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At least 163 records · Page 9

Application of the mixing-reaction in series model to NO/x/-O3 plume chemistry

The mixing-reaction in series model developed by Ghodsizadem (1978) is successfully applied to the study of NO oxidation in the near-source portion of the Potomac Electric Company's Morgantown, Maryland power plant plume. The model employs a single parameter. With initial conditions consistent with the plume data measured by Davis et al. (1974) and utilizing the mixing parameter estimated from the study by Shu et al. (1978), the predicted temporal profiles of the ratio of the concentration of NO2 to NO, of NO2 to NO plus NO2, in-plume concentrations of NO and O3, and fraction of NO remaining are consistent with field study data. In addition, the model predicts large deviations from the photostationary state in the near-source portion of the plume, also consistent with field study data. In the far field region of this plume (t greater than approximately 20 min), the mixing processes are essentially complete over much of the plume cross-section.

Carmichael, G. R.

Identifying environmental features for land management decisions

Advances in digital processing of LANDSAT imagery and in the interpretation of aerial photography are reported as well as the development of a geographic information system and the acquisition of cartographic equipment. Services to technical specialists and dignitaries are also described. The status of the following studies is discussed: Farmington Bay waterfowl; Sevier River wetland and agriculture; Davis County foothill development; Bear River Range aspen habitat; Wasatch-Cache riparian habitats; irrigated acreage in the Bear River Basin; the Parker Mountain rangeland inventory; and the development of techniques for inventorying aspen and aspen conifer stands. The cooperative project with NASA-Ames to verify LANDSAT digital maps of the forest and range resources on the LaSal Mountains is also considered.

Source record

Variability of surface temperature in agricultural fields of central California

In an attempt to evaluate the relationship between hand-held infrared thermometers and aircraft thermal scanners in near-level terrain and to quantify the variability of surface temperatures within individual fields, ground-based and aircraft thermal sensor measurements were made along a 50-km transect on 3 May 1979 and a 20-km transect on 7 August 1980. These comparisons were made on fields near Davis, California. Agreement was within 1 C for fields covered with vegetation and 3.6 C for bare, dry fields. The variability within fields was larger for bare, dry fields than for vegetatively covered fields. In 1980, with improvements in the collection of ground truth data, the agreement was within 1 C for a variety of fields.

Hatfield, J. L.

Vacillation, sudden warmings and potential enstrophy balance in the stratosphere

The balance of potential enstrophy and its relationship to vacillation cycles and the sudden warming is studied for a beta-channel model of the stratosphere. It is shown that the mean flow cannot be steady in the presence of large-amplitude quasi-geostrophic waves (approximately 1-0.25 geopotential kilometers /gpkm/) when any dissipation is present, and the maximum wave amplitude allowed is approximately 2 gpkm. If wave forcing (transience plus dissipation) is artificially maintained, the mean flow decelerates slowly at first then explosively as the potential vorticity gradient of the basic state is wiped out over the channel. This process is called wave saturation. The initial phase of the explosive deceleration resembles both the observed and modeled mean flow evolution during a sudden stratospheric warming. A simple vacillation model based upon these ideas shows remarkable similarity to the results of Holton and Mass (1976) and Davies (1981).

Schoeberl, M. R.

Identifying environmental features for land management decisions

The benefits of changes in management organization and facilities for the Center for Remote Sensing and Cartography in Utah are reported as well as interactions with and outreach to state and local agencies. Completed projects are described which studied (1) Unita Basin wetland/land use; (2) Davis County foothill development; (3) Farmington Bay shoreline fluctuation; (4) irrigation detection; and (5) satellite investigation of snow cover/mule deer relationships. Techniques developed for composite computer mapping, contrast enhancement, U-2 CIR/LANDSAT digital interface; factor analysis, and multivariate statistical analysis are described.

Source record

Crustal dynamics project session 4 validation and intercomparison experiments 1979-1980 report

As part of the Crustal Dynamics Project, an experiment was performed to verify the ability of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), Very Long Baseline interferometry (VLBI) and Doppler Satellite Positioning System (Doppler) techniques to estimate the baseline distances between several locations. The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) lasers were in operation at all five sites available to them. The ten baselines involved were analyzed using monthly orbits and various methods of selecting data. The standard deviation of the monthly SLR baseline lengths was at the 7 cm level. The GSFC VLBI (Mark III) data was obtained during three separate experiments. November 1979 at Haystack and Owens Valley, and April and July 1980 at Haystack, Owens Valley, and Fort Davis. Repeatability of the VLBI in determining baseline lengths was calculated to be at the 2 cm level. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) VLBI (Mark II) data was acquired on the Owens Valley to Goldstone baseline on ten occasions between August 1979 and November 1980. The repeatability of these baseline length determinations was calculated to be at the 5 cm level. National Geodetic Survey (NGS) Doppler data was acquired at all five sites in January 1980. Repeatability of the Doppler determined baseline lengths results were calculated at approximately 30 cm. An intercomparison between baseline distances and associated parameters was made utilizing SLR, VLBI, and Doppler results on all available baselines. The VLBI and SLR length determinations were compared on four baselines with a resultant mean difference of -1 cm and a maximum difference of 12 cm. The SLR and Doppler length determinations were compared on ten baselines with a resultant mean difference of about 30 cm and a maximum difference of about 60 cm. The VLBI and Doppler lengths from seven baselines showed a resultant mean difference of about 30 cm and maximum difference of about 1 meter. The intercomparison of baseline orientation parameters were consistent with past analysis.

