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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 127 records · Page 7
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

The atmosphere of Uranus

Current knowledge of the atmosphere of Uranus is reviewed and specific objectives are suggested for satellite missions to Uranus. The anomalous composition of Uranus makes determinations of its atmospheric composition particularly valuable for testing theories of solar system evolution. The weakness of its atmospheric heating makes the determination of its atmospheric structure and dynamics particularly valuable for testing theories of atmospheric behavior. The large axial inclination of Uranus implies an anomalous latitudinal variation of temperature and dynamics different from that of the other planets.

Stone, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Differences Between ERBE and CERES Tropical Means Fluxes: ENSO, Climate Change of Calibration?

Verner E. Soumi was the father of radiation budget measurements from space. He directed the team at the University of Wisconsin that developed the first radiation budget measurements on the Iota (Explorer VII) coverage) spacecraft in 1959. The first data published was from hand calculations of night-time long-wave fluxes, with absolute accuracy estimated as better than 10 percent, and the data shown as hand drawn maps with lines of equal "long-wave radiation loss, in Langleys per minute X 10(exp -3) (isolangleys)". The first comparisons of the new radiation data with nephanalyses showed that clouds dominated the radiation patterns. Soumi immediately proposed using the radiation fields to help understand the atmospheric heat sources necessary to drive the atmospheric circulation. This early work already pointed to the relationship between the outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere and the vertical flux divergence of infrared radiation within the atmosphere. In the next 30 years, global satellite observations of the radiation balance of the planet have advanced both in accuracy, stability, and in their ability to address cause and effect in the climate system. The purpose of the present paper is to examine early results of the new Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data on Tropical Rainfall Measuring System (TRMM) which started data collection in January, 1998. CERES is a direct descendant of the legacy of Soumi's foresight on understanding the global energetics using satellite observations of broadband radiation.

Wielicki, Bruce A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Differences between ERBE and CERES Tropical Mean Fluxes: ENSO, Climate Change or Calibration?

Verner E. Soumi was the father of radiation budget measurements from space. He directed the team at the University of Wisconsin that developed the first radiation budget measurements on the Iota (Explorer VII) coverage) spacecraft in 1959. The first data published was from hand calculations of night-time long-wave fluxes, with absolute accuracy estimated as better than 10 percent, and the data shown as hand drawn maps with lines of equal "long-wave radiation loss, in Langleys per minute X 10(exp -3) (isolangleys)". The first comparisons of the new radiation data with nephanalyses showed that clouds dominated the radiation patterns. Soumi immediately proposed using the radiation fields to help understand the atmospheric heat sources necessary to drive the atmospheric circulation. This early work already pointed to the relationship between the outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere and the vertical flux divergence of infrared radiation within the atmosphere. In the next 30 years, global satellite observations of the radiation balance of the planet have advanced both in accuracy, stability, and in their ability to address cause and effect in the climate system. The purpose of the present paper is to examine early results of the new Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data on Tropical Rainfall Measuring System (TRMM) which started data collection in January, 1998. CERES is a direct descendant of the legacy of Soumi's foresight on understanding the global energetics using satellite observations of broadband radiation.

Wielicki, Bruce A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Survey of literature on convective heat transfer coefficients and recovery factors for high atmosphere thermometry

Heat transfer phenomena of rarefied gas flows is discussed based on a literature survey of analytical and experimental rarefied gas dynamics. Subsonic flows are emphasized for the purposes of meteorological thermometry in the high atmosphere. The heat transfer coefficients for three basic geometries are given in the regimes of free molecular flow, transition flow, slip flow, and continuum flow. Different types of heat phenomena, and the analysis of theoretical and experimental data are presented. The uncertainties calculated from the interpolation rule compared with the available experimental data are discussed. The recovery factor for each geometry in subsonic rarefied flows is also given.

