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NASA NTRS2018

Air Quality Satellite Monitoring by TROPOMI on Sentinel-5P

The recently launched Sentinel satellite mission, the Sentinel-5 Precursor (Sentinel-5P), is one of the European Space Agency's (ESA) new mission family – Sentinels. The sole payload on Sentinel-5P is the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), a nadir-viewing 108⁰ field-of-view push-broom grating hyperspectral spectrometer, covering the wavelengths of ultraviolet-visible (270 nm - 495 nm), near infrared (675 nm - 775 nm), and shortwave infrared (2305 nm - 2385 nm). Sentinel-5P is the first of the Atmospheric Composition Sentinels, and is providing measurements of atmospheric chemistry, aerosols, and clouds at high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) supports over a thousand data collections in the focus areas of Atmospheric Composition, Water & Energy Cycles, and Climate Variability. Sentinel-5P TROPOMI Level-1B (L1B) and Level-2 (L2) products are curated at the GES DISC. Sentinel-5P data are provided by the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA) through an agreement between ESA and NASA. Through its convenient and enhanced tools/services, such as OPeNDAP and L2 Subsetting, GES DISC offers the air quality remote sensing user community facile solutions for using complex Earth science data and applications. This presentation will demonstrate up-to-date TROPOMI products including EarthView (EV) radiance, solar irradiance, Aerosol Index, Carbon Monoxide, Total column Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, and cloud, as well as easy ways to access, visualize and subset TROPOMI data.

TROPOMI↗
NASA NTRS2018

Sentinel-5P/TROPOMI and S-NPP/OMPS Data Support at GES DISC

The TROPspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on the Sentinel-5 Precursor (Sentinel-5P) is the first of the Atmospheric Composition Sentinels by the European Space Agency (ESA) that provides measurements of ozone, NO2, SO2, CH4, CO, formaldehyde, aerosols and cloud at high spatial, temporal and spectral resolutions. The early afternoon orbit of Sentinel-5P mission provides a strong synergy with the U.S. Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite, especially in that the S-NPP Ozone Monitoring and Profiling Suite (OMPS) facilitates high vertically resolved stratospheric and lower mesospheric ozone profiles. The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) supports over a thousand data collections in the Focus Areas of Atmospheric Composition, Water & Energy Cycles, and Climate Variability and it is the Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) that is curating both offline Sentinel-5P TROPOMI and S-NPP OMPS Level-1B (L1B) and Level-2 (L2) products. Through its convenient and enhanced tools/services such as OPeNDAP and L2 Subsetting, GES DISC offers air quality remote sensing user communities facile solutions for complex Earth science data and applications. This presentation will demonstrate TROPOMI and OMPS products including earthview radiance, solar irradiance, and currently available L2 datasets, as well as easy ways to access, visualize and subset data. The implementation of the End User License Agreement (EULA) between NASA GES DISC and all data users accessing data at GES DISC will be emphasized as well.

TROPOMI↗
NASA NTRS2019

Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Keyword Management Process and Lifecycle

The Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) keywords are a hierarchical set of controlled vocabulary covering the Earth science disciplines that have been evolving for over 25 years. The process for how these keywords have been curated and reviewed has also evolved. This presentation will convey the process for reviewing and approving the GCMD keywords, including fast track and yearly reviews through the ESDIS Standards Office, and how Earth science users can influence keyword additions and modifications. The presentation will also highlight how keywords facilitate the discovery of EOSDIS data and services and how other organizations are using the GCMD keywords.

