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At least 505 records · Page 28

Beaufort/Bering 1979 microwave remote sensing data catalog report, 14-24 March 1979

The airborne microwave remote sending measurements obtained by the Langley Research Center in support of the 1979 Sea-Ice Radar Experiment (SIRE) in the Beaufort and Bering Seas are discussed. The remote sensing objective of SIRE was to define correlations between both active and passive microwave signatures and ice phenomena assocated with practical applications in the Arctic. The instruments used by Langley during SIRE include the stepped frequency microwave radiometer (SFMR), the airborne microwave scatterometer (AMSCAT), the precision radiation thermometer (PRT-5), and metric aerial photography. Remote sensing data are inventoried and cataloged in a user-friendly format. The data catalog is presented as time-history plots when and where data were obtained as well as the sensor configuration.

Hirstein, W. S.↗

Fundamental Studies on Two-Phase Gas-Liquid Flows Through Packed Beds in Microgravity

In the typical operation of a packed-bed reactor, gas and liquid flow simultaneously through a fixed bed of solid particles. Depending on the application, the particles can be of various shapes and sizes and provide for intimate contact and high rates of transport between the phases needed to sustain chemical or biological reactions. The packing may also serve as either a catalyst or as a support for growing biological material. NASA has flown two of these packed-bed systems in a microgravity environment with limited or no success. The goal of this research is to develop models (with scale-up capability) needed for the design of the physicochemical equipment to carry out these unit operations in microgravity. New insight will also lead to improvements in normal gravity operations. Our initial experiment was flown using an existing KC-135 two-phase flow rig with a modified test section. The test section is a clear polycarbonate rectangular column with a depth of 2.54 cm, a width of 5.08 cm, and 60 cm long. The column was randomly packed with spherical glass beads by slowly dropping the beads into the bed. Even though care was taken in handling the column after it was filled with packing, the alternating high and low gravity cycles with each parabola created a slightly tighter packed bed than is typically reported for this type. By the usual method of comparing the weight difference of a completely dry column versus a column filled with water, the void fraction was found to be .345 for both sizes of beads used. Five flush mounted differential pressure transducers are spaced at even intervals with the first location 4 cm from the inlet port and the subsequent pressure transducers spaced at 13 cm intervals along the column. Differential pressure data was acquired at 1000 Hz to adequately observe pulse formation and characteristics. Visual images of the flow were recorded using a high-speed SVHS system at 500 frames per second. Over 250 different test conditions were evaluated along with a companion set of tests in normal gravity. The flow rates, fluid properties and packing properties were selected to provide a range of several orders-of-magnitude for the important dimensionless parameters. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Balakotaiah, Vemuri↗

NORSEX 1979 microwave remote sensing data report

Airborne microwave remote sensing measurements obtained by NASA Langley Research Center in support of the 1979 Norwegian Remote Sensing Experiment (NORSEX) are summarized. The objectives of NORSEX were to investigate the capabilities of an active/passive microwave system to measure ice concentration and type in the vicinity of the marginal ice zone near Svalbard, Norway and to apply microwave techniques to the investigation of a thermal oceanic front near Bear Island, Norway. The instruments used during NORSEX include the stepped frequency microwave radiometer, airborne microwave scatterometer, precision radiation thermometer and metric aerial photography. The data are inventoried, summarized, and presented in a user-friendly format. Data summaries are presented as time-history plots which indicate when and where data were obtained as well as the sensor configuration. All data are available on nine-track computer tapes in card-image format upon request to the NASA Langley Technical Library.

