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At least 253 records · Page 14

Internal Consistency of the NVAP Water Vapor Dataset

The NVAP (NASA Water Vapor Project) dataset is a global dataset at 1 x 1 degree spatial resolution consisting of daily, pentad, and monthly atmospheric precipitable water (PW) products. The analysis blends measurements from the Television and Infrared Operational Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS), the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), and radiosonde observations into a daily collage of PW. The original dataset consisted of five years of data from 1988 to 1992. Recent updates have added three additional years (1993-1995) and incorporated procedural and algorithm changes from the original methodology. Since each of the PW sources (TOVS, SSM/I, and radiosonde) do not provide global coverage, each of these sources compliment one another by providing spatial coverage over regions and during times where the other is not available. For this type of spatial and temporal blending to be successful, each of the source components should have similar or compatible accuracies. If this is not the case, regional and time varying biases may be manifested in the NVAP dataset. This study examines the consistency of the NVAP source data by comparing daily collocated TOVS and SSM/I PW retrievals with collocated radiosonde PW observations. The daily PW intercomparisons are performed over the time period of the dataset and for various regions.

Suggs, Ronnie J.↗

TiCl, TiH and TiH+ Bond Energies, a Test of a Correlation Consistent Ti Basis Set

Correlation consistent basis sets are developed for Ti atom. The polarization functions are optimized for the average of the 3F and 5F states. One series of correlation consistent basis sets is for 3d and 4s correlation, while the second series includes 3s and 3p correlation as well as 3d and 4s correlation. These basis sets are tested using the Ti 3F-5F separation and the dissociation energies of TiCl X4Phi, TiH X4Phi, and TiH(+) X3Phi. The CCSD(T) complete basis set limit values are determined by extrapolation. The Douglas Kroll approach is used to compute the scalar relativistic effect. Spin-orbit effects are taken from experiment and/or computed at the CASSCF level. The Ti 3F-5F separation is in excellent agreement with experiment, while the TiCl, TiH, and TiH(+) bond energies are in good agreement with experiment. Extrapolation with the valence basis set is consistent with other atoms, while including 3s and 3p correlation appears to make extrapolation.

Bauschlicher, Charles W., Jr.↗

New Interstellar Dust Models Consistent with Interstellar Extinction, Emission and Abundances Constraints

We present new interstellar dust models that are consistent with both, the FUV to near-IR extinction and infrared (IR) emission measurements from the diffuse interstellar medium. The models are characterized by different dust compositions and abundances. The problem we solve consists of determining the size distribution of the various dust components of the model. This problem is a typical ill-posed inversion problem which we solve using the regularization approach. We reproduce the Li Draine (2001, ApJ, 554, 778) results, however their model requires an excessive amount of interstellar silicon (48 ppM of hydrogen compared to the 36 ppM available for an ISM of solar composition) to be locked up in dust. We found that dust models consisting of PAHs, amorphous silicate, graphite, and composite grains made up from silicates, organic refractory, and water ice, provide an improved fit to the extinction and IR emission measurements, while still requiring a subsolar amount of silicon to be in the dust. This research was supported by NASA Astrophysical Theory Program NRA 99-OSS-01.

Zubko, V.↗

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: The 2-7 May 1998 Storm

A complete description of a self-consistent model of magnetospheric ring current interacting with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves is presented. The model is based on the system of two kinetic equations; one equation describes the ring current ion dynamics, and another equation describes the wave evolution. The effects on ring current ions interacting with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and back on waves are considered self-consistently by solving both equations on a global magnetospheric scale under nonsteady state conditions. The developed model is employed to simulate the entire 2-7 May 1998 storm period. First, the trapped number fluxes of the ring current protons are calculated and presented along with comparison with the data measured by the three- dimensional hot plasma instrument Polar/HYDRA. Incorporating in the model the wave-particle interaction leads to much better agreement between the experimental data and the model results. Second, examining of the wave (MLT, L shell) distributions produced by the model during the storm progress reveals an essential intensification of the wave emission about 2 days after the main phase of the storm. This result is well consistent with the earlier ground-based observations. Finally, the theoretical shapes and the occurrence rates of the wave power spectral densities are studied. It is found that about 2 days after the storm s main phase on 4 May, mainly non-Gaussian shapes of power spectral densities are produced.

