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At least 1,675 records · Page 93

Impact and volcanism - A momentum scaling law for erosion

The controversy that raged through the 1950s to 1970s over similarities and differences between meteorite impact and volcanic processes is revisited. We propose that there are quantitative similarities in erosion caused by high-speed ejecta produced by either impacts or volcanic processes. Field and petrographic data from the Manicouagan impact crater, Canada, are used to demonstrate that, during the emplacement of the impact melt sheet, erosion occurred at a rate of 2562 kg/sq m per s. Field data for the Mount St. Helens lateral blast of May 18, 1980, suggest an erosion rate of 21 kg/sq m per s, and field data for a small pyroclastic flow on August 7, 1980, suggest an erosion rate of about 14 kg /sq m per s. It is proposed that these three rates were determined dominantly by the momentum of the ejecta, and a quantitative formulation based on lofting theory is given. A new application of the Monte Carlo approach to analysis provides minimum, most likely, and maximum estimates for both the field and the theoretical analyses. The substantial erosion that occurs by fast moving flows results in mixing of stratigraphic components over large distances and to very fine scales.

Simonds, Charles H.↗

Comparison of predictions and under-the-wing EBF noise data

Detailed three-dimensional free field noise data were obtained by NASA for an under-the-wing externally blown model three-flap wing, and for a similar slotless wing. Spatial (polar and azimuthal) and spectral characteristics of these data are presented. These data are compared with predictions from some published EBF noise calculation methods. Methods include the totally empirical ANOPP and GELAC procedures, and a semi-empirical noise component method. The latter method adds the separately computed dipole noise due to fluctuating lift and drag, trailing edge noise, and quadrupole noise due to the deflected jet. Each of these components is calculated for the local geometry and flow conditions.

Fink, M. R.↗

Intercomparison of airborne and surface-based measurements during the CLARIFY, ORACLES and LASIC field experiments

Data are presented from intercomparisons between two research aircraft, the FAAM BAe-146 and the NASA Lockheed P3, and between the BAe-146 and the surface-based DOE (Department of Energy) ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring) Mobile Facility at Ascension Island (8 S, 14.5W, a remote island in the mid-Atlantic). These took place from 17 August to 5 September 2017, during the African biomass burning season. The primary motivation was to give confidence in the use of data from multiple platforms with which to evaluate numerical climate models. The three platforms were involved in the CLouds-Aerosol-Radiation Interaction and Forcing for Year 2017 (CLARIFY-2017), ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS (ORACLES), and Layered Atlantic Smoke and Interactions with Clouds (LASIC) field experiments. Comparisons from flight segments on six days where the BAe-146 flew alongside the ARM facility on Ascension Island are presented, along with comparisons from wing-tip to wing-tip flight of the P3 and BAe-146 on 18 th August 2017. The intercomparison flight sampled a relatively clean atmosphere overlying a moderately polluted boundary layer, while the 6 fly-bys of the ARM site sampled both clean and polluted conditions 2–4 km upwind. We compare and validate characterisations of aerosol physical, chemical, and optical properties, atmospheric radiation, and cloud microphysics between platforms. We assess the performance of measurement instrumentation in the field, under conditions where sampling conditions are not tightly controlled as in laboratory measurements where calibrations are performed. Solar radiation measurements compared well between airborne platforms. Optical absorption coefficient measurements compared well across all three platforms, even though absolute magnitudes were often low (< 10 Mm -1 ) and close to the sensitivity limits of measurement instrumentation thereby confounding assessments of the comparability of absorption Ångström exponent characterisations. Aerosol absorption measurements from airborne platforms were more comparable than aircraft-to-ground observations. Scattering coefficient observations compared well between airborne platforms, but agreement with ground-based measurements was worse, potentially caused by small differences in sampling conditions or actual aerosol population differences. Chemical composition measurements followed a similar pattern, with better comparisons between the airborne platforms. Thermodynamics, aerosol, and cloud microphysical properties generally compared well.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

On the possibility of detecting large-scale crustal remanent magnetization with Magsat vector magnetic anomaly data

Magnetic anomaly component data measured by Magsat is compared with synthetic anomaly component fields arising from an equivalent source dipole array at the earth's surface generated from total field anomaly data alone. It is found that the synthetic components fit the component data regardless of the dipole orientation assigned to the equivalent sources and of the dipole spacing. Tentative conclusions are: (1) over the U.S., vector anomaly fields can be determined to the accuracy of the measurements from the total field anomaly data alone; and (2) the equivalent source technique is not useful for determining the direction of large-scale crustal magnetization.

