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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Chemical Composition and Mixing State of Wintertime Aerosol from the European Arctic Site of Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

The Arctic is rapidly warming, and aerosols play an increasingly important role by scattering and absorbing sunlight and by participating in cloud formation. Their optical and cloud-forming properties depend on the mixing state and chemical composition, but observations of these features remain limited. This study comprehensively characterizes 25,254 individual particles collected at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (November −December 2020), using microspectroscopy techniques to investigate their size, morphology, mixing state, and chemical composition. Fresh sea salt aerosols (SSA) were identified as the most abundant (∼85%), of the total observed aerosol population, with potential sources from sea spray and blowing snow. Air masses originating from the Arctic Ocean surrounding Svalbard likely contribute to increased concentrations of sub-micrometer “Fresh SSA” particles. “Aged SSA” particles (7.4%) are enriched in sulfur and nitrogen, compared to “Fresh SSA”. These elevated ratios may result from various atmospheric aging processes including the uptake of sulfuric and nitric acids. Here, our results suggest that aged SSA, with sizes larger than 300 nm, likely underwent chlorine depletion by sulfuric and nitric acids during transport. Additionally, elemental analysis reveals that both fresh and aged SSA can mix with dust particles, regardless of the SSA size (49.9% in sub-micrometer size and 50.1% in super-micrometer size, respectively). Dust particles are efficient ice-nucleating particles (INPs), and SSA is known to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and therefore, their mixtures may inherit both properties. The non-negligible number (4.4%) of SSA-dust mixtures underscores the importance of these particles as potential sources of CCN and INP in the Arctic atmosphere.

Arctic↗
NASA NTRS1994

Chemical composition of the atmospheric aerosol in the troposphere over the Hudson Bay lowlands and Quebec-Labrador regions of Canada

Atmospheric aerosols were collected in the boundary layer and free troposphere over continental and coastal subarctic regions of Canada during the July - August 1990 joint U.S.-Canadian Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE) 3B/Northern Wetlands Study (NOWES). The samples were analyzed for the following water soluble species: sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, potassium, sodium, chloride, oxalate, methylsulfonate, and total amine nitrogen. Ammonium and sulfate were the major water soluble components of these aerosols. The nearly neutral (overall) chemical composition of summertime aerosol particles contrasts their strongly acidic wintertime composition. Aerosol samples were separated into several air mass categories and characterized in terms of chemical composition, associated mixing ratios of gaseous compounds, and meteorological parameters. The fundamental category represented particles associated with 'background' air masses. The summertime atmospheric aerosols in background air over the North American subarctic and Arctic regions were characterized by relatively small and spatially uniform mixing ratios of the measured species. These aerosol particles were aged to the extent that they had lost their primary source signature. The chemical profile of the background air aerosols was frequently modified by additions from biomass fire plumes, aged tropical marine air, and intrusions of upper tropospheric/lower stratospheric air. Aerosols in boundary layer background air over the boreal forest region of Quebec-Labrador had significantly larger mixing ratios of ammonium and sulfate relative to the Hudson Bay region. This may reflect infiltration of anthropogenic pollution or be due to natural emissions from this region.

Gorzelska, K.↗
NASA NTRS1972

The chemical composition and structure of the moon.

It is assumed that most of the igneous rocks on the lunar surface are the product of partial melting in the lunar interior, followed by segregation and upward transport of an igneous liquid. An attempt is made to determine constraints on the composition of the lunar interior that derive from the chemical composition of the lunar igneous rocks. The salient chemical characteristics of igneous rocks from the lunar surface are summarized, and are compared to analogous characteristics of terrestrial volcanic rocks so that major similarities and differences between terrestrial and lunar basaltic rocks can be established.

Gast, P. W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

On the influence of polar stratospheric cloud formation on chemical composition during the 1988/89 Arctic winter

The northern winter polar vortex is more disturbed dynamically and warmer than the Antarctic equivalent, and correspondingly fewer polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are observed to form. However, the rapid flow of stratospheric air through slow moving synoptically forced PSC regions can result in exposure of both vortical and extra vortical air to PSCs intermittently throughout the winter months. This periodic exposure to PSCs may be sufficient to perturb the chemical composition of large volumes of nothern hemisphere air. The synoptic forcing also leads to marked meridional flow which has a profound effect on chemical composition, having major impacts on both short term ozone depletion and the longer term recovery to lower ClOx abundances. Accurate simulation of the air flow is thus essential for the reliable calculation of ozone loss in polar regions.

Jones, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Chemical Composition of Martian Soil and Rocks: Complex Mixing and Sedimentary Transport

Chemical compositions of Martian soil and rocks indicate complex mixing relationships. Mixing of rock and soil clearly takes place and explains some of the chemical variation because sulfur, chlorine, magnesium, and perhaps iron are positively correlated due to their control from a secondary 'sedimentary' mineralogy (e.g., Mg- and possibly Fe-sulfate; Fe-oxides) that is present within the soils. Certain deviations from simple soil-rock mixing are consistent with mineralogical fractionation of detrital iron and titanium oxides during sedimentary transport.

