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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Clouds and Water Vapor in the Climate System: Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Satellites

The objective of this work was to attack unanswered questions that lie at the intersection of radiation, dynamics, chemistry and climate. Considerable emphasis was placed on scientific collaboration and the innovative development of instruments required to address these scientific issues. The specific questions addressed include: Water vapor distribution in the Tropical Troposphere: An understanding of the mechanisms that dictate the distribution of water vapor in the middle-upper troposphere; Atmospheric Radiation: In the spectral region between 200 and 600/cm that encompasses the water vapor rotational and continuum structure, where most of the radiative cooling of the upper troposphere occurs, there is a critical need to test radiative transfer calculations using accurate, spectrally resolved radiance observations of the cold atmosphere obtained simultaneously with in situ species concentrations; Thin Cirrus: Cirrus clouds play a central role in the energy and water budgets of the tropical tropopause region; Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange: Assessment of our ability to predict the behavior of the atmosphere to changes in the boundary conditions defined by thermal, chemical or biological variables; Correlative Science with Satellite Observations: Linking this research to the developing series of EOS observations is critical for scientific progress.

Anderson, James G.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Climatic Analysis of Oceanic Water Vapor Transports Based on Satellite E-P Datasets

Understanding the climatically varying properties of water vapor transports from a robust observational perspective is an essential step in calibrating climate models. This is tantamount to measuring year-to-year changes of monthly- or seasonally-averaged, divergent water vapor transport distributions. This cannot be done effectively with conventional radiosonde data over ocean regions where sounding data are generally sparse. This talk describes how a methodology designed to derive atmospheric water vapor transports over the world oceans from satellite-retrieved precipitation (P) and evaporation (E) datasets circumvents the problem of inadequate sampling. Ultimately, the method is intended to take advantage of the relatively complete and consistent coverage, as well as continuity in sampling, associated with E and P datasets obtained from satellite measurements. Independent P and E retrievals from Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) measurements, along with P retrievals from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) measurements, are used to obtain transports by solving a potential function for the divergence of water vapor transport as balanced by large scale E - P conditions.

Smith, Eric A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

CLARREO Pathfinder as a SI-traceable Reference for Satellite Intercalibration

The Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder (CPF) consists of an Earthviewing reflected solar (RS) spectrometer that will measure the Earth-reflected solar radiation from International Space Station with an SI-traceable radiometric uncertainty of 0.3% (1-sigma). The high-accuracy CPF measurements will provide an in-orbit reference for intercalibrating other spaceflight RS instruments. The CPF intercalibration team has been tasked to develop a state-of-the-art approach to calibrate the shortwave channel (300-5000 nm) of the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument and the reflective solar bands (RSB) of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument, both onboard the NOAA-20 satellite, against the CPF benchmark measurements. The aimed intercalibration methodology uncertainty for both the target instruments is also 0.3%. To meet this stringent intercalibration accuracy, the CPF team has developed methods for mitigating the impacts of spatial, spectral, and angular differences between the intercalibration footprints from the CPF and target instruments. To further alleviate uncertainty, the CPF team will employ Polarization Distribution Models (PDMs) to characterize the polarization state of the Earth-reflected radiance as a function of the intercalibration footprint scene type, solar and viewing geometry, and wavelength. The PDMs will assist in identifying low-polarized scene radiances for meticulously intercalibrating the polarization sensitive VIIRS instrument against the significantly-less polarization-sensitive CPF instrument. This paper will highlight the CPF mission overview, the details of the CPF intercalibration approach, and additional outcomes of the CPF intercalibration studies that may benefit the broader remote sensing community.community.

Hyperspectral↗
NASA NTRS2014

Assessment of Satellite Radiometry in the Visible Domain

Marine reflectance and chlorophyll-a concentration are listed among the Essential Climate Variables by the Global Climate Observing System. To contribute to climate research, the satellite ocean color data records resulting from successive missions need to be consistent and well characterized in terms of uncertainties. This chapter reviews various approaches that can be used for the assessment of satellite ocean color data. Good practices for validating satellite products with in situ data and the current status of validation results are illustrated. Model-based approaches and inter-comparison techniques can also contribute to characterize some components of the uncertainty budget, while time series analysis can detect issues with the instrument radiometric characterization and calibration. Satellite data from different missions should also provide a consistent picture in scales of variability, including seasonal and interannual signals. Eventually, the various assessment approaches should be combined to create a fully characterized climate data record from satellite ocean color.

