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At least 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

MOPITT - A gas correlation spectrometer for tropospheric Earth observations

MOPITT (Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere) is an instrument that will fly on the EOS AM-1 Polar Orbiting Platform, to be launched in mid-1998. The instrument accurately measures the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH4) gas in the troposphere, using novel and conventional gas correlation spectroscopy techniques. These techniques are used to measure both the column amount and the vertical profile of the two gases in the troposphere. The instrument is nadir viewing and has cross-track scanning ability. It measures upwelling IR radiation through the atmosphere in the 4.6-micron and 2.3-micron bands for CO detection, and 2.2-micron for CH4. The instrument performance is enhanced using Stirling cycle mechanical coolers to maintain the IR detectors at less than 100 K. MOPITT has a total of eight detector channels to measure the total column of atmospheric CH4 gas to a precision of 1 percent, and to measure CO profiles to a precision of 10 percent. The instrument is self-calibrating to ensure data validity using internal targets and an external cold space view.

Drummond, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The ice-core record - Climate sensitivity and future greenhouse warming

The prediction of future greenhouse-gas-warming depends critically on the sensitivity of earth's climate to increasing atmospheric concentrations of these gases. Data from cores drilled in polar ice sheets show a remarkable correlation between past glacial-interglacial temperature changes and the inferred atmospheric concentration of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These and other palaeoclimate data are used to assess the role of greenhouse gases in explaining past global climate change, and the validity of models predicting the effect of increasing concentrations of such gases in the atmosphere.

Lorius, C.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Analysis of Present Day and Future OH and Methane Lifetime in the ACCMIP Simulations

Results from simulations performed for the Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Modeling Intercomparison Project (ACCMIP) are analysed to examine how OH and methane lifetime may change from present day to the future, under different climate and emissions scenarios. Present day (2000) mean tropospheric chemical lifetime derived from the ACCMIP multi-model mean is 9.8+/-1.6 yr (9.3+/-0.9 yr when only including selected models), lower than a recent observationally-based estimate, but with a similar range to previous multi-model estimates. Future model projections are based on the four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), and the results also exhibit a large range. Decreases in global methane lifetime of 4.5 +/- 9.1% are simulated for the scenario with lowest radiative forcing by 2100 (RCP 2.6), while increases of 8.5+/-10.4% are simulated for the scenario with highest radiative forcing (RCP 8.5). In this scenario, the key driver of the evolution of OH and methane lifetime is methane itself, since its concentration more than doubles by 2100 and it consumes much of the OH that exists in the troposphere. Stratospheric ozone recovery, which drives tropospheric OH decreases through photolysis modifications, also plays a partial role. In the other scenarios, where methane changes are less drastic, the interplay between various competing drivers leads to smaller and more diverse OH and methane lifetime responses, which are difficult to attribute. For all scenarios, regional OH changes are even more variable, with the most robust feature being the large decreases over the remote oceans in RCP8.5. Through a regression analysis, we suggest that differences in emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds and in the simulation of photolysis rates may be the main factors causing the differences in simulated present day OH and methane lifetime. Diversity in predicted changes between present day and future OH was found to be associated more strongly with differences in modelled temperature and stratospheric ozone changes. Finally, through perturbation experiments we calculated an OH feedback factor (F) of 1.24 from present day conditions (1.50 from 2100 RCP8.5 conditions) and a climate feedback on methane lifetime of 0.33+-0.13 yr/K, on average. Models that did not include interactive stratospheric ozone effects on photolysis showed a stronger sensitivity to climate, as they did not account for negative effects of climate-driven stratospheric ozone recovery on tropospheric OH, which would have partly offset the overall OH/methane lifetime response to climate change.

atmospheric composition↗
NASA NTRS1979

Temperature and species concentration measurements in a swirl-stabilized combustor

An experimental evaluation of a swirl-stabilized combustor is presented. The combustor is composed of two confined, concentric, swirling jets. The inner jet flow is lean premixed methane and air; the outer flow is air. Combustion is stabilized on a swirl-induced recirculation zone. Mean temperature and mean concentrations of major species are measured throughout the combustor, including the recirculation zone. Fine wire thermocouples are used to measure temperature. A gas chromatograph and a chemi-luminescence analyzer are employed to analyze samples extracted by a water-cooled gas-sampling probe. Results are presented in the form of isotherms and isopleths of species concentration in the combustor for two swirl conditions: co-swirl and counter-swirl. The effects of swirl on the combustion are discussed in light of flame quenching due to rapid dilution and cooling of the reacting inner jet flow by mixing with the outer flow. Evidence for probe induced perturbations of the combustion process is observed.

