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Radiometric calibration of IR Fourier transform spectrometers - Solution to a problem with the High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder

A calibrated Fourier transform spectrometer, known as the High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS), has been flown on the NASA U-2 research aircraft to measure the infrared emission spectrum of the earth. The primary use - atmospheric temperature and humidity sounding - requires high radiometric precision and accuracy (of the order of 0.1 and 1 C, respectively). To meet these requirements, the HIS instruments, the HIS instrument performs inflight radiometric calibration, using observations of hot and cold blackbody reference sources as the basis for two-point calibrations at each wavenumber. Initially, laboratory tests revealed a calibration problem with brightness temperature errors as large as 15 C between 600 and 900/cm. The symptom of the problem, which occurred in one of the three spectral bands of HIS, was a source-dependent phase response. Minor changes to the calibration equations completely eliminated the anomalous errors. The new analysis properly accounts for the situation in which the phase response for radiance from the instrument itself differs from that for radiance from an external source. The mechanism responsible for the dual phase response of the HIS instrument is identified as emission from the interferometer beam splitter.

Revercomb, Henry E.↗

Model studies of the beam-filling error for rain-rate retrieval with microwave radiometers

Low-frequency (less than 20 GHz) single-channel microwave retrievals of rain rate encounter the problem of beam-filling error. This error stems from the fact that the relationship between microwave brightness temperature and rain rate is nonlinear, coupled with the fact that the field of view is large or comparable to important scales of variability of the rain field. This means that one may not simply insert the area average of the brightness temperature into the formula for rain rate without incurring both bias and random error. The statistical heterogeneity of the rain-rate field in the footprint of the instrument is key to determining the nature of these errors. This paper makes use of a series of random rain-rate fields to study the size of the bias and random error associated with beam filling. A number of examples are analyzed in detail: the binomially distributed field, the gamma, the Gaussian, the mixed gamma, the lognormal, and the mixed lognormal ('mixed' here means there is a finite probability of no rain rate at a point of space-time). Of particular interest are the applicability of a simple error formula due to Chiu and collaborators and a formula that might hold in the large field of view limit. It is found that the simple formula holds for Gaussian rain-rate fields but begins to fail for highly skewed fields such as the mixed lognormal. While not conclusively demonstrated here, it is suggested that the notionof climatologically adjusting the retrievals to remove the beam-filling bias is a reasonable proposition.

Ha, Eunho↗

The Radio Luminosity Function and Galaxy Evolution in the Coma Cluster

We investigate the radio luminosity function and radio source population for two fields within the Coma cluster of galaxies, with the fields centered on the cluster core and southwest infall region and each covering about half a square degree. Using VLA data with a typical rms sensitivity of 28 (mu)Jy per 4.4" beam, we identify 249 radio sources with optical counterparts brighter than r = 22 (equivalent to M(sub r) = -13 for cluster member galaxies). Comprehensive optical spectroscopy identifies 38 of these as members of the Coma cluster, evenly split between sources powered by an active nucleus and sources powered by active star formation. The radio-detected star-forming galaxies are restricted to radio luminosities between about 10(exp 21) and 10(exp 22) W/Hz, an interesting result given that star formation dominates field radio luminosity functions below about 10(exp 23) W/Hz. The majority of the radio-detected star-forming galaxies have characteristics of starbursts, including high specific star formation rates and optical spectra with strong emission lines. In conjunction with prior studies on post-starburst galaxies within the Coma cluster, this is consistent with a picture in which late-type galaxies entering Coma undergo a starburst prior to a rapid cessation of star formation. Optically bright elliptical galaxies (Mr less than or equals -20.5) make the largest contribution to the radio luminosity function at both the high (> approx. 3x10(exp 22) W/Hz) and low (< approx. 10(exp 21) W/Hz) ends. Through a stacking analysis of these optically-bright ellipticals we find that they continue to harbor radio sources down to luminosities as faint as 3x10(exp 19) W/Hz. However, contrary to published results for the Virgo cluster we find no evidence for the existence of a population of optically faint (M(sub r) approx. equals -14) dwarf ellipticals hosting strong radio AGN.

Miller, Neal A.↗

NASA Tech Briefs, April 2012

Topics include: Computational Ghost Imaging for Remote Sensing; Digital Architecture for a Trace Gas Sensor Platform; Dispersed Fringe Sensing Analysis - DFSA; Indium Tin Oxide Resistor-Based Nitric Oxide Microsensors; Gas Composition Sensing Using Carbon Nanotube Arrays; Sensor for Boundary Shear Stress in Fluid Flow; Model-Based Method for Sensor Validation; Qualification of Engineering Camera for Long-Duration Deep Space Missions; Remotely Powered Reconfigurable Receiver for Extreme Environment Sensing Platforms; Bump Bonding Using Metal-Coated Carbon Nanotubes; In Situ Mosaic Brightness Correction; Simplex GPS and InSAR Inversion Software; Virtual Machine Language 2.1; Multi-Scale Three-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation System for Coastal Ocean Prediction; Pandora Operation and Analysis Software; Fabrication of a Cryogenic Bias Filter for Ultrasensitive Focal Plane; Processing of Nanosensors Using a Sacrificial Template Approach; High-Temperature Shape Memory Polymers; Modular Flooring System; Non-Toxic, Low-Freezing, Drop-In Replacement Heat Transfer Fluids; Materials That Enhance Efficiency and Radiation Resistance of Solar Cells; Low-Cost, Rugged High-Vacuum System; Static Gas-Charging Plug; Floating Oil-Spill Containment Device; Stemless Ball Valve; Improving Balance Function Using Low Levels of Electrical Stimulation of the Balance Organs; Oxygen-Methane Thruster; Lunar Navigation Determination System - LaNDS; Launch Method for Kites in Low-Wind or No-Wind Conditions; Supercritical CO2 Cleaning System for Planetary Protection and Contamination Control Applications; Design and Performance of a Wideband Radio Telescope; Finite Element Models for Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication Process Autonomous Information Unit for Fine-Grain Data Access Control and Information Protection in a Net-Centric System; Vehicle Detection for RCTA/ANS (Autonomous Navigation System); Image Mapping and Visual Attention on the Sensory Ego-Sphere; HyDE Framework for Stochastic and Hybrid Model-Based Diagnosis; and IMAGESEER - IMAGEs for Education and Research.

