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DOE OSTI2019

Nuclear Data Sheets for A=266,270,274,278,282,286,290,294,298☆

Spectroscopic information such as production, identification, half-lives, decay modes and possible excited states for experimentally known nuclides of mass numbers 266, 270, 274, 278, 282, 286, 290, 294, and 298 are presented together with the recommended values, superseding information and data in the previous ENSDF and NDS evaluation by 2005Gu33. No nuclides have yet been identified for A=302. In the last 14 years, large amounts of new and definitive data on the superheavy nuclides (SHN) have become available, thus changing almost entirely the landscape of nuclear data in this mass region, as also indicated by a number of recent review articles: 2017Og01, 2016Ho09, 2016Ho06 (for fission barriers), 2015Og05, 2015Og07, 2015Mo25, 2015OgZX, 2013Th02, and 2011Og07. See 2016Ka49 for IUPAC technical discussions for the discovery of Z=117 (Ts), Z=115 (Mc), Z=113 (Nh), 2001Ka70 and 2003Ka71 for Z=110-112, 2011Ba54 for Z≥113, 2009Ba62 for Z=112, and 2016Ka50 for Z=118 (Og). A special issue of Nuclear Physics A444 (2015) is devoted to research on superheavy elements (SHE) with 27 articles. In particular, see article by 2015Ko20 on mass spectrometric searches for superheavy elements in terrestrial matter. See also Proceedings of Nobel Symposium NS160 ‘Chemistry and Physics of Heavy and Superheavy Elements’ published in Eur. Phys. Jour. Web of Conferences 131 (2016), in particular 2016UtZZ, 2016DmZZ and 2016HoZY. See also 2016DuZX for future prospects of discovery of elements beyond Z=118 A=266: {sup 266}Db, {sup 266}Sg, {sup 266}Bh, {sup 266}Hs and {sup 266}Mt are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=266. Identification of {sup 266}Lr from α decay of {sup 270}Db has been proposed by 2014Kh04 from experiments at GSI, but complete details and analyses of all the four decay chains reported in this experiment have not yet been published, and discussion in 2015Og05 review article considering their work from Dubna (2013Og04, 2011Og04) and from GSI (2014Kh04) still concluded that {sup 270}Db decayed dominantly by SF mode, in contrast with dominant α decay mode proposed by 2014Kh04. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, RIKEN, and LBNL facilities: {sup 266}Db from the α-decay of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains at Dubna; {sup 266}Sg as α-daughter of {sup 270}Hs in 12 correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI; {sup 266}Bh in α decay of {sup 278}Nh in three correlated decay chains observed at RIKEN, and also directly with one event in {sup 249}Bk({sup 22}Ne,5n) at LBNL, and with four events in {sup 243}Am({sup 26}Mg,3n) at HIRFL-Lanzhou; {sup 266}Hs as α-daughter of {sup 270}Ds at GSI in two different experiments, six correlated decays in the first, and 25 decay chains in the second experiment, the analysis of which has not been fully reported as yet; and {sup 266}Mt directly in {sup 209}Bi({sup 58}Fe,n) reaction at GSI in two different experiments, observing three events in the first experiment and 12 events in the second, also produced in {sup 208}Pb({sup 59}Co,n) reaction at LBNL, observing five correlated decay chains. See also 2000Ho27 for discussion on {sup 266}Sg and {sup 266}Mt. A=270: {sup 270}Db, {sup 270}Bh, {sup 270}Hs, {sup 270}Mt and {sup 270}Ds are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=270 are presented. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: {sup 270}Db from the decay of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI; {sup 270}Bh as α great-granddaughter of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna; {sup 270}Hs directly in {sup 248}Cm({sup 26}Mg,4n) reaction at GSI, and in {sup 226}Ra({sup 48}Ca,4n) reaction at Dubna; {sup 270}Mt as granddaughter of {sup 278}Ts in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN; and {sup 270}Ds directly in {sup 207}Pb({sup 64}Ni,n) at GSI in 33 correlated decay chains. A=274: {sup 274}Bh, {sup 274}Mt and {sup 274}Rg are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=274. Search for {sup 274}Ds in {sup 238}U({sup 40}Ar, 4n),E=5.7 MeV/nucleon reaction and subsequent α decays at GSI (1990Sc11) proved negative. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: {sup 274}Bh from the decay of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, {sup 274}Mt produced as α daughter of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna, and {sup 274}Rg as α daughter of {sup 278}Nh produced in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN. A=278: {sup 278}Mt, {sup 278}Rg and {sup 278}Nh are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=278. A very tentative evidence is provided for {sup 278}Bh and {sup 278}Hs from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. Experiments carried out at FLNR-JINR-Dubna in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, GSI-SHIP facility, and RIKEN: {sup 278}Mt from the decay of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, {sup 278}Rg produced as α daughter of {sup 282}Nh in two correlated decay chains observed at Dubna, and {sup 278}Nh produced directly