Alteration of Surface Optical Properties by High-Speed Micron-Size Particles
Alteration of surface optical properties by high speed micron-size particles
SURFACE PROPERTY↗
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Viking Lander image analysis of Martian atmospheric dust
We have reanalyzed three sets of Viking Lander 1 and 2 (VL1 and VL2) images of the Martian atmosphere to better evaluate the radiative properties of the atmospheric dust particles. The properties of interest are the first two moments of the size distribution, the single-scattering albedo, the dust single-scattering phase function, and the imaginary index of refraction. These properties provide a good definition of the influence that the atmospheric dust has on heating of the atmosphere. Our analysis represents a significant improvement over past analyses (Pollack et al. 1977,1979) by deriving more accurate brightnesses closer to the sun, by carrying out more precise analyses of the data to acquire the quantities of interest, and by using a better representation of scattering by nonspherical particles. The improvements allow us to better define the diffraction peak and hence the size distribution of the particles. For a lognormal particle size distribution, the first two moments of the size distribution, weighted by the geometric cross section, are found. The geometric cross-section weighted mean radius (r(sub eff)) is found to be 1.85 +/- 0.3 microns at VL2 during northern summer when dust loading was low and 1.52 +/- 0.3 microns at VL1 during the first dust storm. In both cases the best cross-section weighted mean variance (nu(eff)) of the size distribution is equal to 0.5 +/- 0.2 microns. The changes in size distribution, and thus radiative properties, do not represent a substantial change in solar energy deposition in the atmosphere over the Pollack et al. (1977,1979) estimates.
Pollack, James B.↗
Viking Lander image analysis of Martian atmospheric dust
We have reanalyzed three sets of Viking Lander 1 and 2 (VL1 and VL2) images of the Martian atmosphere to better evaluate the radiative properties of the atmospheric dust particles. The properties of interest are the first two moments of the size distribution, the single-scattering albedo, the dust single-scattering phase function, and the imaginary index of refraction. These properties provide a good definition of the influence that the atmospheric dust has on heating of the atmosphere. Our analysis represents a significant improvement over past analyses (Pollack et al. 1977, 1979) by deriving more accurate brightness closer to the sun, by carrying out more precise analyses of the data to acquire the quantities of interest, and by using a better representation of scattering by nonspherical particles. The improvements allow us to better define the diffraction peak and hence the size distribution of the particles. For a lognormal particle size distribution, the first two moments of the size distribution, weighted by the geometric cross section, are found. The geometric cross-section weighted mean radius r(sub eff) is found to be 1.85 +/- 0.3 micrometers at VL2 during northern summer when dust loading was low and 1.52 +/- 0.3 micrometers at VL1 during the first dust storm. In both cases the best cross-section weighted mean variance nu(sub eff) of the size distribution is equal to 0.5 +/- 0.2 micrometers. The changes in size distribution, and thus radiative properties, do not represent a substantial change in solar energy deposition in the atmosphere over the Pollak et al. (1977, 1979) estimates.
Pollack, James B.↗
Constraining the Physical Properties of Meteor Stream Particles by Light Curve Shapes Using the Virtual Meteor Observatory
Different authors have produced models for the physical properties of meteoroids based on the shape of a meteor's light curve, typically from short observing campaigns. We here analyze the height profiles and light curves of approx.200 double-station meteors from the Leonids and Perseids using data from the Virtual Meteor Observatory, to demonstrate that with this web-based meteor database it is possible to analyze very large datasets from different authors in a consistent way. We compute the average heights for begin point, maximum luminosity, and end heights for Perseids and Leonids. We also compute the skew of the light curve, usually called the F-parameter. The results compare well with other author's data. We display the average light curve in a novel way to assess the light curve shape in addition to using the F-parameter. While the Perseids show a peaked light curve, the average Leonid light curve has a more flat peak. This indicates that the particle distribution of Leonid meteors can be described by a Gaussian distribution; the Perseids can be described with a power law. The skew for Leonids is smaller than for Perseids, indicating that the Leonids are more fragile than the Perseids.