Khazanov, G. V.↗

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: Waves in Multi Ion Magnetosphere - 1

The further development of a self-consistent theoretical model of interacting ring current ions and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves [Khazanov et al., 2003] is presented. In order to adequately take into account the wave propagation and refraction in a multi-ion plasmasphere, we explicitly include the ray tracing equations in our previous self-consistent model and use the general form of the wave kinetic equation. This is a major new feature of the present model and, to the best of our knowledge, the ray tracing equations for the first time are explicitly employed on a global magnetospheric scale in order to self-consistently simulate spatial, temporal, and spectral evolutions of the ring current and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. To demonstrate the effects of EMIC wave propagation and refraction on the EMIC wave energy distributions and evolution we simulate the May 1998 storm. The main findings of our simulation can be summarized as follows. First, due to the density gradient at the plasmapause, the net wave refraction is suppressed, and He(+)-mode grows preferably at plasmapause. This result is in a total agreement with the previous ray tracing studies, and very clear observed in presented B-field spectrograms. Second, comparison the global wave distributions with the results from other ring current model [Kozyra et al., 1997] reveals that our model provides more intense and higher plasmapause organized distributions during the May, 1998 storm period. Finally, the found He(+)-mode energy distributions are not Gaussian distributions, and most important that wave energy can occupy not only the region of generation, i. e. the region of small wave normal angles, but the entire wave normal angle region and even only the region near 90 degrees. The latter is extremely crucial for energy transfer to thermal plasmaspheric electrons by resonant Landau damping, and subsequent downward heat transport and excitation of stable auroral red arcs.

Khazanov, G. V.↗

Self-Consistent Ring Current Modeling with Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Presence of Heavy Ions

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMIC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies 21 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMIC wave scattering during a magnetic storm. That is why the modeling of EMIC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. To describe the RC evolution itself this study uses the ring current-atmosphere interaction model (RAM). RAM solves the gyration and bounce-averaged Boltzmann-Landau equation inside of geosynchronous orbit. Originally developed at the University of Michigan, there are now several branches of this model currently in use as describe by Liemohn namely those at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMIC waves that has been developed by Khazanov and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMIC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMIC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at GEM meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMIC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMIC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

Khazanov, George V.↗

Self-Consistent Ring Current Modeling with Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Presence of Heavy Ions

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMlC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies greater than or equal to 1 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMlC wave scattering during a magnetic storm (Summers and Thorne, 2003; Albert, 2003). That is why the modeling of EMlC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMlC waves that has been developed by Khazanov et al. [2002, 2003] and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMlC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMlC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at Huntsville 2006 meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMlC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMlC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

Khazanov, G. V.↗

Self-Consistent Ring Current/Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves Modeling

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMIC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. For example, the EMlC waves cause the RC decay on a time scale of about one hour or less during the main phase of storms. The oblique EMIC waves damp due to Landau resonance with the thermal plasmaspheric electrons, and subsequent transport of the dissipating wave energy into the ionosphere below causes an ionosphere temperature enhancement. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies 21 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMIC wave scattering during a magnetic storm. That is why the modeling of EMIC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMIC waves that has been developed by Khazanov et al. [2002, 2003] and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMIC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMIC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at the meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMIC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMIC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

Khazanov, G. V.↗

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: Waves in Multi-Ion Magnetosphere

