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At least 73 records · Page 4

Effect of the nonlinearity of the carbonate system on partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the oceans

Partial pressure of CO2 is a nonlinear function of several seawater properties. Due to the nonlinearity in this relationship, the partial pressure of a uniform ocean would be different from that of a nonuniform ocean with the same bulk seawater properties. Assuming uniformity of seawater properties at some temporal and spatial scales in carbon models leads to systematic errors in partial pressure of CO2. In this paper we evaluate the magnitude of these errors. We partition the Geochemical Ocean Sections Study and Transient Tracers in the Oceans data according to the horizontal structure of several box models from the literature. Our results suggest that assumption of uniformity at large scales leads to understanding of underestimation of global surface ocean partial pressure of CO2 by at least 3 - 12 microatm. Nonlinear effects also introduce systematic errors in the buffer factor estimated from bulk seawater properties. We find the standard deviation of partial pressure of CO2 to be an indicator of the magnitude of the nonlinear effects. We discuss the implications of these errors for some conclusions drawn from carbon models. Biogeochemical processes, such as mixing, gas exchange, or biological activity, influence the distribution of the seawater properties. A shift in spatial or temporal patterns of these processes can modify the nonuniformity of the seawater properties and thus alter the partial pressure of the surface waters, even if the mean intensities of the processes remain constant.

Trela, Piotr↗

Diurnal Reflectance Changes in Vegetation Observed with AVIRIS

Among the most important short-term dynamic biological processes are diurnal changes in canopy water relations. Plant regulation of water transport through stomatal openings affects other gaseous transport processes, often dramatically decreasing photosynthetic fixation of carbon dioxide during periods of water stress. Water stress reduces stomatal conductance of water vapor through the leaf surface and alters the diurnal timing of stomatal opening. Under non-water stressed conditions, stomates typically open soon after dawn and transpire water vapor throughout the daylight period. During stress periods, stomates may close for part of the day, generally near mid-day. Under prolonged stress conditions, stomatal closure shifts to earlier times during the day; stomates may close by mid-morning and remain closed until the following morning - or remain closed entirely. Under these conditions the relationship between canopy greenness (e.g., measured with a vegetation index or by spectral mixture analysis) and photosynthetic fixation of carbon is lost and the remotely sensed vegetation metric is a poor predictor of gas exchange. Prediction of stomatal regulation and exchange of water and trace gases is critical for ecosystem and climate models to correctly estimate budgets of these gases and understand or predict other processes like gross and net ecosystem primary production. Plant gas exchange has been extensively studied by physiologists at the leaf and whole plant level and by biometeorologists at somewhat larger scales. While these energy driven processes follow a predictable if somewhat asymmetric diurnal cycle dependent on soil water availability and the constraints imposed by the solar energy budget, they are nonetheless difficult to measure at the tree and stand levels using conventional methods. Ecologists have long been interested in the potential of remote sensing for monitoring physiological changes using multi-temporal images. Much of this research has focused on day-to-day changes in water use, especially for agricultural applications. Ustin et al. showed seasonal changes in canopy water content in chaparral shrub could be estimated using optical methods. Vanderbilt et al. followed asymmetric diurnal changes in the reflectance of a walnut orchard, but could not attribute specific reflectance changes to specific changes in canopy architecture or physiology. Forests and shrub lands in California experience prolonged periods of drought, sometimes extending six months without precipitation. The conifer and evergreen chaparral communities common to the foothill region around the central valley of California retain their foliage throughout the summer and have low transpiration rates despite high net radiation and temperature conditions. In contrast, grasslands and drought resistant deciduous species in the same habitat are seasonally dormant in summer. Because of differences in the mechanisms of drought tolerance, rooting depth and physiology between different plant communities in the region, it is likely that they display differences in diurnal water relations. The presence of diverse plant communities provides an opportunity to investigate possible diurnal landscape patterns in water relations that could be observed by an airborne hyperspectral scanner. This investigation of AVIRIS data collected over forest and shrub land represents the continuation of a prior investigation involving spectral mixture analysis of diurnal effects in the same AVIRIS data set.

