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NASA NTRS1977

Non Urban Troposphere Composition Symposium, Hollywood, Fla., November 10-12, 1976, Proceedings

Papers are presented which originate from a conference on 'The Non-Urban Troposphere Composition', held in 1976. Attention is given to distributions of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere, and to tropospheric and stratospheric compositions which are perturbed by NO(x) emissions from high-altitude aircraft. Ozone is studied in terms of in situ measurements; various meteorological analyses of tropopause folding, ozone measurements in the Boston area, and ozone measurements in rural areas are presented. A one-dimensional model used to study tropospheric photochemistry numerically is presented as are vertical profiles of tropospheric and stratospheric molecular hydrogen. The oxidation of ammonia, methane, and hydrogen sulfide is assessed in nonurban tropospheres along with nonurban measurements of ethane and methane for various atmospheric conditions. With reference to the particle size distribution of chloride in the marine aerosol, organic and inorganic chlorine concentrations are evaluated, and measurements of sea-air CO2 flux by eddy correlation are investigated.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1979

A theory of stationary long waves. I - A simple theory of blocking. II - Resonant Rossby waves in the presence of realistic vertical shears

A theory of stationary long waves in the atmosphere is developed, with attention given to the blocking phenomenon caused by the resonant amplification of large-scale planetary waves in a uniform zonal flow and to resonant Rossby waves in an atmosphere with winds varying with height. A simple model is presented to illustrate the temporal behavior of Rossby waves forced by topography and differential heating of the land and the sea, using a beta-plane approximation and assuming a spatially uniform zonal wind which may vary in time, and quasi-geostrophic disturbances. Results are then extended to the case of resonant Rossby waves in the presence of realistic vertical shears. Numerical experiments in which the wind profiles are varied in a number of physically possible manners reveal the most favorable wind configurations for resonance.

Tung, K. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Weather and climate

Highlights of recent progress and the directions of future advances in the application of space observations to weather and climate are reviewed. In mesometeorology and severe storms, satellite stereography of cloud topography and temperature profiling from GOES-VAS promise dramatic developments in both nowcasting and prediction. In global weather, the initial results from the year long Global Weather Experiment conclusively demonstrate the enhanced forecast skill emanating from the use of satellite data, especially cloud track winds and temperature profiles. In climate, empirical studies and numerical experiments point to the feasibility of useful climate predictions on monthly and seasonal time scales. They also indicate the kinds of surface boundary conditions to which climate is sensitive and which need to be observed from space.

Atlas, D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Effects of the pressure perturbation field in numerical models of unidirectionally sheared thunderstorm convection - Two versus three dimensions

The physical roles of 'buoyant' and 'dynamic' pressure components, and the distinction between buoyant and hydrostatic pressure perturbations, are aspects of the pressure perturbation field in strongly sheared convective storms studied by means of two- and three-dimensional anelastic numerical modeling experiments with common environmental profiles. The pressure analysis clarifies the differences between two- and three-dimensional storms. In the main updraft, strong midlevel thermal buoyancy is partly opposed by a downward-perturbed vertical pressure gradient force. This, however, occurs to a much greater extent in two dimensions than in three, contributing to smaller net upward accelerations. While the buoyant and hydrostatic fields are intimately related to the total buoyancy distribution, the buoyant pressure perturbation is smoother and of lower amplitude than its hydrostatic counterpart. For the model experiments, this distinction is far greater in three dimensions than in two, in association with the smaller scale of the active convection in three dimensions.

Schlesinger, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

GaAs MESFET with lateral non-uniform doping

An analytical model of the GaAs MESFET with arbitrary non-uniform doping is presented. Numerical results for linear lateral doping profile are given as a special case. Theoretical considerations predict that better device linearity and improved F(T) can be obtained by using linear lateral doping when doping density increases from source to drain.

