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NASA NTRS2013

Sensitivity of the Atmospheric Response to Warm Pool El Nino Events to Modeled SSTs and Future Climate Forcings

Warm pool El Nino (WPEN) events are characterized by positive sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the central equatorial Pacific. Under present-day climate conditions, WPEN events generate poleward propagating wavetrains and enhance midlatitude planetary wave activity, weakening the stratospheric polar vortices. The late 21st century extratropical atmospheric response to WPEN events is investigated using the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-Climate Model (GEOSCCM), version 2. GEOSCCM simulations are forced by projected late 21st century concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and by SSTs and sea ice concentrations from an existing ocean-atmosphere simulation. Despite known ocean-atmosphere model biases, the prescribed SST fields represent a best estimate of the structure of late 21st century WPEN events. The future Arctic vortex response is qualitatively similar to that observed in recent decades but is weaker in late winter. This response reflects the weaker SST forcing in the Nino 3.4 region and subsequently weaker Northern Hemisphere tropospheric teleconnections. The Antarctic stratosphere does not respond to WPEN events in a future climate, reflecting a change in tropospheric teleconnections: The meridional wavetrain weakens while a more zonal wavetrain originates near Australia. Sensitivity simulations show that a strong poleward wavetrain response to WPEN requires a strengthening and southeastward extension of the South Pacific Convergence Zone; this feature is not captured by the late 21st century modeled SSTs. Expected future increases in GHGs and decreases in ODSs do not affect the polar stratospheric responses to WPEN.

stratosphere↗

NASA NTRS1994

Obliquity-oblateness feedback: Are climatically sensitive values of obliquity dynamically unstable?

A new model is presented for feedback between rotational and climatic variations, operative on time scales of 10(exp 4) - 10(exp 7) years. Due to the combined effect of planetary perturbations to the Earth's orbit plane and luni-solar torques on the oblate figure of the Earth, the obliquity varies by approximately 1 deg on a 4 x 10(exp 4) year time scale. Associated changes in the seasonal and latitudinal pattern of incident solar radiation cause major glaciations. Mass transport from the oceans to the polar ice sheets during these glaciations can change the gravitational oblateness of the Earth by amounts approaching 1%. As the rate of spin axis precession is directly proportional to the oblateness, the climatically forced mass transport can by dynamically significant. A simple parameterization of this coupled orbital-rotational-climatic system suggests that there is a strong tendency for the system to evolve away from climatically sensitive values of the obliquity. This may explain the mid-Pleistocene transition from an obliquity dominated regime to the present regime in which most climatic variability is concentrated at longer (10(exp 5) year) periods.

Bills, Bruce G.↗

NASA NTRS2007

NASA Tech Briefs, March 2007

Topics include: Advanced Systems for Monitoring Underwater Sounds; Wireless Data-Acquisition System for Testing Rocket Engines; Processing Raw HST Data With Up-to-Date Calibration Data; Mobile Collection and Automated Interpretation of EEG Data; System for Secure Integration of Aviation Data; Servomotor and Controller Having Large Dynamic Range; Digital Multicasting of Multiple Audio Streams; Translator for Optimizing Fluid-Handling Components; AIRSAR Web-Based Data Processing; Pattern Matcher for Trees Constructed From Lists; Reducing a Knowledge-Base Search Space When Data Are Missing; Ground-Based Correction of Remote-Sensing Spectral Imagery; State-Chart Autocoder; Pointing History Engine for the Spitzer Space Telescope; Low-Friction, High-Stiffness Joint for Uniaxial Load Cell; Magnet-Based System for Docking of Miniature Spacecraft; Electromechanically Actuated Valve for Controlling Flow Rate; Plumbing Fixture for a Microfluidic Cartridge; Camera Mount for a Head-Up Display; Core-Cutoff Tool; Recirculation of Laser Power in an Atomic Fountain; Simplified Generation of High-Angular-Momentum Light Beams; Imaging Spectrometer on a Chip; Interferometric Quantum-Nondemolition Single-Photon Detectors; Ring-Down Spectroscopy for Characterizing a CW Raman Laser; Complex Type-II Interband Cascade MQW Photodetectors; Single-Point Access to Data Distributed on Many Processors; Estimating Dust and Water Ice Content of the Martian Atmosphere From THEMIS Data; Computing a Stability Spectrum by Use of the HHT; Theoretical Studies of Routes to Synthesis of Tetrahedral N4; Estimation Filter for Alignment of the Spitzer Space Telescope; Antenna for Measuring Electric Fields Within the Inner Heliosphere; Improved High-Voltage Gas Isolator for Ion Thruster; and Hybrid Mobile Communication Networks for Planetary Exploration.