Source record↗

Validation of the AMSU-B Bias Corrections Based on Satellite Measurements from SSM/T-2

The NOAA-15 Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-B (AMSU-B) was designed in the same spirit as the Special Sensor Microwave Water Vapor Profiler (SSM/T-2) on board the DMSP F11-14 satellites, to perform remote sensing of spatial and temporal variations in mid and upper troposphere humidity. While the SSM/T-2 instruments have a 48 km spatial resolution at nadir and 28 beam positions per scan, AMSU-B provides an improvement with a 16 km spatial resolution at nadir and 90 beam positions per scan. The AMSU-B instrument, though, has been experiencing radio frequency interference (RFI) contamination from the NOAA-15 transmitters whose effect is dependent upon channel, geographic location, and current spacecraft antenna configuration. This has lead to large cross-track biases reaching as high as 100 Kelvin for channel 17 (150 GHz) and 50 Kelvin for channel 19 (183 +/-3 GHz). NOAA-NESDIS has recently provided a series of bias corrections for AMSU-B data starting from March, 1999. These corrections are available for each of the five channels, for every third field of view, and for three cycles within an eight second period. There is also a quality indicator in each data record to indicate whether or not the bias corrections should be applied. As a precursor to performing retrievals of mid and upper troposphere humidity, a validation study is performed by statistically analyzing the differences between the F14 SSM/T-2 and the bias corrected AMSU-B brightness temperatures for three months in the spring of 1999.

Kolodner, Marc A.↗

Reflective liquid crystal light valve with hybrid field effect mode

There is disclosed a high performance reflective mode liquid crystal light valve suitable for general image processing and projection and particularly suited for application to real-time coherent optical data processing. A preferred example of the device uses a CdS photoconductor, a CdTe light absorbing layer, a dielectric mirror, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between indium-tin-oxide transparent electrodes deposited on optical quality glass flats. The non-coherent light image is directed onto the photoconductor; this reduces the impedance of the photoconductor, thereby switching the AC voltage that is impressed across the electrodes onto the liquid crystal to activate the device. The liquid crystal is operated in a hybrid field effect mode. It utilizes the twisted nematic effect to create a dark off-state (voltage off the liquid crystal) and the optical birefringence effect to create the bright on-state. The liquid crystal thus modulates the polarization of the coherent read-out or projection light responsively to the non-coherent image. An analyzer is used to create an intensity modulated output beam.

Boswell, Donald D.↗

Unbound molecular complexes in M33

The HI content of the nearby spiral galaxy M33 (d approx. 0.8 Mpc) has been the subject of many detailed studies (most recently Deul and van der Hulst 1987), but similar data on the molecular gas component has been lacking. This galaxy is currently undergoing vigorous high-mass star formation, as evidenced by the many OB associations and HII regions, and so is expected to possess at least some molecular gas. Interferometric studies have detected molecular clouds similar to Galactic Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs) (Boulanger et al. 1988; Wilson et al. 1988). Researchers have recently mapped the nuclear region of M33 in the CO J=1-0 line with a 12 m telescope (half power beam width 55 inches approx. 210 pc) out to a radius of 3.5 minutes in order to trace the detailed distribution of the molecular gas. The resulting map reveals six large complexes with diameters of 200 to 400 pc. Interferometer observations of these regions have resolved them into individual molecular clouds similar to Galactic GMCs (Wilson et al. 1988). The complexes shown are much larger than individual Galactic GMCs (Sanders, Scoville, and Solomon 1985), but are somewhat smaller on average than the large associations seen in the grand-design spiral galaxy M51 (Rand and Kulkarni 1989). If we extend the velocity-diameter relation observed for Galactic GMCs to these larger structures, the predicted velocity widths are a factor of 1.5 to 3 times greater than the observed full-width half-maximum velocities (13 to 29 km (s-1). The peak brightness temperatures are approx. 0.2 K, at least a factor of 10 lower than what is observed for Galactic GMCs. If these large structures are made up of objects similar to Galactic GMCs, the area filling factor of the small clouds is roughly 10 percent. These results suggest that these complexes are not very large GMCs, but rather are associations of many individual GMCs or GMCs embedded in a diffuse gas component.

Wilson, Christine D.↗

A Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of a Refractory Metal Grain from a Calcium-Aluminum-Rich Inclusion in the Leoville CV3 Chondrite

