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At least 127 records · Page 7

Are Remote Sensing Evapotranspiration Models Reliable Across South American Ecoregions?

Many remote sensing-based evapotranspiration (RSBET) algorithms have been proposed in the past decades and evaluated using flux tower data, mainly over North America and Europe. Model evaluation across South America has been done locally or using only a single algorithm at a time. Here, in this work, we provide the first evaluation of multiple RSBET models, at a daily scale, across a wide variety of biomes, climate zones, and land uses in South America. We used meteorological data from 25 flux towers to force four RSBET models: Priestley–Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL), Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM), Penman–Monteith Mu model (PM-MOD), and Penman–Monteith Nagler model (PM-VI). ET was predicted satisfactorily by all four models, with correlations consistently higher (R 2 > 6) for GLEAM and PT-JPL, and PM-MOD and PM-VI presenting overall better responses in terms of percent bias (-10 < PBIAS < 10%). As for PM-VI, this outcome is expected, given that the model requires calibration with local data. Model skill seems to be unrelated to land-use but instead presented some dependency on biome and climate, with the models producing the best results for wet to moderately wet environments. Our findings show the suitability of individual models for a number of combinations of land cover types, biomes, and climates. At the same time, no model outperformed the others for all conditions, which emphasizes the need for adapting individual algorithms to take into account intrinsic characteristics of climates and ecosystems in South America.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An evaluation of size-resolved cloud microphysics scheme numerics for use with radar observations Part II: Condensation and evaporation

Accurate numerical modeling of clouds and precipitation is essential for weather forecasting and climate change research. While size-resolved (bin) cloud microphysics models predict particle size distributions without imposing shapes, results are subject to artificial size distribution broadening owing to numerical diffusion associated with various processes. Whereas Part I of this study addressed collision–coalescence, here we investigate numerical diffusion that occurs in solving condensation and evaporation. In a parcel model framework, all of the numerical schemes examined converge to one solution of condensation and evaporation as the mass grid is refined, and the advection-based schemes are recommended over the reassigning schemes. Including Eulerian vertical advection in a column limits the convergence to some extent, but that limitation occurs at a sufficiently fine mass grid, and the number of iterations in solving vertical advection should be minimized to reduce numerical diffusion. Insubstantial numerical diffusion in solving condensation can be amplified if collision–coalescence is also active, which in turn can be substantially diminished if turbulence effects on collision are incorporated. Here, large-eddy simulations of a drizzling stratocumulus field reveal that changes in moments of Doppler spectra obtained using different mass grids are consistent with those obtained from the simplified framework, and that spectral moments obtained using a mass grid designed to effectively reduce numerical diffusion are generally closer to observations. Notable differences between the simulations and observations still exist, and our results suggest a need to consider whether factors other than numerical diffusion in the fundamental process schemes employed can cause such differences.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The WACMOS-ET project – Part 1: Tower-scale evaluation of four remote-sensing-based evapotranspiration algorithms

The WAter Cycle Multi-mission Observation Strategy &ndash; EvapoTranspiration (WACMOS-ET) project has compiled a forcing data set covering the period 2005&ndash;2007 that aims to maximize the exploitation of European Earth Observations data sets for evapotranspiration (ET) estimation. The data set was used to run four established ET algorithms: the Priestley&ndash;Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory model (PT-JPL), the Penman&ndash;Monteith algorithm from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) evaporation product (PM-MOD), the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) and the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM). In addition, in situ meteorological data from 24 FLUXNET towers were used to force the models, with results from both forcing sets compared to tower-based flux observations. Model performance was assessed on several timescales using both sub-daily and daily forcings. The PT-JPL model and GLEAM provide the best performance for both satellite- and tower-based forcing as well as for the considered temporal resolutions. Simulations using the PM-MOD were mostly underestimated, while the SEBS performance was characterized by a systematic overestimation. In general, all four algorithms produce the best results in wet and moderately wet climate regimes. In dry regimes, the correlation and the absolute agreement with the reference tower ET observations were consistently lower. While ET derived with in situ forcing data agrees best with the tower measurements ( R 2 = 0.67), the agreement of the satellite-based ET estimates is only marginally lower ( R 2 = 0.58). Results also show similar model performance at daily and sub-daily (3-hourly) resolutions. Overall, our validation experiments against in situ measurements indicate that there is no single best-performing algorithm across all biome and forcing types. In conclusion, an extension of the evaluation to a larger selection of 85 towers (model inputs resampled to a common grid to facilitate global estimates) confirmed the original findings.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An experimentally validated evaporative phase change heat transfer model for low mass flux applications using R134a in plate heat exchangers

