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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.

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At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

POLARIZED LINE FORMATION IN MULTI-DIMENSIONAL MEDIA. II. A FAST METHOD TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH PARTIAL FREQUENCY REDISTRIBUTION

In the previous paper of this series, we presented a formulation of the polarized radiative transfer equation for resonance scattering with partial frequency redistribution (PRD) in multi-dimensional media for a two-level atom model with unpolarized ground level, using the irreducible spherical tensors T{sub Q}{sup K}(i, {Omega}) for polarimetry. We also presented a polarized approximate lambda iteration method to solve this equation using the Jacobi iteration scheme. The formal solution used was based on a simple finite volume technique. In this paper, we develop a faster and more efficient method which uses the projection techniques applied to the radiative transfer equation (the Stabilized Preconditioned Bi-Conjugate Gradient method). We now use a more accurate formal solver, namely the well-known two-dimensional (2D) short characteristics method. Using the numerical method developed in Paper I, we can consider only simpler cases of finite 2D slabs due to computational limitations. Using the method developed in this paper, we could compute PRD solutions in 2D media in the more difficult context of semi-infinite 2D slabs also. We present several solutions which may serve as benchmarks in future studies in this area.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1977

Research study on neutral thermodynamic atmospheric model

The Global Reference Atmospheric Model is used along with the revised perturbation statistics to evaluate and computer graph various atmospheric statistics along a space shuttle reference mission and abort trajectory. The trajectory plots are height vs. ground range, with height from ground level to 155 km and ground range along the reentry trajectory. Cross sectional plots, height vs. latitude or longitude, are also generated for 80 deg longitude, with heights from 30 km to 90 km and latitude from -90 deg to +90 deg, and for 45 deg latitude, with heights from 30 km to 90 km and longitudes from 180 deg E to 180 deg W. The variables plotted are monthly average pressure, density, temperature, wind components, and wind speed and standard deviations and 99th inter-percentile range for each of these variables.

Hargraves, W. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Remote infrared heterodyne radiometer measurements of atmospheric ammonia profiles

An infrared heterodyne radiometer has been used to study the seasonal variation of the vertical distribution of atmospheric ammonia. The ammonia profiles are inferred from high-resolution atmospheric solar transmittance measurements around the ammonia absorption feature at 927.32323 kaysers. The transmittance data are obtained from six IF channels with spectral resolutions ranging from .0067 to .033 kaysers. Results from this study show a marked decrease in the tropospheric ammonia level with a decrease at ground level from approximately 10 ppb in March 1979 to 1.3 ppb in August 1979.

Hoell, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Extracting spectral albedo from NOAA-9 AVHRR multiple view data using an atmospheric correction procedure and an expert system

A 100 km by 200 km area of the Sahel was selected to demonstrate a new method of extracting hemispherical reflectance (albedo) from directional satellite data. Utilizing a stratification of the Gao region of Mali based on soil texture, satellite data for homogeneous areas were selected. These data were employed in a knowledge-based expert system called VEG, which is designed to handle a wide variety of types of input data. The calculated directional reflectance factors at ground level are very similar to ground measurements noted in the literature.

Kimes, D. S.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Single Event Transient Analysis of an SOI Operational Amplifier for Use in Low-Temperature Martian Exploration

The next generation of Martian rover#s to be launched by JPL are to examine polar regions where temperatures are extremely low and the absence of an earth-like atmosphere results in high levels of cosmic radiation at ground level. Cosmic rays lead to a plethora of radiation effects including Single Event Transients (SET) which can severely degrade microelectronic functionality. As such, a radiation-hardened, temperature compensated CMOS Single-On-Insulator (SOI) Operational Amplifier has been designed for JPL by the University of Tennessee and fabricated by Honeywell using the SOI V process. SOI technology has been shownto be far less sensitive to transient effects than both bulk and epilayer Si. Broad beam heavy-ion tests at the University of Texas A&M using Kr and Xebeams of energy 25MeV/amu were performed to ascertain the duration and severity of the SET for the op-amp configured for a low and high gain application. However, some ambiguity regarding the location of transient formation required the use of a focused MeV ion microbeam. A 36MeV O6(+) microbeam. the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) was used to image and verify regions of particular concern. This is a viewgraph presentation

