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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

NASA Tech Briefs, May 2012

Topics covered include: An "Inefficient Fin" Non-Dimensional Parameter to Measure Gas Temperatures Efficiently; On-Wafer Measurement of a Multi-Stage MMIC Amplifier with 10 dB of Gain at 475 GHz; Software to Control and Monitor Gas Streams; Miniaturized Laser Heterodyne Radiometer (LHR) for Measurements of Greenhouse Gases in the Atmospheric Column; Anomaly Detection in Test Equipment via Sliding Mode Observers; Absolute Position of Targets Measured Through a Chamber Window Using Lidar Metrology Systems; Goldstone Solar System Radar Waveform Generator; Fast and Adaptive Lossless Onboard Hyperspectral Data Compression System; Iridium Interfacial Stack - IrIS; Downsampling Photodetector Array with Windowing; Optical Phase Recovery and Locking in a PPM Laser Communication Link; High-Speed Edge-Detecting Line Scan Smart Camera; Optical Communications Channel Combiner; Development of Thermal Infrared Sensor to Supplement Operational Land Imager; Amplitude-Stabilized Oscillator for a Capacitance-Probe Electrometer; Automated Performance Characterization of DSN System Frequency Stability Using Spacecraft Tracking Data; Histogrammatic Method for Determining Relative Abundance of Input Gas Pulse; Predictive Sea State Estimation for Automated Ride Control and Handling - PSSEARCH; LEGION: Lightweight Expandable Group of Independently Operating Nodes; Real-Time Projection to Verify Plan Success During Execution; Automated Performance Characterization of DSN System Frequency Stability Using Spacecraft Tracking Data; Web-Based Customizable Viewer for Mars Network Overflight Opportunities; Fabrication of a Cryogenic Terahertz Emitter for Bolometer Focal Plane Calibrations; Fabrication of an Absorber-Coupled MKID Detector; Graphene Transparent Conductive Electrodes for Next- Generation Microshutter Arrays; Method of Bonding Optical Elements with Near-Zero Displacement; Free-Mass and Interface Configurations of Hammering Mechanisms; Wavefront Compensation Segmented Mirror Sensing and Control; Long-Life, Lightweight, Multi-Roller Traction Drives for Planetary Vehicle Surface Exploration; Reliable Optical Pump Architecture for Highly Coherent Lasers Used in Space Metrology Applications; Electrochemical Ultracapacitors Using Graphitic Nanostacks; Improved Whole-Blood-Staining Device; Monitoring Location and Angular Orientation of a Pill; Molecular Technique to Reduce PCR Bias for Deeper Understanding of Microbial Diversity; Laser Ablation Electrodynamic Ion Funnel for In Situ Mass Spectrometry on Mars; High-Altitude MMIC Sounding Radiometer for the Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle; PRTs and Their Bonding for Long-Duration, Extreme-Temperature Environments; Mid- and Long-IR Broadband Quantum Well Photodetector; 3D Display Using Conjugated Multiband Bandpass Filters; Real-Time, Non-Intrusive Detection of Liquid Nitrogen in Liquid Oxygen at High Pressure and High Flow; Method to Enhance the Operation of an Optical Inspection Instrument Using Spatial Light Modulators; Dual-Compartment Inflatable Suitlock; Large-Strain Transparent Magnetoactive Polymer Nanocomposites; Thermodynamic Vent System for an On-Orbit Cryogenic Reaction Control Engine; Time Distribution Using SpaceWire in the SCaN Testbed on ISS; and Techniques for Solution- Assisted Optical Contacting.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2012