Wang, Y. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

On the potential use of radar-derived information in operational numerical weather prediction

Estimates of requirements likely to be levied on a new observing system for mesoscale meteonology are given. Potential observing systems for mesoscale numerical weather prediction are discussed. Thermodynamic profiler radiometers, infrared radiometer atmospheric sounders, Doppler radar wind profilers and surveillance radar, and moisture profilers are among the instruments described.

Mcpherson, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Spectroscopic study of combustion diagnostics on hydroxyl radicals

Experimental observations of propane/air flames have been carried out. Measurements of hydroxyl (OH) radical concentration have been made using resonance line absorption techniques. A microwave-pumped low pressure discharge in argon and water vapor is employed to produce strong OH radical band radiation in the 308 nm region. This radiation is transmitted through the plume and absorption data is taken at various radial positions using an optical multichannel analyzer. This absorption data is used to compute OH number density using a model for the absorption band characteristics as a function of temperature based on an atlas of line strengths. A numerical computation of flow fields, temperature profile, OH number density and water vapor mass fraction profiles was carried out by using a technique of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results of CFD computation are compared with experimental observation with a good agreement.

Eskridge, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1990

Spectroscopic study of combustion diagnostics on hydroxyl radicals

Experimental observations of propane-air flames were performed. Measurements of hydroxyl (OH) radical concentration were made using resonance line absorption techniques. A microwave-pumped low pressure discharge in argon and water vapor is employed to produce strong OH radical band radiation in the 308 nm region. This radiation is transmitted through the plume and absorption data are taken at various radical positions using an optical multichannel analyzer. This absorption data is used to compute OH number density using a model for the absorption band characteristics as a function of temperature based on an atlas of line strengths. A numerical computation of flow fields, temperature profile and OH number density is carried out by using a technique of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results of CFD computation are good compared with experimental observation with a good agreement.

Hung, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The 1991 November 9 flare at 03.2 UT: Observations from Yohkoh

We discuss X-ray spectra and soft X-ray images of an M1.9 flare that occurred on 1991 November 9 near 03.2 UT. These data were obtained with instrumentation on the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft. They cover the entire rise phase and peak flare emission, and the beginning of the decay phase. We determine the dynamics, temperature, and emission measure of the flare as inferred from the X-ray line profiles of resonance lines of Fe XXV, Ca XIX, and S XV. We discuss the morphology of the flare as inferred from the soft X-ray images. The November 9 flare is atypical in that a stronger than usual blueshifted emission component (relative to the stationary component) is observed for the resonance lines at flare onset. We discuss several methods for deconvolving the blueshifted component from the stationary component. The X-ray line profiles are consistent with predictions of numerical simulations of chromospheric evaporation. The X-ray images reveal a flare with a complicated loop geometry that is not fully understood. Many of the features in the images are moving upwards at speeds ranging from a few km/s to about 800 km/s. The blueshifted emission begins near the onset of hard X-ray emission, implying that particle acceleration and upflowing plasma have a common energy source.

Doschek, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

The broad emission line and continuum variations of Seyfert galaxies. 2: Broad-line region structure and kinematics

Spectroscopic observations of 13 Seyfert 1 galaxies made from 1979 to 1984 at Palomar and Steward Observatories were analyzed for H beta line profile variations. Significant profile changes were detected in five galaxies. These variations are often associated with changes in continuum and/or H beta strength, suggesting a causal connection between variations in the continuum source and changes in emission-line profiles. Moreover, the overall strength of H beta line flux variations is strongly correlated with line width in the far wings, whereas no such correlation was found in the line core. This finding is consistent with previous observations (Shuder 1982) which suggest that higher velocity gas lies closer to the central continuum source, since this inner gas would be expected to track variations more closely. In each of the five galaxies in which H beta line profile variations were detected, particularly NGC 5548 and Mrk 6, only two distinct line profile shapes were observed. Since intermediate profile types were not detected, the transition from one type to the other must occur rapidly (within a few months). These rapid line profile variations are thus consistent with numerous other studies which strongly point to a small broad-line region (BLR) size in Seyfert galaxies. Observational models of BLR kinematics and structure for each of the galaxies in the present sample are presented. Line asymmetries suggest that radial motions exist in the BLRs of most of these objects. Chaotic motions also appear to be quite common. However, evidence for rotational motion was observed in only one case. A model that is consistent with the majority of this sample incorporates both radial and chaotic motions combined with some form of external obscuration such as an optically and geometrically thick torus.

