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At least 973 records · Page 54

High fidelity simulations of contaminant dispersion in an urban environment with comparison to magnetic resonance imaging measurements

The dispersion of a contaminant in an urban environment has the potential to impact a large population of people. In this work, a complex urban canopy flow based on the Oklahoma City downtown business district circa 2003 is studied using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and high-fidelity Large Eddy Simulations (LES). MRI is a novel experimental technique that can provide high-resolution measurements in four dimensions (three spatial and temporal) for lab scale models. The experiments and simulations use the same geometry and boundary conditions providing a one-to-one comparison of the two methods. Results are presented on the time-averaged velocity and concentration fields, the temporal dynamics of the concentration plumes for a transient release, and a novel Cloud Identification Algorithm that can separate plumes produced by periodic contaminant releases used for ensemble averaging over many releases. The MRI and LES datasets both include millions of measurement voxels and the comparisons highlight the complex 3D nature of the flow including strong vertical velocities in spanwise street canyons and flow acceleration in streamwise street canyons. The concentration fields are qualitatively similar albeit the LES shows larger dispersion. A quantitative analysis with performance measures compares the datasets pointwise and demonstrates that the two 3D datasets are similar with respect to many measures including a fractional bias of 0.02 (ideal=0.0), correlation coefficient of 0.87 (ideal = 1.0), and the fraction points within a factor of 2 is 0.98 (ideal = 1.0). Plume analysis compares the arrival and residence time of contaminant and is found to vary significantly with location within the urban environment with arrival times between 0 and 1.25 and differences within the contaminant cloud less than 10% at most locations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Upgrade of the NASA 4STAR (Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research) to its Full Science Capability of Sun-Sky-Cloud-Trace Gas Spectrometry in Airborne Science Deployments

The objectives of this task in the AITT (Airborne Instrument Technology Transition) Program are to (1) upgrade the NASA 4STAR (Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research) instrument to its full science capability of measuring (a) direct-beam sun transmission to derive aerosol optical depth spectra, (b) sky radiance vs scattering angle to retrieve aerosol absorption and type (via complex refractive index spectra, shape, and mode-resolved size distribution), (c) zenith radiance for cloud properties, and (d) hyperspectral signals for trace gas retrievals, and (2) demonstrate its suitability for deployment in challenging NASA airborne multiinstrument campaigns. 4STAR combines airborne sun tracking, sky scanning, and zenith pointing with diffraction spectroscopy to improve knowledge of atmospheric constituents and their links to air pollution, radiant energy budgets (hence climate), and remote measurements of Earth's surfaces. Direct beam hyperspectral measurement of optical depth improves retrievals of gas constituents and determination of aerosol properties. Sky scanning enhances retrievals of aerosol type and size distribution. 4STAR measurements are intended to tighten the closure between satellite and ground-based measurements. 4STAR incorporates a modular sun-tracking/sky-scanning optical head with fiber optic signal transmission to rack mounted spectrometers, permitting miniaturization of the external optical head, and future detector evolution. 4STAR test flights, as well as science flights in the 2012-13 TCAP (Two-Column Aerosol Project) and 2013 SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys) have demonstrated that the following are essential for 4STAR to achieve its full science potential: (1) Calibration stability for both direct-beam irradiance and sky radiance, (2) Improved light collection and usage, and (3) Improved flight operability and reliability. A particular challenge for the AITT-4STAR project has been conducting it simultaneously with preparations for, and execution of, ARISE (Arctic Radiation - IceBridge Sea&Ice Experiment), a NASA airborne science deployment (unplanned when AITT-4STAR was selected for funding) in which 4STAR will deploy to Thule, Greenland, and Fairbanks, Alaska, on the NASA C- 130. This presentation describes progress to date in accomplishing AITT-4STAR goals, and plans for project completion.

