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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

French direct TV broadcast satellite (TDF-1 and -2)

The French Direct TV Broadcast Satellite (TDF-1 and -2) missions are to provide three channels of TV and sound broadcasting to France within the 12 to 18 GHz bands. The satellites will be placed in a geostationary orbit at 19 degrees west longitude. The satellites will be launched from the Centre Spatial Guyanis in French Guiana on an Ariane launch vehicle. The Deep Space Network (DSN) will support the transfer and drift orbit mission phases. The coverage will consist of the 26-m antennas at Goldstone and Canberra as prime support. Maximum support will consist of two 8-hour tracks per station for a 7-day period, plus 14 days contingency support. Information is given in tabular form for DSN coverage, frequency assignments, telemetry, command, and tracking support responsibility.

Vacheyroux, R.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Adaptation of primate vestibuloocular reflex to altered peripheral vestibular inputs. II Spatiotemporal properties of the adapted slow-phase eye velocity

1. The ability of the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) to undergo adaptive modification after selective changes in the peripheral vestibular system was investigated in rhesus monkeys by recording three-dimensional eye movements before and after inactivation of selective semicircular canals. In the preceding paper we showed that the horizontal VOR gain evoked by passive yaw oscillations after lateral semicircular canal inactivation recovers gradually over time in a frequency-specific manner. Here we present the spatial tuning of the adapted slow-phase eye velocity and describe its spatiotemporal properties as a function of time after canal inactivation. 2. The spatial organization of the VOR was investigated during oscillations at different head positions in the pitch, roll, and yaw planes, as well as in the right anterior/left posterior and left anterior/right posterior canal planes. Acutely after bilateral inactivation of the lateral semicircular canals, a small horizontal response could still be elicited that peaked during rotations in pitched head positions that would maximally stimulate vertical semicircular canals. In addition, the phase of horizontal slow-phase velocity abruptly reversed through 180 degrees at positions close to upright, similarly to torsional slow-phase velocity. These spatial response properties suggest that the small, residual horizontal response components that are present acutely after plugging of both lateral canals originate from vertical semicircular canal signals. 3. As the horizontal response amplitude increased over time, consistent changes were also observed in the spatiotemporal tuning of horizontal slow-phase velocity. 1) The spatiotemporal response properties of horizontal slow-phase velocity acquired noncosine tuning characteristics, primarily in the pitch plane, in the right anterior/left posterior and left anterior/right posterior canal planes. Accordingly, horizontal response amplitude was nonzero during rotation in any head position in these planes and response phase varied significantly as a function of head orientation. 2) The peak horizontal response amplitude shifted spatially over time, such that 5-10 mo after plugging it was maximal during rotations at head positions close to upright. 4. In parallel to these unique spatiotemporal response properties characterizing the adapted horizontal VOR, torsional slow-phase velocity also exhibited small spatiotemporal changes after lateral canal inactivation that tended to precede in time the changes associated with the horizontal response components. In contrast, vertical slow-phase velocity in the plugged animals was unaltered and continued to be characterized by cosine-tuned spatial properties in three dimensions. 5. Recovery of the horizontal response gain during yaw oscillations in upright position, as well as the unique, noncosine spatiotemporal characteristics of the adapted horizontal VOR, were also observed in an animal with all but one vertical semicircular canals inactivated. There was, however, no sign of VOR gain recovery up to 2 mo after all semicircular canals were inactivated. These results suggest that the observed recovery of horizontal VOR is at least partly due to signals originating from the remaining intact vertical canal(s). Even in the presence of a single intact vertical canal, the improvement in horizontal gaze stability is at least partly restored through spatiotemporal changes in the processing of vestibuloocular signals that improve the gain and spatial tuning of horizontal VOR at the expense of temporal response properties.

