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At least 523 records · Page 29

A Super-Resolution Algorithm for Enhancement of FLASH LIDAR Data: Flight Test Results

This paper describes the results of a 3D super-resolution algorithm applied to the range data obtained from a recent Flash Lidar helicopter flight test. The flight test was conducted by the NASA's Autonomous Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) project over a simulated lunar terrain facility at NASA Kennedy Space Center. ALHAT is developing the technology for safe autonomous landing on the surface of celestial bodies: Moon, Mars, asteroids. One of the test objectives was to verify the ability of 3D super-resolution technique to generate high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) and to determine time resolved relative positions and orientations of the vehicle. 3D super-resolution algorithm was developed earlier and tested in computational modeling, and laboratory experiments, and in a few dynamic experiments using a moving truck. Prior to the helicopter flight test campaign, a 100mX100m hazard field was constructed having most of the relevant extraterrestrial hazard: slopes, rocks, and craters with different sizes. Data were collected during the flight and then processed by the super-resolution code. The detailed DEM of the hazard field was constructed using independent measurement to be used for comparison. ALHAT navigation system data were used to verify abilities of super-resolution method to provide accurate relative navigation information. Namely, the 6 degree of freedom state vector of the instrument as a function of time was restored from super-resolution data. The results of comparisons show that the super-resolution method can construct high quality DEMs and allows for identifying hazards like rocks and craters within the accordance of ALHAT requirements.

Bulyshev, Alexander↗

Blood flow imaging by optimal matching of computational fluid dynamics to 4D-flow data

Three-dimensional, time-resolved blood flow measurement (4D-flow) is a powerful research and clinical tool, but improved resolution and scan times are needed. Therefore, this study aims to (1) present a postprocessing framework for optimization-driven simulation-based flow imaging, called 4D-flow High-resolution Imaging with a priori Knowledge Incorporating the Navier-Stokes equations and the discontinuous Galerkin method (4D-flow HIKING), (2) investigate the framework in synthetic tests, (3) perform phantom validation using laser particle imaging velocimetry, and (4) demonstrate the use of the framework in vivo. An optimizing computational fluid dynamics solver including adjoint-based optimization was developed to fit computational fluid dynamics solutions to 4D-flow data. Synthetic tests were performed in 2D, and phantom validation was performed with pulsatile flow. Reference velocity data were acquired using particle imaging velocimetry, and 4D-flow data were acquired at 1.5 T. In vivo testing was performed on intracranial arteries in a healthy volunteer at 7 T, with 2D flow as the reference. Results Synthetic tests showed low error (0.4%-0.7%). Phantom validation showed improved agreement with laser particle imaging velocimetry compared with input 4D-flow in the horizontal (mean -0.05 vs -1.11 cm/s, P < .001; SD 1.86 vs 4.26 cm/s, P < .001) and vertical directions (mean 0.05 vs -0.04 cm/s, P = .29; SD 1.36 vs 3.95 cm/s, P < .001). In vivo data show a reduction in flow rate error from 14% to 3.5%. Phantom and in vivo results from 4D-flow HIKING show promise for future applications with higher resolution, shorter scan times, and accurate quantification of physiological parameters.

4D-flow MRI↗

Analyzing the Broken Ridge area of the Indian Ocean using magnetic and gravity anomaly maps and geoid undulation and bathymetry data

A higher resolution anomaly map of the Broken Ridge area (2 degree dipole spacing) was produced and reduced to the pole using quiet time data for this area. The map was compared with equally scaled maps of gravity anomaly, geoid undulation, and bathymetry. The ESMAP results were compared with a NASA MAGSAT map derived by averaging data in two-degree bins. A survey simulation was developed to model the accuracy of MAGSAT anomaly maps as a function of satellite altitude, instrument noise level, external noise model, and crustal anomaly field model. A preliminary analysis of the geophysical structure of Broken Ridge is presented and unresolved questions are listed.

