Engineering topics

Herman, J. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Herman, J. R..

At least 37 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1998

Satellite Estimation of Spectral Surface UV Irradiance: Effect of Horizontally Homogeneous Clouds - 2

The local variability of UV irradiance at the Earth's surface is mostly caused by clouds in addition to the seasonal variability. Parametric representations of radiative transfer RT calculations are presented for the convenient solution of the transmission T of ultraviolet radiation through plane parallel clouds over a surface with reflectivity R(sub s). The calculations are intended for use with the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) measured radiances to obtain the calculated Lambert equivalent scene reflectivity R for scenes with and without clouds. The purpose is to extend the theoretical analysis of the estimation of UV irradiance from satellite data for a cloudy atmosphere. Results are presented for a range of cloud optical depths and solar zenith angles for the cases of clouds over a low reflectivity surface R(sub s) less than 0.1, over a snow or ice surface R(sub s) greater than 0.3, and for transmission through a non-conservative scattering cloud with single scattering albedo omega(sub 0) = 0.999. The key finding for conservative scattering is that the cloud-transmission function C(sub T), the ratio of cloudy-to clear-sky transmission, is roughly C(sub T) = 1 - R(sub c) with an error of less than 20% for nearly overhead sun and snow-free surfaces. For TOMS estimates of UV irradiance in the presence of both snow and clouds, independent information about snow albedo is needed for conservative cloud scattering. For non-conservative scattering with R(sub s) greater than 0.5 (snow) the satellite measured scene reflectance cannot be used to estimate surface irradiance. The cloud transmission function has been applied to the calculation of UV irradiance at the Earth's surface and compared with ground-based measurements.

Krothov, N.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Estimation of 3-D Cloud Effects on TOMS Satellite Retrieval of Surface UV Irradiance

To improve surface UV irradiance retrieval from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) we simulate errors of the TOMS cloud correction algorithm for summertime broken cloud conditions. Cloud scenes (50 km by 50 km) are modeled by a normal random (Gaussian) field with a fixed lower boundary and conservative scattering. The model relates stochastic field characteristics with the cloud amount, mean cloud diameter and aspect ratio. Clouds are embedded into Rayleigh atmosphere with standard ozone profile. Radiative transfer calculations of the radiance at the top of the atmosphere and irradiance at the surface were performed using 3-D Monte Carlo (MC) code. The results are averaged over the satellite field of view on the surface (50 km by 50 km) and compared with TOMS predicted surface irradiance for the same scene reflectance. The TOMS algorithm assumes horizontally homogeneous Cl-type cloud between 3 km and 5.5 km. The effective optical depth is determined by fitting observed (MC) radiance at 380 nm. Having the same radiance at the satellite the homogeneous and broken cloud models predict different average irradiances at the surface. This is due to the differences in Bidirectional Reflection Distribution Function (BRDF) for homogeneous and broken cloud scenes with the same hemispherical albedo. For typical TOMS observational geometry at mid-latitudes the simulated single pixels errors may be as large as +/- 20%. Qualitatively these errors are due to the dominance of the non-horizontal cloud surfaces, which are not accounted for in the homogeneous cloud model. However, due to high variability of the real cloud shapes and types it is unclear how these single pixel errors would affect TOMS time-integrated UV exposure over extended periods (weeks to months) for different regions.

Krotkov, Nickolay A.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Estimates of Spectral UV Irradiance from Earth Probe TOMS: Comparisons with Ground-Based Measurements

Estimates of the spectral UV flux incident on the Earth's surface are calculated based on total column ozone and cloud optical thickness determined from the Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite data. Spectral fluxes are calculated between 300 and 325 nanometers using a weighting function similar to the measured function of the Brewer Spectrophotometer. Comparisons of the TOMS-derived values with ground-based Brewer Spectrophotometer measurements at 3 locations from the Canadian Brewer network (Toronto, Saskatoon and Saturna Island) and 3 locations from the United States EPA network (Boston, Gaithersburg, and Boulder) show reasonably good agreement over a variety of clear and cloudy conditions. Some systematic differences are apparent, particularly when snow/ice is present and the TOMS instrument cannot distinguish between clouds and snow covered ground, thus leading to an underestimation of UV flux. The presence of absorbing aerosols near the ground or sub-pixel clouds can also lead to significant errors. There are also possible errors in the Brewer data due to radiometric calibration uncertainties and uncorrected cosine response.

