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NASA NTRS1998

Ozone Depletion at Mid-Latitudes: Coupling of Volcanic Aerosols and Temperature Variability to Anthropogenic Chlorine

Satellite observations of total ozone at 40-60 deg N are presented from a variety of instruments over the time period 1979-1997. These reveal record low values in 1992-3 (after Pinatubo) followed by partial but incomplete recovery. The largest post-Pinatubo reductions and longer-term trends occur in spring, providing a critical test for chemical theories of ozone depletion. The observations are shown to be consistent with current understanding of the chemistry of ozone depletion when changes in reactive chlorine and stratospheric aerosol abundances are considered along with estimates of wave-driven fluctuations in stratospheric temperatures derived from global temperature analyses. Temperature fluctuations are shown to make significant contributions to model calculated northern mid-latitude ozone depletion due to heterogeneous chlorine activation on liquid sulfate aerosols at temperatures near 200-210 K (depending upon water vapor pressure), particularly after major volcanic eruptions. Future mid-latitude ozone recovery will hence depend not only on chlorine recovery but also on temperature trends and/or variability, volcanic activity, and any trends in stratospheric sulfate aerosol.

Solomon, S.↗

NASA NTRS1999

A Source Survey in a High Galactic Latitude Field

The subject grant is for work on the study of X-ray sources detected in a 20 ks high Galactic latitude pointing with the ROSAT PSPC. The purpose of the study is to: compare the detected source population with the log N - log S relationship; and to identify sources which show variability or particularly anomalous X-ray behavior. As detailed below, several concrete identifications of sources detected in this observation have been made, and the overall flux distribution of the detected sources is typical of the overall population at high latitude. No highly variable sources, were identified. This summary serves as the final report for this study.

Slane, Patrick O.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Anomalous Flows at Dayside High-Latitude Magnetopause as Observed by Interball Tail Probe

We analyze magnetopause crossings at high latitudes dayside magnetopause as observed by Interball Tail probe. High time resolution plasma data show strong short-time flows near magnetopause that strongly deviate from surrounding magnetosheath flow. Several quasi- periodic velocity variations are observed at times. Plasma parameters, such as number density, temperature and bulk velocity-of these flows are close to magnetosheath values. These anomalous flows are observed almost at every magnetopause crossing in this region. The ion velocity distributions in these regions indicate the presence of open field lines. Observed properties of these flows suggest their association with reconnection at high latitudes.

Vaisberg, O. L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Singular Plasma Disturbance in the Low-Latitude F Region

We describe here a new phenomenon characterized by unusual patterns of ion drifts inside ion density depletion regions observed by the AE-E satellite in the low-latitude F region. In about 30 depletions, vertical ion drift relative to the background was upward on the western sides, downward on the eastern sides, and zero near the middle where the density depletion was greatest. These drift characteristics are distinct from those observed in plasma bubble depletions. The structures reported here were observed on circular orbits below 300 km altitude and had density depletions of up to 2 orders of magnitude or more below the ambient ion density. The upward and downward drift excursions were up to 200 m/s relative to the background. Almost all these structures were observed over oceans or near coasts and largely between +/- 10 deg and +/- 30 deg clip latitude. The structures were observed mostly as isolated, single depletion regions with the majority of them about 250 km wide in the east-west direction. They occurred during quiet magnetic conditions with near-equal occurrence frequencies in the premidnight and postmidnight periods. The characteristic density and drift signatures indicate westward propagating disturbances in which the bottomside F layer is first lifted and then returned back to its original position, leaving the ionosphere undisturbed after the disturbance passes by. The estimated speed of these disturbances is of the order of 200 m/s. These unique solitary plasma disturbances, which we designate as singular plasma disturbances, are associated with a propagating source of E x B drift, not driven by neutral perturbations at the altitude of observation.

Singh, Sardul↗

NASA NTRS2000

High and Mid-Latitude Wetlands, Climate Change, and Carbon Storage

Pollen and macrofossil stratigraphy from wetlands associated with AMS chronology provides a vegetational and climatic history over thousands of years. From these records we establish a record of climate change which can be compared with independent records of carbon accumulation rates in these same wetlands. In this way, inferences can be made concerning carbon storage during different climatic regimes. One focus of our research has been high-latitude regions such as Alaskan and Siberian tundra, from which we have paleorecords which span the last 10,000 years. We will present records from the Malaspina Glacier region, Alaska and the Pur-Taz region of Western Siberia. A second focus of our research is in mid-latitude eastern North America. We will present paleorecords from wetlands in Vermont, New York, and Virginia showing the relationship between carbon accumulation rates and climatic changes since the late Pleistocene.

