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NASA NTRS2000

A Composite View of Ozone Evolution in the 1995-96 Northern Winter Polar Vortex Developed from Airborne Lidar and Satellite Observations

The processes which contribute to the ozone evolution in the high latitude lower stratosphere are evaluated using a three dimensional model simulation and ozone observations. The model uses winds and temperatures from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System. The simulation results are compared with ozone observations from three platforms: the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) which was flown on the NASA DC-8 as part of the Vortex Ozone Transport Experiment; the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite; and the Polar Ozone and Aerosol Measurement (POAM II) solar occulation instrument, on board the French Satellite Pour I'Observations de la Terre. Comparisons of the different data sets with the model simulation are shown to provide complementary information and a consistent view of the ozone evolution. The model ozone in December and January is shown to be sensitive to the ozone vertical gradient and the model vertical transport, and only weakly sensitive to the model photochemistry. The most consistent comparison between observed and modeled ozone evolution is found for a simulation where the vertical profiles between 12 and 20 km within the polar vortex closely match December DIAL observations. Diabatic trajectory calculations are used to estimate the uncertainty due to vertical advection quantitatively. The transport uncertainty is significant, and should be accounted for when comparing observations with model ozone. The model ozone evolution during December and January is broadly consistent with the observations when these transport uncertainties are taken into account.

Douglass, Anne R.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Ultraviolet Studies of Jupiter's Hydrocarbons and Aerosols from Galileo

This is the final report for this project. The purpose of this project was to support PI Wayne Pryor's effort to reduce and analyze Galileo UVS (Ultraviolet Spectrometer) data under the JSDAP program. The spectral observations made by the Galileo UVS were to be analyzed to determine mixing ratios for important hydrocarbon species (and aerosols) in Jupiter's stratosphere as a function of location on Jupiter. Much of this work is still ongoing. To date, we have concentrated on analyzing the variability of the auroral emissions rather than the absorption signatures of hydrocarbons, although we have done some work in this area with related HST-STIS data.

Gladstone, G. Randall↗

NASA NTRS2019

A Fast All-Sky Radiation Model for Solar Applications with Narrowband Irradiances on Tilted Surfaces (FARMS-NIT): Part II. The Cloudy-Sky Model

The Fast All-sky Radiation Model for Solar applications with Narrowband Irradiances on Tilted surfaces (FARMSNIT) reported in Part I of this study is enhanced to include the requirements for cloudy-sky conditions. Surface radiances in 2002 narrow-wavelength bands from 0.28 to 4.0 μm are analytically computed by solving the radiative transfer equation for five independent photon paths accounting for clear-sky absorption, Rayleigh scattering, and cloud absorption and scattering. The Simple Model of the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer of Sunshine (SMARTS) is used to provide the optical thickness of the clear-sky atmosphere. Unlike Part I, which approximates the computation of aerosol scattering using the single-scattering phase function, the cloud transmittance and reflectance are efficiently retrieved from a comprehensive look-up table pre-computed by a 32-stream DIScrete Ordinates Radiative Transfer (DISORT) model for possible cloud conditions as well as solar and viewing geometries. A resolution analysis is performed to assess the optimal balance between the computational efficiency and accuracy in the development of the look-up table. Model simulations by DISORT and TMYSPEC are used to evaluate the performance of FARMS-NIT under cloudy-sky conditions. Compared to DISORT, FARMS-NIT yields 2–3% uncertainties on average, but it substantially reduces the computational time because of the independent computation of cloud properties and the implementation of the look-up table. In contrast to TMYSPEC, which uses successive steps to empirically compute plane-of-array (POA) irradiances and spectral irradiances, FARMS-NIT directly solves spectral radiances from the radiative transfer equation, which profoundly increases the accuracy in surface irradiances, especially over inclined photovoltaics (PV) panels.

Xie, Yu↗

NASA NTRS1987

Extrapolation of earth-based solar irradiance measurements to exoatmospheric levels for broad-band and selected absorption-band observations

Techniques for extrapolating earth-based spectral band measurements of directly transmitted solar irradiance to equivalent exoatmospheric signal levels were used to aid in determining system gain settings of the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) sunsensor being developed for the NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas (SAGE) 2 instrument on the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite. A band transmittance approach was employed for the HALOE sunsensor which has a broad-band channel determined by the spectral responsivity of a silicon detector. A modified Langley plot approach, assuming a square-root law behavior for the water vapor transmittance, was used for the SAGE-2 940 nm water vapor channel.