NASA Discipline Number 16-10↗
NASA NTRS1992

Application of an enhanced Coordinate Modal Assurance Criterion

This paper presents an extension of the Coordinate Modal Assurance Criterion (COMAC) for spatial comparison of mode shapes. As is the case for the original COMAC, this enhanced COMAC helps identify degrees of freedom differences between test and analysis modes, but also overcomes some of the limitations of the original COMAC. The original COMAC cannot identify errors caused by scaling or polarity mistakes in the test data. Such mistakes are easily made during modal tests and not always easily detected since they do not affect the subjective quality of a frequency response function.

Hunt, David L.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Contrast affects flicker and speed perception differently

We have previously shown that contrast affects speed perception, with lower-contrast, drifting gratings perceived as moving slower. In a recent study, we examined the implications of this result on models of speed perception that use the amplitude of the response of linear spatio-temporal filters to determine speed. In this study, we investigate whether the contrast dependence of speed can be understood within the context of models in which speed estimation is made using the temporal frequency of the response of linear spatio-temporal filters. We measured the effect of contrast on flicker perception and found that contrast manipulations produce opposite effects on perceived drift rate and perceived flicker rate, i.e., reducing contrast increases the apparent temporal frequency of counterphase modulated gratings. This finding argues that, if a temporal frequency-based algorithm underlies speed perception, either flicker and speed perception must not be based on the output of the same mechanism or contrast effects on perceived spatial frequency reconcile the disparate effects observed for perceived temporal frequency and speed.

NASA Center ARC↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Hourly Carbon Fluxes Estimation Using the GOES Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) Data Over the Conterminous USA

Tremendous efforts by Fluxnet scientists over the past few decades have made thousands of site-years of carbon flux observations available for advancing our understanding of carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. One of key Fluxnet measurements is net ecosystem exchange (NEE) as it is directly related to carbon budget of terrestrial ecosystems. However, carbon flux estimation studies using satellite remote sensing have focused mainly on daily Gross Primary Production (GPP). The satellite based carbon flux estimation used the polar orbiting satellite sensors (e.g., Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)), which allow us to observe target regions only once during the day. Because daily NEE is close to zero value, the carbon flux models using the polar orbiting satellite data have not been well used for NEE estimation. The new generation of geostationary satellite sensors (e.g., GOES Advanced Baesline Imager (ABI) and Himawari Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI)) provide frequent observations, often less than every 10 minutes. Here, we use GOES ABI data to estimate hourly NEE over the conterminous USA. We used the Terrestrial Observation Prediction System (TOPS) model for estimating hourly NEE. TOPS is a diagnostic ecosystem process model that simulates the fluxes of carbon and water through vegetation in response to climate variability. For the climate input, we developed hourly climate data using the same algorithm with NASA Earth Exchange Gridded Daily Meteorology (NEX-GDM) datasets based on machine learning techniques. The hourly climate data includes precipitation, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, dew point temperature, and, in particular, solar radiation that is directly derived from the Geostationary observations. The spatial patterns of ecosystem parameters used in TOPS are optimized using satellite Solar Induced Fluorescence (SIF) data. The high frequency GPP estimations from geostationary satellite sensors make it comparable to the instantaneous SIF data than daily GPP. We also used Fluxnet data for optimization of model parameters and the validation of the output. The derived data addresses the diurnal dynamics of carbon cycling at large scales and should help in reducing the uncertainties in carbon budget studies.

Geostationary satellite↗
NASA NTRS1992

The formation of coronal regions in accretion disks

A mechanism for heating the hot low-density gas or winds above accretion disks, which is similar to that used to model chromospheric heating in the sun and other stars, is proposed. Sound waves propagating through an accretion disk are refracted away from the central plane by the strong density gradient. As they move into regions of lower density, the sound waves accelerate to form shocks, which heat the gas, leading to the formation of a hot low-density region. The steeper density gradients present in disks make the process more efficient than in stellar atmospheres. Results of hydrodynamical simulations show that waves with frequencies similar to the local Keplerian frequency lead to the most efficient heating. For the optically thin region modeled in the present study, the result is the formation of coronal regions with densities less than about 10 exp 10/cu cm, and the temperatures ranging from 10 exp 4 to 6 K over a few scale heights. It is argued that the hot low-density gas which results from the shock heating is responsible for the observed UV lines from cataclysmic variables, as well as the spatially coincidental lines of H and He I.

