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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 991 records · Page 55
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Meteorological analysis of MAPS first shuttle flight

The data from the MAPS radiometer launched on board the first shuttle flight was analyzed. The meteorological data relevant to the MAPS measurements was also analyzed so that the in situ calibration measurements and any anomalous features within the data set can be evaluated in the context of the atmospheric circulation during the period of observation. The three dimensioned isentropic analysis scheme was used as the main analytical tool. A graphical output of the N and delta channel signals, black body reference temperatures, reduced CO concentrations and ground tracks for orbits 15 and 16 were provided. The insentropic trajectory methods was emphasized because it is a basic requirement that the analysis be extended to incorporate daily data within the tropics.

Doherty, M.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Radar images of the earth from space

The operational principles and imagery available from microwave SAR radars for earth observations from aircraft, the Shuttle, and Seasat are explored. Using microwave frequencies is noted to offer imagery access in day or night, all-weather conditions. SAR radar functions by obtaining a series of reflected signals over a single path, with data processing combining the echoes into an image corresponding to what may be obtained with a large antenna. A stable, reference signal is added to the incoming signals in order to establish the phase and amplitude of echoes. Because the wavelengths of the images can be precisely controlled, Doppler shifts can be detected, thus allowing point by point scattering analysis in two-dimensions. The Shuttle SIR-A and the Seasat radar feature a ground resolution of 25 m. Applications of the satellite systems to terrain, ice mapping, and for a Venus radar mapper mission are described.

Elachi, C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Structural investigation of the Grenville Province by radar and other imaging and nonimaging sensors

The structural investigation of the Canadian Shield by orbital radar and LANDSAT, is outlined. The area includes parts of the central metasedimentary belt and the Ontario gneiss belt, and major structures as well-expressed topographically. The primary objective is to apply SIR-B data to the mapping of this key part of the Grenville orogen, specifically ductile fold structures and associated features, and igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock (including glacial and recent sediments). Secondary objectives are to support the Canadian RADARSAT project by evaluating the baseline parameters of a Canadian imaging radar satellite planned for late in the decade. The baseline parameters include optimum incidence and azimuth angles. The experiment is to develop techniques for the use of multiple data sets.

Lowman, P. D., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Distribution and Properties of Large Symmetric Knobs on Mars

Knobby terrain on Mars exists in a variety of forms from small closely spaced hills to widely separated large massifs. Fractional areal distributions of knobby terrain range from over 49% of the sampled area in regions of chaotic terrain to less than 5% along the cratered highland boundary in Amenthes and Aeolis. All symmetric knobs with long dimensions greater than or equal to 10 km were identified, mapped, and classified by shape. The spatial and dimensional distributions and shape characteristics of these features are discussed. The most common shape is elliptical: 79% of the knobs fall into this category, 11% were circular or round, 6% were triangular or wedge-shaped and the remaining 4% other shapes. All types show a roughly similar trend of rapidly decreasing number with increasing size, such that overall less than 10% of the knobs are larger than 20 km in long dimension. Circular knobs show the steepest fall-off in numbers with increasing diameter. Triangular knobs have a broader maximum with more than 65% falling in the 10 to 14 km range.

Frey, H.↗
NASA NTRS1985

VLBI monitoring of the superluminal quasar 3C 273, 1977-1982

The compact ratio structure of the quasar 3C 273 has been monitored with a VLBI array at 5.0 and 10.7 GHz at six-month intervals during 1977-1982. THe VLBI monitoring observations, data reduction, calibration, and mapping techniques are described, and hybrid maps from the monitoring program are presented along with a brief discussion of the main features. Results on the source kinematics (superluminal motion of the knots and their time evolution) are given, and synchro-Compton models of the knots are presented and limits to their Doppler factors (delta) derived from X-ray measurements. The constraints on jet geometry provided by the combined measurements of delta and v/c are considered. For the core, the inhomogeneous jet model of Koenigl (1981) is compared with the available data. The relation between 3C 273 and the similar superluminal source 3C 345 is discussed.

Unwin, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Large scale structure of the sun's radio corona

Results of studies of large scale structures of the corona at long radio wavelengths are presented, using data obtained with the multifrequency radioheliograph of the Clark Lake Radio Observatory. It is shown that features corresponding to coronal streamers and coronal holes are readily apparent in the Clark Lake maps.

