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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

Validation of SMAP L2 passive-only soil moisture products using upscaled in situ measurements collected in Twente, the Netherlands

The Twente region in the east of the Netherlands has a network with twenty soil monitoring stations that has been utilized for validation of the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) passive-only soil moisture products. Over the period from April 2015 until December 2018, seven stations covered by the SMAP reference pixels 15 have fairly complete data records. Spatially distributed soil moisture simulations with the Dutch national hydrological model have been utilized for the development of upscaling functions to translate the spatial mean of point measurements to the domain of the SMAP reference pixels. The native and upscaled spatial soil moisture means computed using the in-situ measurements have been adopted as references to assess the performance of the SMAP i) Single Channel Algorithm at Horizontal Polarization (SCA-H), ii) Single Channel Algorithm at Vertical Polarization (SCA-V), and iii) Dual Channel Algorithm (DCA) soil moisture estimates. In the case of the Twente network it was found that the SCA-V soil moisture retrieved SMAP observations collected in the afternoon had the best agreement with the native spatial mean leading to an unbiased Root Mean Squared Error (uRMSE) of 0.059 m3 m-3, whereas for the upscaled in-situ references primarily larger biases were found. These error levels are larger than the mission’s target accuracy of 0.04 m3 m-3, which can be attributed to large over- and underestimation errors (>0.08 m3 m-3) in particular at the end of dry spells and during freezing, respectively. The strong vertical dielectric gradients associated with rapid soil freezing and wetting causes the disparity in soil depth characterized by SMAP and in situ that leads to the large mismatches. Once filtered for frozen conditions and antecedent rainfall the uRMSE improves to 0.043 m3 m-3.

Rogier van der Velde↗

Single-valued representation of unpolarized and polarized semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering at next-to-next-to-leading order

We revisit the recently published analytic results for unpolarized and polarized semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in quantum chromodynamics (QCD). These expressions for the hard scattering coefficients contain case distinctions in the kinematic (𝑥,𝑧)-plane, splitting the analytic result into four regions. By reexpressing the coefficient functions in terms of single-valued polylogarithms, we remove these case distinctions and can present a unified result valid across the entire kinematic range of SIDIS. This reduces the length of the overall expressions by 30% to 60%.

Deep inelastic scattering↗

Nanoscale Polarization-Dependent Young’s Modulus of Ferroelectric BaTiO 3 Single Crystals

Flexoelectric fields produced by strong strain gradients at the nanoscale couple to ferroelectric polarization, promoting changes in the mechanical properties of ferroelectric materials as a function of the direction of the ferroelectric polarization. In this work, we calculate the asymmetry in the Young’s modulus found in oppositely polarized out-of-plane domains of BaTiO 3 single crystals by means of contact resonance AFM, and we evaluate its impact on the electromechanical response as measured by piezoresponse force microscopy, both using band excitation modes. Furthermore, we analyze the electromechanical response of the different BaTiO 3 domains using k-means to build up their mean elastic and electromechanical features and quantify the flexoelectrically induced modulation of the Young’s modulus. Finally, we discuss the use of contact Kelvin probe force microscope measurements to decouple electrostatic artifacts from purely piezoelectric ones when flexoelectric coupling appears.

BaTiO 3 single crystals↗

Low-Profile, Dual-Wavelength, Dual-Polarized Antenna

A single-aperture, low-profile antenna design has been developed that supports dual-polarization and simultaneous operation at two wavelengths. It realizes multiple beams in the elevation plane, and supports radiometric, radar, and conical scanning applications. This antenna consists of multiple azimuth sticks, with each stick being a multilayer, hybrid design. Each stick forms the h-plane pattern of the C and Ku-band vertically and horizontally polarized antenna beams. By combining several azimuth sticks together, the elevation beam is formed. With a separate transceiver for each stick, the transmit phase and amplitude of each stick can be controlled to synthesize a beam at a specific incidence angle and to realize a particular side-lobe pattern. By changing the transmit phase distribution through the transceivers, the transmit antenna beam can be steered to different incidence angles. By controlling the amplitude distribution, different side lobe patterns and efficiencies can be realized. The receive beams are formed using digital beam synthesis techniques, resulting in very little loss in the receive path, thus enabling a very-low loss receive antenna to support passive measurements.

