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At least 19 records

Kinematics at the intersection of the Garlock and Death Valley fault zones, California: Integration of TM data and field studies. LANDSAT TM investigation proposal TM-019

Processing and interpretation of Thematic Mapper (TM) data, extensive field work, and processing of SPOT data were continued. Results of these analyses led to the testing and rejecting of several of the geologic/tectonic hypotheses concerning the continuation of the Garlock Fault Zone (GFZ). It was determined that the Death Valley Fault Zone (DVFZ) is the major through-going feature, extending at least 60 km SW of the Avawatz Mountains. Two 5 km wide fault zones were identified and characterized in the Soda and Bristol Mountains, forming a continuous zone of NW trending faulting. Geophysical measurements indicate a buried connection between the Avawatz and the Soda Mountains Fault Zone. Future work will involve continued field work and mapping at key locations, further analyses of TM data, and conclusion of the project.

Abrams, Michael↗

The Joint Assimilation of Remotely Sensed Leaf Area Index and Surface Soil Moisture into a Land Surface Model

This work tests the hypothesis that jointly assimilating satellite observations of leaf area index and surface soil moisture into a land surface model improves the estimation of land vegetation and water variables. An Ensemble Kalman Filter is used to test such hypothesis across the Contiguous United States during April 2015 – December 2018. The performance of the proposed methodology is assessed for several modeled vegetation and water variables (evapotranspiration, net ecosystem exchange, and soil moisture) in terms of random errors and anomaly correlation coefficients against a set of independent validation datasets (i.e., Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model, FLUXCOM, and International Soil Moisture Network). Results show that the assimilation of leaf area index mostly improves the estimation of evapotranspiration and net ecosystem exchange, whereas the assimilation of surface soil moisture alone improves surface soil moisture content, especially in the western US, in terms of both root mean squared error and anomaly correlation coefficient. The joint assimilation of vegetation and soil moisture information combines the results of individual vegetation and soil moisture assimilations and reduces errors (and increases correlations with the reference datasets) in evapotranspiration, net ecosystem exchange, and surface soil moisture simulated by the land surface model. However, because soil moisture satellite observations only provide information on the water content in the top 5 cm of the soil column, the impact of the proposed data assimilation technique on root zone soil moisture is limited. This work moves one step forward in the direction of improving our estimation and understanding of land surface interactions using a multi-variate data assimilation approach, which can be particularly useful in regions of the world where ground observations are sparse or missing altogether.

Data assimilation↗

Unsteady Aerodynamic Response of a Linear Cascade of Airfoils in Separated Flow

The overall objective of this research program was to investigate methods to modify the leading edge separation region, which could lead to an improvement in aeroelastic stability of advanced airfoil designs. The airfoil section used is representative of current low aspect ratio fan blade tip sections. The experimental potion of this study investigated separated zone boundary layer from removal through suction slots. Suction applied to a cavity in the vicinity of the separation onset point was found to be the most effective location. The computational study looked into the influence of front camber on flutter stability. To assess the influence of the change in airfoil shape on stability the work-per-cycle was evaluated for torsion mode oscillations. It was shown that the front camberline shape can be an important factor for stabilizing the predicted work-per-cycle and reducing the predicted extent of the separation zone. In addition, data analysis procedures are discussed for reducing data acquired in experiments that involve periodic unsteady data. This work was conducted in support of experiments being conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center Transonic Flutter Cascade. The spectral block averaging method is presented. This method is shown to be able to account for variations in airfoil oscillation frequency that can occur in experiments that force oscillate the airfoils to simulate flutter.

Capece, Vincent R.↗

Mineral resources, geological structure, and landform surveys

Diagnostic ERTS imagery has been used to pinpoint surface conditions associated with known mining districts. These include enhancements which depict hitherto unrecognized surface alteration and allow analysis of ore-controlling fractures distribution in a regional context. ERTS has likewise provided observational data containing previously unrecognized surface anomalies in large oil-producing basins which correlate closely with known oil fields. These observational data offer promise of providing new and powerful techniques for oil exploration, especially if further work using more sophisticated enhancement-processing proves capable of emphasizing the anomalies. ERTS is showing a better-than-anticipated potential for producing accurate small-scale (large-area) geologic maps, often containing details that were previously not recorded on similar regional maps. The maps produced from ERTS imagery can be prepared more effectively than previously possible, mainly because of the synoptic, multispectral, and repetitive character of ERTS data. ERTS has also provided extensive information on possible geologic hazards. Many new fractures have been identified in several regions of the Pacific Coast seismic belt that have histories of recent earthquakes. This has obvious implications for engineering projects such as dams, aqueducts, and transportation routes. In the mid-continent area, ERTS data have been used to predict zones of rooffall danger in a working coal mine from newly discovered lineations (probably fractures) used as indicators of hazards.

