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Crisp, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Crisp, D..

At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

The Thermal Balance of the Venus Atmosphere

Observations of the Venus thermal structure colledted during the first three decades of the space age reveal high surface temperatures, near-adiabatic vertical temperature gradients throughout the lower atmosphere, and a reversed pol-to-equator mesospheric thermal structure, with polar temperatures that are higher than those over the equator.

polar mesosphere↗
NASA NTRS1994

AAT Observations of Shoemaker Levy-9 Collisions with Jupiter

We will use the Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (IRIS) on the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT)to observe the collisions of the fragmented comet Shoemaker Levy-9 (SL9) with Jupiter on July 16-22.

IRIS K-band image fragments Jovian magnetosphere K↗
NASA NTRS1994

Radiative Forcing of the Stratosphere by SO(sub 2) Gas, Silicate Ash, and H(sub 2)SO(sub 4) Aerosols Shortly after the 1982 Eruptions of El Chichon

The 1982 eruptions of El Chichon Volcano injected large quantities of sulfur dioxide gas and silicate ash into the stratosphere. Several studies have shown that the long-lived sulfuric acid aerosols derived from these volcanic effluents produced measurable changes in the radiative heating rates and the global circulation. The radiative and dynamical perturbations associated with the short-lived, but more strongly absorbing sulfur dioxide and ash clouds have received much less attention. We therefore used an atmospheric radiative transfer model and observations collected by satellites, aircraft, and ground based observers to estimate the amplitudes of the stratospheric radiative heating rate perturbations produced by each of these components during the first few weeks after the El Chichon eruption. One week after the April 4, 1982 eruption, net radiative heating rate perturbations exceeding 20 Kelvin per day were found at altitudes near 26 km.

El Chichon↗
NASA NTRS1994

The Infrared Spectrum of H(sub 2)S from 1 to 5 Mm

The absorption spectra of H2S from 2000 to 11,147/cm have been obtained with spectral resolutions of 0.006, 0.012 and 0.021/cm using the Fourier transform spectrometer at Kitt Peak National Observatory.

parameters↗
NASA NTRS1994

VESAT: The Venus Environmental Satellite Discovery Mission

The Venus Environmental Satellite (VESAT) is being developed by JPL, Ball Aerospace, the University of Wisconsin, and Oxford University as an inexpensive but effective means of assessing numerous and interrelated dynamical and chemical processes within the deep atmosphere of Venus. Utilizing a small array of remote-sensing instruments designed to take advantage of several unique characteristics of this alien environment, VESAT daily acquires quantitative three-dimensional global maps of Venus in key environmental field parameters such as windfields, atmosphere/surface temperature fields, and trace gas abundances. VESAT utilizes a 45-degree inclined, 30,000-km altitude circular orbit to achieve consistent, regular coverage of the entire globe with minimal day-to-day variations in spacecraft operations, allowing uplink/downlink operations to be conducted effectively and inexpensively in a university setting. An integrated hardware procurement approach, wherein a single contractor is responsible for the design, manufacture, and integration of the entire spacecraft, including the instrument payload, enables significant savings in spacecraft/payload cost and schedule.

VESAT↗
NASA NTRS1994

The On-Orbit Performance of WFPC2

This paper provides an overview of the characteristics of the second Wide Field and Planetary Camera and some authors' perspectives of its first six months of operation on orbit.

Hubble↗
NASA NTRS1993

Microinstruments for a Low Power, Low Mass Weather Station

Advances in electronics and instrument technology over the past thirty years have enabled a new concept for NASA missions, an evolution from large Voyager-class spacecraft to smaller, less costly Discovery and Explorer missions. By taking advantage of micromachining and micro-instrumentation, this reduction in size can be accomplished without requiring a sacrifice in performance. In some cases, the small payload will enable new types of missions which would be otherwise inconceivable. A microweather station is envisioned as an enabling technology for a network of weather stations on Mars for measuring wind, temperature, pressure, humidity, and aerosol concentration in the Martian planetary boundary layer...

Hoenk, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Using high spectral resolution spectrophotometry to study broad mineral absorption features on Mars

Traditionally telescopic measurements of mineralogic absorption features have been made using relatively low to moderate (R=30-300) spectral resolution. Mineralogic absorption features tend to be broad so high resolution spectroscopy (R greater than 10,000) does not provide significant additional compositional information. Low to moderate resolution spectroscopy allows an observer to obtain data over a wide wavelength range (hundreds to thousands of wavenumbers) compared to the several wavenumber intervals that are collected using high resolution spectrometers. However, spectrophotometry at high resolution has major advantages over lower resolution spectroscopy in situations that are applicable to studies of the Martian surface, i.e., at wavelengths where relatively weak surface absorption features and atmospheric gas absorption features both occur.