operational amplifier↗
NASA NTRS1987

Noise propagation from a four-engine, propeller-driven airplane

A flight experiment was conducted to investigate the propagation of periodic low-frequency noise from a propeller-driven airplane. The test airplane was a large four-engine, propeller-driven airplane flown at altitudes from 15 to 500 m over the end of an 1800-m-long, 22-element microphone array. The acoustic data were reduced by a one-third octave-band analysis. The primary propagation quantities computed were lateral attenuation and ground effects, both of which become significant at shallow elevation angles. Scatter in the measured results largely obscured the physics of the low-frequency noise propagation. Variability of the noise source, up to 9.5 dB over a 2-sec interval, was the major contributor to the data scatter. The microphones mounted at ground level produced more consistent results with less scatter than those mounted 1.2 m above ground. The ground noise levels were found to be greater on the port side than on the starboard side.

Willshire, William L., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2011

Annual report of monitoring at Morrill, Kansas, in 2010.

Carbon tetrachloride contamination in groundwater at Morrill, Kansas, was initially identified in 1985 during statewide testing of public water supply wells for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). High levels of nitrate were also present in the wells. The city of Morrill is located in Brown County in the northeastern corner of the state, about 7 mi east of Sabetha. The population of Morrill as of the 2000 census was approximately 277. All residents of Morrill now obtain their drinking water from the Sabetha municipal water system via a pipeline constructed in 1991. Starting in 1922, eight different public wells formerly served the Morrill municipal system at some time. Because of poor water quality, including high nitrate levels attributed to numerous animal feeding operations in the vicinity and application of fertilizer on agricultural lands, use of the local groundwater from any public well for municipal supply purposes was terminated in 1991 in favor of obtaining water from the Sabetha municipal water system. Investigations of the carbon tetrachloride and nitrate contamination by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) in 1989, 1994, and 1996 (KDHE 1989; GeoCore 1994a-e, 1996) identified a localized plume of carbon tetrachloride in groundwater extending downgradient from a grain storage facility located in the northwestern section of Morrill. The facility was formerly operated by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), from 1950 to 1971. Since termination of the CCC/USDA grain storage operations in 1971, the property and existing grain bins have been used for private grain storage up to the present time. Prior to 1986, commercial grain fumigants were commonly used by the CCC/USDA, as well as private and commercial grain storage operations, to preserve grain. Because the identified carbon tetrachloride contamination could in part be linked to historical use of carbon tetrachloride-based fumigants at its former facility, in 2003 the CCC/USDA assumed responsibility for the site investigation of the carbon tetrachloride contamination. The CCC/USDA involvement began with development and implementation of a work plan for a Phase I expedited site characterization (Argonne 2003). That investigation and subsequent investigations (Argonne 2004, 2005a) were performed by the Environmental Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary research center operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The CCC/USDA has entered into an interagency agreement with DOE, under which Argonne continues to provide technical assistance to the CCC/USDA with environmental site characterization and remediation at its former grain storage facilities. The initial investigation by the CCC/USDA in 2003 determined that soils at the former facility have not been impacted by grain fumigation activities. Neither carbon tetrachloride nor chloroform was detected in near-surface soils or in subsurface soils collected to bedrock or to a depth of 15 ft below ground level (BGL). Therefore, no identifiable human health risk is associated with either carbon tetrachloride or chloroform in shallow soils, which additionally pose no further threat of contamination to groundwater. High carbon tetrachloride concentrations in groundwater (maximum 390 {micro}g/L in a sample collected from monitoring well MW3S - located on the former CCC/USDA property - in 1995) have declined significantly during long-term monitoring by the KDHE and currently by the CCC/USDA. Maximum levels within the plume of < 50 {micro}g/L at present confirm that no continuing soil source remains at the former CCC/USDA facility. Nevertheless, carbon tetrachloride concentrations exceeding the KDHE Tier 2 risk-based screening level of 5.0 {micro}g/L remain. In September 2005, the CCC/USDA initiated periodic sampling of groundwater at Morrill, in accord with a monitoring program approved by the state (KDHE 2005), to monitor carbon tetrachloride concentrations in the groundwater. Under the KDHE-approved monitoring plan (Argonne 2005b), groundwater was initially sampled twice yearly for a period of two years. The samples were analyzed for VOCs, as well as for selected geochemical parameters to aid in the evaluation of possible natural contaminant degradation (reductive dechlorination) processes in the subsurface environment. The data have been inconclusive overall, possibly because of the relatively low contaminant concentrations in the plume. Nevertheless, consistently low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) at monitoring well MW1D (in the deepest portion of the contaminated aquifer) and the presence of chloroform (the primary degradation product of carbon tetrachloride) suggest that some degree of reductive dechlorination is occurring.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Luminescence properties of IR-emitting bismuth centres in SiO{sub 2}-based glasses in the UV to near-IR spectral region

