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Satellite radiation data application to synoptic weather analysis including cloud pattern mapping, tropospheric relative humidity and vertical cloud structure inference
The data obtained in earth orbit by the Radiation and Meteoroid Satellite (RMS) were interpreted and reduced to a form which will be usable by future space experimenters. The required tasks are detailed. Computer programs were written which lifted the raw data and associated emphemeris data from the GFE magnetic tapes. The engineering data was then used to evaluate the performance of the spacecraft and the experiments. The radiation data was used to prepare flux, spectral, and dose maps of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly where possible. The meteoroid data was used to determine a rough estimate of the meteoroid flux and in general evaluate the performance of the thin-film meteoroid sensors. The degree of success of the RMS mission was evaluated in light of the separation anomaly which occurred between RMS and OFO during launch.
X-ray emission from the Cygnus Loop was observed in the energy region around 0.2 to 1 keV with a collector that focused X-rays along one dimension while scanning across the nebula. The total integrated intensity is 13 nanoerg per square centimeter per second. The one-dimensional X-ray structure has the same angular size - about 3 degrees - as the outermost boundaries of the optical filaments. There is no increase in X-ray emission at the center of the nebula nor at the strong feature that is seen in certain radio maps. The X-ray spectrum is consistent with thermal radiation from a hot plasma at a temperature of about 4 million K.
Morphological studies of nighttime dark current data from the Nimbus 4 backscattered UV experiment indicate enhancements during the period of a full moon. The nature and magnitude of these lunar UV radiance enhancements are determined, and their potential use as a measure of nighttime ozone is considered. The data were grouped into five-day study intervals centered about each full moon sequence, and about each corresponding new moon interval. The analysis was performed in a magnetic frame of reference (McIlwain, 1961) in order to evaluate magnetospheric perturbation effects and to minimize the effects of charged energetic particle contamination or precipitation. All isolated elements showing spurious or abnormal enhancements were removed selectively (about 3%) to further screen the data. Results demonstrate the presence and uniqueness of a lunar signal, induced by atmospherically backscattered UV radiation. This signal was not sufficiently strong, however, to accurately map global nighttime ozone on the Nimbus 4 instrument.
A technique is described for obtaining passive microwave measurements from space with high spatial resolution for remote sensing applications. The technique involves measuring the product of the signal from pairs of antennas at many different antenna spacings, thereby mapping the correlation function of antenna voltage. The intensity of radiation at the source can be obtained from the Fourier transform of this correlation function. Theory is presented to show how the technique can be applied to large extended sources such as the Earth when observed from space. Details are presented for a system with uniformly spaced measurements.
The main objectives are formulated around a four pronged work approach, consisting of tasks related to: image processing and analysis of LANDSAT thematic mapping; numerical modeling of circulation and dispersion; hydrographic and spectral radiation field sampling/ground truth data collection; and special efforts to focus the investigation on turbid coastal/estuarine fronts.
We present a numerical simulation of the response of an expanding relativistic jet to the ejection of a superluminal component. The simulation has been performed with a relativistic time-dependent hydrodynamical code from which simulated radio maps are computed by integrating the transfer equations for synchrotron radiation. The interaction of the superluminal component with the underlying jet results in the formation of multiple conical shocks behind the main perturbation. These trailing components can be easily distinguished because they appear to be released from the primary superluminal component instead of being ejected from the core. Their oblique nature should also result in distinct polarization properties. Those appearing closer to the core show small apparent motions and a very slow secular decrease in brightness and could be identified as stationary components. Those appearing farther downstream are weaker and can reach superluminal apparent motions. The existence of these trailing components indicates that not all observed components necessarily represent major perturbations at the jet inlet; rather, multiple emission components can be generated by a single disturbance in the jet. While the superluminal component associated with the primary perturbation exhibits a rather stable pattern speed, trailing components have velocities that increase with distance from the core but move at less than the jet speed. The trailing components exhibit motion and structure consistent with the triggering of pinch modes by the superluminal component. The increase in velocity of the trailing components is an indirect consequence of the acceleration of the expanding fluid, which is assumed to be relativistically hot; if observed, such accelerations would therefore favor an electron-positron (as opposed to proton rest mass) dominated jet.