Introduction: Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) are an important component of chondritic meteorites. They can contain materials that are thermodynamically predicted and isotopically age dated to be among the first-formed solids in our solar system [1-5]. Observed in some CAIs are micron to sub-micron sized inclusions rich in Fe, Ni, and high-Z elements such as Pt, Os, Ir and W, in the form of refractory metal nuggets (RMNs), fremdlinges, and ‘nugget like objects’ (NLOs) [1,6]. Refractory siderophile elements such as Os, Ir and Ru are thermodynamically predicted to condense at temperatures well in excess of the major CAI phases such as melilite, perovskite, spinel and hibonite [2,7-9]. These refractory metal inclusions in CAIs can therefore serve as probes into the thermodynamic landscape of the early solar protoplanetary disk. Here we report on a refractory grain identified in a CAI of the Leoville CV3 chondrite. This work is part of an ongoing effort to gain insight into the thermochemistry of the early solar system through systematic analyses of the structure and chemistry of various components in CAIs [10-13]. Sample and Analytical Techniques: A fluffy type A CAI (Fig. 1A) was identified in a section of the Leoville, CV3 chondrite (Center for Meteorite Studies, Arizona State University collection, #821_C_3) using a JOEL-JXA 8530F electron microprobe at Arizona State University. Backscattered electron (BSE) imaging and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to identify refractory metal grains in the CAI using a Thermo Fisher (formerly FEI) Helios NanoLab 660 G3 focused-ion-beam scanning-electron microscope (FIBSEM) located at the Kuiper Materials Imaging and Characterization Facility (KMICF) at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona. The FIB is equipped with an EDAX EDS system. We selected one of the larger (micron-sized) refractory metal grains, designated as ‘Spud’ (Fig. 1B) for further analysis. ‘Spud’ was extracted and thinned to electron transparency (<100 nm) using the FIB-SEM located in KMICF, following methods described by [14- 15]. The FIB section was analyzed using a 200 keV Hitachi HF5000 scanning transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) located at KMICF. The HF5000 is equipped with cold-field emission gun, 3rd-order spherical aberration corrector for STEM imaging, and an Oxford Instruments X-Max N 100 TLE energydispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system with dual 100 mm2 windowless silicon-drift detectors (Ω = 2.0 sr). Selected-area electron-diffraction (SAED) patterns were acquired to aid in determination of crystallinity and phase. Results: The mineralogy, texture, and morphology of the CAI are consistent with that of a fluffy type A (FTA) CAI [16]. BSE imaging at high magnifications revealed grains with high contrast, indicative of compositions rich in elements of higher atomic number relative to surrounding material. These high-Z grains have sizes that range from ∼250 nm to 4 µm. EDS analyses confirm that the bright grains are metal-rich inclusions. A minor fraction of the grains are composed of only Fe and Ni, but the majority (∼60%) of the identified inclusions also contained various refractory siderophiles including Os, Ru, Zr, Ir and Mo. EDS analysis on the FIB-SEM of Spud shows that it contains Fe, Ni, Mo and Ru. High-angle annular dark-field (HAAFD) imaging and EDS mapping in the TEM (Fig. 2) show that Spud occurs in melilite (Ca1.9Al1.99Si1.06O7). Spud contains a subhedral to anhedral morphology and is compositionally heterogenous (polyphasic, Fig. 2). Local spatial correlation occurs among Fe, Ni, and Pt, and also among Os, Ru, and Mo. SAED patterns show that the Fe-Ni-Pt, Fe-Os-Mo-Ru and Fe-Pt regions are crystalline. Discussion: CAIs can contain various types of inclusions rich in Fe, Ni and refractory siderophiles such as Os, Ru, W and Pt [1]. RMNs are micron-sized, single phase alloy grains and can contain Os, Ir, Ru and Rh [1,7,17]. NLOs are also micron-sized inclusions, but contain two phases, a refractory metal, and an oxide [6]. Fremdlinge are the largest of such inclusions (tens of microns in size) and are complex aggregates of Fe-Ni alloy, silicates, oxides, and sulfides [1,17]. While the size of Spud matches previous descriptions of RMNs and NLOs, Spud is neither a single-phase alloy like RMNs, nor does it contain one metal phase and one oxide like NLOs. Spud does not match the above described categories of refractory metal inclusions. The presence of refractory siderophiles such as Mo, Os, Ru, and Pt suggests a high-temperature origin. Thermodynamic modelling by [7] indicates condensation temperatures of 1917 K, 1693 K, 1613 K and 1415 K for Os, Mo, Ru and Pt respectively. These models also show that following the initial condensation of a refractory metal, alloying of solutes such as Fe, Ni and W, occurs in levels proportional to their partial pressures in the surrounding gas. Such alloying occurs at temperatures above the condensation temperatures of common CAI phases such as melilite (1529 K), perovskite (1441 K), spinel (197 K) and forsterite (1354 K) [2]. The polyphasic nature of Spud could be the result of such high-temperature alloying, possibly shortly after the condensation of Mo and Ru at 1693 K and 1613 K respectively. That Spud occurs as an inclusion is consistent with it having formed prior to and at temperature above that of its host melilite in this FTA CAI, which is qualitatively consistent with such prior thermodynamic modeling. Further, the polyphasic nature of Spud is similar to refractory grains from a FTA CAI in the Northwest Africa (NWA) 8323, CV3 chondrite [11-13]. These data suggest that such refractory metal grains could have been widespread in the inner and early solar protoplanetary disk and represent some of the earliest formed solids to have condensed. Acknowledgments: Research and instrumentation supported by NASA grants #NNX12AL47G, #NNX15AJ22G and #80NSSC19K0509, and NSF grants #1531243 and #0619599. Fig 2. STEM data on ‘Spud’. HAADF Image (Top) False-color EDS Maps (Bottom) References: [1] MacPherson G. J. (2014) T. of Geochem. Vol I: Met. And Cosmochem. Processes, 139-179. [2] Lodders K. (2003) ApJ, 591, 1220-1247. [3] Ebel D. S. (2006) Met. & the Early S. Sys. II., 253- 277. [4] Amelin Y. (2002) Science, 297, 1678-1683. [5] Connelly J.N. et.al. (2012) Science, 338, 651-655. [6] Schwander D. et al. (2015) GCA, 18, 70-87. [7] Palme H. and Wlotzka F. (1976) EPSL, 33, 45-60. [8] Berg T. et al. (2009) ApJ, 702, 172-176. [9] Liffman K. et al. (2021) Icarus, 221, 89-105. [10] Zega T.J. et al. (2021) PSJ, 2, 115. [11] Ramprasad T. et al. (2020) LPSC LI, Abstract #2472. [12] Ramprasad T. et al. (2021) Microscopy & Microanalysis, S1, 2792-2794. [13] Ramprasad T. et al. (2021) 84th MetSoc, Abstract #6123. [14] Zega T.J. et al. (2007) MAPS, 42, 1373-1386. [15] Ramprasad T. et al. (2022) MAPS, in revision. [16] Grossman L. (1975), GCA, 39, 433-454. [17] El Goresy A. et al. (1978) LPSC IX, Abstract#1100

