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At least 1,423 records · Page 79

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DOE OSTI2018

Synthetic ozone deposition and stomatal uptake at flux tower sites

Abstract. We develop and evaluate a method to estimate O 3 deposition and stomatal O 3 uptake across networks of eddy covariance flux tower sites where O 3 concentrations and O 3 fluxes have not been measured. The method combines standard micrometeorological flux measurements, which constrain O 3 deposition velocity and stomatal conductance, with a gridded dataset of observed surface O 3 concentrations. Measurement errors are propagated through all calculations to quantify O 3 flux uncertainties. We evaluate the method at three sites with O 3 flux measurements: Harvard Forest, Blodgett Forest, and Hyytiälä Forest. The method reproduces 83 % or more of the variability in daily stomatal uptake at these sites with modest mean bias (21 % or less). At least 95 % of daily average values agree with measurements within a factor of 2 and, according to the error analysis, the residual differences from measured O 3 fluxes are consistent with the uncertainty in the underlying measurements. The product, called synthetic O 3 flux or SynFlux, includes 43 FLUXNET sites in the United States and 60 sites in Europe, totaling 926 site years of data. This dataset, which is now public, dramatically expands the number and types of sites where O 3 fluxes can be used for ecosystem impact studies and evaluation of air quality and climate models. Across these sites, the mean stomatal conductance and O 3 deposition velocity is 0.03–1.0 cm s -1 . The stomatal O 3 flux during the growing season (typically April–September) is 0.5–11.0 nmol O 3 m -2 s -1 with a mean of 4.5 nmol O 3 m -2 s -1 and the largest fluxes generally occur where stomatal conductance is high, rather than where O 3 concentrations are high. The conductance differences across sites can be explained by atmospheric humidity, soil moisture, vegetation type, irrigation, and land management. These stomatal fluxes suggest that ambient O 3 degrades biomass production and CO 2 sequestration by 20 %–24 % at crop sites, 6 %–29 % at deciduous broadleaf forests, and 4 %–20 % at evergreen needleleaf forests in the United States and Europe.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1972

Structural model optimization using statistical evaluation

The results of research in applying statistical methods to the problem of structural dynamic system identification are presented. The study is in three parts: a review of previous approaches by other researchers, a development of various linear estimators which might find application, and the design and development of a computer program which uses a Bayesian estimator. The method is tried on two models and is successful where the predicted stiffness matrix is a proper model, e.g., a bending beam is represented by a bending model. Difficulties are encountered when the model concept varies. There is also evidence that nonlinearity must be handled properly to speed the convergence.

Collins, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Application of microelectronic technology to general aviation flight control

This paper presents several different methods that can be used to determine the aircraft orientation (attitude) without direct measurement. The methods combine state estimation techniques with measurements from solid state pressure sensors, accelerometers, and magnetometers to determine the aircraft state. The paper demonstrates how the estimation algorithms were validated and compared using flight test data, and it presents results of performance sensitivity analyses of sensor error, modeling inaccuracies, and wind disturbance effects on the attitude estimation errors. If implemented, the methods presented could make it possible to eliminate directional and vertical gyros and to change from many isolated sensors to an integrated, small, reliable sensing package for determining the aircraft state.

Sorensen, J. A.↗

NASA NTRS1948

A simple approximate method for obtaining spanwise lift distributions over swept wings

It is shown how Schrenk's empirical method of estimating the lift distribution over straight wings can be adapted to swept wings by replacing the elliptical distribution by a new "ideal" distribution which varies with sweep.The application of the method is discussed in detail and several comparisons are made to show the agreement of the proposed method with more rigorous ones. It is shown how first-order compressibility corrections applicable to subcritical speeds may be included in this method.

Diederich, Franklin W↗

NASA NTRS1995

A Faraday rotation search for magnetic fields in quasar damped Ly alpha absorption systems

We present the results of a Faraday rotation survey of 61 radio-bright QSOs conducted at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) Very Large Array (VLA). The Galactic contribution to the Faraday rotation is estimated and subtracted to determine the extragalactic rotation measure (RRM) for each source. Eleven of these QSOs are known to exhibit damped Ly alpha absorption. The rate of incidence of significant Faraday rotation of these 11 sources is compared to the remaining 50 and is found to be higher at the 99.8% confidence level. However, as this is based upon only two detections of Faraday rotation in the damped Ly alpha sample, the result is only tentative. If the two detections in the damped Ly alpha sample are dug to the absorbing systems, then the inferred rotation measure induced by these systems is roughly 250 rad/sq m. The two detections were for the two lowest redshift absorbers in the sample. We find that a rotation measure of 250 rad/sq m would have gone undetected for any other absorber in the damped Ly alpha sample due to the 1/(1 + 2) squared dilution of the observed RRM with redshift. Thus the data are consistent with, but do not prove, the hypothesis that Faraday rotation is a generic property of damped Ly alpha absorbers. We do not confirm the suggestion that the amplitude of RRMs increases with redshift. Rather, the data are consistent with no redshift evolution. We find that the uncertainty in the estimation of the Galactic rotation measure (GRM) is a more serious problem than previously realized for extra-galactic Faraday rotation studies of QSO absorbers. A careful analysis of current methods for estimating GRM indicate that it can be determined to an accuracy of about 15 - 20 rad/sq m. Previous studies underestimated this uncertainty by more than a factor of 2. Due to this uncertainty, rotation measures such as we suspect are associated with damped Ly alpha absorption systems can only be detected at redshifts less than z approximately equal 1.

