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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 271 records · Page 15

Onboard processing for future space-borne imaging systems

There is a strong rationale for increasing the rate of information return from imaging class experiments aboard both terrestrial and planetary spacecraft. Future imaging systems will be designed with increased spatial resolution, broader spectral range and more spectral channels (or higher spectral resolution). The data rate implied by these improved performance characteristics can be expected to grow more rapidly than the projected telecommunications capability. One solution to this dilemma is the use of improved onboard data processing. The use of onboard classification processing in a multispectral imager can result in orders of magnitude increase in information transfer for very specific types of imaging tasks. Several of these processing functions are included in the conceptual design of an Infrared Multispectral Imager which would map the spatial distribution of characteristic geologic features associated with deposits of economic minerals.

Wellman, J. B.↗

Winds from accretion disks - Ultraviolet line formation in cataclysmic variables

Winds from accretion disks in cataclysmic variable stars are ubiquitous. Observations by IUE reveal P Cygni-shaped profiles of high-ionization lines which are attributed to these winds. We have studied the formation of UV emission lines in cataclysmic variables by constructing kinematical models of biconical rotating outflows from disks around white dwarfs. The photoionization in the wind is calculated taking into account the radiation fields of the disk, the boundary layer, and the white dwarf. The 3D radiative transfer is solved in the Sobolev approximation. Effects on the line shapes of varying basic physical parameters of the wind are shown explicitly. We identify and map the resonant scattering regions in the wind which have strongly biconical character regardless of the assumed velocity and radiation fields. Rotation at the base of the wind introduces a radial shear which decreases the line optical depth and reduces the line core intensity. We find that it is possible to reproduce the observed P Cygni line shapes and make some predictions to be verified in high-resolution observations.

Shlosman, Isaac↗

Retrieval of Surface Snow Grain Size and Melt Water from AVIRIS Spectra

The Earth's energy balance and hydrology are affected by the distribution and characteristics of snow cover on the surface. Snow grain size and snow melt influence surface albedo and hydrology. A model of snow reflectance that depends on both grain size and surface melt water was developed to derive these parameters from remote spectral measurements. This reflectance model is based on a discrete ordinate radiative transfer approach that uses Mie calculations of snow optical properties, which are based on the complex refractive index of ice and water. This snow model was linked to an atmospheric radiative transfer code and a nonlinear least squares fitting algorithm. The resulting combined algorithm was applied to an AVIRIS snow data set acquired over Mammoth Mountain, California. Maps of grain size and surface snow melt were generated that are consistent with the expected ranges and distributions for conditions at the site.

Green Robert O.↗

Simultaneous Ground- and Space-Based Observations of the Plasmaspheric Plume and Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection is the primary process through which energy couples from the solar wind into Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere. Conditions both in the incident solar wind and in the magnetosphere are important in determining the efficiency of this energy transfer. In particular, the cold, dense plasmaspheric plume can substantially impact the coupling in the dayside reconnection region. Using ground-based total electron content (TEC) maps and measurements from the THEMIS spacecraft, we investigated simultaneous ionosphere and magnetosphere observations of the plasmaspheric plume and its involvement in an unsteady magnetic reconnection process. The observations show the full circulation pattern of the plasmaspheric plume and validate the connection between signatures of variability in the dense plume and reconnection at the magnetopause as measured in situ and through TEC measurements in the ionosphere.

plumes↗

Analysis of Saturn's Thermal Emission at 2.2-cm Wavelength: Spatial Distribution of Ammonia Vapor

This work focuses on determining the latitudinal structure of ammonia vapor in Saturn's cloud layer near 1.5 bars using the brightness temperature maps derived from the Cassini RADAR (Elachi et al., 2004) instrument, which works in a passive mode to measure thermal emission from Saturn at 2.2-cm wavelength. We perform an analysis of five brightness temperature maps that span epochs from 2005 to 2011, which are presented in a companion paper by Janssen et al. (2013a, this issue). The brightness temperature maps are representative of the spatial distribution of ammonia vapor, since ammonia gas is the only effective opacity source in Saturn's atmosphere at 2.2-cm wavelength. Relatively high brightness temperatures indicate relatively low ammonia relative humidity (RH), and vice versa. We compare the observed brightness temperatures to brightness temperatures computed using the Juno atmospheric microwave radiative transfer (JAMRT) program which includes both the means to calculate a tropospheric atmosphere model for Saturn and the means to carry out radiative transfer calculations at microwave frequencies. The reference atmosphere to which we compare has a 3x solar deep mixing ratio of ammonia (we use 1.352x10(exp -4) for the solar mixing ratio of ammonia vapor relative to H2; see Atreya, 2010) and is fully saturated above its cloud base. The maps are comprised of residual brightness temperatures-observed brightness temperature minus the model brightness temperature of the saturated atmosphere.

