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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 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Application of an improved horizontal diffusion scheme to a WFIP2 cold pool case

The public release of WRF has two options for calculating horizontal gradients in the horizontal diffusion scheme. When the default option (diff_opt = 1) is used, horizontal gradients are calculated along coordinate surfaces, which roughly follow the terrain surface due to WRF’s terrain-conforming grid (i.e. along a sloping line in Fig. 1). Over steeply sloping terrain, horizontal gradients calculated in this way become inaccurate because they do not capture horizontal variation correctly. Therefore, another option exists (diff_opt = 2), for which Taylor series are used to approximate the derivative along a truly horizontal line. During WFIP2, HRRR forecasts switched from using diff_opt = 1 to diff_opt =2, and this was shown to improve velocity predictions, especially within observed cold pools (Olson et al., 2019).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1972

An analysis of the expected eccentricity perturbations for the second Radio Astronomy Explorer (RAE B)

Analytical prediction of expected eccentricity perturbations for the RAE 2 lunar orbit shows that the eccentricity will grow linearly in time. Parametric inclination studies and analysis of perturbation equations establish a critical retrograde inclination of 116.565 at which the positive perturbation slope vanishes for a circular orbit about 1100 m above the lunar surface with an eccentricity constraint of less than 0.005 during a period of about one year.

Murphy, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Meteorological interpretation of clouds or cloud systems appearing on pictures of the Alpine region received from the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1)

The author has identified the following significant results. Three examples of cloud-interpretation from ERTS-1 pictures are presented. When the wind speed is large enough, the cumuli are found arranged in lines that are in average two kilometers apart from each other. These lines are grouped in lines made of small cumuli and in lines made up of well developed ones. These last lines are fused on the APT picture and appear as single lines. Fog-mapping for a given region is possible if the topography of the region is known. The stratified clouds lying over mountains or in valleys begin to dissolve above the middle of the valleys and not against the slopes. As water shows a weak albedo in the near infrared, wet surfaces will appear darker than their neighborhoods. This feature seems to be confirmed by the dark spot in the north of Bozen (Southern Tyrol) that can be seen on the ERTS-1 picture taken on 31 August 1972.

Piaget, A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A model for the microwave emissivity of the ocean's surface as a function of wind speed

A quanitative model is presented which describes the ocean surface as a ensemble of flat facets with a normal distribution of slopes. The variance of the slope distribution is linearly related to frequency up to 35 GHz and constant at higher frequencies. These facets are partially covered with an absorbing nonpolarized foam layer. Experimental evidence is presented for this model.

Wilheit, T. T.↗
NASA NTRS1979

A model for the microwave emissivity of the ocean's surface as a function of wind speed

A quantitative model is presented, which describes the ocean surface as an ensemble of flat facets with a normal distribution of slopes. The variance of the slope distribution is linearly related to frequency up to 35 GHz and constant at higher frequencies. These facets are partially covered with an absorbing nonpolarized foam layer. Experimental evidence is presented for this model.

Wilheit, T. T., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Forest Classification and Inventory System using Landsat, digital terrain, and ground sample data

Accurate timber inventory data for cost-effective forest management is the primary goal of a Forest Classification and Inventory System (FOCIS) designed to provide estimates of timber volume by species aggregated by compartments, townships, or other spatial management units. FOCIS uses Landsat spectral data, including a synthesized texture channel, and Forest Service ground sample data to produce timber volume-homogeneous classes through a two-step unsupervised clustering process. Registered digital terrain data, including derived slope angle and slope aspect channels, are used to predict species proportions through a trend surface model, again using ground sample data for model calibration. In the final stage of FOCIS, volume estimates and predicted species proportions are merged and aggregated to yield timber volumes by species within management areas.

Strahler, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A model of Martian slope winds - Implications for eolian transport

Observations of dark Martian wind streaks not associated with visible topographic points of origin (coalesced dark streaks) show these features to favor regions with slopes of 1-10 deg. To investigate the circulation over such slopes, a Boussinesq fluid is adopted and a constant eddy diffusivity parameterization is assumed for small-scale mixing. The equations of motion are scaled to determine the range of slopes over which a strong local circulation due to slope winds can exist. For nighttime conditions, the estimated range compares well with the observed range of slopes favored by coalesced dark streaks. For daytime conditions, the slope wind solution is not valid. A simple one-dimensional analytic model is solved to determine friction velocities and velocity and temperature profiles. For reasonable choices of the input parameters, friction velocities and wind velocities suggestive of active downslope eolian transport on slopes of 1-10 deg are found. Friction velocities are largest over surfaces with low thermal inertia and large roughness length.