Short, N. M.↗

Bio-Optical Properties of the Arabian Sea as Determined by In Situ and Sea WiFS Data

The overall objective of this work was to characterize optical and fluorescence properties in the euphotic zone during two British Ocean Flux Study (BOFS) Arabian Sea cruises. This was later expanded in 1995 to include three U.S. JGOFS Arabian Sea Cruises. The region was to be divided into one or more "bio-optical provinces," within each of which a single set of regression models was to be developed to relate the vertical distribution of irradiance attenuation and normalized fluorescence (SF and NF) to remote sensing reflectance and diffuse attenuation coefficient. The working hypothesis was that over relatively large spatial and temporal scales, the vertical profiles of bio-optical properties were predictable. The specific technical objectives were: (1) To characterize the vertical distribution of the inherent and apparent optical properties by measuring downwelling and upwelling irradiances, upwelling radiances, scalar irradiance of PAR, and beam transmissions at each station - from these data, spectral diffuse attenuation coefficients, irradiance reflectances, remote sensing reflectances, surface-leaving radiances and beam attenuation coefficients were determined; (2) To characterize the spectral absorption of total particulate, detrital, and dissolved organic material at each station from discrete water samples; (3) To describe the vertical distribution of photoadaptive properties in the water column by measuring profiles of stimulated (SF) and natural (NF) fluorescence and examining relationships between SF and NF as a function of diffuse optical depth, pigment biomass and primary productivity; and (4) To establish locally derived, in-water algorithms relating remote sensing reflectance spectra to diffuse attenuation coefficients, phytoplankton pigment concentrations and primary productivity, through intercomparisons with in situ measurements, for application to SeaWiFS data.

Trees, Charles C.↗

Bio-Optical Properties of the Arabian Sea as Determined by In-Situ and SeaWifs Data

The overall objective of this work was to characterize optical and fluorescence properties in the euphotic zone during two British Ocean Flux Study (BOFS) Arabian Sea cruises. This was later expanded in 1995 to include three U.S. Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) Arabian Sea Cruises. The region was to be divided into one or more "bio-optical provinces", within each of which a single set of regression models was to be developed to relate the vertical distribution of irradiance attenuation and normalized fluorescence (SF and NF) to remote sensing reflectance and diffuse attenuation coefficient [K(490)]. The working hypothesis was that over relatively large spatial and temporal scales, the vertical profiles of bio-optical properties were predictable.

Trees, Charles C.↗

TPSAS-NF1676L-27534-DND

This presentation describes the preparation, validation and provision of MERRA-2 data products to the building industry for use in energy efficient designs, building codes and monitoring energy efficiency. It highlights efforts to use MERRA-2 surface meteorological data products for the derivation of quantities relevant to the energy and building industry such as heating and cooling degree days and building climate zones on a global basis for the past 30 years. A difference of the zones from the first 15 years and last 30 years shows that warming zones are creeping northward. The talk also presents work provide similar parameters for building energy performance assessment requiring data products closer to real time.

Paul W Stackhouse, Jr↗

Seismic Study of the Solar Interior: Inferences from SOI/MDI Observations During Solar Activity

We have continued in collaboration with Dr. Eff-Darwich (University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain) the study of the structure, asphericity and dynamics of the solar interior from p-mode frequencies and frequency splittings. In March 2001, Dr. Eff-Darwich came for 3 weeks visit to CfA. During this visit we completed our work on the inversion of the internal solar rotation rate, and submitted a paper describing this work to the Astrophysical Journal. This paper has been recently revised in response to the referee comments and I expect that it will be accepted for publication very soon. We also have analyzed helioseismic data looking for temporal variations of the solar stratification near the base of the convection zone. We have expanded on the initial work that was presented at the SOHO-10/GONG-2000 meeting (October 2000, Tenerife), and are in the process of writing this up. Substantial progress towards the characterization of high-degree p-modes has been achieved. Indeed, in collaboration Dr. Rabello-Soares (Stanford University), we have gained a clear conceptual understanding of the various elements that affect the leakage matrix of the SOI/MDI instrument. This was presented in an invited talk at the SOHO-10/GONG-2000 meeting (October 2000, Tenerife). Once we will have successfully migrated from a qualitative to a quantitative assessment of these effects, we should be able to generate high-degree p-modes frequencies so crucial in the diagnostic of the layers just below solar surface.

