An Effcient Means to Mitigate Wavefront Curvature Effects in Polar Format Processed SAR Imagery.
Abstract Not Provided
Doerry, Armin W↗
SEARCH · Search NASA
Results for “polar format processing”
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Basics of Polar-Format Algorithm for Processing Synthetic Aperture Radar Images
The purpose of this report is to provide a background to Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image formation using the Polar Format (PFA) processing algorithm. This is meant to be an aid to those tasked to implement real-time image formation using the Polar Format processing algorithm.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
In situ analysis of the nucleation of O- and Zn-polar ZnO nanowires using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction
The selection of the polarity of ZnO nanowires grown by chemical bath deposition offers a great advantage for their integration into a wide variety of engineering devices. However, the nucleation process of ZnO nanowires and its dependence on their polarity is still unknown despite its importance for optimizing their morphology and properties and thus to enhance the related device performances. To tackle this major issue, we combine an in situ analysis of the nucleation process of O- and Zn-polar ZnO nanowires on O- and Zn-polar ZnO single crystals, respectively, using synchrotron radiation-based grazing incidence X-ray diffraction with ex situ transmission and scanning electron microscopy. We show that the formation of ZnO nanowires obeys three successive phases from the induction, through nucleation to growth phases. Additionally, the characteristics of each phase, including the nucleation temperature, the shape and dimension of nuclei, as well as their radial and axial development are found to depend on the polarity of ZnO nanowires. A comprehensive description reporting the dominant physicochemical processes in each phase and their dependence on the polarity of ZnO nanowires is presented, revisiting their formation process step-by-step. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the phenomena at work during the growth of ZnO nanowires by chemical bath deposition and open the perspective to develop a more accurate control of their properties at each step of the formation process.
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
Polar Format Algorithm: Survey of Assumptions and Approximations
Since the Polar Format Algorithm (PFA) was first introduced by Jack Walker 30 years ago, digital processing and Moore’s law have provided the means by which to process an increasing amount of data, at finer resolutions, over a larger area, and in real-time. Inherent in the polar format algorithm are assumptions that limit the focused scene size. This report presents a development of PFA for a linear frequency modulated chirp pulsed radar utilizing stretch processing to illustrate how PFA approximations are used to form an image. Also techniques to mitigate the errors resulting from the approximations are presented from a survey of literature sources. There are many techniques that are successful at increasing the focused scene size, these include image corrections made after image formation, subaperture processing, and careful selection of processing coordinates. This report only considers methods that use the polar format algorithm.
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
Polar primary aerosols across the ocean-sea ice-snow-atmosphere interface: From sources to impacts
Primary aerosols play a critical role in polar climate systems, influencing cloud formation, precipitation, radiative balance, and surface energy budgets. This paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of primary aerosol sources, transformation and removal processes, and broader atmospheric impacts in polar regions, emphasizing their links to ocean and sea ice biogeochemistry. These aerosols (including sea salt, primary organic aerosol, and primary biological aerosol particles) originate from marine and cryospheric environments and are emitted through physical processes, such as wave breaking, bubble bursting, and blowing snow. Emission sources include seawater, sea ice, snow, and freshwater from river discharge and glacial runoff. Once airborne, these particles can serve as a chemical reservoir, influencing atmospheric composition and reactivity, and as seeds for cloud droplet and ice crystal formation, influencing cloud microphysics and polar climate. Despite their importance, many of the processes governing primary aerosol emissions and transformations remain poorly constrained. The most pressing knowledge gaps pertain to emission processes, limited spatiotemporal observational coverage, instrumentation constraints, parameterization development, and the integration of interdisciplinary expertise. To improve our understanding of primary aerosol drivers and their response to climate, future research efforts should prioritize strategically coordinated and cross-disciplinary process studies, advancements in measurement technologies and coverage, and close collaboration between modelers and observational scientists to inform and refine model parameterizations. As polar regions continue to undergo profound changes marked by increased precipitation, reduced sea and land ice, freshening oceans, and shifting ecosystem dynamics, characterizing present-day primary aerosol populations is vital. Improved understanding will be essential for anticipating future changes in aerosol-radiation and aerosol-cloud interactions and their implications for polar and global climate systems.