EOSDIS↗
NASA NTRS2016

Storage of Physical Sample Metadata in the Astrobiology Habitable Environments Database (AHED)

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has begun an effort to store, curate, and publish information about physical samples collected and analyzed in conjunction with NASA-funded astrobiology research. Astrobiology is a multidisciplinary area of scientific research being conducted by collaborating teams of biologists, chemists, geologists, atmospheric scientists, oceanographers, astrophysicists, astronomers, and other specialists. Astrobiology studies the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the Universe. NASA uses the results of astrobiology research to focus its future missions on targets of opportunity for the discovery of life off Earth. Astrobiology researchers conduct both field-based and laboratory-based research, during which physical samples are collected, processed, and catalogued. The cataloguing practices employed by different teams of astrobiologists vary widely, and there are no specific standards available to guide the collection and recording of astrobiology sample data. The disparity in data collection approaches and the lack of a centralized sample repository makes it difficult for astrobiology teams to share data and benefit from resultant synergies.To facilitate data sharing within the astrobiology community, NASA is developing a prototype database the Astrobiology Habitable Environments Database (AHED) and an associated set of data collection templates. The database will store information about samples, along with associated measurements and analyses, including information about biological cultures enriched or isolated from samples, and the results of analyses performed on the samples (e.g., via spectrography, microscopy, etc.). In addition, the system will store contextual information about field sites where samples were collected, the instruments or equipment used for analysis, and people and institutions involved in their collection. AHED is being implemented on top of Open Data Repository's Data Publisher [1], an open source software platform for the publication of scientific datasets. The data collection templates under development represent an initial attempt to propose a set of metadata for capture and storage within AHED. The design of these templates is being conducted by a consolidated group of astrobiologists from active research teams at NASA Ames Research Center, assisted by data science and software engineering specialists. These initial templates must be vetted with the broader astrobiology community through a defined process to ensure that they meet community needs. Each template captures a different type of data collection record. For each template, we are developing a list of fields to be captured, including a set of required entry fields, a set of recommended but optional fields, and a set of discretionary fields. A datatype selected from a variety of text and numeric types is specified for each field. Included is a 'choice' type that restricts user input to an enumerated list of values. Many of the fields and field values capture information of particular interest to the astrobiology community, and are intended to facilitate search and retrieval of relevant data across multiple datasets.

Keller, Rich↗
NASA NTRS2016

Biospecimen Culling: Temporal RNA Integrity Analysis Across Spaceflight Missions Dating from 1985 to 2011

The Ames Life Science Data Archive (ALSDA) at NASA Ames Research Center is managed by the Space Biosciences Division and has been operational since 1993. The ALSDA is responsible for archiving information and biospecimens collected from life science spaceflight experiments and matching ground control experiments. They are stored in the Ames biobank, which is located in the Biospecimen Storage Facility (BSF). The ALSDA also manages a Biospecimen Sharing Program, performs curation and long-term storage operations, and makes biospecimens available to the scientific community for research purposes via the Life Science Data Archive public website (https:lsda.jsc.nasa.gov). The BSF maintains both fixed and frozen spaceflight and ground tissues, collected from recent and past spaceflight missions. Due to the ever increasing demand for space to preserve current and future flight biospecimens, the ALSDA has initiated the development of a culling plan for biospecimens currently stored in the BSF. Culling enables the ALSDA to assess the quality of archived samples, and supports the development of standardized culling procedures that improve the operational efficiency of the BSF. The culling plan focuses on generating disposition recommendations for samples in the BSF, and currently is based on measuring ribonucleic acid (RNA) integrity number (RIN). The culling process includes (1) sorting and identification of candidate samples for RIN analysis, (2) completion of RIN analysis on select samples, and (3) development of disposition recommendations for specimens based on the RIN values. Furthermore, our approach allows for unique scientific opportunities, including development of a RIN-based methodology for culling, and temporal assessment of the quality of the tissues that have been stored in BSF since the 1980s. Results of this work will also support NASA open science initiatives.

biospecimen↗
NASA NTRS2017

Grid Convergence for Three Dimensional Benchmark Turbulent Flows

Grid convergence studies are performed to establish reference solutions for benchmark three dimensional turbulent flows in support of the ongoing turbulence model verification and validation e ort at the Turbulence Modeling Resource website curated by NASA. The bench- mark cases are a subsonic flow around a hemisphere cylinder and a transonic flow around the ONERA M6 wing with a sharp trailing edge. The study applies widely-used computational fluid dynamics codes developed and supported at the NASA Langley Research Center: FUN3D, USM3D, and CFL3D. Reference steady-state solutions are computed for the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model on families of consistently-refined grids composed of different types of cells. Coarse-to- ne and code-to-code solution variation is described in detail.