The Next Landsat Satellite: The Landsat Data Continuity Mission

The Landsat program is one of the longest running satellite programs for Earth observations from space. The program was initiated by the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972. Since then a series of six more Landsat satellites were launched and at least one of those satellites has been in operations at all times to continuously collect images of the global land surface. The Department of Interior (DOI) U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) preserves data collected by all of the Landsat satellites at their Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This 40-year data archive provides an unmatched record of the Earth's land surface that has undergone dramatic changes in recent decades due to the increasing pressure of a growing population and advancing technologies. EROS provides the ability for anyone to search the archive and order digital Landsat images over the internet for free. The Landsat data are a public resource for observing, characterizing, monitoring, trending, and predicting land use change over time providing an invaluable tool for those addressing the profound consequences of those changes to society. The most recent launch of a Landsat satellite occurred in 1999 when Landsat 7 was placed in orbit. While Landsat 7 remains in operation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the DOI/ USGS are building its successor satellite system currently called the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). NASA has the lead for building and launching the satellite that will carry two Earth-viewing instruments, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). The OLI will take images that measure the amount of sunlight reflected by the land surface at nine wavelengths of light with three of those wavelengths beyond the range of human vision. T1RS will collect coincident images that measure light emitted by the land surface as a function of surface temperature at two longer wavelengths well beyond the range of human vision. The DOI/USGS is developing the ground system that will command and control the LDCM satellite in orbit and manage the OLI and TIRS data transmitted by the satellite. DOI/USGS will thus operate the satellite and collect, archive, and distribute the image data as part of the EROS archive. DOI/USGS has committed to renaming LDCM as Landsat 8 following launch. By either name the satellite and its sensors will extend the 40-year archive with images sufficiently consistent with data from earlier Landsat satellites to allow multi-decadal, broad-area studies of our dynamic landscapes. The next Landsat satellite and ground system are on schedule for a January, 2013 launch.

Rons, James R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

The QWIP Focal Plane Assembly for NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission

The Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) is a QWIP based instrument intended to supplement the Operational Land Imager (OLI) for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). The TIRS instrument is a dual channel far infrared imager with the two bands centered at 10.8[mu]m and 12.0[mu]m. The focal plane assembly (FPA) consists of three 640x512 GaAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) arrays precisely mounted to a silicon carrier substrate that is mounted on an invar baseplate. The two spectral bands are defined by bandpass filters mounted in close proximity to the detector surfaces. The focal plane operating temperature is 43K. The QWIP arrays are hybridized to Indigo ISC9803 readout integrated circuits (ROICs). Two varieties of QWIP detector arrays are being developed for this project, a corrugated surface structure QWIP and a grating surface structure QWIP. This paper will describe the TIRS system noise equivalent temperature difference sensitivity as it affects the QWIP focal plane performance requirements: spectral response, dark current, conversion efficiency, read noise, temperature stability, pixel uniformity, optical crosstalk and pixel yield. Additional mechanical constraints as well as qualification through Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6) will also be discussed.

Jhabvala, M↗
NASA NTRS2013

SpiderFab(TradeMark):Process for On-Orbit Construction of Kilometer-Scale Apertures

The SpiderFab effort investigated the value proposition and technical feasibility of radically changing the way we build and deploy spacecraft by enabling space systems to fabricate and integrate key components on-orbit. Weeveloped an architecture for a SpiderFab system, identifying the key capabilities, and detailed two concept implementations of this architecture, one specialized for fabricating support trusses for large solar arrays, and the second a robotic system capable of fabricating spacecraft components such as antenna reflectors. We then performed analyses to evaluate the value proposition for on-­orbit fabrication, and in each case found that the dramatic improvements in structural performance and packing efficiency enabled by on-orbit fabrication can provide order-of-magnitude improvements in key system metrics. For phased-­‐array radars, SpiderFab enables order-­of-­magnitude increases in gain-per-stowed-volume. For the New Worlds Observer mission, SpiderFab construction of a starshade can provide a ten-fold increase in the number of Earth-like planets discovered per dollar. For communications systems, SpiderFab can change the cost equation for large antenna reflectors, enabling affordable deployment of much larger apertures than feasible with current deployable technologies. To establish the technical feasibility, we identified methods for combining several additive manufacturing technologies with robotic assembly technologies, metrology sensors, and thermal control techniques to provide the capabilities required to implement a SpiderFab system. We performed proof-­of-concept level testing of these approaches, in each case demonstrating that the proposed solutions are feasible, and establishing the SpiderFab architecture at TRL-3. Further maturation of SpiderFab to mission-readiness is well-suited to an incremental development program. Affordable smallsat demonstrations will prepare the technology for full-scale demonstration that will unlock the full potential of the SpiderFab architecture by flight qualifying and validating an on-orbit fabrication and integration process that can be re-used to reduce the life-cycle cost and increase power, bandwidth, resolution, and sensitivity for a wide range of NASA Science and Exploration missions.