McLennan, Scott M.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Observations of high-time-resolution and size-resolved aerosol chemical composition and microphysics in the central Arctic: implications for climate-relevant particle properties

Abstract. Aerosols play a critical role in the Arctic's radiative balance, influencing solar radiation and cloud formation. Limited observations in the central Arctic leave gaps in understanding aerosol dynamics year-round, affecting model predictions of climate-relevant aerosol properties. Here, we present the first annual high-time-resolution observations of submicron aerosol chemical composition in the central Arctic during the Arctic Ocean 2018 (AO2018) and the 2019–2020 Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expeditions. Seasonal variations in the aerosol mass concentrations and chemical composition in the central Arctic were found to be driven by typical Arctic seasonal regimes and resemble those of pan-Arctic land-based stations. Organic aerosols dominated the pristine summer, while anthropogenic sulfate prevailed in autumn and spring under haze conditions. Ammonium, which impacts aerosol acidity, was consistently less abundant, relative to sulfate, in the central Arctic compared to lower latitudes of the Arctic. Cyclonic (storm) activity was found to have a significant influence on aerosol variability by enhancing emissions from local sources and the transport of remote aerosol. Local wind-generated particles contributed up to 80 % (20 %) of the cloud condensation nuclei population in autumn (spring). While the analysis presented herein provides the current central Arctic aerosol baseline, which will serve to improve climate model predictions in the region, it also underscores the importance of integrating short-timescale processes, such as seasonal wind-driven aerosol sources from blowing snow and open leads/ocean in model simulations. This is particularly important, given the decline in mid-latitude anthropogenic emissions and the increase in local ones.

Heutte, Benjamin (ORCID:0000000173727460)↗
NASA NTRS1999

Origin, Bulk Chemical Composition and Physical Structure of the Galilean Satellites of Jupiter: A Post-Galileo Analysis

The origin of Jupiter and the Galilean satellite system is examined in the light of the new data that has been obtained by the NASA Galileo Project. In particular, special attention is given to a theory of satellite origin which was put forward at the start of the Galileo Mission and on the basis of which several predictions have now been proven successful. These predictions concern the chemical composition of Jupiter's atmosphere and the physical structure of the satellites. According to the proposed theory of satellite origin, each of the Galilean satellites formed by chemical condensation and gravitational accumulation of solid grains within a concentric family of orbiting gas rings. These rings were cast off equatorially by the rotating proto-Jovian cloud (PJC which contracted gravitationally to form Jupiter some 4 1/2 billion years ago. The PJC formed from the gas and grains left over from the gas ring that had been shed at Jupiter's orbit by the contracting proto-solar cloud (PSC Supersonic turbulent convection provides the means for shedding discrete gas rings. The temperatures T (sub n) of the system of gas rings shed by the PSC and PJC vary with their respective mean orbital radii R (sub n) (n = 0, 1,2,...) according as T (sub n) proportional to R (sub n) (exp -0.9). If the planet Mercury condenses at 1640 K, so accounting for the high density of that planet via a process of chemical fractionation between iron and silicates, then T (sub n) at Jupiter's orbit is 158 K. Only 35% of the water vapour condenses out. Thus fractionation between rock and ice, together with an enhancement in the abundance of solids relative to gas which takes place through gravitational sedimentation of solids onto the mean orbit of the gas ring, ensures nearly equal proportions of rock and ice in each of Ganymede and Callisto. Io and Europa condense above the H20 ice point and consist solely of hydrated rock (h-rock). The Ganymedan condensate consists of h-rock and H20 ice. For Callisto, NH3 ice makes up -5% of the condensate mass next to h-rock (approximately 50%) and H2O ice (approximately 45%). Detailed thermal and structural models for each of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are constructed on the basis of the above initial bulk chemical compositions. For Europa (E), a predicted 2-zone model consisting of a dehydrated rock core of mass 0.912 M (sub E) and a 150 km thick frozen mantle of salty H2O yields a moment-of-inertia coefficient which matches the Galileo Orbiter gravity measurement. For Ganymede (G), a 3-zone model possessing an inner core of solid FeS and mass approximately 0.116 M (sub G), and an outer H2O ice mantle of mass approximately 0.502 M (sub G) is needed to explain the gravity data. Ganymede's native magnetic field was formed by thermoremanent magnetization of Fe3O4. A new Callisto (C) model is proposed consisting of a core of mass 0.826 M (sub C) containing a uniform mixture of h-rock (60% by mass) and H2O and NH3 ices, and capped by a mantle of pure ice. This model may have the capacity to yield a thin layer of liquid NH3 (raised dot) 2H2O at the core boundary, in line with Galileo's discovery of an induced magnetic field.