The spectral window at L-band (1.4 GHz) is important for passive remote sensing of soil moisture and ocean salinity from space, parameters that are needed to understand the hydrologic cycle and ocean circulation. At this frequency, radiation from extraterrestrial (mostly galactic) sources is strong and, unlike the constant cosmic background, this radiation is spatially variable. This paper presents a modern radiometric map of the celestial sky at L-band and a solution for the problem of determining what portion of the sky is seen by a radiometer in orbit. The data for the radiometric map is derived from recent radio astronomy surveys and is presented as equivalent brightness temperature suitable for remote sensing applications. Examples using orbits and antennas representative of those contemplated for remote sensing of soil moisture and sea surface salinity from space are presented to illustrate the signal levels to be expected. Near the galactic plane, the contribution can exceed several Kelvin.
Large-scale dust heating and cooling in the diffuse medium of M31 is studied using the high resolution (HiRes) IRAS maps in conjunction with UV, optical (UBV), and the HI maps. A dust heating/cooling model is developed based on a radiative transfer model which assumes a 'Sandwich' configuration of dust and stars takes account of the effect of dust grain scattering.
Polarization measurements of rotation-powered pulsars and their nebulae have unique diagnostic potential. The polarization position angle of the pulsar wind nebula, as is know for the Crab pulsar, can tell us the orientation of the spin axis. Phase-resolved polarimetry of pulsars has had enormous diagnostic capability at radio and optical wavelengths and could also be a powerful diagnostic in the X-ray range. Measurement of the polarization properties as a function of pulse phase can therefore provide a multidimensional mapping of the pulsar emission. In the 'rotating vector' model, radiation originating near a magnetic pole is expected to show a characteristic S-shaped swing of the position angle vs. pulse phase. In this case it is possible to determine the magnetic inclination and viewing angles. Radiation originating further from the poles or further above the neutron star surface will have a more complex polarization signature, as a result of relativistic effects of aberration and time-of-flight delays and may also cause depolarization of the signal. I will discuss predicted polarization properties of pulsed emission in polar cap models, where radiation originates near the neutron star surface at the magnetic poles, and in slot gap and outer gap models, where radiation originates over a range of altitudes out to the speed-of-light cylinder.
The Pockels electro-optic effect can be used to investigate the internal electric field in cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) single crystals that are used to fabricate room temperature x and gamma radiation detectors. An agreement is found between the electric field mapping obtained from Pockels effect images and the measurements of charge transients generated by alpha particles. The Pockels effect images of a CZT detector along two mutually perpendicular directions are used to optimize the detector response in a dual anode configuration, a device in which the symmetry of the internal electric field with respect to the anode strips is of critical importance. The Pockels effect is also used to map the electric field in a CZT detector with dual anodes and an attempt is made to find a correlation with the simulated electric potential in such detectors. Finally, the stress-induced birefringence effects seen in the Pockels images are presented and discussed.
We have analyzed multi-wavelength mid-infrared images of the central parsec of the Galactic Center using a two-temperature line-of-sight (LOS) radiative transfer model at each pixel of the images, giving maps of temperatures, luminosities and opacities of the hot, warm, cold (dark)dust components. The data consists of images at nine wavelengths in the mid-infrared (N-band and Q-band) from the Thermal Region Camera and Spectrograph (T-ReCS) instrument operating at the Gemini South Observatory. The results of the LOS modeling indicate that the extinction optical depth is quite large and varies substantially over the FOV. The high-resolution images of the central parsec of the Galactic center region were obtained with T-ReCS at Gemini South in January 2004. These images provide nearly diffraction-limited resolution (approx. 0.5) of the central parsec. The T-ReCS images were taken with nine filters (3.8, 4.7, 7.7, 8.7, 9.7, 10.3, 12.3, 18.3 and 24.5m), over a field-of-view (FOV) of 20 x 20 arcsec.