Chung, S.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Transition region fluxes in A-F Dwarfs: Basal fluxes and dynamo activity

The transition region spectra of 87 late A and early F dwarfs and subgiants were analyzed. The emission line fluxes are uniformly strong in the early F stars, and drop off rapidly among the late A stars. The basal flux level in the F stars is consistent with an extrapolation of that observed among the G stars, while the magnetic component displays the same flux-flux relations seen among solar-like stars. Despite the steep decrease in transition region emission flux for B-V less than 0.28, C II emission is detected in alpha Aql (B-V = 0.22). The dropoff in emission is inconsistent with models of the mechanically generated acoustic flux available. It is concluded that, although the nonmagnetic basal heating is an increasingly important source of atmospheric heating among the early F stars, magnetic heating occurs in any star which has a sufficiently thick convective zone to generate acoustic heating.

Walter, Frederick M.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Interannual Variability of Martian Global Dust Storms: Simulations with a Low-Order Model of the General Circulation

We present simulations of the interannual variability of martian global dust storms (GDSs) with a simplified low-order model (LOM) of the general circulation. The simplified model allows one to conduct computationally fast long-term simulations of the martian climate system. The LOM is constructed by Galerkin projection of a 2D (zonally averaged) general circulation model (GCM) onto a truncated set of basis functions. The resulting LOM consists of 12 coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations describing atmospheric dynamics and dust transport within the Hadley cell. The forcing of the model is described by simplified physics based on Newtonian cooling and Rayleigh friction. The atmosphere and surface are coupled: atmospheric heating depends on the dustiness of the atmosphere, and the surface dust source depends on the strength of the atmospheric winds. Parameters of the model are tuned to fit the output of the NASA AMES GCM and the fit is generally very good. Interannual variability of GDSs is possible in the IBM, but only when stochastic forcing is added to the model. The stochastic forcing could be provided by transient weather systems or some surface process such as redistribution of the sand particles in storm generating zones on the surface. The results are sensitive to the value of the saltation threshold, which hints at a possible feedback between saltation threshold and dust storm activity. According to this hypothesis, erodable material builds up its a result of a local process, whose effect is to lower the saltation threshold until a GDS occurs. The saltation threshold adjusts its value so that dust storms are barely able to occur.

Pankine, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Atmospheric Collapse on Early Mars: The Role of CO2 Clouds

The abundance of evidence that liquid water flowed on the surface early in Mars' history strongly implies that the early Martian atmosphere was significantly more massive than it is today. While it seems clear that the total CO2 inventory was likely substantially larger in the past, the fundamental question about the physical state of that CO2 is not completely understood. Because the temperature at which CO2 condenses increases with surface pressure, surface CO2 ice is more likely to form and persist as the atmospheric mass increases. For the atmosphere to remain stable against collapse, there must be enough energy, distributed planet wide, to stave off the formation of permanent CO2 caps that leads to atmospheric collapse. The presence of a "faint young sun" that was likely about 25 percent less luminous 3.8 billion years ago than the sun today makes this even more difficult. Several physical processes play a role in the ultimate stability of a CO2 atmosphere. The system is regulated by the energy balance between solar insolation, the radiative effects of the atmosphere and its constituents, atmospheric heat transport, heat exchange between the surface and the atmosphere, and latent heating/cooling. Specific considerations in this balance for a given orbital obliquity/eccentricity and atmospheric mass are the albedo of the caps, the dust content of the atmosphere, and the presence of water and/or CO2 clouds. Forget et al. show that, for Mars' current obliquity (in a circular orbit), CO2 atmospheres ranging in surface pressure from 500 hectopascals to 3000 hectopascals would have been stable against collapsing into permanent surface ice reservoirs. Soto et al. examined a similar range in initial surface pressure to investigate atmospheric collapse and to compute collapse rates. CO2 clouds and their radiative effects were included in Forget et al. but they were not included in Soto et al. Here we focus on how CO2 clouds affect the stability of the atmosphere against collapse.

Kahre, M. A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Cross-Scale and Cross-Interface Processes and Arctic Amplification

The Arctic is a dynamic region, demonstrated by its remarkable internal variability and rapid response to anthropogenic climate change over the last 40 years. Actionable predictions and projections hold significant value for managing both natural and human systems. The value of these model outputs only grows in a warmer, less icy Arctic. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface (air-sea ice-ocean) interactions that limit our predictive capabilities. Studies dating back at least 40 years provide evidence that the evolution of the Arctic climate system is sensitive to these cross-scale and cross-interface interactions. This presentation summarizes our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface interactions relevant to the Arctic’s response to anthropogenic climate change—Arctic Amplification. The presentation emphasizes the influence of surface-type dependent turbulent flux exchanges of heat and moisture, the rectification of episodic atmospheric heat transport events on time-averaged changes, local and remote feedback interactions, and cross-seasonal energy transfers. The presentation concludes with a summary of knowledge gaps and discusses potential pathways for accelerating our understanding of the Arctic climate system.

