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At least 775 records · Page 43

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NASA NTRS1986

Innovation for Pollution Control

Kinetic Controls Inc.'s refuse-fired steam generating facility led to the development of an air pollution equipment control device. The device is currently marketed by two NASA/Langley Research Center employees. It automatically senses and compensates for the changes in smoke composition when refuse is used as a fuel by adjusting the precipitator's voltage and current to permit maximum collection of electrically charged dust particles. The control adapts to any electrostatic precipitator and should have extensive commercial applications.

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NASA NTRS1980

Pollution Detection Devices

Barringer Research, Inc.'s COSPEC IVB (correlation spectrometer) can sense from a considerable distance emissions from a volcanic eruption. Remote sensor is capable of measuring sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. An associated product, GASPEC, a compression of Non-dispersive Gas Filter Spectrometer, is an infrared/ultraviolet gas analyzer which can be used as either a ground based detector or in aircraft/spacecraft applications. Extremely sensitive, it is useful in air pollution investigations for detecting a variety of trace elements, vapors, which exist in the atmosphere in small amounts.

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NASA NTRS1980

Pollution Measuring System

Research Ventures, Inc.'s visiplume is a portable, microprocessor-controlled air pollution monitor for measuring sulfur dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants, and facilities that manufacture sulfuric acid. It observes smokestack plumes at a distance from the stack obviating the expense and difficulty of installing sample collectors in each stack and later analyzing the samples.

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NASA NTRS2003

Convective Lofting Links Indian Ocean Air Pollution to Paradoxical South Atlantic Ozone Maxima

We describe a broad resolution of the "Atlantic Paradox" concerning the seasonal and geographic distribution of tropical tropospheric ozone. We describe periods of significant maximum tropospheric O3 for Jan.-April, 1999, exploiting satellite estimates and SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes). Trajectory analyses connecting sondes and Total Tropospheric Ozone (TTO)O3 maps suggest a complex influence from the Indian Ocean: beginning with mixed combustion sources, then low level transport, cumulonimbus venting, and finally high-level transport to the west, with possible mixing over Africa. For the Jan.- March highest column-O3 periods in the Atlantic, distinct sounding peaks trace to specific NO sources, especially lightning, while in the same episodes, recurring every 30 or 60 days, more diffuse buildups of Indian-to-Atlantic pollution make important contributions.

Chatfield, Robert B.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Development of a Real-Time Environmental Monitoring System, Life Cycle Assessment Systems, and Pollution Prevention Programs

Pollution prevention (P2) opportunities and Greening the Government (GtG) activities, including the development of the Real-Time Environmental Monitoring System (RTEMS), are currently under development at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The RTEMS project entails the ongoing development of a monitoring system which includes sensors, instruments, computer hardware and software, plus a data telemetry system.Professor Kocher has been directing the RTEMS project for more than 3 years, and the implementation of the prototype system at GRC will be a major portion of his summer effort. This prototype will provide mulitmedia environmental monitoring and control capabilities, although water quality and air emissions will be the immediate issues addressed this summer. Applications beyond those currently identified for environmental purposes will also be explored.

Kocher, Walter M.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Clean Air Slots Amid Dense Atmospheric Pollution in Southern Africa

During the flights of the University of Washington's Convair-580 in the Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) in southern Africa, a phenomenon was observed that has not been reported previously. This was the occurrence of thin layers of remarkably clean air, sandwiched between heavily polluted air, which persisted for many hours during the day. Photographs are shown of these clean air slots (CAS), and particle concentrations and light scattering coefficients in and around such slot are presented. An explanation is proposed for the propensity of CAS to form in southern Africa during the dry season.

Hobbs, Peter V.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Convective lofting links Indian Ocean air pollution to paradoxical South Atlantic ozone maxima

We describe a broad resolution of the Atlantic Parado concerning the seasonal and geographic distribution, of tropical tropospheric ozone. We highlight periods of significant maximum tropospheric O3 for Jan.- April, 1999, exploiting satellite estimates and SHADOZ (Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes). Trajectory analyses connecting sondes and Total Tropospheric Ozone (TTO) maps suggest a complex influence from the Indian Ocean: beginning with mixed combustion sources, then low level transport, cumulonimbus venting, possible stratospheric input, and finally high-level transport to the west, with possible mixing over Africa. For the Jan.-March highest column-O3 periods in the Atlantic, distinct sounding peaks trace to specific NO sources, especially lightning, while in the same episodes, recurring every 20-50 days, more diffuse buildups of Indian-to-Atlantic pollution make important contributions.

Chatfield, R. B.↗

NASA NTRS2006

"Weekend-effect" evidence for intensification of storms by pollution over U.S.

