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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

The ultraviolet variability of HD 45166 (qWR + B8 V) - Evidence for stellar wind radiative instabilities

High-resolution IUE spectroscopy of the low-mass qWR star HD 45166, obtained at several epochs during 1980-1988, reveals a complex pattern of variability in its stellar wind emission lines, P Cygni profiles, and highly ionized photospheric absorption spectrum. The most intensive observations, obtained during a 36 hr continuous run in February 1988, show the presence of discrete absorption components (DACs) in the C IV 1550 resonance doublet. These DACs can blend to give the appearance of a well-developed P Cygni absorption profile seen at some other times, roughly doubling the column density of the ground state C(3+) ions in the wind. In the 1988 spectra, two principal features are seen, at about -950 km/s and -750 km/s, with column densities of about 14.0 and 14.7 dex/sq cm, respectively. Both features migrate in velocity with accelerations of about 140 cm/sq sec, implying a recurrence time scale of about 1.6 days and a lifetime of about 3 days for the DACs. A striking characteristic of the acceleration is its slowness. The pattern of DAC variability in HD 45166 is similar to that found for O-type stars and provides further evidence that the DACs are not mass-conserving features but rather that a given feature is formed by different material at different times. It is concluded that the C IV DAC variability observed in HD 45166 results from structural changes in the wind arising from radiative instabilities.

Willis, Allan J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Imaging and polarimetry with the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Cloud Photopolarimeter

The objective of the Orbiter Cloud Photopolarimeter (OCPP) on board the Pioneer Venus Orbiter spacecraft is twofold: (1) to determine the physical properties, vertical and horizontal distribution and the temporal variability of the haze and cloud aerosols on Venus; and (2) to record in images made in the near ultraviolet the varying cloud morphology and the short- and long-term character of the apparent cloud motions. Early images exhibit numerous cloud features and apparent circulation patterns similar to those observed by Mariner 10 in 1974. Features of the polar regions are identified. Polarimetry measurements indicate that the main visible cloud layer of 1-micron-radius sulfuric acid droplets is covered at least in the morning terminator region with a thin haze layer consisting of submicron-size particles. The OCPP performance appears to be excellent.

Travis, L. D.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Ultraviolet and Extreme-Ultraviolet Emissions at the Flare Footpoints Observed by Atmosphere Imaging Assembly

A solar flare is composed of impulsive energy release events by magnetic reconnection, which forms and heats flare loops. Recent studies have revealed a two-phase evolution pattern of UV 1600 A emission at the feet of these loops: a rapid pulse lasting for a few seconds to a few minutes, followed by a gradual decay on timescales of a few tens of minutes. Multiple band EUV observations by the Atmosphere Imaging Assembly further reveal very similar signatures. These two phases represent different but related signatures of an impulsive energy release in the corona. The rapid pulse is an immediate response of the lower atmosphere to an intense thermal conduction flux resulting from the sudden heating of the corona to high temperatures (we rule out energetic particles due to a lack of significant hard X-ray emission). The gradual phase is associated with the cooling of hot plasma that has been evaporated into the corona. The observed footpoint emission is again powered by thermal conduction (and enthalpy), but now during a period when approximate steady-state conditions are established in the loop. UV and EUV light curves of individual pixels may therefore be separated into contributions from two distinct physical mechanisms to shed light on the nature of energy transport in a flare.We demonstrate this technique using coordinated, spatially resolved observations of UV and EUV emissions from the footpoints of a C3.2 thermal flare.

Flares↗
NASA NTRS1976

Spectroscopic far ultraviolet observations of transition zone instabilities and their possible role in a pre-flare energy build-up

Highly flare-productive newly emerging active regions are characterized by numerous small low-lying loops which frequently show a chaotic pattern. Flare activity in such a region subsides as the chaotic loop structures relax and expand into a bipolar configuration. The transition zone in such an active region is highly unstable, as shown by broadened and shifted nonthermal line profiles of medium-ionized elements like Si III, Si IV, and C IV. These transition-zone instabilities, which occur as isolated events in active regions of low flare productivity, are often observed prior to flares. Transition-zone instabilities can be traced to the footpoints of active loops and seem to be accompanied by heating of the loop. The loops vary in size and show differing degrees of activity, with the brightest and most compact ones seemingly being in a pre-flare state which results in the catastrophic energy release along the loop during a flare.