Plate frame heat exchangers are common in liquid-coupled vapor compression systems due to their compactness and ease of maintenance. In some of these systems, the refrigerant within the evaporator can enter the heat exchanger as a subcooled liquid. As a result, the refrigerant passes through three different phases: single-phase liquid, two-phase fluid, and a superheated vapor. Unfortunately, there have been limited prior studies that have identified the best method to predict performance under these circumstances. Furthermore, previous investigations have not evaluated refrigerant evaporation in large industrial sized plate frame heat exchangers under conditions experienced in the present study experimental test facility, especially at mass fluxes below 7 kg m –2 s –1 . In the present investigation, a model was developed to predict the performance of plate and frame heat exchangers when the fluid enters as a subcooled liquid and exits as a superheated vapor. The model used full-sized plate heat exchanger geometry that was discretized into 20 sections to accurately capture local heat transfer and pressure drop effects. The model was validated using an R134a counter flow heat exchanger used in a turbo-compression cooling system test facility that had subcooled liquid entering the evaporator at low mass fluxes. A variety of empirical correlations were evaluated to determine what combination yielded the best predictive capability over the following range of conditions: 5.8 < G < 6.8 kg m –2 s –1 , 2 < q” < 2.8 kW m –2 , and 10 °C < T sat < 15 °C. When the correlations used a fixed control volume length in the heat flux calculation, the most accurate combination resulted in a mean absolute error of 5.5%. Finally, future studies can use the approach described here to optimize heat exchanger size and performance.

42 ENGINEERING↗

WaterTAP-REFLO models of Solar Still, Solar Still ZLD, Enhanced Evaporation pond results for baseline analysis

This folder contains results from models that were adapted into WaterTAP-REFLO. The files contain inputs and outputs for solar still, solar still ZLD, and enhanced evaporation pond unit process models for 4 different locations in the USA: Phoenix, Miami, Houston, and Baltimore. The WaterTAP-REFLO implementation may be different and thus may have different results. The data structure and content are described in a ReadMe.txt file. For WaterTAP-REFLO documentation and/or contact the developers please see: https://github.com/watertap-org/watertap-reflo.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Study of non-isothermal liquid evaporation in synthetic micro-pore structures with hybrid lattice Boltzmann model

Non-isothermal liquid evaporation in micro-pore structures is studied experimentally and numerically using the lattice Boltzmann method. A hybrid thermal entropic multiple-relaxation-time multiphase lattice Boltzmann model (T-EMRT-MP LBM) is implemented and validated with experiments of droplet evaporation on a heated hydrophobic substrate. Then liquid evaporation is investigated in two specific pore structures, i.e. spiral-shaped and gradient-shaped micro-pillar cavities, referred to as SMS and GMS, respectively. In SMS, the liquid receding front follows the spiral pattern; while in GMS, the receding front moves layer by layer from the pillar rows with large pitch to the rows with small one. Both simulations agree well with experiments. Moreover, evaporative cooling effects in liquid and vapour are observed and explained with simulation results. Quantitatively, in both SMS and GMS, the change of liquid mass with time coincides with experimental measurements. The evaporation rate generally decreases slightly with time mainly because of the reduction of liquid–vapour interface. Isolated liquid films in SMS increase the evaporation rate temporarily resulting in local peaks in evaporation rate. Reynolds and capillary numbers show that the liquid internal flow is laminar and that the capillary forces are dominant resulting in menisci pinned to the pillars. Similar Péclet number is found in simulations and experiments, indicating a diffusive type of heat, liquid and vapour transport. Our numerical and experimental studies indicate a method for controlling liquid evaporation paths in micro-pore structures and maintaining high evaporation rate by specific geometry designs.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A one-dimensional Fickian model to predict the Ga depth profiles in three-stage Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2}