Peteet, Dorothy↗

NASA NTRS1998

Clementine High Resolution Camera Mosaicking Project: CL 6022; 80 deg S to 90 deg S Latitude, South Periapsis - Volume 22

This compact disk (CD) is part of the Clementine I high resolution (HiRes) camera lunar image mosaics developed by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS). These mosaics were developed through calibration and semi-automated registration against the recently released geometrically and photometrically controlled Ultraviolet/Visible (UV/Vis) Basemap Mosaic, which is available through the PDS, as CD-ROM volumes CL_3001-3015. The HiRes mosaics are compiled from non-uniformity corrected, 750 nanometer ("D") filter high resolution observations from the HiRes imaging system onboard the Clementine Spacecraft. The geometric control is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Clementine Basemap Mosaic compiled from the 750 nm Ultraviolet/Visible Clementine imaging system. Calibration was achieved by removing the image nonuniformity largely caused by the HiRes system's light intensifier. Also provided are offset and scale factors, achieved by a fit of the HiRes data to the corresponding photometrically calibrated UV/Vis basemap that approximately transform the 8-bit HiRes data to photometric units. The mosaics on this CD are compiled from polar data (latitudes greater than 80 degrees), and are presented in the stereographic projection at a scale of 30 m/pixel at the pole, a resolution 5 times greater than that (150 m/pixel) of the corresponding UV/Vis polar basemap. This 5:1 scale ratio is in keeping with the sub-polar mosaic, in which the HiRes and UV/Vis mosaics had scales of 20 m/pixel and 100 m/pixel, respectively. The equal-area property of the stereographic projection made this preferable for the HiRes polar mosaic rather than the basemap's orthographic projection. Thus, a necessary first step in constructing the mosaic was the reprojection of the UV/Vis basemap to the stereographic projection. The HiRes polar data can be naturally grouped according to the orbital periapsis, which was in the south during the first half of the mapping mission and in the north during the second half. Images in each group have generally uniform intrinsic resolution, illumination, exposure and gain. Rather than mingle data from the two periapsis epochs, separate mosaics are provided for each, a total of 4 polar mosaics. The mosaics are divided into 100 square tiles of 2250 pixels (approximately 2.2 deg near the pole) on a side. Not all squares of this grid contain HiRes mosaic data, some inevitably since a square is not a perfect representation of a (latitude) circle, others due to the lack of HiRes data. This CD also contains ancillary data files that support the HiRes mosaic. These files include browse images with UV/Vis context stored in a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format, index files ('imgindx.tab' and 'srcindx.tab') that tabulate the contents of the CD, and documentation files. For more information on the contents and organization of the CD volume set refer to the "FILES, DIRECTORIES AND DISK CONTENTS" section of this document. The image files are organized according to NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) standards. An image file (tile) is organized as a PDS labeled file containing an "image object".

Malin, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1998

Clementine High Resolution Camera Mosaicking Project: CL 6020; 80 deg N to 90 deg N Latitude, South Periapsis - Volume 20

Malin, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1998

Clementine High Resolution Camera Mosaicking Project: CL 6021; 80 deg S to 90 deg S Latitude, North Periapsis - Volume 21

This compact disk (CD) is part of the Clementine I high resolution (HiRes) camera lunar image mosaics developed by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS). These mosaics were developed through calibration and semi-automated registration against the recently released geometrically and photometrically controlled Ultraviolet/Visible (UV/Vis) Basemap Mosaic, which is available through the PDS, as CD-ROM volumes CL_3001-3015. The HiRes mosaics are compiled from non-uniformity corrected, 750 nanometer ("D") filter high resolution observations from the HiRes imaging system onboard the Clementine Spacecraft. The geometric control is provided by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Clementine Basemap Mosaic compiled from the 750 nm Ultraviolet/Visible Clementine imaging system. Calibration was achieved by removing the image nonuniformity largely caused by the HiRes system's light intensifier. Also provided are offset and scale factors, achieved by a fit of the HiRes data to the corresponding photometrically calibrated UV/Vis basemap that approximately transform the 8-bit HiRes data to photometric units. The mosaics on this CD are compiled from polar data (latitudes greater than 80 degrees), and are presented in the stereographic projection at a scale of 30 m/pixel at the pole, a resolution 5 times greater than that (150 m/pixel) of the corresponding UV/Vis polar basemap. This 5:1 scale ratio is in keeping with the sub-polar mosaic, in which the HiRes and UV/Vis mosaics had scales of 20 m/pixel and 100 m/pixel, respectively. The equal-area property of the stereographic projection made this preferable for the HiRes polar mosaic rather than the basemap's orthographic projection. Thus, a necessary first step in constructing the mosaic was the reprojection of the UV/Vis basemap to the stereographic projection. The HiRes polar data can be naturally grouped according to the orbital periapsis, which was in the south during the first half of the mapping mission and in the north during the second half. Images in each group have generally uniform intrinsic resolution, illumination, exposure and gain. Rather than mingle data from the two periapsis epochs, separate mosaics are provided for each, a total of 4 polar mosaics. The mosaics are divided into 100 square tiles of 2250 pixels (approximately 2.2 deg near the pole) on a side. Not all squares of this grid contain HiRes mosaic data, some inevitably since a square is not a perfect representation of a (latitude) circle, others due to the lack of HiRes data. This CD also contains ancillary data files that support the HiRes mosaic. These files include browse images with UV/Vis context stored in a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format, index files ('imgindx.tab' and 'srcindx.tab') that tabulate the contents of the CD, and documentation files. For more information on the contents and organization of the CD volume set refer to the "FILES, DIRECTORIES AND DISK CONTENTS" section of this document. The image files are organized according to NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) standards. An image file (tile) is organized as a PDS labeled file containing an "image object".

