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At least 685 records · Page 38

Application of program LAURA to thermochemical nonequilibrium flow through a nozzle

Program LAURA (Langley Aerothermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm) is an upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for 3D viscous hypersonic flows in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium. The algorithm is derived using a finite-volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with a modified Roe's averaging and with second-order corrections based on Yee's Symmetric Total Variation Diminishing scheme. The code has been applied to Problem 8.2 of this workshop for the case of thermochemical nonequilibrium flow through a nozzle. Chemical reaction rates are defined with the model of Park (1987). Thermal nonequilibrium is modeled using a two-temperature approximation in which the vibrational energies of all molecules are assumed to be in equilibrium at a single temperature which is generally different from the translational-rotational temperature. Two grids were used to define the flow for the original problem, with a stagnation temperature of 6500 K. A third case with a stagnation temperature of 10,000 K is also presented. The solution domain includes the converging nozzle, subsonic flow domain in which the gas is substantially in thermochemical equilibrium and the diverging nozzle, hypersonic flow domain in which the gas is substantially in thermochemical nonequilibrium.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

Sea Surface Salinity Distribution in the Southern Ocean as Observed from Space

Large scale spatial and temporal variabilities of sea surface salinity (SSS) in the Southern Ocean from 2011 to 2017 were studied using products derived from microwave sensors on board Aquarius/SAC-D, Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS), and Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) satellites. Four products, three from Aquarius and one from SMOS, were evaluated and shown to be generally consistent within 0.3 to 0.6 psu and agree favorably with in situ measurements. However, although the Aquarius products show consistent seasonality of SSS with high values of 34.45 in October and low values of 33.40 in May, the SMOS and SMAP products lack such seasonal variations. This may be caused by larger uncertainties in the SMOS and SMAP data due in part to the lack of concurrent scatterometer measurements that is used to correct for roughness effects. The four products provide similar spatial distributions of SSS with root-mean-square-errors from 0.25 to 0.58 psu. Differences among Aquarius products are mainly due to varying salinity retrieval algorithms, smoothing, and masking of sea ice, while the SMOS product showed the highest SSS deviation that is likely due to the bias-adjustment done on the dataset. Our analyses show that SSS in the Southern Ocean region has significant meridional variations with the lowest SSS near the ice edge and highest at lower latitudes. The SSS is also lowest in summer indicating the predominant influence of sea ice and glacial melt, but it stays low near ice edges even during the growth season.

SSS↗

The AOD Sensitivity Comparison between MODIS Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) and Standard MODIS Surface Reflectance

This study compares the Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) and standard MODIS surface reflectance (SR) products (MOD09)for various aerosol optical depth (AOD) levels. Data from one MODIS tile in northern China for the whole year 2018 is compared. The results reveal that MAIAC SR has good stability for the full range of AOD for which SR is reported, whereas MOD09 SR shows increasing high bias with AOD increases. The cross-comparison of spectral characteristics between MAIAC SR and MOD09 SR shows a systematic MAIAC-MOD09 difference increasing from NIR to Blue. This pattern is consistent with the bias caused by Lambertian assumption used in MOD09 SR algorithm.

MAIAC↗

Determining Latitudinal Extent of Energetic Electron Precipitation Using MEPED On-Board NOAA/POES