Brueckner, G. E.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Is the Linear Mode Conversion Theory Viable for Generating Kilometric Continuum?

Kilometric Continuum (KC) usually exhibits a complicated banded radiation pattern observed in frequency time spectrograms. Can the number of bands, the frequency range over which the bands are observed, and their time variation be explained with Linear Mode Conversion Theory (LMCT) using realistic plasmapause models and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) plasmaspheric observations? In this paper we compare KC observations with simulated frequency emission bands based on LMCT for a number of cases. In LMCT the allowed frequency range across the equatorial plasmapause is restricted to frequencies much greater than the electron cyclotron frequency (fce) and less than the maximum plasma frequency in this region. Fce also determines the number of allowed bands in this range. Is the observed frequency range and number of bands consistent with the predications of LMCT? Can irregularities in the shape of plasmaspheric structures like notches be observed in the time variations of KC emissions? We will investigate these and other questions. Simulated radiation patterns will be generated by ray tracing calculations in the L-O mode from the radio window at the near equatorial plasmapause. The KC observations used in this study are from the Plasma Wave Instrument on the Geotail spacecraft and from the Radio Plasma Imager on the IMAGE spacecraft. The plasmasphere and plasmapause will be derived either from plasmasphere simulations, from images by the EUV imager on the IMAGE spacecraft, and by using empirical models. In situ plasma density measurements from a number of spacecraft will also be used in order to reconstruct the plasmasphere for these case studies.

Boardsen, Scott A.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Characterization of Ionospheric Flow Patterns During Times of Unusual Auroral Activity Using DE and DMSP Data

This final report describes the work done by Dr. Marc Hairston and Dr. Rod Heelis on NASA SR&T grant NAGW-4411 studying the theta aurora using DE-1 ultraviolet imager data and DMSP particle data. This report covers the period from summer 1995 through summer 1996 along with a review of the previous work. Previous work on this grant looked at the time period from the launch of DMSP-F8 in June 1987 through the end of mission of DE-1 in summer 1991. Despite the sporadic and decreasing frequency of observations from DE-1 over this time period, we were able to identify six events for study where the DE-1 imager observed a theta aurora occurring during a period in which the DMSP-F8 satellite flew through the region of the aurora at an altitude of 800 km. We focused on the best two events where the theta aurora persisted for an extended period so that we could observe the DMSP particle signatures in both the hemisphere observed by DE-1 and in the other polar hemisphere immediately before or afterwards. These results were presented at the Fall 1994 meeting of the AGU. Initially we had hoped to expand on this work. However, further work showed that none of these events gave a clear enough signature in the DMSP data for us to identify a theta aurora in the hemisphere opposite to the hemisphere imaged by DE-1. Without that, there were no results from this work that were new enough to warrant publication. So instead we used the final year of the grant to work with our colleague, J. A. Cumnock on a similar project using DE data to study the evolution of theta auroras as a function of the IMF A paper from that work was published which acknowledged this grant and a copy of that paper is included with this final report.

Hairston, Marc↗
NASA NTRS2000

In Search of Sun-Climate Connection Using Solar Irradiance Measurements and Climate Records

The Earth's temperature has risen approximately 0.5 degree-C in the last 150 years. Because the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased nearly 30% since the industrial revolution, a common conjecture, supported by various climate models, is that anthropogenic greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming. Another probable factor for the warming is the natural variation of solar irradiance. Although the variation is as small as 0.1 % it is hypothesized that it contributes to part of the temperature rise. Warmer or cooler ocean temperature at one part of the Globe may manifest as abnormally wet or dry weather patterns some months or years later at another part of the globe. Furthermore, the lower atmosphere can be affected through its coupling with the stratosphere, after the stratospheric ozone absorbs the ultraviolet portion of the solar irradiance. In this paper, we use wavelet transforms based on Morlet wavelet to analyze the time-frequency properties in several datasets, including the Radiation Budget measurements, the long-term total solar irradiance time series, the long-term temperature at two locations for the North and the South Hemisphere. The main solar cycle, approximately 11 years, are identified in the long-term total solar irradiance time series. The wavelet transform of the temperature datasets show annual cycle but not the solar cycle. Some correlation is seen between the length of the solar cycle extracted from the wavelet transform and the North Hemisphere temperature time series. The absence of the 11-year cycle in a time series does not necessarily imply that the geophysical parameter is not affected by the solar cycle; rather it simply reflects the complex nature of the Earth's response to climate forcings.