Galliher, S. C.↗

Dependence of radio emission in large H alpha flares 1967-1970 upon the orientation of the local solar magnetic field

Published data on ionizing radiation (as reflected in sudden ionospheric disturbances), H-alpha importance, 10-cm flux, dynamic spectrum, and 200-MHz flux are analyzed for a group of 84 solar flares (from 1967 to 1970) classified by Pudovkin and Chertkov (1976). The group consists of 29 flares with southern orientation of the 100,000-km-scale overlying magnetic field, 32 with northern orientation, and 23 with indeterminate orientation; all have H-alpha importance greater than about 2. Slightly greater X-ray and optical emissions, but one-order-of-magnitude greater prompt 200-MHz and 10-cm fluxes are found in southern as compared to northern-oriented flares. It is inferred that the amount of electromagnetic flare energy radiated promptly from the corona, as compared with that radiated from the chromosphere, was significantly affectly by the orientation of the overlying large-scale magnetic field during the period of observation. This trend is shown to be consistent despite some periodic variation.

Roelof, E. C.↗

Reconstruction of a three-dimensional, transonic rotor flow field from holographic interferogram data

Holographic interferometry and computerized aided tomography (CAT) are used to determine the transonic velocity field of a model rotor blade in hover. A pulsed ruby laser recorded 40 interferograms with a 2 ft dia view field near the model rotor blade tip operating at a tip Mach number of 0.90. After digitizing the interferograms and extracting the fringe order functions, the data are transferred to a CAT code. The CAT code then calculates the perturbation velocity in several planes above the blade surface. The values from the holography-CAT method compare favorably with previously obtained numerical computations in most locations near the blade tip. The results demonstrate the technique's potential for three dimensional transonic rotor flow studies.

Kittleson, John K.↗

Analysis of Upper Air, Ground and Remote Sensing Data for the Atlas Field Campaign in San Juan, Puerto Rico

The general climate of the island of Puerto Rico is dominated by the easterly trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean, and during synoptically calm days by the topographic and local land surface characteristics [1]. The urban canopy of the metropolitan area of San Juan, capital city of the Island, may introduce a new microclimate that changes the characteristics of the low atmosphere and interacts with the other microclimates already present in the island. The primitive land cover and land use (LCLU) of the metropolitan area of San Juan was composed by broadleaf trees, moist soils, and very dense vegetation in general. The urban LCLU changes the balance for the mass, momentum and energy between the bottom boundary and the lower atmosphere, creating different climate conditions over urban and rural regions. Some of these differences are low relative humidity and high temperatures observed in urban areas when compared to rural areas. These in turn produces a convective circulation over the urban areas, a phenomenon compared to the sea and land breezes, commonly known as heat islands (UHI). Factors that contribute to the formation of the UHI are anthropogenic heat sources, aerosols from pollutants, fast water canalization due to the presence of buildings and streets, among others. The comparison between urban and rural climates is the most common approach to analyze the UHI. These contrasts are larger in clear and calm conditions and tend to disappear in cloudy and windy weather. The UHI was recognized in the early 1950 s as closed isotherms that separates the city from the general temperature field [2]. The impact of the urban LCLU in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was quantified calculating the difference between historical data sets for the air temperature over an identified urban area and a rural area dT(U-R). The analysis of the climatological data revealed that a UHI exists in the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The data reveals a permanent urban heat island effect present in the SJMA during the year, which is increasing at a rate of 0.41oC/decade. These findings encouraged the planning and execution of an intense field campaign in February 2004 referred as the ATLAS San Juan mission. The focus of the remaining of this report is the analysis of the data for this field campaign.

