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At least 1,513 records · Page 84

Multilevel cloud retrieval using multispectral HIRS and AVHRR data: Nighttime oceanic analysis

A multispectral, multiresolution (MSMR) method is developed for analyzing scenes of overlapping cloud layers. The MSMR method is applied to data from the NOAA 11 advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) and the high-resolution infrared radiometer sounder (HIRS-2). The data are from a nighttime oceanic scene in which a semitransparent cirrus veil overlays a large-scale stratus cloud. Low-cloud and clear-sky radiances are determined using a spatial coherence technique. Middle to upper level cloud pressures and radiances are estimated from HIRS-2 15 micrometer CO2 band radiometric data. The MSMR method improves the interpretation of a nighttime, oceanic scene containing thin cirrus over a large-scale stratiform cloud. If, for example, the same scene is analyzed using only the AVHRR 10.8 micrometer channel, the accompanying retrieved cloud heights are found to be between the cirrus and stratus cloud heights and are incorrectly identified as midlevel altostratus clouds. Theoretical radiative transfer model results for both water droplet spheres and randomly oriented hexagonal ice crystals are compared to observed AVHRR brightness temperature differences (BTD) between the 3.7- and 10.8 micrometer channels (BTD(sup 34)) and between the 10.8- and 12- micrometer channels (BTD(sup 45)) to distinguish among the effects of cloud optical depth, particle size, and phase for both single-layer clouds and overlapping two-layer clouds. Theoretical BTD calculations are used to estimate the range of effective particle sizes for eac h cloud layer. The data for the cirrus in the case study region near Bermuda are consistent with theoretical results for relatively small randomly oriented hexagonal ice crystals. The observed BTD(sup 34) and BTD(sup 45) values are lower for the cirrus above a lower-level cloud than for single-level cirrus with no underlying cloud. In certain cases the BTD analysis provides a way to distinguish between clouds composed of supercooled water droplets rather than ice particles. Analysis of nighttime data permits determination of stratus infrared optical depths smaller than 4.

Baum, Bryan A.↗

Circumpolar measurements of ozone, particles, and carbon monoxide from a commercial airliner

Trace constituent data are presented from the unique flight of an airliner around the world over both poles. Relatively high resolution and simultaneous measurements of ozone, carbon monoxide, light-scattering particles, condensation nuclei, and meteorological parameters were obtained. The mutual variations of the data in the polar stratospheres, and in the tropical upper troposphere, are discussed in their meteorological setting. The data from the Arctic lower stratosphere are consistent with a tropospheric source of condensation nuclei, but not of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide mixing ratios in the Antarctic stratosphere averaged 44 ppbv. In the tropical troposphere they averaged 66 ppbv over the Pacific versus 89 ppbv over Africa. A local area of higher concentration (115 ppbv) was encountered over tropical Africa; its possible relation to carbon monoxide production by vegetation and deep convection is discussed. Evidence was found in the tropical upper troposphere of distinct boundaries between air masses of different temperature, ozone content, and particle content.

Pratt, R.↗

Addendum to "Testing meson portal dark sector solutions to the MiniBooNE anomaly at CCM"

In Aguilar-Arevalo et al. [Phys. Rev. D 109, 095017 (2024)], we explored various effective field theories that could explain the MiniBooNE excess involving long-lived particles produced from charged meson decays and the sensitivity of the Coherent CAPTAIN Mills experiment to these models. In this addendum, we extend the analysis to project sensitivity of upcoming MicroBooNE data to the long-lived particle models considered in the previous work. We find that a dedicated MicroBooNE analysis of the single photon final state with longer exposure and improved signal efficiency will be sensitive to these new physics explanations of the MiniBooNE excess, and could rule them out with a null observation at the 95% confidence level.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Physical properties of the particles composing the Martian dust storm of 1971-1972

Data obtained with the infrared interferometric spectrometer (IRIS) aboard Mariner 9 during the global Martian dust storm of 1971-1972 are analyzed to study the particle sizes in detail, estimate the dust particle size distribution, and determine the dust optical depth. Theoretical spectra of the emergent intensity from dust clouds with properties similar to those of the Martian cloud are generated, deficiencies of the approximation used are discussed, and the information content of the IR aerosol spectra is assessed. Analysis of IRIS spectra from a series of orbits spread through the early months of the Mariner 9 mission indicates that the dust could have been either igneous material with an SiO2 content similar to or higher than that of a typical terrestrial sediment or clay minerals similar to those on earth. In either case, the Martian dust was differentiated by geologic or weathering processes. The dust particle size distribution between 1 and 10 microns is found to have a slope similar to that of terrestrial dust size distributions far from source regions.

