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At least 505 records · Page 28
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1981

The response of ozone to solar activity variations - A review

The effects of solar UV variations on the ozone concentration in the atmosphere are studied with respect to determinations of the global mean ozone concentrations as measured by satellite instrumentation. The Nimbus 4 satellite revealed an NO presence, which catalytically destroys ozone, during a solar proton event. An 11-year UV variability has been detected at increasing wavelengths above 1500 A, an energy band which causes photolysis of O2 into O3, N2O into NO, and NO production in the stratosphere. The latter two reactions decrease ozone destruction. IR interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) data is cited to show an ozone variation of about 3%, which is possible with a 20% solar UV variability at 1800 A; the variability has been confirmed to exist by measurements taken from the Atmospheric Explorer E satellite.

Keating, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Ocular torsion on earth and in weightlessness

Otolith function is studied by means of measurements of ocular torsion under various acceleration environments on earth and in weightlessness. Photographic measurements of ocular torsion as indicated by the rotation of landmarks on the iris with respect to head-fixed fiducial marks were obtained in subjects undergoing horizontal linear acceleration in a ground-based version of the space sled, lateral acceleration from weightlessness during pullout from the free-fall portion of parabolic flight, and optokinetic stimulation about the roll axis in the supine position in the laboratory and during weightlessness. The responses of ocular torsion to horizontal acceleration are in agreement with a simple low-order linear system with a dominant time constant of 0.33 sec, with a transfer function fit by a model with a pure delay of 0 to 400 msec and a first-order lag. In the pullout experiment, torsion was not observed in response to the onset of acceleration in the right-ear-down position, although it was present in response to the lateral stimulus. Results of the roll vection experiments indicate the independence of ocular torsion and visually induced tilt. In addition, an automatic video system using a soft contact lens target is presented which has been developed for ocular torsion measurements.

Young, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Planetary-scale wave structure in the Martian atmosphere

Wave-like perturbations are found in the Mariner 9 IRIS atmospheric temperature data during late Northern Hemisphere winter in a latitude band between 45 deg N and 65 deg N. The nature of the data base prevents a unique separation of spatial and temporal behavior, but Fourier analysis of the data constrains the waves to discrete combinations of planetary wavenumber and period. One major spectral component possesses a meridional amplitude cross section with a maximum near the 1 mbar level at 60 deg N and is strongly correlated with the circumpolar jet observed in thermal winds calculated from the mean meridional temperature cross section. This feature is consistent with the low-wavenumber baroclinic waves observed in Viking Lander data, and the vertical structure reflects the behavior anticipated for a vertically penetrating quasi-geostrophic disturbance. Other possible origins for the wave cannot be ruled out, however. Among these is a stationary wave forced by wavenumber-2 topographic relief.

Conrath, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Properties of dust in the Martian atmosphere and its effect on temperature structure

Data from the Viking lander imaging experiment and the IRIS experiment on board the Mariner 9 Orbiter are used to develop a one-dimensional radiative-convective model to describe the Mars temperature profile. Photography was employed to determine the optical depth, mean size, shape, visible absorption coefficient, and vertical distribution of aerosols in the Mars atmosphere. The calculation procedures are outlined, particularly for the particle size distribution function, which indicated a cross-sectional average particle radius of 2.5 microns. Dust-free conditions in the atmosphere near the equator and at lower altitudes permit full surface absorption of sunlight and subsequent adiabatic lapse rates. Difficulties were encountered in accurately modeling temperature profiles to fit Viking lander data, and resultant variations are attributed to effects of both suspended dust particles and large scale circulation.

Pollack, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS1982

The C/H ratio in Jupiter from the Voyager infrared investigation

From a selection Voyager IRIS spectra corresponding to cloud-free areas of Jupiter, the CH4/H2 volume ratio in the atmosphere of this planet has been determined to be equal to 0.00195 + or - 0.00022, which corresponds to 2.07 + or - 0.24 times the solar value of Lambert (C/H = 0.00047). The estimate of errors includes both instrument noise and systematic uncertainties. Implications of this result for the formation and evolution of Jupiter are discussed.

Gautier, D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Improved accuracy of the remote sensing of sea surface temperature

A method is described for determining the water vapor content to within + or - 0.4 g/sq cm from remotely sensed radiances in three infrared channels, 11, 13, 18 microns. Using this method, it is possible to significantly improve the accuracy of sea surface temperature (SST) over what is obtainable with the two channel technique. A radiative computational scheme for the radiative transfer equation is used to study the manner in which the equivalent radiative temperature of the atmosphere changes as a function of wave number for different atmospheric conditions. Average climatological conditions are used to simulate the radiative response of the atmosphere. This radiative transfer simulation is used to compute brightness temperatures for radiosonde profiles obtained from oceanographic ships, which temperatures are in turn used to estimate the SST. Nimbus 4 IRIS spectral measurements corresponding to the profiles were used in the same way for purposes of comparison.