T. Ramprasad↗

Radio and X-ray observations of the gamma-ray bright quasar PKS 0528+134

We present a study of the z = 2.07 quasar PKS 0528+134, which has been detected as an extraordinarily luminous gamma-ray source. Its radio properties are highly variable in both total and polarized flux density. Milliarcsecond-scale maps from global very long base interferometry (VLBI) experiments, an X-ray spectrum from ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) observations, and light curves in total flux density and polarization are used to investigate the geometry, radiation mechanism, and physical environment of the emission region in the source. The VLBI images reveal a bent jet extending toward the northeast on parsec scales, with less intense knots of emission appearing on the opposite side of the brightest spot. The position of the core usually found in such sources is unclear. The polarization angle is stable despite strong variability in polarized flux density and indicates that the magnetic field is aligned with the jet axis as defined by our 8.4 GHz image. The ROSAT X-ray flux density of PKS 0528+134 in 1991 March is measured to be 1.6 micro Jy at 1 keV, with a very steep spectral (`energy') index sigma(sub x) approximately equal to 2.2. The X-ray observations reveal the presence of cold gas along the line of sight significantly in excess of that present in the Galaxy. A strong radio flare began within two months of the first observation of a high flux of gamma-rays from PKS 0528+134 by Hunter et al. Using the geometry and spectral chacateristics determined by our VLBI observations, a synchrotron self-Compton calculation indicates that relativistic bulk motion is required in PKS 0528+134, with an estimated Doppler beaming factor delta approximately greater than 4.3, similar to the value delta approximately greater than 7 required to explain the low optical depth of the gamma-rays to photon-photon pair production. We suggest that the core activity of PKS 0528+134 is sporadic in nature, with the nonthermal outburst starting in 1991 representing a violent period involving ejection of relativistic plasma along a compact jet pointed almost directly toward us.

Zhang, Yun Fei↗

A far-infrared spectral line survey of 23 infrared-bright Galaxy nuclei

We present results from a KAO survey of fine-structure lines observed in 23 infrared-luminous galaxies. One or more of the following lines was observed and/or detected in each galaxy: (S III) 19, 33 microns, (Ne V) 24 microns, (O IV) 26 microns, (Fe II) 26 microns, (Si II) 35 microns, (O III) 52, 88 microns, (0 I) 63, 146 microns, (N III) 57 micro ns, (N II) 122, 205 microns, (C II) 158 microns. The galaxies span a wide range of morphologies (irregular to grand design), have varying metallicities, and include mergers, AGN's, and starburst systems. The observations were made beginning in 1988 using the facility Cryogenic Grating Spectrometer onboard the KAO at a typical resolution of approximately 60-140 km/s and with a 30-44 deg beam. We interpret the (C II) and (O I) fluxes, along with previous measurements of the IR continuum fluxes, in the context of photo dissociation region (PDR) models (Tielens & Hollenbach 1985; Wolfire et al. 1990). With these models, we obtain estimates of the typical interstellar UV fields incident on the line emitting regions (102-104 times the local interstellar radiation field) and the total masses (10(exp 7)-10(exp 8) Solar Mass), densities (10(exp 3)-10(exp 4)/cu cm), and temperatures (100-250 K) of the warm atomic gas. The (O III) (52/88) and (S III) (33/19) line flux ratios constrain the range of electron densities and pressures found within the ionized regions. The (O III) and (S III) lines also provide estimates of the effective temperature of the ionizing stars and elemental abundances within the ionized regions of these galactic nuclei. Our measurements imply typical gas pressures of nT approximately 5 x 10(exp 6)/cu cm K and typical upper mass cutoffs of 25-35 Solar Mass. The low-metallicity systems show high (C II)/CO and (O I)/CO flux ratios, 3-5 times the Milky Way value, indicating that they contain a larger fraction of photodissociated gas relative to the molecular material.

Lord, Steven D.↗

Raman-shifting an ArF excimer laser to generate new lines for obtaining optical diagnostic based information in flow fields

The application of tunable excimer lasers in combustion and flow diagnostics is almost routine nowadays. The properties of this laser system that enable density and temperature measurements in supersonic and hypersonic flow fields to be conducted are its high power, high repetition rate, and high spectral brightness. The limitation imposed by this system on these measurements is the paucity of lines in the wavelength region, the vacuum-ultraviolet, where species of interest, such as OH, N2, O2, H2, H2O, CO, NO, etc., are susceptible to electronic excitation to high-lying states. To circumvent this problem one normally resorts to nonlinear optical techniques such as frequency conversion via stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), more commonly known as Raman shifting or Raman mixing, to extend these nonintrusive and nonperturbing techniques to the shorter wavelengths in the VUV region and, for that matter, to longer wavelengths in the infrared region, if the need arises. The theoretical basis of SRS and its application are well documented in the literature. In essence, the Raman shift is a consequence of the inelastic scattering of the incident radiation by the sample. Most of the scattered radiation from the molecules of the sample is unchanged in frequency. However, a small fraction of the incident radiation is changed in frequency. This shift is a result of the fact that some of the incident photons on colliding with the molecules of the sample give up some of their energy and emerge with a lower energy resulting in the lower-frequency Stokes radiation. Other incident photons may increase their energy by colliding with the vibrationally excited molecules of the medium and emerge as higher-frequency antistokes radiation. The generation of the latter is the main objective of this project. The process, however, depends on several factors, including the beam quality of the pump laser, the cross-section of the gaseous medium, the gas pressure, and the ambient temperature of the gas near the focal region. Furthermore, since the Raman shifting process is polarization sensitive, it is necessary to have all of the laser energy in a single polarization. These factors were taken into consideration in the execution of the project. The implementation of the Raman shift was accomplished by focusing the 193 nm output of an ArF excimer laser (Lamda-Physik LPX 150) into a 1-meter long high pressure recirculating Raman cell filled with H2 gas. The laser system was modified in order to improve the mode quality of the pump beam to enhance the Raman shifting. To accomplish this feat, a prism beam expander and grating on the oscillator discharge provided wavelength tuning over the excimer gain profile. Furthermore, a triple-pass configuration, as opposed to unstable resonator optics, was employed in the operation of the amplifier cavity so that when the oscillator output radiation, focused by a 51-cm focal length fused silica lens through a 50 micron pinhole (serving as a spatial filter) and recollimated with a 25-cm focal length lens, was fed into the amplifier, it was injection locked, thereby providing tunable radiation with relatively low divergence. The forward scattered radiation emanating from the impingement of the modified pump beam on the Raman cell was detected using an energy meter after the latter had been separated from it using a dispersing prism.