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NASA NTRS2016

The Antarctic Analogy for Ancient Lakes at Gale Crater, Mars

In place of the dual choice of “warm and wet” versus “cold and dry” Mars, we reconcile in this paper the notion of a cold Mars with the notion of wet Mars. Both the geological evidences at Gale's for the presence of liquid water during the Hesperian (Grotzinger et al., Science, 350 (6257), 2015) and the failure of climate models make Mars warm (Wordsworth, Review of Earth and Planetary Science, 44, 1-31, 2016) suggested that an alternative scenario could be envisioned. The lake Untersee, Antarctica is an inspiring example of how an aqueous environment can survive for an extended period of the time in a place where the day average temperatures never, ever, each 273K. The key process which maintains a liquid, potentially habitable, environment under the ice is the subaqueous melting of a glacial dam in contact with the lake which provides a constant latent heat flux into the lake (McKay et al, in preparation) Our calculations showed that for certain range of pressures, temperatures and ice optical properties, a large body of water at Gale's will not freeze solid even if the surface temperatures are at all times well below freezing. The rather high sublimation rates of ice at Mars', the sunlight penetrating the ice and the geothermal flux contribute to stabilize the solid/liquid interface at a certain depth. We found that for a mean annual temperature of 245K ice thicknesses range from 3-10 meters which are comparable values to the range of those for the Antarctic lakes (2-7m). Thus, the ice potentially gets thin enough to let sediments penetrate the ice (Rivera-Hernandez et al., in preparation) and geological features associated with aqueous environments may still be possible with a perennially-covered lake, on cold, but wet planet. The Antarctic lakes model is engaging as it relaxes the requirement for a long-lived active hydrological cycle.

The lake Untersee↗

NASA NTRS1986

A research proposal on spectroscopy of gases and solids observed in the solar system

It is well recognized and accepted that the interpretation and analysis of any type of remote planetary spectroscopic observation requires that basic molecular parameters be available. Furthermore, the newly developed capabilities of air, ground, and space borne spectrometers trained on bodies in the solar system are producing results which are extremely difficult to understand on the basis of available data. This is particularly true in the case of spectral features arising from gases and volatiles condensed as ices. With the objective to continue to extend the understanding of spectroscopic observations of solar system objects (including comets) , laboratory studies of both gas phase molecules and ices and dusts are proposed.

Valero, F. P. J.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Mars Mapping Technology Brings Main Street to Life

The Red Planet has long held a particular hold on the human psyche. From the Roman god of war to Orson Welles infamous Halloween broadcast, our nearest planetary neighbor has been viewed with curiosity, suspicion, and awe. Pictures of Mars from 1965 to the present reveal familiar landscapes while also challenging our perceptions and revising our understanding of the processes at work in planets. Frequent discoveries have forced significant revisions to previous theories. Although Mars shares many familiar features with Earth, such as mountains, plains, valleys, and polar ice, the conditions on Mars can vary wildly from those with which we are familiar. The apparently cold, rocky, and dusty wasteland seen through the eyes of spacecraft and Martian probes hints at a dynamic past of volcanic activity, cataclysmic meteors, and raging waters. New discoveries continue to revise our view of our next-door neighbor, and further exploration is now paving the way for a human sortie to the fourth stone from the Sun. NASA s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration, utilizes wide-angle stereo cameras mounted on NASA s twin robot geologists, the Mars Exploration Rovers (MERs), launched in 2003. The rovers, named "Spirit" and "Opportunity," celebrated 4 Earth years of exploration on January 3, 2008, and have sent back a wealth of information on the terrain and composition of the Martian surface. Their marathon performance has far outlasted the intended 90 days of operation, and the two intrepid explorers promise more images and data.

