Model improvement and future projection of permafrost processes in a global land surface model
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Tokuta Yokohata↗
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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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Gravitational model improvement at the Goddard Space Flight Center
Major new computations of terrestrial gravitational field models were performed by the Geodynamics Branch of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). This development has incorporated the present state of the art results in satellite geodesy and have relied upon a more consistent set of reference constants than was heretofore utilized in GSFC's GEM models. The solutions are complete in spherical harmonic coefficients out to degree 50 for the gravity field parameters. These models include adjustment for a subset of 66 ocean tidal coefficients for the long wavelength components of 12 major ocean tides. This tidal adjustment was made in the presence of 550 other fixed ocean tidal terms representing 32 major and minor ocean tides and the Wahr frequency dependent solid earth tidal model. In addition 5-day averaged values for Earth rotation and polar motion were derived for the time period of 1980 onward. Two types of models were computed. These are satellite only models relying exclusively on tracking data and combination models which have incorporated satellite altimetry and surface gravity data. The satellite observational data base consists of over 1100 orbital arcs of data on 31 satellites. A large percentage of these observations were provided by third generation laser stations (less than 5 cm). A calibration of the model accuracy of the GEM-T2 satellite only solution indicated that it was a significant improvement over previous models based solely upon tracking data. The rms geoid error for this field is 110 cm to degree and order 36. This is a major advancement over GEM-T1 whose errors were estimated to be 160 cm. An error propagation using the covariances of the GEM-T2 model for the TOPEX radial orbit component indicates that the rms radial errors are expected to be 12 cm. The combination solution, PGS-3337, is a preliminary effort leading to the development of GEM-T3. PGS-3337 has incorporated global sets of surface gravity data and the Seasat altimetry to produce a model complete to (50,50). A solution for the dynamic ocean topography to degree and order 10 was included as part of this adjustment.
Marsh, J. G.↗
Gravity model improvement using GEOS 3 /GEM 9 and 10/
Although errors in previous gravity models have produced large uncertainties in the orbital position of GEOS 3, significant improvement has been obtained with new geopotential solutions, Goddard Earth Model (GEM) 9 and 10. The GEM 9 and 10 solutions for the potential coefficients and station coordinates are presented along with a discussion of the new techniques employed. Also presented and discussed are solutions for three fundamental geodetic reference parameters, viz. the mean radius of the earth, the gravitational constant, and mean equatorial gravity. Evaluation of the gravity field is examined together with evaluation of GEM 9 and 10 for orbit determination accuracy. The major objectives of GEM 9 and 10 are achieved. GEOS 3 orbital accuracies from these models are about 1 m in their radial components for 5-day arc lengths. Both models yield significantly improved results over GEM solutions when compared to surface gravimetry, Skylab and GEOS 3 altimetry, and highly accurate BE-C (Beacon Explorer-C) laser ranges. The new values of the parameters discussed are given.
Lerch, F. J.↗
Wind-US Code Physical Modeling Improvements to Complement Hypersonic Testing and Evaluation
This report gives an overview of physical modeling enhancements to the Wind-US flow solver which were made to improve the capabilities for simulation of hypersonic flows and the reliability of computations to complement hypersonic testing. The improvements include advanced turbulence models, a bypass transition model, a conjugate (or closely coupled to vehicle structure) conduction-convection heat transfer capability, and an upgraded high-speed combustion solver. A Mach 5 shock-wave boundary layer interaction problem is used to investigate the benefits of k- s and k-w based explicit algebraic stress turbulence models relative to linear two-equation models. The bypass transition model is validated using data from experiments for incompressible boundary layers and a Mach 7.9 cone flow. The conjugate heat transfer method is validated for a test case involving reacting H2-O2 rocket exhaust over cooled calorimeter panels. A dual-mode scramjet configuration is investigated using both a simplified 1-step kinetics mechanism and an 8-step mechanism. Additionally, variations in the turbulent Prandtl and Schmidt numbers are considered for this scramjet configuration.
Georgiadis, Nicholas J.↗
An improved model for the combustion of AP composite propellants
This paper presents several improvements to the BDP model of steady-state burning of AP composite solid propellants. The Price-Boggs-Derr model of AP monopropellant burning is incorporated to represent the AP. A separate energy equation is written for the binder to permit a different surface temperature from the AP; this includes an analysis of the sharing of primary diffusion flame energy, and correction of a BDP model inconsistency in treating the binder regression rate. A method for assembling component contributions to calculate the burning rates of multimodal propellants is also presented. Results are shown in the form of representative burning rate curves, comparisons with data, and calculated internal details of interest. Ideas for future work are discussed in an Appendix.
