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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 739 records · Page 41
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Testing the Li-Strahler four-component canopy reflectance model in the HAPEX-Sahel shrub savanna sites using ground reflectance data

The rate at which a light field decays in water is characterized by the diffuse attenuation coefficient k. The Li-Strahler discrete-object canopy reflectance model was tested in two sites, a shrub grass savanna and a degraded shrub savanna on bare soil, in the proposed HAPEX (Hydrologic Atmospheric Pilot Experiment) II/Sahel study area in Niger, West Africa. Average site reflectance was predicted for each site from the reflectances and cover proportions of four components: shrub canopy, background (soil or grass and soil), shaded canopy, and shaded background. Component reflectances were sampled in the SPOT wavebands using a hand-held radiometer. Predicted reflectance was compared to average site reflectance measured using the same radiometer mounted on a backpack with measurements recorded every 5 m along two 1-km transects, also in the SPOT (Systeme Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre) bands. Measurements and predictions were made for each of the three days during the summer growing season, approximately two weeks apart. Red, near infrared reflectance, and the NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) were all predicted with a high degree of accuracy for the shrub/grass site and with reasonable accuracy for the degraded shrub site.

Franklin, J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Automated extraction of absorption features from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and Geophysical and Environmental Research Imaging Spectrometer (GERIS) data

Automated techniques were developed for the extraction and characterization of absorption features from reflectance spectra. The absorption feature extraction algorithms were successfully tested on laboratory, field, and aircraft imaging spectrometer data. A suite of laboratory spectra of the most common minerals was analyzed and absorption band characteristics tabulated. A prototype expert system was designed, implemented, and successfully tested to allow identification of minerals based on the extracted absorption band characteristics. AVIRIS spectra for a site in the northern Grapevine Mountains, Nevada, have been characterized and the minerals sericite (fine grained muscovite) and dolomite were identified. The minerals kaolinite, alunite, and buddingtonite were identified and mapped for a site at Cuprite, Nevada, using the feature extraction algorithms on the new Geophysical and Environmental Research 64 channel imaging spectrometer (GERIS) data. The feature extraction routines (written in FORTRAN and C) were interfaced to the expert system (written in PROLOG) to allow both efficient processing of numerical data and logical spectrum analysis.

Kruse, Fred A.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Challenges and Practical Solutions for Conducting Structural MARSSIM Surveys in Elevated Radon Environments - 20413

The Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) [1] provides comprehensive guidance for the development and implementation of radiological surveys conducted to demonstrate compliance with a dose- or risk-based cleanup goal during final status survey. The MARSSIM methodology follows an integrated strategy combining direct measurements and sampling to assess uniform residual contamination, and scanning surveys to identify localized areas of elevated activity. Building surveys assessing residual surface contamination present unique challenges from reliance on field measurements that may be subject to less than ideal environmental conditions. Additionally, limited characterization and excessive conservatism incorporated into the conceptual site model may result in derived concentration guideline levels (DCGL) and, as a consequence of relatively inefficient field instrumentation, corresponding attributable count rates generally comparable to background. The presence of elevated ambient radon concentrations and associated progeny deposition both exacerbate these intrinsic survey challenges and introduce a series of technical, logistic, and administrative obstacles that can wreak havoc on the statistical legitimacy of each component of the MARSSIM process. Short-lived radon progeny including polonium-218, lead-214, bismuth-214, and polonium-214 produce excessive alpha and beta radiation that may decrease instrument sensitivity through an increase in background count rates, and, at worst, may result in incorrect survey unit failure through the simulation of residual surface activity. Aside from the obvious solution of exhaustive radon mitigation, the primary objectives are to distinguish between radon progeny deposition and actual surface activity, and collect sufficient defensible data. The following is a technical discussion of the consequences of performing building MARSSIM surveys in the presence of elevated ambient radon atmospheres, conceptual examples, and an overview of practical strategies to minimize the effects of radon interference while collecting sufficient defensible data to complete the survey. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
NASA NTRS2012

Mixed Layer Heights Derived from the NASA Langley Research Center Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar

The NASA airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) has been deployed on board the NASA Langley Research Center's B200 aircraft to several locations in North America from 2006 to 2012 to aid in characterizing aerosol properties for over fourteen field missions. Measurements of aerosol extinction (532 nm), backscatter (532 and 1064 nm), and depolarization (532 and 1064 nm) during 349 science flights, many in coordination with other participating research aircraft, satellites, and ground sites, constitute a diverse data set for use in characterizing the spatial and temporal distribution of aerosols, as well as properties and variability of the Mixing Layer (ML) height. We describe the use of the HSRL data collected during these missions for computing ML heights and show how the HSRL data can be used to determine the fraction of aerosol optical thickness within and above the ML, which is important for air quality assessments. We describe the spatial and temporal variations in ML heights found in the diverse locations associated with these experiments. We also describe how the ML heights derived from HSRL have been used to help assess simulations of Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) derived using various models, including the Weather Research and Forecasting Chemistry (WRF-Chem), NASA GEOS-5 model, and the ECMWF/MACC models.

Scarino, Amy J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

The Antarctic Planet Interferometer

The Antarctic Planet Interferometer is an instrument concept designed to detect and characterize extrasolar planets by exploiting the unique potential of the best accessible site on earth for thermal infrared interferometry. High-precision interferometric techniques under development for extrasolar planet detection and characterization (differential phase, nulling and astrometry) all benefit substantially from the slow, low-altitude turbulence, low water vapor content, and low temperature found on the Antarctic plateau. At the best of these locations, such as the Concordia base being developed at Dome C, an interferometer with two-meter diameter class apertures has the potential to deliver unique science for a variety of topics, including extrasolar planets, active galactic nuclei, young stellar objects, and protoplanetary disks.

interferometry↗
NASA NTRS1991

Aerosol size distribution, composition, and CO2 backscatter

The aerosol size distribution, composition, and CO2 backscatter at 10.6 microns (beta-CO2) were measured continuosly at the Mauna Loa Observatory (Hawaii) during January-March and November-December, 1988 periods to compare the characteristics of periods associated with appreciable Asian dust transport to that site (January-March) with those of periods characterized by low-dust condition. The aerosol size distribution in the range 0.15 micron to 7.6 microns was measured at temperatures of 40, 150, and 340 C to differentiate between volatile and nonvolatile aerosols. Large ranges of variability was found in measurements of aerosol size distribution during both periods, but the average distributions were similar for both the high-dust and the low-dust periods. However, values for beta-CO2 were more elevated (by about six times) during periods associated with active Asian dust transport to the observatory site than during the low-dust periods.

Clarke, Antony D.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Learning to Count Grave Sites for Cemetery Observation Models With Satellite Imagery

Understanding how people occupy open spaces is important for research in support of population modeling, policy, national security, emergency response, and sustainability. For the past decade, there has been an increase in research toward capturing and reporting population dynamics and patterns of life at the building level and in some open public spaces such as cemeteries and parks. This is done through observation models developed from local sociocultural information acquired at various spatiotemporal scales to inform night, day, and episodic population occupancy estimates (people/1000 sq ft). Sociocultural information for cemeteries and parks is scarcely available and often collected manually. The process is not only marred by inconsistencies but is laborious and time consuming. In this study, we leverage convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and satellite imagery to derive grave site counts as proxy variables to support scalable and accurate sociocultural data required in a population observation model. Through a hybrid workflow (weak localization plus regression model), we characterize a large scale automation process to counting of grave sites. We evaluate and demonstrate the efficacy of proposed workflow using out-of-data set large satellite imagery and establish its broader impact on cemetery observation models.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
NASA NTRS2010

Mapping Successional Stages in a Wet Tropical Forest Using Landsat ETM+ and Forest Inventory Data

In this study, we test whether an existing classification technique based on the integration of Landsat ETM+ and forest inventory data enables detailed characterization of successional stages in a wet tropical forest site. The specific objectives were: (1) to map forest age classes across the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica; and (2) to quantify uncertainties in the proposed approach in relation to field data and existing vegetation maps. Although significant relationships between vegetation height entropy (a surrogate for forest age) and ETM+ data were detected, the classification scheme tested in this study was not suitable for characterizing spatial variation in age at La Selva, as evidenced by the error matrix and the low Kappa coefficient (12.9%). Factors affecting the performance of the classification at this particular study site include the smooth transition in vegetation structure between intermediate and advanced successional stages, and the low sensitivity of NDVI to variations in vertical structure at high biomass levels.

