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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Geologic evaluation and applications of ERTS-1 imagery over Georgia

Satellite imagery and other remote sensing tools and techniques have provided a powerful tool to assist geologic research; significantly increased the mapping efficiency of field geologists; shown new lineaments associated with known shear and fault zones; delineated new structural features; provided a tool to reevaluate tectonic history; helped to locate potential ground-water sources and areas of aquifer recharge; defined areas of geologic hazards; shown areas of heavy siltation in major reservoirs; and, by close interval repetition, aided in monitoring surface mine reclamation activities and the environmental protection of the intricate marshland system. The Georgia Geological Survey has been engaged in regional mapping for the new state geologic map. ERTS-1 images enlarged to compatible mapping scales have increased field geologic mapping efficiency by at least 25%. There are a number of areas where data from ERTS-1 imagery has allowed a notably higher level of precision than has been available with any amount of field work on the ground.

Pickering, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Sonora exploratory study for the detection of wheat-leaf rust

The applicability of LANDSAT remote sensing technology to the detection of a wheat-leaf-rust epidemic in Sonora, Mexico, during 1977 was investigated. LANDSAT data acquired during crop years 1975-76 and 1976-77 were clustered, classified, and analyzed in order to detect agricultural changes. Analysis of 1977 data indicates a significant proportion of the identified wheat is stressed (potentially rust-infected). Additional analyses show a significant increase in fallowing during the year, as well as a substantial decrease in reservoir levels in the Sonora agricultural region. Ground observations are required to substantiate these analyses. The possibility exists that heat-rust is not LANDSAT detectable and that the clusters identified as containing stressed signatures represent different varieties of wheat or perhaps nonwheat crops.

Payne, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Freshwater ice thickness observations using passive microwave sensors

Walden Reservoir, a freshwater lake in north-central Colorado, was overflown six times by a NASA C-130 aircraft between January 1977 and April 1980. The aircraft was equipped with four microwave radiometers operating between 0.81 and 6.0 cm in wavelength (37.0 to 5.0 GHz). The 6.0-cm radiometer data showed a good relationship with ice thickness based on a sample of four ice thickness values. The 1.67- and 1.35-cm radiometer data showed weaker relationships with ice thickness. The 0.81-cm sensor data showed no positive relationship with ice thickness. None of the relationships was statistically significant because of the small sample size. The 6.0-cm sensor data in the nadir-viewing mode was found to have the most potential of all the wavelengths studied, for use in remotely determining ice thickness. The 6.0-cm radiometer probably sensed the entire thickness of the ice on the reservoir (ranging from 25.4 to 67.3 cm in thickness) and was apparently not significantly affected by the snow overlying the ice. The shorter wavelengths are scattered by the snow overlying the ice and are more suitable for snow studies than for ice thickness studies.

Hall, D. K.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Enhancement of a global lake and reservoir database to aid climate studies and resource monitoring utilizing satellite radar altimetry

Here, we describe the expansion and enhancement of a large (surface area ≥100 sq. km) lake and reservoir database (1.GREALD). These efforts have also resulted in the spin-off of two additional databases, one containing lakes and reservoirs (2.GREALD, area 10–99 sq. km), and the other containing ephemeral lakes (3.GELD, area ≥100 sq. km). These databases are unique sources for projects that utilize satellite radar altimeter data to monitor surface water levels. While 1.GREALD aims to be a complete catalog, 2.GREALD focuses on reservoirs in response to applied sciences programs that monitor water and energy resources. The creation of 3.GELD has climate change objectives as well as water resources and ecosystem conservation applications. The recording of information pertaining to the potential overpasses (waterbody crossings) of the current and archive satellite altimeters is a primary objective as is the need to highlight any form of controlled water level variation. The permanent water databases now contain 6282 entries, half experience some form of anthropogenic influence and ∼430 have been identified as potential climatically sensitive terminal lakes. The revised integral surface area distribution is a power law with exponent −1.016. Statistics reveal that with altimetric repeat visit times of 10-day to monthly, at least 80% of the permanent water bodies (≥10 sq. km) have been overflown at some period since the 1990s. Current information on water use and reservoir formation date show that the primary use of the reservoir class is hydroelectric power, and that China, Brazil, India, Turkey, and Vietnam dominate the dam building in recent decades.