Koschny, D.↗
Evaluation of Higher-order Quadrature Schemes in Improving Computational Efficiency for Orientation-averaged Single-Scattering Properties of Nonspherical Ice Particles
We evaluate several high-order quadrature schemes for accuracy and efficacy in obtaining orientation-averaged single-scattering properties (SSPs). We use the highly efficient MIDAS to perform electromagnetic scattering calculations to evaluate the gain in efficiency from these schemes. MIDAS is shown to be superior to DDSCAT, a popular discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. This study is motivated by the fact that quality physical precipitation retrievals rely on using accurate orientation-averaged SSPs derived from realistic hydrometeors as input to radiative transfer Models (RTMs). The DDA has been a popular choice for single-scattering calculations, due to its versatility with respect to target geometry. However, being iterative-solver-based (ISB), the most used DDA codes, e.g. DDSCAT and ADDA, must solve the scattering problem for each orientation of the target separately. As the size parameter and geometric anisotropy of the hydrometeor increase, the number of orientations needed to obtain accurate orientation-averages can increase drastically and so does the computation cost incurred by the ISB-DDA methods. MIDAS is a Direct-Solver-Based (DSB) code, its decomposition of the original large matrix with a high rank into multiple more manageable smaller matrices of lower ranks makes it much more computationally efficient while maintaining excellent accuracy. In addition, direct solvers consider all requested orientations at once, giving MIDAS further advantage over popular ISB-DDA methods. MIDAS, when combined with high-order quadrature for orientation averaging, can be greater than three orders of magnitude more efficient in obtaining RTM-ready SSPs of complex-shaped hydrometeors than existing ISB-DDA methods, with the native quadrature schemes they offer.
Ines Fenni↗
Scattering Properties and Brightness Temperatures Associated with Solid Precipitation
In the past few years, early solid precipitation detection and retrieval algorithms have been developed and shown to be applicable for snowing clouds and blizzards. NOAA has an operational snow versus rain classifier based on AMSU-B observations. Solid precipitation retrieval algorithms reported in the literature over the past two years include those that rely on neural nets, statistics, or physical relationships. All of the algorithms require the use of millimeter-wave radiometer observations. The millimeter-wave frequencies are especially sensitive to the scattering and emission properties of frozen particles due to the ice particle refractive index. Passive radiometric channels respond to both the integrated particle mass throughout the volume and field of view, and to the amount, location, and size distribution of the frozen (and liquid) particles with the sensitivity varying for different frequencies and hydrometeor types. This investigation probes the sensitivity of scattering and absorption coefficients, and hence computed brightness temperatures, resulting from variations in solid precipitation cloud profiles. The first study compares the single scattering, absorption, and asymmetry parameters associated with snow particles in clouds. Several methodologies are used to convert the physical characteristics (e.g., shape, size distributions, ice-air-water ratios) of ice particles to electromagnetic properties (e.g., absorption, scattering, and asymmetry factors). These methodologies include: conversion to solid ice particles, homogeneous dielectric mixing, or discrete dipole approximation. Changes in the conversion methodology can produce computed brightness temperature differences greater than 50 Kelvin.