Hoyt, Robert↗
NASA NTRS2014

Visual Image Sensor Organ Replacement

This innovation is a system that augments human vision through a technique called "Sensing Super-position" using a Visual Instrument Sensory Organ Replacement (VISOR) device. The VISOR device translates visual and other sensors (i.e., thermal) into sounds to enable very difficult sensing tasks. Three-dimensional spatial brightness and multi-spectral maps of a sensed image are processed using real-time image processing techniques (e.g. histogram normalization) and transformed into a two-dimensional map of an audio signal as a function of frequency and time. Because the human hearing system is capable of learning to process and interpret extremely complicated and rapidly changing auditory patterns, the translation of images into sounds reduces the risk of accidentally filtering out important clues. The VISOR device was developed to augment the current state-of-the-art head-mounted (helmet) display systems. It provides the ability to sense beyond the human visible light range, to increase human sensing resolution, to use wider angle visual perception, and to improve the ability to sense distances. It also allows compensation for movement by the human or changes in the scene being viewed.

Maluf, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Remote Recession Sensing of Ablative Heat Shield Materials

Material recession and charring are two major processes determining the performance of ablative heat shield materials. Even in ground testing, the characterization of these two mechanisms relies on measurements of material thickness before and after testing, thus providing only information integrated over the test time. For recession measurements, optical methods such as imaging the sample surface during testing are under investigation but require high alignment and instrument effort, therefore being not established as a standard measurement method. For char depth measurements, the most common method so far consists in investigation of sectioned samples after testing or in the case of Stardust where core extractions were performed to determine char information. In flight, no reliable recession measurements are available, except total recession after recovering the heat shield on ground. Developments of mechanical recession sensors have been started but require substantial on board instrumentation adding mass and complexity. In this work, preliminary experiments to evaluate the feasibility of remote sensing of material recession and possibly char depth through optically observing the emission signatures of seeding materials in the post shock plasma is investigated. It is shown that this method can provide time resolved recession measurements without the necessity of accurate alignment procedures of the optical set-up and without any instrumentation on board of a spacecraft. Furthermore, recession data can be obtained without recovering flight hardware which would be a huge benefit for inexpensive heat shield material testing on board of small re-entry probes, e.g. on new micro-satellite re-entry probes as a possible future application of Cubesats or RBR

instrumentation↗
NASA NTRS2012

Sensitivity Analysis for Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) CO2 Retrieval

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) is a thermal infrared sensor able to retrieve the daily atmospheric state globally for clear as well as partially cloudy field-of-views. The AIRS spectrometer has 2378 channels sensing from 15.4 micrometers to 3.7 micrometers, of which a small subset in the 15 micrometers region has been selected, to date, for CO2 retrieval. To improve upon the current retrieval method, we extended the retrieval calculations to include a prior estimate component and developed a channel ranking system to optimize the channels and number of channels used. The channel ranking system uses a mathematical formalism to rapidly process and assess the retrieval potential of large numbers of channels. Implementing this system, we identifed a larger optimized subset of AIRS channels that can decrease retrieval errors and minimize the overall sensitivity to other iridescent contributors, such as water vapor, ozone, and atmospheric temperature. This methodology selects channels globally by accounting for the latitudinal, longitudinal, and seasonal dependencies of the subset. The new methodology increases accuracy in AIRS CO2 as well as other retrievals and enables the extension of retrieved CO2 vertical profiles to altitudes ranging from the lower troposphere to upper stratosphere. The extended retrieval method for CO2 vertical profile estimation using a maximum-likelihood estimation method. We use model data to demonstrate the beneficial impact of the extended retrieval method using the new channel ranking system on CO2 retrieval.

