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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 NTRS1984

Inversion algorithms for the microwave remote sensing of soil moisture. Experiments with swept frequency microwaves

Two experiments were performed employing swept frequency microwaves for the purpose of investigating the reflectivity from soil volumes containing both discontinuous and continuous changes in subsurface soil moisture content. Discontinuous moisture profiles were artificially created in the laboratory while continuous moisture profiles were induced into the soil of test plots by the environment of an agricultural field. The reflectivity for both the laboratory and field experiments was measured using bi-static reflectometers operated over the frequency ranges of 1.0 to 2.0 GHz and 4.0 to 8.0 GHz. Reflectivity models that considered the discontinuous and continuous moisture profiles within the soil volume were developed and compared with the results of the experiments. This comparison shows good agreement between the smooth surface models and the measurements. In particular the comparison of the smooth surface multi-layer model for continuous moisture profiles and the yield experiment measurements points out the sensitivity of the specular component of the scattered electromagnetic energy to the movement of moisture in the soil.

Hancock, G. D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Resolution Enhancement of Spaceborne Radiometer Images

Our progress over the last year has been along several dimensions: 1. Exploration and understanding of Earth Observatory System (EOS) mission with available data from NASA. 2. Comprehensive review of state of the art techniques and uncovering of limitations to be investigated (e.g. computational, algorithmic ...). and 3. Preliminary development of resolution enhancement algorithms. With the advent of well-collaborated satellite microwave radiometers, it is now possible to obtain long time series of geophysical parameters that are important for studying the global hydrologic cycle and earth radiation budget. Over the world's ocean, these radiometers simultaneously measure profiles of air temperature and the three phases of atmospheric water (vapor, liquid, and ice). In addition, surface parameters such as the near surface wind speed, the sea surface temperature, and the sea ice type and concentration can be retrieved. The special sensor microwaves imager SSM/I has wide application in atmospheric remote sensing over the ocean and provide essential inputs to numerical weather-prediction models. SSM/I data has also been used for land and ice studies, including snow cover classification measurements of soil and plant moisture contents, atmospheric moisture over land, land surface temperature and mapping polar ice. The brightness temperature observed by SSM/I is function of the effective brightness temperature of the earth's surface and the emission scattering and attenuation of the atmosphere. Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) is a new instrument that will measure the earth radiation over the spectral range from 7 to 90 GHz. Over the world's ocean, it will be possible to retrieve the four important geographical parameters SST, wind speed, vertically integrated water vapor, vertically integrated cloud liquid water L.

Krim, Hamid↗
NASA NTRS1976

Remote sensing of soil moisture by a 21-cm passive radiometer

Microwave sensors on Skylab collected data as part of the Earth Resources Experiment Package. An investigation was designed to obtain field observations of soil moisture content for comparison with data from Skylab. The 21-cm radiometer has been shown to be highly responsive to the moisture content of the upper 2.5-cm layer of soil. A composite relationship between the radiometric temperature and soil moisture content has been determined from five data sets obtained over Kansas and Texas. This relationship, having a correlation index of -0.96, has been used as a basis for calculating the soil moisture content of large areas across the United States.

Eagleman, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A model of the CO2 exchanges between biosphere and atmosphere in the tundra

A physical model of the soil thermal regime in a permafrost terrain has been developed and validated with soil temperature measurements at Barrow, Alaska. The model calculates daily soil temperatures as a function of depth and average moisture contents of the organic and mineral layers using a set of five climatic variables, i.e., air temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, wind speed, and relative humidity. The model is not only designed to study the impact of climate change on the soil temperature and moisture regime, but also to provide the input to a decomposition and net primary production model. In this context, it is well known that CO2 exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere are driven by soil temperature through decomposition of soil organic matter and root respiration. However, in tundra ecosystems, net CO2 exchange is extremely sensitive to soil moisture content; therefore it is necessary to predict variations in soil moisture in order to assess the impact of climate change on carbon fluxes. To this end, the present model includes the representation of the soil moisture response to changes in climatic conditions. The results presented in the foregoing demonstrate that large errors in soil temperature and permafrost depth estimates arise from neglecting the dependence of the soil thermal regime on soil moisture contents. Permafrost terrain is an example of a situation where soil moisture and temperature are particularly interrelated: drainage conditions improve when the depth of the permafrost increases; a decrease in soil moisture content leads to a decrease in the latent heat required for the phase transition so that the heat penetrates faster and deeper, and the maximum depth of thaw increases; and as excepted, soil thermal coefficients increase with moisture.