Skofronick-Jackson, Gail M.↗
Mineral Dust Optical Properties for Remote Sensing and Global Modeling: A Review
Dust plays a key role in many Earth system processes and is ubiquitous in the Martian atmosphere. Various intensive field campaigns, laboratory analyses, space-based remote sensing missions, and global modeling efforts aim to characterize dust optical properties. This is a bountiful time for dust scientists, and yet the interpretation of retrievals and comparison to models remains complicated by various conflicting assumptions that are part of each algorithm. For example, the conversion of satellite radiance measurements into products like aerosol optical depth for model evaluation depends upon aerosol properties like particle size and shape that are often prescribed and not part of the retrieval. Conversely, the model calculation of aerosol optical depth often uses different assumptions. The goal of this review is to first document algorithmic assumptions by various satellite retrieval products and models, and identify where there is consistency and where there are differences. In general, the differences documented in this paper reflect uncertainties resulting from incomplete observational characterization of dust aerosols and limitations in our understanding. Second, we note what observations might reduce uncertainties in our knowledge and bring greater consistency to retrievals and models, allowing for a more rigorous and harmonious comparison. The lack of comprehensive and realistic shape models for dust is an outstanding issue, such that closure between forward modeling from particle refractive index, shape, and size and observed optical properties cannot be achieved. Limitations in the computational methods that must be applied to model scattering from complex shapes also makes accurate optical modeling for dust challenging. Field observations indicate the persistence of coarse and giant dust particles at higher altitudes and farther downwind from their source than previously expected. Remote sensing retrieval algorithms based on observations at visible wavelengths have limited sensitivity to these particles and generally do not consider them, although a recent product based on longwave radiances is encouraging. Current measurements of the refractive index of bulk dust and fundamental dust minerology components such as hematite vary widely, inhibiting attempts to represent the variability in dust optical properties and forcing, as expected from different major dust source regions on Earth that have varying mineralogical composition. Some remote sensing retrieval algorithms allow for limited refractive index variability in their inversion solutions through mixing with other fine mode aerosol models, or optimizing the single scattering albedo, but Earth system models surveyed for this paper assume a globally uniform, size-invariant refractive index. Although no Martian dust samples have yet been returned to Earth, remote sensing observations indicate that Martian dust is globally homogenous in composition, and a single spectral refractive index assumption has been widely adopted to represent Martian dust. The lack of comprehensive, statistically representative measurements of dust particle microphysical properties (size distribution, morphology, complex index of refraction spectra, internal structure heterogeneity), and the resulting optical properties, limits our ability to verify the fidelity of these assumptions. A chain of measurements is needed, ranging from characterizing individual dust mineralogy components (e.g., pure hematite and goethite) to in situ sampling of complex atmospheric aerosol mixtures. Such results could be applied to both remote sensing retrievals that characterize the optical properties of the total aerosol burden in the atmosphere from total radiance measurements, and to global models that represent the total aerosol burden in the atmosphere by building it up from the balance of individual aerosol sources and sinks.
Aeolian dust↗
Application of Aerosol Hygroscopicity Measured at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program's Southern Great Plains Site to Examine Composition and Evolution
A Differential Mobility Analyzer/Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA/TDMA) was used to measure submicron aerosol size distributions, hygroscopicity, and occasionally volatility during the May 2003 Aerosol Intensive Operational Period (IOP) at the Central Facility of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program's Southern Great Plains (ARM SGP) site. Hygroscopic growth factor distributions for particles at eight dry diameters ranging from 0.012 micrometers to 0.600 micrometers were measured throughout the study. For a subset of particle sizes, more detailed measurements were occasionally made in which the relative humidity or temperature to which the aerosol was exposed was varied over a wide range. These measurements, in conjunction with backtrajectory clustering, were used to infer aerosol composition and to gain insight into the processes responsible for evolution. The hygroscopic growth of both the smallest and largest particles analyzed was typically less than that of particles with dry diameters of about 0.100 micrometers. It is speculated that condensation of secondary organic aerosol on nucleation mode particles is largely responsible for the minimal hygroscopic growth observed at the smallest sizes considered. Growth factor distributions of the largest particles characterized typically contained a nonhygroscopic mode believed to be composed primarily of dust. A model was developed to characterize the hygroscopic properties of particles within a size distribution mode through analysis of the fixed size hygroscopic growth measurements. The performance of this model was quantified through comparison of the measured fixed size hygroscopic growth factor distributions with those simulated through convolution of the size-resolved concentration contributed by each of the size modes and the mode-resolved hygroscopicity. This transformation from sizeresolved hygroscopicity to mode-resolved hygroscopicity facilitated examination of changes in the hygroscopic properties of particles within a size distribution mode that accompanied changes in the sizes of those particles. This model was used to examine three specific cases in which the sampled aerosol evolved slowly over a period of hours or days.
Gasparini, Roberto↗
Optical Properties of Non-Spherical Particles of Size Comparable to the Wavelength of Light: Application to Comet Dust
Scattering Calculations of none-spherical particles have been carried out in order to explain observed optical properties of cometary dust. We focused on two optical properties of cometary dust sensitive to particle shape.