Murray, Stephen D.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Spatio-Temporal Equalizer for a Receiving-Antenna Feed Array

A spatio-temporal equalizer has been conceived as an improved means of suppressing multipath effects in the reception of aeronautical telemetry signals, and may be adaptable to radar and aeronautical communication applications as well. This equalizer would be an integral part of a system that would also include a seven-element planar array of receiving feed horns centered at the focal point of a paraboloidal antenna that would be nominally aimed at or near the aircraft that would be the source of the signal that one seeks to receive (see Figure 1). This spatio-temporal equalizer would consist mostly of a bank of seven adaptive finite-impulse-response (FIR) filters one for each element in the array - and the outputs of the filters would be summed (see Figure 2). The combination of the spatial diversity of the feedhorn array and the temporal diversity of the filter bank would afford better multipath-suppression performance than is achievable by means of temporal equalization alone. The seven-element feed array would supplant the single feed horn used in a conventional paraboloidal ground telemetry-receiving antenna. The radio-frequency telemetry signals re ceiv ed by the seven elements of the array would be digitized, converted to complex baseband form, and sent to the FIR filter bank, which would adapt itself in real time to enable reception of telemetry at a low bit error rate, even in the presence of multipath of the type found at many flight test ranges.

Mukai, Ryan↗
NASA NTRS2014

Multi-Source Autonomous Response for Targeting and Monitoring of Volcanic Activity

The study of volcanoes is important for both purely scientific and human survival reasons. From a scientific standpoint, volcanic gas and ash emissions contribute significantly to the terrestrial atmosphere. Ash depositions and lava flows can also greatly affect local environments. From a human survival standpoint, many people live within the reach of active volcanoes, and therefore can be endangered by both atmospheric (ash, debris) toxicity and lava flow. There are many potential information sources that can be used to determine how to best monitor volcanic activity worldwide. These are of varying temporal frequency, spatial regard, method of access, and reliability. The problem is how to incorporate all of these inputs in a general framework to assign/task/reconfigure assets to monitor events in a timely fashion. In situ sensing can provide a valuable range of complementary information such as seismographic, discharge, acoustic, and other data. However, many volcanoes are not instrumented with in situ sensors, and those that have sensor networks are restricted to a relatively small numbers of point sensors. Consequently, ideal volcanic study synergistically combines space and in situ measurements. This work demonstrates an effort to integrate spaceborne sensing from MODIS (Terra and Aqua), ALI (EO-1), Worldview-2, and in situ sensing in an automated scheme to improve global volcano monitoring. Specifically, it is a "sensor web" concept in which a number of volcano monitoring systems are linked together to monitor volcanic activity more accurately, and this activity measurement automatically tasks space assets to acquire further satellite imagery of ongoing volcanic activity. A general framework was developed for evidence combination that accounts for multiple information sources in a scientist-directed fashion to weigh inputs and allocate observations based on the confidence of an events occurrence, rarity of the event at that location, and other scientists' inputs. The software framework uses multiple source languages and is a general framework for combining inputs and incrementally submitting observation requests/reconfigurations, accounting for prior requests. The autonomous aspect of operations is unique, especially in the context of the wide range of inputs that includes manually inputted electronic reports (such as the Air Force Weather Advisories), automated satellite-based detection methods (such as MODVOLC and GOESVOLC), and in situ sensor networks.

