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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
DOE OSTI2024

Geographic Information System Mapping Tool for Rainwater Harvesting in the United States

The Rainwater Harvesting Tool is a publicly available web-based geographic information system tool developed using geospatial analysis in combination with historic ZIP Code level monthly average precipitation and evapotranspiration data across the United States to help select potential locations for harvesting rainwater. Rainwater harvesting can provide a key source of alternative water for a variety of uses including landscape irrigation, vehicle wash, cooling tower makeup, dust suppression, and toilet flushing. Rainwater harvesting can help support institutional, commercial, and residential buildings in diversifying water sources and offset the use of freshwater. This tool aims to help organizations strategically target locations to implement rainwater harvesting systems. The metric used in the tool is called the rainwater harvesting potential, which is a normalized metric, measured in inches per year. The rainwater harvesting potential describes the amount of rainwater that can be reasonably collected and stored at a specific location. This metric was used to rank areas delineated by ZIP Codes across the US, from lowest to highest to show the relative availability of rainwater for harvesting. Two mapping layers are included in the tool that show the general rainwater harvesting potential for all applications and a layer that specifically shows the potential for harvesting rainwater to supply irrigation The Rainwater Harvesting Tool allows users to view overall trends across the United States, while also allowing the user to zoom in to a scale where ZIP Code boundaries are clearly delineated. The tool can be used to help organizations with buildings located in multiple regions to strategically identify where to install rainwater harvesting systems and prioritize locations that may be optimal for rainwater harvesting.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1996

Global Seismicity: Three New Maps Compiled with Geographic Information Systems

This paper presents three new maps of global seismicity compiled from NOAA digital data, covering the interval 1963-1998, with three different magnitude ranges (mb): greater than 3.5, less than 3.5, and all detectable magnitudes. A commercially available geographic information system (GIS) was used as the database manager. Epicenter locations were acquired from a CD-ROM supplied by the National Geophysical Data Center. A methodology is presented that can be followed by general users. The implications of the maps are discussed, including the limitations of conventional plate models, and the different tectonic behavior of continental vs. oceanic lithosphere. Several little-known areas of intraplate or passive margin seismicity are also discussed, possibly expressing horizontal compression generated by ridge push.

Lowman, Paul D., Jr.↗
DOE OSTI2020

After the hurricane: Validating a resilience assessment methodology

With increasing utility grid outages in the United States, there is growing interest in assessing risk and developing mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of grid outages. Working with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a replicable energy resilience assessment methodology and investment decision tool to: (1) identify and score hazards and vulnerabilities at the site level; (2) analyze risks to energy infrastructure; and (3) identify and prioritize energy resilience investments. This work improves on existing resilience assessment methodologies and tools by combining a bottom-up, all-hazards assessment methodology with top-down geographic information system mapping capabilities to provide an innovative, dynamic tool for identifying and prioritizing actionable solutions. This process combines probabilistic forecasting with an iterative approach for continuously updating and reassessing risks to address temporal dynamism. Relationships among systems are modeled and visualized to estimate the effectiveness of resilience actions across multiple interdependent systems and inform financial priorities through cost-difficulty-impact trade-offs. The approach is validated in a case study at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida, which experienced a Category 5 hurricane in 2018. The risks and mitigation strategies identified pre-hurricane are compared with post-hurricane, realized impacts. The assessment effectively identifies risks and actions to increase site energy resilience, but the methodology can be enhanced though greater consideration of the interdependencies between the energy system and related systems like transportation, communication, and food/water systems, which impact the recovery of the energy system and the base.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS1992

Comparison of multi-temporal NOAA-AVHRR and SPOT-XS satellite data for mapping land-cover dynamics in the West African Sahel

Multi-resolution and multi-temporal remote sensing data (SPOT-XS and AVHRR) were evaluated for mapping local land-cover dynamics in the Sahel of West Africa. The aim of this research was to evaluate the agricultural information that could be derived from both high and low spatial resolution data in areas where there is very often limited ground information. A combination of raster-based image processing and vector-based geographical information system mapping was found to be effective for understanding both spatial and spectral land-cover dynamics. The SPOT data proved useful for mapping local land-cover classes in a dominantly recessive agricultural region. The AVHRR-LAC data could be used to map the dynamics of riparian vegetation, but not the changes associated with recession agriculture. In areas where there was a complex mixture of recession and irrigated agriculture, as well as riparian vegetation, the AVHRR data did not provide an accurate temporal assessment of vegetation dynamics.

