SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “BP”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS2016

Predictable Patterns in Planetary Transit Timing Variations and Transit Duration Variations Due to Exomoons

We present new ways to identify single and multiple moons around extrasolar planets using planetary transit timing variations (TTVs) and transit duration variations (TDVs). For planets with one moon, measurements from successive transits exhibit a hitherto undescribed pattern in the TTV-TDV diagram, originating from the stroboscopic sampling of the planet's orbit around the planet-moon barycenter. This pattern is fully determined and analytically predictable after three consecutive transits. The more measurements become available, the more the TTV-TDV diagram approaches an ellipse. For planets with multiple moons in orbital mean motion resonance (MMR), like the Galilean moon system, the pattern is much more complex and addressed numerically in this report. Exomoons in MMR can also form closed, predictable TTV-TDV figures, as long as the drift of the moons' pericenters is suciently slow.We find that MMR exomoons produce loops in the TTV-TDV diagram and that the number of these loops is equal to the order of the MMR, or the largest integer in the MMR ratio.We use a Bayesian model and Monte Carlo simulations to test the discoverability of exomoons using TTV-TDV diagrams with current and near-future technology. In a blind test, two of us (BP, DA) successfully retrieved a large moon from simulated TTV-TDV by co-authors MH and RH, which resembled data from a known Kepler planet candidate. Single exomoons with a 10 percent moon-to-planet mass ratio, like to Pluto-Charon binary, can be detectable in the archival data of the Kepler primary mission. Multi-exomoon systems, however, require either larger telescopes or brighter target stars. Complementary detection methods invoking a moon's own photometric transit or its orbital sampling effect can be used for validation or falsification. A combination of TESS, CHEOPS, and PLATO data would offer a compelling opportunity for an exomoon discovery around a bright star.

stroboscopic sampling↗

NASA NTRS2016

In-Space Networking on NASA's SCAN Testbed

The NASA Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Testbed, an external payload onboard the International Space Station, is equipped with three software defined radios and a flight computer for supporting in-space communication research. New technologies being studied using the SCaN Testbed include advanced networking, coding, and modulation protocols designed to support the transition of NASAs mission systems from primarily point to point data links and preplanned routes towards adaptive, autonomous internetworked operations needed to meet future mission objectives. Networking protocols implemented on the SCaN Testbed include the Advanced Orbiting Systems (AOS) link-layer protocol, Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Encapsulation Packets, Internet Protocol (IP), Space Link Extension (SLE), CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP), and Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) protocols including the Bundle Protocol (BP) and Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP). The SCaN Testbed end-to-end system provides three S-band data links and one Ka-band data link to exchange space and ground data through NASAs Tracking Data Relay Satellite System or a direct-to-ground link to ground stations. The multiple data links and nodes provide several upgradable elements on both the space and ground systems. This paper will provide a general description of the testbeds system design and capabilities, discuss in detail the design and lessons learned in the implementation of the network protocols, and describe future plans for continuing research to meet the communication needs for evolving global space systems.