We have studied UV excitation spectra of IR luminescence in bismuth-doped glasses of various compositions and obtained energy level diagrams of IR-emitting bismuth-related active centres (BACs) associated with silicon and germanium atoms up to ∼5.2 eV over the ground level. A possible energy level diagram of the BACs in phosphosilicate glass has been proposed. The UV excitation peaks for the IR luminescence of the BACs in the glasses have been shown to considerably overlap with absorption bands of the Bi{sup 3+} ion, suggesting that Bi{sup 3+} may participate in BAC formation. (optical fibres)

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2007

High Spatial Resolution Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing Data for Analysis of the Atlanta, Georgia, Urban Heat Island Effect and Its Impacts on the Environment

The twenty-first century is the first "urban century" according to the United Nations Development Program. The focus of cities reflects awareness of the growing percentage of the world's population that lives in urban areas. In environmental terms, cities are the original producers of many of the global problems related to waste disposal, air and water pollution, and associated environmental and ecological challenges. Expansion of cities, both in population and areal extent, is a relentless process. In 2000, approximately 3 billion people representing about 40% of the global population, resided in urban areas. Urban population will continue to rise substantially over the next several decades according to UN estimates, and most of this growth will Occur in developing countries. The UN estimates that by 2025, 60% of the world's population will live in urban areas. As a consequence, the number of"megacities" (those cities with populations of 10 million inhabitants or more) will increase by 100 by 2025. Thus, there is a critical need to understand urban areas and what their impacts are on environmental, ecological and hydrologic resources, as well as on the local, regional, and even global climate. One of the more egregious side effects of urbanization is the increase in surface and air temperatures that lead to deterioration in air quality. In the United States, under the more stringent air quality guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1997, nearly 300 counties in 34 states will not meet these new air quality standards for ground level ozone. Mitigation of the urban heat island (UHI) effect is actively being evaluated as a possible way to reduce ground ozone levels in cities and assist states in improving air quality. Foremost in the analysis of how the UHI affects air quality and other environmental factors is the use of remote sensing technology and data to characterize urban land covers in sufficient detail to quantifiably measure the impact of increased urban heating on air quality. The urban landscape impacts surface thermal energy exchanges that determine development of the UHI. This paper will illustrate how we are using high spatial remote sensing data collected over the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area in conjunction with other geographic information, to perform a detailed urban land cover classification and to determine the contribution of these land covers to the urban heat island effect. Also, the spatial arrangement of the land covers and the impact on urban heating from these selected patterns of development are evaluated. Additionally, this paper will show how these data are being used as inputs to improve air quality modeling for Atlanta, including potential benefits from UHI mitigation.

Quattrochi, Dale A.↗
DOE OSTI2011

Coherence of a qubit stored in Zeeman levels of a single optically trapped atom

We experimentally investigate the coherence properties of a qubit stored in the Zeeman substates of the 5{sup 2}S{sub 1/2}, F=1 hyperfine ground level of a single optically trapped {sup 87}Rb atom. Larmor precession of a single atomic spin-1 system is observed by preparing the atom in a defined initial spin state and then measuring the resulting state after a programmable period of free evolution. Additionally, by performing quantum-state tomography, maximum knowledge about the spin coherence is gathered. By using an active magnetic field stabilization and without application of a magnetic guiding field, we achieve transverse and longitudinal dephasing times of T{sub 2}{sup *}=75-150 {mu}s and T{sub 1}>0.5 ms, respectively. We derive the light-shift distribution of a single atom in the approximately harmonic potential of a dipole trap and show that the measured atomic spin coherence is limited mainly by residual position- and state-dependent effects in the optical trapping potential. The improved understanding enables longer coherence times, an important prerequisite for future applications in long-distance quantum communication and computation with atoms in optical lattices, or for a loophole-free test of Bell's inequality.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2019

Measurements of L-shell X-ray Emission lines of Neonlike Europium on an Electron Beam Ion Trap

We report a measurement of the two X-ray transitions that proceed from the (1s22s22p51∕23d3∕2)J=1 and (1s22s1/22p63p1/2)J =1 upper levels to the (1s22s22p6)J =0 ground level in neonlike Eu53+ (Z = 63), that is, near the previously documented avoided crossing of the two upper levels at Z = 68. The measurement was carried out using the calorimeter spectrometer on the Livermore EBIT-I electron beam ion trap. It affirms the trends set by the neighboring neonlike ions both in terms of the relative intensity of the two lines and in terms of the magnitude of disagreement with theoretical energy level predictions.