Magalhaes, J.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Corfu Landslide: Analog to Giant Landslides on Mars

In an analog to the great landslides of the Vales Marineris, Mars, a detailed study was made of the Corfu Landslide in south-central Washington. This prehistoric slide is located on the northern flank of the Saddle Mountains, southwest of Othello, Washington. The slide covers a 13 square km area centered on section 11 of T.15N., R.27E., Willamette Meridian, adjacent to the Corfu townsite. Approximately 1 cubic km of material is involved in sliding that was probably initiated by Missoula flooding through the Channeled Scabland. It is concluded that there were four primary factors involved in the initiation of the Corfu landsliding: (1) A slip surface was present at the right orientation; (2) Glacial flooding undercut the slope; (3) Wetter climatic conditions prevailed during that time period; and (4) Some seismic vibrations, known to occur locally, probably acted as a trigger. These factors show that special conditions were required in conjunction to produce landsliding. Studies in progress of the Vales Marieneris suggest that the same factors probably contributed to landsliding there.

Scott W. Lewis↗
NASA NTRS1988

A simplified oil-film skin-friction meter

The oil-film method of skin friction measurement, which does not require calibration, nevertheless entails that interferometric measurements of the oil film be obtained. The oil-film method is presently simplified by eliminating interferometry and its requisite polished surface, by taking direct and dynamic measurements of the oil-film slope with a small position-sensing photodiode. This technique has undergone verification in incompressible turbulent and laminar flows in flat-plate boundary layers and pipe flows; the meter is judged to be inexpensive, simple, and robust.

Bandyopadhyay, P. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

An airborne C-band scatterometer for remote sensing the air-sea interface

An airborne C-band scatterometer system (C-Scat) has been developed for remote sensing of the air-sea interface. The sensor has been designed to fly on a number of research aircraft, beginning with the NASA Ames Research Center's C-130B, on which test flights were conducted in August of 1988. The scatterometer utilizes a 10-W solid-state power amplifier and a frequency-steered microstrip array antenna which is installed beneath the fuselage of the airplane. The antenna is electrically scanned in elevation from 20 to 50 deg off nadir, and it is mechanically rotated 360 deg in azimuth. The system is fully computer controlled and is capable of accurately measuring ocean-surface normalized radar cross section (NRCS) from altitudes as high as 25,000 feet. It has been developed to study the relationship between NRCS and ocean-surface roughness influences such as wind speed and direction, wave height and slope, and air-sea temperature difference.

Mclaughlin, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Environmental fatigue of an Al-Li-Cu alloy. Part 2: Microscopic hydrogen cracking processes

Based on a fractographic analysis of fatigue crack propagation (FCP) in Al-Li-Cu alloy 2090 stressed in a variety of inert and embrittling environments, microscopic crack paths are identified and correlated with intrinsic da/dN-delta K kinetics. FCP rates in 2090 are accelerated by hydrogen producing environments (pure water vapor, moist air, and aqueous NaCl), as defined in Part 1. For these cases, subgrain boundary fatigue cracking (SGC) dominates for delta K values where the crack tip process zone, a significant fraction of the cyclic plastic zone, is sufficiently large to envelop 5 micron subgrains in the unrecrystallized microstructure. SGC may be due to strong hydrogen trapping at T1 precipitates concentrated at sub-boundaries. At low delta K, the plastic zone diameter is smaller than the subgrain size and FCP progresses along (100) planes due to either local lattice decohesion or aluminum-lithium hydride cracking. For inert environments (vacuum, helium, and oxygen), or at high delta K where the hydrogen effect on da/dN is small, FCP is along (111) slip planes; this mode does not transition with increasing delta K and plastic zone size. The SGC and (100) crystallographic cracking modes, and the governing influence of the crack tip process zone volume (delta K), support hydrogen embrittlement rather than a surface film rupture and anodic dissolution mechanism for environmental FCP. Multi-sloped log da/dN-log delta K behavior is produced by changes in process zone hydrogen-microstructure interactions, and not by purely micromechanical-microstructure interactions, in contradiction to microstructural distance-based fatigue models.