Labgaa, Rachid R.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Field Observations of Soil Moisture Variability across Scales

In this study, over 36,000 ground-based soil moisture measurements collected during the SGP97, SGP99, SMEX02, and SMEX03 field campaigns were analyzed to characterize the behavior of soil moisture variability across scales. The field campaigns were conducted in Oklahoma and Iowa in the central USA. The Oklahoma study region is sub-humid with moderately rolling topography, while the Iowa study region is humid with low-relief topography. The relationship of soil moisture standard deviation, skewness and the coefficient of variation versus mean moisture content was explored at six distinct extent scales, ranging from 2.5 m to 50 km. Results showed that variability generally increases with extent scale. The standard deviation increased from 0.036 cm3/cm3 at the 2.5-m scale to 0.071 cm3/cm3 at the 50-km scale. The log standard deviation of soil moisture increased linearly with the log extent scale, from 16 m to 1.6 km, indicative of fractal scaling. The soil moisture standard deviation versus mean moisture content exhibited a convex upward relationship at the 800-m and 50-km scales, with maximum values at mean moisture contents of roughly 0.17 cm3/cm3 and 0.19 cm3/cm3, respectively. An empirical model derived from the observed behavior of soil moisture variability was used to estimate uncertainty in the mean moisture content for a fixed number of samples at the 800-m and 50-km scales, as well as the number of ground-truth samples needed to achieve 0.05 cm3/cm3 and 0.03 cm3/cm3 accuracies. The empirical relationships can also be used to parameterize surface soil moisture variations in land surface and hydrological models across a range of scales. To our knowledge, this is the first study to document the behavior of soil moisture variability over this range of extent scales using ground-based measurements. Our results will contribute not only to efficient and reliable satellite validation, but also to better utilization of remotely sensed soil moisture products for enhanced modeling and prediction.

Famiglietti, James S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Residual thermal and moisture influences on the free-edge delamination of laminated composites

A simple delamination analysis method is developed. It is based on a shear-type deformation theory and includes hygrothermal effects. The method is applied to mixed-mode edge delamination specimens made of T300/5208 graphite/epoxy. It is found that residual thermal influences were alleviated when moisture stresses were included. Thermal effects on the interlaminar shear stress and total energy release rate were totally alleviated for the same specific moisture content. Moreover, this value of moisture content was not significantly affected by the stacking sequence for the laminates considered.

Armanios, Erian A.↗
NASA NTRS1960

Analytical Investigation of Cycle Characteristics for Advanced Turboelectric Space Power Systems

An investigation was made of the relative influence of turbine inlet temperature, radiator temperature, and turbine efficiency on radiator area for Rankine cycles with rubidium, potassium, and sodium as working fluids. It was determined that, whereas turbine inlet temperature and turbine efficiency have gross effects on radiator size for a given inlet temperature a considerable latitude in the selection of radiator temperature may be accepted with only minor effects on required radiator size. Also investigated was the influence on turbine efficiency and design of the factors that distinguish alkali-metal vapor turbines from conventional gas turbines. The turbine configuration was determined to be a function of the involved working fluids and rotor blade speed. For a given blade speed, the number of stages required for high turbine efficiency was found to vary directly with turbine specific work output, and therefore to vary in the ratio 5 to 2.5 to 1 for sodium, potassium, and rubidium, respectively. Lower blade speeds than employed in conventional gas turbines may be required to satisfy critical stress considerations resulting from the elevated temperatures involved and the criterion of long-duration reliability. This will increase the number of turbine stages necessary to obtain high turbine efficiency and consequently increase turbine weight. The question of moisture formation was discussed and a calculation was made to indicate the nature of the aerodynamic losses due to moisture content. Various means of reducing moisture content were considered, including mechanical removal, increased radiator temperature, inefficient expansion, superheat, and reheat. Sample calculations were made in most cases to indicate their comparative effectiveness and resultant penalty in required radiator area.

Moffitt, Thomas P.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Potential application of satellite radar to monitor soil moisture

The microwave backscattering characteristics of soils as a function of moisture content are reviewed as a basis for the evaluation of the applicability of satellite radar to soil moisture determinations. Results of experiments showing the dependence of the complex dielectric constant, power reflection coefficient and backscattering coefficient of soil on its volumetric moisture content are presented. Results of a research program using the truck-mounted University of Kansas microwave active spectrometer to determine if, by the proper choice of sensor frequency, polarization and incidence, the sensor dynamic range in response to moisture variations may be greater than its response to other variations are considered in detail, and the optimum conditions of frequency (between 4 and 5 GHz), angular incidence (between 7 and 20 deg from nadir) and polarization (HH) obtained are indicated. An empirical model for the backscattering coefficient as a function of gravimetric moisture content derived on the basis of the experimental data is presented, and it is noted that available airborne and spaceborne data confirm the results of the ground-based sensors.