The further development of a self-consistent theoretical model of interacting ring current ions and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves (Khazanov et al., 2003) is presented In order to adequately take into account wave propagation and refraction in a multi-ion magnetosphere, we explicitly include the ray tracing equations in our previous self-consistent model and use the general form of the wave kinetic equation. This is a major new feature of the present model and, to the best of our knowledge, the ray tracing equations for the first time are explicitly employed on a global magnetospheric scale in order to self-consistently simulate the spatial, temporal, and spectral evolution of the ring current and of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves To demonstrate the effects of EMIC wave propagation and refraction on the wave energy distribution and evolution, we simulate the May 1998 storm. The main findings of our simulation can be summarized as follows. First, owing to the density gradient at the plasmapause, the net wave refraction is suppressed, and He+-mode grows preferably at the plasmapause. This result is in total agreement with previous ray tracing studies and is very clearly found in presented B field spectrograms. Second, comparison of global wave distributions with the results from another ring current model (Kozyra et al., 1997) reveals that this new model provides more intense and more highly plasmapause-organized wave distributions during the May 1998 storm period Finally, it is found that He(+)-mode energy distributions are not Gaussian distributions and most important that wave energy can occupy not only the region of generation, i.e., the region of small wave normal angles, but all wave normal angles, including those to near 90 . The latter is extremely crucial for energy transfer to thermal plasmaspheric electrons by resonant Landau damping and subsequent downward heat transport and excitation of stable auroral red arcs.

Khazanov, G. V.↗

Self-consistent Model of Magnetospheric Electric Field, RC and EMIC Waves

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are an important magnetospheric emission, which is excited near the magnetic equator with frequencies below the proton gyro-frequency. The source of bee energy for wave growth is provided by temperature anisotropy of ring current (RC) ions, which develops naturally during inward convection from the plasma sheet These waves strongly affect the dynamic s of resonant RC ions, thermal electrons and ions, and the outer radiation belt relativistic electrons, leading to non-adiabatic particle heating and/or pitch-angle scattering and loss to the atmosphere. The rate of ion and electron scattering/heating is strongly controlled by the Wave power spectral and spatial distributions, but unfortunately, the currently available observational information regarding EMIC wave power spectral density is poor. So combinations of reliable data and theoretical models should be utilized in order to obtain the power spectral density of EMIC waves over the entire magnetosphere throughout the different storm phases. In this study, we present the simulation results, which are based on two coupled RC models that our group has developed. The first model deals with the large-scale magnetosphere-ionosphere electrodynamic coupling, and provides a self-consistent description of RC ions/electrons and the magnetospheric electric field. The second model is based on a coupled system of two kinetic equations, one equation describes the RC ion dynamics and another equation describes the power spectral density evolution of EMIC waves, and self-consistently treats a micro-scale electrodynamic coupling of RC and EMIC waves. So far, these two models have been applied independently. However, the large-scale magnetosphere-ionosphere electrodynamics controls the convective patterns of both the RC ions and plasmasphere altering conditions for EMIC wave-particle interaction. In turn, the wave induced RC precipitation Changes the local field-aligned current distributions and the ionospheric conductances, which are crucial for a large-scale electrodynamics. The initial results from this new self-consistent model of the magnetospheric electric field, RC and EMIC waves will be shown in this presentation.

Gamayunov, K. V.↗

Consistency, Verification, and Validation of Turbulence Models for Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Applications

In current practice, it is often difficult to draw firm conclusions about turbulence model accuracy when performing multi-code CFD studies ostensibly using the same model because of inconsistencies in model formulation or implementation in different codes. This paper describes an effort to improve the consistency, verification, and validation of turbulence models within the aerospace community through a website database of verification and validation cases. Some of the variants of two widely-used turbulence models are described, and two independent computer codes (one structured and one unstructured) are used in conjunction with two specific versions of these models to demonstrate consistency with grid refinement for several representative problems. Naming conventions, implementation consistency, and thorough grid resolution studies are key factors necessary for success.

Rumsey, Christopher L.↗

Using Bayesian Networks for Candidate Generation in Consistency-based Diagnosis

Consistency-based diagnosis relies heavily on the assumption that discrepancies between model predictions and sensor observations can be detected accurately. When sources of uncertainty like sensor noise and model abstraction exist robust schemes have to be designed to make a binary decision on whether predictions are consistent with observations. This risks the occurrence of false alarms and missed alarms when an erroneous decision is made. Moreover when multiple sensors (with differing sensing properties) are available the degree of match between predictions and observations can be used to guide the search for fault candidates. In this paper we propose a novel approach to handle this problem using Bayesian networks. In the consistency- based diagnosis formulation, automatically generated Bayesian networks are used to encode a probabilistic measure of fit between predictions and observations. A Bayesian network inference algorithm is used to compute most probable fault candidates.