sensitivity analysis↗
NASA NTRS2010

The Quest for an OCO (Orbiting Carbon Observatory) Re-Flight

The objective of the OCO (Orbiting Carbon Observatory) mission was to make the first space-based measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide with the accuracy needed to quantify sources and sinks of this important greenhouse gas. Unfortunately, the observatory was lost as a result of a launch vehicle failure on 24 February 2009. The JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) was directed to assess the options for the re-flight of the OCO instrument and recovery of the carbon-related measurement, and to understand and quantitatively assess the cost, schedule, and technical and programmatic risks of the identified options. The two most likely solutions were (1) a shared platform with the TIRS (Thermal Infrared Sensor) instrument and (2) a dedicated OSC (Orbital Sciences Corporation) LEOStar-2 spacecraft bus similar to that utilized for the original OCO mission. A joint OCO-TIRS mission study was commissioned and two specific options were examined. However, each presented technical challenges that would drive cost. It was determined that the best option was to rebuild the OCO observatory to the extent possible including another LEOStar-2 spacecraft bus. This lowest risk approach leverages the original OCO design and provides the shortest path to launch, which is targeted for no later than the February 2013 timeframe.

carbon↗
NASA NTRS2013

TIRS Cryocooler: Spacecraft Integration and Test and Early Flight Data

The Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) is an instrument on Landsat 8, launched in February 2013. The focal plane is cooled by a two-stage Ball Aerospace Stirling cycle cryocooler, with a coldfinger operating at 40K. This paper describes events during the spacecraft integration and test program, and results from early orbit operation of the cryocooler.

Boyle, R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Performance of the QWIP Focal Plane Arrays for NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission

The focal plane assembly for the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) instrument on NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) consists of three 512 x 640 GaAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) arrays. The three arrays are precisely mounted and aligned on a silicon carrier substrate to provide a continuous viewing swath of 1850 pixels in two spectral bands defined by filters placed in close proximity to the detector surfaces. The QWIP arrays are hybridized to Indigo ISC9803 readout integrated circuits (ROICs). QWIP arrays were evaluated from four laboratories; QmagiQ, (Nashua, NH), Army Research Laboratory, (Adelphi, MD}, NASA/ Goddard Space Flight Center, (Greenbelt, MD) and Thales, (Palaiseau, France). All were found to be suitable. The final discriminating parameter was the spectral uniformity of individual pixels relative to each other. The performance of the QWIP arrays and the fully assembled, NASA flight-qualified, focal plane assembly will be reviewed. An overview of the focal plane assembly including the construction and test requirements of the focal plane will also be described.

Jhabvala, M.↗
NASA NTRS2019

First Results from Laser-Based Spectral Characterization of Landsat 9 Operational Land Imager-2

Landsat 9 will continue the Landsat data record into its fifth decade with launch scheduled for December 2020. The two instruments on Landsat 9 are Thermal Infrared Sensor-2 (TIRS-2) and Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2). OLI-2 is a nine-channel pushbroom imager with a 15-degree field of view that will have a 16-day measurement cadence from its nominal 705-km orbit altitude. A key aspect of the data that will be produced by OLI-2 is its spectral fidelity which enables countless science applications. The prelaunch test campaign for spectral characterization of OLI-2 was substantially improved relative to the methodology used for OLI: the full spectral response of every detector was characterized with greater accuracy, sampling, and precision. This paper will describe how this was accomplished with a tunable laser-based light source called Goddard Laser for Absolute Measurement of Radiance (GLAMR).

tunable laser↗
NASA NTRS2019

Landsat 9 TIRS-2 Spectral Response Test: Updates & Perspective

The Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2) pre-launch spectral characterization at telescope and detector subsystem level provided a strong indication that the spectral response requirements will be met. Confidence in the validity of these results was strengthened through comparison to component-level measurements. This work reviews the modifications to the test setup to reduce spectral response uncertainties further in preparation for instrument-level testing. We developed a methodology to improve alignment repeatability of the upgraded system. Preliminary indications show that the spectral response will contribute a relatively small amount to the overall TIRS-2 radiometric uncertainty budget, which is expected to meet its radiometric requirements. Through spectral response testing, as part of a comprehensive pre-launch test program, TIRS-2 is expected to achieve the performance necessary for a variety of environmental applications.