Davies, Ashley G.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Finite-Element Methods for Real-Time Simulation of Surgery

Two finite-element methods have been developed for mathematical modeling of the time-dependent behaviors of deformable objects and, more specifically, the mechanical responses of soft tissues and organs in contact with surgical tools. These methods may afford the computational efficiency needed to satisfy the requirement to obtain computational results in real time for simulating surgical procedures as described in Simulation System for Training in Laparoscopic Surgery (NPO-21192) on page 31 in this issue of NASA Tech Briefs. Simulation of the behavior of soft tissue in real time is a challenging problem because of the complexity of soft-tissue mechanics. The responses of soft tissues are characterized by nonlinearities and by spatial inhomogeneities and rate and time dependences of material properties. Finite-element methods seem promising for integrating these characteristics of tissues into computational models of organs, but they demand much central-processing-unit (CPU) time and memory, and the demand increases with the number of nodes and degrees of freedom in a given finite-element model. Hence, as finite-element models become more realistic, it becomes more difficult to compute solutions in real time. In both of the present methods, one uses approximate mathematical models trading some accuracy for computational efficiency and thereby increasing the feasibility of attaining real-time up36 NASA Tech Briefs, October 2003 date rates. The first of these methods is based on modal analysis. In this method, one reduces the number of differential equations by selecting only the most significant vibration modes of an object (typically, a suitable number of the lowest-frequency modes) for computing deformations of the object in response to applied forces.

Basdogan, Cagatay↗
NASA NTRS1993

Computational fluid mechanics

Two papers are included in this progress report. In the first, the compressible Navier-Stokes equations have been used to compute leading edge receptivity of boundary layers over parabolic cylinders. Natural receptivity at the leading edge was simulated and Tollmien-Schlichting waves were observed to develop in response to an acoustic disturbance, applied through the farfield boundary conditions. To facilitate comparison with previous work, all computations were carried out at a free stream Mach number of 0.3. The spatial and temporal behavior of the flowfields are calculated through the use of finite volume algorithms and Runge-Kutta integration. The results are dominated by strong decay of the Tollmien-Schlichting wave due to the presence of the mean flow favorable pressure gradient. The effects of numerical dissipation, forcing frequency, and nose radius are studied. The Strouhal number is shown to have the greatest effect on the unsteady results. In the second paper, a transition model for low-speed flows, previously developed by Young et al., which incorporates first-mode (Tollmien-Schlichting) disturbance information from linear stability theory has been extended to high-speed flow by incorporating the effects of second mode disturbances. The transition model is incorporated into a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver with a one-equation turbulence model. Results using a variable turbulent Prandtl number approach demonstrate that the current model accurately reproduces available experimental data for first and second-mode dominated transitional flows. The performance of the present model shows significant improvement over previous transition modeling attempts.

Hassan, H. A.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Tilt and Translation Motion Perception during Pitch Tilt with Visual Surround Translation