Energetic Electron Precipitation (EEP) from the plasma sheet and the radiation belts ionizes the polar lower thermosphere and mesosphere. EEP increases the production of NO x and HO x , which will catalytically destroy ozone, an important element of atmospheric dynamics. Therefore, measurement of the latitudinal extent of the precipitation boundaries is important in quantifying the atmospheric effects of the Sun-Earth interaction. This study uses measurements by the Medium Energy Proton Electron Detector (MEPED) of six NOAA/POES and EUMETSAT/METOP satellites from 2004 to 2014 to determine the latitudinal boundaries of EEP and their variability with geomagnetic activity and solar wind drivers. Variation of the boundaries for different electron energies and Magnetic Local Time (MLT) is studied. Regression analyses are applied to determine the best predictor variable based on solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices. The highest correlation was found for the pressure-corrected Dst index when applying a linear regression model. A model of the equatorward EEP boundary is developed separately for three different energy channels, >43, >114, and >292 keV, and for 3 hour MLT sectors. For >43 keV EEP, 80% of the equatorward boundaries predicted by the model are within ±2.2° cgmlat. The model exhibits a solar cycle bias where it systematically exaggerates the equatorward movement of the EEP region during solar minimum. The highest accuracy of the model is found in periods dominated by corotating interaction regions/high speed solar wind streams. The result will be a key element for constructing a model of EEP variability to be applied in atmosphere climate models.

E. M. Babu↗

Systematic biases in radiometric diameter determinations

Radiometric diameter determinations are presently shown to often be significantly affected by the effect of rotation. This thermal effect of rotation depends not only on the object's thermal inertia, rotation rate, and pole orientation, but also on its temperature, since colder objects having constant rotation rate and thermal inertia will radiate less of their heat on the diurnal than on the nocturnal hemisphere. A disk-integrated beaming parameter of 0.72 is determined for the moon, and used to correct empirically for the roughness effects in thermophysical models; the standard thermal model is found to systematically underestimate cold object diameters, while overstating their albedos.

Spencer, John R.↗

Conservation equations and physical models for hypersonic air flows over the aeroassist flight experiment vehicle

The code development and application program for the Langley Aerothermodynamic Upwind Relaxation Algorithm (LAURA), with emphasis directed toward support of the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) in the near term and Aeroassisted Space Transfer Vehicle (ASTV) design in the long term is reviewed. LAURA is an upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for 3-D, viscous, hypersonic flows in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium. The algorithm is derived using a finite volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with Roe's averaging and Harten's entropy fix with second-order corrections based on Yee's Symmetric Total Variation Diminishing scheme. Because of the point-implicit relaxation strategy, the algorithm remains stable at large Courant numbers without the necessity of solving large, block tri-diagonal systems. A single relaxation step depends only on information from nearest neighbors. Predictions for pressure distributions, surface heating, and aerodynamic coefficients compare well with experimental data for Mach 10 flow over an AFE wind tunnel model. Predictions for the hypersonic flow of air in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium over the full scale AFE configuration obtained on a multi-domain grid are discussed.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

Corrections for atmospheric refractivity in satellite laser ranging

The effects of departures from the spherical symmetry assumption are investigated by describing the refractivity profile on the earth's surface as a generalized function of the surface coordinates. Aspects of satellite ranging geometry are considered and the representation of the true group refractivity of the atmosphere at any point on the earth's surface is discussed. Surface meteorological data obtained from a few east coast weather stations are analyzed to obtain typical values of the higher order bias terms.

Iyer, R. S.↗

Evaluation and analysis of Seasat-A Scanning multichannel Microwave radiometer (SMMR) Antenna Pattern Correction (APC) algorithm. Sub-task 2: T sub B measured vs. T sub B calculated comparison results

Interim Antenna Pattern Correction (APC) brightness temperature measurements for all ten SMMR channels are compared with calculated values generated from surface truth data. Plots and associated statistics are presented for the available points of coincidence between SMMR and surface truth measurements acquired for the Gulf of Alaska SEASAT Experiment. The most important conclusions of the study deal with the apparent existence of different instrument biases for each SMMR channel, and their variation across the scan.