Kiang, Richard K.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Inner Magnetospheric Electric Fields Derived from IMAGE EUV

The local and global patterns of plasmaspheric plasma transport reflect the influence of electric fields imposed by all sources in the inner magnetosphere. Image sequences of thermal plasma G:istribution obtained from the IMAGE Mission Extreme Ultraviolet Imager can be used to derive plasma motions and, using a magnetic field model, the corresponding electric fields. These motions and fields directly reflect the dynamic coupling of injected plasmasheet plasma and the ionosphere, in addition to solar wind and atmospheric drivers. What is being learned about the morphology of inner magnetospheric electric fields during storm and quite conditions from this new empirical tool will be presented and discussed.

Gallagher, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Investigating Zonal Asymmetries in Stratospheric Ozone Trends From Satellite Limb Observations and a Chemical Transport Model

This study investigates the origin of a zonal asymmetry in stratospheric ozone trends at northern high latitudes, identified in satellite limb observations over the past two decades. We use a merged data set consisting of ozone profiles retrieved at the University of Bremen from SCIAMACHY and OMPS-LP measurements to derive ozone trends. We also use TOMCAT chemical transport model (CTM) simulations, forced by ERA5 reanalyses, to investigate the factors that drive the asymmetry observed in the long-term changes. By studying seasonally and longitudinally resolved observation-based ozone trends, we find, especially during spring, a well-pronounced asymmetry at polar latitudes with values up to +6 % per decade over Greenland and −5 % per decade over western Russia. The control CTM simulation agrees well with these observed trends, whereas sensitivity simulations indicate that chemical mechanisms involved in the production and removal of ozone, or their changes, are unlikely to explain the observed behavior. The decomposition of TOMCAT ozone time series and ERA5 geopotential height into the first two wavenumber components shows a clear correlation between the two variables in the middle stratosphere and demonstrates a weakening and a shift in the wavenumber-1 planetary wave activity over the past two decades. Finally, the analysis of the polar vortex position and strength points to a decadal oscillation with a reversal pattern at the beginning of the century. The same is found in the ozone trend asymmetry. This further stresses the link between changes in the polar vortex position and the identified ozone trend pattern.

Instrumentation↗
NASA NTRS1977

Cloud effects on middle ultraviolet global radiation

An Eppley radiometer and a Robertson-Berger sunburn meter are employed along with an all-sky camera setup to study cloud effects on middle ultraviolet global radiation at the ground level. Semiempirical equations to allow for cloud effects presented in previous work are compared with the experimental data. The study suggests a means of defining eigenvectors of cloud patterns and correlating them with the radiation at the ground level.

Borkowski, J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Modeling the Variability of the BL Lacertae Object PKS 2155-304

The bright X-ray-selected BL Lacertae object PKS 2155-304 has been the target of two intense multi-wavelength campaigns in 1991 November and in 1994 May. Although the spectral energy distributions at both epochs were quite similar, the source exhibited two very distinct variability patterns that cannot be easily reconciled with homogeneous one-zone C7 jet models. During the first epoch the variability was almost achromatic in amplitude, with a time lag between X-rays and ultraviolet radiation (UV) of approximately three hours, while during the second epoch the variability amplitude increased as a function of wavelength with the EUV flare peaking approximately one day after the X-ray flare. We model the source using a time-dependent inhomogeneous accelerating jet model. We reproduce the general characteristics of the different variability signatures by assuming that plasma disturbances with different physical properties propagate downstream in an underlying jet characterized by the same set of physical parameters at both epochs. A time delay of approximately one day between the hardening of the UV spectral index and the UV flux present at both epochs is modeled with stochastic fluctuations in the particle acceleration manifested through small variations of the maximum energy of the injected electrons. We predict that similar time delays will be present in future observations even in the absence of strong variability event. We stress the importance of observations at neighboring frequencies as a diagnostic tool for the structure of the quiescent jet in blazars especially in the seemingly dull case in which strong variability is absent.