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NASA NTRS2010

The Origins and Evolution of Molecules in Icy Solids

Astronomical observations of the past few decades have revealed the existence of a variety of molecules in extraterrestrial ices. These molecules include H2O, CO, and CO2, and organics such as CH4, CH30H, and C2H6. Some ices are dominated by polar molecules, while non-polar species appear to dominate others. Observations, mainly in the radio and IR regions, have allowed the inference of other solid-phase molecules whose formation remains difficult to explain by gas-phase chemistry alone. Several laboratory research groups have reported on extensive experiments on the solid-phase reaction chemistry of icy materials, generally as initiated by either ionizing radiation or vacuum-UV photons. These experiments not only permit molecular identifications to be made from astronomical observations, but also allow predictions of yet unidentified molecules. This laboratory approach has evolved over more than 30 years with much of the earliest work focusing on complex mixtures thought to represent either cometary or interstellar ices. Although those early experiments documented a rich solid-state photo- and radiation chemistry, they revealed few details of reactions for particular molecules, partly due to the multi-component nature of the samples. Since then, model systems have been examined that allow the chemistry of individual species and specific reactions to be probed. Reactions involving most of the smaller astronomical molecules have now been studied and specific processes identified. Current laboratory work suggests that a variety of reactions occur in extraterrestrial ices, including acid-base processes, radical dimerizations, proton transfers, oxidations, reductions, and isomerizations. This workshop presentation will focus on chemical reactions relevant to solar system and interstellar ices. While most of the work will be drawn from that to which the speaker has contributed, results from other laboratories also will be included. Suggestions for future studies will be made, with an emphasis on some present deficiencies. The speaker's work has been generously supported by these NASA research programs: Cassini Data Analysis, Exobiology, Mars Fundamental Research, Outer Planets Research, Planetary Atmospheres, Planetary Geology and Geophysics, and the NASA Astrobiology Institute.

Hudson, Reggie L.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Ganymede and Callisto - Complex crater formation and planetary crusts

Results are presented on measurements of crater depths and other morphological parameters (such as central peak and terrace frequency) of fresh craters on Ganymede and Callisto, two geophysically very similar but geologically divergent large icy satellites of Jupiter. These data were used to investigate the crater mechanics on icy satellites and the intersatellite crater scaling and crustal properties. The morphological transition diameters of and complex crater depths on Ganymede and Callisto were found to be similar, indicating that the crusts of both satellites are dominated by water ice with only a minor rocky component.

Schenk, Paul M.↗

NASA NTRS2011

Ground-Based Centimeter, Millimeter, and Submillimeter Observations of Comet 103P/Hartley 2

Comets provide important clues to the physical and chemical processes that occurred during the formation and early evolution of the Solar System, and could also have been important for initiating prebiotic chemistry on the early Earth [1]. Comets are comprised of molecular ices, that may be pristine interstellar remnants of Solar System formation, along with high-temperature crystalline silicate dust that is indicative of a more thermally varied history in the protosolar nebula [2]. Comparing abundances of cometary parent volatiles, and isotopic fractionation ratios, to those found in the interstellar medium, in disks around young stars, and between cometary families, is vital to understanding planetary system formation and the processing history experienced by organic matter in the so-called interstellar-comet connection [3]. We have conducted observations, at primarily millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, where molecular emission is easily resolved, towards comets to determine important cosmogonic quantities, such as the ortl1o:pal'a ratio and isotope ratios, as well as probe the origin of cometary organics. Comets provide important clues to the processes that occurred during the formation and early evolution of the Solar System. Past observations, as well as laboratory measurements of cometary material obtained from Stardust, have shown that comets appear to contain a mixture of the products from both interstellar and nebular chemistries. A major observational challenge in cometary science is to quantify the extent to which chemical compounds can be linked to either reservoir.

