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NASA NTRS2023

Spatiotemporal Characterization of Droughts and Vegetation Response in Northwest Africa From 1981 to 2020

Drought has become one of the most devastating natural risks of agricultural production and the environment in almost all climate regions. Thus, understanding the spatiotemporal characteristics of drought and its associated impacts is crucial in drought early warning management and adaptation efforts. In this study, we used the 3-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI-3) obtained from Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) to investigate the space–time characteristics of drought conditions. Also, this study examined the impact of the SPI-based drought on vegetation health conditions using the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time-series data from 1981 to 2020. The results revealed that the region experiences drought primarily between July and September, with the most prolonged drought events lasting up to five months. Morocco suffered from more frequent droughts than other countries in the region. The Mann-Kendall test showed that the trend of drought became drier over the last decade, whereas the period from 1981 to 2010 witnessed either wetting or no trends. This study also found that the response of crops and grasslands showed higher correlation with the SPI-3 and that the response of vegetation to droughts was higher during the dry season. The findings of this study provide useful information to support local and regional drought planning and adaptation programs and enhance the understanding of drought development in the region.

Nguyen Quang Thi↗
NASA NTRS1987

Investigation of Martian H2O and CO2 via orbital gamma ray spectroscopy

The capability of an orbital gamma ray spectrometer to address presently unanswered questions concerning H2O and CO2 on Mars is investigated. The gamma ray signal produced by the Martian atmosphere and by several simple models of Martian surface materials is calculated. Results are reported for: (1) the production of neutrons in the atmosphere and in the subsurface material by cosmic ray interactions, (2) the scattering of neutrons and the resultant neutron energy spectrum and spatial distributions, (3) the reproduction of gamma rays by neutron prompt capture and nonelastic scatter reactions, (4) the production of gamma rays by natural radionuclides, (5) the attenuation of the gamma ray signal by passage through surface materials and the Martian atmosphere, (6) the production of the gamma ray continuum background, and (7) the uncertainty in gamma ray line strengths that results from the combined signal and background observed by the detector.

Evans, Larry G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Enhanced magnetic field production during oblique hypervelocity impacts

The natural remanent magnetization of the lunar surface as displayed in returned lunar samples and the data returned by the Apollo subsatellite magnetometer has an unexpectedly high magnitude and exhibits spatial variation at all scales. The origin of the lunar remanent fields may be due to crustal remanence of a core dynamo field occurring early in lunar history prior to extensive modification by impact or remanence of transient fields, particularly associated with impacts, occurring on a local scale throughout lunar history. The presence of an early core dynamo field would have strong consequences for the formation and early evolution of the Moon, yet to deconvolve the role that an internally generated core dynamo field may have had, it is necessary to understand how the magnetic state of the lunar surface has developed through time. Impact-induced magnetism may be an important component of the present magnetic state of the lunar surface. New theoretical considerations suggest that transient magnetic fields within plasma produced by hypervelocity meteorite impacts may have greater significance at larger scales than previously thought.

Crawford, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Science Writers' Guide to TERRA

The launch of NASA's Terra spacecraft marks a new era of comprehensive monitoring of the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and continents from a single space-based platform. Data from the five Terra instruments will create continuous, long-term records of the state of the land, oceans, and atmosphere. Together with data from other satellite systems launched by NASA and other countries, Terra will inaugurate a new self-consistent data record that will be gathered over the next 15 years. The science objectives of NASAs Earth Observing System (EOS) program are to provide global observations and scientific understanding of land cover change and global productivity, climate variability and change, natural hazards, and atmospheric ozone. Observations by the Terra instruments will: provide the first global and seasonal measurements of the Earth system, including such critical functions as biological productivity of the land and oceans, snow and ice, surface temperature, clouds, water vapor, and land cover; improve our ability to detect human impacts on the Earth system and climate, identify the "fingerprint" of human activity on climate, and predict climate change by using the new global observations in climate models; help develop technologies for disaster prediction, characterization, and risk reduction from wildfires, volcanoes, floods, and droughts, and start long-term monitoring of global climate change and environmental change.