in three correlated decay chains at RIKEN. A=282: {sup 282}Rg, {sup 282}Cn and {sup 282}Nh are the experimentally identified nuclides with A=282. A very tentative evidence is provided for {sup 282}Mt and {sup 282}Ds from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, {sup 282}Rg in α decay chain of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains at Dubna and GSI, {sup 282}Cn produced in four ways at Dubna: independently in one correlated decay chain, as α daughter of {sup 286}Lv in 11 correlated decay chains, as α grand-daughter of {sup 290}Lv in 12 correlated decay chains, as α great-grand daughter of {sup 294}Og in four correlated decay chains, and {sup 282}Nh produced at Dubna directly in two correlated decay chains. A=286: {sup 286}Nh and {sup 286}Fl are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=286. A very tentative evidence is provided for {sup 286}Rg and {sup 286}Cn from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. 2017Ka66 in experiments at RIKEN using GARIS separator interpret one correlated decay chain in three different ways, one involving possible production of {sup 294}Lv in {sup 248}Cm({sup 48}Ca,2n),E=261.6 MeV, and α decay to {sup 290}Fl which further decays to {sup 286}Cn. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, {sup 286}Nh as α grand-daughter of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains, and {sup 286}Fl produced in three ways: independently in 11 correlated decay chains, as α daughter of {sup 290}Lv in 12 correlated decay chains, and as α grand-daughter of {sup 294}Og in four correlated decay chains. A=290: {sup 290}Mc and {sup 290}Lv are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=290. A tentative evidence is provided for {sup 290}Nh and {sup 290}Fl from a chain originally observed and assigned to {sup 289}Fl by 1999Og10, but later reassigned by 2004Og10 to {sup 290}Fl, and further discussed in detail by 2016Ho09, where, based on systematics of α decays and SF half-lives, {sup 290}Fl is proposed to decay via ε mode to {sup 290}Nh, which then decays by an α chain, ending in {sup 278}Bh that decays by SF mode. 2017Ka66 in experiments at RIKEN using GARIS separator interpret one correlated decay chain in three different ways, one involving possible production of {sup 294}Lv in {sup 248}Cm({sup 48}Ca,2n),E=261.6 MeV, and α decay to {sup 290}Fl. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, {sup 290}Mc as α daughter of {sup 294}Ts in six correlated decay chains, and {sup 290}Lv produced in two ways, independently in 14 correlated decay chains, and as α daughter of {sup 294}Og in four correlated decay chains. A=294: {sup 294}Ts and {sup 294}Og are the only experimentally identified nuclides with A=294. Experiments carried out at FLNR-Dubna, in collaboration with LLNL and ORNL labs in the USA, and at GSI-SHIP facility confirm the identification of these isotopes, with a total of six EVR-α-SF correlated decay chains observed for {sup 294}Ts and four for {sup 294}Og. Tentative identification of {sup 294}Lv is provided by 2017Ka66 from the observation one correlated event using GARIS-RIKEN facility, where this event is interpreted in three possible ways, two interpretations lead to production of {sup 293}Lv and successive odd-A nuclides of {sup 289}Fl, {sup 285}Cn and {sup 281}Ds, whereas the third prediction starts with the production of {sup 294}Lv and successive {sup 290}Fl and {sup 286}Cn nuclides. Search for {sup 294}Rg in natural gold materials (2011De03), and for {sup 294}Ds, {sup 294}Fl and {sup 294}Mc in natural Pt, Pb and Bi samples (2011De21) using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) proved negative, with extremely low upper limits established. Also 1980St05 did not see any evidence for {sup 294}Ds in natural Pt sample using AMS. A=298: Search for {sup 298}120 through fusion-evaporation reaction at Dubna, and for {sup 298}Fl and {sup 298}Mc in natural Pt, Pb and Bi samples using accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) proved negative. Tentative assignment of three α-α-α decay chains by 2016Ho09 to {sup 299}120 in {sup 248}Cm({sup 54}Cr,3n){sup 299}120 at GSI was refuted by 2017He11, assigning these correlations to random events, instead. A=302: Fluorescent x rays from Z=120 element were observed by 2012Fr03 from compound nucleus {sup 302}120 produced in {sup 238}U({sup 64}Ni,X),E=6.6 MeV/nucleon at GANIL, and x-ray yields were measured, together with minimum average time deduced from x-ray multiplicity. The compound nucleus could decay by 3n- or 4n-channels to produce {sup 299}120 or {sup 298}120. 2012He05 and 2016Ho09 also produced {sup 302}120 compound nucleus in {sup 248}Cm({sup 54}Cr, xn){sup 302}120{sup *},E=6.035 MeV/nucleon; and {sup 238}U({sup 64}Ni,xn){sup 302}120{sup *},E=5.53 MeV/nucleon reactions using UNILAC at GSI. Three α-α-α correlated decays from {sup 248}Cm({sup 54}Cr,xn){sup 302}120{sup *} reaction were tentatively assigned by 2016Ho09 to {sup 299}120 decay, however, a detailed analysis by 2017He11 refuted this claim, ascribing these events to random sequences. There are no data tables for A=302.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1998