Dalu, G.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The C-12/C-13 ratio in Jupiter from the Voyager infrared investigation

An analysis of the v(4) band of CH4 in the spectra recorded by the Voyager 1 IRIS experiment has yielded a C-12/C-13 ratio in Jupiter that is 160 plus 40 or minus 55, or 1.8 plus 0.4 or minus 0.6 times the terrestrial value. It is noted that while no plausible theory predicts such a difference between the C-12/C-13 ratio values of Jupiter and the inner solar system, values of this ratio in the solar neighborhood 4.5 million years ago, inferred from recent interstellar medium measurements, are compatible with the present determination in Jupiter. The Jovian, rather than the terrestrial value, would then be representative of the carbon isotope ratio in the primitive solar nebula.

Courtin, R.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Design considerations for a real-time ocular counterroll instrument

A real-time algorithm for measuring three-dimensional movement of the human eye, especially torsional movement, is presented. As its input, the system uses images of the eyeball taken at video rate. The amount of horizontal and vertical movement is extracted using a pupil tracking technique. The torsional movement is then measured by computing the discrete cross-correlation function between the circular samples of successive images of the iris patterns and searching for the position of the peak of the function. A local least square interpolation around the peak of the cross-correlation function is used to produce nearly unbiased estimates of torsion angle with accuracy of about 3-4 arcmin. Accuracies of better than 0.03 deg are achievable in torsional measurement with SNR higher than 36 dB. Horizontal and vertical rotations of up to + or - 13 deg can occur simultaneously with torsion without introducing any appreciable error in the counterrolling measurement process.

Hatamian, M.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Amalthea - Implications of the temperature observed by Voyager

The temperature profile of Amalthea's surface layer is modeled as a function of location and time of day, assuming a triaxial ellipsoid shape and thermal properties similar to those of the lunar soil. Although the major heat source is direct insolation, temperatures are slightly increased by thermal radiation from Jupiter, sunlight reflected from the planet, and charged particle bombardment. Possible sources of error in the model are discussed in detail, including satellite shape effects, unusually low emissivity, uncommonly rough surface, abnormal thermal inertia, charged particle flux variability, and Joule heating. Voyager 1 IRIS observations suggest that the Amalthean surface has an emissivity near unity, but cannot put any useful limits on the thermal inertia of the Amalthean surface layer.

Simonelli, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A two-stage mechanism for escape of Na and K from Io

A two-stage process is presented to identify Io as the source of Na and K ions in the Io plasma torus. The Voyager I IRIS experiment recorded an SO2 abundance of 0.2 cm atm in the Io subsolar region, and further calculations determined that the S(+) and O(+) would have sufficient energy to penetrate the Io atmosphere and produce sputtering of surface atoms at a rate of 800 million/sq cm per sec. If K, Na, and S are present on the surface in cosmic proportions, then an evenly applied sputter distribution would produce the same abundances of sputtered Na and K as observed in the Na and K clouds around Io. Sputtered into the atmosphere, the ions undergo thermal Jean's escape and attain velocities of at least 2.6 km/sec. The sputtering ions are a factor of two greater on the Jupiter side than on the solar side, in agreement with asymmetries measured by the Voyager.

Summers, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A laboratory study of the 8.65 micron fundamental of (C-12)H3D at temperatures relevant to Titan's atmosphere

Spectral transmittance measurements have been performed in the nu6-fundamental of (C-12)H3D at 153 K. Relevant to the studies of the emission spectra of Titan recorded by the IRIS instruments on board Voyagers 1 and 2, N2 has been used as the broadening gas. Excellent agreement between experimental and theoretical spectral transmittance has been the result of using N2-broadened line widths and their dependence upon temperature measured in the nu2-fundamental and S = 63.6 per(sq cm atm) for the absolute intensity of the nu6-fundamental.

Varanasi, P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Wavenumber dependent investigation of the terrestrial infrared radiation budget with two versions of the LOWTRAN5 band model

Two versions of the LOWTRAN5 radiance code are used in a study of the earth's clear sky infrared radiation budget in the interval 30 per cm (333.3 microns) to 3530 per cm (2.8 microns). One version uses 5 per cm resolution and temperature dependent molecular absorption coefficients, and the second uses 20 per cm resolution and temperature independent molecular absorption coefficients. Both versions compare well with Nimbus 3 IRIS spectra, with some discrepancies at particular wavenumber intervals. Up and downgoing fluxes, calculated as functions of latitude, are displayed for wavenumbers at which the principle absorbers are active. Most of the variation of the fluxes with latitude is found in the higher wavenumber intervals for both clear and cloudy skies. The main features of the wavenumber integrated cooling rates are explained with reference to calculations in more restricted wavenumber intervals. A tropical lower tropospheric cooling maximum is produced by water vapor continuum effects in the 760-1240 per cm window. A secondary upper tropospheric cooling maximum, with wide meridional extent, is produced by water vapor rotational lines between 30-430 per cm. Water vapor lines throughout the terrestrial infrared spectrum prevent the upflux maximum from coinciding with the surface temperature maximum.