Korzennik, Sylvain G.↗

Post-Newtonian Black-Hole Inspiral Initial Data with Waves for Puncture Simulations

We present post-Newtonian-inspired initial data for non-spinning black-hole binaries, suitable for numerical evolution with punctures. We revisit the work of Tichey et al. and explicitly calculate remaining integral terms.Thereby we improve the accuracy in the far zone, by including realistic gravitational waves in the initial data. We investigate the behavior of this data both at the center of mass and in the far zone, demonstrating agreement of the transverse-traceless parts of the new metric with quadrupole-approximation waveforms. An advantage of these data is that they can be used for numerical evolutions to make a direct connection between the merger waveforms and the post-Newtonian inspiral waveforms.

Kelly, B. J.↗

Using IKONOS Imagery to Estimate Surface Soil Property Variability in Two Alabama Physiographies

Knowledge of surface soil properties is used to assess past erosion and predict erodibility, determine nutrient requirements, and assess surface texture for soil survey applications. This study was designed to evaluate high resolution IKONOS multispectral data as a soil- mapping tool. Imagery was acquired over conventionally tilled fields in the Coastal Plain and Tennessee Valley physiographic regions of Alabama. Acquisitions were designed to assess the impact of surface crusting, roughness and tillage on our ability to depict soil property variability. Soils consisted mostly of fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Plinthic Kandiudults at the Coastal Plain site and fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Paleudults at the Tennessee Valley site. Soils were sampled in 0.20 ha grids to a depth of 15 cm and analyzed for % sand (0.05 - 2 mm), silt (0.002 -0.05 mm), clay (less than 0.002 mm), citrate dithionite extractable iron (Fe(sub d)) and soil organic carbon (SOC). Four methods of evaluating variability in soil attributes were evaluated: 1) kriging of soil attributes, 2) co-kriging with soil attributes and reflectance data, 3) multivariate regression based on the relationship between reflectance and soil properties, and 4) fuzzy c-means clustering of reflectance data. Results indicate that co-kriging with remotely sensed data improved field scale estimates of surface SOC and clay content compared to kriging and regression methods. Fuzzy c-means worked best using RS data acquired over freshly tilled fields, reducing soil property variability within soil zones compared to field scale soil property variability.

Sullivan, Dana↗

Simulating Matrix Crack and Delamination Interaction in a Clamped Tapered Beam

Blind predictions were conducted to validate a discrete crack methodology based on the Floating Node Method to simulate matrix-crack/delamination interaction. The main novel aspects of the approach are: (1) the implementation of the floating node method via an 'extended interface element' to represent delaminations, matrix-cracks and their interaction, (2) application of directional cohesive elements to infer overall delamination direction, and (3) use of delamination direction and stress state at the delamination front to determine migration onset. Overall, good agreement was obtained between simulations and experiments. However, the validation exercise revealed the strong dependence of the simulation of matrix-crack/delamination interaction on the strength data (in this case transverse interlaminar strength, YT) used within the cohesive zone approach applied in this work. This strength value, YT, is itself dependent on the test geometry from which the strength measurement is taken. Thus, choosing an appropriate strength value becomes an ad-hoc step. As a consequence, further work is needed to adequately characterize and assess the accuracy and adequacy of cohesive zone approaches to model small crack growth and crack onset. Additionally, often when simulating damage progression with cohesive zone elements, the strength is lowered while keeping the fracture toughness constant to enable the use of coarser meshes. Results from the present study suggest that this approach is not recommended for any problem involving crack initiation, small crack growth or multiple crack interaction.