SSBUV and NOAA-11 SBUV/2 Solar Variability Measurements

The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) and NOAA-II Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet/2 (SBUV/2) instruments measured solar spectral Ultraviolet (UV) irradiance during the maximum and declining phase of solar cycle 22. The SSB UV data accurately represent the absolute solar UV irradiance between 200-405 nanometers, and also show the long-term variations during eight flights between October 1989 and January, 1996. These data have been used to correct long-term sensitivity changes in the NOAA-II SBUV/2 data, which provide a near-daily record of solar UV variations over the 170 to 400 nanometer region between December 1988 and October 1994. The NOAA-II data demonstrate the evolution of short-term solar UV activity during solar cycle 22.

Deland, Matthew T.↗
NASA NTRS2016

Toward a New Generation of Agricultural System Data, Models, and Knowledge Products: State of Agricultural Systems Science

We review the current state of agricultural systems science, focusing in particular on the capabilities and limitations of agricultural systems models. We discuss the state of models relative to five different Use Cases spanning field, farm, landscape, regional, and global spatial scales and engaging questions in past, current, and future time periods. Contributions from multiple disciplines have made major advances relevant to a wide range of agricultural system model applications at various spatial and temporal scales. Although current agricultural systems models have features that are needed for the Use Cases, we found that all of them have limitations and need to be improved. We identified common limitations across all Use Cases, namely 1) a scarcity of data for developing, evaluating, and applying agricultural system models and 2) inadequate knowledge systems that effectively communicate model results to society. We argue that these limitations are greater obstacles to progress than gaps in conceptual theory or available methods for using system models. New initiatives on open data show promise for addressing the data problem, but there also needs to be a cultural change among agricultural researchers to ensure that data for addressing the range of Use Cases are available for future model improvements and applications. We conclude that multiple platforms and multiple models are needed for model applications for different purposes. The Use Cases provide a useful framework for considering capabilities and limitations of existing models and data.