Narasimhan, Sriram↗

Quality and Consistency of the NASA Ocean Color Data Record

The NASA Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG) recently reprocessed the multimission ocean color time-series from SeaWiFS, MODIS-Aqua, and MODIS-Terra using common algorithms and improved instrument calibration knowledge. Here we present an analysis of the quality and consistency of the resulting ocean color retrievals, including spectral water-leaving reflectance, chlorophyll a concentration, and diffuse attenuation. Statistical analysis of satellite retrievals relative to in situ measurements will be presented for each sensor, as well as an assessment of consistency in the global time-series for the overlapping periods of the missions. Results will show that the satellite retrievals are in good agreement with in situ measurements, and that the sensor ocean color data records are highly consistent over the common mission lifespan for the global deep oceans, but with degraded agreement in higher productivity, higher complexity coastal regions.

Franz, Bryan A.↗

Design Considerations for a Dedicated Gravity Recovery Satellite Mission Consisting of Two Pairs of Satellites

Future satellite missions dedicated to measuring time-variable gravity will need to address the concern of temporal aliasing errors; i.e., errors due to high-frequency mass variations. These errors have been shown to be a limiting error source for future missions with improved sensors. One method of reducing them is to fly multiple satellite pairs, thus increasing the sampling frequency of the mission. While one could imagine a system architecture consisting of dozens of satellite pairs, this paper explores the more economically feasible option of optimizing the orbits of two pairs of satellites. While the search space for this problem is infinite by nature, steps have been made to reduce it via proper assumptions regarding some parameters and a large number of numerical simulations exploring appropriate ranges for other parameters. A search space originally consisting of 15 variables is reduced to two variables with the utmost impact on mission performance: the repeat period of both pairs of satellites (shown to be near-optimal when they are equal to each other), as well as the inclination of one of the satellite pairs (the other pair is assumed to be in a polar orbit). To arrive at this conclusion, we assume circular orbits, repeat groundtracks for both pairs of satellites, a 100-km inter-satellite separation distance, and a minimum allowable operational satellite altitude of 290 km based on a projected 10-year mission lifetime. Given the scientific objectives of determining time-variable hydrology, ice mass variations, and ocean bottom pressure signals with higher spatial resolution, we find that an optimal architecture consists of a polar pair of satellites coupled with a pair inclined at 72deg, both in 13-day repeating orbits. This architecture provides a 67% reduction in error over one pair of satellites, in addition to reducing the longitudinal striping to such a level that minimal post-processing is required, permitting a substantial increase in the spatial resolution of the gravity field products. It should be emphasized that given different sets of scientific objectives for the mission, or a different minimum allowable satellite altitude, different architectures might be selected.

Wiese, D. N.↗

A Consistent AVHRR Visible Calibration Record Based on Multiple Methods Applicable for the NOAA Degrading Orbits: Validation - Part 2

Consistent cross-sensor Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) calibration coefficients are determined using desert, polar ice, and deep convective cloud (DCC) invariant Earth targets. The greatest AVHRR calibration challenge is the slow orbit degradation of the host satellite, which precesses toward a terminator orbit. This issue is solved by characterizing the invariant targets with NOAA-16 AVHRR observed radiances that have been referenced to the Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) calibration using simultaneous nadir overpass (SNO) observations. Another benefit of the NOAA-16 invariant target-modeled reflectance method is that, because of the similarities among the AVHRR spectral response functions, a smaller spectral band adjustment factor is required than when establishing calibrations relative to a non-AVHRR reference instrument. The sensor- and band-specific calibration uncertainties, with respect to the calibration reference, are, on average, 2 percent and 3 percent for channels 1 and 2, respectively. The uncertainties are smaller for sensors that are in afternoon orbits, have longer records, and spend less time in terminator conditions. The multiple invariant targets referenced to Aqua MODIS (MITRAM) AVHRR calibration coefficients are evaluated for individual target consistency, compared against Aqua MODIS/AVHRR SNOs, and selected published calibration gains. The MITRAM and SNO relative calibration biases mostly agree to within 1 percent for channels 1 and 2, respectively. The individual invariant target and MITRAM sensor relative calibration biases are mostly consistent to within 1 percent and 2 percent for channels 1 and 2, respectively. The differences between the MITRAM and other published calibrations are mostly attributed to the reference instrument calibration differences.