De Carvalho, N. V.↗

Changes in Alertness and Performance Over Time During Long-Haul Flying Across Multiple Time Zones

BACKGROUND: Long-haul pilots experience high levels of fatigue and circadian disruptions due to long work hours and flying over multiple time zones. The aim of this study was to describe changes in alertness and performance among flight crews during long-haul flights crossing multiple time zones. METHODS: All pilots flying long-haul operations from a single airline were eligible to participate. All participants collected data for ~2 weeks of their normal work schedule within airline operations, with at least two long-haul rotations, including rest days and layovers. Participants wore an Actiwach throughout the entire study period and completed a sleep diary (at bedtime, upon waking up and after each nap). Each participant completed a 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) and a Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) pre-flight, on top-of-descent (TOD; inflight) and at the end of each flight (post-flight). Response speed (1/RT x 1000), lapses (RT > 500 ms), and alertness were assessed over time pre-flight, TOD, post-flight, using mixed-effects models with participant as a random factor. Linear models were assumed for response speed and alertness, while a negative binomial distribution was specified for lapses due to overdispersion. RESULTS: Forty-four long-haul pilots participated in the study (5 female; mean age 44.25 ± 10.06 yrs; mean flight hours 9834.3; ± 5334.1 hrs). Lapses increased post-flight relative to pre-flight (F(2, 665) = 3.67, p < 0.05). There was a main effect of response speed (F(2, 665) = 21.45, p < 0.001) with slower speed inflight and postflight compared to preflight (p < 0.001). The KSS increased over time from M = 4.02 (± 1.35) preflight to M = 5.15 (± 1.58) inflight, to M = 6.7 (± 1.51) postflight (F(2, 701) = 182.63, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Our preliminary analyses showed that both performance and subjective alertness worsened from the beginning to the end of a flight. Additional analyses will be conducted to investigate the changes in alertness and performance by direction of travel, sleep history, and flight timing and duration.

long-haul↗

Remote sensing in the mixing zone

Characteristics of dispersion and diffusion as the mechanisms by which pollutants are transported in natural river courses were studied with the view of providing additional data for the establishment of water quality guidelines and effluent outfall design protocols. Work has been divided into four basic categories which are directed at the basic goal of developing relationships which will permit the estimation of the nature and extent of the mixing zone as a function of those variables which characterize the outfall structure, the effluent, and the river, as well as climatological conditions. The four basic categories of effort are: (1) the development of mathematical models; (2) laboratory studies of physical models; (3) field surveys involving ground and aerial sensing; and (4) correlation between aerial photographic imagery and mixing zone characteristics.

Villemonte, J. R.↗

Phase-shifting human circadian rhythms: influence of sleep timing, social contact and light exposure

1. Both the timing of behavioural events (activity, sleep and social interactions) and the environmental light-dark cycle have been reported to contribute to entrainment of human circadian rhythms to the 24 h day. Yet, the relative contribution of those putative behavioural synchronizers to that of light exposure remains unclear. 2. To investigate this, we inverted the schedule of rest, sedentary activity and social contact of thirty-two young men either with or without exposure to bright light. 3. On this inverted schedule, the endogenous component of the core temperature rhythm of subjects who were exposed to bright light showed a significant phase shift, demonstrating that they were adapting to the new schedule. In contrast, the core temperature rhythm of subjects who were not exposed to bright light moved on average 0.2 h later per day and after 10 days had not significantly adapted to the new schedule. 4. The direction of phase shift in the groups exposed to bright light was dependent on the time of bright light exposure, while control subjects drifted to a later hour regardless of the timing of their schedule of sleep timing, social contact and meals. 5. These results support the concept that the light-dark cycle is the most important synchronizer of the human circadian system. They suggest that inversion of the sleep-wake, rest-activity and social contact cycles provides relatively minimal drive for resetting the human circadian pacemaker. 6. These data indicate that interventions designed to phase shift human circadian rhythms for adjustment to time zone changes or altered work schedules should focus on properly timed light exposure.

