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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
DOE OSTI2016

Shortwave Array Spectroradiometer–Zenith (SASZe) Instrument Handbook

The Shortwave Array Spectroradiometer – Zenith (SASZe) provides measurements of zenith spectral shortwave radiance at 1Hz over a continuous spectral range from approximately 300 nm to 1700 nm. The SASZe design connects an optical collector located outdoors to a pair of spectrometers and data collections system located indoors within a climate-controlled building via an umbilical cable of fiber optic and electrical cables. The light collector incorporates a collimator yielding a 1-degree Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) field of view. The data-acquisition electronics and spectrometers include an in-line fiber optic shutter and two Avantes fiber-coupled grating spectroradiometers within a temperature-controlled container. The Avantes Avaspec ULS 2048 charge-coupled device (CCD) spectrometer covers the wavelength range from about 300-1100 nm with a pixel spacing of less than 0.6 nm and a spectral resolution of about 2.4 nm FWHM. The Avantes Avaspec NIR256-1.7 spectrometer covers the wavelength range from about 950 nm to 1700 nm with a pixel spacing of less than 4 nm and a spectral resolution of about 6 nm FWHM.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1985

Solar radiance models for determination of ERBE scanner filter factor

Shortwave spectral radiance models for use in the spectral correction algorithms for the ERBE Scanner Instrument are provided. The required data base was delivered to the ERBe Data Reduction Group in October 1984. It consisted of two sets of data files: (1) the spectral bidirectional angular models and (2) the spectral flux modes. The bidirectional models employ the angular characteristics of reflection by the Earth-atmosphere system and were derived from detailed radiance calculations using a finite difference model of the radiative transfer process. The spectral flux models were created through the use of a delta-Eddington model to economically simulate the effects of atmospheric variability. By combining these data sets, a wide range of radiances may be approximated for a number of scene types.

Arduini, R. F.↗
DOE OSTI2023

TWST Cloud Properties (COD, droplet effective radius, and thermodynamic phase). SAIL, AMF2, 2022-2023.

The dataset consists of calibrated zenith shortwave spectral radiances (440-1700 nm) and cloud optical depth (COD) retrievals approximately every second. Retrievals of cloud droplet effective radius and thermodynamic phase are currently done offline, but some of these retrievals are included in the dataset. Effective radius and phase are included for days with periods of sufficiently high COD. Effective radius and phase retrievals in the data set were computed at approximately 5-10 second intervals to reduce computation time. The retrievals can be performed at the full sample rate. The field of view is 0.5 degree.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Cloud Shortwave Optical Properties

The data set consists of calibrated zenith shortwave spectral radiances (400-950 nm and 940-1665 nm) and cloud optical depth (COD) retrievals every 2 seconds. The field of view is 0.5 degree. Retrievals of cloud droplet effective radius and thermodynamic phase are currently experimental and done offline. Effective radius and phase are not in this data set.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Sunphotometer (00)

The Cimel sunphotometer (CSPHOT) is a multi-channel, automatic sun-and-sky scanning radiometer that measures the direct solar irradiance and sky radiance at the Earth’s surface. It takes measurements at predetermined discrete wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared parts of the spectrum to determine atmospheric transmission and scattering properties. The CSPHOT only operates during daylight (sun above horizon).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2008

Improved Determination of Surface and Atmospheric Temperatures Using Only Shortwave AIRS Channels

The Goddard DAAC has been analyzing AIRS/AMSU sounding data using the AIRS Science Team Version 5 retrieval algorithm. The AIRS Version 5 retrieval algorithm produces significantly better temperature profiles under more difficult cloud conditions than does the AIRS Version 4 algorithm, because, following theoretical considerations, it employs 15 micron CO2 tropospheric sounding channels only for the purpose of generating cloud cleared radiances for all AIRS channels, and determines temperature profiles using only 4.2 micron AIRS observations. This approach works equally well during both daytime and night time conditions. The AIRS Version 6 retrieval algorithm takes this approach one step further, and now also determines surface skin temperatures over both land and ocean, using only shortwave AIRS window channel cloud cleared radiances. Shortwave surface spectral emissivity and spectral bi-directional reflectance are solved for simultaneously along with the surface skin temperature. Longwave surface spectral emissivity is determined in a subsequent step using only AIRS longwave window channels, using the previously determined surface skin temperature. The methodology to do this will be described, and results will be presented demonstrating significant improvement in retrieved surface skin temperatures and surface spectral emissivities compared to those obtained using Version 5, both day and night.