space networks↗

NASA NTRS2016

Uncertainties in Coastal Ocean Color Products: Impacts of Spatial Sampling

With increasing demands for ocean color (OC) products with improved accuracy and well characterized, per-retrieval uncertainty budgets, it is vital to decompose overall estimated errors into their primary components. Amongst various contributing elements (e.g., instrument calibration, atmospheric correction, inversion algorithms) in the uncertainty of an OC observation, less attention has been paid to uncertainties associated with spatial sampling. In this paper, we simulate MODIS (aboard both Aqua and Terra) and VIIRS OC products using 30 m resolution OC products derived from the Operational Land Imager (OLI) aboard Landsat-8, to examine impacts of spatial sampling on both cross-sensor product intercomparisons and in-situ validations of R(sub rs) products in coastal waters. Various OLI OC products representing different productivity levels and in-water spatial features were scanned for one full orbital-repeat cycle of each ocean color satellite. While some view-angle dependent differences in simulated Aqua-MODIS and VIIRS were observed, the average uncertainties (absolute) in product intercomparisons (due to differences in spatial sampling) at regional scales are found to be 1.8%, 1.9%, 2.4%, 4.3%, 2.7%, 1.8%, and 4% for the R(sub rs)(443), R(sub rs)(482), R(sub rs)(561), R(sub rs)(655), Chla, K(sub d)(482), and b(sub bp)(655) products, respectively. It is also found that, depending on in-water spatial variability and the sensor's footprint size, the errors for an in-situ validation station in coastal areas can reach as high as +/- 18%. We conclude that a) expected biases induced by the spatial sampling in product intercomparisons are mitigated when products are averaged over at least 7 km × 7 km areas, b) VIIRS observations, with improved consistency in cross-track spatial sampling, yield more precise calibration/validation statistics than that of MODIS, and c) use of a single pixel centered on in-situ coastal stations provides an optimal sampling size for validation efforts. These findings will have implications for enhancing our understanding of uncertainties in ocean color retrievals and for planning of future ocean color missions and the associated calibration/validation exercises.

Coastal ocean color↗

NASA NTRS2016

Permanent Draft Genome of Strain ESFC-1: Ecological Genomics of a Newly Discovered Lineage of Filamentous Diazotrophic Cyanobacteria

The nonheterocystous filamentous cyanobacterium, strain ESFC-1, is a recently described member of the order Oscillatoriales within the Cyanobacteria. ESFC-1 has been shown to be a major diazotroph in the intertidal microbial mat system at Elkhorn Slough, CA, USA. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the 16S RNA gene, ESFC-1 appears to belong to a unique, genus-level divergence; the draft genome sequence of this strain has now been determined. Here we report features of this genome as they relate to the ecological functions and capabilities of strain ESFC-1. The 5,632,035 bp genome sequence encodes 4914 protein-coding genes and 92 RNA genes. One striking feature of this cyanobacterium is the apparent lack of either uptake or bi-directional hydrogenases typically expected within a diazotroph. Additionally, a large genomic island is found that contains numerous low GC-content genes and genes related to extracellular polysaccharide production and cell wall synthesis and maintenance.

R Craig Everroad↗

NASA NTRS2019

Sensitivity of Inherent Optical Properties from Ocean Reflectance Inversion Models to Satellite Instrument Wavelength Suites

The Earth science community seeks to develop climate data records (CDRs) from satellite measurements of ocean color, a continuous data record that now exceeds 20 years. Space agencies will launch additional instruments in the coming decade that will continue this data record, including the NASA PACE spectrometer. Inherent optical properties (IOPs) quantitatively describe the absorbing and scattering constituents of seawater and can be estimated from satellite-observed spectroradiometric data using semi-analytical algorithms (SAAs). SAAs exploit the contrasting optical signatures of constituent matter at spectral bands observed by satellite sensors. SAA performance, therefore, depends on the spectral resolution of the satellite spectroradiometer. A CDR spanning SeaWiFS, MODIS, OLCI, and PACE, for example, would include IOPs derived using varied wavelength suites if all available wavelengths were considered. Here, we explored differences in derived IOPs that stem simply from the use of (eight) different wavelength suites of input radiometric measurements. Using synthesized data and SeaWiFS Level-3 mission-long composites, we demonstrated equivalent SAA performance for all wavelength suites, but that IOP retrievals vary by several percent across wavelength suites and as a function of water type. The differences equate to roughly ≤ 6, 12, and 7% for a(sub dg)(443), a(sub ph)(443), and b(sub bp)(443), respectively, for waters with C(sub a) ≤ 1 mg -cu m. These values shrink for sensors with similar wavelength suites (e.g., SeaWiFS, MODIS, and MERIS) and rise to substantially larger values for higher C(sub a) waters. Our results also indicate that including 400 nm (in the case of OLCI) influences the derived IOPs, using longer wavelengths (>600 nm) influences the derived IOPs when there is a red signal, and, including additional spectral information shows potential for improved IOP estimation, but not without revisiting SAA parameterizations and execution. While modest in scope, we believe this study contributes to the knowledge base for CDR development. The implication of ignoring such an analysis as CDRs continue to be developed is a prolonged inability to distinguish between algorithmic and environmental contributions to trends and anomalies in the IOP time-series.