Hennigar, H. F.↗

New Geologic Map of the Argyre Region of Mars

The new generation of Mars orbital topographic and imaging data justifies a new mapping effort of the Argyre impact basin and surroundings (-30.0deg to -65.0deg lat., -20.0deg to -70.0deg long; Fig.1). Our primary objective is to produce a geologic map of the Argyre region at 1:5,000,000 scale in both digital and print formats. The map will detail the stratigraphic and crosscutting relations among rock materials and landforms. These include Argyre basin infill, impact crater rim materials and adjoining highland materials of Noachis Terra, valleys and elongated basins that are radial and concentric about the primary Argyre basin, faults, enigmatic ridges, lobate debris aprons, and valley networks. Such information will be useful to the planetary science community for constraining the regional geology, paleohydrology, and paleoclimate. This includes the assessment of: (a) whether the Argyre basin contained lakes [1], (b) the extent of reported flooding and glaciation, which includes ancient flows of volatiles into the impact basin [2-4], (c) existing interpretations of the origin of the narrow ridges located in the southeast part of the basin floor [2,5], and (d) the extent of Argyre-related tectonism and its influence on the surrounding regions. Whereas the geologic mapping investigation of Timothy Parker focuses on the Argyre floor materials at 1:1,000,000 (MTMs -50036, -50043, -55036, -55043; see Fig. 1 for approximate corners of the area), our regional geologic mapping investigation includes the Argyre basin floor and rim materials, the transition zone that straddles the Thaumasia plateau, which includes Argyre impact-related modification [6], and the southeast margin of the Thaumasia plateau using important new data sets (Fig. 1). Our mapping effort will incorporate the map information of Parker if it is made available during the project.

Dohm, J. M.↗

The abundance of deuterium relative to hydrogen in interstellar space

Copernicus satellite observations of the deuterium and hydrogen Lyman lines in the lines of sight to mu COl, gamma-2 Vel, alpha Cru AB, and alpha Vir AB are reported. Together with previously published data for beta Cen A, the results yield a value N(D)/N(H) of approximately 0.000018 (m.e.) or a total deuterium mass portion of approximately 0.000025. Values for all stars with their error bars are contained within a band ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 times the quoted mean ratio. These limits are probably representative of the region within 200 pc of the sun. The results for these stars are essentially independent of assumptions about the Doppler parameter describing the formation of the lines, although this value can be derived from the observations. The results are consistent with a maximum temperature of 6000 K for the lines of sight studied.

York, D. G.↗

A thermodynamic model of the Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te-iodine transport system. I - Te-saturated source material. II - Source material composition within the homogeneity range

A thermochemical analysis of the Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te-iodine vapor transport system is presented, and theoretical calculations of diffusion-controlled mass transport rates are made. The predicted mass fluxes are compared with experimental data obtained from transport experiments under vertical, stabilizing conditions reported earlier and with results of additional transport experiments conducted during the present study. Experimental mass transport rate studies of the transport system for fixed amount of excess Hg as a function of transport agent pressure are presented. The mass fluxes are determined for the vertical, stabilizing orientation of the density gradient relative to the gravitational vector. In order to compare experimental mass transport rates with computed values, the thermochemical analysis is extended to take the formation of Hg vacancies in the above compound into account along with their effect on the partial pressure of the system.

Chandra, D.↗

Northern dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies. IV - The large-scale space distribution

Results are reported from a statistical analysis of published observational data on a sample of 860 northern dwarf and low-surface-brightness (D/LSB) galaxies with delta = 0 deg or greater and b between -40 and 40 deg, selected from the Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies (Nilson et al., 1973). The results are presented in extensive redshift/space maps, histograms, graphs and tables and characterized in detail. It is shown that the distribution of D/LSB galaxies closely resembles that of bright galaxies, apparently ruling out biased-star-formation models predicting a uniform distribution of D/LSBs. Although bright galaxies outside clusters are somewhat more clustered than the H I-rich D/LSBs, the latters' pairwise peculiar velocity (460 + or - 50 km/sec) is similar to that of the former.

Thuan, Trinh X.↗

A Survey of Complex Object Technologies for Digital Libraries

Many early web-based digital libraries (DLs) had implicit assumptions reflected in their architecture that the unit of focus in the DL (frequently "reports" or "e-prints") would only be manifested in a single, or at most a few, common file formats such as PDF or PostScript. DLs have now matured to the point where their contents are commonly no longer simple files. Complex objects in DLs have emerged from in response to various requirements, including: simple aggregation of formats and supporting files, bundling additional information to aid digital preservation, creating opaque digital objects for e-commerce applications, and the incorporation of dynamic services with the traditional data files. We examine a representative (but not necessarily exhaustive) number of current and recent historical web-based complex object technologies and projects that are applicable to DLs: Aurora, Buckets, ComMentor, Cryptolopes, Digibox, Document Management Alliance, FEDORA, Kahn-Wilensky Framework Digital Objects, Metadata Encoding & Transmission Standard, Multivalent Documents, Open eBooks, VERS Encapsulated Objects, and the Warwick Framework.