Cohen, N. S.↗
Helicopter stability and control modeling improvements and verification on two helicopters
A linearized model of helicopter flight dynamics is developed which includes the flapping, lead-lag, and dynamic inflow degrees of freedom (DOF). The model is a combination of analytical terms and numerically determined stability derivatives, and is used to investigate the importance of the rotor DOF to stability and control modeling. The results show that the rotor DOF can have a significant impact on some of the natural modes in a linear model. The flap and dynamic inflow DOF show the greatest influence. Flapping exhibits strong coupling to the body, dynamic inflow, and to lead-lag to a lesser extent. Dynamic inflow tends to damp the high-frequency flapping modes, and reduces the damping on coupled body-flap motion. Dynamic inflow also couples to the flapping motion to produce complex roots. With body-flap and lag regressing modes as exceptions, the results show essentially similar behavior for most modes of articulated and hingeless rotor helicopters.
Schrage, D. P.↗
Geopotential Model Improvement Using POCM_4B Dynamic Ocean Topography Information: PGM2000A
The two-year mean (1993-1994) Dynamic Ocean Topography (DOT) field implied by the POCM_4B circulation model was used to develop normal equations for DOT, in a surface spherical harmonic representation. These normal equations were combined with normal equations from satellite tracking data, surface gravity data, and altimeter data from TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS-1. Several least-squares combination solutions were developed in this fashion, by varying parameters such as the maximum degree of the estimated DOT and the relative weights of the different data. The solutions were evaluated in terms of orbit fit residuals, GPS/Leveling-derived undulations, and independent DOT information from in situ WOCE hydrographic data. An optimal solution was developed in this fashion which was originally presented at the 1998 EGS meeting in Nice, France. This model, designated here PGM2000A, maintains the orbit and land geoid modeling performance of EGM96, while improving its marine geoid modeling capability. In addition, PGM2000A's error spectrum is considerably more realistic than those of other contemporary gravitational models and agrees well with the error spectrum of EGM96. We will present the development and evaluation of PGM2000A, with particular emphasis on the weighting of the DOT information implied by POCM_4B. We will also present an inter-comparison of PGM2000A with the GRIM5-C1 and TEG-4 models. Directions for future work and problematic areas will be identified.
Pavlis, N. K.↗
Spray combustion model improvement study, 1
This study involves the development of numerical and physical modeling in spray combustion. These modeling efforts are mainly motivated to improve the physical submodels of turbulence, combustion, atomization, dense spray effects, and group vaporization. The present mathematical formulation can be easily implemented in any time-marching multiple pressure correction methodologies such as MAST code. A sequence of validation cases includes the nonevaporating, evaporating and_burnin dense_sprays.
Chen, C. P.↗
Identifying Chemical and Optical Smoke Signatures in Suborbital Observations to Improve Model Projections
Biomass Burning (BB) fires are expected to occur more frequently in the future due to climate change, the build‐up of fuels due to fire suppression, and the expansion of the wildland‐urban interface [Schoennagel et al., 2017; Shivdenko & Schepaschenko, 2013; Stevens et al., 2014; Turner et al., 2019; Yue et al., 2015; Tilman et al., 2001]. Accurate knowledge of the abundance, distribution, and optical properties of absorbing aerosols such as BB smoke is essential to understanding regional and global aerosol radiative effects [Boucher et al., 2013]. It is recognized that differing fuel types (e.g., rice straw, ponderosa pine), combustion modes (i.e., flaming, smoldering or both) and temperature/ moisture content produce smoke with differing optical characteristics (e.g., aerosol light scattering and absorption) and component mixing ratios [e.g., BC, OC and inorganic species such as sulfate, potassium, chloride; Streets et al. 2003; Reid et al., 2005a, b; Janhäll et al., 2010; Sayer et al., 2014]. However, climate models often ascribe a fixed set of emission factors [i.e., amount of particulate for a given species released in the atmosphere per unit dry fuel burned; Darmenov and Dasilva, 2013] and optical properties [Hess et al., 1998] to all BB aerosol plumes, inherently limiting accurate representation of the global and regional heterogeneity of BB. The overarching goal of the proposed work is to improve the microphysical and optical representation of different types of Biomass Burning in Chemistry Transport Models. Our strategy is to capitalize on multiple airborne campaigns (e.g., ARCTAS, SEAC4RS, ORACLES, FIREX-AQ), which sampled different types of BB plumes at different aging stages. Models, when improved and combined with satellite, airborne, and ground observations will help address many aerosol science objectives from the NASA Decadal survey [National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018].