Koker, Edmond B.↗

Determining Sizes of Particles in a Flow from DPIV Data

A proposed method of measuring the size of particles entrained in a flow of a liquid or gas would involve utilization of data from digital particle-image velocimetry (DPIV) of the flow. That is to say, with proper design and operation of a DPIV system, the DPIV data could be processed according to the proposed method to obtain particle sizes in addition to particle velocities. As an additional benefit, one could then compute the mass flux of the entrained particles from the particle sizes and velocities. As in DPIV as practiced heretofore, a pulsed laser beam would be formed into a thin sheet to illuminate a plane of interest in a flow field and the illuminated plane would be observed by means of a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera aimed along a line perpendicular to the illuminated plane. Unlike in DPIV as practiced heretofore, care would be taken to polarize the laser beam so that its electric field would lie in the illuminated plane, for the reason explained in the next paragraph. The proposed method applies, more specifically, to transparent or semitransparent spherical particles that have an index of refraction different from that of the fluid in which they are entrained. The method is based on the established Mie theory, which describes the scattering of light by diffraction, refraction, and specular reflection of light by such particles. In the case of a particle illuminated by polarized light and observed in the arrangement described in the preceding paragraph, the Mie theory shows that the image of the particle on the focal plane of the CCD camera includes two glare spots: one attributable to light reflected toward the camera and one attributable to light refracted toward the camera. The distance between the glare spots is a known function of the size of the particle, the indices of refraction of the particle material, and design parameters of the camera optics. Hence, the size of a particle can be determined from the distance between the glare spots. The proposed method would be implemented in an algorithm that would automatically identify, and measure the distance between, the glare spots for each particle for which a suitable image has been captured in a DPIV image frame. The algorithm (see figure) would begin with thresholding of data from the entire image frame to reduce noise, thereby facilitating discrimination of particle images from the background and aiding in the separation of overlapping particles. It is important not to pick a threshold level so high that the light intensity between a given pair of glare spots does not fall below the threshold value, leaving the glare spots disconnected. The image would then be scanned in a sequence of rows and columns of pixels to identify groups of adjacent pixels that contain nonzero brightnesses and that are surrounded by pixels of zero brightness. Each such group would be assumed to constitute the image of one particle. Each such group would be further analyzed to determine whether the image was saturated; saturated particle images must be rejected because the locations of glare spots in saturated images cannot accurately be determined. Within each unsaturated particle image, the centroids (deemed to be the locations) of the glare spots would be determined by means of gradients of brightness distributions and three-point horizontal and three-point vertical Gaussian estimates based on the brightness values of the brightest pixels and the pixels adjacent to them. If the brightness of a given particle image contained only one peak, then it would be assumed that a second glare spot did not exist and that image would be rejected.

Wernet, M. P.↗

Deep WFPC2 and Ground-Based Imaging of a Complete Sample of 3C Quasars and Galaxies

We present the results of an HST and ground-based imaging study of a complete 3C sample of zeta approx. equal to 1 sources, comprising 5 quasars and 5 radio galaxies. We have observed all of the sample in essentially line-free bands at rest-frame 0.33 micrometers with WFPC2 and in rest-frame 1 micrometer images from the ground; we have also observed most of the sample in narrow-band filters centered on [O II]. We resolve continuum structure around all of our quasars in the high-resolution WFPC2 images, and in four of the five ground-based K' images. All of the quasars have some optical continuum structure that is aligned with the radio axis. In at least 3 of these cases, some of this optical structure is directly coincident with a portion of the radio structure, including optical counterparts to radio jets in 3C212 and 3C245 and an optical counterpart to a radio lobe in 3C2. These are most likely due to optical synchrotron radiation, and the radio and optical spectral indices in the northern lobe of 3C2 are consistent with this interpretation. The fact that we see a beamed optical synchotron component in the quasars but not in the radio galaxies complicates both the magnitude and the alignment comparisons. Nonetheless, the total optical and K' flux densities of the quasar hosts are consistent with those of the radio galaxies within the observed dispersion in our sample. The distributions of K' flux densities of both radio galaxies and quasar hosts exhibit similar mean and dispersion to that found for other radio galaxies at this redshift, and the average host galaxy luminosity is equivalent to, or a little fainter than, L*. The formal determination of the alignment in the optical and infrared in the two subsamples yields no significant difference between the radio galaxy and quasar subsamples, and the quasars 3C 196 and 3C 336 have aligned continuum and emission-line structure that is probably not due to beamed optical synchrotron emission. Very blue and/or edge-brightened structures are present in some objects within the probable quasar opening angle; these are possibly the result of illumination effects from the active nucleus, i.e., scattered quasar light or photoionization. In 3C 212, we see an optical object that lies 3 min. beyond the radio lobe, but which looks morphologically quite similar to the radio lobe itself. This object is bright in the infrared and has a steep spectral gradient along its length. A striking, semi-circular arc seen associated with 3C 280 may possibly be a tidal tail from a companion, enhanced in brightness by scattering or photoionization. In the near-infrared, most of the radio galaxies have elliptical morphologies with profiles that are well-fit by de Vaucouleurs r(exp 1/4)-laws and colors that are consistent with an old stellar population. All components around the quasars have optical-infrared colors that are redder than or similar to the colors of their respective nuclei; this is more consistent with a stellar origin for the emission than with a dominant scattering contribution. From the correspondence between the total magnitudes in the galaxies and quasars and the detection of aligned components in the quasars, we conclude that this study provides general support for the unification of FR II radio galaxies and quasars. Some of the objects in the sample (e.g, 3C 212) have properties that may be difficult to explain with our current understanding of the nature of FR II radio sources and the alignment effect.

