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At least 757 records · Page 42

Extending Science from Lunar Laser Ranging

The Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) experiment has accumulated 50 years of range data of improving accuracy from ground stations to the laser retroreflector arrays (LRAs) on the lunar surface. The upcoming decade offers several opportunities to break new ground in data precision through the deployment of the next generation of single corner-cube lunar retroreflectors and active laser transponders. This is likely to expand the LLR station network. Lunar dynamical models and analysis tools have the potential to improve and fully exploit the long temporal baseline and precision allowed by millimetric LLR data. Some of the model limitations are outlined for future efforts. Differential observation techniques will help mitigate some of the primary limiting factors and reach unprecedented accuracy. Such observations and techniques may enable the detection of several subtle signatures required to understand the dynamics of the Earth- Moon system and the deep lunar interior. LLR model improvements would impact multi- disciplinary fields that include lunar and planetary science, Earth science, fundamental physics, celestial mechanics and ephemerides.

Vishnu Viswanathan↗

CERES ERBE-like Monthly Geographical Averages (ES-4) in HDF (CER_ES4_PFM+FM1+FM2_Edition1)

The ERBE-like Monthly Geographical Averages (ES-4) product contains a month of space and time averaged Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The ES-4 is also produced for combinations of scanner instruments. For each observed 2.5-degree spatial region, the daily average, the hourly average over the month, and the overall monthly average of shortwave and longwave fluxes at the Top-of-the-Atmosphere (TOA) from the CERES ES-9 product are spatially nested up from 2.5-degree regions to 5- and 10-degree regions, to 2.5-, 5-, and 10-degree zonal averages, and to global monthly averages. For each nested area, the albedo and net flux are given. For each region, the daily average flux is estimated from an algorithm that uses the available hourly data, scene identification data, and diurnal models. This algorithm is 'like' the algorithm used for the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE). The following CERES ES4 data sets are currently available: CER_ES4_FM1+FM2_Edition1 CER_ES4_PFM+FM1+FM2_Edition1 CER_ES4_PFM+FM1+FM2_Edition2 CER_ES4_PFM+FM1_Edition1 CER_ES4_PFM+FM2_Edition1 CER_ES4_TRMM-PFM_Edition1 CER_ES4_TRMM-PFM_Edition2 CER_ES4_Terra-FM1_Edition1 CER_ES4_Terra-FM2_Edition1 CER_ES4_FM1+FM2_Edition2 CER_ES4_Terra-FM1_Edition2 CER_ES4_Terra-FM2_Edition2 CER_ES4_Aqua-FM3_Edition1 CER_ES4_Aqua-FM4_Edition1 CER_ES4_FM1+FM2+FM3+FM4_Edition1 CER_ES4_Aqua-FM3_Edition2 CER_ES4_Aqua-FM4_Edition2 CER_ES4_FM1+FM3_Edition2 CER_ES4_FM1+FM4_Edition2 CER_ES4_PFM+FM1_Edition2 CER_ES4_PFM+FM2_Edition2 CER_ES4_Aqua-FM3_Edition1-CV CER_ES4_Aqua-FM4_Edition1-CV CER_ES4_Terra-FM1_Edition1-CV CER_ES4_Terra-FM2_Edition1-CV. [Location=GLOBAL] [Temporal_Coverage: Start_Date=1998-01-01; Stop_Date=2000-03-31] [Spatial_Coverage: Southernmost_Latitude=-90; Northernmost_Latitude=90; Westernmost_Longitude=-180; Easternmost_Longitude=180] [Data_Resolution: Latitude_Resolution=2.5 degree; Longitude_Resolution=2.5 degree; Horizontal_Resolution_Range=250 km - < 500 km or approximately 2.5 degrees - < 5.0 degrees; Temporal_Resolution=1 month; Temporal_Resolution_Range=Monthly - < Annual].