Kitzis, J. L.↗

Context sensitive formulations of antenna pattern correction and side lobe compensation for NOSS/LAMMR real time processing

Large antenna multi-channel microwave radiometer (LAMMR) software specifications were written for LAMMR ground processing. There is a need to determine more computationally-efficient antenna temperature correction methods in compensating side lobe contributions especially near continents, islands and weather fronts. One of the major conclusions was that the antenna pattern corrections (APC) processes did not accomplish the implied goals of compensating for the antenna side lobe influences on brightness temperature. A-priori knowledge of land/water locations was shown to be needed and had to be incorporated in a context sensitive APC process if the artifacts caused by land presence is to be avoided. The high temperatures in land regions can severely bias the lower ocean response.

Chin, R. T.↗

An upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for viscous, compressible perfect-gas flows

An upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for three-dimensional, viscous, compressible, perfect-gas flows is described. The algorithm is derived using a finite-volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with Roe's averaging and Harten's entropy fix with second-order corrections based on Yee's Symmetric Total Variation Diminishing scheme. Viscous terms are discretized using central differences. The relaxation strategy is well suited for computers employing either vector or parallel architectures. It is also well suited to the numerical solution of the governing equations on unstructured grids. Because of the point-implicit relaxation strategy, the algorithm remains stable at large Courant numbers without the necessity of solving large, block tri-diagonal systems. Convergence rates and grid refinement studies are conducted for Mach 5 flow through an inlet with a 10 deg compression ramp and Mach 14 flow over a 15 deg ramp. Predictions for pressure distributions, surface heating, and aerodynamics coefficients compare well with experiment data for Mach 10 flow over a blunt body.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

Assessment of Current Global and Regional Mean Sea Level Estimates Based on the TOPEX/Poseidon Jason-1 and 2 Climate Data Record

Recent developments in Precise Orbit Determinations (POD) due to in particular to revisions to the terrestrial reference frame realization and the time variable gravity (TVG) continues to provide improvements to the accuracy and stability of the PO directly affecting mean sea level (MSL) estimates. Long-term credible MSL estimates require the development and continued maintenance of a stable reference frame, along with vigilant monitoring of the performance of the independent tracking systems used to calculate the orbits for altimeter spacecrafts. The stringent MSL accuracy requirements of a few tenths of an mm/yr are particularly essential for mass budget closure analysis over the relative short time period of Jason-l &2, GRACE, and Argo coincident measurements. In an effort to adhere to cross mission consistency, we have generated a full time series of experimental orbits (GSFC stdlllO) for TOPEX/Poseidon (TP), Jason-I, and OSTM based on an improved terrestrial reference frame (TRF) realization (ITRF2008), revised static (GGM03s), and time variable gravity field (Eigen6s). In this presentation we assess the impact of the revised precision orbits on inter-mission bias estimates, and resultant global and regional MSL trends. Tide gauge verification results are shown to assess the current stability of the Jason-2 sea surface height time series that suggests a possible discontinuity initiated in early 2010. Although the Jason-2 time series is relatively short (approximately 3 years), a thorough review of the entire suite of geophysical and environmental range corrections is warranted and is underway to maintain the fidelity of the record.

Beckley, B. D.↗

X-Ray Spectroscopy of Optically Bright Planets using the Chandra Observatory

Since its launch in July 1999, Chandra's Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) has observed several planets (Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) and 6 comets. At 0.5 arc-second spatial resolution, ACIS detects individual x-ray photons with good quantum efficiency (25% at 0.6 KeV) and energy resolution (20% FWHM at 0.6 KeV). However, the ACIS CCDs are also sensitive to optical and near-infrared light, which is absorbed by optical blocking filters (OBFs) that eliminate optical contamination from all but the brightest extended sources, e.g., planets. .Jupiter at opposition subseconds approx.45 arc-seconds (90 CCD pixels.) Since Chandra is incapable of tracking a moving target, the planet takes 10 - 20 kiloseconds to move across the most sensitive ACIS CCD, after which the observatory must be re-pointed. Meanwhile, the OBF covering that CCD adds an opt,ical signal equivalent to approx.110 eV to each pixel that lies within thc outline of the Jovian disk. This has three consequences: (1) the observatory must be pointed away from Jupiter while CCD bias maps are constructed; (2) most x-rays from within the optical image will be misidentified as charged-particle background and ignored; and (3) those x-rays that are reported will bc assigned anomalously high energies. The same also applies to thc other planets, but is less serious since they are either dimmer at optical wavelengths, or they show less apparent motion across the sky, permitting reduced CCD exposure times: the optical contamination from Saturn acids approx.15 eV per pixel, and from Mars and Venus approx.31 eV. After analyzing a series of short .Jupiter observations in December 2000, ACIS parameters were optimized for the February 2003 opposition. CCD bias maps were constructed while Chandra pointed away from Jupiter, and the subsequent observations employed on-board software to ignore any pixel that contained less charge than that expected from optical leakage. In addition, ACIS was commanded to report 5 x 5 arrays of pixel values surrounding each x-ray event, and the outlying values were employed during ground processing to correct for the optical contamination.