Georganopuolos, Markos↗
NASA NTRS2005

GRB 050717: A Long, Short-Lag Burst Observed by Swift and Konus

The long burst GRB 050717 was observed simultaneously by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on Swift and the Konus instrument on Wind. Significant hard to soft spectral evolution was seen. Early gamma-ray and X-ray emission was detected by both BAT and the X-Ray Telescope (XRT) on Swift. The XRT continued to observe the burst for 7.1 days and detect it for 1.4 days. The X-ray light curve showed a classic decay pattern including evidence of the onset of the external shock emission at approx. 50 s after the trigger; the afterglow was too faint for a jet break to be detected. No optical, infrared or ultraviolet counterpart was discovered despite deep searches within 14 hours of the burst. The spectral lag for GRB 050717 was determined to be 2.5 +/- 2.6 ms, consistent, with zero and unusually short for a long burst. This lag measurement suggests that this burst has a high intrinsic luminosity and hence is at high redshift (z > 2.7). 050717 provides a good example of classic prompt and afterglow behavior for a gamma-ray burst.

Krimm, H. A.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The equatorial airglow and the ionospheric geomagnetic anomaly

OGO D observations of OI (6300A) emissions reveal a global pattern in the equatorial airglow undetected from the ground-based observations. The post sunset emission rate of OI is generally asymmetrical with respect to the geomagnetic equator and shows no apparent correlation with the ultraviolet airglow (OI 1304 and 1356A) and F region electron density measured simultaneously from the same spacecraft. Both the ultraviolet airglow and the ion density measured in the altitude region of 450 km follow similar latitudinal variations and exhibit properties of the equatorial ionospheric anomaly. The asymmetry in OI emission can be attributed to the asymmetry in the height of the F 2 maximum inferred from the height of the maximum emission. From correlative studies of the airglow and the ionospheric measurements, the mechanisms for the ultraviolet and the 6300A emission are discussed in terms of the processes involving radiative and dissociative recombinations. A relationship between molecular oxygen density and the integrated OI emission rate is derived and the feasibility of using this relationship for estimating O2 density is discussed.

Chandra, S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Reflectance of vegetation, soil, and water

The author has identified the following significant results. The ability to read the 24-channel MSS CCT tapes, select specified agricultural land use areas from the CCT, and perform multivariate statistical and pattern recognition analyses has been demonstrated. The 5 optimum channels chosen for classifying an agricultural scene were, in the order of their selection the far red visible, short reflective IR, visible blue, thermal infrared, and ultraviolet portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, respectively. Although chosen by a training set containing only vegetal categories, the optimum 4 channels discriminated pavement, water, bare soil, and building roofs, as well as the vegetal categories. Among the vegetal categories, sugar cane and cotton had distinctive signatures that distinguished them from grass and citrus. Acreages estimated spectrally by the computer for the test scene were acceptably close to acreages estimated from aerial photographs for cotton, sugar cane, and water. Many nonfarmable land resolution elements representing drainage ditch, field road, and highway right-of-way as well as farm headquarters area fell into the grass, bare soil plus weeds, and citrus categories and lessened the accuracy of the farmable acreage estimates in these categories. The expertise developed using the 24-channel data will be applied to the ERTS-1 data.

Wiegand, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

The evolution of chromospheric activity and the spin-down of solar-type stars

IUE data for 31 solar-type stars are compared with observations of T Tauri stars in order to determine whether the pattern of main sequence chromospheric decay shown by stars older than about 100 million yr extends back to ages of 100 million yr appropriate for T Tauri stars. An analysis of the time decay of stellar ultraviolet and X-ray emission establishes a relationship between emission level and axial rotation, which is expressed in terms of the Rossby parameter. It is shown that the intensity of ultraviolet chromospheric and transition region lines of solar-type stars declines with age. The activity-age relation for main sequence stars older than about 100 million yr is fitted best by an exponential law whose rate of falloff with age depends on temperature.