Atmospheres↗

Chile Disasters: Automating Wildfire Risk and Occurrence Mapping in Google Earth Engine to Improve Wildfire Detection and Response Time Efforts

Wildfires in Chile in the last decade were the worst on record, destroying homes and livelihoods, polluting the air, and displacing whole towns. To predict locations where wildfires were likely to start, the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) created a wildfire risk model within ArcGIS Pro and Google Earth Engine (GEE) that utilized the NOAA Global Forecast System (GFS) and the NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (STRM) 90-meter datasets. The previous CONAF model was very resource-heavy and time-intensive to run. NASA DEVELOP, in partnership with CONAF, automated the previous model and transferred it fully into GEE where all Earth observation datasets could be used without downloading. The new model substantially reduced the runtime. The final model was used to create a near real-time wildfire monitoring application as well as fire severity maps. The end products will be used by CONAF for wildfire prediction and management to prevent more destruction in the future.

Maria De Los Santos↗

Chemistry in circumstellar disks - CS toward HL Tauri

High spatial and spectral resolution dust continuum and CS line-emission maps of the material immediately surrounding HL Tauri are presented. The 3.06-thermal dust map gives an upper limit to the source size of roughly 200 AU. When combined with previous millimeter continuum measurements, a beta value of 1.2 +/-0.3 is derived along with a disk mass of 0.1 solar mass, in agreement with previous disk radiative transfer models of the IR and submillimeter flux from HL Tau. The low dust emissivity index as compared to particles in the diffuse ISM is best explained by grain growth or composition evolution. The present observations of the CS and CO emission lines forming the molecular cloud surrounding HL Tauri are consistent with the 'canonical' temperatures, densities, and abundances derived in other Taurus cloud cores. In contrast, the CS emission in aperture synthesis maps at 650-AU spatial resolution is most consistent with CS/CO ratios at least 25-50 times lower in the gas immediately surrounding HL Tauri if the CS emission is optically thin. The continuum and spectral line results obtained are strong indicators of conditions thought to be similar to those in the presolar nebula some 4.5 AE ago.

Blake, Geoffrey A.↗

Initial vegetation species and senescience/stress indicator mapping in the San Luis Valley, Colorado using imaging spectrometer data

We analyzed AVIRIS data obtained over agricultural areas in the San Luis Valley of Colorado. The data were acquired on September 3, 1993. A combined method of radiative transfer modeling and ground calibration site reflectance was used to correct the flight data to surface reflectance. This method, called Radiative Transfer Ground Calibration, or RTGC, corrects for variable water vapor in the atmosphere and produces spectra free of artifacts with spectral channel to channel noise approaching the signal to noise of the raw data. The calibration site soil samples were obtained on the day of the overflight and measured on our laboratory spectrometer. The site was near the center of the AVIRIS scene and the spectra of the soil is spectrally bland, especially in the region of the chlorophyll absorption in the visible portion of the spectrum. The center of the scene is located at approximately 106 deg 03' longitude, 37 deg 23' latitude, and the scene covers about 92 square kilometers. This scene is one of 28 in the area for a general project to study the Summitville abandoned mine site, located in the mountains west of the San Luis Valley, and its effects on the surrounding environment.

Clark, Roger N.↗

Differences in elasticity of vinculin-deficient F9 cells measured by magnetometry and atomic force microscopy

We have investigated a mouse F9 embryonic carcinoma cell line, in which both vinculin genes were inactivated by homologous recombination, that exhibits defective adhesion and spreading [Coll et al. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92, 9161-9165]. Using a magnetometer and RGD-coated magnetic microbeads, we measured the local effect of loss and replacement of vinculin on mechanical force transfer across integrins. Vinculin-deficient F9Vin(-/-) cells showed a 21% difference in relative stiffness compared to wild-type cells. This was restored to near wild-type levels after transfection and constitutive expression of increasing amounts of vinculin into F9Vin(-/-) cells. In contrast, the transfection of vinculin constructs deficient in amino acids 1-288 (containing the talin- and alpha-actinin-binding site) or substituting tyrosine for phenylalanine (phosphorylation site, amino acid 822) in F9Vin(-/-) cells resulted in partial restoration of stiffness. Using atomic force microscopy to map the relative elasticity of entire F9 cells by 128 x 128 (n = 16,384) force scans, we observed a correlation with magnetometer measurements. These findings suggest that vinculin may promote cell adhesions and spreading by stabilizing focal adhesions and transferring mechanical stresses that drive cytoskeletal remodeling, thereby affecting the elastic properties of the cell.