Sun-Sky-Cloud-Trace↗

Re-Observing the First Hours of Supernova 1987A

This project was designed to use archival data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) to measure the flux from the shock breakout from SN 1987A, emitted in the first few hours of the event, reflected from neighboring dust clouds in the form of a light echo. Such hot flux from the initial moments of a SN had never been observed before, and this offers a unique opportunity to measure it in reflection. Gilmozzi (1991, in "SN 1987A and Other Supernova") had reported such a detection of using IUE from observations made in 1988 and 1989. Our analysis of these data showed that this detection was very weak, and subject to changes comparable to the size of the signal according to various reasonable means of extracting the spectra. In fact, the features reported by Gilmozzi (1998 in "Ultraviolet Astrophysics Beyond IUE") are not found in a conventional NEWSIPS extraction or extended-source extraction of these data. The 1995 and 1996 IUE data collected for Crotts and Gilmozzi shows a more robust signal (about 20sigma,) from a cloud that echoes brighter in the optical than the 1988 feature. This shows a well-detected signal of about 5 x 10(exp -16) ergs per s/sq cm/Angstroms/arc sq sec at 1300 Angstroms, with a declining slope to redder wavelengths. This surface brightness, while detected with confidence in both large and small SVVT apertures, is still fainter than the reflected flux expected for most models of shock breakout. We have also taken the opportunity to recover the echo signal from exposures taken on Astro-1 and Astro-2 flights of the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) while pointed towards SN 1987A. These data yield a complementary result on the reflected flux, an upper limit of about 5 x 10(exp -17) ergs per s/sq cm/Angstroms/arc sq sec, spread over fainter optically echoing clouds, and over the same band where the signal was detected by IUE. While this appears in contradiction with the IUE result, it is made consistent by the corresponding strengths of the echoes in the optical.

Crotts, Arlin P. S.↗

Fractal dimension of optical cirrus in Stripe82

ABSTRACT The geometric characteristics of dust clouds provide important information on the physical processes that structure such clouds. One of such characteristics is the 2D fractal dimension D of a cloud projected on to the sky plane. In previous studies, which were mostly based on infrared (IR) data, the fractal dimension of individual clouds was found to be in a range from 1.1 to 1.7 with a preferred value of 1.2–1.4. In this work, we use data from Stripe82 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to measure the fractal dimension of the cirrus clouds. This is done here for the first time for optical data with significantly better resolution as compared to IR data. To determine the fractal dimension, the perimeter-area method is employed. We also consider IR (IRAS and Herschel) counterparts of the corresponding optical fields to compare the results between the optical and IR. We find that the averaged fractal dimension across all clouds in the optical is $\langle D \rangle =1.69^{+0.05}_{-0.05}$ which is significantly larger than the fractal dimension of its IR counterparts $\langle D\rangle =1.38^{+0.07}_{-0.06}$. We examine several reasons for this discrepancy (choice of masking and minimal contour level, image and angular resolution, etc.) and find that for approximately half of our fields the different angular resolution (point spread function) of the optical and IR data can explain the difference between the corresponding fractal dimensions. For the other half of the fields, the fractal dimensions of the IR and visual data remain inconsistent, which can be associated with physical properties of the clouds, but further physical simulations are required to prove it.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The Relation between Coronal Holes and Coronal Mass Ejections during the Rise, Maximum, and Declining Phases of Solar Cycle 23

We study the interaction between coronal holes (CHs) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using a resultant force exerted by all the coronal holes present on the disk and is defined as the coronal hole influence parameter (CHIP). The CHIP magnitude for each CH depends on the CH area, the distance between the CH centroid and the eruption region, and the average magnetic field within the CH at the photospheric level. The CHIP direction for each CH points from the CH centroid to the eruption region. We focus on Solar Cycle 23 CMEs originating from the disk center of the Sun (central meridian distance ≤15deg) and resulting in magnetic clouds (MCs) and non-MCs in the solar wind. The CHIP is found to be the smallest during the rise phase for MCs and non-MCs. The maximum phase has the largest CHIP value (2.9 G) for non-MCs. The CHIP is the largest (5.8 G) for driverless (DL) shocks, which are shocks at 1 AU with no discernible MC or non-MC. These results suggest that the behavior of non-MCs is similar to that of the DL shocks and different from that of MCs. In other words, the CHs may deflect the CMEs away from the Sun-Earth line and force them to behave like limb CMEs with DL shocks. This finding supports the idea that all CMEs may be flux ropes if viewed from an appropriate vantage point.