CLEAR-SKY SHORTWAVE FLUX↗

Development of the GEOS-MIT gcm Atmosphere-Ocean Model for Coupled Data Assimilation

During the last two plus decades, The Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) modeling groups have developed, respectively, atmosphere-only and ocean-only global general circulation models. These two models (GEOS and MIT-GCM (General Circulation Model)) have demonstrated their data assimilation capabilities with the recent releases of the Modern Era Reanalysis for Research Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) atmospheric reanalysis and the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Version 4 (ECCO-v4) ocean (and sea ice) state estimate. Independently, the two modeling groups have also produced global atmosphere-only and ocean-only simulations with km-scale grid spacing which proved invaluable for process studies and for the development of satellite and in-situ sampling strategies. Recently, a new effort has been made to couple these two models and to leverage their data-assimilation and high resolution capabilities (i.e., eddy-permitting ocean, cloud-permitting atmosphere). The focus in the model development is put on sub-seasonal to decadal time scales. In this talk, I discuss the new coupled model and present some first coupled simulation results. This will include a high-resolution coupled GEOS-MIT simulation, whereby we have coupled a cubed-sphere-720 (approximately 1/8 degrees) configuration of the GEOS atmosphere to a latitude-longitude-cap-1080 (approximately 1/12 degrees) configuration of the MIT ocean. We compare near-surface diagnostics of this fully coupled ocean-atmosphere set-up to equivalent atmosphere-only and ocean-only simulations. In the comparisons we focus in particular on the differences in air-sea interactions between sea surface temperature (SST) and wind for the coupled and uncoupled simulations.

Strobach, Ehud↗

CERES Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) data in HDF. (CER_CRS_Terra-FM2-MODIS_Edition2B)

The Clouds and Radiative Swath (CRS) product contains one hour of instantaneous Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data for a single scanner instrument. The CRS contains all of the CERES SSF product data. For each CERES footprint on the SSF the CRS also contains vertical flux profiles evaluated at four levels in the atmosphere: the surface, 500-, 70-, and 1-hPa. The CRS fluxes and cloud parameters are adjusted for consistency with a radiative transfer model and adjusted fluxes are evaluated at the four atmospheric levels for both clear-sky and total-sky. [Location=GLOBAL] [Temporal_Coverage: Start_Date=1998-01-01; Stop_Date=2001-10-31] [Spatial_Coverage: Southernmost_Latitude=-90; Northernmost_Latitude=90; Westernmost_Longitude=-180; Easternmost_Longitude=180] [Data_Resolution: Temporal_Resolution=1 hour; Temporal_Resolution_Range=Hourly - < Daily].

SHORTWAVE UNFILTERED RADIANCE↗

The effect of surface reflection and clouds on the estimation of total ozone from satellite measurements

The total amount of ozone in a vertical column is being measured by Nimbus 4 and 7 observations of the intensity of ultraviolet sunlight scattered from the earth. The algorithm for deriving the amount of ozone from the observations uses the assumption that the surface reflects the light isotropically and the albedo is independent of wavelength. The effects of anisotropic surfaces and clouds on the estimate of total ozone are computed for models of the earth-atmosphere system.

Fraser, R. S.↗

Effect of molecular anisotropy on the intensity and degree of polarization of light scattered from model atmospheres

Computations of the properties of sunlight scattered from models of the earth-atmosphere system are presented to show the effect of molecular anisotropy on the intensity, flux, and degree of polarization of the scattered light. The values of these parameters change significantly when the anisotropy factor is neglected in the molecular optical thickness and scattering phase matrix. However, if the Rayleigh scattering optical thickness is kept constant and the molecular anisotropy factor is included only in the Rayleigh phase matrix, the flux does not change, the intensity changes by a small amount, but the changes in the degree of polarization are still significant.

Bahethi, O. P.↗

Atmospheric neutral points outside of the principal plane

It is noted that the positions in the sky where the skylight is unpolarized, that is, the neutral points, are in most cases located in the vertical plane through the sun (the principal plane). Points have been observed outside the principal plane (Soret, 1888) when the plane intersected a lake or sea. Here, the neutral points were located at an azimuth of about 15 deg from the sun and near the almucantar through the sun. In order to investigate the effects of water surface and aerosols in the neutral point positions, the positions are computed for models of the earth-atmosphere system that simulate the observational conditions. The computed and measured positions are found to agree well. While previous observations provided only qualitative information on the degree of polarization, it is noted that the computations provide details concerning the polarization parameters.