Gonzalez-Cruz, Jorge E.↗

Wind and Structural Loads on Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors at Nevada Solar One

Wind loading is a main contributor to structural design costs of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) collectors, such as heliostats and parabolic troughs. These structures must resist the mechanical forces generated by turbulent wind. At the same time, the reflector surfaces must exhibit the necessary rigidity to maintain their optimal optical performance in windy conditions. Over two years, NREL conducted comprehensive field measurements of the atmospheric turbulent wind conditions and the resulting structural wind loads on parabolic troughs at the Nevada Solar One (NSO) plant. The measurement set-up included meteorological masts and structural load sensors on four trough rows. Additionally, we commissioned a lidar scanning the horizontal plane over the trough field. This data set catalogs the high-resolution data set characterizing the complex flow field and resulting structural loads on parabolic trough collectors. By providing this first-of-its-kind data set to the CSP community, we aim to enhance the community's understanding of wind-loading experienced by CSP collector structures. This data set will also help design next-generation solar collectors and photovoltaic trackers.

Array↗

A model of Saturn's magnetic field based on all available data

A model of Saturn's magnetic field, called Saturn Pioneer Voyager (SPV), is developed on the basis of an analysis of three sets of data: those from the Pioneer 11, the Voyager 1, and the Voyager 2 magnetometers. It is shown that the SPV model fits the data observed between 1.3 and 8.0 Saturn radii from the planet's center with a 1.13 percent weighted rms average of the percent differences between the observed and modeled fields, which is substantially better than the fits yielded by any of the previous models.

Davis, Leverett, Jr.↗

Data acquisition and preprocessing techniques for remote sensing field research

A crops and soils data base has been developed at Purdue University's Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing using spectral and agronomic measurements made by several government and university researchers. The data are being used to (1) quantitatively determine the relationships of spectral and agronomic characteristics of crops and soils, (2) define future sensor systems, and (3) develop advanced data analysis techniques. Researchers follow defined data acquisition and preprocessing techniques to provide fully annotated and calibrated sets of spectral, agronomic, and meteorological data. These procedures enable the researcher to combine his data with that acquired by other researchers for remote sensing research. The key elements or requirements for developing a field research data base of spectral data that can be transported across sites and years are appropriate experiment design, accurate spectral data calibration, defined field procedures, and through experiment documentation.

Biehl, L. L.↗

Near earth magnetic disturbance in total field at high latitudes. 1: Summary of data from OGO's 2, 4, and 6

Variations in the total (i.e. scalar) magnetic field data from the polar orbiting OGO-2, 4, and 6 spacecraft (altitudes 400-1510 km) are summarized for invariant latitudes above 55 deg. Data from all degrees of magnetic disturbance are included. The data are presented in terms of the quantity delta B(= measured field magnitude minus the field magnitude from a spherical harmonic model of the quiet field).

Langel, R. A.↗

Reconstruction of a 3-dimensional transonic rotor flow field from holographic interferogram data

Holographic interferometry and computer-assisted tomography (CAT) are used to determine the transonic velocity field of a model rotor blade in hover. A pulsed ruby laser recorded 40 interferograms with a 2-ft-diam view field near the model rotor-blade tip operating at a tip Mach number of 0.90. After digitizing the interferograms and extracting fringe-order functions, the data are transferred to a CAT code. The CAT code then calculates the perturbation velocity in seeral planes above the blade surface. The values from the holography-CAT method compare favorably with previously obtained numerical computations in most locations near the blade tip. The results demonstrate the technique's potential for three-dimensional transonic rotor flow studies.

Yu, Y. H.↗

Reconstruction of a three-dimensional, transonic rotor flow field from holographic interferogram data

Holographic interferometry and computer-assisted tomography (CAT) are used to determine the transonic velocity field of a model rotor blade in hover. A pulsed ruby laser recorded 40 interferograms with a 2-ft-diam view field near the model rotor-blade tip operating at a tip Mach number of 0.90. After digitizing the interferograms and extracting fringe-order functions, the data are transferred to a CAT code. The CAT code then calculates the perturbation velocity in several planes above the blade surface. The value from the holography-CAT method compare favorably with previously obtained numerical computations in most locations near the blade tip. The results demonstrate the technique's potential for three-dimensional transonic rotor flow studies.