Reagan, John A.↗

NASA NTRS2013

UV Lidar Receiver Analysis for Tropospheric Sensing of Ozone

A simulation of a ground based Ultra-Violet Differential Absorption Lidar (UV-DIAL) receiver system was performed under realistic daytime conditions to understand how range and lidar performance can be improved for a given UV pulse laser energy. Calculations were also performed for an aerosol channel transmitting at 3 W. The lidar receiver simulation studies were optimized for the purpose of tropospheric ozone measurements. The transmitted lidar UV measurements were from 285 to 295 nm and the aerosol channel was 527-nm. The calculations are based on atmospheric transmission given by the HITRAN database and the Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) meteorological data. The aerosol attenuation is estimated using both the BACKSCAT 4.0 code as well as data collected during the CALIPSO mission. The lidar performance is estimated for both diffuseirradiance free cases corresponding to nighttime operation as well as the daytime diffuse scattered radiation component based on previously reported experimental data. This analysis presets calculations of the UV-DIAL receiver ozone and aerosol measurement range as a function of sky irradiance, filter bandwidth and laser transmitted UV and 527-nm energy

Pliutau, Denis↗

NASA NTRS1986

Extrapolation of Earth-based solar irradiance measurements to exoatmospheric levels for broad-band and selected absorption-band observations

Techniques for extrapolating Earth-based spectral band measurements of directly transmitted solar irradiance to equivalent exoatmospheric signal levels were used to aid in determining system gain settings of the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) sunsensor system being developed for the NASA Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas (SAGE) 2 instrument on the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite. A band transmittance approach was employed for the HALOE sunsensor which has a broad-band channel determined by the spectral responsivity of a silicon detector. A modified Langley plot approach, assuming a square-root law behavior for the water vapor transmittance, was used for the SAGE-2 940 nm water vapor channel.

Reagan, J. A.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Overview of the NASA ADM-Aeolus Cal/Val Test Flight Campaign

Lidars are uniquely capable of collecting high precision and high spatio-temporal observations that have been used for atmospheric process studies from the ground, aircraft, and space for over 30 years. The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus), the first-ever spaceborne Doppler wind lidar, was developed by the European Space Agency and launched in August 2018. The ADM-Aeolus Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument (ALADIN) observes profiles of the component of the wind vector and aerosol optical properties along the instrument’s line-of-sight direction on a global scale. Two airborne lidar systems have been developed at NASA Langley Research Center in recent years that collect measurements in support of several NASA Earth Science Division focus areas. The Doppler Aerosol WiNd (DAWN) lidar measures vertical profiles of horizontal wind speed and direction. The High Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) measure high resolution profiles of atmospheric water vapor (WV) and aerosol and cloud optical properties. Though new space-based missions with advanced capabilities such as Aeolus are continuously being conceived and developed, there are limitations in terms of spatial and vertical detail and measurement precision that can be accomplished from space, thus airborne remote sensing observations like those from DAWN and HALO are required to fill these observational gaps as well as to calibrate and validate space-based measurements. Over a two-week period in April 2019 during their Aeolus Cal/Val Test Flight campaign, NASA conducted five research flights over the Eastern Pacific Ocean with the DC-8 aircraft to 1) demonstrate the DAWN Doppler wind lidar, HALO high spectral resolution lidar aerosol/cloud measurement and differential absorption lidar WV measurement capabilities across a range of atmospheric conditions, 2) demonstrate Aeolus Cal/Val flight strategies and compare DAWN and HALO measurements with Aeolus to gain an initial perspective of Aeolus performance, and 3) demonstrate how atmospheric dynamic processes can be resolved and better understood through simultaneous observations of wind, WV, and aerosol profile observations, coupled with numerical model and other remote sensing observations. This paper provides a brief description of the DAWN and HALO instruments, discusses the synergistic observations collected across a wide range of atmospheric conditions sampled during the DC-8 flights, and a summary of the validation of DAWN, HALO, and Aeolus observations and comparisons.