Pearlman, Aaron↗
NASA NTRS2020

QWIPs, SLS, Landsat and the International Space Station

In 1988 DARPA provided funding to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to support the development of GaAs Quantum Well Infrared Photodetectors (QWIP). The goal was to make a single element photodetector that might be expandable to a two-dimensional array format. Ultimately, this led to the development of a 128 x 128 element array in collaboration with AT&T Bell Labs and Rockwell Science Center in 1990. We continued to develop numerous generations of QWIP arrays most recently resulting in the multi-QWIP focal plane for the NASA-US Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat 8 mission launched in 2013 and a similar instrument on the Landsat 9 mission to be launched in 2020. Toward the end of the Landsat 8 QWIP-based Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) instrument the potential of the newly developed Strained Layer Superlattice (SLS) detector array technology became of great interest to NASA for three primary reasons: 1) higher operating temperature; 2) broad spectral response and; 3) higher sensitivity. We have collaborated extensively with QmagiQ, LLC and Northwestern University to further pursue and advance the SLS technology ever since we started back in 2012. In December of 2018 we launched the first SLS-based IR camera system to the International Space Station on board the Robotic Refueling Mission #3 (RRM3). This paper will describe the evolution of QWIP technology leading to the current development of SLS-based imaging systems at the Goddard Space Flight Center over the past 30 years.

Jhabvala, M.↗
NASA NTRS2020

DEVELOP Poster: Louisville Urban Development

Greenness and land surface temperature (LST) have been extensively correlated to urban public health. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular illnesses have been linked to regions of high LST and areas lacking urban green spaces. One of our partners, the University of Louisville Envirome Institute, champions the importance of urban green spaces. Their research has pioneered efforts in increasing the area and accessibility of urban parks and greenspaces as a way to improve public health and combat environmental inequality. Louisville, Kentucky, is currently working to plant and manage urban trees. Our team used NASA Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) imagery to calculate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Louisville at the census tract level and automated the process for use in other cities. The New York University School of Medicine’s City Health Dashboard displays public health metrics across 500 US cities and will use our methods to complete the NDVI analysis for all of these locations plus an additional 293 cities they are adding to their dashboard in the near future. Our NDVI and LST calculations will allow cites across the US to make informed decisions about reducing environmental inequality by focusing on areas with low NDVI and high LST.

Urban Development↗
NASA NTRS2020

Satellite Beach Energy - Restructuring the Energy Balance in Satellite Beach, Florida, by Quantifying Solar Energy Production Potential using NASA POWER Data Products and LiDAR

The City of Satellite Beach, Florida, has committed to supplying 100% of its energy use from renewable energy, primarily solar, by the year 2050. The team created a methodology for estimating rooftop solar power potential using a high-resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) dataset and the NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) dataset to assist Satellite Beach in reaching their solar renewable energy goals. The POWER dataset provides information on direct and diffuse solar irradiation on horizontal surfaces, surface albedo, and effects of local meteorology, such as clouds. The team integrated the solar irradiance data with the LiDAR data to model slope, aspect, and shadowing in the 7 km2 study area to find suitable roof segments for solar panel installation and estimate the solar potential of each segment. This process was supplemented by an analysis of land surface temperature and urban greenness measured through the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIRS) observations. These metrics serve to target areas for cooling initiatives aimed at reducing Satellite Beach’s overall energy consumption. The team found the total rooftop solar potential throughout the city to be 221,919,330KWh per year with an average annual rooftop photovoltaic, or PV, potential of 55,647KWh per building. As such, the average building could generate over five times the annual energy needs for an average household if PV panels were installed on all viable areas of its roof.