Aerosol-cloud↗
Relaxor nature in lead-free Sr{sub 5}LaTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} tetragonal tungsten bronze ceramics
Lead-free tetragonal tungsten bronze Sr{sub 5}LaTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} ceramics were prepared and the correlation of the relaxor nature and crystal structure was studied using dielectric spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Three dielectric relaxations were observed below the deviation temperature T{sub D}∼ 330 K. Relaxation I and II followed the Vogel-Fulcher law with the freezing temperatures of 189 K and ∼90 K. Low temperature relaxation III, which was first observed in filled tungsten bronze, followed well the Arrhenius law. Dielectric response becomes static below 50 K. Polarization-field (P-E) hysteresis loops were evaluated from 183 K to 298 K. P{sub r} value of 0.41μC/cm{sup 2} was observed at 183 K. Deviation of lattice parameter c from the linear contraction and increasing of tetragonality (c/a ratio) were observed below T{sub D}, reflecting the structure change during the formation of polar nanoregions and the following freezing process. Opposite tendency was observed below 100 K for all the lattice parameters, corresponding to relaxation III. Generally, the main dielectric relaxation I and II were attributed to flipping and breathing of polar nanoregions along c axis, while the concerted rotations of the oxygen octahedra in the ab plane were suggested as the origin of relaxation III.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
Electrical and seismic response of saline permafrost soil during freeze - Thaw transition
We conducted laboratory studies on the geophysical signals from Arctic saline permafrost soils to help understand the physical and mechanical processes during freeze-thaw cycles. Our results revealed low electrical resistivity (< 20 Ωm) and elastic moduli (7.7 GPa for Young's modulus and 2.9 GPa for shear modulus) at temperatures down to ~- 10 °C, indicating the presence of a significant amount of unfrozen saline water under the current field conditions. The spectral induced polarization signal showed a systematic shift during the freezing process, affected by concurrent changes of temperature, salinity, and ice formation. An anomalous induced polarization response was first observed during the transient period of supercooling and the onset of ice nucleation. Seismic measurements showed a characteristic maximal attenuation at the temperatures immediately below the freezing point, followed by a decrease with decreasing temperature. The calculated elastic moduli showed a non-hysteric response during the freeze – thaw cycle, which was different from the concurrently measured electrical resistivity response where a differential resistivity signal is observed depending on whether the soil is experiencing freezing or thawing. The differential electrical resistivity signal presents challenges for unfrozen water content estimation based on Archie's law. Using an improved formulation of Archie's law with a variable cementation exponent, the unfrozen water content estimation showed a large variation depending on the choice of the resistivity data during either a freezing or thawing cycle. Combining the electrical and seismic results, we suggest that, rather than a large hysteresis in the actual unfrozen water content, the shift of the resistivity response may reflect the changes of the distribution pattern of the unfrozen water (or ice) in the soil matrix during repeated freeze and thaw processes. Collectively, our results provide an improved petrophysical understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of saline permafrost during freeze – thaw transitions, and suggest that large uncertainty may exist when estimating the unfrozen water content using electrical resistivity data.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
The Formation and Maintenance of the Dominant Southern Polar Crown Cavity of Cycle 24
In this article, we report a study of the longest-lived polar crown cavity of Solar Cycle 24, using an observation from 2013, and propose a physical mechanism to explain its sustained existence. We used high temporal and spatial resolution observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) instruments on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory ( SDO ) to explore the structure and evolution of the cavity. Although it existed for more than a year, we examined the circumpolar cavity in great detail from 2013 March 21 to 2013 October 31. Our study reinforces the existing theory of formation of polar crown filaments that involves two basic processes to form any polar crown cavity as well as the long-lived cavity that we studied here. First, the underlying polarity inversion line (PIL) of the circumpolar cavity is formed between (1) the trailing part of dozens of decayed active regions distributed in different longitudes and (2) the unipolar magnetic field in the polar coronal hole. Second, the long life of the cavity is sustained by the continuing flux cancellation along the PIL. The flux is persistently transported toward the polar region through surface meridional flow and diffusion. The continuing flux cancellation leads to the shrinking of the polar coronal hole.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Femtosecond laser induced tunable surface transformations on (111) Si aided by square grids diffraction