Ridgway, Susan E.↗

A TRMM Rainfall Estimation Method Applicable to Land Areas

Methods developed to estimate rain rate on a footprint scale over land with the satellite-borne multispectral dual-polarization Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/1) radiometer have met with limited success. Variability of surface emissivity on land and beam filling are commonly cited as the weaknesses of these methods. On the contrary, we contend a more significant reason for this lack of success is that the information content of spectral and polarization measurements of the SSM/I is limited. because of significant redundancy. As a result, the complex nature and vertical distribution C, of frozen and melting ice particles of different densities, sizes, and shapes cannot resolved satisfactorily. Extinction in the microwave region due to these complex particles can mask the extinction due to rain drops. Because of these reasons, theoretical models that attempt to retrieve rain rate do not succeed on a footprint scale. To illustrate the weakness of these models, as an example we can consider the brightness temperature measurement made by the radiometer in the 85 GHz channel (T85). Models indicate that T85 should be inversely related to the rain rate, because of scattering. However, rain rate derived from 15-minute rain gauges on land indicate that this is not true in a majority of footprints. This is also supported by the ship-borne radar observations of rain in the Tropical Oceans and Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA-COARE) region over the ocean. Based on these observations. we infer that theoretical models that attempt to retrieve rain rate do not succeed on a footprint scale. We do not follow the above path of rain retrieval on a footprint scale. Instead, we depend on the limited ability of the microwave radiometer to detect the presence of rain. This capability is useful to determine the rain area in a mesoscale region. We find in a given rain event that this rain area is closely related to the mesoscale-average rain rate. Based on this observation, in this study we have developed a method to estimate the mesoscale-average rain rate over land utilizing microwave radiometer data. Because of the high degree of geographic and seasonal variability in the nature and intensity of rain, this method requires some tuning with 15-minute rain gauge data on land. After tuning the method, it can be applied to an independent set of rain events that are close in time and space. We find that the mesoscale rain rates retrieved over the period of a month on land with this method shows a correlation of about 0.85 with respect to the surface rain-gauge observations. This mesoscale-average rain rate estimation method can be useful to extend the spatial and temporal coverage of the rainfall data provided by the Precipitation Radar on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite.

Prabhakara, C.↗

Microfocus/Polycapillary-Optic Crystallographic X-Ray System

A system that generates an intense, nearly collimated, nearly monochromatic, small-diameter x-ray beam has been developed for use in macromolecular crystallography. A conventional x-ray system for macromolecular crystallography includes a rotating-anode x-ray source, which is massive (.500 kg), large (approximately 2 by 2 by 1 m), and power-hungry (between 2 and 18 kW). In contrast, the present system generates a beam of the required brightness from a microfocus source, which is small and light enough to be mounted on a laboratory bench, and operates at a power level of only tens of watts. The figure schematically depicts the system as configured for observing x-ray diffraction from a macromolecular crystal. In addition to the microfocus x-ray source, the system includes a polycapillary optic . a monolithic block (typically a bundle of fused glass tubes) that contains thousands of straight or gently curved capillary channels, along which x-rays propagate with multiple reflections. This particular polycapillary optic is configured to act as a collimator; the x-ray beam that emerges from its output face consists of quasi-parallel subbeams with a small angular divergence and a diameter comparable to the size of a crystal to be studied. The gap between the microfocus x-ray source and the input face of the polycapillary optic is chosen consistently with the focal length of the polycapillary optic and the need to maximize the solid angle subtended by the optic in order to maximize the collimated x-ray flux. The spectrum from the source contains a significant component of Cu K (photon energy is 8.08 keV) radiation. The beam is monochromatized (for Cu K ) by a nickel filter 10 m thick. In a test, this system was operated at a power of 40 W (current of 897 A at an accelerating potential of 45 kV), with an anode x-ray spot size of 41+/-2 microns. Also tested, in order to provide a standard for comparison, was a commercial rotating-anode x-ray crystallographic system with a pyrolytic graphite monochromator and a 250-micron pinhole collimator, operating at a power of 3.15 kW (current of 70 mA at an accelerating potential of 45 kV). The flux of collimated Cu K radiation in this system was found to be approximately 16 times that in the rotatinganode system. Data on x-ray diffraction from crystals of tetragonal form of lysozyme (protein) in this system were found to be of high quality and to be reducible by use of standard crystallographic software.

Joy, Marshall↗

Envelope structure of deeply embedded young stellar objects in the Serpens Molecular Cloud