Oren, Abraham L.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Estimation With Range Dependent Sensor Model

This paper focuses on the improvement of target tracking accuracy taking into account the sensor’s reading degradation as the relative range increases. The approach is based on the assumption that range measurement error depends on the actual range. Specifically, we model the measurement error as a proportional to the actual range term plus a zero-mean, Gaussian distributed, and uncorrelated process. We present two approaches to tracking a target with constant velocity model. The first approach uses Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) framework to estimate target's states and the unknown proportionality coefficient with linearization on the observation model on the predicted states at each time step. The second one uses a measurement conversion method to estimate the target's scaled by the unknown constant term states, which is shown to be unbiased. This conversion results in linear state and observation models, hence the standard Kalman filter can be applied. The actual target state is computed by application of back scaling with the estimate of unknown scale factor. We evaluate the approaches in desktop simulations.

Target tracking↗

DOE OSTI2023

Throughput Measurements and Capacity Estimates for Quantum Connections

The throughput of conventional and quantum network connections is an important performance metric, which is typically specified by bits per second (bps) and entangled quntum bits per second (ebps), respectively. It is measured over practical quantum network connections using specialized methods, and estimated using analytical bounds for which extensive theory has been developed. For practical connections, however, these two quantities have often been hard to correlate due to the lack of measurements and estimates derived under well-characterized common conditions. They both differ significantly from the conventional network throughput of TCP which employs buffers and loss recovery mechanisms. We describe a conventional-quantum testbed that enables the comparison of these two quantities both qualitatively and quantitatively. The bps and ebps throughput is measured over fiber connections of lengths over 75 kilometers, which show that the former decreases significantly slower with distance than the latter and in a qualitatively different way. The analytic capacity estimates of ebps are derived using approximations based on light intensity measurements, and they decrease more rapidly with distance than the measured ebps throughput. These results provide qualitative insights into the conventional transport mechanisms based on buffers, and the conditions used in deriving the analytical ebps capacity estimates.

Rao, Nageswara↗

DOE OSTI2020

A Data-Driven Method for Adaptive Reserve Requirement Estimation via Probabilistic Net Load Forecasting

The University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO, 80309, USA With the increasing penetration of renewable energy, power systems are subject to more uncertainty. This makes power system reserve scheduling more challenging. Most of the current reserve requirement determination methods calculate reserve requirements based on historical data, which does not consider the real-time or future system uncertainty. In this paper, a data-driven method is developed to determine the non-spinning reserve requirement (NSRR) in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system. The method follows the procedure of the current ERCOT method while adaptively determining the NSRR based on probabilistic net load forecasts. Case studies with two years of ERCOT data show that the developed method significantly reduces the NSRR by introducing an adaptive temporal resolution and update rate. Sensitivity analysis with different forecasting and percentile thresholds indicates the flexibility of the developed method.

non-spinning reserve↗

NASA NTRS1978

An extension of the dual magnetometer method for use on a dual spinning spacecraft

A method of estimating and correcting for the magnetic field of a dual spinning spacecraft has been developed by employing an extension of the dual magnetometer technique of Ness et al. (1971). This new method is useful for those situations in which a magnetometer boom of modest length (7-10 m) is attached to the spinning part of a large spacecraft (800-1000 kg). The purpose of using a dual spinning spacecraft is to accommodate two types of instruments: (1) imaging and similar 'pointed' remote sensing systems on the stationary platform and (2) fields, particles, and other in situ measuring instruments on the spinning portion. Present-day imaging systems are well known to exhibit large magnetic moments, sometimes displaced from the spacecraft center by a significant amount. The new method assumes that the stationary part of the spacecraft possesses a magnetic field which is represented by a combination of a dipole and a quadrupole field.

