Utilization of Airborne and in Situ Data Obtained in SGP99, SMEX02, CLASIC and SMAPVEX08 Field Campaigns for SMAP Soil Moisture Algorithm Development and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colliander, Andreas; Chan, Steven; Yueh, Simon; Cosh, Michael; Bindlish, Rajat; Jackson, Tom; Njoku, Eni

2010-01-01

Field experiment data sets that include coincident remote sensing measurements and in situ sampling will be valuable in the development and validation of the soil moisture algorithms of the NASA's future SMAP (Soil Moisture Active and Passive) mission. This paper presents an overview of the field experiment data collected from SGP99, SMEX02, CLASIC and SMAPVEX08 campaigns. Common in these campaigns were observations of the airborne PALS (Passive and Active L- and S-band) instrument, which was developed to acquire radar and radiometer measurements at low frequencies. The combined set of the PALS measurements and ground truth obtained from all these campaigns was under study. The investigation shows that the data set contains a range of soil moisture values collected under a limited number of conditions. The quality of both PALS and ground truth data meets the needs of the SMAP algorithm development and validation. The data set has already made significant impact on the science behind SMAP mission. The areas where complementing of the data would be most beneficial are also discussed.

Development of Waypoint Planning Tool in Response to NASA Field Campaign Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Matt; Hardin, Danny; Conover, Helen; Graves, Sara; Meyer, Paul; Blakeslee, Richard; Goodman, Michael

2012-01-01

Airborne real time observations are a major component of NASA's Earth Science research and satellite ground validation studies. For mission scientists, planning a research aircraft mission within the context of meeting the science objectives is a complex task because it requires real time situational awareness of the weather conditions that affect the aircraft track. Multiple aircrafts are often involved in NASA field campaigns. The coordination of the aircrafts with satellite overpasses, other airplanes and the constantly evolving, dynamic weather conditions often determines the success of the campaign. A flight planning tool is needed to provide situational awareness information to the mission scientists, and help them plan and modify the flight tracks. Scientists at the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center developed the Waypoint Planning Tool, an interactive software tool that enables scientists to develop their own flight plans (also known as waypoints) with point -and-click mouse capabilities on a digital map filled with real time raster and vector data. The development of this Waypoint Planning Tool demonstrates the significance of mission support in responding to the challenges presented during NASA field campaigns. Analysis during and after each campaign helped identify both issues and new requirements, and initiated the next wave of development. Currently the Waypoint Planning Tool has gone through three rounds of development and analysis processes. The development of this waypoint tool is directly affected by the technology advances on GIS/Mapping technologies. From the standalone Google Earth application and simple KML functionalities, to Google Earth Plugin and Java Web Start/Applet on web platform, and to the rising open source GIS tools with new JavaScript frameworks, the Waypoint Planning Tool has entered its third phase of technology advancement. The newly innovated, cross ]platform, modular designed Java

Aerosol, Cloud and Trace Gas Observations Derived from Airborne Hyperspectral Radiance and Direct Beam Measurements in Recent Field Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redemann, J.; Flynn, C. J.; Shinozuka, Y.; Kacenelenbogen, M.; Segal-Rosenheimer, M.; LeBlanc, S.; Russell, P. B.; Livingston, J. M.; Schmid, B.; Dunagan, S. E.;

Summary of Global Ozone Measurements Collected from Field Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilera, J.; Salazar, V.

2013-12-01

The goal of the NCAR Earth Observing Laboratory data services is to advance science through delivering high-quality project data and meta data in ways that are as transparent, secure, and easily accessible as possible. By using EOL's existing infrastructure and applying data mining techniques, we explored global ozone measurements collected during EOL supported airborne field campaigns. This study highlights ozone concentrations addressing a diverse set of science objectives, and how these timed measurements contribute to the understanding of the state of the atmosphere and evolution of the different measuring techniques.

Development of Way Point Planning Tool in Response to NASA Field Campaign Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, M.; Hardin, D. M.; Conover, H.; Graves, S. J.; Meyer, P.; Blakeslee, R. J.; Goodman, M. L.

2012-12-01

Airborne real time observations are a major component of NASA's Earth Science research and satellite ground validation studies. For mission scientists, planning a research aircraft mission within the context of meeting the science objectives is a complex task because it requires real time situational awareness of the weather conditions that affect the aircraft track. Multiple aircrafts are often involved in NASA field campaigns. The coordination of the aircrafts with satellite overpasses, other airplanes and the constantly evolving, dynamic weather conditions often determines the success of the campaign. A flight planning tool is needed to provide situational awareness information to the mission scientists, and help them plan and modify the flight tracks. Scientists at the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center developed the Waypoint Planning Tool, an interactive software tool that enables scientists to develop their own flight plans (also known as waypoints) with point-and-click mouse capabilities on a digital map filled with real time raster and vector data. The development of this Waypoint Planning Tool demonstrates the significance of mission support in responding to the challenges presented during NASA field campaigns. Analysis during and after each campaign helped identify both issues and new requirements, and initiated the next wave of development. Currently the Waypoint Planning Tool has gone through three rounds of development and analysis processes. The development of this waypoint tool is directly affected by the technology advances on GIS/Mapping technologies. From the standalone Google Earth application and simple KML functionalities, to Google Earth Plugin and Java Web Start/Applet on web platform, and to the rising open source GIS tools with new JavaScript frameworks, the Waypoint Planning Tool has entered its third phase of technology advancement. The newly innovated, cross-platform, modular designed Java

Updating representation of land surface-atmosphere feedbacks in airborne campaign modeling analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, M.; Carmichael, G. R.; Crawford, J. H.; Chan, S.; Xu, X.; Fisher, J. A.

2017-12-01

An updated modeling system to support airborne field campaigns is being built at NASA Ames Pleiades, with focus on adjusting the representation of land surface-atmosphere feedbacks. The main updates, referring to previous experiences with ARCTAS-CARB and CalNex in the western US to study air pollution inflows, include: 1) migrating the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) coupled land surface model from Noah to improved/more complex models especially Noah-MP and Rapid Update Cycle; 2) enabling the WRF land initialization with suitably spun-up land model output; 3) incorporating satellite land cover, vegetation dynamics, and soil moisture data (i.e., assimilating Soil Moisture Active Passive data using the ensemble Kalman filter approach) into WRF. Examples are given of comparing the model fields with available aircraft observations during spring-summer 2016 field campaigns taken place at the eastern side of continents (KORUS-AQ in South Korea and ACT-America in the eastern US), the air pollution export regions. Under fair weather and stormy conditions, air pollution vertical distributions and column amounts, as well as the impact from land surface, are compared. These help identify challenges and opportunities for LEO/GEO satellite remote sensing and modeling of air quality in the northern hemisphere. Finally, we briefly show applications of this system on simulating Australian conditions, which would explore the needs for further development of the observing system in the southern hemisphere and inform the Clean Air and Urban Landscapes (https://www.nespurban.edu.au) modelers.

Evaluation of CMAQ and CAMx Ensemble Air Quality Forecasts during the 2015 MAPS-Seoul Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, E.; Kim, S.; Bae, C.; Kim, H. C.; Kim, B. U.

2015-12-01

The performance of Air quality forecasts during the 2015 MAPS-Seoul Field Campaign was evaluated. An forecast system has been operated to support the campaign's daily aircraft route decisions for airborne measurements to observe long-range transporting plume. We utilized two real-time ensemble systems based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE)-Comprehensive Air quality Model with extensions (CAMx) modeling framework and WRF-SMOKE- Community Multi_scale Air Quality (CMAQ) framework over northeastern Asia to simulate PM10 concentrations. Global Forecast System (GFS) from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) was used to provide meteorological inputs for the forecasts. For an additional set of retrospective simulations, ERA Interim Reanalysis from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) was also utilized to access forecast uncertainties from the meteorological data used. Model Inter-Comparison Study for Asia (MICS-Asia) and National Institute of Environment Research (NIER) Clean Air Policy Support System (CAPSS) emission inventories are used for foreign and domestic emissions, respectively. In the study, we evaluate the CMAQ and CAMx model performance during the campaign by comparing the results to the airborne and surface measurements. Contributions of foreign and domestic emissions are estimated using a brute force method. Analyses on model performance and emissions will be utilized to improve air quality forecasts for the upcoming KORUS-AQ field campaign planned in 2016.

NASA Airborne Campaigns Focus on Climate Impacts in the Arctic

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

This red plane is a DHC-3 Otter, the plane flown in NASA's Operation IceBridge-Alaska surveys of mountain glaciers in Alaska. Credit: Chris Larsen, University of Alaska-Fairbanks Over the past few decades, average global temperatures have been on the rise, and this warming is happening two to three times faster in the Arctic. As the region’s summer comes to a close, NASA is hard at work studying how rising temperatures are affecting the Arctic. NASA researchers this summer and fall are carrying out three Alaska-based airborne research campaigns aimed at measuring greenhouse gas concentrations near Earth’s surface, monitoring Alaskan glaciers, and collecting data on Arctic sea ice and clouds. Observations from these NASA campaigns will give researchers a better understanding of how the Arctic is responding to rising temperatures. The Arctic Radiation – IceBridge Sea and Ice Experiment, or ARISE, is a new NASA airborne campaign to collect data on thinning sea ice and measure cloud and atmospheric properties in the Arctic. The campaign was designed to address questions about the relationship between retreating sea ice and the Arctic climate. Arctic sea ice reflects sunlight away from Earth, moderating warming in the region. Loss of sea ice means more heat from the sun is absorbed by the ocean surface, adding to Arctic warming. In addition, the larger amount of open water leads to more moisture in the air, which affects the formation of clouds that have their own effect on warming, either enhancing or reducing it. Read more: www.nasa.gov/earthrightnow NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

The 2011 Draconids: The First European Airborne Meteor Observation Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaubaillon, Jeremie; Koten, Pavel; Margonis, Anastasios; Toth, Juraj; Rudawska, Regina; Gritsevich, Maria; Zender, Joe; McAuliffe, Jonathan; Pautet, Pierre-Dominique; Jenniskens, Peter; Koschny, Detlef; Colas, Francois; Bouley, Sylvain; Maquet, Lucie; Leroy, Arnaud; Lecacheux, Jean; Borovicka, Jiri; Watanabe, Junichi; Oberst, Jürgen

2015-02-01

On 8 October 2011, the Draconid meteor shower (IAU, DRA) was predicted to cause two brief outbursts of meteors, visible from locations in Europe. For the first time, a European airborne meteor observation campaign was organized, supported by ground-based observations. Two aircraft were deployed from Kiruna, Sweden, carrying six scientists, 19 cameras and eight crew members. The flight geometry was chosen such that it was possible to obtain double-station observations of many meteors. The instrument setup on the aircraft as well as on the ground is described in full detail. The main peak from 1900-dust ejecta happened at the predicted time and at the predicted rate. The second peak was observed from the earlier flight and from the ground, and was caused most likely by trails ejected in the nineteenth century. A total of 250 meteors were observed, for which light curve data were derived. The trajectory, velocity, deceleration and orbit of 35 double station meteors were measured. The magnitude distribution index was high, as a result of which there was no excess of meteors near the horizon. The light curve proved to be extremely flat on average, which was unexpected. Observations of spectra allowed us to derive the compositional information of the Draconids meteoroids and showed an early release of sodium, usually interpreted as resulting from fragile meteoroids. Lessons learned from this experience are derived for future airborne meteor shower observation campaigns.

Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) 2014 Western Pacific Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, E.; Pfister, L.

2014-01-01

The NASA Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) is a series of airborne campaigns focused on understanding physical processes in the Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL) and their role in atmospheric chemistry and climate. ATTREX is using the high-altitude, long-duration NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Air System to make in situ and remote-sensing measurements spanning the Pacific. A particular ATTREX emphasis is to better understand the dehydration of air as it passes through the cold tropical tropopause region. The ATTREX payload contains 12 in situ and remote sensing instruments that measure water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nonmethane hydrocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide), reactive chemical compounds (ozone, bromine, nitrous oxide), meteorological parameters, and radiative fluxes. During January-March, 2014, the Global Hawk was deployed to Guam for ATTREX flights. Six science flights were conducted from Guam (in addition to the transits across the Pacific), resulting in over 100 hours of Western Pacific TTL sampling and about 180 vertical profiles through the TTL. I will provide an overview of the dataset, with examples of the measurements including meteorological parameters, clouds and water vapor, and chemical tracers.

The Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000): Overview of the Dry Season Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swap, R. J.; Annegarn, H. J.; Suttles, J. T.; Haywood, J.; Helmlinger, M. C.; Hely, C.; Hobbs, P. V.; Holben, B. N.; Ji, J.; King, M. D.

2002-01-01

The Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) is an international project investigating the earth atmosphere -human system in southern Africa. The programme was conducted over a two year period from March 1999 to March 2001. The dry season field campaign (August-September 2000) was the most intensive activity involved over 200 scientist from eighteen countries. The main objectives were to characterize and quantify biogenic, pyrogenic and anthropogenic aerosol and trace gas emissions and their transport and transformations in the atmosphere and to validate NASA's Earth Observing System's Satellite Terra within a scientific context. Five aircraft-- two South African Weather Service Aeorcommanders, the University of Washington's CV-880, the U.K. Meteorological Office's C-130, and NASA's ER-2 --with different altitude capabilities, participated in the campaign. Additional airborne sampling of southern African air masses, that had moved downwind of the subcontinent, was conducted by the CSIRO over Australia. Multiple Observations were made in various geographical sections under different synoptic conditions. Airborne missions were designed to optimize the value of synchronous over-flights of the Terra Satellite platform, above regional ground validation and science targets. Numerous smaller scale ground validation activities took place throughout the subcontinent during the campaign period.

Airborne geophysical surveys of unexplored regions of Antarctica - results of the ESA PolarGap campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, R.; Olesen, A. V.; Ferraccioli, F.; Jordan, T. A.; Matsuoka, K.

2016-12-01

Major airborne geophysical surveys have recently mapped large unexplored regions in the interior of East Antarctica, in a Danish-UK-Norwegian cooperation. Long-range aerogeophysics data have been collected both over the Recovery Lakes region (2012/13), as well as around the Pole (2015/16). The primary purpose of these campaigns was to map gravity to fill-in data voids in global gravity field models and augment results from the European Space Agency GOCE gravity field satellite mission. Additionally magnetic, ice-penetrating radar and lidar data are used to explore and understand the subglacial topography and geological setting, providing an improved foundation for ice sheet modeling. The most recent ESA-sponsored Polar Gap project used a BAS Twin-Otter aircraft equipped with both spring gravimeter and IMU gravity sensors, magnetometers, ice penetrating radar over the essentially unmapped regions of the GOCE polar gap. Additional detailed flights over the subglacial Recovery Lakes region, followed up earlier 2013 flights over this region. The operations took place from two field camps (near Recovery Lakes and Thiel Mountains), as well as from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station, thanks to a special arrangement with NSF. In addition to the airborne geophysics program, data with an ESA Ku-band radar were also acquired, in support of the CryoSat-2 mission, and scanning lidar collected across the polar gap, beyond the coverage of IceSat. In the talk we outline the Antarctic field operations, and show first results of the campaign, including performance of the gravity sensors, with comparison to limited existing data in the region (e.g., AGAP, IceBridge), as well as examples of lidar, magnetics and radar data. Significant new features detected from the geophysical data includes an extensive subglacial valley system between the Pole and the Filchner-Ronne ice shelf region, as well as extensive subglacial mountains, both consistent with observed ice stream patterns in

Generating Aerosol Data Products from Airborne in-situ Observations made during 2011 DISCOVER-AQ Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornhill, K. L.; Anderson, B. E.; Winstead, E. L.; Chen, G.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Ziemba, L. D.

2011-12-01

In July 2011, the first of four DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) planned field campaigns was completed. The investigation is a broad collaboration between federal and state agencies and academic institutions with the primary goal of improving the interpretation of satellite observations of surface-level trace gas and aerosol parameters by making detailed correlative measurements from aircraft and ground-based instruments in urban regions plagued by air-quality issues. Phase I studied the air-quality of the lower troposphere in and around the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas along the I-95 corridor. In-situ airborne data is essential in providing a link between the broad swath satellite measurements and the measurements made by ground based sensors. This is accomplished by examining the relationship between column-integrated values obtained through in-situ sampling and surface measured values, as aircraft can fully characterize atmospheric chemical/aerosol constituents at a given time and location. To that end, the NASA P-3B was instrumented to record fast-response measurements of various gas-phase tracers and aerosol characteristics of pollution. A flight pattern was created and executed for each of the 14 research flights that had the P-3B performing a series of spiral ascents/descents over six ground sites to perform detailed vertical characterizations of the chemical and aerosol structure. The in-situ aerosol characterization was performed by the NASA Langley Aerosol Research Group Experiment (LARGE) using 15 instruments to measure aerosol microphysical, chemical and optical properties. In this presentation we discuss the process in which aerosol science data is generated, from the collection of more than 10 GB of data per 8 hour flight, to the initial QA/QC required to produce a preliminary data product within 24 hours of landing, through final data submission

Oil spill characterization thanks to optical airborne imagery during the NOFO campaign 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viallefont-Robinet, F.; Ceamanos, X.; Angelliaume, S.; Miegebielle, V.

2017-10-01

One of the objectives of the NAOMI (New Advanced Observation Method Integration) research project, fruit of a partnership between Total and ONERA, is to work on the detection, the quantification and the characterization of offshore hydrocarbon at the sea surface using airborne remote sensing. In this framework, work has been done to characterize the spectral signature of hydrocarbons in lab in order to build a database of oil spectral signatures. The main objective of this database is to provide spectral libraries for data processing algorithms to be applied to airborne VNIRSWIR hyperspectral images. A campaign run by the NOFO institute (Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies) took place in 2015 to test anti-pollution equipment. During this campaign, several hydrocarbon products, including an oil emulsion, were released into the sea, off the Norwegian coast. The NOFO team allowed the NAOMI project to acquire data over the resulting oil slicks using the SETHI system, which is an airborne remote sensing imaging system developed by ONERA. SETHI integrates a new generation of optoelectronic and radar payloads and can operate over a wide range of frequency bands. SETHI is a pod-based system operating onboard a Falcon 20 Dassault aircraft, which is owned by AvDEF. For these experiments, imaging sensors were constituted by 2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR), working at X and L bands in a full polarimetric mode (HH, HV, VH, VV) and 2 HySpex hyperspectral cameras working in the VNIR (0,4 to 1 μm) and SWIR (1 to 2,5 μm) spectral ranges. A sample of the oil emulsion that was used during the campaign was sent to our laboratory for analysis. Measurements of its transmission and of its reflectance in the VNIR and SWIR spectral domains have been performed at ONERA with a Perkin Elmer spectroradiometer and a spectrogoniometer. Several samples of the oil emulsion were prepared in order to measure spectral variations according to oil thickness, illumination angle

Providing Data Management Support to NASA Airborne Field Studies through Streamlined Usability Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beach, A. L., III; Northup, E. A.; Early, A. B.; Chen, G.

2016-12-01

Airborne field studies are an effective way to gain a detailed understanding of atmospheric processes for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. One major function of airborne project data management is to maintain seamless data access within the science team. This allows individual instrument principal investigators (PIs) to process and validate their own data, which requires analysis of data sets from other PIs (or instruments). The project's web platform streamlines data ingest, distribution processes, and data format validation. In May 2016, the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) developed a new data management capability to help support the Korea U.S.-Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) science team. This effort is aimed at providing direct NASA Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) support to an airborne field study. Working closely with the science team, the ASDC developed a scalable architecture that allows investigators to easily upload and distribute their data and documentation within a secure collaborative environment. The user interface leverages modern design elements to intuitively guide the PI through each step of the data management process. In addition, the new framework creates an abstraction layer between how the data files are stored and how the data itself is organized(i.e. grouping files by PI). This approach makes it easy for PIs to simply transfer their data to one directory, while the system itself can automatically group/sort data as needed. Moreover, the platform is "server agnostic" to a certain degree, making deployment and customization more straightforward as hardware needs change. This flexible design will improve development efficiency and can be leveraged for future field campaigns. This presentation will examine the KORUS-AQ data portal as a scalable solution that applies consistent and intuitive usability design practices to support ingest and management of airborne

Global Modeling, Field Campaigns, Upscaling and Ray Desjardins

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sellers, P. J.; Hall, F. G.

2012-01-01

In the early 1980's, it became apparent that land surface radiation and energy budgets were unrealistically represented in Global Circulation models (GCM's), Shortly thereafter, it became clear that the land carbon budget was also poorly represented in Earth System Models (ESM's), A number of scientific communities, including GCM/ESM modelers, micrometeorologists, satellite data specialists and plant physiologists, came together to design field experiments that could be used to develop and validate the contemporary prototype land surface models. These experiments were designed to measure land surface fluxes of radiation, heat, water vapor and CO2 using a network of flux towers and other plot-scale techniques, coincident with satellite measurements of related state variables, The interdisciplinary teams involved in these experiments quickly became aware of the scale gap between plot-scale measurements (approx 10 - 100m), satellite measurements (100m - 10 km), and GCM grid areas (l0 - 200km). At the time, there was no established flux measurement capability to bridge these scale gaps. Then, a Canadian science learn led by Ray Desjardins started to actively participate in the design and execution of the experiments, with airborne eddy correlation providing the radically innovative bridge across the scale gaps, In a succession of brilliantly executed field campaigns followed up by convincing scientific analyses, they demonstrated that airborne eddy correlation allied with satellite data was the most powerful upscaling tool available to the community, The rest is history: the realism and credibility of weather and climate models has been enormously improved enormously over the last 25 years with immense benefits to the public and policymakers.

The Airborne Measurements of Methane Fluxes (AIRMETH) Arctic Campaign (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serafimovich, A.; Metzger, S.; Hartmann, J.; Kohnert, K.; Sachs, T.

2013-12-01

One of the most pressing questions with regard to climate feedback processes in a warming Arctic is the regional-scale methane release from Arctic permafrost areas. The Airborne Measurements of Methane Fluxes (AIRMETH) campaign is designed to quantitatively and spatially explicitly address this question. Ground-based eddy covariance (EC) measurements provide continuous in-situ observations of the surface-atmosphere exchange of methane. However, these observations are rare in the Arctic permafrost zone and site selection is bound by logistical constraints among others. Consequently, these observations cover only small areas that are not necessarily representative of the region of interest. Airborne measurements can overcome this limitation by covering distances of hundreds of kilometers over time periods of a few hours. Here, we present the potential of environmental response functions (ERFs) for quantitatively linking methane flux observations in the atmospheric surface layer to meteorological and biophysical drivers in the flux footprints. For this purpose thousands of kilometers of AIRMETH data across the Alaskan North Slope are utilized, with the aim to extrapolate the airborne EC methane flux observations to the entire North Slope. The data were collected aboard the research aircraft POLAR 5, using its turbulence nose boom and fast response methane and meteorological sensors. After thorough data pre-processing, Reynolds averaging is used to derive spatially integrated fluxes. To increase spatial resolution and to derive ERFs, we then use wavelet transforms of the original high-frequency data. This enables much improved spatial discretization of the flux observations, and the quantification of continuous and biophysically relevant land cover properties in the flux footprint of each observation. A machine learning technique is then employed to extract and quantify the functional relationships between the methane flux observations and the meteorological and

The Australian National Airborne Field Experiment 2005: Soil Moisture Remote Sensing at 60 Meter Resolution and Up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, E. J.; Walker, J. P.; Panciera, R.; Kalma, J. D.

2006-01-01

truth collection over a range of grid spacings, to provide a basis for examining the effects of subpixel variability. However, the native footprint size of the airborne L-band radiometers was always a few hundred meters. During the recently completed (November, 2005) National Airborne Field Experiment (NAFE) campaign in Australia, a compact L-band radiometer was deployed on a small aircraft. This new combination permitted routine observations at native resolutions as high as 60 meters, substantially finer than in previous airborne soil moisture campaigns, as well as satellite footprint areal coverage. The radiometer, the Polarimetric L-band Microwave Radiometer (PLMR) performed extremely well and operations included extensive calibration-related observations. Thus, along with the extensive fine-scale ground truth, the NAFE dataset includes all the ingredients for the first scaling studies involving very-high-native resolution soil moisture observations and the effects of vegetation, roughness, etc. A brief overview of the NAFE will be presented, then examples of the airborne observations with resolutions from 60 m to 1 km will be shown, and early results from scaling studies will be discussed.

4STAR Sky-Scanning Retrievals of Aerosol Intensive Optical Properties from Multiple Field Campaigns with Detailed Comparisons of SSA Reported During SEAC4RS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Connor; Dahlgren, R. P.; Dunagan, S.; Johnson, R.; Kacenelenbogen, M.; LeBlanc, S.; Livingston, J.; Redemann, J.; Schmid, B.; Segal Rozenhaimer, M.;

Development of Waypoint Planning Tool in Response to NASA Field Campaign Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Matt; Hardin, Danny; Mayer, Paul; Blakeslee, Richard; Goodman, Michael

2012-01-01

Airborne real time observations are a major component of NASA 's Earth Science research and satellite ground validation studies. Multiple aircraft are involved in most NASA field campaigns. The coordination of the aircraft with satellite overpasses, other airplanes and the constantly evolving, dynamic weather conditions often determines the success of the campaign. Planning a research aircraft mission within the context of meeting the science objectives is a complex task because it requires real time situational awareness of the weather conditions that affect the aircraft track. A flight planning tools is needed to provide situational awareness information to the mission scientists, and help them plan and modify the flight tracks. Scientists at the University of Alabama ]Huntsville and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center developed the Waypoint Planning Tool, an interactive software tool that enables scientists to develop their own flight plans (also known as waypoints) with point -and-click mouse capabilities on a digital map filled with real time raster and vector data. The development of this Waypoint Planning Tool demonstrates the significance of mission support in responding to the challenges presented during NASA field campaigns. Analysis during and after each campaign helped identify both issues and new requirements, and initiated the next wave of development. Currently the Waypoint Planning Tool has gone through three rounds of development and analysis processes. The development of this waypoint tool is directly affected by the technology advances on GIS/Mapping technologies. From the standalone Google Earth application and simple KML functionalities, to Google Earth Plugin on web platform, and to the rising open source GIS tools with New Java Script frameworks, the Waypoint Planning Tool has entered its third phase of technology advancement. Adapting new technologies for the Waypoint Planning Tool ensures its success in helping scientist reach their

Constraints on Southern Ocean CO2 Fluxes and Seasonality from Atmospheric Vertical Gradients Observed on Multiple Airborne Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKain, K.; Sweeney, C.; Stephens, B. B.; Long, M. C.; Jacobson, A. R.; Basu, S.; Chatterjee, A.; Weir, B.; Wofsy, S. C.; Atlas, E. L.; Blake, D. R.; Montzka, S. A.; Stern, R.

2017-12-01

The Southern Ocean plays an important role in the global carbon cycle and climate system, but net CO2 flux into the Southern Ocean is difficult to measure and model because it results from large opposing and seasonally-varying fluxes due to thermal forcing, biological uptake, and deep-water mixing. We present an analysis to constrain the seasonal cycle of net CO2 exchange with the Southern Ocean, and the magnitude of summer uptake, using the vertical gradients in atmospheric CO2 observed during three aircraft campaigns in the southern polar region. The O2/N2 Ratio and CO2 Airborne Southern Ocean Study (ORCAS) was an airborne campaign that intensively sampled the atmosphere at 0-13 km altitude and 45-75 degrees south latitude in the austral summer (January-February) of 2016. The global airborne campaigns, the HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) study and the Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom), provide additional measurements over the Southern Ocean from other seasons and multiple years (2009-2011, 2016-2017). Derivation of fluxes from measured vertical gradients requires robust estimates of the residence time of air in the polar tropospheric domain, and of the contribution of long-range transport from northern latitudes outside the domain to the CO2 gradient. We use diverse independent approaches to estimate both terms, including simulations using multiple transport and flux models, and observed gradients of shorter-lived tracers with specific sources regions and well-known loss processes. This study demonstrates the utility of aircraft profile measurements for constraining large-scale air-sea fluxes for the Southern Ocean, in contrast to those derived from the extrapolation of sparse ocean and atmospheric measurements and uncertain flux parameterizations.

Comparison of CAM-Chem with Trace Gas Measurements from Airborne Field Campaigns from 2009-2016.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schauffler, S.; Atlas, E. L.; Kinnison, D. E.; Lamarque, J. F.; Saiz-Lopez, A.; Navarro, M. A.; Donets, V.; Blake, D. R.; Blake, N. J.

2016-12-01

Trace gas measurements collected during seven field campaigns, two with multiple deployments, will be compared with the NCAR CAM-Chem model to evaluate the model performance over multiple years. The campaigns include HIPPO (2009-2011) pole to pole observations in the Pacific on the NSF/NCAR GV over multiple seasons; SEAC4RS (Aug./Sept., 2013) in the central and southern U.S. and western Gulf of Mexico on the NASA ER-2 and DC8; ATTREX (2011-2015) on the NASA Global Hawk over multiple seasons and locations; CONTRAST (Jan/Feb, 2014) in the western Pacific on the NSF/NCAR GV; VIRGAS (Oct., 2015) in the south central US and western Gulf of Mexico on the NASA WB-57; ORCAS (Jan/Feb, 2016) over the southern ocean on the NSF/NCAR GV; and POSIDON (Oct, 2016) in the western Pacific on the NASA WB-57. We will focus on along the flight tracks comparisons with the model and will also examine comparisons of vertical distributions and various tracer-tracer correlations.

The International SubMillimetre Airborne Radiometer (ISMAR) - First results from the STICCS and COSMIC campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendrok, Jana; Eriksson, Patrick; Fox, Stuart; Brath, Manfred; Buehler, Stefan

2016-04-01

Multispectral millimeter- and submillimeter-wave observations bear the potential to measure properties of non-thin ice clouds like mass content and mean particle size. The next generation of European meteorological satellites, the MetOp-SG series, will carry the first satellite-borne submillimeter sounder, the Ice Cloud Imager (ICI). An airborne demonstrator, the International SubMillimetre Airborne Radiometer (ISMAR), is operated together with other remote sensing instruments and in-situ probes on the FAAM aircraft. Scientific measurements from two campaings in the North Atlantic region, STICCS and COSMIC, are available so far. Here we will introduce the ISMAR instrument, present the acquired measurements from the STICCS and COSMIC campaigns and show some first results. This will include estimation of instrument performance, first analysis of clear-sky and cloudy cases and discussion of selected features observed in the measurements (e.g. polarisation signatures).

Overview of the 2015 Algodones Sand Dunes field campaign to support sensor intercalibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCorkel, Joel; Bachmann, Charles M.; Coburn, Craig; Gerace, Aaron; Leigh, Larry; Czapla-Myers, Jeff; Helder, Dennis; Cook, Bruce

2018-01-01

Several sites from around the world are being used operationally and are suitable for vicarious calibration of space-borne imaging platforms. However, due to the proximity of these sites (e.g., Libya 4), a rigorous characterization of the landscape is not feasible, limiting their utility for sensor intercalibration efforts. Due to its accessibility and similarities to Libya 4, the Algodones Sand Dunes System in California, USA, was identified as a potentially attractive intercalibration site for space-borne, reflective instruments such as Landsat. In March 2015, a 4-day field campaign was conducted to develop an initial characterization of Algodones with a primary goal of assessing its intercalibration potential. Five organizations from the US and Canada collaborated to collect both active and passive airborne image data, spatial and temporal measurements of spectral bidirectional reflectance distribution function, and in-situ sand samples from several locations across the Algodones system. The collection activities conducted to support the campaign goal is summarized, including a summary of all instrumentation used, the data collected, and the experiments performed in an effort to characterize the Algodones site.

Evaluation of AirMSPI photopolarimetric retrievals of smoke properties with in-situ observations collected during the ImPACT-PM field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalashnikova, O. V.; Garay, M. J.; Xu, F.; Seidel, F.; Diner, D. J.; Seinfeld, J.; Bates, K. H.; Kong, W.; Kenseth, C.; Cappa, C. D.

2017-12-01

We introduce and evaluate an approach for obtaining closure between in situ and polarimetric remote sensing observations of smoke properties obtained during the collocated CIRPAS Twin Otter and ER-2 aircraft measurements of the Lebec fire event on July 8, 2016. We investigate the utility of multi-angle, spectropolarimetric remote sensing imagery to evaluate the relative contribution of organics, non-organic and black carbon particles to smoke particulate composition. The remote sensing data were collected during the Imaging Polarimetric and Characterization of Tropospheric Particular Matter (ImPACT-PM) field campaign by the Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (AirMSPI), which flew on NASA's high-altitude ER-2 aircraft. The ImPACT-PM field campaign was a joint JPL/Caltech effort to combine measurements from the Terra Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), AirMSPI, in situ airborne measurements, and a chemical transport model to validate remote sensing retrievals of different types of airborne particulate matter with a particular emphasis on carbonaceous aerosols. The in-situ aerosol data were collected with a suite of Caltech instruments on board the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft and included the Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS), the Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA), and the Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP-2). The CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft was also equipped with the Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP), nephelometer, a particle counter, and meteorological sensors. We found that the multi-angle polarimetric observations are capable of fire particulate emission monitoring by particle type as inferred from the in-situ airborne measurements. Modeling of retrieval sensitivities show that the characterization of black carbon is the most challenging. The work aims at evaluating multi-angle, spectropolarimetric capabilities for particulate matter characterization in support of the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) satellite investigation

Airborne Science personnel Walter Klein and David Bushman at the Mission Manager's console onboard NASA's DC-8 during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

Airborne Science personnel Walter Klein and David Bushman at the Mission Manager's console onboard NASA's DC-8 during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

Observation of wind field over heterogeneous terrain by the French-German airborne Doppler lidar WIND

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabas, A.; Werner, C.; Delville, P.; Reitebuch, O.; Drobinski, P.; Cousin, F.

2003-04-01

In summer 2001, the French-German airborne Doppler lidar WIND participated to field campaign ESCOMPTE. ESCOMPTE was carried out in the region of Marseille along the Mediterranean coast of France. It was dedicated to the observation of heavy pollution events in this industrialized, densely populated region of nearly 4 million inhabitants. The aim was to gather a data base as comprehensive as possible on several pollution events and use them to check the ability of several regional forecast models to predict such events. The specific mission devoted to WIND was the characterization at mesoscale of the wind field and the topography of the planetary boundary layer. Both are complex around Marseille due the heterogeneity of the surface with a transition sea/land to the south, the fore-Alps to the North, the Rhône valley to the North-West etc... Seven, 3-hr flights were carried out and gave excellent results. In 2002, first comparisons were made with mesoscale models. They will be shown during the presentation. They are good examples of the usefulness of airborne Doppler lidar for validating and improving atmospheric model simulations.

Observational and Modeling-based Study of Corsica Thunderstorms: Preparation of the EXAEDRE Airborne Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Defer, E.; Coquillat, S.; Lambert, D.; Pinty, J. P.; Prieur, S.; Caumont, O.; Labatut, L.; Nuret, M.; Blanchet, P.; Buguet, M.; Lalande, P.; Labrouche, G.; Pedeboy, S.; Lojou, J. Y.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Delanoë, J.; Bourdon, A.; Guiraud, L.

2017-12-01

The 4-year EXAEDRE (EXploiting new Atmospheric Electricity Data for Research and the Environment; Oct 2016-Sept 2020) project is sponsored by the French Science Foundation ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche). This project is a French contribution to the HyMeX (HYdrological cycle in the Mediterranean EXperiment) program. The EXAEDRE activities rely on innovative multi-disciplinary and state of the art instrumentation and modeling tools to provide a comprehensive description of the electrical activity in thunderstorms. The EXAEDRE observational part is based on i) existing lightning records collected during HyMeX Special Observation Period (SOP1; Sept-Nov 2012), and permanent lightning observations provided by the research Lightning Mapping Array SAETTA and the operational Météorage lightning locating systems, ii) additional lightning observations mapped with a new VHF interferometer especially developed within the EXAEDRE project, and iii) a dedicated airborne campaign over Corsica. The modeling part of the EXAEDRE project exploits the electrification and lightning schemes developed in the cloud resolving model MesoNH and promotes an innovative technique of flash data assimilation in the french operational model AROME of Météo-France. An overview of the EXAEDRE project will be given with an emphasis on the instrumental, observational and modeling activities performed during the 1st year of the project. The preparation of the EXAEDRE airborne campaign scheduled for September 2018 over Corsica will then be discussed. Acknowledgements. The EXAEDRE project is sponsored by grant ANR-16-CE04-0005 with support from the MISTRALS/HyMeX meta program.

Magnetic Field Observations at Purcell, Oklahoma Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chi, P. J.; Gibson, J. P.

The campaign “Magnetic Field Observations at Purcell, Oklahoma” installed a ground-based magnetometer at Purcell’s U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility boundary installation at the Kessler Atmospheric and Ecological Field Station, University of Oklahoma, to measure local magnetic field variations. It is a part of the nine stations of the Mid-continent MAgnetoseismic Chain (McMAC) placed as close to the 330° magnetic longitude as possible. This is the meridian in the world where land covers the greatest continuous range in magnetic latitude. Figure 1 shows the map of the magnetometer stations along the 330th magnetic meridian,more » including the Purcell (PCEL) station. The main scientific objective of the campaign is to detect the field line resonance (FLR) frequencies of the magnetic field line connected to the Purcell station. This magnetic field line extends from Purcell to the outer space at distances as far as 2 Earth radii (RE). To accurately identify FLR frequencies, however, simultaneous measurements at slightly different latitudes along the same meridian are necessary to allow the use of the cross-phase technique. This consideration explains the arrangement to operate magnetometers at the Americus (AMER) and Richardson (RICH) stations nearby. The measured resonant frequency can infer the plasma mass density along the field line through the method of normal-mode magnetoseismology. The magnetometer at the Purcell station can detect many other types of magnetic field fluctuations associated with the changes in the electric currents in the ionosphere and the magnetosphere, which by large are affected by the solar activity. In other words, the magnetic field data collected by this campaign are also useful for understanding space weather phenomena. The magnetometer was installed at Purcell’s ARM boundary facility in March 27, 2006. The construction of the triaxial fluxgate magnetometer used

NASA Standard for Airborne Data: ICARTT Format ESDS-RFC-019

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornhill, A.; Brown, C.; Aknan, A.; Crawford, J. H.; Chen, G.; Williams, E. J.

2011-12-01

Airborne field studies generate a plethora of data products in the effort to study atmospheric composition and processes. Data file formats for airborne field campaigns are designed to present data in an understandable and organized way to support collaboration and to document relevant and important meta data. The ICARTT file format was created to facilitate data management during the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) campaign in 2004 that involved government-agencies and university participants from five countries. Since this mission the ICARTT format has been used in subsequent field campaigns such as Polar Study Using Aircraft Remote Sensing, Surface Measurements and Models of Climates, Chemistry, Aerosols, and Transport (POLARCAT) and the first phase of Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER-AQ). The ICARTT file format has been endorsed as a standard format for airborne data by the Standard Process Group (SPG), one of the Earth Science Data Systems Working Groups (ESDSWG) in 2010. The detailed description of the ICARTT format can be found at http://www-air.larc.nasa.gov/missions/etc/ESDS-RFC-019-v1.00.pdf. The ICARTT data format is an ASCII, comma delimited format that was based on the NASA Ames and GTE file formats. The file header is detailed enough to fully describe the data for users outside of the instrument group and includes a description of the meta data. The ICARTT scanning tools, format structure, implementations, and examples will be presented.

Variability and budget of CO2 in Europe: analysis of the CAATER airborne campaigns - Part 1: Observed variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xueref-Remy, I.; Messager, C.; Filippi, D.; Nedelec, P.; Ramonet, M.; Paris, J. D.; Ciais, P.

2010-02-01

Atmospheric airborne measurements of CO2 are very well-suited to estimate the time varying distribution of carbon sources and sinks at the regional scale. We present here an analysis of two cross-European airborne campaigns that have been carried out on 23-26 May 2001 (CAATER 1) and 2-3 October 2002 (CAATER 2) over Western Europe. The area covered during CAATER 1 (respectively CAATER 2) was comprised between longitude 4° W to 14° E and latitude 44° N to 52° N (respectively longitude 1° E to 17° E and latitude 46° N to 52° N). High precision in-situ CO2, CO and Radon 222 measurements have been recorded. Flasks samples have been collected during both campaigns to cross-validate the in-situ data. During CAATER 1 (respectively CAATER 2), the mean CO2 concentration was 370.1±4 ppm (respectively 371.7±5 ppm). A HYSPLIT backtrajectories analysis shows that during CAATER 1, dominant winds were blowing from the north-west. In the planetary boundary layer (PBL) airmasses got contaminated over Benelux and Western Germany by pollution from these high urbanized areas, reaching about 380 ppm. Air masses passing over rural areas are depleted in CO2 because of the photosynthesis activity of the land cover vegetation, as low as 355 ppm. During CAATER 2, the backtrajectory analysis shows that airmasses were distributed among the 4 sectors. Airmasses got enriched in CO2 and CO when passing above polluted spots in Germany but also in Poland, as these countries are known to hold part of the most polluting plants based on coal consumption, the so-called "dirty thirty" from WWF. Simultaneous measurements of in-situ CO2 and CO combined to backtrajectories helped us to discriminate the role of fossil fuel emissions from over CO2 sources. The ΔCO/ΔCO2 ratios (R2=0.33 to 0.88, slopes=2.42 to 10.37), calculated for polluted airmasses originating from different countries/regions, matched quite well national inventories, showing that the airborne measurements can help to identify

NASA 1990 Multisensor Airborne Campaigns (MACs) for ecosystem and watershed studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wickland, Diane E.; Asrar, Ghassem; Murphy, Robert E.

1991-01-01

The Multisensor Airborne Campaign (MAC) focus within NASA's former Land Processes research program was conceived to achieve the following objectives: to acquire relatively complete, multisensor data sets for well-studied field sites, to add a strong remote sensing science component to ecology-, hydrology-, and geology-oriented field projects, to create a research environment that promotes strong interactions among scientists within the program, and to more efficiently utilize and compete for the NASA fleet of remote sensing aircraft. Four new MAC's were conducted in 1990: the Oregon Transect Ecosystem Research (OTTER) project along an east-west transect through central Oregon, the Forest Ecosystem Dynamics (FED) project at the Northern Experimental Forest in Howland, Maine, the MACHYDRO project in the Mahantango Creek watershed in central Pennsylvania, and the Walnut Gulch project near Tombstone, Arizona. The OTTER project is testing a model that estimates the major fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, and water through temperate coniferous forest ecosystems. The focus in the project is on short time-scale (days-year) variations in ecosystem function. The FED project is concerned with modeling vegetation changes of forest ecosystems using remotely sensed observations to extract biophysical properties of forest canopies. The focus in this project is on long time-scale (decades to millenia) changes in ecosystem structure. The MACHYDRO project is studying the role of soil moisture and its regulating effects on hydrologic processes. The focus of the study is to delineate soil moisture differences within a basin and their changes with respect to evapotranspiration, rainfall, and streamflow. The Walnut Gulch project is focused on the effects of soil moisture in the energy and water balance of arid and semiarid ecosystems and their feedbacks to the atmosphere via thermal forcing.

Collaboration During the NASA ABoVE Airborne SAR Campaign: Sampling Strategies Used by NGEE Arctic and Other Partners in Alaska and Western Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wullschleger, S. D.; Charsley-Groffman, L.; Baltzer, J. L.; Berg, A. A.; Griffith, P. C.; Jafarov, E. E.; Marsh, P.; Miller, C. E.; Schaefer, K. M.; Siqueira, P.; Wilson, C. J.; Kasischke, E. S.

2017-12-01

There is considerable interest in using L- and P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to monitor variations in aboveground woody biomass, soil moisture, and permafrost conditions in high-latitude ecosystems. Such information is useful for quantifying spatial heterogeneity in surface and subsurface properties, and for model development and evaluation. To conduct these studies, it is desirable that field studies share a common sampling strategy so that the data from multiple sites can be combined and used to analyze variations in conditions across different landscape geomorphologies and vegetation types. In 2015, NASA launched the decade-long Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) to study the sensitivity and resilience of these ecosystems to disturbance and environmental change. NASA is able to leverage its remote sensing strengths to collect airborne and satellite observations to capture important ecosystem properties and dynamics across large spatial scales. A critical component of this effort includes collection of ground-based data that can be used to analyze, calibrate and validate remote sensing products. ABoVE researchers at a large number of sites located in important Arctic and boreal ecosystems in Alaska and western Canada are following common design protocols and strategies for measuring soil moisture, thaw depth, biomass, and wetland inundation. Here we elaborate on those sampling strategies as used in the 2017 summer SAR campaign and address the sampling design and measurement protocols for supporting the ABoVE aerial activities. Plot size, transect length, and distribution of replicates across the landscape systematically allowed investigators to optimally sample a site for soil moisture, thaw depth, and organic layer thickness. Specific examples and data sets are described for the Department of Energy's Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE Arctic) project field sites near Nome and Barrow, Alaska. Future airborne and satellite

First Transmitted Hyperspectral Light Measurements and Cloud Properties from Recent Field Campaign Sampling Clouds Under Biomass Burning Aerosol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leblanc, S.; Redemann, Jens; Shinozuka, Yohei; Flynn, Connor J.; Segal Rozenhaimer, Michal; Kacenelenbogen, Meloe Shenandoah; Pistone, Kristina Marie Myers; Schmidt, Sebastian; Cochrane, Sabrina

2016-01-01

We present a first view of data collected during a recent field campaign aimed at measuring biomass burning aerosol above clouds from airborne platforms. The NASA ObseRvations of CLouds above Aerosols and their intEractionS (ORACLES) field campaign recently concluded its first deployment sampling clouds and overlying aerosol layer from the airborne platform NASA P3. We present results from the Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR), in conjunction with the Solar Spectral Flux Radiometers (SSFR). During this deployment, 4STAR sampled transmitted solar light either via direct solar beam measurements and scattered light measurements, enabling the measurement of aerosol optical thickness and the retrieval of information on aerosol particles in addition to overlying cloud properties. We focus on the zenith-viewing scattered light measurements, which are used to retrieve cloud optical thickness, effective radius, and thermodynamic phase of clouds under a biomass burning layer. The biomass burning aerosol layer present above the clouds is the cause of potential bias in retrieved cloud optical depth and effective radius from satellites. We contrast the typical reflection based approach used by satellites to the transmission based approach used by 4STAR during ORACLES for retrieving cloud properties. It is suspected that these differing approaches will yield a change in retrieved properties since light transmitted through clouds is sensitive to a different cloud volume than reflected light at cloud top. We offer a preliminary view of the implications of these differences in sampling volumes to the calculation of cloud radiative effects (CRE).

Highlights from 4STAR Sky-Scanning Retrievals of Aerosol Intensive Optical Properties from Multiple Field Campaigns with Detailed Comparisons of SSA Reported During SEAC4RS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunagan, Stephen E.

2016-01-01

The 4STAR (Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research) instrument combines airborne sun tracking capabilities of the Ames Airborne Tracking Sun Photometer (AATS-14) with AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network)-like sky-scanning capability and adds state-of-the-art fiber-coupled grating spectrometry to yield hyperspectral measurements of direct solar irradiance and angularly resolved sky radiance. The combination of sun-tracking and sky-scanning capability enables retrievals of wavelength-dependent aerosol optical depth (AOD), mode-resolved aerosol size distribution (SD), asphericity, and complex refractive index, and thus also the scattering phase function, asymmetry parameter, single-scattering albedo (SSA), and absorption aerosol optical thickness (AAOT). From 2012 to 2014 4STAR participated in four major field campaigns: the U.S. Dept. of Energy's TCAP (Two-Column Aerosol Project) I & II campaigns, and NASA's SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys) and ARISE (Arctic Radiation - IceBridge Sea & Ice Experiment) campaigns. Establishing a strong performance record, 4STAR operated successfully on all flights conducted during each of these campaigns. Sky radiance spectra from scans in either constant azimuth (principal plane) or constant zenith angle (almucantar) were interspersed with direct beam measurements during level legs. During SEAC4RS and ARISE, 4STAR airborne measurements were augmented with flight-level albedo from the collocated Shortwave Spectral Flux Radiometer (SSFR) providing improved specification of below-aircraft radiative conditions for the retrieval. Calibrated radiances and retrieved products will be presented with particular emphasis on detailed comparisons of ambient SSA retrievals and measurements during SEAC4RS from 4STAR, AERONET, HSRL2 (High Spectral Resolution Lidar), and from in situ measurements.

Airborne and Ground-Based Measurements Using a High-Performance Raman Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiteman, David N.; Rush, Kurt; Rabenhorst, Scott; Welch, Wayne; Cadirola, Martin; McIntire, Gerry; Russo, Felicita; Adam, Mariana; Venable, Demetrius; Connell, Rasheen;

Particle Number Concentrations for HI-SCALE Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hering, Susanne V

In support of the Holistic Interactions of Shallow Clouds, Aerosols, and Ecosystems (HI-SCALE) project to study new particle formation in the atmosphere, a pair of custom water condensation particle counters were provided to the second intensive field campaign, from mid-August through mid-September 2017, at the U.S. Department of Energy Southern Great Plains Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility observatory. These custom instruments were developed by Aerosol Dynamics, Inc. (Hering et al. 2017) to detect particles into the nanometer size range. Referred to as “versatile water condensation particle counter (vWCPC)”, they are water-based, laminar-flow condensational growth instruments whose lower particlemore » size threshold can be set based on user-selected operating temperatures. For HI-SCALE, the vWCPCs were configured to measure airborne particle number concentrations in the size range from approximately 2nm to 2μm. Both were installed in the particle sizing system operated by Chongai Kuang of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). One of these was operated in parallel to a TSI Model 3776, upstream of the mobility particle sizing system, to measure total ambient particle concentrations. The airborne particle concentration data from this “total particle number vWCPC” (Ntot-vWCPC) system has been reported to the ARM database. The data are reported with one-second resolution. The second vWCPC was operated in parallel with the BNL diethylene glycol instrument to count particles downstream of a separate differential mobility size analyzer. Data from this “DMA-vWCPC” system was logged by BNL, and will eventually be provided by that laboratory.« less

Husbandry Trace Gas Emissions from a Dairy Complex By Mobile in Situ and Airborne and Spaceborne Remote Sensing: A Comex Campaign Focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leifer, I.; Tratt, D. M.; Bovensmann, H.; Buckland, K. N.; Burrows, J. P.; Frash, J.; Gerilowski, K.; Iraci, L. T.; Johnson, P. D.; Kolyer, R.; Krautwurst, S.; Krings, T.; Leen, J. B.; Hu, C.; Melton, C.; Vigil, S. A.; Yates, E. L.; Zhang, M.

2014-12-01

Recent field study reviews on the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) found significant underestimation from fossil fuel industry and husbandry. The 2014 COMEX campaign seeks to develop methods to derive CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) from remote sensing data by combining hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and non-imaging spectroscopy (NIS) with in situ airborne and surface data. COMEX leverages synergies between high spatial resolution HSI column abundance maps and moderate spectral/spatial resolution NIS. Airborne husbandry data were collected for the Chino dairy complex (East Los Angeles Basin) by NIS-MAMAP, HSI-Mako thermal-infrared (TIR); AVIRIS NG shortwave IR (SWIR), with in situ surface mobile-AMOG Surveyor (AutoMObile greenhouse Gas)-and airborne in situ from a Twin Otter and the AlphaJet. AMOG Surveyor uses in situ Integrated Cavity Off Axis Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) to measure CH4, CO2, H2O, H2S and NH3 at 5-10 Hz, 2D winds, and thermal anomaly in an adapted commuter car. OA-ICOS provides high precision and accuracy with excellent stability. NH3 and CH4 emissions were correlated at dairy size-scales but not sub-dairy scales in surface and Mako data, showing fine-scale structure and large variations between the numerous dairies in the complex (herd ~200,000-250,000) embedded in an urban setting. Emissions hotspots were consistent between surface and airborne surveys. In June, surface and MAMAP data showed a weak overall plume, while surface and Mako data showed a stronger plume in late (hotter) July. Multiple surface plume transects using NH3 fingerprinting showed East and then NE advection out of the LA Basin consistent with airborne data. Long-term trends were investigated in satellite data. This study shows the value of synergistically combined NH3 and CH4 remote sensing data to the task of CH4 source attribution using airborne and space-based remote sensing (IASI for NH3) and top of atmosphere sensitivity calculations for Sentinel V and Carbon Sat (CH4).

Intercomparison of four airborne imaging DOAS systems for tropospheric NO2 mapping - First results of the AROMAPEX campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tack, Frederik; Merlaud, Alexis; Meier, Andreas; Ge, Xinrui; Meuleman, Koen; Ruhtz, Thomas; van der Wal, Len; Van Roozendael, Michel; Iordache, Daniel; Schönhardt, Anja; Richter, Andreas; Vlemmix, Tim; de Goeij, Bryan; Ardelean, Magdalena; Boscornea, Andreea; Constantin, Daniel; Shaifangar, Reza; Wagner, Thomas; Lampel, Johannes; Schuettemeyer, Dirk

2017-04-01

The AROMAPEX campaign took place in Berlin in April, 2016, co-funded by the EU (EUFAR) and ESA, with the primary objective to intercompare experimental airborne atmospheric imagers dedicated to the mapping of the spatial distribution of tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2). AROMAPEX is also a preparatory step for forthcoming intercomparison/validation campaigns of satellite air quality sensors, such as TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument). The instruments were operated from two planes, performing synchronized flights: APEX (VITO/BIRA-IASB) was operated from DLR's DO-228 D-CFFU plane at 6.1 km altitude while AirMAP (IUP Bremen), and the small, lightweight SWING (BIRA-IASB) and Spectrolite (TNO/TU Delft) instruments were operated from the FUB Cessna 207T D-EAFU at 3 km. Two synchronized flights took place on 21 April, 2016, the only cloud-free day during the campaign, in the morning from 09:34 to 12:01 LT and in the afternoon from 14:24 to 16:39 LT. APEX, AirMAP and SWING have a comparable swath width of 3 km, while Spectrolite has a swath of 450 m due to the fact that the field-of-view had to be reduced from 40° to 8.3° for practical reasons. The spatial resolution is approximately 100 m after spatial aggregation for APEX, AirMAP and Spectrolite (pushbroom scanning), and 300 m for SWING (whiskbroom scanning). The airborne Sunphotometer FUBISS-ASA2 was installed and operated during the ascent and descent of the FUB aircraft to derive aerosol optical depth (AOD). During the overpass of the imagers, simultaneous car mobile-DOAS observations were performed with three systems covering transects from north to south and west to east. The ground-based instrumental set-up was completed by a DOAS instrument, an Aeronet station and a ceilometer installed at the rooftop of FUB, located in the southwest of Berlin. The AROMAPEX experiment builds on the experience gained during the AROMAT campaigns held in September, 2014 and August, 2015 in Romania, and the BUMBA

Airborne multispectral detection of regrowth cotton fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westbrook, John K.; Suh, Charles P.-C.; Yang, Chenghai; Lan, Yubin; Eyster, Ritchie S.

2015-01-01

Effective methods are needed for timely areawide detection of regrowth cotton plants because boll weevils (a quarantine pest) can feed and reproduce on these plants beyond the cotton production season. Airborne multispectral images of regrowth cotton plots were acquired on several dates after three shredding (i.e., stalk destruction) dates. Linear spectral unmixing (LSU) classification was applied to high-resolution airborne multispectral images of regrowth cotton plots to estimate the minimum detectable size and subsequent growth of plants. We found that regrowth cotton fields can be identified when the mean plant width is ˜0.2 m for an image resolution of 0.1 m. LSU estimates of canopy cover of regrowth cotton plots correlated well (r2=0.81) with the ratio of mean plant width to row spacing, a surrogate measure of plant canopy cover. The height and width of regrowth plants were both well correlated (r2=0.94) with accumulated degree-days after shredding. The results will help boll weevil eradication program managers use airborne multispectral images to detect and monitor the regrowth of cotton plants after stalk destruction, and identify fields that may require further inspection and mitigation of boll weevil infestations.

Australian Soil Moisture Field Experiments in Support of Soil Moisture Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Edward; Walker, Jeff; Rudiger, Christopher; Panciera, Rocco

2010-01-01

Large-scale field campaigns provide the critical fink between our understanding retrieval algorithms developed at the point scale, and algorithms suitable for satellite applications at vastly larger pixel scales. Retrievals of land parameters must deal with the substantial sub-pixel heterogeneity that is present in most regions. This is particularly the case for soil moisture remote sensing, because of the long microwave wavelengths (L-band) that are optimal. Yet, airborne L-band imagers have generally been large, heavy, and required heavy-lift aircraft resources that are expensive and difficult to schedule. Indeed, US soil moisture campaigns, have been constrained by these factors, and European campaigns have used non-imagers due to instrument and aircraft size constraints. Despite these factors, these campaigns established that large-scale soil moisture remote sensing was possible, laying the groundwork for satellite missions. Starting in 2005, a series of airborne field campaigns have been conducted in Australia: to improve our understanding of soil moisture remote sensing at large scales over heterogeneous areas. These field data have been used to test and refine retrieval algorithms for soil moisture satellite missions, and most recently with the launch of the European Space Agency's Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, to provide validation measurements over a multi-pixel area. The campaigns to date have included a preparatory campaign in 2005, two National Airborne Field Experiments (NAFE), (2005 and 2006), two campaigns to the Simpson Desert (2008 and 2009), and one Australian Airborne Cal/val Experiment for SMOS (AACES), just concluded in the austral spring of 2010. The primary airborne sensor for each campaign has been the Polarimetric L-band Microwave Radiometer (PLMR), a 6-beam pushbroom imager that is small enough to be compatible with light aircraft, greatly facilitating the execution of the series of campaigns, and a key to their success. An

Airborne field strength monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bredemeyer, J.; Kleine-Ostmann, T.; Schrader, T.; Münter, K.; Ritter, J.

2007-06-01

In civil and military aviation, ground based navigation aids (NAVAIDS) are still crucial for flight guidance even though the acceptance of satellite based systems (GNSS) increases. Part of the calibration process for NAVAIDS (ILS, DME, VOR) is to perform a flight inspection according to specified methods as stated in a document (DOC8071, 2000) by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). One major task is to determine the coverage, or, in other words, the true signal-in-space field strength of a ground transmitter. This has always been a challenge to flight inspection up to now, since, especially in the L-band (DME, 1GHz), the antenna installed performance was known with an uncertainty of 10 dB or even more. In order to meet ICAO's required accuracy of ±3 dB it is necessary to have a precise 3-D antenna factor of the receiving antenna operating on the airborne platform including all losses and impedance mismatching. Introducing precise, effective antenna factors to flight inspection to achieve the required accuracy is new and not published in relevant papers yet. The authors try to establish a new balanced procedure between simulation and validation by airborne and ground measurements. This involves the interpretation of measured scattering parameters gained both on the ground and airborne in comparison with numerical results obtained by the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) accelerated method of moments (MoM) using a complex geometric model of the aircraft. First results will be presented in this paper.

The Airborne Research Instrumentation Testing Opportunity (ARISTO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolff, C.; Romashkin, P.; Lussier, L.; Baeuerle, B.; Stith, J. L.

2016-12-01

In 2015 the National Science Foundation (NSF) began a program to sponsor an annual flight campaign on one of its research aircraft (the C-130 and GV) operated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The aircraft are managed by the Research Aviation Facility (RAF), which is part of the Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) and responsible for planning and executing the campaigns. The purpose of this program, known as the Airborne Research Instrumentation Testing Opportunity or ARISTO, is to provide regular flight test opportunities for newly developed or highly modified instruments as part of their development effort. The NSF community has expressed a strong desire for regularly scheduled flight-testing programs to be able to test instrumentation, data systems, inlets, and software. ARISTO allows this testing in a low-pressure environment where any issues or problems will not affect the scientific goals of a large-scale field campaign. For this reason it is also a good experience for students who may be learning about the operation of an instrument or have not had previous exposure to a field project. They are also able to contribute to flight planning exercises and gain experience in acting as an instrument scientist during the program. A goal of the program is to incorporate students into the project operations to prepare the next generation of airborne researchers. ARISTO is conducted at the Research Aviation Facility at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield, Colorado. The flight campaign consists of 20 flight hours, spread over three weeks. Flights are planned to allow the ARISTO participants to successfully test their instruments based on requirements they described in the initial application. Due to the limited hours most flights are focused in and around Colorado, though some have gone as far as Oklahoma and the Pacific Northwest to find the right conditions to meet testing requirements. Two ARISTO campaigns were successfully completed

Geoid determination by airborne gravimetry - principles and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, R.; Olesen, A. V.

2009-12-01

The operational development of long-range airborne gravimetry has meant that large areas can be covered in a short time frame with high-quality medium-wavelength gravity field data, perfectly matching the needs of geoid determination. Geoid from a combination of surface, airborne and satellite data not only is able to cover the remaining large data voids on the earth, notably Antarctica and tropical jungle regions, but also provide seamless coverage across the coastal zone, and tie in older marine and land gravity data. Airborne gravity can therefore provide essential data for GPS applications both on land and at sea, e.g. for marine construction projects such as bridges, wind mill farms etc. Current operational accuracies with the DTU-Space/UiB airborne system are in the 1-2 mGal range, which translates into geoid accuracies of 5-10 cm, dependent on track spacing. In the paper we will outline the current accuracy of airborne gravity and geoid determination, and show examples from recent international airborne gravity campaigns, aimed at either providing national survey infrastructure, or scientific applications for e.g. oceanography or sea-ice thickness determination.

Airborne active and passive L-band measurements using PALS instrument in SMAPVEX12 soil moisture field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colliander, Andreas; Yueh, Simon; Chazanoff, Seth; Dinardo, Steven; O'Dwyer, Ian; Jackson, Thomas; McNairn, Heather; Bullock, Paul; Wiseman, Grant; Berg, Aaron; Magagi, Ramata; Njoku, Eni

2012-10-01

NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission is scheduled for launch in late 2014. The objective of the mission is global mapping of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state. Merging of active and passive L-band observations of the mission will enable unprecedented combination of accuracy, resolution, coverage and revisit-time for soil moisture and freeze/thaw state retrieval. For pre-launch algorithm development and validation the SMAP project and NASA coordinated a field campaign named as SMAPVEX12 (Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2012) together with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and other Canadian and US institutions in the vicinity of Winnipeg, Canada in June-July, 2012. The main objective of SMAPVEX12 was acquisition of a data record that features long time-series with varying soil moisture and vegetation conditions over an aerial domain of multiple parallel flight lines. The coincident active and passive L-band data was acquired with the PALS (Passive Active L-band System) instrument. The measurements were conducted over the experiment domain every 2-3 days on average, over a period of 43 days. The preliminary calibration of the brightness temperatures obtained in the campaign has been performed. Daily lake calibrations were used to adjust the radiometer calibration parameters, and the obtained measurements were compared against the raw in situ soil moisture measurements. The evaluation shows that this preliminary calibration of the data produces already a consistent brightness temperature record over the campaign duration, and only secondary adjustments and cleaning of the data is need before the data can be applied to the development and validation of SMAP algorithms.

Investigations on gravity data processing in airborne and shipborne gravimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Biao; Barthelmes, Franz; Petrovic, Svetozar; Förste, Christoph; Ince, Sinem; Flechtner, Frank

2017-04-01

Nowadays, airborne and shipborne gravimetry are very important methods to improve our knowledge about the Earth gravity field. The gravimeter Chekan-AM onboard the German High Altitude and Long Range (HALO) aircraft anables gravimetry at hardly accessible places like the polar regions of the Earth. One preparatory campaign on HALO has been carried out over Italy in 2012 to test the performance of the gravimeter Chekan-AM onboard such a jet aircraft. Specifically, the processing strategy of data achieved with this gravimeter has been studied. To investigate how future airborne gravity campaigns could be designed over regions like Antarctica, a dedicated flight track during the GEOHALO experiment had been run two times at different heights and velocities of the aircraft. These two flight paths are investigated and the results show that the equipment worked well also at higher altitude and speed. Comparisons with the global gravity field model EIGEN-6C4 and an analysis of the gravity differences at the crossover points show that the accuracy of this campaign is approximately 1 mGal. For geodetic purpose, a local geoid is computed by combining point mass modelling and the remove-compute-restore technique which is also taking into account the topography effect. Shipborne gravimetry can provide us high accurate and high resolution information of the Earth gravity field. Four campaigns of shipborne gravimetry by using the Chekan-AM on different research vessels have been conducted within the framework of the ongoing project "Finalising Surveys for the Baltic Motorways of the Sea" (FAMOS) since 2015. It turned out that problems due to influences of stormy sea and an abnormal drift behavior of the instrument at some parts of these campaigns need some additional investigations. The current processing of these gravity campaigns results in RMS of gravity differences at crossover points of about 0.5 mGal. Further investigations will continue to improve these results. Lastly, a

Remote Sensing of Wind Fields and Aerosol Distribution with Airborne Scanning Doppler Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothermel, Jeffry; Cutten, Dean R.; Johnson, Steven C.; Jazembski, Maurice; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The coherent Doppler laser radar (lidar), when operated from an airborne platform, is a unique tool for the study of atmospheric and surface processes and features. This is especially true for scientific objectives requiring measurements in optically-clear air, where other remote sensing technologies such as Doppler radar are typically at a disadvantage. The atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of several US institutions, led by Marshall Space Flight Center, have developed an airborne coherent Doppler lidar capable of mapping the wind field and aerosol structure in three dimensions. The instrument consists of an eye-safe approx. 1 Joule/pulse lidar transceiver, telescope, scanner, inertial measurement unit, and flight computer system to orchestrate all subsystem functions and tasks. The scanner is capable of directing the expanded lidar beam in a variety of ways, in order to extract vertically-resolved wind fields. Horizontal resolution is approx. 1 km; vertical resolution is even finer. Winds are obtained by measuring backscattered, Doppler-shifted laser radiation from naturally-occurring aerosol particles (of order 1 micron diameter). Measurement coverage depends on aerosol spatial distribution and composition. Velocity accuracy has been verified to be approx. 1 meter per second. A variety of applications have been demonstrated during the three flight campaigns conducted during 1995-1998. Examples will be shown during the presentation. In 1995, boundary layer winds over the ocean were mapped with unprecedented resolution. In 1996, unique measurements were made of. flow over the complex terrain of the Aleutian Islands; interaction of the marine boundary layer jet with the California coastal mountain range; a weak dry line in Texas - New Mexico; the angular dependence of sea surface scattering; and in-flight radiometric calibration using the surface of White Sands National Monument. In 1998, the first measurements of eyewall and boundary layer winds within a

Analysis of Doppler Lidar Data Acquired During the Pentagon Shield Field Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

two coherent Doppler lidars deployed during the Pentagon Shield field campaign are analyzed in conjunction with other sensors to characterize the...Observations from two coherent Doppler lidars deployed during the Pentagon Shield field campaign are analyzed in conjunction with other sensors to... coherent Doppler lidars deployed during the Pentagon Shield field campaign are analyzed in conjunction with other sensors to characterize the overall

CAROLS: a new airborne L-band radiometer for ocean surface and land observations.