The central nervous system must resolve the ambiguity of inertial motion sensory cues in order to derive an accurate representation of spatial orientation. Previous studies suggest that multisensory integration is critical for discriminating linear accelerations arising from tilt and translation head motion. Visual input is especially important at low frequencies where canal input is declining. The NASA Tilt Translation Device (TTD) was designed to recreate postflight orientation disturbances by exposing subjects to matching tilt self motion with conflicting visual surround translation. Previous studies have demonstrated that brief exposures to pitch tilt with foreaft visual surround translation produced changes in compensatory vertical eye movement responses, postural equilibrium, and motion sickness symptoms. Adaptation appeared greatest with visual scene motion leading (versus lagging) the tilt motion, and the adaptation time constant appeared to be approximately 30 min. The purpose of this study was to compare motion perception when the visual surround translation was inphase versus outofphase with pitch tilt. The inphase stimulus presented visual surround motion one would experience if the linear acceleration was due to foreaft self translation within a stationary surround, while the outofphase stimulus had the visual scene motion leading the tilt by 90 deg as previously used. The tilt stimuli in these conditions were asymmetrical, ranging from an upright orientation to 10 deg pitch back. Another objective of the study was to compare motion perception with the inphase stimulus when the tilts were asymmetrical relative to upright (0 to 10 deg back) versus symmetrical (10 deg forward to 10 deg back). Twelve subjects (6M, 6F, 22-55 yrs) were tested during 3 sessions separated by at least one week. During each of the three sessions (out-of-phase asymmetrical, in-phase asymmetrical, inphase symmetrical), subjects were exposed to visual surround translation synchronized with pitch tilt at 0.1 Hz for a total of 30 min. Tilt and translation motion perception was obtained from verbal reports and a joystick mounted on a linear stage. Horizontal vergence and vertical eye movements were obtained with a binocular video system. Responses were also obtained during darkness before and following 15 min and 30 min of visual surround translation. Each of the three stimulus conditions involving visual surround translation elicited a significantly reduced sense of perceived tilt and strong linear vection (perceived translation) compared to pre-exposure tilt stimuli in darkness. This increase in perceived translation with reduction in tilt perception was also present in darkness following 15 and 30 min exposures, provided the tilt stimuli were not interrupted. Although not significant, there was a trend for the inphase asymmetrical stimulus to elicit a stronger sense of both translation and tilt than the out-of-phase asymmetrical stimulus. Surprisingly, the inphase asymmetrical stimulus also tended to elicit a stronger sense of peak-to-peak translation than the inphase symmetrical stimulus, even though the range of linear acceleration during the symmetrical stimulus was twice that of the asymmetrical stimulus. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the central nervous system resolves the ambiguity of inertial motion sensory cues by integrating inputs from visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems.

O'Sullivan, Brita M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Finite difference simulations of seismic scattering Implications for the propagation of short-period seismic waves in the crust and models of crustal heterogeneity

Synthetic seismographs that were obtained by the finite difference method are presently applied to the study of elastic and acoustic wave scattering in two-dimensional media with random spatial variations in seismic velocity. The seismograms are analyzed to determine the variation in travel times and waveforms across arrays of receivers. The random media with Gaussian and exponential correlation functions considered differ in the spectral falloff of their velocity fluctuations at wavelengths smaller than 2pi times the correlation distance. It is found that alternative models of crustal heterogeneity can be tested by improved measurements of the frequency dependence of the crustal Q at frequencies greater than about 1 Hz, assuming that scattering is responsible for most of the attenuation at such frequencies.

Frankel, A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Shortwave feedbacks and El Nino-Southern Oscillation: Forced ocean coupled ocean-atmosphere experiments

Changes in tropical sea surface temperature (SST) can produce changes in cloudiness that modify incoming solar shortwave (SW) radiation, which in turn affects SST. The effects of this negative feedback on Pacific interannual variability are examined in forced ocean model and hybrid coupled ocean-atmosphere model simulations. Two empirical schemes are used to model the large-scale, low-frequency response of surface SW to SST anomalies. The first scheme attempts to account for the nonlocal nature of the atmospheric response to SST based patterns of covariability analyzed through singular value decomposition. In the observations the primary coupled mode of variability is composed of a SW anomaly in the central Pacific that covaries with anomalous SST in the eastern Pacific. This is applied in the model as a nonlocal feedback. The second scheme examines the effects of a purely local feedback with a spatially varying coefficient of magnitude chosen similar to the first scheme. In almost all cases the second scheme behaved similarly to the first, presumably because the correlation scale of SST is large enough for El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics that there is little sensitivity to the local approximation in the SW feedback. In simulations forced by time series of observed wind stress the SW feedback induced very minor SST damping. Results for a simpified heat budget analysis showed that while the SW feedback increased the local heat flux damping on SST, it also induced a mean shallowing of the mixed layer. The resulting changes in both the local mean vertical temperature gradient and the zonal velocity response to the wind stress acted to oppose the local heat flux damping effects. When the observed SW anomalies were applied to forced simulations, the simulated SST anomalies were modified as expected, and agreement with observed SST improved. In coupled simulations the SW feedbacks had greater impact than in the case of specified stress. The main effects were to decrease the magnitude of the warm and cold SST anomalies in the central Pacific, while leaving the pattern and evolution of ENSO anomalies essentially unchanged elsewhere. The SW feedbacks thus produce a modest improvement of the model ENSO SST pattern compared with observations, although they tended to shorten the period of the model ENSO cycle. Overall the results suggest that large-scale SW feedbacks are of quantitative importance to simulating some aspects of the ENSO cycle but are not critical to the overall occurrence of the phenomenon.