Prentice, A. J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Spectrum and chemical composition of the remarkable planetary nebula NGC 6537

The planetary nebula NGC 6537 appears to be an irregular bipolar object. Conventional procedures have been employed to observe the spectrum of NGC 6537 with the image dissector scanner at the Lick 3-m telescope. Both red- and green-sensitive tubes were employed in order to cover the spectrum from the practical UV limit near lambda 3300 A to the near-infrared limit near lambda 8600 A. The instrumental response function was determined on the basis of the observation of suitable comparison stars. On Oct. 23, 1984, observations with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) were obtained. A table containing the optical region spectrum of NGC 6537 is presented along with a table providing the UV fluxes, a table listing the ionic concentrations, and a table with data describing the chemical composition of NGC 6537. Attention is given to theoretical models and the determination of the nebular chemical composition, and aspects of plasma diagnostics.

Feibelman, W.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Crystal Structure and Chemical Composition of a Presolar Silicate from the Queen Elizabeth Range 99177 Meteorite

Mineral characterization of presolar silicate grains, the most abundant stardust phase, has provided valuable information about the formation conditions in circumstellar environments and in super-nova (SN) outflows. Spectroscopic observations of dust around evolved stars suggest a majority of amor-phous, Mg-rich olivine grains, but crystalline silicates, most of which are pyroxene, have also been observed [1]. The chemical compositions of hundreds of presolar silicates have been determined by Auger spectroscopy and reveal high Fe contents and nonstoichiometric compositions intermediate to olivine and pyroxene [2-6]. The unexpectedly high Fe contents can partly be attributed to secondary alteration on the meteorite parent bodies, as some grains have Fe isotopic anomalies from their parent stellar source [7]. Only about 35 presolar silicates have been studied for their mineral structures and chemical compositions by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These grains display a wide range of compositions and structures, including crystalline forsterite, crystalline pyroxene, nanocrystalline grains, and a majority of amorphous nonstoichiometric grains. Most of these grains were identified in the primitive Acfer 094 meteorite. Presolar silicates from this meteorite show a wide range of Fe-contents, suggestive of secondary processing on the meteorite parent body. The CR chondrite QUE 99177 has not suffered as much alteration [8] and displays the highest presolar silicate abundance to date among carbonaceous chondrites [3, 6]. However, no mineralogical studies of presolar silicates from this meteorite have been performed. Here we examine the mineralogy of a presolar silicate from QUE 99177.

Nguyen, A. N.↗
DOE OSTI2026

While legume-based rotation influences the chemical composition of mineral-associated organic matter, tillage has little effect on its persistence

Legume-based rotations are key to enhancing soil carbon (C) storage in stable forms such as mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), improving soil health, and helping maintain long-term C stock. This study investigates how plant inputs and tillage practices influence the distribution, composition, and persistence of MAOM in wheat cropping systems when legumes are incorporated into the rotation. Soil samples were collected from Walla Walla silty loam of northeast Oregon, including conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) treatments in a long-term dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring pea (Pisum sativum L.) rotation experiment, with an adjacent grass pasture (GP) plot serving as the baseline. Bulk soil, particulate organic matter (POM), and MAOM fractions were scanned using mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy and analyzed for total C and nitrogen (N) as well as radiocarbon age, aggregate stability, and mineralizable C. In WP systems, NT promoted greater C accumulation and stabilization in MAOM than CT, reaching levels similar to those under native GP conditions. Furthermore, our findings indicate that decades of continuous legume-based rotation were insufficient to restore total bulk C content to levels observed in the undisturbed reference site (GP) in the 0–30 cm layer, with increases limited to the surface layer. The Mid-IR data provided insights into how cultivation may alter the chemical composition of MAOM. An increase in amide bands was observed in GP, while legume-based rotation systems favored an abundance of aliphatic (C-H) components in the MAOM fraction. In cultivated soils, C in MAOM exhibited longer residence times under arable conditions than in grassland, while POM remained an actively cycled pool across all treatments. Despite variations in the chemical composition of MAOM across treatments, mineralizable C emissions from MAOM fractions remained statistically unchanged during the 96-hour incubation period. Our findings suggest that soil physical protection, enhanced by reduced tillage, is the primary factor influencing MAOM cycling.

Carbon stabilization↗
NASA NTRS1990

Chemical compositions of siderophile element-rich opaque assemblages in an Allende inclusion

Chemical compositions of ten opaque assemblages, or Fremdlinge, from an Allende Type B Ca-,Al-rich coarse-grained inclusion were determined. Attempts to model the abundances of refractory siderophiles assuming condensation from the solar nebula into a single phase failed to match the observed combination of subchondritic Re/Os and Ir/Pt ratios. However, virtually all refractory siderophile fractionations in these Fremdlinge could be matched by a different model, in which all metals condensed into three separate alloys according to their crystal structures.

Sylvester, Paul J.↗