PubMed

Zribi, Mehrez; Pardé, Mickael; Boutin, Jacquline; Fanise, Pascal; Hauser, Daniele; Dechambre, Monique; Kerr, Yann; Leduc-Leballeur, Marion; Reverdin, Gilles; Skou, Niels; Søbjærg, Sten; Albergel, Clement; Calvet, Jean Christophe; Wigneron, Jean Pierre; Lopez-Baeza, Ernesto; Rius, Antonio; Tenerelli, Joseph

2011-01-01

The "Cooperative Airborne Radiometer for Ocean and Land Studies" (CAROLS) L-Band radiometer was designed and built as a copy of the EMIRAD II radiometer constructed by the Technical University of Denmark team. It is a fully polarimetric and direct sampling correlation radiometer. It is installed on board a dedicated French ATR42 research aircraft, in conjunction with other airborne instruments (C-Band scatterometer-STORM, the GOLD-RTR GPS system, the infrared CIMEL radiometer and a visible wavelength camera). Following initial laboratory qualifications, three airborne campaigns involving 21 flights were carried out over South West France, the Valencia site and the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic Ocean) in 2007, 2008 and 2009, in coordination with in situ field campaigns. In order to validate the CAROLS data, various aircraft flight patterns and maneuvers were implemented, including straight horizontal flights, circular flights, wing and nose wags over the ocean. Analysis of the first two campaigns in 2007 and 2008 leads us to improve the CAROLS radiometer regarding isolation between channels and filter bandwidth. After implementation of these improvements, results show that the instrument is conforming to specification and is a useful tool for Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite validation as well as for specific studies on surface soil moisture or ocean salinity.

The 2013 FLEX-US Airborne Campaign at the Parker Tract Loblolly Pine Plantation in North Carolina, USA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Middleton, Elizabeth M.; Rascher, Uwe; Corp, Lawrence A.; Huemmrich, K. Fred; Cook, Bruce D.; Noormets, Asko; Schickling, Anke; Pinto, Francisco; Alonso, Luis; Damm, Alexander;

Source Attributions of Pollution to the Western Arctic During the NASA ARCTAS Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bian, H.; Colarco, P. R.; Chin, M.; Chen, G.; Rodriquez, J. M.; Liang, Q.; Blake, D.; Chu, D. A.; daSilva, A.; Darmenov, A. S.;

GLOBE Aerosol Field Campaign - U.S. Pilot Study 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pippin, Margaret; Marentette, Christina; Bujosa, Robert; Taylor, Jessica; Lewis, Preston

2016-01-01

During the spring of 2016, from April 4 - May 27, sixteen GLOBE schools participated in the GLOBE Aerosol Field Campaign - U.S. Pilot Study. Thirteen teachers from these schools had previously participated in the NASA LEARN program (Long-term Experience in Authentic Research with NASA) where they were GLOBE trained in Atmosphere protocols, and engaged in 1-3 years of research under the mentorship of NASA scientists. Each school was loaned two aerosol instruments for the Campaign duration, either 2 GLOBE sun photometers, 2 Calitoo sun photometers, or 1 of each. This allowed for students to make measurements side-by-side and in the case of the Calitoos, to compare AOT results immediately with each other for better consistency in data collection. Additionally, as part of the Field Campaign evaluation, multiple instruments allow for an assessment of the ease of use of each instrument for grade level of students, whether in middle school or high school. Before the Campaign, all GLOBE and Calitoo instruments were 'checked out' against an AERONET, then checked again upon return after the Campaign. By examining all data, before, during and after the Campaign, this gives an indication of instrument performance and proficiency obtained by the students. Support was provided to each teacher and their students at the level requested, via email, phone or video conferencing.

Wide-field airborne laser diode array illuminator: demonstration results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suiter, H. R.; Holloway, J. H., Jr.; Tinsley, K. R.; Pham, C. N.; Kloess, E. C., III; Witherspoon, N. H.; Stetson, S.; Crosby, F.; Nevis, A.; McCarley, K. A.; Seales, T. C.

2005-06-01

The Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technology (ALRT) program has successfully demonstrated the Wide-Field Airborne Laser Diode Array Illuminator (ALDAI-W). This illuminator is designed to illuminate a large area from the air with limited power, weight, and volume. A detection system, of which the ALDAI-W is a central portion, is capable of detecting surface-laid minefields in absolute darkness, extending the allowed mission times to night operations. This will be an overview report, giving processing results and suggested paths for additional development.

NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Common Variable Naming Schema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G.; Early, A. B.; Peeters, M. C.

2014-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, which are characterized by a wide range of trace gases and aerosol properties. The airborne observational data have often been used in assessment and validation of models and satellite instruments. One particular issue is a lack of consistent variable naming across field campaigns, which makes cross-mission data discovery difficult. The ASDC Toolset for Airborne Data (TAD) is being designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. As part of this effort, a common naming system was developed to provide a link between variables from different aircraft field studies. This system covers all current and past airborne in-situ measurements housed at the ASDC, as well as select NOAA missions. The TAD common variable naming system consists of 6 categories and 3 sub-levels. The top-level category is primarily defined by the physical characteristics of the measurement: e.g., aerosol, cloud, trace gases. The sub-levels were designed to organize the variables according to nature of measurement (e.g., aerosol microphysical and optical properties) or chemical structures (e.g., carbon compound). The development of the TAD common variable naming system was in consultation with staff from the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) and referenced/expanded the existing Climate and Forecast (CF) variable naming conventions. The detailed structure of the TAD common variable naming convention and its application in TAD development will be presented.

In Situ Soil Moisture and Thaw Depth Measurements Coincident with Airborne SAR Data Collections, Barrow and Seward Peninsulas, Alaska, 2017

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cathy Wilson; Julian Dann; Robert Bolton

The in-situ soil moisture and thaw depth measurements provided in this dataset were collected coincident with airborne overflights of L- and P-band SAR instruments at the NGEE Arctic study site near Barrow, on the North Slope, and at the three study sites on the Seward Peninsula, Alaska. Field measurements and flights were conducted during the summer of 2017 as a collaboration between the NASA ABoVE Project's Airborne SAR Campaign and the NGEE Arctic Project. ABoVE protocols for establishing field measurement plots were followed.

Airborne laser scanning for high-resolution mapping of Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Csatho, Bea; Schenk, Toni; Krabill, William; Wilson, Terry; Lyons, William; McKenzie, Garry; Hallam, Cheryl; Manizade, Serdar; Paulsen, Timothy

In order to evaluate the potential of airborne laser scanning for topographic mapping in Antarctica and to establish calibration/validation sites for NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) altimeter mission, NASA, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) joined forces to collect high-resolution airborne laser scanning data.In a two-week campaign during the 2001-2002 austral summer, NASA's Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) system was used to collect data over several sites in the McMurdo Sound area of Antarctica (Figure 1a). From the recorded signals, NASA computed laser points and The Ohio State University (OSU) completed the elaborate computation/verification of high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) in 2003. This article reports about the DEM generation and some exemplary results from scientists using the geomorphologic information from the DEMs during the 2003-2004 field season.

From Mars to Greenland: Charting gravity with space and airborne instruments - Fields, tides, methods, results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colombo, Oscar L. (Editor)

1992-01-01

This symposium on space and airborne techniques for measuring gravity fields, and related theory, contains papers on gravity modeling of Mars and Venus at NASA/GSFC, an integrated laser Doppler method for measuring planetary gravity fields, observed temporal variations in the earth's gravity field from 16-year Starlette orbit analysis, high-resolution gravity models combining terrestrial and satellite data, the effect of water vapor corrections for satellite altimeter measurements of the geoid, and laboratory demonstrations of superconducting gravity and inertial sensors for space and airborne gravity measurements. Other papers are on airborne gravity measurements over the Kelvin Seamount; the accuracy of GPS-derived acceleration from moving platform tests; airborne gravimetry, altimetry, and GPS navigation errors; controlling common mode stabilization errors in airborne gravity gradiometry, GPS/INS gravity measurements in space and on a balloon, and Walsh-Fourier series expansion of the earth's gravitational potential.

Initial Retrieval Validation from the Joint Airborne IASI Validation Experiment (JAIVEx)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Liu, Xu; Smith, WIlliam L.; Larar, Allen M.; Taylor, Jonathan P.; Revercomb, Henry E.; Mango, Stephen A.; Schluessel, Peter; Calbet, Xavier

2007-01-01

The Joint Airborne IASI Validation Experiment (JAIVEx) was conducted during April 2007 mainly for validation of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the MetOp satellite, but also included a strong component focusing on validation of the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) aboard the AQUA satellite. The cross validation of IASI and AIRS is important for the joint use of their data in the global Numerical Weather Prediction process. Initial inter-comparisons of geophysical products have been conducted from different aspects, such as using different measurements from airborne ultraspectral Fourier transform spectrometers (specifically, the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed Interferometer (NAST-I) and the Scanning-High resolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS) aboard the NASA WB-57 aircraft), UK Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) BAe146-301 aircraft insitu instruments, dedicated dropsondes, radiosondes, and ground based Raman Lidar. An overview of the JAIVEx retrieval validation plan and some initial results of this field campaign are presented.

The Way Point Planning Tool: Real Time Flight Planning for Airborne Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Yubin; Blakeslee, Richard; Goodman, Michael; Hall, John

2012-01-01

Airborne real time observation are a major component of NASA's Earth Science research and satellite ground validation studies. For mission scientist, planning a research aircraft mission within the context of meeting the science objective is a complex task because it requires real time situational awareness of the weather conditions that affect the aircraft track. Multiple aircraft are often involved in the NASA field campaigns the coordination of the aircraft with satellite overpasses, other airplanes and the constantly evolving dynamic weather conditions often determine the success of the campaign. A flight planning tool is needed to provide situational awareness information to the mission scientist and help them plan and modify the flight tracks successfully. Scientists at the University of Alabama Huntsville and the NASA Marshal Space Flight Center developed the Waypoint Planning Tool (WPT), an interactive software tool that enables scientist to develop their own flight plans (also known as waypoints), with point and click mouse capabilities on a digital map filled with time raster and vector data. The development of this Waypoint Planning Tool demonstrates the significance of mission support in responding to the challenges presented during NASA field campaigns. Analyses during and after each campaign helped identify both issues and new requirements, initiating the next wave of development. Currently the Waypoint Planning Tool has gone through three rounds of development and analysis processes. The development of this waypoint tool is directly affected by the technology advances on GIS/Mapping technologies. From the standalone Google Earth application and simple KML functionalities to the Google Earth Plugin and Java Web Start/Applet on web platform, as well as to the rising open source GIS tools with new JavaScript frameworks, the Waypoint planning Tool has entered its third phase of technology advancement. The newly innovated, cross-platform, modular designed

GRAV-D Part II : Examining Airborne Gravity Processing Assumptions With an Aim Towards Producing a Better Gravimetric Geoid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theresa, D. M.; Vicki, C.; Dan, R.; Dru, S.

2008-12-01

The primary objective of the GRAV-D (Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum) project is to redefine the American vertical datum by using an improved gravimetric geoid. This will be partially accomplished through an extensive airborne gravity measurement campaign, focusing first on the land/water interface (and later on interior areas) of the US and its holdings. This airborne campaign is designed specifically to capture intermediate wavelength gravity information by flying at high altitudes (35,000 ft, ~10 km) with a 10 km line spacing. The intermediate wavelengths captured by airborne gravity data are complementary to ground and satellite gravity data. Combining the GRAV-D airborne gravity data with the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite gravity field will allow existing terrestrial data sets to be corrected for bias and trend problems. Ultimately, all three types of data can then be merged into a single accurate representation of the gravity field. Typically, the airborne gravity data reduction process is used to produce free-air anomalies for geological/geophysical applications that require more limited accuracy and precision than do geodetic applications. Thus we re-examine long-standing data reduction simplifications and assumptions with an aim toward improving both the accuracy and precision of airborne gravity data before their inclusion into a gravimetric geoid. The data reduction process is tested on a 400 km x 500 km airborne gravity survey in southern Alaska (in the vicinity of Anchorage) collected in the summer of 2008 as part of the GRAV-D project. Potential improvements in processing come from examining the impacts of various GPS processing schemes on free-air gravity results and re-considering all assumptions in standard airborne gravity processing methods, especially those that might introduce bias into absolute gravity levels.

Measurements of Ultra-fine and Fine Aerosol Particles over Siberia: Large-scale Airborne Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshinov, Mikhail; Paris, Jean-Daniel; Stohl, Andreas; Belan, Boris; Ciais, Philippe; Nédélec, Philippe

2010-05-01

In this paper we discuss the results of in-situ measurements of ultra-fine and fine aerosol particles carried out in the troposphere from 500 to 7000 m in the framework of several International and Russian State Projects. Number concentrations of ultra-fine and fine aerosol particles measured during intensive airborne campaigns are presented. Measurements carried over a great part of Siberia were focused on particles with diameters from 3 to 21 nm to study new particle formation in the free/upper troposphere over middle and high latitudes of Asia, which is the most unexplored region of the Northern Hemisphere. Joint International airborne surveys were performed along the following routes: Novosibirsk-Salekhard-Khatanga-Chokurdakh-Pevek-Yakutsk-Mirny-Novosibirsk (YAK-AEROSIB/PLARCAT2008 Project) and Novosibirsk-Mirny-Yakutsk-Lensk-Bratsk-Novosibirsk (YAK-AEROSIB Project). The flights over Lake Baikal was conducted under Russian State contract. Concentrations of ultra-fine and fine particles were measured with automated diffusion battery (ADB, designed by ICKC SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia) modified for airborne applications. The airborne ADB coupled with CPC has an additional aspiration unit to compensate ambient pressure and changing flow rate. It enabled to classify nanoparticles in three size ranges: 3-6 nm, 6-21 nm, and 21-200 nm. To identify new particle formation events we used similar specific criteria as Young et al. (2007): (1) N3-6nm >10 cm-3, (2) R1=N3-6/N621 >1 and R2=N321/N21200 >0.5. So when one of the ratios R1 or R2 tends to decrease to the above limits the new particle formation is weakened. It is very important to notice that space scale where new particle formation was observed is rather large. All the events revealed in the FT occurred under clean air conditions (low CO mixing ratios). Measurements carried out in the atmospheric boundary layer over Baikal Lake did not reveal any event of new particle formation. Concentrations of ultra

Risk-Based, Hypothesis-Driven Framework for Hydrological Field Campaigns with Case Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harken, B.; Rubin, Y.

2014-12-01

There are several stages in any hydrological modeling campaign, including: formulation and analysis of a priori information, data acquisition through field campaigns, inverse modeling, and prediction of some environmental performance metric (EPM). The EPM being predicted could be, for example, contaminant concentration or plume travel time. These predictions often have significant bearing on a decision that must be made. Examples include: how to allocate limited remediation resources between contaminated groundwater sites or where to place a waste repository site. Answering such questions depends on predictions of EPMs using forward models as well as levels of uncertainty related to these predictions. Uncertainty in EPM predictions stems from uncertainty in model parameters, which can be reduced by measurements taken in field campaigns. The costly nature of field measurements motivates a rational basis for determining a measurement strategy that is optimal with respect to the uncertainty in the EPM prediction. The tool of hypothesis testing allows this uncertainty to be quantified by computing the significance of the test resulting from a proposed field campaign. The significance of the test gives a rational basis for determining the optimality of a proposed field campaign. This hypothesis testing framework is demonstrated and discussed using various synthetic case studies. This study involves contaminated aquifers where a decision must be made based on prediction of when a contaminant will arrive at a specified location. The EPM, in this case contaminant travel time, is cast into the hypothesis testing framework. The null hypothesis states that the contaminant plume will arrive at the specified location before a critical amount of time passes, and the alternative hypothesis states that the plume will arrive after the critical time passes. The optimality of different field campaigns is assessed by computing the significance of the test resulting from each one

A Transport Analysis of In Situ Airborne Ozone Measurements from the 2011 DISCOVER-AQ Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkinson, H. L.; Brent, L. C.; He, H.; Loughner, C.; Stehr, J. W.; Weinheimer, A. J.; Dickerson, R. R.

2013-12-01

Baltimore and Washington are currently designated as nonattainment areas with respect to the 2008 EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for 8-hour Ozone (O3). Tropospheric O3 is the dominant component of summertime photochemical smog, and at high levels, has deleterious effects on human health, ecosystems, and materials. The University of Maryland (UMD) Regional Atmospheric Measurement Modeling and Prediction Program (RAMMPP) strives to improve understanding of air quality in the Mid-Atlantic States and to elucidate contributions of pollutants such as O3 from regional transport versus local sources through a combination of modeling and in situ measurements. The NASA Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER-AQ) project investigates the connection between column measurements and surface conditions to explore the potential of remote sensing observations in diagnosing air quality at ground level where pollutants can affect human health. During the 2011 DISCOVER-AQ field campaign, in situ airborne measurements of trace gases and aerosols were performed along the Interstate 95 corridor between Baltimore and Washington from the NASA P3B aircraft. To augment this data and provide regional context, measurements of trace gases and aerosols were also performed by the RAMMPP Cessna 402B aircraft over nearby airports in Maryland and Virginia. This work presents an analysis of O3 measurements made by the Ultraviolet (UV) Photometric Ambient O3 Analyzer on the RAMMPP Cessna 402B and by the NCAR 4-Channel Chemiluminescence instrument on the NASA P3B. In this analysis, spatial and temporal patterns of O3 data are examined within the context of forward and backward trajectories calculated from 12-km North American Mesoscale (NAM) meteorological data using the NOAA Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) Model and from a high resolution Weather Research and

Coordinated Field Campaigns in Chesapeake Bay and Gulf of Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mannino, Antonio; Novak, Michael; Tzortziou, Maria A.

2015-01-01

NASA's GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) mission concept recommended by the U.S. National Research Council (2007) focuses on measurements of atmospheric trace gases and aerosols and aquatic coastal ecology and biogeochemistry from geostationary orbit (35,786 km altitude). Two GEO-CAPE-sponsored multi-investigator ship-based field campaigns were conducted to coincide with the NASA Earth Venture Suborbital project DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) field campaigns: (1) Chesapeake Bay in July 2011 and (2) northwestern Gulf of Mexico in September 2013. Goal: to evaluate whether GEO-CAPE coastal mission measurement and instrument requirements are optimized to address science objectives while minimizing ocean color satellite sensor complexity, size and cost - critical mission risk reduction activities. NASA continues to support science studies related to the analysis of data collected as part of these coordinated field campaigns and smaller efforts.

MAIA pathfinder: Imaging Polarimetric Assessment and Characterization of Tropospheric Particulate Matter (ImPACT-PM) field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalashnikova, O. V.; Seidel, F. C.; Xu, F.; Garay, M. J.; Wu, L.; Bruegge, C. J.; van Harten, G.; Val, S.; Diner, D. J.; Seinfeld, J.; Bates, K. H.; Cappa, C. D.; Bradley, C. L.; Kupinski, M.; Clements, C. B.; Camacho, C.; Yorks, J. E.

2016-12-01

The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) instrument, which was recently selected under NASA's third Earth Venture Instrument call, will improve aerosol particle type sensitivity through the atmospheric column as well as at the surface through the use of multiangular, multispectral, and polarimetric observations. MAIA will provide new information that enables estimates of speciated (size- and particle type classifications) surface particulate matter (PM) from space over major cities around the globe, and enable improved associations between particulate air pollution and human health. As a pathfinder to MAIA, the ImPACT-PM field campaign was a joint JPL/Caltech effort to combine measurements from MISR and AirMSPI with in situ airborne measurements and a chemical transport model to validate remote sensing retrievals of different types of airborne particulate matter. We will present highlights of the successfully completed ImPACT-PM field campaign which took place in the California Central Valley on July 5-8, 2016. We had two NASA ER-2/ CIRPAS Twin Otter collocated flights coincident with Terra/MISR overpasses on Tuesday and Thursday July 5 and 7; and two ER-2/Twin Otter collocations over local fires on Friday, July 8th. The AirMSPI, AirSPEX, and CPL instruments were integrated on the ER-2, and Caltech aerosol/cloud in-situ instruments were integrated on the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft in addition to the normal Twin Otter payload. We also deployed the JPL/University of Arizona GroundMSPI instrument and a ground-based lidar from San José State University at the Fresno California Air Resources Board super-site. While the overall aerosol and PM levels were low at this time, we were able to see a gradient of pollution in specially processed MISR high-resolution 4.4 km resolution aerosol data on both days. We will present initial results of AirMSPI WRF-Chem-constrained retrievals in comparison with EPA Speciation Trends Network stations in Fresno and Bakersfield, and with

Progress Report on the Airborne Composition Standard Variable Name and Time Series Working Groups of the 2017 ESDSWG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, K. D.; Early, A. B.; Northup, E. A.; Ames, D. P.; Teng, W. L.; Olding, S. W.; Krotkov, N. A.; Arctur, D. K.; Beach, A. L., III; Silverman, M. L.

2017-12-01

The role of NASA's Earth Science Data Systems Working Groups (ESDSWG) is to make recommendations relevant to NASA's Earth science data systems from users' experiences and community insight. Each group works independently, focusing on a unique topic. Progress of two of the 2017 Working Groups will be presented. In a single airborne field campaign, there can be several different instruments and techniques that measure the same parameter on one or more aircraft platforms. Many of these same parameters are measured during different airborne campaigns using similar or different instruments and techniques. The Airborne Composition Standard Variable Name Working Group is working to create a list of variable standard names that can be used across all airborne field campaigns in order to assist in the transition to the ICARTT Version 2.0 file format. The overall goal is to enhance the usability of ICARTT files and the search ability of airborne field campaign data. The Time Series Working Group (TSWG) is a continuation of the 2015 and 2016 Time Series Working Groups. In 2015, we started TSWG with the intention of exploring the new OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) WaterML 2 standards as a means for encoding point-based time series data from NASA satellites. In this working group, we realized that WaterML 2 might not be the best solution for this type of data, for a number of reasons. Our discussion with experts from other agencies, who have worked on similar issues, identified several challenges that we would need to address. As a result, we made the recommendation to study the new TimeseriesML 1.0 standard of OGC as a potential NASA time series standard. The 2016 TSWG examined closely the TimeseriesML 1.0 and, in coordination with the OGC TimeseriesML Standards Working Group, identified certain gaps in TimeseriesML 1.0 that would need to be addressed for the standard to be applicable to NASA time series data. An engineering report was drafted based on the OGC Engineering

Progress Report on the Airborne Composition Standard Variable Name and Time Series Working Groups of the 2017 ESDSWG

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Keith D.; Early, Amanda; Northup, Emily; Ames, Dan; Teng, William; Archur, David; Beach, Aubrey; Olding, Steve; Krotkov, Nickolay A.

2017-01-01

The role of NASA's Earth Science Data Systems Working Groups (ESDSWG) is to make recommendations relevant to NASA's Earth science data systems from users' experiences and community insight. Each group works independently, focusing on a unique topic. Progress of two of the 2017 Working Groups will be presented. In a single airborne field campaign, there can be several different instruments and techniques that measure the same parameter on one or more aircraft platforms. Many of these same parameters are measured during different airborne campaigns using similar or different instruments and techniques. The Airborne Composition Standard Variable Name Working Group is working to create a list of variable standard names that can be used across all airborne field campaigns in order to assist in the transition to the ICARTT Version 2.0 file format. The overall goal is to enhance the usability of ICARTT files and the search ability of airborne field campaign data. The Time Series Working Group (TSWG) is a continuation of the 2015 and 2016 Time Series Working Groups. In 2015, we started TSWG with the intention of exploring the new OGC (Open Geospatial Consortium) WaterML 2 standards as a means for encoding point-based time series data from NASA satellites. In this working group, we realized that WaterML 2 might not be the best solution for this type of data, for a number of reasons. Our discussion with experts from other agencies, who have worked on similar issues, identified several challenges that we would need to address. As a result, we made the recommendation to study the new TimeseriesML 1.0 standard of OGC as a potential NASA time series standard. The 2016 TSWG examined closely the TimeseriesML 1.0 and, in coordination with the OGC TimeseriesML Standards Working Group, identified certain gaps in TimeseriesML 1.0 that would need to be addressed for the standard to be applicable to NASA time series data. An engineering report was drafted based on the OGC Engineering

Sensor System Performance Evaluation and Benefits from the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larar, A.; Zhou, D.; Smith, W.

2009-01-01

Advanced satellite sensors are tasked with improving global-scale measurements of the Earth's atmosphere, clouds, and surface to enable enhancements in weather prediction, climate monitoring, and environmental change detection. Validation of the entire measurement system is crucial to achieving this goal and thus maximizing research and operational utility of resultant data. Field campaigns employing satellite under-flights with well-calibrated FTS sensors aboard high-altitude aircraft are an essential part of this validation task. The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Airborne Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I) has been a fundamental contributor in this area by providing coincident high spectral/spatial resolution observations of infrared spectral radiances along with independently-retrieved geophysical products for comparison with like products from satellite sensors being validated. This paper focuses on some of the challenges associated with validating advanced atmospheric sounders and the benefits obtained from employing airborne interferometers such as the NAST-I. Select results from underflights of the Aqua Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) obtained during recent field campaigns will be presented.

Dr. Tom Mace, DFRC Director of Airborne Sciences, greets NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe as he enters the DC-8 aircraft during a stop-off on the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

Dr. Tom Mace, NASA DFRC Director of Airborne Sciences, greets NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe as he enters the DC-8 aircraft during a stop-off on the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

EPIC Calibration/Validation Experiment Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koch, Steven E; Chilson, Phillip; Argrow, Brian

A field exercise involving several different kinds of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and supporting instrumentation systems provided by DOE/ARM and NOAA/NSSL was conducted at the ARM SGP site in Lamont, Oklahoma on 29-30 October 2016. This campaign was part of a larger National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) UAS Program Office program awarded to the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL). named Environmental Profiling and Initiation of Convection (EPIC). The EPIC Field Campaign (Test and Calibration/Validation) proposed to ARM was a test or “dry-run” for a follow-up campaign to be requested for spring/summer 2017. The EPIC project addresses NOAA’s objective tomore » “evaluate options for UAS profiling of the lower atmosphere with applications for severe weather.” The project goal is to demonstrate that fixed-wing and rotary-wing small UAS have the combined potential to provide a unique observing system capable of providing detailed profiles of temperature, moisture, and winds within the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) to help determine the potential for severe weather development. Specific project objectives are: 1) to develop small UAS capable of acquiring needed wind and thermodynamic profiles and transects of the ABL using one fixed-wing UAS operating in tandem with two different fixed rotary-wing UAS pairs; 2) adapt and test miniaturized, high-precision, and fast-response atmospheric sensors with high accuracy in strong winds characteristic of the pre-convective ABL in Oklahoma; 3) conduct targeted short-duration experiments at the ARM Southern Great Plains site in northern Oklahoma concurrently with a second site to be chosen in “real-time” from the Oklahoma Mesonet in coordination with the (National Weather Service (NWS)-Norman Forecast Office; and 4) gain valuable experience in pursuit of NOAA’s goals for determining the value of airborne, mobile observing systems for monitoring rapidly evolving high-impact severe weather

The Water Vapor Variability - Satellite/Sondes (WAVES) Field Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiteman, D. N.; Adam, M.; Barnet, C.; Bojkov, B.; Delgado, R.; Demoz, B.; Fitzgibbon, J.; Forno, R.; Herman, R.; Hoff, E.;

Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Enhanced Airborne Data Merging Functionality through Spatial and Temporal Subsetting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Early, A. B.; Chen, G.; Beach, A. L., III; Northup, E. A.

2016-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for over three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. The Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton Virginia originally developed the Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD) web application in September 2013 to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. The analysis of airborne data typically requires data subsetting, which can be challenging and resource intensive for end users. In an effort to streamline this process, the TAD toolset enhancements will include new data subsetting features and updates to the current database model. These will include two subsetters: temporal and spatial, and vertical profile. The temporal and spatial subsetter will allow users to both focus on data from a specific location and/or time period. The vertical profile subsetter will retrieve data collected during an individual aircraft ascent or descent spiral. This effort will allow for the automation of the typically labor-intensive manual data subsetting process, which will provide users with data tailored to their specific research interests. The development of these enhancements will be discussed in this presentation.

A Comparison between Airborne and Mountaintop Cloud Microphysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, R.; Lowenthal, D. H.; Hallar, A. G.; McCubbin, I.; Avallone, L. M.; Mace, G. G.; Wang, Z.

2014-12-01

Complex terrain has a large impact on cloud dynamics and microphysics. Several studies have examined the microphysical details of orographically-enhanced clouds from either an aircraft or from a mountain top location. However, further research is needed to characterize the relationships between mountain top and airborne microphysical properties. During the winter of 2011, an airborne study, the Colorado Airborne Mixed-Phase Cloud Study (CAMPS), and a ground-based field campaign, the Storm Peak Lab (SPL) Cloud Property Validation Experiment (StormVEx) were conducted in the Park Range of the Colorado Rockies. The CAMPS study utilized the University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) to provide airborne cloud microphysical and meteorological data on 29 flights totaling 98 flight hours over the Park Range from December 15, 2010 to February 28, 2011. The UWKA was equipped with instruments that measured both cloud droplet and ice crystal size distributions, liquid water content, total water content (vapor, liquid, and ice), and 3-dimensional wind speed and direction. The Wyoming Cloud Radar and Lidar were also deployed during the campaign. These measurements are used to characterize cloud structure upwind and above the Park Range. StormVEx measured cloud droplet, ice crystal, and aerosol size distributions at SPL, located on the west summit of Mt. Werner at 3220m MSL. The observations from SPL are used to determine mountain top cloud microphysical properties at elevations lower than the UWKA was able to sample in-situ. Comparisons showed that cloud microphysics aloft and at the surface were consistent with respect to snow growth processes while small crystal concentrations were routinely higher at the surface, suggesting ice nucleation near cloud base. The effects of aerosol concentrations and upwind stability on mountain top and downwind microphysics are considered.

Airborne gravimetry for geoid, geopotential models and GOCE - Himalaya and Antarctica cases (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, R.; Olesen, A. V.

2013-12-01

DTU-Space has since many years carried out large area airborne surveys over both polar, tropical and temperate regions, especially for geoid determination and global geopotential models. Recently we have started flying two gravimeters (LCR and Chekan-AM) side by side for increased reliability and redundancy. Typical gravity results are at the 2 mGal rms level, translating into 5-10 cm accuracy in geoid. However, in rough mountainous areas results can be more noisy, mainly due to long-period mountain waves and turbulence. In the paper we outline results of recent challenging campaigns in Nepal (2010) and Antarctica (Antarctic Peninsula and East Antarctica, 2010-13). The latest Antarctic campaign 2012/13, carried out in cooperation with the British Antarctic Survey, Norwegian Polar Institute, and the Argentine Antarctic Institute, involved air drops of fuel to a remote field camp in the Recovery Lakes region, one of the least explored region of deep interior Antarctica. The airborne data collected are validated by cross-over comparisons and comparisons to independent data (IceBridge), and serve at the same time as an independent validation of GOCE satellite gravity data, confirming the satellite data to contain information at half-wavelengths down to 80 km. With no bias between the airborne data and GOCE, airborne gravimetry is perfectly suited to cover the GOCE data gap south of 83 S. We recommend an international, coordinated airborne gravity effort should be carried out over the south polar gap as soon as possible, to ensure a uniform global accuracy of GOCE heritage future geopotential models.

Microphysical Characteristics of Clouds During the TRMM Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stith, Jeffrey L.

2003-01-01

Further analysis of the TRMM field campaign data was conducted to examine the growth of precipitation in updraft regions of the TRMM field campaign tropical clouds and to extend the earlier results to cover the whole TRMM data set collected by the University of North Dakota (UND). The results have been submitted for publication. In this paper, composite vertical profiles of liquid water, small particle concentration, and updraft/downdraft magnitudes were presented from each of the campaigns. They exhibited similar peak values for the two TRMM regions of LBA and Kwajalein. Updrafts were found to be favored locations for precipitation embryos in the form of liquid or frozen drizzle-sized droplets. Although liquid water concentrations decreased to undetectable levels between -5 and -18 C in most glaciating updrafts, occasional traces of liquid water were found in updrafts at colder temperatures, probably due to the persistence of liquid drizzle droplets. The updraft magnitudes where the traces of liquid water were observed at cold temperatures do not appear to be stronger than updrafts without liquid water at similar temperatures, however.

NASA's Student Airborne Research Program (2009-2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaller, E. L.; Shetter, R. E.

2013-12-01

The NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) is a unique summer internship program for rising senior undergraduates majoring in any of the STEM disciplines. SARP participants acquire hands-on research experience in all aspects of an airborne research campaign, including flying onboard an major NASA resource used for studying Earth system processes. In summer 2013, thirty-two participants worked in four interdisciplinary teams to study surface, atmospheric, and oceanographic processes. Participants assisted in the operation of instruments onboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft where they sampled and measured atmospheric gases and imaged land and water surfaces in multiple spectral bands. Along with airborne data collection, students participated in taking measurements at field sites. Mission faculty and research mentors helped to guide participants through instrument operation, sample analysis, and data reduction. Over the eight-week program, each student developed an individual research project from the data collected and delivered a conference-style final presentation on his/her results. Several students will present the results of their research in science sessions at this meeting. We will discuss the results and effectiveness of the program over the past five summers and plans for the future.

The NASA/NSERC Student Airborne Research Program Land Focus Group - a Paid Training Program in Multi-Disciplinary STEM Research for Terrestrial Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kefauver, S. C.; Ustin, S.; Davey, S. W.; Furey, B. J.; Gartner, A.; Kurzweil, D.; Siebach, K. L.; Slawsky, L.; Snyder, E.; Trammell, J.; Young, J.; Schaller, E.; Shetter, R. E.

2011-12-01

The Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Suborbital Education and Research Center (NSERC) is a unique six week multidisciplinary paid training program which directly integrates students into the forefront of airborne remote sensing science. Students were briefly trained with one week of lectures and laboratory exercises and then immediately incorporated into ongoing research projects which benefit from access to the DC-8 airborne platform and the MODIS-ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER) sensor. Students were split into three major topical categories of Land, Ocean, and Air for the data collection and project portions of the program. This poster details the techniques and structure used for the student integration into ongoing research, professional development, hypothesis building and results as developed by the professor and mentor of the Land focus group. Upon assignment to the Land group, students were issued official research field protocols and split into four field specialty groups with additional specialty reading assignments. In the field each group spent more time in their respective specialty, but also participated in all field techniques through pairings with UC Davis research team members using midday rotations. After the field campaign, each specialty group then gave summary presentations on the techniques, preliminary results, and significance to overall group objectives of their specialty. Then students were required to submit project proposals within the bounds of Land airborne remote sensing science and encouraging, but not requiring the use of the field campaign data. These proposals are then reviewed by the professor and mentor and students are met with one by one to discuss the skills of each student and objectives of the proposed research project. The students then work under the supervision of the mentor and benefit again from professor feedback in a formal

PCA-based SO2, NO2, and HCHO retrievals from GeoTASO airborne measurements during KORUS-AQ 2016 campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, H.; Lee, S.; Jeong, U.; Kim, J.; Li, C.; Krotkov, N. A.; Al-Saadi, J. A.; Janz, S. J.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Nowlan, C. R.; Kang, M.; Joiner, J.; Haffner, D. P.; Koo, J. H.; Hong, H.; Lee, H.

2017-12-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) is an airborne instrument measuring backscattered radiance with a spectrometer covering the spectral range between 290-695 nm. GeoTASO flew on the B-200 (UC-12B) - LARC aircraft during the KORUS-AQ campaign, of which the spatial resolution is about 250 nm x 250 m. Principal component analysis (PCA) technique is used to retrieve slant column densities (SCD) of sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and formaldehyde (HCHO). The fitting windows of SO2, NO2, and HCHO are 310-325 nm, 350-380 nm, and 335-357 nm respectively. The clear PCs of each species are collected from rural areas where are found to have less SCDs of each species from prior iteration step. Using the clear sector PCs and the cross section of each species, SCDs of each trace gas are obtained using the multiple linear regression method. Air mass factors (AMF) of each species are obtained using the atmospheric profiles from chemical transport model calculations during the campaign to convert SCDs to vertical column densities (VCD). The retrieved VCDs of each species well capture small point sources on the flight paths and their plumes propagating downwind areas, which was not available from the ground-based in-situ measurements. The retrieved VCDs will be compared and/or validated against other benchmark measurements during the campaign.

Assessment of MFLL column CO2 measurements obtained during the ACT-America field campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, B.; Browell, E. V.; Kooi, S. A.; Dobler, J. T.; Campbell, J.; Fan, T. F.; Pal, S.; O'Dell, C. W.; Obland, M. D.; Erxleben, W. H.; McGregor, D.; Kochanov, R. V.; DiGangi, J. P.; Davis, K. J.; Choi, Y.

2017-12-01

Accurate observations of atmospheric CO2 with airborne and space-based lidar systems such as those used during the Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) field campaigns and proposed for the NASA ASCENDS mission would improve our knowledge of CO2 distributions and variations on both regional and global scales, reduce the uncertainties in atmospheric CO2 transport and fluxes, and increase confidence in predictions of future climate changes. To reach these scientific goals, atmospheric column CO2 (XCO2) measurements of the Harris Corporation's Multifunctional Fiber Laser Lidar (MFLL) obtained during the first two ACT-America flight campaigns have been thoroughly investigated by the ACT-America lidar measurement group. MFLL is an intensity-modulated continuous-wave lidar operating in the 1.57-mm CO2 absorption band. Atmospheric XCO2 amounts are retrieved based on the integrated path differential absorption of the lidar signals at online and offline wavelengths between the aircraft and the ground. NASA Langley Research Center and Harris have been collaborating in the development and evaluation of this CO2 lidar approach for a number of years. To gain insights into the lidar performance, the measurement group has collected all possible lidar measurements with corresponding in-situ atmospheric profile information from the first two ACT-America field campaigns, including the data from several flight legs dedicated to lidar calibration. Initially large differences (-1 to 2 %) were found between lidar measured CO2 optical depths and those derived from in-situ observations and spectroscopy from HITRAN2008. When an improved spectroscopic model (Pre-HITRAN2016) was applied, the large systematic errors were much more consistent leading to the development of an empirical linear correction of measured optical depth based on the calibration flight data. This correction accounts for remaining uncertainties in spectroscopic models, environmental conditions, such as

Subsetting Tools for Enabling Easy Access to International Airborne Chemistry Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Northup, E. A.; Chen, G.; Quam, B. M.; Beach, A. L., III; Silverman, M. L.; Early, A. B.

2017-12-01

In response to the Research Opportunities in Earth and Space Science (ROSES) 2015 release announcement for Advancing Collaborative Connections for Earth System Science (ACCESS), researchers at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) proposed to extend the capabilities of the existing Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD) to include subsetting functionality to allow for easier access to international airborne field campaign data. Airborne field studies are commonly used to gain a detailed understanding of atmospheric processes for scientific research on international climate change and air quality issues. To accommodate the rigorous process for manipulating airborne field study chemistry data, and to lessen barriers for researchers, TAD was created with the ability to geolocate data from various sources measured on different time scales from a single flight. The analysis of airborne chemistry data typically requires data subsetting, which can be challenging and resource-intensive for end users. In an effort to streamline this process, new data subsetting features and updates to the current database model will be added to the TAD toolset. These will include two subsetters: temporal and spatial, and vertical profile. The temporal and spatial subsetter will allow users to both focus on data from a specific location and/or time period. The vertical profile subsetter will retrieve data collected during an individual aircraft ascent or descent spiral. These new web-based tools will allow for automation of the typically labor-intensive manual data subsetting process, which will provide users with data tailored to their specific research interests. The system has been designed to allow for new in-situ airborne missions to be added as they become available, with only minor pre-processing required. The development of these enhancements will be discussed in this presentation.

Recent improvements in hydrometeor sampling using airborne holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stith, J. L.; Bansemer, A.; Glienke, S.; Shaw, R. A.; Aquino, J.; Fugal, J. P.

2017-12-01

Airborne digital holography provides a new technique to study the sizes, shapes and locations of hydrometeors. Airborne holographic cameras are able to capture more optical information than traditional airborne hydrometeor instruments, which allows for more detailed information, such as the location and shape of individual hydrometeors over a relatively wide range of sizes. These cameras can be housed in an anti-shattering probe arm configuration, which minimizes the effects of probe tip shattering. Holographic imagery, with its three dimensional view of hydrometeor spacing, is also well suited to detecting shattering events when present. A major problem with digital holographic techniques has been the amount of machine time and human analysis involved in analyzing holographic data. Here, we present some recent examples showing how holographic analysis can improve our measurements of liquid and ice particles and we describe a format we have developed for routine archiving of Holographic data, so that processed results can be utilized more routinely by a wider group of investigators. We present a side-by-side comparison of the imagery obtained from holographic reconstruction of ice particles from a holographic camera (HOLODEC) with imagery from a 3VCPI instrument, which utilizes a tube-based sampling geometry. Both instruments were carried on the NSF/NCAR GV aircraft. In a second application of holographic imaging, we compare measurements of cloud droplets from a Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP) with simultaneous measurements from HOLODEC. In some cloud regions the CDP data exhibits a bimodal size distribution, while the more local data from HOLODEC suggests that two mono-modal size distributions are present in the cloud and that the bimodality observed in the CDP is due to the averaging length. Thus, the holographic techniques have the potential to improve our understanding of the warm rain process in future airborne field campaigns. The development of this instrument has

Assessment of chlorophyll-a concentration in the Gulf of Riga using hyperspectral airborne and simulated Sentinel-3 OLCI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakovels, Dainis; Brauns, Agris; Filipovs, Jevgenijs; Taskovs, Juris; Fedorovicha, Dagnija; Paavel, Birgot; Ligi, Martin; Kutser, Tiit

2016-08-01

Remote sensing has proved to be an accurate and reliable tool in clear water environments like oceans or the Mediterranean Sea. However, the current algorithms and methods usually fail on optically complex waters like coastal and inland waters. The whole Baltic Sea can be considered as optically complex coastal waters. Remote assessment of water quality parameters (eg., chlorophyll-a concentration) is of interest for monitoring of marine environment, but hasn't been used as a routine approach in Latvia. In this study, two simultaneous hyperspectral airborne data and in situ measurement campaigns were performed in the Gulf of Riga near the River Daugava mouth in summer 2015 to simulate Sentinel-3 data and test existing algorithms for retrieval of Level 2 Water products. Comparison of historical data showed poor overall correlation between in situ measurements and MERIS chlorophyll-a data products. Better correlation between spectral chl-a data products and in situ water sampling measurements was achieved during simultaneous airborne and field campaign resulting in R2 up to 0.94 for field spectral data, R2 of 0.78 for airborne data. Test of all two band ratio combinations showed that R2 could be improved from 0.63 to 0.94 for hyperspectral airborne data choosing 712 and 728 nm bands instead of 709 and 666 nm, and R2 could be improved from 0.61 to 0.83 for simulated Sentinel-3 OLCI data choosing Oa10 and Oa8 bands instead of Oa11 and Oa8. Repeated campaigns are planned during spring and summer blooms 2016 in the Gulf of Riga to get larger data set for validation and evaluate repeatability. The main challenges remain to acquire as good data as possible within rapidly changing environment and often cloudy weather conditions.

Supporting the Use of GPM-GV Field Campaign Data Beyond Project Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weigel, A. M.; Smith, D. K.; Sinclair, L.; Bugbee, K.

2017-12-01

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission Ground Validation (GV) consisted of a collection of field campaigns at various locations focusing on particular aspects of precipitation. Data collected during the GPM-GV are necessary for better understanding the instruments and algorithms used to monitor water resources, study the global hydrologic cycle, understand climate variability, and improve weather prediction. The GPM-GV field campaign data have been archived at the NASA Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC) Distributed Achive Archive Center (DAAC). These data consist of a heterogeneous collection of observations that require careful handling, full descriptive user guides, and helpful instructions for data use. These actions are part of the data archival process. In addition, the GHRC focuses on expanding the use of GPM-GV data beyond the validation and instrument researchers that participated in the field campaigns. To accomplish this, GHRC ties together the similarities and differences between the various field campaigns with the goal of improving user documents to be more easily read by those outside the field of research. In this poster, the authors will describe the GPM-GV datasets, discuss data use among the broader community, outline the types of problems/issues with these datasets, demonstrate what tools support data visualization and use, and highlight the outreach materials developed to educate both younger and general audiences about the data.

DACCIWA Cloud-Aerosol Observations in West Africa Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chiu, J Christine; Blanchard, Yann; Hill, Peter

Interactions between aerosols and clouds, and their effects on radiation, precipitation, and regional circulations, are one of the largest uncertainties in understanding climate. With reducing uncertainties in predictions of weather, climate, and climate impacts in mind, the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project, funded by the European Commission, set out to improve our understanding of cloud-aerosol interactions in southern West Africa. This region is ideal for studying cloud-aerosol interactions because of its rich mix of natural and anthropogenic aerosols and diverse clouds, and because of the strong dependence on the regional and global climate of the sensitive West Africanmore » monsoon. The overview of DACCIWA is described in Knippertz et al. 2015. The interdisciplinary DACCIWA team includes not only several European and African universities, but also Met Centres in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria. One of the crucial research activities in DACCIWA is the major field campaign in southern West Africa from June to July 2016, comprising a benchmark data set for assessing detailed processes on natural and anthropogenic emissions; atmospheric composition; air pollution and its impacts on human and ecosystem health; boundary layer processes; couplings between aerosols, clouds, and rainfall; weather systems; radiation; and the monsoon circulation. Details and highlights of the campaign can be found in Flamant et al. 2017. To provide aerosol/cloud microphysical and optical properties that are essential for model evaluations and for the linkage between ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne observations, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility loaned two sun photometers to the DACCWIA team for the campaign from June 8 to July 29, 2016. The first sun photometer was deployed at Kumasi, Ghana (6.67962°N, 1.56019°W) by the University of

GRIP Collaboration Portal: Information Management for a Hurricane Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conover, H.; Kulkarni, A.; Garrett, M.; Smith, T.; Goodman, H. M.

2010-12-01

NASA’s Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment, carried out in August and September of 2010, was a complex operation, involving three aircraft and their crews based at different airports, a dozen instrument teams, mission scientists, weather forecasters, project coordinators and a variety of other participants. In addition, GRIP was coordinated with concurrent airborne missions: NOAA’s IFEX and then NSF-funded PREDICT. The GRIP Collaboration Portal was developed to facilitate communication within and between the different teams and serve as an information repository for the field campaign, providing a single access point for project documents, plans, weather forecasts, flight reports and quicklook data. The portal was developed using the Drupal open source content management framework. This presentation will cover both technology and participation issues. Specific examples include: Drupal’s large and diverse open source developer community is an advantage in that we were able to reuse many modules rather than develop capabilities from scratch, but integrating multiple modules developed by many people adds to the overall complexity of the site. Many of the communication capabilities provided by the site, such as discussion forums and blogs, were not used. Participants were diligent about posting necessary documents, but the favored communication method remained email. Drupal's developer-friendly nature allowed for quick development of the customized functionality needed to accommodate the rapidly changing requirements of GRIP experiment. DC-8 Overflight of Hurricane Earl during GRIP Mission

Eifel field operation campaign supporting Moon Mars and NEO exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamps, Oscar; Foing, Bernard H.; Offringa, Marloes

2016-07-01

As follow-up on the 2009 Eifel field campaign new field tests with our ExoGeoLab lander were conducted in November 2015 and February 2016. The two phase campaign was used to test the usability of a mock-up lander as test bench for experiments and its remote control in a Moon, Mars analogue environment. In a real mission such a lander could be used in a robotic or manned mission as scientific tool for scientists on Earth to do preliminary study on in-situ collected rocks. This could be useful for example for a sample return mission where scientists on Earth can determine if sample is interesting enough for a more detailed study. The prototype lander is one of the components of the ExoGeoLab project from ESA and ILEWG. Several student projects have prepared the lander for a geological field campaign in lunar and Martian analogue terrain. The lander can be divided in three sections which are used to store several components of the lander. The lower compartment can be used to store a rover or used as laboratory. The middle compartment is used for the lander computer(s), spectrometers and the associated cables. The top plate is used for a telescope which in our case is used to observe the environment around the lander and to guide astronauts during their EVA. As closest volcanic are there is chosen to do the Eifel area, Germany. Several stages of volcanism from Devon till Quaternary resulted in a variation of rocks which is analogue to volcanic rocks from Moon, Mars and other near Earth objects. Several topics we would like to test were pre-defined. Functional tests and demo were performed at European astronaut centre prior to the campaign. The latest updates with respect to the remote control were tested. The pressurised transport vehicle was equipped as remote base for (scientific) support during the campaign. The new instrument set-up were tested and some spectra were measured on collected rocks. The telescope was used to study the environment around the lander

Airborne water vapor DIAL research: System development and field measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higdon, Noah S.; Browell, Edward V.; Ponsardin, Patrick; Chyba, Thomas H.; Grossmann, Benoist E.; Butler, Carolyn F.; Fenn, Marta A.; Mayor, Shane D.; Ismail, Syed; Grant, William B.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system developed at the NASA Langley Research Center for remote measurement of water vapor (H2O) and aerosols in the lower atmosphere. The airborne H2O DIAL system was flight tested aboard the NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) Electra aircraft in three separate field deployments between 1989 and 1991. Atmospheric measurements were made under a variety of atmospheric conditions during the flight tests, and several modifications were implemented during this development period to improve system operation. A brief description of the system and major modifications will be presented, and the most significant atmospheric observations will be described.

Passive remote sensing of large-scale methane emissions from Oil Fields in California's San Joaquin Valley and validation by airborne in-situ measurements - Results from COMEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerilowski, Konstantin; Krautwurst, Sven; Thompson, David R.; Thorpe, Andrew K.; Kolyer, Richard W.; Jonsson, Haflidi; Krings, Thomas; Frankenberg, Christian; Horstjann, Markus; Leifer, Ira; Eastwood, Michael; Green, Robert O.; Vigil, Sam; Fladeland, Matthew; Schüttemeyer, Dirk; Burrows, John P.; Bovensmann, Heinrich

2016-04-01

The CO2 and MEthane EXperiment (COMEX) was a NASA and ESA funded campaign in support of the HyspIRI and CarbonSat mission definition activities. As a part of this effort, seven flights were performed between June 3 and September 4, 2014 with the Methane Airborne MAPper (MAMAP) remote sensing instrument (operated by the University of Bremen in cooperation with the German Research Centre for Geosciences - GFZ) over the Kern River, Kern Front, and Poso Creek Oil Fields located in California's San Joaquin Valley. MAMAP was installed for the flights aboard the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) Twin Otter aircraft, together with: a Picarro fast in-situ greenhouse gas (GHG) analyzer operated by the NASA Ames Research Center, ARC; a 5-hole turbulence probe; and an atmospheric measurement package operated by CIRPAS measuring aerosols, temperature, dew-point, and other atmospheric parameters. Three of the flights were accompanied by the Next Generation Airborne Visual InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS-NG), operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology, installed aboard a second Twin Otter aircraft. Large-scale, high-concentration CH4 plumes were detected by the MAMAP instrument over the fields and tracked over several kilometers. The spatial distribution of the MAMAP observed plumes was compared to high spatial resolution CH4 anomaly maps derived by AVIRIS-NG imaging spectroscopy data. Remote sensing data collected by MAMAP was used to infer CH4 emission rates and their distributions over the three fields. Aggregated emission estimates for the three fields were compared to aggregated emissions inferred by subsequent airborne in-situ validation measurements collected by the Picarro instrument. Comparison of remote sensing and in-situ flux estimates will be presented, demonstrating the ability of airborne remote sensing data to provide accurate emission estimates for concentrations above the

Comparison of collectors of airborne spray drift. Experiments in a wind tunnel and field measurements.

PubMed

Arvidsson, Tommy; Bergström, Lars; Kreuger, Jenny

2011-06-01

In this study, the collecting efficiency of different samplers of airborne drift was compared both in wind tunnel and in field experiments. The aim was to select an appropriate sampler for collecting airborne spray drift under field conditions. The wind tunnel study examined three static samplers and one dynamic sampler. The dynamic sampler had the highest overall collecting efficiency. Among the static samplers, the pipe cleaner collector had the highest efficiency. These two samplers were selected for evaluation in the subsequent field study. Results from 29 individual field experiments showed that the pipe cleaner collector on average had a 10% lower collecting efficiency than the dynamic sampler. However, the deposits on the pipe cleaners generally were highest at the 0.5 m level, and for the dynamic sampler at the 1 m level. It was concluded from the wind tunnel part of the study that the amount of drift collected on the static collectors had a more strongly positive correlation with increasing wind speed compared with the dynamic sampler. In the field study, the difference in efficiency between the two types of collector was fairly small. As the difference in collecting efficiency between the different types of sampler was small, the dynamic sampler was selected for further measurements of airborne drift under field conditions owing to its more well-defined collecting area. This study of collecting efficiency of airborne spray drift of static and dynamic samplers under field conditions contributes to increasing knowledge in this field of research. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluating evaporation from field crops using airborne radiometry and ground-based meteorological data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, R. D.; Moran, M.S.; Gay, L.W.; Raymond, L.H.

1987-01-01

Airborne measurements of reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation were combined with ground-based measurements of incoming solar radiation, air temperature, windspeed, and vapor pressure to calculate instantaneous evaporation (LE) rates using a form of the Penman equation. Estimates of evaporation over cotton, wheat, and alfalfa fields were obtained on 5 days during a one-year period. A Bowen ratio apparatus, employed simultaneously, provided ground-based measurements of evaporation. Comparison of the airborne and ground techniques showed good agreement, with the greatest difference being about 12% for the instantaneous values. Estimates of daily (24 h) evaporation were made from the instantaneous data. On three of the five days, the difference between the two techniques was less than 8%, with the greatest difference being 25%. The results demonstrate that airborne remote sensing techniques can be used to obtain spatially distributed values of evaporation over agricultural fields. ?? 1987 Springer-Verlag.

Appendix I1-2 to Wind HUI Initiative 1: Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John Zack; Deborah Hanley; Dora Nakafuji

This report is an appendix to the Hawaii WindHUI efforts to dev elop and operationalize short-term wind forecasting and wind ramp event forecasting capabilities. The report summarizes the WindNET field campaign deployment experiences and challenges. As part of the WindNET project on the Big Island of Hawaii, AWS Truepower (AWST) conducted a field campaign to assess the viability of deploying a network of monitoring systems to aid in local wind energy forecasting. The data provided at these monitoring locations, which were strategically placed around the Big Island of Hawaii based upon results from the Oahu Wind Integration and Transmission Studymore » (OWITS) observational targeting study (Figure 1), provided predictive indicators for improving wind forecasts and developing responsive strategies for managing real-time, wind-related system events. The goal of the field campaign was to make measurements from a network of remote monitoring devices to improve 1- to 3-hour look ahead forecasts for wind facilities.« less

Airborne in situ vertical profiling of HDO / H216O in the subtropical troposphere during the MUSICA remote sensing validation campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyroff, C.; Sanati, S.; Christner, E.; Zahn, A.; Balzer, M.; Bouquet, H.; McManus, J. B.; Gonzalez-Ramos, Y.; Schneider, M.

2015-05-01

Vertical profiles of water vapor (H2O) and its isotope ratio D / H expressed as δD(H2O) were measured in situ by the ISOWAT II diode-laser spectrometer during the MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water (MUSICA) airborne campaign. We present recent modifications of the instrument design. The instrument calibration on the ground as well as in flight is described. Based on the calibration measurements, the humidity-dependent uncertainty of our airborne data is determined. For the majority of the airborne data we achieved an accuracy (uncertainty of the mean) of Δ(δD) ≈10‰. Vertical profiles between 150 and ~7000 m were obtained during 7 days in July and August 2013 over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean near Tenerife. The flights were coordinated with ground-based (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, NDACC) and space-based (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, IASI) FTIR remote sensing measurements of δD(H2O) as a means to validate the remote sensing humidity and δD(H2O) data products. The results of the validation are presented in detail in a separate paper (Schneider et al., 2014). The profiles were obtained with a high vertical resolution of around 3 m. By analyzing humidity and δD(H2O) correlations we were able to identify different layers of air masses with specific isotopic signatures. The results are discussed.

Airborne in situ vertical profiling of HDO/H216O in the subtropical troposphere during the MUSICA remote sensing validation campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyroff, C.; Sanati, S.; Christner, E.; Zahn, A.; Balzer, M.; Bouquet, H.; McManus, J. B.; González-Ramos, Y.; Schneider, M.

2015-01-01

Vertical profiles of water vapor (H2O) and its isotope ratio D / H expressed as δ D(H2O were measured in situ by the ISOWAT II diode-laser spectrometer during the MUlti-platform remote Sensing of Isotopologues for investigating the Cycle of Atmospheric water (MUSICA) airborne campaign. We present recent modifications of the instrument design. The instrument calibration on the ground as well as in flight is described. Based on the calibration measurements, the humidity-dependent uncertainty of our airborne data is determined. For the majority of the airborne data we achieved an accuracy (uncertainty of the mean) of Δ(δ D) ≈ 10‰. Vertical profiles between 150 and ~7000 m were obtained during 7 days in July and August 2013 over the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean near Tenerife. The flights were coordinated with ground-based (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change, NDACC) and space-based (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer, IASI) FTIR remote-sensing measurements of δ D(H2O) as a means to validate the remote sensing humidity and δ D(H2O) data products. The results of the validation are presented in detail in a separate paper (Schneider et al., 2014). The profiles were obtained with a high vertical resolution of around 3 m. By analyzing humidity and δ D(H2O) correlations we were able to identify different layers of airmasses with specific isotopic signatures. The results are discussed.

The INCOMPASS project field and modelling campaign: Interaction of Convective Organization and Monsoon Precipitation, Atmosphere, Surface and Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Andrew; Bhat, Ganapati; Evans, Jonathan; Madan, Ranju; Marsham, John; Martin, Gill; Mitra, Ashis; Mrudula, Gm; Parker, Douglas; Pattnaik, Sandeep; Rajagopal, En; Taylor, Christopher; Tripathi, Sachchida

2017-04-01

The INCOMPASS project uses data from a field and aircraft measurement campaign during the 2016 monsoon onset to better understand and predict monsoon rainfall. The monsoon supplies the majority of water in South Asia, however modelling and forecasting the monsoon from days to the season ahead is limited by large model errors that develop quickly. Likely problems lie in physical parametrizations such as convection, the boundary layer and land surface. At the same time, lack of detailed observations prevents more thorough understanding of monsoon circulation and its interaction with the land surface; a process governed by boundary layer and convective cloud dynamics. From May to July 2016, INCOMPASS used a modified BAe-146 jet aircraft operated by the UK Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM), for the first project of this scale in India. The India and UK team flew around 100 hours of science sorties from bases in northern and southern India. Flights from Lucknow in the northern plains took measurements to the west and southeast to allow sampling of the complete contrast from dry desert air to the humid environment over the north Bay of Bengal. These routes were repeated in the pre-monsoon and monsoon phases, measuring contrasting surface and boundary layer structures. In addition, flights from the southern base in Bengaluru measured contrasts from the Arabian Sea, across the intense rains of the Western Ghats mountains, over the rain shadow in southeast India and over the southern Bay of Bengal. Flight planning was performed with the aid of forecasts from a new UK Met Office 4km limited area model. INCOMPASS also installed a network of surface flux towers, as well as operating a cloud-base ceilometer and performing intensive radiosonde launches from a supersite in Kanpur. Here we will outline preliminary results from the field campaign including new observations of the surface, boundary layer structure and atmospheric profiles from aircraft data. We

NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): User Interface Design and Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beach, A. L., III; Early, A. B.; Chen, G.; Parker, L.

2014-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, which are characterized by a wide range of trace gases and aerosol properties. The airborne observational data have often been used in assessment and validation of models and satellite instruments. The ASDC Toolset for Airborne Data (TAD) is being designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. Given the sheer volume of data variables across field campaigns and instruments reporting data on different time scales, this data is often difficult and time-intensive for researchers to analyze. The TAD web application is designed to provide an intuitive user interface (UI) to facilitate quick and efficient discovery from a vast number of airborne variables and data. Users are given the option to search based on high-level parameter groups, individual common names, mission and platform, as well as date ranges. Experienced users can immediately filter by keyword using the global search option. Once the user has chosen their required variables, they are given the option to either request PI data files based on their search criteria or create merged data, i.e. geo-located data from one or more measurement PIs. The purpose of the merged data feature is to allow users to compare data from one flight, as not all data from each flight is taken on the same time scale. Time bases can be continuous or based on the time base from one of the measurement time scales and intervals. After an order is submitted and processed, an ASDC email is sent to the user with a link for data download. The TAD user interface design, application architecture, and proposed future enhancements will be presented.

NASA's Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) 2009-2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaller, E. L.

2017-12-01

The NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) is a unique summer internship program for rising senior undergraduates majoring in any of the STEM disciplines. SARP participants acquire hands-on research experience in all aspects of a NASA airborne campaign, including flying onboard NASA research aircraft while studying Earth system processes. Approximately thirty-two students are competitively selected each summer from colleges and universities across the United States. Students work in four interdisciplinary teams to study surface, atmospheric, and oceanographic processes. Participants assist in the operation of instruments onboard NASA aircraft where they sample and measure atmospheric gases and image land and water surfaces in multiple spectral bands. Along with airborne data collection, students participate in taking measurements at field sites. Mission faculty and research mentors help to guide participants through instrument operation, sample analysis, and data reduction. Over the eight-week program, each student develops an individual research project from the data collected and delivers a conference-style final presentation on their results. Each year, several students present the results of their SARP research projects in scientific sessions at this meeting. We discuss the results and effectiveness of the program over the past nine summers and plans for the future.

Aerosol and cloud properties derived from hyperspectral transmitted light in the southeast Atlantic sampled during field campaign deployments in 2016 and 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LeBlanc, S. E.; Redemann, J.; Flynn, C. J.; Segal-Rosenhaimer, M.; Kacenelenbogen, M. S.; Shinozuka, Y.; Pistone, K.; Karol, Y.; Schmidt, S.; Cochrane, S.; Chen, H.; Meyer, K.; Ferrare, R. A.; Burton, S. P.; Hostetler, C. A.; Hair, J. W.

2017-12-01

We present aerosol and cloud properties collected from airborne remote-sensing measurements in the southeast Atlantic during the recent NASA ObseRvations of CLouds above Aerosols and their intEractionS (ORACLES) field campaign. During the biomass burning seasons of September 2016 and August 2017, we sampled aerosol layers which overlaid marine stratocumulus clouds off the southwestern coast of Africa. We sampled these aerosol layers and the underlying clouds from the NASA P3 airborne platform with the Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR). Aerosol optical depth (AOD), along with trace gas content in the atmospheric column (water vapor, NO2, and O3), is obtained from the attenuation in the sun's direct beam, measured at the altitude of the airborne platform. Using hyperspectral transmitted light measurements from 4STAR, in conjunction with hyperspectral hemispheric irradiance measurements from the Solar Spectral Flux Radiometers (SSFR), we also obtained aerosol intensive properties (asymmetry parameter, single scattering albedo), aerosol size distributions, cloud optical depth (COD), cloud particle effective radius, and cloud thermodynamic phase. Aerosol intensive properties are retrieved from measurements of angularly resolved skylight and flight level spectral albedo using the inversion used with measurements from AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) that has been modified for airborne use. The cloud properties are obtained from 4STAR measurements of scattered light below clouds. We show a favorable initial comparison of the above-cloud AOD measured by 4STAR to this same product retrieved from measurements by the MODIS instrument on board the TERRA and AQUA satellites. The layer AOD observed above clouds will also be compared to integrated aerosol extinction profile measurements from the High Spectral Resolution Lidar-2 (HSRL-2).

3D Visualization of near real-time remote-sensing observation for hurricanes field campaign using Google Earth API

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, P.; Turk, J.; Vu, Q.; Knosp, B.; Hristova-Veleva, S. M.; Lambrigtsen, B.; Poulsen, W. L.; Licata, S.

2009-12-01

NASA is planning a new field experiment, the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP), in the summer of 2010 to better understand how tropical storms form and develop into major hurricanes. The DC-8 aircraft and the Global Hawk Unmanned Airborne System (UAS) will be deployed loaded with instruments for measurements including lightning, temperature, 3D wind, precipitation, liquid and ice water contents, aerosol and cloud profiles. During the field campaign, both the spaceborne and the airborne observations will be collected in real-time and integrated with the hurricane forecast models. This observation-model integration will help the campaign achieve its science goals by allowing team members to effectively plan the mission with current forecasts. To support the GRIP experiment, JPL developed a website for interactive visualization of all related remote-sensing observations in the GRIP’s geographical domain using the new Google Earth API. All the observations are collected in near real-time (NRT) with 2 to 5 hour latency. The observations include a 1KM blended Sea Surface Temperature (SST) map from GHRSST L2P products; 6-hour composite images of GOES IR; stability indices, temperature and vapor profiles from AIRS and AMSU-B; microwave brightness temperature and rain index maps from AMSR-E, SSMI and TRMM-TMI; ocean surface wind vectors, vorticity and divergence of the wind from QuikSCAT; the 3D precipitation structure from TRMM-PR and vertical profiles of cloud and precipitation from CloudSAT. All the NRT observations are collected from the data centers and science facilities at NASA and NOAA, subsetted, re-projected, and composited into hourly or daily data products depending on the frequency of the observation. The data products are then displayed on the 3D Google Earth plug-in at the JPL Tropical Cyclone Information System (TCIS) website. The data products offered by the TCIS in the Google Earth display include image overlays, wind vectors, clickable

OLYMPEX Counterflow Spectrometer and Impactor Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poellot, Michael

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) Counterflow Spectrometer and Impactor (CSI) probe was flown on the University of North Dakota Cessna Citation research aircraft during the Olympic Mountain Experiment (OLYMPEX). The field campaign took place from November 12 through December 19, 2015, over the Olympic Mountains and coastal waters of Washington State as part of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) validation campaign. The CSI was added to the Citation instrument suite to support the NASA Aerosol-Cloud Ecosystem (ACE) satellite program and flights ofmore » the NASA Lockheed Earth Resources (ER-2) aircraft. ACE funded extra ER-2 flights to focus on clouds that are weakly precipitating, which are also of interest to the DOE Atmospheric System Research (ASR) program.« less

Airborne tunable diode laser spectrometer for trace-gas measurement in the lower stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Podolske, James; Loewenstein, Max

1993-01-01

This paper describes the airborne tunable laser absorption spectrometer, a tunable diode laser instrument designed for in situ trace-gas measurement in the lower stratosphere from an ER-2 high-altitude research aircraft. Laser-wavelength modulation and second-harmonic detection are employed to achieve the required constituent detection sensitivity. The airborne tunable laser absorption spectrometer was used in two polar ozone campaigns, the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment and the Airborne Arctic Stratospheric Expedition, and measured nitrous oxide with a response time of 1 s and an accuracy not greater than 10 percent.