Rosenblatt, Edward I.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Noise from Supersonic Coaxial Jets: Normal Velocity Profile - Part 2

Instability waves have been established as noise generators in supersonic jets. Recent analysis of these slowly diverging jets has shown that these instability waves radiate noise to the far field when the waves have components with phase velocities that are supersonic relative to the ambient speed of sound. This instability wave noise generation model has been applied to supersonic jets with a single shear layer and is now applied to supersonic coaxial jets with two initial shear layers. In this paper the case of coaxial jets with normal velocity profiles is considered, where the inner jet stream velocity is higher than the outer jet stream velocity. To provide mean flow profiles at all axial locations, a numerical scheme is used to calculate the mean flow properties. Calculations are made for the stability characteristics in the coaxial jet shear layers and the noise radiated from the instability waves for different operating conditions with the same total thrust, mass flow and exit area as a single reference jet. The effects of changes in the velocity ratio, the density ratio and the area ratio are each considered independently.

Dahl, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Experimental Study of Large-Amplitude Faraday Waves in Rectangular Cylinders

Experiment on single-mode Faraday waves having two, thee, and four wavelengths across a rectangular cylinder of high aspect ratio is the subject of discussion. Previous experiments recently done by Henderson & Miles (1989) and by Lei Jiang et. a1 (1996) focused on Faraday waves with one and two wavelengths across rectangular cylinders. In this experimental study the waves steepness ranges from small at threshold levels to a large amplitude which according to Penny & Price theory (1952) approaches the maximum sustainable amplitude for a standing wave. The waves characteristics for small amplitudes are evaluated against an existing well known linear theory by Benjamin & Ursell (l954) and against a weakly nonlinear theory by J. Miles (1984) which includes the effect of viscous damping. The evaluation includes the wave neutral stability and damping rate. In addition, a wave amplitude differential equation of a linear theory including viscous effect by Cerda & Tirapegui (1998) is solved numerically to yield prediction of temporal profiles of both wave damping and wave formation at the threshold. An interesting finding from this exercise is that the fluid kinematic viscosity needs to increase ten times in order to obtain good agreement between the theoretical prediction and the experimental data for both wave damping and wave starting. For large amplitude waves, the experimental data are evaluated against the theory of Penny & Price which predicts wave characteristics of any amplitude up to the point at which the wave reaches its maximum amplitude attainable for a standing wave. The theory yields two criteria to show the maximum wave steepness, the vertical acceleration at the wave crest of half the earth gravity field acceleration and the including angle at the crest of 90 degrees. Comparison with experimental data shows close agreement for the wave crest acceleration but a large discrepancy for the including angle. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Iek, Chanthy↗
NASA NTRS2005

Study of Some Planetary Atmospheres Features by Probe Entry and Descent Simulations

Characterization of planetary atmospheres is analyzed by its effects in the entry and descent trajectories of probes. Emphasis is on the most important variables that characterize atmospheres e.g. density profile with altitude. Probe trajectories are numerically determined with ENTRAP, a developing multi-purpose computational tool for entry and descent trajectory simulations capable of taking into account many features and perturbations. Real data from Mars Pathfinder mission is used. The goal is to be able to determine more accurately the atmosphere structure by observing real trajectories and what changes are to expect in probe descent trajectories if atmospheres have different properties than the ones assumed initially.