ocean color satellites↗

NASA NTRS2006

Spacecraft data and relay management using delay tolerant networking

NASA’s demonstration of the successful transmission of relay data through the orbiting Mars Odyssey, Mars Global Surveyor, and Mars Express by the Mars Exploration Rovers has shown not only the benefit of using a relay satellite for multiple landed assets in a deep space environment but also the benefit of international standards for such an architecture. As NASA begins the quest defined in the Vision for Exploration with robotic and manned missions to the Moon, continues its study of Mars, and is joined in these endeavors by countries world-wide, landed assets transmitting data through relay satellites will be crucial for completing mission objectives. However, this method of data delivery will result in increased complexity in routing and prioritization of data transmission as the number of missions increases. Also, there is currently no standard method among organizations conducting such missions to return these data sets to Earth given a complex environment. One possibility for establishing such a standard is for mission designers to deploy protocols which fall under the umbrella of Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN). These developing standards include the Bundle Protocol (BP) which provides a standard, secure, store and forward mechanism designed for high latency and asymmetric communication links and the Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP) which is used to provide a reliable deep space link transmission service.

Torgerson, J. Leigh↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Implementing Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking for NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Mission

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission will be the ﬁrst NASA science mission to use Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) for routine operations. The DTN Bundle Protocol (BP) is being integrated into the core Flight Software (cFS) for the transfer of house-keeping ﬁles. DTN nodes will also be integrated into the Near Space Network (NSN) ground stations and the PACE Mission Operations Center. This paper will describe the DTN implementations, the PACE DTN operations concept and how this mission is a signiﬁcant step towards the Solar System Internet.

dtn↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

ISRU Pilot Excavator: Bucket Drum Scaling Experimental Results

NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) is funding the development of a robotic excavator called the “ISRU Pilot Excavator” which will be a technology demonstration of excavating and transporting 10 metric tons of lunar regolith on the surface of the moon with a 30k-class robotic excavator. ISRU Pilot Excavator will be the next generation of robotic excavator to use bucket drums as excavation tools. This is an evolution of the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) developed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Bucket drums are hollow cylinders with regularly spaced scoops around the perimeter. The drums rotate in one direction to collect regolith with the scoops. The regolith slides down an internal baffling system inside the drum which prevents the regolith from falling back out of the scoops. The captured regolith can then be transported while held in the drum and then deposited by rotating the drum in the opposite direction allowing the regolith to slide back down the baffling and out of the excavation scoops. Bucket drums were developed by Lockheed Martin in 2008 and used on multiple robotic excavator prototypes ever since. However the forces on a bucket drum and considerations for scaling have not been measured in detail. Bucket drums are challenging to model using classical blade\bucket equations because of their unique geometry. Therefore this experiment was performed to measure the forces on three bucket drums of the same geometry at different scales. Small: 9.4” (239mm) dia. x 8.1” (206mm) width, Medium: 11.6” (294mm) dia. x 10” (254mm) width, and Large: 17” (432mm) dia. x 14.1”(358mm) width. The test stand consisted of an actuated gantry with controlled motion in the vertical (Z) and horizontal (X) axes and a single rotation axis (R). The bucket drums were individually mounted to the rotary axis of the test stand and translated across a prepared bed of BP-1 lunar regolith simulant at a specified linear speed and cutting depth. The test stand was outfitted with a torque sensor in line with the rotation of the drum (R) and a 3 axis (X, Y, and Z) load cell. In addition to the three sizes of bucket drums the linear excavation speed and cutting depth were test variables. The results of these experiments show the relationship between the three scales of bucket drums for factors such as: excavation force, torque due to regolith rotation inside the drum, excavation energy, time to fill, etc. and will be discussed in detail in this paper. This fundamental data will be used in the design of the ISRU Pilot Excavator and can inform the design of future bucket drum excavators.