Non-NASA Center↗

Heat transfer in cooled porous region with curved boundary

Heat transfer characteristics are analyzed for a cooled two-dimensional porous medium having a curved boundary. A general analytical procedure is given in combination with a numerical conformal mapping method used to transform the porous region into an upper half plane. To illustrate the method, results are evaluated for a cosine shaped boundary subjected to uniform external heating. The results show the effects of coolant starvation in the thick regions of the medium, and the extent that internal heat conduction causes the heated surface to have a more uniform temperature.

Siegel, R.↗

CFD validation for forebody inlet interactions

Topics covered include the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) task force philosophy, a road map for CFD code validation, computer code validation requirements for forebodies and inlets, the criteria for choosing recommended experiments, an all-body hypersonic experiment, and centerline heat transfer. Information is given in viewgraph form.

Marvin, J. G.↗

Numerical sensitivity analysis of passive EHF and SMMW channels to tropospheric water vapor, clouds, and precipitation

Potential uses of specific extremely High Frequency (EHF) and Sub-Millimeter-Wave (SMMW) channels at 90, 166, 183, 220, 325, 340, and 410 GHz for passive spaceborne remote sensing of the troposphere and lower stratosphere are investigated using an iterative numerical radiative transfer model. Collectively, these channels offer potential for high spatial resolution imaging using diffraction-limited apertures of practical size, along with the ability to profile water vapor, map precipitation beneath optically opaque cloud cover, and to measure nonprecipitating cloud (e.g., cirrus) parameters. A widely-spaced set of EHF and SMMW channels can yield observable degrees of freedom related to clouds and precipitation not available by exclusively using the more thoroughly studied microwave channels below 183 GHz. A new passive airborne imaging instrument for tropospheric meteorological sensing is described.

Gasiewski, A. J.↗

Use of NASA Satellite Data to Improve Coastal Cypress Forest Management

Problem: Information gaps exist regarding health status and location of cypress forests in coastal Louisiana (LA). Such information is needed to aid coastal forest conservation and restoration programs. Approach to Issue Mitigation: Use NASA data to revise cypress forest cover type maps. Landsat and ASTER data. Use NASA data to identify and track cypress forest change. Landsat, ASTER, and MODIS data. Work with partners and end-users to transfer useful products and technology.

Spurce, Joseph↗

The Mars Dust Cycle: Investigating the Effects of Radiatively Active Water Ice Clouds on Surface Stresses and Dust Lifting Potential with the NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model

The dust cycle is a critically important component of Mars' current climate system. Dust is present in the atmosphere of Mars year-round but the dust loading varies with season in a generally repeatable manner. Dust has a significant influence on the thermal structure of the atmosphere and thus greatly affects atmospheric circulation. The dust cycle is the most difficult of the three climate cycles (CO2, water, and dust) to model realistically with general circulation models. Until recently, numerical modeling investigations of the dust cycle have typically not included the effects of couplings to the water cycle through cloud formation. In the Martian atmosphere, dust particles likely provide the seed nuclei for heterogeneous nucleation of water ice clouds. As ice coats atmospheric dust grains, the newly formed cloud particles exhibit different physical and radiative characteristics. Thus, the coupling between the dust and water cycles likely affects the distributions of dust, water vapor and water ice, and thus atmospheric heating and cooling and the resulting circulations. We use the NASA Ames Mars GCM to investigate the effects of radiatively active water ice clouds on surface stress and the potential for dust lifting. The model includes a state-of-the-art water ice cloud microphysics package and a radiative transfer scheme that accounts for the radiative effects of CO2 gas, dust, and water ice clouds. We focus on simulations that are radiatively forced by a prescribed dust map, and we compare simulations that do and do not include radiatively active clouds. Preliminary results suggest that the magnitude and spatial patterns of surface stress (and thus dust lifting potential) are substantial influenced by the radiative effects of water ice clouds.