Gil, P. J. S.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Prominence Eruption Initiated by Helical Kink Instability of an Embedded Flux Rope

We study the triggering mechanism of a limb-prominence eruption and the associated coronal mass ejection (CME) near AR 12342 using Solar Dynamics Observatory and Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph/Solar Heliospheric Observatory observations. The prominence is seen with an embedded flux thread (FT) at one end and bifurcates from the middle to a different footpoint location. The morphological evolution of the FT is similar to that of an unstable flux rope (FR), which we regard as a prominence-embedded FR. The FR twist exceeds the critical value. In addition, the morphology of the prominence plasma in 304 Å images marks the helical nature of the magnetic skeleton, with a total of 2.96 turns along arc length. The potential field extrapolation model indicates that the critical height of the background magnetic field gradient falls within the inner corona (105 Mm), which is consistent with the extent of coronal plasma loops. These results suggest that the helical kink instability in the embedded FR caused the slow rise of the prominence to the height of the torus instability domain. Moreover, the differential emission measure analysis unveils heating of the prominence plasma to coronal temperatures during an eruption, suggesting reconnection-related heating underneath the upward rising embedded FR. The prominence starts with a slow rise motion of 10 km s(exp. -1), which is followed by fast and slow acceleration phases that have an average acceleration of 28.9 m s(exp. -2) and 2.4 m s(exp. -2) in C2 and C3 field of view, respectively. As predicted by previous numerical simulations, the observed synchronous kinematic profiles of the CME leading edge and the core support the involved FR instability in the prominence initiation.

Vemareddy, P.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assimilation of Reconstructed Radiances from IASI Principal Component Scores into the GEOS-ADAS

Hyperspectral Infrared sounders such as IASI, AIRS, and CrIS have long been an integral part of radiance assimilation in numerical weather prediction (NWP), providing vertical profiles of water vapor and temperature information. Principal Component Scores (PCS) are a lossy form of compression that retains most information, such as temperature and moisture, by using a large training set of atmospheric profiles. However, PCS may not well represent profiles which are rare events, such as volcanic eruptions, and drops some sources of random noise. There has been an increased interest in the use of PCS as EUMETSAT plans to distribute future geostationary sounder radiances from MTG-IRS via PCS only. NWP centers use two approaches to deal with PCS: direct assimilation of the PCS by modifying the radiative transfer model to produce PCS and the associated Jacobians, or a simpler approach of decompressing the PCS and reconstructing the radiances back into channel space to allow assimilating radiances without modifications to the data assimilation system. EUMETSAT has developed a PCS product for IASI that has been operational since 2011. We utilize this product opting for the simpler approach, decompressing IASI PCS into channel space, and assimilating those radiances using the GEOS-ADAS. We then compare this with a control using the standard IASI radiance product. Resulting differences in global forecast statistics, differences in Forecast Sensitivity to Observation Impact, along with implications for implementation and quality control are discussed.

Bryan M. Karpowicz↗
NASA NTRS2013

Integrating Wind Profiling Radars and Radiosonde Observations with Model Point Data to Develop a Decision Support Tool to Assess Upper-Level Winds for Space Launch

On the day-of-launch, the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers (LWOs) monitor the upper-level winds for their launch customers to include NASA's Launch Services Program and NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program. They currently do not have the capability to display and overlay profiles of upper-level observations and numerical weather prediction model forecasts. The LWOs requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) develop a tool in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) that will allow them to plot upper-level wind speed and direction observations from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) 50 MHz tropospheric wind profiling radar, KSC Shuttle Landing Facility 915 MHz boundary layer wind profiling radar and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Automated Meteorological Processing System (AMPS) radiosondes, and then overlay forecast wind profiles from the model point data including the North American Mesoscale (NAM) model, Rapid Refresh (RAP) model and Global Forecast System (GFS) model to assess the performance of these models. The AMU developed an Excel-based tool that provides an objective method for the LWOs to compare the model-forecast upper-level winds to the KSC wind profiling radars and CCAFS AMPS observations to assess the model potential to accurately forecast changes in the upperlevel profile through the launch count. The AMU wrote Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) scripts to automatically retrieve model point data for CCAFS (XMR) from the Iowa State University Archive Data Server (http://mtarchive.qeol.iastate.edu) and the 50 MHz, 915 MHz and AMPS observations from the NASA/KSC Spaceport Weather Data Archive web site (http://trmm.ksc.nasa.gov). The AMU then developed code in Excel VBA to automatically ingest and format the observations and model point data in Excel to ready the data for generating Excel charts for the LWO's. The resulting charts allow the LWOs to independently initialize the three models 0-hour forecasts against the observations to determine which is the best performing model and then overlay the model forecasts on time-matched observations during the launch countdown to further assess the model performance and forecasts. This paper will demonstrate integration of observed and predicted atmospheric conditions into a decision support tool and demonstrate how the GUI is implemented in operations.