Jason Michael Schuler↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Plume-Surface Interaction: Preliminary Observations from a Physics Focused Ground Test

Near surface operations conducted by spacecraft using rocket propulsion, such as during landing or the initial portion of ascent, may induce surface interactions that pose a risk to the spacecraft itself or nearby assets. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is conducting a multi-year project to mature the capability to predict plume-surface interactions (PSI) and reduce uncertainty through modeling, simulation, and ground testing. The Physics Focused Ground Test (PFGT), conducted in summer 2021, aimed to collect PSI data for plume, erosion, and ejecta physics to characterize PSI behaviors across a range of parameters relevant to the validation of computational modeling and with consideration to flight-relevant, though not flight-scale, environments. PFGT is a sub-scale, intrusive half-plane, inert-gas test conducted in a 15 foot-diameter vacuum chamber using a supersonic, heated, gaseous nitrogen plume. Tests were conducted with six regolith simulants, varying in complexity from spherical glass beads to BP-1 lunar soil simulant, and varied vacuum chamber ambient pressures to simulate Martian and lunar conditions. Nozzle height and mass flow rate were also varied to observe PSI behaviors and transitions of interest. Three high speed cameras captured crater formation and ejecta behavior during each test. An overview of this experiment is presented along with preliminary observations and analysis.

Wesley A Chambers↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Multi-Omics Analysis of Mouse Retina Following Low Dose Radiation and/or Hindlimb Unloading

Rodent models have been used as analogs for studying the effects of spaceflight. NASA’s GeneLab provides access to omics datasets generated from spaceflight and ground-based experiments allowing for additional retrospective analysis. We used GeneLab’s GLDS-203, a dataset generated by researchers at Loma Linda University to study the impact of prolonged unloading and/or low-dose radiation on mouse retina. The purpose of this study was to understand the effect of gamma radiation and/or hindlimb unloading on mice retinas through a multi-omics analysis. In the experiment that generated the omics data, mice were irradiated with gamma-ray and/or subjected to hindlimb unloading for 21 days and multi-omics analysis was performed at 7 days, 1 month, or 4 months post exposure. In the current study, for each of the three timepoints, we compared epigenomic profiles for retinas from exposed mice against timepoint-matched controls. We identified a total of 5,271 differentially methylated loci (DML) and 321 differentially methylated regions (DMR; using a sliding window and step size of 500 bp) with methylation difference > 10% and q-value < 0.05 (sliding linear model corrected p-value) across the nine exposure groups. Highest correlation in methylation difference was seen for significant DMLs (q-value < 0.05) across different conditions at same post exposure timepoint (Figure 1).The location of DMLs and DMRs were characterized with respect to CpG islands and shores, putative promoters, gene body, and intergenic regions (Table 1). We analyzed RNA-seq counts and performed gene set enrichment analysis using differential expression results from comparing each exposure group to its timepoint-matched control group. Significant pathways (adjusted p-value <0.05) enriched in all three microgravity-only groups were related to morphogenesis of a branching epithelium, skeletal muscle cell differentiation, and response to fibroblast growth factor. Common processes across all timepoints in the radiation-only groups were retina homeostasis, synaptic vesicle exocytosis-endocytosis, and chemotaxis. In the combination groups, regulation of trans-synaptic signaling, and Rho protein signal transduction were enriched at all three timepoints. Processes related to purine nucleotide metabolism were enriched in all nine exposure groups, with activation at 1 month, and suppression at 7 days and 4 months. A total of 14 genes contained at least one DML and were differentially expressed at adjusted p-value < 0.05, including genes implicated in cataract development (Sipa1l3, Crybb3) and those involved in cytoskeletal organization (Plec, Flnb, Eef1a1). This analysis is part of a larger effort to understand the molecular mechanisms following spaceflight exposures that can help translate effects observed in animal models to human impacts.