Oven, M. J.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Concentration-time data in toxicity tests and resulting relationships

Periodic analyses for carbon monoxide and methane in the animal exposure chamber during pyrolysis of polyethylene at 800 C without forced air flow showed that the concentrations of these compounds increased with exposure time. These observations, and similar observations for polyurethane flexible foam, permitted the calculation of carbon monoxide toxicity in terms of a DP (Death Product Concentration) value, in addition to flammability in terms of HC (Hydro Carbon) value. Observed DP values exceeding the critical DP(CO) value of 47,200 ppm-min for carbon monoxide may indicate that lethal exposures were reached earlier but not immediately manifested because of the time delay involved in physiological processes. On the basis of this DP(CO) value, carbon monoxide could have been the sole toxicant in the case of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyoxymethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and wood.

Hilado, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Burning trees and bridges

Most burning of biomass is the result of human activity, and on a global scale it is increasing. Tropospheric concentrations of CO2, CO, CH4, non-methane hydrocarbons, and ozone are all increasing with time; global biomass burning may make an important contribution to this increase and thus to potential global climate change. The nitrogen cycle also can have important climatic effects. Nitrous oxide put into the atmosphere by biomass burning is a greenhouse gas 250 times more powerful (molecule for molecule) than carbon dioxide. Nitric oxide, as well as being a photochemical precursor of ozone, a major pollutant in the troposphere, produces nitric acid, the fastest-growing component of acid rain. Hence, the new bridge in the nitrogen cycle is of more than mere technical interest.

Levine, Joel S.↗
NASA NTRS2005

High-temperature catalyst for catalytic combustion and decomposition

A robust, high temperature mixed metal oxide catalyst for propellant composition, including high concentration hydrogen peroxide, and catalytic combustion, including methane air mixtures. The uses include target, space, and on-orbit propulsion systems and low-emission terrestrial power and gas generation. The catalyst system requires no special preheat apparatus or special sequencing to meet start-up requirements, enabling a fast overall response time. Start-up transients of less than 1 second have been demonstrated with catalyst bed and propellant temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The catalyst system has consistently demonstrated high decomposition effeciency, extremely low decomposition roughness, and long operating life on multiple test particles.

Mays, Jeffrey A.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Operation of a Third Generation JPL Electronic Nose in the Regenerative ECLSS Module Simulator at MSFC

An electronic nose has been developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to monitor spacecraft cabin air for anomalous events such as leaks and spills of solvents, coolants or other fluids with near-real-time analysis. It is designed to operate in the environment of the US Lab on ISS and was deployed on the International Space Station for a seven-month experiment in 2008-2009. In order improve understanding of ENose response to crew activities, an ENose was installed in the Regenerative ECLSS Module Simulator (REMS) at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for several months. The REMS chamber is operated with continuous analysis of the air for presence and concentration of CO, CO2, ethane, ethanol and methane. ENose responses were analyzed and correlated with logged activities and air analyses in the REMS.