Labow, G. J.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Satellite Estimates of Single Scattering Albedo and Optical Depth of Biomass Burning Carbonaceous Aerosols

Satellite based estimates of aerosol single scattering albedo (ssa), over both land and water surfaces, have been obtained for the first time using measurements of backscattered radiation in the near ultraviolet by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). The retrieval of ssa and aerosol optical depth is based on the strong spectral contrast in the near-UV resulting from the interaction between the particle absorption and scattering (both Rayleigh and Mie) processes. We use the multi-year data set on backscattered radiances by the TOMS family of instruments to analyze the time and space variability of biomass burning generated carbonaceous aerosols. Results of a comparative analysis of satellite derived optical depth and available sunphotometer measurements will also be presented.

Torres, O.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Meteor 3/total ozone mapping spectrometer observations of the 1993 ozone hole

The development of the springtime (September-November) Antarctic ozone hole was observed by the Meteor 3/total ozone mapping spectromter (TOMS) to result in the lowest ozone value, 85 DU (Dobson units) on October 8, 1993, ever measured by TOMS. During late September and early October the region of extremely low ozone values was centered on the geographical pole between 85 deg S and 90 deg S. The geographical extent of the ozone hole region, the area within the 220-DU contour, reached a maximum during the first week in October at a near-circular area covering 24 x 10(exp 6) sq km reaching to the southern tip of South America. This approximately matched the 1992 area record. After the maximum area was reached in early October, the 1993 ozone hole region was significantly larger than during 1992 throughout the remainder of the month of October. The very low ozone values over the Antarctic continent have been confirmed by independent ground-based data. Unlike 1992, the formation of the 1993 Antarctic ozone hole does not coincide with unusually low ozone values observed over most of the globe for the past 2 years. The most recent ozone data from Meteor 3/TOMS show that there has been a recovery at all latitudes from the extraordinarily low values observed during 1992 and part of 1993 after the June 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. Meteor 3/TOMS is described and compared with Nimbus 7/TOMS during the 1991 to May 1993 overlap period. Observations of the 1992 ozone hole are presented from both instruments and are shown to agree within 5 DU.

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Global ozone data from the meteor-3/TOMS ultraviolet spectrometer

A new TOMS instrument (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) was launched from the Plesetsk Cosomodrome, Russia on August 15, 1991. The purpose of the joint project between the U.S. and Russia was to continue the long-term record of ozone measurements from Nimbus-7/TOMS (launched in October 1978). Ozone data from the two satellites compare very closely. When the orbital positions were nearly the same, the comparison over the entire globe showed an offset of 2 percent with a standard deviation of 5 percent. Comparisons were made with several ground based M124 and Dobson stations showing good agreement in absolute value and with the day-to-day variations seen by the ground stations.

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Effect of stratospheric aerosol layers on the TOMS/SBUV ozone retrieval

An evaluation of the optical effects of stratospheric aerosol layers on total ozone retrieval from space by the TOMS/SBUV type instruments is presented here. Using the Dave radiative transfer model we estimate the magnitude of the errors in the retrieved ozone when polar stratospheric clouds (PSC's) or volcanic aerosol layers interfere with the measurements. The largest errors are produced by optically thick water ice PSC's. Results of simulation experiments on the effect of the Pinatubo aerosol cloud on the Nimbus-7 and Meteor-3 TOMS products are presented.