Prachi Kothiyal↗

NASA NTRS2021

Late Glacial and Holocene Environmental Variability, Lago Trasimeno, Italy

Lago Trasimeno (central Italy), 10 km wide and < 6m deep, fills a basin of tectonic origin, and is one of Europe's few endorheic lakes. We report on a multidisciplinary stratigraphic study based on seismic reflection profiles and two sediment cores, aimed at providing information on the vegetational, lithological, and climate history of this area. Trace elements, palynology, macrofossils, organic carbon, and C isotopes, coupled with AMS C-14 dating, describe environmental changes from Late-Glacial to present. The base of the cores records a Late-Glacial steppic vegetation (Poaceae, Artemisia, Amaranthaceae), with dry and cold conditions and a high charcoal/pollen ratio. An ensuing shift to a warmer and moister climate is shown by the rise of Pinus and Quercus, and shallow water aquatics such as Nitella. Early Holocene warming, indicated by Quercus, Oleaceae, Corylus, and Betula, is followed by a hiatus suggesting one or more severe drought events between 9000 and 3000 yr BP. Late Holocene presence of Alnus and Fagus indicates increased moisture, probably in winter, which would have increased lake level. Heavy metal pollution indicators (Pb, Cu, Zn) in the upper portion of the cores imply industrialization. Due to its location, to intensive and uninterrupted anthropogenic impacts since proto historical times, and to its shallow depths, Lago Trasimeno provides an important observation point for climate and environmental changes in the central Mediterranean region during and before Holocene times.

Lago trasimeno↗

NASA NTRS2022

Desulfovulcanus ferrireducens gen. nov., sp. nov., A Thermophilic Autotrophic Iron and Sulfate-reducing Bacterium from Subseafloor Basalt That Grows on Akaganeite and Lepidocrocite

A deep-sea thermophilic bacterium, strain Ax17T, was isolated from 25 °C hydrothermal fluid at Axial Seamount. It was obligately anaerobic and autotrophic, oxidized molecular hydrogen and formate, and reduced synthetic nanophase Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals, sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, and elemental sulfur for growth. It produced up to 20 mM Fe2+ when grown on ferrihydrite but < 5 mM Fe2+ when grown on akaganéite, lepidocrocite, hematite, and goethite. It was a straight to curved rod that grew at temperatures ranging from 35 to 70 °C (optimum 65 °C) and a minimum doubling time of 7.1 h, in the presence of 1.5–6% NaCl (optimum 3%) and pH 5–9 (optimum 8.0). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the strain was 90–92% identical to other genera of the family Desulfonauticaceae in the phylum Pseudomonadota. The genome of Ax17T was sequenced, which yielded 2,585,834 bp and contained 2407 protein-coding sequences. Based on overall genome relatedness index analyses and its unique phenotypic characteristics, strain Ax17T is suggested to represent a novel genus and species, for which the name Desulfovulcanus ferrireducens is proposed. The type strain is Ax17T (= DSM 111878T = ATCC TSD-233T).

Srishti Kashyap↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Model Performance in Simulating the Mid-Holocene Green Sahara

The Green Sahara Period, spanning about 11,500 to 5,000 years ago, offers an opportunity to test the ability of climate models to simulate large-scale changes in northern African climate through the strengthening of the West African Monsoon. In this study, we evaluate the performance of four models in simulating the mid-Holocene (6,000 BP), namely – EC-Earth, iCESM, CCSM4-Toronto, and the GISS ModelE2.1-G. Two scenarios are considered for each model – a standard PMIP scenario simulated with the mid-Holocene orbital parameters and greenhouse gas concentrations with vegetation prescribed to pre-industrial conditions, as well as a Green-Sahara scenario which additionally considers factors such as enhanced vegetation, reduced dust, presence of lakes, and land and soil feedbacks. All mid-Holocene scenarios capture an increase in monsoonal precipitation in northern Africa. However, a comparison of the two mid-Holocene scenarios reveals significantly higher precipitation in northern Africa for all the Green-Sahara scenarios relative to the PMIP scenarios – an observation consistent across all models. Accompanied by a strengthened Saharan Heat Low, these changes in the West African Monsoon are also linked to polar amplification, a stronger Indian Summer Monsoon and alterations to the Walker circulation. Model results are in agreement with pollen-based SAT records, multi-proxy SST records and African lake level records. This comparison indicates that a realistic simulation of the mid-Holocene Green Sahara requires consideration of multiple factors in addition to orbital and greenhouse gas forcings.