Electronic Nose (ENose)↗
NASA NTRS2011

Atmospheric Composition Change: Climate-Chemistry Interactions

Chemically active climate compounds are either primary compounds such as methane (CH4), removed by oxidation in the atmosphere, or secondary compounds such as ozone (O3), sulfate and organic aerosols, formed and removed in the atmosphere. Man-induced climate-chemistry interaction is a two-way process: Emissions of pollutants change the atmospheric composition contributing to climate change through the aforementioned climate components, and climate change, through changes in temperature, dynamics, the hydrological cycle, atmospheric stability, and biosphere-atmosphere interactions, affects the atmospheric composition and oxidation processes in the troposphere. Here we present progress in our understanding of processes of importance for climate-chemistry interactions, and their contributions to changes in atmospheric composition and climate forcing. A key factor is the oxidation potential involving compounds such as O3 and the hydroxyl radical (OH). Reported studies represent both current and future changes. Reported results include new estimates of radiative forcing based on extensive model studies of chemically active climate compounds such as O3, and of particles inducing both direct and indirect effects. Through EU projects such as ACCENT, QUANTIFY, and the AEROCOM project, extensive studies on regional and sector-wise differences in the impact on atmospheric distribution are performed. Studies have shown that land-based emissions have a different effect on climate than ship and aircraft emissions, and different measures are needed to reduce the climate impact. Several areas where climate change can affect the tropospheric oxidation process and the chemical composition are identified. This can take place through enhanced stratospheric-tropospheric exchange of ozone, more frequent periods with stable conditions favouring pollution build up over industrial areas, enhanced temperature-induced biogenic emissions, methane releases from permafrost thawing, and enhanced concentration through reduced biospheric uptake. During the last 510 years, new observational data have been made available and used for model validation and the study of atmospheric processes. Although there are significant uncertainties in the modelling of composition changes, access to new observational data has improved modelling capability. Emission scenarios for the coming decades have a large uncertainty range, in particular with respect to regional trends, leading to a significant uncertainty range in estimated regional composition changes and climate impact.

Atmosphere climate chemistry↗
NASA NTRS2014

Climate Change in New York State Updating the 2011 ClimAID Climate Risk Information Supplement to NYSERDA Report 11-18 (Responding to Climate Change in New York State)

In its 2013-2014 Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that there is a greater than 95 percent chance that rising global average temperatures, observed since the mid-20th century, are primarily due to human activities. As had been predicted in the 1800s, the principal driver of climate change over the past century has been increasing levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases associated with fossil-fuel combustion, changing land-use practices, and other human activities. Atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide are now approximately 40 percent higher than in preindustrial times. Concentrations of other important greenhouse gases, including methane and nitrous oxide, have increased rapidly as well.

New York↗
NASA NTRS2013

Analyzing Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions in California Using Airborne Measurements and Model Simulations

Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations have increased over the past decades and are linked to global temperature increases and climate change. These changes in climate have been suggested to have varying effects, and uncertain consequences, on agriculture, water supply, weather, sea-level rise, the economy, and energy. To counteract the trend of increasing atmospheric concentrations of GHGs, the state of California has passed the California Global Warming Act of 2006 (AB-32). This requires that by the year 2020, GHG (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4)) emissions will be reduced to 1990 levels. To quantify GHG fluxes, emission inventories are routinely compiled for the State of California (e.g., CH4 emissions from the California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) Project). The major sources of CO2 and CH4 in the state of California are: transportation, electricity production, oil and gas extraction, cement plants, agriculture, landfills/waste, livestock, and wetlands. However, uncertainties remain in these emission inventories because many factors contributing to these processes are poorly quantified. To alleviate these uncertainties, a synergistic approach of applying air-borne measurements and chemical transport modeling (CTM) efforts to provide a method of quantifying local and regional GHG emissions will be performed during this study. Additionally, in order to further understand the temporal and spatial distributions of GHG fluxes in California and the impact these species have on regional climate, CTM simulations of daily variations and seasonality of total column CO2 and CH4 will be analyzed. To assess the magnitude and spatial variation of GHG emissions and to identify local “hot spots”, airborne measurements of CH4 and CO2 were made by the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in January and February 2013 during the Discover-AQ-CA study. High mixing ratios of GHGs were observed in-flight with a high degree of spatial variability. To provide an additional method to quantify GHG emissions, and analyze AJAX measurement data, the GEOS-Chem CTM is used to simulate SFBA/SJV GHG measurements. A nested-grid version of GEOS-Chem will be applied and utilizes varying emission inventories and model parameterizations to simulate GHG fluxes/emissions. The model considers CO2 fluxes from fossil fuel use, biomass/biofuel burning, terrestrial and oceanic biosphere exchanges, shipping and aviation, and production from the oxidation of carbon monoxide, CH4, and non-methane volatile organic carbons. The major sources of CH4 simulated in GEOS-Chem are domesticated animals, rice fields, natural gas leakage, natural gas venting/flaring (oil production), coal mining, wetlands, and biomass burning. Preliminary results from the comparison between available observations (e.g., AJAX and CALGEM CH4 emission maps) and GEOS-Chem results will be presented, along with a discussion of CO2 and CH4 source apportionment and the use of the GEOS-Chem-adjoint to perform inverse GHG modeling.