Susskind, Joel↗
DOE OSTI2015

Pan-spectral observing system simulation experiments of shortwave reflectance and long-wave radiance for climate model evaluation

Abstract. Top-of-atmosphere (TOA) spectrally resolved shortwave reflectances and long-wave radiances describe the response of the Earth's surface and atmosphere to feedback processes and human-induced forcings. In order to evaluate proposed long-duration spectral measurements, we have projected 21st Century changes from the Community Climate System Model (CCSM3.0) conducted for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A2 Emissions Scenario onto shortwave reflectance spectra from 300 to 2500 nm and long-wave radiance spectra from 2000 to 200 cm –1 at 8 nm and 1 cm –1 resolution, respectively. The radiative transfer calculations have been rigorously validated against published standards and produce complementary signals describing the climate system forcings and feedbacks. Additional demonstration experiments were performed with the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC5) and Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2 Earth System (HadGEM2-ES) models for the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario. The calculations contain readily distinguishable signatures of low clouds, snow/ice, aerosols, temperature gradients, and water vapour distributions. The goal of this effort is to understand both how climate change alters reflected solar and emitted infrared spectra of the Earth and determine whether spectral measurements enhance our detection and attribution of climate change. This effort also presents a path forward to understand the characteristics of hyperspectral observational records needed to confront models and inline instrument simulation. Such simulation will enable a diverse set of comparisons between model results from coupled model intercomparisons and existing and proposed satellite instrument measurement systems.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Mission Overview and Status IGARSS Conference

The Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission is a strategic climate continuity mission that was defined in the 2010 document Responding to the Challenge of Climate and Environmental Change: NASA’s Plan for Climate-Centric Architecture for Earth Observations and Applications from Space (referred to as the “Climate Initiative”). Scheduled for launch in January 2024, the PACE mission represents NASA’s next investment in ocean biology, clouds, and aerosol data records [1]. PACE will extend the high quality ocean ecological, ocean biogeochemical, cloud, and aerosol particle data records begun by NASA in the 1990s, building on the exceptional heritages of the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The PACE project office at NASA’s GSFC is responsible for the satellite development, launch and operations. The NASA Headquarters PACE Program Science office is responsible for supporting the science data processing system and assembling competed community science teams, which will include field-based vicarious calibration and data product validation efforts to support the PACE Project Science team. The mission is planned for launch into a Sun synchronous polar orbit at 676.5 km with an inclination of 98 degrees and a 1 pm local ascending node crossing time. The PACE observatory is comprised of three instruments, an Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) and two polarimeters, the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter 2 (HARP2) and the Spectro-Polarimeter for Exploration (SPEXone). The OCI is the primary instrument on the observatory and is being developed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The OCI is a hyperspectral scanning radiometer designed to measure spectral radiances from the ultraviolet to shortwave infrared (SWIR) to enable advanced ocean color and heritage cloud and atmospheric aerosol science [2]. The HARP2 and SPEXone are complimentary instruments on the PACE observatory, acquired outside of GSFC. The HARP2 is multi-spectral, wide swath (supporting atmospheric correction of OCI), and hyper-angular, with capabilities for cloud science that exceed what is capable from OCI alone. The SPEXone is narrow swath, multi-angular, and hyperspectral, with capabilities for atmospheric aerosol science that exceed what can be accomplished with OCI. NASA Headquarters directed the mission development to be guided by a Design-to-Cost (DTC) process. All elements of the mission, other than the cost, are in the DTC trade space. At the heart of the DTC process are the mission studies, performed across all the mission elements. The mission studies were used to define appropriate approaches within and across elements while maximizing science capabilities at a high cost confidence. Mission baseline requirements development is also embedded within the DTC process, as these requirements were not established at the onset of the mission concept development. Baseline mission requirements are a product of the mission studies and are defined by the project office as part of the DTC process. At the time of this writing, OCI, HARP2 and SPEXone are integrated onto the PACE spacecraft, creating the PACE observatory. The instruments and spacecraft subsystems are undergoing combined functional performance testing in preparation for observatory-level environmental testing prior to shipment to the launch site. Here, we will provide an update on science capabilities and observatory readiness for its early 2024 launch.

remote sensing↗
NASA NTRS1984

A robust pseudo-inverse spectral filter applied to the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanning channels