Torres, O.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Low ozone amounts during 1992 - 1993 from Nimbus 7 and Meteor 3 total ozone mapping spectrometers

The global distribution of ozone during the October 31, 1978, to May 6, 1993, observing lifetime of the Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) is described, with emphasis on the low ozone amounts observed during 1992 and 1993. Ozone amount time series are extended beyong May 6, 1993, to the end of July 1993 using preliminary Meteor 3 TOMS data. Time series for zonally averaged ozone amounts show that there has not been a significant shift in the seasonal patterns of ozone maxima and minima caused by the Mount Pinatubo eruption or by the onset of very low ozone values during 1992 and 1993. There has been a relatively slow, nearly linear decrease in the amount of ozone over the entire globe from 1979 to the end of 1991, with rates ranging from no change at the equator to a 4 - 6% decrease per decade at midlatitudes and a 10 - 12% decrease per decade at higher latitudes. After the eruption of Mount Pinatubo during June 1991, the ozone amount decreased in the equatorial latitudes (10 deg S to 10 deg N) for about 6 months (-10 Dobson units (DU) between 0 deg and 10 deg S and -3 DU between 0 deg and 10 deg N). During 1992 and continuing into 1993, the rate of ozone decrease deviated from the previously linear trend with the onset of changes that were large in comparison with the historical range of ozone values from 1979 to 1991. The first of the large decreases in ozone amount occurred earlier, in February 1990 to May 1990, at 50 deg - 70 deg N. At high northern latitudes, the 1993 decreased ozone amounts were about 12.5% below the envelope of historical values; at midlatitudes they were about 7% lower; and at low latitudes they were about 4% lower. Area-weighted averages in the northern and southern hemispheres show that most of the 1992 - 1993 ozone losses have occurred in the northern hemisphere. The 1993 global average (70 deg S to 70 deg N) ozone amount is 3% below the 1979 to 1991 minimum, 5% below the historical envelope in the northern hemisphere, and near the lower boundary of the historical envelope in the southern hemisphere. In the 70 deg - 60 deg S latitude band, the ozone losses between 1979 and 1993 have reduced the annual minimum amount to values below those seen in the equatorial regions.

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Ozone depletion at northern and southern latitudes derived from January 1979 to December 1991 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer data

An extended version of the Nimbus 7/TOMS ozone data set from the period January 1, 1979 to December 31, 1991 is presented. It is shown that the ozone-trend data indicate that regions of enhanced ozone depletion rates have formed at middle and high latitudes during recent years. The seasonal dependence and geographical extent of the enhanced ozone-depletion rates for the Northern and Southern hemispheres are examined. The variability of the long-term ozone trend determination is discussed via consideration of the differences among 11-, 12-, and 13-yr trend calculations. The effects of the Mount Pinatubo eruption and other volcanic eruptions on the TOMS equatorial zonal average ozone measurements, and its influence on long-term trend determinations are discussed. On the basis of a determination of the aerosol phase function using TOMS data, the effect of stratospheric aerosols on determination of ozone amounts from TOMS are shown to be less than 1 percent.

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Record low global ozone in 1992

The 1992 global average total ozone, measured by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) on the Nimbus-7 satellite, was 2 to 3 percent lower than any earlier year observed by TOMS (1979 to 1991). Ozone amounts were low in a wide range of latitudes in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and the largest decreases were in the regions from 10 to 20 deg S and 10 to 60 deg N. Global ozone in 1992 is at least 1.5 percent lower than would be predicted by a statistical model that includes a linear trend and accounts for solar cycle variation and the quasi-biennial oscillation. These results are confirmed by comparisons with data from other ozone monitoring instruments: the SBUV/2 instrument on the NOAA-11 satellite, the TOMS instrument on the Russian Meteor-3 satellite, the World Standard Dobson Instrument 83, and a collection of 22 ground-based Dobson instruments.

Gleason, J. F.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Optical effects of polar stratospheric clouds on the retrieval of TOMS total ozone

Small areas of sharply reduced ozone density appear frequently in the maps produced from polar region total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) data. These mini-holes are of the order of 1000 km in extent with a lifetime of a few days. On the basis of measurements from ground-based instruments, balloon-borne ozonesondes, and simultaneous measurements of aerosol and ozone concentrations during aircraft flights in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, the appearance of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are frequently associated with false reductions in ozone derived from the TOMS albedo data. By combining radiative transfer calculations with the observed PSC and ozone data, it is shown that PSCs located near or above the ozone density maximum (with optical thickness greater than 0.1) can explain most of the differences between TOMS ozone data and ground or in situ ozone measurements. Several examples of real and false TOMS mini-hole phenomenon are investigated using data from the 1989 Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition (AASE) and from balloon flights over Norway and Sweden.