Kristopher M. Bedka↗

DOE OSTI2023

pH dependence of brown-carbon optical properties in cloud water

Abstract. Light-absorbing organic species present in aerosols, collectively called brown carbon (BrC), have important but highly uncertain effects on climate. Clouds likely represent a significant medium for secondary BrC production and for bleaching reactions, though the relative importance of the formation and loss processes in clouds is unknown at present. The acidity (or pH) of atmospheric particles and clouds affects the optical properties of BrC and bleaching rates. Given the wide variability of pH in the atmosphere (pH in particles and clouds ranges from −1 to 8), the optical properties of BrC and its bleaching behavior are expected to vary significantly, and the link between pH and BrC is yet another uncertainty in attempts to constrain its climate forcing effects. In this work, we characterize the pH dependence of BrC optical properties – including light absorption at 365 nm (Abs365), the mass absorption coefficient (MAC365), and the absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) – in bulk cloud water sampled from the summit of Whiteface Mountain, NY. In all samples (n=17), Abs365 and MAC365 increased linearly with increasing pH, highlighting the importance of reporting pH in studies of BrC in aqueous media. There was strong variability in the sensitivity of Abs365 to pH, with normalized slopes that ranged from 5.1 % to 17.2 % per pH unit. The normalized slope decreased strongly with increasing cloud water [K+], suggesting that the non-biomass-burning BrC has optical properties that are more sensitive to pH than BrC associated with biomass burning. AAE also showed a distinct pH dependence as it was relatively flat between pH 1.5–5 and then decreased significantly above pH 5. The cloud water composition was used to inform thermodynamic predictions of aerosol pH upwind and/or downwind of Whiteface Mountain and the subsequent changes in BrC optical properties. Overall, these results show that, in addition to secondary BrC production, photobleaching, and the altitudinal distribution, the climate forcing of BrC is quite strongly affected by its pH-dependent absorption.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Light-absorbing impurities accelerating glacial melting in southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Deposition of light-absorbing particles on glacier surfaces poses a series of adverse impacts on the cryospheric environment, climate and human health. Broad attention of the scientific community has been paid on insoluble light-absorbing impurities (ILAIs) in snow and ice on glaciers over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, systematic investigation of ILAIs in snowpack of glaciers on the TP is scarce. In this study, the properties and darkening effect of ILAIs in snowpack on glaciers are extensively investigated in the southeast of TP. Results show that ILAIs concentrations in multiple types of snow and ice samples were significantly different. Snowpit depths varied substantially from one profile to another during May and June 2016. The average concentrations of ILAIs in snowpits increase as snow melting progresses. Black carbon (BC) and dust cause snow albedo reduction more in snow with larger grain size Re. Based on a radiative transfer model calculation, the average albedo reduction induced by BC in the snowpack was 0.141 ± 0.02, and associated daily maximum radiative forcing (RF) was 72.97 ± 12.7 W m-2. BC is a controlling light-absorbing factor in snowpack and causes substantial albedo reduction and thus the associated daily maximum RF. The maximum reduction of snow cover duration was 4.56 ± 0.71 days caused by BC and dust in snowpack in southeastern TP. The average mass absorption cross-section (MAC) of BC from multiple snowpits was 3.26 ± 0.46 m2 g-1, which represents a typical value of MAC in snow on glaciers, but it is type-dependent of snow/ice samples. Tropospheric aerosols vertically extended up to 8 km over the TP and its surrounding areas, which indicates the transport of aerosols from remote sources through elevated pathways. A large amount of carbon stored in the brittle glaciers can be potentially released with meltwater runoff under a warming climate. This study provides a new insight for investigating carbonaceous and light-absorbing particles in glacierization areas.

Niu, Hewen↗

DOE OSTI2024

Evaluation of the EarthSHAB Stratospheric Solar Hot Air Balloon Flight Prediction Model Using Balloon Trajectory Data

