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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1984

Vector wind, horizontal divergence, wind stress and wind stress curl from SEASAT-SASS at one degree resolution

Conventional data obtained in 1983 are contrasted with SEASAT-A scatterometer and scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR) data to show how observations at a single station can be extended to an area of about 150,000 square km by means of remotely sensed data obtained in nine minutes. Superobservations at a one degree resolution for the vector winds were estimated along with their standard deviations. From these superobservations, the horizontal divergence, vector wind stress, and the curl of the wind stress can be found. Weather forecasting theory is discussed and meteorological charts of the North Pacific Ocean are presented. Synoptic meteorology as a technique is examined.

Pierson, W. J., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

An analysis of maximum horizontal wind speeds and associated parameters recorded at NASA's 150-Meter Ground Winds Tower facility at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Continuous horizontal wind speed measurements were processed and classified as a function of tower level (10, 18, 60, and 150 meters) and period of reference day, month, season: winter (October through March) and summer (April through September), and annual. Tabulations were made of the daily maximum horizontal wind speed, time of ocurrence, and five associated parameters: mean horizontal wind speed, maximum vertical gusts (i.e., updraft and downdraft), and mean and instantaneous directions. Analyses using these data included means, extremes, standard deviations, and frequency distributions. Comparisons of intensity of maximum horizontal wind speeds determined in this year of data are made with maximum values recorded at Kennedy Space Center during another non-hurricane-occurrence year (1967) and with values during 1966 through 1972 when six hurricanes affected the area after the Ground Winds Tower facility became operational. Wind flow in the lowest 150 meters of the atmosphere was measured for the identification of hazards involved in wind shear encounter relative to ascent and descent of the space shuttle and conventional aircraft.

Alexander, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Measurements of vertical motions by the Saskatoon MF radar (1983-1985): Relationships with horizontal winds and gravity waves

The continuing series of horizontal wind measurements by the spaced-antenna real time winds (RTW) method was supplemented by a phase coherent system for two years. Vertical motions are inferred from the complex autocorrelation functions, and an RTW system provides 5 min samples from 60 to 110 km. Comparisons with full interferometric 3-D velocity measurements confirm the validity of this approach. Following comparisons and corrections with the horizontal winds, mean summer and winter (24 h) days of vertical motions are shown. Tidal fluctuations are evident. In summer the motions are downward, consistent with data from Poker Flat, and the suggestion of Coy et al. (1986) that these represent Eulerian motions. The expected upward Lagrangian motion then results from adding up upward Stokes' drift. The winter motions are more complex, and are discussed in the context of gravity wave fluxes and possible meridional cells. The divergence of the vertical flux of zonal momentum is also calculated and found to be similar to the coriolis torque due to the meridional winds.

Manson, A. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

An analysis of maximum horizontal wind speeds recorded since 1961 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Tabulations of maximum horizontal wind speed values are reported that were recorded at the Kennedy Space Center. Maximum wind speeds were recorded during the eight hurricanes which have affected the area--Cleo in August 1964 through Agnes in June 1972. Detailed tabulations and frequency distributions of daily maximum horizontal wind speeds recorded at NASA's 150 m ground tower facility at nine levels from December 1965 through March 1970 are also included.

Alexander, M. B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Horizontal wind fluctuations in the stratosphere during large-scale cyclogenesis

The meteorological measurement system (MMS) on the U-2 aircraft measured pressure, temperature, and the horizontal wind during a cyclogenesis event over western United States on April 20, 1984. The mean horizontal wind in the stratosphere decreases monotonically with altitude. Superimposed on the mean stratospheric wind is a perturbation wind vector, which is an elliptically polarized wave with an amplitude of 4 to 10 m/s and a vertical wavelength of 2 to 3 km. The perturbation wind vector rotates anticyclonically (clockwise) with altitude and produces alternating advection in the plane of the aircraft flight path. This differential advection folds surfaces of constant tracer mixing ratio and contributes to the observed tracer laminar structures and inferred cross-jet transport.