Lazarewicz, A. R.↗

Phase Shift Interferometer and Growth Set Up to Step Pattern Formation During Growth From Solutions. Influence of the Oscillatory solution Flow on Stability

We have assembled an experimental setup based on Michelson interferometry with the growing crystal surface as one of the reflective surfaces. The crystallization part of the device allows optical monitoring of a face of a crystal growing at temperature stable within 0.05 C in a flow of solution of controlled direction and speed. The reference arm of the interferometer contains a liquid crystal element that allows controlled shifts of the phase of the interferograms. We employ an image-processing algorithm, which combines five images with a pi/2 phase difference between each pair of images. The images are transferred to a computer by a camera capable of capturing 60 frames per second. The device allows data collection on surface morphology and kinetics during the face layers growth over a relatively large area (approximately 4 sq. mm) in situ and in real time during growth. The estimated depth resolution of the phase shifting interferometry is approximately 50 Angstroms. The data will be analyzed in order to reveal and monitor step bunching during the growth process. The crystal chosen as a model for study in this work is KH2PO4 (KDP). This optically non-linear material is widely used in frequency doubling applications. There have been a number of studies of the kinetics of KDP crystallization that can serve as a benchmark for our investigations. However, so far, systematic quantitative characteristics of step interaction and bunching are missing. We intend to present our first quantitative results on the onset, initial stages and development of instabilities in moving step trains on vicinal crystal surfaces at varying supersaturation, flow rate, and flow direction. Behavior of a vicinal face growing from solution flowing normal to the steps and periodically changing its direction in time was considered theoretically. It was found that this oscillating flow reduces both stabilization and destabilization effects resulted from the unidirectional solution flow directed up the step stream and down the step stream. This reduction of stabilization and destabilization comes from effective mixing which entangles the phase shifts between the spatially periodic interface perturbation and the concentration wave induced by this perturbation. Numerical results and simplified mixing criterion will be discussed.

Chernov, Alex A.↗

A regional rainfall climatology over Mexico and the southwest United States derived from passive microwave and geosynchronous infrared data

A three-year climatology of satellite-estimated rainfall for the warm season for the southwest United States and Mexico has been derived from data from the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I). The microwave data have been stratified by month (June, July, August), year (1988, 1989, 1990), and time of day (morning and evening orbits). A rain algorithm was employed that relates 86-GHz brightness temperatures to rain rate using a coupled cloud-radiative transfer model. Results identify an early evening maximum in rainfall along the western slope of the Sierra Madre Occidental during all three months. A prominent morning rainfall maximum was found off the western Mexican coast near Mazatlan in July and August. Substantial differences between morning and evening estimates were noted. To the extent that three years constitute a climatology, results of interannual variability are presented. Results are compared and contrasted to high-resolution (8 km, hourly) infrared cloud climatologies, which consist of the frequency of occurrence of cloud colder than -38 C and -58 C. This comparison has broad implications for the estimation of rainfall by simple (cloud threshold) techniques. By sampling the infrared data to approximate the time and space resolution of the microwave, we produce ratios (or adjustment factors) by which we can adjust the infrared rain estimation schemes. This produces a combined microwave/infrared rain algorithm for monthly rainfall. Using a limited set of raingage data as ground truth, an improvement (lower bias and root-mean-square error) was demonstrated by this combined technique when compared to either method alone. The diurnal variability of convection during July 1990 was examined using hourly rain estimates from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) precipitation index and the convective stratiform technique, revealing a maximum in estimated rainfall from 1800 to 2100 local time. It is in this time period when the SSM/I evening orbit occurs. A high-resolution topographic database was available to aid in interpreting the influence of topography on the rainfall patterns.