Abstract The heliotrope is a solar balloon design which is constructed out of painter’s plastic, and the exterior is coated in charcoal powder. Darkening the plastic gives the balloon a high solar absorptance, which allows it to ascend into the lower stratosphere and float for hours at a time. The balloons have previously been used to lift scientific instruments into the stratosphere to study chemical explosions, earthquakes, and stratospheric aerosols. They have also been proposed as a platform for planetary exploration. Flight predictions are crucial to preflight planning to reduce safety risks and meet flight objectives. However, there exists a wide range of possible flight paths due to varying environmental conditions and solar balloon configurations. EarthSHAB is one such software that was designed to support flight planning using the weather forecasts and balloon properties to predict the flight path of a solar balloon. We compare EarthSHAB-simulated flight paths to a set of observed flight paths for the 3.5-m diameter heliotrope design called the “Cloudskimmer.” Using the criteria that the modeled paths must fall within 5% of the observations to be considered successful, we found that EarthSHAB successfully predicted the Cloudskimmer ascent rate and average float altitude 10% and 90% of the time, respectively. We also found that the average difference in the observed and predicted landing locations was 97 km and landing times were 54 ± 38 min. Significant deviations between the observed and predicted ascent rates and excursions at float were found to be associated with heavy payloads and convective cloud development, respectively. Significance Statement Solar balloons are used to lift scientific instruments into the lower stratosphere for hours at a time to study chemical explosions, earthquakes, stratospheric aerosols, and more. The flight paths of solar balloons can be difficult to predict due to variability in their design and surrounding environment. We evaluate the accuracy of EarthSHAB, a software that predicts the altitude profile and horizontal trajectory of a solar balloon using inputs such as the weather, balloon size, and balloon mass. Our results suggest that for the balloon design used in this study, EarthSHAB is best suited for modeling the behavior of balloons with lightweight payloads that do not fly within or directly above clouds.

Lien, Jessica M. [Sandia National Laboratories, Al↗

NASA NTRS1981

Spectrometry of Jupiter at selected locations on the disk during the 1979 apparition

Jupiter's reflectivity was measured as a function of wavelength between 3000 and 10,500 Angstrom for two nights during the 1979 apparition. The spectra obtained were used to calibrate the wavelength response of Voyager images and to establish differences from previous apparitions. The observations were taken in the prominent belts and zones and both polar caps along the central meridian using a slit of dimensions 2.33 x 2.5 sq arcsec. The equivalent widths of the 6190 and 7270 Angstrom CH4 bands were measured; compared to the 1976 apparition, there was significantly less CH4 absorption in the north tropical zone. Such equivalent-width decreases are said to result from either a reduction in particle albedo or a decrease in the scattering mean free path owing to a greater concentration of aerosol particles in the NTrZ.

Cochran, A. L.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Lidar meteorology

Current and future lidar applications to meteorological studies are presented. In water vapor, temperature, and pressure measurement applications, differential absorption lidar (DIAL) techniques are used, employing a minimum of two wavelengths. The DIAL technique has proven particularly accurate in pressure measurements. For wind measurements, lidar investigations generally use the Doppler shifting of laser light backscattered from aerosols, and a pulsed low-power CO2 Doppler lidar is being developed for airborne platform applications. At visible to near-infrared wavelengths, spatial distribution of aerosol and clouds can be obtained from lidar, and this information can help determine such atmospheric parameters as mixed layer height and cloud height distributions. A Shuttle lidar facility, being developed for the end of the 1980's, will enable laser remote sensing techniques to be applied to studies of the lower atmosphere.

Browell, E. V.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Cavity Ring-Down Measurement of Aerosol Optical Properties During the Asian Dust Above Monterey Experiment and DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period

Large uncertainties in the effects of aerosols on climate require improved in-situ measurements of extinction coefficient and single-scattering albedo. This paper describes preliminary results from Cadenza, a new continuous wave cavity ring-down (CW-CRD) instrument designed to address these uncertainties. Cadenza measures the aerosol extinction coefficient for 675 nm and 1550 nm light, and simultaneously measures the scattering coefficient at 675 nm. In the past year Cadenza was deployed in the Asian Dust Above Monterey (ADAM) and DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period (IOP) field projects. During these flights Cadenza produced measurements of aerosol extinction in the range from 0.2 to 300/Mm with an estimated precision of 0.1/Mm for 1550 nm light and 0.2/Mm for 675 nm light. Cadenza data from the ADAM and Aerosol IOP missions compared favorably with data from the other instruments aboard the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft and participating in those projects. We present comparisons between the Cadenza measurements and those from a TSI nephelometer, Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), and the AATS 14 sun-photometer. Measurements of the optical properties of smoke and dust plumes sampled during these campaigns are presented and estimates of heating rates due to these plumes are made.