Livestock models↗
NASA NTRS2003

Algorithm Updates for the Fourth SeaWiFS Data Reprocessing

The efforts to improve the data quality for the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) data products have continued, following the third reprocessing of the global data set in May 2000. Analyses have been ongoing to address all aspects of the processing algorithms, particularly the calibration methodologies, atmospheric correction, and data flagging and masking. All proposed changes were subjected to rigorous testing, evaluation and validation. The results of these activities culminated in the fourth reprocessing, which was completed in July 2002. The algorithm changes, which were implemented for this reprocessing, are described in the chapters of this volume. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the activities leading up to the fourth reprocessing, and summarizes the effects of the changes. Chapter 2 describes the modifications to the on-orbit calibration, specifically the focal plane temperature correction and the temporal dependence. Chapter 3 describes the changes to the vicarious calibration, including the stray light correction to the Marine Optical Buoy (MOBY) data and improved data screening procedures. Chapter 4 describes improvements to the near-infrared (NIR) band correction algorithm. Chapter 5 describes changes to the atmospheric correction and the oceanic property retrieval algorithms, including out-of-band corrections, NIR noise reduction, and handling of unusual conditions. Chapter 6 describes various changes to the flags and masks, to increase the number of valid retrievals, improve the detection of the flag conditions, and add new flags. Chapter 7 describes modifications to the level-la and level-3 algorithms, to improve the navigation accuracy, correct certain types of spacecraft time anomalies, and correct a binning logic error. Chapter 8 describes the algorithm used to generate the SeaWiFS photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) product. Chapter 9 describes a coupled ocean-atmosphere model, which is used in one of the changes described in Chapter 4. Finally, Chapter 10 describes a comparison of results from the third and fourth reprocessings along the US. Northeast coast.

Hooker, Stanford, B.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Observed Changes in the Sea Ice Cover

Satellite passive microwave data from November 1998 through October 2002 are used to evaluate the changing characteristics and the variability of the sea ice cover in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Large seasonal changes in the extent and area are apparent with those of the Southern Hemisphere being more seasonal but less symmetric than those of the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the ice cover is observed to be on a decline at the rate of -2% and -3% per decade for ice extent and ice area, respectively, but there are areas like the Bering Sea with strong positive trends. It is remarkable. however, that the rate of decline of the perennial ice cover. or ice area at the end of the summer, is considerably larger at -9% per decade. If such a rate of decline is sustained for a few more decades, the perennial ice cover may disappear within this century. In the Antarctic, large year to year anomalies in the ice cover are observed but they follow a pattern of alternating positive and negative anomalies around the continent and showing consistency with a propagating Antarctic Circumpolar wave that circles around the region. Large negative trends of about - 11% per decade are, however, observed in the Bellingshausen/Amundsen Seas but this is offset by a similar magnitude but positive trend in the Ross Sea region. Overall, the trend for the entire Antarctic ice cover is positive but basically insignificant.

Comiso, Josefino C.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Fusion techniques using distributed Kalman filtering for detecting changes in systems

A comparison is made of the performances of two detection strategies that are based on different data fusion techniques. The strategies detect changes in a linear system. One detection strategy involves combining the estimates and error covariance matrices of distributed Kalman filters, generating a residual from the used estimates, comparing this residual to a threshold, and making a decision. The other detection strategy involves a distributed decision process in which estimates from distributed Kalman filters are used to generate distributed residuals which are compared locally to a threshold. Local decisions are made and these decisions are then fused into a global decision. The performances of each of these detection schemes are compared, and it is concluded that better performance is achieved when local decisions are made and then fused into a global decision.

Belcastro, Celeste M.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Evolution of the Crystal and Electronic Structures of the RBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ} Cuprates in Annealing

The crystal structure and the magnetic properties of the HTSC cuprates YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ}, Y{sub 1 ‒} {sub x}Ca{sub x}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ}, and Nd{sub 1 +x}Ba{sub 2 –x}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ} (x = 0.2) with the structure of a layered perovskite are studied. The well-known aging effect detected in these HTSC materials during storage under standard conditions, namely, an increase in their critical temperature T{sub c} and a decrease in lattice parameter c in time, is investigated. Using YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ} as an example, we show that the dependence of c on the oxygen content undergoes the following changes in time: (1) the negative slope of the dependence with respect to axis δ increases and (2) nonlinearity appears and grows in time according to a quadratic law. The first type of changes is explained by an increase in the valence of copper ions, which is accompanied by a decrease in their radius. The second type is explained by the electrostatic interaction of structural CuO{sub 2} planes due to the accumulation of electron holes, which come from CuO{sub δ} planes, in them. The calculation of the second type of changes in parameter c in the YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ} cuprate exhibits good quantitative agreement with the experimental data. The second-type changes in the Y{sub 1 –x}Ca{sub x}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ} compound (hole doping of CuO{sub 2} planes) turn out to be identical to those in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ}. However, the differently directed (in time) changes in lattice parameter c in Nd{sub 1 +x}Ba{sub 2 –x}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6 + δ} indicate that the CuO{sub 2} planes in the neodymium cuprate are doped by electrons at the initial stage of aging. However, when these planes are saturated with holes in time, the type of doping changes from n to p without a noticeable change in the crystal structure, which has been considered to be impossible for layered cuprates to date.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Radiation-induced Alteration of Meta-chert