Peter Beiersdorfer↗
DOE OSTI2012

Assessing methane oxidation under landfill covers and its contribution to the above atmospheric CO{sub 2} levels: The added value of the isotope ({delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 18}O CO{sub 2}; {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}D CH{sub 4}) approach

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Comparison of the isotope and mass balance approaches to evaluate the level of methane oxidation within a landfill. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The level of methane oxidation is not homogenous under the landfill cover and is strongly correlated to the methane flux. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Isotope tracking of the contribution of the methane oxidation to the CO{sub 2} concentrations in the ambient air. - Abstract: We are presenting here a multi-isotope approach ({delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 18}O of CO{sub 2}; {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}D of CH{sub 4}) to assess (i) the level(s) of methane oxidation during waste biodegradation and its migration through a landfill cover in Sonzay (France), and (ii) its contribution to the atmospheric CO{sub 2} levels above the surface. The isotope approach is compared to the more conventional mass balance approach. Results from the two techniques are comparable and show that the CH{sub 4} oxidation under the landfill cover is heterogenous, with low oxidation percentages in samples showing high biogas fluxes, which was expected in clay covers presenting fissures, through which CH{sub 4} is rapidly transported. At shallow depth, more immobile biogas pockets show a higher level of CH{sub 4} oxidation by the methanotrophic bacteria. {delta}{sup 13}C of CO{sub 2} samples taken at different heights (from below the cover up to 8 m above the ground level) were also used to identify and assess the relative contributions of its main sources both under the landfill cover and in the surrounding atmosphere.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

A stepped leader model for lightning including charge distribution in branched channels

The stepped leader process in negative cloud-to-ground lightning plays a vital role in lightning protection analysis. As lightning discharge usually presents significant branched or tortuous channels, the charge distribution along the branched channels and the stochastic feature of stepped leader propagation were investigated in this paper. The charge density along the leader channel and the charge in the leader tip for each lightning branch were approximated by introducing branch correlation coefficients. In combination with geometric characteristics of natural lightning discharge, a stochastic stepped leader propagation model was presented based on the fractal theory. By comparing simulation results with the statistics of natural lightning discharges, it was found that the fractal dimension of lightning trajectory in simulation was in the range of that observed in nature and the calculation results of electric field at ground level were in good agreement with the measurements of a negative flash, which shows the validity of this proposed model. Furthermore, a new equation to estimate the lightning striking distance to flat ground was suggested based on the present model. The striking distance obtained by this new equation is smaller than the value estimated by previous equations, which indicates that the traditional equations may somewhat overestimate the attractive effect of the ground.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

ON THE SOURCE OF ASTROMETRIC ANOMALOUS REFRACTION

More than a century ago, astronomers using transit telescopes to determine precise stellar positions were hampered by an unexplained periodic shifting of the stars they were observing. With the advent of CCD transit telescopes in the past three decades, this unexplained motion, termed 'anomalous refraction' by these early astronomers, is again being observed. Anomalous refraction is described as a low-frequency, large angular scale ({approx}2 Degree-Sign ) motion of the entire image plane with respect to the celestial coordinate system as observed and defined by astrometric catalogs. These motions, of typically several tenths of an arcsecond amplitude with timescales on the order of 10 minutes, are ubiquitous to ground-based drift-scan astrometric measurements regardless of location or telescopes used and have been attributed to the effect of tilting of equal-density layers of the atmosphere. The cause of this tilting has often been attributed to atmospheric gravity waves, but this cause has never been confirmed. Although theoretical models of atmospheric refraction show that atmospheric gravity waves are a plausible cause of anomalous refraction, an observational campaign specifically directed at defining this relationship provides clear evidence that anomalous refraction is not consistent with the passage of atmospheric gravity waves. The source of anomalous refraction is found to be meter-scale, slowly evolving quasi-coherent dynamical structures in the boundary layer below 60 m above ground level.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Structural, Optical, and Dielectric Studies on Sr-Doped Biferroic YCrO{sub 3}