Spencer Nelson↗
NASA NTRS2020

Tempe Urban Development II: Establishing an Urban Heat Exposure Severity Score for Infrastructure Prioritization in Tempe, Arizona, Using NASA Earth Observations and LiDAR

Located in the northern Sonoran Desert, Tempe, Arizona, features a semi-arid climate with summer daily maximum temperatures regularly exceeding 37.8° C (100.0° F). The area has experienced an increase in surface and air temperatures due to a steep expansion of impervious surfaces and rapid urban development. Urban heat is an increasingly pressing concern for Tempe with hundreds of heat-related deaths and thousands of heat-related hospitalizations over the past 15 years in Maricopa County. Furthermore, urban heat impacts residents’ quality of life and the economic vitality of the city. Recognizing the impacts of extreme urban heat, the City of Tempe collaborated with the Healthy Urban Environments initiative and the Fall 2020 Tempe Urban Development II NASA DEVELOP team to utilize NASA Earth observations to investigate the drivers of highest heat throughout the city. Data from Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), and Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), American Community Survey, and LiDAR data were used to identify areas experiencing the worst heat effects that could be targeted for heat mitigation and adaptation. These areas included the Escalante neighborhood, Alegre Community, University Heights, and around Dwight Park. Additionally, according to our shading analysis, the Gilliland and Escalante neighborhood walksheds do not meet the "good" shading threshold set at 30% by the Maricopa Association of Government.

DEVELOP Project Summary↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Establishing an Urban Heat Exposure Severity Index for Infrastructure Prioritization in Tempe, Arizona, Using NASA Earth Observations and LiDAR

Located on the banks of the Salt River in the Sonoran Desert, Tempe, Arizona, features a semi-arid climate with summer daily maximum temperatures regularly exceeding 37.8°C. Tempe is also subject to the southwestern monsoon season from July-September and the humidity exacerbates the high temperatures. Furthermore, the rapid urbanization experienced in Tempe has resulted in an intensification of the urban heat island. The summer of 2020 shattered the previous record of days exceeding 43.4°C, leading to higher energy and water costs, lower comfort, and increased risk of heat stroke for residents. Recognizing the impacts of extreme heat, the City of Tempe partnered with the Healthy Urban Environments initiative and NASA DEVELOP to identify census tracts that experience a higher mean land surface temperature than the city average. The NASA DEVELOP team used remotely sensed land surface temperature (LST), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), normalized difference water index (NDWI), and albedo data calculated from Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) instruments from 2015 to 2020 to create heat hazard and exposure maps. LiDAR point cloud data, provided by the United States Geological Survey through Arizona State University’s Map and Geospatial Hub, were used to derive 3D buildings, building footprints, and tree point data for a shading analysis of walking paths, roads, and buildings at the census tract level. In situ meteorological measurements including air temperature and humidity were used to compare the macro-scale temperature measurements. The team worked with the City of Tempe to develop a methodology to process available data and identify areas of highest concern for urban heat effects within the city. With these insights, Tempe, Arizona can better address these issues with data-driven information to make decisions regarding heat mitigation and adaptation efforts.

John Dialesandro↗
NASA NTRS2020

Tempe Urban Development II: Establishing an Urban Heat Exposure Severity Score for Infrastructure Prioritization in Tempe, Arizona, Using NASA Earth Observations and LiDAR

Located in the northern Sonoran Desert, Tempe, Arizona, features a semi-arid climate with summer daily maximum temperatures regularly exceeding 37.8° C (100.0° F). The area has experienced an increase in surface and air temperatures due to a steep expansion of impervious surfaces and rapid urban development. Urban heat is an increasingly pressing concern for Tempe with hundreds of heat-related deaths and thousands of heat-related hospitalizations over the past 15 years in Maricopa County. Furthermore, urban heat impacts residents’ quality of life and the economic vitality of the city. Recognizing the impacts of extreme urban heat, the City of Tempe collaborated with the Healthy Urban Environments initiative and the Fall 2020 Tempe Urban Development II NASA DEVELOP team to utilize NASA Earth observations to investigate the drivers of heat exposure throughout the city. Data from Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), and Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), American Community Survey, and LiDAR data were used to identify areas experiencing the worst heat effects that could be targeted for heat mitigation and adaptation. These areas included the Escalante neighborhood, Alegre Community, University Heights, and around Dwight Park. Additionally, according to our shading analysis, the Gilliland and Escalante neighborhood walksheds do not meet the "good" shading threshold set at 30% by the Maricopa Association of Government.

DEVELOP Tech Paper↗