarily a shortwave closure experiment designed to validate and improve EOS TERRA satellite data products being derived from three sensors: CERES (Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System), MISR (Multi-angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer) and MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). CLAMS is jointly sponsored by the CERES, MISR and MODIS instrument teams and the NASA GEWEX Global Aerosol Climatology Project (GACP). CLAMS primary objectives are to validate satellite-based retrievals of aerosol properties and vertical profiles of radiative flux, temperature and water vapor. Central to CLAMS measurement strategy is the Chesapeake Lighthouse, a stable sea platform located in the Atlantic Ocean, 13 miles east of Virginia Beach near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and the site of an ongoing CERES Ocean Validation Experiment (COVE). Six research aircraft were deployed to make detailed measurements of the atmosphere and ocean surface in the vicinity of COVE, over the surrounding ocean, over nearby NOAA buoys and over a few land sites. The measurements are used to validate and provide ground truth for simultaneous products being derived from TERRA data, a key step toward an improved understanding and ability to predict changes in the Earth's climate. One of the two CERES instruments on-board TERRA was programmed for Rotating Azimuth Plane Scans (RAPS) during CLAMS, increasing the CERES coverage over COVE by a factor of 10. Nine coordinated aircraft missions and numerous additional sorties were flown under a variety of atmospheric conditions and aerosol loadings. On one golden day, July 17, all six aircraft flew coordinated patterns, vertically stacked between 100 ft and 65,000 ft over the COVE site as the TERRA satellite orbited overhead. A summary of CLAMS measurement campaign and a description of the platforms and measurements is given.

Smith, William L., Jr.↗