Charlock, T. P.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Hydrogen dimer structures in the far-infrared spectra of Jupiter and Saturn

On the basis of a spectral line shape computation and radiative transfer calculations, it is shown that the unexplained, diminutive structures seen in the Voyager IRIS Jovian spectra near the hydrogen S0(0) and S0(1) rotational frequencies are due to bound-free transitions involving hydrogen dimers. The absorption intensities of these transitions, as well as of the collision-induced background, are given. These dimer structures may possibly prove to be useful for determining the helium/hydrogen ratio and the para-hydrogen fraction in the atmospheres of the outer planets.

Frommhold, L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Measurements of H2O in Jupiter's Atmosphere from 5 Microns Airborne Observations

Measurement of the abundance and vertical distribution of H2O in Jupiter's atmosphere is discussed. Water was first detected using the Kuiper airborne observatory (KAO) and has also been observed at 5 micrometers by the Voyager infrared spectrometer, IRIS. Studies of H2O in the atmospheres of other planets require special high altitude facilities to reduce the interference of telluric H2O. Jovian H2O absorption lines are overwhelmed by terrestrial H2O at ground-based observatories but they are readily apparent in airborne spectra. Typical column abundances of H2O above ground-based telescopes are about 3000 precipitable micrometers versus only 10 pr micrometers above the KAO at the 12.5 km level. For comparison, there is about 150 pr micrometers H2O above the 3 bar level on Jupiter. Airborne observations also take advantage of cryogenic detectors which have not been used thus far on deep space probes.

Bjoraker, G. L.↗
NASA NTRS1984

The Jovian Stratosphere in the ultraviolet

The center-of-disk reflectivity of Jupiter in the wavelength range from 1500 A to 3000 A was computed from 31 low dispersion IUE spectra taken during solar maximum in 1979/80. The spectra were normalized to a reflectivity scale with the improved solar spectrum of July, 1980. Consideration of wavelength shifts between different IUE spectra and within the solar spectrum improved the apparent noise, especially longward of 2000 A. Six out of seven ammonia bands between 1900 A and 2200 A were detected. A vertically inhomogeneous radiative transfer program is used to compute model reflectivities for various stratospheric compositions. In addition to ammonia, the abundance of acetylene is also well determined because these molecules show narrow absorption bands in the ultraviolet. The abundances of the other molecules in the models (C3H4, C2H4, C4H2, C2H6, C3H6) are very uncertain and therefore are quoted only as upper limits. The best model fit is consistent with infrared observations by Voyager IRIS.

Wagener, R.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A seasonal model of the Saturnian upper troposphere Comparison with Voyager infrared measurements

In the present extension of Cess and Caldwell's (1979) seasonal climate model to the upper troposphere of Saturn, the ring-modulated latitudinal dependence of the insolation, the ring thermal emission, the oblateness and orbital eccentricity of the planet, and the latitudinal variation of the internal heat flux, are taken into account. While these calculations agree with the temperature-latitude profiles retrieved from Voyager IRIS measurements above 0.2-bar pressure level atmospheric strata, the model fails to predict the retrieved temperature-latitude profiles below the 0.3-bar level. This discrepancy may be due to the existence of clouds at these levels.

Bezard, B.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Organic matter in the Saturn system

Theoretical and experimental predictions of the formation (and outgassing) of organic molecules in the outer solar system are compared with Voyager IRIS spectral data for the Titan atmosphere. The organic molecules of Titan are of interest because the species and processes within the atmosphere of that moon may have had analogs in the early earth atmosphere 4 Gyr ago. The spacecraft data confirmed the presence of alkanes, ethane, propane, ethylene, alkynes, acetylene, butadiene, methylacetylene, nitriles, hydrogen cyanide, cyanoacetylene, and cyanogen, all heavier than the dominant CH4. Experimental simulation of the effects of UV photolysis, alpha and gamma ray irradiation, electrical discharges and proton and electron bombardment of similar gas mixtures has shown the best promise for modeling the reactions producing the Titan atmosphere chemicals.

Sagan, C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

TV Video-Level Controller

Constant output maintained, though luminance varies by 5 million to 1. Three means of normalizing video output utilized in video-level controller: iris adjustment, tube voltage adjustment, and automatic gain control. With aid of automatic light control and gain control, television camera accommodates maximum light level 5 million times greater than lowest light level, while outputting constant 3-V peak signal to processing circuitry.

Kravitz, M.↗