Charon M. Birkett↗
DOE OSTI2021

Biogeochemistry of the Antrim Shale Natural Gas Reservoir

The Antrim Shale, located in the Michigan Basin, United States (U.S.), is a major U.S. shale play having produced over 2.5 Trillion Cubic Feet (Tcf) of unconventional shale natural gas as of 2010. The shallow nature of this formation sets it apart from other, more characterized unconventional shale gas plays. The depth of gas production of the Antrim ranges from approximately 150 to 600 m and it is typically vertically drilled, contrary to deeper, horizontally drilled shales. A thorough understanding of the biogeochemistry and microbiology of this complex system will be advantageous for improving well performance, produced water management, and potential biocidal treatment as microbial community composition can vary substantially even among closely spaced wells. In this study, we analyzed produced water collected from nine different wells in the Antrim Shale by investigating the geochemical and microbial community composition of the produced water to gain greater insight into the overall biogeochemistry of this unique shale system. The majority of the wells from this study had high total dissolved solids (TDS) primarily composed of chloride and sodium, averaging 86,804 mg/L with a maximum 116,223 mg/L; however, three of the wells sampled along the northern margin of the basin exhibited significantly lower TDS ranging from 4932 to 6496 mg/L. Overall, our microbial community analysis revealed relatively low abundance within our samples and high variability of the microbial community among the sampled wells. The majority of bacterial sequences were identified within Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria phyla and metagenomic sequencing revealed the low presence of Methanobacteriaceae within each sample. We also investigated potential microbial community drivers and found that TDS, sodium, chloride, iodide, bromide, ammonium, potassium, and strontium were significantly correlated with the observed microbial community. The varying geochemical conditions between wells demonstrate different subsurface environmental niches, potentially driving the heterogeneous microbial communities we observed from well to well. This analysis suggests an important relationship between both well location and geochemistry and the observed microbial community that can persist in the reservoir. Continued studies of the Antrim Shale will improve our understanding of the complex interdependencies of this ecosystem.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cavity Controlled Upconversion in CdSe Nanoplatelet Polaritons

Exciton-polaritons provide a versatile platform for investigating quantum electrodynamics effects in chemical systems, such as polariton-altered chemical reactivity. However, using polaritons in chemical contexts will require a better understanding of their photophysical properties under ambient conditions, where chemistry is typically performed. Here, we used cavity quality factor to control strong light–matter interactions and in particular the excited state dynamics of colloidal CdSe nanoplatelets (NPLs) coupled to a Fabry– Pérot optical cavity. With increasing cavity quality factor, we observe significant population of the upper polariton (UP) state, exemplified by the rare observation of substantial UP photoluminescence (PL). Excitation of the lower polariton (LP) states results in upconverted PL emission from the UP branch due to efficient exchange of population between the LP, UP and the reservoir of dark states present in collectively coupled polaritonic systems. In addition, we measure time scales for polariton dynamics ~100 ps, implying great potential for NPL based polariton systems to affect photochemical reaction rates. State-of-the-art quantum dynamical simulations show outstanding quantitative agreement with experiments, and thus provide important insight into polariton photophysical dynamics of collectively coupled nanocrystal-based systems. These findings represent a significant step toward the development of practical polariton photochemistry platforms.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Assessing the potential of composite confining systems for secure and long-term CO 2 retention in geosequestration