Diskin, Boris↗
NASA NTRS2018

Overview of the Digitization Workflow Post Image Acquisition of Apollo Lunar and Antarctic Meteorite Samples Using Agisoft Photoscan for the NASA 3D Astromaterials Virtual Samples Collection

The 3D Virtual Astromaterials Samples (3DVAS) collection is a multi-year funded project to create a digital database of sixty Apollo Lunar and Antarctic Meteorite samples following non-destructive documentation conservation protocols. After initial image processing, the photos are evaluated and processed using unique structure-from-motion photogrammetric techniques in a high performance modelling software designed to create a 3D model from 2D images: Agisoft Photoscan Pro. Agisoft Photoscan Pro uses image processing algorithms and techniques originating in computer vision to resolve 3D models for accurate and detailed visualization of a subject. The software provides a stepwise process that is tailored per model based on spatial and specular reflectance properties, for example. The process includes: photo alignment, creation of a dense point cloud, mesh, and finally texture. Photo alignment is dependent on model properties. The 3DVAS process requires a special rotation platform with calibrated photogrammetric targets, specific distance rotation protocols, and a contrasting background for alignment and scale accuracy. As a result of the photographic process, alignment will complete with two mirrored hemispheres that, in a sense, represent the 2D images overlapping to create a 3D model. Each dense point cloud is analyzed with provided statistical measures in a gradual selection process to eliminate outliers. The point cloud is reduced to include only data valuable to the final model. When a precise dense point cloud is achieved, a mesh and texture are applied. Each model is scaled with scale bar accuracies within 100 microns. Each sample has its own intimate process for modelling; there is no standard for the parameters required in the final creation of a high resolution model. By processing multiple samples, a skill is gained in practice to allow a close definition of the original sample and will result in the most detailed version of the sample shell. This process completes one-fifth of the 3DVAS protocol for providing accurate digital documentation. Each model shell is merged with X-ray Computed Tomography data to create a full volumetric sample. All 3DVAS data will be served on NASA's Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation website with an early subset of data available in 2019 and the 3D Virtual Astromaterials Samples Collection launch in 2020.

Thomas, Andi B.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Identifying the Effects of X-Ray Computed Tomography on Mars 2020 Tier I Organic Compounds

Mars sample return presents unique challenges for the clean collection, containment, curation and processing of samples. The related issues of life detection and Planetary Protection are of particular importance when developing successful strategies for the acquisition and handling of Mars returned samples. In order to achieve the Mars Sample Return (MSR) science goals, reliable analyses will depend on overcoming some challenging signal/noise-related issues, such that sparse Martian organic compounds will need to be reliably analyzed against the contamination background arising from the complicated MSR campaign. Reliable analyses will depend on clean acquisition, as well as robust documentation of all aspects of both the development and management of the cache.

Weizenbach, L. C.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Isolation and Monitoring of Cleanroom-Associated Microbial Contaminates From Geological Collections

Microbial contamination is of particular interest to geological curation as many microorganisms can change mineral composition and produce compounds used as biosignatures used for the detection of life. Microbial cells can change the mineral composition of rocks through organic acid production and direct enzymatic oxidation/reduction of transition metals. Enzymatic oxidation of iron and manganese can occur at a rate several orders of magnitude faster than under abiotic conditions and produce highly reactive nanoparticle- sized oxides that can react and sorb other metals and organic compounds. Many fungi can also produce organic acids that dissolve and chelate mineral matrices chemically reducing and dissolving rock surfaces. Finally, several common soil-associated bacteria and fungi produce secondary metabolites that contain unusual amino acid analogs and non-ribosomal peptides containing both L- and D- chirality used in characterizing carbonaceous chondrites and the detection of extraterrestrial life.