Robert S Piascik↗
NASA NTRS2003

Automated Figuring and Polishing of Replication Mandrels for X-Ray Telescopes

In support of the Constellation X mission the Optics Branch at Goddard Space Flight Center is developing technology for precision figuring and polishing of mandrels used to produce replicated mirrors that will be used in X-Ray telescopes. Employing a specially built machine controlled in 2 axes by a computer, we are doing automated polishing/figuring of 15 cm long, 20 cm diameter cylindrical, conical and Wolter mandrels. A battery of tests allow us to fully characterize all important aspects of the mandrels, including surface figure and finish, mid-frequency errors, diameters and cone angle. Parts are currently being produced with surface roughnesses at the .5nm RMS level, and half-power diameter slope error less than 2 arcseconds.

Krebs, Carolyn↗
NASA NTRS2005

Geographic Distribution of QCDs Around the Northern Plains Basins of Mars and the Relationship to Lowland Materials

It has been suggested that quasicircular depressions (QCDs) without a structural representation in Viking and MOC visible imagery represent buried impact craters [1,2,3,4]. Topographic depressions will form over impact craters buried by a differentially compacting cover material because total cover thickness, and thus total compaction, is greater over the center of completely buried impact craters than their rims [5]. If this is the process by which QCDs form, then only areas of differentially compacting materials should have QCDs. Previous work has established that there is a relationship of surface relief to diameter for QCDs around the Utopia Basin [6]. The slope of the trend of this relationship varies depending on cover thickness, becoming steeper with decreasing thickness [7]. Comparing trendslopes of QCDs around different lowland basins might give us insight into the relative thickness of the cover material in these areas. We explore the geographic distribution of QCDs around the Utopia, Isidis and Acidalia basins and compare their location to geologic units and materials. We also compare evidence for relative thickness of cover material at the three basins.

Buczkowski, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS2018

Removal of Carbon Dioxide from Gas Mixtures Using Ion-Exchanged Silicoaluminophosphates

Na.sup.+-SAPO-34 sorbents were ion-exchanged with several individual metal cations for CO.sub.2 absorption at different temperatures (273-348 K) and pressures (<1 atm). In general, the overall adsorption performance of the exchanged materials increased as follows: Ce.sup.3+<Ti.sup.3+<Mg.sup.2+<Ca.sup.2+<Ag.sup.+<Na.sup.+&- lt;Sr.sup.2+. The strontium exchanged materials excelled at low-pressure ranges, exhibiting very sharp isotherms slopes at all temperatures. The Sr.sup.2+ species were responsible for the surface strong interaction and the cations were occupying exposed sites (SII') in the materials Chabazite cages. All the sorbent materials exhibited higher affinity for CO.sub.2 over the other gases tested (i.e., CH.sub.4, H.sub.2, N.sub.2 and O.sub.2) due to strong ion-quadrupole interactions. Sr.sup.2+-SAPO-34 sorbents are by far the best option for CO.sub.2 removal from CH.sub.4 mixtures, especially at low concentrations.

Hernandez-Maldonado, Arturo J↗
NASA NTRS2021

Evaluation of CloudSat Radiative Kernels Using ARM and CERES Observations and ERA5 Reanalysis

Despite the widespread use of the radiative kernel technique for studying radiative feedbacks and radiative forcings, there has not been any systematic, observation-based validation of the radiative kernel method. Here, we utilize observed and reanalyzed radiative fluxes and atmospheric profiles from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program and ERA5 reanalysis to assess a set of observation-based radiative kernels from CloudSat for six ARM sites. The CloudSat radiative kernels, convoluted with the ERA5 state variables, can almost perfectly reconstruct the monthly anomalies of shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) radiative fluxes in ERA5 at the surface (SFC) and top-of atmosphere (TOA) with correlations significantly being greater than 0.95. The biases of kernel-estimated flux anomalies calculated using the ARM-observed state variables can be more than twice as large when compared with the ARM-observed surface flux anomalies and Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) observed anomalies at the TOA. Generally, clouds contribute to most (>60%) of the variance of flux anomalies at Southern Great Plain (SGP), Tropical Western Pacific (TWP), and Eastern North Atlantic (ENA), and surface albedo dominates (>69%) the variance of SW flux anomalies at North Slope of Alaska (NSA). The radiative kernels exhibit the lowest correlation (r~[0.55,0.85]) when reconstructing SFC LW flux anomalies at SGP, TWP, and ENA, whose biases are related to the possibility that the kernels may not fully capture the characteristics 47 associated with MJO and ENSO at TWP and the presence of clouds at SGP and ENA.