Carswell, James R.↗

Polarization from scattering in blobs

We describe a Monte Carlo method for calculating polarization due to scattering in various geometries. We apply the method in this paper to the case of scattering in a spherical cloud illuminated by parallel rays. The polarization is largest in small optical depth blobs, where single scattering dominates. The polarization decreases as optical depth increases until a limit is reached where scattering occurs on the surface, and increasing optical depth has little effect on the results. For a given optical depth, decreasing the albedo leads to an increase of the degree of polarization of the scattered light because single scattering increases relative to multiple scattering. As the optical depth of the blob increases, the scattered flux becomes increasingly backward throwing. In the high albedo blobs, the maximum polarization becomes skewed towards the illuminated hemisphere at high optical depths. We discuss the applications to polarization in supergiants and R CrB stars, and scattering in a clumpy interstellar medium.

Code, Arthur D.↗

Polar oxysulfide for nonlinear optical applications

Single crystals of a new noncentrosymmetric polar oxysulfide SrZn 2 S 2 O (s.g. Pmn2 1 ) grown in a eutectic KF-KCl flux with unusual wurtzite-like slabs consisting of close-packed corrugated double layers of ZnS 3 O tetrahedra vertically separated from each other by Sr atoms and methods of making same.

zur Loye, Hans-Conrad↗

Polar cap models of gamma-ray pulsars: Emision from single poles of nearly aligned rotators

We compare a new Monte Carlo simulation of polar cap models for gamma-ray pulsars with observations of sources detected above 10 MeV by the Compton Observatory (CGRO). We find that for models in which the inclination of the magnetic axis is comparable to the angular radius of the polar cap, the radiation from a single cap may exhibit a pusle with either a single broad peak as in PSR 1706-44 and PSR 1055-52, or a doubly peaked profile comparable to those observed from the Crab, Vela and Geminga pulsars. In general, double pulses are seen by observers whose line of sight penetrates into the cap interior and are due to enhanced emission near the rim. For cascades induced by culvature radiation, increased rim emission occurs even when electrons are accelerated over the entire cap, since electrons from the interior escape along magnetic field lines with less curvature and hence emit less radiation. However, we obtain better fits to the duty cycles of observed profiles if we make the empirical assumption that acceleration occurs only near the rim. In either case, the model energy spectra are consistent with most of the observed sources. The beaming factors expected from nearly aligned rotators, based on standard estimates for the cap radius, imply that their luminosities need not be as large as in the case of orthogonal rotators. However, small beam angles are also a difficutly with this model because they imply low detection probablities. In either case the polar cap radius is a critical factor, and in this context we point out that plasma loading of the field lines should make the caps larger than the usual estimates based on pure dipole fields.

Daugherty, Joseph K.↗

Single-shot electro-optic sampling with arbitrary terahertz polarization

With the recent development of diversity electro-optic sampling (DEOS), significant progress has been made in the range of applicability of single-shot EOS measurements, allowing broadband THz waveforms to be captured in a single shot over large temporal windows. In addition to the decrease in acquisition time compared to standard multishot data acquisition, this technique allows measurements on systems far from equilibrium with large shot-to-shot noise or with irreversible or poorly repeatable dynamics. Although DEOS has been demonstrated and verified for linearly polarized THz waveforms, we investigate the effects resulting from the presence of a secondary polarization component. This imposes new challenges for accurate waveform reconstruction, and opens the opportunity to measure out complex polarization states such as arbitrary elliptically polarized THz field. We demonstrate a single-shot diversity-electro-optic-sampling-based approach to capture both x- and y-THz fields simultaneously with a single (110)-cut EO crystal for THz polarimetry and ellipsometry over a wide range of frequencies.