Negri, Andrew J.↗

A Satellite-Derived Climate-Quality Data Record of the Clear-Sky Surface Temperature of the Greenland Ice Sheet

We have developed a climate-quality data record of the clear-sky surface temperature of the Greenland Ice Sheet using the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ice-surface temperature (1ST) algorithm. A climate-data record (CDR) is a time series of measurements of sufficient length, consistency, and continuity to determine climate variability and change. We present daily and monthly MODIS ISTs of the Greenland Ice Sheet beginning on 1 March 2000 and continuing through 31 December 2010 at 6.25-km spatial resolution on a polar stereographic grid. This record will be elevated in status to a CDR when at least nine more years of data become available either from MODIS Terra or Aqua, or from the Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) to be launched in October 2011. Our ultimate goal is to develop a CDR that starts in 1981 with the Advanced Very High Resolution (AVHRR) Polar Pathfinder (APP) dataset and continues with MODIS data from 2000 to the present, and into the VIIRS era. Differences in the APP and MODIS cloud masks have so far precluded the current 1ST records from spanning both the APP and MODIS time series in a seamless manner though this will be revisited when the APP dataset has been reprocessed. The complete MODIS 1ST daily and monthly data record is available online.

Hall, Dorothy K.↗

Time-resolved lidar fluorosensor for sea pollution detection

A contemporary time and spectral analysis of oil fluorescence is useful for the detection and the characterization of oil spills on the sea surface. Nevertheless the fluorosensor lidars, which were realized up to now, have only partial capability to perform this double analysis. The main difficulties are the high resolution required (of the order of 1 nanosecond) and the complexity of the detection system for the recording of a two-dimensional matrix of data for each laser pulse. An airborne system whose major specifications were: time range, 30 to 75 ns; time resolution, 1 ns; spectral range, 350 to 700 nm; and spectral resolution, 10 nm was designed and constructed. The designed system of a short pulse ultraviolet laser source and a streak camera based detector are described.

Ferrario, A.↗

Assessing carbon storage capacity and saturation across six central US grasslands using data–model integration

Abstract. Future global changes will impact carbon (C) fluxes and pools in most terrestrial ecosystems and the feedback of terrestrial carbon cycling to atmospheric CO2. Determining the vulnerability of C in ecosystems to future environmental change is thus vital for targeted land management and policy. The C capacity of an ecosystem is a function of its C inputs (e.g., net primary productivity – NPP) and how long C remains in the system before being respired back to the atmosphere. The proportion of C capacity currently stored by an ecosystem (i.e., its C saturation) provides information about the potential for long-term C pools to be altered by environmental and land management regimes. We estimated C capacity, C saturation, NPP, and ecosystem C residence time in six US grasslands spanning temperature and precipitation gradients by integrating high temporal resolution C pool and flux data with a process-based C model. As expected, NPP across grasslands was strongly correlated with mean annual precipitation (MAP), yet C residence time was not related to MAP or mean annual temperature (MAT). We link soil temperature, soil moisture, and inherent C turnover rates (potentially due to microbial function and tissue quality) as determinants of carbon residence time. Overall, we found that intermediates between extremes in moisture and temperature had low C saturation, indicating that C in these grasslands may trend upwards and be buffered against global change impacts. Hot and dry grasslands had greatest C saturation due to both small C inputs through NPP and high C turnover rates during soil moisture conditions favorable for microbial activity. Additionally, leaching of soil C during monsoon events may lead to C loss. C saturation was also high in tallgrass prairie due to frequent fire that reduced inputs of aboveground plant material. Accordingly, we suggest that both hot, dry ecosystems and those frequently disturbed should be subject to careful land management and policy decisions to prevent losses of C stored in these systems.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Evaluating the Impacts of NASA/SPoRT Daily Greenness Vegetation Fraction on Land Surface Model and Numerical Weather Forecasts