Waliser, Duane E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Characterization of Aeromechanics Response and Instability in Fans, Compressors, and Turbine Blades

This study investigated the effect of interaction between tip clearance flow, steady and unsteady upstream wakes in rotor and stator blade rows in terms of blade forced response. In a stator blade row, the interaction of steady wakes in the upstream rotor frame with the stator imply a blade forced response whose spectrum contains the Blade passing frequency (BPF) and its harmonics, with a decaying amplitude as the frequency increases. When the incoming wakes are unsteady, however, the spectrum of blade excitation exhibits unexpectedly amplified high frequencies due to the modulation of BPF with the fluctuation frequency. In a rotor blade row, a tip flow instability has been demonstrated with a frequency (TVF) equal to 0.45 times the Blade Passing frequency corresponding to a reduced frequency (F(sub c) (sup +)) of 0.7. Under uniform inlet flow conditions, the frequency and spatial content of the tip flow region have been characterized. The disturbance TVF was the dominant disturbance in the flow field and was found to imply variations of the pressure coefficient of more than 30% on the blade tip (between 35% to 90% chord) and in the rotor-generated wake (from 75% to 100% hub-to-tip position). In an attempt to better understand the origin of the instability, the structure of the tip flow has also been analyzed. The interface between the tip flow region and the core flow has been found to have periodical wave-like flow patterns which proceed downstream at a speed of approximately 0.42 times the core flow speed at a frequency corresponding to TVF. A list of conclusions derived from these interactions is presented.

Tan, Choon S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Does the far-infrared/radio correlation in spiral galaxies extend to the spatial domain

A comparison is made between the spatial distribution of the thermal far-infrared and non-thermal radio emission of nearby spiral galaxies. This is done in an attempt to improve our understanding of the well known correlation between the integrated Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) far-infrared and radio emission of spiral galaxies, e.g., de Jong et al., 1985, Helou et al., 1986. A physical explanation for this correlation is not straight forward due to the ambiguous nature of the origin of the far-infrared and radio, and the dependence of the non-thermal radio on each galaxies' magnetic field. It is now widely believed that the infrared emission detected in the longer wavelength IRAS wavebands (less than 50 microns) arises from at least two distinct sources, e.g., Cox et al., 1986, Persson and Helou, 1987: (1) a warm (T approx. 40 K) component associated with dense dust clouds heated by embedded O and B type stars; and (2) a cooler (T approx. 20 K) component associated with diffuse dust distributed throughout the interstellar matter (ISM) heated by the interstellar radiation field. A link between the warm component and the radio via electrons originating in Type II supernovae (the ultimate fate of many of the O and B type stars responsible for the warm component) has been suggested by numerous authors. The supporting evidence is scarce and inconclusive. Researchers have attempted to provide some insight into the problem by looking at the spatial distribution of the different components in some nearby spiral galaxies, starting with the face-on spiral M51. The source of the far-infrared data is the IRAS chopped photometric channel (CPC) instrument. Warm and cold far-infrared fluxes integrated over all wavelengths and the radio intensity at two frequencies are plotted against radius. All plots are to a common resolution of 100 arcsec, the radio data originating from the Cambridge Low Frequency Synthesis Telescope (151 MHz) and the VLA (1490 MHz, from Condon, 1987). The warm and cold regions are assumed to be representedby a single galactic wide temperatures of 50 K and 20 K respectively. A dust emissivity of 1 has been assumed. The form of the plots is little effected by varying these assumptions. The radio and cold component curves appear to follow each other most closely, in contradiction to the simple OB star/type II supernovae hypothesis.