ocean color↗
NASA NTRS1994

An Algorithm to Generate Deep-Layer Temperatures from Microwave Satellite Observations for the Purpose of Monitoring Climate Change

An algorithm for generating deep-layer mean temperatures from satellite-observed microwave observations is presented. Unlike traditional temperature retrieval methods, this algorithm does not require a first guess temperature of the ambient atmosphere. By eliminating the first guess a potentially systematic source of error has been removed. The algorithm is expected to yield long-term records that are suitable for detecting small changes in climate. The atmospheric contribution to the deep-layer mean temperature is given by the averaging kernel. The algorithm computes the coefficients that will best approximate a desired averaging kernel from a linear combination of the satellite radiometer's weighting functions. The coefficients are then applied to the measurements to yield the deep-layer mean temperature. Three constraints were used in deriving the algorithm: (1) the sum of the coefficients must be one, (2) the noise of the product is minimized, and (3) the shape of the approximated averaging kernel is well-behaved. Note that a trade-off between constraints 2 and 3 is unavoidable. The algorithm can also be used to combine measurements from a future sensor (i.e., the 20-channel Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU)) to yield the same averaging kernel as that based on an earlier sensor (i.e., the 4-channel Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU)). This will allow a time series of deep-layer mean temperatures based on MSU measurements to be continued with AMSU measurements. The AMSU is expected to replace the MSU in 1996.

Goldberg, Mitchell D.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Annual sea level variations in the Red Sea observed using GNSS

SUMMARY Annual sea level variations in the Red Sea have amplitudes of 15–20 cm as observed using various techniques such as tide gauges, satellite altimetry and recently Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data. In this study, we demonstrate that Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations can also be used to measure the effect of these sea level variations. The extra water mass presses on the seafloor, which causes horizontal and vertical deformations. Using time-series from 10 coastal GNSS stations, we observe annual horizontal and vertical loading displacements with amplitudes of 2–5 mm. When correcting for atmospheric, hydrological and surface water loading and a residual geocentre motion, significant annual signals of approximately 0.5 and 2 mm are still observed for the horizontal and vertical components, respectively. In the northern Red Sea, the observed annual signals and predicted annual sea level loading show good agreement. This confirms that the signal is mostly a result of the variations in water mass and thermal expansion. Furthermore, we conclude that the uncertainties in the hydrological model over Ethiopia and Eritrea influence the loading over the southern Red Sea, which was underestimated in previous studies using GRACE data.

Alothman, A. O.↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Strengths and Limitations of Satellite Data for Evaluating Tropospheric Processes in Chemistry-Climate Models

There is now a wealth of satellite data products available with which to evaluate a model fs simulation of tropospheric composition and other model processes. All of these data products have their strengths and limitations that need to be considered for this purpose. For example, uncertainties are introduced into a data product when 1) converting a slant column to a vertical column and 2) estimating the amount of a total column of a trace gas (e.g., ozone, nitrogen dioxide) that resides in the troposphere. Oftentimes, these uncertainties are not well quantified and the satellite data products are not well evaluated against in situ observations. However, these limitations do not preclude us from using these data products to evaluate our model processes if we understand these strengths and limitations when developing diagnostics. I will show several examples of how satellite data products are being used to evaluate particular model processes with a focus on the strengths and limitations of these data products. In addition, I will introduce the goals of a newly formed team to address issues on the topic of "satellite data for improved model evaluation and process studies" that is established in support of the IGAC/SPARC Global Chemistry ]Climate Modeling and Evaluation Workshop.

Duncan, Bryan↗
NASA NTRS2023

Reducing Aerosol Forcing Uncertainty by Combining Models With Satellite and Within-The-Atmosphere Observations: A Three-Way Street

Aerosol forcing uncertainty represents the largest climate forcing uncertainty overall. Its magnitude has remained virtually undiminished over the past 20 years despite considerable advances in understanding most of the key contributing elements. Recent work has produced modest increases only in the confidence of the uncertainty estimate itself. This review summarizes the contributions toward reducing the uncertainty in the aerosol forcing of climate made by satellite observations, measurements taken within the atmosphere, as well as modeling and data assimilation. We adopt a more measurement-oriented perspective than most reviews of the subject in assessing the strengths and limitations of each; gaps and possible ways to fill them are considered. Currently planned programs supporting advanced, global-scale satellite and surface-based aerosol, cloud, and precursor gas observations, climate modeling, and intensive field campaigns aimed at characterizing the underlying physical and chemical processes involved, are all essential. But in addition, new efforts are needed: (a) to obtain systematic aircraft in situ measurements capturing the multi-variate probability distribution functions of particle optical, microphysical, and chemical properties (and associated uncertainty estimates), as well as co-variability with meteorology, for the major aerosol airmass types; (b) to conceive, develop, and implement a suborbital (aircraft plus surface-based) program aimed at systematically quantifying the cloud-scale microphysics, cloud optical properties, and cloud-related vertical velocities associated with aerosol-cloud interactions; and (c) to focus much more research on integrating the unique contributions of satellite observations, suborbital measurements, and modeling, to reduce the persistent uncertainty in aerosol climate forcing.