Malin, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1998

Clementine High Resolution Camera Mosaicking Project: CL 6019; 80 deg N to 90 deg N Latitude, North Periapsis - Volume 19

This compact disk (CD) is part of the Clementine I high resolution (HiRes) camera lunar image mosaics developed by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS). These mosaics were developed through calibration and semi-automated registration against the recently released geometrically and photometrically controlled Ultraviolet/Visible (UV/Vis) Basemap Mosaic, which is available through the PDS, as CD-ROM volumes CL_3001-3015. The HiRes mosaics are compiled from non-uniformity corrected, 750 nanometer ("D") filter high resolution observations from the HiRes imaging system onboard the Clementine Spacecraft. The geometric control is provided by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Clementine Basemap Mosaic compiled from the 750 nm Ultraviolet/Visible Clementine imaging system. Calibration was achieved by removing the image nonuniformity largely caused by the HiRes system's light intensifier. Also provided are offset and scale factors, achieved by a fit of the HiRes data to the corresponding photometrically calibrated UV/Vis basemap that approximately transform the 8-bit HiRes data to photometric units. The mosaics on this CD are compiled from polar data (latitudes greater than 80 degrees), and are presented in the stereographic projection at a scale of 30 m/pixel at the pole, a resolution 5 times greater than that (150 m/pixel) of the corresponding UV/Vis polar basemap. This 5:1 scale ratio is in keeping with the sub-polar mosaic, in which the HiRes and UV/Vis mosaics had scales of 20 m/pixel and 100 m/pixel, respectively. The equal-area property of the stereographic projection made this preferable for the HiRes polar mosaic rather than the basemap's orthographic projection. Thus, a necessary first step in constructing the mosaic was the reprojection of the UV/Vis basemap to the stereographic projection. The HiRes polar data can be naturally grouped according to the orbital periapsis, which was in the south during the first half of the mapping mission and in the north during the second half. Images in each group have generally uniform intrinsic resolution, illumination, exposure and gain. Rather than mingle data from the two periapsis epochs, separate mosaics are provided for each, a total of 4 polar mosaics. The mosaics are divided into 100 square tiles of 2250 pixels (approximately 2.2 deg near the pole) on a side. Not all squares of this grid contain HiRes mosaic data, some inevitably since a square is not a perfect representation of a (latitude) circle, others due to the lack of HiRes data. This CD also contains ancillary data files that support the HiRes mosaic. These files include browse images with UV/Vis context stored in a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format, index files ('imgindx.tab' and 'srcindx.tab') that tabulate the contents of the CD, and documentation files. For more information on the contents and organization of the CD volume set refer to the "FILES, DIRECTORIES AND DISK CONTENTS" section of this document. The image files are organized according to NASA's Planetary Data System (PDS) standards. An image file (tile) is organized as a PDS labeled file containing an "image object".

Malin, Michael↗

NASA NTRS1998

Electron Temperature and Density at High Latitude

The background electron temperature and density at altitudes between 1000 and 8000 km at invariant latitudes greater than 60 degrees have been determined from swept Langmuir probe measurements from the S3-3 satellite. These plasma parameters are determined by fitting the measured probe current-voltage relation to the expected theoretical response. Statistically acceptable fits are found for approx. 20% of all measurements and do not include measurements within the auroral density cavity. The results indicate that the density varies as an inverse power law with increasing altitude which has a typical value of 10 per cubic centimeters at 8000 km in altitude. The electron temperature shows a slight increase with altitude but is less than 5 eV for almost all measurements. These results suggest that the background plasma outside of auroral density cavities on high-latitude field lines below 8000 km is dominated by cold plasma of ionospheric origin which is at least an order of magnitude more dense than hotter magnetospheric components.