Concrete aggregate identified as “meta-chert” was irradiated with gamma-rays and neutrons. To identify the volume expansion of the aggregate under neutron irradiation, herein the following analyses were performed for pristine and irradiated α-quartz and meta-chert: X-ray diffraction (XRD)/Rietveld analysis, dimension change, water pycnometry, He-pycnometry, light optical microscopy (LOM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). From the difference of volume expansion observed from dimension change and water / helium pycnometry, the crack opening inside the aggregate subjected to irradiation was elucidated, and this was confirmed by LOM and SEM analysis. The crack contribution to the expansion of the aggregate was significant for neutron fluence > 6.99 × 1019 n/cm 2 , for E ≥ 0.01 MeV. Based on the XRD analysis, changes in lattice parameters were identified and the cell volume expansion was compared with the data by helium pycnometry. Based on the density change calculation and phase calculation data, the density of X-ray amorphous phase was consistent with that of expanded crystal α-quartz.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1989

Automated thermal mapping techniques using chromatic image analysis

Thermal imaging techniques are introduced using a chromatic image analysis system and temperature sensitive coatings. These techniques are used for thermal mapping and surface heat transfer measurements on aerothermodynamic test models in hypersonic wind tunnels. Measurements are made on complex vehicle configurations in a timely manner and at minimal expense. The image analysis system uses separate wavelength filtered images to analyze surface spectral intensity data. The system was initially developed for quantitative surface temperature mapping using two-color thermographic phosphors but was found useful in interpreting phase change paint and liquid crystal data as well.

Buck, Gregory M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Automated thermal mapping techniques using chromatic image analysis

Thermal imaging techniques are introduced using a chromatic image analysis system and temperature sensitive coatings. These techniques are used for thermal mapping and surface heat transfer measurements on aerothermodynamic test models in hypersonic wind tunnels. Measurements are made on complex vehicle configurations in a timely manner and at minimal expense. The image analysis system uses separate wavelength filtered images to analyze surface spectral intensity data. The system was initially developed for quantitative surface temperature mapping using two-color thermographic phosphors but was found useful in interpreting phase change paint and liquid crystal data as well.

Buck, Gregory M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Multispectral satellite observations for arid land studies

Multispectral satellite data when properly calibrated and standardized can be used synergistically for a quantitative analysis of processes and surface characteristics, and for quantifying land surface change. Relationships among multispectral satellite data (visible reflectance, surface temperature and polarization difference of microwave emission at 37 GHz frequency) have been used to develop hypotheses concerning the relative sensitivity of these data to varied land surface characteristics, which needs to be verified by field observations. Radiative transfer models have also been developed to understand these multispectral data. Interannual variations of visible reflectance and polarization difference for the period 1982-1986 over the Sahel and the Sudan zones of Africa show a lagged response with respect to the rainfall deficit during recovery from drought, which needs to be understood in terms of biophysical parameters.

Choudhury, Bhaskar J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Classification of Meteorological Influences Surrounding Extreme Precipitation Events in the United States using the MERRA-2 Reanalysis

Extreme precipitation events can have a large impact on society through flooding that can result in property destruction, crop losses, economic losses, the spread of water-borne diseases, and fatalities. Observations indicate there has been a statistically significant increase in extreme precipitation events over the past 15 years in the Northeastern United States and other localized regions of the country have become crippled with record flooding events, for example, the flooding that occurred in the Southeast United States associated with Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. Extreme precipitation events in the United States can be caused by various meteorological influences such as extratropical cyclones, tropical cyclones, mesoscale convective complexes, general air mass thunderstorms, upslope flow, fronts, and the North American Monsoon. Reanalyses, such as the Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2), have become a pivotal tool to study the meteorology surrounding extreme precipitation events. Using days classified as an extreme precipitation events based on a combination of observational gauge and radar data, two techniques for the classification of these events are used to gather additional information that can be used to determine how events have changed over time using atmospheric data from MERRA-2. The first is self organizing maps, which is an artificial neural network that uses unsupervised learning to cluster like patterns and the second is an automated detection technique that searches for characteristics in the atmosphere that define a meteorological phenomena. For example, the automated detection for tropical cycles searches for a defined area of suppressed sea level pressure, alongside thickness anomalies aloft, indicating the presence of a warm core. These techniques are employed for extreme precipitation events in preselected regions that were chosen based an analysis of the climatology of precipitation.