aerosol climate forcing↗
NASA NTRS2002

NASA's Sentinels Monitoring Weather and Climate: Past, Present, and Future

Weatherwise is probably the most popular newstand magazine focusing on the subject of weather. It is published six times per year and includes features on weather, climate, and technology. This article (to appear in the January/February Issue) provides a comprehensive review of NASA s past, present, and future contributions in satellite remote sensing for weather and climate processes. The article spans the historical strides of the TIROS program through the scientific and technological innovation of Earth Observer-3 and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM). It is one of the most thorough reviews of NASA s weather and climate satellite efforts to appear in the popular literature.

Shepherd, J. Marshall↗
NASA NTRS2022

Enhancement of a global lake and reservoir database to aid climate studies and resource monitoring utilizing satellite radar altimetry

Here, we describe the expansion and enhancement of a large (surface area ≥100 sq. km) lake and reservoir database (1.GREALD). These efforts have also resulted in the spin-off of two additional databases, one containing lakes and reservoirs (2.GREALD, area 10–99 sq. km), and the other containing ephemeral lakes (3.GELD, area ≥100 sq. km). These databases are unique sources for projects that utilize satellite radar altimeter data to monitor surface water levels. While 1.GREALD aims to be a complete catalog, 2.GREALD focuses on reservoirs in response to applied sciences programs that monitor water and energy resources. The creation of 3.GELD has climate change objectives as well as water resources and ecosystem conservation applications. The recording of information pertaining to the potential overpasses (waterbody crossings) of the current and archive satellite altimeters is a primary objective as is the need to highlight any form of controlled water level variation. The permanent water databases now contain 6282 entries, half experience some form of anthropogenic influence and ∼430 have been identified as potential climatically sensitive terminal lakes. The revised integral surface area distribution is a power law with exponent −1.016. Statistics reveal that with altimetric repeat visit times of 10-day to monthly, at least 80% of the permanent water bodies (≥10 sq. km) have been overflown at some period since the 1990s. Current information on water use and reservoir formation date show that the primary use of the reservoir class is hydroelectric power, and that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, and Vietnam dominate the dam building in recent decades.

Charon M. Birkett↗
NASA NTRS2012

Monitoring Surface Climate With its Emissivity Derived From Satellite Measurements

Satellite thermal infrared (IR) spectral emissivity data have been shown to be significant for atmospheric research and monitoring the Earth fs environment. Long-term and large-scale observations needed for global monitoring and research can be supplied by satellite-based remote sensing. Presented here is the global surface IR emissivity data retrieved from the last 5 years of Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) measurements observed from the MetOp-A satellite. Monthly mean surface properties (i.e., skin temperature T(sub s) and emissivity spectra epsilon(sub v) with a spatial resolution of 0.5x0.5-degrees latitude-longitude are produced to monitor seasonal and inter-annual variations. We demonstrate that surface epsilon(sub v) and T(sub s) retrieved with IASI measurements can be used to assist in monitoring surface weather and surface climate change. Surface epsilon(sub v) together with T(sub s) from current and future operational satellites can be utilized as a means of long-term and large-scale monitoring of Earth 's surface weather environment and associated changes.

Zhou, Daniel K.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Toward a Coherent Detailed Evaluation of Aerosol Data Products from Multiple Satellite Sensors

Atmospheric aerosols represent one of the greatest uncertainties in climate research. Although satellite-based aerosol retrieval has practically become routine, especially during the last decade, there is often disagreement between similar aerosol parameters retrieved from different sensors, leaving users confused as to which sensors to trust for answering important science questions about the distribution, properties, and impacts of aerosols. As long as there is no consensus and the inconsistencies are not well characterized and understood, there will be no way of developing reliable climate data records from satellite aerosol measurements. Fortunately, the most globally representative well-calibrated ground-based aerosol measurements corresponding to the satellite-retrieved products are available from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). To adequately utilize the advantages offered by this vital resource, an online Multi-sensor Aerosol Products Sampling System (MAPSS) was recently developed. The aim of MAPSS is to facilitate detailed comparative analysis of satellite aerosol measurements from different sensors (Terra-MODIS, Aqua-MODIS, TerraMISR, Aura-OMI, Parasol-POLDER, and Calipso-CALIOP) based on the collocation of these data products over AERONET stations. In this presentation, we will describe the strategy of the MA~SS system, its potential advantages for the aerosol community, and the preliminary results of an integrated comparative uncertainly analysis of aerosol products from multiple satellite sensors.