Ricci, K.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Airborne Cavity Ring-Down Measurement of Aerosol Extinction and Scattering During the Aerosol IOP

Large uncertainties in the effects of aerosols on climate require improved in-situ measurements of extinction coefficient and single-scattering albedo. This paper describes preliminary results from Cadenza, a new continuous wave cavity ring-down (CW-CRD) instrument designed to address these uncertainties. Cadenza measures the aerosol extinction coefficient for 675 nm and 1550 nm light, and simultaneously measures the scattering coefficient at 675 nm. In the past year Cadenza was deployed in the Asian Dust Above Monterey (ADAM) and DOE Aerosol Intensive Operating Period (IOP) field projects. During these flights Cadenza produced measurements of aerosol extinction in the range from 0.2 to 300 Mm-1 with an estimated precision of 0.1 Min-1 for 1550 nm light and 0.2 Mm-1 for 675 nm light. Cadenza data from the ADAM and Aerosol IOP missions compared favorably with data from the other instruments aboard the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft and participating in those projects.= We present comparisons between the Cadenza measurements and those friom a TSI nephelometer, Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), and the AATS 14 sun-photometer. Measurements of the optical properties of smoke and dust plumes sampled during these campaigns are presented and estimates of heating rates due to these plumes are made.

Strawa, A. W.↗

DOE OSTI2026

BSEC Air Quality: Stationary Black and Brown Carbon Properties and Mass Concentration

Data is 1-min absorption/attenuation of aerosol collected on filter and sampled at seven wavelengths (950, 880, 660, 590, 520, 470, and 370 nm) with a Magee AE-33 dual spot aethalometer. The wavelength value for black carbon, as recommended by the manufacturer, is the 880 nm channel. The derived mass concentrations, using the factory default mass absorption cross-sections, are reported for all seven wavelengths. The absorption at all seven wavelengths are reported by dividing the derived mass concentrations by the factory default mass absorption cross-sections. The estimated mass concentration contribution from biomass burning and fossil fuel black carbon, using factory default values, are reported. The estimated brown carbon mass concentration is derived by finding the difference between the recommended black carbon wavelength (880 nm) and the ultra violet wavelength (370 nm), assuming that brown carbon absorption is strongest at 370 nm and minimal at 880 nm. Finally, the estimated absorption Angstrom exponent for black and brown carbon is derived. For black carbon, the slope between each minute log(AbsXXX), where XXX is the wavelength used versus log(XXX) is used, and the wavelengths are 590, 660, 880, and 950 nm. For brown carbon, the slope between each minute log(AbsXXX), where XXX is the wavelength used versus log(XXX) is used, and the wavelengths are 370, 470, and 520 nm.

aerosol↗

DOE OSTI2020

Time-Resolved Aerosol Filter Sampler Instrument Handbook

The U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s aerosol counting, composition, extinction, and sizing system (ACCESS) includes a base module (9400), a filter sampler (9401), an advanced mixing condensation particle counter (MCPC, 9403), a miniaturized optical particle counter (MOPC, 9405), and a single-channel tricolor absorption photometer (STAP, 9406). This handbook describes the principles and operations of the filter sampler.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1982

Abstracts of papers presented at the Eleventh International Laser Radar Conference

Abstracts of 39 papers discuss measurements of properties from the Earth's ocean surface to the mesosphere, made with techniques ranging from elastic and inelastic scattering to Doppler shifts and differential absorption. Topics covered include: (1) middle atmospheric measurements; (2) meteorological parameters: temperature, density, humidity; (3) trace gases by Raman and DIAL techniques; (4) techniques and technology; (5) plume dispersion; (6) boundary layer dynamics; (7) wind measurements; visibility and aerosol properties; and (9) multiple scattering, clouds, and hydrometers.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1982

Heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry

The present conference on heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry considers such topics concerning clusters, particles and microparticles as common problems in nucleation and growth, chemical kinetics, and catalysis, chemical reactions with aerosols, electron beam studies of natural and anthropogenic microparticles, and structural studies employing molecular beam techniques, as well as such gas-solid interaction topics as photoassisted reactions, catalyzed photolysis, and heterogeneous catalysis. Also discussed are sulfur dioxide absorption, oxidation, and oxidation inhibition in falling drops, sulfur dioxide/water equilibria, the evidence for heterogeneous catalysis in the atmosphere, the importance of heterogeneous processes to tropospheric chemistry, soot-catalyzed atmospheric reactions, and the concentrations and mechanisms of formation of sulfate in the atmospheric boundary layer.

Schryer, D. R.↗