Computer simulations of a least squares estimator operating on the ERBE scanning channels are discussed. The estimator is designed to minimize the errors produced by nonideal spectral response to spectrally varying and uncertain radiant input. The three ERBE scanning channels cover a shortwave band a longwave band and a ""total'' band from which the pseudo inverse spectral filter estimates the radiance components in the shortwave band and a longwave band. The radiance estimator draws on instantaneous field of view (IFOV) scene type information supplied by another algorithm of the ERBE software, and on a priori probabilistic models of the responses of the scanning channels to the IFOV scene types for given Sun scene spacecraft geometry. It is found that the pseudoinverse spectral filter is stable, tolerant of errors in scene identification and in channel response modeling, and, in the absence of such errors, yields minimum variance and essentially unbiased radiance estimates.

Avis, L. M.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Radiation Budget Instrument (RBI) for JPSS-2

Radiation Budget Instrument (RBI) will be one of five instruments flying aboard the JPSS-2 spacecraft, a polar-orbiting sun-synchronous satellite in Low Earth Orbit. RBI is a passive remote sensing instrument that will follow the successful legacy of the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instruments to make measurement of Earth's short and longwave radiation budget. The goal of RBI is to provide an independent measurement of the broadband reflected solar radiance and Earth's emitted thermal radiance by using three spectral bands (Shortwave, Longwave, and Total) that will have the same overlapped point spread function (PSF) footprint on Earth. To ensure precise NIST-traceable calibration in space the RBI sensor is designed to use a visible calibration target (VCT), a solar calibration target (SCT), and an infrared calibration target (ICT) containing phase change cells (PCC) to enable on-board temperature calibration. The VCT is a thermally controlled integrating sphere with space grade Spectralon covering the inner surface. Two sides of the sphere will have fiber-coupled laser diodes in the UV to IR wavelength region. An electrical substitution radiometer on the integrating sphere will monitor the long term stability of the sources and the possible degradation of the Spectralon in space. In addition the radiometric calibration operations will use the Spectralon diffusers of the SCT to provide accurate measurements of Solar degradation. All those stable on-orbit references will ensure that calibration stability is maintained over the RBI sensor lifetime. For the preflight calibration the RBI will view five calibration sources - two integrating spheres and three CrIS (Cross-track Infrared Sounder ) -like blackbodies whose outputs will be validated with NIST calibration approach. Thermopile are the selected detectors for the RBI. The sensor has a requirement to perform lunar calibration in addition to solar calibration in space in a way similar to CERES instruments approach. To monitor climate change and to get stable and traceable results, it is critical to assure stable calibration over instrument lifetime.

Georgieva, Elena↗
NASA NTRS2020

Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Mission Integration and Testing

This paper describes the plans, flows, key facilities, components and equipment necessary to fully integrate, functionally test and qualify the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Observatory. PACE is currently in the design phase of mission implementation. It is scheduled to launch in 2022, extending and improving NASA's twenty-year record of satellite observations of global ocean biology, aerosols and clouds. PACE will advance the assessment of ocean health by measuring the distribution of phytoplankton, which are small plants and algae that sustain the marine food web. It will also continue systematic records of key atmospheric variables associated with air quality and the Earth's climate. The PACE observatory is comprised of the spacecraft and three instruments, an Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) and two polarimeters, the Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter 2 (HARP2) and the Spectro-Polarimeter for Exploration (SPEXone). The spacecraft and the OCI, which is the primary instrument, are developed and integrated at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The OCI is a hyper-spectral scanning (HSS) radiometer designed to measure spectral radiances from the ultraviolet to shortwave infrared (SWIR) to enable advanced ocean color and heritage cloud and aerosol particle science. The HARP2 and SPEXone are secondary instruments on the PACE observatory, acquired outside of GSFC. The Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter instrument (HARP2) is a wide swath imaging polarimeter that is capable of characterizing atmospheric aerosols for purposes of sensor atmospheric correction as well as atmospheric science. The SPEXone provides atmospheric aerosol and cloud data at high temporal and spatial resolution. This paper will focus on the Integration and Test (I&T) activities for the PACE mission at NASA GSFC. This I&T phase consists of mechanical, electrical and thermal integration and test of all the spacecraft subsystems and the integration of the instruments with the spacecraft. The PACE observatory environmental tests include electromagnetic interference (EMI)/electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), vibration, acoustics, shock, thermal balance, thermal vacuum, mass properties and center of gravity. This paper will also discuss the observatory shipment to the launch site as well as the launch site processing.

