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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 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

IUE ultraviolet spectra and chromospheric models of HR 1099 and UX Arietis

IUE spectra in the region 1150-3200 A of the RS CVn-type variables HR 1099 and UX Arietis are presented and analyzed in terms of chromospheric models. Measurements of Mg h and k lines and Ca II H-K and H alpha spectra are indicated which are found not to be correlated with orbital phase or radio flares and which suggest that the strong emission arises in the K star rather than the G star in these systems. Under the assumption that the UV emission lines are associated with the K star, surface gravities of log g = 3.6 and 3.4 and effective temperatures of 4850 and 5000 K are adopted for HR 1099 and UX Ari, respectively, along with solar metal abundances for each. Model calculations of the chromospheric structure necessary to account for observed C(+), Mg(+), Si(+) and Si(+2) line fluxes are presented which indicate that the transition region pressure lies in the range 0.18-1.0 dynes/sq cm, implying transition regions that are more extended than that of the sun and are not conductively heated. It is noted that pressure scaling laws and the use of Mg II and C II lines as pressure diagnostics may be invalid, possibly due to atmospheric inhomogeneities or gas flows.

Simon, T.↗
NASA NTRS1999

The Role of Data Assimilation in the Study of Regional and Global Variability of the Hydrological Cycle

In the coming years, researchers will have at their disposal a host of new observations from advanced space-based sensors (e.g. the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, EOS Terra and PM missions) providing, among other things, a more complete and accurate description of various components of the Earth's hydrological cycle. Also, increasingly more sophisticated and comprehensive geophysical models will provide researchers better tools for simulating the hydrological cycle, and for carrying out mechanistic studies of the role of moist processes in the climate system. In addition, new data sets generated with global four-dimensional data assimilation (4DDA) systems will provide comprehensive and complete information on both the state and forcing of the climate system. Ideally, the 4DDA systems optimally incorporate all relevant information from the observations together with a first guess from a state-of-the-art geophysical model to produce a "best" estimate of the climate state. Furthermore, to the extent that the assimilating models are realistic and are constrained by the observations, they should provide reliable estimates of the associated physical processes or climate forcing fields. While operational weather centers now have a considerable history of providing reliable estimates of the basic atmospheric state variables, the associated processes or diagnostic fields (which are less well constrained by the observations and sensitive to errors in the model's physical parameterizations) are still considered experimental and of uncertain quality. In this study we will examine the current generation of reanalysis products to assess the capabilities of 4DDA systems to represent components of the hydrological cycle. The focus is on the role of the model in providing consistent estimates of moist processes. We will also assess whether current observations provide sufficient constraints on these model- generated fields.

Schubert, Siegfried↗
NASA NTRS2015

Real-Time Model-Based Leak-Through Detection within Cryogenic Flow Systems

The timely detection of leaks within cryogenic fuel replenishment systems is of significant importance to operators on account of the safety and economic impacts associated with material loss and operational inefficiencies. Associated loss in control of pressure also effects the stability and ability to control the phase of cryogenic fluids during replenishment operations. Current research dedicated to providing Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) coverage of such cryogenic replenishment systems has focused on the detection of leaks to atmosphere involving relatively simple model-based diagnostic approaches that, while effective, are unable to isolate the fault to specific piping system components. The authors have extended this research to focus on the detection of leaks through closed valves that are intended to isolate sections of the piping system from the flow and pressurization of cryogenic fluids. The described approach employs model-based detection of leak-through conditions based on correlations of pressure changes across isolation valves and attempts to isolate the faults to specific valves. Implementation of this capability is enabled by knowledge and information embedded in the domain model of the system. The approach has been used effectively to detect such leak-through faults during cryogenic operational testing at the Cryogenic Testbed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Walker, M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Determination and impact of surface radiative processes for TOGA COARE

Experiments using atmospheric general circulation models have shown that the atmospheric circulation is very sensitive to small changes in sea surface temperature in the tropical western Pacific Ocean warm pool region. The mutual sensitivity of the ocean and the atmosphere in the warm pool region places stringent requirements on models of the coupled ocean atmosphere system. At present, the situation is such that diagnostic studies using available data sets have been unable to balance the surface energy budget in the warm pool region to better than 50 to 80 W/sq m. The Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) is an observation and modelling program that aims specifically at the elucidation of the physical process which determine the mean and transient state of the warm pool region and the manner in which the warm pool interacts with the global ocean and atmosphere. This project focuses on one very important aspect of the ocean atmosphere interface component of TOGA COARE, namely the temporal and spatial variability of surface radiative fluxes in the warm pool region.