Fraser, R. S.↗

Aerothermal performance and damage tolerance of a Rene 41 metallic standoff thermal protection system at Mach 6.7

A flight-weight, metallic thermal protection system (TPS) model applicable to Earth-entry and hypersonic-cruise vehicles was subjected to multiple cycles of both radiant and aerothermal heating in order to evaluate its aerothermal performance, structural integrity, and damage tolerance. The TPS was designed for a maximum operating temperature of 2060 R and featured a shingled, corrugation-stiffened corrugated-skin heat shield of Rene 41, a nickel-base alloy. The model was subjected to 10 radiant heating tests and to 3 radiant preheat/aerothermal tests. Under radiant-heating conditions with a maximum surface temperature of 2050 R, the TPS performed as designed and limited the primary structure away from the support ribs to temperatures below 780 R. During the first attempt at aerothermal exposure, a failure in the panel-holder test fixture severely damaged the model. However, two radiant preheat/aerothermal tests were made with the damaged model to test its damage tolerance. During these tests, the damaged area did not enlarge; however, the rapidly increasing structural temperature measuring during these tests indicates that had the damaged area been exposed to aerodynamic heating for the entire trajectory, an aluminum burn-through would have occurred.

Avery, D. E.↗

The relative importance of aerosol scattering and absorption in remote sensing

The relative importance of aerosol optical thickness and absorption is illustrated through computing radiances for radiative transfer models. The radiance of sunlight reflected from models of the earth-atmosphere system is computed as a function of the aerosol optical thickness and its albedo of single scattering; it is noted that the albedo varies from 0.6 in urban environment to nearly 1 in areas with low graphitic carbon content. The calculations are applied to the example of satellite measurements of biomass. It is found that when surface classifications are made by means of clustering techniques the presence of gradients in the aerosol optical properties results in the dispersion of points in the plot correlating radiances viewed in two different directions. Finally, though such a remote sensing parameter as contrast is weakly affected by aerosol absorption, it is highly dependent on its optical thickness.

Fraser, R. S.↗

The relative importance of aerosol scattering and absorption in remote sensing

Previous attempts to explain the effect of aerosols on satellite measurements of surface properties for the visible and near-infrared spectrum have emphasized the amount of aerosols without consideration of their absorption properties. In order to estimate the importance of absorption, the radiances of the sunlight scattered from models of the earth-atmosphere system are computed as functions of the aerosol optical thickness and absorption. The absorption effect is small where the surface reflectance is weak, but is important for strong reflectance. These effects on classification of surface features, measuring vegetation index, and measuring surface reflectance are presented.

Fraser, R. S.↗

Cosmic dust and space debris; Proceedings of the Topical Meetings and Workshop 6 of the 26th COSPAR Plenary Meeting, Toulouse, France, June 30-July 11, 1986

These proceedings encompass topics in the fields of extraterrestrial material samples, IRAS solar system and dust model results, and earth orbit debris. Attention is given to chemical fractionation during high velocity impact, particle deceleration and survival in multiple thin foil targets, and IRAS studies of asteroids, comets, cometary tails, the zodiacal background, and the three-dimensional modeling of interplanetary dust. Also discussed are the evolution of an earth orbit debris cloud, orbital debris due to future space activities, collision probabilities in geosynchronous orbits, and a bitelescopic survey of low altitude orbital debris.

Mcdonnell, J. A. M.↗

The effects of geopotential resonance on orbit determination for Landsat-4

Analysis is presented demonstrating improved performance for Landsat-4 orbit determination using the Goddard Trajectory Determination System with an adjusted Goddard Earth Model-9 (GEM-9) for geopotential coefficients of the 15th degree and order. The orbital state is estimated along with the sine and cosine coefficients of degree and order 15, (C, S) sub 15,15. The estimates are made for two 5-day intervals of range and doppler data, primarily from the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, during a period of low solar activity in January 1987. The average values of the estimated coefficients (C, S) sub 15,15 are used to modify the GEM-9 model, and orbit determination performance is tested on 17 consecutive 34-hour operational tracking data arcs in January 1987. Significant reductions in the mean values and standard deviations of the along-track position difference and the drag model scaling parameter from solution to solution are observed. The approach is guided by the shallow resonance theory of geopotential orbit perturbations.