Yu, Y. H.↗

Data from: "Lab and Field Warming Similarly Advance Germination Date and Limit Germination Rate for High and Low Elevation Provenances of Two Widespread Subalpine Conifers"

This archive contains data used to draw conclusions in “Lab and Field Warming Similarly Advance Germination Date and Limit Germination Rate for High and Low Elevation Provenances of Two Widespread Subalpine Conifers”, by Kueppers et al. 2017. Cone collection and field experiments were conducted on Niwot Ridge, Colorado, with the latter completed within the Alpine Treeline Warming Experiment (ATWE). Laboratory germination experiments were conducted at the University of California Merced. Geospatial files are also provided for additional geographical context.There are four data file formats in this package: comma-separated values (.csv), Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), keyhole markup language (.kml), and ESRI shapefile (.shp). The latter two are geospatial file formats. .csv files can be opened using any simple text editor program such as TextEdit (Mac) and Notepad (Windows), and .xlsx files can be opened using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. The .kml file contains coordinate data, and is compatible with Google Earth and Google Maps. ESRI shapefiles (.shp) are compatible with any geospatial software able to read the file type, such as QGIS and ESRI’s ArcGIS Suite. This data user’s guide is available in as a .pdf, and can be opened using software such as Adobe Acrobat Reader.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Accurately predicting upslope shifts in subalpine tree ranges with warming requires understanding how future forest populations will be affected by climate change, as these are the seed sources for new tree line and alpine populations. Early life history stages are particularly sensitive to climate and are also influenced by genetic variation among populations. We tested the climate sensitivity of germination and initial development for two widely distributed subalpine conifers, using controlled-environment growth chambers with one temperature regime from subalpine forest in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and one 5 °C warmer, and two soil moisture levels. We tracked germination rate and timing, rate of seedling development, and seedling morphology for two seed provenances separated by ~300 m elevation. Warming advanced germination timing and initial seedling development by a total of ~2 weeks, advances comparable to mean differences between provenances. Advances were similar for both provenances and species; however, warming reduced the overall germination rate, as did low soil moisture, only for Picea engelmannii. A three-year field warming and watering experiment planted with the same species and provenances yielded responses qualitatively consistent with the lab trials. Together these experiments indicate that in a warmer, drier climate, P. engelmannii germination, and thus regeneration, could decline, which could lead to declining subalpine forest populations, while Pinus flexilis forest populations could remain robust as a seed source for upslope range shifts.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Test of Shi et al. Method to Infer the Magnetic Reconnection Geometry from Spacecraft Data: MHD Simulation with Guide Field and Antiparallel Kinetic Simulation

When analyzing data from an array of spacecraft (such as Cluster or MMS) crossing a site of magnetic reconnection, it is desirable to be able to accurately determine the orientation of the reconnection site. If the reconnection is quasi-two dimensional, there are three key directions, the direction of maximum inhomogeneity (the direction across the reconnection site), the direction of the reconnecting component of the magnetic field, and the direction of rough invariance (the "out of plane" direction). Using simulated spacecraft observations of magnetic reconnection in the geomagnetic tail, we extend our previous tests of the direction-finding method developed by Shi et al. (2005) and the method to determine the structure velocity relative to the spacecraft Vstr. These methods require data from four proximate spacecraft. We add artificial noise and calibration errors to the simulation fields, and then use the perturbed gradient of the magnetic field B and perturbed time derivative dB/dt, as described by Denton et al. (2010). Three new simulations are examined: a weakly three-dimensional, i.e., quasi-two-dimensional, MHD simulation without a guide field, a quasi-two-dimensional MHD simulation with a guide field, and a two-dimensional full dynamics kinetic simulation with inherent noise so that the apparent minimum gradient was not exactly zero, even without added artificial errors. We also examined variations of the spacecraft trajectory for the kinetic simulation. The accuracy of the directions found varied depending on the simulation and spacecraft trajectory, but all the directions could be found within about 10 for all cases. Various aspects of the method were examined, including how to choose averaging intervals and the best intervals for determining the directions and velocity. For the kinetic simulation, we also investigated in detail how the errors in the inferred gradient directions from the unmodified Shi et al. method (using the unperturbed gradient) depended on the amplitude of the calibration errors. For an accuracy of 3 for the maximum gradient direction, the calibration errors could be as large as 3% of reconnection magnetic field, while for the same accuracy for the minimum gradient direction, the calibration errors could only be as large as 0.03% of the reconnection magnetic field. These results suggest that the maximum gradient direction can normally be determined by the unmodified Shi et al. method, while the modified method or some other method must be used to accurately determine the minimum gradient direction. The structure velocity was found with magnitude accurate to 2% and direction accurate to within 5%.