Optical Properties Non-Spherical Particles Comet D↗
Polycrystal Snowfakes
Building on the previous success of a mono-crystal snowflake growth model, a team of NASA researchers has invented and implemented a poly-crystal variant of the model to simulate simultaneous crystalline growth along lattices of different orientations. Inferring snowfall intensity and amount using remote sensing relies on knowing the scattering properties of snowing particles. However, these scattering properties depend strongly on the geometric shapes of the snowing particles. Poly-crystal snow particles, such as bullet rosettes, appear frequently in nature. Simulating the growth of both mono-crystal and poly-crystal particles and obtaining accurate scattering properties are paramount for furthering accurate quantitative estimates of snowfalls.
Clune, Tom↗
A simple radiation model of cometary dust for P/Halley
Algebra, parameter values, and results for a model of the radiation from the dust environment of Comet P/Halley are presented. The model includes absorption and single scattering of sunlight and IR emission, for the dust and nucleus. It employs dust particle photometric properties which are independent of wave length, particle size, and position within the coma, separately in the visible and IR regions. Values for these properties are obtained from published photometric data for several comets, and are applied to a numerical model for the dust distribution near Halley. A calculation for a spacecraft 1081 km sunward of Halley's nucleus (at 1.05 AU, postperihelion) leads to omnidirectional, integral flux values of 1235 W/sqm for direct sunlight, 0.24 W/sqm for dust IR emission, 0.095 W/sam for sunlight scattered from the dust, 0.0015 W/sqm for sunlight reflected from the nucleus, and 0.00033 W/sqm for nucleus IR emission.
Divine, N.↗
On the acceleration of energetic ions in Jupiter's magnetosphere
Several aspects of the problem of high-energy ions in the Jovian magnetosphere are addressed. Voyager observations pertaining to the problem of high-energy ions in the magnetosphere are summarized, and the charge exchange emission of fast neutral sulfur and oxygen atoms and their subsequent recapture by electron impact, charge exchange, and photoionization is considered. Solutions are given to the diffusion equation assuming a source of ions injected with a gyroenergy corresponding to pickup in the middle and outer magnetosphere. It is concluded that no reasonable model parameters exist to produce the required steep spectra of the particle observations with only pickup and adiabatic radial diffusion included. A local acceleration mechanism based on nonadiabatic wave-particle interactions is needed. The assumptions and model predictions of stochastic acceleration by MHD turbulence for the Jovian magnetosphere are described. The model makes a specific correspondence between MHD wave spectrum properties and particle spectrum properties at energies above the Alfven energy.
Barbosa, D. D.↗
The effects of particle size on the optical properties and surface roughness of a glass-balloon-filled black paint
The effects of particle size on the optical properties and surface roughness of a glass-balloon-filled, carbon-pigmented paint were studied in order to develop a diffuse-reflecting, low-total-reflectance, low-outgassing black paint. Particle sizes ranged between 20 microns and 74 microns. Surface roughness was found to increase with increasing particle size. Relative total reflectance at near-normal incidence (MgO standard) of the filled paints was less than for the unfilled paint between 230 nm and 1800 nm. Total absolute reflectance at 546 nm decreased with increasing particle size at grazing angles of incidence. Near-normal, total emittance was greater for the filled paints than for the unfilled paint. Specularity decreased with increasing particle size over the range studied.
Heslin, T.↗
The influence of buoyant forces and volume fraction of particles on the particle pushing/entrapment transition during directional solidification of Al/SiC and Al/graphite composites
Directional solidification experiments in a Bridgman-type furnace were used to study particle behavior at the liquid/solid interface in aluminum metal matrix composites. Graphite or silicon-carbide particles were first dispersed in aluminum-base alloys via a mechanically stirred vortex. Then, 100-mm-diameter and 120-mm-long samples were cast in steel dies and used for directional solidification. The processing variables controlled were the direction and velocity of solidification and the temperature gradient at the interface. The material variables monitored were the interface energy, the liquid/particle density difference, the particle/liquid thermal conductivity ratio, and the volume fraction of particles. These properties were changed by selecting combinations of particles (graphite or silicon carbide) and alloys (Al-Cu, Al-Mg, Al-Ni). A model which consideres process thermodynamics, process kinetics (including the role of buoyant forces), and thermophysical properties was developed. Based on solidification direction and velocity, and on materials properties, four types of behavior were predicted. Sessile drop experiments were also used to determine some of the interface energies required in calculation with the proposed model. Experimental results compared favorably with model predictions.