forest structure↗
DOE OSTI2020

SECARB Semi-Annual Field Review Reports - Early Test

The Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) managed the overall Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB) Phase III project and The Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), at the University of Texas at Austin, managed all activities associated with the Early Test field site near Cranfield, Mississippi (the Early Test or Cranfield Project). BEG was assisted in the management of site activities by Sandia Technologies (Sandia). BEG and Sandia implemented reporting procedures that included monthly and quarterly technical progress reports, as well as periodic reporting on key field activities. Subsequent sections of this report catalog the field activities and are organized in a semiannual chronology. The Cranfield Project was located approximately 12 miles east of Natchez, Mississippi. Denbury Onshore, LLC, began operating a commercial CO 2 flood of the field (using the subsurface injection of CO 2 for EOR) in June 2008. Carbon dioxide from the Jackson Dome, a natural source near Jackson, Mississippi, was delivered to the Cranfield oilfield via pipeline. Beginning in October 2008, the SECARB Early Test team characterized the surface and subsurface of the Cranfield site. During the field test CO 2 was injected into the lower Tuscaloosa Formation, a regionally extensive saline formation with the potential to hold millions of tons of CO 2 emissions. By January 2015, the team injected more than 11 million metric tons of CO 2 and monitored a total stored CO 2 mass of 5,326,975 metric tons. SECARB’s study operations occurred in four integrated research program areas within Cranfield field: (1) the High Volume Injection Test area (HiVIT); (2) the Detailed Area of Study (DAS); (3) the Geomechanical area; and (4) the near-surface observatory, also called the “P-site.” Carbon dioxide injection activities were conducted at the HiVIT and the DAS. Figure 1.1-1 provides a depiction of the DAS.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Impact of Slantwise Descending Dry Intrusions on the Marine Boundary Layer and Air-Sea Interface Over the ARM Eastern North Atlantic Site

Dry intrusions (DIs) are synoptic-scale slantwise descending airstreams from the midlatitude upper troposphere toward the boundary layer at lower latitudes. Typically occurring behind cold fronts, such intrusions of dry air often reach the boundary layer and cause its deepening, thereby affecting boundary-layer clouds. Although subsidence is generally an inherent feature of the subtropical marine boundary layer (MBL), it is unclear how the MBL reacts to the transient, dynamically distinct DI. In this study, reanalysis data were combined with observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Eastern North Atlantic (ENA) site (39.1 degrees N,28.0 degrees W) to characterize the impact of DIs on MBL characteristics and clouds. Specifically, an objective criterion is applied to the observations made during the winter months of 2016-2018 to identify the DI days from those before and following DIs, and reference periods without DIs. The analyses suggest substantial deepening of the well-mixed boundary layer accompanied by changes in the cloud, precipitation and thermodynamic properties during the DI events. During the DI, the lower troposphere cooled and dried substantially thereby inducing strong surface sensible and latent heat fluxes. All while a strong inversion builds up at the elevated MBL top affecting cloud occurrence. The results show DIs to affect the boundary layer and cloud structure at the ENA site similar to 21% of the time in winter months, with the response of the cloud fields to the DI-fronts substantially different than that to the non-DI fronts. Hence, the DI events should be considered while studying boundary layer and cloud processes in the region.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2010