We report an extra freedom to modulate the femtosecond laser energy distribution to control the surface ablated structures through a copper-grid mask. Due to the reduced deposited pulse energy by changing the scanning speed or the pulse fluence, a sequential evolution of three distinctly different surface patterns with periodic distributions is formed, namely, striped ripple lines, ripple microdots, and surface modification. By changing the scanning speed, the number of the multiple dots in a lattice can be modulated. Moreover, by exploring the ablation process through the copper grid mask, it shows an abnormal enhanced ablation effect with strong dependence of the diffraction-aided fs laser ablated surface structures on polarization direction. The sensitivity shows a quasi-cosinusoid-function with a periodicity of π/2. Particularly, the connection process of striped ripple lines manifests a preferential formation direction with the laser polarization.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Effect of polarity on beam and plasma target formation in a dense plasma focus
Dense plasma focus (DPF) devices are conventionally operated with a polarity such that the inner electrode (IE) is the anode. It has been found that interchanging the polarity of the electrodes (i.e., IE as the cathode) can cause an order of magnitude decrease in the neutron yield. This polarity riddle has previously been studied empirically through several experiments and is yet not well understood. Herein, we have performed kinetic simulations using the particle-in-cell modeling to investigate the problem. This is the first time that both polarities have been studied with simulations in great detail. In our simulations, we have modeled the entire beam and plasma target formation processes, but we did not consider differences in break-down conditions caused by the two polarities. We have found that when using reverse polarity ions are still accelerated and, in fact, attain similar energy spectra as in the standard polarity case. The difference is that the fields are flipped and thus ions are accelerated in the opposite direction. So, in the reverse polarity case, the majority of the “plasma target” (formed by the imploding plasma) is in the opposite direction of the beam, and thus, the beam hits the IE and produces few neutrons. With a better inner electrode configuration, reverse polarity is able to create a high-quality ion beam as well as a high-density target. Both can be comparable to that generated by standard polarity. Furthermore, we will show that it is easier to add an additional solid catcher target to a DPF device with reverse polarity, potentially enabling it to generate more neutrons than standard polarity.
Plasma sheaths↗
The Great Solar Active Region NOAA 12192: Helicity Transport, Filament Formation, and Impact on the Polar Field
The solar active region (AR), NOAA 12192, appeared in 2014 October as the largest AR in 24 years. Here we examine the counterintuitive nature of two diffusion-driven processes in the region: the role of helicity buildup in the formation of a major filament, and the relationship between the effects of supergranular diffusion and meridional flow on the AR and on the polar field. Quantitatively, calculations of current helicity and magnetic twist from Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) vector magnetograms indicate that, though AR 12192 emerged with negative helicity, positive helicity from subsequent flux emergence, consistent with the hemispheric sign-preference of helicity, increased over time within large-scale, weak-field regions such as those near the polarity inversion line (PIL). Morphologically, Atmospheric Imaging Assembly observations of filament barbs, sigmoidal patterns, and bases of Fe xii stalks initially exhibited signatures of negative helicity, and the long filament that subsequently formed had a strong positive helicity consistent with the helicity buildup along the PIL. We find from full-disk HMI magnetograms that AR 12192's leading positive flux was initially closer to the equator but, owing either to the region’s magnetic surroundings or to its asymmetric flux density distribution, was transported poleward more quickly on average than its trailing negative flux, contrary to the canonical pattern of bipole flux transport. This behavior caused the AR to have a smaller effect on the polar fields than expected and enabled the formation of the very long neutral line where the filament formed.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