Aperture-synthesis and single-dish (sub-) millimeter molecular-line and continuum observations reveal in great detail the envelope structure of deeply embedded young stellar objects (SMM 1 = FIRS 1, SMM 2, SMM 3, SMM 4) in the densely star-forming Serpens Molecular Cloud. SMM 1, 3, and 4 show partially resolved (>2" = 800 AU) continuum emission in the beam of the Owens Valley Millimeter Array at lambda = 3.4-1.4 mm. The continuum visibilities accurately constrain the density structure in the envelopes, which can be described by a radial power law with slope -2.0 +/- 0.5 on scales of 300 to 8000 AU. Inferred envelope masses within a radius of 8000 AU are 8.7, 3.0, and 5.3 Msolar for SMM 1, 3, and 4, respectively. A point source with 20%-30% of the total flux at 1.1 mm is required to fit the observations on long baselines, corresponding to warm envelope material within approximately 100 AU or a circumstellar disk. No continuum emission is detected interferometrically toward SMM 2, corresponding to an upper limit of 0.2 Msolar assuming Td = 24 K. The lack of any compact dust emission suggests that the SMM 2 core does not contain a central protostar. Aperture-synthesis observations of the 13CO, C18O, HCO+, H13CO+, HCN, H13CN, N2H+ 1-0, SiO 2-1, and SO 2(2)-1(1) transitions reveal compact emission toward SMM 1, 3, and 4. SMM 2 shows only a number of clumps scattered throughout the primary field of view, supporting the conclusion that this core does not contain a central star. The compact molecular emission around SMM 1, 3, and 4 traces 5"-10" (2000-4000 AU) diameter cores that correspond to the densest regions of the envelopes, as well as material directly associated with the molecular outflow. Especially prominent are the optically thick HCN and HCO+ lines that show up brightly along the walls of the outflow cavities. SO and SiO trace shocked material, where their abundances may be enhanced by 1-2 orders of magnitude over dark-cloud values. A total of 31 molecular transitions have been observed with the James Clerk Maxwell and Caltech Submillimeter telescopes in the 230, 345, 490, and 690 GHz atmospheric windows toward all four sources, containing, among others, lines of CO, HCO+, HCN, H2CO, SiO, SO, and their isotopomers. These lines show 20-30 km s-1 wide line wings, deep and narrow (1-2 km s-1) self-absorption, and 2-3 km s-1 FWHM line cores. The presence of highly excited lines like 12CO 4-3 and 6-5, 13CO 6-5, and several H2CO transitions indicates the presence of material with temperatures > or approximately 100 K. Monte Carlo calculations of the molecular excitation and line transfer show that the envelope model derived from the dust emission can successfully reproduce the observed line intensities. The depletion of CO in the cold gas is modest compared to values inferred in objects like NGC 1333 IRAS 4, suggesting that the phase of large depletions through the entire envelope is short lived and may be influenced by the local star formation density. Emission in high-excitation lines of CO and H2CO requires the presence of a small amount of approximately 100 K material, comprising less than 1% of the total envelope mass and probably associated with the outflow or the innermost region of the envelope. The derived molecular abundances in the warm (Tkin > 20 K) envelope are similar to those found toward other class 0 YSOs like IRAS 16293-2422, though some species appear enhanced toward SMM 1. Taken together, the presented observations and analysis provide the first comprehensive view of the physical and chemical structure of the envelopes of deeply embedded young stellar objects in a clustered environment on scales between 1000 and 10,000 AU.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Understanding the Space Weathering of Mercury Through Laboratory Experiments

Introduction: Airless surfaces across the solar system are continually modified by energetic particles from solar wind and micrometeoroid bombardment [1,2]. This process is known as space weathering, and it alters the chemical, microstructural, and optical properties of surface regoliths on airless bodies, including Mercury. On the Moon and S-type asteroids, the reflectance spectral signatures of space weathering include reddening (increasing reflectance with increasing wavelength), darkening (lowering of reflectance), and the attenuation of characteristic absorption bands [2]. Such spectral changes are driven by the production of Fe-bearing nanoparticles(npFe) through both solar wind irradiation and micrometeoroid bombardment. While our understanding of space weathering for the Moon and near-Earth S-types asteroids is advanced, insight into how these processes operate on other planetary bodies is limited. In particular, Mercury experiences a uniquely intense space weathering environment than planetary counterparts at 1 AU, including a moreintense solar wind flux and higher velocity micrometeoroid impacts [4]. Additionally, Mercury has a surface composition unique in the inner solar system, including regions of the surface with very low albedo known as the low reflectance material (LRM), which is enriched in carbon, likely graphite, up to 4wt.% [5].In addition, the concentration of Fe across Mercury’s surface islow (<2 wt.%) compared to the Moonor S-type asteroids asteroids[6]. Our understanding of the effects of space weathering on C-rich and Fe-poor phases is limited. Since Fe plays a critical role inthe development of space weathering characteristicson other airless surfaces(e.g., npFe), its limited availability may significantly affect the development of space weathering features in Mercury surface materials. We can simulate space weathering processes in the laboratory to explore their effects on the microstructural, chemical, and spectral characteristics of Mercury surface materials[7]. Here we used pulsed laser irradiation to simulate the short duration, high-temperature events associated with micrometeoroid impacts. We performed coordinated analyses including reflectance spectroscopy and electron microscopy to investigate the spectral, chemical, and microstructural changes in these mercurian analog samples. Methods: For these experiments, we usedforsteritic olivine with varying FeOcontents, a mineral phase proposed to be abundant on the surface of Mercury. We mixed each sample with graphite to simulate LRM regions of the surface. Wesynthesized the olivinesamplesat 1-bar at NASA’s Johnson Space Centerand prepared pressed powder pellets for laser irradiation [8].We prepared three samples, each with a base layer of olivineto maintain structural integrity and topped witha surface layer containing the graphite-olivine mixture: 1) Sample SC-001 San Carlos olivine(Fo90.91),2)Sample F-S-002 with0.05 wt.% FeO olivine, and 3) F-T-004 with 0.53 wt.% FeO olivine. Each sample was mixed with 5 wt.% powdered graphite and had grain sizes ranging from 45to 125μm. We irradiated each sample usinga pulsed Nd-YAG laser, (l=1064 nm, ~6 ns pulse duration, energy of 48 mJ/pulse) while undervacuumat Northern Arizona University. The laser was rastered1x and then 5x over the surfaceof each sample to simulate progressive space weathering. We collected in situreflectance spectra from the samples after each laser pulse witha Nicolet IS50 Fourier-Transform Infrared spectrometer (lfrom 0.65-2.5 μm). We used an FEI Nova NanoSEM200scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a Hitachi TM4000 Plus benchtop SEM at Purdue University to image the surface morphology and topography of the samples. We extracted thin sections for analysis in the transmission electron microscope(TEM)using the FEI Helios NanoLab 660 focused ion beam (FIB) SEM at the University of Arizona.We performed analysis of the microstructural and chemical characteristics of the samples using the 200 keV JEOL 2500 scanning TEM at Johnson Space Center. Reflectance Spectroscopy Results:Reflectance spectra for each sample are shown in Fig. 1.SC-001:The spectrum of the unirradiated sample exhibits a weak 1.0 μm absorption feature, associated with Fe2+in the olivine,and low overall reflectance (Fig. 1a). Thereflectance and the depth of the absorption band increases after 1x laser raster but are at their lowest after 5x laser rasters.F-T-004:The unirradiated sample has a blue-sloped spectrum with low reflectance without identifiable absorption features (Fig. 1b). With progressive laser irradiation, the sample reflectance increases and becomes strongly red-sloped.F-S-002:The unirradiated sample exhibits a dark, blue-slopedspectrum. The brightness of the sample increases significantly from <0.2average reflectance over >0.8 reflectance in the most irradiated sampleand thespectral slope also becomesslightly reddened (Fig. 1c). Microstructural and Chemical Analysis: Two primary alteration textures were observed in the samples exposed to simulated space weathering: 1) fluffy C-rich,and 2) vesiculated melt. The fluffy C-rich texture is composed oflow-densitydeposits distributed across the surface of the sample(Fig. 2A). Analysis of a FIB section extracted from a low-density C-rich region in sample SC-001 reveals multiple globule-type deposits, discrete from stacked graphite, likely produced via melting from the laser irradiation [9].The vesiculated melt textureis smooth and uniformly distributed across isolated regions of the sample surface. The vesicles measure up to 100s of nmin diameter. Analysis of a FIB section from this texture was extracted from sample F-T-004 reveals a layer of amorphous melt material, close to 100 nm thick and uniform across the FIB section (Fig. 2B). Isolated regions of this melt layer contain small nanoparticles, <5 nm in diameter. Chemical analysis through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy reveals the composition of this layer is enriched in Si and depleted in Mg and O compared to the underlying sample. Implications for Space Weathering on Mercury: Previous experiments simulating space weathering of Mercury have showndarkening and reddening of spectra[7,10].However, our use of low-Fe materials and graphite to create a sample set more analogous to the mercurian surface. Our results indicate that sample composition plays a significant and important role in the space weathering of Mercury. In particular, our spectral data demonstrates a strong correlation between spectral slope, Fe content, and simulated space weathering. While the variation in FeO content between samples F-S-002 and F-T-004 is <0.6 wt.%, the spectra deviate from flat to strongly red-sloped(F-T-004). This reddeningmay be linked to the presence of very small nanoparticles observed in the melt textures extracted from sample F-T-004. For the SC-001 sample, the fluffy C-rich textures may be developed by the amalgamation of small graphite particles into these unique morphologies. Such observations indicate that space weathering on Mercury may result in both familiar and new microstructural and chemical characteristics. References: [1]Hapke B. (2001) J. Geophys. Res.-Planet.,106,10039–10073. [2]Pieters C.M. and Noble S.K. (2016) J. Geophys. Res-Planet., 121, 1865–1884. [3] Lucey P.G., and Riner, M.A. (2011) Icarus,212, 451-462.[4]CintalaM.J.(1992)J. Geophys. Res.-Planet.,97,947–973.[5]Klima R.L.et al.(2018)Geophys.Res.Letters, 45, 2945–2953. [6]Nittler L.R., et al. (2011) Science 333, 1847-1850.[7]Sasaki S. and Kurahashi E. (2004) Space weathering on Mercury, Adv.Space Res., 33, 2152-2155.[8] Vander KaadenK.E., et al. (2018) LPSCXLIX, Abstract 1230. [9] McGlaun M.L. et al. (2019) LPSCL, Abstract 2019. [10] TrangD.et al. (2018)LPSCXLIX,Abstract2083