Milam, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Ground-Based Centimeter, Millimeter, and Submillimeter Observations of Recent Comets

Comets provide important clues to the physical and chemical processes that occurred during the formation and early evolution of the Solar System, and could also have been important for initiating prebiotic chemistry on the early Earth [I]. Comets are comprised of molecular ices, that may be pristine interstellar remnants of Solar System formation, along with high-temperature crystalline silicate dust that is indicative of a more thermally varied history in the protosolar nebula [2]. Comparing abundances of cometary parent volatiles, and isotopic fractionation ratios, to those found in the interstellar medium, in disks around young stars, and between cometary families, is vital to understanding planetary system formation and the processing history experienced by organic matter in the so-called interstellar-comet connection [3]. In the classical picture, the long-period comets probably formed in the nebular disk across the giant planet formation region (5-40 AU) with the majority of them originating from the Uranus-Neptune region. They were subsequently scattered out to the Oort Cloud (OC) by Jupiter. The short-period comets (also known as ecliptic or Jupiter Family Comets - JFC) reside mainly in the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt where they were formed. Given the gradient in physical conditions expected across this region of the nebula, chemical diversity in this comet population is to be expected [4,5]. We have conducted observations of comets I 03P/Hartley 2 (JFC) and C/2009 PI (Garradd) (OC), at primarily millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths, to determine important cosmogonic quantities, such as the ortho:para ratio and isotope ratios, as well as probe the origin of cometary organics and if they vary between the two dynamic reservoirs.

Milam, S. N.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Infrared spectroscopic observations of the outer planets, their satellites, and the asteroids

An infrared spectroscopic data base is described for such planetary studies as (1) the detection of atmospheric constituents, (2) the establishment of the column abundances of known atmospheric constituents, and (3) the determination of the thermal properties of planetary atmospheres. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Titan and Triton are discussed with reference to middle- and far-IR data, the chemical and thermal properties of their atmospheres, atmospheric constituents and absolute reflectivities, or albedos. Attention is also given to infrared spectroscopic studies of satellite and asteroid surfaces. It is noted that the most abundant surface materials are condensed volatiles and silicate minerals. Water ice has been detected on many surfaces and on the rings of Saturn; CH-4 has been found on Pluto, and CO2 has been identified as a component of the polar caps on Mars. It is concluded that some asteroid surfaces are mineralogically compatible with the relatively unevolved low-temperature remnant of nebular condensation, while others are composed of high-temperature silicates spectrally identical to the products of magmatic differentiation.

Larson, H. P.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The tectonics of Ganymede

Evidence of tectonic activity has been found on the Jupiter moon Ganymede, which is the largest solar system icy object known. The transition of dense ice polymorphs in the deep interior of large icy bodies to either less dense polymorphs or liquid water at shallow depths, as internal differentiation and formation of a silicate core occurs, could increase Ganymede's surface area by as much as 7%. If the tectonic evolution of Ganymede is to be described by a progressive fragmentation of an initially uniform lithosphere in response to planetary expansion, the stress transmitted across different areas of bright terrain must differ significantly. Alternatively, lithospheric thickness variations or such other mechanisms as tidal distortion or convection stresses beneath the lithosphere may have been important.

Parmentier, E. M.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Surface Properties of the Moon, Venus and Small Bodies from Radar Observations

Studies of the moon during the period of the grant revolved around the issues of the possible presence of ice at the lunar poles and the determination of the electrical properties of the maria regoliths. The search for ice at the poles was conducted using measurements of the radar backscatter cross sections and circular polarization ratios measured from 125 m resolution Arecibo radar imagery at 13 cm wavelength obtained by Nicholas Stacy. No clear indication of the presence of ice was found in areas thought to be in permanent shadow from solar radiation. Then Cornell graduate student Greg Black modeled the radar backscattering behavior of the icy Galilean satellites using three wavelength measurements of their radar backscattering properties obtained with the Arecibo and Goldstone radars. The radar scattering properties of Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto are unlike those of any other object observed with planetary radars. They are strongly backscattering with specific radar cross sections that can exceed unity. Polarization ratios are also high, approx. 1.5, indicative of multiple scattering, and the echos follow a diffuse scattering law at all incident angles with no indication of quasi-specular reflections. 3) Most of our effort on small bodies went into developing and investigating methods for long baseline radar synthesis imaging of near-earth asteroids and comets. At X-band, the width of the synthesized beam of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) is approximately 15 m at 0.03AU, a typical close approach distance for near-earth asteroids. A small amount of work was done analyzing Venus data from Arecibo and the Magellan mission.