Vanderbilt, V. C.↗

Water absorption lines, 931-961 nm - Selected intensities, N2-collision-broadening coefficients, self-broadening coefficients, and pressure shifts in air

Intensities were measured for 97 lines of H2O vapor between 932 and 961 nm. The lines were selected for their potential usefulness for remote laser measurements of H2O vapor in the earth's atmosphere. The spectra were obtained with several different H2O vapor abundances and N2 broadening gas pressures; the spectral resolution was 0.046/cm FWHM. Measured H2O line intensities range from 7 x 10 to the -25th to 7 x 10 to the -22nd/cm per (molecules/sq cm). H2O self-broadening coefficients were measured for 13 of these strongest lines; the mean value was 0.5/cm per atm. N2-collision-broadening coefficients were measured for 73 lines, and the average was 0.11 cm per atm HWHM. Pressure shifts in air were determined for a sample of six lines between 948 and 950 nm; these lines shift to lower frequency by an amount comparable to 0.1 of the collision-broadened widths measured in air or N2. The measured intensities of many lines of 300-000 band are much larger than expected from prior computations, in some cases by over an order of magnitude. Coriolis interactions with the stronger 201-000 band appear to be the primary cause of the enhancement of these line intensities.

Giver, L. P.↗

Volatile Detections in Gale Crater Sediment and Sedimentary Rock: Results from the Mars Science Laboratory's Sample Analysis at Mars Instrument

This chapter discusses the detection of evolved gases from Gale crater sedimentary rock and eolian sediment by the Mars Science Laboratory rover's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. An overview is presented of the SAM instrument along with summary of key results from previous evolved gas analyses conducted at the Viking and Phoenix landing sites. The SAM measurements of evolved water, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen, and nitrous oxide from Gale crater samples are presented. The phases responsible for the evolved gas detections and the implications for their presence are then evaluated. The water deuterium to hydrogen (D/H) ratio is discussed in context of understanding the degree of water loss from Mars. In the introduction of this book, we briefly explored the history of the exploration of Mars, where we discussed a major shift in the scientific thinking and public perception of the nature of the surface of Mars as new missions explored the Red Planet. The first observations of the surface sparked speculations of Mars being inhabited by intelligent beings, inspiring fantasy, science fiction, and, of course, further exploration. The turn came when Mariner 4 returned images of a lunar-like landscape, a monotonous basaltic world with many impact craters but no water, and therefore no prospects for life to find a habitable niche. The authors of the chapters of this book show how different our understanding of Mars is today from the historical Mariner 4 perspective!

Sutter, Brad↗

Plasma Activated Water for Crewed Transit and Planetary Habitation: A Study of Gas Type, Electrode Material, and Power Supply Selection and the Impact on the Final Frontier - FY21 CIF

An in-depth study of plasma activated water (PAW) generation was conducted to link changes in power supply, electrode material, input gas, and treatment time to the resulting reaction chemistry. These changes in chemistry can help tailor PAW for different space applications. An AC, DC, and nanosecond (ns) pulsed power supply were each used to generate PAW with stainless steel, copper, tungsten, or platinum (Pt) electrodes while utilizing air, nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), helium (He), or argon (Ar) as the feed gas. Tap or deionized (DI) water was treated for 1 to 15 minutes, and the generated PAW was tested for changes in pH, conductivity, oxidation reduction potential, nitrates (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), and peroxide. Calculations showed that the production of reactive nitrogen species was the leading cause of pH and conductivity changes. The DC generated air plasma was able to reduce the pH of DI water and generate NO3‑. The pulsed supply, operating at 20% of the input power of the DC supply, lowered the pH generated NO3‑. When a simulated Martian gas mixture of 95% CO2 and 5% N2 was used as the feed gas, NO3‑ was generated with the DC and pulsed supplies, respectively. Mixing PAW with plasma generated ash from inedible biomass allowed pH control, thus enhancing PAW’s potential use for sanitation applications. The large shift in pH was used to study sanitation effects of Escherichia coli (E. coli) reduction and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), in which log reductions were found to be negligible. Additionally, the plasma generated ash in combination with PAW was also implemented in 10-day microgreen growth trials, in which PAW and ash resulted in quicker emergence of the microgreens compared to the standard growth conditions and comparable dry masses to Hoagland’s nutrient solution treated samples.