Torres, O.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Global average ozone change from November 1978 to May 1990

A recent recalibration and reprocessing of the total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) data have made possible a new determination of the global average total ozone decrease of 3.5 percent over the 11-year period, January 1, 1979, to December 31, 1989, with a 2 sigma error of 1.4 percent. The revised TOMS ozone trend data are in agreement, within error limits, with the average of 39 ground-based Dobson stations and with the world standard Dobson spectrometer 83 at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Superimposed on the 11-year ozone trend is a possible solar cycle effect, quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), annual, and semiannual cycles. Using solar 10-7-cm flux data and 30-mbar Singapore wind data (QBO), a time series has been constructed that reproduces the long-term behavior of the globally averaged ozone. Removal of the apparent solar cycle effect from the global average reduces the net ozone loss to 2.66 + or - 1.4 percent per decade. The precise value of the global average ozone trend depends on the latitude range selected, with ranges greater than + or - 69 emphasizing the larger variations at high latitudes.

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Nighttime reactive nitrogen measurements from stratospheric infrared thermal emission observations

IR thermal emission spectra of the earth's atmosphere in the 700-2000/cm region were obtained with a cryogenically cooled high-resolution interferometer spectrometer on a balloon flight from Palestine, Texas, on September 15-16, 1986. The observations exhibit spectral features of a number of stratospheric constituents, including important species of the reactive nitrogen family. An analysis of the observed data for simultaneously measured vertical distributions of O3, H2O, N2O, NO2, N2O5, HNO3, and ClONO2 is presented. These measurements permit the first direct determination of the nighttime total reactive nitrogen concentrations, and the partitioning of the important elements of the NO(x) family. Comparisons of the total reactive nitrogen budget are made with the measurements by the ATMOS experiment and with the predictions of one-dimensional and two-dimensional photochemical models.

Abbas, Mian M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

A new self-calibration method applied to TOMS and SBUV backscattered ultraviolet data to determine long-term global ozone change

The currently archived (1989) total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) and solar backscattered ultraviolet (SBUV) total ozone data (version 5) show a global average decrease of about 9.0 percent from November 1978 to November 1988. This large decrease disagrees with an approximate 3.5-percent decrease estimated from the ground-based Dobson network. The primary source of disagreement was found to arise from an overestimate of reflectivity change and its incorrect wavelengths dependence for the diffuse plate used when measuring solar irradiance. Both of these factors have led to an overestimate of the rate of atmospheric ozone depletion by SBUV and TOMS. For total ozone measured by TOMS, a means has been found to use the measured radiance-irradiance ratio from several wavelengths pairs to construct an internally self-consistent calibration. The method uses the wavelength dependence of the sensitivity to calibration errors and the requirement that albedo ratios for each wavelength pair yield the same total ozone amounts. Smaller errors in determining spacecraft attitude, synchronization problems with the photon counting electronics, and sea-glint contamination of boundary reflectivity data have been corrected or minimized. New climatological low-ozone profiles have been incorporated into the TOMS algorithm that are appropriate for Antarctic ozone hole conditions and other low ozone cases. The combined corrections have led to a new determination of the global average total ozone trend (version 6) as a 2.9 + or - 1.3 percent decrease over 11 years (October 1978 to November 1989).

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Analysis of the eight-year trend in ozone depletion from empirical models of solar backscattered ultraviolet instrument degradation

Arguments are presented showing that the basic empirical model of the solar backscatter UV (SBUV) instrument degradation used by Cebula et al. (1988) in their analysis of the SBUV data is likely to lead to an incorrect estimate of the ozone trend. A correction factor is given as a function of time and altitude that brings the SBUV data into approximate agreement with the SAGE, SME, and Dobson network ozone trends. It is suggested that the currently archived SBUV ozone data should be used with caution for periods of analysis exceeding 1 yr, since it is likely that the yearly decreases contained in the archived data are too large.