CMEs↗

Toward Better Understanding of Microphysical Processes and Resulting Precipitation Physics: A Merger Of Observations and Cloud Models (Final Report)

A large database of global disdrometer observations and a diverse set of simulations from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) were compared using principal component analysis (PCA) in order to better understand warm and ice-based precipitation processes. The analysis demonstrated that six distinct precipitation groups (PGs) with common characteristics were revealed in both the observations and model simulations. These PGs were defined by similar co-variability of rain parameters. However, the model showed large concentrations of drops with a given size compared to the observations. Detailed investigations determined the parameterization of drop breakup was forcing the drops to an equilibrium size with a stronger constraint than was indicated by the observations. A series of sensitivity studies permutating the rain shape parameter in the RAMS 2-moment bulk scheme demonstrated how the assumed shape of the rain distribution influences the microphysics as well as precipitation characteristics. Results were compared to the same simulations performed with a bin microphysics scheme where the rain shape parameter is freely evolving. In the bin scheme, a wide range of shape parameters were found, with horizontal and vertical variability, in addition to being a function of storm lifetime. The results of this study highlight the limitations of a fixed assumed rain distribution in 2-moment microphysics schemes. Model simulations were used to probe the microphysical origins of the six PGs. Rain budgets from a supercell case showed that several of the groups hypothesized to be associated with strong ice microphysical processes had significant contributions from melting hail, but the complexity of ice and warm-rain processes in the supercell precluded definitive determination of microphysical origins for many of the PGs. A case study from the Mid-latitude Continental Convection and Clouds Experiment (MC3E) compared the model PGs to disdrometer observations, and demonstrated the spatial and temporal variability of the PGs which is not possible from disdrometer point measurements alone. The analyses performed during this project demonstrated how statistical analysis can provide a robust method for comparing model simulations and observations, which ultimately resulted identification of limitations in some current microphysics parameterizations as well as insights into precipitation variability which ultimately benefits both observations and modeling efforts.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Investigation of low-latitude hydrogen emission in terms of a two-component interstellar gas model

High-resolution 21-cm hydrogen line observations at low galactic latitude are analyzed to determine the large-scale distribution of galactic hydrogen. Distribution parameters are found by model fitting, optical depth effects are computed using a two-component gas model suggested by the observations, and calculations are made for a one-component uniform spin-temperature gas model to show the systematic departures between this model and data obtained by incorrect treatment of the optical depth effects. Synthetic 21-cm line profiles are computed from the two-component model, and the large-scale trends of the observed emission profiles are reproduced together with the magnitude of the small-scale emission irregularities. Values are determined for the thickness of the galactic hydrogen disk between half density points, the total observed neutral hydrogen mass of the galaxy, and the central number density of the intercloud hydrogen atoms. It is shown that typical hydrogen clouds must be between 1 and 13 pc in diameter and that optical thinness exists on large-scale despite the presence of optically thin gas.

Baker, P. L.↗

Saturn: Origin and composition of its inner moons and rings

The contraction of the primitive protosaturnian cloud, using ideas of supersonic turbulent convection was modeled. The model suggested that each of Saturn's inner moons, excepting Rhea, condensed above the ice-point of water and consists primarily of hydrous magnesium silicates. The satellite mean densities steadily increase towards the planet and the rocky moons are irregular in shape.

Prentice, A. J. R.↗

The role of an apparent mesoscale frontogenetic circulation in squall line initiation

The present investigation is concerned with the nature and apparent origin of a mesoscale clear zone and associated frontal line convection (a line of cumulus congestus clouds along an intensifying cold front) which appeared just prior to the explosive development of a line of severe thunderstorms at the cold front. It is pointed out that the clear zone formed immediately behind the cold front in southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of April 16, 1982. Sequential displays of GOES-East satellite imagery are considered. The mechanism which seems to explain best the observations is a thermally direct frontogenetic circulation resulting from the combined effects of the synoptic-scale wind deformation field and mesoscale differential sensible heating.