Kundu, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Thin cirrus clouds - Seasonal distribution over oceans deduced from Nimbus-4 IRIS

Spectral differences in the extinction of the 10.8- and 12.6-micron bands of the IR window region, due to optically thin clouds, were found in the measurements made by both an airborne broadband IR radiometer and the IR interferometer spectrometer (IRIS) aboard the Nimbus-4 satellite; the extinction at 12.6 microns was significantly larger than that at 10.8 microns; both water and ice particles in the clouds can account for such spectral difference in extinction. Multiple scattering radiative transfer calculations of IRIS data revealed this spectral feature about 100 to 20 km away from the high-altitude cold clouds; it is assumed that this feature is related to the spreading of cirrus clouds. Based on this assumption, mean seasonal maps of the distribution of thin cirrus clouds over the oceans were deduced from the IRIS data. The maps show that such clouds are often present over the convectively active areas, such as ITCZ, SPCZ, and the Bay of Bengal during the summer monsoon.

Prabhakara, C.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Regions of negative Bz in the Tsyganenko 1989 model neutral sheet

A disturbing feature of the Tsyganenko (1989) model magnetic field, namely the occurrence of negative Bz in the model neutral sheet is pointed out. On the basis of observations of Bz in the neutral sheet it is concluded that this is an artifact of the model and not a real effect. This feature of the model should be considered when the model is used either to infer mappings from the ionosphere to the vicinity of the neutral sheet or as a tool in theoretical studies. It is proposed that in the development of future models, it would be useful for the distribution of Bz in the neutral sheet to be imposed as a constraint on the model.

Donovan, E. F.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Tropospheric rivers? A pilot study

Computations of daily global tropospheric water vapor flux values show the presence of a filamentary structure. The filaments, here called rivers, have lengths many times their widths and persist for many days while being translated through the atmosphere. They are present in data analyzed for both 1981 and 1991. The water vapor flux maxima coincide quite closely to reflectivity features (averaged from wavelengths of 380 and 360 nm) as revealed by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). It is suggested that the filamentary structure may also be present in other trace constituents.

Newell, Reginald E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The exciting young stellar object for the molecular outflow at the core of L1287

Using IR imaging, we demonstrate that a bipolar reflection nebula is associated with the nebula GN 00.33.9 at the core of the dark cloud L1287, and that these bipolar extensions are oriented with the molecular gas outflow lobes in this region. The polarization patterns in the high-resolution polarimetric maps indicate that the position of the primary source of illumination for these bipolar dust features lies to the north of both RNO 1B and RNO 1C. No NIR point source appears at the position in the images. In addition, the colors in the reflection nebulosity suggest the illuminating source is redder than either RNO 1B or RNO 1C. We suggest, therefore, that a previously unidentified young stellar object (YSO) is probably the driving source of the outflow. As the nominal position of IRAS 00338+6312 lies within 1.5 arcsec of the position of this newly identified YSO, we suggest that these are the same object. The colors and wavelength-dependent polarization levels in the vicinity of RNO 1C are most consistent with RNO 1C being a protostellar source.

Weintraub, David A.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Spectroscopy of the Perseus Cluster

We present preliminary results of a XMM-Newton 50 ks observation of the Perseus Cluster that provides an unprecedented view of the central 0.5 Mpc region. The projected gas temperature declines smoothly by a factor of 2 from a maximum value of approx. 7 keV in the outer regions to just above 3 keV at the cluster center. Over this same range, the heavy-element abundance rises slowly from 0.4 to 0.5 solar as the radius decreases from 14 ft. to 5 ft., and then it rises to a peak of almost 0.7 solar at 1&farcm;25 before declining to 0.4 at the center. Th global east-west asymmetry of the gas temperature and surface brightness distributions, approximately aligned with the chain of bright galaxies, suggests an ongoing merger, although the modest degree of the observed asymmetry certainly excludes a major merger interpretation. The chain of galaxies probably traces the filament along which accretion started some time ago and is continuing at the present time. A cold and dense (low-entropy) cluster core like Perseus is probably well "protected" against the penetration of the gas of infalling groups and poor clusters, whereas in non-cooling core clusters such as Coma and A1367, infalling subclusters can penetrate deeply into the core region. In Perseus, gas associated with infalling groups may be stripped completely at the outskirts of the main cluster and only compression waves (shocks) may reach the central regions. We argue, and show supporting simulations, that the passage of such a wave(s) can qualitatively explain the overall horseshoe shaped appearance of the gas temperature map (the hot horseshoe surrounds the colder, low-entropy core) as well as other features of the Perseus Cluster core. These simulations also show that as compression waves traverse the cluster core, they can induce oscillatory motion of the cluster gas that can generate multiple sharp "edges" on opposite sides of the central galaxy. Gas motions induced by mergers may be a natural way to explain the high frequency of "edges" seen in clusters with cooling cores.