Liebrecht, P.

The NASA/GSFC hydrogen maser program: A review of recent data

Data is presented on the phase and frequency stability, over time periods extending to one week, of the new NR field operable hydrogen masers developed by the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and the older NX and NP field operable hydrogen masers developed by Goddard Space Flight Center and maintained and upgraded by Bendix Field Engineering Corporation (BFEC). Data is presented on the NR masers in the laboratory showing frequency stabilities well into the 10 to the -15th power range and phase stabilities well into the 100 ps range for periods of up to one day. Data is presented on upgraded NP masers in the laboratory showing that the frequency stability has been improved substantially to virtually the NR level. VLBI data is presented on the phase difference between NX-2 at Owens Valley, California and NR-2 at Fort Davis, Texas for a one week period showing, after removal of a constant frequency drift, a 350 ps RMS phase stability.

Chiu, M.

Single event upset sensitivity of low power Schottky devices

Data taken from tests involving heavy ions in the Berkeley 88 in. cyclotron being directed at low power Schottky barrier devices are reported. The tests also included trials in the Harvard cyclotron with 130 MeV protons, and at the U.C. Davis cyclotron using 56 MeV protons. The experiments were performed to study the single event upsets in MSI logic devices containing flip-flops. Results are presented of single-event upsets (SEU) causing functional degradation observed in post-exposure tests of six different devices. The effectiveness of the particles in producing SEUs in logic device functioning was found to be directly proportional to the proton energy. Shielding was determined to offer negligible protection from the particle bombardment. The results are considered significant for the design and fabrication of LS devices for space applications.

Price, W. E.

The opacity of the universe and the strong equivalence principle

A possible explanation of why the advanced solutions of Maxwell's equations are not observed in nature is by way of absorption by an opaque universe. As Davies has shown, the ever expanding, general relativistic cosmological models fail to provide the needed absorption. The absorption mechanism calling for an interplay between local physics and cosmology, is usually developed adopting the strong equivalence principle, SEP, which precludes such interplay. It is shown that complete absorption of electromagnetic radiation by ionized intergalactic plasma is obtained provided a violation of the SEP, of the order of the Hubble's constant, is allowed to occur. The same degree of violation was previously found to be compatible with a large body of observational data.

Canuto, V. M.

Magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the coronal transient associated with the solar limb flare of 1980, June 29, 18:21 UT

The spatial and temporal behavior of excess and depleted density regions of the coronal transient accompanying the west limb solar flare of 18:21 UT on June 29, 1980, is modeled mathematically on the basis of SMM-X-ray-polychrometer data, and the results are compared to observations made with the radio spectrograph at Harvard Radio Astronomy Station at Fort Davis and with the NCAR/HAO Mark III K-coronameter at Mauna Loa. Input data for the model include T(max) = about 20 x 10 to the 6th K, n(max) = about 4 x 10 to the 11th/cu cm, and an assumed ejection velocity of 200 km/sec. Computations using an improved 2D nonplane MHD model are carried out for locally open and closed magnetic topologies. The spatially wide, large-amplitude, temporarily steepened MHD wave predicted by the model for both magnetic topologies is shown to agree well with the observations, except that the predicted density enhancement exceeded observed values by at least 50 percent for the closed field and by a factor of 3 for the open field. This discrepancy is seen as an indication that the mass emitting soft X-rays was confined in closed-field regions near the sun during the obervation period.

Wu, S. T.

Comparison of viscous-shock-layer heating analysis with Shuttle flight data in slip flow regime

Comparison of STS-2 Shuttle flight heating data along the windward centerline has been made with two-dimensional nonequilibrium viscous shock-layer solutions obtained with shock and wall-slip conditions at an altitude range of 90 to 110 km. The shock slip condition used is the modified Rankine-Hugoniot relations of Cheng as used by Davis, and the wall-slip conditions are based on the first order consideration derived from kinetic theory as given by Scott and Hendricks. The results indicate that the calculated heating distributions with slip boundary conditions agree better with the flight data than those without slip conditions. The agreement improves when the accommodation coefficient or freestream density is decreased to one-half, suggesting the possibility of less than full accommodation for the tile surface and (or) an overestimate of freestream density using the Jacchia-Roberts model. Heating reduction due to the slip effect becomes very pronounced as the flow becomes more rarefied, and the effect is more significant for the stagnation region than the aft region of the vehicle.

Shinn, J. L.