Patrick C. Taylor↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Importance of Cross-Scale and Cross-Interface Processes on Arctic Amplification

The Arctic is a dynamic region, demonstrated by its remarkable internal variability and rapid response to anthropogenic climate change over the last >40 years. Actionable predictions and projections hold significant value for managing both natural and human systems. The value of these model outputs only grows in a warmer, less icy Arctic. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface (air-sea ice-ocean) interactions that limit our predictive capabilities. Studies dating back at least 40 years provide evidence that the evolution of the Arctic climate system is sensitive to these cross-scale and cross-interface interactions. This presentation summarizes our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface interactions relevant to the Arctic’s response to anthropogenic climate change—Arctic Amplification. The presentation emphasizes the influence of surface-type dependent turbulent flux exchanges of heat and moisture, the rectification of episodic atmospheric heat transport events on time-averaged changes, local and remote feedback interactions, and cross-seasonal energy transfers. The presentation concludes with a summary of knowledge gaps and discusses potential pathways for accelerating our understanding of the Arctic climate system.

Patrick C Taylor↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Cross-Scale and Cross-Interface Processes and Arctic Amplification

The Arctic is a dynamic region, demonstrated by its remarkable internal variability and rapid response to anthropogenic climate change over the last >40 years. Actionable predictions and projections hold significant value for managing both natural and human systems. The value of these model outputs only grows in a warmer, less icy Arctic. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface (air-sea ice-ocean) interactions that limit our predictive capabilities. Studies dating back at least 40 years provide evidence that the evolution of the Arctic climate system is sensitive to these cross-scale and cross-interface interactions. This presentation summarizes our understanding of cross-scale and cross-interface interactions relevant to the Arctic’s response to anthropogenic climate change—Arctic Amplification. The presentation emphasizes the influence of surface-type dependent turbulent flux exchanges of heat and moisture, the rectification of episodic atmospheric heat transport events on time-averaged changes, local and remote feedback interactions, and cross-seasonal energy transfers. The presentation concludes with a summary of knowledge gaps and discusses potential pathways for accelerating our understanding of the Arctic climate system.

Patrick C. Taylor↗
NASA NTRS2021

Aerosol Absorption in Global Models From AeroCom Phase III

Aerosol-induced absorption of shortwave radiation can modify the climate through local atmospheric heating, which affects lapse rates, precipitation, and cloud formation. Presently, the total amount of aerosol absorption is poorly constrained, and the main absorbing aerosol species (black carbon (BC), organic aerosols (OA), and mineral dust) are diversely quantified in global climate models. As part of the third phase of the Aerosol Comparisons between Observations and Models (AeroCom) intercomparison initiative (AeroCom phase III), we here document the distribution and magnitude of aerosol absorption in current global aerosol models and quantify the sources of intermodel spread, highlighting the difficulties of attributing absorption to different species. In total, 15 models have provided total present-day absorption at 550 nm (using year 2010 emissions), 11 of which have provided absorption per absorbing species. The multi-model global annual mean total absorption aerosol optical depth (AAOD) is 0.0054 (0.0020 to 0.0098; 550 nm), with the range given as the minimum and maximum model values. This is 28 % higher compared to the 0.0042 (0.0021 to 0.0076) multi-model mean in AeroCom phase II (using year 2000 emissions), but the difference is within 1 standard deviation, which, in this study, is 0.0023 (0.0019 in Phase II). Of the summed component AAOD, 60 % (range 36 %–84 %) is estimated to be due to BC, 31 % (12 %–49 %) is due to dust, and 11 % (0 %–24 %) is due to OA; however, the components are not independent in terms of their absorbing efficiency. In models with internal mixtures of absorbing aerosols, a major challenge is the lack of a common and simple method to attribute absorption to the different absorbing species. Therefore, when possible, the models with internally mixed aerosols in the present study have performed simulations using the same method for estimating absorption due to BC, OA, and dust, namely by removing it and comparing runs with and without the absorbing species. We discuss the challenges of attributing absorption to different species; we compare burden, refractive indices, and density; and we contrast models with internal mixing to models with external mixing. The model mean BC mass absorption coefficient (MAC) value is 10.1 (3.1 to 17.7) m 2 g −1 (550 nm), and the model mean BC AAOD is 0.0030 (0.0007 to 0.0077). The difference in lifetime (and burden) in the models explains as much of the BC AAOD spread as the difference in BC MAC values. The difference in the spectral dependency between the models is striking. Several models have an absorption Ångstrøm exponent (AAE) close to 1, which likely is too low given current knowledge of spectral aerosol optical properties. Most models do not account for brown carbon and underestimate the spectral dependency for OA.