A potential geologic target for CO 2 storage should ensure secure containment of injected CO 2 . Traditionally, this objective has been achieved by targeting reservoirs with overlying seals-regionally extensive, low permeability units that have been proven capable of retaining buoyant fluid accumulations over geologic time. However, considering that the amount of CO 2 is limited by a decadal injection period, vertical migration of CO 2 can be effectively halted by a composite system of discontinuous shale/silt/mudstone barriers in bedded sedimentary rocks. Here, we studied the impact of depositional architectures in a composite confining system on CO 2 migration and confinement at reservoir scale. We stochastically generated lithologically heterogeneous reservoir models containing discontinuous barriers consistent with statistical distributions of net-sand-to-gross-shale ratio (NTG) and horizontal correlation lengths derived from well log data and observations of producing hydrocarbon fields in Southern Louisiana. We then performed an extensive suite of reservoir simulations of CO 2 injection and post-injection to evaluate the sensitivity of CO 2 plume migration and pressure response of the composite system to a series of geologic and fluid parameters including the lateral continuity of barriers, NTG, permeability anisotropy within the sand body, and capillary pressure contrast between the sand and shale facies. The results indicate that lateral continuity of barriers and NTG are the dominant controls on CO 2 plume geometry and pressure build-up in the reservoir, while the impact of NTG is particularly pronounced. The significance of intraformational barriers becomes apparent as they facilitate the local capillary trapping of CO 2 . Those barriers improve the pore space occupancy by promoting a more dispersed shape of the plume and ultimately retard the buoyancy-driven upward migration of the plume post injection.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1974

Geological evaluation and applications of ERTS-1 imagery over Georgia

ERTS-1 70mm and 9 x 9 film negatives are being used by conventional and color enhancement methods as a tool for geologic investigation. Geologic mapping and mineral exploration by conventional methods is very difficult in Georgia. Thick soil cover and heavy vegetation cause outcrops of bed rock to be small, rare and obscure. ERTS imagery, and remote sensing in general have helped delineate: (1) major tectonic boundaries; (2) lithologic contacts; (3) foliation trends; (4) topographic lineaments; and (5) faults. The ERTS-1 MSS imagery yields the greatest amount of geologic information on the Piedomont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Provinces of Georgia where topography is strongly controlled by the bedrock geology. ERTS imagery, and general remote sensing techniques, have provided us with a powerful tool to assist geologic research; have significantly increased the mapping efficiency of our field geologists; have shown new lineaments associated with known shear and fault zones; have delineated new structural features; have provided a tool to re-evaluate our tectonic history; have helped to locate potential ground water sources and areas of aquifer recharge; have defined areas of geologic hazards; have shown areas of heavy siltation in major reservoirs; and by its close interval repetition, have aided in monitoring surface mine reclamation activities and the environmental protection of our intricate marshland system.

Pickering, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Recycling of lower continental crust through foundering of cumulates from contaminated mafic intrusions

A mechanism is presented for recycling of lower continental material back into the mantle. Picritic magmas, possible parental to volumious continental volcanics such as the Karoo and Deccan, became trapped at the Moho, where they interacted with and become contaminated by lower crustal materials. Upon crystallization, the magmas differentiated into lower ultramafic cumulate zones and upper gabbroic-anorthositic zones. The ultramafic cumulates are denser than underlying mantle and sink, carrying lower crustal components as trapped liquid, as xenoliths or rafts, and as constituents of cumulate minerals. This model provides a potentially significant crust-mantle differentiation mechanism, and may also represent a contributing factor in crustal recycling, possibly important in producing some OIB reservoirs.

Arndt, Nicholas T.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Influence of Planetary Protection Guidelines on Waste Management Operations

Newly outlined missions in the Space Exploration Initiative include extended human habitation on Mars. During these missions, large amounts of waste materials will be generated in solid, liquid and gaseous form. Returning these wastes to Earth will be extremely costly, and will therefore likely remain on Mars. Untreated, these wastes are a reservoir of live/dead organisms and molecules considered to be "biomarkers" i.e., indicators of life). If released to the planetary surface, these materials can potentially confound exobiology experiments and disrupt Martian ecology indefinitely (if existent). Waste management systems must therefore be specifically designed to control release of problematic materials both during the active phase of the mission, and for any specified post-mission duration. To effectively develop waste management requirements for Mars missions, planetary protection guidelines must first be established. While previous policies for Apollo lunar missions exist, it is anticipated that the increased probability of finding evidence of life on Mars, as well as the lengthy mission durations will initially lead to more conservative planetary protection measures. To facilitate the development of overall requirements for both waste management and planetary protection for future missions, a workshop was conducted to identify how these two areas interface, and to establish a preliminary set of planetary protection guidelines that address waste management operations. This paper provides background regarding past and current planetary protection and waste management issues, and their interactions. A summary of the recommended planetary protection guidelines, anticipated ramifications and research needs for waste management system design for both forward (Mars) and backward (Earth) contamination is also provided.