plasma activated water (PAW)↗

Thermal Water Vapor Emission from Shocked Regions in Orion

Using the Long Wavelength Spectrometer on board the Infrared Space Observatory, we have observed thermal water vapor emission from a roughly circular field of view approximately 75" in diameter centered on the Orion BN-KL region. The Fabry-Perot line strengths, line widths, and spectral line shifts observed in eight transitions between 71 and 125 micron show good agreement with models of thermal emission arising from a molecular cloud subjected to a magnetohydrodynamic C-type shock. Both the breadth and the relative strengths of the observed lines argue for emission from a shock rather than from warm quiescent gas in the Orion core. Although one of the eight transitions appears anomalously strong and may be subject to the effects of radiative pumping, the other seven indicate an H2O/H2 abundance ratio on the order of 5 x 10(exp -4) and a corresponding gas-phase oxygen-to-hydrogen abundance ratio on the order of 4 x 10(exp -4). Given current estimates of the interstellar, gas-phase, oxygen and carbon abundances in the solar vicinity, this value is consistent with theoretical shock models that predict the conversion into water of all the gas-phase oxygen that is not bound as CO. The overall cooling provided by rotational transitions of H2O in this region appears to be comparable to the cooling through rotational lines of CO but is an order of magnitude lower than cooling through H2 emission. However, the model that best fits our observations shows cooling by H2O and CO dominant in that portion of the postshock region where temperatures are below approximately 800 K and neither vibrational nor rotational radiative cooling by H2 is appreciable.

Harwitt, Martin↗

Role of Climate Change in Global Predictions of Future Tropospheric Ozone and Aerosols

A unified tropospheric chemistry-aerosol model within the Goddard Institute for Space Studies general circulation model II is applied to simulate an equilibrium CO2-forced climate in the year 2100 to examine the effects of climate change on global distributions of tropospheric ozone and sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, black carbon, primary organic carbon, secondary organic carbon, sea salt, and mineral dust aerosols. The year 2100 CO2 concentration as well as the anthropogenic emissions of ozone precursors and aerosols/aerosol precursors are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A2. Year 2100 global O3 and aerosol burdens predicted with changes in both climate and emissions are generally 5-20% lower than those simulated with changes in emissions alone; as exceptions, the nitrate burden is 38% lower, and the secondary organic aerosol burden is 17% higher. Although the CO2-driven climate change alone is predicted to reduce the global O3 concentrations over or near populated and biomass burning areas because of slower transport, enhanced biogenic hydrocarbon emissions, decomposition of peroxyacetyl nitrate at higher temperatures, and the increase of O3 production by increased water vapor at high NOx levels. The warmer climate influences aerosol burdens by increasing aerosol wet deposition, altering climate-sensitive emissions, and shifting aerosol thermodynamic equilibrium. Climate change affects the estimates of the year 2100 direct radiative forcing as a result of the climate-induced changes in burdens and different climatological conditions; with full gas-aerosol coupling and accounting for ozone and direct radiative forcings by the O2, sulfate, nitrate, black carbon, and organic carbon are predicted to be +0.93, -0.72, -1.0, +1.26, and -0.56 W m(exp -2), respectively, using present-day climate and year 2100 emissions, while they are predicted to be +0.76, -0.72, 0.74, +0.97, and -0.58 W m(exp -2), respectively, with year 2100 climate and emissions.