Campbell, Donald B.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Multiwavelength Observations of Recent Comets

ground-based observations↗

NASA NTRS2006

Miniature GC-Minicell Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) for In Situ Measurements in Astrobiology Planetary Missions

Astrobiology flight experiments require highly sensitive instrumentation for in situ analysis of volatile chemical species and minerals present in the atmospheres and surfaces of planets, moons, and asteroids. The complex mixtures encountered place a heavy burden on the analytical instrumentation to detect and identify all species present. The use of land rovers and balloon aero-rovers place additional emphasis on miniaturization of the analytical instrumentation. In addition, smaller instruments, using tiny amounts of consumables, allow the use of more instrumentation and/or ionger mission life for stationary landers/laboratories. The miniCometary Ice and Dust Experiment (miniCIDEX), which combined Gas Chromatography (GC) with helium Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS), was capable of providing the wide range of analytical information required for Astrobiology missions. The IMS used here was based on the PCP model 111 IMS. A similar system, the Titan Ice and Dust Experiment (TIDE), was proposed as part of the Titan Orbiter Aerorover Mission (TOAM). Newer GC systems employing Micro Electro- Mechanical System (MEMS) based technology have greatly reduced both the size and resource requirements for space GCs. These smaller GCs, as well as the continuing miniaturization of Astrobiology analytical instruments in general, has highlighted the need for smaller, dry helium IMS systems. We describe here the development of a miniature, MEMS GC-IMS system (MEMS GC developed by Thorleaf Research Inc.), employing the MiniCell Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS), from Ion Applications Inc., developed through NASA's Astrobiology Science and Technology Instrument Development (ASTID) Program and NASA s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program.

Kojiro, Daniel R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2003

Topics covered include: Cryogenic Temperature-Gradient Foam/Substrate Tensile Tester; Flight Test of an Intelligent Flight-Control System; Slat Heater Boxes for Thermal Vacuum Testing; System for Testing Thermal Insulation of Pipes; Electrical-Impedance-Based Ice-Thickness Gauges; Simulation System for Training in Laparoscopic Surgery; Flasher Powered by Photovoltaic Cells and Ultracapacitors; Improved Autoassociative Neural Networks; Toroidal-Core Microinductors Biased by Permanent Magnets; Using Correlated Photons to Suppress Background Noise; Atmospheric-Fade-Tolerant Tracking and Pointing in Wireless Optical Communication; Curved Focal-Plane Arrays Using Back-Illuminated High-Purity Photodetectors; Software for Displaying Data from Planetary Rovers; Software for Refining or Coarsening Computational Grids; Software for Diagnosis of Multiple Coordinated Spacecraft; Software Helps Retrieve Information Relevant to the User; Software for Simulating a Complex Robot; Software for Planning Scientific Activities on Mars; Software for Training in Pre-College Mathematics; Switching and Rectification in Carbon-Nanotube Junctions; Scandia-and-Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia for Thermal Barriers; Environmentally Safer, Less Toxic Fire-Extinguishing Agents; Multiaxial Temperature- and Time-Dependent Failure Model; Cloverleaf Vibratory Microgyroscope with Integrated Post; Single-Vector Calibration of Wind-Tunnel Force Balances; Microgyroscope with Vibrating Post as Rotation Transducer; Continuous Tuning and Calibration of Vibratory Gyroscopes; Compact, Pneumatically Actuated Filter Shuttle; Improved Bearingless Switched-Reluctance Motor; Fluorescent Quantum Dots for Biological Labeling; Growing Three-Dimensional Corneal Tissue in a Bioreactor; Scanning Tunneling Optical Resonance Microscopy; The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology Testbed; Detecting Moving Targets by Use of Soliton Resonances; and Finite-Element Methods for Real-Time Simulation of Surgery.