Simon, T.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Identification of 1980S27 and 1980S26 resonances in Saturn's A ring

The Voyager 2 ultraviolet spectrometer observation of a stellar occultation by Saturn's rings contains evidence for features associated with at least 31 resonances due to the F ring shepherd satellites 1980S27 and 1980S26. A limited analysis of density wave patterns associated with eight of these resonances yields surface mass densities for the A ring consistent with previous estimates.

Holberg, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Ultraviolet Photooxidation of Smectite-Bound Fe(II) and Implications for the Origin of Martian Nontronites

Clay minerals detected with orbital and in situ instruments in ancient Martian terrains constrain Mars' climate and aqueous alteration history. Early in its history, Mars experienced an atmospheric redox change and iron-bearing clay minerals may preserve the effects of that transition. Ferrous smectites, the thermodynamically predicted product of chemical weathering of basalts under anoxic conditions, may have undergone oxidation by exposure to chemical oxidants in the atmosphere or regolith, or by direct photooxidation at the surface. To assess these potential oxidation pathways, ferrous trioctahedral smectites of varying initial iron content were synthesized and subjected to oxidation by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Experimental UV irradiation under an anoxic atmosphere equivalent to approximately 7 years of flux on the Martian surface caused partial oxidation of smectite-bound Fe (Fe3+/ΣFe = 16–18%) and octahedral sheet contraction. Metal-OH vibrational bands in visible/near infrared (VNIR) reflectance spectra of oxidized smectites changed in band depth and asymmetry with higher iron content. X-ray diffraction patterns of UV irradiated samples indicate the formation of a mixed di- and trioctahedral smectite or a secondary nontronite phase, possibly on the surfaces of higher iron content smectites. These experiments suggest that UV irradiation is able to oxidize structurally bound iron in smectites without the presence of other chemical oxidants. Photooxidation may have influenced the mineralogy, both syndepositionally and postdepositionally, of Martian alteration assemblages formed near the surface and this process needs not be limited to one part of their formation history. Plain Language Summary: Martian mineral assemblages observed with orbiters and rover instruments allow us to understand the planet's past climate and aqueous activity. Hydrated minerals that contain Fe(II) are of particular interest as they would have been affected by the early atmosphere becoming more oxidizing overtime, changing the structural iron into Fe(III). In this study, we synthesized Fe(II) smectites with varying iron content and irradiated them with an ultraviolet (UV) light source to test whether they could be photooxidized. Iron in the smectite minerals was incompletely oxidized by UV radiation after being exposed for the equivalent of approximately 7 years of exposure on the early Mars surface. The smectites with higher iron content showed more changes with photooxidation in their visible/near infrared spectra as well as in their X-ray diffraction patterns, two datasets collected by instruments on currently active Martian missions. These results suggest that UV photooxidation is a plausible contributor to the mineralogy and redox state of clay mineral assemblages observed at the Martian surface.

V. B. Rivera Banuchi↗
NASA NTRS1989

Interstellar gas and large grains toward HD 38087

High-dispersion IUE spectra have been obtained of HD 38087, a star associated with reflection nebulosity where 2175 A scattering has previously been observed. The presence of 2175 A in emission implies unusually large grains, an attempt was made to see how these unusual grains may have affected the depletions of gas-phase elements onto dust in the line of sight. Even though the observed scattering region constitutes only a fraction of the total column density of dust, it is expected that the present line-of-sight analysis provides useful information on the gas and dust in the scattering nebulosity. Somewhat larger overall depletions than normal are found, and it is found that the depletions of certain elements (manganese and zinc) are enhanced relative to the normal pattern of element-to-element depletions, suggesting that grain growth has occurred with some elements sticking to grains preferentially. The molecular fraction in the line of sight is low, in accord with similar lines of sight having low far-ultraviolet extinction and large depletions.

Snow, Theodore P.↗