Ulaby, F. T.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Moisture effects and control for the UVCS composite structure

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrograph (UVCS) is an optical instrument to be flown on the European spacecraft Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) to the sun-earth L1 point. The stability requirements of the instrument require the moisture content of the pseudoisotropic composite material not to exceed 0.06 percent during alignment and calibration. This paper describes the steps necessary to meet this requirement. These steps include a dynamic moisture content analysis, selection of bake out conditions and moisture controls, verification sampling, and use of witness specimens to monitor the moisture content during the prelaunch life of the structure.

Austin, James D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Remote sensing of soil moisture

The surface emissivity and reflectivity of soil are strong functions of its moisture content. Changes in emissivity, observed by passive microwave techniques (radiometry), and changes in reflectivity, observed by active microwave techniques (radar), can provide information on the moisture content of the 0 to 5 cm surface layer. In addition, the thermal inertia of the surface layer, which can be remotely sensed by observing the diurnal range of surface temperature, is an indicator of soil moisture content. The thermal infrared approach to remote sensing of soil moisture has little utility in the presence of cloud cover, but provides soil moisture data at high spatial resolutions and thermal data which are a potentially useful indicator of crop status. Microwave techniques can penetrate cloud covers. The passive technique has been demonstrated by both aircraft and spacecraft instruments, but spatial resolution is limited by the size of the antenna which can be flown. Active microwave systems offer the possibility of better spatial resolution, but have yet to be demonstrated from aircraft or spacecraft platforms.

Schmugge, T.↗
NASA NTRS1974

The determination of soil moisture by extraction and gas chromatography

Soil moisture content was determined by extracting soil with methanol and subsequently analyzing the extract for water by gas chromatography. With air-dried mineral soils, this method gave slightly higher moisture content values than those obtained by the oven-dry method. Moisture content was determined quantitatively in soils to which various amounts of water had been added. The complete procedure, including extraction and analysis, requires less than one hour and gives results that closely compare to the oven-dry method.

Merek, E. L.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A study on the thermal and moisture influences on the free-edge delamination of laminated composites

A simple delamination analysis method is presented here. It is based on a shear-type deformation theory and includes hygrothermal effects. These environmental conditions are applied to the strain energy release rate and interlaminar shear stresses. The method is applied to mixed mode edge delamination specimens made of T300/5208 graphite/epoxy material. Residual thermal and moisture stresses significantly influenced the strain energy release rate and interlaminar stresses. Both experienced large increases when thermal conditions were added to the mechanical strains. These effects were alleviated when moisture stresses were included. Thermal effects on the interlaminar shear stress and total energy release rate were totally alleviated for the same specific moisture content. Moreover, the value of the moisture content was not significantly affected by the stacking sequence for the laminates considered.

Mahler, Mary A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Effect of moisture on the fatigue behavior of graphite/epoxy composite laminates

The form of the moisture distribution in the specimen (gradient and flat profile) was considered to establish the influence of accelerated moisture conditioning on fatigue behavior. For the gradient specimens having an average moisture content of 1.4 percent, fatigue life was reduced by a factor of 8 at all stress levels investigated. Corresponding reduction in fatigue life for the flat moisture profile specimens at the same average moisture content was comparatively smaller, being about a factor of 5 from the value in dry specimens. X-ray radiographic analysis of damage accumulation in compression-compression fatigue revealed interlaminar cracking to be the dominant mode of failure responsible for the observed enhanced cyclic degradation of moisture-conditioned specimens. This finding was corroborated by the observed systematic reduction in interlaminar shear strength as a function of moisture content, which, in turn, increased the propensity for delamination under cyclic compressive loads. Residual strength measurements on cycled specimens indicated significant strength reductions at long lives, particularly in moisture conditioned specimens.

Ramani, S. V.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Estimation of soil moisture with radar remote sensing

The radar response to soil moisture content was investigated using a truck-mounted 1-18 GHz (30-1.67 cm wavelength, respectively) active microwave spectrometer (MAS) system. The sensitivity to soil moisture content and the accuracy with which it could be estimated were evaluated for both bare and vegetation-covered fields. Bare field experiments were conducted to determine the optimum radar parameters (frequency, angle of incidence range, and polarization configuration) for minimizing the response to surface roughness while retaining strong sensitivity to moisture content. In the vegetation-covered case, the effects of crop type, crop height and row direction relative to the radar look direct were evaluated.