Hogan, John A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

In-Situ Missions for the Exploration of Titan's Lakes

The lakes of Titan represent an increasingly tantalizing target for future exploration. As Cassini continues to reveal more details the lakes appear to offer a particularly rich reservoir of knowledge that could provide insights to Titan's formation and evolution, as well as an ideal location to explore Titan's potential for pre-biotic chemistry. A recent study of Titan Lake Probe missions was undertaken as one of several dozen studies commissioned by the National Research Council (NRC) Planetary Decadal Survey to explore the technical readiness, feasibility and affordability of scientifically promising mission scenarios. This in-depth study focused on an in-situ examination of a hydrocarbon lake on the Saturnian moon Titan--a target that presents unique scientific opportunities as well as several unique engineering challenges (e.g., submersion systems and cryogenic sampling) to enable those measurements. Per direction from the NRC Planetary Decadal Survey Satellites Panel, and after an initial trade-space examination, study architectures focused on three possible New Frontiers-class missions and a more ambitious Flagship-class lander intended as the in-situ portion of a larger collaborative mission. Detailed point designs were developed to explore these four potential mission options, including consideration of flight system and mission designs, as well as operations on and under the lake's surface and scenarios for data return. In this paper we present an overview of the science objectives of the missions, the mission architecture and surface.

Elliott, John O.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Helium Reservoirs in Iron Nanoparticles on the Lunar Surface

The Moon’s surface is directly exposed to the space environment and subject to alteration by space weathering. One agent of space weathering, the solar wind, enriches the lunar surface with helium. Although we understand how helium is delivered to the Moon, certain aspects of helium concentration processes on the surface remain unknown, such as why impact-generated glass aggregates contain more helium than equally sized soil grains of other types. Here we have analyzed the contents of vesicular iron nanoparticles in lunar impact glasses using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy and show that the nanoparticles contain high concentrations of helium (10-24 atoms/nm3). The widespread occurrence of vesicular iron nanoparticles among lunar samples suggests that they may be an important helium reservoir. These results also suggest that space weathering of iron-rich minerals plays a role in helium sequestration on the Moon and potentially on other airless bodies.

Brittany A. Cymes↗
DOE OSTI2025

Assessing the Performance and Impact of PV Technologies on Storage in Hybrid Renewable Systems

Traditional monofacial photovoltaic (mPV) systems are commonly adopted and well-documented because of their lower upfront costs in comparison to bifacial photovoltaic (bPV) systems. This study investigates how PV technologies impact energy storage in grid-scale hybrid renewable systems, focusing on optimizing and assessing the performance of mPV and bPV technologies integrated with pumped storage hydropower. Using Ludington City, Michigan as a case study and analyzing real-world data such as solar irradiance, ambient temperature, and utility-scale load profiles, the research highlights the operational and economic benefits of bPV systems. The results reveal that bPV systems can pump approximately 10.38% more water annually to the upper reservoir while achieving a lower levelized cost of energy ($0.0578/kWh for bPV vs. $0.0672/kWh for mPV). This study underscores the outstanding potential of bPV systems in enhancing energy storage and management strategies, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient renewable energy future.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS1994

On the relevance of the methane oxidation cycle to ozone hole chemistry

High concentrations of active chlorine are clearly responsible for the observed ozone depletion during the Antarctic polar spring. However, the mechanism behind the activation of chlorine from the reservoirs species HCl and ClONO2 and the maintenance of extremely high levels of active chlorine after polar sunrise is less well understood. Here, we focus on the influence of the methane oxidation cycle on 'ozone hole' chemistry through its effect on HOx and ClOx radicals. We demonstrate the great potential importance of the heterogeneous reaction HCl + HOCl yields Cl2 + H2O and the gasphase reaction ClO + CH3O2 yields ClOO + CH3O under sunlight conditions in polar spring. Under these conditions, the heterogeneous reaction is the main sink for HOx radicals. Through this channel, the HCl reservoir may be almost completely depleted. The gas phase reaction may control the levels of the CH3O2 radical, provided that high levels of ClO exist. Otherwise this radical initiates a sequence of reactions leading to a considerable loss of active chlorine. Moreover, the production of HOx radicals is reduced, and thereby the efficiency of the heterogeneous reaction limited. The two reactions together may accomplish the complete conversion of HCl into active chlorine, thereby leading to a rapid destruction of ozone.

