Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Global Model”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26

An analysis of the relationship between cloud anomalies and sea surface temperature anomalies in a global circulation model

The relationship between the sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) and the anomalies of the monthly mean cloud cover (including the high-level, low-level, and total cloud cover), the outgoing longwave radiation, and the reflected solar radiation was analyzed using a least absolute deviations regression at each grid point over the open ocean for a 6-yr period. The results indicate that cloud change in association with a local 1-C increase in SSTAs cannot be used to predict clouds in a potential future world where all the oceans are 1-C warmer than at present, because much of the observed cloud changes are due to circulation changes, which in turn are related not only to changes in SSTAs but to changes in SSTA gradients. However, because SSTAs are associated with changes in the local ocean-atmosphere moisture and heat fluxes as well as significant changes in circulation (such as ENSO), SSTAs can serve as a surrogate for many aspects of global climate change.

Peterson, Thomas C.↗

Towards a Satellite Formaldehyde – in situ Hybrid Estimate for Organic Aerosol Abundance

Organic aerosol (OA) is one of the main components of the global particulate burden and intimately links natural and anthropogenic emissions with air quality and climate. It is challenging to accurately represent OA in global models. Direct quantification of global OA abundance is not possible with current remote sensing technology; however, it may be possible to exploit correlations of OA with remotely observable quantities to infer OA spatiotemporal distributions. In particular, formaldehyde (HCHO) and OA share common sources via both primary emissions and secondary production from oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Here, we examine OA–HCHO correlations using data from summertime airborne campaigns investigating biogenic (NASA SEAC4RS and DC3), biomass burning (NASA SEAC4RS), and anthropogenic conditions (NOAA CalNex and NASA KORUS-AQ). In situ OA correlates well with HCHO (r=0.59–0.97), and the slope and intercept of this relationship depend on the chemical regime. For biogenic and anthropogenic regions, the OA–HCHO slopes are higher in low NOx conditions, because HCHO yields are lower and aerosol yields are likely higher. The OA–HCHO slope of wildfires is over 9 times higher than that for biogenic and anthropogenic sources. The OA–HCHO slope is higher for highly polluted anthropogenic sources (e.g., KORUS-AQ) than less polluted (e.g., CalNex) anthropogenic sources. Near-surface OAs over the continental US are estimated by combining the observed in situ relationships with HCHO column retrievals from NASA's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). HCHO vertical profiles used in OA estimates are from climatology a priori profiles in the OMI HCHO retrieval or output of specific period from a newer version of GEOS-Chem. Our OA estimates compare well with US EPA IMPROVE data obtained over summer months (e.g., slope =0.60–0.62, r=0.56 for August 2013), with correlation performance comparable to intensively validated GEOS-Chem (e.g., slope =0.57, r=0.56) with IMPROVE OA and superior to the satellite-derived total aerosol extinction (r=0.41) with IMPROVE OA. This indicates that OA estimates are not very sensitive to these HCHO vertical profiles and that a priori profiles from OMI HCHO retrieval have a similar performance to that of the newer model version in estimating OA. Improving the detection limit of satellite HCHO and expanding in situ airborne HCHO and OA coverage in future missions will improve the quality and spatiotemporal coverage of our OA estimates, potentially enabling constraints on global OA distribution.

anthropogenic emissions↗

Influence of Dynamic Ozone Dry Deposition on Ozone Pollution

Identifying the contributions of chemistry and transport to observed ozone pollution using regional‐to‐global models relies on accurate representation of ozone dry deposition. We use a recently developed configuration of the NOAA GFDL chemistry‐climate model – in which the atmosphere and land are coupled through dry deposition—to investigate the influence of ozone dry deposition on ozone pollution over northern midlatitudes. In our model, deposition pathways are tied to dynamic terrestrial processes, such as photosynthesis and water cycling through the canopy and soil. Small increases in winter deposition due to more process‐based representation of snow and deposition to surfaces reduce hemispheric‐scale ozone throughout the lower troposphere by 5–12 ppb, improving agreement with observations relative to a simulation with the standard configuration for ozone dry deposition. Declining snow cover by the end of the 21st‐century tempers the previously identified influence of rising methane on winter ozone. Dynamic dry deposition changes summer surface ozone by −4 to +7 ppb. While previous studies emphasize the importance of uptake by plant stomata, new diagnostic tracking of depositional pathways reveals a widespread impact of nonstomatal deposition on ozone pollution. Daily variability in both stomatal and nonstomatal deposition contribute to daily variability in ozone pollution. Twenty‐first century changes in summer deposition result from a balance among changes in individual pathways, reflecting differing responses to both high carbon dioxide (through plant physiology versus biomass accumulation) and water availability. Our findings highlight a need for constraints on the processes driving ozone dry deposition to test representation in regional‐to‐global models.