Davis, Richard E.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Nasa's Astromaterials Collections: Housed at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX

The Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division at JSC is responsible for the curation of extraterrestrial samples from NASA's past, present and future sample return missions. These samples provide data that help scientists better understand the history and evolution of our Solar System. Our mission is to preserve, protect, and distribute samples for research by the present and future scientific community.

Graff, Paige V.↗
NASA NTRS2018

NASA's GeneLab: An Integrated Omics Data Commons and Workbench

GeneLab (http://genelab.nasa.gov) is a NASA initiative designed to accelerate "open science" biomedical research in support of the human exploration of space and the improvement of life on earth. The GeneLab Data Systems (GLDS) were developed to help investigators corroborate findings from "omics" (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) assays and translate them into systems biology knowledge and, eventually, therapeutics, including countermeasures to support life in space. Phase I of the project (completed) emphasized developing key capabilities for submission, curation, storage, search, and retrieval of omics data from biomedical research in and of space environments. The development focus for Phase II (completed) was federated data search and retrieval of these kinds of data from other open-access repositories. The last phase of the project (in work) entails developing an omics analysis tool set, and a portal to visualize processed omics data, emphasizing integration with the data repository and search functions developed during the prior phases. The final product will be an open-access system where users can individually or collaboratively publish, search, integrate, analyze, and visualize omics data.

genome↗
NASA NTRS2019

Quantitative Comparison of Proprietary and Open-Source Georeferencing Tools for Use with Astronaut Photography

The Crew Earth Observations (CEO) Facility within the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA’s Johnson Space Center supports the acquisition, analysis, and curation of astronaut photography of Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) respond to requests from CEO to acquire imagery of scientific and education targets, to include high profile targets in response to activations from the International Charter for Space & Major Disasters (also known as the International Disaster Charter, or IDC) and NASA’s Disasters Program. CEO facilitates the acquisition of astronaut photography in response to IDC events and delivers georeferenced data products to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for distribution to the disaster community. Using GeoRef, an internal web-based tool developed in collaboration with NASA’s Ames Research Center, CEO generates data packages of georeferenced imagery, uncertainty images for assessing control and tie point accuracy, and metadata documenting raw and processed data. Operational experience with the Georef software identified vulnerabilities to internal code and server errors that can significantly increase time of data production. As such, CEO developed a backup procedure in case the GeoRef software experiences front-end or back-end errors. A system using OSGEO’s open-source QGIS software combined with a semi-automated pipeline using the object-oriented Python language and the Geospatial Abstract Library for generating metadata is quantitatively compared to GeoRef’s data package for quality and productivity. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) provides a standard measurement of data quality as it relates to ground error. Assessing RMSE measurements generated from georeferenced astronaut photographs acquired with different obliquity and focal length offers a comprehensive accuracy assessment of the software’s transformation algorithms. This assessment will indicate the software's ability to produce data products with the least ground-error or highest data quality regarding ground accuracy. In addition, a comparison of the software’s efficiency in generating a data package that includes georeferenced images, metadata, and uncertainty images for measuring tie/ground point error was performed. Initial results, based on the comparison of three nadir-facing astronaut photographs acquired with a 95mm focal length, reveal the QGIS-based system's average RMSE is 2.36 (pixels) suggesting its georectification system produces data products that meet and perhaps improve upon Georef solution's average RMSE of 32.99 (pixels). However, the QGIS system was unable to reproduce two unique Georef data products, uncertainty images for measuring tie and control point errors and a translated unwrapped image. In addition, the Georef software is designed to accept handheld camera pose information from a hardware component (Geosens) scheduled for deployment on the ISS in late 2018; this information is intended to provide increased accuracy and auto-registration capability for astronaut photographs. Future work is expected to determine the QGIS-based georectification system’s potential as an open-source alternative (and operational backup) to Georef for georeferencing the full range of resolutions and viewing angles unique to handheld digital camera imagery in support of ISS disaster response activities.