Denton, R.↗

Near earth magnetic disturbance in total field at high latitudes. 2: Interpretation of data from OGO's 2, 4, and 6

Variations in the scalar magnetic field (delta B) from the polar orbiting OGO 2, 4, and 6 spacecraft, with supporting vector magnetic field data from surface observatories, were analyzed at dipole latitudes above 55 deg. Although individual satellite passes, at low altitudes, confirm the existence of electrojet currents, neither individual satellite passes nor contours of average delta B are consistent with latitudinally narrow electrojet currents as the principal source of delta B at the satellite. The ratio of delta B magnitudes in positive and negative regions is variable. The characteristics of the negative delta B region indicate a latitudinally broad ionospheric source. Comparison of the surface magnetic disturbance caused by the equivalent current with the measured average surface disturbance shows good agreement except in localized details. Because delta B decreases very slowly with altitude in the positive delta B region, it is not possible to account for this disturbance in terms of ionospheric currents. The contribution to the satellite delta B due to a model electrojet, which reproduced the measured average surface horizontal disturbance, was computed. Definitive identification of all sources of positive delta B is not possible at this time.

Langel, R. A.↗

Combined use of remote sensing and seismic observations to infer geologically recent crustal deformation, active faulting, and stress fields

Characteristic traits for earthquakes associated with strike-slip motion in Central California and the Salton Sea area, as revealed in ground based studies and LANDSAT imagery, were compared. The mapped lineaments are found to be oriented in several dominant directions. One direction is the same as the trend of the San Andreas fault. The other directions differ from area to area and may reflect the stresses of earlier geologic processes. The pattern of lineament orientations is significantly LANDSAT MSS data, SEASAT synthetic aperture radar data, and magnetic field data from the South Mountain area west of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania were registered to match each other in spatial position and merged. Pattern recognition techniques were applied to the composite data set to determine its utility in recognizing different rock types and structures in vegetated terrain around South Mountain. With the use of a texture algorithm to enhance geologic features, a classification of the entire area was made. A test of the correlation between SAR tone and texture, LANDSAT tone and texture, and magnetic field data revealed no tone or texture measures linking any two of the original data sets.

Alexander, S. S.↗

Automated Identification of Initial Storm Electrification and End-of-Storm Electrification Using Electric Field Mill Sensors

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) operations are located in a region which experiences one of the highest lightning densities across the United States. As a result, on average, KSC loses almost 30 minutes of operational availability each day for lightning sensitive activities. KSC is investigating using existing instrumentation and automated algorithms to improve the timeliness and accuracy of lightning warnings. Additionally, the automation routines will be warning on a grid to minimize under-warnings associated with not being located in the center of the warning area and over-warnings associated with encompassing too large an area. This study discusses utilization of electric field mill data to provide improved warning times. Specifically, this paper will demonstrate improved performance of an enveloping algorithm of the electric field mill data as compared with the electric field zero crossing to identify initial storm electrification. End-of-Storm-Oscillation (EOSO) identification algorithms will also be analyzed to identify performance improvement, if any, when compared with 30 minutes after the last lightning flash.

initial storm electrification↗