Elemental composition of arctic particulate matter

Measurements were made of the elemental composition of particulate matter collected in flights in the Arctic in spring 1983 as part of the Arctic Gas and Aerosol Sampling Program (AGASP). Ten samples of size-selected particles were analyzed by four nondestructive techniques at Davis. Concentrations were determined for H, C, N, and O by Forward Alpha Scattering Techniques (FAST) and for elements heavier than fluorine by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). Total mass was measured gravimetrically, and optical absorption was measured using the Laser Integrating Plate Method (LIPM). Results of the analyses show dramatic differences in concentrations and elemental ratios from the Alaskan Arctic to the Norwegian Arctic, with indications of wood smoke and sulfuric acid in the arctic atmosphere.

Cahill, T. A.

Magnetic Alignment Theory and the Interpretation of Polarization

The theory of magnetic spinning alignment is outlined. It is shown that a classical enhanced thermal Davis and Greenstein mechanism may be considered as a limiting case of Purcell's suprathermal spinning alignment theory when the number of active sites on a given grain becomes very important and/or for very short lived suprathermal sites. The results are applied to the interstellar medium and some problems in which it may be important are discussed.

Cugnon, P.

Analysis of SMIRR Data for Volcanic and Sedimentary Terrains of the Trans-pecos Region, Texas

The Shuttle Multispectral Infrared Radiometer (SMIRR) carried on the second mission of the Space Shuttle produced spectral data for portions of Presidio and Jeff Davis Counties, Texas during the eighteenth orbit of the spacecraft in November of 1981. The data covers an area approximately 100 m in width and 100 km in length extending from the Rio Grande just north of Candelaria in the southwest to Fort Stockton in the northeast. The area is part of the Chihuahua Desert ecosystem. The purpose of the project is to provide groundtruth for the spectral data produced by the SMIRR scanner. The ten filters on the SMIRR scanner extend from 0.50 to 2.35 microns. It has been found that the bands from 2.0 to 2.35 microns are particularly useful for discriminating carbonate and clay minerals.

Blount, H. G.

Generalized formulation of a class of explicit and implicit TVD schemes

A one parameter family of second order explicit and implicit total variation diminishing (TVD) schemes is reformulated so that a simpler and wider group of limiters is included. The resulting scheme can be viewed as a symmetrical algorithm with a variety of numerical dissipation terms that are designed for weak solutions of hyperbolic problems. This is a generalization of Roe and Davis's recent works to a wider class of symmetric schemes other than Lax-Wendroff. The main properties of the present class of schemes are that they can be implicit, and when steady state calculations are sought, the numerical solution is independent of the time step.

Yee, H. C.

Rotation and surface brightness in elliptical galaxies

Correlations between the mean surface brightness and level of rotational support are presented and discussed for the sample of elliptical galaxies presented by Davies et al. (1983). The importance of these distance-independent correlations lies in the ability to isolate the effects of projection, and hence to define an intrinsic, edge-on correlation. Thus the position of an elliptical galaxy in this plane contains information about its true shape. In addition, the slope of the 'edge-on' correlation can be compared cleanly with theoretical predictions. The correlation is interpreted as a manifestation of varying amounts of dissipation during the formation epoch of a galaxy, with higher surface brightness, rotating ellipticals having dissipated more binding energy.

Wyse, R. F. G.

Dual polarization VLBI observations of stellar binary systems at 5 GHz

The binary systems Sigma CrB, SZ Psc, HR 1099, UX Ari, HR 5110, Algol, and Cyg X-1 are characterized in terms of marcsec-scale radio structure on the basis of dual-polarization observations at 4.969-4.997 GHz, obtained with an international VLBI array comprising the 100-m Effelsberg, 36-m Haystack, 42-m Green Bank, 26-m Fort Davis, 130-m-equivalent VLA, and 40-m Owens Valley telescopes (system temperatures 40-70 K) at 22-14 h UT on July 26-27, 1983. The data are presented in graphs and tables and discussed in detail. Single Gaussian brightness distributions with theta(FWHM) = 0.5-2.0 marcsec and brightness temperatures (2-200) x 10 to the 8th K are determined for four sources; core-halo structures are found for UX Ari and Algol; and an upper limit of 50 microarcsec is established for the angular separation of the regions of left and right circular polarization. The gross features seen in RS CVn systems are explained in terms of a simple expanding-coronal-loop model of flare events.

Mutel, R. L.

On symmetric and upwind TVD schemes

A class of explicit and implicit total variation diminishing (TVD) schemes for the compressible Euler and Navier-Stokes equations was developed. They do not generate spurious oscillations across shocks and contact discontinuities. In general, shocks can be captured within 1 to 2 grid points. For the inviscid case, these schemes are divided into upwind TVD schemes and symmetric (nonupwind) TVD schemes. The upwind TVD scheme is based on the second-order TVD scheme. The symmetric TVD scheme is a generalization of Roe's and Davis' TVD Lax-Wendroff scheme. The performance of these schemes on some viscous and inviscid airfoil steady-state calculations is investigated. The symmetric and upwind TVD schemes are compared.

Yee, H. C.