Jagge, Amy M.↗
NASA NTRS2017

NASA's GeneLab: An Integrated Omics Data Commons and Workbench

GeneLab (http://genelab.nasa.gov) is a NASA initiative designed to accelerate "open science" biomedical research in support of the human exploration of space and the improvement of life on earth. The GeneLab Data Systems (GLDS) were developed to help investigators corroborate findings from "omics" (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) assays and translate them into systems biology knowledge and, eventually, therapeutics, including countermeasures to support life in space. Phase I of the project (completed) emphasized developing key capabilities for submission, curation, storage, search, and retrieval of omics data from biomedical research in and of space environments. The development focus for Phase II (completed) was federated data search and retrieval of these kinds of data from other open-access repositories. The last phase of the project (in work) entails developing an omics analysis tool set, and a portal to visualize processed omics data, emphasizing integration with the data repository and search functions developed during the prior phases. The final product will be an open-access system where users can individually or collaboratively publish, search, integrate, analyze, and visualize omics data.

Berrios, Daniel C.↗
NASA NTRS2018

The Apollo Sample Suite: 50 Years of Solar System Insight

The Apollo program was undoubtable a crowning achievement in human history. In addition to the obvious cultural significance, scientific results from the Apollo program had a lasting impression on a range of scientific fields, none more so that the effect the samples had on the fields of geology and cosmochemistry. The six Apollo missions collected 382 kg of rock, regolith, and core samples from geologically diverse locations on the Moon. In the nearly 50 years since the first samples were returned, there have been over 3000 different requests for samples, each yielding insights into fields as disparate as biology, medicine, astronomy, engineering, material science, and of course geology. Early studies of the Apollo samples revealed primary insights into the origin and evolution of the Moon, and of the Earth-Moon system, but the results also had implications for bodies throughout the solar system, e.g., defining crater counting rates. Over the decades, continued study of the Apollo samples by new generations of scientists using new instruments have continued to yield significant new discoveries, including the presence of endogenous water in the Moon and the possible presence of a lunar cataclysm, that in turn has contributed to new models of solar system formation and evolution. The Apollo samples have often been used as a proxy for studying other bodies like Mercury or asteroids. The Apollo samples have also directly contributed to the interpretation of remotely sensed data sets, including their use as ground truth for both Clementine and Lunar Prospector global geochemical maps. Despite the Apollo samples being a static collection, recent efforts will ensure that investigators continue to have access to new samples. For example, there was a recent solicitation for study of previously unopened Apollo samples in vacuum-sealed containers, as well as new access to samples stored frozen or in a He atmosphere. Similarly, the use of X-ray computed tomography as part of the curation process is identifying new clasts within polymict breccias that are available for study. Finally, the MoonDB project is putting all previously published lunar geochemical analyses into a searchable database, which should facilitate new investigations.

Zeigler, Ryan↗
NASA NTRS2016

GeneLab: Scientific Partnerships and an Open-Access Database to Maximize Usage of Omics Data from Space Biology Experiments