Curry, Judith A.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Studies of vorticity imbalance and stability, moisture budget, atmospheric energetics, and gradients of meteorological parameters during AVE 3

Four diagnostic studies of AVE 3. are presented. AVE 3 represents a high wind speed wintertime situation, while most AVE's analyzed previously represented springtime conditions with rather low wind speeds. The general areas of analysis include the examination of budgets of vorticity, moisture, kinetic energy, and potential energy and a synoptic and statistical study of the horizontal gradients of meteorological parameters. Conclusions are integrated with and compared to those obtained in previously analyzed experiments (mostly springtime weather situations) so as to establish a more definitive understanding of the structure and dynamics of the atmosphere under a wide range of synoptic conditions.

Scoggins, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A wave dynamical interpretation of Saturn's polar hexagon

The hexagonal, pole-centered cloud feature in Saturn's northern atmosphere, as revealed in Voyager close-encounter imaging mosaics, may be interpreted as a stationary Rossby wave. The wave is embedded within a sharply peaked eastward jet (of 100 meters per second) and appears to be perturbed by at least one anticyclonic oval vortex immediately to the south. The effectively exact observational determination of the horizontal wave number and phase speed, applied to a simple model dispersion relation, suggests that the wave is vertically trapped and provides a diagnostic template for further modeling of the deep atmospheric stratification.

Allison, M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

High Spectral Resolution Spectroscopy of Mars from 2 to 4 Microns: Surface Mineralogy and the Atmosphere

The composition of the Martian surface and atmosphere on a global scale has been discovered in great part from spectroscopic measurements in the visible through infrared. Spectroscopic observations on Mars however require careful analysis from both atmospheric and mineralogical perspectives. The 2-4 m region contains diagnostic absorption features indicative of water such as the 3 m bound water band and cation-OH stretches between 2-2.5 m. Carbonate minerals also have absorption features in these wavelength range. However, this wavelength region also has atmospheric signatures from CO, CO2, water vapor, clouds, and atmospheric dust that complicate direct mineralogical interpretations. Several absorption features have been identified in the in the 2.0 - 2.5 m (e.g. Clark et al. 1990, Murchie et al. 1993, Bell et al. 1994) at moderate resolution. These features, while intriguing, are weak, narrow, and frequently at the edge of instrumental and observational limits. Spectroscopic observations at high spectral resolutions can aid in the separation of weak surface and atmospheric absorptions that at lower resolution overlap. This paper focuses on understanding the atmospheric spectral signatures so that the underlying surface mineralogy can be understood.

Diana Blaney↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cassini atmospheric chemistry mapper. Volume 1. Investigation and technical plan

The Cassini Atmospheric Chemistry Mapper (ACM) enables a broad range of atmospheric science investigations for Saturn and Titan by providing high spectral and spatial resolution mapping and occultation capabilities at 3 and 5 microns. ACM can directly address the major atmospheric science objectives for Saturn and for Titan, as defined by the Announcement of Opportunity, with pivotal diagnostic measurements not accessible to any other proposed Cassini instrument. ACM determines mixing ratios for atmospheric molecules from spectral line profiles for an important and extensive volume of the atmosphere of Saturn (and Jupiter). Spatial and vertical profiles of disequilibrium species abundances define Saturn's deep atmosphere, its chemistry, and its vertical transport phenomena. ACM spectral maps provide a unique means to interpret atmospheric conditions in the deep (approximately 1000 bar) atmosphere of Saturn. Deep chemistry and vertical transport is inferred from the vertical and horizontal distribution of a series of disequilibrium species. Solar occultations provide a method to bridge the altitude range in Saturn's (and Titan's) atmosphere that is not accessible to radio science, thermal infrared, and UV spectroscopy with temperature measurements to plus or minus 2K from the analysis of molecular line ratios and to attain an high sensitivity for low-abundance chemical species in the very large column densities that may be achieved during occultations for Saturn. For Titan, ACM solar occultations yield very well resolved (1/6 scale height) vertical mixing ratios column abundances for atmospheric molecular constituents. Occultations also provide for detecting abundant species very high in the upper atmosphere, while at greater depths, detecting the isotopes of C and O, constraining the production mechanisms, and/or sources for the above species. ACM measures the vertical and horizontal distribution of aerosols via their opacity at 3 microns and, particularly, at 5 microns. ACM recovers spatially-resolved atmospheric temperatures in Titan's troposphere via 3- and 5-microns spectral transitions. Together, the mixing ratio profiles and the aerosol distributions are utilized to investigate the photochemistry of the stratosphere and consequent formation processes for aerosols. Finally, ring opacities, observed during solar occultations and in reflected sunlight, provide a measurement of the particle size and distribution of ring material. ACM will be the first high spectral resolution mapping spectrometer on an outer planet mission for atmospheric studies while retaining a high resolution spatial mapping capability. ACM, thus, opens an entirely new range of orbital scientific studies of the origin, physio-chemical evolution and structure of the Saturn and Titan atmospheres. ACM provides high angular resolution spectral maps, viewing nadir and near-limb thermal radiation and reflected sunlight; sounds planetary limbs, spatially resolving vertical profiles to several atmospheric scale heights; and measures solar occultations, mapping both atmospheres and rings. ACM's high spectral and spatial resolution mapping capability is achieved with a simplified Fourier Transform spectrometer with a no-moving parts, physically compact design. ACM's simplicity guarantees an inherent stability essential for reliable performance throughout the lengthy Cassini Orbiter mission.