Lenz, Maximilian [University of California, Los An↗

Full Field Photoelastic Stress Analysis

A structural specimen coated with or constructed of photoelastic material, when illuminated with circularly polarized light will, when stressed: reflect or transmit elliptically polarized light, the direction of the axes of the ellipse and variation of the elliptically light from illuminating circular light will correspond to and indicate the direction and magnitude of the shear stresses for each illuminated point on the specimen. The principles of this invention allow for several embodiments of stress analyzing apparatus, ranging from those involving multiple rotating optical elements, to those which require no moving parts at all. A simple polariscope may be constructed having two polarizing filters with a single one-quarter waveplate placed between the polarizing filters. Light is projected through the first polarizing filter and the one-quarter waveplate and is reflected from a sub-fringe birefringent coating on a structure under load. Reflected light from the structure is analyzed with a polarizing filter. The two polarizing filters and the one-quarter waveplate may be rotated together or the analyzer alone may be rotated. Computer analysis of the variation in light intensity yields shear stress magnitude and direction.

Lesniak, Jon R.↗

Ferroelectric Field Effect Transistor Model Using Partitioned Ferroelectric Layer and Partial Polarization

A model of an n-channel ferroelectric field effect transistor has been developed based on both theoretical and empirical data. The model is based on an existing model that incorporates partitioning of the ferroelectric layer to calculate the polarization within the ferroelectric material. The model incorporates several new aspects that are useful to the user. It takes into account the effect of a non-saturating gate voltage only partially polarizing the ferroelectric material based on the existing remnant polarization. The model also incorporates the decay of the remnant polarization based on the time history of the FFET. A gate pulse of a specific voltage; will not put the ferroelectric material into a single amount of polarization for that voltage, but instead vary with previous state of the material and the time since the last change to the gate voltage. The model also utilizes data from FFETs made from different types of ferroelectric materials to allow the user just to input the material being used and not recreate the entire model. The model also allows the user to input the quality of the ferroelectric material being used. The ferroelectric material quality can go from a theoretical perfect material with little loss and no decay to a less than perfect material with remnant losses and decay. This model is designed to be used by people who need to predict the external characteristics of a FFET before the time and expense of design and fabrication. It also allows the parametric evaluation of quality of the ferroelectric film on the overall performance of the transistor.

MacLeod, Todd C.↗

Gravity-directed calcium current in germinating spores of Ceratopteris richardii

Gravity directs the early polar development in single cells of Ceratopteris richardii Brogn. It acts over a limited period of time during which it irreversibly determines the axis of the spore cell's development. A self-referencing calcium selective electrode was utilized to record the net movement of calcium across the cell membrane at different positions around the periphery of the spore during the period in which gravity orients the polarity of the spore. A movement of calcium into the cell along the bottom and out of the cell along the top was detected. This movement was specific, polarized, and strongest in a direction that opposed the vector of gravity. Treatment with nifedipine, a calcium-channel blocker, diminished the calcium current and caused the cell to lose its responsiveness to the orienting influence of gravity. Results shown suggest that calcium plays a crucial role in the ability of a single cell to respond to gravity and in the subsequent establishment of its polarity.

Non-NASA Center↗

Metasurface‐Based Mueller Matrix Microscope

In conventional optical microscopes, image contrast of objects mainly results from the differences in light intensity and/or color. Muller matrix optical microscopes (MMMs), on the other hand, can provide significantly enhanced image contrast and rich information about objects by analyzing their interactions with polarized light. However, state-of-the-art MMMs are fundamentally limited by bulky and slow polarization state generators and analyzers. Here, the study demonstrates a metasurface-based MMM, i.e., Meta-MMM, which is equipped with a chip-integrated, single-shot metasurface polarization state analyzer (Meta-PSA). The Meta-MMM is featured with high-speed measurement (≈2s per Muller matrix (MM) image), superior operation stability, dual-color operation, and high measurement accuracy (measurement error 1–2%) for MM imaging. The Meta-MMM is applied to nanostructure characterization, surface morphology analysis, and discovering birefringent structures in honeybee wings. As a result, the Meta-MMMs hold the promise to revolutionize various applications from biological imaging, medical diagnosis, and material characterization to industry inspection and space exploration.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Radar observations of asteroid 1986 JK