NASA's mission includes expanding our understanding of biological systems to improve life on Earth and to enable long-duration human exploration of space. The GeneLab Data System (GLDS) is NASAs premier open-access omics data platform for biological experiments. GLDS houses standards-compliant, high-throughput sequencing and other omics data from spaceflight-relevant experiments. The GeneLab project at NASA-Ames Research Center is developing the database, and also partnering with spaceflight projects through sharing or augmentation of experiment samples to expand omics analyses on precious spaceflight samples. The partnerships ensure that the maximum amount of data is garnered from spaceflight experiments and made publically available as rapidly as possible via the GLDS. GLDS Version 1.0, went online in April 2015. Software updates and new data releases occur at least quarterly. As of October 2016, the GLDS contains 80 datasets and has search and download capabilities. Version 2.0 is slated for release in September of 2017 and will have expanded, integrated search capabilities leveraging other public omics databases (NCBI GEO, PRIDE, MG-RAST). Future versions in this multi-phase project will provide a collaborative platform for omics data analysis. Data from experiments that explore the biological effects of the spaceflight environment on a wide variety of model organisms are housed in the GLDS including data from rodents, invertebrates, plants and microbes. Human datasets are currently limited to those with anonymized data (e.g., from cultured cell lines). GeneLab ensures prompt release and open access to high-throughput genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics data from spaceflight and ground-based simulations of microgravity, radiation or other space environment factors. The data are meticulously curated to assure that accurate experimental and sample processing metadata are included with each data set. GLDS download volumes indicate strong interest of the scientific community in these data. To date GeneLab has partnered with multiple experiments including two plant (Arabidopsis thaliana) experiments, two mice experiments, and several microbe experiments. GeneLab optimized protocols in the rodent partnerships for maximum yield of RNA, DNA and protein from tissues harvested and preserved during the SpaceX-4 mission, as well as from tissues from mice that were frozen intact during spaceflight and later dissected on the ground. Analysis of GeneLab data will contribute fundamental knowledge of how the space environment affects biological systems, and as well as yield terrestrial benefits resulting from mitigation strategies to prevent effects observed during exposure to space environments.

spaceflight↗
NASA NTRS2019

Development of Low-Cost Micromanipulation Systems for Small Extraterrestrial Samples

The analysis of microscale to mm-scale astromaterials often involves the transfer of samples from storage or collection substrates to analytical substrates. These transfers are accomplished by hand (via tweezers or fine-tipped needles) or by utilizing micromanipulation instruments. Freehand manipulation of small particles is extremely challenging due to involuntary hand tremors on the order of 100μm and due to the triboelectric charging induced by frequent contact between the manipulation tool and the support substrate. Months or years of practice may be required before an investigator develops the necessary experience to confidently transfer a 10-20μm particle in this manner. Handling even mm-sized particles with fine-tipped tweezers can be challenging, due to the inability to precisely control the force with which grains are being held. Mechanical, hydraulic, and motorized/electrical micromanipulators enable the precise handling of microscale samples and are often utilized in laboratories where frequent small sample preparation is required. However, the price of such instruments (~ $10,000 to $100,000) makes them cost-prohibitive for some institutions. Graduate students or early-career scientists interested in conducting research on interplanetary dust particles, Itokawa particles returned by Hayabusa, or future samples returned by OSIRIS-REx or Hayabusa2 may experience difficulty in justifying the expense of a micromanipulator to their advisors or principle investigators. Johnson Space Center’s Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office and the Lunar and Planetary Institute conduct annual training for early career scientists and for investigators that require experience with handling of small extraterrestrial samples. In support of this training, we have been developing low-cost mechanical alternatives to expensive micromanipulators that training participants can implement in their respective facilities.

Snead, Christopher J.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Evaluation of Various Methods for Determining Bulk Compositions of Chondrules and Other Objects in Petrographic Thin Sections

Studies of many objects in petrographic thin section, such as melt inclusions in igneous rocks, chondrules and Ca-Al rich inclusions in chondritic meteorites, or clasts in lunar and other breccias, require or can benefit from knowledge of their bulk compositions. Given the scarcity of these materials, the reluctance of curators to provide more abundant material, and the extreme difficulty of cleanly separating such objects from their rock matrices, geochemical and cosmochemical studies need the ability to determine their bulk compositions from in situ methods, such as defocused beam analysis, or quantitative chemical mapping by electron beam methods.

Ross, Daniel Kent↗