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NASA NTRS2017

Lunar and Lagrangian Point L1 L2 CubeSat Communication and Navigation Considerations

CubeSats have grown in sophistication to the point that relatively low-cost mission solutions could be undertaken for planetary exploration. There are unique considerations for Lunar and L1L2 CubeSat communication and navigation compared with low earth orbit CubeSats. This paper explores those considerations as they relate to the MoreheadGSFC Lunar IceCube Mission. The Lunar IceCube is a CubeSat mission led by Morehead State University with participation from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, JPL, the Busek Company and Vermont Tech. It will search for surface water ice and other resources from a high inclination lunar orbit. Lunar IceCube is one of a select group of CubeSats designed to explore beyond low-earth orbit that will fly on NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) as secondary payloads for Exploration Mission (EM) 1. Lunar IceCube and the EM-1 CubeSats will lay the groundwork for future lunar and L1L2 CubeSat missions. This paper discusses communication and navigation needs for the Lunar IceCube mission and navigation and radiation tolerance requirements related to lunar and L1L2 orbits. Potential CubeSat radio and antennas for such missions are investigated and compared. Ground station coverage, link analysis, and ground station solutions are also discussed. There are currently modifications in process for the Morehead ground station. Further enhancement of the Morehead ground station and the NASA Near Earth Network (NEN) are being examined. This paper describes how the NEN may support Lunar and L1L2 CubeSats without any enhancements and potential expansion of NEN to better support such missions in the future. The potential NEN enhancements include upgrading current NEN Cortex receiver with Forward Error Correction (FEC) Turbo Code, providing X-band Uplink capability, and adding ranging options. The benefits of ground station enhancements for CubeSats flown on NASA Exploration Missions (EM) are presented. The paper also discusses other initiatives that the NEN is studying to better support the CubeSat community, including streamlining the compatibility test, planning and scheduling associated with CubeSat missions.

CubeSat↗

NASA NTRS2017

Lunar and Lagrangian Point L1 L2 CubeSat Communication and Navigation Considerations

CubeSats have grown in sophistication to the point that relatively low-cost mission solutions could be undertaken for planetary exploration. There are unique considerations for lunar and L1/L2 CubeSat communication and navigation compared with low earth orbit CubeSats. This paper explores those considerations as they relate to the Lunar IceCube Mission. The Lunar IceCube is a CubeSat mission led by Morehead State University with participation from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Busek Company and Vermont Tech. It will search for surface water ice and other resources from a high inclination lunar orbit. Lunar IceCube is one of a select group of CubeSats designed to explore beyond low-earth orbit that will fly on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) as secondary payloads for Exploration Mission (EM) 1. Lunar IceCube and the EM-1 CubeSats will lay the groundwork for future lunar and L1/L2 CubeSat missions. This paper discusses communication and navigation needs for the Lunar IceCube mission and navigation and radiation tolerance requirements related to lunar and L1/L2 orbits. Potential CubeSat radios and antennas for such missions are investigated and compared. Ground station coverage, link analysis, and ground station solutions are also discussed. This paper will describe modifications in process for the Morehead ground station, as well as further enhancements of the Morehead ground station and NASA Near Earth Network (NEN) that are being considered. The potential NEN enhancements include upgrading current NEN Cortex receiver with Forward Error Correction (FEC) Turbo Code, providing X-band uplink capability, and adding ranging options. The benefits of ground station enhancements for CubeSats flown on NASA Exploration Missions (EM) are presented. This paper also describes how the NEN may support lunar and L1/L2 CubeSats without any enhancements. In addition, NEN is studying other initiatives to better support the CubeSat community, including streamlining the compatibility testing, planning and scheduling associated with CubeSat missions. Because of the lower cost, opportunity for simultaneous multipoint observations, it is inevitable that CubeSats will continue to increase in popularity for not only LEO missions, but for lunar and L1/L2 missions as well. The challenges for lunar and L1/L2 missions for communication and navigation are much greater than for LEO missions, but are not insurmountable. Advancements in flight hardware and ground infrastructure will ease the burden.

CubeSat↗