Marsh, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Utilization of Geographic Information System in Lunar Mapping

Substantial digital remote sensing, lunar orbital photography, Earth-based remote sensing, and mapping of a variety of surficial lunar phenomena have occurred since the advent of the Space Age. This has led to a bewildering and quite disparate collection of archival sources insofar as this digital data and its cartographic representation can be found within many countries of the world. The importance of this mapping program in support of human expansion onto our nearest planetary neighbor has been recognized. A series of small scale maps of the Moon at 1 km to 1 cm, done with the support of Geographic Information System (GIS), would serve decision makers well in the process of accessing the development of manned occupance of the Moon. Maps and the data that they are derived from are the primary way in which people explore new environments and use previously discovered data to increase the bounties of any exploration. The inherent advantage of GIS is that it would allow immediate online access on the Moon of topographically represented data with analysis either on site or from Earth.

Mardon, A. A.↗
DOE OSTI2022

rmap: An R package to plot and compare tabular data on customizable maps across scenarios and time

`rmap` is an R package that allows users to easily plot tabular data (CSV or R data frames) on maps without any Geographic Information Systems (GIS) knowledge. Maps produced by `rmap` are `ggplot` objects and thus capitalize on the flexibility and advancements of the `ggplot2` package and all elements of each map are thus fully customizable. Additionally `rmap` automatically detects and produces comparison maps if the data has multiple scenarios or time periods as well as animations for time series data. Advanced users can load their own shapefiles if desired. `rmap` comes with a range of pre-built color palettes but users can also provide any `R` color palette or create their own as needed. Four different legend types are available to highlight different kinds of data distributions. The input spatial data can be both gridded or polygon data. `rmap` is desgined in particular for comparing spatial data across scenarios and time periods and comes preloaded with standard country, state, and basin maps as well as custom maps compatible with the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) spatial boundaries. `rmap` has a growing number of users and its products have been used in multiple multisector dynamics publications as well as a required dependency in other R packages such as `rfasst` and `metis`. `rmap's` automatic processing of tabular data using pre-built map selection, difference map calculations, faceting, and animations offers unique functionality which makes it a powerful and yet simple tool for users looking to explore multi-sector, multi-scenario data across space and time.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1979

Impact of cell size on inventory and mapping errors in a cellular geographic information system

The author has identified the following significant results. The effect of grid position was found insignificant for maps but highly significant for isolated mapping units. A modelable relationship between mapping error and cell size was observed for the map segment analyzed. Map data structure was also analyzed with an interboundary distance distribution approach. Map data structure and the impact of cell size on that structure were observed. The existence of a model allowing prediction of mapping error based on map structure was hypothesized and two generations of models were tested under simplifying assumptions.

Wehde, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Agricultural land cover mapping in the context of a geographically referenced digital information system

The introduction of soil map information to the land cover mapping process can improve discrimination of land cover types and reduce confusion among crop types that may be caused by soil-specific management practices and background reflectance characteristics. Multiple dates of LANDSAT MSS digital were analyzed for three study areas in northern Missouri to produce cover types for major agricultural land cover classes. Digital data bases were then developed by adding ancillary data such as digitized soil and transportation network information to the LANDSAT-derived cover type map. Procedures were developed to manipulate the data base parameters to extract information applicable to user requirements. An agricultural information system combining such data can be used to determine the productive capacity of land to grow crops, fertilizer needs, chemical weed control rates, irrigation suitability, and trafficability of soil for planting.