Batlivala, P. P.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Effect of Water on the Thermo-Mechanical Behavior of Carbon Cloth Phenolic

The results of thermo-mechanical experiments, which were conducted previously by one of the authors, are reviewed. The strain in the direction normal to the fabric plane was measured as a function of temperature for a variety of initial moisture contents and heating rates. In this paper, the general features of the thermo-mechanical response are discussed and the effect of heating rate and initial moisture content are highlighted. The mechanical interaction between the phenolic polymer and water trapped within its free volumes as the polymer is heated to high temperatures is discussed. An equation for the internal stresses which are generated within the polymer due to trapped water is obtained from the total stress expression for a binary mixture of polymer and water. Numerical solutions for moisture diffusion in the thermo-mechanical experiments were performed and the results of these solutions are presented. The results of the moisture diffusion solutions help to explain the effects of heating rate and moisture content on the strain behavior normal to the fabric plane.

Sullivan, Roy M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Retrieval of Soil Moisture and Roughness from the Polarimetric Radar Response

The main objective of this investigation was the characterization of soil moisture using imaging radars. In order to accomplish this task, a number of intermediate steps had to be undertaken. In this proposal, the theoretical, numerical, and experimental aspects of electromagnetic scattering from natural surfaces was considered with emphasis on remote sensing of soil moisture. In the general case, the microwave backscatter from natural surfaces is mainly influenced by three major factors: (1) the roughness statistics of the soil surface, (2) soil moisture content, and (3) soil surface cover. First the scattering problem from bare-soil surfaces was considered and a hybrid model that relates the radar backscattering coefficient to soil moisture and surface roughness was developed. This model is based on extensive experimental measurements of the radar polarimetric backscatter response of bare soil surfaces at microwave frequencies over a wide range of moisture conditions and roughness scales in conjunction with existing theoretical surface scattering models in limiting cases (small perturbation, physical optics, and geometrical optics models). Also a simple inversion algorithm capable of providing accurate estimates of soil moisture content and surface rms height from single-frequency multi-polarization radar observations was developed. The accuracy of the model and its inversion algorithm is demonstrated using independent data sets. Next the hybrid model for bare-soil surfaces is made fully polarimetric by incorporating the parameters of the co- and cross-polarized phase difference into the model. Experimental data in conjunction with numerical simulations are used to relate the soil moisture content and surface roughness to the phase difference statistics. For this purpose, a novel numerical scattering simulation for inhomogeneous dielectric random surfaces was developed. Finally the scattering problem of short vegetation cover above a rough soil surface was considered. A general scattering model for grass-blades of arbitrary cross section was developed and incorporated in a first order random media model. The vegetation model and the bare-soil model are combined and the accuracy of the combined model is evaluated against experimental observations from a wheat field over the entire growing season. A complete set of ground-truth data and polarimetric backscatter data were collected. Also an inversion algorithm for estimating soil moisture and surface roughness from multi-polarized multi-frequency observations of vegetation-covered ground is developed.

Sarabandi, Kamal↗
NASA NTRS1984

A test to verify the biocompatibility of a method for plant culture in a microgravity environment

We report a pioneering attempt to use the NASA Shuttle Orbiter Middeck locker facility to acquire data on plant growth in near weightlessness. The information was needed to confirm the suitability of a plant culture system to be used in an experiment scheduled for the first Spacelab mission. The test was designed to measure germination and early seedling growth in a series of soil mixtures covering a range of water contents. Empirical determination of growth dependence on moisture content was required because both in theory and from Soviet flight experience it seemed possible that the dependence function in near weightlessness could be critically different from what we had measured on Earth. Such a difference could invalidate the future test in Spacelab 1 of gravity dependence of the differential growth process, circumnutation. After two failed attempts sufficient measurements were obtained from the third Shuttle Orbiter flight test to confirm the biocompatibility of the plant culture system--viz. soil moisture content variations had the same effect in near weightlessness as at 1 g. A number of supplemental observations about middeck locker conditions in Shuttle flight are presented. These may prove helpful to would-be experimenters who will plan to take advantage of future Shuttle flight opportunities for biological research.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1981

A multi-frequency measurement of thermal microwave emission from soils: The effects of soil texture and surface roughness

An experiment on remote sensing of soil moisture content was conducted over bare fields with microwave radiometers at the frequencies of 1.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 10.7 GHz during July - September of 1981. Three bare fields with different surface roughnesses and soil textures were prepared for the experiment. Ground truth acquisition of soil temperatures and moisture contents for 5 layers down to the depths of 15 cm was made concurrently with radiometric measurements. The experimental results show that the effect of surface roughness is to increase the soils' brightness temperature and to reduce the slope of regression between brightness temperature and moisture content. The slopes of regression for soils with different textures are found to be comparable, and the effect of soil texture is reflected in the difference of regression line intercepts at brightness temperature axis. The result is consistent with laboratory measurement of soils' dielectric permittivity. Measurements on wet smooth bare fields give lower brightness temperatures at 5 GHz than at 1.4 GHz.

Wang, J. R.↗