Johnson, Matthew S.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Mapping Rice Production in China with AVHRR Imagery

The study of rice agriculture is necessary for both the importance of rice as a vital food source and because of the fact that cultivating it has an unfortunate byproduct, namely methane gas. As a food source, rice is a staple for a large majority of the world's population, especially in Asia. Because the populations of many Asian nations are increasing at rapid rates, the production of rice will need to similarly increase. In 1989, it was estimated that the demand for rice would increase by 65% by the year 2019. Rice crops are considered to be one of the primary anthropogenic sources of methane gas. A reason for concern is that this gas is a so-called "greenhouse" trace gas and given its increasing levels in the atmosphere, is thought to contribute to the suspected global warming phenomenon. Some estimate that methane may contribute up to 20% to the global warming effect. Trace gas emissions from anthropogenic sources is an issue that generates great worldwide interest because of the fact that mankind is very likely affecting the current and future climate in potentially negative ways. In an effort to better understand these effects, scientists and engineers are conducting research on all of the varied fronts which relate to climate change and biosphere/atmosphere interactions. The study of global warming through increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases is one area which has received much media and scientific attention. Research fueled by debates on this topic is being conducted on numerous, interrelated fronts in an effort to better understand the complex relationship between human activities and the earth's climate. The research ranges from attempting to verify if the observed data even supports the existence of an anthropogenically generated global-warming phenomenon, to identification of sources and sinks of the trace gases, to measuring the source strengths, to studies which focus on modeling the processes which generate the gases, and finally, to trying to project their impact on the global climatic system. Some of the more commonly known sources of greenhouse gases are related to industry and transportation. Carbon dioxide, CO2, from automobile emissions is one such example. Lesser known are sources from natural and cultivated vegetation, such as the methane, CH4, resulting from rice cropping. While the concentration of atmospheric methane is significantly less than that of carbon dioxide, CH4 has been estimated to have up to 32 times the insulating capability of carbon dioxide, making it an important gas to monitor. The remainder of this chapter will provide some additional background information on the effects of atmospheric methane, and the role that rice agriculture plays as a source in the methane budget. This will be followed by a brief description of efforts to model this source of atmospheric methane. Finally, this chapter will end with a statement of the hypotheses of this thesis, at which time a description of the information contained in the rest of this document will be provided.

Paliouras, Eleni J.↗
NASA NTRS1977

High pressure flame system for pollution studies with results for methane-air diffusion flames

A high pressure flame system was designed and constructed for studying nitrogen oxide formation in fuel air combustion. Its advantages and limitations were demonstrated by tests with a confined laminar methane air diffusion flame over the pressure range from 1 to 50 atm. The methane issued from a 3.06 mm diameter port concentrically into a stream of air contained within a 20.5 mm diameter chimney. As the combustion pressure is increased, the flame changes in shape from wide and convex to slender and concave, and there is a marked increase in the amount of luminous carbon. The height of the flame changes only moderately with pressure.

Miller, I. M.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Combustion efficiency of a premixed continuous flow combustor

Exhaust gas temperature, velocity, and composition measurements at various radial locations at the combustor exit are presented for a swirling-flow continuous combustor of a confined concentric jet configuration operating on premixed propane or methane and air. The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of fuel substitution and of changes in outer flow swirl conditions on the combustor performance. It is found that there is no difference in observed properties for propane and methane firing; the use of either of the fuels results in nearly the same exit temperature and velocity profiles and the same efficiency for a given operating condition. A mechanism for combustion is proposed which explains qualitatively the changes in efficiency and pollutant emissions observed with changing swirl.

Anand, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Trends in source gases

Source gases are defined as those gases that, by their breakdown, introduce into the stratosphere halogen, hydrogen, and nitrogen compounds that are important in stratospheric ozone destruction. Given here is an update of the existing concentration time series for chlorocarbons, nitrous oxide, and methane. Also reviewed is information on halogen containing species and the use of these data for establishing trends. Also reviewed is evidence on trends in trace gases that influence tropospheric chemistry and thus the tropospheric lifetimes of source gases, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or nitrogen oxides. Much of the information is given in tabular form.