Koch, S. E.↗

Excursion set mass functions for hierarchical Gaussian fluctuations

It is pointed out that most schemes for determining the mass function of virialized objects from the statistics of the initial density perturbation field suffer from the cloud-in-cloud problem of miscounting the number of low-mass clumps, many of which would have been subsumed into larger objects. The paper proposes a solution based on the theory of the excursion sets of F(r, R sub f), the four-dimensional initial density perturbation field smoothed with a continuous hierarchy of filters of radii R sub f.

Bond, J. R.↗

A carbon dioxide/methane greenhouse atmosphere on early Mars

One explanation for the formation of fluvial surface features on early Mars is that the global average surface temperature was maintained at or above the freezing point of water by the greenhouse warming of a dense CO2 atmosphere; however, Kasting has shown that CO2 alone is insufficient because the formation of CO2 clouds reduces the magnitude of the greenhouse effect. It is possible that other gases, such as NH3 and CH4, were present in the early atmosphere of Mars and contributed to the greenhouse effect. Kasting et al. investigated the effect of NH3 in a CO2 atmosphere and calculated that an NH3 mixing ratio of approximately 5 x 10 (exp -4) by volume, combined with a CO2 partial pressure of 4-5 bar, could generate a global average surface temperature of 273 K near 3.8 b.y. ago when the fluvial features are believed to have formed. Atmospheric NH3 is photochemically converted to N2 by ultraviolet radiation at wavelengths shortward of 230 nm; maintenance of sufficient NH3 concentrations would therefore require a source of NH3 to balance the photolytic destruction. We have used a one-dimensional photochemical model to estimate the magnitude of the NH3 source required to maintain a given NH3 concentration in a dense CO2 atmosphere. We calculate that an NH3 mixing ratio of 10(exp -4) requires a flux of NH3 on the order of 10(exp 12) molecules /cm-s. This figure is several orders of magnitude greater than estimates of the NH3 flux on early Mars; thus it appears that NH3 with CO2 is not enough to keep early Mars warm.

Brown, L. L.↗

A Microwave Technique for Mapping Ice Temperature in the Arctic Seasonal Sea Ice Zone

A technique for deriving ice temperature in the Arctic seasonal sea ice zone from passive microwave radiances has been developed. The algorithm operates on brightness temperatures derived from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and uses ice concentration and type from a previously developed thin ice algorithm to estimate the surface emissivity. Comparisons of the microwave derived temperatures with estimates derived from infrared imagery of the Bering Strait yield a correlation coefficient of 0.93 and an RMS difference of 2.1 K when coastal and cloud contaminated pixels are removed. SSM/I temperatures were also compared with a time series of air temperature observations from Gambell on St. Lawrence Island and from Point Barrow, AK weather stations. These comparisons indicate that the relationship between the air temperature and the ice temperature depends on ice type.

St.Germain, Karen M.↗

Development and Analysis of a Thick Cloud Layers Database for Lightning Launch Commit Criteria Improvement

