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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 OSTI2026

Tethered Balloon System (TBS) Instrument Handbook

The Tethered Balloon System (TBS) is an unmanned aerial system composed of a helium-filled balloon, tether, winch, and sensors. Individual components of the system may change with each flight based on the desired measurements, atmospheric conditions, and flight strategy. The TBS operates within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s R-2204 Restricted Airspace, which encompasses a two-nautical-mile radius centered on Oliktok Point, Alaska that is segmented by altitude into R-2204 Low (0-1,499’ MSL or 0-457 m MSL) and R-2204 High (1,500-6,999’ MSL or 457-2133 m MSL). The TBS may operate outside of R-2204 if allowed to do so under a Certificate of Authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2026

Tethered Balloon System Ozone Profiles during CoURAGE Summer Intensive Operational Period Field Campaign Report

During the summer IOP, the small ARM field campaign CRGTBSO3 collected measurements to gain an improved understanding of differences between the atmospheric composition in and just above the marine layer at the CoURAGE TBS site near the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay. CRGTBSO3 included guest instrumentation with ozone (O 3 ) profile measurements on the TBS and surface O3 and meteorological measurements at the TBS site. An En-Sci 2Z electrochemical cell (ECC) ozonesonde (Komhyr 1969, 1986, Witte et al. 2018) was included on the TBS. The ozonesonde was connected to an InterMet iMet-4RSB radiosonde, and the overall data collected included vertical profiles of ozone, relative humidity, temperature, pressure, and altitude. The CRGTBSO3 iMet-4 radiosonde data is identical to that of the iMet in the Tethered Balloon System Merged Data Product (TBSMERGED; Gaustad and Dexheimer 2025). The TBSMERGED data product also includes meteorological data from a different sensor, the iMet XQ2. In some cases, the iMet XQ2 relative humidity (RH) data may be more accurate than the iMet-4, such as for some instances when the iMet-4 RH data stays at 100% for an extended period throughout a profile.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dual-Comb Spectroscopy to Tethered Balloon System (DCS to TBS) Field Campaign Report

There is a critical need for the ability to detect, quantify, and attribute sources and sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) with high temporal and spatial resolution. Current methods are typically based on continuously operating near-surface point sensors or intermittent aerial/satellite observations. Dual optical frequency comb spectroscopy (“dual-comb spectroscopy”; DCS) is a laser-based technique that can bridge this sensing gap by providing high-precision, high-accuracy, and high-temporal-resolution detection and quantification of trace gases over kilometer-length scales, connecting local and regional observations. A single DCS system can also provide spatial resolution for source/sink attribution with the addition of a few minor optical elements, enabling cross-validation of other observations (e.g., Total Carbon Column Observing Network [TCCON], Orbiting Carbon Observatory [OCO-2/3], Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite [GOSAT-1/2][).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Portable Optical Particle Spectrometer aboard an Airborne Platform (POPS_AIR) Instrument Handbook

The U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility portable optical particle spectrometer (POPS) is a lightweight particle spectrometer designed for aerosol particle size distribution measurement. Several POPS of different versions have been procured to serve as routine instruments for the ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and tethered balloon system (TBS) deployment since 2018. POPS measures the aerosol particle size distribution approximately between 0.13 and 3 μm.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

ARM Trajectories Data Set Value-Added Product Report

The U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s ARM Trajectories Data Set (ARMTRAJ) Value-Added Product (VAP) provides trajectory data sets initialized at ARM deployment coordinates and configured using ARM data sets. The six trajectory data sets support aerosol, cloud, planetary boundary layer, and related research (aerosol-cloud interactions, etc.), as well as studies using ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) and tethered balloon system (TBS) measurements. Trajectory calculations use the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model informed by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth-generation atmospheric reanalysis (ERA5) data set at its highest spatial resolution (~31 km). HYSPLIT also runs at multiple initial starting locations surrounding ARM deployments (in latitude/longitude and/or vertical coordinates), facilitating an ensemble for each sample in the data sets. The ensemble mean and variability reported in ARMTRAJ improve the fidelity and provide uncertainty estimates of trajectory coordinates, thermodynamic properties, and other output fields.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z07 refers to the seventh height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z06 refers to the sixth height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z05 refers to the fifth height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z04 refers to the fourth height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z03 refers to the third height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z02 refers to the second height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site G - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site G. Z01 refers to the first height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site A1 - Atmospheric Sensor / Reviewed Data

This dataset contains meteorological measurements including temperature, pressure, and relative humidity at multiple heights deployed on tethered balloon system at AWAKEN site A1. Z06 refers to the sixth height position of the iMet-XQ2 mounted on the tethered balloon.

17 WIND ENERGY↗