Airborne mapping of Seoul's atmosphere: Trace gas measurements from GeoTASO during KORUS-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlan, C. R.; Al-Saadi, J. A.; Castellanos, P.; Chance, K.; Gonzalez Abad, G.; Janz, S. J.; Judd, L.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Liu, X.

2017-12-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) instrument is a pushbroom airborne remote sensing instrument capable of making measurements of air quality and ocean color using backscattered UV and visible light. GeoTASO is an airborne test-bed for the upcoming Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) geostationary satellite missions, which will measure air quality over North America and Asia, respectively. GeoTASO also acts as a satellite analogue during field campaigns. GeoTASO flew on the NASA Langley Research Center UC-12 aircraft during the Korea-United States Air Quality Study in May-June 2016, collecting spectra over South Korea during 30 flights over 19 flight days. These observations can be used to derive 2-D maps of tropospheric trace gases including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde, nitrous acid and glyoxal below the aircraft at spatial resolutions between 250 m x 250 m and 1 km x 1 km, depending on the gas. We present spatially resolved trace gas retrievals over Seoul and its surrounding industrial regions, and comparisons with correlative satellite and campaign data.

The 2014 ASCENDS Field Campaign - a Carbon Dioxide Laser Absorption Spectrometer Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiers, G. D.; Menzies, R. T.; Jacob, J. C.; Geier, S.; Fregoso, S. F.

2014-12-01

NASA's ASCENDS mission has been flying several candidate lidar instruments on board the NASA DC-8 aircraft to obtain column integrated measurements of Carbon Dioxide. Each instrument uses a different approach to making the measurement and combined they have allowed for the informed development of the ASCENDS mission measurement requirements(1). The JPL developed Carbon Dioxide Laser Absorption Spectrometer, CO2LAS is one of these instruments. The CO2LAS measures the weighted, column averaged carbon dioxide between the aircraft and the ground using a continuous-wave heterodyne technique. The instrument operates at a 2.05 micron wavelength optimized for enhancing sensitivity to boundary layer carbon dioxide. Since the 2013 field campaign the instrument has undergone significant upgrades that improve the data collection efficiency and instrument stability and has recently been re-integrated onto the NASA DC-8 for the August 2014 ASCENDS field campaign. This presentation will summarize the instrument and algorithm improvements and review the 2014 field campaign flights and preliminary results. (1) Abshire, J.B. et al., "An overview of NASA's ASCENDS Mission lidar measurement requirements", submitted to 2014 Fall AGU Conference.

Evaluating a campaign GNSS velocity field derived from an online precise point positioning service

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holden, L.; Silcock, D.; Choy, S.; Cas, R.; Ailleres, L.; Fournier, N.

2017-01-01

Traditional processing of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data using dedicated scientific software has provided the highest levels of positional accuracy, and has been used extensively in geophysical deformation studies. To achieve these accuracies a significant level of understanding and training is required, limiting their availability to the general scientific community. Various online GNSS processing services, now freely available, address some of these difficulties and allow users to easily process their own GNSS data and potentially obtain high quality results. Previous research into these services has focused on Continually Operating Reference Station (CORS) GNSS data. Less research exists on the results achievable with these services using large campaign GNSS data sets, which are inherently noisier than CORS data. Even less research exists on the quality of velocity fields derived from campaign GNSS data processed through online precise point positioning services. Particularly, whether they are suitable for geodynamic and deformation studies where precise and reliable velocities are needed. In this research, we process a very large campaign GPS data set (spanning 10 yr) with the online Jet Propulsion Laboratory Automated Precise Positioning Service. This data set is taken from a GNSS network specifically designed and surveyed to measure deformation through the central North Island of New Zealand. This includes regional CORS stations. We then use these coordinates to derive a horizontal and vertical velocity field. This is the first time that a large campaign GPS data set has been processed solely using an online service and the solutions used to determine a horizontal and vertical velocity field. We compared this velocity field to that of another well utilized GNSS scientific software package. The results show a good agreement between the CORS positions and campaign station velocities obtained from the two approaches. We discuss the implications

AIRBORNE BACTERIA IN THE ATMOSPHERIC SURFACE LAYER: TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION ABOVE A GRASS SEED FIELD

EPA Science Inventory

Temporal airborne bacterial concentrations and meteorological conditions were measured above a grass seed field in the Willamette River Valley, near Corvallis, Oregon, in the summer of 1993. he report describes the changes in the atmospheric surface layer over a grass seed field ...

Air-borne shape measurement of parabolic trough collector fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prahl, Christoph; Röger, Marc; Hilgert, Christoph

2017-06-01

The optical and thermal efficiency of parabolic trough collector solar fields is dependent on the performance and assembly accuracy of its components such as the concentrator and absorber. For the purpose of optical inspection/approval, yield analysis, localization of low performing areas, and optimization of the solar field, it is essential to create a complete view of the optical properties of the field. Existing optical measurement tools are based on ground based cameras, facing restriction concerning speed, volume and automation. QFly is an airborne qualification system which provides holistic and accurate information on geometrical, optical, and thermal properties of the entire solar field. It consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle, cameras and related software for flight path planning, data acquisition and evaluation. This article presents recent advances of the QFly measurement system and proposes a methodology on holistic qualification of the complete solar field with minimum impact on plant operation.

High-spatial-resolution K-band Imaging of Select K2 Campaign Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colón, Knicole D.; Howell, Steve B.; Ciardi, David R.; Barclay, Thomas

2017-12-01

NASA's K2 mission began observing fields along the ecliptic plane in 2014. Each observing campaign lasts approximately 80 days, during which high-precision optical photometry of select astrophysical targets is collected by the Kepler spacecraft. Due to the 4 arcsec pixel scale of the Kepler photometer, significant blending between the observed targets can occur (especially in dense fields close to the Galactic plane). We undertook a program to use the Wide Field Camera (WFCAM) on the 3.8 m United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT) to collect high-spatial-resolution near-infrared images of targets in select K2 campaign fields, which we report here. These 0.4 arcsec resolution K-band images offer the opportunity to perform a variety of science, including vetting exoplanet candidates by identifying nearby stars blended with the target star and estimating the size, color, and type of galaxies observed by K2.

International Symposium on Airborne Geophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mogi, Toru; Ito, Hisatoshi; Kaieda, Hideshi; Kusunoki, Kenichiro; Saltus, Richard W.; Fitterman, David V.; Okuma, Shigeo; Nakatsuka, Tadashi

2006-05-01

Airborne geophysics can be defined as the measurement of Earth properties from sensors in the sky. The airborne measurement platform is usually a traditional fixed-wing airplane or helicopter, but could also include lighter-than-air craft, unmanned drones, or other specialty craft. The earliest history of airborne geophysics includes kite and hot-air balloon experiments. However, modern airborne geophysics dates from the mid-1940s when military submarine-hunting magnetometers were first used to map variations in the Earth's magnetic field. The current gamut of airborne geophysical techniques spans a broad range, including potential fields (both gravity and magnetics), electromagnetics (EM), radiometrics, spectral imaging, and thermal imaging.

Mobilizing community-based health insurance to enhance awareness & prevention of airborne, vector-borne & waterborne diseases in rural India.

PubMed

Panda, Pradeep; Chakraborty, Arpita; Dror, David M

2015-08-01

Despite remarkable progress in airborne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases in India, the morbidity associated with these diseases is still high. Many of these diseases are controllable through awareness and preventive practice. This study was an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of a preventive care awareness campaign in enhancing knowledge related with airborne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases, carried out in 2011 in three rural communities in India (Pratapgarh and Kanpur-Dehat in Uttar Pradesh and Vaishali in Bihar). Data for this analysis were collected from two surveys, one done before the campaign and the other after it, each of 300 randomly selected households drawn from a larger sample of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) members invited to join community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes. The results showed a significant increase both in awareness (34%, p<0.001) and in preventive practices (48%, P=0.001), suggesting that the awareness campaign was effective. However, average practice scores (0.31) were substantially lower than average awareness scores (0.47), even in post-campaign. Awareness and preventive practices were less prevalent in vector-borne diseases than in airborne and waterborne diseases. Education was positively associated with both awareness and practice scores. The awareness scores were positive and significant determinants of the practice scores, both in the pre- and in the post-campaign results. Affiliation to CBHI had significant positive influence on awareness and on practice scores in the post-campaign period. The results suggest that well-crafted health educational campaigns can be effective in raising awareness and promoting health-enhancing practices in resource-poor settings. It also confirms that CBHI can serve as a platform to enhance awareness to risks of exposure to airborne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases, and encourage preventive practices.

Mobilizing community-based health insurance to enhance awareness & prevention of airborne, vector-borne & waterborne diseases in rural India

PubMed Central

Panda, Pradeep; Chakraborty, Arpita; Dror, David M.

2015-01-01

Background & objectives: Despite remarkable progress in airborne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases in India, the morbidity associated with these diseases is still high. Many of these diseases are controllable through awareness and preventive practice. This study was an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of a preventive care awareness campaign in enhancing knowledge related with airborne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases, carried out in 2011 in three rural communities in India (Pratapgarh and Kanpur-Dehat in Uttar Pradesh and Vaishali in Bihar). Methods: Data for this analysis were collected from two surveys, one done before the campaign and the other after it, each of 300 randomly selected households drawn from a larger sample of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) members invited to join community-based health insurance (CBHI) schemes. Results: The results showed a significant increase both in awareness (34%, p<0.001) and in preventive practices (48%, P=0.001), suggesting that the awareness campaign was effective. However, average practice scores (0.31) were substantially lower than average awareness scores (0.47), even in post-campaign. Awareness and preventive practices were less prevalent in vector-borne diseases than in airborne and waterborne diseases. Education was positively associated with both awareness and practice scores. The awareness scores were positive and significant determinants of the practice scores, both in the pre- and in the post-campaign results. Affiliation to CBHI had significant positive influence on awareness and on practice scores in the post-campaign period. Interpretation & conclusions: The results suggest that well-crafted health educational campaigns can be effective in raising awareness and promoting health-enhancing practices in resource-poor settings. It also confirms that CBHI can serve as a platform to enhance awareness to risks of exposure to airborne, vector-borne and waterborne diseases, and encourage preventive practices

Aerosol Properties Derived from Airborne Sky Radiance and Direct Beam Measurements in Recent NASA and DoE Field Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Redemann, J.; Flynn, C. J.; Shinozuka, Y.; Russell, P. B.; Kacenelenbogen, M.; Segal-Rosenheimer, M.; Livingston, J. M.; Schmid, B.; Dunagan, S. E.; Johnson, R. R.;

ILEWG EuroMoonMars Research, Technology, and Field Simulation Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foing, B. H.; Lillo, A.; Evellin, P.; Kołodziejczyk, A.; Heinicke, C.; Harasymczuk, M.; Authier, L.; Blanc, A.; Chahla, C.; Tomic, A.; Mirino, M.; Schlacht, I.; Hettrich, S.; Pacher, T.; Maller, L.; Decadi, A.; Villa-Massone, J.; Preusterink, J.; Neklesa, A.; Barzilay, A.; Volkova, T.

2017-10-01

ILEWG developed since 2008, "EuroMoonMars" pilot research with a Robotic Test Bench (ExoGeoLab) and a Mobile Laboratory Habitat (ExoHab) at ESTEC. Field campaigns were e.g. in ESTEC, EAC, at Utah MDRS, Eifel, and LunAres base at Pila Poland in 2017.

Spatio-Temporal Variability of Atmospheric CO2 as Observed from In-Situ Measurements over North America during NASA Field Campaigns (2004-2008)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Yonghoon; Vay, Stephanie A.; Woo, Jung-Hun; Choi, Kichul; Diskin, Glenn S.; Sachse, G. W.; Vadrevu, Krishna P.; Czech, E.

2009-01-01

Regional-scale measurements were made over the eastern United States (Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment - North America (INTEX-NA), summer 2004); Mexico (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO), March 2006); the eastern North Pacific and Alaska (INTEX-B May 2006); and the Canadian Arctic (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS), spring and summer 2008). For these field campaigns, instrumentation for the in situ measurement of CO2 was integrated on the NASA DC-8 research aircraft providing high-resolution (1 second) data traceable to the WMO CO2 mole fraction scale. These observations provide unique and definitive data sets via their intermediate-scale coverage and frequent vertical profiles (0.1 - 12 km) for examining the variability CO2 exhibits above the Earth s surface. A bottom-up anthropogenic CO2 emissions inventory (1deg 1deg) and processing methodology has also been developed for North America in support of these airborne science missions. In this presentation, the spatio-temporal distributions of CO2 and CO column values derived from the campaign measurements will be examined in conjunction with the emissions inventory and transport histories to aid in the interpretation of the CO2 observations.

Development and Evaluation of Novel and Compact Hygrometer for Airborne Research (DENCHAR): In-Flight Performance During AIRTOSS-I/II Research Aircaft Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smit, Herman G. J.; Rolf, Christian; Kraemer, Martina; Petzold, Andreas; Spelten, Nicole; Rohs, Susanne; Neis, Patrick; Maser, Rolf; Bucholz, Bernhard; Ebert, Volker; Tatrai, David; Bozoki, Zoltan; Finger, Fanny; Klingebiel, Marcus

2014-05-01

Water vapour is one of the most important parameters in weather prediction and climate research. Accurate and reliable airborne measurements of water vapour are a pre-requisite to study the underlying processes in the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere. Presently, no airborne water vapour sensor exists that covers the entire range of water vapour content of more than four order of magnitudes between the surface and the UT/LS region with sufficient accuracy and time resolution, not to speak of the technical requirements for quasi-routine operation. In a joint research activity of the European Facility for Airborne Research (EUFAR) programme, funded by the EC in FP7, we have addressed this deficit by the Development and Evaluation of Novel and Compact Hygrometer for Airborne Research (DENCHAR), including the sampling characteristics of different gas/ice inlets. The new instruments using innovative detecting technics based on tuneable diode laser technology combined with absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) or photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS): (i) SEALDH based on novel self-calibrating absorption spectroscopy; (ii) WASUL, based on photoacoustic spectroscopy; (iii) commercial WVSS-II, also a TDLAS hygrometer, but using 2f-detection technics. DENCHAR has followed an unique strategy by facilitating new instrumental developments together with conducting extensive testing, both in the laboratory and during in-flight operation. Here, we will present the evaluation of the in-flight performance of the three new hygrometer instruments, which is based on the results obtained during two dedicated research aircraft campaigns (May and September 2013) as part of the AIRTOSS (AIRcraft Towed Sensor Shuttle) experiments. Aboard the Learjet 35A research aircraft the DENCHAR instruments were operated side by side with the well established Fast In-Situ Hygrometer (FISH), which is based on Lyman (alpha) resonance fluorescence detection technics and calibrated to the reference frost point

Harvesting tree biomass at the stand level to assess the accuracy of field and airborne biomass estimation in savannas.

PubMed

Colgan, Matthew S; Asner, Gregory P; Swemmer, Tony

2013-07-01

Tree biomass is an integrated measure of net growth and is critical for understanding, monitoring, and modeling ecosystem functions. Despite the importance of accurately measuring tree biomass, several fundamental barriers preclude direct measurement at large spatial scales, including the facts that trees must be felled to be weighed and that even modestly sized trees are challenging to maneuver once felled. Allometric methods allow for estimation of tree mass using structural characteristics, such as trunk diameter. Savanna trees present additional challenges, including limited available allometry and a prevalence of multiple stems per individual. Here we collected airborne lidar data over a semiarid savanna adjacent to the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and then harvested and weighed woody plant biomass at the plot scale to provide a standard against which field and airborne estimation methods could be compared. For an existing airborne lidar method, we found that half of the total error was due to averaging canopy height at the plot scale. This error was eliminated by instead measuring maximum height and crown area of individual trees from lidar data using an object-based method to identify individual tree crowns and estimate their biomass. The best object-based model approached the accuracy of field allometry at both the tree and plot levels, and it more than doubled the accuracy compared to existing airborne methods (17% vs. 44% deviation from harvested biomass). Allometric error accounted for less than one-third of the total residual error in airborne biomass estimates at the plot scale when using allometry with low bias. Airborne methods also gave more accurate predictions at the plot level than did field methods based on diameter-only allometry. These results provide a novel comparison of field and airborne biomass estimates using harvested plots and advance the role of lidar remote sensing in savanna ecosystems.

A report from YMC Sumatra field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoneyama, K.; Yokoi, S.; Mori, S.; Nasuno, T.; Yamanaka, M. D.; Yasunaga, K.; Haryoko, U.; Nurhayati, N.; Syamsudin, F.

2017-12-01

Years of the Maritime Continent (YMC) is a two-year international field campaign from July 2017 through the early 2020. It aims at enhancing our knowledge of weather-climate systems over the Maritime Continent and its relation to higher latitudes through observations and numerical modeling. YMC field observations consist of several Intensive Observation Periods (IOPs) and routine basis long-term observations done by local agencies. One of IOPs is a joint effort done by Japanese and Indonesian research groups and we call it YMC-Sumatra, which studies precipitation mechanism along the west coast of Sumatra Island (Bengkulu city) especially focusing on a relationship between diurnal cycle convection and large-scale disturbances such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). Observations will be carried out from November 16, 2017 through January 15, 2018. Since it is known that diurnally developed convection over the coast propagates offshore in the night time, we will deploy a ship off the coast in addition to the land-based site in Bengkulu meteorological station. From both sides, we conduct scanning weather radars, 3-hourly radiosonde soundings, and continuous surface meteorological measurements. Ocean surface is also intensively measured by 3-hourly CTD, ADCP, turbulent sensor, and so on from the ship. In addition, two types of forecast run (global 7-/14-km mesh for 14-/30-day forecast) using NICAM will be performed. Since this campaign in Sumatra is being done during the AGU meeting, a preliminary live report will be provided, so that scientific results as well as logistics information can be used for further IOPs.

Earth Science Project Office (ESPO) Field Experiences During ORACLES, ATom, KORUS and POSIDON

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salazar, Vidal; Zavaleta, Jhony

2017-01-01

Very often, scientific field campaigns entail years of planning and incur substantial cost, especially if they involve the operation of large research aircraft in remote locations. Deploying and operating these aircrafts even for short periods of time poses challenges that, if not addressed properly, can have significant negative consequences and potentially jeopardize the success of a scientific campaign. Challenges vary from country to country and range from safety, health, and security risks to differences in cultural and social norms. Our presentation will focus on sharing experiences on the ESPO 2016 conducted field campaigns ORACLES, ATom, KORUS and POSIDON. We will focus on the best practices, lessons learned, international relations and coordination aspects of the country-specific experiences. This presentation will be part of the ICARE Conference (2nd International Conference on Airborne Research for the Environment (ICARE 2017) that will focus on "Developing the infrastructure to meet future scientific challenges". This unique conference and gathering of facility support experts will not only allow for dissemination and sharing of knowledge but also promote collaboration and networking among groups that support scientific research using airborne platforms around the globe.

An overview of the flight campaign for the GAUGE project: airborne greenhouse gas (and other complementary trace gas) measurements around and over the UK between April 2014 and May 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Grant; Pitt, Joseph; Le Breton, Michael; Percival, Carl; Bannan, Thomas; O'Doherty, Simon; Manning, Alistair; Rigby, Matt; Gannesan, Anita; Mead, Mohammed; Bauguitte, Stephane; Lee, James; Wenger, Angelina; Palmer, Paul

2016-04-01

This work highlights data measured during flights by the UK Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM) as part of the Greenhouse gAs UK and Global Emissions (GAUGE) campaign. A total of 17 flights (85 flight-hours) have been conducted so far around the UK mainland and Ireland to sample precision in situ CH4, CO2, N2O (and other trace gas) concentrations and meteorological parameters at altitudes up to 9500m throughout the period April 2014 to May 2015. Airborne remote sensing retrievals of greenhouse gas total columns have also been calculated using the Manchester Airborne Retrieval Scheme for the UK Met Office ARIES high resolution FTIR instrument. This airborne dataset represents a mapped climatology and a series of case studies from which to assess top-down bulk-net-flux snapshots for regions of the UK, and provides for evaluation of inverse modelling approaches that challenge bottom-up inventories, satellite remote sensing measurements, and assessment of model transport uncertainty. In this paper, we shall describe the instrumentation on the FAAM aircraft and provide a diary of GAUGE FAAM flights (and data highlights) to date; and discuss selected flights of interest to studies such as those above with a focus of net mass flux evaluation.

Technology Advancements Enhance Aircraft Support of Experiment Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vachon, Jacques J.

2009-01-01

For over 30 years, the NASA Airborne Science Program has provided airborne platforms for space bound instrument development, for calibrating new and existing satellite systems, and for making in situ and remote sensing measurements that can only be made from aircraft. New technologies have expanded the capabilities of aircraft that are operated for these missions. Over the last several years a new technology investment portfolio has yielded improvements that produce better measurements for the airborne science communities. These new technologies include unmanned vehicles, precision trajectory control and advanced telecommunications capabilities. We will discuss some of the benefits of these new technologies and systems which aim to provide users with more precision, lower operational costs, quicker access to data, and better management of multi aircraft and multi sensor campaigns.

Validating MODIS above-cloud aerosol optical depth retrieved from "color ratio" algorithm using direct measurements made by NASA's airborne AATS and 4STAR sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jethva, Hiren; Torres, Omar; Remer, Lorraine; Redemann, Jens; Livingston, John; Dunagan, Stephen; Shinozuka, Yohei; Kacenelenbogen, Meloe; Segal Rosenheimer, Michal; Spurr, Rob

2016-10-01

We present the validation analysis of above-cloud aerosol optical depth (ACAOD) retrieved from the "color ratio" method applied to MODIS cloudy-sky reflectance measurements using the limited direct measurements made by NASA's airborne Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) and Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) sensors. A thorough search of the airborne database collection revealed a total of five significant events in which an airborne sun photometer, coincident with the MODIS overpass, observed partially absorbing aerosols emitted from agricultural biomass burning, dust, and wildfires over a low-level cloud deck during SAFARI-2000, ACE-ASIA 2001, and SEAC4RS 2013 campaigns, respectively. The co-located satellite-airborne matchups revealed a good agreement (root-mean-square difference < 0.1), with most matchups falling within the estimated uncertainties associated the MODIS retrievals (about -10 to +50 %). The co-retrieved cloud optical depth was comparable to that of the MODIS operational cloud product for ACE-ASIA and SEAC4RS, however, higher by 30-50 % for the SAFARI-2000 case study. The reason for this discrepancy could be attributed to the distinct aerosol optical properties encountered during respective campaigns. A brief discussion on the sources of uncertainty in the satellite-based ACAOD retrieval and co-location procedure is presented. Field experiments dedicated to making direct measurements of aerosols above cloud are needed for the extensive validation of satellite-based retrievals.

Validating MODIS Above-Cloud Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieved from Color Ratio Algorithm Using Direct Measurements Made by NASA's Airborne AATS and 4STAR Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jethva, Hiren; Torres, Omar; Remer, Lorraine; Redemann, Jens; Livingston, John; Dunagan, Stephen; Shinozuka, Yohei; Kacenelenbogen, Meloe; Segal Rozenhaimer, Michal; Spurr, Rob

2016-01-01

We present the validation analysis of above-cloud aerosol optical depth (ACAOD) retrieved from the color ratio method applied to MODIS cloudy-sky reflectance measurements using the limited direct measurements made by NASAs airborne Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) and Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) sensors. A thorough search of the airborne database collection revealed a total of five significant events in which an airborne sun photometer, coincident with the MODIS overpass, observed partially absorbing aerosols emitted from agricultural biomass burning, dust, and wildfires over a low-level cloud deck during SAFARI-2000, ACE-ASIA 2001, and SEAC4RS 2013 campaigns, respectively. The co-located satellite-airborne match ups revealed a good agreement (root-mean-square difference less than 0.1), with most match ups falling within the estimated uncertainties associated with the MODIS retrievals (about -10 to +50 ). The co-retrieved cloud optical depth was comparable to that of the MODIS operational cloud product for ACE-ASIA and SEAC4RS, however, higher by 30-50% for the SAFARI-2000 case study. The reason for this discrepancy could be attributed to the distinct aerosol optical properties encountered during respective campaigns. A brief discussion on the sources of uncertainty in the satellite-based ACAOD retrieval and co-location procedure is presented. Field experiments dedicated to making direct measurements of aerosols above cloud are needed for the extensive validation of satellite based retrievals.

Second SNPP Cal/Val Campaign: Environmental Data Retrieval Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Larar, Allen M.; Liu, Xu; Tian, Jialin; Smith, William L.; Kizer, Susan H.; Goldberg, Mitch D.

2016-01-01

Satellite ultraspectral infrared sensors provide key data records essential for weather forecasting and climate change science. The Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Soumi NPP) satellite Environmental Data Records (EDRs) are retrieved from calibrated ultraspectral radiance or Sensor Data Records (SDRs). Understanding the accuracy of retrieved EDRs is critical. The second Suomi NPP Calibration/Validation field campaign was conducted during March 2015 with flights over Greenland. The NASA high-altitude ER-2 aircraft carrying ultraspectral interferometer sounders such as the National Airborne Sounder Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I) flew under the Suomi NPP satellite that carries the Crosstrack Infrared Sounder (CrIS) and the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS). Herein we inter-compare the EDRs produced from different retrieval algorithms employed on these satellite and aircraft campaign data. The available radiosonde measurements together with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analyses are used to assess atmospheric temperature and moisture retrievals from the aircraft and satellite platforms. Preliminary results of this experiment under a winter, Arctic environment are presented.

A rigorous assessment of tree height measurements obtained using airborne LIDAR and conventional field methods.

Treesearch

Hans-Erik Andersen; Stephen E. Reutebuch; Robert J. McGaughey

2006-01-01

Tree height is an important variable in forest inventory programs but is typically time-consuming and costly to measure in the field using conventional techniques. Airborne light detection and ranging (LIDAR) provides individual tree height measurements that are highly correlated with field-derived measurements, but the imprecision of conventional field techniques does...

Airborne surveys in the Arctic and Antarctic for geophysics, sea-ice thickness, and CryoSat validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsberg, R.; Olesen, A. V.; Hvidegaard, S.; Skourup, H.

2010-12-01

Airborne laser and radar measurements over the Greenland ice sheet, Svalbard, and adjacent parts of the Arctic Ocean have been carried out by DTU-Space in a number of recent Danish/Greenlandic and European project campaigns, with the purpose to monitor ice sheet and sea-ice changes, support of Greenland societal needs (oil exploration and hydropower), and support of CryoSat pre-launch calibration and validation campaigns. The Arctic campaigns have been done using a Twin-Otter aircraft, carrying laser scanners and various radars. Since 2009 a new program of long-range gravity and magnetic surveys have been initiated using a Basler DC3 aircraft for large-scale surveys in the Arctic Ocean and Antarctica, with the 2010 cooperative Danish-Argentinean-Chilean-US ICEGRAV survey of the Antarctic Peninsula additionally including a UTIG 60 MHz ice-penetrating radar. In the paper we outline the recent and upcoming airborne survey activities, outline the usefulness of the airborne data for satellite validation (CryoSat and GOCE), and give examples of measurements and comparisons to satellite and in-situ data.

The Waypoint Planning Tool: Real Time Flight Planning for Airborne Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Yubin; Blakeslee, Richard; Goodman, Michael; Hall, John

2010-01-01

NASA Earth science research utilizes both spaceborne and airborne real time observations in the planning and operations of its field campaigns. The coordination of air and space components is critical to achieve the goals and objectives and ensure the success of an experiment. Spaceborne imagery provides regular and continual coverage of the Earth and it is a significant component in all NASA field experiments. Real time visible and infrared geostationary images from GOES satellites and multi-spectral data from the many elements of the NASA suite of instruments aboard the TRMM, Terra, Aqua, Aura, and other NASA satellites have become norm. Similarly, the NASA Airborne Science Program draws upon a rich pool of instrumented aircraft. The NASA McDonnell Douglas DC-8, Lockheed P3 Orion, DeHavilland Twin Otter, King Air B200, Gulfstream-III are all staples of a NASA's well-stocked, versatile hangar. A key component in many field campaigns is coordinating the aircraft with satellite overpasses, other airplanes and the constantly evolving, dynamic weather conditions. Given the variables involved, developing a good flight plan that meets the objectives of the field experiment can be a challenging and time consuming task. Planning a research aircraft mission within the context of meeting the science objectives is complex task because it is much more than flying from point A to B. Flight plans typically consist of flying a series of transects or involve dynamic path changes when "chasing" a hurricane or forest fire. These aircraft flight plans are typically designed by the mission scientists then verified and implemented by the navigator or pilot. Flight planning can be an arduous task requiring frequent sanity checks by the flight crew. This requires real time situational awareness of the weather conditions that affect the aircraft track. Scientists at the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center developed the Waypoint Planning Tool, an

The use of fair-weather cases from the ACT-America Summer 2016 field campaign to better constrain regional biogenic CO2 surface fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaudet, B. J.; Davis, K. J.; DiGangi, J. P.; Feng, S.; Hoffman, K.; Jacobson, A. R.; Lauvaux, T.; McGill, M. J.; Miles, N.; Pal, S.; Pauly, R.; Richardson, S.

2017-12-01

The Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) study is a multi-year NASA-funded project designed to increase our understanding of regional-scale greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes over North America through aircraft, satellite, and tower-based observations. This is being accomplished through a series of field campaigns that cover three focus regions (Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast, and Midwest), and all four seasons (summer, winter, fall, and spring), as well as a variety of meteorological conditions. While constraints on GHG fluxes can be derived on the global scale (through remote-site concentration measurements and global flux inversion models) and the local scale (through eddy-covariance flux tower measurements), observational constraints on the intermediate scales are not as readily available. Biogenic CO2 fluxes are particularly challenging because of their strong seasonal and diurnal cycles and large spatial variability. During the summer 2016 ACT field campaign, fair weather days were targeted for special flight patterns designed to estimate surface fluxes at scales on the order of 105 km2 using a modified mass-balance approach. For some onshore flow cases in the Gulf Coast, atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flight transects were performed both inland and offshore when it could be reasonably inferred that the homogeneous Gulf air provided the background GHG field for the inland transect. On other days, two-day flight sequences were performed, where the second-day location of the flight patterns was designed to encompass the air mass that was sampled on the first day. With these flight patterns, the average regional flux can be estimated from the ABL CO2 concentration change. Direct measurements of ABL depth from both aircraft profiles and high-resolution airborne lidar will be used, while winds and free-tropospheric CO2 can be determined from model output and in situ aircraft observations. Here we will present examples of this flux estimation for both Gulf

New Atmospheric Observations from the Airborne GNSS Instrument System for Multistatic and Occultation Sensing (GISMOS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, J. S.; Xie, F.; Muradyan, P.; Garrison, J. L.; Lulich, T.; Voo, J.; Larson, K. M.

2008-12-01

The Airborne GNSS Instrument System for Multistatic and Occultation Sensing (GISMOS) was deployed on the NCAR HIAPER (High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research) aircraft to make atmospheric observations over the Gulf of Mexico coastal region in February 2008. The objective of the measurements was to test the performance of the system in comparisons with radiosonde profiles and dropsonde profiles that were also collected during the field campaign. The airborne GNSS radio occultation measures of GNSS signals from satellites that are setting or rising behind the Earth's limb relative to the receiver on board an aircraft. High-gain side-looking antennas and a 10MHz GPS Recording System that records the raw RF signal make this set of instrumentation unique, and especially adapted for open-loop tracking observations in the lower atmosphere. Measurements of the amount of refraction in the signal ray paths are inverted using an Abel transform procedure to retrieve a profile of refractivity, which depends on atmospheric pressure, temperature and relative humidity. The airborne geometry, in contrast to the space- borne satellite occultation geometry, is affected by a large drift in the tangent point location, that is the location of the closest point to the Earth surface, as the ray path descends in the atmosphere. Therefore plans for the validation campaign included releasing dropsondes in the plane of the line of sight of the satellite-receiver occultation geometry in order to study this effect. Careful timing and location of the flight path was used to coordinate occultation times with operational and supplementary radiosonde launches. A total of 6 days of balloon sounding data were collected with 20 dropsondes and 28 supplementary radiosonde profiles. A discussion of the technical performance of the system will be presented, which describes the signal characteristics and antenna performance. Preliminary results on the quality of retrieved

Atmospheric Pollution from Shipping and Oil platforms of West Africa (APSOWA) observed during the airborne DACCIWA campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krysztofiak-Tong, Gisèle; Brocchi, Vanessa; Catoire, Valéry; Stratmann, Greta; Sauer, Daniel; Deroubaix, Adrien; Deetz, Konrad; Schlager, Hans

2017-04-01

In the framework of the European DACCIWA (Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa) project, the airborne study APSOWA (Atmospheric Pollution from Shipping and Oil platforms of West Africa) has been conducted in July 2016 to study emissions from oil rigs and maritime traffic in the Gulf of Guinea. The measurements were performed during four flights of about 3-4 hours including meandering transects through emission plumes in the planetary boundary layer (around 300 m asl) off the coast of West Africa from Ivory Coast to Togo. Several instruments have been used on-board the DLR Falcon-20, providing measurements of the pollutants O3, CO, NO2, SO2, aerosol content and meteorological parameters. This set of trace gases can be used to fingerprint different sources of local air pollution. The first part of our study is focused on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah facility operating in the Jubilee oil field off the coast of Ghana. Aircraft observations have been combined with a nested-grid regional scale Lagrangian particle dispersion model (FLEXPART) to estimate surface emission fluxes from this platform. A simplified inverse method is used and repeated until the modelling output and aircraft observations converged. The estimated fluxes of CO, SO2, NO2 are compared to global (EDGAR, MACCity) and regional (Deetz and Vogel, 2017, in press) inventories. A second part of the study provides the first results of the APSOWA flights for the study of the impact of shipping emissions on the regional air quality. Using data from Marine Traffic, ship positions during the campaign are identified. Then, FLEXPART is used to quantify the contributions of the ship emissions to the aircraft observations. Finally, direct measurements in the MBL around 4°N latitude along the Ghana coast show no strong evidence of the presence of an atmospheric pollution maritime corridor simulated by MACCity.

ARM Cloud-Aerosol-Precipitation Experiment (ACAPEX) Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leung, L Ruby

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s ARM Cloud-Aerosol-Precipitation Experiment (ACAPEX) field campaign contributes to CalWater 2015, a multi-agency field campaign that aims to improve understanding of atmospheric rivers and aerosol sources and transport that influence cloud and precipitation processes. The ultimate goal is to reduce uncertainties in weather predictions and climate projections of droughts and floods in California. With the DOE G-1 aircraft and ARM Mobile Facility 2 (AMF2) well equipped for making aerosol and cloud measurements, ACAPEX focuses specifically on understanding how aerosols from local pollution and long-range transport affect the amountmore » and phase of precipitation associated with atmospheric rivers. ACAPEX took place between January 12, 2015 and March 8, 2015 as part of CalWater 2015, which included four aircraft (DOE G-1, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] G-IV and P-3, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA] ER-2), the NOAA research ship Ron Brown, carrying onboard the AMF2, National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored aerosol and precipitation measurements at Bodega Bay, and the California Department of Water Resources extreme precipitation network.« less

Improving estimation of tree carbon stocks by harvesting aboveground woody biomass within airborne LiDAR flight areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colgan, M.; Asner, G. P.; Swemmer, A. M.

2011-12-01

The accurate estimation of carbon stored in a tree is essential to accounting for the carbon emissions due to deforestation and degradation. Airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has been successful in estimating aboveground carbon density (ACD) by correlating airborne metrics, such as canopy height, to field-estimated biomass. This latter step is reliant on field allometry which is applied to forest inventory quantities, such as stem diameter and height, to predict the biomass of a given tree stem. Constructing such allometry is expensive, time consuming, and requires destructive sampling. Consequently, the sample sizes used to construct such allometry are often small, and the largest tree sampled is often much smaller than the largest in the forest population. The uncertainty resulting from these sampling errors can lead to severe biases when the allometry is applied to stems larger than those harvested to construct the allometry, which is then subsequently propagated to airborne ACD estimates. The Kruger National Park (KNP) mission of maintaining biodiversity coincides with preserving ecosystem carbon stocks. However, one hurdle to accurately quantifying carbon density in savannas is that small stems are typically harvested to construct woody biomass allometry, yet they are not representative of Kruger's distribution of biomass. Consequently, these equations inadequately capture large tree variation in sapwood/hardwood composition, root/shoot/leaf allocation, branch fall, and stem rot. This study eliminates the "middleman" of field allometry by directly measuring, or harvesting, tree biomass within the extent of airborne LiDAR. This enables comparisons of field and airborne ACD estimates, and also enables creation of new airborne algorithms to estimate biomass at the scale of individual trees. A field campaign was conducted at Pompey Silica Mine 5km outside Kruger National Park, South Africa, in Mar-Aug 2010 to harvest and weigh tree mass. Since

Airborne Active and Passive L-Band Observations in Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2012 (SMAPVEX12)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colliander, A.; Yueh, S. H.; Chazanoff, S.; Jackson, T. J.; McNairn, H.; Bullock, P.; Wiseman, G.; Berg, A. A.; Magagi, R.; Njoku, E. G.

2012-12-01

NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission is scheduled for launch in October 2014. The objective of the mission is global mapping of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state. Merging of active and passive L-band observations of the mission will enable unprecedented combination of accuracy, resolution, coverage and revisit-time for soil moisture and freeze/thaw state retrieval. For pre-launch algorithm development and validation the SMAP project and NASA coordinated a field campaign named as SMAPVEX12 (Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2012) together with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in the vicinity of Winnipeg, Canada in June-July, 2012. The main objective of SMAPVEX12 was acquisition of data record that features long-time series with varying soil moisture and vegetation conditions (for testing the application of time-series approach) over aerial domain of multiple parallel lines (for spatial disaggregation studies). The coincident active and passive L-band data were acquired using the Passive Active L-band System (PALS), which is an airborne radiometer and radar developed for testing L-band retrieval algorithms. For SMAPVEX12 PALS was installed on a Twin Otter aircraft. The flight plan included flights at two altitudes. The higher altitude was used to map the whole experiment domain and the lower altitude was used to obtain measurements over a specific set of field sites. The spatial resolution (and swath) of the radar and radiometer from low altitude was about 600 m and from high altitude about 1500 m. The PALS acquisitions were complemented with high resolution (~10 m) L-band SAR measurements carried out by UAVSAR instrument on-board G-III aircraft. The campaign ran from June 7 until July 19. The PALS instrument conducted 17 brightness temperature and backscatter measurement flights and the UAVSAR conducted 14 backscatter measurement flights. The airborne data acquisition was supported by

Hyperspectral Observations of Land Surfaces Using Ground-based, Airborne, and Satellite Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knuteson, R. O.; Best, F. A.; Revercomb, H. E.; Tobin, D. C.

2006-12-01

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (UW-SSEC) has helped pioneer the use of high spectral resolution infrared spectrometers for application to atmospheric and surface remote sensing. This paper is focused on observations of land surface infrared emission from high spectral resolution measurements collected over the past 15 years using airborne, ground-based, and satellite platforms. The earliest data was collected by the High-resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS), an instrument designed in the 1980s for operation on the NASA ER-2 high altitude aircraft. The HIS was replaced in the late 1990s by the Scanning-HIS instrument which has flown on the NASA ER-2, WB-57, DC-8, and Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft and continues to support field campaigns, such as those for EOS Terra, Aqua, and Aura validation. Since 1995 the UW-SSEC has fielded a ground-based Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) in a research vehicle (the AERIBAGO) which has allowed for direct field measurements of land surface emission from a height of about 16 ft above the ground. Several ground-based and aircraft campaigns were conducted to survey the region surrounding the ARM Southern Great Plains site in north central Oklahoma. The ground- based AERIBAGO has also participated in surface emissivity campaigns in the Western U.S.. Since 2002, the NASA Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) has provided similar measurements from the Aqua platform in an afternoon sun-synchronous polar orbit. Ground-based and airborne observations are being used to validate the land surface products derived from the AIRS observations. These cal/val activities are in preparation for similar measurements anticipated from the operational Cross-track InfraRed Sounder (CrIS) on the NPOESS Preparatory Platform (NPP), expected to be launched in 2008. Moreover, high spectral infrared observations will soon be made by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer (IASI) on the

Airborne Lidar Measurements of Aerosol Optical Properties During SAFARI-2000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGill, M. J.; Hlavka, D. L.; Hart, W. D.; Welton, E. J.; Campbell, J. R.; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL) operated onboard the NASA ER-2 high altitude aircraft during the SAFARI-2000 field campaign. The CPL provided high spatial resolution measurements of aerosol optical properties at both 1064 nm and 532 nm. We present here results of planetary boundary layer (PBL) aerosol optical depth analysis and profiles of aerosol extinction. Variation of optical depth and extinction are examined as a function of regional location. The wide-scale aerosol mapping obtained by the CPL is a unique data set that will aid in future studies of aerosol transport. Comparisons between the airborne CPL and ground-based MicroPulse Lidar Network (MPL-Net) sites are shown to have good agreement.

The Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000). Dry-Season Campaign: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swap, R. J.; Annegarn, H. J.; Suttles, J. T.; Haywood, J.; Hely, C.; Hobbs, P. V.; Holben, B. N.; Ji, J.; King, M. D.; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) is an international science project investigating the southern African earth-atmosphere-human system. The experiment was conducted over a two-year period March 1999 - March 2001. The dry season field campaign (August-Steptember 2000) was the most intensive activity and involving over 200 scientists from 18 different nations. The main objectives of this campaign were to characterize and quantify the biogenic, pyrogenic and anthropogenic aerosol and trace gas emissions and their transport and transformations in the atmosphere and to validate the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) satellite Terra within a scientific context. Five aircraft, namely two South African Weather Service aircraft, University of Washington CV-580, the UK Meteorological Office C-130 and the NASA ER-2, with different altitude capabilities, participated in the campaign. Additional airborne sampling of southern African air masses that had moved downwind of the subcontinent was conducted by the CSIRO over Australia. Multiple observations were taken in various sectors for a variety of synoptic conditions. Flight missions were designed to maximize synchronous over-flights of the NASA TERRA satellite platform, above regional ground validation and science targets. Numerous smaller-scale ground validation activities took place throughout the region during the campaign period.

The actinic UV-radiation budget during the ESCOMPTE campaign 2001: results of airborne measurements with the microlight research aircraft D-MIFU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junkermann, Wolfgang

2005-03-01

During the ESCOMPTE campaign 2001, the vertical distribution of ultraviolet actinic radiation was investigated with concurrent measurements of ozone, aerosol size distributions, and scattering coefficients using a microlight aircraft as airborne platform. Three-dimensional (3D) measurements were performed on a regional scale in the area between Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Marseille up to an altitude of 4000 m a.s.l. The results show a pronounced dependence of the vertical actinic flux distribution on aerosol load and stratification while horizontally no significant variability was observed. Furthermore, investigations under cloudy conditions and in the vicinity of cumulus clouds were performed allowing comparisons with one-dimensional and recently published three-dimensional model results. Cloud effects of scattered convective clouds were often found to be masked by aerosols and the aerosol content was generally the dominating factor controlling radiation transfer.

Calibration Matters: Advances in Strapdown Airborne Gravimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, D.

2015-12-01

Using a commercial navigation-grade strapdown inertial measurement unit (IMU) for airborne gravimetry can be advantageous in terms of cost, handling, and space consumption compared to the classical stable-platform spring gravimeters. Up to now, however, large sensor errors made it impossible to reach the mGal-level using such type IMUs as they are not designed or optimized for this kind of application. Apart from a proper error-modeling in the filtering process, specific calibration methods that are tailored to the application of aerogravity may help to bridge this gap and to improve their performance. Based on simulations, a quantitative analysis is presented on how much IMU sensor errors, as biases, scale factors, cross couplings, and thermal drifts distort the determination of gravity and the deflection of the vertical (DOV). Several lab and in-field calibration methods are briefly discussed, and calibration results are shown for an iMAR RQH unit. In particular, a thermal lab calibration of its QA2000 accelerometers greatly improved the long-term drift behavior. Latest results from four recent airborne gravimetry campaigns confirm the effectiveness of the calibrations applied, with cross-over accuracies reaching 1.0 mGal (0.6 mGal after cross-over adjustment) and DOV accuracies reaching 1.1 arc seconds after cross-over adjustment.

The NOAA El Niño Rapid Response Field Campaign: Science Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dole, R. M.; Spackman, J. R.; Webb, R. S.; Barnet, C.; Cifelli, R.; Compo, G. P.; Fairall, C. W.; Hartten, L. M.; Hoell, A.; Intrieri, J. M.; Kiladis, G. N.; Johnston, P. E.; Hoerling, M. P.; Newman, M.; Smith, C. A.; Wick, G. A.; Wolfe, D. E.; Wolter, K.

2016-12-01

Forecasts by mid-summer 2015 indicated the likelihood of a strong and potentially record El Niño for the upcoming winter. The forecasts posed a fundamental challenge to NOAA: To what extent could the agency adapt its research and services, given advance information of a potentially extreme climate event? Taking a proactive approach, NOAA initiated the NOAA El Niño Rapid Response (ENRR) project. The ENRR included an observational field campaign led by the ESRL Physical Sciences Division together with model experiments performed to optimize observational strategies and support NOAA services in anticipating risks and impacts related to this event. The full ENRR ultimately involved contributions from across NOAA as well as from external partners. This presentation focuses on the ENRR field campaign. It summarizes the primary drivers for the campaign, questions, hypotheses, and objectives, a few surprises and lessons learned, and concludes with thoughts on future directions. The main aim of the field campaign was to determine the initial tropical atmospheric response linking this El Niño to its global impacts. Intensive observations were conducted in a data-sparse region over the central Pacific Ocean near the heart of El Niño, using NOAA's Gulfstream IV (G-IV) to obtain wind, temperature, moisture, and precipitation profiles from dropsondes, tail Doppler radar, and flight level observations. Most flights were over the central tropical Pacific, sampling organized tropical convection and convective outflow. The G-IV data were augmented in the central Pacific by radiosonde launches from Kiritimati and in the eastern tropical Pacific from the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown. In the extratropics, a scanning X-band radar was deployed in Santa Clara CA. Additional extratropical flights were conducted by NOAA with the Global Hawk, and by partners at NASA Ames and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Data from the ENRR campaign were provided in real-time for assimilation into

An Overview of the Regional Experiments for Land-atmosphere Exchanges 2012 (REFLEX 2012) Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Timmermans, Wim J.; van der Tol, Christiaan; Timmermans, Joris; Ucer, Murat; Chen, Xuelong; Alonso, Luis; Moreno, Jose; Carrara, Arnaud; Lopez, Ramon; de la Cruz Tercero, Fernando; Corcoles, Horacio L.; de Miguel, Eduardo; Sanchez, Jose A. G.; Pérez, Irene; Franch, Belen; Munoz, Juan-Carlos J.; Skokovic, Drazen; Sobrino, Jose; Soria, Guillem; MacArthur, Alasdair; Vescovo, Loris; Reusen, Ils; Andreu, Ana; Burkart, Andreas; Cilia, Chiara; Contreras, Sergio; Corbari, Chiara; Calleja, Javier F.; Guzinski, Radoslaw; Hellmann, Christine; Herrmann, Ittai; Kerr, Gregoire; Lazar, Adina-Laura; Leutner, Benjamin; Mendiguren, Gorka; Nasilowska, Sylwia; Nieto, Hector; Pachego-Labrador, Javier; Pulanekar, Survana; Raj, Rahul; Schikling, Anke; Siegmann, Bastian; von Bueren, Stefanie; Su, Zhongbo (Bob)

2015-12-01

The REFLEX 2012 campaign was initiated as part of a training course on the organization of an airborne campaign to support advancement of the understanding of land-atmosphere interaction processes. This article describes the campaign, its objectives and observations, remote as well as in situ. The observations took place at the experimental Las Tiesas farm in an agricultural area in the south of Spain. During the period of ten days, measurements were made to capture the main processes controlling the local and regional land-atmosphere exchanges. Apart from multi-temporal, multi-directional and multi-spatial space-borne and airborne observations, measurements of the local meteorology, energy fluxes, soil temperature profiles, soil moisture profiles, surface temperature, canopy structure as well as leaf-level measurements were carried out. Additional thermo-dynamical monitoring took place at selected sites. After presenting the different types of measurements, some examples are given to illustrate the potential of the observations made.

Aerosol Profile Measurements from the NASA Langley Research Center Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obland, Michael D.; Hostetler, Chris A.; Ferrare, Richard A.; Hair, John W.; Roers, Raymond R.; Burton, Sharon P.; Cook, Anthony L.; Harper, David B.

2008-01-01

Since achieving first light in December of 2005, the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) has been involved in seven field campaigns, accumulating over 450 hours of science data across more than 120 flights. Data from the instrument have been used in a variety of studies including validation and comparison with the Cloud- Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite mission, aerosol property retrievals combining passive and active instrument measurements, aerosol type identification, aerosol-cloud interactions, and cloud top and planetary boundary layer (PBL) height determinations. Measurements and lessons learned from the HSRL are leading towards next-generation HSRL instrument designs that will enable even further studies of aerosol intensive and extensive parameters and the effects of aerosols on the climate system. This paper will highlight several of the areas in which the NASA Airborne HSRL is making contributions to climate science.

Airborne measurements in the infrared using FTIR-based imaging hyperspectral sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puckrin, E.; Turcotte, C. S.; Lahaie, P.; Dubé, D.; Lagueux, P.; Farley, V.; Marcotte, F.; Chamberland, M.

2009-09-01

Hyperspectral ground mapping is being used in an ever-increasing extent for numerous applications in the military, geology and environmental fields. The different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum help produce information of differing nature. The visible, near-infrared and short-wave infrared radiation (400 nm to 2.5 μm) has been mostly used to analyze reflected solar light, while the mid-wave (3 to 5 μm) and long-wave (8 to 12 μm or thermal) infrared senses the self-emission of molecules directly, enabling the acquisition of data during night time. Push-broom dispersive sensors have been typically used for airborne hyperspectral mapping. However, extending the spectral range towards the mid-wave and long-wave infrared brings performance limitations due to the self emission of the sensor itself. The Fourier-transform spectrometer technology has been extensively used in the infrared spectral range due to its high transmittance as well as throughput and multiplex advantages, thereby reducing the sensor self-emission problem. Telops has developed the Hyper-Cam, a rugged and compact infrared hyperspectral imager. The Hyper-Cam is based on the Fourier-transform technology yielding high spectral resolution and enabling high accuracy radiometric calibration. It provides passive signature measurement capability, with up to 320x256 pixels at spectral resolutions of up to 0.25 cm-1. The Hyper-Cam has been used on the ground in several field campaigns, including the demonstration of standoff chemical agent detection. More recently, the Hyper-Cam has been integrated into an airplane to provide airborne measurement capabilities. A special pointing module was designed to compensate for airplane attitude and forward motion. To our knowledge, the Hyper-Cam is the first commercial airborne hyperspectral imaging sensor based on Fourier-transform infrared technology. The first airborne measurements and some preliminary performance criteria for the Hyper-Cam are presented in

Airborne measurements in the infrared using FTIR-based imaging hyperspectral sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puckrin, E.; Turcotte, C. S.; Lahaie, P.; Dubé, D.; Farley, V.; Lagueux, P.; Marcotte, F.; Chamberland, M.

2009-05-01

Hyperspectral ground mapping is being used in an ever-increasing extent for numerous applications in the military, geology and environmental fields. The different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum help produce information of differing nature. The visible, near-infrared and short-wave infrared radiation (400 nm to 2.5 μm) has been mostly used to analyze reflected solar light, while the mid-wave (3 to 5 μm) and long-wave (8 to 12 μm or thermal) infrared senses the self-emission of molecules directly, enabling the acquisition of data during night time. Push-broom dispersive sensors have been typically used for airborne hyperspectral mapping. However, extending the spectral range towards the mid-wave and long-wave infrared brings performance limitations due to the self emission of the sensor itself. The Fourier-transform spectrometer technology has been extensively used in the infrared spectral range due to its high transmittance as well as throughput and multiplex advantages, thereby reducing the sensor self-emission problem. Telops has developed the Hyper-Cam, a rugged and compact infrared hyperspectral imager. The Hyper-Cam is based on the Fourier-transform technology yielding high spectral resolution and enabling high accuracy radiometric calibration. It provides passive signature measurement capability, with up to 320x256 pixels at spectral resolutions of up to 0.25 cm-1. The Hyper-Cam has been used on the ground in several field campaigns, including the demonstration of standoff chemical agent detection. More recently, the Hyper-Cam has been integrated into an airplane to provide airborne measurement capabilities. A special pointing module was designed to compensate for airplane attitude and forward motion. To our knowledge, the Hyper-Cam is the first commercial airborne hyperspectral imaging sensor based on Fourier-transform infrared technology. The first airborne measurements and some preliminary performance criteria for the Hyper-Cam are presented in

The urban boundary-layer field campaign in marseille (ubl/clu-escompte): set-up and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mestayer, P.G.; Durand, P.; Augustin, P.; Bastin, S.; Bonnefond, J.-M.; Benech, B.; Campistron, B.; Coppalle, A.; Delbarre, H.; Dousset, B.; Drobinski, P.; Druilhet, A.; Frejafon, E.; Grimmond, C.S.B.; Groleau, D.; Irvine, M.; Kergomard, C.; Kermadi, S.; Lagouarde, J.-P.; Lemonsu, A.; Lohou, F.; Long, N.; Masson, V.; Moppert, C.; Noilhan, J.; Offerle, B.; Oke, T.R.; Pigeon, G.; Puygrenier, V.; Roberts, S.; Rosant, J.-M.; Sanid, F.; Salmond, J.; Talbaut, M.; Voogt, J.

The UBL/CLU (urban boundary layer/couche limite urbaine) observation and modelling campaign is a side-project of the regional photochemistry campaign ESCOMPTE. UBL/CLU focuses on the dynamics and thermodynamics of the urban boundary layer of Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast of France. The objective of UBL/CLU is to document the four-dimensional structure of the urban boundary layer and its relation to the heat and moisture exchanges between the urban canopy and the atmosphere during periods of low wind conditions, from June 4 to July 16, 2001. The project took advantage of the comprehensive observational set-up of the ESCOMPTE campaign over the Berre-Marseille area, especially the ground-based remote sensing, airborne measurements, and the intensive documentation of the regional meteorology. Additional instrumentation was installed as part of UBL/CLU. Analysis objectives focus on (i) validation of several energy balance computational schemes such as LUMPS, TEB and SM2-U, (ii) ground truth and urban canopy signatures suitable for the estimation of urban albedos and aerodynamic surface temperatures from satellite data, (iii) high resolution mapping of urban land cover, land-use and aerodynamic parameters used in UBL models, and (iv) testing the ability of high resolution atmospheric models to simulate the structure of the UBL during land and sea breezes, and the related transport and diffusion of pollutants over different districts of the city. This paper presents initial results from such analyses and details of the overall experimental set-up.

Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Customized Data Merging Function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, A.; Peeters, M. C.; Perez, J.; Parker, L.; Chen, G.

2013-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. The ASDC Toolset for Airborne Data (TAD) is being designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. Prior to the actual toolset development, a comprehensive metadata database was created to compensate for the absence of standardization of the ICARTT data format in which the data is stored. This database tracks the Principal Investigator-provided metadata, and links the measurement variables to a common naming system that was developed as a part of this project. This database is used by the data merging module. Most aircraft data reported during a single flight is not on a consistent time base and is difficult to intercompare. This module provides the user with the ability to merge original data measurements from multiple data providers into a specified time interval or common time base. The database development, common naming scheme and data merge module development will be presented.

Airborne Polarimeter Intercomparison for the NASA Aerosols-Clouds-Ecosystems (ACE) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knobelspiesse, Kirk; Redemann, Jens

2014-01-01

The Aerosols-Clouds-Ecosystems (ACE) mission, recommended by the National Research Council's Decadal Survey, calls for a multi-angle, multi-spectral polarimeter devoted to observations of atmospheric aerosols and clouds. In preparation for ACE, NASA funds the deployment of airborne polarimeters, including the Airborne Multi-angle SpectroPolarimeter Imager (AirMSPI), the Passive Aerosol and Cloud Suite (PACS) and the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP). These instruments have been operated together on NASA's ER-2 high altitude aircraft as part of field campaigns such as the POlarimeter DEfinition EXperiment (PODEX) (California, early 2013) and Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS, California and Texas, summer 2013). Our role in these efforts has been to serve as an assessment team performing level 1 (calibrated radiance, polarization) and level 2 (retrieved geophysical parameter) instrument intercomparisons, and to promote unified and generalized calibration, uncertainty assessment and retrieval techniques. We will present our progress in this endeavor thus far and describe upcoming research in 2015.

Seasonal and Inter-Annual Patterns of Phytoplankton Community Structure in Monterey Bay, CA Derived from AVIRIS Data During the 2013-2015 HyspIRI Airborne Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacios, S. L.; Thompson, D. R.; Kudela, R. M.; Negrey, K.; Guild, L. S.; Gao, B. C.; Green, R. O.; Torres-Perez, J. L.

2015-12-01

There is a need in the ocean color community to discriminate among phytoplankton groups within the bulk chlorophyll pool to understand ocean biodiversity, to track energy flow through ecosystems, and to identify and monitor for harmful algal blooms. Imaging spectrometer measurements enable use of sophisticated spectroscopic algorithms for applications such as differentiating among coral species, evaluating iron stress of phytoplankton, and discriminating phytoplankton taxa. These advanced algorithms rely on the fine scale, subtle spectral shape of the atmospherically corrected remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) spectrum of the ocean surface. As a consequence, these algorithms are sensitive to inaccuracies in the retrieved Rrs spectrum that may be related to the presence of nearby clouds, inadequate sensor calibration, low sensor signal-to-noise ratio, glint correction, and atmospheric correction. For the HyspIRI Airborne Campaign, flight planning considered optimal weather conditions to avoid flights with significant cloud/fog cover. Although best suited for terrestrial targets, the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has enough signal for some coastal chlorophyll algorithms and meets sufficient calibration requirements for most channels. However, the coastal marine environment has special atmospheric correction needs due to error that may be introduced by aerosols and terrestrially sourced atmospheric dust and riverine sediment plumes. For this HyspIRI campaign, careful attention has been given to the correction of AVIRIS imagery of the Monterey Bay to optimize ocean Rrs retrievals for use in estimating chlorophyll (OC3 algorithm) and phytoplankton functional type (PHYDOTax algorithm) data products. This new correction method has been applied to several image collection dates during two oceanographic seasons - upwelling and the warm, stratified oceanic period for 2013 and 2014. These two periods are dominated by either diatom blooms (occasionally

Cross-Calibration of Ground and Airborne TIR and VSWIR Instruments for NASA's SnowEx 2017 Grand Mesa Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, C. J.; Chickadel, C. C.; Hall, D. K.; Jennings, D. E.; Jhabvala, M. D.; Kim, E. J.; Jessica, L.; Lunsford, A.

2017-12-01

The NASA Terrestrial Hydrology Program sponsored a ground and airborne snow experiment (SnowEx) to the Grand Mesa area and Senator Beck Basin in western Colorado during February 2017. This communication summarizes efforts to develop traceable instrument calibration requirements for SnowEx Grand Mesa in support of thermal infrared (TIR) and visible-to-shortwave infrared (VSWIR) snow measurement science. Cross-calibration outcomes for TIR instruments (7-10 µm and 8-14 µm response functions) indicate that an at-sensor measurement accuracy of within 1.5 degrees Celsius was achieved across ground and airborne sensors using laboratory and field blackbody sources. A cross-calibration assessment of VSWIR spectrometers (0.35 to 2.5 µm response functions) using a National Institutes of Standard Technology (NIST) traceable source indicates an at-sensor measurement accuracy of within 5% for visible-near infrared spectral radiance (W/cm-2/sr-1/nm) and irradiance (W/m-2/nm), and within 20% for shortwave infrared measurements before a radiometric cross-calibration correction was applied. Additional validation is undertaken to assess the ground and airborne SnowEx Grand Mesa TIR and VSWIR instrument cross-calibration quality by benchmarking against on-orbit image acquisitions of the snow surface on February 14th and 15th, 2017 from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), and Sentinel-2A Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI).

The NOAA El Niño Rapid Response Field Campaign: Implementation Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spackman, J. R.; Dole, R. M.; Webb, R. S.; Barnet, C. D.; Barsugli, J. J.; Cifelli, R.; Compo, G. P.; Cox, C. J.; Darby, L. S.; Fairall, C. W.; Hartten, L. M.; Hoell, A.; Hoerling, M. P.; Intrieri, J. M.; Iraci, L. T.; Johnston, P. J.; Kiladis, G. N.; Konopleva-Akish, E.; Newman, M.; Ryoo, J. M.; Smith, C. A.; White, A. B.; Wick, G. A.; Wolfe, D. E.; Wolter, K.

2016-12-01

The NOAA El Niño Rapid Response (ENRR) field campaign gathered unprecedented observations at the heart of the recent strong El Niño in January to March 2016. Despite extremely limited lead times, NOAA mounted a complex field response in a remote part of the world in four months for a campaign that usually takes two or three years to plan. Deploying multiple research aircraft, a NOAA oceangoing vessel, and with observations from Kiritimati, the field campaign was designed to examine the tropical-extratropical response to convection triggered by the warm El Niño ocean conditions in the central and eastern tropical Pacific proceeding high-impact weather events expected to occur downstream in the continental U.S. This presentation provides a detailed overview of the implementation of the ENRR field campaign. The NOAA Gulfstream IV research aircraft completed 22 successful science flights, releasing over 625 dropsondes in the central tropical Pacific to examine the thermodynamic, wind, and precipitation environments around large-scale convection located between the equator and 5°N south of Hawaii. To add spatial and temporal sampling, radiosonde balloons were launched twice daily from Kiritimati in the central tropical Pacific and up to 8 times daily from the NOAA Ronald H. Brown research vessel in the data-sparse eastern tropical Pacific. The ENRR sampling strategy was complemented by additional research flights with the NASA Global Hawk (GH), two U.S. Air Force Weather Reconnaissance C-130Js, and the NASA Ames-led Alpha Jet. To link atmospheric processes observed by the G-IV in the tropics with downstream weather events at midlatitudes, NOAA led three long-endurance flights with the GH in the eastern Pacific as part of the Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology (SHOUT) project. The final series of G-IV flights captured the cascade of dynamical processes between the tropics and precipitation along the U.S. West Coast over a week-long period in early

Airborne precursor missions in support of SIR-C/X-SAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, D.; Oettl, H.; Pampaloni, P.

1991-01-01

The NASA DC-8 and DLR E-SAR airborne imaging radars have been deployed over several sites in Europe and the U.S. in support of SIR-C/X-SAR (Shuttle Imaging Radar-C/X-Synthetic Aperture Radar) science team investigations. To date, data have been acquired in support of studies of alpine glaciers, forests, geology, oceanography, and calibration. An experimental campaign with airborne sensors will take place in Europe in June to July 1991 which will allow multitemporal surveys of several Europeans sites. Current plans are for calibration and ecology experiments to be undertaken in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Coordinated multitemporal aircraft and ground campaigns are planned in support of hydrology experiments in Italy, the United Kingdom, and Austria. Data will also be acquired in support of oceanogrqhy in the Gulf of Genova, North Atlantic, Straits of Messina and the North Sea. Geology sites will include Campi Flegrei and Vesuvio, Italy.

Self-organization of granular media in airborne ultrasonic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobrovskaya, A. I.; Stepanenko, D. A.; Minchenya, V. T.

2012-05-01

The article presents results of experimental and theoretical studies of behaviour of granular media (powder materials) in airborne ultrasonic field created by flexurally-vibrating ring-shaped waveguide with resonant frequency in the range 20-40 kHz. Experiments show that action of acoustic radiation forces results in formation of ordered structures in the form of ultrathin walls (monolayers) with number corresponding to the number of ring nodal points. Action of secondary radiation forces (König forces) results in formation of collateral (secondary) walls situated nearby primary walls. Experimental observations are compared with results of modelling of acoustic radiation force field inside the ring by means of COMSOL Multiphysics and MathCad software. Results of the studies can be used in development of devices for ultrasonic separation and concentration of particles as well as for formation of ordered monolayers from spherical particles.

An Assessment of the Surface Longwave Direct Radiative Effect of Airborne Saharan Dust During the NAMMA Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansell, R. A.; Tsay, S. C.; Ji, Q.; Hsu, N. C.; Jeong, M. J.; Wang, S. H.; Reid, J. S.; Liou, K. N.; Ou, S. C.

2010-01-01

In September 2006, NASA Goddard s mobile ground-based laboratories were deployed to Sal Island in Cape Verde (16.73degN, 22.93degW) to support the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (NAMMA) field study. The Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI), a key instrument for spectrally characterizing the thermal IR, was used to retrieve the dust IR aerosol optical depths (AOTs) in order to examine the diurnal variability of airborne dust with emphasis on three separate dust events. AERI retrievals of dust AOT are compared with those from the coincident/collocated multifilter rotating shadow-band radiometer (MFRSR), micropulse lidar (MPL), and NASA Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) sensors. The retrieved AOTs are then inputted into the Fu-Liou 1D radiative transfer model to evaluate local instantaneous direct longwave radiative effects (DRE(sub LW)) of dust at the surface in cloud-free atmospheres and its sensitivity to dust microphysical parameters. The top-of-atmosphere DRE(sub LW) and longwave heating rate profiles are also evaluated. Instantaneous surface DRE(sub LW) ranges from 2 to 10 W/sq m and exhibits a strong linear dependence with dust AOT yielding a DRE(sub LW) of 16 W/sq m per unit dust AOT. The DRE(sub LW) is estimated to be approx.42% of the diurnally averaged direct shortwave radiative effect at the surface but of opposite sign, partly compensating for the shortwave losses. Certainly nonnegligible, the authors conclude that DRE(sub LW) can significantly impact the atmospheric energetics, representing an important component in the study of regional climate variation.

Modeling Air Quality in the San Joaquin Valley during the 2013 DISCOVER-AQ Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J.; Zhao, Z.; Cai, C.; Avise, J.; DaMassa, J.; Kaduwela, A. P.

2014-12-01

The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in California frequently experiences elevated PM2.5 concentrations during winter months. The DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) field campaign conducted by NASA took place in the SJV from January 16 to February 06, 2013. This campaign captured two elevated PM2.5 events in Bakersfield where the 24-hour surface PM2.5 exceeded 70 μg/m3 (more than double the 24-hour PM2.5 Standard of 35 μg/m3). The campaign provided unparalleled surface, vertical and column measurements of a suite of gaseous and particulate pollutants in the SJV, which have not been available for over a decade since the last major PM field campaign (CRPAQS in 2000-2001). The U.S. EPA CMAQ model was used to investigate PM formation and buildup throughout the DISCOVER-AQ time period. Model performance will be presented for both surface and vertical profiles of a variety of gases (e.g., O3, NOx, PAN, HNO3, NH3, HCHO and other selected VOCs) and PM species (e.g., nitrate, sulfate, ammonium, black carbon, and organic compounds (OC)), as well as the sensitivity of PM formation and buildup to the simulated meteorological fields. Areas for future model improvements will be also highlighted.