Liao, Hong↗

MIRO Observation of Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) Water Line Spectrum

Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) was observed with the Microwave Instrument for Rosetta Orbiter (MIRO) on April 30, 2004, between 5 hr and 16 hr UT. The comet was 0.63AU distance from the Sun and 0.68AU distance from the MIRO telescope at the time of the observations. The water line involving the two lowest rotational levels at 556.936 GHz is observed at 557.070 GHz due to a large Doppler frequency shift. The detected water line spectrum is interpreted using a non local thermal equilibrium (Non-LTE) molecular excitation and radiative transfer model. Several synthetic spectra are calculated with various coma profiles that are plausible for the comet at the time of observations. The coma profile is modeled with three characteristic parameters: outgassing rate, a constant expansion velocity, and a constant gas temperature. The model calculation result shows that for the distant line observation where contributions from a large coma space is averaged, the combination of the outgassing rate and the gas expansion velocity determines the line shape while the gas temperature has a negligible effect. The comparison between the calculated spectra and the MIRO measured spectrum suggests that the outgassing rate of the comet is about 2.0x1029 molecules/second and its gas expansion velocity about 1.2 km/s at the time of the observations.

spectral line↗

Regional Comparisons of Satellite (AVHRR) and Space Shuttle (MAPS) Derived Estimates of CO and Aerosol Concentrations

Biomass burning is considered to be a major source of trace gas species and aerosol particles which play a vital role in tropospheric chemistry and climate. Anthropogenic biomass burning has largely expanded in the last 15 years, due to increased deforestation practices in the Amazon Basin, as well as to clear land for shifting cultivation in South America, southern Asia, and Africa. Biomass burning produces large amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide (CO), water, hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides, and smoke particles.

Vulcan, D. V.↗

183 GHz water line variation: An energetic outburst in orion KL

Observations of the 3(13)-2(20) transition of water vapor in the direction of Ori MC1 in 1980 February show a 50% flux increase and an apparent additional red shift of approximately 2 km/s relative to the line observed in 1977 December. From a detailed examination of the amplitude and frequency calibration, it appears unlikely that the effect is due to systematic error. The increase is attributed to the appearance of a new component at a velocity of 12 km/s with respect to the local standard of rest. The new component also has broad wings. Increased emission from a region in the high-velocity core of Ori MC1 can be due either to additional far-IR radiation to pump the 1983 GHz transition or to a change in the physical conditions in the gas. Statistical equilibrium calculations using the large-velocity-gradient formalism were carried out to develop a model for the emission. The calculations support a model in which the gas in the region of enhanced emission is hotter than the dust. The temporal coincidence between the 183 GHZ increase and the 22 GH1 water maser outburst suggests a common, impulsive cause, which has heated the gas in a part of the HV source, enhancing the emission in both transitions.

Kuiper, T. B. H.↗

183 GHz water line variation - An energetic outburst in Orion KL

Observations of the 3(13)-2(20) transition of water vapor in the direction of Ori MC1 in 1980 February show a 50 percent flux increase and an apparent additional red shift of approximately 2 km/s relative to the line observed in 1977 December. From a detailed examination of the amplitude and frequency calibration, it appears unlikely that the effect is due to systematic error. The increase is attributed to the appearance of a new component at a velocity of 12 km/s with respect to the local standard of rest. The new component also has broad wings. Increased emission from a region in the high-velocity core of Ori MC1 can be due either to additional far-IR radiation to pump the 1983 GHz transition or to a change in the physical conditions in the gas. Statistical equilibrium calculations using the large-velocity-gradient formalism were carried out to develop a model for the emission. The calculations support a model in which the gas in the region of enhanced emission is hotter than the dust. The temporal coincidence between the 183 GHz increase and the 22 GH1 water maser outburst suggests a common, impulsive cause, which has heated the gas in a part of the HV source, enhancing the emission in both transitions.