The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center has developed a Greenness Vegetation Fraction (GVF) dataset, which is updated daily using swaths of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data aboard the NASA EOS Aqua and Terra satellites. NASA SPoRT began generating daily real-time GVF composites at 1-km resolution over the Continental United States (CONUS) on 1 June 2010. The purpose of this study is to compare the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) climatology GVF product (currently used in operational weather models) to the SPoRT-MODIS GVF during June to October 2010. The NASA Land Information System (LIS) was employed to study the impacts of the SPoRT-MODIS GVF dataset on a land surface model (LSM) apart from a full numerical weather prediction (NWP) model. For the 2010 warm season, the SPoRT GVF in the western portion of the CONUS was generally higher than the NCEP climatology. The eastern CONUS GVF had variations both above and below the climatology during the period of study. These variations in GVF led to direct impacts on the rates of heating and evaporation from the land surface. In the West, higher latent heat fluxes prevailed, which enhanced the rates of evapotranspiration and soil moisture depletion in the LSM. By late Summer and Autumn, both the average sensible and latent heat fluxes increased in the West as a result of the more rapid soil drying and higher coverage of GVF. The impacts of the SPoRT GVF dataset on NWP was also examined for a single severe weather case study using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Two separate coupled LIS/WRF model simulations were made for the 17 July 2010 severe weather event in the Upper Midwest using the NCEP and SPoRT GVFs, with all other model parameters remaining the same. Based on the sensitivity results, regions with higher GVF in the SPoRT model runs had higher evapotranspiration and lower direct surface heating, which typically resulted in lower (higher) predicted 2-m temperatures (2-m dewpoint temperatures). Portions of the Northern Plains states experienced substantial increases in convective available potential energy as a result of the higher SPoRT/MODIS GVFs. These differences produced subtle yet quantifiable differences in the simulated convective precipitation systems for this event.

Bell, Jordan R.↗

Evaluating the Impacts of NASA/SPoRT Daily Greenness Vegetation Fraction on Land Surface Model and Numerical Weather Forecasts

The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center develops new products and techniques that can be used in operational meteorology. The majority of these products are derived from NASA polar-orbiting satellite imagery from the Earth Observing System (EOS) platforms. One such product is a Greenness Vegetation Fraction (GVF) dataset, which is produced from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data aboard the NASA EOS Aqua and Terra satellites. NASA SPoRT began generating daily real-time GVF composites at 1-km resolution over the Continental United States (CONUS) on 1 June 2010. The purpose of this study is to compare the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) climatology GVF product (currently used in operational weather models) to the SPoRT-MODIS GVF during June to October 2010. The NASA Land Information System (LIS) was employed to study the impacts of the new SPoRT-MODIS GVF dataset on land surface models apart from a full numerical weather prediction (NWP) model. For the 2010 warm season, the SPoRT GVF in the western portion of the CONUS was generally higher than the NCEP climatology. The eastern CONUS GVF had variations both above and below the climatology during the period of study. These variations in GVF led to direct impacts on the rates of heating and evaporation from the land surface. The second phase of the project is to examine the impacts of the SPoRT GVF dataset on NWP using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Two separate WRF model simulations were made for individual severe weather case days using the NCEP GVF (control) and SPoRT GVF (experimental), with all other model parameters remaining the same. Based on the sensitivity results in these case studies, regions with higher GVF in the SPoRT model runs had higher evapotranspiration and lower direct surface heating, which typically resulted in lower (higher) predicted 2-m temperatures (2-m dewpoint temperatures). The opposite was true for areas with lower GVF in the SPoRT model runs. These differences in the heating and evaporation rates produced subtle yet quantifiable differences in the simulated convective precipitation systems for the selected severe weather case examined.

Bell, Jordan R.↗

CO/H2 in Translucent Clouds

A thorough examination of techniques to improve the resolution of the FUSE spectrograph was undertaken. These involved co-adding time tagged data very carefully so as to remove any blurs caused by drift. In addition, data was binned by detector pulse height bin (to eliminate any positional vs. gain variations, e.g. "walk"). These techniques only resulted in an extremely modest increase in the spectral resolution, insufficient to allow the CO/H2 studies to be performed. The only remaining potential source of blur was defocus - implying the instrument was never properly focused on orbit. Private discussions with B.G. Anderson of the FUSE team resulted in my learning that this was in fact the case - the slidgrating distance was never optimized on orbit - resulting in a degradation of the peak performance of the instrument. Unfortunately, this was never publicized, even to myself, a member of the instrument tem and the spectrograph designer.