dry deposition↗

The Large-Scale Plasmaspheric Density Trough Associated With the 24 May 2000 Geomagnetic Storm: IMAGE EUV Observations and Global Core Plasma Modeling

The IMAGE EUV imager observed a plasmaspheric density, trough in association with a geomagnetically active period on 24 May 2000. In EUV, this density, trough appears as an Archimedes spiral extending from Earth's shadow to approximately 1900 MLT. We present an analysis of this density trough using simulated EUV images, Observational EUV images are subjected to edge analysis to establish the plasmapause L-shell and the location of the density trough in terms of L-shell, MLT extent, and radial width. The plasmaspheric density distribution is modeled using both static and dynamic models for the plasmasphere. The background plasmasphere is then numerically simulated using the 4-parameter plasmaspheric density model contained within the Global Core Plasma Model (GCPM) and the Dynamic Global Core Plasma Model (DGCPM). Simulated EUV images of the model plasmasphere are produced once an artificial density, depletion, matching the observed MLT extent and width, has been removed. Once the azimuthal extent and width of the trough have been simulated, the depth of the artificial density depletion is iteratively adjusted to produce simulated EUV images that approximate observation. The results of this analysis and discussion of possible origins for this density trough will be presented.

Adrian, M. L.↗

A Revised Thermosphere for the Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (Mars-GRAM Version 3.4)

This report describes the newly-revised model thermosphere for the Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (Mars-GRAM, Version 3.4). It also provides descriptions of other changes made to the program since publication of the programmer's guide for Mars-GRAM Version 3.34. The original Mars-GRAM model thermosphere was based on the global-mean model of Stewart. The revised thermosphere is based largely on parameterizations derived from output data from the three-dimensional Mars Thermospheric Global Circulation Model (MTGCM). The new thermospheric model includes revised dependence on the 10.7 cm solar flux for the global means of exospheric temperature, temperature of the base of the thermosphere, and scale height for the thermospheric temperature variations, as well as revised dependence on orbital position for global mean height of the base of the thermosphere. Other features of the new thermospheric model are: (1) realistic variations of temperature and density with latitude and time of day, (2) more realistic wind magnitudes, based on improved estimates of horizontal pressure gradients, and (3) allowance for user-input adjustments to the model values for mean exospheric temperature and for height and temperature at the base of the thermosphere. Other new features of Mars-GRAM 3.4 include: (1) allowance for user-input values of climatic adjustment factors for temperature profiles from the surface to 75 km, and (2) a revised method for computing the sub-solar longitude position in the 'ORBIT' subroutine.

Justus, C. G.↗

Evaluation and Assimilation of Cloud Cleared Radiances for AIRS in GEOS-5

The use of clear (cloud-free) channels for AIRS in GEOS-5 had shown positive impact on forecast skills in both hemispheres. However, improvements in forecast skills due to the assimilation of AIRS data are less impressive since the number of assimilated channels from AIRS is much larger than that from other Infrared sounders such as HIRS-3 onboard NOAA 15-17 satellites. This limitation of AIRS radiance data to improve the forecast skill is mainly due to the fact that channels capable of peaking below clouds are not used in the assimilation and yet those have highest vertical resolving capability of AIRS instrument are concentrated in the lower troposphere. On average, the percentage of AIRS footprints completely clear for all channels is less than 10%. The percentage of assimilated AIRS channel radiances however ranges from 100% for channels peaking in the upper stratosphere, above the cloud, to no more that 5% in the lower atmosphere due to cloud contamination. Our current ability to model and predict clouds accurately in global model, and to fully characterize and parameterize optical properties of cloud particles in radiative transfer model are the two major obstacles prohibiting us to use cloudy radiance directly in the assimilation. To further improve forecast skill using AIRS data, we ought to use the channels peaking below the clouds in the troposphere, which can be accomplished by assimilating cloud-cleared radiance. The cloud-cleared radiance data for AIRS used in this study were obtained from optimal cloud clearing procedures developed by researchers at CIMSS of University of Wisconsin at Madison to retrieve clear column radiances for all AIRS channels by collocating multi-band MODIS IR clear radiance observations with the AIRS cloudy radiances on a single footprint basis. Two adjacent AIRS cloudy footprints are used to retrieve one AIRS cloud-cleared radiance spectrum and no background information (first guess) is needed. To assimilate the cloud-cleared radiance data, the errors of the cloud-cleared radiances need to be addressed. The details of convolving AIRS radiances with MODIS spectral response function and comparison with MODIS-measured cloud-free radiance will be presented. The range of errors of cloud-cleared radiances for AIRS using collocated MODIS clear and near-by AIRS clear data will be shown. The NASA. global data assimilation model, GEOS-5, is used to evaluate and assimilate the cloud-cleared radiance for AIRS. The residues between the cloud-cleared brightness temperature and the simulated brightness temperature from background (i.e., OMFs) will be investigated. The quality control procedures will be documented based on error estimation and the OMFs. Finally, the impacts between assimilation of clear channel radiances and cloud-cleared radiances will be addressed.