Parsivel Disdrometer Support for MAGIC Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kollias, Pavlos; Bartholomew, Mary Jane

2016-06-01

In the Marine ARM GPCI Investigation of Clouds (MAGIC) field campaign, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s second Mobile Facility (AMF2) was deployed on the Horizon Lines cargo ship Spirit traversing a route between Los Angeles, California and Honolulu, Hawaii for one full year. The transect for this deployment was chosen specifically because it crosses the stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition of the North-East Pacific, a region of great climatic interest and a close approximation to the transect used for several focused model intercomparison efforts. The cloud type and cover along this transect vary from lowmore » marine stratocumulus with high areal coverage near the California coast to isolated shallow cumulus with much lower areal coverage in the trade wind regime near Hawaii. The low marine stratocumulus decks, with their high albedo, exert a major influence on the shortwave radiation budget in the ocean environment, and thus provide an extremely important forcing of Earth’s climate. The trade cumulus clouds play a large role in the global surface evaporation and also in Earth’s albedo. One of the important science drivers of the MAGIC campaign was to measure the properties of clouds and precipitation, specifically cloud type, fractional coverage, base height, physical thickness, liquid water path (LWP), optical depth, and drizzle and precipitation frequency, amount, and extent. Retrievals of cloud and precipitation properties during the MAGIC campaign relied critically on the calibration of the AMF2 radar systems. For MAGIC this included the KAZR and M-WACR, both fixed zenith-pointing systems, and the 1290 MHz beam steerable wind profiler.« less

Air Quality and Meteorological Boundary Conditions during the MCMA-2003 Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosa, G.; Arriaga, J.; Vega, E.; Magaña, V.; Caetano, E.; de Foy, B.; Molina, L. T.; Molina, M. J.; Ramos, R.; Retama, A.; Zaragoza, J.; Martínez, A. P.; Márquez, C.; Cárdenas, B.; Lamb, B.; Velasco, E.; Allwine, E.; Pressley, S.; Westberg, H.; Reyes, R.

2004-12-01

A comprehensive field campaign to characterize photochemical smog in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) was conducted during April 2003. An important number of equipment was deployed all around the urban core and its surroundings to measure gas and particles composition from the various sources and receptor sites. In addition to air quality measurements, meteorology variables were also taken by regular weather meteorological stations, tethered balloons, radiosondes, sodars and lidars. One important issue with regard to the field campaign was the characterization of the boundary conditions in order to feed meteorological and air quality models. Four boundary sites were selected to measure continuously criteria pollutants, VOC and meteorological variables at surface level. Vertical meteorological profiles were measured at three other sites : radiosondes in Tacubaya site were launched every six hours daily; tethered balloons were launched at CENICA and FES-Cuautitlan sites according to the weather conditions, and one sodar was deployed at UNAM site in the south of the city. Additionally to these measurements, two fixed meteorological monitoring networks deployed along the city were available to complement these measurements. In general, we observed that transport of pollutants from the city to the boundary sites changes every day, according to the coupling between synoptic and local winds. This effect were less important at elevated sites such as Cerro de la Catedral and ININ, where synoptic wind were more dominant during the field campaign. Also, local sources nearby boundary sites hide the influence of pollution coming from the city some days, particularly at the La Reforma site.

NEON Airborne Remote Sensing of Terrestrial Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kampe, T. U.; Leisso, N.; Krause, K.; Karpowicz, B. M.

2012-12-01

sensing data collection protocol to meet NEON science requirements? How do aircraft altitude, spatial sampling, spatial resolution, and LiDAR instrument configuration affect data retrievals? What are appropriate algorithms to derive ECVs from AOP data? What methodology should be followed to validate AOP remote sensing products and how should ground truth data be collected? Early test flights were focused on radiometric and geometric calibration as well as processing from raw data to Level-1 products. Subsequent flights were conducted focusing on collecting vegetation chemistry and structure measurements. These test flights that were conducted during 2012 have proved to be extremely valuable for verifying instrument functionality and performance, exercising remote sensing collection protocols, and providing data for algorithm and science product validation. Results from these early flights are presented, including the radiometric and geometric calibration of the AOP instruments. These 2012 flight campaigns are just the first of a series of test flights that will take place over the next several years as part of the NEON observatory construction. Lessons learned from these early campaigns will inform both airborne and ground data collection methodologies for future campaigns as well as guide the AOP sampling strategy before NEON enters full science operations.

The Waypoint Planning Tool: Real Time Flight Planning for Airborne Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, M.; Goodman, H. M.; Blakeslee, R.; Hall, J. M.

2010-12-01

NASA Earth science research utilizes both spaceborne and airborne real time observations in the planning and operations of its field campaigns. The coordination of air and space components is critical to achieve the goals and objectives and ensure the success of an experiment. Spaceborne imagery provides regular and continual coverage of the Earth and it is a significant component in all NASA field experiments. Real time visible and infrared geostationary images from GOES satellites and multi-spectral data from the many elements of the NASA suite of instruments aboard the TRMM, Terra, Aqua, Aura, and other NASA satellites have become norm. Similarly, the NASA Airborne Science Program draws upon a rich pool of instrumented aircraft. The NASA McDonnell Douglas DC-8, Lockheed P3 Orion, DeHavilland Twin Otter, King Air B200, Gulfstream-III are all staples of a NASA’s well-stocked, versatile hangar. A key component in many field campaigns is coordinating the aircraft with satellite overpasses, other airplanes and the constantly evolving, dynamic weather conditions. Given the variables involved, developing a good flight plan that meets the objectives of the field experiment can be a challenging and time consuming task. Planning a research aircraft mission within the context of meeting the science objectives is complex task because it is much more than flying from point A to B. Flight plans typically consist of flying a series of transects or involve dynamic path changes when “chasing” a hurricane or forest fire. These aircraft flight plans are typically designed by the mission scientists then verified and implemented by the navigator or pilot. Flight planning can be an arduous task requiring frequent sanity checks by the flight crew. This requires real time situational awareness of the weather conditions that affect the aircraft track. Scientists at the University of Alabama-Huntsville and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center developed the Waypoint Planning Tool

The NRL 2011 Airborne Sea-Ice Thickness Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brozena, J. M.; Gardner, J. M.; Liang, R.; Ball, D.; Richter-Menge, J.

2011-12-01

In March of 2011, the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) performed a study focused on the estimation of sea-ice thickness from airborne radar, laser and photogrammetric sensors. The study was funded by ONR to take advantage of the Navy's ICEX2011 ice-camp /submarine exercise, and to serve as a lead-in year for NRL's five year basic research program on the measurement and modeling of sea-ice scheduled to take place from 2012-2017. Researchers from the Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) and NRL worked with the Navy Arctic Submarine Lab (ASL) to emplace a 9 km-long ground-truth line near the ice-camp (see Richter-Menge et al., this session) along which ice and snow thickness were directly measured. Additionally, US Navy submarines collected ice draft measurements under the groundtruth line. Repeat passes directly over the ground-truth line were flown and a grid surrounding the line was also flown to collect altimeter, LiDAR and Photogrammetry data. Five CRYOSAT-2 satellite tracks were underflown, as well, coincident with satellite passage. Estimates of sea ice thickness are calculated assuming local hydrostatic balance, and require the densities of water, ice and snow, snow depth, and freeboard (defined as the elevation of sea ice, plus accumulated snow, above local sea level). Snow thickness is estimated from the difference between LiDAR and radar altimeter profiles, the latter of which is assumed to penetrate any snow cover. The concepts we used to estimate ice thickness are similar to those employed in NASA ICEBRIDGE sea-ice thickness estimation. Airborne sensors used for our experiment were a Reigl Q-560 scanning topographic LiDAR, a pulse-limited (2 nS), 10 GHz radar altimeter and an Applanix DSS-439 digital photogrammetric camera (for lead identification). Flights were conducted on a Twin Otter aircraft from Pt. Barrow, AK, and averaged ~ 5 hours in duration. It is challenging to directly compare results from the swath LiDAR with the

Pulsed Lidar Measurements of Atmospheric CO2 Column Concentration in the ASCENDS 2014 Airborne Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abshire, J. B.; Ramanathan, A. K.; Mao, J.; Riris, H.; Allan, G. R.; Hasselbrack, W. E.; Chen, J. R.

2015-12-01

We report progress in demonstrating a pulsed, wavelength-resolved IPDA lidar technique for measuring the tropospheric CO2 concentrations as a candidate for NASA's ASCENDS mission. The CO2 lidar flies on NASA's DC-8 aircraft and measures the atmospheric backscatter profiles and shape of the 1572.33 nm absorption line by using 30 wavelength samples distributed across the lube. Our post-flight analysis estimates the lidar range and pulse energies at each wavelength 10 times per second. The retrievals solve for the optimum CO2 absorption line shape and the column average CO2 concentrations using radiative transfer calculations based on HITRAN, the aircraft altitude, range to the scattering surface, and the atmospheric conditions. We compare these to CO2 concentrations sampled by in-situ sensors on the aircraft. The number of wavelength samples can be reduced in the retrievals. During the ASCENDS airborne campaign in 2013 two flights were made in February over snow in the Rocky Mountains and the Central Plains allowing measurement of snow-covered surface reflectivity. Several improvements were made to the lidar for the 2014 campaign. These included using a new step-locked laser diode source, and incorporating a new HgCdTe APD detector and analog digitizer into the lidar receiver. Testing showed this detector had higher sensitivity, analog response, and a more linear dynamic range than the PMT detector used previously. In 2014 flights were made in late August and early September over the California Central Valley, the redwood forests along the California coast, two desert areas in Nevada and California, and two flights above growing agriculture in Iowa. Two flights were also made under OCO-2 satellite ground tracks. Analyses show the retrievals of lidar range and CO2 column absorption, and mixing ratio worked well when measuring over topography with rapidly changing height and reflectivity, and through thin clouds and aerosol scattering. The lidar measurements clearly

Top-down constraints of regional emissions for KORUS-AQ 2016 field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, M.; Yoo, C.; Kim, H. C.; Kim, B. U.; Kim, S.

2017-12-01

Accurate estimations of emission rates form local and international sources are essential in regional air quality simulations, especially in assessing the relative contributions from international emission sources. While bottom-up constructions of emission inventories provide detailed information on specific emission types, they are limited to cover regions with rapid change of anthropogenic emissions (e.g. China) or regions without enough socioeconomic information (e.g. North Korea). We utilized space-borne monitoring of major pollutant precursors to construct a realistic emission inputs for chemistry transport models during the KORUS-AQ 2016 field campaign. Base simulation was conducted using WRF, SMOKE, and CMAQ modeling frame using CREATE 2015 (Asian countries) and CAPSS 2013 (South Korea) emissions inventories. NOx, SO2 and VOC model emissions are adjusted using the column density comparisons ratios (between modeled and observed NO2, SO2 and HCHO column densities) and emission-to-density conversion ratio (from model). Brute force perturbation method was used to separate contributions from North Korea, China and South Korea for flight pathways during the field campaign. Backward-Tracking Model Analyzer (BMA), based on NOAA HYSPLIT trajectory and dispersion model, are also utilized to track histories of chemical processes and emission source apportionment. CMAQ simulations were conducted over East Asia (27-km) and over South and North Korea (9-km) during KORUS-AQ campaign (1st May to 10th June 2016).

Aerosol Properties Downwind of Biomass Burns Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buseck, Peter R

We determined the morphological, chemical, and thermal properties of aerosol particles generated by biomass burning during the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) campaign during the wildland fire season in the Pacific Northwest from July to mid-September, 2013, and in October, 2013 from prescribed agricultural burns in the lower Mississippi River Valley. BBOP was a field campaign of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility. The morphological information was both two-dimensional, as is typical of most microscopy images and that have many of the characteristic of shadows in that they lack depth data, and three-dimensionalmore » (3D). The electron tomographic measurements will provided 3D data, including the presence and nature of pores and interstices, and whether the individual particles are coated by or embedded within other materials. These microphysical properties were determined for particles as a function of time and distance from the respective sources in order to obtain detailed information regarding the time evolution of changes during aging.« less

Introducing the VISAGE project - Visualization for Integrated Satellite, Airborne, and Ground-based data Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatlin, P. N.; Conover, H.; Berendes, T.; Maskey, M.; Naeger, A. R.; Wingo, S. M.

2017-12-01

A key component of NASA's Earth observation system is its field experiments, for intensive observation of particular weather phenomena, or for ground validation of satellite observations. These experiments collect data from a wide variety of airborne and ground-based instruments, on different spatial and temporal scales, often in unique formats. The field data are often used with high volume satellite observations that have very different spatial and temporal coverage. The challenges inherent in working with such diverse datasets make it difficult for scientists to rapidly collect and analyze the data for physical process studies and validation of satellite algorithms. The newly-funded VISAGE project will address these issues by combining and extending nascent efforts to provide on-line data fusion, exploration, analysis and delivery capabilities. A key building block is the Field Campaign Explorer (FCX), which allows users to examine data collected during field campaigns and simplifies data acquisition for event-based research. VISAGE will extend FCX's capabilities beyond interactive visualization and exploration of coincident datasets, to provide interrogation of data values and basic analyses such as ratios and differences between data fields. The project will also incorporate new, higher level fused and aggregated analysis products from the System for Integrating Multi-platform data to Build the Atmospheric column (SIMBA), which combines satellite and ground-based observations into a common gridded atmospheric column data product; and the Validation Network (VN), which compiles a nationwide database of coincident ground- and satellite-based radar measurements of precipitation for larger scale scientific analysis. The VISAGE proof-of-concept will target "golden cases" from Global Precipitation Measurement Ground Validation campaigns. This presentation will introduce the VISAGE project, initial accomplishments and near term plans.

The NASA Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX):High-Altitude Aircraft Measurements in the Tropical Western Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, E. J.; Pfister, L.; Jordan, D. E.; Bui, T. V.; Ueyama, R.; Singh, H. B.; Lawson, P.; Thornberry, T.; Diskin, G.; McGill, M.;

NASA airborne laser altimetry and ICESat-2 post-launch data validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunt, K. M.; Neumann, T.; Studinger, M.; Hawley, R. L.; Markus, T.

2016-12-01

A series of NASA airborne lidars have made repeated surveys over an 11,000-m ground-based kinematic GPS traverse near Summit Station, Greenland. These ground-based data were used to assess the surface elevation bias and measurement precision of two airborne laser altimeters: Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) and Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS). Data from the ongoing monthly traverses allowed for the assessment of 8 airborne lidar campaigns; elevation biases for these altimeters were less than 12.2 cm, while assessments of surface measurement precision were less than 9.1 cm. Results from the analyses of the Greenland ground-based GPS and airborne lidar data provide guidance for validation strategies for Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) elevation and elevation-change data products. Specifically, a nested approach to validation is required, where ground-based GPS data are used to constrain the bias and measurement precision of the airborne lidar data; airborne surveys can then be designed and conducted on longer length-scales to provide the amount of airborne data required to make more statistically meaningful assessments of satellite elevation data. This nested validation approach will continue for the ground-traverse in Greenland; further, the ICESat-2 Project Science Office has plans to conduct similar coordinated ground-based and airborne data collection in Antarctica.

A Decade of High-Resolution Arctic Sea Ice Measurements from Airborne Altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, K.; Farrell, S. L.; Connor, L. N.; Jackson, C.; Richter-Menge, J.

2017-12-01

Satellite altimeters carried on board ERS-1,-2, EnviSat, ICESat, CryoSat-2, AltiKa and Sentinel-3 have transformed our ability to map the thickness and volume of the polar sea ice cover, on seasonal and decadal time-scales. The era of polar satellite altimetry has coincided with a rapid decline of the Arctic ice cover, which has thinned, and transitioned from a predominantly multi-year to first-year ice cover. In conjunction with basin-scale satellite altimeter observations, airborne surveys of the Arctic Ocean at the end of winter are now routine. These surveys have been targeted to monitor regions of rapid change, and are designed to obtain the full snow and ice thickness distribution, across a range of ice types. Sensors routinely deployed as part of NASA's Operation IceBridge (OIB) campaigns include the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) laser altimeter, the frequency-modulated continuous-wave snow radar, and the Digital Mapping System (DMS). Airborne measurements yield high-resolution data products and thus present a unique opportunity to assess the quality and characteristics of the satellite observations. We present a suite of sea ice data products that describe the snow depth and thickness of the Arctic ice cover during the last decade. Fields were derived from OIB measurements collected between 2009-2017, and from reprocessed data collected during ad-hoc sea ice campaigns prior to OIB. Our bespoke algorithms are designed to accommodate the heterogeneous sea ice surface topography, that varies at short spatial scales. We assess regional and inter-annual variability in the sea ice thickness distribution. Results are compared to satellite-derived ice thickness fields to highlight the sensitivities of satellite footprints to the tails of the thickness distribution. We also show changes in the dynamic forcing shaping the ice pack over the last eight years through an analysis of pressure-ridge sail-height distributions and surface roughness conditions

Lidar measurements of the column CO2 mixing ratio made by NASA Goddard's CO2 Sounder during the NASA ASCENDS 2014 Airborne campaign.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanathan, A. K.; Mao, J.; Abshire, J. B.; Kawa, S. R.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing measurements of CO2 from space can help improve our understanding of the carbon cycle and help constrain the global carbon budget. However, such measurements need to be sufficiently accurate to detect small (1 ppm) changes in the CO2 mixing ratio (XCO2) against a large background (~ 400 ppm). Satellite measurements of XCO2 using passive spectrometers, such as those from the Japanese GOSAT (Greenhouse gas Observing Satellite) and the NASA OCO-2 (Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2) are limited to daytime sunlit portions of the Earth and are susceptible to biases from clouds and aerosols. For this reason, NASA commissioned the formulation study of ASCENDS a space-based lidar mission. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's CO2 Sounder lidar is one candidate approach for the ASCENDS mission. The NASA GSFC CO2 Sounder measures the CO2 mixing ratio using a pulsed multi-wavelength integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) approach. The CO2 Sounder has flown in the 2011, 2013 and 2014 ASCENDS airborne campaigns over the continental US, and has produced measurements in close agreement with in situ measurements of the CO2 column. In 2014, the CO2 Sounder upgraded its laser with a precision step-locked diode laser source to improve the lidar wavelength position accuracy. It also improved its optical receiver with a low-noise, high efficiency, HgCdTe avalanche photo diode detector. The combination of these two technologies enabled lidar XCO2 measurements with unprecedented accuracy. In this presentation, we show analysis from the ASCENDS 2014 field campaign, exploring: (1) Horizontal XCO2 gradients measured by the lidar, (2) Comparisons of lidar XCO2 measurements against the Parameterized Chemistry Transport Model (PCTM), and (3) Lidar column water vapor measurements using a HDO absorption line that occurs next to the CO2 absorption line. This can reduce the uncertainty in the dry air column used in XCO2 retrievals.

Modeling Airborne Gravity Data with Local Functions for Regional Geoid Enhancement ---- A Case Study in Puerto Rico Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaopeng

2016-04-01

Airborne gravimetry has been used as the primary method to quickly and economically obtain updated gravity field information over a region, targeted specifically. Thus, unlike the satellite missions that provide global or near global data coverage, the observables from airborne campaigns are apparently space limited. Moreover, they are also band limited in the frequency domain, considering that various filter banks and/or de-noising techniques have to be applied to overcome the low signal to noise ratio problem that are presented in the airborne systems due to mechanical and mathematical limitations in computing the accelerations, both the kinematic one and the dynamic one. As a result, in this study, a band-limited local function system based on the point mass model is used to process these airborne gravity data that have both a limited frequency domain and a limited space domain in the target area: Puerto Rico Island and its nearby ocean areas. The resulting geoid model show obvious middle to short wavelength geoid changes due to airborne gravity data contribution. In the land area, these changes improved the geoid precision from 3.27cm to 2.09cm at the local GNSS/Leveling bench marks. More importantly, the error trend in the geoid models is largely reduced if not completely removed. Various oceanographic models will be used to validate the geoid changes in the nearby open sea areas.

Optimizing Waveform Maximum Determination for Specular Point Tracking in Airborne GNSS-R.

PubMed

Motte, Erwan; Zribi, Mehrez

2017-08-16

Airborne GNSS-R campaigns are crucial to the understanding of signal interactions with the Earth's surface. As a consequence of the specific geometric configurations arising during measurements from aircraft, the reflected signals can be difficult to interpret under certain conditions like over strongly attenuating media such as forests, or when the reflected signal is contaminated by the direct signal. For these reasons, there are many cases where the reflectivity is overestimated, or a portion of the dataset has to be flagged as unusable. In this study we present techniques that have been developed to optimize the processing of airborne GNSS-R data, with the goal of improving its accuracy and robustness under non-optimal conditions. This approach is based on the detailed analysis of data produced by the instrument GLORI, which was recorded during an airborne campaign in the south west of France in June 2015. Our technique relies on the improved determination of reflected waveform peaks in the delay dimension, which is related to the loci of the signals contributed by the zone surrounding the specular point. It is shown that when developing techniques for the correct localization of waveform maxima under conditions of surfaces of low reflectivity, and/or contamination from the direct signal, it is possible to correct and extract values corresponding to the real reflectivity of the zone in the neighborhood of the specular point. This algorithm was applied to a reanalysis of the complete campaign dataset, following which the accuracy and sensitivity improved, and the usability of the dataset was improved by 30%.

Campaign datasets for ARM Airborne Carbon Measurements (ARM-ACME-V)

DOE Data Explorer

Biraud,Sebastien; Mei,Fan; Flynn,Connor; Hubbe,John; Long,Chuck; Matthews,Alyssa; Pekour,Mikhail; Sedlacek,Arthur; Springston,Stephen; Tomlinson,Jason; Chand,Duli

2016-03-15

Atmospheric temperatures are warming faster in the Arctic than predicted by climate models. The impact of this warming on permafrost degradation is not well understood, but it is projected to increase carbon decomposition and greenhouse gas production (CO2 and/or CH4) by arctic ecosystems. Airborne observations of atmospheric trace gases, aerosols, and cloud properties at the North Slope of Alaska are improving our understanding of global climate, with the goal of reducing the uncertainty in global and regional climate simulations and projections.

ACME-III and ACME-IV Final Campaign Reports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biraud, S. C.

2016-01-01

The goals of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s third and fourth Airborne Carbon Measurements (ACME) field campaigns, ACME-III and ACME-IV, are: 1) to measure and model the exchange of CO 2, water vapor, and other greenhouse gases by the natural, agricultural, and industrial ecosystems of the Southern Great Plains (SGP) region; 2) to develop quantitative approaches to relate these local fluxes to the concentration of greenhouse gases measured at the Central Facility tower and in the atmospheric column above the ARM SGP Central Facility, 3) to develop and test bottom-up measurement and modeling approaches to estimate regionalmore » scale carbon balances, and 4) to develop and test inverse modeling approaches to estimate regional scale carbon balance and anthropogenic sources over continental regions. Regular soundings of the atmosphere from near the surface into the mid-troposphere are essential for this research.« less

AirSWOT flights and field campaigns for the 2017 Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, L. C.; Pavelsky, T.; Lettenmaier, D. P.; Gleason, C. J.; Pietroniro, A.; Applejohn, A.; Arvesen, J. C.; Bjella, K.; Carter, T.; Chao, R.; Cooley, S. W.; Cooper, M. G.; Cretaux, J. F.; Douglass, T.; Faria, D.; Fayne, J.; Fiset, J. M.; Goodman, S.; Hanna, B.; Harlan, M.; Langhorst, T.; Marsh, P.; Moreira, D. M.; Minear, J. T.; Onclin, C.; Overstreet, B. T.; Peters, D.; Pettit, J.; Pitcher, L. H.; Russell, M.; Spence, C.; Topp, S.; Turner, K. W.; Vimal, S.; Wilcox, E.; Woodward, J.; Yang, D.; Zaino, A.

2017-12-01

Some 50% of Canada and 80% of Alaska is thought to be underlain by permafrost, influencing the hydrology, ecology and carbon cycles of Arctic-Boreal landscapes. This influence includes enhanced presence of millions of lakes and wetlands, which release trace gases while supporting critical ecosystems and traditional subsistence economies. Permafrost is challenging to infer from remote sensing and difficult to sample in the field. A series of 2017 AirSWOT flights flown for the NASA Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) will study whether small variations in water surface elevations (WSEs) of Arctic-Boreal lakes are sensitive to presence and/or disturbance of permafrost. AirSWOT is an experimental NASA airborne radar designed to map WSE and a precursor to SWOT, a forthcoming NASA/CNES/CSA satellite mission to map WSE globally with launch in 2021. The ABoVE AirSWOT flight experiments adopted long flight lines of the broader ABoVE effort to traverse broad spatial gradients of permafrost, climate, ecology, and geology. AirSWOT acquisitions consisted of long (1000s of kilometers) strips of Ka-band interferometric radar imagery, and high resolution visible/NIR imagery and DEMs from a digital Cirrus CIR camera. Intensive AirSWOT mapping and ground-based GPS field surveys were conducted at 11 field sites for eight study areas of Canada and Alaska: 1) Saint-Denis, Redberry Lake, North Saskatchewan River (Saskatchewan); 2) Peace-Athabasca Delta (Alberta); 3) Slave River Delta (N.W.T.); 4) Canadian Shield (Yellowknife area, Daring Lake, N.W.T.); 5) Mackenzie River (Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk corridor, N.W.T.); 6) Old Crow Flats (Yukon Territory); 7) Sagavanirktok River (Alaska); 8) Yukon Flats (Alaska). Extensive ground campaigns were conducted by U.S. and Canadian collaborators to collect high quality surveys of lake WSE, river WSE and discharge, and shoreline locations. Field experiments included traditional and novel GPS surveying methods, including custom-built GPS buoys

Long-Term Stability of the SGA-WZ Strapdown Airborne Gravimeter

PubMed Central

Cai, Shaokun; Zhang, Kaidong; Wu, Meiping; Huang, Yangming

2012-01-01

Accelerometers are one of the most important sensors in a strapdown airborne gravimeter. The accelerometer's drift determines the long-term accuracy of the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS), which is the primary and most critical component of the strapdown airborne gravimeter. A long-term stability test lasting 104 days was conducted to determine the characteristics of the strapdown airborne gravimeter's long-term drift. This stability test was based on the first set of strapdown airborne gravimeters built in China, the SGA-WZ. The test results reveal a quadratic drift in the strapdown airborne gravimeter data. A drift model was developed using the static data in the two end sections, and then this model was used to correct the test data. After compensating for the drift, the drift effect improved from 70 mGal to 3.46 mGal with a standard deviation of 0.63 mGal. The quadratic curve better reflects the drift's real characteristics. In comparison with other methodologies, modelling the drift as a quadratic curve was shown to be more appropriate. Furthermore, this method allows the drift to be adjusted throughout the course of the entire campaign. PMID:23112647

Seasonal and Inter-Annual Patterns of Chlorophyll and Phytoplankton Community Structure in Monterey Bay, CA Derived from AVIRIS Data During the 2013-2015 HyspIRI Airborne Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacios, S. L.; Thompson, D. R.; Kudela, R. M.; Negrey, K.; Guild, L. S.; Gao, B. C.; Green, R. O.; Torres-Perez, J. L.

2016-02-01

There is a need in the ocean color community to discriminate among phytoplankton groups within the bulk chlorophyll pool to understand ocean biodiversity, track energy flow through ecosystems, and identify and monitor for harmful algal blooms. Imaging spectrometer measurements enable the use of sophisticated spectroscopic algorithms for applications such as differentiating among coral species and discriminating phytoplankton taxa. These advanced algorithms rely on the fine scale, subtle spectral shape of the atmospherically corrected remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) spectrum of the ocean surface. Consequently, these algorithms are sensitive to inaccuracies in the retrieved Rrs spectrum that may be related to the presence of nearby clouds, inadequate sensor calibration, low sensor signal-to-noise ratio, glint correction, and atmospheric correction. For the HyspIRI Airborne Campaign, flight planning considered optimal weather conditions to avoid flights with significant cloud/fog cover. Although best suited for terrestrial targets, the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has enough signal for some coastal chlorophyll algorithms and meets sufficient calibration requirements for most channels. The coastal marine environment has special atmospheric correction needs due to error introduced by aerosols and terrestrially sourced atmospheric dust and riverine sediment plumes. For this HyspIRI campaign, careful attention has been given to the correction of AVIRIS imagery of the Monterey Bay to optimize ocean Rrs retrievals to estimate chlorophyll (OC3) and phytoplankton functional type (PHYDOTax) data products. This new correction method has been applied to several image collection dates during two oceanographic seasons in 2013 and 2014. These two periods are dominated by either diatom blooms or red tides. Results to be presented include chlorophyll and phytoplankton community structure and in-water validation data for these dates during the two seasons.

Challenges in the Management and Stewardship of Airborne Observational Data at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino, J.; Daniels, M. D.

2015-12-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) funding for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of two research aircraft: the NSF/NCAR High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Gulfstream V and the NSF/NCAR Hercules C-130. A suite of in-situ and remote sensing airborne instruments housed at the EOL Research Aviation Facility (RAF) provide a basic set of measurements that are typically deployed on most airborne field campaigns. In addition, instruments to address more specific research requirements are provided by collaborating participants from universities, industry, NASA, NOAA or other agencies (referred to as Principal Investigator, or PI, instruments). At the 2014 AGU Fall Meeting, a poster (IN13B-3639) was presented outlining the components of Airborne Data Management included field phase data collection, formats, data archival and documentation, version control, storage practices, stewardship and obsolete data formats, and public data access. This talk will cover lessons learned, challenges associated with the above components, and current developments to address these challenges, including: tracking data workflows for aircraft instrumentation to facilitate identification, and correction, of gaps in these workflows; implementation of dataset versioning guidelines; and assignment of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to data and instrumentation to facilitate tracking data and facility use in publications.

Early results from NASA's SnowEx campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Edward; Gatebe, Charles; Hall, Dorothy; Misakonis, Amy; Elder, Kelly; Marshall, Hans Peter; Hiemstra, Chris; Brucker, Ludovic; Crawford, Chris; Kang, Do Hyuk; De Marco, Eugenia; Beckley, Matt; Entin, Jared

2017-04-01

. Snow simply varies too much. Thus, the snow community consensus is that a multi-sensor approach is needed to adequately address global snow, combined with modeling and data assimilation. What remains at issue, then, is how best to combine and use the various sensors in an optimal way. That requires field measurements. NASA's SnowEx airborne campaign is designed to do exactly that. A list of core sensors is as follows. All are from NASA unless otherwise noted. • Radar (volume scattering): European Space Agency's SnowSAR, operated by MetaSensing • Lidar & hyperspectral imager: Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) • Passive microwave: Airborne Earth Science Microwave Imaging Radiometer (AESMIR) • Bi-directional Reflectance Function (BRDF): the Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR) • Thermal Infrared imager • Thermal infrared non-imager from U. Washington • Video camera The ASO suite flew on a King Air, and the other sensors flew on a Navy P-3. In addition, two NASA radars flew on G-III aircraft to test more experimental retrieval techniques: • InSAR altimetry: Glacier and Ice Surface Topography Interferometer (GLISTIN-A) • Radar phase delay: Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, (UAVSAR)

Transport of Asian Aerosols and Trace Gases to North America During the INTEX-B Field Campaign: A Regional Chemical Transport Model Analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikary, B.; Kulkarni, S.; Carmichael, G. R.; Tang, Y.; Dallura, A.; Mena, M.; Streets, D.; Zhang, Q.

2007-12-01

The Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiment-Phase B (INTEX-B) was conducted over the Pacific Ocean during the 2006 North American spring season. One of the scientific objectives of the INTEX-B field campaign was to quantify the transport and chemical evolution/aging of Asian air pollution into North America. The field campaign deployed multiple experimental platforms such as satellites, aircrafts and surface measurements stations to study the pollution outflow to North America. Three dimensional chemical transport models were used to provide chemical weather forecasts and assist in flight planning during the mission. The Sulfur Transport and dEposition Model (STEM) is a regional chemical transport model developed at the University of Iowa. The STEM model was involved in providing chemical weather forecasts and assist in flight planning during the INTEX-B intensive field campaign. In this study we will report the STEM model performance of aerosols and trace gases in its ability to capture the pollutant plume with experimental observations obtained from the field campaign. The study will then relate the emissions of trace gases and aerosols to atmospheric composition, sources and sinks using the newly developed emissions inventory for the INTEX-B field campaign.

Airborne direct-detection and coherent wind lidar measurements over the North Atlantic in 2015 supporting ESA's aeolus mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marksteiner, Uwe; Reitebuch, Oliver; Lemmerz, Christian; Lux, Oliver; Rahm, Stephan; Witschas, Benjamin; Schäfler, Andreas; Emmitt, Dave; Greco, Steve; Kavaya, Michael J.; Gentry, Bruce; Neely, Ryan R.; Kendall, Emma; Schüttemeyer, Dirk

2018-04-01

The launch of the Aeolus mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) is planned for 2018. The satellite will carry the first wind lidar in space, ALADIN (Atmospheric Laser Doppler INstrument). Its prototype instrument, the ALADIN Airborne Demonstrator (A2D), was deployed during several airborne campaigns aiming at the validation of the measurement principle and optimization of algorithms. In 2015, flights of two aircraft from DLR & NASA provided the chance to compare parallel wind measurements from four airborne wind lidars for the first time.

Comparisons of Anvil Cirrus Spatial Characteristics between Airborne Observations in DC3 Campaign and WRF Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Alessandro, J.; Diao, M.; Chen, M.

2015-12-01

John D'Alessandro1, Minghui Diao1, Ming Chen2, George Bryan2, Hugh Morrison21. Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, San Jose State University2. Mesoscale & Microscale Meteorology Division, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, 80301 Ice crystal formation requires the prerequisite condition of ice supersaturation, i.e., relative humidity with respect to ice (RHi) greater than 100%. The formation and evolution of ice supersaturated regions (ISSRs) has large impact on the subsequent formation of ice clouds. To examine the characteristics of simulated ice supersaturated regions at various model spatial resolutions, case studies between airborne in-situ measurements in the NSF Deep Convective, Clouds and Chemistry (DC3) campaign (May - June 2012) and WRF simulations are conducted in this work. Recent studies using ~200 m in-situ observations showed that ice supersaturated regions are mostly around 1 km in horizontal scale (Diao et al. 2014). Yet it is still unclear if such observed characteristics can be represented by WRF simulations at various spatial resolutions. In this work, we compare the WRF simulated anvil cirrus spatial characteristics with those observed in the DC3 campaign over the southern great plains in US. The WRF model is run at 1 km and 3 km horizontal grid spacing with a recent update of Thompson microphysics scheme. Our comparisons focus on the spatial characteristics of ISSRs and cirrus clouds, including the distributions of their horizontal scales, the maximum relative humidity with respect to ice (RHi) and the relationship between RHi and temperature. Our previous work on the NCAR CM1 cloud-resolving model shows that the higher resolution runs (i.e., 250m and 1km) generally have better agreement with observations than the coarser resolution (4km) runs. We will examine if similar trend exists for WRF simulations in deep convection cases. In addition, we will compare the simulation results between WRF and CM1, particularly

The 2011 Eco3D Flight Campaign: Vegetation Structure and Biomass Estimation from Simultaneous SAR, Lidar and Radiometer Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fatoyinbo, Temilola; Rincon, Rafael; Harding, David; Gatebe, Charles; Ranson, Kenneth Jon; Sun, Guoqing; Dabney, Phillip; Roman, Miguel

2012-01-01

The Eco3D campaign was conducted in the Summer of 2011. As part of the campaign three unique and innovative NASA Goddard Space Flight Center airborne sensors were flown simultaneously: The Digital Beamforming Synthetic Aperture Radar (DBSAR), the Slope Imaging Multi-polarization Photon-counting Lidar (SIMPL) and the Cloud Absorption Radiometer (CAR). The campaign covered sites from Quebec to Southern Florida and thereby acquired data over forests ranging from Boreal to tropical wetlands. This paper describes the instruments and sites covered and presents the first images resulting from the campaign.

Evaluation of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Simulations with the GEOS-5/ GOCART Model during the Frostburg/DISCOVER-AQ Field Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchard-Marchant, V.; da Silva, A.; Colarco, P. R.; Krotkov, N. A.; Dickerson, R. R.; Stehr, J. W.; Spinei, E.; Mount, G. H.; Krask, D.

2011-12-01

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a major atmospheric pollutant, with a strong anthropogenic component mostly produced by the combustion of fossil fuel and other industrial activities. As a precursor of sulfate aerosols that affect climate, air quality and human health, this gas needs to be monitored on a global scale. Global climate and chemistry models including aerosol processes along with their radiative effects are important tools for climate and air quality research. Validation of these models against in-situ and satellite measurements are essential to ascertain the credibility of these models and to guide model improvements. In this study the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) module running on-line inside the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) model is used to simulate aerosol and SO2 concentrations. The global GEOS-5 system runs at a nominal 25 km horizontal resolution with 72 vertical levels; a comprehensive atmospheric data assimilation system is used to constrain the meteorological state of the model. Data taken over Maryland in the UM's Frostburg (November 2010) and NASA DISCOVER-AQ (July 2011) field campaigns are used to evaluate the GEOS-5 SO2 concentrations. In this presentation we show comparisons of simulated and measured SO2 concentration, using airborne and ground-based data sets, as well as data from the space-based OMI instrument. Preliminary data analysis indicated the model's overestimation of SO2 concentration at the surface, leading to a close examination of mixing processes in the model and the specification of SO2 anthropogenic emission rates. As a result of this analysis, we have implemented a revision of anthropogenic emission inventories in GEOS-5, and updated the vertical placement of SO2 sources. In this presentation we show how these revisions improve the model agreement with observations not only locally but also in regions outside the area of these field campaigns. In particular, we use the ground

Scaling wood volume estimates from inventory plots to landscapes with airborne LiDAR in temperate deciduous forest.

PubMed

Levick, Shaun R; Hessenmöller, Dominik; Schulze, E-Detlef

2016-12-01

field-inventory and airborne LiDAR are inextricably linked, and we encourage field inventory campaigns to strive for increased plot size and give greater attention to precise stem geolocation for better integration with remote sensing strategies.

Joint NASA/USAF Airborne Field Mill Program - Operation and safety considerations during flights of a Lear 28 airplane in adverse weather

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Bruce D.; Phillips, Michael R.; Maier, Launa M.

1992-01-01

A NASA Langley Research Center Learjet 28 research airplane was flown in various adverse weather conditions in the vicinity of the NASA Kennedy Space Center from 1990-1992 to measure airborne electric fields during the Joint NASA/USAF Airborne Field Mill Program. The objective of this program was to characterize the electrical activity in various weather phenomena common to the NASA-Kennedy area in order to refine Launch Commit Criteria for natural and triggered lightning. The purpose of the program was to safely relax the existing launch commit criteria, thereby increasing launch availability and reducing the chance for weather holds and delays. This paper discusses the operational conduct of the flight test, including environmental/safety considerations, aircraft instrumentation and modification, test limitations, flight procedures, and the procedures and responsibilities of the personnel in the ground station. Airborne field mill data were collected for all the Launch Commit Criteria during two summer and two winter deployments. These data are now being analyzed.

Botswana water and surface energy balance research program. Part 1: Integrated approach and field campaign results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandegriend, A. A.; Owe, M.; Vugts, H. F.; Ramothwa, G. K.

1992-01-01

The Botswana water and surface energy balance research program was developed to study and evaluate the integrated use of multispectral satellite remote sensing for monitoring the hydrological status of the Earth's surface. Results of the first part of the program (Botswana 1) which ran from 1 Jan. 1988 - 31 Dec. 1990 are summarized. Botswana 1 consisted of two major, mutually related components: a surface energy balance modeling component, built around an extensive field campaign; and a passive microwave research component which consisted of a retrospective study of large scale moisture conditions and Nimbus scanning multichannel microwave radiometer microwave signatures. The integrated approach of both components in general are described and activities performed during the surface energy modeling component including the extensive field campaign are summarized. The results of the passive microwave component are summarized. The key of the field campaign was a multilevel approach, whereby measurements by various similar sensors were made at several altitudes and resolution. Data collection was performed at two adjacent sites of contrasting surface character. The following measurements were made: micrometeorological measurements, surface temperatures, soil temperatures, soil moisture, vegetation (leaf area index and biomass), satellite data, aircraft data, atmospheric soundings, stomatal resistance, and surface emissivity.

Study of surface energy budget and test of a newly developed fast photoacoustic spectroscopy based hygrometer in field campaign Szeged (Hungary)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tatrai, David; Nikov, Daniella; Zsolt Jász, Ervin; Bozóki, Zoltán; Szabó, Gábor; Weidinger, Tamás; András Gyöngyösi, Zénó; Kiss, Melinda; Józsa, János; Simó Diego, Gemma; Cuxart Rodamilans, Joan; Wrenger, Burkhart; Bottyán, Zsolt

2014-05-01

A micrometeorological field measurement campaign dedicated to study the surface energy budget and the structure of the boundary layer focusing on the transient layer forming periods during night-time was organized in the period of 10th of November to 3rd of December 2013 in the nearby of Szeged, Hungary. A temporary micrometeorological measurement station was set up at the coordinates N:46.239943; E:20.089758, approximately 1700 m far from a national meteorology station (N:46.255711; E:20.09052). In the experimental micrometeorological site different types of instruments were installed to measure numerous parameters: standard meteorological measurements (p, T, wet, wind speed and direction at three different levels, relative humidity at two levels and absolute humidity at one level) radiation budget components surface temperature and leaf wetness soil temperature, moisture and heat flux into the deeper soil layer eddy-covariance measurements (t, H, LE CO2) at 3 m level using Campbell open-path IRGA (EC150) system. At the national meteorology station (http://adatok.geo.u-szeged.hu/?lang=eng) besides their standard measurement equipment and measurement routine a SODAR was installed and continuously operated. These ground based measurements were combined with and supported by UAV, quadcopter and tethered balloon based vertical profile measurements of p, T, rh. For this measurement campaign as a modification of a previously developed airborne ready dual channel hygrometer, a fast photoacoustic spectroscopy based hygrometer was developed for absolute humidity measurements. The estimated response time of the system is faster than 15 Hz, which was achieved by the replacement of the data acquisition system and by recording the raw photoacoustic signal sampled at rate of 48 kHz for post-processing. During the campaign this new system was compared to a TDL system commercially available at Li-COR Inc. Besides the testing of the newly developed fast photoacoustic hygrometer

Progress in Airborne Polarimeter Inter Comparison for the NASA Aerosols-Clouds-Ecosystems (ACE) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knobelspiesse, Kirk; Redemann, Jens

2014-01-01

The Aerosols-Clouds-Ecosystems (ACE) mission, recommended by the National Research Council's Decadal Survey, calls for a multi-angle, multi-spectral polarimeter devoted to observations of atmospheric aerosols and clouds. In preparation for ACE, NASA funds the deployment of airborne polarimeters, including the Airborne Multiangle SpectroPolarimeter Imager (AirMSPI), the Passive Aerosol and Cloud Suite (PACS) and the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP). These instruments have been operated together on NASA's ER-2 high altitude aircraft as part of field campaigns such as the POlarimeter DEfinition EXperiment (PODEX) (California, early 2013) and Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS, California and Texas, summer 2013). Our role in these efforts has been to serve as an assessment team performing level 1 (calibrated radiance, polarization) and level 2 (retrieved geophysical parameter) instrument intercomparisons, and to promote unified and generalized calibration, uncertainty assessment and retrieval techniques. We will present our progress in this endeavor thus far and describe upcoming research in 2015.

The NASA Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX): High-Altitude Aircraft Measurements in the Tropical Western Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, Eric J.; Pfister, Leonhard; Jordan, David E.; Bui, Thaopaul V.; Ueyama, Rei; Singh, Hanwant B.; Thornberry, Troy; Rollins, Andrew W.; Gao, Ru-Shan; Fahey, David W.;

Methane airborne measurements and comparison to global models during BARCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Veronika; Chen, Huilin; Gerbig, Christoph; Bergamaschi, Peter; Bruhwiler, Lori; Houweling, Sander; Röckmann, Thomas; Kolle, Olaf; Steinbach, Julia; Koch, Thomas; Sapart, Célia J.; van der Veen, Carina; Frankenberg, Christian; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Artaxo, Paulo; Longo, Karla M.; Wofsy, Steven C.

2012-08-01

Tropical regions, especially the Amazon region, account for large emissions of methane (CH4). Here, we present CH4 observations from two airborne campaigns conducted within the BARCA (Balanço Atmosférico Regional de Carbono na Amazônia) project in the Amazon basin in November 2008 (end of the dry season) and May 2009 (end of the wet season). We performed continuous measurements of CH4 onboard an aircraft for the first time in the Amazon region, covering the whole Amazon basin with over 150 vertical profiles between altitudes of 500 m and 4000 m. The observations support the finding of previous ground-based, airborne, and satellite measurements that the Amazon basin is a large source of atmospheric CH4. Isotope analysis verified that the majority of emissions can be attributed to CH4 emissions from wetlands, while urban CH4 emissions could be also traced back to biogenic origin. A comparison of five TM5 based global CH4 inversions with the observations clearly indicates that the inversions using SCIAMACHY observations represent the BARCA observations best. The calculated CH4 flux estimate obtained from the mismatch between observations and TM5-modeled CH4 fields ranges from 36 to 43 mg m-2 d-1 for the Amazon lowland region.

A Comparison of Snow Depth on Sea Ice Retrievals Using Airborne Altimeters and an AMSR-E Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavalieri, D. J.; Marksu, T.; Ivanoff, A.; Miller, J. A.; Brucker, L.; Sturm, M.; Maslanik, J. A.; Heinrichs, J. F.; Gasiewski, A.; Leuschen, C.;

SONEX airborne mission and coordinated POLINAT-2 activity: Overview and accomplishments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Hanwant B.; Thompson, Anne M.; Schlager, H.

The SASS (Subsonic Assessment) Ozone and NOx Experiment (SONEX) was an airborne field campaign conducted in October-November 1997 in the vicinity of the North Atlantic Flight Corridor to study the impact of aircraft emissions on NOx and ozone (O3). A fully instrumented NASA DC-8 aircraft was used as the primary SONEX platform. SONEX activities were closely coordinated with the European POLINAT-2 (Pollution from Aircraft Emissions in the North Atlantic Flight Corridor) program, which used a Falcon-20 aircraft. Both campaigns focused on the upper troposphere/“lowermost” stratosphere (UT/LS) as the region of greatest interest. Specific sampling goals were achieved with the aid of a state-of-the art modeling and meteorological support system, which allowed targeted sampling of air parcels with desired characteristics. A substantial impact of aircraft emissions on NOx, O3, and CN in the UT/LS of the study region is shown to be present. This mission provided direct support for the highly nonlinear nature of the NOx-O3 chemistry. The results are being published in Special Sections of GRL and JGR. This overview provides a context within which these publications can be understood.

Absorption/transmission measurements of PSAP particle-laden filters from the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Presser, Cary; Nazarian, Ashot; Conny, Joseph M.

Absorptivity measurements with a laser-heating approach, referred to as the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR), were carried out in the infrared and applied at ambient (laboratory) nonreacting conditions to particle-laden filters from a three-wavelength (visible) particle/soot absorption photometer (PSAP). Here, the particles were obtained during the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign. The focus of this study was to determine the particle absorption coefficient from field-campaign filter samples using the LDTR approach, and compare results with other commercially available instrumentation (in this case with the PSAP, which has been compared with numerous other optical techniques).

Absorption/transmission measurements of PSAP particle-laden filters from the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign

DOE PAGES

Presser, Cary; Nazarian, Ashot; Conny, Joseph M.; ...

2016-12-02

Absorptivity measurements with a laser-heating approach, referred to as the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR), were carried out in the infrared and applied at ambient (laboratory) nonreacting conditions to particle-laden filters from a three-wavelength (visible) particle/soot absorption photometer (PSAP). Here, the particles were obtained during the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign. The focus of this study was to determine the particle absorption coefficient from field-campaign filter samples using the LDTR approach, and compare results with other commercially available instrumentation (in this case with the PSAP, which has been compared with numerous other optical techniques).

Sea WiFS Postlaunch Technical Report Series. Volume 8; The SeaBOARR-99 Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Lazin, Gordana (Editor)

2000-01-01

This report documents the scientific activities during the second Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (Sea- WIFS) Bio-Optical Algorithm Round-Robin (SeaBOARR-99) field campaign, which took place from 2 May to 7 June 1999 on board the Royal Research Ship James Clark Ross during the eighth Atlantic Meridional Transect cruise (AMT-8). The ultimate objective of the SeaBOARR activity is to evaluate the effect of different measurement protocols on bio-optical algorithms using data from a variety of field campaigns. The SeaBOARR-99 field campaign was concerned with collecting a high quality data set of simultaneous in-water and above-water radiometric measurements. The deployment goals documented in this report were to: a) use four different surface glint correction methods to compute water-leaving radiances, Lw(lambda), from above-water data; b) use two different in-water profiling systems and three different methods to compute Lw(lambda) from in-water data; c) use instruments with a common calibration history to minimize intercalibration uncertainties; d) monitor the calibration stability of the instruments in the field with the original SeaWiFS Quality Monitor (SQM) and a commercial, second-generation device called the SQM-II, thereby allowing a distinction between differences in methods from changes in instrument performance; and e) compare the Lw(lambda) values estimated from the above- water and in- water measurements. In addition to describing the instruments deployed and the data collected, a preliminary analysis of part of the SeaBOARR-99 data set is presented (using only the data collected during clear sky, calm sea, and Case-I waters).

Absolute, pressure-dependent validation of a calibration-free, airborne laser hygrometer transfer standard (SEALDH-II) from 5 to 1200 ppmv using a metrological humidity generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchholz, Bernhard; Ebert, Volker

2018-01-01

Highly accurate water vapor measurements are indispensable for understanding a variety of scientific questions as well as industrial processes. While in metrology water vapor concentrations can be defined, generated, and measured with relative uncertainties in the single percentage range, field-deployable airborne instruments deviate even under quasistatic laboratory conditions up to 10-20 %. The novel SEALDH-II hygrometer, a calibration-free, tuneable diode laser spectrometer, bridges this gap by implementing a new holistic concept to achieve higher accuracy levels in the field. We present in this paper the absolute validation of SEALDH-II at a traceable humidity generator during 23 days of permanent operation at 15 different H2O mole fraction levels between 5 and 1200 ppmv. At each mole fraction level, we studied the pressure dependence at six different gas pressures between 65 and 950 hPa. Further, we describe the setup for this metrological validation, the challenges to overcome when assessing water vapor measurements on a high accuracy level, and the comparison results. With this validation, SEALDH-II is the first airborne, metrologically validated humidity transfer standard which links several scientific airborne and laboratory measurement campaigns to the international metrological water vapor scale.

A Multi-Use Airborne Research Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poellot, Michael R.

2003-01-01

Much of our progress in understanding the Earth system comes from measurements made in the atmosphere. Aircraft are widely used to collect in situ measurements of the troposphere and lower stratosphere, and they also serve as platforms for many remote sensing instruments. Airborne field measurement campaigns require a capable aircraft, a specially trained support team, a suite of basic instrumentation, space and power for new instruments, and data analysis and processing capabilities (e.g. Veal et al., 1977). However, these capabilities are expensive and there is a need to reduce costs while maintaining the capability to perform this type of research. To this end, NASA entered a Cooperative Agreement with the University of North Dakota (UND) to help support the operations of the UND Cessna Citation research aircraft. This Cooperative Agreement followed in form and substance a previous agreement. The Cooperative Agreement has benefited both NASA and UND. In part because of budget reductions, the NASA Airborne Science Office has elected to take advantage of outside operators of science research platforms to off-load some science requirements (Huning, 1996). UND has worked with NASA to identify those requirements that could be met more cost effectively with the UND platform. This has resulted in significant cost savings to NASA while broadening the base of researchers in the NASA science programs. At the same time, the Agreement has provided much needed support to UND to help sustain the Citation research facility. In this report, we describe the work conducted under this Cooperative Agreement.

Progress toward improving regional atmospheric inversions using airborne measurements: Results from ACT-America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, K. J.; Baier, B.; Baker, D.; Barkley, Z.; Bell, E.; Bowman, K. W.; Browell, E. V.; Campbell, J.; Chen, H. W.; Choi, Y.; DiGangi, J. P.; Dobler, J. T.; Erxleben, W. H.; Fan, T. F.; Feng, S.; Fried, A.; Gaudet, B. J.; Jacobson, A. R.; Keller, K.; Kooi, S. A.; Lauvaux, T.; Lin, B.; McGill, M. J.; McGregor, D.; Michalak, A.; Obland, M. D.; O'Dell, C.; Pal, S.; Parazoo, N.; Pauly, R.; Randazzo, N. A.; Samaddar, A.; Schuh, A. E.; Sweeney, C.; Wesloh, D.; Williams, C. A.; Zhang, F.; Zhou, Y.

2017-12-01

The Atmospheric Carbon and Transport (ACT) - America mission aims to improve our understanding of transport and fluxes of greenhouse gases (GHGs) via airborne campaigns spanning a range of mid-latitude weather conditions, and thus to improve the accuracy and precision of regional inverse flux estimates of GHGs. ACT-America has conducted three field campaigns with two aircraft across three regions of the eastern United States during summer 2016, winter 2017 and fall 2017. Simulations of atmospheric GHGs have been conducted for a subset of these campaigns. We present progress from these campaigns. Mid-summer observations suggest a net biological source of CO2 to the atmosphere in the Gulf Coast states. These results contradict those terrestrial biosphere models that show net uptake of CO2 in this region in summer. Methane observations downwind of major sources in the MidAtlantic suggest that these sources are represented fairly well by existing emissions inventories. Flux estimation in other regions is underway. Spatially-coherent differences in GHGs extend throughout the depth of the troposphere are observed at frontal boundaries in summer and winter. These spatial structures are captured in global and mesoscale simulations, though the simulated GHG mole fractions are sometimes biased with respect to observations, suggesting potential biases in synoptic transport. Mesoscale simulations overestimate spatial differences in ABL CO2 mole fractions in fair weather conditions as compared to observations and the CarbonTracker global inverse modeling system. ABL depths are simulated fairly well by both mesoscale and global modeling systems, suggesting that either weather-scale flux amplitudes are overestimated by CarbonTracker, or the mesoscale model lacks parameterized transport above the ABL. Measurements of OCS, 14CO2, and CO are being used to attribute CO2 variability to biogenic and anthropogenic processes and to expand the evaluation of GHG simulation systems. Cross

Measurement of airborne gunshot particles in a ballistics laboratory by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Diaz, Ernesto; Sarkis, Jorge E Souza; Viebig, Sônia; Saldiva, Paulo

2012-01-10

The present study aimed determines lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and barium (Ba) as the major elements present in GSR in the environmental air of the Ballistics Laboratory of the São Paulo Criminalistics Institute (I.C.-S.P.), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Micro environmental monitors (mini samplers) were located at selected places. The PM(2.5) fraction of this airborne was collected in, previously weighted filters, and analyzed by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-HR-ICP-MS). The higher values of the airborne lead, antimony and barium, were found at the firing range (lead (Pb): 58.9 μg/m(3); barium (Ba): 6.9 μg/m(3); antimony (Sb): 7.3 μg/m(3)). The mean value of the airborne in this room during 6 monitored days was Pb: 23.1 μg/m(3); Ba: 2.2 μg/m(3); Sb: 1.5 μg/m(3). In the water tank room, the air did not show levels above the limits of concern. In general the airborne lead changed from day to day, but the barium and antimony remained constant. Despite of that, the obtained values suggest that the workers may be exposed to airborne lead concentration that can result in an unhealthy environment and could increase the risk of chronic intoxication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of airborne remote sensing to the ancient Pompeii site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitiello, Fausto; Giordano, Antonio; Borfecchia, Flavio; Martini, Sandro; De Cecco, Luigi

1996-12-01

The ancient Pompeii site is in the Sarno Valley, an area of about 400 km2 in the South of Italy near Naples, that was utilized by man since old time (thousands of years ago). Actually the valley is under critical environmental conditions because of the relevant industrial development. ENEA is conducting various studies and research in the valley. ENEA is employing historical research, ground campaigns, cartography and up-to-date airborne multispectral remote sensing technologies to make a geographical information system. Airborne remote sensing technologies are very suitable for situations as that of the Sarno Valley. The paper describes the archaeological application of the research in progress as regarding the ancient site of Pompeii and its fluvial port.

Mapping the gravity field in coastal areas: feasibility and interest of a new airborne planar gradiometer concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douch, Karim; Panet, Isabelle; Foulon, Bernard; Christophe, Bruno; Pajot-Métivier, Gwendoline; Diament, Michel

2014-05-01

Satellite missions such as CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE have led to an unprecedented improvement of global gravity field models during the past decade. However, for many applications these global models are not sufficiently accurate when dealing with wavelengths shorter than 100 km. This is all the more true in areas where gravity data are scarce and uneven as for instance in the poorly covered land-sea transition area. We suggest here, in line with spatial gravity gradiometry, airborne gravity gradiometry as a convenient way to amplify the sensitivity to short wavelengths and to cover homogeneously coastal region. Moreover, the directionality of the gravity gradients gives new information on the geometry of the gravity field and therefore of the causative bodies. In this respect, we analyze here the performances of a new airborne electrostatic acceleration gradiometer, GREMLIT, which permits along with ancillary measurements to determine the horizontal gradients of the horizontal components of the gravitational field in the instrumental frame. GREMLIT is composed of a compact assembly of 4 planar electrostatic accelerometers inheriting from technologies developed by ONERA for spatial accelerometers. After an overview of the functionals of the gravity field that are of interest for coastal oceanography, passive navigation and hydrocarbon exploration, we present the corresponding required precision and resolution. Then, we investigate the influence of the different parameters of the survey, such as altitude or cross-track distance, on the resolution and precision of the final measurements. To do so, we design numerical simulations of airborne survey performed with GREMLIT and compute the total error budget on the gravity gradients. Based on this error analysis, we infer by a method of error propagation the uncertainty on the different functionals of the gravity potential used for each application. This finally enables us to conclude on the requirements for a high

Characterizing bidirectional reflectance and spectral albedo of various land cover types in Midwest using GeoTASO Summer-2014 campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulamu, A.; Fishman, J.; Maimaitiyiming, M.; Leitch, J. W.; Zoogman, P.; Liu, X.; Chance, K.; Marshall, B.

2015-12-01

Understanding the bi-directional reflectance function (BRDF) and spectral albedo of various land-cover types is critical for retrieval of trace gas measurements from planned geostationary satellites such as the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO). Radiant energy, which will be measured by these instruments at the top of atmosphere (TOA) at unprecedented spectral resolution, is strongly influenced by how this energy is reflected by the underlying surface. Thus, it is critical that we understand this phenomenon at comparable wavelength resolution. As part of the NASA ESTO-funded Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) development project, we carried out synchronous field and airborne data collection campaigns in the St Louis Metro region in Summer 2014. We collected spectral reflectance data of various land cover types on the ground within hours of a GeoTASO overpass using a field-based hyperspectral spectroradiometer (model PSR3500 from Spectral Evolution). Field measurements collecting in-situ spectral albedo and bidirectional reflectance factors were also obtained in July and August of 2015. In this study, we present our preliminary findings from in-situ and airborne GeoTASO derived spectral albedo and BRDF characteristics of major land cover types at TEMPO spectral profiles, which are necessary for the accurate retrieval of tropospheric trace gases and aerosols. First, a spectral database of various targets (e.g., plants, soils, rocks, man-made objects and water) was developed using field measurements. Next, the GeoTASO airborne data were corrected using MODTRAN and field measurements to derive spectral albedo and BRDF. High spatial resolution land-cover types were extracted using satellite images (e.g., Landsat, WorldView, IKONOS, etc.) at resolutions from 2 m - 30 m. Lastly, spectral albedo/BRDFs corresponding to various land cover types were analyzed using both field and GeoTASO measurements.

Arctic Black Carbon Loading and Profile Using the Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sedlacek, Arthur J

One of the major issues confronting aerosol climate simulations of the Arctic and Antarctic cryospheres is the lack of detailed data on the vertical and spatial distribution of aerosols with which to test these models. This is due, in part, to the inherent difficulty of conducting such measurements in extreme environments. However given the pronounced sensitivity of the polar regions to radiative balance perturbations, it is incumbent upon our community to better understand and quantify these perturbations, and their unique feedbacks, so that robust model predictions of this region can be realized. One class of under-measured radiative forcing agents inmore » the polar region is the absorbing aerosol—black carbon and brown carbon. Black carbon (BC; also referred to as light-absorbing carbon [LAC], refractory black carbon [rBC], and soot) is second only to CO2 as a positive forcing agent. Roughly 60% of BC emissions can be attributed to anthropogenic sources (fossil fuel combustion and open-pit cooking), with the remaining fraction being due to biomass burning. Brown carbon (BrC), a major component of biomass burning, collectively refers to non-BC carbonaceous aerosols that typically possess minimal light absorption at visible wavelengths but exhibit pronounced light absorption in the near-ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. Both species can be sourced locally or be remotely transported to the Arctic region and are expected to perturb the radiative balance. The work conducted in this field campaign addresses one of the more glaring deficiencies currently limiting improved quantification of the impact of BC radiative forcing in the cryosphere: the paucity of data on the vertical and spatial distributions of BC. By expanding the Gulfstream aircraft (G-1) payload for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility-sponsored ACME-V campaign to include the Single-Particle Soot Photometer (SP2)) and leveraging the ACME

Performance of three reflectance calibration methods for airborne hyperspectral spectrometer data.

PubMed

Miura, Tomoaki; Huete, Alfredo R

2009-01-01

In this study, the performances and accuracies of three methods for converting airborne hyperspectral spectrometer data to reflectance factors were characterized and compared. The "reflectance mode (RM)" method, which calibrates a spectrometer against a white reference panel prior to mounting on an aircraft, resulted in spectral reflectance retrievals that were biased and distorted. The magnitudes of these bias errors and distortions varied significantly, depending on time of day and length of the flight campaign. The "linear-interpolation (LI)" method, which converts airborne spectrometer data by taking a ratio of linearly-interpolated reference values from the preflight and post-flight reference panel readings, resulted in precise, but inaccurate reflectance retrievals. These reflectance spectra were not distorted, but were subject to bias errors of varying magnitudes dependent on the flight duration length. The "continuous panel (CP)" method uses a multi-band radiometer to obtain continuous measurements over a reference panel throughout the flight campaign, in order to adjust the magnitudes of the linear-interpolated reference values from the preflight and post-flight reference panel readings. Airborne hyperspectral reflectance retrievals obtained using this method were found to be the most accurate and reliable reflectance calibration method. The performances of the CP method in retrieving accurate reflectance factors were consistent throughout time of day and for various flight durations. Based on the dataset analyzed in this study, the uncertainty of the CP method has been estimated to be 0.0025 ± 0.0005 reflectance units for the wavelength regions not affected by atmospheric absorptions. The RM method can produce reasonable results only for a very short-term flight (e.g., < 15 minutes) conducted around a local solar noon. The flight duration should be kept shorter than 30 minutes for the LI method to produce results with reasonable accuracies. An important

Studies on mineral dust using airborne lidar, ground-based remote sensing, and in situ instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marenco, Franco; Ryder, Claire; Estellés, Victor; Segura, Sara; Amiridis, Vassilis; Proestakis, Emmanouil; Marinou, Eleni; Tsekeri, Alexandra; Smith, Helen; Ulanowski, Zbigniew; O'Sullivan, Debbie; Brooke, Jennifer; Pradhan, Yaswant; Buxmann, Joelle

2018-04-01

In August 2015, the AER-D campaign made use of the FAAM research aircraft based in Cape Verde, and targeted mineral dust. First results will be shown here. The campaign had multiple objectives: (1) lidar dust mapping for the validation of satellite and model products; (2) validation of sunphotometer remote sensing with airborne measurements; (3) coordinated measurements with the CATS lidar on the ISS; (4) radiative closure studies; and (5) the validation of a new model of dustsonde.

Airborne Lidar Measurements of Surface Topography and Structure in Arctic-Boreal Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofton, M. A.; Blair, J. B.; Rabine, D.; Cornejo, H.; Story, S.

2017-12-01

In June-July 2017, NASA's Land, Vegetation and Ice Sensor (LVIS) Facility was deployed to sites in northern Canada and Alaska as part of NASA's Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) 2017 airborne campaign. ABoVE is a large-scale, multi-year study of environmental change and its implications for social-ecological systems, and involves multiple airborne sensors flying both field-based and larger scale sampling sites. During the 4 week deployment of LVIS-F, a total of 15 flights were flown over diverse science targets based out of multiple airports in Canada and Alaska. LVIS-F is NASA's high-altitude airborne lidar sensor, collecting a nominal 2km wide swath of data from 10km altitude above the ground. Footprints are continguous both along and across track and for ABoVE operations, were 6m in diameter. Full waveform data are collected for every footprint and georeferenced to provide a true 3 dimensional view of overflown terrain. Along with precise positioning and pointing information, the LVIS laser range and waveform data are processed to provide high-quality measurements of surface structure including ground elevation, canopy height and canopy volume metrics. Information on data coverage and examples of level1b and level2 data products at science target sites will be shown along with initial results for data precision and accuracy. All AboVe LVIS data products will be available to investigators via a NASA DAAC.

Airborne infrared-hyperspectral mapping for detection of gaseous and solid targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puckrin, E.; Turcotte, C. S.; Lahaie, P.; Dubé, D.; Farley, V.; Lagueux, P.; Marcotte, F.; Chamberland, M.

2010-04-01

Airborne hyperspectral ground mapping is being used in an ever-increasing extent for numerous applications in the military, geology and environmental fields. The different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum help produce information of differing nature. The visible, near-infrared and short-wave infrared radiation (400 nm to 2.5 μm) has been mostly used to analyze reflected solar light, while the mid-wave (3 to 5 μm) and long-wave (8 to 12 μm or thermal) infrared senses the self-emission of molecules directly, enabling the acquisition of data during night time. The Telops Hyper-Cam is a rugged and compact infrared hyperspectral imager based on the Fourier-transform technology. It has been used on the ground in several field campaigns, including the demonstration of standoff chemical agent detection. More recently, the Hyper-Cam has been integrated into an airplane to provide airborne measurement capabilities. The technology offers fine spectral resolution (up to 0.25 cm-1) and high accuracy radiometric calibration (better than 1 degree Celsius). Furthermore, the spectral resolution, spatial resolution, swath width, integration time and sensitivity are all flexible parameters that can be selected and optimized to best address the specific objectives of each mission. The system performance and a few measurements have been presented in previous publications. This paper focuses on analyzing additional measurements in which detection of fertilizer and Freon gas has been demonstrated.