Monsoon↗
NASA NTRS1990

Stress Analyzer

SPATE 900 Dynamic Stress Analyzer is an acronym for Stress Pattern Analysis by Thermal Emission. It detects stress-induced temperature changes in a structure and indicates the degree of stress. Ometron, Inc.'s SPATE 9000 consists of a scan unit and a data display. The scan unit contains an infrared channel focused on the test structure to collect thermal radiation, and a visual channel used to set up the scan area and interrogate the stress display. Stress data is produced by detecting minute temperature changes, down to one-thousandth of a degree Centigrade, resulting from the application to the structure of dynamic loading. The electronic data processing system correlates the temperature changes with a reference signal to determine stress level.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1987

New methods and results for quantification of lightning-aircraft electrodynamics

The NASA F-106 collected data on the rates of change of electromagnetic parameters on the aircraft surface during over 700 direct lightning strikes while penetrating thunderstorms at altitudes from 15,000 t0 40,000 ft (4,570 to 12,190 m). These in situ measurements provided the basis for the first statistical quantification of the lightning electromagnetic threat to aircraft appropriate for determining indirect lightning effects on aircraft. These data are used to update previous lightning criteria and standards developed over the years from ground-based measurements. The proposed standards will be the first which reflect actual aircraft responses measured at flight altitudes. Nonparametric maximum likelihood estimates of the distribution of the peak electromagnetic rates of change for consideration in the new standards are obtained based on peak recorder data for multiple-strike flights. The linear and nonlinear modeling techniques developed provide means to interpret and understand the direct-strike electromagnetic data acquired on the F-106. The reasonable results obtained with the models, compared with measured responses, provide increased confidence that the models may be credibly applied to other aircraft.

Pitts, Felix L.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

How the Open Data Policy of the Landsat Program Has Advanced Our Understanding of Environmental Change

A time series is a sequence of observations of a phenomenon taken sequentially in time. A crucial characteristic of a time series is the dependence among adjacent observations – techniques for analyzing this dependence are referred to as time series analysis. This analytical approach enables us to predict or forecast future values of a time series, study the impact of various inputs on the observed phenomenon, and examine interrelationships among related time series variables. Within the geographical sciences, time series analysis has historically been limited to coarse-resolution satellite data, as constructing time series of data suitable for studying land cover and land use dynamics, such as Landsat data, were prohibitively costly. A transformative shift occurred in 2008 when the U.S. Government decided to make free and open all past and future data collected by the Landsat satellite program. The decision brought about a paradigm shift away from analyzing individual images or observations to continuous monitoring in time. Of particular relevance to environmental remote sensing is the ability to forecast observations – if we can predict how future observations should behave, we can infer information about how the land surface is changing. In this presentation, we will examine literature examples that showcase scientific gains enabled by time series analysis of satellite data. We will delve into how the analysis of dense time series of satellite data revealed that overall rate of forest disturbance in the Amazon has increased despite a reduction in deforestation; how different types of forest degradation, previously unquantified, are now being accurately assessed in the Caucasus region; and how we now can study the highly dynamic and intricate patterns of shifting cultivation in Southeast Asia.

Pontus Olofsson↗
NASA NTRS2020

Amazonia Disasters: Assessing Methods for Gold Mining-related Deforestation Detection in Amazonia Using NASA Earth Observations

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is responsible for a large fraction of deforestation and disturbance in Amazonia. These activities cause severe impacts on the rainforest ecosystem and socioeconomic state of the region. NASA DEVELOP partnered with the Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica (ACCA), NASA SERVIR Science Coordination Office, and the Spatial Informatics Group to enhance ASGM-related deforestation detection methods. ACCA currently uses the Omnibus Q-test Change Point Detection Algorithm to identify changes in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) monthly-aggregated temporal data from the Sentinel-1 satellite. The team determined the algorithm's accuracy by comparing a stratified random sample of change points against data from January 2019 to June 2020 identified using PlanetScope and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) Earth observations through Collect Earth Online. Our results indicated a users' accuracy of 55% for temporal change detection and producer's and user's accuracies of 99% and 97%, respectively, for detecting when change did not occur. Of the labeled change points, only 19% were due to mining activity. This research can help our partners have a more accurate understanding of where illegal gold mining may be taking place and inform decisions to remediate this activity.