Petro, Susanna↗
NASA NTRS1996

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Sensors and Preflight Calibration Plans

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) spacecraft sensors are designed to measure broadband earth-reflected solar shortwave (0.3-5 microns) and earth-emitted longwave (5- > 100 microns) radiances at the top of the atmosphere as part of the Mission to Planet Earth program. The scanning thermistor bolometer sensors respond to radiances in the broadband shortwave (0.3-5 microns) and total-wave (0.3- > 100 microns) spectral regions, as well as to radiances in the narrowband water vapor window (8-12 microns) region. 'ne sensors are designed to operate for a minimum of 5 years aboard the NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and Earth Observing System AM-1 spacecraft platforms that are scheduled for launches in 1997 and 1998, respectively. The flight sensors and the in-flight calibration systems will be calibrated in a vacuum ground facility using reference radiance sources, tied to the international temperature scale of 1990. The calibrations will be used to derive sensor gains, offsets, spectral responses, and point spread functions within and outside of the field of view. The shortwave, total-wave, and window ground calibration accuracy requirements (1 sigma) are +/-0.8, +/-0.6, and +/-0.3 W /sq m/sr, respectively, while the corresponding measurement precisions are +/-O.5% and +/-1.0% for the broadband longwave and shortwave radiances, respectively. The CERES sensors, in-flight calibration systems, and ground calibration instrumentation are described along with outlines of the preflight and in-flight calibration approaches.

Lee, Robert B., III↗
NASA NTRS2002

Early Radiometric Validation Results of the Ceres Flight Model 1 and 2 Instruments Onboard NASA's Terra Spacecraft

The CERES Flight Model 1 and 2 instruments were launched aboard NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra Spacecraft on December 18, 1999 into a 705 Km sun-synchronous orbit with a 10:30 a.m. equatorial crossing time. These instruments supplement measurements made by the CERES Proto Flight Model (PFM) instrument launched aboard NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft on November 27, 1997 into a 350 Km, 38-degree mid-inclined orbit. An important aspect of the EOS program is the rapid archival and dissemination of datasets measured by EOS instruments to the scientific community. On September 22, 2000 the CERES Science Team voted to archive the Edition 1 CERES/Terra Level 1b and Level 2 and 3 ERBE-Like data products. These products consist of instantaneous filtered and unfiltered radiances through temporally and spatially averaged TOA fluxes. CERES filtered radiance measurements cover three spectral bands including shortwave (0.3 to 5 micron), total (0.3 to less than 100 microns) and an atmospheric window channel (8 to 12 microns). The current work summarizes both the philosophy and results of validation efforts undertaken to quantify the quality of the Terra data products as well as the level of agreement between the Terra and TRMM datasets.

Priestley, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Development and Implementation of a Comprehensive Radiometric Validation Protocol for the CERES Earth Radiation Budget Climate Record Sensors

The CERES Flight Models 1 through 4 instruments were launched aboard NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua Spacecraft into 705 Km sun-synchronous orbits with 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. equatorial crossing times. These instruments supplement measurements made by the CERES Proto Flight Model (PFM) instrument launched aboard NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) into a 350 Km, 38-degree mid-inclined orbit. CERES Climate Data Records consist of geolocated and calibrated instantaneous filtered and unfiltered radiances through temporally and spatially averaged TOA, Surface and Atmospheric fluxes. CERES filtered radiance measurements cover three spectral bands including shortwave (0.3 to 5 microns), total (0.3 to 100 microns) and an atmospheric window channel (8 to 12 microns). The CERES Earth Radiation Budget measurements represent a new era in radiation climate data, realizing a factor of 2 to 4 improvement in calibration accuracy and stability over the previous ERBE climate records, while striving for the next goal of 0.3-percent per decade absolute stability. The current improvement is derived from two sources: the incorporation of lessons learned from the ERBE mission in the design of the CERES instruments and the development of a rigorous and comprehensive radiometric validation protocol consisting of individual studies covering different spatial, spectral and temporal time scales on data collected both pre and post launch. Once this ensemble of individual perspectives is collected and organized, a cohesive and highly rigorous picture of the overall end-to-end performance of the CERES instrument's and data processing algorithms may be clearly established. This approach has resulted in unprecedented levels of accuracy for radiation budget instruments and data products with calibration stability of better than 0.2-percent and calibration traceability from ground to flight of 0.25-percent. The current work summarizes the development, philosophy and implementation of the protocol designed to rigorously quantify the quality of the data products as well as the level of agreement between the CERES TRMM, Terra and Aqua climate data records.