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NASA NTRS1990

Atmospheric degradation mechanisms of hydrogen containing chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) and fluorocarbons (HFC)

The current knowledge of atmospheric degradation of hydrogen containing chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC 22 (CHClF2), HCFC 123 (CHCl2CF3), HCFC 124 (CHClFCF3), HCFC 141b (CFCl2CH3), HCFC 142b (CF2ClCH3)) and fluorocarbons (HFC 125 (CHF2CF3), HFC 134a (CH2FCF3), HFC 152a (CHF2CH3)) is assessed. Except for the initiation reaction by OH radicals, there are virtually no experimental data available concerning the subsequent oxidative breakdown of these molecules. However, from an analogy to the degradation mechanisms of simple alkanes, some useful guidelines as to the expected intermediates and final products can be derived. A noteable exception from this analogy, however, appears for the oxi-radicals. Here, halogen substitution induces new reaction types (C-Cl and C-C bond ruptures) which are unknown to the unsubstituted analogues and which modify the nature of the expected carbonyl products. Based on an evaluation of these processes using estimated bond strength data, the following simplified rules with regards to the chlorine content of the HCFC's may be deduced: (1) HCFC's containing one chlorine atom such as 22 and 142b seem to release their chlorine content essentially instantaneous with the initial attack on the parent by OH radicals, and for HCFC 124, such release is apparently prevented; (2) HCFC's such as 123 and 141b with two chlorine atoms are expected to release only one of these instantaneously; and the second chlorine atom may be stored in potentially long-lived carbonyl compounds such as CF3CClO or CClFO.

Zellner, Reinhard↗
NASA NTRS2005

Inflatable Aeroponic System

Aeroponics Internationals (AI) innovation is a self-contained, self-supporting, flexible low mass aeroponic crop production unit with integral environmental systems for the control and delivery of a nutrient mist to the roots. This FLEX Aeroponic System model was developed for commercialization as a result of the NASA SBIR Phase I contract for the research and development of a low-mass, Inflatable Aeroponic System (IAS) for producing pesticide-free lettuces, grains, peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables. The innovation addresses the needs of water and nutrient delivery systems technologies for food production in space. The inflatable nature of the innovation makes it lightweight, allowing it to be deflated so it takes up less volume during transportation and storage. It improves upon AI's current aeroponic system design that uses more rigid structures and takes advantage of vertical inclines to increase bio-mass production by over 600%.

Pelt, Jennifer Van↗
NASA NTRS2010

NASA SPoRT GOES-R Proving Ground Activities

The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) program is a partner with the GOES-R Proving Ground (PG) helping prepare forecasters understand the unique products to come from the GOES-R instrument suite. SPoRT is working collaboratively with other members of the GOES-R PG team and Algorithm Working Group (AWG) scientists to develop and disseminate a suite of proxy products that address specific forecast problems for the WFOs, Regional and National Support Centers, and other NOAA users. These products draw on SPoRT s expertise with the transition and evaluation of products into operations from the MODIS instrument and the North Alabama Lightning Mapping Array (NALMA). The MODIS instrument serves as an excellent proxy for the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) that will be aboard GOES-R. SPoRT has transitioned and evaluated several multi-channel MODIS products. The true and false color products are being used in natural hazard detection by several SPoRT partners to provide better observation of land features, such as fires, smoke plumes, and snow cover. Additionally, many of SPoRT s partners are coastal offices and already benefit from the MODIS sea surface temperature composite. This, along with other surface feature observations will be developed into ABI proxy products for diagnostic use in the forecast process as well as assimilation into forecast models. In addition to the MODIS instrument, the NALMA has proven very valuable to WFOs with access to these total lightning data. These data provide situational awareness and enhanced warning decision making to improve lead times for severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings. One effort by SPoRT scientists includes a lightning threat product to create short-term model forecasts of lightning activity. Additionally, SPoRT is working with the AWG to create GLM proxy data from several of the ground based total lightning networks, such as the NALMA. The evaluation will focus on the vastly improved spatial coverage of the GLM, but with the trade-off of lower resolution compared to the NALMA. In addition to the above tasks, SPoRT will make these data available in the NWS next generation display software, AWIPS II. This has already been successfully completed for the two basic GLM proxies. SPoRT will use these products to train forecasters on the capabilities of GOES-R and foster feedback to develop additional products, visualizations, and requirements beneficial to end users needs. These developments and feedback will be made available to the GOES-R Proving Ground for the upcoming 2010 Spring Program in Norman, Oklahoma.