Stefanescu, Doru M.↗
Percolation of interaction diffusing particles
The connectivity properties of systems of diffusing interacting particles with the blind and myopic diffusion rules are studied. It is found that the blind rule case is equivalent to the lattice gas with J = 0 in all dimensions. The connectivity properties of blind rule diffusion are described by random site percolation due to the fact that the density on neighboring sites is uncorrelated.
Selinger, Robin Blumberg↗
Spectral characterization of Martian soil analogues
As previously reported, reflectance spectra of iron oxide precipitated as ultrafine particles, unlike ordinary fine grained hematite, have significant similarities to reflectance spectra from the bright regions of Mars. These particles were characterized according to composition, magnetic properties, and particle size distribution. Mossbauer, magnetic susceptibility, and optical data were obtained for samples with a range of concentrations of iron oxide in silica gel of varying pore diameters. To analyze the Mossbauer spectra, a versatile fitting program was enhanced to provide user friendly screen input and theoretical models appropriate for the superparamagnetic spectra obtained.
Agresti, David G.↗
Discrete Element Modeling of Triboelectrically Charged Particles
Tribocharging of particles is common in many processes including fine powder handling and mixing, printer toner transport and dust extraction. In a lunar environment with its high vacuum and lack of water, electrostatic forces are an important factor to consider when designing and operating equipment. Dust mitigation and management is critical to safe and predictable performance of people and equipment. The extreme nature of lunar conditions makes it difficult and costly to carry out experiments on earth which are necessary to better understand how particles gather and transfer charge between each other and with equipment surfaces. DEM (Discrete Element Modeling) provides an excellent virtual laboratory for studying tribocharging of particles as well as for design of devices for dust mitigation and for other purposes related to handling and processing of lunar regolith. Theoretical and experimental work has been performed pursuant to incorporating screened Coulombic electrostatic forces into EDEM, a commercial DEM software package. The DEM software is used to model the trajectories of large numbers of particles for industrial particulate handling and processing applications and can be coupled with other solvers and numerical models to calculate particle interaction with surrounding media and force fields. While simple Coulombic force between two particles is well understood, its operation in an ensemble of particles is more complex. When the tribocharging of particles and surfaces due to frictional contact is also considered, it is necessary to consider longer range of interaction of particles in response to electrostatic charging. The standard DEM algorithm accounts for particle mechanical properties and inertia as a function of particle shape and mass. If fluid drag is neglected, then particle dynamics are governed by contact between particles, between particles and equipment surfaces and gravity forces. Consideration of particle charge and any tribocharging and electric field effects requires calculation of the forces due to these effects.
Hogue, Michael D.↗
Constraints on Wildfire Smoke Source Strength, Injection Height, and Particle Evolution
Aerosol sources are represented in climate and air quality models with an injection height and a source strength. We have applied a combination of Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) and MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations to help constrain these two key model variables for wildfire smoke plumes. Injection height is obtained from MISR stereo imagery, which makes it possible to map plume elevation and estimate the associated motion vectors at plume altitude near-source, where contrast features in the plume can be identified in the multi-angle views. A current limitation of injection-height mapping is the relatively narrow MISR swath width (~380 km) and 10:30 AM equator crossing time on the day side of Earth. However, upcoming missions, as well as advanced imagers on geostationary platforms, promise to greatly expand the spatial and temporal range over which this technique can be applied. We estimate source strength by matching forward-simulated plume aerosol optical depth (AOD) from models with AOD snapshots retrieved from MODIS observations. This technique works best for large, isolated plumes common in boreal forest, and tends to fail where plume AOD is low and/or background AOD, distinct from the specific source of interest, is high. These two approaches for constraining aerosol modeling with satellite observations have been the subject of ongoing AeroCom/AeroSat studies by our group. A third effort applies the combination of MISR plume heights, wind vectors, and particle microphysical property constraints to infer smoke-plume particle evolution processes and timescales, including the emission and subsequent evolution of black and brown smoke. In this presentation, we will provide an update on the status of these efforts.
wildfire↗