Aerosols change the way precipitating clouds evolve, due to their effect on condensation and ice formation. The net effect of aerosols on precipitation varies depending on the local environment and synoptic situation, the types of aerosols, and also on how far downstream one looks for effects. Repeated experiments with controlled release of aerosols would be helpful in unraveling how aerosols affect precipitation. The weekly variation in human activity may provide just such a set of experiments. Using the rainfall estimates from the passive microwave instrument on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), which has been orbiting for over eight years and can view areas as far north as about 40 degs, we find that there is indeed a weekly variation in summer (JJA) rainfall over the southeastern U.S. land area, with the average rain rate peaking in the middle of the week (Tue-Thu). Rainfall over nearby oceanic areas, on the other hand, seems to peak on weekends. A bootstrap statistical test indicates that the variations are unlikely to be due to chance. Physically related weekly variations in the statistics of ground-based measurements and model reanalysis data are found. The midweek peak in rainfall over land coincides with the well documented midweek peak in pollution around much of the U.S., and is unlikely to be due to other weekly variations in human influence. The midweek increase is also unlikely to be a consequence of the radiative heating or cooling of the atmosphere by the aerosols.

Bell, T. L.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Linking Asthma Exacerbation and Air Pollution Data: A Step Toward Public Health and Environmental Data Integration

Studies have shown that reducing exposure to triggers such as air pollutants can reduce symptoms and the need for medication in asthma patients. However, systems that track asthma are generally not integrated with those that track environmental hazards related to asthma. Tlvs lack of integration hinders public health awareness and responsiveness to these environmental triggers. The current study is a collaboration between health and environmental professionals to utilize NASA-derived environmental data to develop a decision support system (DSS) for asthma prediction, surveillance, and intervention. The investigators link asthma morbidity data from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) with air quality data from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and remote sensing data from NASA. Daily ambient environmental hazard data for PM2.5 and ozone are obtained from the MDEQ air quality monitoring locations and are combined with remotely sensed data from NASA to develop a state-wide spatial and time series profile of environmental air quality. These data are then used to study the correlation of these measures of air quality variation with the asthma exacerbation incidence throughout the state over time. The goal is to utilize these readily available measures to allow real-time risk assessment for asthma exacerbations. GeoMedStat, a DSS previously developed for biosurveillance, will integrate these measures to monitor, analyze and report the real-time risk assessment for asthma exacerbation throughout the state.

Faruque, Fazlay↗

NASA NTRS2006

Smoke and Pollution Aerosol Effect on Cloud Cover

Pollution and smoke aerosols can increase or decrease the cloud cover. This duality in the effects of aerosols forms one of the largest uncertainties in climate research. Using solar measurements from Aerosol Robotic Network sites around the globe, we show an increase in cloud cover with an increase in the aerosol column concentration and an inverse dependence on the aerosol absorption of sunlight. The emerging rule appears to be independent of geographical location or aerosol type, thus increasing our confidence in the understanding of these aerosol effects on the clouds and climate. Preliminary estimates suggest an increase of 5% in cloud cover.

Kaufman, Yoram J.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Remote Sensing of Tropospheric Pollution from Space

We review the progress of tropospheric trace gas observations and address the need for additional measurement capabilities as recommended by the National Academy of Science (NAS, 2007). Tropospheric measurements from current and earlier instruments show pollution in the Northern Hemisphere as a result of fossil fuel burning and a strong seasonal dependence with the largest amounts of photochemically-generated ozone in summer. At low latitudes, where photon flux is stronger throughout the year, trace gas concentrations are driven by the abundance of the emissions, where the largest source, biomass burning, is readily seen in carbon monoxide measurements, but lightning and biogenic trace gases may also contribute to trace gas variability. Although substantive progress has been achieved in seasonal and global mapping of a few tropospheric trace gases, satellite trace-gas observations with considerably better temporal and spatial resolution are essential to forecasting air quality at scales required by policy-makers. The concurrent use of atmospheric composition measurements for both scientific and operational purposes is a new paradigm for the atmospheric chemistry community. The examples presented illustrate both the promise and challenge of merging satellite information with in situ observations in state-of-the-art data assimilation models.

Fishman, Jack↗

NASA NTRS2008

System for Removing Pollutants from Incinerator Exhaust

A system for removing pollutants -- primarily sulfur dioxide and mixed oxides of nitrogen (NOx) -- from incinerator exhaust has been demonstrated. The system is also designed secondarily to remove particles, hydrocarbons, and CO. The system is intended for use in an enclosed environment, for which a prior NOx-and-SO2-removal system designed for industrial settings would not be suitable.

Wickham, David t.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Measurements of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) Validation through 2006

Comparisons of aircraft measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) to the retrievals of CO using observations from the Measurements of Pollution in The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument onboard the Terra satellite are presented. Observations made as part of the NASA INTEX-B and NSF MIRAGE field campaigns during March May 2006 are used to validate the MOPITT CO retrievals, along with routine samples from 2001 through 2006 from NOAA and the MOZAIC measurements from commercial aircraft. A significant positive bias, around 20% for total column CO, in MOPITT CO was found in the comparison to in situ measurements during 2006. Comparisons to the long-term records of measurements from NOAA and MOZAIC revealed an increasing bias in the V3 MOPITT CO retrievals over time. The impact of an instrumental drift is illustrated through retrieval simulations.