Stano, Geoffrey T.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Study of LANDSAT-D thematic mapper performance as applied to hydrocarbon exploration

Analysis of the tapes of the Detroit, Michigan scene, which were received in fully processed format with geometric and radiometric correction, shows evidence of an along line data slip every sixteenth line in TM channel 2. Very large scale products were therefore generated in false color using channels 1, 3, and 4. Subjective evaluation of these enhanced scenes indicates that they are acceptable for interpretation at scales up to 1:50,000 and should be useful for change mapping probably up to 1:24,000 scale. The significant striping visible in water bodies for both the natural color and false color products indicates that the detector calibration is probably performing below the preflight specification. Variance-covariance matrices were computed and principal component analysis were performed for a set of 512 x 512 windows within the Arkansas scene. Initial analysis shows the shortwave infrared channels (TM 5 and 6) are a highly significant data source. The thermal channel (TM 7) shows negative correlation with TM 1 through 4.

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NASA NTRS1979

Penrose pair production as a power source of quasars and active galactic nuclei

Penrose pair production in massive canonical Kerr black holes (those with a/M equal to 0.998) is proposed as a way to explain the nature of the vast fluctuating energy production associated with active galactic nuclei and quasars. It is assumed that a Kerr black hole with a mass of the order of 100 million solar masses lies at the center of an active nucleus and that an accretion disk is formed. Penrose pair production in the inner ergosphere of such a massive canonical Kerr black hole is analyzed. The results indicate that: (1) particle pairs are ejected within a 40 deg angle relative to the equator; (2) the particle energy is of the order of 1 GeV per pair; (3) the pressure of the electron-positron relativistic gas is proportional to the electron-positron number density; (4) pair production may occur in bursts; and (5) the overall lifetime of an active nucleus would depend on the time required to exhaust the disk of its matter content. A test of the theory is suggested which involves observation of the 0.5-MeV pair-annihilation gamma rays that would be generated by annihilating particle pairs.

Kafatos, M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

A First Attempt to Simulate the Natural Formation of Meteoritic Organics

Our working hypothesis in these experiments is that meteoritic organics are a mixture of materials made both in the interstellar medium and in the solar nebula that were further processed within meteorite parent bodies to produce what we see today. The material synthesized in the pre-solar environment is currently under study in several laboratories, though to our knowledge none are investigating the changes that might occur as the result of metamorphic processes on the parent body itself. Material made in the Solar Nebula results from a Fischer-Tropsch type (FTT) synthesis as CO and H2 react on grain surfaces to make methane, as well as more complex species. The products of these reactions using natural catalysts have been well-studied and a calculation of the potential efficiency of FTT reactions in the solar nebula demonstrates that they could contribute significantly to the composition of material near 3 AU.

Gardner, Kathryn↗
NASA NTRS2014

Global Top-Down Smoke-Aerosol Emissions Estimation Using Satellite Fire Radiative Power Measurements

Fire emissions estimates have long been based on bottom-up approaches that are not only complex, but also fraught with compounding uncertainties. We present the development of a global gridded (1 deg ×1 deg) emission coefficients (Ce) product for smoke total particulate matter (TPM) based on a top-down approach using coincident measurements of fire radiative power (FRP) and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. This new Fire Energetics and Emissions Research version 1.0 (FEER.v1) Ce product has now been released to the community and can be obtained from http://feer.gsfc. nasa.gov/, along with the corresponding 1-to-1 mapping of their quality assurance (QA) flags that will enable the Ce values to be filtered by quality for use in various applications. The regional averages of Ce values for different ecosystem types were found to be in the ranges of 16-21/gMJ−1 for savanna and grasslands, 15-32/gMJ−1 for tropical forest, 9-12/gMJ−1 for North American boreal forest, and 18- 26/MJ−1 for Russian boreal forest, croplands and natural vegetation. The FEER.v1 Ce product was multiplied by time-integrated FRP data to calculate regional smoke TPM emissions, which were compared with equivalent emissions products from three existing inventories. FEER.v1 showed higher and more reasonable smoke TPM estimates than two other emissions inventories that are based on bottom-up approaches and already reported in the literature to be too low, but portrayed an overall reasonable agreement with another top-down approach. This suggests that top-down approaches may hold better promise and need to be further developed to accelerate the reduction of uncertainty associated with fire emissions estimation in air-quality and climate research and applications. Results of the analysis of FEER.v1 data for 2004-2011 show that 65-85 Tg yr−1 of TPM is emitted globally from open biomass burning, with a generally decreasing trend over this short time period. The FEER.v1 Ce product is the first global gridded product in the family of "emission factors", that is based essentially on satellite measurements, and requires only direct satellite FRP measurements of an actively burning fire anywhere to evaluate its emission rate in near-real time, which is essential for operational activities, such as the monitoring and forecasting of smoke emission impacts on air quality.