THE ROLE OF MAGNETIC HELICITY IN STRUCTURING THE SOLAR CORONA
Two of the most widely observed and striking features of the Sun's magnetic field are coronal loops, which are smooth and laminar, and prominences or filaments, which are strongly sheared. Loops are puzzling because they show little evidence of tangling or braiding, at least on the quiet Sun, despite the chaotic nature of the solar surface convection. Prominences are mysterious because the origin of their underlying magnetic structure—filament channels—is poorly understood at best. These two types of features would seem to be quite unrelated and wholly distinct. We argue that, on the contrary, they are inextricably linked and result from a single process: the injection of magnetic helicity into the corona by photospheric motions and the subsequent evolution of this helicity by coronal reconnection. In this paper, we present numerical simulations of the response of a Parker (1972) corona to photospheric driving motions that have varying degrees of helicity preference. We obtain four main conclusions: (1) in agreement with the helicity condensation model of Antiochos (2013), the inverse cascade of helicity by magnetic reconnection in the corona results in the formation of filament channels localized about polarity inversion lines; (2) this same process removes most complex fine structure from the rest of the corona, resulting in smooth and laminar coronal loops; (3) the amount of remnant tangling in coronal loops is inversely dependent on the net helicity injected by the driving motions; and (4) the structure of the solar corona depends only on the helicity preference of the driving motions and not on their detailed time dependence. We discuss the implications of our results for high-resolution observations of the corona.
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
Hidden phase in a two-dimensional Sn layer stabilized by modulation hole doping
Semiconductor surfaces and ultrathin interfaces exhibit an interesting variety of two-dimensional quantum matter phases, such as charge density waves, spin density waves and superconducting condensates. Yet, the electronic properties of these broken symmetry phases are extremely difficult to control due to the inherent difficulty of doping a strictly two-dimensional material without introducing chemical disorder. Here we successfully exploit a modulation doping scheme to uncover, in conjunction with a scanning tunnelling microscope tip-assist, a hidden equilibrium phase in a hole-doped bilayer of Sn on Si(111). This new phase is intrinsically phase separated into insulating domains with polar and nonpolar symmetries. Its formation involves a spontaneous symmetry breaking process that appears to be electronically driven, notwithstanding the lack of metallicity in this system. This modulation doping approach allows access to novel phases of matter, promising new avenues for exploring competing quantum matter phases on a silicon platform.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
Solid‐State Prealkylation of Electrode Architectures (SPEAR): Direct Control of Prelithiation Levels in Silicon Anodes and Electrochemical Cycling
The Solid-state Prealkylation of Electrode ARchitectures (SPEAR) is different than traditional electrochemical prealkylation processes. Through SPEAR, alkylation is driven by solid-state diffusion without the simultaneous SEI formation concomitant with polarization. Here, we investigate the prelithiation of 80 wt. % Si-based anodes to varying amounts (up to Li 1.38 Si) to understand the trade-off between improved Li capacity and expansion-induced stress. Through dilatometry, we found that solid-state lithiation led to filling of the electrode pores through silicon expansion. This swelling changed the SEI formation process and accessibility of the silicon compared to an electrochemically lithiated electrode. Indeed, optimal prelithiation to Li 0.82 Si increases the initial C/3 cycling capacity post-SEI formation up to 43%, consistent with deeper Si activation through the electrode bulk. Prelithiation and cycling cells prelithiated beyond Li 0.82 Si results in a state of charge (SOC) close to 100% which facilitates parasitic degradation mechanisms and volume expansion of the Si electrode. The results demonstrate a pathway to modify silicon activation/SEI formation to enable high-energy electrodes.