Howarth, Neil A.↗
NASA NTRS2001

State-space receptive fields of semicircular canal afferent neurons in the bullfrog

Receptive fields are commonly used to describe spatial characteristics of sensory neuron responses. They can be extended to characterize temporal or dynamical aspects by mapping neural responses in dynamical state spaces. The state-space receptive field of a neuron is the probability distribution of the dynamical state of the stimulus-generating system conditioned upon the occurrence of a spike. We have computed state-space receptive fields for semicircular canal afferent neurons in the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). We recorded spike times during broad-band Gaussian noise rotational velocity stimuli, computed the frequency distribution of head states at spike times, and normalized these to obtain conditional pdfs for the state. These state-space receptive fields quantify what the brain can deduce about the dynamical state of the head when a single spike arrives from the periphery. c2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS1993

Surface finish quality of the outer AXAF mirror pair based on X-ray measurements of the VETA-I

We employ the X-ray measurements of the VETA-I taken at the X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF) of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to extract information about the surface finish quality of the outermost pair of AXAF mirrors. The particular measurements we consider are 1D scans of the core of the point response function (PRF) (FWHM scans), the encircled energy as a function of radius, and 1D scans of the wings of the PRF. We discuss briefly our raytrace model which incorporates the numerous effects present in the VETA-I test, such as the finite source distance, the size and shape of the X-ray source, the residual gravitational distortions of the optic, the despace of the VETA-I, and particulate contamination. We show how the data constrain the amplitude of mirror surface deviations for spatial frequencies greater than about 0.1/mm. Constraints on the average amplitude of circumferential slope errors are derived as well.

Hughes, John P.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Monthly Variability in Upper Ocean Biogeochemistry Due to Mesoscale Eddy Activity in the Sargasso Sea

A comparison of monthly biogeochemical measurements made from 1993 to 1995, combined with hydrography and satellite altimetry, was used to observe the impacts of nine eddy events on primary productivity and particle flux in the Sargasso Sea. Measurements of primary production, thorium-234 flux, nitrate+nitrite, and photosynthetic pigments made at the US JGOFS Bermuda Atlantic Time-Series Study (BATS) site were used. During the three years of this study, four out of six high thorium-234 flux events over 1000 dpm/sq m/d occurred during the passage of an eddy. Primary production nearly as high as the spring bloom maximum was observed in two mode-water eddies (May 1993 and July 1995). The 1994 spring bloom at BATS was suppressed by the passage of an anticyclone. Distinct phytoplankton community shifts were observed in mode-water eddies, which had an increased percentage diatoms and dinoflagelletes, and in cyclones, which had an increased percentage cyanobacteria (excluding Prochlorococcus). The difference in the observations of mode-water eddies and cyclones may result from the age of the eddy, which was very important to the biological response. In general, eddies that were one to two months old elicited a large biological response; eddies that were three months old may show a biological response and were accompanied by high thorium flux measurements; eddies that were four months old or older did not show a biological response or high thorium flux. Our conceptual model depicting the importance of temporal changes during eddy upwelling and decay fit the observations well in all seven upwelling eddies. Additional information is needed to determine the importance of deeper mixed layers and winter mixing to the magnitude of the eddy impacts. Also, sampling generally captured only the beginning, end, and/or edge of an eddy due to the monthly to semi-monthly frequency of the measurements made at BATS. Lagrangian studies, higher resolution time-series, and/or more spatial coverage is needed to provide additional information for improved C and N budgets in the Sargasso Sea and to complete our understanding of the temporal changes that occur in an eddy.

Sweeney, Erin N.↗