Priestley, K. J.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Spectral Invariant Behavior of Zenith Radiance Around Cloud Edges Observed by ARM SWS

The ARM Shortwave Spectrometer (SWS) measures zenith radiance at 418 wavelengths between 350 and 2170 nm. Because of its 1-sec sampling resolution, the SWS provides a unique capability to study the transition zone between cloudy and clear sky areas. A spectral invariant behavior is found between ratios of zenith radiance spectra during the transition from cloudy to cloud-free. This behavior suggests that the spectral signature of the transition zone is a linear mixture between the two extremes (definitely cloudy and definitely clear). The weighting function of the linear mixture is a wavelength-independent characteristic of the transition zone. It is shown that the transition zone spectrum is fully determined by this function and zenith radiance spectra of clear and cloudy regions. An important result of these discoveries is that high temporal resolution radiance measurements in the clear-to-cloud transition zone can be well approximated by lower temporal resolution measurements plus linear interpolation.

Marshak, A.↗
DOE OSTI2015

Final Report – Study of Shortwave Spectra in Fully 3D Environment. Synergy Between Scanning Radars and Spectral Radiation Measurements

ARM set out 20 years ago to “close” the radiation problem, that is, to improve radiation models to the point where they could routinely predict the observed spectral radiation fluxes knowing the optical properties of the surface and of gases, clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere. Only then could such radiation models form a proper springboard for global climate model (GCM) parameterizations of spectral radiation. Sustained efforts have more or less achieved that goal with regard to longwave radiation; ASR models now routinely predict ARM spectral longwave radiances to 1–2%. Similar efforts in the shortwave have achieved far less; the successes are mainly for carefully selected 1D stratiform cloud cases. Such cases amount, even with the most optimistic interpretation, to no more than 30% of all cases at SGP. The problem has not been lack of effort but lack of appropriate instruments.The new ARM stimulus-funded instruments, with their new capabilities, will dramatically improve this situation and once again make progress possible on the shortwave problem. The new shortwave spectrometers will provide a reliable, calibrated record including the near infrared – and for other climatic regimes than SGP. The new scanning radars will provide the 3D cloud view, making it possible to tackle fully 3D situations. Thus, our main theme for the project is the understanding and closure of the surface spectral shortwave radiation problem in fully 3D cloud situations by combining the new ARM scanning radars and shortwave spectrometers with the arsenal of radiative transfer tools.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Spectral Gap Filling Method Using the Spectral Information from CLARREO-Pathfinder Measured Earth-Reflected Solar Spectra to Support CPF-CERES Intercalibration

The high-accuracy Earth-reflected solar spectral radiances from CLARREO Pathfinder (CPF) will serve as in-orbit benchmark measurements for intercalibrating other satellite imagers. The CPF team is developing a state-of-the-art intercalibration method to calibrate the shortwave channel (300-5000 nm) of the CERES instrument against the CPF reference with an uncertainty of 0.3%. Because the CPF instrument only covers spectral range from 350 nm to 2300 nm, the team has developed a spectral extension method to fill in the gaps between the spectral domains of CPF and the CERES shortwave channel. The method solely relies on using the hyperspectral information from the CPF wavelengths to predict the radiances below 350 nm and above 2300 nm. To quantify the relationship between the CPF spectrum and the non-overlapping portions of the spectrum between CPF and CERES, the team has simulated a large ensemble of spectra that cover the spectral range for both CPF and CERES. A hyperspectral bidirectional reflectance model for land surface based on thousands of measured land surface reflectance has been developed. This land surface model as well as the Cox-Munk model for ocean surface are used in the spectral gap filling. Various water/ice clouds, aerosols, atmosphere profiles and surfaces were used to simulate Earth-reflected radiances from 200 nm to 15 um under different solar and sensor geometries. The targeted uncertainty for the CPF-extended broadband CERES radiances is less than 0.1%. The previously derived training spectra were updated to replace the Kurucz solar irradiance model with the TSIS-1 Hybrid Solar Reference Spectrum. The influence of the scalar assumption in radiative transfer model equations on the uncertainty in estimating the broadband radiances was also investigated.

Hyperspectral↗