Toon, O. B.↗

Correction to 'Recirculation of energetic particles in Jupiter's magnetosphere'

An error in Pioneer 11 data reduction software has, when present, caused a phase shift of 180 deg in the assignment of spacecraft roll angles. The corrected analysis of the pitch angle distributions of energetic particles in Jupiter's magnetosphere reveals significant proton anisotropies directed toward the planet in the southern hemisphere, contrary to the authors' (1975) original report. In the northern hemisphere, both proton and electron anisotropies are directed away from the planet, as reported previously. The revised data show that the claim of direct evidence for the hypothesis of recirculation of energetic particles in the Jovian magnetosphere is invalid. It is suggested that indirect evidence still supports the hypothesis, although the recirculation process must be weaker than originally envisioned and obscured by other processes.

Sentman, D. D.↗

Lunar rocks as meteoroid detectors

About 5000 microcraters on seven lunar rocks recovered during the Apollo 12 mission have been systematically studied using a stereomicroscope. Based on comparisons with laboratory cratering experiments, at least 95 percent of all millimeter sized craters observed were formed by impacts in which the impact velocity exceeded 10 km/s. The dynamics of particle motion near the moon and the distribution of microcraters on the rocks require an extralunar origin for these impacting particles. The microcrater population on at least one side of all rocks studied was in equilibrium for millimeter sized craters; i.e., statistically, craters a few millimeters in diameter and smaller were being removed by the superposition of new craters at the same rate new craters were being formed. The population of craters on such a surface is directly related to the total population of particles impacting that surface. Crater size distribution data together with an experimentally determined relationship between the crater size and the physical parameters of the impacting particle, yield the mass distribution of interplanetary dust at 1 AU.

Hartung, J. B.↗

Thermal infrared properties of Titan's stratospheric aerosol

The monotonic increase with wavenumber of stratospheric IR opacities in the north polar neighborhood of Titan, in the 250-600/cm bandpass, becomes more extreme with decreasing altitude, consistent with an opacity that is primarily dependent on a high altitude photochemical aerosol, on the one hand, but which is moderated by condensed organics at lower altitudes. Because condensates exhibit a wavenumber dependence for opacity which is the opposite of that required, it is suggested that condensed nitriles may be prominent; either of these condensates may be acceptable for sufficiently large particles. While comparisons with low-latitude data indicate no clear dependence of vertically-integrated opacity on latitude above 80 km, indications of a particle size and/or composition gradient with latitude in the lower stratosphere are noted.

Samuelson, Robert E.↗

Positrons from accelerated particle interactions

Positron production from the decay of radioactive nuclei produced in nuclear interactions of accelerated particles is treated in detail. Laboratory data as well as theoretical considerations are used to construct energy-dependent cross sections for the production of a large number of radioactive positron emitters resulting from proton and alpha-particle interactions with ambient cosmic matter. Using these cross sections, positron production rates are calculated for a variety of energetic particle spectra, assuming solar abundances for both the energetic particles and the ambient medium. These results can be used for the study of astrophysical sites which emit annihilation radiation. In particular, the results have been applied to solar flares, where the observed 0.511 MeV line is shown to be due to positrons resulting from accelerated particle reactions.

Kozlovsky, B.↗

Nuclear reactions induced by high-energy alpha particles

Experimental and theoretical studies of nuclear reactions induced by high energy protons and heavier ions are included. Fundamental data needed in the shielding, dosimetry, and radiobiology of high energy particles produced by accelerators were generated, along with data on cosmic ray interaction with matter. The mechanism of high energy nucleon-nucleus reactions is also examined, especially for light target nuclei of mass number comparable to that of biological tissue.

Shen, B. S. P.↗

Explicit expressions of the potential and its derivatives at the origin in terms of the scattering data

The quantum mechanical theory of scattering of a particle by a spherically symmetrical potential is presented. As in the inverse scattering problem, the input of the calculation is the scattering and bound-state data, and the output is data on the potential. The results discussed are explicit expressions for the values of the potential and its derivatives at the origin in terms of the scattering and boundstate data. Various methods to obtain these results are outlined. The presentation is aimed at introducing these various approaches. The simplest scattering problem (nonrelativistic S-wave scattering on a holomorphic potential without bound states) is used as the basis for discussion, and technicalities are omitted whenever possible without loss of clarity. A complete compilation is given of the results obtained to date in this field, including the treatment of higher partial waves and the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations.