biomass burning↗
NASA NTRS1996

Neuroendocrine and Immune System Responses with Spaceflights

Despite the fact that the first human was in space during 1961 and individuals have existed in a microgravity environment for more than a year, there are limited spaceflight data available on the responses of the neuroendocrine and immune systems. Because of mutual interactions between these respective integrative systems, it is inappropriate to assume that the responses of one have no impact on functions of the other. Blood and plasma volume consistently decrease with spaceflight; hence, blood endocrine and immune constituents will be modified by both gravitational and measurement influences. The majority of the in-flight data relates to endocrine responses that influence fluids and electrolytes during the first month in space. Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), aldo-sterone. and anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) appear to be elevated with little change in the atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP). Flight results longer than 60 d show increased ADH variability with elevations in angiotensin and cortisol. Although post-flight results are influenced by reentry and recovery events, ACTH and ADH appear to be consistently elevated with variable results being reported for the other hormones. Limited in-flight data on insulin and growth hormone levels suggest they are not elevated to counteract the loss in muscle mass. Post-flight results from short- and long-term flights indicate that thyroxine and insulin are increased while growth hormone exhibits minimal change. In-flight parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels are variable for several weeks after which they remain elevated. Post-flight PTH was increased on missions that lasted either 7 or 237 d, whereas calcitonin concentrations were increased after 1 wk but decreased after longer flights. Leukocytes are elevated in flights of various durations because of an increase in neutrophils. The majority of post-flight data indicates immunoglobulin concentrations are not significantly changed from pre-flight measurements. However, the numbers of T-lymphocytes and natural killer cells are decreased with post-flight conditions. Of the lymphokines, interleukin-2 production, lymphocyte responsiveness, and the activity of natural killer cells are consistently reduced post-flight. Limited head-down tilt (HDT) data suggest it is an effective simulation model for microgravity investigations. Neuroendocrine and pharmacological countermeasures are virtually nonexistent arid should become high priority items for future research. Although exercise has the potential to be an effective countermeasure for various neuroen-docrine-immune responses in microgravity, this concept must be tested before flights to Mars are scheduled.

Tipton, Charles M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Photosynthetic characteristics and estimated growth rates indicate grazing is the proximate control of primary production in the equatorial Pacific

Macronutrients persist in the surface layer of the equatorial Pacific because the production of phytoplankton is limited; the nature of this limitation has yet to be resolved. Measurements of photosynthesis as a function of irradiance (P-I) provide information on the control of primary productivity, a question of great biogeochemical importance. Accordingly, P-I was measured in the equatorial Pacific along 150 deg W, during February-March 1988. Diel variability of P-I showed a pattern consistent with nocturnal vertical mixing in the upper 20 m followed by diurnal stratification, causing photoinhibition near the surface at midday. Otherwise, the distribution of photosynthetic parameters with depth and the stability of P-I during simulated in situ incubations over 2 days demonstrated that photoadaptation was nearly complete at the time of sampling: photoadaptation had not been effectively countered by upwelling or vertical mixing. Measurements of P-I and chlorophyll during manipulations of trace elements showed that simple precautions to minimize contamination were sufficient to obtain valid rate measurements and that the specific growth rates of phytoplankton were fairly high in situ, a minimum of 0.6/d. Diel variability of beam attenuation also indicated high specific growth rates of phytoplankton and a strong coupling of production with grazing. It appears that grazing is the proximate control on the standing crop of phytoplankton. Nonetheless, the supply of a trace nutrient such as iron might ultimately regulate productivity by influencing species composition and food-web structure.