Musgrove, Amanda L. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory↗
3D pattern formation of a protein–membrane suspension
Many essential cellular processes, including cell division and the establishment of cell polarity during embryogenesis, are regulated by pattern-forming proteins. These proteins often need to bind to a substrate, such as the cell membrane, onto which they interact and form two-dimensional (2D) patterns. It is unclear how the membrane’s continuity and dimensionality impact pattern formation. Here, we address this gap using the MinDE system, a prototypical example of pattern-forming membrane proteins. We show that when the lipid substrate is fragmented into submicrometer-sized diffusive liposomes, adenosine triphosphate-driven protein–protein interactions generate three-dimensional (3D) spatially extended patterns, despite the complete loss of membrane continuity. Remarkably, these 3D patterns emerge at scales four orders of magnitude larger than the individual liposomes. By systematically varying protein concentration, liposome size, and density, we observed and characterized a variety of 3D dynamical patterns not seen on continuous 2D membranes, including traveling waves, dynamical spirals, and a coexistence phase. Simulations and linear stability analysis of a coarse-grained model revealed that the physical properties of the dispersed membrane effectively rescale both the protein–membrane binding rates and diffusion, two key parameters governing pattern formation and wavelength selection. These findings highlight the robustness of Min’s pattern-forming ability, suggesting that protein–membrane suspensions could serve as an adaptable template for studying out-of-equilibrium self-organization in 3D, beyond in vivo contexts.
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
MTUQ: a framework for estimating moment tensors, point forces, and their uncertainties
SUMMARY We introduce MTUQ, an open-source Python package for seismic source estimation and uncertainty quantification, emphasizing flexibility and operational scalability. MTUQ provides MPI-parallelized grid search and global optimization capabilities, compatibility with 1-D and 3-D Green’s function database formats, customizable data processing, C-accelerated waveform and first-motion polarity misfit functions, and utilities for plotting seismic waveforms and visualizing misfit and likelihood surfaces. Applicability to a range of full- and constrained-moment tensor, point force, and centroid inversion problems is possible via a documented application programming interface, accompanied by example scripts and integration tests. We demonstrate the software using three different types of seismic events: (1) a 2009 intraslab earthquake near Anchorage, Alaska; (2) an episode of the 2021 Barry Arm landslide in Alaska; and (3) the 2017 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea underground nuclear test. With these events, we illustrate the well-known complementary character of body waves, surface waves, and polarities for constraining source parameters. We also convey the distinct misfit patterns that arise from each individual data type, the importance of uncertainty quantification for detecting multimodal or otherwise poorly constrained solutions, and the software’s flexible, modular design.
58 GEOSCIENCES↗
Chiral transcription in self-assembled tetrahedral Eu 4 L 6 chiral cages displaying sizable circularly polarized luminescence
Predictable stereoselective formation of supramolecular assembly is generally believed to be an important but complicated process. Here, we show that point chirality of a ligand decisively influences its supramolecular assembly behavior. We designed three closely related chiral ligands with different point chiralities, and observe their self-assembly into europium (Eu) tetrametallic tetrahedral cages. One ligand exhibits a highly diastereoselective assembly into homochiral (either ΔΔΔΔ or ΛΛΛΛ) Eu tetrahedral cages whereas the two other ligands, with two different approaches of loosened point chirality, lead to a significant breakdown of the diastereoselectivity to generate a mixture of (ΔΔΔΔ and ΛΛΛΛ) isomers. The cages are highly emissive (luminescence quantum yields of 16(1) to 18(1)%) and exhibit impressive circularly polarized luminescence properties (|g lum |: up to 0.16). With in-depth studies, we present an example that correlates the nonlinear enhancement of the chiroptical response to the nonlinearity dependence on point chirality.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Suppression of quantum decoherence via infrared-driven coherent exciton-plasmon coupling: Undamped field and Rabi oscillations
We show that when a semiconductor quantum dot is in the vicinity of a metallic nanoparticle and driven by a mid-infrared laser field, its coherent dynamics caused by interaction with a visible laser field can become free of quantum decoherence. We demonstrate that this process, which can offer undamped Rabi and field oscillations, is the result of coherent normalization of the “effective” polarization dephasing time of the quantum dot (T{sub 2}{sup *}). This process indicates formation of infrared-induced coherently forced oscillations, which allows us to control the value of T{sub 2}{sup *} using the infrared laser. The results offer decay-free ultrafast modulation of the effective field experienced by the quantum dot when neither the visible laser field nor the infrared laser changes with time.
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