Analysis of Doppler Lidar Data Acquired During the Pentagon Shield Field Campaign

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newsom, Rob K.

2011-04-14

Observations from two coherent Doppler lidars deployed during the Pentagon Shield field campaign are analyzed in conjunction with other sensors to characterize the overall boundary-layer structure, and identify the dominant flow characteristics during the entire two-week field campaign. Convective boundary layer (CBL) heights and cloud base heights (CBH) are estimated from an analysis of the lidar signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), and mean wind profiles are computed using a modified velocity-azimuth-display (VAD) algorithm. Three-dimensional wind field retrievals are computed from coordinated overlapping volume scans, and the results are analyzed by visualizing the flow in horizontal and vertical cross sections. The VAD winds showmore » that southerly flows dominate during the two-week field campaign. Low-level jets (LLJ) were evident on all but two of the nights during the field campaign. The LLJs tended to form a couple hours after sunset and reach maximum strength between 03 and 07 UTC. The surface friction velocities show distinct local maxima during four nights when strong LLJs formed. Estimates of the convective boundary layer height and residual layer height are obtained through an analysis of the vertical gradient of the lidar signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR). Strong minimum in the SNR gradient often develops just above the surface after sunrise. This minimum is associated with the developing CBL, and increases rapidly during the early portion of the daytime period. On several days, this minimum continues to increase until about sunset. Secondary minima in the SNR gradient were also observed at higher altitudes, and are believed to be remnants of the CBL height from previous days, i.e. the residual layer height. The dual-Doppler analysis technique used in this study makes use of hourly averaged radial velocity data to produce three-dimensional grids of the horizontal velocity components, and the horizontal velocity variance. Visualization of horizontal and vertical

HyMeX-SOP1, the field campaign dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash-flooding in Northwestern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducrocq, Véronique

2013-04-01

The Mediterranean region is frequently affected by heavy precipitation events associated with flash-floods, landslides and mudslides each year that cost several billions of dollars in damage and causing too often casualties. Within the framework of the 10-year international HyMeX program dedicated to the hydrological cycle and related processes in the Mediterranean (http://www.hymex.org), a major field campaign has been dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash-floods from September to November 2012. The 2-month field campaign took place over the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding coastal regions in France, Italy and Spain. The observation strategy aimed at documenting four key components leading to heavy precipitation and flash-flooding in that region: (i) the marine atmospheric flow that transport moist and conditionaly unstable air towards the coasts; (ii) the Mediterranean Sea as a moisture and energy source; (iii) the dynamics and microphysics of the convective systems; (iv) the hydrological processes during flash-floods. During the field campaign about twenty precipitation events were monitored, including mesoscale convective systems, Mediterranean cyclogenesis, shallow-convection orographic precipitation. Three aircraft performed about 250 flight hours for a survey of the upstream flow, the air-sea fluxes and the convective systems. About 700 additional radiosoundings were launched either from HyMeX sites or from operational RS sites in Europe, as well as about 20 boundary layer balloons were launched to monitor the low-level flow over the Mediterranean Sea and the ambient atmospheric conditions. Gliders, Argo floats, drifting buoys and ocean soundings from vessels monitored the Mediterranean Sea during the field campaign. Atmospheric and hydrological instruments such as radars, LIDARS, radiometers, wind profilers, lightning sensors, were deployed over 5 regions in France, Italy and Spain. The presentation will present the general

Monitoring individual tree-based change with airborne lidar.

PubMed

Duncanson, Laura; Dubayah, Ralph

2018-05-01

Understanding the carbon flux of forests is critical for constraining the global carbon cycle and managing forests to mitigate climate change. Monitoring forest growth and mortality rates is critical to this effort, but has been limited in the past, with estimates relying primarily on field surveys. Advances in remote sensing enable the potential to monitor tree growth and mortality across landscapes. This work presents an approach to measure tree growth and loss using multidate lidar campaigns in a high-biomass forest in California, USA. Individual tree crowns were delineated in 2008 and again in 2013 using a 3D crown segmentation algorithm, with derived heights and crown radii extracted and used to estimate individual tree aboveground biomass. Tree growth, loss, and aboveground biomass were analyzed with respect to tree height and crown radius. Both tree growth and loss rates decrease with increasing tree height, following the expectation that trees slow in growth rate as they age. Additionally, our aboveground biomass analysis suggests that, while the system is a net source of aboveground carbon, these carbon dynamics are governed by size class with the largest sources coming from the loss of a relatively small number of large individuals. This study demonstrates that monitoring individual tree-based growth and loss can be conducted with multidate airborne lidar, but these methods remain relatively immature. Disparities between lidar acquisitions were particularly difficult to overcome and decreased the sample of trees analyzed for growth rate in this study to 21% of the full number of delineated crowns. However, this study illuminates the potential of airborne remote sensing for ecologically meaningful forest monitoring at an individual tree level. As methods continue to improve, airborne multidate lidar will enable a richer understanding of the drivers of tree growth, loss, and aboveground carbon flux.

In situ cloud and aerosol measurements over Coastal Antarctica during intensive field campaigns in 2010, 2011 and 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Shea, Sebastian; Choularton, Tom; Flynn, Michael; Bower, Keith; Gallagher, Martin; Fleming, Zoe; Listowski, Constantino; Kirchgaessner, Amelie; Ladkin, Russell; Lachlan-Cope, Tom; Crosier, Jonathan

2017-04-01

Few direct measurements have been made of Antarctic aerosol and cloud properties. As a result, a number of studies have suggested they are poorly represented within weather/climate models. This has important consequences for predictions of the mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet and both weather patterns in the region and worldwide. In situ measurements of cloud and aerosol properties were collected over the Antarctic Peninsula, coastal continent and Weddell Sea during intensive observation periods in 2010, 2011 and 2015. Airborne measurements were collected using British Antarctic Survey's instrumented Twin Otter research aircraft for all 3 campaigns and additional ground based measurements were made at Halley's Clean Air Sector Laboratory in 2015. This presentation will focus on the aerosol measurements from these intensive observation periods. The aerosol in the region was found to have strong vertical gradients and to be hygroscopic in nature. The hygroscopicity parameter, κ had a mean value during the 2015 campaign of 0.69, which is consistent with other remote marine locations that are dominated by sea spray emissions. Aerosol properties will be investigated in terms of their air mass history. The relative contribution of emissions from the Antarctic Continent, sea ice and Sea/Ocean regions will be examined. The ice nucleating properties of the aerosol will also be discussed.

Initial evaluation of airborne water vapour measurements by the IAGOS-GHG CRDS system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filges, Annette; Gerbig, Christoph; Smit, Herman G. J.; Krämer, Martina; Spelten, Nicole

2013-04-01

Accurate and reliable airborne measurements of water vapour are still a challenge. Presently, no airborne humidity sensor exists that covers the entire range of water vapour content between the surface and the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere (UT/LS) region with sufficient accuracy and time resolution. Nevertheless , these data are a pre-requisite to study the underlying processes in the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere. The DENCHAR project (Development and Evaluation of Novel Compact Hygrometer for Airborne Research) addresses this deficit by developing and characterizing novel or improved compact airborne hygrometers for different airborne applications within EUFAR (European Facility for Airborne Research). As part of the DENCHAR inter-comparison campaign in Hohn (Germany), 23 May - 1 June 2011, a commercial gas analyzer (G2401-m, Picarro Inc.,US), based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), was installed on a Learjet to measure water vapour, CO2, CH4 and CO. The CRDS components are identical to those chosen for integration aboard commercial airliner within IAGOS (In-service Aircraft for a Global Observing System). Thus the campaign allowed for the initial assessment validation of the long-term IAGOS H2O measurements by CRDS against reference instruments with a long performance record (FISH, the Fast In-situ Stratospheric Hygrometer, and CR2 frostpoint hygrometer, both research centre Juelich). The inlet system, a one meter long 1/8" FEP-tube connected to a Rosemount TAT housing (model 102BX, deiced) installed on a window plate of the aircraft, was designed to eliminate sampling of larger aerosols, ice particles, and water droplets, and provides about 90% of ram-pressure. In combination with a lowered sample flow of 0.1 slpm (corresponding to a 4 second response time), this ensured a fully controlled sample pressure in the cavity of 140 torr throughout an aircraft altitude operating range up to 12.5 km without the need of an upstream sampling pump

Modeling the weekly cycle of NOx and CO emissions and their impacts on O3 in the Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin during the CalNex 2010 field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S.-W.; McDonald, B. C.; Baidar, S.; Brown, S. S.; Dube, B.; Ferrare, R. A.; Frost, G. J.; Harley, R. A.; Holloway, J. S.; Lee, H.-J.; McKeen, S. A.; Neuman, J. A.; Nowak, J. B.; Oetjen, H.; Ortega, I.; Pollack, I. B.; Roberts, J. M.; Ryerson, T. B.; Scarino, A. J.; Senff, C. J.; Thalman, R.; Trainer, M.; Volkamer, R.; Wagner, N.; Washenfelder, R. A.; Waxman, E.; Young, C. J.

2016-02-01

We developed a new nitrogen oxide (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission inventory for the Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) expanding the Fuel-based Inventory for motor-Vehicle Emissions and applied it in regional chemical transport modeling focused on the California Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) 2010 field campaign. The weekday NOx emission over the SoCAB in 2010 is 620 t d-1, while the weekend emission is 410 t d-1. The NOx emission decrease on weekends is caused by reduced diesel truck activities. Weekday and weekend CO emissions over this region are similar: 2340 and 2180 t d-1, respectively. Previous studies reported large discrepancies between the airborne observations of NOx and CO mixing ratios and the model simulations for CalNex based on the available bottom-up emission inventories. Utilizing the newly developed emission inventory in this study, the simulated NOx and CO mixing ratios agree with the observations from the airborne and the ground-based in situ and remote sensing instruments during the field study. The simulations also reproduce the weekly cycles of these chemical species. Both the observations and the model simulations indicate that decreased NOx on weekends leads to enhanced photochemistry and increase of O3 and Ox (=O3 + NO2) in the basin. The emission inventory developed in this study can be extended to different years and other urban regions in the U.S. to study the long-term trends in O3 and its precursors with regional chemical transport models.

Food Quality and Phytoplankton Community Composition in San Francisco Bay using Imaging Spectroscopy Data from the California HyspIRI Airborne Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacios, S. L.; Peacock, M. B.; Golini, A. N.; Cloern, J. E.; Senn, D. B.; Guild, L. S.; Kudela, R. M.

2016-12-01

The San Francisco Bay (SFB) is the largest estuary on the west coast of the United States. It is an important transition zone between marine, freshwater, and inland terrestrial watersheds. The SFB is an important region for the cycling of nutrients and pollutants and it supports nurseries of ecologically and commercially important fisheries, including some threatened species. Phytoplankton community structure influences food web dynamics, and the taxonomy of the phytoplankton may be more important in determining primary "food quality" than environmental factors. As such, estimating food quality from phytoplankton community composition can be a robust tool to understand trophic transfer of energy. Recent work explores phytoplankton "food quality" in SFB through the use of microscopy and phytoplankton chemotaxonomy to evaluate how changes in phytoplankton composition may have influenced the recent trophic collapse of pelagic fishes in the northern part of the SFB. The objective of this study is to determine if the approach can also be applied to imaging spectroscopy data in order to quantify phytoplankton "food quality" from space. Imaging spectroscopy data of SFB from the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) was collected during the Hyperspectral Infrared (HyspIRI) Airborne Campaign in California (2013 - 2015) and used in this study. Estimates of ocean chlorophyll and phytoplankton community structure were determined using standard ocean chlorophyll algorithms and the PHYtoplankton Detection with Optics (PHYDOTax) algorithms. These were validated using in situ observations of phytoplankton composition using microscopic cell counts and phytoplankton chemotaxonomy from the US Geological Survey's ship surveys of the SFB. The findings from this study may inform the use of future high spectral resolution satellite sensors with the spatial resolution appropriate for coastal systems (e.g., HyspIRI) to assess "food quality" from space.

A Novel Airborne Carbon Isotope Analyzer for Methane and Carbon Dioxide Source Fingerprinting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berman, E. S.; Huang, Y. W.; Owano, T. G.; Leifer, I.

2014-12-01

Recent field studies on major sources of the important greenhouse gas methane (CH4) indicate significant underestimation of methane release from fossil fuel industrial (FFI) and animal husbandry sources, among others. In addition, uncertainties still exist with respect to carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements, especially source fingerprinting. CO2 isotopic analysis provides a valuable in situ measurement approach to fingerprint CH4 and CO2as associated with combustion sources, leakage from geologic reservoirs, or biogenic sources. As a result, these measurements can characterize strong combustion source plumes, such as power plant emissions, and discriminate these emissions from other sources. As part of the COMEX (CO2 and MEthane eXperiment) campaign, a novel CO2 isotopic analyzer was installed and collected data aboard the CIRPAS Twin Otter aircraft. Developing methods to derive CH4 and CO2 budgets from remote sensing data is the goal of the summer 2014 COMEX campaign, which combines hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and non-imaging spectroscopy (NIS) with in situ airborne and surface data. COMEX leverages the synergy between high spatial resolution HSI and moderate spatial resolution NIS. The carbon dioxide isotope analyzer developed by Los Gatos Research (LGR) uses LGR's patented Off-Axis ICOS (Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy) technology and incorporates proprietary internal thermal control for high sensitivity and optimal instrument stability. This analyzer measures CO2 concentration as well as δ13C, δ18O, and δ17O from CO2 at natural abundance (100-3000 ppm). The laboratory accuracy is ±1.2 ppm (1σ) in CO2 from 370-1000 ppm, with a long-term (1000 s) precision of ±0.012 ppm. The long-term precision for both δ13C and δ18O is 0.04 ‰, and for δ17O is 0.06 ‰. The analyzer was field-tested as part of the COWGAS campaign, a pre-cursor campaign to COMEX in March 2014, where it successfully discriminated plumes related to combustion processes associated with

Satellite (SWOT) and Airborne (AirSWOT) Wide-Swath Altimeters to Study the Garonne River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biancamaria, S.; Rodriguez, E.; Goutal, N.; Ricci, S.; Mognard, N.; Rogel, P.; Le Pape, E.

2013-09-01

The future NASA/CNES Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will provide global 2D maps of water elevations, water surface volume change and river discharge at an unprecedented resolution. To prepare this mission, airborne campaigns, called AirSWOT, will fly over the Garonne River (and other targets of interest) in 2014. To plan AirSWOT flights over the Garonne, 1D and 2D hydrodynamic models of the 50 km Garonne River reach between Tonneins and La Reole towns developed by the Laboratoire National d'Hydraulique et Environnement (LNHE) will be used. Models outputs will help to validate airborne measurements. After validation, AirSWOT measurements will be assimilated in the models to reduce model errors. Finally, potential algorithms to estimate discharge from AirSWOT and SWOT observations will be tested over this river reach. This paper presents the study domain, the hydrodynamic models and their use in the context of AirSWOT campaigns in France.

Developing Toolsets for AirBorne Data (TAD): Overview of Design Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, L.; Perez, J.; Chen, G.; Benson, A.; Peeters, M. C.

2013-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. Even though the spatial and temporal coverage is limited, the aircraft data offer high resolution and comprehensive simultaneous coverage of many variables, e.g. ozone precursors, intermediate photochemical species, and photochemical products. The recent NASA Earth Venture Program has generated an unprecedented amount of aircraft observations in terms of the sheer number of measurements and data volume. The ASDC Toolset for Airborne Data (TAD) is being designed to meet the user community needs for aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues, particularly: 1) Provide timely access to a broad user community, 2) Provide an intuitive user interface to facilitate quick discovery of the variables and data, 3) Provide data products and tools to facilitate model assessment activities, e.g., merge files and data subsetting capabilities, 4) Provide simple utility 'calculators', e.g., unit conversion and aerosol size distribution processing, and 5) Provide Web Coverage Service capable tools to enhance the data usability. The general strategy and design of TAD will be presented.

KEGS Transients Discovered by a Pan-STARRS1 Search of the Kepler Campaign 16 Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, K. W.; Rest, A.; Tucker, B. E.; Garnavich, P. M.; Margheim, S.; Kasen, D.; Olling, R.; Shaya, E.; Narayan, G.; Villar, A.; Forster, F.; Mushotzky, R.; Zenteno, A.; James, D.; Smith, R. Chris; Dotson, J. L.; Barentsen, G.; Gully-Santiago, M.; Smartt, S. J.; Wright, D. E.; Huber, M.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Willman, M.; Schultz, A.; Magnier, E.; Waters, C.; Bulger, J.; Wainscoat, R. J.

2018-01-01

We report the following transients discovered by Pan-STARRS1 during a targeted search of the Kepler Campaign 16 field as part of the K2 Extragalactic Survey (KEGS) for Transients (see http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/kegs/).

Mapping unstable manifolds using drifters/floats in a Southern Ocean field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuckburgh, Emily F.

2012-09-01

Ideas from dynamical systems theory have been used in an observational field campaign in the Southern Ocean to provide information on the mixing structure of the flow. Instantaneous snapshops of data from satellite altimetry provide information concerning surface currents at a scale of 100 km or so. We show that by using time-series of satellite altimetry we are able to deduce reliable information about the structure of the surface flow at scales as small as 10 km or so. This information was used in near-real time to provide an estimate of the location of stable and unstable manifolds in the vicinity of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. As part of a large U.K./U.S. observational field campaign (DIMES: Diapycnal and Isopycnal Mixing Experiment in the Southern Ocean) a number of drifters and floats were then released (at the surface and at a depth of approximately 1 km) close to the estimated hyperbolic point at the intersection of the two manifolds, in several locations with apparently different dynamical characteristics. The subsequent trajectories of the drifters/floats has allowed the unstable manifolds to be tracked, and the relative separation of pairs of floats has allowed an estimation of Lyapunov exponents. The results of these deployments have given insight into the strengths and limitations of the satellite data which does not resolve small scales in the velocity field, and have elucidated the transport and mixing structure of the Southern Ocean at the surface and at depth.

Simultaneous Retrieval of Aerosol and Cloud Properties During the MILAGRO Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knobelspiesse, K.; Cairns, B.; Redemann, J.; Bergstrom, R. W.; Stohl, A.

2011-01-01

Estimation of Direct Climate Forcing (DCF) due to aerosols in cloudy areas has historically been a difficult task, mainly because of a lack of appropriate measurements. Recently, passive remote sensing instruments have been developed that have the potential to retrieve both cloud and aerosol properties using polarimetric, multiple view angle, and multi spectral observations, and therefore determine DCF from aerosols above clouds. One such instrument is the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP), an airborne prototype of a sensor on the NASA Glory satellite, which unfortunately failed to reach orbit during its launch in March of 2011. In the spring of 2006, the RSP was deployed on an aircraft based in Veracruz, Mexico, as part of the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field campaign. On 13 March, the RSP over flew an aerosol layer lofted above a low altitude marine stratocumulus cloud close to shore in the Gulf of Mexico. We investigate the feasibility of retrieving aerosol properties over clouds using these data. Our approach is to first determine cloud droplet size distribution using the angular location of the cloud bow and other features in the polarized reflectance. The selected cloud was then used in a multiple scattering radiative transfer model optimization to determine the aerosol optical properties and fine tune the cloud size distribution. In this scene, we were able to retrieve aerosol optical depth, the fine mode aerosol size distribution parameters and the cloud droplet size distribution parameters to a degree of accuracy required for climate modeling. This required assumptions about the aerosol vertical distribution and the optical properties of the coarse aerosol size mode. A sensitivity study was also performed to place this study in the context of future systematic scanning polarimeter observations, which found that the aerosol complex refractive index can also be observed accurately if the aerosol optical depth is

Hurricane Wind Field Measurements with Scanning Airborne Doppler Lidar During CAMEX-3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rothermel, Jeffry; Cutten, D. R.; Howell, J. N.; Darby, L. S.; Hardesty, R. M.; Traff, D. M.; Menzies, R. T.

2000-01-01

During the 1998 Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3), the first hurricane wind field measurements with Doppler lidar were achieved. Wind fields were mapped within the eye, along the eyewall, in the central dense overcast, and in the marine boundary layer encompassing the inflow region. Spatial coverage was determined primarily by cloud distribution and opacity. Within optically-thin cirrus slant range of 20- 25 km was achieved, whereas no propagation was obtained during penetration of dense cloud. Measurements were obtained with the Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS) on the NASA DC-8 research aircraft. MACAWS was developed and operated cooperatively by the atmospheric lidar remote sensing groups of NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A pseudo-dual Doppler technique ("co-planar scanning") is used to map the horizontal component of the wind at several vertical levels. Pulses from the laser are directed out the left side of the aircraft in the desired directions using computer-controlled rotating prisms. Upon exiting the aircraft, the beam is completely eyesafe. Aircraft attitude and speed are taken into account during real-time signal processing, resulting in determination of the ground-relative wind to an accuracy of about 1 m/s magnitude and about 10 deg direction. Beam pointing angle errors are about 0.1 deg, equivalent to about 17 m at 10 km. Horizontal resolution is about 1 km (along-track) for typical signal processor and scanner settings; vertical resolution varies with range. Results from CAMEX-3 suggest that scanning Doppler wind lidar can complement airborne Doppler radar by providing wind field measurements in regions that are devoid of hydrometeors. At present MACAWS observations are being assimilated into experimental forecast models and satellite Doppler wind lidar simulations to evaluate the relative impact.

Chemical Composition of African Biomass Burning Aerosols Over the Southeast Atlantic: Aerosol Mass Spectrometer Results from the 2016 and 2017 ORACLES Field Campaigns.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobracki, A. N.; Howell, S. G.; Freitag, S.; Smirnow, N.; Podolske, J. R.

2017-12-01

Biomass burning (BB) is one of the largest contributors of anthropogenic aerosols in the atmosphere. During BB events, organic and inorganic gases and particles are emitted into the atmosphere. Because of their abundance, particle size, and radiative properties, BB aerosols play an important role in global climate. Southern Africa produces 30% of the Earth's BB aerosol particles. Organics, Nitrates, sulfates, and refractory black carbon, along with other chemical species are lofted into the free troposphere and transported over the Southeast Atlantic Ocean. However, considerate uncertainty remains in the chemical composition of these plumes with its large variety of organic and inorganic species. As part of the NASA ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) 2016 and 2017 airborne field campaigns, an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) was used to sample the chemical composition and chemical structure of the aerosol in this region. Results show constant vertical stratification within the plume over the course of the campaign (August 2017 / September 2016). Using nitrate (NO3) and organic carbon (OC) as two tracers, the structure of the September 2016 plume had a ratio of 1:8 (NO3:OC) in the upper plume (3km-5km), while the lower plume (1km-2.5km) had a ratio of 1:12 (NO3:OC). AMS measurements were supported by carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements. This data revealed a modified combustion efficiency (MCE= ΔCO2/ΔCO2 + ΔCO) of <0.97 in the upper plume, and a higher MCE > 0.97 in the lower plume. An MCE above 0.9 represents efficient burning processes. Additionally, concentrations of C2(H2O)2 (m/z60), a common chemical fragment from breaking up carbohydrates (primarily levoglucosan) emitted by burning biomass only represented <1% of total organics throughout the campaign. These low concentrations are due to efficient combustion rather than oxidation during transport. These results are consistent with earlier studies of

Sea Ice Thickness, Freeboard, and Snow Depth products from Operation IceBridge Airborne Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurtz, N. T.; Farrell, S. L.; Studinger, M.; Galin, N.; Harbeck, J. P.; Lindsay, R.; Onana, V. D.; Panzer, B.; Sonntag, J. G.

2013-01-01

The study of sea ice using airborne remote sensing platforms provides unique capabilities to measure a wide variety of sea ice properties. These measurements are useful for a variety of topics including model evaluation and improvement, assessment of satellite retrievals, and incorporation into climate data records for analysis of interannual variability and long-term trends in sea ice properties. In this paper we describe methods for the retrieval of sea ice thickness, freeboard, and snow depth using data from a multisensor suite of instruments on NASA's Operation IceBridge airborne campaign. We assess the consistency of the results through comparison with independent data sets that demonstrate that the IceBridge products are capable of providing a reliable record of snow depth and sea ice thickness. We explore the impact of inter-campaign instrument changes and associated algorithm adaptations as well as the applicability of the adapted algorithms to the ongoing IceBridge mission. The uncertainties associated with the retrieval methods are determined and placed in the context of their impact on the retrieved sea ice thickness. Lastly, we present results for the 2009 and 2010 IceBridge campaigns, which are currently available in product form via the National Snow and Ice Data Center

Airborne methane remote measurements reveal heavy-tail flux distribution in Four Corners region.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frankenberg, C.

2016-12-01

Methane (CH4) impacts climate as the second strongest anthropogenic greenhouse gas and air quality by influencing tropospheric ozone levels. Space-based observations have identified the Four Corners region in the Southwest United States as an area of large CH4 enhancements. We conducted an airborne campaign in Four Corners during April 2015 with the next-generation Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (near-infrared) and Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (thermal infrared) imaging spectrometers to better understand the source of methane by measuring methane plumes at 1- to 3-m spatial resolution. Our analysis detected more than 250 individual methane plumes from fossil fuel harvesting, processing, and distributing infrastructures, spanning an emission range from the detection limit ˜ 2 kg/h to 5 kg/h through ˜ 5,000 kg/h. Observed sources include gas processing facilities, storage tanks, pipeline leaks, natural seeps and well pads, as well as a coal mine venting shaft. Overall, plume enhancements and inferred fluxes follow a lognormal distribution, with the top 10% emitters contributing 49 to 66% to the inferred total point source flux of 0.23 Tg/y to 0.39 Tg/y. We will summarize the campaign results and provide an overview of how airborne remote sensing can be used to detect and infer methane fluxes over widespread geographic areas and how new instrumentation could be used to perform similar observations from space.

Management and Stewardship of Airborne Observational Data for the NSF/NCAR HIAPER (GV) and NSF/NCAR C-130 at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino, J.

2014-12-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) funding for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of two research aircraft: the NSF/NCAR High-performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) Gulfstream V and the NSF/NCAR Hercules C-130. A suite of in-situ and remote sensing airborne instruments housed at the EOL Research Aviation Facility (RAF) provide a basic set of measurements that are typically deployed on most airborne field campaigns. In addition, instruments to address more specific research requirements are provided by collaborating participants from universities, industry, NASA, NOAA or other agencies. The data collected are an important legacy of these field campaigns. A comprehensive metadata database and integrated cyber-infrastructure, along with a robust data workflow that begins during the field phase and extends to long-term archival (current aircraft data holdings go back to 1967), assures that: all data and associated software are safeguarded throughout the data handling process; community standards of practice for data stewardship and software version control are followed; simple and timely community access to collected data and associated software tools are provided; and the quality of the collected data is preserved, with the ultimate goal of supporting research and the reproducibility of published results. The components of this data system to be presented include: robust, searchable web access to data holdings; reliable, redundant data storage; web-based tools and scripts for efficient creation, maintenance and update of data holdings; access to supplemental data and documentation; storage of data in standardized data formats; comprehensive metadata collection; mature version control; human-discernable storage practices; and procedures to inform users of changes. In addition, lessons learned, shortcomings, and desired upgrades

Ice nucleation properties of atmospheric aerosol particles collected during a field campaign in Cyprus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yordanova, Petya; Maier, Stefanie; Lang-Yona, Naama; Tamm, Alexandra; Meusel, Hannah; Pöschl, Ulrich; Weber, Bettina; Fröhlich-Nowoisky, Janine

2017-04-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles, including desert and soil dust as well as marine aerosols, are well known to act as ice nuclei (IN) and thus have been investigated in numerous ice nucleation studies. Based on their cloud condensation nuclei potential and their impacts on radiative properties of clouds (via scattering and absorption of solar radiation), aerosol particles may significantly affect the cloud and precipitation development. Atmospheric aerosols of the Eastern Mediterranean have been described to be dominated by desert dust, but only little is known on their composition and ice nucleating properties. In this study we investigated the ice nucleating ability of total suspended particles (TSP), collected at the remote site Agia Marina Xyliatou on Cyprus during a field campaign in April 2016. Airborne TSP samples containing air masses of various types such as African (Saharan) and Arabian dust and European and Middle Eastern pollution were collected on glass fiber filters at 24 h intervals. Sampling was performed ˜5 m above ground level and ˜521 m above sea level. During the sampling period, two major dust storms (PM 10max 118 μg/m3 and 66 μg/m3) and a rain event (rainfall amount: 3.4 mm) were documented. Chemical and physical characterizations of the particles were analyzed experimentally through filtration, thermal, chemical and enzyme treatments. Immersion freezing experiments were performed at relatively high subzero temperatures (-1 to -15˚ C) using the mono ice nucleation array. Preliminary results indicate that highest IN particle numbers (INPs) occurred during the second dust storm event with lower particle concentrations. Treatments at 60˚ C lead to a gradual IN deactivation, indicating the presence of biological INPs, which were observed to be larger than 300 kDa. Additional results originating from this study will be shown. Acknowledgement: This work was funded by the DFG Ice Nuclei Research Unit (INUIT).

Pulsed Lidar Measurements of Atmospheric CO2 Column Absorption and Range During the ASCENDS 2009-2011 Airborne Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abshire, J. B.; Weaver, C. J.; Riris, H.; Mao, J.; Sun, X.; Allan, G. R.; Hasselbrack, W. E.; Browell, E. V.

2012-01-01

We have developed a pulsed lidar technique for measuring the tropospheric CO2 concentrations as a candidate for NASA's ASCENDS mission and have demonstrated the CO2 and O2 measurements from aircraft. Our technique uses two pulsed lasers allowing simultaneous measurement of a single CO2 absorption line near 1572 nm, O2 extinction in the Oxygen A-band, surface height and backscatter profile. The lasers are stepped in wavelength across the CO2 line and an O2 line doublet during the measurement. The column densities for the CO2 and O2 are estimated from the differential optical depths (DOD) of the scanned absorption lines via the IPDA technique. For the 2009 ASCENDS campaign we flew the CO2 lidar only on a Lear-25 aircraft, and measured the absorption line shapes of the CO2 line using 20 wavelength samples per scan. Measurements were made at stepped altitudes from 3 to 12.6 km over the Lamont OK, central Illinois, North Carolina, and over the Virginia Eastern Shore. Although the received signal energies were weaker than expected for ASCENDS, clear C02 line shapes were observed at all altitudes. Most flights had 5-6 altitude steps with 200-300 seconds of recorded measurements per step. We averaged every 10 seconds of measurements and used a cross-correlation approach to estimate the range to the scattering surface and the echo pulse energy at each wavelength. We then solved for the best-fit CO2 absorption line shape, and calculated the DOD of the fitted CO2 line, and computed its statistics at the various altitude steps. We compared them to CO2 optical depths calculated from spectroscopy based on HITRAN 2008 and the column number densities calculated from the airborne in-situ readings. The 2009 measurements have been analyzed in detail and they were similar on all flights. The results show clear CO2 line shape and absorption signals, which follow the expected changes with aircraft altitude from 3 to 13 km. They showed the expected nearly the linear dependence of DOD vs

Atmospheric measurements of hydroperoxides and aldehydes during field campaigns : new results due to improvement of measurements techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

François, S.; Sowka, I.; Poulain, L.; Monod, A.; Wortham, H.

2003-04-01

Hydroperoxides and aldehydes are considered as atmospheric reservoirs of OH, HO_2 and RO_2 radicals and can reflect the oxidizing levels of the atmosphere. They are considered as important gas phase photo-oxidants present in the atmosphere. However, the atmospheric role of these compounds can vary from one species to another, therefore it is essential to investigate their measurement and speciation in the atmosphere. Atmospheric measurements were realized during two different field campaigns in the Marseilles area (France). Hydroperoxides were trapped in aqueous phase, with a glass coil and analyzed by HPLC/fluorescence detector with post column derivatization. Aldehydes were trapped in a liquid phase containing 2-4 DNPH, with a mist chamber and analyzed by HPLC/UV. The analytical techniques provided individual separation and quantification of seven hydroperoxides (hydrogen peroxide, hydroxymethyl hydroperoxide, bis(hydroxymethyl) peroxide, 1-hydroxyethyl hydroperoxide, methyl hydroperoxide, ethyl hydroperoxide and peroxyacetic acid) and eleven volatile aldehydes (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone, propionaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, butyraldehyde, benzaldehyde, glyoxal, valeraldehyde and methylglyoxal). The first field campaign was part of the ESCOMPTE project (June 4th to July 16th 2001). During this campaign five different sampling sites, at low altitudes (<= 285 m), were investigated (maritime, urban, sub-industrial, biogenic and rural sites) and atmospheric measurements were realized during photochemical air pollution events. The second field campaign was part of the BOND project (July 2nd to July 14th 2002). Atmospheric measurements of hydroperoxides were carried out on one biogenic site, at altitude 690 m. The measurement system was improved allowing online sampling and analysis. During these field campaigns collection efficiencies were better than 96% for hydroperoxides, and from 78% to 96% for aldehydes. Detection limits were between 7,3× 10-3 �

EuroGeoMars Field Campaign: habitability studies in preparation for future Mars missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Foing, B. H.; Stoker, C.; Zhavaleta, J.; Orzechowska, G.; Kotler, M.; Martins, Z.; Sephton, M.; Becker, L.; Quinn, R.; van Sluis, C.; Boche-Sauvan, L.; Gross, C.; Thiel, C.; Wendt, L.; Sarrazin, P.; Mahapatra, P.; Direito, S.; Roling, W.

The goal of the EuroGeoMars field campaign sponsored by ESA, NASA and the international lunar exploration working group (ILEWG) was to demonstrate instrument capabilities in sup-port of current and future planetary missions, to validate a procedure for Martian surface in-situ and return science, and to study human performance aspects. The Mars Desert Re-search Station (MDRS) represents an ideal basis to simulate aspects of robotic and human exploration in support of future missions to planetary bodies. During the campaign, MDRS Crew 77 tested X-ray diffraction and Raman instruments, and assessed habitat and operations. Special emphasis was given to sample collection in the geologically rich vicinity of MDRS and subsequent analysis of organic molecules in the soil to simulate the search for bio-signatures with field instrumentation. We describe the results of in-situ and posterior analysis of the physical and chemical properties including elemental composition, salt concentrations as well as carbon and amino acid abundances. The analyses of organics and minerals show that the subsurface mineral matrix represents a key to our understanding of the survival of organics on Mars.

Earth Expeditions: Telling the stories of eight NASA field campaigns by focusing on the human side of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, S.

2016-12-01

NASA's Earth Right Now communication team kicked off an ambitious multimedia campaign in March 2016 to tell the stories of eight major field campaigns studying regions of critical change from the land, sea and air. Earth Expeditions focused on the human side of science, with live reporting from the field, behind-the-scenes images and videos, and extended storytelling over a six-month period. We reported from Greenland to Namibia, from the eastern United States to the South Pacific. Expedition scientists explored ice sheets, air quality, coral reefs, boreal forests, marine ecosystems and greenhouse gases. All the while the campaign communications team was generating everything from blog posts and social media shareables, to Facebook Live events and a NASA TV series. We also participated in community outreach events and pursued traditional media opportunities. A massive undertaking, we will share lessons learned, best practices for social media and some of our favorite moments when science communication touched our audience's lives.

The ESA/NASA Multi-Aircraft ATV-1 Re-Entry Campaign: Analysis of Airborne Intensified Video Observations from the NASA/JSC Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, Ed; Maley, Paul; Mulrooney, Mark; Beaulieu, Kevin

2009-01-01

In September 2008, a joint ESA/NASA multi-instrument airborne observing campaign was conducted over the Southern Pacific ocean. The objective was the acquisition of data to support detailed atmospheric re-entry analysis for the first flight of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)-1. Skilled observers were deployed aboard two aircraft which were flown at 12.8 km altitude within visible range of the ATV-1 re-entry zone. The observers operated a suite of instruments with low-light-level detection sensitivity including still cameras, high speed and 30 fps video cameras, and spectrographs. The collected data has provided valuable information regarding the dynamic time evolution of the ATV-1 re-entry fragmentation. Specifically, the data has satisfied the primary mission objective of recording the explosion of ATV-1's primary fuel tank and thereby validating predictions regarding the tanks demise and the altitude of its occurrence. Furthermore, the data contains the brightness and trajectories of several hundred ATV-1 fragments. It is the analysis of these properties, as recorded by the particular instrument set sponsored by NASA/Johnson Space Center, which we present here.

Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment Counter-Flow Spectrometer and Impactor Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poellot, Michael

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility Aerial Facility (ARM AAF) counter-flow spectrometer and impactor (CSI) probe was flown on the University of North Dakota Cessna Citation research aircraft during the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEX). The field campaign took place during May and June of 2014 over North Carolina and its coastal waters as part of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Global Precipitation Measurement validation campaign. The CSI was added to the Citation instrument suite to support the involvement of Jay Mace through the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellitemore » program and flights of the NASA ER-2 aircraft, which is a civilian version of the Air Force’s U2-S reconnaissance platform. The ACE program funded extra ER-2 flights to focus on clouds that are weakly precipitating, which are also of interest to the Atmospheric System Research program sponsored by DOE.« less

Initial design and performance of the near surface unmanned aircraft system sensor suite in support of the GOES-R field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearlman, Aaron J.; Padula, Francis; Shao, Xi; Cao, Changyong; Goodman, Steven J.

2016-09-01

One of the main objectives of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series (GOES-R) field campaign is to validate the SI traceability of the Advanced Baseline Imager. The campaign plans include a feasibility demonstration study for new near surface unmanned aircraft system (UAS) measurement capability that is being developed to meet the challenges of validating geostationary sensors. We report our progress in developing our initial systems by presenting the design and preliminary characterization results of the sensor suite. The design takes advantage of off-the-shelf technologies and fiber-based optical components to make hemispheric directional measurements from a UAS. The characterization results - including laboratory measurements of temperature effects and polarization sensitivity - are used to refine the radiometric uncertainty budget towards meeting the validation objectives for the campaign. These systems will foster improved validation capabilities for the GOES-R field campaign and other next generation satellite systems.

Airborne Imaging in the Yukon River Basin to Characterize SWOT Mission Phenomenology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moller, D.; Pavelsky, T.; Arvesen, J. C.

2015-12-01

Remote sensing offers intriguing tools to track Arctic hydrology, but current techniques are largely limited to tracking either inundation or water surface elevation only. For the first time, the proposed Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission will provide regular, simultaneous observations of inundation extent and water level from space. SWOT is unique and distinct from precursor altimetry missions in some notable regards: 1) 100km+ of swath will provide complete ocean coverage, 2) in addition to the ocean product, land surface water will be mapped for storage measurement and discharge estimation and 3) Ka-band single-pass interferometry will produce the height measurements introducing a new measurement technique. This new approach introduces additional algorithmic, characterization and calibration/validation needs for which the Ka-band SWOT Phenomenology Airborne Radar (KaSPAR) was developed. In May 2015, AirSWOT (comprised of KaSPAR and a color infrared (CIR) high resolution aerial camera) was part of an intensive field campaign including observations of inundation extent and water level and in situ hydrologic measurements in two rivers and 20 lakes within the Yukon River Basin, Alaska. One goal is to explore the fundamental phenomenology of the SWOT measurement. This includes assessment of the effects of vegetation layover and attenuation, wind roughening and classification. Further KaSPAR-derived inundation extent will to be validated using a combination of ground surveys and coregistered CIR imagery. Ultimately, by combining measurements of changing inundation extent and water level between two collection dates, it will be possible to validate lake water storage variations against storage changes computed from in situ water levels and inundation area derived from AirSWOT. Our paper summarizes the campaign, the airborne and in situ measurements and presents some initial KaSPAR and CIR imagery from the Yukon flats region.

Meteorological Sensor Array (MSA)-Phase I. Volume 3 (Pre-Field Campaign Sensor Calibration)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

turbulence impact of the WSMR solar array. 4) Designing , developing, testing , and evaluating integrated Data Acquisition System (DAS) hardware and...ARL-TR-7362 ● JULY 2015 US Army Research Laboratory Meteorological Sensor Array (MSA)–Phase I, Volume 3 (Pre-Field Campaign...NOTICES Disclaimers The findings in this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by

Conceptual design of an airborne laser Doppler velocimeter system for studying wind fields associated with severe local storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, J. A. L.; Davies, A. R.; Sulzmann, K. G. P.

1976-01-01

An airborne laser Doppler velocimeter was evaluated for diagnostics of the wind field associated with an isolated severe thunderstorm. Two scanning configurations were identified, one a long-range (out to 10-20 km) roughly horizontal plane mode intended to allow probing of the velocity field around the storm at the higher altitudes (4-10 km). The other is a shorter range (out to 1-3 km) mode in which a vertical or horizontal plane is scanned for velocity (and possibly turbulence), and is intended for diagnostics of the lower altitude region below the storm and in the out-flow region. It was concluded that aircraft flight velocities are high enough and severe storm lifetimes are long enough that a single airborne Doppler system, operating at a range of less than about 20 km, can view the storm area from two or more different aspects before the storm characteristics change appreciably.

Azimuthal Signature of Coincidental Brightness Temperature and Normalized Radar Cross-Section Obtained Using Airborne PALS Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colliander, Andreas; Kim, Seungbum; Yueh, Simon; Cosh, Mike; Jackson, Tom; Njoku, Eni

2010-01-01

Coincidental airborne brightness temperature (TB) and normalized radar-cross section (NRCS) measurements were carried out with the PALS (Passive and Active L- and S-band) instrument in the SMAPVEX08 (SMAP Validation Experiment 2008) field campaign. This paper describes results obtained from a set of flights which measured a field in 45(sup o) steps over the azimuth angle. The field contained mature soy beans with distinct row structure. The measurement shows that both TB and NRCS experience modulation effects over the azimuth as expected based on the theory. The result is useful in development and validation of land surface parameter forward models and retrieval algorithms, such as the soil moisture algorithm for NASA's SMAP (Soil Moisture Active and Passive) mission. Although the footprint of the SMAP will not be sensitive to the small resolution scale effects as the one presented in this paper, it is nevertheless important to understand the effects at smaller scale.

Airborne Wind Profiling Algorithms for the Pulsed 2-Micron Coherent Doppler Lidar at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Koch, Grady J.; Kavaya, Michael J.; Ray, Taylor J.

2013-01-01

Two versions of airborne wind profiling algorithms for the pulsed 2-micron coherent Doppler lidar system at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia are presented. Each algorithm utilizes different number of line-of-sight (LOS) lidar returns while compensating the adverse effects of different coordinate systems between the aircraft and the Earth. One of the two algorithms APOLO (Airborne Wind Profiling Algorithm for Doppler Wind Lidar) estimates wind products using two LOSs. The other algorithm utilizes five LOSs. The airborne lidar data were acquired during the NASA's Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) campaign in 2010. The wind profile products from the two algorithms are compared with the dropsonde data to validate their results.

ARM-ACME V: ARM Airborne Carbon Measurements V on the North Slope of Alaska Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biraud, Sebastien C

2016-05-01

Atmospheric temperatures are warming faster in the Arctic than predicted by climate models. The impact of this warming on permafrost degradation is not well understood, but it is projected to increase carbon decomposition and greenhouse gas production (CO2 and/or CH4) by arctic ecosystems. Airborne observations of atmospheric trace gases, aerosols and cloud properties in North Slopes of Alaska (NSA) are improving our understanding of global climate, with the goal of reducing the uncertainty in global and regional climate simulations and projections. From June 1 through September 15, 2015, AAF deployed the G1 research aircraft and flew over the North Slopemore » of Alaska (38 flights, 140 science flight hours), with occasional vertical profiling over Prudhoe Bay, Oliktok point, Barrow, Atqasuk, Ivotuk, and Toolik Lake. The aircraft payload included Picarro and Los Gatos Research (LGR) analyzers for continuous measurements of CO2, CH4, H2O, and CO and N2O mixing ratios, and a 12-flask sampler for analysis of carbon cycle gases (CO2, CO, CH4, N2O, 13CO2, and trace hydrocarbon species). The aircraft payload also include measurements of aerosol properties (number size distribution, total number concentration, absorption, and scattering), cloud properties (droplet and ice size information), atmospheric thermodynamic state, and solar/infrared radiation.« less

Trace Gas Measurements from the GeoTASO and GCAS Airborne Instruments: An Instrument and Algorithm Test-Bed for Air Quality Observations from Geostationary Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlan, C. R.; Liu, X.; Janz, S. J.; Leitch, J. W.; Al-Saadi, J. A.; Chance, K.; Cole, J.; Delker, T.; Follette-Cook, M. B.; Gonzalez Abad, G.; Good, W. S.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Loughner, C.; Pickering, K. E.; Ruppert, L.; Soo, D.; Szykman, J.; Valin, L.; Zoogman, P.

2016-12-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) and the GEO-CAPE Airborne Simulator (GCAS) instruments are pushbroom sensors capable of making remote sensing measurements of air quality and ocean color. Originally developed as test-bed instruments for the Geostationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) decadal survey, these instruments are now also part of risk reduction for the upcoming Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) geostationary satellite missions, and will provide validation capabilities after the satellite instruments are in orbit. GeoTASO and GCAS flew on two different aircraft in their first intensive air quality field campaigns during the DISCOVER-AQ missions over Texas in 2013 and Colorado in 2014. GeoTASO was also deployed in 2016 during the KORUS-AQ field campaign to make measurements of trace gases and aerosols over Korea. GeoTASO and GCAS collect spectra of backscattered solar radiation in the UV and visible that can be used to derive 2-D maps of trace gas columns below the aircraft at spatial resolutions on the order of 250 x 500 m. We present spatially resolved maps of trace gas retrievals of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide over urban areas and power plants from flights during the field campaigns, and comparisons with data from ground-based spectrometers, in situ monitoring instruments, and satellites.

Spatial Variability in Black Carbon Mixing State Observed During The Multi-City NASA DISCOVER-AQ Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, R.; Ziemba, L. D.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Chen, G.; Corr, C.; Hudgins, C.; Martin, R.; Shook, M.; Thornhill, K. L., II; Winstead, E.; Anderson, B. E.

2014-12-01

Light absorbing carbonaceous aerosols are known to be an important climatic driver with a global radiative forcing of about half (IPCC, 2013) to two-thirds (Bond et al., 2013) that of the dominant greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. While the mass absorption coefficient of pure black carbon (BC) is fairly well known, observational evidence suggests that BC rapidly mixes with other aerosol chemical components within hours of emission (Moffet and Prather, 2009; Moteki et al., 2007). These other components may include predominantly scattering organic, sulfate, and nitrate species, as well as light-absorbing, so-called "brown carbon" (BrC). It has been suggested that the presence of these BC-mixed components may induce mixing-state-dependent lensing effects that could potentially double the BC direct radiative forcing (Jacobson, 2001). The key to better understanding how BC-rich aerosols are distributed in the atmosphere is to examine an unbiased set of measurements covering broad spatial and temporal coverage; however, many past airborne field campaigns have specifically targeted source plumes or other scientifically-relevant emissions sources. The recent NASA DISCOVER-AQ campaign is unique in that approximately the same flight pattern was performed over a month-long period in each of four different U.S. metropolitan areas, ensuring an unbiased, or at least less biased, data set with both wide horizontal and vertical (surface to 5 km altitude) coverage. We present a statistical analysis of BC-rich particle mixing state measured during DISCOVER-AQ by a DMT Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2). The SP2 measures the BC mass distribution via laser incandescence, and the non-BC coating thickness is inferred from the light scattering signal of particles greater than 200 nm in diameter (Gao et al., 2007; Moteki and Kondo, 2008). The SP2-derived size distributions are compared to optical scattering size distributions measured by an UHSAS in order determine 1) the externally

Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) 2007 Field Campaign Objectives and Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosmo, Joseph; Romig, Barbara

2008-01-01

Desert "RATS" (Research and Technology Studies) is a combined, multi-discipline group of inter-NASA center scientists and engineers, net-working and collaborating with representatives of industry and academia, for the purpose of conducting planetary surface exploration-focused remote field exercises. These integrated testing exercises conducted under representative analog Lunar and Mars surface terrain conditions, provide NASA the capability to validate experimental prototype hardware and software systems as well as to evaluate and develop mission operational techniques in order to identify and establish technical requirements and identify potential technology "gaps" applicable for future planetary human exploration. The 2007 D-RATS field campaign test activities were initiated based on the major themes and objectives of a notional 5-year plan developed for conducting relative analog test activities in support of the engineering evaluation and assessment of various system architectural requirements, conceptual prototype support equipment and selected technologies necessary for the establishment of a lunar outpost. Specifically, the major objectives included measuring task efficiency during robot, human, and human-robot interactive tasks associated with lunar outpost site surveying and reconnaissance activities and deployment of a representative solar panel power and distribution system. In addition, technology demonstrations were conducted with a new Lithium-ion battery and autonomous software to coordinate multiple robot activities. Secondary objectives were evaluating airlock concept mockups and prototype removable space suit over-garment elements for dust mitigation, and upgrades to the prototype extravehicular activities (EVA) communication and information system. Dry run test activities, prior to testing at a designated remote field site location, were initially conducted at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Remote Field Demonstration Test Site. This is a multi

Structural Characteristics of Nocturnal Mesoscale Convective Systems in the U.S. Great Plains as Observed During the PECAN Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodine, D. J.; Dougherty, E.; Rasmussen, K. L.; Torres, A. D.

2015-12-01

During the summer in the U.S. Great Plains, some of the heaviest precipitation falls from large thunderstorm complexes known as Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs). These frequently occurring MCSs are often nocturnal in nature, so the dynamics associated with these systems are more elusive than those in the daytime. The Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) field campaign was launched over a 7-week period as an endeavor to better understand nocturnal MCSs occurring in the Great Plains. PECAN featured a dense array of ground-based and airborne instruments to observe nocturnal MCS, including dual-polarization radars at multiple frequencies, mobile mesonets, and sounding units. Our role in PECAN involved deploying Ott Parsivel disdrometers to gain information on drop size distributions (DSDs) and fall speeds. Analysis of disdrometer data in conjunction with radar data presented using Contour Frequency by Altitude Diagrams (CFADs) and high-resolution radiosonde data allows for a structural comparison of PECAN MCS cases to previously identified MCS archetypes. Novel insights into the structural evolution of nocturnal MCSs in relation to their synoptic, mesoscale, and thermodynamic environments are presented, using data collected from dense and numerous observation platforms. Understanding the environmental conditions that result in different nocturnal MCS configurations is useful for gaining insight into precipitation distributions and potential severe weather and flooding hazards in the Great Plains.

Source Identification Of Airborne Antimony On The Basis Of The Field Monitoring And The Source Profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iijima, A.; Sato, K.; Fujitani, Y.; Fujimori, E.; Tanabe, K.; Ohara, T.; Shimoda, M.; Kozawa, K.; Furuta, N.

2008-12-01

The results of the long-term monitoring of airborne particulate matter (APM) in Tokyo indicated that APM have been extremely enriched with antimony (Sb) compared to crustal composition. This observation suggests that the airborne Sb is distinctly derived from human activities. According to the material flow analysis, automotive brake abrasion dust and fly ash from waste incinerator were suspected as the significant Sb sources. To clarify the emission sources of the airborne Sb, elemental composition, particle size distribution, and morphological profiles of dust particles collected from two possible emission sources were characterized and compared to the field observation data. Brake abrasion dust samples were generated by using a brake dynamometer. During the abrasion test, particle size distribution was measured by an aerodynamic particle sizer spectrometer. Concurrently, size- classified dust particles were collected by an Andersen type air sampler. Fly ash samples were collected from several municipal waste incinerators, and the bulk ash samples were re-dispersed into an enclosed chamber. The measurement of particle size distribution and the collection of size-classified ash particles were conducted by the same methodologies as described previously. Field observations of APM were performed at a roadside site and a residential site by using an Andersen type air sampler. Chemical analyses of metallic elements were performed by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometr. Morphological profiling of the individual particle was conducted by a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. High concentration of Sb was detected from both of two possible sources. Particularly, Sb concentrations in a brake abrasion dust were extremely high compared to that in an ambient APM, suggesting that airborne Sb observed at the roadside might have been largely derived from

NASA IceBridge: Scientific Insights from Airborne Surveys of the Polar Sea Ice Covers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter-Menge, J.; Farrell, S. L.

2015-12-01

The NASA Operation IceBridge (OIB) airborne sea ice surveys are designed to continue a valuable series of sea ice thickness measurements by bridging the gap between NASA's Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), which operated from 2003 to 2009, and ICESat-2, which is scheduled for launch in 2017. Initiated in 2009, OIB has conducted campaigns over the western Arctic Ocean (March/April) and Southern Oceans (October/November) on an annual basis when the thickness of sea ice cover is nearing its maximum. More recently, a series of Arctic surveys have also collected observations in the late summer, at the end of the melt season. The Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM) laser altimeter is one of OIB's primary sensors, in combination with the Digital Mapping System digital camera, a Ku-band radar altimeter, a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) snow radar, and a KT-19 infrared radiation pyrometer. Data from the campaigns are available to the research community at: http://nsidc.org/data/icebridge/. This presentation will summarize the spatial and temporal extent of the OIB campaigns and their complementary role in linking in situ and satellite measurements, advancing observations of sea ice processes across all length scales. Key scientific insights gained on the state of the sea ice cover will be highlighted, including snow depth, ice thickness, surface roughness and morphology, and melt pond evolution.

Comparison of JPL-AIRSAR and DLR E-SAR images from the MAC Europe 1991 campaign over testsite Oberpfaffenhofen: Frequency and polarization dependent backscatter variations from agricultural fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmullius, C.; Nithack, J.

1992-01-01

On July 12, the MAC Europe '91 (Multi-Sensor Airborne Campaign) took place over test site Oberpfaffenhofen. The DLR Institute of Radio-Frequency Technology participated with its C-VV, X-VV, and X-HH Experimental Synthetic Aperture Radar (E-SAR). The high resolution E-SAR images with a pixel size between 1 and 2 m and the polarimetric AIRSAR images were analyzed. Using both sensors in combination is a unique opportunity to evaluate SAR images in a frequency range from P- to X-band and to investigate polarimetric information.

Airborne and satellite remote sensing of the mid-infrared water vapour continuum.

PubMed

Newman, Stuart M; Green, Paul D; Ptashnik, Igor V; Gardiner, Tom D; Coleman, Marc D; McPheat, Robert A; Smith, Kevin M

2012-06-13

Remote sensing of the atmosphere from space plays an increasingly important role in weather forecasting. Exploiting observations from the latest generation of weather satellites relies on an accurate knowledge of fundamental spectroscopy, including the water vapour continuum absorption. Field campaigns involving the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements research aircraft have collected a comprehensive dataset, comprising remotely sensed infrared radiance observations collocated with accurate measurements of the temperature and humidity structure of the atmosphere. These field measurements have been used to validate the strength of the infrared water vapour continuum in comparison with the latest laboratory measurements. The recent substantial changes to self-continuum coefficients in the widely used MT_CKD (Mlawer-Tobin-Clough-Kneizys-Davies) model between 2400 and 3200 cm(-1) are shown to be appropriate and in agreement with field measurements. Results for the foreign continuum in the 1300-2000 cm(-1) band suggest a weak temperature dependence that is not currently included in atmospheric models. A one-dimensional variational retrieval experiment is performed that shows a small positive benefit from using new laboratory-derived continuum coefficients for humidity retrievals.

Enhanced Soundings for Local Coupling Studies Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferguson, Craig R; Santanello, Joseph A; Gentine, Pierre

This document presents initial analyses of the enhanced radiosonde observations obtained during the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility Enhanced Soundings for Local Coupling Studies Field Campaign (ESLCS), which took place at the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) Central Facility (CF) from June 15 to August 31, 2015. During ESLCS, routine 4-times-daily radiosonde measurements at the ARM-SGP CF were augmented on 12 days (June 18 and 29; July 11, 14, 19, and 26; August 15, 16, 21, 25, 26, and 27) with daytime 1-hourly radiosondes and 10-minute ‘trailer’ radiosondes every 3 hours. These 12more » intensive operational period (IOP) days were selected on the basis of prior-day qualitative forecasts of potential land-atmosphere coupling strength. The campaign captured 2 dry soil convection advantage days (June 29 and July 14) and 10 atmospherically controlled days. Other noteworthy IOP events include: 2 soil dry-down sequences (July 11-14-19 and August 21-25-26), a 2-day clear-sky case (August 15-16), and the passing of Tropical Storm Bill (June 18). To date, the ESLCS data set constitutes the highest-temporal-resolution sampling of the evolution of the daytime planetary boundary layer (PBL) using radiosondes at the ARM-SGP. The data set is expected to contribute to: 1) improved understanding and modeling of the diurnal evolution of the PBL, particularly with regard to the role of local soil wetness, and (2) new insights into the appropriateness of current ARM-SGP CF thermodynamic sampling strategies.« less

Airborne Remote sensing of the OH tropospheric column with an Integrated Path Differential LIDAR.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanisco, T. F.; Liang, Q.; Nicely, J. M.; Brune, W. H.; Miller, D. O.; Thames, A. B.

2017-12-01

The Hydroxyl radical, OH, is central to the photochemistry that controls tropospheric oxidation including the removal of atmospheric methane. Measurements of this important species are thus critical to testing our understanding and for constraining model results. Until now, tropospheric measurements have been limited to airborne or ground-based in situ instruments best suited to test photochemical box models. However, because of the growing recognition of the importance of the global methane abundance, we have a growing need to better quantify OH at the regional to global scales that are best sampled with airborne or space-based remote sensing instruments. To address this need, we have developed an instrument concept and have begun work on a laser transmitter for an airborne integrated path differential absorption LIDAR for the detection of OH. We will describe the instrument and present the expected performance characteristics. As a demonstration, we will use measurements from the recent ATOM-1 NASA airborne campaign to show measured OH columns can be used to constrain regional and global models.

A penguin near Punta Arena, Chile, photographed in its natural summer habitat during NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-13

A penguin near Punta Arena, Chile, photographed in its natural summer habitat during NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition in Central and South America by an international team of scientists that is using an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), located onboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists from many parts of the world are combining ground research with NASA's AirSAR technology to improve and expand on the quality of research they are able to conduct.

Airborne laser-diode-array illuminator assessment for the night vision's airborne mine-detection arid test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stetson, Suzanne; Weber, Hadley; Crosby, Frank J.; Tinsley, Kenneth; Kloess, Edmund; Nevis, Andrew J.; Holloway, John H., Jr.; Witherspoon, Ned H.

2004-09-01

The Airborne Littoral Reconnaissance Technologies (ALRT) project has developed and tested a nighttime operational minefield detection capability using commercial off-the-shelf high-power Laser Diode Arrays (LDAs). The Coastal System Station"s ALRT project, under funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), has been designing, developing, integrating, and testing commercial arrays using a Cessna airborne platform over the last several years. This has led to the development of the Airborne Laser Diode Array Illuminator wide field-of-view (ALDAI-W) imaging test bed system. The ALRT project tested ALDAI-W at the Army"s Night Vision Lab"s Airborne Mine Detection Arid Test. By participating in Night Vision"s test, ALRT was able to collect initial prototype nighttime operational data using ALDAI-W, showing impressive results and pioneering the way for final test bed demonstration conducted in September 2003. This paper describes the ALDAI-W Arid Test and results, along with processing steps used to generate imagery.

AROTAL Ozone and Temperature Vertical Profile Measurements from the NASA DC-8 during the SOLVE II Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGee, Thomas J.; Twigg, Laurence; Sumnicht, Grant; Hoegy, Walter; Burris, John; Silbert, Donald; Heaps, William; Neuber, R.; Trepte, C. R.

2004-01-01

The AROTAL instrument (Airborne Raman Ozone Temperature and Aerosol Lidar) - a collaboration between scientists at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Langley Research Center - was flown on the NASA DC-8 during the SOLVE II Campaign during January and February, 2003. The flights were flown from the Arena Arctica in Kiruna, Sweden. We report measurements of temperature and ozone profiles showing approximately a 600 ppbv loss in ozone near 17.5 km, over the time frame of the aircraft campaign. Comparisons of ozone profiles from AROTAL are made with the SAGE III instrument.

Airborne and Ground-Based Measurements Using a High-Performance Raman Lidar. Part 2; Ground Based

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiteman, David N.; Cadirola, Martin; Venable, Demetrius; Connell, Rasheen; Rush, Kurt; Leblanc, Thierry; McDermid, Stuart

2009-01-01

The same RASL hardware as described in part I was installed in a ground-based mobile trailer and used in a water vapor lidar intercomparison campaign, hosted at Table Mountain, CA, under the auspices of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). The converted RASL hardware demonstrated high sensitivity to lower stratospheric water vapor indicating that profiling water vapor at those altitudes with sufficient accuracy to monitor climate change is possible. The measurements from Table Mountain also were used to explain the reason, and correct , for sub-optimal airborne aerosol extinction performance during the flight campaign.

Physical and chemical processes of air masses in the Aegean Sea during Etesians: Aegean-GAME airborne campaign.

PubMed

Tombrou, M; Bossioli, E; Kalogiros, J; Allan, J D; Bacak, A; Biskos, G; Coe, H; Dandou, A; Kouvarakis, G; Mihalopoulos, N; Percival, C J; Protonotariou, A P; Szabó-Takács, B

2015-02-15

High-resolution measurements of gas and aerosols' chemical composition along with meteorological and turbulence parameters were performed over the Aegean Sea (AS) during an Etesian outbreak in the framework of the Aegean-GAME airborne campaign. This study focuses on two distinct Etesian patterns, with similarities inside the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) and differences at higher levels. Under long-range transport and subsidence the pollution load is enhanced (by 17% for CO, 11% for O3, 28% for sulfate, 62% for organic mass, 47% for elemental carbon), compared to the pattern with a weaker synoptic system. Sea surface temperature (SST) was a critical parameter for the MABL structure, turbulent fluxes and pollutants' distribution at lower levels. The MABL height was below 500 m asl over the eastern AS (favoring higher accumulation), and deeper over the western AS. The most abundant components of total PM1 were sulfate (40-50%) and organics (30-45%). Higher average concentrations measured over the eastern AS (131 ± 76 ppbv for CO, 62.5 ± 4.1 ppbv for O3, 5.0 ± 1.1 μg m(-3) for sulfate, 4.7 ± 0.9 μg m(-3) for organic mass and 0.5 ± 0.2 μg m(-3) for elemental carbon). Under the weaker synoptic system, cleaner but more acidic air masses prevailed over the eastern part, while distinct aerosol layers of different signature were observed over the western part. The Aitken and accumulation modes contributed equally during the long-range transport, while the Aitken modes dominated during local or medium range transport. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A model-based data analysis of the atmospheric methane above Siberia during YAK-AEROSIB airborne campaign in summer 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arzoumanian, Emmanuel; Paris, Jean-Daniel; Pruvost, Arnaud; Berchet, Antoine; Pison, Isabelle; Arshinov, Mikhail; Belan, Boris

2014-05-01

High latitude regions are large sources of CH4 in the atmosphere, both natural from boreal wetlands and wildfires, and anthropogenic from natural gas extraction industry, especially in the Russian Arctic. Our current understanding of the extent and amplitude of the natural sources, as well as the large scale driving factors, remain highly uncertain (Kirschke et al., Nature Geosci., 2013). After a decade of pause, atmospheric methane seems to be increasing again, with a possible significant contribution from the wetlands of the northern high latitudes initiated by an unusual rise of regional temperatures in 2007 (Dlugokencky et al., 2009). This work aims at better understanding high latitude CH4 sources and sinks using atmospheric measurements and transport model. YAK-AEROSIB atmospheric airborne campaigns have been performed in order to provide observational data about the composition of Siberian air. In this work, we focus on the 2012 campaign which has been conducted on July 31st and August 1st. It consisted of five flights, performed in the troposphere from the boundary layer up to 8.5 km, connecting Novosibirsk to Yakutsk and back. This particular campaign was dominated by wildfires in Western and central Siberia. Therefore a chemistry-transport model (CHIMERE), combined with datasets for anthropogenic (EDGAR) emissions and models for wetlands (ORCHIDEE) and wildfire (GFED), has been used to interpret the collected data. From tagged tracers and model observation mismatch we describe results concerning CH4 fluxes in the Siberian territory. This work was funded by CNRS (France), the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, CEA (France), Presidium of RAS (Program No. 4), Brunch of Geology, Geophysics and Mining Sciences of RAS (Program No. 5), Interdisciplinary integration projects of Siberian Branch of RAS (No. 35, No. 70, No. 131), Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grants No 14-05-00526, 14-05-00590). Kirschke, S., P. Bousquet, P. Ciais, M. Saunois, J

Field experiment on spray drift: deposition and airborne drift during application to a winter wheat crop.

PubMed

Wolters, André; Linnemann, Volker; van de Zande, Jan C; Vereecken, Harry

2008-11-01

A field experiment was performed to evaluate various techniques for measuring spray deposition and airborne drift during spray application to a winter wheat crop. The application of a spraying agent containing the fluorescent dye Brilliant Sulfo Flavine by a conventional boom sprayer was done according to good agricultural practice. Deposition was measured by horizontal collectors in various arrangements in and outside the treated area. Airborne spray drift was measured both with a passive and an active air collecting system. Spray deposits on top of the treated canopy ranged between 68 and 71% of the applied dose and showed only small differences for various arrangements of the collectors. Furthermore, only small variations were measured within the various groups of collectors used for these arrangements. Generally, the highest spray deposition outside the treated area was measured close to the sprayed plot and was accompanied by a high variability of values, while a rapid decline of deposits was detected in more remote areas. Estimations of spray deposits with the IMAG Drift Calculator were in accordance with experimental findings only for areas located at a distance of 0.5-4.5 m from the last nozzle, while there was an overestimation of a factor of 4 at a distance of 2.0-3.0 m, thus revealing a high level of uncertainty of the estimation of deposition for short distances. Airborne spray drift measured by passive and active air collecting systems was approximately at the same level, when taking into consideration the collector efficiency of the woven nylon wire used as sampling material for the passive collecting system. The maximum value of total airborne spray drift for both spray applications (0.79% of the applied dose) was determined by the active collecting system. However, the comparatively high variability of measurements at various heights above the soil by active and passive collecting systems revealed need for further studies to elucidate the spatial

Initial results of detected methane emissions from landfills in the Los Angeles Basin during the COMEX campaign by the Methane Airborne MAPper (MAMAP) instrument and a greenhouse gas in-situ analyser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krautwurst, Sven; Gerilowski, Konstantin; Kolyer, Richard; Jonsson, Haflidi; Krings, Thomas; Horstjann, Markus; Leifer, Ira; Vigil, Sam; Buchwitz, Michael; Schüttemeyer, Dirk; Fladeland, Matthew M.; Burrows, John P.; Bovensmann, Heinrich

2015-04-01

the German Research Center for Geoscience (GFZ) in Potsdam. The in-situ measurements were obtained by a greenhouse gas (GHG) in-situ analyser operated by NASA's Ames Research Center (ARC). Both instruments were installed aboard a DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft operated by the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS). Initial results - including estimated fugitive emission rates - will be presented for the landfill Olinda Alpha in Brea, Orange County, Los Angeles Basin, California, which was overflown on four different days during the COMEX field campaign in late summer 2014.