Green, James↗

Comparison of experimental and computational methods for discharge measurements from tidal wetlands

This short communication describes the use and comparison of three methods used to calculate the flow discharge from a tidal wetland stream. The techniques presented are a) bottom-mounted ADCP deployments, b) vessel-mounted ADCP transects, and c) a volume inundation spatial model that relies on a high-resolution LiDAR dataset and time-series of water surface elevation data. The relative agreement between these three methods is used to build confidence in the application of these techniques to the challenge of deducing flow discharge from tidal wetlands.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Dead Fuel Moisture Content Reanalysis Dataset for California (2000–2020)

This study presents a novel reanalysis dataset of dead fuel moisture content (DFMC) across California from 2000 to 2020 at a 2 km resolution. Utilizing a data assimilation system that integrates a simplified time-lag fuel moisture model with 10-h fuel moisture observations from remote automated weather stations (RAWS) allowed predictions of 10-h fuel moisture content by our method with a mean absolute error of 0.03 g/g compared to the widely used Nelson model, with a mean absolute error prediction of 0.05 g/g. For context, the values of DFMC in California are commonly between 0.05 g/g and 0.30 g/g. The presented product provides gridded hourly moisture estimates for 1-h, 10-h, 100-h, and 1000-h fuels, essential for analyzing historical fire activity and understanding climatological trends. The methodology presented here demonstrates significant advancements in the accuracy and robustness of fuel moisture estimates, which are critical for fire forecasting and management.

Farguell, Angel (ORCID:000000032395220X)↗

The Effect of Interlayer Delay on the Heat Accumulation, Microstructures, and Properties in Laser Hot Wire Directed Energy Deposition of Ti-6Al-4V Single-Wall

Laser hot wire directed energy deposition (LHW-DED) is a layer-by-layer additive manufacturing technique that permits the fabrication of large-scale Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) components with a high deposition rate and has gained traction in the aerospace sector in recent years. However, one of the major challenges in LHW-DED Ti64 is heat accumulation, which affects the part quality, microstructure, and properties of as-built specimens. These issues require a comprehensive understanding of the layerwise heat-accumulation-driven process–structure–property relationship in as-deposited samples. In this study, a systematic investigation was performed by fabricating three Ti-6Al-4V single-wall specimens with distinct interlayer delays, i.e., 0, 120, and 300 s. The real-time acquisition of high-fidelity thermal data and high-resolution melt pool images were utilized to demonstrate a direct correlation between layerwise heat accumulation and melt pool dimensions. The results revealed that the maximum heat buildup temperature of the topmost layer decreased from 660 °C to 263 °C with an increase to a 300 s interlayer delay, allowing for better control of the melt pool dimensions, which then resulted in improved part accuracy. Furthermore, the investigation of the location-specific composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties demonstrated that heat buildup resulted in the coarsening of microstructures and, consequently, the reduction of micro-hardness with increasing height. Extending the delay by 120 s resulted in a 5% improvement in the mechanical properties, including an increase in the yield strength from 817 MPa to 859 MPa and the ultimate tensile strength from 914 MPa to 959 MPa. Cooling rates estimated at 900 °C using a one-dimensional thermal model based on a numerical method allowed us to establish the process–structure–property relationship for the wall specimens. The study provides deeper insight into the effect of heat buildup in LHW-DED and serves as a guide for tailoring the properties of as-deposited specimens by regulating interlayer delay.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

S-band transponder experiment

The experiment which derives data from three lunar-orbiting objects, the command-service module (CSM), the lunar module (LM), and the subsatellite in the S-band is described. Each provides detailed information on the near-side lunar gravitational field. The primary emphasis is on the low-altitude (20 km) CSM data. The LM data cover a very short time span and are somewhat redundant with the CSM data. The resolution of the high-altitude (100 km) CSM data is not as great as that of the low altitude data. The low-altitude CSM and LM data coverage and the complementary coverage obtained during the Apollo 14 mission are presented. The experiment uses the same technique of gravity determination employed on the Lunar Orbiter, in the data of which the large anomalies called mascons were first observed. The data consist of variations in the spacecraft speed as measured by the Earth-based radio tracking system.

Sjogren, W. L.↗

Venus wind-altitude radar

A design study on adding a radar altimeter to the Pioneer Venus small probe is review. Block and timing diagrams are provided. The inherent and interface ambiguities, resolution, and data handling logic for radar altimeters are described.

Levanon, N.↗