Herman, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Thermal emission spectroscopy of the middle atmosphere

The general objective of this research is to obtain, via remote sensing, simultaneous measurements of the vertical distributions of stratospheric temperature, ozone, and trace constituents that participate in the catalytic destruction of ozone (NO(sub y): NO, NO2, NO3, HNO3, ClONO2, N2O5, HNO4; Cl(sub x): HOCl), and the source gases for the catalytic cycles (H2O, CH4, N2O, CF2Cl2, CFCl3, CCl4, CH3Cl, CHF2Cl, etc.). Data are collected during a complete diurnal cycle in order to test our present understanding of ozone chemistry and its associate catalytic cycles. The instrumentation employed is an emission-mode, balloon-borne, liquid-nitrogen-cooled Michelson interferometer-spectrometer (SIRIS), covering the mid-infrared range with a spectral resolution of 0.020 cm(exp -1). Cryogenic cooling combined with the use of extrinsic silicon photoconductor detectors allows the detection of weak emission features of stratospheric gaseous species. Vertical distributions of these species are inferred from scans of the thermal emission of the limb in a sequence of elevation angles. The fourth SIRIS balloon flight was carried out from Palestine, Texas on September 15-16, 1986 with 9 hours of nighttime data (40 km). High quality data with spectral resolution 0.022 cm(exp -1), were obtained for numerous limb sequences. Fifteen stratospheric species have been identified to date from this flight: five species from the NO(sub y) family (HNO3, NO2, NO, ClONO2, N2O5), plus CO2, O3, H2O, N2O, CH4, CCl3F, CCl2F2, CHF2Cl, CF4, and CCl4. The nighttime values of N2O5, ClONO2, and total odd nitrogen have been measured for the first time, and compared to model results. Analysis of the diurnal variation of N2O5 within the 1984 and 1986 data sets, and of the 1984 ClONO2 measurements, were presented in the literature. The demonstrated ability of SIRIS to measure all the major NO(sub y) species, and therefore to determine the partitioning of the nitrogen family over a continuous diurnal cycle, is a powerful tool in the verification and improvement of photochemical modeling.

Kunde, V. G.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Measurement of nighttime stratospheric N2O5 from infrared emission spectra

The mixing ratio profile of N2O5 has been inferred from high-resolution emission spectra obtained with a balloon-borne Fourier spectrometer. The observations were taken for the period from midnight to predawn on September 16, 1986 at 32 deg N latitude. The inferred volume mixing ratio from nighttime average spectra has a peak of about 1.8 x 10 to the -9th in the 32-35 altitude range. The inferred mixing ratio is generally less than the theoretical predictions from a one-dimensional model.

Kunde, V. G.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Simultaneous measurement of stratospheric O3, H2O, CH4, and N2O profiles from infrared limb thermal emissions

Thermal emission measurements of the earth's stratospheric limb were made with a cryogenically cooled high-resolution Michelson interferometer on a balloon flight launched from Palestine, TX, on Nov. 6, 1984. Infrared spectra for complete limb sequences were obtained over portions of the 700-1940/cm range with an unapodized spectral resolution of 0.03/cm for tangent heights varying from 13 to 39 km. The observed data from 1125 to 1425/cm have been analyzed for simultaneous measurement of O3, H2O, CH4, and N2O profiles. The analysis employs line-by-line and layer-by-layer radiative-transfer calculations, including curvature and refraction effects. The optimum use of geometric and spectral effects is made to obtain sharply peaked weighting functions. Contributions from stratospheric aerosol are included by measuring the light extinction within the window regions of the observed spectra. The retrieved constituent profiles are compared with measurements made with a variety of techniques by other groups. The comparison shows good agreement with the published data for all gases, indicating the capability of retrieving trace gas profiles from high-resolution thermal emission limb measurements.

Abbas, M. M.↗