Ehhalt, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS2002

The Effects of Low Sulfate Concentrations on Modern Microbial Mat Communities: A Long Term Manipulation

Microbial mats were widespread during the first ca. 2 Ga. of our biosphere's history. To better understand microbial ecosystems and their biomarkers under the low sulfate levels present in early oceans, we attempted a long-term (ca. 1 year) manipulation of sulfate in modem mats. Mats collected from salt ponds at Guerrero Negro, Baja Calif. Sur were incubated in a Greenhouse "Collaboratory" at Ames. Mats were maintained in artificial seawater brine containing either: 1) sulfate levels normal for these mats (70 mM), or 2) brine in which sulfate was replaced by chloride. Sulfate concentrations in the "low sulfate" brine gradually approached their lowest (to date) value of 0. 1 mM as sulfate was consumed and/or diffused out of the mat over a period of ca. 4 months. During that period of time, a number of differences between the treatments emerged. Relative to the "low sulfate" mats, "normal sulfate" mats had: 1) lower consumption of oxygen in the lower levels of the mat, 2) higher efficiencies of oxygenic photosynthesis, and 3) higher rates of nitrogen fixation. Rates of methane production by the mats increased greatly as sulfate concentrations fell below ca. 0.2 mM. In contrast, "low" and "normal" sulfate mats had similar net rates of exchange of O2 and dissolved inorganic C between the mats and overlying water. Reduced sulfate levels have diverse impacts upon these ecosystems.

Bebout, Brad↗
NASA NTRS1985

Distribution and metabolism of quaternary amines in salt marshes

Quaternary amines such as glycine betaine (GBT) are common osmotically active solutes in much of the marine biota. GBT is accumulated by various bacteria, algae, higher plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates in response to salinity or water stresses; in some species, GBT occurs at tens to hundreds of millimolar concentrations and can account for a significant fraction of total nitrogen. Initial studies suggest that GBT is readily converted to two potential methane precursors, trimethylamine (TMA) and acetate, in anoxic sediments. TMA is apparently the most important methane precursor in surface sediments containing sulfate reducing bacteria. In salt marshes, the bulk of the methane formed may be due to the metabolism of TMA rather than other substrates. Current research is focussed on testing this hypothesis and on determining the role of quaternary amino osmoregulatory solutes in methane fluxes from marine environments. Preliminary studies have dealt with several problems: (1) determination of GBT concentrations in the dominant flora and fauna of salt marshes; (2) synthesis of radiolabelled GBT for metabolic studies; and (3) determination of fates of BGT in marine sediments using radiotracers. Both GC and HPLC techniques have been used to assay GBT concentrations in plant and animal tissues. S. alterniflora is probably the only significant source of GBT (and indirectly of methane) since the biomass and distribution of most other species is limited. Current estimates suggest that S. alterniflora GBT could account for most of the methane efflux from salt marshes.

King, Gary M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Methane on Mars: Thermodynamic Equilibrium and Photochemical Calculations

The detection of methane (CH4) in the atmosphere of Mars by Mars Express and Earth-based spectroscopy is very surprising, very puzzling, and very intriguing. On Earth, about 90% of atmospheric ozone is produced by living systems. A major question concerning methane on Mars is its origin - biological or geological. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations indicated that methane cannot be produced by atmospheric chemical/photochemical reactions. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations for three gases, methane, ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) in the Earth s atmosphere are summarized in Table 1. The calculations indicate that these three gases should not exist in the Earth s atmosphere. Yet they do, with methane, ammonia and nitrous oxide enhanced 139, 50 and 12 orders of magnitude above their calculated thermodynamic equilibrium concentration due to the impact of life! Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations have been performed for the same three gases in the atmosphere of Mars based on the assumed composition of the Mars atmosphere shown in Table 2. The calculated thermodynamic equilibrium concentrations of the same three gases in the atmosphere of Mars is shown in Table 3. Clearly, based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, methane should not be present in the atmosphere of Mars, but it is in concentrations approaching 30 ppbv from three distinct regions on Mars.

Levine, J. S.↗