In this work, the solid-state synthesis of Y{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}CrO{sub 3} (x = 0.0, 0.1) samples has been reported. The X-ray diffraction data analysis confirmed that the synthesized samples have crystallized into the orthorhombic phase with the assigned space group Pbnm. The Rietveld refinement of the XRD data confirmed the structure and other related parameters. The slight variation in the lattice parameters and negligible shift in the reflection peaks reveals the uniform dispersion of Sr at Y-site in the parent YCrO{sub 3} matrix. The dielectric characterization revealed the good dielectric nature of the prepared samples which decreases with Sr doping. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed that an agglomeration type process has taken place in the sample preparation. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) characterization witnessed the formation of orthorhombic phase of the samples under study displaying sharp absorption bands corresponding to Cr–O stretching, Y/Sr–O stretching, and O–Cr–O deformation vibration, respectively. UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis revealed the dual direct allowed bandgap of the samples assigned to the Cr{sup 3+} ion transition in the ground level.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2008

Two Empirical Models for Land-falling Hurricane Gust Factors

Gaussian and lognormal models for gust factors as a function of height and mean windspeed in land-falling hurricanes are presented. The models were empirically derived using data from 2004 hurricanes Frances and Jeanne and independently verified using data from 2005 hurricane Wilma. The data were collected from three wind towers at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station with instrumentation at multiple levels from 12 to 500 feet above ground level. An additional 200-foot tower was available for the verification. Mean wind speeds from 15 to 60 knots were included in the data. The models provide formulas for the mean and standard deviation of the gust factor given the mean windspeed and height above ground. These statistics may then be used to assess the probability of exceeding a specified peak wind threshold of operational significance given a specified mean wind speed.

Merceret, Franics J.↗
DOE OSTI2011

Modeling Smoke Plume-Rise and Dispersion from Southern United States Prescribed Burns with Daysmoke.

We present Daysmoke, an empirical-statistical plume rise and dispersion model for simulating smoke from prescribed burns. Prescribed fires are characterized by complex plume structure including multiple-core updrafts which makes modeling with simple plume models difficult. Daysmoke accounts for plume structure in a three-dimensional veering/sheering atmospheric environment, multiple-core updrafts, and detrainment of particulate matter. The number of empirical coefficients appearing in the model theory is reduced through a sensitivity analysis with the Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST). Daysmoke simulations for 'bent-over' plumes compare closely with Briggs theory although the two-thirds law is not explicit in Daysmoke. However, the solutions for the 'highly-tilted' plume characterized by weak buoyancy, low initial vertical velocity, and large initial plume diameter depart considerably from Briggs theory. Results from a study of weak plumes from prescribed burns at Fort Benning GA showed simulated ground-level PM2.5 comparing favorably with observations taken within the first eight kilometers of eleven prescribed burns. Daysmoke placed plume tops near the lower end of the range of observed plume tops for six prescribed burns. Daysmoke provides the levels and amounts of smoke injected into regional scale air quality models. Results from CMAQ with and without an adaptive grid are presented.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

A KEY PHYSICAL MECHANISM FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ENIGMATIC LINEAR POLARIZATION OF THE SOLAR Ba II AND Na I D{sub 1} LINES

The linearly polarized spectrum of the solar limb radiation produced by scattering processes is of great diagnostic potential for exploring the magnetism of the solar atmosphere. This spectrum shows an impressive richness of spectral details and enigmatic Q/I signals, whose physical origin must be clearly understood before they can be exploited for diagnostic purposes. The most enduring enigma is represented by the polarization signals observed in the D{sub 1} resonance lines of Na I (5896 A) and Ba II (4934 A), which were expected to be intrinsically unpolarizable. The totality of sodium and 18% of barium have hyperfine structure (HFS), and it has been argued that the only way to produce a scattering polarization signal in such lines is through the presence of a substantial amount of atomic polarization in their lower HFS levels. The strong sensitivity of these long-lived levels to depolarizing mechanisms led to the paradoxical conclusion that the observed D{sub 1}-line polarization is incompatible with the presence in the lower solar chromosphere of inclined magnetic fields sensibly stronger than 0.01 G. Here we show that by properly taking into account the fact that the solar D{sub 1}-line radiation has a non-negligible spectral structure over the short frequency interval spanned by the HFS transitions, it is possible to produce scattering polarization signals in the D{sub 1} lines of Na I and Ba II without the need of ground-level polarization. The resulting linear polarization is not so easily destroyed by elastic collisions and/or magnetic fields.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