Kletzing, C. A.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Investigation of High-Latitude Phenomena Using Polar Data and Global Simulations

The goal of this one-year project was to use data from the Polar satellite in conjunction with global simulations of Earth's magnetosphere to investigate phenomena in the high-latitude magnetosphere. Specifically, we addressed reconnection at the cusp during periods of northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and the effects of substorms on the high-latitude magnetosphere.

Russell, Christopher T.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Low-Latitude Solar Wind During the Fall 1998 SOHO-Ulysses Quadrature

The Fall 1998 SOlar-Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) - Ulysses quadrature occurred when Ulysses was at 5.2 AU, 17.4 deg South of the equator, and off the West line of the Sun. SOHO coronal observations, at heliocentric distances of a few solar radii, showed that the line through the solar center and Ulysses crossed, over the first days of observations, a dark, weakly emitting area and through the northern edge of a streamer complex during the second half of the quadrature campaign. Ulysses in situ observations showed this transition to correspond to a decrease from higher speed wind typical of coronal hole flow to low speed wind. Physical parameters (density, temperature, flow speed) of the low latitude coronal plasma sampled over the campaign are determined using constraints from what is the same plasma measured later in situ and simulating the intensities of the Hydrogen Lyman-alpha and OVI 1032 and 1037 Angstrom lines, measured by the Ultra Violet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) on SOHO. The densities, temperatures and outflow speed are compared with the same characteristic flow parameters for high-latitude fast wind streams and typical slow solar wind.

Poletto, G.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Near-simultaneous Polar and DMSP Measurements of Topside Ionospheric Field-Aligned Flows at High Latitudes

Near-simultaneous observations of topside O(+) parallel flows are presented for four periods of measurement by the Polar and DMSP satellites during April 1996. The Polar measurements were from southern perigee measurements near 5000 km altitude, while the DMSP measurements were from 840 km altitude. In general, the velocities were upward at expected cleft and auroral latitudes, typically about 2-10 km per second at 5000 km altitude, and 0-2 km per second at 840 km altitude. At the highest, polar cap latitudes, downward velocities were more frequent at both altitudes, but especially at the lower 840 km altitude. The downward velocities were typically a few hundred meters per second at 840 km altitude, and 0-1 km per second at 5000 km altitude. In some instances, downward velocities were observed at 840 km altitude while upward O(+) flows were observed at 5000 km altitude, possibly on the same flux tube. The O(+) densities were characteristically 10(exp 3) - 10(exp 4) O(+) at 5000 km altitude and 10(exp 3) - 10(exp 4) O(+) cm (exp -3) at 840 km altitude, while the O(+) fluxes were characteristically 10(exp 5) - 10(exp 7) O(+) cm(exp -2) per second at 5000 km altitude and characteristically 10(exp 7) - 10(exp 9) O(+) cm(exp -2) per second at 840 km altitude. We have also examined the dual-altitude parameter measurements for a polar cap field line, the Polar and DMSP measurements approximately 30 min apart, and compared them with results from a transport simulation. The simulated high-altitude velocity altitude profiles for the period during and after the initiation of the auroral processes generally bracketed the observations, but the observed downward velocities (500 - 600 m per second) at 840 km altitude were much larger in magnitude than those observed at both altitudes.

Zeng, W.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Upper Tropospheric Ozone Between Latitudes 60S and 60N Derived from Nimbus 7 TOMS/THIR Cloud Slicing

This study evaluates the spatial distributions and seasonal cycles in upper tropospheric ozone (pressure range 200-500 hPa) from low to high latitudes (60S to 60N) derived from the satellite retrieval method called "Cloud Slicing." Cloud Slicing is a unique technique for determining ozone profile information in the troposphere by combining co-located measurements of cloud-top, pressure and above-cloud column ozone. For upper tropospheric ozone, co-located measurements of Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) above-cloud column ozone, and Nimbus 7 Temperature Humidity Infrared Radiometer (THIR) cloud-top pressure during 1979-1984 were incorporated. In the tropics, upper tropospheric ozone shows year-round enhancement in the Atlantic region and evidence of a possible semiannual variability. Upper tropospheric ozone outside the tropics shows greatest abundance in winter and spring seasons in both hemispheres with largest seasonal and largest amounts in the NH. These characteristics are similar to lower stratospheric ozone. Comparisons of upper tropospheric column ozone with both stratospheric ozone and a proxy of lower stratospheric air mass (i.e., tropopause pressure) from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) suggest that stratosphere-troposphere exchange (STE) may be a significant source for the seasonal variability of upper tropospheric ozone almost everywhere between 60S and 60N except in low latitudes around 10S to 25N where other sources (e.g., tropospheric transport, biomass burning, aerosol effects, lightning, etc.) may have a greater role.