We present a one-dimensional Fickian model that predicts the formation of a double Ga gradient during the fabrication of Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} thin films by three-stage thermal co-evaporation. The model is based on chemical reaction equations, structural data, and effective Ga diffusivities. In the model, the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} surface is depleted from Ga during the deposition of Cu-Se in the second deposition stage, leading to an accumulation of Ga near the back contact. During the third deposition stage, where In-Ga-Se is deposited at the surface, the atomic fluxes within the growing layer are inverted. This results in the formation of a double Ga gradient within the Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} layer and reproduces experimentally observed Ga distributions. The final shape of the Ga depth profile strongly depends on the temperatures, times and deposition rates used. The model is used to evaluate possible paths to flatten the marked Ga depth profile that is obtained when depositing at low substrate temperatures. We conclude that inserting Ga during the second deposition stage is an effective way to achieve this.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

SIMULATIONS OF PROMINENCE FORMATION IN THE MAGNETIZED SOLAR CORONA BY CHROMOSPHERIC HEATING

Starting from a realistically sheared magnetic arcade connecting the chromospheric, transition region to coronal plasma, we simulate the in situ formation and sustained growth of a quiescent prominence in the solar corona. Contrary to previous works, our model captures all phases of the prominence formation, including the loss of thermal equilibrium, its successive growth in height and width to macroscopic dimensions, and the gradual bending of the arched loops into dipped loops, as a result of the mass accumulation. Our 2.5 dimensional, fully thermodynamically and magnetohydrodynamically consistent model mimics the magnetic topology of normal-polarity prominences above a photospheric neutral line, and results in a curtain-like prominence above the neutral line through which the ultimately dipped magnetic field lines protrude at a finite angle. The formation results from concentrated heating in the chromosphere, followed by plasma evaporation and later rapid condensation in the corona due to thermal instability, as verified by linear instability criteria. Concentrated heating in the lower atmosphere evaporates plasma from below to accumulate at the top of coronal loops and supply mass to the later prominence constantly. This is the first evaporation-condensation model study where we can demonstrate how the formed prominence stays in a force balanced state, which can be compared to the Kippenhahn-Schlueter type magnetohydrostatic model, all in a finite low-beta corona.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Spatial–temporal changes in potential evaporation patterns based on the Cloud model and their possible causes

It is of importance to comprehensively investigate the spatial-temporal changes in potential evaporation patterns, which helps guide the long-term water resource allocation and irrigation managements. In this study, the Cloud model was adopted to quantify the average, uniformity, and stability of annual potential evaporation in the Wei River Basin (WRB), a typical arid and semi-arid region in China.. The cross wavelet analysis was then applied to explore the correlations between potential evaporation and Arctic Oscillation (AO)/El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) with an aim to determine the possible causes of potential evaporation variations. Results indicated that: (1) the average of annual potential evaporation in the WRB first declined and then increased, which was similar with its stability, whilst its dispersion degree exhibited a decreasing trend, implying that potential evaporation has a small inter-annual variation; (2) the average of potential evaporation in the western basin was obviously smaller than that in the other areas, while its uniformity and stability in the Guanzhong plain and the Loess Plateau areas are larger than those in other areas, particularly in the western basin where the uniformity and stability are the smallest; (3) both AO and ENSO exhibited strong correlations with potential evaporation variations, indicating that both AO and ENSO have played an important role in the annual potential evaporation variations in the WRB.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Spectroscopy of Neutron-rich Pu Nuclei

Spectroscopic studies of nuclei in the A{approx}250, Z{approx}100 region provide critical input to theoretical models that attempt to describe the structure and stability of the heaviest elements. We report here on new spectroscopic studies in the N = 150,151 nuclei {sup 244,245}Pu. (Z = 94). Excitations in these nuclei on the neutron-rich side of the valley of stability, accessed via inelastic and transfer reactions, complement fusion-evaporation studies of Z{>=}100 nuclei. States in {sup 244,245}Pu were populated using {sup 47}Ti and {sup 208}Pb beams incident on a {sup 244}Pu target, with delayed and prompt gamma rays detected by the Gammasphere array. The new results are discussed in the context of emerging systematics of one- and two-quasiparticle excitations in N{>=}150 nuclei.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Single-Bubble Flow Boiling Phenomena - Interface Tracking Simulation