Liu, Hui-chun↗

A global atmospheric model for aerospace applications

An empirical 4-D atmospheric model is described, whose ultimate goal is to give pressure, temperature, and density variables and their structure as a function of latitude, longitude, altitude, and the time domain (seasonal and perhaps time of day) over the altitude range from sea level to 185 km. The computer program combines the 4-D model of Siegler and Fowler (1972) for the range 0-25 km altitude, the modified Groves (1971) model for the range 30-90 km, and the Jacchia (1970) model for the range 115-185 km. Between 90 and 115 km, a smooth transition between the Groves values and Jacchia values was obtained by a fairing technique, while between 25 and 30 km an interpolation scheme was used between the 4-D results and the Groves values. The program is designed to give atmospheric parameter values along a simulated trajectory and a profile, such as a vertical profile at a single location. A set of trajectory positions for any desired trajectory, ascent or re-entry, can be input to the program for evaluation of atmospheric parameters for design purposes.

Justus, C. G.↗

Monthly mean simulation experiments with a course-mesh global atmospheric model

Substitution of observed monthly mean sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) as lower boundary conditions, in place of climatological SSTs, failed to improve the model simulations. While the impact of SST anomalies on the model output is greater at sea level than at upper levels the impact on the monthly mean simulations is not beneficial at any level. Shifts of one and two days in initialization time produced small, but non-trivial, changes in the model-generated monthly mean synoptic fields. No improvements in the mean simulations resulted from the use of either time-averaged initial data or re-initialization with time-averaged early model output. The noise level of the model, as determined from a multiple initial state perturbation experiment, was found to be generally low, but with a noisier response to initial state errors in high latitudes than the tropics.

Spar, J.↗

A global geochemical model for the evolution of the mantle

It is proposed that the upper mantle transition region, 220 to 670 km, is composed of eclogite which has been derived from primitive mantle by about 20 percent partial melting and that this is the source and sink of oceanic crust. The remainder of the upper mantle is garnet peridotite which is the source of continental basalts and hotspot magmas. This region is enriched in incompatible elements by hydrous and CO2 rich metasomatic fluids which have depleted the underlying layers in the L.I.L. elements and L.R.E.E. The volatiles make this a low-velocity, high attenuation, low viscosity region. The eclogite layer is internally heated and its controls the convection pattern in the upper mantle. Plate tectonics is intermittent. The continental thermal anomaly at a depth of 150-220 km triggers kimberlite and carbonatite activity, alkali and flood basalt volcanism, vertical tectonics and continental breakup. Hot spots remain active after the continents leave and build the oceanic islands. Mantle plumes rise from a depth of about 220 km. Midocean ridge basalts rise from the depleted layer below this depth. Material from this layer can also be displaced upwards by subducted oceanic lithosphere to form back-arc basins.

Anderson, D. L.↗

A preliminary attempt to interpret the power spectrum of the solar five minute oscillations in terms of the global oscillation model

The observed power spectrum of the solar five minute oscillations is discussed from the viewpoint that the oscillations are excited by turbulent convection. The observations place significant constraints on the theory and suggest constraints on the solar model structure. It is shown that the steep low frequency side of the peak in the power spectrum is more readily explained if the mixing length is greater than one scale height. The high frequency end of the power spectrum is also discussed.

Kesley, D. A.↗

A parameterized model for global insolation under partially cloudy skies

A simple and efficient parameterization of insolation under partially cloudy skies is discussed and compared with a set of exact radiative transfer results for clear skies, an empirical equation and observations. The parameterization is physically based and requires, as input variables, the ozone path length, precipitable water, Angstrom turbidity, surface air pressure and albedo, fractional cloud-cover and cloud thickness. Multiple reflection between the surface and the overlying atmosphere, and clouds are considered. The albedo of the earth-atmosphere system is also formulated and compared with a set of exact radiative transfer results. As compared to the exact radiative transfer results, the errors in the insolations are generally less than 1 percent, and in the albedo of the earth-atmosphere system less than 10 percent. The errors in the calculated insolations using climatological data are 2-3 percent when compared with many years averaged observations at Maudheim (Antarctica) and at Rockville (U.S.A.). A parametric equation for calculating directly the daily total insolation is also given.

Choudhury, B.↗