Lightning can pose a potential threat to space launch vehicles. In response to this, rules were created called the Lightning Launch Commit Criteria (LLCC) that help weather personnel evaluate the potential for natural and rocket-triggered lightning. One of the ten LLCC with the least research is called the Thick Cloud Layers rule. To further understand electrification of thick cloud layers and potentially improve the Thick Cloud Layers rule, a database of thick cloud layers that occurred over the Eastern Range was created. This database is then used to create an algorithm for identifying and differentiating thick cloud layers from other cloud types based on radar characteristics, temperature levels in reference to cloud height, and the surface electric field. By analyzing and identifying thick cloud events, this project could help narrow down when thick clouds are occurring and potentially minimize unnecessary launch delays. Events that caused LLCC violations involving the Thick Cloud Layers rule were analyzed by hand using Level-2 NEXRAD radar data from the National Weather Service WSR-88D radar in Melbourne with the program GR2Analyst. Cases that were found to be isolated and not involved with convection were recorded (date, start/end time, location) in a database. Radar data associated with these cases was collected and gridded using Python radar packages. Once gridded, I calculated and recorded for each radar scan the following radar reflectivity driven parameters within an 11x11 km bin centered on each 1 square km grid point: the mean reflectivity colder than 0 degrees Celsius, Maximum Radar Reflectivity (MRR) colder than 0 degrees Celsius, Volume Averaged Height Integrated Radar Reflectivity (VAHIRR), Hydrometeor Identification (HID), the difference between the maximum and mean reflectivity, the cloud depth colder than 0 degrees Celsius, the overall cloud depth, the cloud top, and the cloud bottom. Soundings for each event were used to determine cloud temperature levels, and where the cloud is in relation to the freezing level. Electric field mill data collected over the Eastern Range was used to determine surface electric fields below each cloud. All parameters were analyzed in depth for several thick cloud cases to gain an understanding of typical thick cloud characteristics. Cases of thick clouds and other isolated cloud types were also recorded for training purposes to see if enough differences exist between cloud types to differentiate them with an algorithm. Each case along with its corresponding characteristics was recorded in a database, and this database was used to compare differing cloud types, as well as train the algorithm to detect thick clouds.

Lightning↗

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) for the ICESAT Mission

Accurate measurements of surface heights and atmospheric backscatter have been demonstrated with the SLA, MOLA and LITE space lidar. Recent MOLA measurements of the Mars surface have 40 cm resolution and have reduced the global uncertainty in Mars topography from a few km to approx. 10 m. GLAS is a next generation lidar being developed as part of NASA's Icesat Mission for Earth orbit . The GLAS design combines a 10 cm precision surface lidar with a sensitive dual wavelength cloud and aerosol lidar. GLAS will precisely measure the heights of the Earth's polar ice sheets, determine the height profiles of the Earth's land topography, and profile the vertical backscatter of clouds and aerosols on a global scale. GLAS will fly on a small dedicated spacecraft in a polar orbit at 598 km altitude with an inclination of 94 degrees. GLAS is scheduled to launch in summer 2001 and to operate continuously for a minimum of 3 years with a goal of 5 years. The primary mission for GLAS is to measure the seasonal and annual changes in the heights of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. GLAS will measure the vertical distance to the ice sheet from orbit with 1064 nm pulses from a Nd:Yag laser at 40 Hz. Each 5 nsec wide laser pulse is used for a single range measurement. When over land GLAS will profile the heights of the topography and vegetation. The GLAS receiver uses a I m diameter telescope and a Si APD detector. The detector signal is sampled by an all digital receiver which records each surface echo waveform with I nsec resolution and a stored echo record lengths of either 200, 400, or 600 samples. Analysis of the echo waveforms within the instrument permits discrimination between cloud and surface echoes. Ground based echo analysis permits precise ranging, determining the roughness or slopes of the surface as well as the vertical distributions of vegetation illuminated by the laser, Errors in knowledge of the laser beam pointing angle can bias height measurements of sloped surfaces. For surfaces with 2 deg. slopes, knowledge of pointing angle of the beam centroid to about 8 urad is required to achieve 10 cm height accuracy. GLAS uses a stellar reference system (SRS) to determine the pointing angle of each laser firing relative to inertial space. The SRS uses a high precision star camera oriented toward local zenith whose measurements are combined with a gyroscope to determine the inertial orientation of the SRS optical bench. The far field pattern of each laser pulse is measured with a laser reference system (LRS). Optically measuring each laser far field pattern relative to the star camera and gyroscope permits the angular offsets of each laser pulse to be determined. GLAS will also determine the vertical distributions of clouds and aerosols by measuring atmospheric backscatter profiles at both 1064 and 532 nm. The 1064 nm measurements use an analog detector and profile the height and vertical structure of thicker clouds. Measurements at 532 nm use new highly sensitive photon counting detectors, and measure the height distributions of very thin clouds and aerosol layers. With averaging these can be used to determine the height of the planetary boundary layer. The instrument design and expected performance will be discussed.

