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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

The application of remotely sensed data to pedologic and geomorphic mapping on alluvial fan and playa surfaces in Saline Valley, California

Arid and semiarid regions yield excellent opportunities for the study of pedologic and geomorphic processes. The dominance of rock and soil exposure over vegetation not only provides the ground observer with observational possibilities but also affords good opportunities for measurement by aircraft and satellite remote sensor devices. Previous studies conducted in the area of pedologic and geomorphic mapping in arid regions with remotely sensed data have utilized information obtained in the visible to near-infrared portion of the spectrum. Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) and Thematic Mapping (TM) data collected in 1984 are being used in comjunction with maps compiled during a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) soil survey to aid in a detailed mapping of alluvial fan and playa surfaces within the valley. The results from this study may yield valuable information concerning the application of thermal data and thermal/visible data combinations to the problem of dating pedologic and geomorphic features in arid regions.

Miller, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Utilization of LANDSAT orbital imagery in the soil survey processes at Rio Grande do Norte state

Pedologic photointerpretative criteria adapted to LANDSAT orbital imagery were used: drainage (pattern, integration degree, density and uniformity degree); relief (pattern, dissection degree and crest lines); photographic texture, photographic tonnality, and the land use (type, glebas size and intensity of use). The performance of the imagery as an auxiliar tool in the soil survey processes, at Rio Grande do Norte State was evaluated. The drainage and relief elements were easily extracted from the imagery and also ones that provided the greatest deductive possibility about pedologic boundaries. Other analyzed criteria were considered only auxiliaries, corroborating some soil limits in the evidences convergence phase. The principal pedologic dominions of the 30,000 sq km are covered by the same LANDSAT image (WRS 359/16) were delimited with good precision: (1) fluvial plains, beaches, dunes and coastal mangroves; (2) North Coast line Plateau; (3) Acu Sandstone Zone; (4) residual plateaus of the Tertiary; and (6) plains of the embasement.

Formaggio, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Multidisciplinary geoscientific experiments in central Europe

The author has identified the following significant results. Studies were carried out in the fields of geology-pedology, coastal dynamics, geodesy-cartography, geography, and data processing. In geology-pedology, a comparison of ERTS image studies with extensive ground data led to a better understanding of the relationship between vegetation, soil, bedrock, and other geologic features. Findings in linear tectonics gave better insight in orogeny and ore deposit development for prospecting. Coastal studies proved the value of ERTS images for the updating of nautical charts, as well as small scale topographic maps. A plotter for large scale high speed image generation from CCT was developed.

Bannert, D.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Topography Controls Variability in Circumpolar Permafrost Thaw Pond Expansion

Abstract One of the most conspicuous signals of climate change in high‐latitude tundra is the expansion of ice wedge thermokarst pools. These small but abundant water features form rapidly in depressions caused by the melting of ice wedges (i.e., meter‐scale bodies of ice embedded within the top of the permafrost). Pool expansion impacts subsequent thaw rates through a series of complex positive and negative feedbacks which play out over timescales of decades and may accelerate carbon release from the underlying sediments. Although many local observations of ice wedge thermokarst pool expansion have been documented, analyses at continental to pan‐Arctic scales have been rare, hindering efforts to project how strongly this process may impact the global carbon cycle. Here we present one of the most geographically extensive and temporally dense records yet compiled of recent pool expansion, in which changes to pool area from 2008 to 2020 were quantified through satellite‐image analysis at 27 survey areas (measuring 10–35 km 2 each, or 400 km 2 in total) dispersed throughout the circumpolar tundra. The results revealed instances of rapid expansion at 44% (15%) of survey areas. Considered alone, the extent of departures from historical mean air temperatures did not account for between site variation in rates of change to pool area. Pool growth was most clearly associated with upland (i.e., hilly) terrain and elevated silt content at soil depths greater than one meter. These findings suggest that, at short time scales, pedologic and geomorphologic conditions may exert greater control on pool dynamics in the warming Arctic than spatial variability in the rate of air temperature increases.

Abolt, C. J.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Soil texture and environmental conditions influence the biogeochemical responses of soils to drought and flooding

Abstract Climate change is intensifying the global water cycle, with increased frequency of drought and flood. Water is an important driver of soil carbon dynamics, and it is crucial to understand how moisture disturbances will affect carbon availability and fluxes in soils. Here we investigate the role of water in substrate-microbe connectivity and soil carbon cycling under extreme moisture conditions. We collected soils from Alaska, Florida, and Washington USA, and incubated them under Drought and Flood conditions. Drought had a stronger effect on soil respiration, pore-water carbon, and microbial community composition than flooding. Soil response was not consistent across sites, and was influenced by site-level pedological and environmental factors. Soil texture and porosity can influence microbial access to substrates through the pore network, driving the chemical response. Further, the microbial communities are adapted to the historic stress conditions at their sites and therefore show site-specific responses to drought and flood.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Data for "Soil texture and environmental conditions influence the biogeochemical responses of soils to drought and flooding"