Green Sahara Period↗

NASA NTRS2023

High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) User Guide Version 1.0

Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) has been identified as a key technology to enable and facilitate the development and growth of future space networks. Classically, space communications networks are collections of disparate links that are manually managed either point-to-point or use space relays. The accelerating accessibility of space enables a new scaling of space nodes, yet both the manual management of configurations and scheduling and the lack of structure connecting links precisely prohibit scaling. This challenge gives rise to newer and larger classes of communications needs that are met by DTN, which must overcome the disconnection, disruption, latency, and mobility featured in space communications systems. DTN joins the underlying links as an overlay, and can be made to communicate over any protocol stack. The core actions of DTN are store, carry, and forward, where data are stored instead of dropped if there is no immediately available outduct. It does this by taking the DTN unit of data, bundles, and providing necessary layers to adapt these bundles to the underlying transport protocols of choice; these are called convergence layers. DTN's Bundle Protocol (BP) can then be used on top of terrestrial protocol stacks, such as TCP/IP, as well as protocols for space, such as LTP/AOS, all in the same network. For emphasis it is noted that bundles can be of essentially any size, and hence this convergence to lower layers of choice is necessary. Existing DTN implementations have operated in constrained environments with limited resources, resulting in low data speeds. However, as various technologies have advanced, data transfer rates and efficiency have advanced, which has pushed the need for a DTN implementation for ground systems and for spacecraft that is performance-oriented in order to not impose an unnecessary bottleneck. High-rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) takes advantage of modern hardware platforms to substantially reduce latency and improve throughput compared to today’s DTN operations. The HDTN implementation maintains interoperability with existing deployments of DTN that conform to IETF RFCs 4838, 5050, and 9171. At the same time, HDTN defines a new data format better suited to higher-rate operation. It defines and adopts a massively parallel pipelined and message-oriented architecture, allowing the system to scale gracefully as its resources increase. HDTN’s architecture also supports hooks to replace various processing pipeline elements with specialized hardware accelerators. This offers improved Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) characteristics while reducing development complexity and cost.

Delay Tolerant Networking↗

NASA NTRS2022

Sources, Transport and Visibility Impact of Ambient Submicrometer Particle Size Distributions in an Urban Area of Central Taiwan

This study applied positive matrix factorization (PMF) to identify the sources of size-resolved submicrometer (10–1000 nm) particles and quantify their contributions to impaired visibility based on the particle number size distributions (PNSDs), aerosol light extinction (b p ), air pollutants (PM 10 , PM 2.5 , SO 2 , O 3 , and NO), and meteorological parameters (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and ultraviolet index) measured hourly over an urban basin in central Taiwan between 2017 and 2021. The transport of source-specific PNSDs was evaluated with wind and back trajectory analyses. The PMF revealed six sources to the total particle number (TPN), surface (TPS), volume (TPV), and b p . Factor 1 (F1), the key contributor to TPN (35.0 %), represented nucleation (<25 nm) particles associated with fresh traffic emission and secondary new particle formation, which were transported from the west-southwest by stronger winds (>2.2 m s -1 ). F2 represented the large Aitken (50–100 nm) particles transported regionally via northerly winds, whereas F3 represented large accumulation (300–1000 nm) particles, which showed elevated concentrations under stagnant conditions (<1.1 m s −1 ). F4 represented small Aitken (25–50 nm) particles arising from the growth and transport of the nucleation particles (F1) via west-southwesterly winds. F5 represented large Aitken particles originating from combustion-related SO 2 sources and carried by west-northwesterly winds. F6 represented small accumulation (100–300 nm) particles emitted both by local sources and by the remote SO 2 sources found for F5. Overall, large accumulation particles (F3) played the greatest role in determining the TPV (66.4 %) and TPS (34.8 %), and their contribution to bp increased markedly from 17.3 % to 40.7 % as visibility decreased, indicating that TPV and TPS are better metrics than TPN for estimating b p . Furthermore, slow-moving air masses—and therefore stagnant conditions—facilitate the build-up of accumulation mode particles (F3 + F6), resulting in the poorest visibility.