Smith, William Hayden↗
NASA NTRS2002

Evaluation and Characterization Study of Dual Pulse Laser-Induced Spark (DPLIS) For Rocket Engine Ignition System Application

This paper addresses the progress of technology development of a laser ignition system at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Initial hot-fire tests in a small-scale rocket chamber at MSFC have demonstrated the DPLIS concept having two main advantages over existing laser ignition concepts. First, the DPLIS can be potentially optimized its laser pulse format to maximize the initial plasma volume, the plasma lifetime, as well as the flame kernel growth rate. Characterization studies of the laser pulse format are now underway with experiments of igniting gaseous hydrogen/air in a Hencken burner. Once ignition is achieved, the flame is open to the atmosphere. This open environment allows easy access for diagnostics of the ignition phenomenon. The quick turn-around time of conducting experiments on this burner make it more amenable for conducting a large number of experiments for statistical analysis of the sensitivity of the test parameters. The results from these experiments will help optimize the laser format for future testing in an H2/O2 subscale rocket chamber.

Trinh, Huu P.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Effect of GOES-R Image Navigation and Registration Errors on Atmospheric Motion Vectors

High temporal frequency imagery from geostationary satellites allows for the continuous monitoring of rapidly changing atmospheric constituents such as smoke, dust, water vapor and clouds. The image sequences are often used to quantify the displacement of image features such as water vapor and clouds to produce atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) which are used as diagnostic tools and also assimilated into numerical weather forecast models. The basic principle behind the determination of AMVs is the calculation of the physical displacement of features from one image (time) to the next. This process assumes that the features being tracked do not change as a function of time, usually requiring the use of short time interval imagery to minimize substantial change in size and shape of the features being tracked. High spatial resolution imagery also is required for reliable feature identification. While these image resolution and temporal sampling requirements often provide major drivers for space-based instrument design requirements, accurate image navigation and registration, INn (between a sequence of images), is also critical to the derivation of useful AMVs. In this paper and poster to be presented at the conference, the image navigation and registration (INR) accuracy expected for the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on the GOES-R series of satellites will be discussed in light of its impact on AMV accuracy. Significant satellite platform and modeling enhancements are planned which should significantly improve INn performance of the GOES-R instruments. Some of these improvements have been demonstrated for the GOES-13 satellite which was launched in summer of 2006. An analysis of GOES-13 INR data, from the special satellite check out period, will be used in the assessment.