Abshire, James B.↗

Opportunistic experiments to constrain aerosol effective radiative forcing

Aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) are considered to be the most uncertain driver of present-day radiative forcing due to human activities. The nonlinearity of cloud-state changes to aerosol perturbations make it challenging to attribute causality in observed relationships of aerosol radiative forcing. Using correlations to infer causality can be challenging when meteorological variability also drives both aerosol and cloud changes independently. Natural and anthropogenic aerosol perturbations from well-defined sources provide “opportunistic experiments” (also known as natural experiments) to investigate ACI in cases where causality may be more confidently inferred. These perturbations cover a wide range of locations and spatiotemporal scales, including point sources such as volcanic eruptions or industrial sources, plumes from biomass burning or forest fires, and tracks from individual ships or shipping corridors. We review the different experimental conditions and conduct a synthesis of the available satellite datasets and field campaigns to place these opportunistic experiments on a common footing, facilitating new insights and a clearer understanding of key uncertainties in aerosol radiative forcing. Cloud albedo perturbations are strongly sensitive to background meteorological conditions. Strong liquid water path increases due to aerosol perturbations are largely ruled out by averaging across experiments. Opportunistic experiments have significantly improved process-level understanding of ACI, but it remains unclear how reliably the relationships found can be scaled to the global level, thus demonstrating a need for deeper investigation in order to improve assessments of aerosol radiative forcing and climate change.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

An oscillating asymmetry to Io's sodium emission cloud

The spatial distribution of sodium emission north and south of Io was observed to have a time-dependent asymmetry correlated with Io's magnetic latitude. The spatial gradient was greatest when Jupiter's north magnetic pole pointed away from Io; this is a configuration of maximum probability of decametric emission. A hypothesis is invoked for explaining the asymmetry and used to calculate preliminary fluxes of low-energy trapped charged particles in the vicinity.

Trafton, L.↗

An analysis of lidar observations of polar stratospheric clouds

Lidar observations by Browell et al. (1990) are interpreted using single scattering calculations for nonspherical particles and aerosol microphysical calculations. Many of the lidar observations are consistent with particles containing 10 ppbv of condensed nitric acid vapor and an equivalent mass of water. The lidar observations of these Type 1 clouds identify two subtypes, whose properties are deduced. Type 1b particles are spherical, or nearly spherical, and typically have radii near 0.5 micron; Type 1a particles are not spherical, and have a spherical volume equivalent radius exceeding 1.0 micron. Several factors may cause variations in the size of the particles. The most significant factors are the cooling rate and the degree to which the air parcels cool below the condensation point. Specific examples in which cooling rate and cooling point may have led to variations in particle size are found in the Browell et al. (1990) data set. Condensation of 1 ppmm of water or less is quantitatively sufficient to account for the magnitude of the lidar backscatter observed from water ice clouds. The ice particles are not spherical in shape. The sizes of particles in water ice clouds cannot be determined because they are much larger than the wavelength of the lidar.

Toon, Owen B.↗

Discovery of a candidate old, isolated neutron star in the field of a galactic cirrus cloud

New x-ray optical, and radio observations of the bright, unidentified x-ray source MS 0317.7-6647 are presented suggesting that this source is a likely compact stellar remnant. As part of the Einstein Extended Medium Sensivity Survey, this source was discovered serendipitously in the Einstein Imaging Proportional Counter pointing towards the nearby (4.5 Mpc) spiral galaxy NGC 1313. The very high x-ray to optical flux ratio, pointlike ROSAT HRI detection, and extremely soft component in the x-ray spectrum of MS 0317.7-6647 eliminate all the usual classes of optical counterparts to faint x-ray sources except for a very massive x-ray binary (and black hole candidate) in NGC 1313, a nearby, companionless pulsar similar to Geminga, or a very nearby ( approximately 100 pc) isolated, old neutron star slowly accreting interstellar matter onto its magnetic poles. The presence of an IR cirrus cloud which shadows the approximately 0.25 keV x-ray background in this direction supports the latter possibilty.

Stocke, John T.↗