Lepping, R. P.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Spatial resolution estimation of LANDSAT-4 TM and MSS data

In order to verify that the LANDSAT-4 sensors are operating within specifications, it is useful to estimate the system parameters by analysis of the measured data. One parameter of particular interest is the sensor point-spread function (PSF) which determines the resolution of the system. A method of estimating the PSF is described that utilizes data obtained during scanning of ground elements having identifiable geometric and radiometric structure. These data are then processed in such a manner as to recover either the PSF itself or to estimate the parameters of an assumed functional representation of the PSF.

Mcgillem, C. D.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Combining Eddy Covariance Towers, Field Measurements, and the MEMS 2 Ecosystem Model Improves Confidence in the Climate Impacts of Bioenergy With Carbon Capture and Storage

ABSTRACT Carbon dioxide removal technologies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) are required if the effects of climate change are to be reversed over the next century. However, BECCS demands extensive land use change that may create positive or negative radiative forcing impacts upstream of the BECCS facility through changes to in situ greenhouse gas fluxes and land surface albedo. When quantifying these upstream climate impacts, even at a single site, different methods can give different estimates. Here we show how three common methods for estimating the net ecosystem carbon balance of bioenergy crops established on former grassland or former cropland can differ in their central estimates and uncertainty. We place these net ecosystem carbon balance forcings in the context of associated radiative forcings from changes to soil N 2 O and CH 4 fluxes, land surface albedo, embedded fossil fuel use, and geologically stored carbon. Results from long term eddy covariance measurements, a soil and plant carbon inventory, and the MEMS 2 process‐based ecosystem model all agree that establishing perennials such as switchgrass or mixed prairie on former cropland resulted in net negative radiative forcing (i.e., global cooling) of −26.5 to −39.6 fW m −2 over 100 years. Establishing these perennials on former grassland sites had similar climate mitigation impacts of −19.3 to −42.5 fW m −2 . However, the largest climate mitigation came from establishing corn for BECCS on former cropland or grassland, with radiative forcings from −38.4 to −50.5 fW m −2 , due to its higher plant productivity and therefore more geologically stored carbon. Our results highlight the strengths and limitations of each method for quantifying the field scale climate impacts of BECCS and show that utilizing multiple methods can increase confidence in the final radiative forcing estimates.

Falvo, Grant [Department of Plant, Soil and Microb↗

DOE OSTI2021

A multifidelity method for a nonlocal diffusion model

Nonlocal models feature a finite length scale, referred to as the horizon, such that points separated by a distance smaller than the horizon interact with each other. Such models have proven to be useful in a variety of settings. However, due to the reduced sparsity of discretizations, they are also generally computationally more expensive compared to their local differential equation counterparts. In this work, we introduce a multifidelity Monte Carlo method that combines the high-fidelity nonlocal model of interest with surrogate models that use coarser grids and/or smaller horizons and thus have lower fidelities and lower costs. Using the multifidelity method, the overall computational cost of uncertainty quantification is reduced without compromising accuracy. It is shown for a one-dimensional nonlocal diffusion example that speedups of up to two orders of magnitude can be achieved using the multifidelity method to estimate the expectation of an output of interest.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

NASA NTRS1984

Analysis of normalized radar cross section (sigma-O) signature of Amazon rain forest using SEASAT scatterometer data

The normalized radar cross section (NRCS) signature of the Amazon rain forest was SEASAT scatterometer data. Statistics of the measured (NRCS) values were determined from multiple orbit passes for three local time periods. Plots of mean normalized radar cross section, dB against incidence angle as a function of beam and polarization show that less than 0.3 dB relative bias exists between all beams over a range of incidence angle from 30 deg to 53 deg. The backscattered measurements analyzed show the Amazon rain forest to be relatively homogeneous, azimuthally isotropic and insensitive to polarization. The return from the rain forest target appears relatively consistent and stable, except for the small diurnal variation (0.75 dB) that occurs at sunrise. Because of the relative stability of the rain forest target and the scatterometer instrument, the response of versus incidence angle was able to detect errors in the estimated yaw altitude angle. Also, small instrument gain biases in some of the processing channels were detected. This led to the development of an improved NRCS algorithm, which uses a more accurate method for estimating the system noise power.

Bracalente, E. M.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Estimating Forest Stand Height in Savannakhet, Lao PDR Using InSAR and Backscatter Methods with L-Band SAR Data

Forest stand height (FSH), or average canopy height, serves as an important indicator for forest monitoring. The information provided about above ground biomass for greenhouse gas emissions reporting, and estimating carbon storage is relevant for reporting for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). A novel forest height estimation method utilizing a fusion of backscatter and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data from JAXA’s Advanced Land Observing Satellite Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS PALSAR) are applied to a use case in Savannakhet, Lao. Compared with LiDAR, the estimated height from the fusion method had an RMSE of 4.90 m and an R2 of 0.26. These results are comparable to previous studies using SAR estimation techniques. Despite limitations of data quality and quantity, the Savannakhet, Lao use case demonstrates the applicability of these techniques utilizing L-band SAR data for estimating FSH in tropical forests and can be used as a springboard for use of L-band data from the future NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) mission.