Nelson, Michael L.↗

Integrated Nondestructive Evaluation and Finite Element Analysis Predicts Crack Location and Shape

This study describes the finite-element analyses and the NDE modality undertaken on two flywheel rotors that were spun to burst speed. Computed tomography and dimensional measurements were used to nondestructively evaluate the rotors before and/or after they were spun to the first crack detection. Computed tomography data findings of two- and three-dimensional crack formation were used to conduct finite-element (FEA) and fracture mechanics analyses. A procedure to extend these analyses to estimate the life of these components is also outlined. NDE-FEA results for one of the rotors are presented in the figures. The stress results, which represent the radial stresses in the rim, clearly indicate that the maximum stress region is within the section defined by the computed tomography scan. Furthermore, the NDE data correlate well with the FEA results. In addition, the measurements reported show that the NDE and FEA data are in parallel.

Abdul-Azia, Ali↗

Use of Very High-Resolution Optical Data for Landslide Mapping and Susceptibility Analysis Along the Karnali Highway, Nepal

The Karnali highway is a vital transport link and the only primary roadway that connects the remote Karnali region to the lowlands in Mid-Western Nepal. Every year there are reports of landslides blocking the road, making this area largely inaccessible. However, little effort has focused on systematically identifying landslides and landslide-prone areas along this highway. In this study, landslides were mapped with an object-based approach from very high-resolution optical satellite imagery obtained by the DigitalGlobe constellation in 2012 and PlanetScope in 2018. Landslides ranging from 10 to 30,496 sq.m were detected within a 3 km buffer along the highway. Most of the landslides were located at lower elevations (between 500–1500 m) and on steep south-facing slopes. Landslides tended to cluster closer to the highway, near drainage channels and away from faults. Landslides were also most prevalent within the Kuncha Formation geologic class, and the forested and agricultural land cover classes. A susceptibility map was then created using a logistic regression methodology to highlight patterns in landslide activity. The landslide susceptibility map showed a good prediction rate with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.90. A total of 33% of the study arealies in high/very high susceptibility zones. The map highlighted the lower elevated areas between Bangesimal and Manma towns with the Kuncha Formation geologic class as being the most hazardous. The banks of the Karnali River, its tributaries and areas near the highway were also highly susceptible to landslides. The results highlight the potential of very high-resolution optical imagery for documenting detailed spatial information on landslide occurrence, which enables susceptibility assessment in remote and data scarce regions such as the Karnali highway.

Pukar Amatya↗

Micro-zoning in minerals of a Landes silicate inclusion

There is an increasing number of meteorites with chondritic bulk composition but completely different textures than the conventional chondrite groups. Winonaites, Acapulcoites and silicate inclusions in IAB-iron meteorites have in common coarse grain size, highly equilibrated mineralogy with frequent 120 deg triple junctions and they record a significantly lower degree of oxidation than ordinary chondrites. They all have equilibration temperatures, based on Ca-exchange among pyroxenes, of around 900 to 1100 deg C. However, on cooling disequilibrium features may develop: (1) Olivine in IAB-inclusions has lower Fa-content than equilibrium Fs-content of pyroxenes requires; (2) CaO-zoning in olivine was established at temperatures of around 500 deg C, several hundred degrees below pyroxene equilibration temperatures. Obviously, olivine responded faster to changes in fO2 (Fa in olivine) and temperature (Ca-zoning) than pyroxenes. Differences in diffusion coefficients can readily explain the observed trends. Here we report on much more subtle zoning features in pyroxenes. TEM-observations reveal large compositional gradients in Ca, Na, Cr, Ti and Fe within the first micrometer of cpx and opx crystals. In summary, the data reflect the complicated subsolidus history of a chondritic mineral assemblage that was in thermodynamic equilibrium at about 900 deg C and cooled slowly from this temperature whereby oxidation reactions and different closure temperatures for various minerals and elements played an important role. The oxidation of P dissolved in metal and formation of phosphate, which is thermodynamically stable at low temperatures, is suggested to be responsible for most of the observed zoning.