Kuiper, T. B. H.↗

Current status of environmental barrier coatings for Si-Based ceramics

Silicon-based ceramics are the leading candidates for high temperature structural components in next generation gas turbine engines. One key drawback of silicon-based ceramics for such an application is volatilization of the protective silica scale in water vapor and the resulting rapid ceramic recession. Therefore, the realization of Si-based ceramics components in advanced gas turbine engines depends on the development of protection schemes from water vapor attack. Currently, plasma-sprayed external environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) arc the most promising approach. In the late 1980s and early 1990s a wide range of refractory oxide materials were tested as coatings on Si-based ceramics to provide protection from hot corrosion. After the discovery of silica volatilization in water vapor in the early 1990s, the focus of EBC development research has been shifted towards the protection from water vapor attack. Experience learned form the earlier coating developmental effort provided the foundation upon which more complex and advanced EBC coatings have been developed. This paper will discuss the brief history and the current status of EBC development for Si-based ceramics with the main focus on water vapor protection.

Lee, K. N.↗

Proposed Trace Gas Measurements Over the Western United States for TROPOMI Validation

The Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX), located in the Bay Area of California, is a joint effort between NASA Ames Research Center and H211, LCC. AJAX makes in-situ airborne measurements of trace gases 2-4 times per month, resulting in over 216 flights since 2011. Current measurements include ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water (H2O), formaldehyde (HCHO), and meteorological measurements (i.e., ambient pressure, temperature, and 3D winds). Currently, the AJAX team is working to incorporate nitrogen dioxide (NO2) measurements with a Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift Spectrometer (CAPS). Successful science flights coincident with satellite overpasses have been performed since 2011 by the Alpha Jet, with more than 40 flights under the Greenhouse Observing SATellite (GOSAT) and several flights under the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2). Results from these flights, which have covered a range of different surfaces and seasonal conditions, will be presented. In-situ vertical profiles of O3, CO2, CH4, H2O, HCHO, and NO2 from the surface to 28,000 feet made by AJAX will also be valuable for satellite validation of data products obtained from the TROPOspheric Montoring Instrument (TROPOMI). TROPOMI is on board the Copernicus Sentinel-5 precursor (S5p) satellite, with level 2 products including O3, CO, CH4, HCHO, NO2, and aerosols.

Parworth, Caroline L.↗

Space Launch System Base Heating Test: Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy

This paper describes the Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) measurement of several water transitions that were interrogated during a hot-fire testing of the Space Launch Systems (SLS) sub-scale vehicle installed in LENS II. The temperature of the recirculating gas flow over the base plate was found to increase with altitude and is consistent with CFD results. It was also observed that the gas above the base plate has significant velocity along the optical path of the sensor at the higher altitudes. The line-by-line analysis of the H2O absorption features must include the effects of the Doppler shift phenomena particularly at high altitude. The TDLAS experimental measurements and the analysis procedure which incorporates the velocity dependent flow will be described.

Parker, Ron↗

Space Launch System Base Heating Test: Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy

This paper describes the Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) measurement of several water transitions that were interrogated during a hot-fire testing of the Space Launch Systems (SLS) sub-scale vehicle installed in LENS II. The temperature of the recirculating gas flow over the base plate was found to increase with altitude and is consistent with CFD results. It was also observed that the gas above the base plate has significant velocity along the optical path of the sensor at the higher altitudes. The line-by-line analysis of the H2O absorption features must include the effects of the Doppler shift phenomena particularly at high altitude. The TDLAS experimental measurements and the analysis procedure which incorporates the velocity dependent flow will be described.