Stoner, E. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space imagery and some geomorphological problems of the Guiana Shield, South America

Some ongoing involvement in regional geomorphologic research in South America is described. Because of association with LARS at Purdue University, there has been engagement, vicarious or adivsory, in projects which led to LANDSAT 1-2 mapping of the natural resources of Bolivia (1:8,000,000 scale), and preparation of a geographic information system which mapped the general hydrology, geology, soils, and vegetation of Ecuador (1:4,000,000 scale). Currently we are involved more specifically in geological-geomorphological mapping of the Venezuelan portion of the Guiana shield, and because of manuscript limitations only questions pertinent to this region are posed in the ensuing discussion.

Melhorn, W. N.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Assessment of vegetation change in a fire-altered forest landscape

This research focused on determining the degree to which differences in burn severity relate to postfire vegetative cover within a Michigan pine forest. Landsat MSS data from June 1973 and TM data from October 1982 were classified using an unsupervised approach to create prefire and postfire cover maps of the study area. Using a raster-based geographic information system (GIS), the maps were compared, and a map of vegetation change was created. An IR/red band ratio from a June 1980 Landsat scene was classified to create a map of three degres of burn severity, which was then compared with the vegetation change map using a GIS. Classification comparisons of pine and deciduous forest classes (1973 to 1982) revealed that the most change in vegetation occurred in areas subjected to the most intense burn. Two classes of regenerating forest comprised the majority of the change, while the remaining change was associated with shrub vegetation or another forest class.

Jakubauskas, Mark E.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Model Data Archive Associated with Manuscript "Fire-altered Carbon Pools Create Disturbance Memory in Stream Dissolved Organic Carbon"

This data package supports the publication “Fire-altered Carbon Pools Create Disturbance Memory in Stream Dissolved Organic Carbon” by Li et al. (2026). The package contains processed model inputs, configuration files, restart files, simulation outputs, scripts, and visualization products used to evaluate post-fire dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics in the Naches River Watershed, Washington, USA, following the 2021 Schneider Springs Fire. The modeling workflow couples ELM-BGC, the biogeochemistry-enabled Energy Exascale Earth System Model Land Model; ATS, the Advanced Terrestrial Simulator for integrated surface-subsurface hydrology; and PFLOTRAN, a reactive transport model for multicomponent aqueous geochemistry. Together, these models simulate how wildfire-induced changes in vegetation, litter, coarse woody debris, and soil organic matter influence DOC production, transport, and reaction from burned hillslopes to stream networks. The archive includes preprocessed meteorological, geospatial, hydrologic, and biogeochemical forcing data; ELM-BGC-derived DOC source terms; ATS mesh files; PFLOTRAN reactive-transport inputs; model configuration files; spin-up and transient restart files; watershed-scale diagnostic outputs; stream concentration time series; and figures or visualization files used to inspect and reproduce key results. File types include Hierarchical Data Format 5 (HDF5) files for gridded forcing and model-coupling data, model input and configuration files for ELM-BGC, ATS, and PFLOTRAN, restart and simulation-output files generated by the modeling workflow, tabular or time-series diagnostic outputs, scripts for post-processing and figure generation, and image or visualization products associated with the manuscript. Use of the package depends on the intended task. Re-running the simulations requires the relevant modeling software, including ELM-BGC, ATS, and PFLOTRAN as ATS's geochemical engine. Inspecting outputs and reproducing figures requires Python with scientific plotting libraries such as Matplotlib, and three-dimensional model outputs may be viewed with ParaView. Geographic information system files or maps may be inspected with ArcGIS Pro or comparable GIS software. The data package is intended to enable traceability, reuse, and partial reproduction of the coupled land-to-watershed hydro-biogeochemical modeling workflow used to test how wildfire disturbance affects terrestrial carbon pools and downstream DOC dynamics.