Cullen, John J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Natural and orbital debris particles on LDEF's trailing and forward-facing surfaces

Approximately 1000 impact craters on the Chemistry of Meteoroid Experiment (CME) have been analyzed by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA) to determine the compositional make-up of projectile residues. This report completes our systematic survey of gold and aluminum surfaces exposed at the trailing-edge (A03) and forward-facing (A11) LDEF sites, respectively. The major categories for the projectile residues were (1) natural, with diverse subgroups such as chondritic, monomineralic silicates, and sulfides, and (2) man made, that were classified into aluminum (metallic or oxide) and miscellaneous materials (such as stainless steel, paint flakes, etc). On CME gold collectors on LDEF's trailing edge approximately 11 percent of all craters greater than 100 micron in diameter were due to man-made debris, the majority (8.6 percent) caused by pure aluminum, approximately 31.4 percent were due to cosmic dust, while the remaining 58 percent were indeterminate via the analytical techniques utilized in this study. The aluminum surfaces located at the A11 forward-facing site did not permit analysis of aluminum impactors, but approximately 9.4 percent of all craters were demonstratably caused by miscellaneous debris materials and approximately 39.2 percent were the result of natural particles, leaving approximately 50 percent which were indeterminate. Model considerations and calculations are presented that focus on the crater-production rates for features greater than 100 micron in diameter, and on assigning the intermediate crater population to man-made or natural particles. An enhancement factor of 6 in the crater-production rate of natural impactors for the 'forward-facing' versus the 'trailing-edge' CME collectors was found to best explain all observations (i.e., total crater number(s), as well as their computational characteristics). Enhancement factors of 10 and 4 are either too high or too low. It is also suggested that approximately 45 percent of all craters greater than 100 micron in diameter are caused by man-made impactors on the A11 surfaces. This makes the production rate for craters greater than 100 micron in diameter, resulting from orbital debris, a factor of 40 higher on the forward-facing sides as opposed to the trailing-edge direction.

Hoerz, Friedrich↗
NASA NTRS1972

Flap noise generation and control

The characteristics of aerodynamic noise generated by the interaction of an airstream with a flap surface are discussed. The location and behavior of various noise sources were investigated to determine optimal quieting techniques. A schematic diagram of the jet-flap concepts being considered for integrated-powered-lift systems for short takeoff aircraft is shown. Each of the concepts has in common high velocity turbulent air flowing over relatively rigid surfaces with resultant production of interaction noise. The nature, location, and control of noise sources which involve the interactions of air flows with airfoil surfaces are examined.

Chestnutt, D.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Effectiveness of solid lubricant coatings for friction in hard vacuum (10-9 tor)

A study was made of the efficiency of solid lubricating coatings, based on MoS2 with various binders, during friction and under highvacuum conditions. Mass spectrometry was used for an analysis of the composition of the gas evolved from the coatings in the friction process. It is shown that the vacuum level, loading, and sliding velocity influence coating effectiveness. In the friction process the solid lubricant coatings yield characteristic decay products associated with the chemical nature of the binders. The mechanism of coating breakdown during friction is associated with the binder breakdown mechanism.

Verkin, B. I.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Arguments for fundamental emission by the parametric process L yields T + S in interplanetary type III bursts

Observations of low frequency ion acoustic-like waves associated with Langmuir waves present during interplanetary Type 3 bursts are used to study plasma emission mechanisms and wave processes involving ion acoustic waves. It is shown that the observed wave frequency characteristics are consistent with the processes L yields T + S (where L = Langmuir waves, T = electromagnetic waves, S = ion acoustic waves) and L yields L' + S proceeding. The usual incoherent (random phase) version of the process L yields T + S cannot explain the observed wave production time scale. The clumpy nature of the observed Langmuir waves is vital to the theory of IP Type 3 bursts. The incoherent process L yields T + S may encounter difficulties explaining the observed Type 3 brightness temperatures when Langmuir wave clumps are incorporated into the theory. The parametric process L yields T + S may be the important emission process for the fundamental radiation of interplanetary Type 3 bursts.

Cairns, I. H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Distribution and geochemistry of aerosols in the tropical North Atlantic troposphere - Relationship to Saharan dust

Estimates of global aerosol production suggest that mobilization of natural eolian material greatly exceeds anthropogenic-related emissions, and it appears that soil material transported from arid regions by wind might be mainly responsible for the distribution of certain clay materials in oceanic sediments. In connection with studies related to an investigation of these possibilities, the present paper provides a discussion of the aerosol spatial distribution and its water-soluble chemical composition in the tropical North Atlantic troposphere during the ABLE-Barbados mission. Particular attention is given to the composition of the water-soluble fraction, since its chemical reactivity is important with respect to various atmospheric and biogeochemical processes. On the basis of the obtained results, it is suggested that Saharan dust has also a significant impact on the aerosol chemistry over the tropical North Atlantic.

Talbot, R. W.↗