This dataset contains data used for the paper "Soil texture and environmental conditions influence the biogeochemical responses of soils to drought and flooding". The Related References field will be updated with a full citation when available.Climate change is intensifying the global water cycle, with increased frequency of drought and flood. Water is an important driver of soil carbon dynamics, and it is crucial to understand how moisture disturbances will affect carbon availability and fluxes in soils. Here we investigate the role of water in substrate-microbe connectivity and soil carbon cycling under extreme moisture conditions. We collected soils from Alaska, Florida, and Washington USA, and incubated them under Drought and Flood conditions. Drought had a stronger effect on soil respiration, pore-water carbon, and microbial community composition than flooding. Soil response was not consistent across sites, and was influenced by site-level pedological and environmental factors. Soil texture and porosity can influence microbial access to substrates through the pore network, driving the chemical response. Further, the microbial communities are adapted to the historic stress conditions at their sites and therefore show site-specific responses to drought and flood.This dataset contains a compressed (.zip) archive of the data and R scripts used for this manuscript. The dataset includes files in .csv and .txt format, which can be accessed and processed using MS Excel or R. This archive can also be accessed on GitHub at https://github.com/kaizadp/TES_3Soils_2021 (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4792655).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Soil Texture and Organic Matter from Teller Field Site and Barrow Environmental Observatory, Alaska, 2024

Understanding soil texture and organic matter content supports our understanding of hydrology and ecology of Arctic sites. Soil organic matter content and composition of sand, silt, and clay were measured from soils collected at the Teller 27 field site on the Seward Peninsula and at the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) near Utqiaġvik, Alaska, on August 2nd and 6th 2024, respectively. Soil samples were collected from the active layer to varied depths. Precise location data were collected at each observation point using Avenza Maps on a mobile device. Sand, silt, clay, and organic matter percentages were measured at Desert Research Institute Soil Characterization and Quaternary Pedology Laboratory in Reno, NV. This dataset contains a *.csv file of soil properties, a *.kml file of measurement locations, a *.pdf user guide, a *.csv data dictionary, and a *.csv file level metadata.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1972

The FRALIT teledetection program, using the ERTS-A satellite, for the oceanic littoral of France

There are no author-identified significant results in this report. The French Atlantic Littoral program, utilizing data from the ERTS-1 satellite, is considered. It involves teledetection of the French shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean and English Channel. A description is given of the ERTS-1 orbit and the satellite itself, including the attitude control system, and the data acquisition and transmission equipment. The geographic extent of the area covered by the program is delineated and the subjects studied are enumerated. These include the geomorphology, pedology, hydrology, and vegetation of the maritime marshes; sedimentology, morphology, and hydrology of the intertidal zones; and transport of material in suspension to the mouths of the Seine, the Loire, and the Gironde as a part of the coastal waters study.

Verger, F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Use of LANDSAT data for natural resources investigation in the lower basin of Danube and Danube Delta

The author has identified the following significant results. Monitoring of excess humidity was possible at the Baragan test site. Qualitative improvements of 20-50% were obtained in regards to soil inventory in the eastern Danube Delta, comparing data with conventional maps. The pedological situation was observed after drainage in impounded enclosures. The appearance of stagnate water was surveyed due to difference in color shades on LANDSAT imagery. Areas with gluey soils, such as lake bottoms rich in CaCO3 and shell grist, were clearly represented. Sediment discharges into the sea at the Danube mouth and plumes over 100 km at sea could be easily distinguished on LANDSAT MSS 4 and 5.

Oprescu, N.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Interpretation of satellite images of the Republic of Niger

Interpretations of LANDSAT pictures were carried out for an area located in the west of the Niger Republic in the geological, hydrogeological and pedological sectors. Checking of the extent of vegetation and use of the soils and effects of desertification for the purpose of yearly map making was carried out. The proposed control of land use may be optimized by the direct reception of LANDSAT data by the receiving station planned for Ouagadougou. Since that station will not be operating before 1983, the establishment of a mobile reception station in the Republic of Niger to enable the installation of the required control system is advised.

Bender, F.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Ecological optimality in water-limited natural soil-vegetation systems. I - Theory and hypothesis

The solution space of an approximate statistical-dynamic model of the average annual water balance is explored with respect to the hydrologic parameters of both soil and vegetation. Within the accuracy of this model it is shown that water-limited natural vegetation systems are in stable equilibrium with their climatic and pedologic environments when the canopy density and species act to minimize average water demand stress. Theory shows a climatic limit to this equilibrium above which it is hypothesized that ecological pressure is toward maximization of biomass productivity. It is further hypothesized that natural soil-vegetation systems will develop gradually and synergistically, through vegetation-induced changes in soil structure, toward a set of hydraulic soil properties for which the minimum stress canopy density of a given species is maximum in a given climate. Using these hypotheses, only the soil effective porosity need be known to determine the optimum soil and vegetation parameters in a given climate.