Observations of OH-airglow from ground, aircraft, and satellite during the GW-LCYCLE campaign: investigation of different wave types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wüst, Sabine; Schmidt, Carsten; Hannawald, Patrick; Offenwanger, Thomas; Sedlak, René; Bittner, Michael; Yee, Jeng-Hwa; Mlynczak, Martin G.; Russell, James M., III

2017-04-01

During the GW-LCYCLE campaign from January to February 2016 in Northern Scandinavia, we operated four instruments: two ground-based OH* IR-spectrometers (scanning and non-scanning mode at ALOMAR (69°N), Norway, and Kiruna (68°N), Sweden) and one ground-based OH* IR all-sky camera (at Kiruna) as well as one OH* IR-camera on board the research aircraft FALCON (field of view ca. 30°, spatial resolution 150 m x 150 m). Due to the differing spatial and temporal resolution of the instruments, this equipment allows the investigation of temporal and spatial gravity wave parameters in a wide spectral range. The flights of the research aircraft provide the opportunity to investigate gravity waves in between both measurement sites. During the campaign period, the dynamical situation changed due to a minor stratospheric warming. The effect of this warming on the OH*-layer is investigated using TIMED-SABER data. We provide an overview of the development of planetary and gravity wave parameters and energy density at mesopause height during the campaign period and present first results of the airborne measurements. Finally, we discuss possible wave sources and the influence of the stratospheric warming on wave parameters, and propagation.

VIP tour of NASA DFRC's DC-8 during the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

VIP tour of NASA DFRC's DC-8 airborne laboratory during the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign given by Craig Dobson, NASA Program Manager for AirSAR, L-R: Dr. Sonia Marta Mora, President of the Costa Rican National Rector’s Council; NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe; Fernando Gutierrez, Costa Rican Minister of Science and Technology(MICIT); Mr. John Danilovich, US Ambassador to Costa Rica; and Dobson. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

Overview of the Joint NASA ISRO Imaging Spectroscopy Science Campaign in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, R. O.; Bhattacharya, B. K.; Eastwood, M. L.; Saxena, M.; Thompson, D. R.; Sadasivarao, B.

2016-12-01

In the period from December 2015 to March 2016 the Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) was deployed to India for a joint NASA ISRO science campaign. This campaign was conceived to provide first of their kind high fidelity imaging spectroscopy measurements of a diverse set of Asian environments for science and applications research. During this campaign measurements were acquired for 57 high priority sites that have objectives spanning: snow/ice of the Himalaya; coastal habitats and water quality; mangrove forests; soils; dry and humid forests; hydrocarbon alteration; mineralogy; agriculture; urban materials; atmospheric properties; and calibration/validation. Measurements from the campaign have been processed to at-instrument spectral radiance and atmospherically corrected surface reflectance. New AVIRIS-NG algorithms for retrieval of vegetation canopy water and for estimation of the fractions of photosynthetic, non-photosynthetic vegetation have been tested and evaluated on these measurements. An inflight calibration validation experiment was performed on the 11thof December 2015 in Hyderabad to assess the spectral and radiometric calibration of AVIRIS-NG in the flight environment. We present an overview of the campaign, calibration and validation results, and initial science analysis of a subset of these unique and diverse data sets.

ISRO's dual frequency airborne SAR pre-cursor to NISAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanujam, V. Manavala; Suneela, T. J. V. D.; Bhan, Rakesh

2016-05-01

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have jointly embarked on NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) operating in L-band and S-band, which will map Earth's surface every 12 days. As a pre-cursor to the NISAR mission, ISRO is planning an airborne SAR (L&S band) which will deliver NISAR analogue data products to the science community. ISRO will develop all the hardware with the aim of adhering to system design aspects of NISAR to the maximum extent possible. It is a fully polarimetric stripmap SAR and can be operated in single, dual, compact, quasi-quad and full polarimetry modes. It has wide incidence angle coverage from 24°-77° with swath coverage from 5.5km to 15 km. Apart from simultaneous imaging operations, this system can also operate in standalone L/S SAR modes. This system is planned to operate from an aircraft platform with nominal altitude of 8000meters. Antenna for this SAR will be rigidly mounted to the aircraft, whereas, motion compensation will be implemented in the software processor to generate data products. Data products for this airborne SAR will be generated in slant & ground range azimuth dimension and geocoded in HDF5/Geotiff formats. This airborne SAR will help to prepare the Indian scientific community for optimum utilization of NISAR data. In-order to collect useful science data, airborne campaigns are planned from end of 2016 onwards.

Calibration and Validation of Airborne InSAR Geometric Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chunming, Han; huadong, Guo; Xijuan, Yue; Changyong, Dou; Mingming, Song; Yanbing, Zhang

2014-03-01

The image registration or geo-coding is a very important step for many applications of airborne interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), especially for those involving Digital Surface Model (DSM) generation, which requires an accurate knowledge of the geometry of the InSAR system. While the trajectory and attitude instabilities of the aircraft introduce severe distortions in three dimensional (3-D) geometric model. The 3-D geometrical model of an airborne SAR image depends on the SAR processor itself. Working at squinted model, i.e., with an offset angle (squint angle) of the radar beam from broadside direction, the aircraft motion instabilities may produce distortions in airborne InSAR geometric relationship, which, if not properly being compensated for during SAR imaging, may damage the image registration. The determination of locations of the SAR image depends on the irradiated topography and the exact knowledge of all signal delays: range delay and chirp delay (being adjusted by the radar operator) and internal delays which are unknown a priori. Hence, in order to obtain reliable results, these parameters must be properly calibrated. An Airborne InSAR mapping system has been developed by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to acquire three-dimensional geo-spatial data with high resolution and accuracy. To test the performance of the InSAR system, the Validation/Calibration (Val/Cal) campaign has carried out in Sichun province, south-west China, whose results will be reported in this paper.

NMHCs and halocarbons in Asian continental outflow during the Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) Field Campaign: Comparison With PEM-West B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, Nicola J.; Blake, Donald R.; Simpson, Isobel J.; Meinardi, Simone; Swanson, Aaron L.; Lopez, Jimena P.; Katzenstein, Aaron S.; Barletta, Barbara; Shirai, Tomoko; Atlas, Elliot; Sachse, Glen; Avery, Melody; Vay, Stephanie; Fuelberg, Henry E.; Kiley, Christopher M.; Kita, Kazuyuki; Rowland, F. Sherwood

2003-10-01

We present an overview of the spatial distributions of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and halocarbons observed over the western north Pacific as part of the NASA GTE Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) airborne field campaign (February-April 2001). The TRACE-P data are compared with earlier measurements from the Pacific Rim during the Pacific Exploratory Mission-West B (PEM-West B), which took place in February-March 1994, and with emission inventory data for 2000. Despite the limited spatial and temporal data coverage inherent to airborne sampling, mean levels of the longer-lived NMHCs (including ethane, ethyne, and benzene) were remarkably similar to our results during the PEM-West B campaign. By comparison, mixing ratios of the fire extinguisher Halon-1211 (CF2ClBr) increased by about 50% in the period between 1994 and 2001. Southern China (south of 35°N), and particularly the Shanghai region, appears to have been a substantial source of Halon-1211 during TRACE-P. Our previous analysis of the PEM-West B data employed methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3) as a useful industrial tracer. However, regulations have reduced its emissions to the extent that its mixing ratio during TRACE-P was only one-third of that measured in 1994. Methyl chloroform mixing ratio "hot spots," indicating regions downwind of continuing emissions, included outflow from the vicinity of Shanghai, China, but particularly high emission ratios relative to CO were observed close to Japan and Korea. Tetrachloroethene (C2Cl4) levels have also decreased significantly, especially north of 25°N, but this gas still remains a useful indicator of northern industrial emissions. Methyl bromide (CH3Br) levels were systematically 1-2 pptv lower from 1994 to 2001, in accord with recent reports. However, air masses that had been advected over Japan and/or South Korean port cities typically exhibited elevated levels of CH3Br. As a consequence, emissions of CH3Br from Japan and Korea

Organic Halogen and Related Trace Gases in the Tropical Atmosphere: Results from Recent Airborne Campaigns Over the Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atlas, E. L.; Navarro, M. A.; Donets, V.; Schauffler, S.; Lueb, R.; Hendershot, R.; Gabbard, S.; Hornbrook, R. S.; Apel, E. C.; Riemer, D. D.; Pan, L.; Salawitch, R. J.; Nicely, J. M.; Montzka, S. A.; Miller, B.; Moore, F. L.; Elkins, J. W.; Hintsa, E. J.; Campos, T. L.; Quack, B.; Zhu, X.; Pope, L.

2014-12-01

Organic halogen gases, especially containing bromine and iodine, play a significant role as precursors to active halogen chemistry and ozone catalytic loss. Much of the reactive organic halogen originates from biological processes in the surface ocean, which can be quite variable by season and location. The tropics and coastal margins are potentially important sources that are being examined. The recent coordinated CONTRAST/ATTREX/CAST missions were conducted in the Western Tropical Pacific, a region that is a major transport pathway for tropospheric air entering the stratosphere. One of the goals of the missions was to identify sources, distributions, and transport of organic halogens from the ocean surface into the tropical lower stratosphere. The missions were conducted during the NH winter season, Jan-Feb, 2014. In this presentation, we will discuss the distributions and variability of organic halogen gases in the study region and will examine the input of organic halogen species into the Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL). Comparison with other tracers, such as methyl nitrate and NMHC, will help identify source regions for these gases. We will focus on the measurements obtained in the CONTRAST and ATTREX missions with data from in-situ GC/MS measurements and whole air samples collected on the NSF GV and NASA Global Hawk aircraft. Comparisons with other recent airborne campaigns, such as HIPPO and TC4, and with several ship-based studies will provide an additional context for evaluating the variability of organic halogen species in the tropical atmosphere and their role in transporting reactive halogen compounds into the UT/LS.

VIP group in hangar during AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

VIP group in hangar during AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign, L-R: Dr. Gahssem Asrar, NASA Associate Administrator for Earth Science Enterprises; Fernando Gutierrez, Costa Rican Minister of Science and Technology(MICIT); Jorge Andres Diaz, Director of the Costa Rican National Hangar for Airborne Research division of the National Center for High Technology(CENAT); Dr. Pedro Leon, General Director for the Costa Rican National Center for High Technology(CENAT); NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe; Dr. Sonia Marta Mora, President of the Costa Rican National Rector’s Council(CONARE); Mr. John Danilovich, US Ambassador to Costa Rica; and unknown. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

SWUIS-A: A Versatile, Low-Cost UV/VIS/IR Imaging System for Airborne Astronomy and Aeronomy Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Durda, Daniel D.; Stern, S. Alan; Tomlinson, William; Slater, David C.; Vilas, Faith

2001-01-01

We have developed and successfully flight-tested on 14 different airborne missions the hardware and techniques for routinely conducting valuable astronomical and aeronomical observations from high-performance, two-seater military-type aircraft. The SWUIS-A (Southwest Universal Imaging System - Airborne) system consists of an image-intensified CCD camera with broad band response from the near-UV to the near IR, high-quality foreoptics, a miniaturized video recorder, an aircraft-to-camera power and telemetry interface with associated camera controls, and associated cables, filters, and other minor equipment. SWUIS-A's suite of high-quality foreoptics gives it selectable, variable focal length/variable field-of-view capabilities. The SWUIS-A camera frames at 60 Hz video rates, which is a key requirement for both jitter compensation and high time resolution (useful for occultation, lightning, and auroral studies). Broadband SWUIS-A image coadds can exceed a limiting magnitude of V = 10.5 in <1 sec with dark sky conditions. A valuable attribute of SWUIS-A airborne observations is the fact that the astronomer flies with the instrument, thereby providing Space Shuttle-like "payload specialist" capability to "close-the-loop" in real-time on the research done on each research mission. Key advantages of the small, high-performance aircraft on which we can fly SWUIS-A include significant cost savings over larger, more conventional airborne platforms, worldwide basing obviating the need for expensive, campaign-style movement of specialized large aircraft and their logistics support teams, and ultimately faster reaction times to transient events. Compared to ground-based instruments, airborne research platforms offer superior atmospheric transmission, the mobility to reach remote and often-times otherwise unreachable locations over the Earth, and virtually-guaranteed good weather for observing the sky. Compared to space-based instruments, airborne platforms typically offer

Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Improving Machine Readability for ICARTT Data Files

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Northup, E. A.; Early, A. B.; Beach, A. L., III; Kusterer, J.; Quam, B.; Wang, D.; Chen, G.

2015-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. The ASDC Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD) is designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. TAD makes use of aircraft data stored in the International Consortium for Atmospheric Research on Transport and Transformation (ICARTT) file format. ICARTT has been the NASA standard since 2010, and is widely used by NOAA, NSF, and international partners (DLR, FAAM). Its level of acceptance is due in part to it being generally self-describing for researchers, i.e., it provides necessary data descriptions for proper research use. Despite this, there are a number of issues with the current ICARTT format, especially concerning the machine readability. In order to overcome these issues, the TAD team has developed an "idealized" file format. This format is ASCII and is sufficiently machine readable to sustain the TAD system, however, it is not fully compatible with the current ICARTT format. The process of mapping ICARTT metadata to the idealized format, the format specifics, and the actual conversion process will be discussed. The goal of this presentation is to demonstrate an example of how to improve the machine readability of ASCII data format protocols.

Preliminary analysis of columnar aerosol properties in relation to surface PM measurements in the DAMOCLES 2006 field campaign (Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estelles, V.; Esteve, A.; Pey, J.; Martinez-Lozano, J. A.; Utrillas, M. P.; Querol, X.; de La Rosa, J.; Gonzalez-Castanedo, Y.; Alastuey, A.; Gangoiti, G.

2009-04-01

The DAMOCLES network is a Spanish thematic network, started in 2004, whose main objective is the establishment of a link among the different groups that perform research on atmospheric aerosols in Spain. Under the DAMOCLES coordination, a field campaign was held in summer 2006 at the INTA installations (El Arenosillo, Huelva) for the intercomparison of different kind of instruments devoted to in - situ and columnar aerosol measurement. During this field campaign, two daily meteorological soundings were carried out at noon and midnight for characterization of the atmospheric condition. A plane was also flown by the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) to carry airborne sensors for measuring different atmospheric factors: meteorological parameters, ozone with a 2BTech analyzer, and aerosol particle size distributions in the range (0.01-2) microns, by using a PCASP probe. The columnar aerosol properties were measured by seven CIMEL CE318 sun photometers. For in situ aerosol characterization, high volume collectors (DIGITEL and MCV) with DIGITEL for PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 measurement were used, with two cascade impactors for particulate matter measurement in 7 -8 granulometric fractions. For the PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 measurement, quartz fibre filters of 150 mm diameter were adapted. Other in situ deployed instruments were a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS, Model 3936), two Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS Model 3321) and one Grimm Spectrometer (Model #190). For characterization of the aerosol scattering at ground level, three integrating nephelometers TSI-3563 were used. For the columnar profiling we deployed five LIDAR instruments. In this study we have related the columnar aerosol measurements retrieved with one CE318 sun photometer to the surface PM measurements, mainly in some interesting situations where nearby pollution sources were influencing the local atmosphere. For the sun photometric analysis, we have applied the EuroSkyRad package (ESR

Linking Publications to Instruments, Field Campaigns, Sites and Working Groups: The ARM Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehnert, K.; Parsons, M. A.; Ramachandran, R.; Fils, D.; Narock, T.; Fox, P. A.; Troyan, D.; Cialella, A. T.; Gregory, L.; Lazar, K.; Liang, M.; Ma, L.; Tilp, A.; Wagener, R.

2017-12-01

For the past 25 years, the ARM Climate Research Facility - a US Department of Energy scientific user facility - has been collecting atmospheric data in different climatic regimes using both in situ and remote instrumentation. Configuration of the facility's components has been designed to improve the understanding and representation, in climate and earth system models, of clouds and aerosols. Placing a premium on long-term continuous data collection resulted in terabytes of data having been collected, stored, and made accessible to any interested person. All data is accessible via the ARM.gov website and the ARM Data Discovery Tool. A team of metadata professionals assign appropriate tags to help facilitate searching the databases for desired data. The knowledge organization tools and concepts are used to create connections between data, instruments, field campaigns, sites, and measurements are familiar to informatics professionals. Ontology, taxonomy, classification, and thesauri are among the customized concepts put into practice for ARM's purposes. In addition to the multitude of data available, there have been approximately 3,000 journal articles that utilize ARM data. These have been linked to specific ARM web pages. Searches of the complete ARM publication database can be done using a separate interface. This presentation describes how ARM data is linked to instruments, sites, field campaigns, and publications through the application of standard knowledge organization tools and concepts.

Multiangular L-band Datasets for Soil Moisture and Sea Surface Salinity Retrieval Measured by Airborne HUT-2D Synthetic Aperture Radiometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kainulainen, J.; Rautiainen, K.; Seppänen, J.; Hallikainen, M.

2009-04-01

SMOS is the European Space Agency's next Earth Explorer satellite due for launch in 2009. It aims for global monitoring of soil moisture and ocean salinity utilizing a new technology concept for remote sensing: two-dimensional aperture synthesis radiometry. The payload of SMOS is Microwave Imaging Radiometer by Aperture Synthesis, or MIRAS. It is a passive instrument that uses 72 individual L-band receivers for measuring the brightness temperature of the Earth. From each acquisition, i.e. integration time or snapshot, MIRAS provides two-dimensional brightness temperature of the scene in the instrument's field of view. Thus, consecutive snapshots provide multiangular measurements of the target once the instrument passes over it. Depending on the position of the target in instrument's swath, the brightness temperature of the target at incidence angles from zero up to 50 degrees can be measured with one overpass. To support the development MIRAS instrument, its calibration, and soil moisture and sea surface salinity retrieval algorithm development, Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) has designed, manufactured and tested a radiometer which operates at L-band and utilizes the same two-dimensional methodology of interferometery and aperture synthesis as MIRAS does. This airborne instrument, called HUT-2D, was designed to be used on board the University's research aircraft. It provides multiangular measurements of the target in its field of view, which spans up to 30 degrees off the boresight of the instrument, which is pointed to the nadir. The number of independent measurements of each target point depends on the flight speed and altitude. In addition to the Spanish Airborne MIRAS demonstrator (AMIRAS), HUT-2D is the only European airborne synthetic aperture radiometer. This paper presents the datasets and measurement campaigns, which have been carried out using the HUT-2D radiometer and are available for the scientific community. In April 2007 HUT-2D participated

The Real Time Mission Monitor: A Platform for Real Time Environmental Data Integration and Display during NASA Field Campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, M.; Hardin, D. M.; Goodman, M.; Blakeslee, R.

2008-05-01

The Real Time Mission Monitor (RTMM) is an interactive visualization application based on Google Earth, that provides situational awareness and field asset management during NASA field campaigns. The RTMM can integrate data and imagery from numerous sources including GOES-12, GOES-10, and TRMM satellites. Simultaneously, it can display data and imagery from surface observations including Nexrad, NPOL and SMART- R radars. In addition to all these it can display output from models and real-time flight tracks of all aircraft involved in the experiment. In some instances the RTMM can also display measurements from scientific instruments as they are being flown. All data are recorded and archived in an on-line system enabling playback and review of all sorties. This is invaluable in preparing for future deployments and in exercising case studies. The RTMM facilitates pre-flight planning, in-flight monitoring, development of adaptive flight strategies and post- flight data analyses and assessments. Since the RTMM is available via the internet - during the actual experiment - project managers, scientists and mission planners can collaborate no matter where they are located as long as they have a viable internet connection. In addition, the system is open so that the general public can also view the experiment, in-progress, with Google Earth. Predecessors of RTMM were originally deployed in 2002 as part of the Altus Cumulus Electrification Study (ACES) to monitor uninhabited aerial vehicles near thunderstorms. In 2005 an interactive Java-based web prototype supported the airborne Lightning Instrument Package (LIP) during the Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes (TCSP) experiment. In 2006 the technology was adapted to the 3D Google Earth virtual globe and in 2007 its capabilities were extended to support multiple NASA aircraft (ER-2, WB-57, DC-8) during Tropical Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling (TC4) experiment and 2007 Summer Aerosonde field study. In April 2008

On the usefulness of an airborne lidar for O3 layer analysis in the free troposphere and the planetary boundary layer.

PubMed

Ancellet, G; Ravetta, F

2003-02-01

Ozone vertical profiling with a lidar is well adapted to the spatial and temporal O3 variability analysis either in the free troposphere, when studying the respective impact of chemical production and dynamical processes, or in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) when characterizing the diurnal evolution of ozone plumes during pollution episodes. Comparisons with other measuring techniques (ozonesonde and aircraft in-situ measurements) demonstrate the lidar ability to characterize narrow layers (< 500 m) with a good accuracy (deltaO3 < 5-10 ppb). Application of airborne or ground-based operation of the CNRS airborne ozone lidar show its ability (i) to observe O3 layering above the PBL during two field experiments held to study air pollution in the Po Valley, Northern Italy, and the city of Marseille, Southern France, (ii) to improve airborne campaign planning (real time information on position of O3 layers) and analysis (three-dimensional perspective for layers detected by in-situ measurements) when chemical characterization of narrow O3 layers in the free troposphere is sought, (iii) to map O3 inhomogeneity down to an horizontal scale of 10-20 km within or above the polluted PBL by airborne measurements. For O3 pollution studies, understanding the origin and the life cycle of O3 layering is the first priority, and in this case the optimum use of the lidar remains the continuous operation of a ground-based instrument.

A Comparison Between Three IMUs for Strapdown Airborne Gravimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayres-Sampaio, Diogo; Deurloo, Richard; Bos, Machiel; Magalhães, Américo; Bastos, Luísa

2015-07-01

Strapdown airborne gravimetry relies on the combination of an inertial measuring unit (IMU) and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) to measure the Earth's gravity field. Early results with navigation-grade IMUs showed similar accuracies to those obtained with scalar gravimetric systems in the down component. This paper investigates the accuracy of three IMUs used for strapdown airborne gravimetry under the same flight conditions. The three systems considered were navigation-grade IMUs, iXSea AIRINS and iMAR iNAV-FMS, and a tactical-grade Litton LN-200. The data were collected in 2010 over the Island of Madeira, Portugal, in the scope of GEOid over MADeira campaign. The coordinates and orientation of the aircraft were computed using an extended Kalman filter based on the inertial navigation approach. GNSS position and velocity observations were used to update the filter, and the gravity disturbance was considered to be a stochastic process and was part of the state vector. A new crossover point-based serial tuning was introduced to deal with the uncertainty of choosing the filter's a priori information. The results show that with the iXSea accuracies of 2.1 and 1.6 mGal can be obtained for 1.7 and 5.0 km of spatial resolution (half-wavelength), respectively. iMAR's results were significantly affected by a nonlinear drift, which led to lower accuracies of 4.1-5.5 mGal. Remarkably, Litton showed very consistent results and achieved an accuracy of about 4.5 mGal at 5 km of spatial resolution (half-wavelength).

What is the experience of national quality campaigns? Views from the field.

PubMed

Bradley, Elizabeth H; Nembhard, Ingrid M; Yuan, Christina T; Stern, Amy F; Curtis, Jeptha P; Nallamothu, Brahmajee K; Brush, John E; Krumholz, Harlan M

2010-12-01

To identify key characteristics of a national quality campaign that participants viewed as effective, to understand mechanisms by which the campaign influenced hospital practices, and to elucidate contextual factors that modified the perceived influence of the campaign on hospital improvements. In-depth interviews, hospital surveys, and Health Quality Alliance data. We conducted a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with clinical and administrative staff (N = 99) at hospitals reporting strong influence (n = 6) as well as hospitals reporting limited influence (n = 6) of the Door-to-Balloon (D2B) Alliance, a national quality campaign to improve heart attack care. We analyzed these qualitative data as well as changes in hospital use of recommended strategies reported through a hospital survey and changes in treatment times using Health Quality Alliance data. In-depth, open-ended interviews; hospital survey. Key characteristics of the national quality campaign viewed as enhancing its effectiveness were as follows: credibility of the recommendations, perceived simplicity of the recommendations, alignment with hospitals' strategic goals, practical implementation tools, and breadth of the network of peer hospitals in the D2B Alliance. Perceived mechanisms of the campaign's influence included raising awareness and influencing goals, fostering strategy adoption, and influencing aspects of organizational culture. Modifying contextual factors included perceptions about current performance and internal championship for the recommended changes. The impact of national quality campaigns may depend on both campaign design features and on the internal environment of participating hospitals. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Phenotyping Drought Tolerance and Yield Potential of Warm-Season Legumes Through Field- and Airborne-Based Hyperspectral VSWIR Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drewry, D.; Berny-Mier y Teran, J. C.; Dutta, D.; Gepts, P.

2017-12-01

Hyperspectral sensing in the visible through shortwave infrared (VSWIR) portion of the spectrum has been demonstrated to provide significant information on the structural and functional properties of vegetation, resulting in powerful techniques to discern species differences, characterize crop nutrient or water stress, and quantify the density of foliage in agricultural fields. Modern machine-learning techniques allow for the entire set of spectral bands, on the order of hundreds with modern field and airborne spectrometers, to be used to develop models that can simultaneously retrieve a variety of foliar chemical compounds and hydrological and structural states. The application of these techniques, in the context of leaf-level measurements of VSWIR reflectance, or more complicated remote airborne surveys, has the potential to revolutionize high-throughput methods to phenotype germplasm that optimizes yield, resource-use efficiencies, or alternate objectives related to disease resistance or biomass accumulation, for example. Here we focus on breeding trials for a set of warm-season legumes, conducted in both greenhouse and field settings, and spanning a set of diverse genotypes providing a range of adaptation to drought and yield potential in the context of the semi-arid climate cultivation. At the leaf-level, a large set of spectral reflectance measurements spanning 400-2500 nanometers were made for plants across various growth stages in field experiments that induced severe drought, along with sampling for relevant trait values. Here we will discuss the development and performance of algorithms for a range of leaf traits related to gas exchange, leaf structure, hydrological status, nutrient contents and stable isotope discrimination, along with their relationships to drought resistance and yield. We likewise discuss the effectiveness of quantifying relevant foliar and canopy traits through airborne imaging spectroscopy from small unmanned vehicles (sUAVs), and

Movements, Markets and Fields: The Effects of Anti-Sweatshop Campaigns on U.S. Firms, 1993-2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartley, Tim; Child, Curtis

2011-01-01

How do social movements influence corporations? Recent work suggests that movements can inflict material damage on their targets and shape categories of evaluation in organizational fields. Extending these ideas, we examine the effects of anti-sweatshop campaigns on sales, stock performance, reputation and specialized ratings of U.S. firms, using…

Progress Report on the Airborne Metadata and Time Series Working Groups of the 2016 ESDSWG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, K. D.; Northup, E. A.; Chen, G.; Conover, H.; Ames, D. P.; Teng, W. L.; Olding, S. W.; Krotkov, N. A.

2016-12-01

NASA's Earth Science Data Systems Working Groups (ESDSWG) was created over 10 years ago. The role of the ESDSWG is to make recommendations relevant to NASA's Earth science data systems from users' experiences. Each group works independently focusing on a unique topic. Participation in ESDSWG groups comes from a variety of NASA-funded science and technology projects, including MEaSUREs and ROSS. Participants include NASA information technology experts, affiliated contractor staff and other interested community members from academia and industry. Recommendations from the ESDSWG groups will enhance NASA's efforts to develop long term data products. The Airborne Metadata Working Group is evaluating the suitability of the current Common Metadata Repository (CMR) and Unified Metadata Model (UMM) for airborne data sets and to develop new recommendations as necessary. The overarching goal is to enhance the usability, interoperability, discovery and distribution of airborne observational data sets. This will be done by assessing the suitability (gaps) of the current UMM model for airborne data using lessons learned from current and past field campaigns, listening to user needs and community recommendations and assessing the suitability of ISO metadata and other standards to fill the gaps. The Time Series Working Group (TSWG) is a continuation of the 2015 Time Series/WaterML2 Working Group. The TSWG is using a case study-driven approach to test the new Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) TimeseriesML standard to determine any deficiencies with respect to its ability to fully describe and encode NASA earth observation-derived time series data. To do this, the time series working group is engaging with the OGC TimeseriesML Standards Working Group (SWG) regarding unsatisfied needs and possible solutions. The effort will end with the drafting of an OGC Engineering Report based on the use cases and interactions with the OGC TimeseriesML SWG. Progress towards finalizing

The impact of mass communication campaigns in the health field.

PubMed

Alcalay, R

1983-01-01

This article analyzes a series of health education projects that used the mass media to change behavior. First, the article describes how persuasion theories are used to maximize impact in mass communication campaigns. Second, this paper discusses theories of social psychology used in such campaigns. One such theory, cognitive dissonance, explains changes at the level of attitudes, beliefs and opinion. Another theory, social learning, defines strategies of behavior changes. A third theory, concerning diffusion of innovations, helps understand the network of interpersonal relationships essential for the adoption of any innovation. McGuire's inoculation theory suggests strategies to aid resistance to harmful environmental influences (e.g. smoking, excessive drinking, etc.). Third, this work reviews public health campaigns that have used one or more of these theories of social psychology. The first project, dealing with smoking behavior cessation and prevention, mainly used strategies of interpersonal communication for inoculating and modeling useful behavior in order to resist social pressures favorable to smoking. The second project, designed to prevent alcoholism, used the mass media primarily. The objective of this campaign was to obtain changes in knowledge, attitude and behavior in the public through modeling desirable behaviors over public service announcements. The third campaign, a heart disease prevention program, used a combination of mass media and interpersonal communication to achieve changes in lifestyle of the population. Finally, this article describes limitations in using mass media in behavior change health programs.

Spectrometers for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) Upgrade to Full Sun-Sky-Cloud-Trace Gas Spectrometry Capability for Airborne Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunagan, S. E.; Flynn, C. J.; Johnson, R. R.; Kacenelenbogen, M. S.; Knobelspiesse, K. D.; LeBlanc, S. E.; Livingston, J. M.; Redemann, J.; Russell, P. B.; Schmid, B.; Segal-Rosenhaimer, M.; Shinozuka, Y.

2014-12-01

The Spectrometers for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) instrument has been developed at NASA Ames in collaboration with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and NASA Goddard, supported substantially since 2009 by NASA's Radiation Science Program and Earth Science Technology Office. It combines grating spectrometers with fiber optic links to a tracking, scanning head to enable sun tracking, sky scanning, and zenith viewing. 4STAR builds on the long and productive heritage of the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometers (AATS-6 and -14), which have yielded more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and extensive archived data sets in many NASA Airborne Science campaigns from 1986 to the present. The baseline 4STAR instrument has provided extensive data supporting the TCAP (Two Column Aerosol Project, July 2012 & Feb. 2013), SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys, 2013), and ARISE (Arctic Radiation - IceBridge Sea and Ice Experiment, 2014), field campaigns.This poster presents plans and progress for an upgrade to the 4STAR instrument to achieve full science capability, including (1) direct-beam sun tracking measurements to derive aerosol optical depth spectra, (2) sky radiance measurements to retrieve aerosol absorption and type (via complex refractive index and mode-resolved size distribution), (3) cloud properties via zenith radiance, and (4) trace gas spectrometry. Technical progress in context with the governing physics is reported on several upgrades directed at improved light collection and usage, particularly as related to spectrally and radiometrically stable propagation through the collection light path. In addition, improvements to field calibration and verification, and flight operability and reliability are addressed.

Noise Whitening in Airborne Wind Profiling With a Pulsed 2-Micron Coherent Doppler Lidar at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beyon, Jeffrey Y.; Arthur, Grant E.; Koch, Grady J.; Kavaya, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Two different noise whitening methods in airborne wind profiling with a pulsed 2-micron coherent Doppler lidar system at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia are presented. In order to provide accurate wind parameter estimates from the airborne lidar data acquired during the NASA Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) campaign in 2010, the adverse effects of background instrument noise must be compensated properly in the early stage of data processing. The results of the two methods are presented using selected GRIP data and compared with the dropsonde data for verification purposes.

Airborne Passive Remote Sensing of the Troposphere in Nashville/Middle Tennessee Area During the 1995 Southern Oxidants Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rider, D. M.; Worden, H. M.; Beer, R.; Nandi, S.; Sparks, L. C.

1998-01-01

In July of 1995 the Airborne Emission Spectrometer was deployed to Nashville, Tennessee to participate in the 1995 Ozone Study Intensive Campaign of the Southern Oxidants Study. AES is a high resolution mid-infrared interferometer that measures the spectrum of upwelling radiation in the 650-4250 cm-1 range.

Cloud Physics Lidar Measurements During the SAFARI-2000 Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGill, Matthew; Hlavka, Dennis; Hart, William; Spinhirne, James; Scott, Stan; Starr, David OC. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A new remote sensing instrument, the Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL) has been built for use on the ER-2 aircraft. The first deployment for CPL was the SAFARI-2000 field campaign during August-September 2000. The CPL is a three-wavelength lidar designed for studies of cirrus, subvisual cirrus, and boundary layer aerosols. The CPL utilizes a high repetition rate, low pulse energy laser with photon counting detectors. A brief description of the CPL instrument will be given, followed by examples of CPL data products. In particular, examples of aerosol backscatter, including boundary layer smoke and cirrus clouds will be shown. Resulting optical depth estimates derived from the aerosol measurements will be shown. Comparisons of the CPL optical depth and optical depth derived from microPulse Lidar and the AATS-14 sunphotomer will be shown.

Po-Basin Atmospheric Composition during the Pegasos Field Campaign (summer 2012): Evaluation of ninfa/aodeM Simulation with In-Situ e Remote Sensing Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landi, Tony C.; Bonafe, Giovanni; Stortini, Michele; Minguzzi, Enrico; Cristofanelli, Paolo; Marinoni, Angela; Giulianelli, Lara; Sandrini, Silvia; Gilardoni, Stefania; Rinaldi, Matteo; Ricciardelli, Isabella

2014-05-01

Within the EU project PEGASOS one of three field campaigns took place in the Po Valley during the summer of 2012. Photochemistry, particle formation, and particle properties related to diurnal evolution of the PBL were investigated through both in-situ and airborne measurements on board a Zeppelin NT air ship. In addition, 3-D air quality modeling systems were implemented over the Po valley for the summer 2012 to better characterize the atmospheric conditions, in terms of meteorological parameters and chemical composition. In this work, we present a comparison between atmospheric composition simulations carried out by the modeling system NINFA/AODEM with measurements performed during the PEGASOS field campaign for the period 13 June - 12 July 2012. NINFA (Stortini et al., 2007) is based on the chemical transport model CHIMERE (Bessagnet et al., 2008), driven by COSMO-I7, the meteorological Italian Limited Area Model, (Steppeler et al., 2003). Boundary conditions are provided by Prev'air data (www.prevair.org), and emission data input are based on regional, national and European inventory. Besides, a post-processing tool for aerosol optical properties calculation, called AODEM (Landi T. C. 2013) was implemented. Thus, predictions of Aerosol Optical Depth and aerosol extinction coefficient were also used for model comparison to vertical-resolved observations. For this experiment, NINFA/AODEM has been also evaluated by using measurements of size-segregated aerosol samples, number particles concentration and aerosol optical properties collected on hourly basis at the 3 different sampling sites representative of urban background (Bologna), rural background (San Pietro Capofiume) and remote high altitude station (Monte Cimone 2165 ma.s.l.). ). In addition, we focused on new particles formations events and long range transports from Northern Africa observed during the field campaign. References Bessagnet, Bertrand, Laurent Menut, Gabriele Curci, Alma Hodzic, Bruno

Use of real-time tools to support field operations of NSF's Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniels, M.; Stossmeister, G.; Johnson, E.; Martin, C.; Webster, C.; Dixon, M.; Maclean, G.

2012-12-01

NCAR's Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) operates Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) for the scientific community, under sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. In order to obtain the highest quality dataset during field campaigns, real-time decision-making critically depends on the availability of timely data and reliable communications between field operations staff and instrument operators. EOL incorporates the latest technologies to monitor the health of instrumentation, facilitate remote operations of instrumentation and keep project participants abreast of changing conditions in the field. As the availability of bandwidth on mobile communication networks and the capabilities of their associated devices (smart phone, tablets, etc.) improved, so has the ability of researchers to respond to rapidly changing conditions and coordinate ever more detailed measurements from multiple remote fixed, portable and airborne platforms. This presentation will describe several new tools that EOL is making available to project investigators and how these tools are being used in a mobile computing environment to support enhanced data collection during field campaigns. LAOF platforms such as radars, aircraft, sondes, balloons and surface stations all rely on displays of real-time data for their operations. Data from sondes are ingested into the Global Telecommunications System (GTS) for assimilation into regional forecasting models that help guide project operations. Since many of EOL's projects occur around the globe and at the same time instrument complexity has increased, automated monitoring of instrumentation platforms and systems has become essential. Tools are being developed to allow remote instrument control of our suite of observing systems where feasible. The Computing, Data and Software (CDS) Facility of EOL develops and supports a Field Catalog used in field campaigns for nearly two decades. Today, the Field Catalog serves as a hub for the

Spatial variations in atmospheric CO2 concentrations during the ARCTAS-CARB 2008 Summer Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadrevu, K. P.; Choi, Y.; Vay, S. A.

2009-12-01

The Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) was a major NASA field campaign designed to understand the transport and transformation of trace gases and aerosols on transcontinental and intercontinental scales and their impact on the composition of the arctic atmosphere and climate. Preceding the summer ARCTAS deployment, measurements were conducted over the state of California in collaboration with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) utilizing the airborne chemistry payload already integrated on the NASA DC-8. In situ CO2 measurements were made using a modified infrared CO2 gas analyzer having a precision of 0.1 ppmv and accuracy of ±0.25 ppmv traceable to the WMO scale. This analysis focuses on the atmospheric CO2 variability and biospheric/atmospheric exchange over California. We used multi-satellite remote sensing datasets to relate airborne observations of CO2 to infer sources and sinks. Georeferencing the airborne CO2 transect data with the LANDSAT derived land cover datasets over California suggested significant spatial variations. The airborne CO2 concentrations were found to be 375-380ppm over the Pacific ocean, 385-391ppm in the highly vegetated agricultural areas, 400-420 in the near coastal areas and greater than 425ppmv in the urban areas. Analysis from MODIS fire products suggested significant fires in northern California. CO2 emissions exceeded 425ppmv in the fire affected regions, where mostly Douglas and White Fir conifers and mixed Chaparral vegetation was burnt. Analysis from GOES-East and GOES-West visible satellite imagery suggested significant smoke plumes moving from northern California towards Nevada and Idaho. To infer the biospheric uptake of CO2, we tested the potential correlations between airborne CO2 data and MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). Results suggested significant anti-correlations between the airborne CO2 data and

Detecting trends in regional ecosystem functioning: the importance of field data for calibrating and validating NEON airborne remote sensing instruments and science data products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCorkel, J.; Kuester, M. A.; Johnson, B. R.; Krause, K.; Kampe, T. U.; Moore, D. J.

2011-12-01

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a research facility under development by the National Science Foundation to improve our understanding of and ability to forecast the impacts of climate change, land-use change, and invasive species on ecology. The infrastructure, designed to operate over 30 years or more, includes site-based flux tower and field measurements, coordinated with airborne remote sensing observations to observe key ecological processes over a broad range of temporal and spatial scales. NEON airborne data on vegetation biochemical, biophysical, and structural properties and on land use and land cover will be captured at 1 to 2 meter resolution by an imaging spectrometer, a small-footprint waveform-LiDAR and a high-resolution digital camera. Annual coverage of the 60 NEON sites and capacity to support directed research flights or respond to unexpected events will require three airborne observation platforms (AOP). The integration of field and airborne data with satellite observations and other national geospatial data for analysis, monitoring and input to ecosystem models will extend NEON observations to regions across the United States not directly sampled by the observatory. The different spatial scales and measurement methods make quantitative comparisons between remote sensing and field data, typically collected over small sample plots (e.g. < 0.2 ha), difficult. New approaches to developing temporal and spatial scaling relationships between these data are necessary to enable validation of airborne and satellite remote sensing data and for incorporation of these data into continental or global scale ecological models. In addition to consideration of the methods used to collect ground-based measurements, careful calibration of the remote sensing instrumentation and an assessment of the accuracy of algorithms used to derive higher-level science data products are needed. Furthermore, long-term consistency of the data collected by all

Airborne observations of cloud properties on HALO during NARVAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konow, Heike; Hansen, Akio; Ament, Felix

2016-04-01

The representation of cloud and precipitation processes is one of the largest sources of uncertainty in climate and weather predictions. To validate model predictions of convective processes over the Atlantic ocean, usually satellite data are used. However, satellite products provide just a coarse view with poor temporal resolution of convective maritime clouds. Aircraft-based observations offer a more detailed insight due to lower altitude and high sampling rates. The research aircraft HALO (High Altitude Long Range Research Aircraft) is operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). With a ceiling of 15 km, and a range of 10,000 km and more than 10 hours it is able to reach remote regions and operate from higher altitudes than most other research aircraft. Thus, it provides the unique opportunity to exploit regions of the atmosphere that cannot be easily accessed otherwise. Measurements conducted on HALO provide more detailed insights than achievable from satellite data. Therefore, this measurement platform bridges the gap between previous airborne measurements and satellites. The payload used for this study consists of, amongst others, a suite of passive microwave radiometers, a cloud radar, and a water vapor DIAL. To investigate cloud and precipitation properties of convective maritime clouds, the NARVAL (Next-generation Aircraft Remote-Sensing for Validation Studies) campaign was conducted in winter 2013/2014 out of Barbados and Keflavik (Iceland). This campaign was one of the first that took place on the HALO aircraft. During the experiment's two parts 15 research flights were conducted (8 flights during NARVAL-South out of Barbados to investigate trade-wind cumuli and 7 flights out of Keflavik with focus on mid-latitude cyclonic systems). Flight durations were between five and nine hours, amounting to roughly 118 flight hours overall. 121 dropsondes were deployed. In fall 2016 two additional aircraft campaigns with the same payload will take place: The

On error sources during airborne measurements of the ambient electric field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evteev, B. F.

1991-01-01

The principal sources of errors during airborne measurements of the ambient electric field and charge are addressed. Results of their analysis are presented for critical survey. It is demonstrated that the volume electric charge has to be accounted for during such measurements, that charge being generated at the airframe and wing surface by droplets of clouds and precipitation colliding with the aircraft. The local effect of that space charge depends on the flight regime (air speed, altitude, particle size, and cloud elevation). Such a dependence is displayed in the relation between the collector conductivity of the aircraft discharging circuit - on one hand, and the sum of all the residual conductivities contributing to aircraft discharge - on the other. Arguments are given in favor of variability in the aircraft electric capacitance. Techniques are suggested for measuring from factors to describe the aircraft charge.

Quick response airborne command post communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaisdell, Randy L.

1988-08-01

National emergencies and strategic crises come in all forms and sizes ranging from natural disasters at one end of the scale up to and including global nuclear warfare at the other. Since the early 1960s the U.S. Government has spent billions of dollars fielding airborne command posts to ensure continuity of government and the command and control function during times of theater conventional, theater nuclear, and global nuclear warfare. Unfortunately, cost has prevented the extension of the airborne command post technology developed for these relatively unlikely events to the lower level, though much more likely to occur, crises such as natural disasters, terrorist acts, political insurgencies, etc. This thesis proposes the implementation of an economical airborne command post concept to address the wide variety of crises ignored by existing military airborne command posts. The system is known as the Quick Response Airborne Command Post (QRAC Post) and is based on the exclusive use of commercially owned and operated aircraft, and commercially available automated data processing and communications resources. The thesis addresses the QRAC Post concept at a systems level and is primarily intended to demonstrate how current technology can be exploited to economically achieve a national objective.

GLORI: A GNSS-R Dual Polarization Airborne Instrument for Land Surface Monitoring.

PubMed

Motte, Erwan; Zribi, Mehrez; Fanise, Pascal; Egido, Alejandro; Darrozes, José; Al-Yaari, Amen; Baghdadi, Nicolas; Baup, Frédéric; Dayau, Sylvia; Fieuzal, Remy; Frison, Pierre-Louis; Guyon, Dominique; Wigneron, Jean-Pierre

2016-05-20

Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has emerged as a remote sensing tool, which is complementary to traditional monostatic radars, for the retrieval of geophysical parameters related to surface properties. In the present paper, we describe a new polarimetric GNSS-R system, referred to as the GLObal navigation satellite system Reflectometry Instrument (GLORI), dedicated to the study of land surfaces (soil moisture, vegetation water content, forest biomass) and inland water bodies. This system was installed as a permanent payload on a French ATR42 research aircraft, from which simultaneous measurements can be carried out using other instruments, when required. Following initial laboratory qualifications, two airborne campaigns involving nine flights were performed in 2014 and 2015 in the Southwest of France, over various types of land cover, including agricultural fields and forests. Some of these flights were made concurrently with in situ ground truth campaigns. Various preliminary applications for the characterisation of agricultural and forest areas are presented. Initial analysis of the data shows that the performance of the GLORI instrument is well within specifications, with a cross-polarization isolation better than -15 dB at all elevations above 45°, a relative polarimetric calibration accuracy better than 0.5 dB, and an apparent reflectivity sensitivity better than -30 dB, thus demonstrating its strong potential for the retrieval of land surface characteristics.

GLORI: A GNSS-R Dual Polarization Airborne Instrument for Land Surface Monitoring

PubMed Central

Motte, Erwan; Zribi, Mehrez; Fanise, Pascal; Egido, Alejandro; Darrozes, José; Al-Yaari, Amen; Baghdadi, Nicolas; Baup, Frédéric; Dayau, Sylvia; Fieuzal, Remy; Frison, Pierre-Louis; Guyon, Dominique; Wigneron, Jean-Pierre

2016-01-01

Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has emerged as a remote sensing tool, which is complementary to traditional monostatic radars, for the retrieval of geophysical parameters related to surface properties. In the present paper, we describe a new polarimetric GNSS-R system, referred to as the GLObal navigation satellite system Reflectometry Instrument (GLORI), dedicated to the study of land surfaces (soil moisture, vegetation water content, forest biomass) and inland water bodies. This system was installed as a permanent payload on a French ATR42 research aircraft, from which simultaneous measurements can be carried out using other instruments, when required. Following initial laboratory qualifications, two airborne campaigns involving nine flights were performed in 2014 and 2015 in the Southwest of France, over various types of land cover, including agricultural fields and forests. Some of these flights were made concurrently with in situ ground truth campaigns. Various preliminary applications for the characterisation of agricultural and forest areas are presented. Initial analysis of the data shows that the performance of the GLORI instrument is well within specifications, with a cross-polarization isolation better than −15 dB at all elevations above 45°, a relative polarimetric calibration accuracy better than 0.5 dB, and an apparent reflectivity sensitivity better than −30 dB, thus demonstrating its strong potential for the retrieval of land surface characteristics. PMID:27213393

Photochemical and Meteorological Conditions during the MCMA-2003 Field Measurement Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina, L. T.; de Foy, B.; Molina, M. J.; Caetano, E.; Magana, V.; Zitacuaro, A.; Ramos, R.; Retama, A.; Cardenas, B.; Martinez, A.; Reyes, R.; Sosa, G.

2004-12-01

MCMA-2003 was a major field campaign of the atmospheric chemistry taking place in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) in April of 2003. April is in the transition from the dry to the wet season with predominant westerly synoptic winds and intense radiation heating leading to strong thermal mountain flows. Three basic types of meteorological conditions were identified: "Cold Surge", "O3-North" and "O3-South", corresponding to cloudy days associated with "Norte" events, peak ozone in the north of the city, and peak ozone in the south. The circulation associated with these is described both at the regional and local level, as high concentrations of both ozone and primary pollutants for each category make them equally relevant to chemical analyses of the basin. Modified wind roses (time roses) based on time of day categories instead of wind speed categories are used to identify shifts in wind directions associated with slope flows inside the basin and sea breeze flows outside of it. The photochemical episodes are compared with historical data from the RAMA monitoring network to assess the representativeness of MCMA-2003. The analysis of the episodes during the campaign shows the existence of one-day episodes where no build-up of pollutants is needed in order to attain very highly localized concentrations but where multi-day events lead to peaks covering a much larger geographic area.

Compact Highly Sensitive Multi-species Airborne Mid-IR Spectrometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Richter, Dirk; Weibring, P.; Walega, J.

2015-02-01

We report on the development and airborne field deployment of a mid-IR laser based spectrometer. The instrument was configured for the simultaneous in-situ detection of formaldehyde (CH2O) and ethane (C2H6). Numerous mechanical, optical, electronic, and software improvements over a previous instrument design resulted in reliable highly sensitive airborne operation with long stability times yielding 90% airborne measurement coverage during the recent air quality study over the Colorado front range, FRAPPÉ 2014. Airborne detection sensitivities of ~ 15 pptv (C2H6) and ~40 pptv (CH2O) were generally obtained for 1 s of averaging for simultaneous detection.

Gravity field of the Western Weddell Sea: Comparison of airborne gravity and Geosat derived gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, R. E.; Brozena, J. M.; Haxby, W. F.; Labrecque, J. L.

1989-01-01

Marine gravity surveying in polar regions was typically difficult and costly, requiring expensive long range research vessels and ice-breakers. Satellite altimetry can recover the gravity field in these regions where it is feasible to survey with a surface vessel. Unfortunately, the data collected by the first global altimetry mission, Seasat, was collected only during the austral winter, producing a very poor quality gravitational filed for the southern oceans, particularly in the circum-Antarctic regions. The advent of high quality airborne gravity (Brozena, 1984; Brozena and Peters, 1988; Bell, 1988) and the availability of satellite altimetry data during the austral summer (Sandwell and McAdoo, 1988) has allowed the recovery of a free air gravity field for most of the Weddell Sea. The derivation of the gravity field from both aircraft and satellite measurements are briefly reviewed, before presenting along track comparisons and shaded relief maps of the Weddell Sea gravity field based on these two data sets.

Analyzing source apportioned methane in northern California during Discover-AQ-CA using airborne measurements and model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Matthew S.; Yates, Emma L.; Iraci, Laura T.; Loewenstein, Max; Tadić, Jovan M.; Wecht, Kevin J.; Jeong, Seongeun; Fischer, Marc L.

2014-12-01

This study analyzes source apportioned methane (CH4) emissions and atmospheric mixing ratios in northern California during the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign using airborne measurement data and model simulations. Source apportioned CH4 emissions from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) version 4.2 were applied in the 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem and analyzed using airborne measurements taken as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and northern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). During the time period of the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign EDGAR inventory CH4 emissions were ∼5.30 Gg day-1 (Gg = 1.0 × 109 g) (equating to ∼1.90 × 103 Gg yr-1) for all of California. According to EDGAR, the SFBA and northern SJV region contributes ∼30% of total CH4 emissions from California. Source apportionment analysis during this study shows that CH4 mixing ratios over this area of northern California are largely influenced by global emissions from wetlands and local/global emissions from gas and oil production and distribution, waste treatment processes, and livestock management. Model simulations, using EDGAR emissions, suggest that the model under-estimates CH4 mixing ratios in northern California (average normalized mean bias (NMB) = -5.2% and linear regression slope = 0.20). The largest negative biases in the model were calculated on days when large amounts of CH4 were measured over local emission sources and atmospheric CH4 mixing ratios reached values >2.5 parts per million. Sensitivity emission studies conducted during this research suggest that local emissions of CH4 from livestock management processes are likely the primary source of the negative model bias. These results indicate that a variety, and larger quantity, of measurement data needs to be obtained and additional research is necessary to better quantify source apportioned CH4 emissions in California.

Analyzing Source Apportioned Methane in Northern California During DISCOVER-AQ-CA Using Airborne Measurements and Model Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Matthew S.

2014-01-01

This study analyzes source apportioned methane (CH4) emissions and atmospheric concentrations in northern California during the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign using airborne measurement data and model simulations. Source apportioned CH4 emissions from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) version 4.2 were applied in the 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem and analyzed using airborne measurements taken as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and northern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). During the time period of the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign EDGAR inventory CH4 emissions were 5.30 Gg/day (Gg 1.0 109 grams) (equating to 1.9 103 Gg/yr) for all of California. According to EDGAR, the SFBA and northern SJV region contributes 30 of total emissions from California. Source apportionment analysis during this study shows that CH4 concentrations over this area of northern California are largely influenced by global emissions from wetlands and local/global emissions from gas and oil production and distribution, waste treatment processes, and livestock management. Model simulations, using EDGAR emissions, suggest that the model under-estimates CH4 concentrations in northern California (average normalized mean bias (NMB) -5 and linear regression slope 0.25). The largest negative biases in the model were calculated on days when hot spots of local emission sources were measured and atmospheric CH4 concentrations reached values 3.0 parts per million (model NMB -10). Sensitivity emission studies conducted during this research suggest that local emissions of CH4 from livestock management processes are likely the primary source of the negative model bias. These results indicate that a variety, and larger quantity, of measurement data needs to be obtained and additional research is necessary to better quantify source apportioned CH4 emissions in California and further the understanding of the physical processes

Analyzing source apportioned methane in northern California during Discover-AQ-CA using airborne measurements and model simulations

DOE PAGES

Johnson, Matthew S.; Yates, Emma L.; Iraci, Laura T.; ...

2014-12-01

This study analyzes source apportioned methane (CH 4) emissions and atmospheric mixing ratios in northern California during the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign using airborne measurement data and model simulations. Source apportioned CH 4 emissions from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) version 4.2 were applied in the 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem and analyzed using airborne measurements taken as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and northern San Joaquin Valley (SJV). During the time period of the Discover-AQ-CA field campaign EDGAR inventory CH 4 emissions were ~5.30 Gg day –1 (Ggmore » = 1.0 × 10 9 g) (equating to ~1.90 × 10 3 Gg yr –1) for all of California. According to EDGAR, the SFBA and northern SJV region contributes ~30% of total CH 4 emissions from California. Source apportionment analysis during this study shows that CH 4 mixing ratios over this area of northern California are largely influenced by global emissions from wetlands and local/global emissions from gas and oil production and distribution, waste treatment processes, and livestock management. Model simulations, using EDGAR emissions, suggest that the model under-estimates CH 4 mixing ratios in northern California (average normalized mean bias (NMB) = –5.2% and linear regression slope = 0.20). The largest negative biases in the model were calculated on days when large amounts of CH 4 were measured over local emission sources and atmospheric CH 4 mixing ratios reached values >2.5 parts per million. Sensitivity emission studies conducted during this research suggest that local emissions of CH 4 from livestock management processes are likely the primary source of the negative model bias. These results indicate that a variety, and larger quantity, of measurement data needs to be obtained and additional research is necessary to better quantify source apportioned CH 4 emissions in California.« less

An Overview of Measurement Comparisons from the INTEX-B/MILAGRO Airborne Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleb, Mary M.; Chen, Gao; Crawford, James H.; Flocke, Frank M.; Brown, Clyde C.

2011-01-01

As part of the NASA's INTEX-B mission, the NASA DC-8 and NSF C-130 conducted three wing-tip to wing-tip comparison flights. The intercomparison flights sampled a variety of atmospheric conditions (polluted urban, non-polluted, marine boundary layer, clean and polluted free troposphere). These comparisons form a basis to establish data consistency, but also should also be viewed as a continuation of efforts aiming to better understand and reduce measurement differences as identified in earlier field intercomparison exercises. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of 140 intercomparisons of data collected as well as a record of the measurement consistency demonstrated during INTEX-B. It is the primary goal to provide necessary information for the future research to determine if the observations from different INTEX-B platforms/instrument are consistent within the PI reported uncertainties and used in integrated analysis. This paper may also contribute to the formulation strategy for future instrument developments. For interpretation and most effective use of these results, the reader is strongly urged to consult with the instrument principle investigator.

Analysis of Pulsed Lidar Measurements of Atmospheric CO2 Column Absorption During the ASCENDS 2009-2011 Airborne Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abshire, J. B.; Weaver, C. J.; Riris, H.; Mao, J.; Sun, X; Allan, G. R.; Hasselbrack, W. E.; Browell, E. V.

2012-01-01

We have developed a pulsed lidar technique for measuring the tropospheric CO2 concentrations as a candidate for NASA's ASCENDS mission and have demonstrated the CO2 and O2 measurements from aircraft. Our technique uses two pulsed lasers allowing simultaneous measurement of a single CO2 absorption line near 1572 nm, O2 extinction in the Oxygen A-band, surface height and backscatter profile. The lasers are stepped in wavelength across the CO2 line and an O2 line doublet during the measurement. The column densities for the CO2 and O2 are estimated from the differential optical depths (DOD) of the scanned absorption lines via the IPDA technique. For the 2009 ASCENDS campaign we flew the CO2 lidar on a Lear-25 aircraft, and measured the absorption line shapes of the CO2 line using 20 wavelength samples per scan. Measurements were made at stepped altitudes from 3 to 12.6 km over the Lamont OK, central Illinois, North Carolina, and over the Virginia Eastern Shore. Although the received signal energies were weaker than expected for ASCENDS, clear CO2 line shapes were observed at all altitudes. Most flights had 5-6 altitude steps with 200-300 seconds of recorded measurements per step. We averaged every 10 seconds of measurements and used a cross-correlation approach to estimate the range to the scattering surface and the echo pulse energy at each wavelength. We then solved for the best-fit CO2 absorption line shape, and calculated the DOD of the fitted CO2 line, and computed its statistics at the various altitude steps. We compared them to CO2 optical depths calculated from spectroscopy based on HITRAN 2008 and the column number densities calculated from the airborne in-situ readings. The 2009 measurements have been analyzed and they were similar on all flights. The results show clear CO2 line shape and absorption signals, which follow the expected changes with aircraft altitude from 3 to 13 km. They showed the expected nearly the linear dependence of DOD vs altitude. The

Airborne Deployment of a High Resolution PTR-ToF-MS to Characterize Non-methane Organic Gases in Wildfire Smoke: A Pilot Study During WE-CAN Test Flights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Permar, W.; Hu, L.; Fischer, E. V.

2017-12-01

Despite being the second largest primary source of tropospheric volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biomass burning is poorly understood relative to other sources due in part to its large variability and the difficulty inherent to sampling smoke. In light of this, several field campaigns are planned to better characterize wildfire plume emissions and chemistry through airborne sampling of smoke plumes. As part of this effort, we will deploy a high-resolution proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) on the NSF/NCAR C-130 research aircraft during the collaborative Western wildfire Experiment for Cloud chemistry, Aerosol absorption and Nitrogen (WE-CAN) mission. PTR-ToF-MS is well suited for airborne measurements of VOC in wildfire smoke plumes due to its ability to collect real time, high-resolution data for the full mass range of ionizable organic species, many of which remain uncharacterized or unidentified. In this work, we will report on our initial measurements from the WE-CAN test flights in September 2017. We will also discuss challenges associated with deploying the instrument for airborne missions targeting wildfire smoke and goals for further study in WE-CAN 2018.

Airborne measurements of CO2 column concentrations made with a pulsed IPDA lidar using a multiple-wavelength-locked laser and HgCdTe APD detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abshire, James B.; Ramanathan, Anand K.; Riris, Haris; Allan, Graham R.; Sun, Xiaoli; Hasselbrack, William E.; Mao, Jianping; Wu, Stewart; Chen, Jeffrey; Numata, Kenji; Kawa, Stephan R.; Yang, Mei Ying Melissa; DiGangi, Joshua

2018-04-01

Here we report on measurements made with an improved CO2 Sounder lidar during the ASCENDS 2014 and 2016 airborne campaigns. The changes made to the 2011 version of the lidar included incorporating a rapidly wavelength-tunable, step-locked seed laser in the transmitter, using a much more sensitive HgCdTe APD detector and using an analog digitizer with faster readout time in the receiver. We also improved the lidar's calibration approach and the XCO2 retrieval algorithm. The 2014 and 2016 flights were made over several types of topographic surfaces from 3 to 12 km aircraft altitudes in the continental US. The results are compared to the XCO2 values computed from an airborne in situ sensor during spiral-down maneuvers. The 2014 results show significantly better performance and include measurement of horizontal gradients in XCO2 made over the Midwestern US that agree with chemistry transport models. The results from the 2016 airborne lidar retrievals show precisions of ˜ 0.7 parts per million (ppm) with 1 s averaging over desert surfaces, which is an improvement of about 8 times compared to similar measurements made in 2011. Measurements in 2016 were also made over fresh snow surfaces that have lower surface reflectance at the laser wavelengths. The results from both campaigns showed that the mean values of XCO2 retrieved from the lidar consistently agreed with those based on the in situ sensor to within 1 ppm. The improved precision and accuracy demonstrated in the 2014 and 2016 flights should benefit future airborne science campaigns and advance the technique's readiness for a space-based instrument.

Airborne methane remote measurements reveal heavy-tail flux distribution in Four Corners region

PubMed Central

Thorpe, Andrew K.; Thompson, David R.; Hulley, Glynn; Kort, Eric Adam; Vance, Nick; Borchardt, Jakob; Krings, Thomas; Gerilowski, Konstantin; Sweeney, Colm; Conley, Stephen; Bue, Brian D.; Aubrey, Andrew D.; Hook, Simon; Green, Robert O.

2016-01-01

Methane (CH4) impacts climate as the second strongest anthropogenic greenhouse gas and air quality by influencing tropospheric ozone levels. Space-based observations have identified the Four Corners region in the Southwest United States as an area of large CH4 enhancements. We conducted an airborne campaign in Four Corners during April 2015 with the next-generation Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (near-infrared) and Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (thermal infrared) imaging spectrometers to better understand the source of methane by measuring methane plumes at 1- to 3-m spatial resolution. Our analysis detected more than 250 individual methane plumes from fossil fuel harvesting, processing, and distributing infrastructures, spanning an emission range from the detection limit ∼ 2 kg/h to 5 kg/h through ∼ 5,000 kg/h. Observed sources include gas processing facilities, storage tanks, pipeline leaks, and well pads, as well as a coal mine venting shaft. Overall, plume enhancements and inferred fluxes follow a lognormal distribution, with the top 10% emitters contributing 49 to 66% to the inferred total point source flux of 0.23 Tg/y to 0.39 Tg/y. With the observed confirmation of a lognormal emission distribution, this airborne observing strategy and its ability to locate previously unknown point sources in real time provides an efficient and effective method to identify and mitigate major emissions contributors over a wide geographic area. With improved instrumentation, this capability scales to spaceborne applications [Thompson DR, et al. (2016) Geophys Res Lett 43(12):6571–6578]. Further illustration of this potential is demonstrated with two detected, confirmed, and repaired pipeline leaks during the campaign. PMID:27528660

Development of an online analyzer of atmospheric H 2O 2 and several organic hydroperoxides for field campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

François, S.; Sowka, I.; Monod, A.; Temime-Roussel, B.; Laugier, J. M.; Wortham, H.

2005-03-01

An online automated instrument was developed for atmospheric measurements of hydroperoxides with separation and quantification of H 2O 2 and several organic hydroperoxides. Samples were trapped in aqueous solutions in a scrubbing glass coil. Analyses were performed on an HPLC column followed by para-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (POPHA) acetic acid and peroxidase derivatization and fluorescence detection. Analytical and sampling tests were performed on different parameters to obtain optimum signal-to-noise ratios, high resolution and collection efficiencies higher than 95% for H 2O 2 and organic hydroperoxides. The obtained performances show large improvements compared to previous studies. The sampling and analytical devices can be coupled providing an online analyzer. The device was used during two field campaigns in the Marseilles area in June 2001 (offline analyzer) and in July 2002 (online analyzer) at rural sites at low and high altitudes, respectively, during the ESCOMPTE and BOND campaigns. During the ESCOMPTE campaign, H 2O 2 was detected occasionally, and no organic hydroperoxides was observed. During the BOND campaign, substantial amounts of H 2O 2 and 1-HEHP+MHP were often detected, and two other organic hydroperoxides were occasionally detected. These observations are discussed.

NASA Langley Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar Instrument Description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harper, David B.; Cook, Anthony; Hostetler, Chris; Hair, John W.; Mack, Terry L.

2006-01-01

NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) recently developed the LaRC Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) to make measurements of aerosol and cloud distribution and optical properties. The Airborne HSRL has undergone as series of test flights and was successfully deployed on the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field mission in March 2006 (see Hair et al. in these proceedings). This paper provides an overview of the design of the Airborne HSRL and descriptions of some key subsystems unique to this instrument.

Second International Airborne Remote Sensing Conference and Exhibition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

cloud cover analysis, Quadantid meteor shower studies, extra-solar far infrared ionic structure lines measurement, Cape Kennedy launch support, and studies in air pollution, The Products and Services Exhibit showcased new sensor and image processing technologies, aircraft data collection services, unmanned vehicle technology, platform equipment, turn-key services, software a workstations, GPS services, publications, and processing and integration systems by 58 exhibitors. The participation of aircraft users and crews provided unique dialogue between those who plan data collection a operate the remote sensing technology, and those who supply the data processing and integration equipment. Research results using hyperspectral imagery, radar and optical sensors, lidar, digital aerial photography, a integrated systems were presented. Major research and development programs and campaigns we reviewed, including CNR's LARA Project and European Space Agency's 1991-1995 Airborne Campaign. The pre-conference short courses addressed airborne video, photogrammetry, hyperspectral data analysis, digital orthophotography, imagery and GIS integration, IFSAR, GPS, and spectrometer calibration.

The Influence of Radiosonde 'Age' on TRMM Field Campaign Soundings Humidity Correction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roy, Biswadev; Halverson, Jeffrey B.; Wang, Jun-Hong

2002-01-01

Hundreds of Vaisala sondes with a RS80-H Humicap thin-film capacitor humidity sensor were launched during the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) field campaigns in Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere held in Brazil (LBA) and in Kwajalein experiment (KWAJEX) held in the Republic of Marshall Islands. Using Six humidity error correction algorithms by Wang et al., these sondes were corrected for significant dry bias in the RS80-H data. It is further shown that sonde surface temperature error must be corrected for a better representation of the relative humidity. This error becomes prominent due to sensor arm-heating in the first 50-s data.

Airborne Next: Rethinking Airborne Organization and Applying New Concepts

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

9 Kenneth Macksey, Guderian: Panzer General-revised EDITION (South Yorkshire, England: Greenhill Books, 2003), 1–20. 10 Dr. John Arquilla...Airborne Operations: Field Manual 90=26, 1–5. 14 The 1st Special Forces Regiment has five active Special Forces Groups (1st, 3rd, 5th , 7th, 10th...Oxford University Press, 1981). Headrick, in his book, describes the interplay between technology and imperialism. For the purposes of this research

Demonstration of risk based, goal driven framework for hydrological field campaigns and inverse modeling with case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harken, B.; Geiges, A.; Rubin, Y.