ATS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mapping Support for Targeted Critical Minerals Exploration and Extraction

The United States’ dependency on imported minerals poses significant risks to economic stability and national security due to potential supply disruptions. Recognizing the strategic importance of critical minerals, the Department of Energy (DOE) emphasizes the need for a secure and resilient supply chain to support emissions reduction, technology development, and capitalization on clean energy opportunities. The DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), in collaboration with the Office of Policy (OP), addresses these vulnerabilities by focusing on upstream domestic critical minerals production, balancing extraction with social and environmental goals, including conservation, environmental justice, and respect for Tribal sovereignty. This report showcases a collaborative effort involving Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to map mineral development potential along with key social and environmental datasets. A geographical information system (GIS)-based web map application was developed as a preliminary tool for environmental analysis, integrating 158 geospatial data layers such as critical habitat, land ownership, economic indicators, and environmental concerns. Data were sourced from agencies like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USGS and processed using GIS technology to enhance visualization and analysis. The proposed analysis framework categorizes areas into high, mid, and low concern based on withdrawn lands, special status species, the Economic Development Capacity Index (EDCI) Mining Composite Index, and the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). While the application provides broad visualizations, it is not a substitute for detailed environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Users must conduct further analyses and engage with tribal entities and other stakeholders for comprehensive planning. A case study of the Idaho Cobalt Belt (ICB) in Lemhi County, Idaho, has been provided in the report to illustrate the tool's practical use. This report introduces a GIS application and framework to support stakeholders in identifying and prioritizing areas for critical mineral exploration, promoting secure supply chains, and advancing the nation's energy independence through responsible resource stewardship.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1990

Information analysis of a spatial database for ecological land classification

An ecological land classification was developed for a complex region in southern California using geographic information system techniques of map overlay and contingency table analysis. Land classes were identified by mutual information analysis of vegetation pattern in relation to other mapped environmental variables. The analysis was weakened by map errors, especially errors in the digital elevation data. Nevertheless, the resulting land classification was ecologically reasonable and performed well when tested with higher quality data from the region.

Davis, Frank W.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Central atlantic regional ecological test site: A prototype regional environmental information system, volume 1

The Central Atlantic Regional Ecological Test Site (CARETS) project was a demonstration project for introducing data from Landsat and high-altitude aircraft sensors into regional land planning and management. This report summarizes the CARETS project results and describes its output of maps, reports, computer tapes, and other products. CARETS used a geographic information system model under which land use maps were prepared from sensor data, then digitized, processed, and linked to other environmental and social data sets, and to environmental consequences such as air pollution, stream runoff, local climatic factors, and coastal erosion. Landsat data showed the test region in 1972 to be nine percent urban and built-up land, 38 percent agriculture, 50 percent forest, three percent nonforested wetlands, and less than one percent barren land, exclusive of water-covered areas. User surveys, conferences, and workshops involving 65 agencies facilitated widespread distribution of data products and produced evaluations concerning their usefulness. We found a heterogeneous user community with diverse information needs largely preferring aerial photographs rather than satellite multispectral scanner data. Among project recommendations are establishment of a network of regional land resource information centers, working toward improved compatibility of Federal, State and local information programs supportive of land use decisions.

Land use↗
NASA NTRS2008

Providing Internet Access to High-Resolution Lunar Images

The OnMoon server is a computer program that provides Internet access to high-resolution Lunar images, maps, and elevation data, all suitable for use in geographical information system (GIS) software for generating images, maps, and computational models of the Moon. The OnMoon server implements the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Map Service (WMS) server protocol and supports Moon-specific extensions. Unlike other Internet map servers that provide Lunar data using an Earth coordinate system, the OnMoon server supports encoding of data in Moon-specific coordinate systems. The OnMoon server offers access to most of the available high-resolution Lunar image and elevation data. This server can generate image and map files in the tagged image file format (TIFF) or the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), 8- or 16-bit Portable Network Graphics (PNG), or Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format. Image control is provided by use of the OGC Style Layer Descriptor (SLD) protocol. Full-precision spectral arithmetic processing is also available, by use of a custom SLD extension. This server can dynamically add shaded relief based on the Lunar elevation to any image layer. This server also implements tiled WMS protocol and super-overlay KML for high-performance client application programs.