Aerosol absorption↗
NASA NTRS1991

Heat flow vs. atmospheric greenhouse on early Mars

Researchers derived a quantitative relationship between the effectiveness of an atmospheric greenhouse and internal heat flow in producing the morphological differences between earlier and later Martian terrains. The derivation is based on relationships previously derived by other researchers. The reasoning may be stated as follows: the CO2 mean residence time in the Martian atmosphere is almost certainly much shorter than the total time span over which early climate differences are thought to have been sustained. Therefore, recycling of previously degassed CO2 quickly becomes more important than the ongoing supply of juvenile CO2. If so, then the atmospheric CO2 pressure, and thereby the surface temperature, may be approximated mathematically as a function of the total degassed CO2 in the atmosphere plus buried material and the ratio of the atmospheric and regolith mean residence times. The latter ratio can also be expressed as a function of heat flow. Hence, it follows that the surface temperature may be expressed as a function of heat flow and the total amount of available CO2. However, the depth to the water table can simultaneously be expressed as a function of heat flow and the surface temperature (the boundary condition). Therefore, for any given values of total available CO2 and regolith conductivity, there exist coupled independent equations which relate heat flow, surface temperature, and the depth to the water table. This means we can now derive simultaneous values of surface temperature and the depth of the water table for any value of the heat flow. The derived relationship is used to evaluate the relative importance of the atmospheric greenhouse effect and the internal regolith thermal gradient in producing morphological changes for any value of the heat flow, and to assess the absolute importance of each of the values of the heat flow which are thought to be reasonable on independent geophysical grounds.

Fanale, F. P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Diurnal and annual cycles of H2O in the Martian regolith

The atmospheric heat engines of Earth and Mars are compared. Although water latent heat transfer drives the circulation of the Earth's atmosphere, particularly in the tropics, its contribution to the circulation of the martian atmosphere is negligible. The working fluid on Mars is CO2, which exerts its greatest influence on atmospheric circulation at the poles. The diurnal and seasonal flux of water within the martian regolith is also examined. Calculations indicate that, for a mean annual temperature of 200 K, a diurnal and annual temperature variation of 30 K will drive a maximum exchange of 1.2 pr micrometer and 120 pr micrometer of water, respectively.

Philip, John R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of coordinated observations of a giant stellar flare

Multi-wavelength observations of a giant flare on the star AD Leo were obtained with the 2.1 m and 0.9 m telescopes at McDonald Observatory and the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite. The quality, spectral coverage, and time resolution of the data represented a major improvement over any published stellar flare data. Two theoretical, quantitative flare models were developed. Combining the models, the chromospheric emission model predictions in the hydrogen Balmer lines, Da II K, Mg II h + k and the optical continuum were compared to the observations, with the result that much of the gradual phase flare emission could be produced by the x ray and conductive heated atmospheres. The models lend insight into the impulsive phase flare emission, but do not reproduce it. Soft x ray and conductive heating of the chromosphere is a natural consequence of the coronal temperatures that have been observed during the gradual phase of flares on the sun and on M dwarf stars. The improved flare observations and quantitative flare models presented here show that these heating mechanisms can produce atmospheres whose emission matches many of the observed stellar flare features.

Lambert, David L.↗