Non-NASA Center↗

[MODIS Investigation]

The objectives of the last six months were: (1) Revise the algorithms for the Fluorescence Line Height (FLH) and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Efficiency (CFE) products, especially the data quality flags; (2) Revise the MOCEAN validation plan; (3) Deploy and recover bio-optical instrumentation at the Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) site as part of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS); (4) Prepare for field work in the Antarctic Polar Frontal Zone as part of JGOFS; (5) Submit manuscript on bio-optical time scales as estimated from Lagrangian drifters; (6) Conduct chemostat experiments on fluorescence; (7) Interface with the Global Imager (GLI) science team; and (8) Continue development of advanced data system browser. We are responsible for the delivery of two at-launch products for AM-1: Fluorescence line height (FLH) and chlorophyll fluorescence efficiency (CFE). We also considered revising the input chlorophyll, which is used to determine the degree of binning. We have refined the quality flags for the Version 2 algorithms. We have acquired and installed a Silicon Graphics Origin 200. We are working with the University of Miami team to develop documentation that will describe how the MODIS ocean components are linked together.

Abbott, Mark R.↗

Sleep during layovers of different lengths after long-haul flying across multiple time zones in different geographic directions

Introduction: Long-haul pilots experience high levels of fatigue and circadian disruption due to long work hours and trans-meridian travel. The aim of this study was to characterize sleep timing and duration during layovers of different lengths after crossing multiple time zones. Methods: All pilots flying long-haul operations from a single airline were eligible to participate. While following their normal work schedule within airline operations, pilots collected data for ~2 weeks including at least two long-haul rotations, with rest days and layovers. Participants wore an Actiwach (Phillips Respironics) throughout the entire study period and completed a sleep diary (at bedtime and upon waking up). Based on the data, we categorized layovers as follows: layover type 1: 34 h after crossing five time zones in westward direction; layover type 2: of 34 h, no time zone change; layover type 3: 55 h after crossing six time zones in eastward direction. Each flight left the home base at the same time of day (23:00) and the flight duration was between 10.5 and 12 hrs. We calculated descriptive statistics for each category. Results. Forty-four long-haul pilots participated in the study (5 female; mean age 44.25 ± 10.06 yrs; mean flight hours 9834.3 ± 5334.1 hrs). We found that for layover type 1, the mean sleep duration (h) per 24 h was 6.90 (±1.04), mean sleep efficiency (%) was 81.08 (±10.89) and mean Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO, min) was 33.23 (±20.42); for layover type 2, the mean sleep duration (h) per 24 h was 6.91 (±1.06), mean sleep efficiency (%) was 81.71 (±6.80), and mean WASO (min) was 30.10 (±11.00); for layover type 3, the mean sleep duration (h) was 7.07 (±1.32), mean sleep efficiency (%) was 83.93 (±6.04), and mean WAS (min) was 36.94 (±17.95). Conclusion: Our preliminary analyses showed that sleep duration and sleep efficiency were similar for the layovers of same length regardless time zone change. Additional analyses will be conducted to investigate sleep on additional layovers of different lengths and the effects of sleep obtained during layover on the performance and alertness on the return flights.

long-haul↗

Micromechanics of compression failures in open hole composite laminates

The local softening in the damage zone that precedes compression failures in laminates with holes was modeled using a Dugdale-type approach, and the calculated load to damage-size relationships were compared to the actual data obtained in two composite systems, AS4/PEEK and T2C145/F155, loaded to compression. The comparison indicates that the Dugdale model, which works well for metals, did not accurately predict the load-damage zone size relationship in these specimens. Possible reasons for the poor agreement are considered to be the fact that the constitutive relationship used in the Dugdale model is not an accurate description of material response in the crush zone, and the fact that the crush zone size is measured on the surface of the specimen, while this size is not an accurate indication of the actual crush zone size through the laminate.

Guynn, E. Gail↗

The global structure of the annual and semiannual sea surface height variability from Geosat altimeter data

Two years of data from the Geosat Exact Repeat Mission are employed to study the annual and semiannual variability of sea-surface height on a global basis. The data are treated with atmospheric corrections and interpolations, and the orbit error of about 40 cm RMS is purged. The spatial variability of the Geosat data is constructed for particular frequencies, and the estimate of the M2 tidal error indicates that the error is aliased to 1.15 cycles/yr and has an unusual spatial pattern. Sine and cosine coefficients are derived for the annual and semiannual frequencies by means of a least squares fit yielding the amplitude and phase of the changes in sea-surface height. A 180-deg phase difference is noted between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres for the annual variability, and large-scale westward propagating waves are identified. The Geosat data also indicate the phase relationships between major current systems and the systems of variations at work in the Intertropical Convergence Zone.

Jacobs, Gregg A.↗