Meloe Shenandoah F Kacenelenbogen↗
Improved Modelling of SEP Event Onset Within the WSA–Enlil–SEPMOD Framework
Multi-spacecraft observations of solar energetic particle (SEP) events not only enable a deeper understanding and development of particle acceleration and transport theories but also provide important constraints for model validation efforts. However, because of computational limitations, a given physics-based SEP model is usually best suited to capture a particular phase of an SEP event, rather than its whole development from onset through decay. For example, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models of the heliosphere often incorporate solar transients only at the outer boundary of their so-called coronal domain – usually set at a heliocentric distance of 20–30 R⊙. This means that particle acceleration at coronal mass ejection (CME)-driven shocks is also computed from this boundary onwards, leading to simulated SEP event onsets that can be many hours later than observed, since shock waves can form much lower in the solar corona. In this work, we aim to improve the modelled onset of SEP events by inserting a “fixed source” of particle injection at the outer boundary of the coronal domain of the coupled WSA–Enlil 3D MHD model of the heliosphere. The SEP model that we employ for this effort is Solar Energetic Particle MODel (SEPMOD), a physics-based test-particle code based on a field line tracer and adiabatic invariant conservation. We apply our initial tests and results of SEPMOD’s fixed-source option to the 2021 October 9 SEP event, which was detected at five well-separated locations in the inner heliosphere – Parker Solar Probe, STEREO-A, Solar Orbiter, BepiColombo, and near-Earth spacecraft.
Solar eruptions↗
Automated dynamic analytical model improvement
A method is developed and illustrated which finds minimum changes in analytical mass and stiffness matrices to make them consistent with a set of measured normal modes and natural frequencies. The corrected model is an improved base for studies of physical changes, changes in boundary conditions, and for prediction of forced responses. Features of the method are: efficient procedures not requiring solutions of the eigenproblem; the model may have more degrees of freedom than the test data; modal displacements at all the analytical degrees of freedom are obtained; the frequency dependence of the coordinate transformations are properly treated.
Berman, A.↗
Terrestrial gravity data analysis for interim gravity model improvement
This is the first status report for the Interim Gravity Model research effort that was started on June 30, 1986. The basic theme of this study is to develop appropriate models and adjustment procedures for estimating potential coefficients from terrestrial gravity data. The plan is to use the latest gravity data sets to produce coefficient estimates as well as to provide normal equations to NASA for use in the TOPEX/POSEIDON gravity field modeling program.
Source record↗
Improved Modeling in a Matlab-Based Navigation System
An innovative approach to autonomous navigation is available for low earth orbit satellites. The system is developed in Matlab and utilizes an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to estimate the attitude and trajectory based on spacecraft magnetometer and gyro data. Preliminary tests of the system with real spacecraft data from the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer Satellite (RXTE) indicate the existence of unmodeled errors in the magnetometer data. Incorporating into the EKF a statistical model that describes the colored component of the effective measurement of the magnetic field vector could improve the accuracy of the trajectory and attitude estimates and also improve the convergence time. This model is identified as a first order Markov process. With the addition of the model, the EKF attempts to identify the non-white components of the noise allowing for more accurate estimation of the original state vector, i.e. the orbital elements and the attitude. Working in Matlab allows for easy incorporation of new models into the EKF and the resulting navigation system is generic and can easily be applied to future missions resulting in an alternative in onboard or ground-based navigation.
Deutschmann, Julie↗
An assessment of gravity model improvements using TOPEX/Poseidon TDRSS observations
The contribution of TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) TDRSS data to geopotential model recovery is assessed. Simulated TDRSS one-way and Bilateration Ranging Transponder System (BRTS) observations have been generated and orbitally reduced to form normal equations for geopotential parameters. These normals have been combined with those of the latest prelaunch T/P gravity model solution using data from over 30 satellites. A study of the resulting solution error covariance shows that TDRSS can make important contributions to geopotential recovery, especially for improving T/P specific effects like those arising from orbital resonance. It is argued that future effort is desirable both to establish TDRSS orbit determination limits in a reference frame compatible with that used for the precise laser/DORIS orbits, and the reduction of these TDRSS data for geopotential recovery.
Putney, B. H.↗
The NASA/Ames Mars General Circulation Model: Model Improvements and Comparison with Observations
For many years, the NASA/Ames Mars General Circulation Model (GCM) has been built around the UCLA B-grid dynamical core. An attached tracer transport scheme based on the aerosol microphysical model of Toon et al. (1988) provided a tool for studying dust storm transport and feedbacks (Murphy et al., 1995). While we still use a B-grid version of the model, the Ames group is now transitioning to the ARIES/GEOS Goddard C-grid dynamical core (Suarez and Takacs, 1995). The C-grid produces smoother fields when the model top is raised above 50 km, and has a built in transport scheme for an arbitrary number of tracers. All of our transport simulations are now carried out with the C-grid. We have also been updating our physics package. Several years ago we replaced our bulk boundary layer scheme with a level 2 type diffusive scheme, and added a multi-level soil model (Haberle et al., 2000). More recently we replaced our radiation code with a more generalized two-stream code that accounts for aerosol multiple scattering and gaseous absorption. This code gives us much more flexibility in choosing aerosol optical properties and radiatively active gases.