Ford, P. G.↗

Quantifying the Storm Time Thermospheric Neutral Density Variations Using Model and Observations

Accurate determination of thermospheric neutral density holds crucial importance for satellited rag calculations. The problem is twofold and involves the correct estimation of the quiet time climatology and storm time variations. In this work, neutral density estimations from two empirical and threephysics based models of the ionosphere thermosphere are compared with the neutral densities along the Challenging MicroSatellite Payload satellite track for six geomagnetic storms. Storm time variations are extracted from neutral density by (1) subtracting the mean difference between model and observation (bias),(2) setting climatological variations to zero, and (3) multiplying model data with the quiet time ratio between the model and observation. Several metrics are employed to evaluate the model performances. We find that the removal of bias or climatology reveals actual performance of the model in simulating the storm time variations. When bias is removed, depending on event and model, storm time errors in neutral density can decrease by an amount of 113% or can increase by an amount of 12% with respect to error in models with quiet time bias. It is shown that using only average and maximum values of neutral density to determine the model performances can be misleading since a model can estimate the averages fairly well but may not capture the maximum value or vice versa. Since each of the metrics used for determining model performances provides different aspects of the error, among these, we suggest employing mean absolute error, prediction efficiency, and normalized root mean square error together as a standard set ofmetrics for the neutral density.

Eyiguler, E. Ceren Kalafatoglu↗

Point-implicit relaxation strategies for viscous, hypersonic flows

An upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for 3D, viscous, hypersonic flows in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium is described. The algorithm is derived using a finite-volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with a modified Roe's averaging and Harten's entropy fix with second-order corrections based on Yee's symmetric total variation diminishing scheme. Newton relaxation of the fully coupled equation set is employed on a cell-to-cell basis. Under-relaxation of the inviscid and over-relaxation of the viscous contributions to the residual are implemented. Computational work is easily partitioned among many processors in an asynchronous, dynamic mode for convergence acceleration. An overview of the physical models employed herein for thermochemical nonequilibrium is included. Several test cases and comparisons with experimental data are presented involving hypersonic flow over blunt bodies which illustrate the qualitative and quantitative capabilities of this approach.

Gnoffo, P. A.↗

Upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation strategies for hypersonic flowfield simulations on supercomputers

An upwind-biased, point-implicit relaxation algorithm for obtaining the numerical solution to the governing equations for three-dimensional, viscous, hypersonic flows in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium is described. The algorithm is derived using a finite-volume formulation in which the inviscid components of flux across cell walls are described with Roe's averaging and Harten's entropy fix with second-order corrections based on Yee's Symmetric Total Variation Diminishing scheme. The relaxation strategy is well suited for computers employing either vector or parallel architectures, and the relation between computer architecture and algorithm is emphasized. It is also well suited to the numerical solution of the governing equations on unstructured grids. Because of the point-implicit relaxation strategy, the algorithm remains stable at large Courant numbers without the necessity of solving large. block tri-diagonal systems. A single relaxation step depends only on information from nearest neighbors. Predictions for pressure distributions, surface heating, and aerodynamic coefficients compare well with experimental data for Mach 10 flow over a blunt body. Predictions for the hypersonic flow of air in chemical and thermal nonequilibrium (velocity = 8917 m/s, altitude = 78 km.) over the Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) configuration obtained on a multi-domain grid are discussed.