Jones, Christine↗
NASA NTRS1997

Extension of a Kolmogorov Atmospheric Turbulence Model for Time-Based Simulation Implementation

The development of any super/hypersonic aircraft requires the interaction of a wide variety of technical disciplines to maximize vehicle performance. For flight and engine control system design and development on this class of vehicle, realistic mathematical simulation models of atmospheric turbulence, including winds and the varying thermodynamic properties of the atmosphere, are needed. A model which has been tentatively selected by a government/industry group of flight and engine/inlet controls representatives working on the High Speed Civil Transport is one based on the Kolmogorov spectrum function. This report compares the Dryden and Kolmogorov turbulence forms, and describes enhancements that add functionality to the selected Kolmogorov model. These added features are: an altitude variation of the eddy dissipation rate based on Dryden data, the mapping of the eddy dissipation rate database onto a regular latitude and longitude grid, a method to account for flight at large vehicle attitude angles, and a procedure for transitioning smoothly across turbulence segments.

McMinn, John D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Spindle neurons of the human anterior cingulate cortex

The human anterior cingulate cortex is distinguished by the presence of an unusual cell type, a large spindle neuron in layer Vb. This cell has been noted numerous times in the historical literature but has not been studied with modern neuroanatomic techniques. For instance, details regarding the neuronal class to which these cells belong and regarding their precise distribution along both ventrodorsal and anteroposterior axes of the cingulate gyrus are still lacking. In the present study, morphological features and the anatomic distribution of this cell type were studied using computer-assisted mapping and immunocytochemical techniques. Spindle neurons are restricted to the subfields of the anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann's area 24), exhibiting a greater density in anterior portions of this area than in posterior portions, and tapering off in the transition zone between anterior and posterior cingulate cortex. Furthermore, a majority of the spindle cells at any level is located in subarea 24b on the gyral surface. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that the neurofilament protein triple was present in a large percentage of these neurons and that they did not contain calcium-binding proteins. Injections of the carbocyanine dye DiI into the cingulum bundle revealed that these cells are projection neurons. Finally, spindle cells were consistently affected in Alzheimer's disease cases, with an overall loss of about 60%. Taken together, these observations indicate that the spindle cells of the human cingulate cortex represent a morphological subpopulation of pyramidal neurons whose restricted distribution may be associated with functionally distinct areas.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2010

Titan's Surface Temperatures from Cassini CIRS

The surface brightness temperature of Titan can be measured from Cassini through a spectral window at 19 microns where the atmosphere is low in opacity. The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) on Cassini observes this wavelength in its far-infrared channel. Because the Cassini tour has provided global coverage and a range of viewing geometries, CIRS has been able to go beyond the earlier flyby results of Voyager IRIS Near the equator, CIRS measures the zonally-averaged surface brightness temperature to be 917 K, very close to the temperature found at the surface by Huygens. Latitude maps show that Titan's surface temperatures drop off by about 2 K toward the south and by about 3 K toward the north. This temperature distribution is consistent with Titan's late northern winter when the data were taken. As the seasons progress, CIRS is continuing to search for corresponding changes in the temperatures of the surface and lower atmosphere. CIRS is also extending global mapping to both latitude and longitude to look for correlations between surface temperatures and geological features.