Boiling, as one of the most efficient heat transfer mechanisms, is widely used in various engineering systems. Better understanding and modeling of this process remains a major challenge in multiphase flow research. The distribution of vapor in boiling system affects the heat transfer rate and may cause unfavorable conditions, such as heater burn-out. A number of flow regimes have been observed experimentally. In general, there are three regimes under boiling conditions: nucleate boiling, transition boiling, and film boiling. The nucleate boiling regime is categorized into partial boiling regime and fully developed nucleate boiling, according to behavior of bubble dynamics and heat transfer characteristics. In the first region, as the wall temperature increases, the fraction of the wall surface subject to nucleate boiling increases until bubble formation occupies the entire heated surface. Heat transfer in this region is a complex mixture of single-phase forced convection and nucleate boiling. As bubble density increases, bubbles turn to coalesce and form insulating vapor patches, which impedes liquid flow back to the surface. The heat transfer rate under this condition reduces dramatically. This point is called Critical Heat Flux (CHF), which leads to boiling crisis. The behavior of boiling crisis is dependent on local fluid conditions due to bubble growth and departure. Experiments are the ultimate tool for boiling model development and verification, but they still lack some capabilities needed for better understanding of the local mechanism of this phenomena. It's difficult to capture many important details at the pressure/temperature conditions of interest using experimental techniques, such as full three dimensional measurements of velocity and temperature distribution and estimates of heat flux partitioning during the boiling process. The interface tracking simulation (ITS) is one of the promising approaches to describe heat transfer of boiling phenomena and their underlying mechanisms. The advances of high performance computing (HPC) in recent years made it possible to apply DNS to a wide variety of adiabatic flows. Some work has been done to implement evaporation / condensation models as well. Lee and Nydahl performed a numerical simulation of bubble growth and departure assuming that the bubble has the shape of a truncated sphere and a micro-layer exists during bubble growth. A 2-D cylindrical bubbles simulation has been done by Son with a simplified model to predict the heat flux in a thin liquid micro-layer. A direct simulation of 2D film boiling is conducted by Juric and Tryggvason. The film boiling, below critical pressure with a modified Level Set Method, is studied by Son and Dhir. Ose and Kunugi have developed a boiling and condensation model on subcooled boiling phenomena. Fuchs performed numerical simulations of bubble growth and departure considering wall conduction effects. Fully transient heat and fluid flow is modeled with a free surface of a rising bubble and a periodic calculation of the whole cycling of a growing, detaching, and rising bubble. Mukherjee and Kandikar have done a numerical simulation of an evaporating meniscus on a moving heated surface with level set method. The heat transfer associated with the advancing and receding contact angle has been studied. To develop the capability of physics-based boiling process, in the presented work the energy and momentum equations are coupled to simulate single-bubble growth scenarios. For a single bubble simulation in infinite liquid, the analytical solution exists and can be compared with the numerical results for verification purposes. The presented capabilities will be utilized in the large scale DNS of boiling flows in the future. The finite-element based code, PHASTA is used for the simulation. It is a parallel, hierarchic, higher-order accurate, adaptive, stabilized, transient analysis flow solver, which has been shown to be an effective tool for a wide range of single and two-phase flow problems. It has been shown to be highly scalable on top supercomputers ({approx}85% scaling on up to 3 million mesh partitions using a 92 billion element mesh . PHASTA has been shown to reliably predict the details of adiabatic bubbly flows as well as single-phase flows with heat transfer. To develop the capability of physics-based boiling process, in the presented work the energy and momentum equations are coupled to simulate a single-bubble growth scenario. For a single bubble growth in superheated water, the analytical solution exists and can be compared with the numerical results for verification purposes. The second-order accurate spatial and time discretization is used for the flow solver in the presented work. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DYNAMICAL FRAGMENTATION OF THE T PYXIDIS NOVA SHELL DURING RECURRENT ERUPTIONS

Hubble Space Telescope images of the ejecta surrounding the nova T Pyxidis resolve the emission into more than 2000 bright knots. We simulate the dynamical evolution of the ejecta from T Pyxidis during its multiple eruptions over the last 150 years using the adaptive mesh refinement code Ramses. We demonstrate that the observed knots are the result of Richtmyer-Meshkov gas dynamical instabilities (the equivalent of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in an accelerated medium). These instabilities are caused by the overrunning of the ejecta from the classical nova of 1866 by fast-moving ejecta from the six subsequent recurrent nova outbursts. Magnetic fields may play a role in determining knot scale and preventing their conductive evaporation. The model correctly predicts the observed expansion and dimming of the T Pyx ejecta as well as the knotty morphology. The model also predicts that deeper, high-resolution imagery will show filamentary structure connecting the knots. We show reprocessed Hubble Space Telescope imagery that shows the first hints of such a structure.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Determining Activity Coefficients of SOA from Isothermal Evaporation in a Laboratory Chamber