Calogero, F.↗

Research in cosmic and gamma ray astrophysics: Cosmic physics portion

Research in particle astrophysics at the Space Radiation Laboratory (SRL) of the California Institute of Technology is supported under NASA Grant NAGW-1919. A three-year proposal for continuation of support was submitted a year ago and put into effect 1 October 1992. This report is the combined progress report and continuation application called for under the Federal Demonstration Project. Gamma-ray Astrophysics at SRL is separately supported under NAGW-1919 and will be separately summarized and proposed. This report will document progress and plans for our particle spectroscopy activities and for related data analysis, calibration, and community service activities. A bibliography and a budget will be attached as appendices. The Caltech SRL research program includes a heavy emphasis on elemental and isotopic spectroscopy of energetic particles in the cosmic radiation; in solar, interplanetary, and anomalous 'cosmic' radiation; and in planetary magnetospheres as discussed.

Stone, Edward C.↗

The 18–19 March 2022 Series of 3He-Rich Events Observed By Solar Orbiter at 0.36 Au Compared With EUV, X-Ray, and Radio Observations

Context. During the first close perihelion pass of Solar Orbiter, a series of impulsive 3He-rich solar particle events was observed on 18–19 March 2022 from a distance of 0.36 au. In addition to the energetic particle, radio, and X-ray data from Solar Orbiter, the events were observed in radio and/or extreme ultraviolet by STEREO-A, SDO, Wind, and Parker Solar Probe. Aims. Observations of the event series along with remote sensing of flaring and radio emission with only small timing delays due to the close distance allow the association with energetic particles to be determined with much higher accuracy than previously possible from 1 au. Methods. By comparing the onsets of type-III bursts with the arrival of electrons of tens of keV at Solar Orbiter only a few minutes later, it can be seen that, overall, each of the more intense type-III bursts was associated with an electron and ion injection. Extreme ultraviolet data show that the times of the type-III bursts coincide with emission from a small (approximately Earth-sized) loop to the west of a nearby active region. Results. The energetic particle spectra and abundances show typical properties of impulsive 3He-rich flares and, when combined with the remote sensing observations, establish that the particle-accelerating mechanism in this series of events operates near the solar surface in association with magnetic loops, and in the absence of other phenomena such as jets and small coronal mass ejections.

acceleration of particles↗

Inference of Ice Cloud Properties from High-spectral Resolution Infrared Observations

The theoretical basis is explored for inferring the microphysical properties of ice crystal from high-spectral resolution infrared observations. A radiative transfer model is employed to simulate spectral radiances to address relevant issues. The extinction and absorption efficiencies of individual ice crystals, assumed as hexagonal columns for large particles and droxtals for small particles, are computed from a combination of the finite- difference time-domain (FDTD) technique and a composite method. The corresponding phase functions are computed from a combination of FDTD and an improved geometric optics method (IGOM). Bulk scattering properties are derived by averaging the single- scattering properties of individual particles for 30 particle size distributions developed from in situ measurements and for additional four analytical Gamma size distributions for small particles. The non-sphericity of ice crystals is shown to have a significant impact on the radiative signatures in the infrared (IR) spectrum; the spherical particle approximation for inferring ice cloud properties may result in an overest&ation of the optical thickness and an inaccurate retrieval of effective particle size. Furthermore, we show that the error associated with the use of the Henyey-Greenstein phase function can be as larger as 1 K in terms of brightness temperature for larger particle effective size at some strong scattering wavenumbers. For small particles, the difference between the two phase functions is much less, with brightness temperatures generally differing by less than 0.4 K. The simulations undertaken in this study show that the slope of the IR brightness temperature spectrum between 790-960/cm is sensitive to the effective particle size. Furthermore, a strong sensitivity of IR brightness temperature to cloud optical thickness is noted within the l050-1250/cm region. Based on this spectral feature, a technique is presented for the simultaneous retrieval of the visible optical thickness and effective particle size from high spectral resolution infrared data under ice cloudy con&tion. The error analysis shows that the uncertainty of the retrieved optical thickness and effective particle size has a small range of variation. The error for retrieving particle size in conjunction with an uncertainty of 5 K in cloud'temperature, or a surface temperature uncertainty of 2.5 K, is less than 15%. The corresponding e m r in the uncertainty of optical thickness is within 5-2096, depending on the value of cloud optical thickness. The applicability of the technique is demonstrated using the aircraft-based High- resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS) data from the Subsonic Aircraft: Contrail and Cloud Effects Special Study (SUCCESS) in 1996 and the First ISCCP Regional Experiment - Arctic Clouds Experiment (FIRE-ACE) in 1998.