Eagleson, P. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Introduction: Historical perspective on the HCMM program

When some thermal radiation sensitive devices on U.S. meteorological satellites generated low resolution images showing temperature variations on Earth's land and sea surfaces during the middle 1960's, interest was aroused in the potential of thermal sensing in geology, agriculture, soil moisture, ground water, water temperature, and vegetation applications. The concept of using the property of thermal inertia to identify materials, particularly those of a geologic nature can be traced to the same time period that marks the flight of the first LANDSAT - Spacecraft systems and their performance, and capabilities are reviewed as well as achievements in hydrology, geology, agriculture, pedology, and urban climate effects applications.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

Shuttle Experimental Radar for Geological Exploration (SERGE) project: Field work relating to the Shuttle Experimental Radar A (SIR-A) in Brazil (phase 2)

The ground observations undertaken over the northern position of Minas Gerais State, and part of Distrito Federal from 7 to 12 December 1982, along the Space Shuttle 2 flying orbit 22 of November 1981 are described. Field data related mostly with lithology, geological structures and forest cover, and specific geomorphological and pedological aspects were collected. Ground data are applied to evaluate the SIR-A Experiment, developed in the Space Shuttle-2 mission for natural resources mapping and prospecting.

Balieiro, M. G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

An instrument for measuring the complex permittivity of the Martian top soil

This permittivity measuring instrument measures the resistivity rho and the relative dielectric constant epsilon sub r of the Martian top soil along the path of a rover. This aim is achieved by measuring the real and imaginary parts of the complex permittivity epsilon = epsilon sub r - j epsilon sub i where epsilon sub i = omega epsilon sub o rho/1; epsilon sub 1 is the permittivity of vacuum and omega is a variable angular working frequency. The experimental technique consists in evaluating the mutual, or transfer, impedance of a quadrupolar probe, i.e., in quantifying the influence of the Martian ground on the electrical coupling of two Hertz dipoles. The horizontal and vertical spatial resolutions are of the order of the length and separation of the dipoles, typically 1 to 2 metres. The four-electrode method for measuring the ground resistivity on earth was first applied by Wenner and Schlumberger, but the proposed investigation bears closer resemblance to a similar instrument developed for ground surveying at shallow depth, in connection with archaelogical and pedological research. A quadrupolar probe will provide essential information about the electric properties of the Martian ground and will contribute usefully to the identification of the soil structure and composition in association with other experimental equipment (camera, infra-red detector, gamma and X-ray spectrometers, chemical analyzers, ground temperature probes).

Grard, R.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Soil Science in Space: Thinking Way Outside the Box

Mars is a perfect laboratory to reconsider the future of pedology across the universe. By investigating the soils and geology through our Curiosity and further endeavors, we find ourselves able to learn about the past, present, and possibly the future. Imagine what we could learn about the early Earth if we could have explored it without vegetation and clouds in the way. The tools and techniques that are used to probe the Martian soil can teach us about exploring the soils on Earth. Although many may feel that soil science has learned all that it can about the soils on Earth, we know differently. Deciding what the most important things to know about Martian soils can help us focus on the fundamentals of soil science on Earth. Our soil science knowledge and experience on Earth can help us learn more about the angry red planet. Why is it so angry with so many fascinating secrets it can tell?

Ming, D. W.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simulating water dynamics related to pedogenesis across space and time: Implications for four-dimensional digital soil mapping

Digital soil mapping (DSM) relies on machine-learning and geostatistics to represent soil property observations across space. DSM techniques are powerful but often empirical, being limited to the quality and density of point samples. Water dynamics are closely related to soil variability, and the physics that govern water movement are well known. Hydrological properties can hence be simulated by physical models through space and time, unveiling key characteristics about soils. We propose the use of hydrologic models to map soils across the surface (2D), depth (1D), and time (1D)–which provides a 4D approach to digital soil mapping (4DSM). The Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) was applied to a watershed currently under pasture. Moisture sensors and wells were installed at different depths in the watershed on summit, sideslope and toeslope positions to validate the model. DHSVM simulations of soil moisture distribution and depth to saturation were performed during the hydrological year (October 2008-September 2009). Clusters of similar pixels based on soil moisture values were determined using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) to align temporal data and K-means. Clustering was performed both seasonally and for the entire year. Temporal patterns simulated by DHSVM matched measurements given by moisture sensors and wells. Seasonal clusters differed from the annual cluster. Distinct clusters were observed for each season and with depth, showing that spatiotemporal soil variability is lost when statically assessing soils. Spatiotemporal clusters corroborated field observations of fragipan occurrence not explicitly spatially mapped by Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO). If a connection can be made between water and soils, static and dynamic soil variability can be predicted using physically based hydrologic models. Hydrologic models can benefit soil mapping by enabling reliable 4D simulation of water dynamics, which are fundamental to soil variability and soil classification and directly relate to biological, physical and chemical soil processes not captured by typical soil sampling protocols.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