Kahre, Melinda A.↗

Trajectory Design for the Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper Mission

The presented trajectory was designed for the Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH-Map) 6U CubeSat, which was awarded a ride on NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) with Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) via NASAs 2015 SIMPLEX proposal call. After deployment from EM-1s upper stage (which is planned to enter heliocentric space via a lunar flyby), the LunaH-Map CubeSat will alter its trajectory via its low-thrust ion engine to target a lunar flyby that yields a Sun-Earth-Moon weak stability boundary transfer to set up a ballistic lunar capture. Finally, the orbit energy is lowered to reach the required quasi-frozen science orbit with periselene above the lunar south pole.

lunar polar orbit↗

Simplified Applied Loads of a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Derived from Computational Fluid Dynamics

The transonic truss-braced wing (TTBW) concept is under consideration by the NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project due to its potential to reduce fuel consumption of transport aircraft. To properly evaluate the TTBW concept, detailed structural modeling and subsequent test planning is underway, which requires a simplified set of discrete applied loads that simulate the distributed aerodynamic pressures. Given the unique architecture of the TTBW and its intended operation in the transonic regime, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is the ideal approach to employ to ensure the aerodynamics of this configuration are sufficiently captured. To convert aerodynamic results into input for structural models, application of a data transfer tool, Discrete Data Transfer Between Dissimilar Meshes (DDTBDM), is presented to resolve aerodynamic pressures from CFD into single load vectors at hardpoints along both the wing and the strut. Evaluation of mapping the aerodynamic forces to hardpoints at rib and spar intersections in a structural model is performed, and the results are also compared with a linear static aeroelastic analysis. The structural responses indicate that distributing forces along only the wing and strut forward spars is insufficient for simulating the distributed aerodynamic loads. Adding moments along the forward spars improved the global response of the wing, but the point moments created unrealistic local rotations within the structure. When distributing loads along both the forward and aft spars of the wing and strut, the global response was less sensitive to the inclusion of point moments, which indicated the arrangement of point forces alone was sufficient input for structural design work and testing and provided a more continuous loading profile.

Finite Element↗

Simplified Applied Loads of a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Derived from Computational Fluid Dynamic

The transonic truss-braced wing (TTBW) concept is under consideration by the NASA Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project due to its potential to reduce fuel consumption of transport aircraft. To properly evaluate the TTBW concept, detailed structural modeling and subsequent test planning is underway, which requires a simplified set of discrete applied loads that simulate the distributed aerodynamic pressures. Given the unique architecture of the TTBW and its intended operation in the transonic regime, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is the ideal approach to employ to ensure the aerodynamics of this configuration are sufficiently captured. To convert aerodynamic results into input for structural models, application of a data transfer tool, Discrete Data Transfer Between Dissimilar Meshes (DDTBDM), is presented to resolve aerodynamic pressures from CFD into single load vectors at hardpoints along both the wing and the strut. Evaluation of mapping the aerodynamic forces to hardpoints at rib and spar intersections in a structural model is performed, and the results are also compared with a linear static aeroelastic analysis. The structural responses indicate that distributing forces along only the wing and strut forward spars is insufficient for simulating the distributed aerodynamic loads. Adding moments along the forward spars improved the global response of the wing, but the point moments created unrealistic local rotations within the structure. When distributing loads along both the forward and aft spars of the wing and strut, the global response was less sensitive to the inclusion of point moments, which indicated the arrangement of point forces alone was sufficient input for structural design work and testing and provided a more continuous loading profile.

Finite Element↗

Antarctic Ultraviolet Radiation Climatology from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer Data

This project has successfully produced a climatology of local noon spectral surface irradiance covering the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean, the spectral interval 290-700 nm (UV-A, UV-B, and photosynthetically active radiation, PAR), and the entire sunlit part of the year for November 1979-December 1999. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data were used to specify column ozone abundance and UV-A (360- or 380-nm) reflectivity, and passive microwave (MW) sea ice concentrations were used to specify the surface albedo over the Southern Ocean. For this latter task, sea ice concentration retrievals from the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and its successor, the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) were identified with ultraviolet/visible-wavelength albedos based on an empirical TOMS/MW parameterization developed for this purpose (Lubin and Morrow, 2001). The satellite retrievals of surface albedo and UV-A reflectivity were used in a delta-Eddington radiative transfer model to estimate cloud effective optical depth. These optical depth estimates were then used along with the total ozone and surface albedo to calculate the downwelling spectral UV and PAR irradiance at the surface. These spectral irradiance maps were produced for every usable day of TOMS data between 1979-1999 (every other day early in the TOMS program, daily later on).

Lubin, Dan↗