Ziemke, Jerald R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Small, Highly Reflective Ice Crystals in Low-Latitude Cirrus

At low latitudes, cirrus are ubiquitous and can be in excess of 100 C colder than the surface, limiting the amount of sunlight absorbed by the earth s atmosphere and surface, and reducing its loss of heat. Here we present aircraft measurements within cirrus over southern Florida indicating that ice crystals have smaller sizes and are more reflective than is assumed in most current climate models. If the measurements are generally representative of low-latitude cirrus, they point to a first-order correction to represenntions of how these clouds affect the earth's climate.

Garrett, T. J.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Higher northern latitude normalized difference vegetation index and growing season trends from 1982 to 1999

Normalized difference vegetation index data from the polar-orbiting National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorological satellites from 1982 to 1999 show significant variations in photosynthetic activity and growing season length at latitudes above 35 degrees N. Two distinct periods of increasing plant growth are apparent: 1982-1991 and 1992-1999, separated by a reduction from 1991 to 1992 associated with global cooling resulting from the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in June 1991. The average May to September normalized difference vegetation index from 45 degrees N to 75 degrees N increased by 9% from 1982 to 1991, decreased by 5% from 1991 to 1992, and increased by 8% from 1992 to 1999. Variations in the normalized difference vegetation index were associated with variations in the start of the growing season of -5.6, +3.9, and -1.7 days respectively, for the three time periods. Our results support surface temperature increases within the same period at higher northern latitudes where temperature limits plant growth.

Ecosystem↗

NASA NTRS2005

Support for the Harvard University Water Vapor and Total Water Instruments for the 2004 NASA WB57 Middle Latitude Cirrus Experiment

In order to improve our understanding of the role clouds play in the climate system, NASA is investing considerable effort in characterizing clouds with instruments ranging from passive remote sensors on board the EOS platforms, to the forthcoming active remote sensors on Cloudsat and Calipso. These missions, when taken together, have the capacity to advance our understanding of the coupling between various components of the hydrologic cycle and the atmospheric circulation, and hold the additional potential of leading to significant improvements in the characterization of cloud feedbacks in global models. This is especially true considering that several of these platforms will be flown in an identical orbit within several minutes of one another-a constellation of satellites known as the A-Train. The algorithms that are being implemented and developed to convert these new data streams from radiance and reflectivity measurements into geophysical parameters invariably rely on some set of simplifymg assumptions and empirical constants. Uncertainties in these relationships lead to poorly understood random and systematic errors in the retrieved properties. This lack of understanding introduces ambiguity in interpreting the data and in using the global data sets for their intended purposes. In light of this, a series of flights with the W57F was proposed to address certain specific issues related to the basic properties of mid latitude cirrus clouds: the NASA WE357 Middle Latitude Cirrus Experiment ("MidCiX"). The science questions addressed are: 1) Can cloud property retrieval algorithms developed for A-Train active and passive remote sensing measurements accurately characterize the microphysical properties of synoptic and convectively generated cirrus cloud systems? 2) What are the relationships between the cirrus particle mass, projected area, and particle size spectrum in various genre of cirrus clouds? 3) Does the present compliment of state of the art in situ cloud probes provide the level of precision and accuracy needed to develop and validate algorithms and to contribute to our understanding of the characteristics and microphysical processes operating in cirrus clouds?

Anderson, James G.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Determining the Sun's Deep Meridional Flow Speed Using Active Latitude Drift Rates Since 1874

Dynamo models that incorporate a deep meridional return flow indicate that this flow regulates both the period and the amplitude of the sunspot cycle. We recently examined the equatorward drift of the active latitudes (as given by the centroid of the sunspot areas in each hemisphere) and found evidence supporting this view. In those studies we fit the equatorward drift in each hemisphere for each sunspot cycle with a simple parabola - giving us a drift rate and its deceleration for each hemisphere/cycle. Here we analyze the same data (the Royal Greenwich Observatory/JSAF/NOAA daily active region summaries) to determine the drift rates in each hemisphere on a yearly basis (rotation-by- rotation measurements smoothed to remove high frequencies) and fit them with a simple model for the meridional flow that provides the meridional flow speed as a function of latitude and time from 1874 to 2005. These flow speeds can be used to test dynamo models - some of which have predictive capabilities.

Hathaway, David H.↗