Airborne laser scanning (ALS) has been widely used to map gap probability and leaf area index (LAI) distribution at plot and landscape scales. As an indirect measurement, most ALS methods to estimate LAI combine waveform or point density information with supporting field measurements such as the leaf angle distribution, gap probability, or direct LAI measures. The development of a more independent estimation approach would facilitate more widespread use of existing ALS data to investigate patterns of forest structure and build realistic 3-D vegetation scenes to simulate remote sensing imagery and energy balance. Here, we develop a data processing workflow (named PVlad) using ALS point cloud apparent reflectance to estimate LAI and voxel-based leaf area density (LAD), aiming to reduce the need for associated field measurements such as the gap probability. The adaptation of the path volume (PV) concept derived from apparent reflectance integrates information from multi-directional ALS pulses, and quantifies the percentage exploration of each voxel for classification and occlusion correction, such that rigorous volumetric sampling approaches can be developed to derive LAI and LAD. The PVlad workflow was applied to discrete-return lidar data (Riegl VQ480i) acquired by NASA Goddard's LiDAR, Hyperspectral and Thermal Imager (G-LiHT) Airborne Imager during leaf-on (summer) and leaf-off (spring) conditions at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). The estimates of LAI and LAD captured structural differences between mature, logged, and intermediate-aged stands over eight deciduous forest plots. The derived LAI values were compared to field litter collection measurements, and the derived LAD vertical distribution was compared to the output of the VoxLAD model using terrestrial laser scan (TLS) field survey data. Using voxel sizes ranging from 0.5 m to 5 m, overall LAI estimation showed linear fitting coefficient bias and for 1 and 2 m voxel sizes, and vertical LAD distribution showed strong correlation with and for 0.5 and 1m voxel sizes. For every forest stand, upper-canopy LAD had a low variance for voxel sizes of ≤ . Application of PVlad to the G-LiHT and other similar ALS data archives enables the development of fine-resolution LAI map products, including voxelization of LAD for ecosystem science and radiative transfer simulations of remote sensing imagery or surface energy balance.
Ephemeral freshwater rock pools, known as tinajas, have great biologic and cultural importance as sources of surface water in the western Sonoran Desert (WSD). Tinaja flooding and drying cycles, known as hydroperiods, vary based on meteorologic and climatologic conditions; however, a lack of extensive research relating climatic impacts to tinajas puts these critical ecosystems further at risk. The National Park Service (NPS) and the University of Arizona monitor the physical and ecological condition of tinajas in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (OPCNM), AZ, using resource-intensive strategies: in situ trail cameras and direct measurements. To aid monitoring efforts, the NASA DEVELOP team aimed to incorporate remote sensing into NPS strategies by analyzing spatiotemporal climate data and tinaja hydroperiods in OPCNM between 1979–2022. Using Aqua and Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS), University of Idaho Gridded Surface Meteorological Dataset (gridMET), and OpenET data, the team generated climatology maps and time series for OPCNM. The team compared these data to daily in situ hydroperiod observations from the University of Arizona between 2019–2022. Climate maps and time series showed increases in temperature and solar radiation (p<0.05), while analyses of in situ data showed correlations of hydroperiods with precipitation and evapotranspiration. End products identified high-risk tinajas and demonstrated that Earth observations can successfully be correlated with in situ hydroperiod observations. These results will support NPS efforts to prioritize water resource management and inform protocols driving the conservation of tinajas in OPCNM.
The performance of hyperpure silica heat shields that backscatter incident radiation in the depths of the material, i.e., a volume reflecting heat shield, is mapped for probes entering the atmospheres of Saturn and Uranus. Three models of each atmosphere are considered; the warm, nominal, and cool models. The most recent thermophysical and optical properties of hyperpure silica are employed. Detailed incident radiative spectra and the effects of ablation on radiative and convective heating obtained from benchmark flowfield solutions are used. In-depth material response is examined and results are presented in terms of the peak rear-face temperature as a function of initial thickness for each atmosphere. Results are compared with carbon phenolic heat-shield requirements.
An improved technique for the measurement of temperature distributions in an EHD conjunction is presented. The technique reported here employs the infrared radiation emitted by the EHD conjunction and appears more rigorous, more reliable, and less cumbersome than that reported previously by the authors. Detailed mapping of fluid temperature (averaged through the thickness) and the ball surface temperature can be obtained. These temperature distributions have been reported for a naphthenic mineral oil for peak Hertz pressures of 1.05 and 1.51 GN/sq m (148 and 219 kpsi), at sliding speeds ranging from 0.35 to 12.7 m/s (13.4 to 500 ips) and a bath temperature of 40 C.
A new, 34 in resolution far-infrared continuum map of Orion Molecular Cloud 1 and its environs, including M43 is presented. The source is dominated by a single, bright peak at the position of the embedded infrared cluster, with the 60 micro m flux density falling off steeply in all directions away from it. A total luminosity for IRc2 of 20,000 L(solar) is estimated, although this may be a lower limit, depending upon the transfer of radiation in the vicinity of the object. Several condensations appear in this map, which, along with radio molecular observations, support the view that significant fragmentation has taken place within the cloud.