Bauman, William H., III↗
NASA NTRS2014

Transition Marshall Space Flight Center Wind Profiler Splicing Algorithm to Launch Services Program Upper Winds Tool

NASAs LSP customers and the future SLS program rely on observations of upper-level winds for steering, loads, and trajectory calculations for the launch vehicles flight. On the day of launch, the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers (LWOs) monitor the upper-level winds and provide forecasts to the launch team via the AMU-developed LSP Upper Winds tool for launches at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. This tool displays wind speed and direction profiles from rawinsondes released during launch operations, the 45th Space Wing 915-MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profilers (DRWPs) and KSC 50-MHz DRWP, and output from numerical weather prediction models.The goal of this task was to splice the wind speed and direction profiles from the 45th Space Wing (45 SW) 915-MHz Doppler radar Wind Profilers (DRWPs) and KSC 50-MHz DRWP at altitudes where the wind profiles overlap to create a smooth profile. In the first version of the LSP Upper Winds tool, the top of the 915-MHz DRWP wind profile and the bottom of the 50-MHz DRWP were not spliced, sometimes creating a discontinuity in the profile. The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Natural Environments Branch (NE) created algorithms to splice the wind profiles from the two sensors to generate an archive of vertically complete wind profiles for the SLS program. The AMU worked with MSFC NE personnel to implement these algorithms in the LSP Upper Winds tool to provide a continuous spliced wind profile.The AMU transitioned the MSFC NE algorithms to interpolate and fill data gaps in the data, implement a Gaussian weighting function to produce 50-m altitude intervals in each sensor, and splice the data together from both DRWPs. They did so by porting the MSFC NE code written with MATLAB software into Microsoft Excel Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). After testing the new algorithms in stand-alone VBA modules, the AMU replaced the existing VBA code in the LSP Upper Winds tool with the new algorithms. They then tested the code in the LSP Upper Winds tool with archived data. The tool will be delivered to the 45 WS after the 50-MHz DRWP upgrade is complete and the tool is tested with real-time data. The 50-MHz DRWP upgrade is expected to be finished in October 2014.

Space launch↗
NASA NTRS2013

Evaluation of the Impact of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) Radiance and Profile Data Assimilation in Partly Cloudy Regions

Improvements to global and regional numerical weather prediction have been demonstrated through assimilation of data from NASA s Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). Current operational data assimilation systems use AIRS radiances, but impact on regional forecasts has been much smaller than for global forecasts. Retrieved profiles from AIRS contain much of the information that is contained in the radiances and may be able to reveal reasons for this reduced impact. Assimilating AIRS retrieved profiles in an identical analysis configuration to the radiances, tracking the quantity and quality of the assimilated data in each technique, and examining analysis increments and forecast impact from each data type can yield clues as to the reasons for the reduced impact. By doing this with regional scale models individual synoptic features (and the impact of AIRS on these features) can be more easily tracked. This project examines the assimilation of hyperspectral sounder data used in operational numerical weather prediction by comparing operational techniques used for AIRS radiances and research techniques used for AIRS retrieved profiles. Parallel versions of a configuration of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) are run to examine the impact AIRS radiances and retrieved profiles. Statistical evaluation of 6 weeks of forecast runs will be compared along with preliminary results of in-depth investigations for select case comparing the analysis increments in partly cloudy regions and short-term forecast impacts.

Zavodsky, Bradley↗