2013-12-01

There are several stages in any hydrological modeling campaign, including: formulation and analysis of a priori information, data acquisition through field campaigns, inverse modeling, and forward modeling and prediction of some environmental performance metric (EPM). The EPM being predicted could be, for example, contaminant concentration, plume travel time, or aquifer recharge rate. These predictions often have significant bearing on some decision that must be made. Examples include: how to allocate limited remediation resources between multiple contaminated groundwater sites, where to place a waste repository site, and what extraction rates can be considered sustainable in an aquifer. Providing an answer to these questions depends on predictions of EPMs using forward models as well as levels of uncertainty related to these predictions. Uncertainty in model parameters, such as hydraulic conductivity, leads to uncertainty in EPM predictions. Often, field campaigns and inverse modeling efforts are planned and undertaken with reduction of parametric uncertainty as the objective. The tool of hypothesis testing allows this to be taken one step further by considering uncertainty reduction in the ultimate prediction of the EPM as the objective and gives a rational basis for weighing costs and benefits at each stage. When using the tool of statistical hypothesis testing, the EPM is cast into a binary outcome. This is formulated as null and alternative hypotheses, which can be accepted and rejected with statistical formality. When accounting for all sources of uncertainty at each stage, the level of significance of this test provides a rational basis for planning, optimization, and evaluation of the entire campaign. Case-specific information, such as consequences prediction error and site-specific costs can be used in establishing selection criteria based on what level of risk is deemed acceptable. This framework is demonstrated and discussed using various synthetic case

Budget of the OH reactivity in the North China Plain in summer- and wintertime: Results from recent field campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, H.; Tan, Z.; Lu, K.; Bohn, B.; Borchardt, J.; Broch, S.; Brown, S. S.; Dong, H.; Gkatzelis, G.; Gomm, S.; Häseler, R.; He, L. Y.; Hohaus, T.; Hofzumahaus, A.; Holland, F.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.; Li, X.; Liu, Y.; Lu, S.; Min, K. E.; Novelli, A.; Rohrer, F.; Shao, M.; Wang, B.; Wang, M.; Wu, Y.; Zeng, L.; Zhang, Y.; Wegener, R.; Wahner, A.; Zhang, Y.

2016-12-01

Two comprehensive field campaigns were conducted in the densely populated North China Plain in summer 2014 and winter 2016. In 2014, the measurement site was located in a botanic garden close to the smaller town of Wangdu without major industry, but influenced by regional transportation of air pollution. In 2016, measurements were done close to Beijing and this site was partly impacted by wintertime pollution events. The loss rate coefficient of atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) was quantified by direct measurements of the OH reactivity. Concurrent measurements of OH reactants allow for the determination of calculated OH reactivity. The comparison between measured and calculated OH reactivity can be used to quantify the fraction of missing OH reactivity. Closure of OH reactivity in these campaigns for different seasons will be investigated and compared with results from previous campaigns in China.

David Bushman at the Mission Manager's console onboard NASA's DC-8 during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

David Bushman at the Mission Manager's console onboard NASA's DC-8 during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

Relationships among indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne Japanese cedar pollen counts.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Naomichi; Matsuki, Yuuki; Yokoyama, Hiromichi; Matsuki, Hideaki

2015-01-01

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) is an important illness caused by the inhalation of airborne allergenic cedar pollens, which are dispersed in the early spring throughout the Japanese islands. However, associations between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of allergic symptoms are largely unknown, due to a lack of understanding regarding personal pollen exposures in relation to indoor and outdoor concentrations. This study aims to examine the relationships among indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne Japanese cedar pollen counts. We conducted a 4-year monitoring campaign to quantify indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne cedar pollen counts, where the personal passive settling sampler that has been previously validated against a volumetric sampler was used to count airborne pollen grains. A total of 256 sets of indoor, outdoor, and personal samples (768 samples) were collected from 9 subjects. Medians of the seasonally-integrated indoor-to-outdoor, personal-to-outdoor, and personal-to-indoor ratios of airborne pollen counts measured for 9 subjects were 0.08, 0.10, and 1.19, respectively. A greater correlation was observed between the personal and indoor counts (r = 0.89) than between the personal and outdoor counts (r = 0.71), suggesting a potential inaccuracy in the use of outdoor counts as a basis for estimating personal exposures. The personal pollen counts differed substantially among the human subjects (49% geometric coefficient of variation), in part due to the variability in the indoor counts that have been found as major determinants of the personal pollen counts. The findings of this study highlight the need for pollen monitoring in proximity to human subjects to better understand the relationships between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of pollen allergy.

Use of airborne hyperspectral imagery to map soil parameters in tilled agricultural fields

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hively, W. Dean; McCarty, Gregory W.; Reeves, James B.; Lang, Megan W.; Oesterling, Robert A.; Delwiche, Stephen R.

2011-01-01

Soil hyperspectral reflectance imagery was obtained for six tilled (soil) agricultural fields using an airborne imaging spectrometer (400–2450 nm, ~10 nm resolution, 2.5 m spatial resolution). Surface soil samples (n = 315) were analyzed for carbon content, particle size distribution, and 15 agronomically important elements (Mehlich-III extraction). When partial least squares (PLS) regression of imagery-derived reflectance spectra was used to predict analyte concentrations, 13 of the 19 analytes were predicted with R2 > 0.50, including carbon (0.65), aluminum (0.76), iron (0.75), and silt content (0.79). Comparison of 15 spectral math preprocessing treatments showed that a simple first derivative worked well for nearly all analytes. The resulting PLS factors were exported as a vector of coefficients and used to calculate predicted maps of soil properties for each field. Image smoothing with a 3 × 3 low-pass filter prior to spectral data extraction improved prediction accuracy. The resulting raster maps showed variation associated with topographic factors, indicating the effect of soil redistribution and moisture regime on in-field spatial variability. High-resolution maps of soil analyte concentrations can be used to improve precision environmental management of farmlands.

Deployment and Performance of the NASA D3R During the GPM OLYMPEx Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandrasekar, V.; Beauchamp, Robert M.; Chen, Haonan; Vega, Manuel; Schwaller, Mathew; Willie, Delbert; Dabrowski, Aaron; Kumar, Mohit; Petersen, Walter; Wolff, David

2016-01-01

The NASA D3R was successfully deployed and operated throughout the NASA OLYMPEx field campaign. A differential phase based attenuation correction technique has been implemented for D3R observations. Hydrometeor classification has been demonstrated for five distinct classes using Ku-band observations of both convection and stratiform rain. The stratiform rain hydrometeor classification is compared against LDR observations and shows good agreement in identification of mixed-phase hydrometeors in the melting layer.

Retrievals of cloud microphysical properties from the Research Scanning Polarimeter measurements made during PODEX field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrov, M. D.; Cairns, B.; Sinclair, K.

2013-12-01

We present the retrievals of cloud droplet size distribution parameters (effective radius and variance) from the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) measurements made during NASA's POlarimeter Definition EXperiment (PODEX), which was based in Palmdale, California in January - February 2013. The RSP is an airborne prototype for the Aerosol Polarimetery Sensor (APS), which was built for the NASA Glory Mission project. This instrument measures both polarized and total reflectances in 9 spectral channels with center wavelengths of 410, 470, 555, 670, 865, 960, 1590, 1880 and 2250 nm. The RSP is a push broom scanner making samples at 0.8 degree intervals within 60 degrees from nadir in both forward and backward directions. The data from actual RSP scans is aggregated into "virtual" scans, each consisting of all reflectances (at a variety of scattering angles) from a single point on the ground or at the cloud top. In the case of water clouds the rainbow is observed in the polarized reflectances in the scattering angle range between 135 and 170 degrees. It has a unique signature that is being used to accurately determine the droplet size and is not affected by cloud morphology. Simple parametric fitting algorithm applied to these polarized reflectances provides retrievals of the droplet effective radius and variance assuming a prescribed size distribution shape (gamma distribution). In addition to this, we use a non-parametric method, Rainbow Fourier Transform (RFT), which allows to retrieve the droplet size distribution a parametric model. Of particular interest is the information contained in droplet size distribution width, which is indicative of cloud life cycle. The absorbing band method is also applied to RSP total reflectance observations. The difference in the retrieved droplet size between polarized and absorbing band techniques is expected to reflect the strength of the vertical gradient in cloud liquid water content. In addition to established retrieval

Sounding-Diagnosed Convective Environments and Preliminary Energy Budgets Diagnosed during the TRMM Field Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halverson, Jeffrey B.; Roy, Biswadev; O'CStarr, David (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An overview of mean convective thermodynamic and wind profiles for the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment (LBA) and Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX) field campaigns will be presented, highlighting the diverse continental and marine tropical environments in which rain clouds and mesoscale convective systems evolved. An assessment of ongoing sounding quality control procedures will be shown. Additionally, we will present preliminary budgets of sensible heat source (Q1) and apparent moisture sink (Q2), which have been diagnosed from the various sounding networks.

Mauna Kea, Hawaii as an Analogue Site for Future Planetary Resource Exploration: Results from the 2010 ILSO-ISRU Field-Testing Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ten Kate, I. L.; Armstrong, R.; Bernhardt, B.; Blummers, M.; Boucher, D.; Caillibot, E.; Captain, J.; Deleuterio, G.; Farmer, J. D.; Glavin, D. P.;

Nitrogen dioxide observations from the Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) airborne instrument: Retrieval algorithm and measurements during DISCOVER-AQ Texas 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowlan, Caroline R.; Liu, Xiong; Leitch, James W.; Chance, Kelly; González Abad, Gonzalo; Liu, Cheng; Zoogman, Peter; Cole, Joshua; Delker, Thomas; Good, William; Murcray, Frank; Ruppert, Lyle; Soo, Daniel; Follette-Cook, Melanie B.; Janz, Scott J.; Kowalewski, Matthew G.; Loughner, Christopher P.; Pickering, Kenneth E.; Herman, Jay R.; Beaver, Melinda R.; Long, Russell W.; Szykman, James J.; Judd, Laura M.; Kelley, Paul; Luke, Winston T.; Ren, Xinrong; Al-Saadi, Jassim A.

2016-06-01

The Geostationary Trace gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTASO) airborne instrument is a test bed for upcoming air quality satellite instruments that will measure backscattered ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared light from geostationary orbit. GeoTASO flew on the NASA Falcon aircraft in its first intensive field measurement campaign during the Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality (DISCOVER-AQ) Earth Venture Mission over Houston, Texas, in September 2013. Measurements of backscattered solar radiation between 420 and 465 nm collected on 4 days during the campaign are used to determine slant column amounts of NO2 at 250 m × 250 m spatial resolution with a fitting precision of 2.2 × 1015 moleculescm-2. These slant columns are converted to tropospheric NO2 vertical columns using a radiative transfer model and trace gas profiles from the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. Total column NO2 from GeoTASO is well correlated with ground-based Pandora observations (r = 0.90 on the most polluted and cloud-free day of measurements and r = 0.74 overall), with GeoTASO NO2 slightly higher for the most polluted observations. Surface NO2 mixing ratios inferred from GeoTASO using the CMAQ model show good correlation with NO2 measured in situ at the surface during the campaign (r = 0.85). NO2 slant columns from GeoTASO also agree well with preliminary retrievals from the GEO-CAPE Airborne Simulator (GCAS) which flew on the NASA King Air B200 (r = 0.81, slope = 0.91). Enhanced NO2 is resolvable over areas of traffic NOx emissions and near individual petrochemical facilities.

Nitrogen Dioxide Observations from the Geostationary Trace Gas and Aerosol Sensor Optimization (GeoTaso) Airborne Instrument: Retrieval Algorithm and Measurements During DISCOVER-AQ Texas 2013

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nowlan, Caroline R.; Liu, Xiong; Leitch, James W.; Chance, Kelly; Abad, Gonzalo Gonzalez; Liu, Xiaojun; Zoogman, Peter; Cole, Joshua; Delker, Thomas; Good, William;

Campaign datasets for ARM Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (ACAPEX)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leung, L. Ruby; Mei, Fan; Comstock, Jennifer

This campaign consisted of the deployment of the DOE ARM Mobile Facility 2 (AMF2) and the ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) G-1 in a field campaign called ARM Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (ACAPEX), which took place in conjunction with CalWater 2- a NOAA field campaign. The joint CalWater 2/ACAPEX field campaign aimed to improve understanding and modeling of large-scale dynamics and cloud and precipitation processes associated with ARs and aerosol-cloud interactions that influence precipitation variability and extremes in the western U.S. The observational strategy consisted of the use of land and offshore assets to monitor: 1. the evolution and structure ofmore » ARs from near their regions of development 2. the long-range transport of aerosols in the eastern North Pacific and potential interactions with ARs 3. how aerosols from long-range transport and local sources influence cloud and precipitation in the U.S. West Coast where ARs make landfall and post-frontal clouds are frequent.« less

Microphysical properties of cirrus clouds between 75°N and 25°S derived from extensive airborne in-situ observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krämer, Martina

2016-04-01

Numerous airborne field campaigns were performed in the last decades to record cirrus clouds microphysical properties. Beside the understanding of the processes of cirrus formation and evolution, an additional motivation for those studies is to provide a database to evaluate the representation of cirrus clouds in global climate models. This is of importance for an improved certainty of climate predictions, which are affected by the poor understanding of the microphysical processes of ice clouds (IPCC, 2013). To this end, the observations should ideally cover the complete respective parameter range and not be influenced by instrumental artifacts. However, due to the difficulties in measuring cirrus properties on fast-flying, high-altitude aircraft, some issues with respect to the measurements %evolved have arisen. In particular, concerns about the relative humidity in and around cirrus clouds and the ice crystal number concentrations were under discussion. Too high ice supersaturations as well as ice number concentrations were often reported. These issues have made more challenging the goal of compiling a large database using data from a suite of different instruments that were used on different campaigns. In this study, we have have addressed these challenges and compiled a large data set of cirrus clouds, sampled during eighteen field campaigns between 75°N and 25°S, representing measurements fulfilling the above mentioned requirements. The most recent campaigns were performed in 2014; namely, the ATTREX campaign with the research aircraft Global Hawk and the ML-CIRRUS and ACRIDICON campaigns with HALO. % The observations include ice water content (IWC: 130 hours of observations), ice crystal numbers (N_ice: 83 hours), ice crystal mean mass size (Rice: 83 hours) and relative humidity (RH_ice) in- and outside of cirrus clouds (78 and 140 hours). % We will present the parameters as PDFs versus temperature and derive medians and core ranges (including the most

An overview of Airborne Data for Assessing Models (ADAM): a web development effort to effectively disseminate airborne data products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangosing, D. C.; Chen, G.; Kusterer, J.; Rinsland, P.; Perez, J.; Sorlie, S.; Parker, L.

2011-12-01

One of the objectives of the NASA Langley Research Center's MEaSURES project, "Creating a Unified Airborne Database for Model Assessment", is the development of airborne Earth System Data Records (ESDR) for the regional and global model assessment and validation activities performed by the tropospheric chemistry and climate modeling communities. The ongoing development of ADAM, a web site designed to access a unified, standardized and relational ESDR database, meets this objective. The ESDR database is derived from publically available data sets, from NASA airborne field studies to airborne and in-situ studies sponsored by NOAA, NSF, and numerous international partners. The ADAM web development activities provide an opportunity to highlight a growing synergy between the Airborne Science Data for Atmospheric Composition (ASD-AC) group at NASA Langley and the NASA Langley's Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC). These teams will collaborate on the ADAM web application by leveraging the state-of-the-art service and message-oriented data distribution architecture developed and implemented by ASDC and using a web-based tool provided by the ASD-AC group whose user interface accommodates the nuanced perspective of science users in the atmospheric chemistry and composition and climate modeling communities.

Overview of Ground Air Quality Measurements and Their Links to Airborne, Remote Sensing and Model Studies during the KORUS-AQ Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, G.; Ahn, J. Y.; Chang, L. S.; Kim, J.; Park, R.

2017-12-01

During the KORUS-AQ, extensive sets of chemical measurements for reactive gases and aerosol species were made at 3 major sites on upwind island (Baengyeong Island), urban (Olympic Park in Seoul) and downwind rural forest location (Taewha Forest). Also, intensive aerosol size and composition observations from 5 NIER super sites, 3 NIMR monitoring sites, and 5 other university sites were currently facilitated in the KORUS-AQ data set. In addition, air quality criteria species data from 264 nation-wide ground monitoring sites with 5 minute temporal resolution during the whole campaign period were supplemented to cover mostly in densely populated urban areas, but sparsely in rural areas. The specific objectives of these ground sites were to provide highly comprehensive data set to coordinate the close collaborations among other research platforms including airborne measurements, remote sensing, and model studies. The continuous measurements at ground sites were well compared with repetitive low-level aircraft observations of NASA's DC-8 over Olympic Park and Taewha Forest site. Similarly, many ground measurements enabled the validation of chemical transport models and the remote sensing observations from ground and NASA's King Air. The observed results from inter-comparison studies in many reactive gases and aerosol compositions between different measurement methods and platforms will be presented. Compiling data sets from ground sites, source-wise analysis for ozone and aerosol, their in-situ formations, and transport characteristics by local/regional circulation will be discussed, too.

The Coca-campaign: An Attempt To Derive The Carbon Exchange of A Forested Region Using Airborne Co2 and Co Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitgen, S.; Ciais, P.; Geiß, H.; Kley, D.; Neininger, B.; Baeumle, M.; Fuchs, W.; Brunet, Y.

As part of the project COCA an attempt was made to measure the daytime biogenic CO2 fluxes over a forest area (about 15 by 30 km). This campaign took place around the CARBOEUROFLUX site "Le Bray" (Pinus pinaster) close to Bordeaux in France end of June 2001. Based on continuous airborne CO2, H2O and CO flux and concen- tration measurements a Lagrangian budgeting approach was chosen for the determi- nation of the regional CO2 fluxes. The objective is to determine the CO2 uptake of the extended forest area from the CO2/CO gradients up- and downwind of the ecosystem, using CO as air mass tracer and such eliminating the influence of anthropogenic CO2 advected into the area. First results will be shown of a flight on June 23rd, where fair wind speeds (about 5 m/s) and a low CBL height led to the observation of a clear decrease in CO2 at the downwind flight stacks with basically constant CO concentrations. For other flights with very low wind speeds, local effects dominate the observa- tions leading to a larger variability in the observations. Both, correlations and anti- correlations of CO2 with the anthropogenic tracer CO have been observed. Positive correlations indicate fresh plumes of anthropogenic CO2. Negative correlations are indicative of entrainment of free tropospheric air, that was marked by relatively higher CO2 and lower CO concentrations than the average CBL concentrations.

Low Permafrost Methane Emissions from Arctic Airborne Flux Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachs, T.; Serafimovich, A.; Metzger, S.; Kohnert, K.; Hartmann, J.

2014-12-01

One of the most pressing questions with regard to climate feedback processes in a warming Arctic is the regional-scale greenhouse gas release from Arctic permafrost areas. Ground-based eddy covariance (EC) measurements provide continuous in-situ observations of the surface-atmosphere exchange of energy and matter. However, these observations are rare in the Arctic permafrost zone and site selection is bound by logistical constraints among others. Consequently, these observations cover only small areas that are not necessarily representative of the region of interest. Airborne measurements can overcome this limitation by covering distances of hundreds of kilometers over time periods of a few hours. The Airborne Measurements of Methane Fluxes (AIRMETH) campaigns are designed to quantitatively and spatially explicitly address this question. During the AIRMETH-2012 and AIRMETH-2013 campaigns aboard the research aircraft POLAR 5 we measured turbulent exchange of energy, methane, and (in 2013) carbon dioxide along thousands of kilometers covering the North Slope of Alaska and the Mackenzie Delta, Canada. Time-frequency (wavelet) analysis, footprint modeling, and machine learning techniques are used to (i) determine spatially resolved turbulence statistics, fluxes, and contributions of biophysical surface properties, and (ii) extract regionally valid functional relationships between environmental drivers and the observed fluxes. These environmental response functions (ERF) are used to explain spatial flux patterns and - if drivers are available in temporal resolution - allow for spatio-temporal scaling of the observations. This presentation will focus on 2012 methane fluxes on the North Slope of Alaska and the relevant processes on the regional scale and provide an updated 100 m resolution methane flux map of the North Slope of Alaska.

Validation of LIRIC aerosol concentration retrievals using airborne measurements during a biomass burning episode over Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Amiridis, Vassilis; Allan, James D.; Papayannis, Alexandros; Solomos, Stavros; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Bougiatioti, Aikaterini; Tsekeri, Alexandra; Nenes, Athanasios; Rosenberg, Philip D.; Marenco, Franco; Marinou, Eleni; Vasilescu, Jeni; Nicolae, Doina; Coe, Hugh; Bacak, Asan; Chaikovsky, Anatoli

2017-01-01

In this paper we validate the Lidar-Radiometer Inversion Code (LIRIC) retrievals of the aerosol concentration in the fine mode, using the airborne aerosol chemical composition dataset obtained over the Greater Athens Area (GAA) in Greece, during the ACEMED campaign. The study focuses on the 2nd of September 2011, when a long-range transported smoke layer was observed in the free troposphere over Greece, in the height range from 2 to 3 km. CIMEL sun-photometric measurements revealed high AOD ( 0.4 at 532 nm) and Ångström exponent values ( 1.7 at 440/870 nm), in agreement with coincident ground-based lidar observations. Airborne chemical composition measurements performed over the GAA, revealed increased CO volume concentration ( 110 ppbv), with 57% sulphate dominance in the PM1 fraction. For this case, we compare LIRIC retrievals of the aerosol concentration in the fine mode with the airborne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and Passive Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe (PCASP) measurements. Our analysis shows that the remote sensing retrievals are in a good agreement with the measured airborne in-situ data from 2 to 4 km. The discrepancies observed between LIRIC and airborne measurements at the lower troposphere (below 2 km), could be explained by the spatial and temporal variability of the aerosol load within the area where the airborne data were averaged along with the different time windows of the retrievals.

Fourth Airborne Geoscience Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The focus of the workshop was on how the airborne community can assist in achieving the goals of the Global Change Research Program. The many activities that employ airborne platforms and sensors were discussed: platforms and instrument development; airborne oceanography; lidar research; SAR measurements; Doppler radar; laser measurements; cloud physics; airborne experiments; airborne microwave measurements; and airborne data collection.

Airborne Nanostructured Particles and Occupational Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maynard, Andrew D.; Kuempel, Eileen D.

2005-12-01

Nanotechnology is leading to the development in many field, of new materials and devices in many fields that demonstrate nanostructure-dependent properties. However, concern has been expressed that these same properties may present unique challenges to addressing potential health impact. Airborne particles associated with engineered nanomaterials are of particular concern, as they can readily enter the body through inhalation. Research into the potential occupational health risks associated with inhaling engineered nanostructured particles is just beginning. However, there is a large body of data on occupational and environmental aerosols, which is applicable to developing an initial assessment of potential risk and risk reduction strategies. Epidemiological and pathological studies of occupational and environmental exposures to airborne particles and fibers provide information on the aerosol-related lung diseases and conditions that have been observed in humans. Toxicological studies provide information on the specific disease mechanisms, dose-response relationships, and the particle characteristics that influence toxicity, including the size, surface area, chemistry or reactivity, solubility, and shape. Potential health risk will depend on the magnitude and nature of exposures to airborne nanostructured particles, and on the release, dispersion, transformation and control of materials in the workplace. Aerosol control methods have not been well-characterized for nanometer diameter particles, although theory and limited experimental data indicate that conventional ventilation, engineering control and filtration approaches should be applicable in many situations. Current information supports the development of preliminary guiding principles on working with engineered nanomaterials. However critical research questions remain to be answered before the potential health risk of airborne nanostructured particles in the workplace can be fully addressed.

SeaWiFS Postlaunch Technical Report Series. Volume 3; The SeaBOARR-98 Field Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zibordi, Giuseppe; Lazin, Gordana; McLean, Scott; Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor)

1999-01-01

This report documents the scientific activities during the first Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Bio-Optical Algorithm Round-Robin (SeaBOARR-98) experiment, which took place from 5-17 July 1998, at the Acqua Alta Oceanographic Tower (AAOT) in the northern Adriatic Sea off the coast of Italy. The ultimate objective of the SeaBOARR activity is to evaluate the effect of different measurement protocols on bio-optical algorithms using data from a variety of field campaigns. The SeaBOARR-98 field campaign was concerned with collecting a high quality data set of simultaneous in-water and above-water radiometric measurements. The deployment goals documented in this report were to: a) use four different surface glint correction methods to compute water-leaving radiances, L W (lambda), from above-water data; b) use two different in-water profiling systems and three different methods to compute L W (lambda) from in-water data (one making measurements at a fixed distance from the tower, 7.5 m, and the other at variable distances up to 29 m away); c) use instruments with a common calibration history to minimize intercalibration uncertainties; d) monitor the calibration drift of the instruments in the field with a second generation SeaWiFS Quality Monitor (SQM-II), to separate differences in methods from changes in instrument performance; and e) compare the L W (lambda) values estimated from the above-water and in-water measurements. In addition to describing the instruments deployed and the data collected, a preliminary analysis of the data is presented, and the kind of follow-on work that is needed to completely assess the estimation of L W (lambda) from above-water and in-water measurements is discussed.

Study on analysis from sources of error for Airborne LIDAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, H. C.; Yan, Q.; Liu, Z. J.; Zuo, Z. Q.; Xu, Q. Q.; Li, F. F.; Song, C.

2016-11-01

With the advancement of Aerial Photogrammetry, it appears that to obtain geo-spatial information of high spatial and temporal resolution provides a new technical means for Airborne LIDAR measurement techniques, with unique advantages and broad application prospects. Airborne LIDAR is increasingly becoming a new kind of space for earth observation technology, which is mounted by launching platform for aviation, accepting laser pulses to get high-precision, high-density three-dimensional coordinate point cloud data and intensity information. In this paper, we briefly demonstrates Airborne laser radar systems, and that some errors about Airborne LIDAR data sources are analyzed in detail, so the corresponding methods is put forwarded to avoid or eliminate it. Taking into account the practical application of engineering, some recommendations were developed for these designs, which has crucial theoretical and practical significance in Airborne LIDAR data processing fields.

Airborne gamma radiation soil moisture measurements over short flight lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peck, Eugene L.; Carrol, Thomas R.; Lipinski, Daniel M.

1990-01-01

Results are presented on airborne gamma radiation measurements of soil moisture condition, carried out along short flight lines as part of the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment (FIFE). Data were collected over an area in Kansas during the summers of 1987 and 1989. The airborne surveys, together with ground measurements, provide the most comprehensive set of airborne and ground truth data available in the U.S. for calibrating and evaluating airborne gamma flight lines. Analysis showed that, using standard National Weather Service weights for the K, Tl, and Gc radiation windows, the airborne soil moisture estimates for the FIFE lines had a root mean square error of no greater than 3.0 percent soil moisture. The soil moisture estimates for sections having acquisition time of at least 15 sec were found to be reliable.

A New Airborne Submillimetre Demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Clare; Baran, Anthony; Fox, Stuart; Harlow, Chawn; King, Rob; Rogers, Stuart; Rule, Ian

2013-12-01

ISMAR (International SubMillimetre Airborne Radiometer) is a new aircraft remote sensing instrument, with heterodyne receivers from 118 to 664GHz. It has been funded by the Met Office and ESA, and has been designed to allow additional channels to be added, including 874GHz. Submillimetre frequencies are very sensitive to ice clouds and can provide direct retrievals of Ice Water Path [1] which is an important parameter in General Circulation Models. ISMAR will be used as a satellite demonstrator as well as for investigating specific scientific case studies. It can be used in the preparation for the usage of Ice Cloud Imager (ICI) data on MetOp- SG and for calibration/validation post satellite launch. The instrument has been certified on the FAAM BAe- 146 aircraft and is currently undergoing a channel upgrade. This paper describes the instrument, its applications and the future aircraft campaign plans.

The Gravity Field of Mercury After the Messenger Low-Altitude Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazarico, Erwan; Genova, Antonio; Goossens, Sander; Lemoine, Frank G.; Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.; Neumann, Gary A.; Solomon, Sean C.

2015-01-01

The final year of the MESSENGER mission was designed to take advantage of the remaining propellant onboard to provide a series of lowaltitude observation campaigns and acquire novel scientific data about the innermost planet. The lower periapsis altitude greatly enhances the sensitivity to the short-wavelength gravity field, but only when the spacecraft is in view of Earth. After more than 3 years in orbit around Mercury, the MESSENGER spacecraft was tracked for the first time below 200-km altitude on 5 May 2014 by the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN). Between August and October, periapsis passages down to 25-km altitude were routinely tracked. These periods considerably improved the quality of the data coverage. Before the end of its mission, MESSENGER will fly at very low altitudes for extended periods of time. Given the orbital geometry, however the periapses will not be visible from Earth and so no new tracking data will be available for altitudes lower than 75 km. Nevertheless, the continuous tracking of MESSENGER in the northern hemisphere will help improve the uniformity of the spatial coverage at altitudes lower than 150 km, which will further improve the overall quality of the Mercury gravity field.

Thermal Infrared Airborne Field Studies: Applications to the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herr, K.; Kirkland, L.; Keim, E.; Hackwell, J.

2002-12-01

A primary goal of the Mars exploration program is to reconnoiter the planet from orbit using infrared remote sensing. Currently the Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) and the 2001 Mars Odyssey 9-band radiometer THEMIS provide this capability. Landing site selection and modeling of the geologic and climate history depend on accurate interpretations of these data sets. Interpretations use terrestrial analog remote sensing and laboratory studies. Until recently, there have been no airborne thermal infrared spectrometer ("hyspectral") data sets available to NASA researchers that are comparable to TES. As a result, studies relied on airborne multi-channel radiometer ("multispectral") measurements (e.g. TIMS, MASTER). A radiometer has the advantage that measurement of broad bands makes it easier to measure with higher sensitivity. However, radiometers lack the spectral resolution to investigate details of spectral signatures. This gap may be partially addressed using field samples collected and measured in the laboratory. However, that leaves questions unanswered about the field environment and potentially leaves important complicating issues undiscovered. Two questions that haunt thermal infrared remote sensing investigations of Mars are: (1) If a mineral is not detected in a given data set, how definitively should we state that it is not there? (2) When does the method provide quantitative mineral mapping? In order to address these questions, we began collaborating with Department of Defense (DoD) oriented researchers and drawing on the unique instrumentation they developed. Both Mars and DoD researchers have a common need to identify materials without benefit of ground truth. Such collaborations provide a fresh perspective as well as unique data. Our work addresses uncertainties in stand-off identification of solid phase surface materials when the identification must proceed without benefit of ground truth. We will report on the results applied to TES

Relationships among Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Airborne Japanese Cedar Pollen Counts

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Naomichi; Matsuki, Yuuki; Yokoyama, Hiromichi; Matsuki, Hideaki

2015-01-01

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) is an important illness caused by the inhalation of airborne allergenic cedar pollens, which are dispersed in the early spring throughout the Japanese islands. However, associations between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of allergic symptoms are largely unknown, due to a lack of understanding regarding personal pollen exposures in relation to indoor and outdoor concentrations. This study aims to examine the relationships among indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne Japanese cedar pollen counts. We conducted a 4-year monitoring campaign to quantify indoor, outdoor, and personal airborne cedar pollen counts, where the personal passive settling sampler that has been previously validated against a volumetric sampler was used to count airborne pollen grains. A total of 256 sets of indoor, outdoor, and personal samples (768 samples) were collected from 9 subjects. Medians of the seasonally-integrated indoor-to-outdoor, personal-to-outdoor, and personal-to-indoor ratios of airborne pollen counts measured for 9 subjects were 0.08, 0.10, and 1.19, respectively. A greater correlation was observed between the personal and indoor counts (r = 0.89) than between the personal and outdoor counts (r = 0.71), suggesting a potential inaccuracy in the use of outdoor counts as a basis for estimating personal exposures. The personal pollen counts differed substantially among the human subjects (49% geometric coefficient of variation), in part due to the variability in the indoor counts that have been found as major determinants of the personal pollen counts. The findings of this study highlight the need for pollen monitoring in proximity to human subjects to better understand the relationships between pollen exposures and the prevalence or severity of pollen allergy. PMID:26110813

A new airborne geophysical platform and its application in the Princess Elizabeth Land during CHINARE 32 and 33 in East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Xiangbin; Sun, Bo; Guo, Jingxue; Tang, Xueyuan; Greenbaum, Jamin; Lindzey, Laura; Habbal, Feras; Young, Duncan

2017-04-01

The ice thickness, subglacial topography and bedrock conditions of Princess Elizabeth Land (PEL) in central East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) are still unknown due to lack of direct geophysical measurements. This prevents our understanding of the ice sheet dynamics, subglacial morphology and climate evolution in the region. According to recent results from remote sensing results, it's very likely that there's a large, previously undiscovered subglacial lake and subglacial drainage networks existing beneath the ice sheet in PEL with possible subglacial canyons extend over a distance of 1100 km from inland to coast. But there's no direct measurements to identify them yet. China deployed its first fixed-wing airplane named Snow Eagle 601 and implemented airborne geophysical investigation in PEL during the 32nd and 33rd Chinese National Antarctic Research Expeditions (CHINARE 32 and 33, 2015/16 and 2016/17). The HiCARS deep ice-penetrating radar system and other instruments including GT-2A gravimeter, CS-3 magnetometer, laser altimeter, GPS and camera, were installed in the airplane to measure the ice sheet and subglacial conditions, as well as bedrock geology and tectonic. The field campaign was built beside Russian airfield (ZGN) near Zhongshan Station. During CHINARE 32, the airborne surveying grid was designed as radial lines from ZGN so as to investigate the region as large as possible, and total flight lines are 32 000 km. During the CHINARE 33, airborne survey will pay attention to the subglacial lake and subglacal canyons. Here, we introduce the Snow Eagle airborne geophysical platform firstly. Then, we present some preliminary results from CHINARE 32 and CHINARE 33.

Partnering Students, Scientists, and the Local Community in a Regionally-focused Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaughlin, J. W.; Lemone, M. A.; Seavey, M. M.; Washburne, J. C.

2006-05-01

The GLOBE Program (www.globe.gov) involves students and scientists in a worldwide environmental data collection effort. The GLOBE ONE field campaign (www.globe.gov/globeone) represents a model for a focused implementation of GLOBE via a geographically-specific project. The campaign, which occurred in Black Hawk County, Iowa from February 2004 to February 2006, was developed by GLOBE Principal Investigators (PIs), the GLOBE Program Office, and GLOBE Iowa. The central scientific objective was to compare quantitatively the environmental effects of various soil tillage techniques. In addition, student research projects were supported that spanned a variety of Earth science topics. The campaign established a partnership between students and scientists to collect a structured, multidisciplinary data set and also increase GLOBE visibility. The fact that GLOBE ONE occurred in a focused geographic area made it necessary to form a network for local support. This started with choosing an active GLOBE partner, namely the Iowa Academy of Science, who had the ability to oversee the local implementation of such a project. Once this partner was chosen, additional local groups needed to be recruited to support the project. The local network included K-12 schools, the County Conservation Board, the University of Northern Iowa, Hawkeye Community College, and community volunteers. This network collected data via automated instrumentation, first-hand observations, and through special events organized with a focus on a specific measurement. The first major step in supporting student research was a teacher training workshop held in March of 2006 that helped to provide tools for, and increase comfort levels with, promoting scientific inquiry in the classroom. Student-scientists interactions were promoted via scientist visits, video conferences, letters, and email exchanges. The culminating event was a Student Research Symposium held in February 2006 which gave students and scientists a

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory seen at sunset after a flight supporting the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-06

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory seen at sunset after a flight supporting the AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that uses an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR) which is located onboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists from many parts of the world including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are combining ground research done in several areas in Central America with NASA's AirSAR technology to improve and expand on the quality of research they are able to conduct. The radar, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, can penetrate clouds and also collect data at night. Its high-resolution sensors operate at multiple wavelengths and modes, allowing AirSAR to see beneath treetops, through thin sand, and dry snow pack. AirSAR's 2004 campaign is a collaboration of many U.S. and Central American institutions and scientists, including NASA; the National Science Foundation; the Smithsonian Institution; National Geographic; Conservation International; the Organization of Tropical Studies; the Central American Commission for Environment and Development; and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Observations with the GISMOS Airborne Radio Occultation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muradyan, Paytsar; Haase, Jennifer; Garrison, James; Lulich, Tyler; Xie, Feiqin

2010-05-01

The spatial sample density of temperature and moisture profiles derived from the current spaceborne GPS radio occultation (RO) constellation is limited by the number of occultation satellites in operation. With the current RO satellite configuration, only one RO profile per day is typically available in a 160,000 square kilometer area in the mid-latitude and tropics and slightly more in high latitudes. The airborne RO technique, which has the GPS receiver onboard an airplane, offers flexibility and much denser sampling for targeted observation within 400 km of the aircraft, and provides comparable high vertical resolution to that of the spaceborne case. With an airborne system, targeted measurements can be planned in an optimal geometry to study the accuracy of RO measurements in the lower troposphere where strong vertical gradients in moisture might lead to disruption of signal tracking. These dense measurements can also be used to test assimilation techniques of refractivity and lower tropospheric moisture derived from RO data. In February 2008, the GNSS Instrument System for Multistatic and Occultation Sensing (GISMOS), developed at Purdue University, was successfully deployed on the NSF HIAPER aircraft for series of research flights in the Gulf of Mexico coastal region to validate the airborne observing system. During this campaign, occultation observations were collected in conjunction with supplemental radiosonde and dropsonde soundings. RO signals were recorded using side-looking GPS antennas and dual frequency GPS receivers. However, these conventional phase-locked-loop GPS receivers cannot always track the signal in the lower troposphere, where there are rapid phase accelerations caused by highly variable moisture structures. To extend the observations deeper into the atmosphere, the raw signal from occulting satellites is recorded at 10MHz sampling interval by a GPS recording system (GRS). Open-loop (OL) tracking, which replaces the traditional GPS

Anthropogenic plumes from metropolitan areas and biomass burning emissions in West Africa during DACCIWA - airborne measurements on board the DLR Falcon 20

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stratmann, Greta; Schlager, Hans; Sauer, Daniel; Brocchi, Vanessa; Catoire, Valery; Baumann, Robert

2017-04-01

The DACCIWA (Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions over West Africa) airborne field campaign was conducted in Southern West Africa in June/July 2016. Three European research aircraft (DLR - Falcon 20, SAFIRE - ATR 42 and BAS - Twin Otter) were deployed from Lomé/Togo and conducted research flights across Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin. On board the DLR Falcon O3, SO2, CO, NO2 and aerosol fine mode particle number concentration and size distribution were measured during a total of 12 scientific flights. Until now only few airborne trace gas measurements were conducted in Southern West Africa. Therefore, this field experiment contributes to the knowledge of the chemical composition of the lower troposphere between 0 - 4 km. During several flights pollution plumes from major population centers - Lomé/Togo, Accra/Ghana, Kumasi/Ghana, and Abidjan/Ivory Coast - were probed below, inside and above clouds. Here, enhanced trace gas and particle concentrations were observed. In addition, plumes from biomass burning emissions were detected which were transported to West Africa. The composition of the pollution plumes are presented as well as transport pathways using HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectories) trajectory calculations. Ozone enhancements in the biomass burning pollution plumes of up to 70 ppb were observed compared to background concentrations of 30-40 ppb. Furthermore, HYSPLIT atmospheric dispersion simulations are used to estimate anthropogenic SO2 city emissions.

Analysis of Snow Bidirectional Reflectance from ARCTAS Spring-2008 Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyapustin, A.; Gatebe, C. K.; Redemann, J.; Kahn, R.; Brandt, R.; Russell, P.; King, M. D.; Pedersen, C. A.; Gerland, S.; Poudyal, R.;

Digital Beamforming Synthetic Aperture Radar (DBSAR): Performance Analysis During the Eco-3D 2011 and Summer 2012 Flight Campaigns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rincon, Rafael F.; Fatoyinbo, Temilola; Carter, Lynn; Ranson, K. Jon; Vega, Manuel; Osmanoglu, Batuhan; Lee, SeungKuk; Sun, Guoqing

2014-01-01

The Digital Beamforming Synthetic Aperture radar (DBSAR) is a state-of-the-art airborne radar developed at NASA/Goddard for the implementation, and testing of digital beamforming techniques applicable to Earth and planetary sciences. The DBSAR measurements have been employed to study: The estimation of vegetation biomass and structure - critical parameters in the study of the carbon cycle; The measurement of geological features - to explore its applicability to planetary science by measuring planetary analogue targets. The instrument flew two test campaigns over the East coast of the United States in 2011, and 2012. During the campaigns the instrument operated in full polarimetric mode collecting data from vegetation and topography features.

Quantifying Variations in Airborne Gravity Data Quality Due to Aircraft Selection with the Gravity for the Re-Definition of the American Vertical Datum Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youngman, M.; Weil, C.; Salisbury, T.; Villarreal, C.

2015-12-01

The U.S. National Geodetic Survey is collecting airborne gravity with the Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D) project to produce a geoid supporting heights accurate to 2 centimeters, where possible, with a modernized U.S. vertical datum in 2022. Targeting 15.6 million square kilometers, the GRAV-D project is unprecedented in its scope of consistently collected airborne gravity data across the entire U.S. and its holdings. Currently over 42% of data collection has been completed by 42 surveys (field campaigns) covering 34 completed blocks (data collection areas). The large amount of data available offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the causes of data quality variation from survey to survey. Two metrics were chosen to use as a basis for comparing the quality of each survey/block: 1. total crossover error (i.e. difference in gravity recorded at all locations of crossing flight lines) and 2. the statistical difference of the airborne gravity from the EGM2008 global model. We have determined that the aircraft used for surveying contributes significantly to the variation in data quality. This paper will further expand upon that recent work, using statistical analysis to determine the contribution of aircraft selection to data quality taking into account other variables such as differences in survey setup or weather conditions during surveying.

Airborne Detection of Cosmic-Ray Albedo Neutrons for Regional-Scale Surveys of Root-Zone Soil Water on Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrön, M.; Bannehr, L.; Köhli, M.; Zreda, M. G.; Weimar, J.; Zacharias, S.; Oswald, S. E.; Bumberger, J.; Samaniego, L. E.; Schmidt, U.; Zieger, P.; Dietrich, P.

2017-12-01

While the detection of albedo neutrons from cosmic rays became a standard method in planetary space science, airborne neutron sensing has never been conceived for hydrological research on Earth. We assessed the applicability of atmospheric neutrons to sense root-zone soil moisture averaged over tens of hectares using neutron detectors on an airborne vehicle. Large-scale quantification of near-surface water content is an urgent challenge in hydrology. Information about soil and plant water is crucial to accurately assess the risks for floods and droughts, to adjust regional weather forecasts, and to calibrate and validate the corresponding models. However, there is a lack of data at scales relevant for these applications. Most conventional ground-based geophysical instruments provide root-zone soil moisture only within a few tens of m2, while electromagnetic signals from conventional remote-sensing instruments can only penetrate the first few centimeters below surface, though at larger spatial areas.In the last couple of years, stationary and roving neutron detectors have been used to sense the albedo component of cosmic-ray neutrons, which represents the average water content within 10—15 hectares and 10—50 cm depth. However, the application of these instruments is limited by inaccessible terrain and interfering local effects from roads. To overcome these limitations, we have pioneered first simulations and experiments of such sensors in the field of airborne geophysics. Theoretical investigations have shown that the footprint increases substantially with height above ground, while local effects smooth out throughout the whole area. Campaigns with neutron detectors mounted on a lightweight gyrocopter have been conducted over areas of various landuse types including agricultural fields, urban areas, forests, flood plains, and lakes. The neutron signal showed influence of soil moisture patterns in heights of up to 180 m above ground. We found correlation with

Measuring Radiant Emissions from Entire Prescribed Fires with Ground, Airborne and Satellite Sensors RxCADRE 2012

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dickinson, Matthew B.; Hudak, Andrew T.; Zajkowski, Thomas; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Schroeder, Wilfrid; Ellison, Luke; Kremens, Robert L.; Holley, William; Martinez, Otto; Paxton, Alexander;

Airborne Observations of Urban-Derived Water Vapor and Potential Impacts on Chemistry and Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmon, O. E.; Shepson, P. B.; Grundman, R. M., II; Stirm, B. H.; Ren, X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Fuentes, J. D.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric conditions typical of wintertime, such as lower boundary layer heights and reduced turbulent mixing, provide a unique environment for anthropogenic pollutants to accumulate and react. Wintertime enhancements in water vapor (H2O) have been observed in urban areas, and are thought to result from fossil fuel combustion and urban heat island-induced evaporation. The contribution of urban-derived water vapor to the atmosphere has the potential to locally influence atmospheric chemistry and weather for the urban area and surrounding region due to interactions between H2O and other chemical species, aerosols, and clouds. Airborne observations of urban-derived H2O, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone, and aerosols were conducted from Purdue University's Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (ALAR) and the University of Maryland's (UMD) Twin Cessna research aircraft during the winter of 2015. Measurements were conducted as part of the collaborative airborne campaign, Wintertime INvestigation of Transport, Emissions, and Reactivity (WINTER), which investigated seasonal trends in anthropogenic emissions and reactivity in the Northeastern United States. ALAR and the UMD aircraft participated in mass balance experiments around Washington D.C.-Baltimore to determine total city emission rates of H2O and other greenhouse gases. Average enhancements in H2O mixing ratio of 0.048%, and up to 0.13%, were observed downwind of the urban centers on ten research flights. In some cases, downwind H2O concentrations clearly track CO2 and NO2 enhancements, suggesting a strong combustion signal. Analysis of Purdue and UMD data collected during the WINTER campaign shows an average urban-derived H2O contribution of 5.3%, and as much as 13%, to the local boundary layer from ten research flights flown in February and March of 2015. In this paper, we discuss the potential chemical and physical implications of these results.

On the use of high-gradient magnetic force field in capturing airborne particles

DOE PAGES

Cheng, Mengdawn; Murphy, Bart L.; Moon, Ji Won; ...

2018-06-01

Airborne particles in the environment are generally smaller than a couple of microns. Use of magnetic force to collect aerosol particles thus has not been popular as the other means. There are billions of airborne particles emitted by a host of man-made sources with the particle size smaller than 1 µm and possess some magnetic susceptibility. We are thus interested in the use of high-gradient magnetic collection to extract the magnetic fraction in an aerosol population. Here in this study, we reported that the magnetic force is the dominant force in collection of ferromagnetic particles of mobility equivalent size largermore » than or equal to 50 nm in a high-gradient permanent-magnetic aerosol collector, while the diffusiophoretic force is responsible for particles smaller than 10 nm. Both forces compete for particles in between these two sizes in the magnetic aerosol collector designed for this study. To enable a wide-range effective collection of aerosol particles across entire size spectrum from a few nanometers to tens of a micron, the ORNL-designed high-gradient magnetic collector would require the use of an engineered matrix. Thus, the matrix design for a specific application becomes application specific. Irrespective of the collection efficiency, the use of permanent magnets to collect magnetic particles is feasible and also highly selective because it tunes into the magnetic susceptibility of the particles as well as the size. Lastly, the use of permanent magnets enables the collector to be operated at a minimal power requirement, which is a critical factor in long-term field operation.« less

On the use of high-gradient magnetic force field in capturing airborne particles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Mengdawn; Murphy, Bart L.; Moon, Ji Won

Airborne particles in the environment are generally smaller than a couple of microns. Use of magnetic force to collect aerosol particles thus has not been popular as the other means. There are billions of airborne particles emitted by a host of man-made sources with the particle size smaller than 1 µm and possess some magnetic susceptibility. We are thus interested in the use of high-gradient magnetic collection to extract the magnetic fraction in an aerosol population. Here in this study, we reported that the magnetic force is the dominant force in collection of ferromagnetic particles of mobility equivalent size largermore » than or equal to 50 nm in a high-gradient permanent-magnetic aerosol collector, while the diffusiophoretic force is responsible for particles smaller than 10 nm. Both forces compete for particles in between these two sizes in the magnetic aerosol collector designed for this study. To enable a wide-range effective collection of aerosol particles across entire size spectrum from a few nanometers to tens of a micron, the ORNL-designed high-gradient magnetic collector would require the use of an engineered matrix. Thus, the matrix design for a specific application becomes application specific. Irrespective of the collection efficiency, the use of permanent magnets to collect magnetic particles is feasible and also highly selective because it tunes into the magnetic susceptibility of the particles as well as the size. Lastly, the use of permanent magnets enables the collector to be operated at a minimal power requirement, which is a critical factor in long-term field operation.« less

Crisp clustering of airborne geophysical data from the Alto Ligonha pegmatite field, northeastern Mozambique, to predict zones of increased rare earth element potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eberle, Detlef G.; Daudi, Elias X. F.; Muiuane, Elônio A.; Nyabeze, Peter; Pontavida, Alfredo M.

2012-01-01

The National Geology Directorate of Mozambique (DNG) and Maputo-based Eduardo-Mondlane University (UEM) entered a joint venture with the South African Council for Geoscience (CGS) to conduct a case study over the meso-Proterozoic Alto Ligonha pegmatite field in the Zambézia Province of northeastern Mozambique to support the local exploration and mining sectors. Rare-metal minerals, i.e. tantalum and niobium, as well as rare-earth minerals have been mined in the Alto Ligonha pegmatite field since decades, but due to the civil war (1977-1992) production nearly ceased. The Government now strives to promote mining in the region as contribution to poverty alleviation. This study was undertaken to facilitate the extraction of geological information from the high resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric data sets recently acquired through a World Bank funded survey and mapping project. The aim was to generate a value-added map from the airborne geophysical data that is easier to read and use by the exploration and mining industries than mere airborne geophysical grid data or maps. As a first step towards clustering, thorium (Th) and potassium (K) concentrations were determined from the airborne geophysical data as well as apparent magnetic susceptibility and first vertical magnetic gradient data. These four datasets were projected onto a 100 m spaced regular grid to assemble 850,000 four-element (multivariate) sample vectors over the study area. Classification of the sample vectors using crisp clustering based upon the Euclidian distance between sample and class centre provided a (pseudo-) geology map or value-added map, respectively, displaying the spatial distribution of six different classes in the study area. To learn the quality of sample allocation, the degree of membership of each sample vector was determined using a-posterior discriminant analysis. Geophysical ground truth control was essential to allocate geology/geophysical attributes to the six classes

Airborne hygrometer calibration inter-comparison against a metrological water vapour standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smorgon, Denis; Boese, Norbert; Ebert, Volker

2014-05-01

Water vapour is the most important atmospheric greenhouse gas, which causes a major feedback to warming and other changes in the climate system. Knowledge of the distribution of water vapour and its climate induced changes is especially important in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UT/LS) where vapour plays a critical role in atmospheric radiative balance, cirrus cloud formation, and photochemistry. But, our understanding of water in the UT/LS is limited by significant uncertainties in current UT/LS water measurements. One of the most comprehensive inter-comparison campaigns for airborne hygrometers, termed AQUAVIT (AV1) [1], took place in 2007 at the AIDA chamber at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. AV1 was a well-defined, referred, blind inter-comparison of 22 airborne field instruments from 17 international research groups. One major metrological deficit of AV1, however, was, that no traceable reference instrument participated in the inter-comparison experiments and that the calibration procedures of the participating instruments were not monitored or interrogated. Consequently a follow-up inter-comparison was organized in April 2013, which for the first time also provides a traceable link to the international humidity scale. This AQUAVIT2 (AV2) campaign (details see: http://www.imk-aaf.kit.edu/aquavit/index.php/Main_Page) was again located at KIT/AIDA and organised by an international organizing committee including KIT, PTB, FZJ and others. Generally AV2 is divided in two parallel comparisons: 1) AV2-A uses the AIDA chamber for a simultaneous comparison of all instruments (incl. sampling and in-situ instruments) over a broad range of conditions characteristic for the UT/LS; 2) AV2-B, about which this paper is reporting, is a sequential comparison of selected hygrometers and (when possible) their reference calibration infrastructures by means of a chilled mirror hygrometer traced back to the primary National humidity standard

Optical properties and vertical distribution of pollution aerosols in the Mediterranean basin in summertime: airborne observations from the Charmex SOP0, SOP1, and SOP2 campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Biagio, Claudia; Beekmann, Matthias; Chevallier, Servanne; Denjean, Cyrielle; Doppler, Lionel; Gaimoz, Cecile; Grand, Noel; Loisil, Rodrigue; Mallet, Marc; Pelon, Jacques; Ravetta, Francois; Sartelet, Karine; Schnitt, Sabrina; Triquet, Sylvain; Zapf, Pascal; Formenti, Paola

2014-05-01

The Mediterranean basin is a very complex area where high concentrations of atmospheric aerosols of different origin and types may be found. The North-Western part of the Mediterranean basin, due to its closeness with high polluted industrialized areas and coastal high populated cities, is frequently affected by severe pollution episodes. The strength of these episodes is particularly intense during summer when stable meteorological conditions favour the accumulation of pollutants in the lowermost atmospheric layers. Three intensive airborne campaigns (TRAQA, TRansport and Air QuAlity, June-July 2012), ADRIMED (Aerosol Direct Radiative Impact on the regional climate in the MEDiterranean region, June 2013) and SAFMED (Secondary Aerosol Formation in the MEDiterranean, July 2013) have been conducted over the North-Western and Central Mediterranean basin with the SAFIRE ATR-42 aircraft in the framework of the ChArMex Special Observing Periods 0 and 1. During the different campaigns the ATR-42 was equipped with a large set of instruments for the measurements of the aerosol physico-chemical (GRIMM, SMPS, PCASP, USHAS, FSSP for size distribution, and three lines for filter sampling on polycarbonate and quartz membranes in order to derive the bulk aerosol composition) and optical properties (TSI nephelometer, Magee Sci. aethalomether, and CAPS for scattering, absorption, and extinction coefficients at several wavelengths in the visible). Lidar backscatter profiles at 355, 532, and 1064 nm, meteorological parameters, upward and downward shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes, and atmospheric composition (H2O, CO2, CO, and O3) were also measured from aircraft instrumentation. In this work we present data on the aerosol physico-chemical and optical properties obtained during the 25 scientific flights of TRAQA, ADRIMED, and SAFMED performed in correspondence of pollution episodes. During the campaigns the Western Mediterranean basin was interested by different synoptic

Measurements of Greenhouse Gases around the Sacramento Area: The Airborne Greenhouse Emissions Survey (AGES) Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karion, A.; Fischer, M. L.; Turnbull, J. C.; Sweeney, C.; Faloona, I. C.; Zagorac, N.; Guilderson, T. P.; Saripalli, S.; Sherwood, T.

2009-12-01

The state of California is leading the United States by enacting legislation (AB-32) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The success of reduction efforts can be gauged with accurate emissions inventories and potentially verified with atmospheric measurements of greenhouse gases (GHGs) over time. Measurements of multiple GHGs and associated trace gas species in a specific region also provide information on emissions ratios for source apportionment. We conducted the Airborne Greenhouse Emissions Survey (AGES) campaign to determine emissions signature ratios for the sources that exist in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley areas. Specifically, we attempt to determine the emissions signatures of sources that influence ongoing measurements made at a tall-tower measurement site near Walnut Grove, CA. For two weeks in February and March of 2009, a Cessna 210 was flown throughout the Sacramento region, making continuous measurements of CO2, CH4, and CO while also sampling discrete flasks for a variety of additional tracers, including SF6, N2O, and 14C in CO2 (Δ14CO2). Flight paths were planned using wind predictions for each day to maximize sampling of sources whose emissions would also be sampled contemporaneously by the instrumentation at the Walnut Grove tower (WGC), part of the ongoing California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) project between NOAA/ESRL’s Carbon Cycle group and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Flights were performed in two distinct patterns: 1) flying across a plume upwind and downwind of the Sacramento urban area, and 2) flying across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from Richmond to Walnut Grove, a region consisting of natural wetlands as well as several power plants and refineries. Results show a variety of well-correlated mixing ratio signals downwind of Sacramento, documenting the urban signature emission ratios, while emissions ratios in the Delta region were more variable, likely due

Wind Field Measurements With Airborne Doppler Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menzies, Robert T.

1999-01-01

In collaboration with lidar atmospheric remote sensing groups at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Environmental Technology Laboratory, we have developed and flown the Multi-center Airborne Coherent Atmospheric Wind Sensor (MACAWS) lidar on the NASA DC-8 research aircraft. The scientific motivations for this effort are: to obtain measurements of subgrid scale (i.e. 2-200 km) processes and features which may be used to improve parameterizations in global/regional-scale models; to improve understanding and predictive capabilities on the mesoscale; and to assess the performance of Earth-orbiting Doppler lidar for global tropospheric wind measurements. MACAWS is a scanning Doppler lidar using a pulsed transmitter and coherent detection; the use of the scanner allows 3-D wind fields to be produced from the data. The instrument can also be radiometrically calibrated and used to study aerosol, cloud, and surface scattering characteristics at the lidar wavelength in the thermal infrared. MACAWS was used to study surface winds off the California coast near Point Arena, with an example depicted in the figure below. The northerly flow here is due to the Pacific subtropical high. The coastal topography interacts with the northerly flow in the marine inversion layer, and when the flow passes a cape or point that juts into the winds, structures called "hydraulic expansion fans" are observed. These are marked by strong variation along the vertical and cross-shore directions. The plots below show three horizontal slices at different heights above sea level (ASL). Bottom plots are enlargements of the area marked by dotted boxes above. The terrain contours are in 200-m increments, with the white spots being above 600-m elevation. Additional information is contained in the original.

Airborne Measurements of Atmospheric Methane Using Pulsed Laser Transmitters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Numata, Kenji; Riris, Haris; Wu, Stewart; Gonzalez, Brayler; Rodriguez, Michael; Hasselbrack, William; Fahey, Molly; Yu, Anthony; Stephen, Mark; Mao, Jianping;

Remote detection of water stress in orchard canopies using MODIS/ASTER airborne simulator (MASTER) data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Tao; Riaño, David; Koltunov, Alexander; Whiting, Michael L.; Ustin, Susan L.

2011-09-01

Vegetation canopy water content (CWC) is an important parameter for monitoring natural and agricultural ecosystems. Previous studies focused on the observation of annual or monthly variations in CWC but lacked temporal details to study vegetation physiological activities within a diurnal cycle. This study provides an evaluation of detecting vegetation diurnal water stress using airborne data acquired with the MASTER instrument. Concurrent with the morning and afternoon acquisitions of MASTER data, an extensive field campaign was conducted over almond and pistachio orchards in southern San Joaquin Valley of California to collect CWC measurements. Statistical analysis of the field measurements indicated a significant decrease of CWC from morning to afternoon. Field measured CWC was linearly correlated to the normalized difference infrared index (NDII) calculated with atmospherically corrected MASTER reflectance data using either FLAASH or empirical line (EL). Our regression analysis demonstrated that both atmospheric corrections led to a root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 0.035 kg/m2 for the estimation of CWC (R2=0.42 for FLAASH images and R2=0.45 for EL images). Remote detection of the subtle decline in CWC awaits an improved prediction of CWC. Diurnal CWC maps revealed the spatial patterns of vegetation water status in response to variations in irrigation treatment.

NASA Tropospheric Composition Program field campagins as prototypes to advance the Integrated Observing System for Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefer, B. L.; Crawford, J. H.; Pierce, R. B.; Berkoff, T.; Swap, R.; Janz, S. J.; Ahn, J.; Al-Saadi, J. A.

2017-12-01

With the launch over the virtual constellation of earth observing satellites for atmospheric composition (e.g., TROPOMI, GEMS, TEMPO, and Sentinel-4) over the next several years, we have a unique opportunity to develop an Integrated Observing System (IOS) for air quality in the northern hemisphere. Recently, NASA's Tropospheric Composition Program (TCP) has participated in several different air quality related field campaigns as an effort to explore various prototypes of the IOS for Air Quality. The IOS for air quality could be a system were space-based observations of air quality (generally, column abundances of NO2, HCHO, O3, SO2, and AOD) are given added "value" by being integrated with: a) long-term ground-based observations;b) regional and global air quality and chemical transport models; as well as c) measurements from targeted airborne field campaigns. The recent Korea-US Air Quality Study (KORUS-AQ), the Lake Michigan Ozone Study 2017 (LMOS), and the Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study (OWLETS) field campaigns were held in different locations and made measurements over different scale. However, all of these provide an opportunity to learn about how a future integrated air quality observing system can be implemented to serve a variety of air quality related objectives. NASA TCP is also exploring enchancements to our routine observations to strengthen the IOS for air quality in the future.

Unmanned airborne vehicle (UAV): Flight testing and evaluation of two-channel E-field very low frequency (VLF) instrument

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-12-01

Using VLF frequencies, transmitted by the Navy`s network, for airborne remote sensing of the earth`s electrical, magnetic characteristics was first considered by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) around the mid 1970s. The first VLF system was designed and developed by the USGS for installation and operation on a single engine, fixed wing aircraft used by the Branch of Geophysics for geophysical surveying. The system consisted of five channels. Two E-field channels with sensors consisting of a fixed vertical loaded dipole antenna with pre-amp mounted on top of the fuselage and a gyro stabilized horizontal loaded dipole antenna with pre-ampmore » mounted on a tail boom. The three channel magnetic sensor consisted of three orthogonal coils mounted on the same gyro stabilized platform as the horizontal E-field antenna. The main features of the VLF receiver were: narrow band-width frequency selection using crystal filters, phase shifters for zeroing out system phase variances, phase-lock loops for generating real and quadrature gates, and synchronous detectors for generating real and quadrature outputs. In the mid 1990s the Branch of Geophysics designed and developed a two-channel E-field ground portable VLF system. The system was built using state-of-the-art circuit components and new concepts in circuit architecture. Small size, light weight, low power, durability, and reliability were key considerations in the design of the instrument. The primary purpose of the instrument was for collecting VLF data during ground surveys over small grid areas. Later the system was modified for installation on a Unmanned Airborne Vehicle (UAV). A series of three field trips were made to Easton, Maryland for testing and evaluating the system performance.« less

Soil moisture mapping by ground and airborne microwave radiometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poe, G.; Edgerton, A. T.

1972-01-01

Extensive ground-based and airborne investigations were undertaken in conjunction with laboratory dielectric measurements of soils and analytical modeling. Radiometric measurements were made in the vicinity of Phoenix, Arizona at observational wavelengths ranging from 0.81 to 21 cm. Ground experiments were conducted with a microwave field laboratory and airborne measurements were obtained from a CV-990 aircraft. Research activities were focused on establishing basic relationships between microwave emission and the distribution of moisture.

Geometric and radiometric preprocessing of airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) data in rugged terrain for quantitative data analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Peter; Green, Robert O.; Staenz, Karl; Itten, Klaus I.

1994-01-01

A geocoding procedure for remotely sensed data of airborne systems in rugged terrain is affected by several factors: buffeting of the aircraft by turbulence, variations in ground speed, changes in altitude, attitude variations, and surface topography. The current investigation was carried out with an Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) scene of central Switzerland (Rigi) from NASA's Multi Aircraft Campaign (MAC) in Europe (1991). The parametric approach reconstructs for every pixel the observation geometry based on the flight line, aircraft attitude, and surface topography. To utilize the data for analysis of materials on the surface, the AVIRIS data are corrected to apparent reflectance using algorithms based on MODTRAN (moderate resolution transfer code).

Airborne Hyperspectral Sensing of Monitoring Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes Region: System Calibration and Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lekki, John; Anderson, Robert; Avouris, Dulcinea; Becker, RIchard; Churnside, James; Cline, Michael; Demers, James; Leshkevich, George; Liou, Larry; Luvall, Jeffrey;

Teaching Health Campaigns by Doing Health Campaigns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuberger, Lindsay

2017-01-01

Courses: Health Campaigns, Health Communication,Communication Campaigns, Public Relations Campaigns, Persuasion. Objectives: Students will demonstrate their ability to work effectively both individually and in teams to apply "health communication" theory to emerging, practical, on-campus health issues via formative research, multimodal…

Boundary Layer Characterization during Perdigão Field Campaign 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leo, L. S.; Salvadore, J. J.; Belo-Pereira, M.; Menke, R.; Gomes, S.; Krishnamurthy, R.; Brown, W. O. J.; Creegan, E.; Klein, P. M.; Wildmann, N.; Oncley, S.; Fernando, J.; Mann, J.

2017-12-01

The depth and structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) significantly impact the performances of wind farms located in complex terrain environments, since low-level jets and other flow structures in the proximity of hills and mountains determine the weather extremes, such as shear layer instabilities, lee/internal wave breaking, etc. which in turn profoundly modify the turbulence profile at wind turbine relevant heights.A suite of instruments was deployed covering a double-ridge in central Portugal near the town of Perdigão in 2016-2017, and they are used here to characterize the ABL structure over complex terrain during the Intensive Observational Period (IOP, May 1- June 15, 2017) of the research field program dubbed "Perdigão". Firstly, the methodology adopted in this work to estimate the BL height will be discussed; secondly, an overview of the BL depth and characteristics during Perdigão-IOP campaign will be provided, with emphasis on case studies of interest for both the wind-power and boundary-layer communities.

The New Microwave Temperature and Humidity Profiler (MTHP) Airborne Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, B.; Bendig, R.; Denning, R.; Pandian, P.; Read, W. G.; Tanner, A.

2016-12-01

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has developed a next generation sensor, the Microwave Temperature and Humidity Profiler (MTHP) for use on airborne platforms. The instrument measures the 60 GHz oxygen band and 183 GHz water vapor band, and scans ahead of the aircraft flight path, allowing for atmospheric retrievals above and below the aircraft, to generate vertical profiles. The millimeter wave microwave receivers utilize low noise amplifiers made on the 35 nm indium phosphide (InP) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) process that offer low noise figures ( 4 dB). Continuous calibration is performed with a novel rotating drum, through an aperture matched to the measurement frequencies, with two external targets - one at ambient and another heated to 55oC. The instrument performs a scan of the vertical structure of the atmosphere and calibration targets every 1.5 seconds The instrument has recently flown on the Gulfstream 2 in June 2016 and participated in the NCAR ARISTO C-130 flight test campaign in August 2016. The performance of the instrument during these campaigns, will be presented.

Mapping methane sources and emissions over California from direct airborne flux and VOC source tracer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guha, A.; Misztal, P. K.; Peischl, J.; Karl, T.; Jonsson, H. H.; Woods, R. K.; Ryerson, T. B.; Goldstein, A. H.