source apportionment↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Millimeter Wave Doppler Radar Testing Using the Lunar Regolith Ejecta Simulator

A linear conveyor system has been devised to maintain lunar regolith simulant at a range of velocities, distances, angles, particle densities, and particle sizes. The Lunar Regolith Ejecta Simulator (LuRES) system shall test prototype and potential flight instrumentation for measuring the velocities of regolith particles accelerated by a plume-surface interaction (PSI) and determining effects of particle number densities and particle size distributions on return signals. Here we present the results of initial LuRES testing of the Millimeter Wave Doppler Radar (MWDR) instrument. The LuRES system held a single, ~900 µm BP-1 lunar regolith simulant particle at a continuous ~5 m/s velocity. The return signal of the MWDR from this LuRES configuration was analyzed to calibrate the MWDR instrument. Further testing is planned for the remaining of 2023 to calibrate the MWDR for various particle sizes and densities at a continuous velocity. These results will be presented in the final paper.

PSI↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Influence of the Mid-Holocene Green Sahara on South American Climate

Paleoclimatic data from pollen, speleothem and sedimentary records indicate a weakening of the South American Monsoon in the mid-Holocene (MH: 6,000 years BP), which occurred coevally with the intensification of the West African Monsoon. The reduction in precipitation over South America is also simulated by various models which account for changes in orbital forcings and greenhouse gas concentrations between the present day and the mid-Holocene. However, most model studies do not account for vegetation changes, which precludes realistic simulations, especially due to the presence and far-afield impacts of the Green Sahara. In this study, we evaluate precipitation over South America during the mid-Holocene from four models, namely – EC-Earth 3.1, iCESM 1.2, CCSM4-Toronto and GISS Model E2.1-G. Two scenarios are considered for each model – an MHPMIP scenario simulated with the mid-Holocene orbital parameters and greenhouse gas concentrations with vegetation prescribed to pre-industrial conditions, as well as an MHGS (Green Sahara) scenario which additionally considers factors such as enhanced vegetation, reduced dust, presence of lakes, and land and soil feedbacks. Incorporating the Green Sahara leads to an amplification of the drying signal over South America and brings it more in line with the proxy reconstructions. We also present a semi-quantitative assessment of the proxy-model agreement. Our work indicates that it is important to consider changes over northern Africa while studying South American climate of the mid-Holocene.

GISS-E2-1 model↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Development of the Dust Ejecta Radar Technology (DERT) to Determine Plume-Surface Interaction Ejecta Velocities on Planetary Surfaces

Here we present a novel use of millimeter wave doppler radar to measure the velocity of ejecta generated by the impingement of rocket plumes on a planetary surface. The Dust Ejecta Radar Technology (DERT) provides a unique dataset based on direct measurements of ejecta particle velocities during plume-surface interactions. DERT is a continuous wave (CW) 94 GHz radar unit that is being developed at Kennedy Space Center. DERT has measured velocities of a pendulum (~ 1 m/s), a rotating strip (60 m/s), projected regolith simulant BP-1 (~ 250 m/s) and rifle rounds (~ 820 m/s). Signal-to-Noise Ratios of up to 60 dB have been demonstrated. Data collected from DERT will inform the development of high-fidelity computational models of plume-surface interaction effects and will help address NASA Strategic Knowledge Gaps related to characterizing entry, descent and landing effects, and the risks associated with high-speed ejecta on the lander and lunar surface assets.

PSI↗