Satellite instruments have proven especially capable at monitoring the quantity of airborne particles in columns of atmosphere, globally. This chapter describes the principles of satellite measurements and retrieval algorithms, and surveys current instruments and their capabilities. We outline the issues associated with retrieval algorithms, such as surface characterization and aerosol proximity to clouds, and the challenges with interpretation of the results. The relationship between measured aerosol properties and climate-relevant aerosol properties simulated in models is outlined, as well as how measurements are used to evaluate models. Most space-based aerosol instruments are passive sensors that measure reflected sunlight at multiple wavelengths, some at multiple viewing angles. A few are active sensors that send out their own laser light and measure the returned signal. Except when clouds are present, the excess amount of light scattered back to space, beyond that expected from the surface and atmospheric gas, is attributed to aerosol. Satellite measurements are used in many ways in aerosol research. They often provide the only method for monitoring hazardous phenomena such as major wildfire and volcanic eruption plumes, especially in remote areas. Stable, long-term, near-global-scale satellite data records make it possible to identify regional and global aerosol trends. Aerosol radiative effects on climate can be quantified on a near-global scale and used to estimate the strength of aerosol–radiation and aerosol–cloud interactions as well as to evaluate climate model simulations of these interactions. Aerosol-type mapping from satellite imagery is helpful for source attribution, model validation, and to constrain particle light-absorption properties that are essential for radiative forcing calculations. The range of aerosol properties retrieved from satellite observations has grown considerably since the first global estimates of aerosol optical depth (τ a) over ocean were made in the late 1970s. Methods for retrieving particle size and light-absorption properties were explored in the 1990s using multispectral, multi-angle observations, and polarization in visible and near-infrared wavelengths. Sensitivity to particle light absorption, primarily from black or brown carbon content, improved with the inclusion of UV channels, and sensitivity to very thin aerosol layers in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere was advanced with the use of limb-sounding instruments and active sensors. There are limitations to every measurement technique, including satellite aerosol remote sensing. For wide-swath, passive instruments, aerosol retrievals near clouds can present substantial challenges as far as 15 km away due to cloud-scattered light contaminating the signal. In nearly all cases, retrievals over bright snow and ice surfaces are precluded because surface reflectance uncertainties can overwhelm the aerosol signal. Similarly, meteorological cloud is identified and masked out where possible. Data from passive sensors also lack vertical resolution except those that view toward the limb or where multi-angle imagery is acquired over plumes from wildfires, erupting volcanoes, and wind-blown dust. Yet, passive sensors provide vastly more coverage than the active instruments that mitigate these issues. Particle microphysical information is qualitative from all remote sensing techniques, relying on proxies to infer particle composition, hygroscopicity, and the amount of light-absorbing material. Further, particles smaller than about 200 nm diameter cannot be distinguished from atmospheric gas molecules with remote sensing, which hinders studies of cloud condensation nuclei and their effects on clouds. Most satellite instruments dedicated to aerosol observations are in low-Earth, near-polar, sun-synchronous orbits, which means they cross the equator at the same local time each day. Most are set on cycles that repeat approximately every 16 days, which makes it difficult to monitor aerosol evolution locally. Geostationary satellites make it possible to observe changes occurring from minutes to hours over regions up to 8000 km in size, but lack coverage of high latitudes, and often provide more limited constraints on aerosol properties. Ground-truth data are vital for satellite aerosol-retrieval validation. The AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) of sun photometers was created in 1993 and has become an established global network of over 350 instruments for validating satellite measurements. The network, as well as global networks of ground-based lidars, solar flux radiometers and other sun photometers, are widely used for evaluating global satellite retrievals and model simulations. NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) program beginning in 1999 led to improvements in reliability, spatial resolution, and spectral resolution (and hence, to improved particle size discrimination and light absorption properties). Satellite payloads include advanced broad-swath and multi-angle imagers, along with the first space-based active sensor focused largely on long-term aerosol monitoring. Since about 2002, Europe's SENTINEL and operational meteorological satellite fleets are also providing sustained aerosol observations, with planned continuation until at least 2030. Satellite remote sensing instruments offer valuable data for evaluating aerosol representations in global climate models. They have been used to assess aerosol optical and physical properties, trends and distributions, and are applied increasingly as direct model constraints in data assimilation to create global aerosol reanalysis products. Aerosol optical depth is the most common quantity adopted for routine model evaluation, including multiwavelength data to loosely constrain particle-size distributions. These evaluations of multiple models have revealed general biases in their regional aerosol amounts and seasonal patterns of transport and removal. Although satellite measurements have near-global coverage, substantial errors can be introduced into the model observation comparison unless attention is paid to spatial and temporal collocation, cloud screening, subgrid-scale variability, and measurement uncertainties that vary with retrieval conditions.