Chan, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Horizontal wind perturbations and their relation to transient internal gravity waves

Horizontal winds as measured with the Saskatoon MF radar exhibit wind fluctuations which have preferred directions toward north or south in the period range 0 to 60 min at heights between about 60 and 110 km. Longer period perturbations (approx 1-6 h) tend to have an additional maximum of direction frequencies in the E-W sector.The polarization effect analyzed for more than 6 years shows regular changes with season. The main features of the seasonal variations of the direction distributions can be explained by directional filtering of vertically propagating nonstationary gravity waves and appropriate changes of the wave source strength and position in the troposphere. The N-S polarization of the gravity-wave field appears to result in meridional wind reversals with height above the mesopause.

Ebel, A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Mean horizontal wind profiles measured in the atmospheric boundary layer about a simulated block building

Instrumented wind towers are used to measure the three components of wind about a simulated block building. The mean horizontal wind profiles over the building are compared with wind profiles measured in the absence of the building and the wind speed deficit in the wake of the building is correlated. The turbulence intensity is of the order of 20% in the undisturbed flow whereas the free stream turbulence intensity of wind-tunnel studies is generally not more than 5%. The velocity profiles measured in the undisturbed flow zones support the representation of a neutrally stable atmospheric boundary layer with a logarithmic wind profile.

Frost, W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Temperature and horizontal wind measurements on the ER-2 aircraft during the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment

The accuracy of temperature, pressure, potential temperature, and horizontal wind measurements is discussed in connection with the use of Meteorological Measurement System data in the AAOE. The vertical distribution of temperature measurements and latitudinal variations of the zonal wind for 12 flights over Antarctica during the 1987 AAOE campaign are summarized. Model atmospheres from 0 to 32 km at 70 deg and 55 deg S for the August-September period are constructed. Above the 420 K isentropic surface, the polar vortex remains strong throughout August and September of 1987.

Chan, K. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Comparison of horizontal winds from the LIMS satellite instrument with rocket measurements

Statistical results are given for a comparison between horizontal geostrophic winds computed from satellite height data and all available in situ rocket wind soundings during a 7-month period. The satellite data are the daily mapped fields from the Nimbus 7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) instrument, which extend from 100 to 0.1 mbar. Results indicate that in both the tropics and the extratropical Northern Hemisphere, the average zonal and meridional wind speeds agree to within 2-4 m/s throughout the stratosphere. The rms differences are much larger, with values of 5-10 m/s in the lower stratosphere, increasing to 20-40 m/s in the lower mesosphere. Time series show that LIMS and rocketsonde zonal wind speeds show coherent variations with temporal periods of 1-2 weeks and more, and both exhibit irregular variations on time scales of less than one week.

Smith, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1969

Crossed-beam technique for measuring horizontal winds

Three ground-based single-beam detectors determine wind vectors present within a given volume. Winds approximately constant near a selected height, blowing into or out of a 90 degree arc can be calculated with reasonably small error.

Heybey, W. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Variation of horizontal winds with height /surface to 150 meters/

The data used in the reported analysis consist of 79 five-second intervals from the Automatic Data Acquisition System (ADAS) at the tower facility. Measurements were recorded on July 3, 1973 from 1931 through 2152 GMT during various wind conditions. Peak wind speed was determined for each 5-second interval and level and classified as low, moderate, high, or gale-force. Attention is given to peak wind speeds, wind speed differences determined from peak and associated speeds, and wind speed differences determined from the entire data record. Considering frequency and intensity of peak wind speeds, levels from 30 meters and up are significant ones. Considering frequency and magnitude of wind shears, these analyses indicate that the 60-30 layer is the significant one.

Alexander, M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Horizontal wind estimates deterministically derived from the STS-1 entry flight date--a comparison with available meteorology data

Two wind profiles were determined from STS-1 entry flight data based on preliminary best estimate trajectory (BET). The deterministic process used in deriving the atmospheric winds requires inertial estimates of the spacecraft angle-of-attack (alpha) and side-slip angle (beta) from the BET in conjunction with some air data system measurements of the actual angles. The current orbiter air data system (OADS) provides the necessary alpha information. Two beta profiles were adopted. The first profile assumed that the spacecraft would weathervane into any prevailing wind. The second assumed a conservative side-slip history computed from measured accelerations in the spacecraft body axes. It is shown that there are no major differences between the deterministic winds computed using both methods. Further, comparisons of these winds with raw measurements from Tehachapi, California, and preliminary winds obtained from the LaRC LAIRS file and the JSC/TRW descent BET are presented.