DEVELOP Project Summary↗
NASA NTRS2020

Amazonia Disasters: Assessing Methods for Gold Mining-Related Deforestation Detection in Amazonia Using NASA Earth Observations

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is responsible for a large fraction of deforestation and disturbance in Amazonia. These activities cause severe impacts on the rainforest ecosystem and socioeconomic state of the region. NASA DEVELOP partnered with the Asociación para la Conservación de la Cuenca Amazónica (ACCA), NASA SERVIR Science Coordination Office, and the Spatial Informatics Group to enhance ASGM-related deforestation detection methods. ACCA currently uses the Omnibus Q-test Change Point Detection Algorithm to identify changes in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) monthly-aggregated temporal data from the Sentinel-1 satellite. The team determined the algorithm's accuracy by comparing a stratified random sample of change points against data from January 2019 to June 2020 identified using PlanetScope and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) Earth observations through Collect Earth Online. Our results indicated a users' accuracy of 55% for temporal change detection and producer's and user's accuracies of 99% and 97%, respectively, for detecting when change did not occur. Of the labeled change points, only 19% were due to mining activity. This research can help our partners have a more accurate understanding of where illegal gold mining may be taking place and inform decisions to remediate this activity.

DEVELOP Tech Paper↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Comprehensive Analysis of Thirty Years of Land Change in Georgia: Forest Degradation, Land-Use Patterns, and Drivers

In this talk, we present results from a study, funded by the NASA Land-Cover and Land-Use Change program, of thirty years of environmental change in the country of Georgia. The country, a former Soviet Union Republic, has experienced more political, economic and social change in the last 30 years than most countries. But the environmental implications of these extreme events remain largely unknown – the region is understudied, no national forest inventory has been completed in 20 years, and previous research in the area conducted by the authors were not successful. The latter statement is because of forest degradation. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, much of the forestry infrastructure broke down and people resorted to chopping down individual trees. The result was in many parts of the country a reduction in forest biomass but not to the point of a change in land cover. This type of forest degradation, which was either gradual over decades or abrupt, could not be readily identified using the methods and data at our disposal at the time. In the recent study, we had full access to the Landsat archive in combination with computing power. By using monitoring methods that are based on time series analysis, we were able to capture and identify the gradual processes driven by small scale activities that are so characteristic of the post-Soviet Georgian landscape. We developed an approach (“CCDC-SMA”) that combines time series analysis and spectral mixture analysis running on Google Earth Engine for monitoring abrupt and gradual forest degradation. By using this approach, we found that forest degradation was significantly larger than the area estimate of deforestation; 3,541 ± 556 km2 (11% of the forest area in 1987) compared to 158 ± 98 km2 from 1987 to 2020. The prevailing narrative is that legal and illegal cutting of trees for fuelwood is primarily responsible for this process. Yet, since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the country has undergone rapid socioeconomic and institutional changes which have not been explored as drivers of forest change. To further our understanding of the underlying causes, we combined forest disturbance estimates, Georgian statistical data, and historical institutional change data to examine socioeconomic drivers of forest degradation. We found that higher winter temperature and drought were associated with higher degradation at the regional scale, while major institutional changes and drought were associated with higher forest degradation at the national level. Access to natural gas, the major energy alternative to fuelwood, had no significant association with degradation. Our results challenge the narrative that poverty and a lack of alternative energy infrastructure drive forest degradation and suggest that government policies banning household fuelwood cutting, including the new Forest Code of 2020, may not reduce forest degradation. Given these results, improved data on wood harvesting and more research on the commercial drivers of degradation and their links to economic and political reforms is needed to better inform forest policy in the region, especially given ongoing risks from climate change.

Pontus Olofsson↗