Blaney, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Near-infrared spectra of the Martian surface: Reading between the lines

Moderate-resolution near-infrared (NIR) spectra of Mars have been widely used in studies of the Martian surface because many candidate surface materials have distinctive absorption features at these wavelengths. Recent advances in NIR detector technology and instrumentation have also encouraged studies in this spectral region. The use of moderate spectral resolution has often been justified for NIR surface observations because the spectral features produced by most surface materials are relatively broad, and easily discriminated at this resolution. In spite of this, NIR spectra of Mars are usually very difficult to interpret quantitatively. One problem is that NIR surface absorption features are often only a few percent deep, requiring observations with great signal-to-noise ratios. A more significant problem is that gases in the Martian atmosphere contribute numerous absorption features at these wavelengths. Ground-based observers must also contend with variable absorption by several gases in the Earth's atmosphere (H2O, CO2, O3, N2O, CH4, O2). The strong CO2 bands near 1.4, 1.6, 2.0, 2.7, 4.3, and 4.8 micrometers largely preclude the analysis of surface spectral features at these wavelengths. Martian atmospheric water vapor also contributes significant absorption near 1.33, 1.88, and 2.7 micrometers, but water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere poses a much larger problem to ground-based studies of these spectral regions. The third most important NIR absorber in the Martian atmosphere is CO. This gas absorbs most strongly in the relatively-transparent spectral windows near 4.6 and 2.3 micrometers. It also produces 1-10 percent absorption in the solar spectrum at these NIR wavelengths. This solar CO absorption cannot be adequately removed by dividing the Martian spectrum by that of a star, as is commonly done to calibrate ground-based spectroscopic observations, because most stars do not have identical amounts of CO absorption in their spectra. Here, we describe tow effective methods for eliminating contamination of Martian surface spectra by absorption in the solar, terrestrial, and Martian atmospheres. Both methods involve the use of very-high-resolution spectra that completely resolve the narrow atmospheric absorption lines.

Crisp, D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Diagnostic calculations of the circulation in the Martian atmosphere

The circulation of the martian atmosphere during late southern summer is inferred from observed atmospheric temperature and dust distributions. We use global maps of temperature and dust optical depth (approximately 0-60 km) retrieved from a subset of the Mariner 9 IRIS thermal emission spectra spanning L(sub s) equals 343-348 deg. This thermal structure is characterized by a reversed meridional temperature gradient at altitudes above about 40 km, and temperatures that decrease from equator to pole at lower altitudes. Zonal-mean zonal winds are derived from the zonally averaged temperatures assuming gradient wind balance and midlatitude westerly jets with velocities of 80-90 m s(exp -1) near 50 km; in the southern tropics the winds are easterly with velocities of 40 m s(exp -1) near 50 km. The north-south atmospheric transport includes contributions from both the zonal mean meridional circulation and large-scale waves.

Santee, Michelle↗
NASA NTRS1993

IRTM brightness temperature maps of the Martian south polar region during the polar night: The cold spots don't move

A series of infrared thermal mapper (IRTM) south polar brightness temperature maps obtained by Viking Orbiter 2 during a 35-day period during the southern fall season in 1978 was examined. The maps show a number of phenomena that have been identified in previous studies, including day to day brightness temperature variations in individual low temperature regions and the tendency for IRTM 11-micron channel brightness temperatures to also decrease in regions where low 20-micron channel brightness temperatures are observed. The maps also show new phenomena, the most striking of which is a clear tendency for the low brightness temperature regions to occur at fixed geographic regions. During this season, the coldest low brightness temperatures appear to be concentrated in distinct regions, with spatial scales ranging from 50 to 300 km. There are approximately a dozen of these concentrations, with the largest centered near the location of the south residual polar cap. Other concentrations are located at Cavi Angusti and close to the craters Main, South, Lau, and Dana. Broader, less intense regions appear to be well correlated with the boundaries of the south polar layered deposits and the Mountains of Mitchell. No evidence for horizontal motion of any of these regions has been detected.

Paige, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

The thermal structure, dust loading, and meridional transport in the Martian atmosphere during late southern summer

We have derived a comprehensive picture of the thermal structure and dust loading of the Martian atmosphere in a relatively clear period during late southern summer. Using a new technique for the simultaneous retrieval of atmospheric temperatures and airborne dust abundances, we examined a subset of the Mariner 9 infrared interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) thermal emission spectra spanning L sub s = 343 degrees to 348 degrees. Global maps of temperature and dust optical depth as functions of latitude (plus or minus 90 degrees), altitude (approx. 0-60 km), and Mars local time of day were constructed from the profiles from individual spectra. One of the principal conclusions from this work is that both dayside and nightside atmospheric temperatures at altitudes above about 40 km are warmer over the winter (north) polar regions than over the equator or the summer (south) polar regions. These anomalous temperatures are consistent with ground-based observations of polar warming at higher altitudes (50-85 km), and they indicate that the atmosphere is not in radiative equilibrium. Zonal-mean zonal winds are derived from the observed meridional gradients of the zonally averaged temperatures assuming geostrophy and zero surface zonal wind. The intense eastward jets (with velocities exceeding 120 m/s) correspond to regions of strong horizontal temperature gradients. Similar calculations have been reported previously, but they were not global in coverage. Both the zonal-mean meridional circulation and large-scale waves contribute to the north-south atmospheric transport.

Santee, M.↗