Mueller, Rolf↗
DOE OSTI2024

Critical mineral source potential from oil & gas produced waters in the United States

The volume of produced water, a by-product of oil & gas operations and other energy processes, has been growing across the United States (U.S.) along with the need to manage or recycle this wastewater. Produced water contains many naturally occurring elements of varying concentrations, including critical minerals which are essential to the clean energy transition. However, the current understanding of critical mineral concentrations in produced water and the associated volumes across the U.S. is limited. This study has assessed available databases and literature to gain insight into the presence and concentration of five high priority critical minerals, namely cobalt, lithium, magnesium, manganese, and nickel. The U.S. Geological Survey's National Produced Waters Geochemical Database was the main data source used for determining average critical mineral concentrations in produced water from the major oil and gas reservoirs in the U.S. The volumes of produced water for these major reservoirs were coupled with these concentrations to provide insights into where critical minerals are likely to have high abundance and therefore more recovery options. The analysis indicated the highest recovery potential for lithium and magnesium from produced water in the Permian basin and the Marcellus shale region. However, these assessments should be considered conservative due to the limited availability of reliable concentration data. Finally, it is expected more critical mineral recovery options could emerge with comprehensive characterization data from more recent and representative sources of produced water.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2004

An Adjoint-Based Analysis of the Sampling Footprints of Tall Tower, Aircraft and Potential Future Lidar Observations of CO2

A detailed mechanistic understanding of the sources and sinks of CO2 will be required to reliably predict future CO2 levels and climate. A commonly used technique for deriving information about CO2 exchange with surface reservoirs is to solve an 'inverse problem', where CO2 observations are used with an atmospheric transport model to find the optimal distribution of sources and sinks. Synthesis inversion methods are powerful tools for addressing this question, but the results are disturbingly sensitive to the details of the calculation. Studies done using different atmospheric transport models and combinations of surface station data have produced substantially different distributions of surface fluxes. Adjoint methods are now being developed that will more effectively incorporate diverse datasets in estimates of surface fluxes of CO2. In an adjoint framework, it will be possible to combine CO2 concentration data from longterm surface and aircraft monitoring stations with data from intensive field campaigns and with proposed future satellite observations. We have recently developed an adjoint for the GSFC 3-D Parameterized Chemistry and Transport Model (PCTM). Here, we will present results from a PCTM Adjoint study comparing the sampling footprints of tall tower, aircraft and potential future lidar observations of CO2. The vertical resolution and extent of the profiles and the observation frequency will be considered for several sites in North America.

Andrews, Arlyn↗
NASA NTRS2022

Bayesian Assessment of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and Halon Banks Suggest Large Reservoirs Still Present in Old Equipment

Halocarbons contained in equipment such as air conditioners, fire extinguishers, and foams continue to be emitted after production has ceased. These ‘banks’ within equipment and applications are thus potential sources of future emissions, and must be carefully accounted for in order to evaluate nascent production versus banked emissions. Here, we build on a probabilistic Bayesian model, previously developed to quantify CFC-11, 12 and 113 banks and their emissions. We extend this model to a suite of the major banked chemicals regulated under the Montreal Protocol (HCFC-22, HCFC-141b, and HCFC-142b, halon-1211, and halon-1301, and CFC-114 and CFC-115) along with CFC-11, 12 and 113 in order to quantify a fuller range of ozone-depleting substance banks by chemical and equipment type. We show that if atmospheric lifetime and prior assumptions are accurate, banks are very likely larger than previous international assessments suggest, and that total production has been very likely higher than reported. We identify that banks of greatest climate-relevance, as determined by global warming potential weighting, are largely concentrated in CFC-11 foams and CFC-12 and HCFC-22 non-hermetic refrigeration. Halons, CFC-11, and 12 banks dominate the banks weighted by ozone depletion potential. Thus, we identify and quantify the uncertainties in substantial banks whose future emissions will contribute to future global warming and delay ozone hole recovery if left unrecovered.

Halocarbons↗