Hoge, S. L.↗

The Impact of Surface Boundary Forcing on Simulation of the 1998 Summer Drought Over the US Midwest Using Factor Separation Technique

The factor separation (FS) technique has been utilized to evaluate quantitatively the impact of surface boundary forcings on simulation of the 1988 summer drought over the Midwestern part of the U.S. The four surface boundary forcings used are: (1)Sea Surface Temperature (SST), (2) soil moisture, (3) snow cover, and (4) sea ice. The Goddard Earth Observing System(GEOS) General Circulation Model (GCM) is used to simulate the 1988 U.S. drought. A series of sixteen simulations are performed with climatological and real 1988 surface boundary conditions. The major single and mutual synergistic factors/impacts are analyzed. The results show that SST and soil moisture are the major single pro-drought factors. The couple synergistic effect of SST and soil moisture is the major anti-drought factor. The triple synergistic impact of SST, soil moisture, and snow cover is the strongest pro-drought impact and is, therefore, the main contributor to the generation of the drought. The impact of the snow cover and sea ice anomalies for June 1988 on the drought is significant only when combined with the SST and soil moisture anomalies.

Stein, Uri↗

Approximate Co-Location of Precipitation and Low-Level Westerlies in Tropical Monthly Means

In summer monsoon regions the monthly mean precipitation regions coincide approximately well with regions of westerlies at low-levels. An included chart shows a 15-year (1979-1993) mean August 850 hPa zonal wind from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset and Xie-Arkin precipitation. It shows a region of westerlies covering most of Northern Indian Ocean and extending to northwestern Pacific. This region coincides well with the region with precipitation greater than 6 mm/day. Obviously the coincidence is not exact; the region of larges; zonal wind in the Arabian Sea is in a region of relatively low precipitation and is far from the region of maximum precipitation in Bay of Bengal. Also, in a zonally averaged sense between 40E and 140E, the latitude of maximum precipitation is slightly higher than that of the maximum zonal wind. Low-level westerlies are also found in regions west of Central America and in western Africa north of the equator. These regions are also closely associated with precipitation centers. Across equator from these westerlies regions there are regions of strong easterlies. Also, on their poleward side the westerly regions are flanked by weaker easterly regions. In February, similar observation can be found in the Australian monsoon area and in South America monsoon region; again the regions of westerlies coincide well with regions of maximum precipitation. As in the northern hemisphere, the maximum precipitation is found to the cast of the maximum zonal wind. The two maxima lie almost at the same latitude with that of the westerlies slightly closer to the equator. In the non-monsoon seasons the low- level westerlies can also be found in the tropical precipitation regions, the longitudinal range of the westerlies is undiminished and the speed of the westerlies is not much weaker than that found in February. The interpretation of these observational facts is the goal of this investigation. The approach taken is numerical simulation with the Goddard Earth Observation Systems atmospheric general circulation model, and its aqua-planet version, combined with theoretical arguments.

Choa, Winston C.↗

Mapping Isoprene Emissions over North America using Formaldehyde Column Observations from Space

I] We present a methodology for deriving emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) using space-based column observations of formaldehyde (HCHO) and apply it to data from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) satellite instrument over North America during July 1996. The HCHO column is related to local VOC emissions, with a spatial smearing that increases with the VOC lifetime. lsoprene is the dominant HCHO precursor over North America in summer, and its lifetime (approx. = 1 hour) is sufficiently short that the smearing can be neglected. We use the Goddard Earth Observing System global 3-D model of tropospheric chemistry (GEOS-CHEM) to derive the relationship between isoprene emissions and HCHO columns over North America and use these relationships to convert the GOME HCHO columns to isoprene emissions. We also use the GEOS-CHEM model as an intermediary to validate the GOME HCHO column measurements by comparison with in situ observations. The GEOS-CHEM model including the Global Emissions Inventory Activity (GEIA) isoprene emission inventory provides a good simulation of both the GOME data (r(sup 2) = 0.69, n = 756, bias = +l1 %) and the in situ summertime HCHO measurements over North America (r(sup 2) = 0.47, n = 10, bias = -3%). The GOME observations show high values over regions of known high isoprene emissions and a day-to-day variability that is consistent with the temperature dependence of isoprene emission. Isoprene emissions inferred from the GOME data are 20% less than GEIA on average over North America and twice those from the U S . EPA Biogenic Emissions Inventory System (BEIS2) inventory. The GOME isoprene inventory when implemented in the GEOS-CHEM model provides a better simulation of the HCHO in situ measurements thaneitherGEIAorBEIS2 (r(sup 2) = 0.71,n= 10, bias = -10 %).