Gnoffo, Peter A.↗

Trend Quality Ozone from NPP OMPS: The Version 2 Processing

A version 2 processing of data from two ozone monitoring instruments on Suomi NPP, the OMPS nadir ozone mapper and the OMPS nadir ozone profiler, has now been completed. The previously released data were useful for many purposes but were not suitable for use in ozone trend analysis. In this processing, instrument artifacts have been identified and corrected, an improved scattered light correction and wavelength registration have been applied, and soft calibration techniques were implemented to produce a calibration consistent with data from the series of SBUV/2 instruments. The result is a high-quality ozone time series suitable for trend analysis. Total column ozone data from the OMPS nadir mapper now agree with data from the SBUV/2 instrument on NOAA 19 with a zonal average bias of −0.2 % over the 60° S to 60° N latitude zone. Differences are somewhat larger between OMPS nadir profiler and N19 total column ozone, with an average difference of −1.1 % over the 60° S to 60° N latitude zone and a residual seasonal variation of about 2 % at latitudes higher than about 50°. For the profile retrieval, zonal average ozone in the upper stratosphere (between 2.5 and 4 hPa) agrees with that from NOAA 19 within ±3 % and an average bias of −1.1 %. In the lower stratosphere (between 25 and 40 hPa) agreement is within ±3 % with an average bias of +1.1 %. Tropospheric ozone produced by subtracting stratospheric ozone measured by the OMPS limb profiler from total column ozone measured by the nadir mapper is consistent with tropospheric ozone produced by subtracting stratospheric ozone from MLS from total ozone from the OMI instrument on Aura. The agreement of tropospheric ozone is within 10 % in most locations.

OMPS nadir ozone mapper↗

Effect of contrast on the perception of direction of a moving pattern

A series of experiments examining the effect of contrast on the perception of moving plaids was performed to test the hypothesis that the human visual system determines the direction of a moving plaid in a two-staged process: decomposition into component motion followed by application of the intersection-of-contraints rule. Although there is recent evidence that the first tenet of the hypothesis is correct, i.e., that plaid motion is initially decomposed into the motion of the individual grating components, the nature of the second-stage combination rule has not yet been established. It was found that when the gratings within the plaid are of different contrast the preceived direction is not predicted by the intersection-of-constraints rule. There is a strong (up to 20 deg) bias in the direction of the higher-constrast grating. A revised model, which incorporates a contrast-dependent weighting of perceived grating speed as observed for one-dimensional patterns, can quantitatively predict most of the results. The results are then discussed in the context of various models of human visual motion processing and of physiological responses of neurons in the primate visual system.

Stone, L. S.↗

C-band attenuation by tropical rainfall in Darwin, Australia, using climatologically tuned Z(e)-R relations

The probability matching method (PMM) is used as a basis for estimating attenuation in tropical rains near Darwin, Australia. PMM provides a climatological relationship between measured radar reflectivity and rain rate, which includes the effects of rain and cloud attenuation. When the radar sample is representative, PMM estimates the rainfall without bias. When the data are stratified for greater than average rates, the method no longer compensates for the higher attenuation and the radar rainfall estimates are biased low. The uncompensated attenuation is used to estimate the climatological attenuation coefficient. The two-way attenuation coefficient was found to be 0.0085 dB/km ( mm/h) exp -1.08 for the tropical rains and associated clouds in Darwin for the first two months of the year for horizontally polarized radiation at 5.63 GHz. This unusually large value is discussed. The risks of making real-time corrections for attenuation are also treated.

Atlas, David↗