Radiative kernels↗
NASA NTRS2011

SO2 Emissions and Lifetimes: Estimates from Inverse Modeling Using In Situ and Global, Space-Based (SCIAMACHY and OMI) Observations

Top-down constraints on global sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions are inferred through inverse modeling using SO2 column observations from two satellite instruments (SCIAMACHY and OMI). We first evaluated the S02 column observations with surface SO2 measurements by applying local scaling factors from a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) to SO2 columns retrieved from the satellite instruments. The resulting annual mean surface SO2 mixing ratios for 2006 exhibit a significant spatial correlation (r=0.86, slope=0.91 for SCIAMACHY and r=0.80, slope = 0.79 for OMI) with coincident in situ measurements from monitoring networks throughout the United States and Canada. We evaluate the GEOS-Chem simulation of the SO2 lifetime with that inferred from in situ measurements to verity the applicability of GEOS-Chem for inversion of SO2 columns to emissions. The seasonal mean SO2 lifetime calculated with the GEOS-Chem model over the eastern United States is 13 h in summer and 48 h in winter, compared to lifetimes inferred from in situ measurements of 19 +/- 7 h in summer and 58 +/- 20 h in winter. We apply SO2 columns from SCIAMACHY and OMI to derive a top-down anthropogenic SO2 emission inventory over land by using the local GEOS-Chem relationship between SO2 columns and emissions. There is little seasonal variation in the top-down emissions (<15%) over most major industrial regions providing some confidence in the method. Our global estimate for annual land surface anthropogenic SO2 emissions (52.4 Tg S/yr from SCIAMACHY and 49.9 Tg S / yr from OMI) closely agrees with the bottom-up emissions (54.6 Tg S/yr) in the GEOS-Chem model and exhibits consistency in global distributions with the bottom-up emissions (r = 0.78 for SCIAMACHY, and r = 0.77 for OMI). However, there are significant regional differences.

Lee, Chulkyu↗
NASA NTRS1989

Characterization of Venera 15/16 geologic units from Pioneer Venus reflectivity and roughness data

The characterization of geologic units defined for the Venus surface on the basis of Venera 15/16 image data is presently conducted in light of Pioneer Venus reflectivity and rms slope data. Four geologic-unit groups are distinguished: smooth rocky units, rough ones, rough high-dielectric units, and diffusely-scattering ones. Models have been tested for the surface-property origins of several units, and it is determined that plains and tectonic units may be contrasted in terms not only of surface roughness but of surface-roughening tectonic deformation that appears to dominate the erosional regime of Venus.

Bindschadler, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The composition of Phobos: Meteorite analogs based on KRFM and VSK spectral data from the Phobos 2 spacecraft

In 1989 the Phobos 2 spacecraft obtained 8-channel 0.3 to 0.6 mm KRFM spectra and two-channel wide-angel TV VSK images in bandpasses of 0.40 to 0.56 mm and 0.78 to 1.10 mm. The TV data were used to map four color ratio units on disk-resolved images of Phobos, and were combined with the KRFM spectra to analyze possible meteorite analogs for the mapped units. A total of 58 spectra of 39 meteorites were studied for similarities with Phobos data in spectral shape, absorption features, and visible near-IR color ratio. Analysis of the spectral data show that, among the meteorites studied, there are no unique spectral analogs for Phobos surface material. Currently, the closest spectral analogs are the optically altered black chondrite meteorites Gorlovka and Pervomaisky. The weak UV absorption bands in some KRFM spectra and the red slope in VSK color-ratio data indicate that carbonaceous chondrite-like material may also be a component of Phobos surface material. However, the lack of close carbonaceous chondrite spectral analogs and the existence of apparent absorption bands in KRFM spectra that are not seen in meteorite spectra suggest that there are processes and/or materials on the surface of Phobos that are not represented in the meteorite collections. The similarities between KRFM spectra of Phobos and the spectra of black chondrites suggest that optically altered mafic silicates may constitute a component of the surface material of Phobos, and that optical alteration and mixing by regolith processes may be an important factor in the evolution of Phobos surface material.

Britt, D. T.↗