The asteroid 1986 JK was observed with a 3.5 cm-wavelength radar in May and June, 1986, at less than 0.029 AU; its radar echo power circular polarization ratio indicates single backscattering from smooth surface elements. A working model constructed for the asteroid in light of these radar data postulates a 1-2 km object whose shape has little elongation and some polar flattening. Orbital and physical characteristics are rather cometlike. The radar astrometric data obtained are noted to be extremely powerful for orbit-improvement, so that a search ephemeris whose uncertainty is an order-of-magnitude smaller than that based on relevant optical data alone can be prepared by combining optical and radar data.

Ostro, S. J.↗

Radiative Transfer and Satellite Remote Sensing of Cirrus Clouds Using FIRE-2-IFO Data

Under the support of the NASA grant, we have developed a new geometric-optics model (GOM2) for the calculation of the single-scattering and polarization properties for arbitrarily oriented hexagonal ice crystals. From comparisons with the results computed by the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, we show that the novel geometric-optics can be applied to the computation of the extinction cross section and single-scattering albedo for ice crystals with size parameters along the minimum dimension as small as approximately 6. We demonstrate that the present model converges to the conventional ray tracing method for large size parameters and produces single-scattering results close to those computed by the FDTD method for size parameters along the minimum dimension smaller than approximately 20. We demonstrate that neither the conventional geometric optics method nor the Lorenz-Mie theory can be used to approximate the scattering, absorption, and polarization features for hexagonal ice crystals with size parameters from approximately 5 to 20. On the satellite remote sensing algorithm development and validation, we have developed a numerical scheme to identify multilayer cirrus cloud systems using AVHRR data. We have applied this scheme to the satellite data collected over the FIRE-2-IFO area during nine overpasses within seven observation dates. Determination of the threshold values used in the detection scheme are based on statistical analyses of these satellite data.

Source record↗

The NASA/JPL multipolarization SAR aircraft program

The NASA/JPL aircrft program has been in existence for more than a decade. However, during the past two years, there has been a dramatic increase in the capability and scientific utility of this system as an L-band, 4-polarization synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system has become operational. The system is capable of simultaneously and coherently acquiring four independent complex polarization measurements for every pixel in the image. This capability has been exploited by a number of experimenters to generate several new data types that appear to contain significantly more information than was previously available from single or dual polarized SAR systems. The system will ultimately be capable of estimating the entire complex scattering matrix for every pixel on the ground. Within the next year the system will be extended to C-band so that it will be possible to simultaneously acquire 4-polarization imagery at L-band and C-band. This system will be the prototype for the SIR-C experiment that will have similar capabilities and be flown on the Space Shuttle in 1989.

Held, D. N.↗

The utilization of Nimbus-7 SMMR measurements to delineate rainfall over land

Based on previous theoretical calculations, an empirical statistical approach to use satellite multifrequency dual polarized passive microwave data to detect rainfall areas over land was initiated. The addition of information from a lower frequency channel (18.0 or 10.7 GHz) was shown to improve the discrimination of rain from wet ground achieved by using a single frequency dual polarized (37 GHz) channel alone. The algorithm was developed and independently tested using data from the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer. Horizontally and vertically polarized brightness temperature pairs at 37, 18, 10.7 GHz were sampled for raining areas over land (determined from ground base radar), wet ground areas (adjacent and upwind from rain areas determined from radar), and dry land regions (areas where rain had not fallen in a 24h period) over the central and eastern United States. Surface thermodynamic temperatures were both above and below 15 deg C.

Rogers, E.↗