Doelling, David R.↗

Consistency Between NASS Surveyed Soil Moisture Conditions and SMAP Soil Moisture Observations

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Survey (NASS) collects and publishes crop growth status and soil moisture conditions in major US agricultural regions. The operationally-produced weekly reports are based on survey information. The surveys are based on visual assessments and ? in the case of soil moisture ? report soil moisture levels in one of four categories (Very Short, Short, Adequate and Surplus). In this study, we show that these reports have remarkable correspondence with the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level-4 Soil Moisture (L4SM) product. This consistency allows the combining the two distinct types of data to produce a value-added combination, which is mapped fields rather than State-by-State tables and it is refreshed daily rather than weekly. In this study classification thresholds are derived for L4SM by mapping cumulative distribution functions of L4SM surface and root-zone SM to the categorical NASS SM conditions. The results show that, year-over-year, the SMAP cumulative SM distributions are consistent with the NASS SM conditions and, furthermore, that the temporal evolution of the SMAP-derived thresholds is consistent with the seasonal crop growth cycles from year to year. The results signify that the SMAP SM retrievals are relatable to SM estimation conducted in agriculture by land managers and farmers, which underlines the general applicability of the SMAP data.

Andreas Colliander↗

A Radiometric Consistent Spectral Fingerprinting Algorithm for Continuity Products of Hyperspectral Sounders

A radiometric consistent climate fingerprinting methodology has been developed to derive long-term temperature, water vapor, cloud, trace gases, and surface skin temperature anomaly time series from the hyper-spectral sounder measurements of multiple platforms. The spectral fingerprinting methodology requires the use of radiative kernels that are radiometrically consistent with observations. Radiative kernels are built using space-time averaged Jacobians that are physically retrieved from observations under all sky conditions. The physical retrieval algorithm uses the Principal Component based Radiative Transfer Model (PCRTM) for the forward simulation. The incorporation of multiple scattering simulation in PCRTM allows the direct radiative relationship between single field-of-view (FOV) radiance observations and corresponding thermal dynamic variables including cloud properties to be established. Therefore, radiance ?closure? can be achieved under all-sky conditions by the fingerprinting scheme. This methodology has been used to derive climate anomalies from the space-time averaged spectra of AIRS/AMSU and CrIS/ATMS. The use of a consistent fingerprinting scheme provides an effective mean of generating continuity product by merging observations from different platforms and therefore facilitating the long-term climate trend study.

Wan Wu↗

Hollow Cathode Thermal Modelling and Self-Consistent Plasma Solution: Work Function Evaluation for a LaB6 Cathode.

Self-heating hollow cathodes are central components in modern electric thrusters. The plasma discharge inside these devices heats the internal components, thus maintaining the temperatures required for electron emission. Precise knowledge of the physical phenomena governing hollow cathode operation is key to predict their lifetime, specifically, their thermionic emission characteristics. A simulation platform has been built to couple plasma and thermal models of the self-heating hollow cathode to produce a self-consistent solution. A self-consistent solution has been found for a LaB6 hollow cathode operating at 25A and 13 sccm where the work function is assumed to be spatially uniform along the emitter with a value which is allowed to vary as the coupled model iterates to a self-consistent solution. The emitter temperature from the converged solution does not agree with experimental temperature measurements, however. The results of a sensitivity analysis suggest that none of the tolerances in the measurement are responsible for the discrepancy. We hypothesize that either the work function needs to be a function of position along the emitting surfaces or the heat fluxes have been overestimated in the plasma solver.

Meiron, Daniel I.↗