M S Thompson↗

Pre-Launch Performance Trending of Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS)

The Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) microwave radiometer instrument is utilized on-board NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) fleet of spacecraft to perform temperature and water vapor soundings of Earth’s atmosphere. Consisting of 22 channels over a frequency range from 22 to 183 GHz, ATMS provides high-impact observations for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. A general description of the ATMS instrument is discussed in [1]. There are five ATMS flight units in the polar-orbiting JPSS program; three are currently on-orbit and two are pending launch. The first ATMS was flown on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite, launched in 2011. The second ATMS was launched on the NOAA-20 (previously JPSS-1) satellite in 2017. The third ATMS was launched on the NOAA-21 (previously JPSS-2) satellite in 2022. The SNPP and NOAA-20 ATMS units are operational. The NOAA-21 ATMS unit is completing on-orbit commissioning and checkout, having achieved provisional maturity status in December 2022 with validated maturity expected in May 2023 [2]. The fourth and fifth ATMS units are planned for the JPSS-3 (launch ~2028) and JPSS-4 (launch ~2032) satellites [3]. This paper will focus on trending performance characteristics of each JPSS ATMS build from the pre-launch activities. Pre-launch trending of some parameters have been previously published up to the JPSS-3 mission [4][5]. This paper differs from and expands the scope of the prior work as it will include all five of the JPSS ATMS builds. The entire suite of JPSS ATMS units have completed their pre-ship instrument-level I&T and verification activities. These activities include a radiometric performance characterization of each instrument. In addition to comparing the performance across builds, the performance will also be compared to requirements and specifications where applicable. The on-orbit performance of the launched units will be excluded from the scope of this paper in order to focus on evaluations that are common across all builds. The post-launch performance of SNPP ATMS is detailed in [1][6][7][8]. The post-launch performance of NOAA-20 ATMS is detailed in [6][8][9]. The pre-launch characterization of the ATMS occurs at both subassembly-level and instrument-level testing. The antenna subsystem is tested at Northrop Grumman’s Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR) in Azusa, CA [9]. This testing characterizes the antenna pattern and the pointing performance of the scan drive mechanism and antenna subsystem. Trended parameters from this evaluation will include beam pointing accuracy, beamwidth, and beam efficiency. These parameters are captured in each instrument’s Calibration Data Book [10]. Instrument-level radiometric performance evaluation is primarily done during thermal vacuum (TVAC) calibration testing at Northrop Grumman’s Azusa, CA facility [9]. A general description of the calibration activities is presented in [1][9]. The testing involves inferring a scene target brightness temperature (TB) and comparing it to the actual scene TB while the instrument is at flight-like temperature and pressure environmental conditions. Trended parameters from this activity will include Noise Equivalent Delta Temperature (NEDT), nonlinearity, radiometric accuracy, gain stability, striping, and inter-channel noise correlation. The trending evaluation will allow for a direct comparison of the ATMS performance across builds. The paper will highlight observed performance improvements.

Edward J Kim↗