Ichoku, Charles↗
NASA NTRS2013

Climate Informatics

The impacts of present and potential future climate change will be one of the most important scientific and societal challenges in the 21st century. Given observed changes in temperature, sea ice, and sea level, improving our understanding of the climate system is an international priority. This system is characterized by complex phenomena that are imperfectly observed and even more imperfectly simulated. But with an ever-growing supply of climate data from satellites and environmental sensors, the magnitude of data and climate model output is beginning to overwhelm the relatively simple tools currently used to analyze them. A computational approach will therefore be indispensable for these analysis challenges. This chapter introduces the fledgling research discipline climate informatics: collaborations between climate scientists and machine learning researchers in order to bridge this gap between data and understanding. We hope that the study of climate informatics will accelerate discovery in answering pressing questions in climate science.

Climate change↗
NASA NTRS1993

Satellite observation of lake ice as a climate indicator - Initial results from statewide monitoring in Wisconsin

The research reported herein focused on the general hypothesis that satellite remote sensing of large-area, long-term trends in lake ice phenology (formation and breakup) is a robust, integrated measure of regional and global climate change. To validate this hypothesis, we explored the use of data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) to discriminate the presence and extent of lake ice during the winter of 1990-1991 on the 45 lakes and reservoirs in Wisconsin with a surface area greater than 1,000 hectares. Our results suggest both the feasibility of using the AVHRR to determine the date of lake ice breakup as well as the strong correlation (R= -0.87) of the date so derived with local surface-based temperature measurements. These results suggest the potential of using current and archival satellite data to monitor changes in the date of lake ice breakup as a means of detecting regional 'signals' of greenhouse warming.

Wynne, Randolph H.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Polar research from satellites

In the polar regions and climate change section, the topics of ocean/atmosphere heat transfer, trace gases, surface albedo, and response to climate warming are discussed. The satellite instruments section is divided into three parts. Part one is about basic principles and covers, choice of frequencies, algorithms, orbits, and remote sensing techniques. Part two is about passive sensors and covers microwave radiometers, medium-resolution visible and infrared sensors, advanced very high resolution radiometers, optical line scanners, earth radiation budget experiment, coastal zone color scanner, high-resolution imagers, and atmospheric sounding. Part three is about active sensors and covers synthetic aperture radar, radar altimeters, scatterometers, and lidar. There is also a next decade section that is followed by a summary and recommendations section.

Thomas, Robert H.↗
NASA NTRS2002

A satellite view of aerosols in the climate system

Anthropogenic aerosols are intricately linked to the climate system and to the hydrologic cycle. The net effect of aerosols is to cool the climate system by reflecting sunlight. Depending on their composition, aerosols can also absorb sunlight in the atmosphere, further cooling the surface but warming the atmosphere in the process. These effects of aerosols on the temperature profile, along with the role of aerosols as cloud condensation nuclei, impact the hydrologic cycle, through changes in cloud cover, cloud properties and precipitation. Unravelling these feedbacks is particularly difficult because aerosols take a multitude of shapes and forms, ranging from desert dust to urban pollution, and because aerosol concentrations vary strongly over time and space. To accurately study aerosol distribution and composition therefore requires continuous observations from satellites, networks of ground-based instruments and dedicated field experiments. Increases in aerosol concentration and changes in their composition, driven by industrialization and an expanding population, may adversely affect the Earth's climate and water supply.

Review, Tutorial↗
DOE OSTI2025

SCILLA Scanning Electrical Mobility Spectrometer (SEMS) airborne data

The Scanning Electrical Mobility Spectrometer (SEMS) provides measurements of bulk aerosol size distributions, which are crucial for studying aerosol-cloud interactions. The instrument sampled through two different inlets: an isokinetic inlet and a counter-flow virtual impactor (CVI) inlet. Data were collected to help improve climate and earth systems models, characterize atmospheric conditions, and validate satellite observations and climate simulations.

Scanning Electrical Mobility Spectrometer↗