Nonideal molecular interactions in aerosol particles influence the partitioning of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). However, few direct measurements exist that determine activity coefficients (γ), which quantify nonideality, for individual organic compounds in different atmospheric mixtures. By measuring the isothermal evaporation of SOA formed from multifunctional SVOCs in an environmental chamber, this study determines the mole-fraction-based γ of the bulk SOA in a variety of pre-existing chemically complex particles, approximated as if the bulk SOA behaved like a single SVOC. These multicomponent mixtures contain molecular structures commonly found in the atmosphere. When treated as a single liquid phase, γ of the bulk SOA tends to increase from ~1 to ~5 as the organic seeds and the SOA have more differing polarities. A high computed γ value of 74 for a wet ammonium sulfate-SOA system indicates phase separation. The γ for some individual species was also quantified based on gas-phase measurements and AIOMFAC model predictions. However, the bulk SOA γ cannot be explained by the simplified speciated SVOC–seed interactions, suggesting incomplete compositional understanding of the bulk SOA. In this work, these results demonstrate a method to quantify nonideal behavior and show that it can occur in multicomponent mixtures and therefore influence OA formation, evolution, and lifetimes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Space and Time Dynamics of Transpiration in the East River Watershed: Biotic and Abiotic Controls

Alpine forests have important impacts on water resources by affecting how much of the precipitation that falls on a watershed is routed to streamflow or returned to the atmosphere as transpiration – so-called “green water”. In many of the high-altitude watersheds that supply critical water resources to the western US, it remains a challenge to predict how much water forests will utilize limiting the ability to predict both short and long term information on downstream water resources. The uncertainty emerges because transpiration varies between tree species, across landscapes and over time in ways that cannot readily be predicted from physically-based models for evaporation. In this project, we utilized a technique called sap flux to measure the rate of water use for three common species of fir, spruce and aspen distributed across a hillslope in the East River Watershed from 2019-2021. We also made ~weekly measurements of the concentration of stable isotopic tracers in transpiration to understand not only how much water was being used but whether it originated from summer rain or snowmelt. Firstly, our results show that the species tend to use similar amounts of total water but they achieve this similar cumulative water flux both by using water at different times of the year and by using different water sources. This shows the importance of including species-level information into models used to make seasonal streamflow predictions. Secondly, our results show that trees lower on the hillslope use older waters all through the summer whereas trees higher on the hillslope rely more heavily on recent summer rain. This means trees lower on the hillslope are less sensitive to year-to-year changes in summer climate. Lastly, we found that sites with dense forest stands displayed the largest amounts of year-to-year changes in transpiration and thus these high localized spots in the watershed are the primary drivers of changes in “green water” use. The results provide an unprecedented spatial and temporal picture of forest water use that confirms a number of fundamental hypotheses on hillslope ecohydrology that had not previously been tested against observations. Predictions of streamflow that will benefit from this work are highly valuable for agriculture management, flood control and ecological restoration efforts.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Allowance for the orientation of colliding ions in describing the synthesis of heavy nuclei

The dynamical model proposed earlier for describing fusion-fission reactions was modified in order to take into account an arbitrary orientation of colliding ions. In this model, the evolution of collective coordinates of the system under study is treated as a two-stage process. The motion of the projectile nucleus toward the target nucleus is considered at the first stage, and the evolution of a continuous dinuclear system formed as soon as the projectile and target nuclei touch each other is calculated at the second stage. At either stage of the calculation, the dynamical evolution of the system is described in terms of Langevin equations. The shell structure of the nuclei involved is taken into account at both stages. The difference between the results obtained for the first stage with allowance for an arbitrary orientation of colliding ions and the respective results for the case where their symmetry axes are aligned are discussed. The cross sections for the touching of primary nuclei and for their fusion are calculated, along with the cross sections for evaporation-residue formation in reactions involving nuclei that are prolate and spherical in the ground state. The results are compared with available theoretical and experimental data.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