remote sensing↗

DOE OSTI2025

Ultrasonic characterization of material heterogeneities in stainless steel components produced by laser powder bed fusion

We introduce pulse-echo ultrasound as a method for characterizing the impact of powder bed fusion parameters on the properties of additively manufactured stainless-steel components, their material anisotropy, and location-dependent heterogeneity. Our results indicate that accurate characterization requires careful selection of ultrasonic propagation paths, which must consider the direction of additive layering, variations in processing parameters, and the component's geometry. We employed two distinct methods to estimate material properties from ultrasonic data: One assumes isotropy, while the other accounts for anisotropic interactions during the propagation of elastic waves. When applied to samples fabricated with laser energy densities ranging from 24 to 42 J/mm³ , these methods revealed transverse isotropy and weak anisotropy (quantified by small Thomsen parameters, ε = 0.0651 and γ = 0.0092) and less than a ∼6 % change in acoustic impedance. The assumption of isotropy, in this case, leads to small errors (less than 4 % or 1 % for Young's modulus in the build or transverse directions) when estimating orthotropic material properties using ultrasonic data measured along just two orthogonal directions, one of which must align with the build direction. By comparing ultrasonic measurements — which aggregate the spatial variability in material properties along the length of elastic wave propagation into a single value — with localized measurements obtained from surface nanoindentation, we uncovered and spatially profiled significant differences between the surface and interior properties. Specifically, the surface Young's modulus decreased from approximately 210 GPa to 180 GPa within a depth of about 3 mm. We attribute this surface-localized heterogeneity in PBF-fabricated components to distinct thermal histories experienced by the surface and interior regions. Collectively, the results of this study establish a framework for the ultrasonic characterization of material heterogeneity and anisotropy in material properties and demonstrate its application in additively manufactured metal components.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1982

Observations on sub-critical flaw growth in complex cracked body geometries

This paper reviews an experimental method for estimating both flaw shapes and stress intensity factors for complex three dimensional cracked body problems encountered in the sub-critical flaw growth regime prior to instability. Examples of the use of the method are cited, and the energy-density approach is suggested as a theory of sufficient generality to accommodate the complex behaviors observed.

Smith, C. W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Experimental tests of methods for the measurement of rainfall rate using an airborne dual-wavelength radar

Several attenuation-based methods for estimating the rainfall rate were applied to measurements made by an airborne dual-wavelength radar operating at 0.87 cm, the K(a)-band, and at 3 cm, the X-band. These methods included the traditional Z-R methods, designated Z(X)-R and Z(K)-R for the X- and K(a) band wavelengths, respectively; single- and dual-wavelength surface reference techniques (SRT and DSRT, respectively); and standard dual-wavelength methods with and without range-averaging. As the primary sources of error for these methods are nearly independent, agreement among the rain rates obtained with these methods would lend confidence in the results. Correlation coefficients obtained between the rainfall rates with the Z(X)-R and DSRT methods were generally between 0.7 and 0.9. Good agreement among the methods occurred most often in stratiform rain for rain rates betwen a few mm/hr to about 15 mm/hr, i.e., where attenuation at the shorter wavelength is significant but not so severe as to result in a loss of signal.

Meneghini, R.↗

NASA NTRS2006

NASA's Program to Monitor Orbital Debris in the GEO Belt and the General Problem of Measuring Near-Earth Object Orbits: Similarities and Differences

One of the goals for NASA s Orbital Debris Program Office has been to accurately characterize the population of debris in the geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) environment. Most objects larger than about 1 meter in size are regularly tracked and catalogued by the US Space Surveillance System in the GEO regime. The consequence has been that most large intact GEO objects are tracked, but the vast majority of GEO debris fragments are not. Only in recent years have observations been dedicated to characterize the GEO debris population. NASA s efforts have concentrated on using wide field-of-view telescopes to make complete surveys of the GEO regime to better our statistical understanding of the GEO debris population. These telescopes operate in a staring mode, and only make limited short-arc measurements of the orbits. This information, while limited, allows the possibility of debiasing the observations and constructing statistical distributions of orbits in inclination and ascending node. Recent work suggests that we may be able to use statistical methods to estimate better orbit parameters despite the limited data. Both of these types of studies estimating statistical orbit distributions, and estimating accurate orbits using limited short-arc data have direct analogues in ongoing studies of near-Earth objects (NEO) such as asteroids and comets. This talk will describe the GEO study methods in use and being developed at NASA, and will discuss how such methods may or may not be applicable for NEO studies as well.

Matney, Mark↗