Jennings, Donald E.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Linking Plasma Conditions in the Magnetosphere with Ionospheric Signatures

Modeling of the full magnetosphere, ring current and ionosphere system has become an indispensable tool in analyzing the series of events that occur during geomagnetic storms. The CCMC has a full model suite available for the magnetosphere, together with visualization tools that allow a user to perform a large variety of analyses. The January, 21, 2005 storm was a moderate-size storm that has been found to feature a large penetration electric field and unusually large polar caps (low-latitude precipitation patterns) that are otherwise found in super storms. Based on simulations runs at CCMC we can outline the likely causes of this behavior. Using visualization tools available to the online user we compare results from different magnetosphere models and present connections found between features in the magnetosphere and the ionosphere that are connected magnetically. The range of magnetic mappings found with different models can be compared with statistical models (Tsyganenko) and the model's fidelity can be verified with observations from low earth orbiting satellites such as DMSP and TIMED.

Rastaetter, Lutz↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Providing Long-term Solar and Meteorological Resource Information from NASA Research through the GIS-Enabled POWER Web Services Portal

Solar and other renewable energy systems are optimized using geophysical parameters describing information about the solar resource and meteorological environments and how those environments may be changing in time. The Prediction of Worldwide Renewable Energy Resource (POWER) team at the NASA LaRC Research Center deployed its first version of the revitalized POWER geophysical parameter website that employs Esri Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. This web application provides access to both time series and climatological data sets spanning from a few days behind real-time back to the early 1980’s with a spatial resolution of 0.5 x 0.5 degree, thus extending over 30 years. The GIS tools enable, generate and store climatological averages using spatial queries and calculations in a spatial database resulting in greater accessibility to government agencies, industry and individuals. There is an API that provides data through a URL coding and can also invoked inside user software packages. Output data formats now include ASCII, CSV, geoTiff, JSON and .netCDF. Since May 2018, over 10.4 TB of data have been delivered to fulfill over 110 million data requests from 240,000 unique user IPs (https://power.larc.nasa.gov). This presentation provides an overview of this project and the current version of the new POWER web capabilities through to the end usage. Surface solar parameters are adapted from both the NASA/GEWEX (Global and Energy Water Cycle Exchange) SRB (Surface Radiation Budget) project and the CERES (Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System) data products. The meteorological parameters are adapted from NASA’s MERRA-2 (Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications). We review uncertainty of various basic parameters using surface measurements. After the introduction, we specifically discuss various clusters of parameters for equator pointing tilted surfaces that provide for the estimation of optimal tilt angle by month and year. The discussion will emphasize a few examples of how solar and building engineers are using the data products. We will then preview the capabilities of Version 2 featuring examples of hourly solar and meteorological data products, customized user reports and expanded web mapping services from CERES data products. The web services provide a unique, expandable resource for renewable energy systems engineers to design, evaluate and optimize to environments worldwide.

Solar Resource↗
NASA NTRS2020

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR4 maps and cosmological parameters

We present new arcminute-resolution maps of the Cosmic Microwave Background temperature and polarization anisotropy from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, using data taken from 2013{2016 at 98 and 150 GHz. The maps cover more than 17,000 deg(^2), the deepest 600 deg(^2) with noise levels below 10µK-arcmin. We use the power spectrum derived from almost 6,000 deg(^2) of these maps to constrain cosmology. The ACT data enable a measurement of the angular scale of features in both the divergence-like polarization and the temperature anisotropy, tracing both the velocity and density at last-scattering. From these one can derive the distance to the last-scattering surface and thus infer the local expansion rate, H0. By combining ACT data with large-scale information from WMAP we measure H0 = 67:6±1:1 km/s/Mpc, at 68% confidence, in excellent agreement with the independently measured Planck satellite estimate (from ACT alone we find H0 = 67:9± 1:5 km/s/Mpc). The ΛCDM model provides a good fit to the ACT data, and we find no evidence for deviations: both the spatial curvature, and the departure from the standard lensing signal in the spectrum, are zero to within 1σ; the number of relativistic species, the primordial Helium fraction, and the running of the spectral index are consistent with ΛCDM predictions to within 1.5{2.2σ. We compare ACT, WMAP, and Planck at the parameter level and find good consistency; we investigate how the constraints on the correlated spectral index and baryon density parameters readjust when adding CMB large-scale information that ACT does not measure. The DR4 products presented here will be publicly released on the NASA Legacy Archive for Microwave Background Data Analysis.

Simone Aiola↗