Eisenhour, D. D.↗

Science Education Supporting Weather Broadcasters On-Air and in the Classroom with NASA "Mini-Education Supplements"

NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center has initiated a new project designed to expand on existing news services and add value to classrooms through the development and distribution of two-minute 'mini-supplements' which give context and teach about current weather and Earth research phenomena. The innovative mini-supplements provide raw materials for weather forecasters to build news stories around NASA related missions without having to edit the more traditional and cumbersome long-form video format. The supplements cover different weather and climate topics and include NASA data, animations, video footage, and interviews with scientists. The supplements also include a curriculum package with educational lessons, educator guide, and hand-on activities. One goal is to give on-air broadcasters who are the primary science educators for the general public what they need to 'teach' about the science related to NASA research behind weather and climate news. This goal achieves increasing public literacy and assures higher accuracy and quality science reporting by the media. The other goal is to enable on-air broadcasters to serve as distributors of high quality, standards-based educational curricula and supplemental material when they visit 8-12 grade classrooms. The focus of 'pilot effort' centers around the success of NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) but is likely expandable to other NASA earth or space science missions.

Shepherd, J. Marshall↗

yourSky: Custom Sky-Image Mosaics via the Internet

yourSky (http://yourSky.jpl.nasa.gov) is a computer program that supplies custom astronomical image mosaics of sky regions specified by requesters using client computers connected to the Internet. [yourSky is an upgraded version of the software reported in Software for Generating Mosaics of Astronomical Images (NPO-21121), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 4 (April 2001), page 16a.] A requester no longer has to engage in the tedious process of determining what subset of images is needed, nor even to know how the images are indexed in image archives. Instead, in response to a requester s specification of the size and location of the sky area, (and optionally of the desired set and type of data, resolution, coordinate system, projection, and image format), yourSky automatically retrieves the component image data from archives totaling tens of terabytes stored on computer tape and disk drives at multiple sites and assembles the component images into a mosaic image by use of a high-performance parallel code. yourSky runs on the server computer where the mosaics are assembled. Because yourSky includes a Web-interface component, no special client software is needed: ordinary Web browser software is sufficient.

Jacob, Joseph↗

Feldspathic Meteorites MIL 090034 and 090070: Late Additions to the Lunar Crust

Our studies of the Miller Range lunar meteorites MIL 090034, 090036, and 090070 show them to be a diverse suite of rocks from the lunar highlands hereafter referred to as MIL 34, MIL 36, and MIL 70, resp. MIL34 and MIL70, the focus of this work, are crystalline melt breccias. Plagioclase compositions in both peak sharply around An96-97. Mg numbers of olivine vary from 58-65 with a few higher values. MIL36 is a regolith breccia. MIL 34 and MIL 70 have some of the highest Al2O3 abundances of lunar highland meteorites, indicating that they have among the largest modal abundances of plagioclase for lunar meteorites. They have lower Sc and Cr abundances than nearly all lunar highland meteorites except Dho 081, Dho 489 and Dho 733. MIL34 and MIL70 also have similar cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages of approximately 1-2 Ma indicating they are launch paired. (MIL36 has a larger CRE age approximately greater than 70 Ma). Park et al. found a variation in Ar-Ar ages among subsamples of MIL 34 and MIL70, but preferred ages of 3500+/-110 Ma for the "Dark" phase of MIL 34 anorthite and 3520+/-30 Ma for the "Light" phase of MIL70. Bouvier et al. reported a Pb-Pb age of 3894+/-39 Ma for a feldspathic clast of MIL 34 and a similar age for a melt lithology. Here we reexamine the Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic data, which show complexities qualitatively consistent with those of the Ar-Ar and Pb-Pb data. The Sm-Nd data in particular suggest that the feldspathic compositions of MIL 34 and MIL 70 formed during initial lunar geochemical differentiation, and REE modeling suggests a relatively late-stage formation.