Kelly, G. M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Temperature and horizontal wind measurements on the ER-2 aircraft during the 1987 airborne Antarctic ozone experiment

The NASA ER-2 aircraft is equipped with special instrumentation to provide accurate in situ measurement of the atmospheric state variables during flight. The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) on the ER-2 aircraft is described. Since the meteorological parameters (temperature, pressure, and wind vector) are extensively used by other ER-2 experimenters for data processing and interpretation, the accuracy and resolution of each of these parameters are assessed and discussed. During the 1987 Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment (AAOE) mission, the ER-2 aircraft was stationed at Punta Arenas, Chile (53 S, 72 W), and successfully flew over Antarctica on 12 occasions between August 17 and September 22, 1987. On each of the 12 flights, the ER-2 aircraft flight plan was to take off at approximately the same local time, fly southward at a near constant potential temperature surface, descend and ascend at the southernmost terminus at about 72 S over Antarctica and return northward at either the same or a different constant potential temperature surface. The measurements of the MMS experiment during the AAOE mission are presented. MMS data are organized to provide a composite view of the polar atmosphere, which is characterized by frigid temperatures and high zonal winds. Altitudinal variations of the temperature measurement (during takeoff/landing at Punta Arenas and during descent/ascent at the southern terminus) and latitudinal variations of the zonal wind (on near constant potential temperature surfaces) are emphasized and discussed.

Chan, K. Roland↗
DOE OSTI2025

Baltimore Social-Environmental Collaborative (BSEC) Doppler Lidar & Derived Products

This repository contains all processed Doppler‐lidar outputs from the PSU lidar deployed for the Baltimore Social‐Environmental Collaborative (BSEC) project. Vertical Stare Scans (fixed‐beam, vertical profiling): 1 Hz backscatter intensity (m⁻¹ sr⁻¹), signal‐to‐noise ratio (unitless), and Doppler vertical‐velocity (m s⁻¹) on ~30 m range gates, stored as CF-compliant NetCDF. Wind Profiles (horizontal‐wind retrieval): daily NetCDF outputs of retrieved horizontal wind speed (m s⁻¹) and direction (degrees), computed from the angled‐scan returns. Profile Statistics (summary statistics on the vertical velocity): 15 min windows (default) of mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis, high-frequency variance, etc., as a function of height; saved as CF-compliant NetCDF files. Boundary Layer Height (BLH) (fuzzy-logic output): 15 min BLH estimates (m), with lower/upper fuzzy bounds (m) and a quality flag (0–4) indicating data status (e.g., no data, good, below range, ran out of signal, cloud-topped). Cloud Base Height (Haar-gradient detection): 15 min estimates of cloud-base height (m) with a cloud-detection quality flag (0–3: none, low, moderate, high). All five product streams are organized by year and date under their own top-level folders (01_Vertical_Stare_Scans/ through 05_Cloud_Height/). Each folder contains a data_ /YYYY/ subdirectory with daily CF-compliant NetCDF outputs (96 windows per day at 15 min intervals). Global attributes in each file include creation history, version (2.0.0), institution, and source. Instrument & MeasurementsThe PSU Doppler Lidar samples aerosol backscatter (m⁻¹ sr⁻¹), signal-to-noise ratio, and radial velocity at ~1 Hz. Vertical stare scans point the beam straight up; after collecting angled scans through multiple elevation angles, the "Wind Profiles" product contains the fully retrieved horizontal wind speed and direction. Data were collected continuously at ~30 m range resolution, with a typical height ceiling of ~12 km. How to Use Open any NetCDF with Python's xarray, MATLAB, or similar CF-compliant tools. Stare scans and angled-scan retrievals (Wind Profiles) are CF-compliant daily NetCDF files. Profile-Statistics, BLH, and Cloud Height files are daily 15 min summaries (96 time steps per file). Inspect the included variables (e.g., vertical_velocity_variance, wind_speed, BLH, cloud_base_height) for your analyses. Use the quality flags (BLH_flag, cloud_flag) to filter out poor-quality retrievals. For more information or questions about processing methods, please contact:Nicholas E. Prince ⟨nec5299@psu.edu⟩Penn State Department of Meteorology & Atmospheric Science

Air Quality↗