Palmer, Paul I.↗

Central America Regional Climate Change Program: Tools for Your Use

USAID/E-CAM and EGAT's Global Climate Change Team, in partnership with EPA, NASA, Oak Ridge National Lab, and the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD), have had a significant impact on the region's ability to monitor, mitigate, and adapt to environmental threats. Environmental decision-making tools and data are posted on a website (SERVIR: http://servir.nsstc.nasa.pov/home.html)that provides satellite and geographic data and maps to anybody with an Internet connection. The SERVIR program has been identified as the model for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) - a major international effort to develop a 21st century system for environmental management and disaster response. In coordination with the USAID/EPA program, NASA has developed a GIs tool that enables countries to examine their forest cover and document changes on an annual basis. This information is used in calculating carbon emissions as part of greenhouse gas inventories, but also serves a valuable monitoring function. In addition, USAID/E-CAM and EGAT's Global Climate Change Team in collaboration with EPA are helping countries meet their obligations as signatories to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). EPA is assisting Central American governments to improve the quality of their greenhouse gas emission inventories reported to the UNFCCC through the development of tools and improvements in data quality. New EPA tools developed include software to automatically calculate greenhouse gas emissions for the agricultural and forestry sector inventories, determine key sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and document institutional arrangements. Several of these tools are state of the art and are comparable to tools currently used in the U.S.

Irwin, Dan↗

Interannual Variability and Trends of Extratropical Ozone, Part II: Southern Hemisphere: Southern Hemisphere - Part 2

A principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to the Southern Hemisphere (SH) total column ozone following the method established for analyzing the data in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) in a companion paper. The interannual variability (IAV) of extratropical O-3 in the SH is characterized by four main modes, which account for 75% of the total variance. The first two leading modes are approximately zonally symmetric and relate to the Southern Hemisphere annular mode and the quasi-biennial oscillation. The third and fourth modes exhibit wavenumber-1 structures. Contrary to the Northern Hemisphere, the third and fourth are nor related to stationary waves. Similar results obtained for the 30 100-hPa geopotential thickness.The decreasing O3 trend in the SH is captured in the first mode. The largest trend is at the South Pole, with value similar to-2 Dobson Units (DU)/yr. Both the spatial pattern and trends in the column ozone are captured by the Goddard Earth Observation System chemistry-climate model (GEOS-CCM) in the SH.

Yung, Y. L.↗

Mechanisms and Feedbacks Causing Changes in Upper Stratospheric Ozone in the 21st Century

Stratospheric ozone is expected to increase during the 21st century as the abundance of halogenated ozone-depleting substances decrease to 1960 values. However, climate change will likely alter this "recovery" of stratospheric ozone by changing stratospheric temperatures, circulation, and abundance of reactive chemical species. Here we quantity the contribution of different mechanisms to changes in upper stratospheric ozone from 1960 to 2100 in the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-Climate Model (GEOS CCM), using multiple linear regression analysis applied to simulations using either Alb or A2 greenhouse gas (GHG) scenarios. In both these scenarios upper stratospheric ozone has a secular increase over the 21st century. For the simulation using the Alb GHG scenario, this increase is determined by the decrease in halogen amounts and the greenhouse gas induced cooling, with roughly equal contributions from each mechanism. There is a larger cooling in the simulation using the A2 GHG scenario, but also enhanced loss from higher NOy and HOx concentrations, which nearly offsets the increase due to cooler temperatures. The resulting ozone evolutions are similar in the A2 and Alb simulations. The response of ozone due to feedbacks from temperature and HOx changes, related to changing halogen concentrations, are also quantified using simulations with fixed halogen concentrations.

Oman, Luke↗