Plesea, Lucian↗
NASA NTRS2008

Providing Internet Access to High-Resolution Mars Images

The OnMars server is a computer program that provides Internet access to high-resolution Mars images, maps, and elevation data, all suitable for use in geographical information system (GIS) software for generating images, maps, and computational models of Mars. The OnMars server is an implementation of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Map Service (WMS) server. Unlike other Mars Internet map servers that provide Martian data using an Earth coordinate system, the OnMars WMS server supports encoding of data in Mars-specific coordinate systems. The OnMars server offers access to most of the available high-resolution Martian image and elevation data, including an 8-meter-per-pixel uncontrolled mosaic of most of the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Observer Camera Narrow Angle (MOCNA) image collection, which is not available elsewhere. This server can generate image and map files in the tagged image file format (TIFF), Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), 8- or 16-bit Portable Network Graphics (PNG), or Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format. Image control is provided by use of the OGC Style Layer Descriptor (SLD) protocol. The OnMars server also implements tiled WMS protocol and super-overlay KML for high-performance client application programs.

Plesea, Lucian↗
NASA NTRS2012

Information Systems Coordinate Emergency Management

The rescue crews have been searching for the woman for nearly a week. Hurricane Katrina devastated Hancock County, the southernmost point in Mississippi, and the woman had stayed through the storm in her beach house. There is little hope of finding her alive; the search teams know she is gone because the house is gone. Late at night in the art classroom of the school that is serving as the county s emergency operations center, Craig Harvey is discussing the search with the center s commander. Harvey is the Chief Operating Officer of a unique company called NVision Solutions Inc., based at NASA s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, only a couple of miles away. He and his entire staff have set up a volunteer operation in the art room, supporting the emergency management efforts using technology and capabilities the company developed through its NASA partnerships. As he talks to the commander, Harvey feels an idea taking shape that might lead them to the woman s location. Working with surface elevation data and hydrological principles, Harvey creates a map showing how the floodwaters from the storm would have flowed along the topography of the region around the woman s former home. Using the map, search crews find the woman s body in 15 minutes. Recovering individuals who have been lost is a sad reality of emergency management in the wake of a disaster like Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But the sooner answers can be provided, the sooner a community s overall recovery can take place. When damage is extensive, resources are scattered, and people are in dire need of food, shelter, and medical assistance, the speed and efficiency of emergency operations can be the key to limiting the impact of a disaster and speeding the process of recovery. And a key to quick and effective emergency planning and response is geographic information. With a host of Earth-observing satellites orbiting the globe at all times, NASA generates an unmatched wealth of data about our ever-changing planet. This information can be captured, analyzed, and visualized by geographic information systems (GIS) to produce maps, charts, and other tools that can reveal information essential to a wide variety of applications including emergency management. Knowing precise, real-time information about the size, location, environmental conditions, and resulting damage of an event like a flood or wildfire as well as the location and numbers of emergency responders and other resources contributes directly to the effectiveness of disaster mitigation. The need for such information is also evident when responding to homeland security threats, such as a terrorist attack. Recognizing the value of its geospatial information resources for this and other purposes, in 1998 Stennis and the state of Mississippi partnered to form what became the Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions (EIGS) industry cluster, supporting the growth of remote sensing and GIS-based research and business. As part of EIGS, several companies partnered with NASA through dual use and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts. Among those was NVision.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1991

Mapping Florida Scrub Jay habitat for purposes of land-use management

Geographical information system (GIS) applications were used to map areas of primary and secondary Florida Scrub Jay habitat on Kennedy Space Center (KSC) using vegetation and soils maps. Data from field studies were used for accuracy assessment and evaluating the importance of mapping classes. Primary habitat accounts for 15 percent of the potential habitat and contained 57 percent of the Florida Scrub Jay population on KSC. Proximity analysis identified potential population centers, which were 44 percent of the potential habitat and contained 86 percent of the population. This study is an example of how remote sensing and GIS applications can provide information for land-use planning, habitat management, and the evaluation of cumulative impacts.

Breininger, David R.↗