Parker, Ron↗

Particle Image Velocimetry Applications Using Fluorescent Dye-Doped Particles

Polystyrene latex sphere particles are widely used to seed flows for velocimetry techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV). These particles may be doped with fluorescent dyes such that signals spectrally shifted from the incident laser wavelength may be detected via Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF). An attractive application of the LIF signal is achieving velocimetry in the presence of strong interference from laser scatter, opening up new research possibilities very near solid surfaces or at liquid/gas interfaces. Additionally, LIF signals can be used to tag different fluid streams to study mixing. While fluorescence-based PIV has been performed by many researchers for particles dispersed in water flows, the current work is among the first in applying the technique to micron-scale particles dispersed in a gas. A key requirement for such an application is addressing potential health hazards from fluorescent dyes; successful doping of Kiton Red 620 (KR620) has enabled the use of this relatively safe dye for fluorescence PIV for the first time. In this paper, basic applications proving the concept of PIV using the LIF signal from KR620-doped particles are exhibited for a free jet and a twophase flow apparatus. Results indicate that while the fluorescence PIV techniques are roughly 2 orders of magnitude weaker than Mie scattering, they provide a viable method for obtaining data in flow regions previously inaccessible via standard PIV. These techniques have the potential to also complement Mie scattering signals, for example in multi-stream and/or multi-phase experiments.

Petrosky, Brian J.↗

Retrieval Algorithm for the Column CO2 Mixing Ratio from Pulsed Multi-Wavelength Lidar Measurements

The retrieval algorithm for the column mixing ratio of CO2 from the measurements of a pulsed multi-wavelength integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar is described. The lidar samples the shape of the 1572.33 nm CO2 absorption line at 15 or 30 wavelengths. The algorithm uses a least-squares fit between the CO2 line shape computed from a layered 10 atmosphere model to that sampled by the lidar. In addition to the column average CO2 dry air mole fraction (XCO2), several other parameters are also solved simultaneously from the fit. These include the Doppler shift in the received laser signal wavelengths, the product of the surface reflectivity and atmospheric transmission and a linear trend in the lidar receiver’s spectral response. The algorithm can also be used to solve for the average water vapor mixing ratio, which causes a secondary absorption in the wings of the CO2 absorption line under high humidity conditions. The least-squares fit is linearized about the 15 expected XCO2 value which allows the use of a standard linear least-squares fitting method and software tools. The standard deviation of the retrieved XCO2 is obtained from covariance matrix of the fit. An averaging kernel is defined similarly to that used for passive trace-gas sounding. Examples are presented of using the algorithm to retrieve XCO2 from the measurements from NASA Goddard’s airborne CO2 Sounder lidar made at a constant altitude and during spiral-down maneuvers.

Xiaoli Sun↗

Fluorescence Excitation Models of Ammonia and Amidogen Radical (NH2) in Comets: Application to Comet C/2004 Q2 (Machholz)

Ammonia is a major reservoir of nitrogen atoms in cometary materials. However, detections of ammonia in comets are rare, with several achieved at radio wavelengths. A few more detections were obtained through near-infrared observations (around the 3 m wavelength region), but moderate relative velocity shifts are required to separate emission lines of cometary ammonia from telluric absorption lines in the 3 micron wavelength region. On the other hand, the amidogen radical (NH2 -- a photodissociation product of ammonia in the coma) also shows rovibrational emission lines in the 3 micron wavelength region. Thus, gas production rates for ammonia can be determined from the rovibrational emission lines of ammonia (directly) and amidogen radical (indirectly) simultaneously in the near-infrared. In this article, we present new fluorescence excitation models for cometary ammonia and amidogen radical in the near-infrared, and we apply these models to the near-infrared high-dispersion spectra of comet C/2004 Q2 (Machholz) to determine the mixing ratio of ammonia to water in the comet. Based on direct detection of NH3 lines, the mixing ratio of NH3/H2O is 0.46% +/- 0.03% in C/2004 Q2 (Machholz), in agreement with other results. The mixing ratio of ammonia determined from the NH2 observations (0.31% -- 0.79%) is consistent but has relatively larger error, owing to uncertainty in the photodissociation rates of ammonia. At the present level of accuracy, we confirm that NH3 could be the sole parent of NH2 in this comet.

Kawakita, Hideyo↗