Jedlovec, Gary↗
NASA NTRS2012

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2012

Topics covered include: Mars Science Laboratory Drill; Ultra-Compact Motor Controller; A Reversible Thermally Driven Pump for Use in a Sub-Kelvin Magnetic Refrigerator; Shape Memory Composite Hybrid Hinge; Binding Causes of Printed Wiring Assemblies with Card-Loks; Coring Sample Acquisition Tool; Joining and Assembly of Bulk Metallic Glass Composites Through Capacitive Discharge; 670-GHz Schottky Diode-Based Subharmonic Mixer with CPW Circuits and 70-GHz IF; Self-Nulling Lock-in Detection Electronics for Capacitance Probe Electrometer; Discontinuous Mode Power Supply; Optimal Dynamic Sub-Threshold Technique for Extreme Low Power Consumption for VLSI; Hardware for Accelerating N-Modular Redundant Systems for High-Reliability Computing; Blocking Filters with Enhanced Throughput for X-Ray Microcalorimetry; High-Thermal-Conductivity Fabrics; Imidazolium-Based Polymeric Materials as Alkaline Anion-Exchange Fuel Cell Membranes; Electrospun Nanofiber Coating of Fiber Materials: A Composite Toughening Approach; Experimental Modeling of Sterilization Effects for Atmospheric Entry Heating on Microorganisms; Saliva Preservative for Diagnostic Purposes; Hands-Free Transcranial Color Doppler Probe; Aerosol and Surface Parameter Retrievals for a Multi-Angle, Multiband Spectrometer LogScope; TraceContract; AIRS Maps from Space Processing Software; POSTMAN: Point of Sail Tacking for Maritime Autonomous Navigation; Space Operations Learning Center; OVERSMART Reporting Tool for Flow Computations Over Large Grid Systems; Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of Particle-Laden Temporal Mixing Layers; Projection of Stabilized Aerial Imagery Onto Digital Elevation Maps for Geo-Rectified and Jitter-Free Viewing; Iterative Transform Phase Diversity: An Image-Based Object and Wavefront Recovery; 3D Drop Size Distribution Extrapolation Algorithm Using a Single Disdrometer; Social Networking Adapted for Distributed Scientific Collaboration; General Methodology for Designing Spacecraft Trajectories; Hemispherical Field-of-View Above-Water Surface Imager for Submarines; and Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) Focal Plane Assembly.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2016

Data-Driven Radiative Hydrodynamic Modeling of the 2014 March 29 X1.0 Solar Flare

Spectroscopic observations of solar flares provide critical diagnostics of the physical conditions in the flaring atmosphere. Some key features in observed spectra have not yet been accounted for in existing flare models. Here we report a data-driven simulation of the well-observed X1.0 flare on 2014 March 29 that can reconcile some well-known spectral discrepancies. We analyzed spectra of the flaring region from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in Mg II hk, the Interferometric BIdimensional Spectropolarimeter at the Dunn Solar Telescope (DSTIBIS) in H(alpha) 6563A and Ca II 8542A, and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscope Imager (RHESSI) in hard X-rays. We constructed a multithreaded flare loop model and used the electron flux inferred from RHESSI data as the input to the radiative hydrodynamic code RADYN to simulate the atmospheric response. We then synthesized various chromospheric emission lines and compared them with the IRIS and IBIS observations. In general, the synthetic intensities agree with the observed ones, especially near the northern footpoint of the flare. The simulated Mg II line profile has narrower wings than the observed one. This discrepancy can be reduced by using a higher microturbulent velocity (27 km/s) in a narrow chromospheric layer. In addition, we found that an increase of electron density in the upper chromosphere within a narrow height range of approx. 800 km below the transition region can turn the simulated Mg II line core into emission and thus reproduce the single peaked profile, which is a common feature in all IRIS flares.

Da Costa, Fatima Rubio↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-33601-DND

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project now has over 18 years of an accurately observed top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) flux record for climate monitoring and diagnostic studies. CERES provides the climate community the following parameters: coincident instantaneous 1? gridded CERES observed TOA fluxes, computed profile and surface fluxes, as well as MODIS cloud and aerosol retrievals. Clouds and radiation interaction one key factor that dominates climate feedbacks and is also the most difficult problem with large uncertainty. To further advance our understanding of the cloud-radiation interaction, the climate community need data with accurate fluxes and their associated cloud properties for both observational and modelling study. The new CERES FluxByCldTyp data product is produced for this purpose. The flux product combines for the first time CERES measured TOA fluxes along with the associated MODIS cloud properties, which links radiative flux directly to a specific cloud type. This was achieved by computing sub-footprint fluxes for the clear-sky and cloudy portions of the CERES footprint. The spatially distributed cloud properties within the CERES footprint were retrieved from 2-km MODIS pixels, that were stratified by cloud type. The sub-footprint fluxes were estimated from MODIS radiances based on empirically derived narrowband to broadband coefficients. The combined sub-footprint fluxes can then be validated with the observed footprint flux. This presentation will focus on the algorithm development of the flux-by-cloud-type product and its validation.