Emmons, L. K.↗

NASA NTRS2008

The Global Sweep of Pollution: How You Think About a Problem Determines How You Will Respond

NASA is the preeminent source of data with synoptic coverage of the globe. NASA's budget for measuring attributes of the Earth is far larger than any other single organization. Satellites provide geophysical measurements such as radiance or emittance. These measurements can be used directly or can be used as input to numeric models, which in turn produce estimates of other parameters. In general the emphasis in NASA has been to use this capability to address basic science questions. The Agency is also required to apply these data and models to help improve lives and the economy. NASA's Applied Science Program has the mandate for directing and funding such applied work. The managers of the program have recognized the disciplines of air quality, pollution, atmospheric composition and public health are aspects of a single topic with local, regional, national and global implications. Significant effort is being made to bridge the disparate disciplines and deal with the multiple scales at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. A central portion of our strategic approach is to integrate our personnel with short-term (proposal) colleagues and with long-term, essentially permanent, partners. We consider such broad and inclusive viewpoints as important to making real, substantive differences in people's lives.

Rickman, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Satellite Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Pollution: the Far-Reaching Impact of Burning in Southern Africa

When the first observations of a tropospheric trace gas were obtained in the 1980s, carbon monoxide enhancements from tropical biomass burning dominated the observed features. In 2005, an active remote-sensing system to provide detailed information on the vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds was launched, and again, one of the most imposing features observed was the presence of emissions from tropical biomass burning. This paper presents a brief overview of space-borne observations of the distribution of trace gases and aerosols and how tropical biomass burning, primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, has provided an initially surprising picture of the distribution of these species and how they have evolved from prevailing transport patterns in that hemisphere. We also show how interpretation of these observations has improved significantly as a result of the improved capability of trajectory modeling in recent years and how information from this capability has provided additional insight into previous measurements form satellites. Key words: pollution; biomass burning; aerosols; tropical trace gas emissions; Southern Hemisphere; carbon monoxide.

Fishman, Jack↗

NASA NTRS2007

Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) Validation Exercises During Summer 2004 Field Campaigns over North America

Measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) made as part of three aircraft experiments during the summer of 2004 over North America have been used for the continued validation of the CO retrievals from the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument on board the Terra satellite. Vertical profiles measured during the NASA INTEX-A campaign, designed to be coincident with MOPITT overpasses, as well as measurements made during the COBRA-2004 and MOZAIC experiments, provided valuable validation comparisons. On average, the MOPITT CO retrievals are biased slightly high for these North America locations. While the mean bias differs between the different aircraft experiments (e.g., 7.0 ppbv for MOZAIC to 18.4 ppbv for COBRA at 700 hPa), the standard deviations are quite large, so the results for the three data sets can be considered consistent. On average, it is estimated that MOPITT is 7- 14% high at 700 hPa and 03% high at 350 hPa. These results are consistent with the validation results for the Carr, Colorado, Harvard Forest, Massachusetts, and Poker Flats, Alaska, aircraft profiles for "phase 2" presented by Emmons et al. (2004) and are generally within the design criteria of 10% accuracy.

Emmons, L. K.↗

NASA NTRS2010

Geostationary Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics Imager (GEO CEDI) for the GEO Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO CAPE) Mission. Concept Presentation

This slide presentation reviews the concepts of the Geostationary Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics Imager (GEO CEDI) which will be used on the GEO Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO CAPE) Mission. The primary science requirements require scans of the U.S. Coastal waters 3 times per day during the daylight hours. Included in the overview are presentations about the systems, the optics, the detectors, the mechanical systems, the electromechanical systems, the electrical design, the flight software, the thermal systems, and the contamination prevention requirements.

Janz, Scott↗

NASA NTRS2011

The WIRED Survey. I. A Bright IR Excess Due to Dust Around the Heavily Polluted White Dwarf Galex J193156.8+011745

With the launch of the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), a new era of detecting planetary debris around white dwarfs (WDs) has begun with the WISE InfraRed Excesses around Degenerates (WIRED) Survey. The WIRED survey will be sensitive to substellar objects and dusty debris around WDs out to distances exceeding 100 pc, well beyond the completeness level of local WDs and covering a large fraction of known WDs detected with the SDSS DR4 WD catalog. In this paper, we report an initial result of the WIRED survey, the detection of the heavily polluted hydrogen WD (spectral type DAZ) GALEX Jl93156.S-KlI1745 at 3.35 and 4.6/Lm. We find that the excess is consistent with either a narrow dusty ring with an inner radius of 29 RWD. outer radius of 40 RWD, and a face-on inclination, or a disk with an inclination of 70 , an inner radius of 23 RWD. and an outer radius of 80 RWD. We also report initial optical spectroscopic monitoring of several metal lines present in the photosphere and find no variability in the line strengths or radial velocities of the lines. We rule out all but planetary mass companions to GALEXl931 out to 0.5 AU.

Debes, John H.↗