Nyquist, L. E.↗

PACE OCI Calibration and Geolocation Operational Algorithm Description

This technical report describes the software implementation of the calibration and geolocation processing algorithms for the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. PACE was launched on February 8, 2024. The first Earth-viewing data were collected on February 25, and commissioning was completed on April 5. All PACE science data are acquired and processed by the Science Data Segment (SDS). The first processing stages are Level 0-to-1A and Level 1A-to-1B. The calibration and geolocation processing is performed during the latter stage. The L1B products are the inputs for geophysical retrieval processing (Level 2). This report is organized as follows. The pertinent characteristics of OCI for calibration and geolocation processing are described in Section II. Section III describes the implementation of the geolocation processing algorithms, and the calibration processing is described in Section IV. The Level 1B product format is described in Section V.

Ivona Cetinic↗

Relative chronology of Martian volcanoes

Impact cratering is one of the major geological processes that has affected the Martian surface throughout the planet's history. The frequency of craters within particular size ranges provides information about the formation ages and obliterative episodes of Martian geologic units. The Barlow chronology was extended by measuring small craters on the volcanoes and a number of standard terrain units. Inclusions of smaller craters in units previously analyzed by Barlow allowed for a more direct comparison between the size-frequency distribution data for volcanoes and established chronology. During this study, 11,486 craters were mapped and identified in the 1.5 to 8 km diameter range in selected regions of Mars. The results are summarized in this three page report and give a more precise estimate of the relative chronology of the Martian volcanoes. Also, the results of this study lend further support to the increasing evidence that volcanism has been a dominant geologic force throughout Martian history.

Landheim, R.↗

SCATS: SRB Cost Accounting and Tracking System handbook

The Solid Rocket Booster Cost Accounting and Tracking System (SCATS) which is an automatic data processing system designed to keep a running account of the number, description, and estimated cost of Level 2, 3, and 4 changes is described. Although designed specifically for the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Program, the ADP system can be used for any other program that has a similar structure for recording, reporting, and summing numbers and costs of changes. The program stores the alpha-numeric designators for changes, government estimated costs, proposed costs, and negotiated value in a MIRADS (Marshall Information Retrieval and Display System) format which permits rapid access, manipulation, and reporting of current change status. Output reports listing all changes, totals of each level, and totals of all levels, can be derived for any calendar interval period.

Zorv, R. B.↗

Chemical and Mineralogical Characterization of Acid-Sulfate Alteration of Basaltic Material on Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawaii: Jarosite and Hydrated Halloysite

Sulfates have been identified on the martian surface during robotic surface exploration and by orbital remote sensing. Measurements at Meridiani Planum (MP) by the Alpha-Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Mossbauer (MB) instruments on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity document the presence of a ubiquitous sulfate-rich outcrop (20-40% SO3) that has jarosite as an anhydrous Fe3+-sulfate [1- 3]. The presence of jarosite implies a highly acidic (pH <3) formation environment [4]. Jarosite and other sulfate minerals, including kieserite, gypsum, and alunite have also been identified in several locations in orbital remote sensing data from the MEx OMEGA and MRO CRISM instruments [e.g. 5-8]. Acid sulfate weathering of basaltic materials is an obvious pathway for formation of sulfate-bearing phases on Mars [e.g. 4, 9, 10]. In order to constrain acid-sulfate pathways on Mars, we are studying the mineralogical and chemical manifestations of acid-sulfate alteration of basaltic compositions in terrestrial environments. We have previously shown that acidsulfate alteration of tephra under hydrothermal conditions on the Puu Poliahu cone (summit region of Mauna Kea volcano, Hawaii) resulted in jarosite and alunite as sulfate-bearing alteration products [11-14]. Other, more soluble, sulfates may have formed, but were leached away by rain and melting snow. Acidsulfate processes on Puu Poliahu also formed hematite spherules similar (except in size) to the hematite spherules observed at MP as an alteration product [14]. Phyllosilicates, usually smectite }minor kaolinite are also present as alteration products [13]. We discuss here an occurrence of acid-sulfate alteration on Mauna Kea Volcano (Hawaii). We report VNIR spectra (0.35-2.5 microns ASD spectrometer), Mossbauer spectra (MER-like ESPI backscatter spectrometer), powder XRD (PANalytical), and major element chemical compositions (XRF with LOI and Fe redox) for comparison to similar data acquired or to be acquired by MRO-CRISM and MEx OMEGA, MERMB, MSL-CheMin, and MER and MSL APXS, respectively.

Graff, Trevor G.↗