Moguo Sun↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-33753-DND

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) project now has over 18 years of an accurately observed top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) flux record for climate monitoring and diagnostic studies. CERES provides the climate community the following parameters: coincident instantaneous 1 gridded CERES observed TOA fluxes, computed profile and surface fluxes, as well as MODIS cloud and aerosol retrievals. Clouds and radiation interaction one key factor that dominates climate feedbacks and is also the most difficult problem with large uncertainty. To further advance our understanding of the cloud-radiation interaction, the climate community need data with accurate fluxes and their associated cloud properties for both observational and modelling study. The new CERES FluxByCldTyp data product is produced for this purpose. The flux product combines for the first time CERES measured TOA fluxes along with the associated MODIS cloud properties, which links radiative flux directly to a specific cloud type. This was achieved by computing sub-footprint fluxes for the clear-sky and cloudy portions of the CERES footprint. The spatially distributed cloud properties within the CERES footprint were retrieved from 2-km MODIS pixels, that were stratified by cloud type. The sub-footprint fluxes were estimated from MODIS radiances based on empirically derived narrowband to broadband coefficients. The combined sub-footprint fluxes can then be validated with the observed footprint flux. This presentation will focus on the algorithm development of the flux-by-cloud-type product and its validation. The paper will also discuss CERES FlxbyCldTyp simulator and its application.

Moguo Sun↗
NASA NTRS2023

Global Radiative Flux Profile Dataset: Revised and Extended

The third generation of the radiative flux profile data product, called ISCCP-FH, is described. The revisions over the previous generation (called ISCCP-FD) include improvements in the radiative model representation of gaseous and aerosol effects, as well as a refined statistical model of cloud vertical layer variations with cloud types, and increased spatial resolution. The new product benefits from the changes in the new H-version of the ISCCP cloud products (called ISCCP-H): higher spatial resolution, revised radiance calibration and treatment of ice clouds, treatment of aerosol effects, and revision of all the ancillary atmosphere and surface property products. The ISCCP-FH product is evaluated against more direct measurements from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System and the Baseline Surface Radiation Network products, showing some small, overall reductions in average flux uncertainties; but the main results are similar to ISCCP-FD: the ISCCP-FH uncertainties remain ≲10 Wm −2 at the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and ≲15 Wm −2 at surface for monthly, regional averages. The long-term variations of TOA, surface and in-atmosphere net fluxes are documented and the possible transient cloud feedback implications of a long-term change of clouds are investigated. The cloud and flux variations from 1998 to 2012 suggest a positive cloud-radiative feedback on the oceanic circulation and a negative feedback on the atmospheric circulation. This example demonstrates that the ISCCP-FH product can provide useful diagnostic information about weather-to-interannual scale variations of radiation induced by changes in cloudiness as well as atmospheric and surface properties.

ISCCP-FH↗
NASA NTRS2011

Climate Model Diagnostic and Evaluation: With a Focus on Satellite Observations

Each year, we host a summer school that brings together the next generation of climate scientists - about 30 graduate students and postdocs from around the world - to engage with premier climate scientists from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and elsewhere. Our yearly summer school focuses on topics on the leading edge of climate science research. Our inaugural summer school, held in 2011, was on the topic of "Using Satellite Observations to Advance Climate Models," and enabled students to explore how satellite observations can be used to evaluate and improve climate models. Speakers included climate experts from both NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who provided updates on climate model diagnostics and evaluation and remote sensing of the planet. Details of the next summer school will be posted here in due course.

climate↗
NASA NTRS1987

The delta upsilon = 1 fundamental bands of carbon monoxide in late-type stars

A program was begun to develop the fundamental vibration-rotation bands of CO near 4.7 micron, as a tool to investigate the properties of late type stellar atmospheres. The strong delta v = 1 lines are sensitive probes of the thermal structure of the outer layers, which can be strongly affected by the CO, itself: cooling in the fundamental lines can depress the surface temperature to low values that are in sharp contrast with those derived from chromospheric diagnostics like Ca II K and Mg II k. Cool atmospheric models are being constructed to reproduce observed high resolution CO spectra of several late-type stars. The sensitivity is illustrated of CO LTE spectra to variations in T sub eff, log g, (Fe/H), and isotopic abundances of C and O for a grid of such models. In parallel, the assumptions of LTE line formation are tested using newly available cross sections for translational-to-vibrational energy exchange in collisions of atomic H on CO. In addition, spectra of CO and Ca II K calculated from semi-empirical UV based hot chromospheric models are used to estimate geometrical filling factors for the CO dominated and chromospheric regions on the stellar surface, in the spirit of Ayres' thermal bifurcation scenario.

Wiedemann, G.↗