Haberle, R. M.↗
The terrestrial radiation environment and EVA's: Prediction requirements, model improvements, and warning systems
The total medical-biological impact of the Earth's space radiation environment on humans is a function of combined EVA and non-EVA exposure. In either case, the correct assessment of the eventual health risk to crew members is crucial to the success and viability of a project or mission. Aside from the medical-biological aspect itself, the validity of any assessment depends entirely on the existence of good and reliable models providing the high quality data that is needed for such evaluations, which should contain time histories of storm and substorm events, their intensities, their frequency of occurence, and their duration. Prediction requirements, advantageous and desirable model developments and improvements, and systems that need to be designed and tested, which would alert space crews and maintenance personnel about impending radiation danger are outlined.
Stassinopoulos, E. G.↗
Soil Respiration Phenology Improves Modeled Phase of Terrestrial Net Ecosystem Exchange in Northern Hemisphere
In the northern hemisphere, terrestrial ecosystems transition from net sources of CO2 to the atmosphere in winter to net ecosystem carbon sinks during spring. The timing (or phase) of this transition, determined by the balance between ecosystem respiration (RECO) and primary production, is key to estimating the amplitude of the terrestrial carbon sink. We diagnose an apparent phase bias in the RECO and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) seasonal cycles estimated by the Terrestrial Carbon Flux (TCF) model framework and investigate its link to soil respiration mechanisms. Satellite observations of vegetation canopy conditions, surface meteorology, and soil moisture from the NASA SMAP Level 4 Soil Moisture product are used to model a daily carbon budget for a global network of eddy covariance flux towers. Proposed modifications to TCF include: the inhibition of foliar respiration in the light (the Kok effect); a seasonally varying litterfall phenology; an O2 diffusion limitation on heterotrophic respiration (RH); and a vertically resolved soil decomposition model. We find that RECO phase bias can result from bias in RECO magnitude and that mechanisms which reduce northern spring RECO, like substrate and O2 diffusion limitations, can mitigate the phase bias. A vertically resolved soil decomposition model mitigates this bias by temporally segmenting and lagging RH. Applying these model enhancements at Continuous Soil Respiration (COSORE) sites verifies their improvement of RECO and NEE skill compared to in situ observations (up to ∆RMSE = −0.76 g C m−2 d −1 35 ). Ultimately, these mechanisms can improve prior estimates of NEE for atmospheric inversion studies.
Soil respiration↗
Physics-Based SNOWPACK Model Improves Representation of Near-Surface Antarctic Snow and Firn Density
Estimates of snow and firn density are required for satellite-altimetry-based retrievals of ice sheet mass balance that rely on volume-to-mass conversions. Therefore, biases and errors in presently used density models confound assessments of ice sheet mass balance and by extension ice sheet contribution to sea level rise. Despite this importance, most contemporary firn densification models rely on simplified semi-empirical methods, which are partially reflected by significant modeled density errors when compared to observations. In this study, we present a new drifting-snow compaction scheme that we have implemented into SNOWPACK, a physics-based land surface snow model. We show that our new scheme improves existing versions of SNOWPACK by increasing simulated near-surface (defined as the top 10 m) density to be more in line with observations (near-surface bias reduction from −44.9 to −5.4 kg m−3). Furthermore, we demonstrate high-quality simulation of near-surface Antarctic snow and firn density at 122 observed density profiles across the Antarctic ice sheet, as indicated by reduced model biases throughout most of the near-surface firn column when compared to two semi-empirical firn densification models (SNOWPACK mean bias=−9.7 kg m−3, IMAU-FDM mean bias=−32.5 kg m−3, GSFC-FDM mean bias=15.5 kg m−3). Notably, our analysis is restricted to the near surface where firn density is most variable due to accumulation and compaction variability driven by synoptic weather and seasonal climate variability. Additionally, the GSFC-FDM exhibits lower mean density bias from 7–10 m (SNOWPACK bias=−22.5 kg m−3, GSFC-FDM bias=10.6 kg m−3) and throughout the entire near surface at high-accumulation sites (SNOWPACK bias=−31.4 kg m−3, GSFC-FDM bias=−4.7 kg m−3). However, we found that the performance of SNOWPACK did not degrade when applied to sites that were not included in the calibration of semi-empirical models. This suggests that SNOWPACK may possibly better represent firn properties in locations without extensive observations and under future climate scenarios, when firn properties are expected to diverge from their present state.
Eric Keenan↗