Thermal and Evolved Gas Analysis of Calcite Under Reduced Operating Pressures: Implications for the 2011 MSL Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is scheduled for launch in 2011. The science objectives for MSL are to assess the past or present biological potential, to characterize the geology, and to investigate other planetary processes that influence habitability at the landing site. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) is a key instrument on the MSL payload that will explore the potential habitability at the landing site [1]. In addition to searching for organic compounds, SAM will have the capability to characterized evolved gases as a function of increasing temperature and provide information on the mineralogy of volatile-bearing phases such as carbonates, sulfates, phyllosilicates, and Fe-oxyhydroxides. The operating conditions in SAM ovens will be maintained at 30 mb pressure with a He carrier gas flowing at 1 sccm. We have previously characterized the thermal and evolved gas behaviors of volatile-bearing species under reduced pressure conditions that simulated operating conditions of the Thermal and Evolved Gas Analyzer (TEGA) that was onboard the 2007 Mars Phoenix Scout Mission [e.g., 2-8]. TEGA ovens operated at 12 mb pressure with a N2 carrier gas flowing at 0.04 sccm. Another key difference between SAM and TEGA is that TEGA was able to perform differential scanning calorimetry whereas SAM only has a pyrolysis oven. The operating conditions for TEGA and SAM have several key parameter differences including operating pressure (12 vs 30 mb), carrier gas (N2 vs. He), and carrier gas flow rate (0.04 vs 1 sccm). The objectives of this study are to characterize the thermal and evolved gas analysis of calcite under SAM operating conditions and then compare it to calcite thermal and evolved gas analysis under TEGA operating conditions.

Lauer, H. V. Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Noncompact atomic insulators

Here we study the conditions for Bloch bands to be spanned by symmetric and strictly compact Wannier states that have zero overlap with all lattice sites beyond a certain range. Similar to the characterization of topological insulators in terms of an algebraic (rather than exponential) localization of Wannier states, we find that there may be impediments to the compact localization even of topologically “trivial” obstructed atomic insulators. These insulators admit exponentially localized Wannier states centered at unoccupied orbitals of the crystalline lattice. First, we establish a sufficient condition for an insulator to have a compact representative. Second, for $\mathscr{C}_2$ rotational symmetry, we prove that the complement of fragile topological bands cannot be compact, even if it is an atomic insulator. Third, for $\mathscr{C}_4$ symmetry, our findings imply that there exist fragile bands with zero correlation length. Fourth, for a $\mathscr{C}_3$-symmetric atomic insulator, we explicitly derive that there are no compact Wannier states overlapping with less than 18 lattice sites. We conjecture that this obstruction generalizes to all finite Wannier sizes. Our results can be regarded as the stepping stone to a generalized theory of Wannier states beyond dipole or quadrupole polarization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Methods for Assessing Opportunities for Ring Dam Pumped Storage Hydropower

There is growing interest in new pumped storage hydropower (PSH) deployment to provide a range of grid flexibility, reliability, and resiliency services under an evolving and uncertain future power sector. The National Laboratory of the Rockies develops open PSH resource assessment and cost modeling tools to help evaluate PSH deployment opportunities, and this report describes expansions to those tools to consider an additional PSH system configuration - ring-dam reservoirs built on flat topographical features that are constructed from roller-compacted concrete material. This reservoir type is common among current PSH proposals and requires new methods to identify sites with this reservoir geometry throughout the United States and characterize the associated dam cost. Cost characterization for ring dam reservoirs required collecting historical dam cost data for earthen, rockfill, and roller-compacted concrete dams and regressing equations that relate costs between alternative materials. The ring dam site identification algorithm follows a 5-step procedure to identify circular geometry reservoirs. Once ring dam reservoirs are identified, they are then paired with potential dry-gully reservoirs, and the full set of potential paired reservoirs is cost-optimized to produce a least-cost set of potential PSH sites with no overlapping reservoirs. The resulting analysis found 1,663 ring-dam to dry-gully systems in the contiguous United States that are lower cost than any overlapping dry-gully to dry-gully systems, 29 in Alaska, and none in Hawaii or Puerto Rico. These systems constitute 1.5 TW of capacity in the contiguous United States and nearly 29 GW in Alaska, demonstrating that under suitable topography and head, ring-dam systems can provide cost-effective PSH opportunities. The greatest density of these opportunities are found in the intermountain west where there are mesas and flat land at bases of mountain ranges, but continued work could incorporate additional site characteristics or consider more complex reservoir shapes to find additional PSH deployment opportunities.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Characterizing Complex Gas–Solid Interfaces with in Situ Spectroscopy: Oxygen Adsorption Behavior on Fe–N–C Catalysts

Electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction within polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells based on iron, nitrogen, and carbon elements (Fe–N–C) are receiving significant research attention as they offer an inexpensive alternative to catalysts based on platinum-group metals. Although both the performance and the fundamental understanding of Fe–N–C catalysts have improved over the past decade, there remains a need to differentiate the relative activity of different active sites. Toward this goal, our study is focused on characterizing the interactions between O 2 and a set of five structurally different Fe–N–C materials. Detailed characterization of the Fe speciation was performed with 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy of the Fe L 3,2 -edge, whereas nitrogen chemical states were investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition to initial sXAS and XPS measurements performed in ultra-high vacuum (UHV), measurements were also performed (at the identical location) in an atmosphere of 100 mTorr of O 2 at 80 °C (O 2 -rich). XPS and sXAS results reveal the presence of several types of FeNxCy adsorption sites. FeNxCy sites that are proposed as the most active ones do not show significant change (based on the techniques used in this study) when their environment is changed from UHV to O 2 -rich. Correlation with Mössbauer and sXAS results suggests that this is most likely due to the persistence of strongly adsorbed O 2 molecules from their previous exposure to air. However, other species do show spectroscopic changes from UHV conditions to O 2 -rich. This implies that these sites have a weaker interaction with O 2 that results in their desorption in vacuum conditions and re-adsorption when exposed to the O 2 -rich environment. The nature of these weakly and strongly O 2 -adsorbing FeN x C y sites is discussed in the context of different synthetic and processing parameters employed to fabricate each of these five Fe–N–C materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Synthesis and physical properties of a new layered ferromagnet Cr 1.21 Te 2

Single crystals of a new layered compound, Cr 1.21 Te 2 , were synthesized via a vapor transport method. The crystal structure and physical properties were characterized by single crystal and powder x-ray diffraction, temperature- and field-dependent magnetization, zero-field heat capacity, and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Cr 1.21 Te 2 , containing two Cr sites, crystalizes in a trigonal structure with a space group P-3 (No. 147). The Cr site in the interstitial layer is partially occupied. Physical property characterizations indicate that Cr 1.21 Te 2 is metallic with hole pockets at the Fermi energy and undergoes a ferromagnetic phase transition at ~ 173 K. The magnetic moments align along the c axis in the ferromagnetic state. Based on low-temperature magnetization, the spin stiffness constant, D, and spin excitation gap, Δ , were estimated according to Bloch's law to be D = 94 ± 17 meV Å 2 and Δ = 0.45 ± 0.33 meV, suggesting its possible application as a low dimensional ferromagnet.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Systematic Mapping of Bacterial CRISPRa Systems for Synergistic Gene Activation Reveals Antagonistic Effects

CRISPR gene activation (CRISPRa) tools have shown great promise for bacterial strain engineering but often require customization for each intended application. Our goal is to create generalizable CRISPRa tools that can overcome previous limitations of gene activation in bacteria. In eukaryotic cells, multiple activators can be combined for synergistic gene activation. To identify potential effectors for synergistic activation in bacteria, we systematically characterized bacterial activator proteins with a set of engineered synthetic promoters. We found that optimal target sites for different activators could vary by up to 200 bases in the region upstream of the transcription start site (TSS). These optimal target sites qualitatively matched previous reports for each activator, but the precise targeting rules varied between different promoters. By characterizing targeting rules in the same promoter context, we were able to test activator combinations with each effector positioned at its optimal target site. We did not find any activator combinations that produced synergistic activation, and we found that many combinations were antagonistic. Furthermore, this systematic investigation highlights fundamental mechanistic differences between bacterial and eukaryotic transcriptional activation systems and suggests that alternative strategies will be necessary for strong bacterial gene activation at arbitrary endogenous targets.

CRISPR activation↗
NASA NTRS1989

Bidirectional reflectances of three soil surfaces and their characterization through model inversion

Spectral bidirectional reflectances were measured over three natural soil sites using a specially designed radiometer called the Parabola. Two of the sites were bare soils, and the third had a sparse cover of desert scrub. The reflectances were strongly non-Lambertian for all three surfaces, but with markedly different patterns. The measured data were fitted with a quasi-physical reflectance model in which the surface backscattering and forwardscattering are separately formulated. A soil reflectance characterization was obtained by assessing the contributions of the forward, backward, and Lambertian components. This three-parameter characterization produced a satisfactory fit to the measured reflectances and appears promising as a basis for soils categorization.

Deering, D. W.↗