Huang, Hung-Lung↗

Preliminary results of measurements by automated probes Vega 1 and 2 or particle concentration in clouds of Venus at heights 47-63 KM

Results of the preliminary processing of the Vega 1 and 2 descender data on the cloud layer structure of the Venusian atmosphere are discussed. A photoelectric counter for aerosol particles is described together with its optical and pneumatic circuits and operation algorithm. Vertical profiles of concentrations of particles with a diameter of 0.4 microns agree quantitatively with the Pioneer-Venus and Venera 9 and 10 data. Concentrations of these particles are: in the B layer, up to 190/cu cm; in the C layer, up to 10/cu cm; and in the D layer, up to 130/cu cm. Layers have sharp boundaries with a significant vertical heterogeneity of the aerosol concentration field inside them.

Zhulanov, Y. V.↗

Preliminary Measurement of Lunar Particle Shapes.

Particle shape is a basic parameter and essential for many engineering applications. Very little data is published on the shape of lunar particles. An unpublished review found that even where the same samples were studied the results were contradictory, probably because of extremely small sample sizes. Other workers have made fundamental errors in algorithms. There are many ways to measure particle shape. One common approach is to examine the particles as intersected by a plain, such as a thin section. If discrete particles can be segmented from the image, programs such as ImageJ can readily obtain shape measurements for each particle.

Rickman, Doug↗

Annihilation physics of exotic galactic dark matter particles

Various theoretical arguments make exotic heavy neutral weakly interacting fermions, particularly those predicted by supersymmetry theory, attractive candidates for making up the large amount of unseen gravitating mass in galactic halos. Such particles can annihilate with each other, producing secondary particles of cosmic-ray energies, among which are antiprotons, positrons, neutrinos, and gamma-rays. Spectra and fluxes of these annihilation products can be calculated, partly by making use of positron electron collider data and quantum chromodynamic models of particle production derived therefrom. These spectra may provide detectable signatures of exotic particle remnants of the big bang.

Stecker, F. W.↗

Radiation, Smoke and Clouds Observed in the Southeastern Atlantic With the Research Scanning Polarimeter During ORACLES

The ObseRvations of Aerosols above Clouds and their interactions (ORACLES) project is making a series of field deployments to the southeastern Atlantic with NASA ER-2 and P3 aircraft to acquire both detailed remote sensing observations and in situ measurements of the aerosols and clouds in that region. This area is home to one of the largest low-level cloud decks on Earth that is seasonally affected by vast plumes of smoke from biomass burning, which in effect provides a natural experiment testing the radiative and microphysical interactions between the smoke and the clouds. The downward solar radiation at the surface, or cloud top, is always reduced by the presence of smoke. However, whether the amount of sunlight reflected back out to space is increased, or decreased by the presence of smoke is sensitively dependent on the brightness of the clouds and the fraction of light that the smoke absorbs each time light hits a smoke particle. In this study we use data from the Research Scanning Polarimeter, an along track scanning instrument, that provides measurements of the Stokes parameters I, Q and U at 410, 470, 555, 670, 865, 960, 1590, 1880 and 2260 nm at 150 viewing angles over a range of +/- 60° from nadir for each contiguous sub-aircraft pixel (~ 300 m in size). A retrieval algorithm is applied to the data acquired with a table look up technique, similar to that of the operational POLDER algorithm, to provide a first guess of the complex refractive index, optical depth and size distribution of the smoke particles together with cloud droplet size and optical depth. A subsequent iterative fitting procedure, where the fact that the doubling/adding method allows the construction of the Green's function for the radiative transfer equation, is used to obtain an efficient and statistically optimal estimate of the aerosol and cloud retrieval parameters. These retrieval parameters are evaluated against in situ observations, when available, and the optical depth and intensive lidar variables that are measured by the High Spectral Resolution Lidar 2. Finally, the aerosol and cloud retrievals are used to evaluate the variations in top of the atmosphere, surface/cloud top shortwave radiative forcing and atmospheric absorption that are caused by variations in the smoke and clouds.

Cairns, Brian↗