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At least 1,531 records · Page 85

Canopy spectral reflectance along the NGEE-Arctic tram transect, Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, 2015-2017

Full-spectrum (350-2500 nm) canopy spectral reflectance measured in July 2015, 2016 and 2017 along the NGEE-Arctic tram located on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), Barrow, Alaska. Measurements were made using a SVC HR1024i spectroradiometer mounted on a manually operated instrument cart. Spectra were collected at 137 stop points at 0.5 m intervals along the tram transect, with each measurement calibrated to variable illumination conditions using a Spectralon white plate. Data were collected in July, 2015-2016, and in June, July and September in 2017. Processed spectral data are presented in .csv and .xlsx files for each year and the complete SVC instrument output (.sig) are also included in .zip files. The data package includes some photographs showing the tram transect and spectroradiometer setup and a written protocol with details of equipment used and methods.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Evidence of Boundary Reflection of Kelvin and First-Mode Rossby Waves

TOPEX/POSEIDON sea level data leads to new opportunities to investigate some theoretical mechanisms suggested to be involved in the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon in the tropical Pacific ocean. In particular, we are interested in studying the western boundary reflection, a process crucial for the delayed action oscillator theory, by using the TOPEX/POSEIDON data from November 1992 to May 1995.

boundary reflection TOPEX/POSEIDON↗

QWIP: A Quantitative Metric for Quality Control of Aquatic Reflectance Spectral Shape using the Apparent Visible Wavelength

The colors of the ocean and inland waters span clear blue to turbid brown, and the corresponding spectral shapes of the waterleaving signal are diverse depending on the various types and concentrations of phytoplankton, sediment, detritus and colored dissolved organic matter. Here we present a simple metric developed from a global dataset spanning blue, green and brown water types to assess the quality of a measured or derived aquatic spectrum. The Quality Water Index Polynomial (QWIP) is founded on the Apparent Visible Wavelength (AVW), a one-dimensional geophysical metric of color that is inherently correlated to spectral shape calculated as a weighted harmonic mean across visible wavelengths. The QWIP represents a polynomial relationship between the hyperspectral AVW and a Normalized Difference Index (NDI) using red and green wavelengths. The QWIP score represents the difference between a spectrum’s AVW and NDI and the QWIP polynomial. The approach is tested extensively with both raw and quality controlled field data to identify spectra that fall outside the general trends observed in aquatic optics. For example, QWIP scores less than or greater than 0.2 would fail an initial screening and be subject to additional quality control. Common outliers tend to have spectral features related to: 1) incorrect removal of surface reflected skylight or 2) optically shallow water. The approach was applied to hyperspectral imagery from the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO), as well as to multispectral imagery from the Visual Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) using sensor-specific extrapolations to approximate AVW. This simple approach can be rapidly implemented in ocean color processing chains to provide a level of uncertainty about a measured or retrieved spectrum and flag questionable or unusual spectra for further analysis.

remote sensing reflectance↗

Electronic and optical properties of plutonium metal and oxides from Reflection Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy

Reflection Electron Energy Loss Spectra (REELS) have been acquired on plutonium δ-Pu-Ga alloys, α-Pu 2 O 3 and PuO 2 . The position of the peaks attributable to the Pu 6p excitation can be used as ‘fingerprint’ for these species. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy has been used to aid interpretation of the REELS spectra. The band gap of PuO 2 was determined from the onset of the energy loss in the REELS spectrum. The REELS data have been evaluated within the dielectric response theory by means of the QUEELS-ε(k, w)-REELS software. In this work, the Energy Loss Function, dielectric function, refractive index and extinction coefficient for these materials have been determined in the ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet range and are compared to previously reported results.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Addition of transient kinetics capabilities to an infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy system through synchronized gas pulsing and data acquisition

Surface science methodologies for understanding thermodynamic aspects of surface processes are at an advanced level. However, instrumentation and approaches for extracting kinetic parameters from elementary steps are far less accessible. In this work, we present an approach combining the use of a fast gas pulsing valve synchronized with data acquisition to enable surface transient kinetics studies using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. This methodology applies to the study of reversible processes and borrows concepts and ideas from molecular beam scattering and temporal analysis of products. Here, a temporal resolution of ~67 ms is achieved, and this is illustrated through the study of CO adsorption and desorption on a Pd(111) crystal in the presence and absence of background O 2 . The same approach can be extended to other surface spectroscopies, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, to obtain spectra with high temporal resolution and signal-to-noise ratio and enable future multimodal surface transient kinetic studies aiming at elucidating reaction mechanisms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Component Identification of Solid Biomass Fuels Using Reflected Light Microscopy: Interlaboratory Study 2

As nations transition toward sustainable energy systems, biomass has become a vital component of global energy portfolios. Derived from organic materials such as wood, agricultural residues, forestry byproducts, and organic waste, biomass is a renewable energy source with significant environmental and economic benefits. Responsible biomass energy production can improve waste management, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and mitigate environmental pollution. However, as the diversity of biomass-derived fuels increases, robust quality assessment methods are essential to ensure their efficiency, safety, and minimal environmental impact. Reflected light microscopy (RLM) is one such technique with the potential to complement conventional physico-chemical analyses by enabling a rapid identification of material constituents and impurities. To refine this methodology and evaluate the reproducibility of solid biomass component identification using RLM, an interlaboratory study (ILS) was conducted. The study involved the recognition of 58 components across 45 photomicrographs, with the participation of 65 scientists and students from 25 countries. The participants faced high difficulty identifying some of the marked components, and as a result, the percentage of correct answers ranged from 19.0 % to 98.3 %, with an average correct identification rate of 62.7 %. The most challenging aspects of the identification process included distinguishing between woody and non-woody (agro) biomass, accurately identifying petroleum-derived materials, and differentiating agro biomass from inorganic matter. The results suggest that while RLM is an important tool for characterizing solid biomass, further development of methodology guidelines and training are necessary to enhance its effectiveness. Future research should prioritize preparing detailed, image-rich, microscopic morphological descriptions of biomass fuel components, which could improve the accuracy and reliability of using RLM in biomass fuel characterization.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