2013-12-01

Quantifying the contributions of methane (CH4) emissions from anthropogenic sources in the Central Valley of California is important for validation of the statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and subsequent AB32 law implementation. The state GHG inventory is largely based on activity data and emission factor based estimates. The 'bottom-up' emission factors for CH4 have large uncertainties and there is a lack of adequate 'top-down' measurements to characterize emission rates. Emissions from non-CO2 GHG sources display spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability, and are thus, often, poorly characterized. The Central Valley of California is an agricultural and industry intensive region with large concentration of dairies and livestock operations, active oil and gas fields and refining operations, as well as rice cultivation all of which are known CH4 sources. In order to gain a better perspective of the spatial distribution of major CH4 sources in California, airborne measurements were conducted aboard a Twin Otter aircraft for the CABERNET (California Airborne BVOC Emissions Research in Natural Ecosystems Transects) campaign, where the driving research goal was to understand the spatial distribution of biogenic VOC emissions. The campaign took place in June 2011 and encompassed over forty hours of low-altitude and mixed layer airborne CH4 and CO2 measurements alongside coincident VOC measurements. Transects during eight unique flights covered much of the Central Valley and its eastern edge, the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta and the coastal range. We report direct quantification of CH4 fluxes using real-time airborne Eddy Covariance measurements. CH4 and CO2 were measured at 1-Hz data rate using an instrument based on Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) along with specific VOCs (like isoprene, methanol, acetone etc.) measured at 10-Hz using Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometer - Eddy Covariance (PTRMS-EC) flux system. Spatially resolved eddy covariance

The Glacier and Land Ice Surface Topography Interferometer: An Airborne Proof-of-concept Mapping Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moller, D.; Hensley, S.; Chuang, C.; Fisher, C.; Muellerschoen, R.; Milligan, L.; Sadowy, G.; Rignot, E. J.

2009-12-01

In May 2009 a new radar technique for mapping ice surface topography was demonstrated in a Greenland campaign as part of the NASA International Polar Year activities. This was achieved by integrating a Ka-band single-pass interferometric synthetic radar on the NASA Dryden Gulfstream III for a coordinated deployment. Although the technique of using radar interferometry for mapping terrain has been demonstrated before, this is the first such application at millimeter-wave frequencies. This proof-of-concept demonstration was motivated by the Glacier and Land Ice Surface Topography Interferometer (GLISTIN) Instrument Incubator Program and furthermore, highly leveraged existing ESTO hardware and software assets (the Unmanned Airborne Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) and processor and the PR2 (precipitation radar 2) RF assembly and power amplifier). Initial Ka-band test flights occurred in March and April of 2009 followed by the Greenland deployment. Instrument performance indicates swath widths over the ice between 5-7km, with height precisions ranging from 30cm-3m at a posting of 3m x 3m. However, for this application the electromagnetic wave will penetrate an unknown amount into the snow cover thus producing an effective bias that must be calibrated. This penetration will be characterized as part of this program and is expected to vary as a function of snow wetness and radar incidence angle. To evaluate this, we flew a coordinated collection with the NASA Wallops Airborne Topographic Mapper on a transect from Greenland’s Summit its West coast. This flight included two field calibration sites at Colorado Institute for Research in Environmental Science’s Swiss Camp and the National Science Foundation’s Summit station. Additional collections entailed flying a grid over Jakobshavn glacier which were repeated after 6 days to reveal surface dynamics. In this time frame we were able to observe horizontal motion of over 1km on the glacier. While developed for

Use of field reflectance data for crop mapping using airborne hyperspectral image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nidamanuri, Rama Rao; Zbell, Bernd

2011-09-01

Recent developments in hyperspectral remote sensing technologies enable acquisition of image with high spectral resolution, which is typical to the laboratory or in situ reflectance measurements. There has been an increasing interest in the utilization of in situ reference reflectance spectra for rapid and repeated mapping of various surface features. Here we examined the prospect of classifying airborne hyperspectral image using field reflectance spectra as the training data for crop mapping. Canopy level field reflectance measurements of some important agricultural crops, i.e. alfalfa, winter barley, winter rape, winter rye, and winter wheat collected during four consecutive growing seasons are used for the classification of a HyMAP image acquired for a separate location by (1) mixture tuned matched filtering (MTMF), (2) spectral feature fitting (SFF), and (3) spectral angle mapper (SAM) methods. In order to answer a general research question "what is the prospect of using independent reference reflectance spectra for image classification", while focussing on the crop classification, the results indicate distinct aspects. On the one hand, field reflectance spectra of winter rape and alfalfa demonstrate excellent crop discrimination and spectral matching with the image across the growing seasons. On the other hand, significant spectral confusion detected among the winter barley, winter rye, and winter wheat rule out the possibility of existence of a meaningful spectral matching between field reflectance spectra and image. While supporting the current notion of "non-existence of characteristic reflectance spectral signatures for vegetation", results indicate that there exist some crops whose spectral signatures are similar to characteristic spectral signatures with possibility of using them in image classification.

Airborne Open Polar/Imaging Nephelometer for Ice Particles in Cirrus Clouds and Aerosols Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martins, JV

2016-04-01

The Open Imaging Nephelometer (O-I-Neph) instrument is an adaptation of a proven laboratory instrument built and tested at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), the Polarized Imaging Nephelometer (PI-Neph). The instrument design of both imaging nephelometers uses a narrow-beam laser source and a wide-field-of-view imaging camera to capture the entire scattering-phase function in one image, quasi-instantaneously.

ASPIRE - Airborne Spectro-Polarization InfraRed Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuca, E.; Cheimets, P.; Golub, L.; Madsen, C. A.; Marquez, V.; Bryans, P.; Judge, P. G.; Lussier, L.; McIntosh, S. W.; Tomczyk, S.

2017-12-01

Direct measurements of coronal magnetic fields are critical for taking the next step in active region and solar wind modeling and for building the next generation of physics-based space-weather models. We are proposing a new airborne instrument to make these key observations. Building on the successful Airborne InfraRed Spectrograph (AIR-Spec) experiment for the 2017 eclipse, we will design and build a spectro-polarimeter to measure coronal magnetic field during the 2019 South Pacific eclipse. The new instrument will use the AIR-Spec optical bench and the proven pointing, tracking, and stabilization optics. A new cryogenic spectro-polarimeter will be built focusing on the strongest emission lines observed during the eclipse. The AIR-Spec IR camera, slit jaw camera and data acquisition system will all be reused. The poster will outline the optical design and the science goals for ASPIRE.

Airborne wireless communication systems, airborne communication methods, and communication methods

DOEpatents

Deaton, Juan D [Menan, ID; Schmitt, Michael J [Idaho Falls, ID; Jones, Warren F [Idaho Falls, ID

2011-12-13

An airborne wireless communication system includes circuitry configured to access information describing a configuration of a terrestrial wireless communication base station that has become disabled. The terrestrial base station is configured to implement wireless communication between wireless devices located within a geographical area and a network when the terrestrial base station is not disabled. The circuitry is further configured, based on the information, to configure the airborne station to have the configuration of the terrestrial base station. An airborne communication method includes answering a 911 call from a terrestrial cellular wireless phone using an airborne wireless communication system.

Changes in the Earth's largest surge glacier system from satellite and airborne altimetry and imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trantow, T.; Herzfeld, U. C.

2015-12-01

The Bering-Bagley Glacier System (BBGS), Alaska, one of the largest ice systems outside of Greenland and Antarctica, has recently surged (2011-2013), providing a rare opportunity to study the surge phenomenon in a large and complex system. Understanding fast-flowing glaciers and accelerations in ice flow, of which surging is one type, is critical to understanding changes in the cryosphere and ultimately changes in sea level. It is important to distinguish between types of accelerations and their consequences, especially between reversible or quasi-cyclic and irreversible forms of glacial acceleration, but current icesheet models treat all accelerating ice identically. Additionally, the surge provides an exceptional opportunity to study the influence of surface roughness and water content on return signals of altimeter systems. In this presentation, we analyze radar and laser altimeter data from CryoSat-2, NASA's Operation IceBridge (OIB), the ICESat Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), ICESat-2's predecessor the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL), and airborne laser altimeter and imagery campaigns by our research group. These measurements are used to study elevation, elevation change and crevassing throughout the glacier system. Analysis of the imagery from our airborne campaigns provides comprehensive characterizations of the BBGS surface over the course of the surge. Results from the data analysis are compared to numerical modeling experiments.

SGA-WZ: A New Strapdown Airborne Gravimeter

PubMed Central

Huang, Yangming; Olesen, Arne Vestergaard; Wu, Meiping; Zhang, Kaidong

2012-01-01

Inertial navigation systems and gravimeters are now routinely used to map the regional gravitational quantities from an aircraft with mGal accuracy and a spatial resolution of a few kilometers. However, airborne gravimeter of this kind is limited by the inaccuracy of the inertial sensor performance, the integrated navigation technique and the kinematic acceleration determination. As the GPS technique developed, the vehicle acceleration determination is no longer the limiting factor in airborne gravity due to the cancellation of the common mode acceleration in differential mode. A new airborne gravimeter taking full advantage of the inertial navigation system is described with improved mechanical design, high precision time synchronization, better thermal control and optimized sensor modeling. Apart from the general usage, the Global Positioning System (GPS) after differentiation is integrated to the inertial navigation system which provides not only more precise altitude information along with the navigation aiding, but also an effective way to calculate the vehicle acceleration. Design description and test results on the performance of the gyroscopes and accelerations will be emphasized. Analysis and discussion of the airborne field test results are also given. PMID:23012545

Evaluation of GEOS-5 Sulfur Dioxide Simulations During the Frostburg, MD 2010 Field Campaign.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchard, V.; Da Silva, A. M.; Colarco, P.; Krotkov, N.; Dickerson, R. R.; Stehr, J. W.; Mount, G.; Spenei, E.; Arkinson, H. L.; He, H.

2013-01-01

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a major atmospheric pollutant with a strong anthropogenic component mostly produced by the combustion of fossil fuel and other industrial activities. As a precursor of sulfate aerosols that affect climate, air quality, and human health, this gas needs to be monitored on a global scale. Global climate and chemistry models including aerosol processes along with their radiative effects are important tools for climate and air quality research. Validation of these models against in-situ and satellite measurements is essential to ascertain the credibility of these models and to guide model improvements. In this study the Goddard Chemistry, Aerosol, Radiation, and Transport (GOCART) module running on-line inside the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) model is used to simulate aerosol and SO2 concentrations. Data taken in November 2010 over Frostburg, Maryland during an SO2 field campaign involving ground instrumentation and aircraft are used to evaluate GEOS-5 simulated SO2 concentrations. Preliminary data analysis indicated the model overestimated surface SO2 concentration, which motivated the examination of mixing processes in the model and the specification of SO2 anthropogenic emission rates. As a result of this analysis, a revision of anthropogenic emission inventories in GEOS-5 was implemented, and the vertical placement of SO2 sources was updated. Results show that these revisions improve the model agreement with observations locally and in regions outside the area of this field campaign. In particular, we use the ground-based measurements collected by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) for the year 2010 to evaluate the revised model simulations over North America.

Combining Airborne and Lidar Measurements for Attribution of Aerosol Layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikandrova, A.; Väänänen, R.; Tabakova, K.; Kerminen, V. M.; O'Connor, E.

2016-12-01

The aim of this work was to identify discrete aerosol layers and diagnose their origin, investigate the strength of mixing within the free-troposphere and with the boundary layer (BL), and understand the impact that mixing has on local and long-range transport of aerosol. For these purposes we combined airborne in-situ aerosol measurements with data obtained by a High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL). The HSRL was deployed in Hyytiälä, Southern Finland, from January to September 2014 as a part of the US DoE ARM (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement) Mobile Facility during the BAECC (Biogenic Aerosols - Effects on Cloud and Climate) Campaign. Two airborne campaigns took place in April and August 2014 during the BAECC campaign. The vertical profile of backscatter coefficient from the HSRL was used to diagnose the location and depth of significant aerosol layers in the atmosphere. Frequently, in addition to the BL, one or two tropospheric layers were identified. In-situ measurements of the aerosol size distribution in these layers were obtained from a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and Optical Particle Sizer (OPS), that were installed on board the aircraft; these measurements were combined to cover sizes ranging from 10 nm to 10 µm. As expected, the highest number concentration of aerosol particles at all size ranges was found predominantly in the BL. Many upper layers had size distributions with a similar shape to that in the BL but with overall lower concentrations attributed to dilution of particles into a large volume of air. Hence, these layers were likely of very similar origin to the air in the BL and presumably were the result of lofted residual layers. Intervening layers however, could contain markedly different distribution shapes, which could be attributed to both different air mass origins, and different ambient relative humidity. Potential for mixing between two discreet elevated layers was often seen as a thin interface layer, which exhibited a

An Airborne A-Band Spectrometer for Remote Sensing Of Aerosol and Cloud Optical Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pitts, Michael; Hostetler, Chris; Poole, Lamont; Holden, Carl; Rault, Didier

2000-01-01

Atmospheric remote sensing with the O2 A-band has a relatively long history, but most of these studies were attempting to estimate surface pressure or cloud-top pressure. Recent conceptual studies have demonstrated the potential of spaceborne high spectral resolution O2 A-band spectrometers for retrieval of aerosol and cloud optical properties. The physical rationale of this new approach is that information on the scattering properties of the atmosphere is embedded in the detailed line structure of the O2 A-band reflected radiance spectrum. The key to extracting this information is to measure the radiance spectrum at very high spectral resolution. Instrument performance requirement studies indicate that, in addition to high spectral resolution, the successful retrieval of aerosol and cloud properties from A-band radiance spectra will also require high radiometric accuracy, instrument stability, and high signal-to-noise measurements. To experimentally assess the capabilities of this promising new remote sensing application, the NASA Langley Research Center is developing an airborne high spectral resolution A-band spectrometer. The spectrometer uses a plane holographic grating with a folded Littrow geometry to achieve high spectral resolution (0.5 cm-1) and low stray light in a compact package. This instrument will be flown in a series of field campaigns beginning in 2001 to evaluate the overall feasibility of this new technique. Results from these campaigns should be particularly valuable for future spaceborne applications of A-band spectrometers for aerosol and cloud retrievals.

On the impact of anthropogenic emissions on biogenic SOA formation above West Africa: results from DACCIWA aircraft field campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brito, Joel; Freney, Evelyn; Colomb, Aurelie; Dupuy, Régis; Duplissy, Jonathan; Denjean, Cyrielle; Dominutti, Pamela; Batenburg, Anneke; Haslett, Sophie; Schulz, Christiane; Bourrianne, Thierry; Burnet, Frederic; Borbon, Agnès; Schneider, Johannes; Borrmann, Stephan; Coe, Hugh; Sellegri, Karine; Flamant, Cyrille; Knippertz, Peter; Schwarzenboeck, Alfons

2017-04-01

As part of the Dynamics-Aerosol-Chemistry-Cloud Interactions in West Africa (DACCIWA) project, airborne campaigns were designed to measure a large range of atmospheric constituents focusing on the improvement of our current understanding on the effect of anthropogenic emissions on regional climate. The targeted region, Southern West Africa, holds currently a population of over 340 million people, and is predicted by the United Nations to reach about 800 million by 2050. The climate in the region is characterized by a large-scale atmospheric circulation system which controls precipitation over a land area of about 6 million km2, directly impacting the water resources, agriculture and power generation of hundreds of millions of people. Besides its large natural variability, the West African monsoon system is also expected to be significantly affected by global and regional climate change, with large uncertainties on the role of local pollution. An important aspect assessing the impact of human activities on the local climate is thereby the understanding of aerosol sources and properties. The presented study details results of the DACCIWA measurement campaign using the French ATR42 research aircraft, which in combination with the German Falcon 20 and British Twin Otter aircraft, aimed to characterize physico-chemical properties of aerosols in the region using a suite of aerosol measurement techniques (e.g. C-TOF AMS, APITOF, SMPS, etc.) and supporting information from simultaneous trace gas measurements (e.g. PTRMS). This large dataset has been used to assess how anthropogenic emission (NOx, SO2, SO4) is impacting formation of biogenic secondary organic aerosol formation, in particular through the formation of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX). The recently collected data will certainly help understanding the coupling between human activities and regional climate in a sensitive, highly populated area.

Sampling the Vertical Moisture Structure of an Atmospheric River Event Using Airborne GPS Radio Occultation Profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haase, J. S.; Malloy, K.; Murphy, B.; Sussman, J.; Zhang, W.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are of high concern in California, bringing significant rain to the region over extended time periods of up to 5 days, potentially causing floods, and more importantly, contributing to the Sierra snowpack that provides much of the regional water resources. The CalWater project focuses on predicting the variability of the West Coast water supply, including improving AR forecasting. Unfortunately, data collection over the ocean remains a challenge and impacts forecasting accuracy. One novel technique to address this issue includes airborne GPS radio occultation (ARO), using broadcast GPS signals from space to measure the signal ray path bending angle and refractivity to retrieve vertical water vapor profiles. The Global Navigation Satellite System Instrument System for Multistatic and Occultation Sensing (GISMOS) system was developed for this purpose for recording and processing high-sample rate (10MHz) signals in the lower troposphere. Previous studies (Murphy et al, 2014) have shown promising results in acquiring airborne GPS RO data, comparing it to dropsondes and numerical weather models. CalWater launched a field campaign in the beginning of 2015 which included testing GISMOS ARO on the NOAA GIV aircraft for AR data acquisition, flying into the February 6th AR event that brought up to 35 cm of rain to central California. This case study will compare airborne GPS RO refractivity profiles to the NCEP-NCAR final reanalysis model and dropsonde profiles. We will show the data distribution and explain the sampling characteristics, providing high resolution vertical information to the sides of the aircraft in a manner complementary to dropsondes beneath the flight track. We will show how this method can provide additional reliable data during the development of AR storms.

Airborne UV DIAL Measurements of Ozone and Aerosols

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, William B.; Browell, Edward V.

2000-01-01

The NASA Langley Research Center's airborne UV Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) system measures vertical profiles of ozone and aerosols above and below the aircraft along its flight track. This system has been used in over 20 airborne field missions designed to study the troposphere and stratosphere since 1980. Four of these missions involved tropospheric measurement programs in the Pacific Ocean with two in the western North Pacific and two in the South Pacific. The UV DIAL system has been used in these missions to study such things as pollution outflow, long-range transport, and stratospheric intrusions; categorize the air masses encountered; and to guide the aircraft to altitudes where interesting features can be studied using the in situ instruments. This paper will highlight the findings with the UV DIAL system in the Pacific Ocean field programs and introduce the mission planned for the western North Pacific for February-April 2001. This will be an excellent opportunity for collaboration between the NASA airborne mission and those with ground-based War systems in Asia Pacific Rim countries to make a more complete determination of the transport of air from Asia to the western Pacific.

Vegetation Water Content Mapping in a Diverse Agricultural Landscape: National Airborne Field Experiment 2006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cosh, Michael H.; Jing Tao; Jackson, Thomas J.; McKee, Lynn; O'Neill, Peggy

2011-01-01

Mapping land cover and vegetation characteristics on a regional scale is critical to soil moisture retrieval using microwave remote sensing. In aircraft-based experiments such as the National Airborne Field Experiment 2006 (NAFE 06), it is challenging to provide accurate high resolution vegetation information, especially on a daily basis. A technique proposed in previous studies was adapted here to the heterogenous conditions encountered in NAFE 06, which included a hydrologically complex landscape consisting of both irrigated and dryland agriculture. Using field vegetation sampling and ground-based reflectance measurements, the knowledge base for relating the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and the vegetation water content was extended to a greater diversity of agricultural crops, which included dryland and irrigated wheat, alfalfa, and canola. Critical to the generation of vegetation water content maps, the land cover for this region was determined from satellite visible/infrared imagery and ground surveys with an accuracy of 95.5% and a kappa coefficient of 0.95. The vegetation water content was estimated with a root mean square error of 0.33 kg/sq m. The results of this investigation contribute to a more robust database of global vegetation water content observations and demonstrate that the approach can be applied with high accuracy. Keywords: Vegetation, field experimentation, thematic mapper, NDWI, agriculture.

KEGS Discovery of 9 Supernova Candidates in the K2 Campaign 17 field with Pan-STARRS PS1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, K. W.; Rest, A.; Tucker, B. E.; Garnavich, P. M.; Margheim, S.; Kasen, D.; Olling, R.; Shaya, E.; Narayan, G.; Villar, A.; Forster, F.; Mushotzky, R.; Zenteno, A.; James, D.; Smith, R. Chris; Dotson, J. L.; Barentsen, G.; Gully-Santiago, M.; Smartt, S. J.; Wright, D. E.; Huber, M.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Willman, M.; Schultz, A.; Magnier, E.; Waters, C.; Bulger, J.; Wainscoat, R. J.

2018-05-01

We report the following transients discovered by Pan-STARRS1 during a targeted search of the Kepler Campaign 17 field as part of the K2 Extragalactic Survey (KEGS) for Transients (see http://www.mso.anu.edu.au/kegs/ ) Information on the Pan-STARRS Survey for Transients is available at http://star.pst.qub.ac.uk/ps1threepi/ (see Huber et al. ATel #7153).

Field tests of a new, extractive, airborne 1.4 μm -TDLAS hygrometer (SEALDH-I) on a Learjet 35A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchholz, Bernhard; Ebert, Volker

2013-04-01

easier to validate the sensor function e.g. by a direct comparison with a primary water standard and to ensure traceability of the results to metrological standards. On the other hand it remains important to investigate sampling effects and artifacts in order to provide true measurements of the outside air. The SEALDH-I (Selective Extractive Airborne Laser Diode Hygrometer) is a new, absolute 1.37 μm Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) hygrometer, which uses an advanced spectroscopic multiline fit and instrument stabilization process to enable a calibrations-free [1] evaluation of TDLAS signals [2]. SEALDHI is a compact (19" 4 HU), light weight (23 kg), fully extractive TDL hygrometer especially designed for space- and weight-limited airborne applications. It is based on an internal optical cell with 1.5 m optical path length. SEALDH-I's time resolution is limited by the flow through the cell: With an unpressurized inlet and gas handling system, we achieve with typical flows of 40 liter/min which leads to exchange times in the order of 0.5 sec. The laser scanning frequency of typically 140 Hz sets a maximum time resolution of 7 msec. Averaging data for about 2.1 sec ensures an excellent precision of 0.033 ppmv, which results in a band width and path length normalized precision of 72 ppbv?m?(Hz)-1-2. A dynamic range from 30 to 30000 ppmv has been proved and already validated in a blind intercomparison campaign [3]. The fast measurements, its excellent precision, validated accuracy, and absolute, calibration-free evaluation in combination with the compact, robust setup, allows airborne measurements from ground level up to the lower stratosphere. Furthermore SEALDH-I permits via its fast response time in combination with the large concentration range the resolution of fine atmospheric spatial structures and temporal fluctuations, particularly in clouds [4], where concentration gradients of 1000 ppmv per second can be present. We will present the result of

High-resolution airborne imaging DOAS measurements of NO2 above Bucharest during AROMAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, Andreas Carlos; Schönhardt, Anja; Bösch, Tim; Richter, Andreas; Seyler, André; Ruhtz, Thomas; Constantin, Daniel-Eduard; Shaiganfar, Reza; Wagner, Thomas; Merlaud, Alexis; Van Roozendael, Michel; Belegante, Livio; Nicolae, Doina; Georgescu, Lucian; Burrows, John Philip

2017-05-01

In this study we report on airborne imaging DOAS measurements of NO2 from two flights performed in Bucharest during the AROMAT campaign (Airborne ROmanian Measurements of Aerosols and Trace gases) in September 2014. These measurements were performed with the Airborne imaging Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) instrument for Measurements of Atmospheric Pollution (AirMAP) and provide nearly gapless maps of column densities of NO2 below the aircraft with a high spatial resolution of better than 100 m. The air mass factors, which are needed to convert the measured differential slant column densities (dSCDs) to vertical column densities (VCDs), have a strong dependence on the surface reflectance, which has to be accounted for in the retrieval. This is especially important for measurements above urban areas, where the surface properties vary strongly. As the instrument is not radiometrically calibrated, we have developed a method to derive the surface reflectance from intensities measured by AirMAP. This method is based on radiative transfer calculation with SCIATRAN and a reference area for which the surface reflectance is known. While surface properties are clearly apparent in the NO2 dSCD results, this effect is successfully corrected for in the VCD results. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of aerosols on the retrieval for a variety of aerosol profiles that were measured in the context of the AROMAT campaigns. The results of two research flights are presented, which reveal distinct horizontal distribution patterns and strong spatial gradients of NO2 across the city. Pollution levels range from background values in the outskirts located upwind of the city to about 4 × 1016 molec cm-2 in the polluted city center. Validation against two co-located mobile car-DOAS measurements yields good agreement between the datasets, with correlation coefficients of R = 0.94 and R = 0.85, respectively. Estimations on the NOx

Regional Scaling of Airborne Eddy Covariance Flux Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachs, T.; Serafimovich, A.; Metzger, S.; Kohnert, K.; Hartmann, J.

2014-12-01

The earth's surface is tightly coupled to the global climate system by the vertical exchange of energy and matter. Thus, to better understand and potentially predict changes to our climate system, it is critical to quantify the surface-atmosphere exchange of heat, water vapor, and greenhouse gases on climate-relevant spatial and temporal scales. Currently, most flux observations consist of ground-based, continuous but local measurements. These provide a good basis for temporal integration, but may not be representative of the larger regional context. This is particularly true for the Arctic, where site selection is additionally bound by logistical constraints, among others. Airborne measurements can overcome this limitation by covering distances of hundreds of kilometers over time periods of a few hours. The Airborne Measurements of Methane Fluxes (AIRMETH) campaigns are designed to quantitatively and spatially explicitly address this issue: The research aircraft POLAR 5 is used to acquire thousands of kilometers of eddy-covariance flux data. During the AIRMETH-2012 and AIRMETH-2013 campaigns we measured the turbulent exchange of energy, methane, and (in 2013) carbon dioxide over the North Slope of Alaska, USA, and the Mackenzie Delta, Canada. Here, we present the potential of environmental response functions (ERFs) for quantitatively linking flux observations to meteorological and biophysical drivers in the flux footprints. We use wavelet transforms of the original high-frequency data to improve spatial discretization of the flux observations. This also enables the quantification of continuous and biophysically relevant land cover properties in the flux footprint of each observation. A machine learning technique is then employed to extract and quantify the functional relationships between flux observations and the meteorological and biophysical drivers. The resulting ERFs are used to extrapolate fluxes over spatio-temporally explicit grids of the study area. The

The NASA Carbon Airborne Flux Experiment (CARAFE): instrumentation and methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfe, Glenn M.; Kawa, S. Randy; Hanisco, Thomas F.; Hannun, Reem A.; Newman, Paul A.; Swanson, Andrew; Bailey, Steve; Barrick, John; Thornhill, K. Lee; Diskin, Glenn; DiGangi, Josh; Nowak, John B.; Sorenson, Carl; Bland, Geoffrey; Yungel, James K.; Swenson, Craig A.

2018-03-01

The exchange of trace gases between the Earth's surface and atmosphere strongly influences atmospheric composition. Airborne eddy covariance can quantify surface fluxes at local to regional scales (1-1000 km), potentially helping to bridge gaps between top-down and bottom-up flux estimates and offering novel insights into biophysical and biogeochemical processes. The NASA Carbon Airborne Flux Experiment (CARAFE) utilizes the NASA C-23 Sherpa aircraft with a suite of commercial and custom instrumentation to acquire fluxes of carbon dioxide, methane, sensible heat, and latent heat at high spatial resolution. Key components of the CARAFE payload are described, including the meteorological, greenhouse gas, water vapor, and surface imaging systems. Continuous wavelet transforms deliver spatially resolved fluxes along aircraft flight tracks. Flux analysis methodology is discussed in depth, with special emphasis on quantification of uncertainties. Typical uncertainties in derived surface fluxes are 40-90 % for a nominal resolution of 2 km or 16-35 % when averaged over a full leg (typically 30-40 km). CARAFE has successfully flown two missions in the eastern US in 2016 and 2017, quantifying fluxes over forest, cropland, wetlands, and water. Preliminary results from these campaigns are presented to highlight the performance of this system.

Preliminary Findings from the One-Year Electric Field Study in the North Slope of Alaska (OYES-NSA), Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavigne, T.; Liu, C.

2017-12-01

Previous studies focusing on the comparison of the measured electric field to the physical properties of global electrified clouds have been conducted almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. The One-Year Electric Field Study-North Slope of Alaska (OYES-NSA) aims to establish a long-running collection of this valuable electric field data in the Northern Hemisphere. Presented here is the six-month preliminary data and results of the OYES-NSA Atmospheric Radiation Mission (ARM) field campaign. The local electric field measured in Barrow, Alaska using two CS110 reciprocating shutter field meters, has been compared to simultaneous measurements from the ARM Ka-Band zenith radar, to better understand the influence and contribution of different types of clouds on the local electric field. The fair-weather electric field measured in Barrow has also been analyzed and compared to the climatology of electric field at Vostok Station, Antarctica. The combination of the electric field dataset in the Northern Hemisphere, alongside the local Ka cloud radar, global Precipitation Feature (PF) database, and quasi-global lightning activity (55oN-55oS), allows for advances in the physical understanding of the local electric field, as well as the Global Electric Circuit (GEC).

Field Testing of a Pneumatic Regolith Feed System During a 2010 ISRU Field Campaign on Mauna Kea, Hawaii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craft, Jack; Zacny, Kris; Chu, Philip; Wilson, Jack; Santoro, Chris; Carlson, Lee; Maksymuk, Michael; Townsend, Ivan I.; Mueller, Robert P.; Mantovani, James G.

2010-01-01

Lunar In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) consists of a number of tasks starting with mining of lunar regolith, followed by the transfer of regolith to an oxygen extraction reactor and finally processing the regolith and storing of extracted oxygen. The transfer of regolith from the regolith hopper at the ground level to an oxygen extraction reactor many feet above the surface could be accomplished in different ways, including using a mechanical auger, bucket ladder system or a pneumatic system. The latter system is commonly used on earth when moving granular materials since it offers high reliability and simplicity of operation. In this paper, we describe a pneumatic regolith feed system, delivering feedstock to a Carbothermal reactor and lessons learned from deploying the system during the 2010 ISRU field campaign on the Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

Radar Wind Profiler for Cloud Forecasting at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jensen, Michael P; Giangrande, Scott E; Bartholomew, Mary Jane

The Radar Wind Profiler for Cloud Forecasting at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) [http://www.arm.gov/campaigns/osc2013rwpcf] campaign was scheduled to take place from 15 July 2013 through 15 July 2015 (or until shipped for the next U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement [ARM] Climate Research Facility first Mobile Facility [AMF1] deployment). The campaign involved the deployment of the AMF1 Scintec 915 MHz Radar Wind Profiler (RWP) at BNL, in conjunction with several other ARM, BNL and National Weather Service (NWS) instruments. The two main scientific foci of the campaign were: 1) To provide profiles of the horizontal wind to be used tomore » test and validate short-term cloud advection forecasts for solar-energy applications and 2) to provide vertical profiling capabilities for the study of dynamics (i.e., vertical velocity) and hydrometeors in winter storms. This campaign was a serendipitous opportunity that arose following the deployment of the RWP at the Two-Column Aerosol Project (TCAP) campaign in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and restriction from participation in the Green Ocean Amazon 2014/15 (GoAmazon 2014/15) campaign due to radio-frequency allocation restriction for international deployments. The RWP arrived at BNL in the fall of 2013, but deployment was delayed until fall of 2014 as work/safety planning and site preparation were completed. The RWP further encountered multiple electrical failures, which eventually required several shipments of instrument power supplies and the final amplifier to the vendor to complete repairs. Data collection began in late January 2015. The operational modes of the RWP were changed such that in addition to collecting traditional profiles of the horizontal wind, a vertically pointing mode was also included for the purpose of precipitation sensing and estimation of vertical velocities. The RWP operated well until the end of the campaign in July 2015 and collected observations for more than 20

Sources of methane and nitrous oxide in California's Central Valley estimated through direct airborne flux and positive matrix factorization source apportionment of groundbased and regional tall tower measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guha, Abhinav

Methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are two major greenhouse gases that contribute significantly to the increase in anthropogenic radiative-forcing causing perturbations to the earth's climate system. In a watershed moment in the state's history of environmental leadership and commitment, California, in 2006, opted for sharp reductions in their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adopted a long-term approach to address climate change that includes regulation of emissions from individual emitters and source categories. There are large CH4 and N2O emissions sources in the state, predominantly in the agricultural and waste management sector. While these two gases account for < 10% of total annual greenhouse gas emissions of the state, large uncertainties exist in their `bottom-up' accounting in the state GHG inventory. Additionally, an increasing number of `top-down' studies based on ambient observations point towards underestimation of their emissions in the inventory. Three intensive field observation campaigns that were spatially and temporally diverse took place between 2010 and 2013 in the Central Valley of California where the largest known sources of CH4 and N2O (e.g. agricultural systems and dairies) and potentially significant CH4 sources (e.g. oil and gas extraction) are located. The CalNex (California Nexus - Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change) field campaign during summer 2010 (May 15 - June 30) took place in the urban core of Bakersfield in the southern San Joaquin Valley, a city whose economy is built around agriculture and the oil and gas industry. During summer of 2011, airborne measurements were performed over a large spatial domain, all across and around the Central Valley as part of the CABERNET (California Airborne BVOC Emission Research in Natural Ecosystem Transects) study. Next, a one-year continuous field campaign (WGC 2012-13, June 2012 - August 2013) was conducted at the Walnut Grove tall tower near the Sacramento

A spider photographed during NASA's AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign in the La Selva region of the Costa Rican rain forest

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-04

A spider photographed during NASA's AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica campaign in the La Selva region of the Costa Rican rain forest. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that uses an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR) which is located onboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists from many parts of the world including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are combining ground research done in several areas in Central America with NASA's AirSAR technology to improve and expand on the quality of research they are able to conduct. The radar, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, can penetrate clouds and also collect data at night. Its high-resolution sensors operate at multiple wavelengths and modes, allowing AirSAR to see beneath treetops, through thin sand, and dry snow pack. AirSAR's 2004 campaign is a collaboration of many U.S. and Central American institutions and scientists, including NASA; the National Science Foundation; the Smithsonian Institution; National Geographic; Conservation International; the Organization of Tropical Studies; the Central American Commission for Environment and Development; and the Inter-American Development Bank.

An Overview of the SOLVE-THESEO 2000 Campaign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, Paul A.; Harris, Neil R. P.; Adriani, Alberto; Amanatidis, Georgios T.; Anderson, James G.; Braathen, Geir O.; Brune, William H.; Carslaw, Kenneth S.; Craig, Michael T.; DeCola, Philip E.

2001-01-01

Between November 1999 and April 2000, two major field experiments, the SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) and the Third European Stratospheric Experiment on Ozone (THESEO 2000), collaborated to form the largest field campaign yet mounted to study Arctic ozone loss. This international campaign involved more than 500 scientists from over 20 countries spread across the high and mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere. The main scientific aims of SOLVE-THESEO 2000 were to study (a) the processes leading to ozone loss in the Arctic vortex and (b) the effect on ozone amounts over northern mid-latitudes. The campaign included satellites, heavy lift balloon launches, 6 different aircraft, ground stations, and scores of ozone-sonde. Campaign activities were principally conducted in 3 intensive measurement phases centered on early December 1999, late January 2000, and early March 2000. Observations made during the campaign showed that temperatures were unusually cold in the polar lower stratosphere over the course of the 1999-2000 winter. These cold temperatures resulted in the formation of extensive polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) across the Arctic. Heterogeneous chemical reactions on the surfaces of the PSC particles produced high levels of reactive chlorine within the polar vortex by early January. This reactive chlorine catalytically destroyed about 60% of the ozone in a layer near 20 km between late January and mid-March 2000.

SEALDH-II—An Autonomous, Holistically Controlled, First Principles TDLAS Hygrometer for Field and Airborne Applications: Design–Setup–Accuracy/Stability Stress Test

PubMed Central

Buchholz, Bernhard; Kallweit, Sören; Ebert, Volker

2016-01-01

Instrument operation in harsh environments often significantly impacts the trust level of measurement data. While commercial instrument manufacturers clearly define the deployment conditions to achieve trustworthy data in typical standard applications, it is frequently unavoidable in scientific field applications to operate instruments outside these commercial standard application specifications. Scientific instrumentation, however, is employing cutting-edge technology and often highly optimized but also lacks long-term field tests to assess the field vs. laboratory performance. Recently, we developed the Selective Extractive Laser Diode Hygrometer (SEALDH-II), which addresses field and especially airborne applications as well as metrological laboratory validations. SEALDH-II targets reducing deviations between airborne hygrometers (currently up to 20% between the most advanced hygrometers) with a new holistic, internal control and validation concept, which guarantees the transfer of the laboratory performance into a field scenario by capturing more than 80 instrument internal “housekeeping” data to nearly perfectly control SEALDH-II’s health status. SEALDH-II uses a calibration-free, first principles based, direct Tuneable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (dTDLAS) approach, to cover the entire atmospheric humidity measurement range from about 3 to 40,000 ppmv with a calculated maximum uncertainty of 4.3% ± 3 ppmv. This is achieved not only by innovations in internal instrument monitoring and design, but also by active control algorithms such as a high resolution spectral stabilization. This paper describes the setup, working principles, and instrument stabilization, as well as its precision validation and long-term stress tests in an environmental chamber over an environmental temperature and humidity range of ΔT = 50 K and ΔRH = 80% RH, respectively. PMID:28042844

SEALDH-II-An Autonomous, Holistically Controlled, First Principles TDLAS Hygrometer for Field and Airborne Applications: Design-Setup-Accuracy/Stability Stress Test.

PubMed

Buchholz, Bernhard; Kallweit, Sören; Ebert, Volker

2016-12-30

Instrument operation in harsh environments often significantly impacts the trust level of measurement data. While commercial instrument manufacturers clearly define the deployment conditions to achieve trustworthy data in typical standard applications, it is frequently unavoidable in scientific field applications to operate instruments outside these commercial standard application specifications. Scientific instrumentation, however, is employing cutting-edge technology and often highly optimized but also lacks long-term field tests to assess the field vs. laboratory performance. Recently, we developed the Selective Extractive Laser Diode Hygrometer (SEALDH-II), which addresses field and especially airborne applications as well as metrological laboratory validations. SEALDH-II targets reducing deviations between airborne hygrometers (currently up to 20% between the most advanced hygrometers) with a new holistic, internal control and validation concept, which guarantees the transfer of the laboratory performance into a field scenario by capturing more than 80 instrument internal "housekeeping" data to nearly perfectly control SEALDH-II's health status. SEALDH-II uses a calibration-free, first principles based, direct Tuneable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (dTDLAS) approach, to cover the entire atmospheric humidity measurement range from about 3 to 40,000 ppmv with a calculated maximum uncertainty of 4.3% ± 3 ppmv. This is achieved not only by innovations in internal instrument monitoring and design, but also by active control algorithms such as a high resolution spectral stabilization. This paper describes the setup, working principles, and instrument stabilization, as well as its precision validation and long-term stress tests in an environmental chamber over an environmental temperature and humidity range of ΔT = 50 K and ΔRH = 80% RH, respectively.

NASA SMAPVEX 15 Field Campaign Measures Soil Moisture Over Arizona

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-09

NASA's SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellite observatory conducted a field experiment as part of its soil moisture data product validation program in southern Arizona on Aug. 2-18, 2015. The images here represent the distribution of soil moisture over the SMAPVEX15 (SMAP Validation Experiment 2015) experiment domain, as measured by the Passive Active L-band System (PALS) developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, which was installed onboard a DC-3 aircraft operated by Airborne Imaging, Inc. Blue and green colors denote wet conditions and dry conditions are marked by red and orange. The black lines show the nominal flight path of PALS. The measurements show that on the first day, the domain surface was wet overall, but had mostly dried down by the second measurement day. On the third day, there was a mix of soil wetness. The heterogeneous soil moisture distribution over the domain is typical for the area during the North American Monsoon season and provides excellent conditions for SMAP soil moisture product validation and algorithm enhancement. The images are based on brightness temperature measured by the PALS instrument gridded on a grid with 0.6-mile (1-kilometer) pixel size. They do not yet compensate for surface characteristics, such as vegetation and topography. That work is currently in progress. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19879

Validating Above-cloud Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieved from MODIS using NASA Ames Airborne Sun-Tracking Photometric and Spectrometric (AATS and 4STAR) Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jethva, H. T.; Torres, O.; Remer, L. A.; Redemann, J.; Dunagan, S. E.; Livingston, J. M.; Shinozuka, Y.; Kacenelenbogen, M. S.; Segal-Rosenhaimer, M.

2014-12-01

Absorbing aerosols produced from biomass burning and dust outbreaks are often found to overlay the lower level cloud decks as evident in the satellite images. In contrast to the cloud-free atmosphere, in which aerosols generally tend to cool the atmosphere, the presence of absorbing aerosols above cloud poses greater potential of exerting positive radiative effects (warming) whose magnitude directly depends on the aerosol loading above cloud, optical properties of clouds and aerosols, and cloud fraction. In recent years, development of algorithms that exploit satellite-based passive measurements of ultraviolet (UV), visible, and polarized light as well as lidar-based active measurements constitute a major breakthrough in the field of remote sensing of aerosols. While the unprecedented quantitative information on aerosol loading above cloud is now available from NASA's A-train sensors, a greater question remains ahead: How to validate the satellite retrievals of above-cloud aerosols (ACA)? Direct measurements of ACA such as carried out by the NASA Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS) and Spectrometer for Sky-Scanning, Sun-Tracking Atmospheric Research (4STAR) can be of immense help in validating ACA retrievals. In this study, we validate the ACA optical depth retrieved using the 'color ratio' (CR) method applied to the MODIS cloudy-sky reflectance by using the airborne AATS and 4STAR measurements. A thorough search of the historic AATS-4STAR database collected during different field campaigns revealed five events where biomass burning, dust, and wildfire-emitted aerosols were found to overlay lower level cloud decks observed during SAFARI-2000, ACE-ASIA 2001, and SEAC4RS-2013, respectively. The co-located satellite-airborne measurements revealed a good agreement (root-mean-square-error<0.1 for Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) at 500 nm) with most matchups falling within the estimated uncertainties in the MODIS retrievals (-10% to +50%). An extensive validation of

Research on airborne infrared leakage detection of natural gas pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Dongjie; Xu, Bin; Xu, Xu; Wang, Hongchao; Yu, Dongliang; Tian, Shengjie

2011-12-01

An airborne laser remote sensing technology is proposed to detect natural gas pipeline leakage in helicopter which carrying a detector, and the detector can detect a high spatial resolution of trace of methane on the ground. The principle of the airborne laser remote sensing system is based on tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). The system consists of an optical unit containing the laser, camera, helicopter mount, electronic unit with DGPS antenna, a notebook computer and a pilot monitor. And the system is mounted on a helicopter. The principle and the architecture of the airborne laser remote sensing system are presented. Field test experiments are carried out on West-East Natural Gas Pipeline of China, and the results show that airborne detection method is suitable for detecting gas leak of pipeline on plain, desert, hills but unfit for the area with large altitude diversification.

The analysis of in situ and retrieved aerosol properties measured during three airborne field campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corr, Chelsea A.

Aerosols can directly influence climate, visibility, and photochemistry by scattering and absorbing solar radiation. Aerosol chemical and physical properties determine how efficiently a particle scatters and/or absorbs incoming short-wave solar radiation. Because many types of aerosol can act as nuclei for cloud droplets (CCN) and a smaller population of airborne particles facilitate ice crystal formation (IN), aerosols can also alter cloud-radiation interactions which have subsequent impacts on climate. Thus aerosol properties determine the magnitude and sign of both the direct and indirect impacts of aerosols on radiation-dependent Earth System processes. This dissertation will fill some gaps in our understanding of the role of aerosol properties on aerosol absorption and cloud formation. Specifically, the impact of aerosol oxidation on aerosol spectral (350nm < lambda< 500nm) absorption was examined for two biomass burning plumes intercepted by the NASA DC-S aircraft during the Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) mission in Spring and Summer 2008. Spectral aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) retrieved using actinic flux measured aboard the NASA DC-8 was used to calculate the aerosol absorption Angstrom exponents (AAE) for a 6-day-old plume on April 17 th and a 3-hour old plume on June 29th. Higher AAE values for the April 17th plume (6.78+/-0.38) indicate absorption by aerosol was enhanced in the ultraviolet relative to the visible portion of the short-wave spectrum in the older plume compared to the fresher plume (AAE= 3.34 0.11). These differences were largely attributed to the greater oxidation of the organic aerosol in the April 17th plume which can arise either from the aging of primary organic aerosol or the formation of spectrally-absorbing secondary organic aerosol. The validity of the actinic flux retrievals used above were also evaluated in this work by the comparison of SSA retrieved using

Potential of remote sensing of cirrus optical thickness by airborne spectral radiance measurements at different sideward viewing angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, Kevin; Ehrlich, André; Hüneke, Tilman; Pfeilsticker, Klaus; Werner, Frank; Wirth, Martin; Wendisch, Manfred

2017-03-01

Spectral radiance measurements collected in nadir and sideward viewing directions by two airborne passive solar remote sensing instruments, the Spectral Modular Airborne Radiation measurement sysTem (SMART) and the Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometer (mini-DOAS), are used to compare the remote sensing results of cirrus optical thickness τ. The comparison is based on a sensitivity study using radiative transfer simulations (RTS) and on data obtained during three airborne field campaigns: the North Atlantic Rainfall VALidation (NARVAL) mission, the Mid-Latitude Cirrus Experiment (ML-CIRRUS) and the Aerosol, Cloud, Precipitation, and Radiation Interactions and Dynamics of Convective Cloud Systems (ACRIDICON) campaign. Radiative transfer simulations are used to quantify the sensitivity of measured upward radiance I with respect to τ, ice crystal effective radius reff, viewing angle of the sensor θV, spectral surface albedo α, and ice crystal shape. From the calculations it is concluded that sideward viewing measurements are generally better suited than radiance data from the nadir direction to retrieve τ of optically thin cirrus, especially at wavelengths larger than λ = 900 nm. Using sideward instead of nadir-directed spectral radiance measurements significantly improves the sensitivity and accuracy in retrieving τ, in particular for optically thin cirrus of τ ≤ 2. The comparison of retrievals of τ based on nadir and sideward viewing radiance measurements from SMART, mini-DOAS and independent estimates of τ from an additional active remote sensing instrument, the Water Vapor Lidar Experiment in Space (WALES), shows general agreement within the range of measurement uncertainties. For the selected example a mean τ of 0.54 ± 0.2 is derived from SMART, and 0.49 ± 0.2 by mini-DOAS nadir channels, while WALES obtained a mean value of τ = 0.32 ± 0.02 at 532 nm wavelength, respectively. The mean of τ derived from the sideward viewing mini

The MOYA aircraft campaign: First measurements of methane, ethane and C-13 isotopes from West African biomass burning and other regional sources using the UK FAAM aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Grant; Pitt, Joseph; Lee, James; Hopkins, James; Young, Stuart; Bauguitte, Stéphane; Gallagher, Martin; Fisher, Rebecca; Lowry, David; Nisbet, Euan

2017-04-01

Global methane concentrations continue to rise due to an imbalance between sources and sinks. There remains little consensus on the relative components of the manifold source types and their geographical origin. The Global Methane Budget and Yearly Assessments (MOYA) project is tasked with better characterising the global methane budget through an augmented global measurement and modelling programme. As part of MOYA, the UK's Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM), will fly four campaigns based out of West Africa and Ascension Island in the period 2017-2019, to focus on the important role of tropical sources. The first of these, to be conducted in late February 2017, will focus on the biomass burning season in West Africa. This paper will present the plan for future FAAM MOYA campaigns and report on our first aircraft data gathered in the West African region. The new addition of an interband cascade laser spectrometer to the FAAM aircraft, flown in this campaign for the first time, promises to provide the first real-time, continuous, and simultaneous, airborne measurements of methane, ethane and methane C-13 isotopologues. Together, these measurements, when interpreted in combination with other trace gases and aerosol measured on the aircraft, will serve as case studies to inform modelling of regional and global fluxes through their isotopic fingerprints.

JPL Researcher Bruce Chapman at an AirSAR station aboard NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

JPL Researcher Bruce Chapman at an AirSAR station aboard NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

UV/visible albedos from airborne measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, A.; Kylling, A.; Stromberg, I.

2003-04-01

During the INSPECTRO campaign effective surface albedo was measured at UV and visible wavelengths from two airborne platforms, a Cessna light aircraft and a hot air balloon. On board the Cessna was a scanning spectroradiometer measuring from 300 - 500nm at 10nm intervals. The NILU cube, with 6 faces and two UV channels at 312 and 340nm, was suspended beneath the hot air balloon. Flights took place over East Anglia during September, 2002. Balloon flights were made below cloud layers, while the Cessna flew both above and below cloud. The Cessna also flew over Barton Bendish, where surface albedos have been measured for ground truthing of satellite data, and measured the effective albedo at four visible wave- lengths in the centres of the satellite bandpass functions. Results of measurements from the different platforms are compared, and model simulations used to deduce the surface albedo from the effective albedo at altitude, giving, for example, an albedo of 0.02 ± 0.01 at 340nm.

ARM Airborne Carbon Measurements (ARM-ACME) and ARM-ACME 2.5 Final Campaign Reports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biraud, S. C.; Tom, M. S.; Sweeney, C.

2016-01-01

We report on a 5-year multi-institution and multi-agency airborne study of atmospheric composition and carbon cycling at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility’s Southern Great Plains (SGP) site, with scientific objectives that are central to the carbon-cycle and radiative-forcing goals of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and the North American Carbon Program (NACP). The goal of these measurements is to improve understanding of 1) the carbon exchange of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) SGP region; 2) how CO 2 and associated water and energy fluxes influence radiative-forcing, convective processes, and CO 2 concentrations over the ARM SGPmore » region, and 3) how greenhouse gases are transported on continental scales.« less

Assessment of the Aerosol Optics Component of the Coupled WRF-CMAQ Model usingCARES Field Campaign data and a Single Column Model

EPA Science Inventory

The Carbonaceous Aerosols and Radiative Effects Study (CARES), a field campaign held in central California in June 2010, provides a unique opportunity to assess the aerosol optics modeling component of the two-way coupled Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) – Community Multisc...

Water depth measurement using an airborne pulsed neon laser system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoge, F. E.; Swift, R. N.; Frederick, E. B.

1980-01-01

The paper presents the water depth measurement using an airborne pulsed neon laser system. The results of initial base-line field test results of NASA airborne oceanographic lidar in the bathymetry mode are given, with water-truth measurements of depth and beam attenuation coefficients by boat taken at the same time as overflights to aid in determining the system's operational performance. The nadir-angle tests and field-of-view data are presented; this laser bathymetry system is an improvement over prior models in that (1) the surface-to-bottom pulse waveform is digitally recorded on magnetic tape, and (2) wide-swath mapping data may be routinely acquired using a 30 deg full-angle conical scanner.

CLASS: Coherent Lidar Airborne Shear Sensor. Windshear avoidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Targ, Russell

1991-01-01

The coherent lidar airborne shear sensor (CLASS) is an airborne CO2 lidar system being designed and developed by Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Inc. (LMSC) under contract to NASA Langley Research Center. The goal of this program is to develop a system with a 2- to 4-kilometer range that will provide a warning time of 20 to 40 seconds, so that the pilot can avoid the hazards of low-altitude wind shear under all weather conditions. It is a predictive system which will warn the pilot about a hazard that the aircraft will experience at some later time. The ability of the system to provide predictive warnings of clear air turbulence will also be evaluated. A one-year flight evaluation program will measure the line-of-sight wind velocity from a wide variety of wind fields obtained by an airborne radar, an accelerometer-based reactive wind-sensing system, and a ground-based Doppler radar. The success of the airborne lidar system will be determined by its correlation with the windfield as indicated by the onboard reactive system, which indicates the winds actually experienced by the NASA Boeing 737 aircraft.

Airborne Measurements in Support of the NASA Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meadows, Byron; Davis, Ken; Barrick, John; Browell, Edward; Chen, Gao; Dobler, Jeremy; Fried, Alan; Lauvaux, Thomas; Lin, Bing; McGill, Matt;

An Overview of the NASA Spring/Summer 2008 Arctic Campaign - ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacob, Daniel J.; Clarke, Antony; Crawford, James H.; Dibbs, Jack; Ferrare, Richard A.; Hostetler, Chris A.; Maring, Hal; Russell, Philip B.; Singh, Hanwant B.

2008-01-01

ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) is a major NASA led airborne field campaign being performed in the spring and summer of 2008 at high latitudes (http://cloud1.arc.nasa.gov/arctas/). ARCTAS is a part of the International Polar Year program and its activities are closely coordinated with multiple U. S. (NOAA, DOE), Canadian, and European partners. Observational data from an ensemble of aircraft, surface, and satellite sensors are closely integrated with models of atmospheric chemistry and transport in this experiment. Principal NASA airborne platforms include a DC-8 for detailed atmospheric composition studies, a P-3 that focuses on aerosols and radiation, and a B-200 that is dedicated to remote sensing of aerosols. Satellite validation is a central activity in all these platforms and is mainly focused on CALIPSO, Aura, and Aqua satellites. Major ARCTAS themes are: (1) Long-range transport of pollution to the Arctic including arctic haze, tropospheric ozone, and persistent pollutants such as mercury; (2) Boreal forest fires and their implications for atmospheric composition and climate; (3) Aerosol radiative forcing from arctic haze, boreal fires, surface-deposited black carbon, and other perturbations; and (4) Chemical processes with focus on ozone, aerosols, mercury, and halogens. The spring deployment (April) is presently underway and is targeting plumes of anthropogenic and biomass burning pollution and dust from Asia and North America, arctic haze, stratosphere-troposphere exchange, and ozone photochemistry involving HOx and halogen radicals. The summer deployment (July) will target boreal forest fires and summertime photochemistry. The ARCTAS mission is providing a critical link to enhance the value of NASA satellite observations for Earth science. In this talk we will discuss the implementation of this campaign and some preliminary results.

Feasibility of airborne detection of laser-induced fluorescence emissions from green terrestrial plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoge, F. E.; Swift, R. N.; Yungel, J. K.

1983-01-01

The present investigation provides a demonstration of the feasibility of the airborne detection of the laser-induced fluorescence spectral emissions from living terrestrial grasses, shrubs, and trees using existing levels of lidar technology. Airborne studies were performed to ascertain system requirements necessary to detect laser-induced fluorescence from living terrestrial plants, to assess the practical acquisition of useful single-shot laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) waveforms over vegetative canopies, and to determine the comparative suitability of laser system, airborne platform, and terrestrial environmental parameters. The field experiment was conducted on May 3, 1982, over the northern portion of Wallops Island, VA. Attention is given to airborne lidar results and the description of laboratory investigations.

NCAR Integrated Sounding System Observations during the SOAS / SAS Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, W. O.; Moore, J.

2013-12-01

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL) deployed an Integrated Sounding Systems (ISS) for the SOAS (Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study) field campaign in Alabama in the summer of 2013. The ISS was split between two sites: a former NWS site approximately 1km from the main SOAS chemistry ground site near Centerville AL, and about 20km to the south at the Alabama fish hatchery site approximately 1km from the flux tower site near Marion, AL. At the former-NWS site we launched 106 radiosonde soundings, operated a 915 MHz boundary layer radar wind profiler with RASS (Radio Acoustic Sounding System), ceilometer and various surface meteorological sensors. At the AABC site we operated a Lesosphere WIndcube 200S Doppler lidar and a Metek mini-Doppler sodar. Other NCAR facilities at the AABC site included a 45-m instrumented flux tower. This poster will present a sampling observations made by these instruments, including examples of boundary layer evolution and structure, and summarize the performance of the instrumentation.

Characterization of the inorganic aerosol in Barcelona site during DAURE 2009 field campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plaza, Javier; Gómez-Moreno, Francisco J.; Aránzazu Revuelta, M.; Coz, Esther; Moreno, Natalia; Pujadas, Manuel; Artíñano, Begoña.

2010-05-01

Inorganic compounds account for a significant mass of the ambient aerosol. However this contribution varies with time and aerosol size fraction, depending on the influence of source emissions and ambient conditions, which can be relevant in the formation processes of secondary species. Time series of particulate nitrate, 10 m time resolution, have been obtained during the February-March and July 2009 DAURE (Determination of the sources of atmospheric Aerosols in Urban and Rural Environments in the western Mediterranean) field campaigns in the urban area of Barcelona by means of an R&P8400N monitor. Meteorological conditions during these periods were relevant for the photochemical formation and accumulation of secondary species. Ambient concentrations were higher in winter, specially coinciding with development of atmospheric stagnant episodes that enhanced the accumulation of pollutants including particulate nitrate that reached concentrations of 25 µgm-3 in some occasions, day or night, under these conditions. High humidity periods favored in occasions the formation of nitrates at submicronic scale. Variations in wind direction resulted in transport of particulate nitrate from near emission areas. Size segregated aerosol was sampled during the winter campaign with a micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) using eleven size stages with aluminum substrates and a quartz fiber backup filter. Samples were collected twice per day for day/night periods. The first sampling period tried to collect secondary aerosol as it started after the early morning emission period. The second sample collected the night aerosol and the emission period. Soluble ions (sulfate, nitrate, ammonium and calcium) were later analyzed by IC. The nitrate mass was concentrated in two modes, the accumulation one around 0.75 µm and the coarse one around 3.90 µm. The sulfate and ammonium masses were concentrated in the accumulation mode, around 0.50 µm, although a small peak close to 5 µm

EUREC4A: A Field Campaign to Elucidate the Couplings Between Clouds, Convection and Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bony, Sandrine; Stevens, Bjorn; Ament, Felix; Bigorre, Sebastien; Chazette, Patrick; Crewell, Susanne; Delanoë, Julien; Emanuel, Kerry; Farrell, David; Flamant, Cyrille; Gross, Silke; Hirsch, Lutz; Karstensen, Johannes; Mayer, Bernhard; Nuijens, Louise; Ruppert, James H.; Sandu, Irina; Siebesma, Pier; Speich, Sabrina; Szczap, Frédéric; Totems, Julien; Vogel, Raphaela; Wendisch, Manfred; Wirth, Martin

2017-11-01

Trade-wind cumuli constitute the cloud type with the highest frequency of occurrence on Earth, and it has been shown that their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions will critically influence the magnitude and pace of future global warming. Research over the last decade has pointed out the importance of the interplay between clouds, convection and circulation in controling this sensitivity. Numerical models represent this interplay in diverse ways, which translates into different responses of trade-cumuli to climate perturbations. Climate models predict that the area covered by shallow cumuli at cloud base is very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, while process models suggest the opposite. To understand and resolve this contradiction, we propose to organize a field campaign aimed at quantifying the physical properties of trade-cumuli (e.g., cloud fraction and water content) as a function of the large-scale environment. Beyond a better understanding of clouds-circulation coupling processes, the campaign will provide a reference data set that may be used as a benchmark for advancing the modelling and the satellite remote sensing of clouds and circulation. It will also be an opportunity for complementary investigations such as evaluating model convective parameterizations or studying the role of ocean mesoscale eddies in air-sea interactions and convective organization.

EUREC4A: A Field Campaign to Elucidate the Couplings Between Clouds, Convection and Circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bony, Sandrine; Stevens, Bjorn; Ament, Felix; Bigorre, Sebastien; Chazette, Patrick; Crewell, Susanne; Delanoë, Julien; Emanuel, Kerry; Farrell, David; Flamant, Cyrille; Gross, Silke; Hirsch, Lutz; Karstensen, Johannes; Mayer, Bernhard; Nuijens, Louise; Ruppert, James H.; Sandu, Irina; Siebesma, Pier; Speich, Sabrina; Szczap, Frédéric; Totems, Julien; Vogel, Raphaela; Wendisch, Manfred; Wirth, Martin

Trade-wind cumuli constitute the cloud type with the highest frequency of occurrence on Earth, and it has been shown that their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions will critically influence the magnitude and pace of future global warming. Research over the last decade has pointed out the importance of the interplay between clouds, convection and circulation in controling this sensitivity. Numerical models represent this interplay in diverse ways, which translates into different responses of tradecumuli to climate perturbations. Climate models predict that the area covered by shallow cumuli at cloud base is very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, while process models suggest the opposite. To understand and resolve this contradiction, we propose to organize a field campaign aimed at quantifying the physical properties of tradecumuli (e.g., cloud fraction and water content) as a function of the large-scale environment. Beyond a better understanding of clouds-circulation coupling processes, the campaign will provide a reference data set that may be used as a benchmark for advancing the modelling and the satellite remote sensing of clouds and circulation. It will also be an opportunity for complementary investigations such as evaluating model convective parameterizations or studying the role of ocean mesoscale eddies in air-sea interactions and convective organization.

Ground-based aerosol measurements during CHARMEX/ADRIMED campaign at Granada station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granados-Muñoz, Maria Jose; Bravo-Aranda, Juan Antonio; Navas-Guzman, Francisco; Guerro-Rascado, Juan Luis; Titos, Gloria; Lyamani, Hassan; Valenzuela, Antonio; Cazorla, Alberto; Olmo, Francisco Jose; Mallet, Marc; Alados-Arboledas, Lucas

2015-04-01

In the framework of ChArMEx/ADRIMED (Chemistry-Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment, http://charmex.lsce.ipsl.fr/; Aerosol Direct Radiative Impact on the regional climate in the MEDiterranean region) projects, a field experiment based on in situ and remote sensing measurements from surface and airborne platforms was performed. The ADRIMED project aimed to capture the high complexity of the Mediterranean region by using an integrated approach based on intensive experimental field campaign and spaceborne observations, radiative transfer calculations and climate modelling with Regional Climate Models better adapted than global circulation models. For this purpose, measurements were performed at different surface super-sites (including Granada station) over the Occidental Mediterranean region during summer 2013 for creating an updated database of the physical, chemical, optical properties and the vertical distribution of the major "Mediterranean aerosols". Namely, measurements at Granada station were performed on 16 and 17 July 2013, in coincidence with the overpasses of the ATR aircraft over the station. The instrumentation used for the campaign includes both remote sensing instruments (a multiwavelength Raman lidar and a sun photometer) and in-situ measurements (a nephelometer, a Multi-Angle Absorption Photometer (MAAP), an Aerodynamic particle sizer (APS), a high volume sampler of PM10 and an aethalometer). During the measurement period a mineral dust event was detected, with similar dust load on both days. According to in-situ measurements, the event reached the surface level on 16 of June. Vertically resolved lidar measurements indicated presence of mineral dust layers up to 5 km asl both on 16 and 17 June 2013. Temporal evolution analysis indicated that on 17 June the dust layer decoupled from the boundary layer and disappeared around 14:00 UTC. In addition, lidar and sun-photometer data were used to retrieve volume concentration profiles by means of LIRIC (Lidar

NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica, during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

NASA Dryden's DC-8 on the ramp at Jaun Santamaria International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

JPL Researcher Tim Miller at the primary AirSAR station aboard NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory during the AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-03

JPL Researcher Tim Miller at the primary AirSAR station aboard NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory during the AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that will use an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR), in a mission ranging from the tropical rain forests of Central America to frigid Antarctica.

Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: methane emissions quantification from a producing oil field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leifer, Ira; Melton, Christopher; Fischer, Marc L.; Fladeland, Matthew; Frash, Jason; Gore, Warren; Iraci, Laura T.; Marrero, Josette E.; Ryoo, Ju-Mee; Tanaka, Tomoaki; Yates, Emma L.

2018-03-01

Methane (CH4) inventory uncertainties are large, requiring robust emission derivation approaches. We report on a fused airborne-surface data collection approach to derive emissions from an active oil field near Bakersfield, central California. The approach characterizes the atmosphere from the surface to above the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and combines downwind trace gas concentration anomaly (plume) above background with normal winds to derive flux. This approach does not require a well-mixed PBL; allows explicit, data-based, uncertainty evaluation; and was applied to complex topography and wind flows. In situ airborne (collected by AJAX - the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment) and mobile surface (collected by AMOG - the AutoMObile trace Gas - Surveyor) data were collected on 19 August 2015 to assess source strength. Data included an AMOG and AJAX intercomparison transect profiling from the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) floor into the Sierra Nevada (0.1-2.2 km altitude), validating a novel surface approach for atmospheric profiling by leveraging topography. The profile intercomparison found good agreement in multiple parameters for the overlapping altitude range from 500 to 1500 m for the upper 5 % of surface winds, which accounts for wind-impeding structures, i.e., terrain, trees, buildings, etc. Annualized emissions from the active oil fields were 31.3 ± 16 Gg methane and 2.4 ± 1.2 Tg carbon dioxide. Data showed the PBL was not well mixed at distances of 10-20 km downwind, highlighting the importance of the experimental design.

Absorption/Transmission Measurements of PSAP Particle-Laden Filters from the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) Field Campaign

PubMed Central

Presser, Cary; Nazarian, Ashot; Conny, Joseph M.; Chand, Duli; Sedlacek, Arthur; Hubbe, John M.

2017-01-01

Absorptivity measurements with a laser-heating approach, referred to as the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR), were carried out in the infrared and applied at ambient (laboratory) non-reacting conditions to particle-laden filters from a three-wavelength (visible) particle/soot absorption photometer (PSAP). The particles were obtained during the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign. The focus of this study was to determine the particle absorption coefficient from field-campaign filter samples using the LDTR approach, and compare results with other commercially available instrumentation (in this case with the PSAP, which has been compared with numerous other optical techniques). Advantages of the LDTR approach include 1) direct estimation of material absorption from temperature measurements (as opposed to resolving the difference between the measured reflection/scattering and transmission), 2) information on the filter optical properties, and 3) identification of the filter material effects on particle absorption (e.g., leading to particle absorption enhancement or shadowing). For measurements carried out under ambient conditions, the particle absorptivity is obtained with a thermocouple placed flush with the filter back surface and the laser probe beam impinging normal to the filter particle-laden surface. Thus, in principle one can employ a simple experimental arrangement to measure simultaneously both the transmissivity and absorptivity (at different discrete wavelengths) and ascertain the particle absorption coefficient. For this investigation, LDTR measurements were carried out with PSAP filters (pairs with both blank and exposed filters) from eight different days during the campaign, having relatively light but different particle loadings. The observed particles coating the filters were found to be carbonaceous (having broadband absorption characteristics). The LDTR absorption coefficient compared well with results from the PSAP. The

Absorption/Transmission Measurements of PSAP Particle-Laden Filters from the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) Field Campaign.

PubMed

Presser, Cary; Nazarian, Ashot; Conny, Joseph M; Chand, Duli; Sedlacek, Arthur; Hubbe, John M

2017-01-01

Absorptivity measurements with a laser-heating approach, referred to as the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR), were carried out in the infrared and applied at ambient (laboratory) non-reacting conditions to particle-laden filters from a three-wavelength (visible) particle/soot absorption photometer (PSAP). The particles were obtained during the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign. The focus of this study was to determine the particle absorption coefficient from field-campaign filter samples using the LDTR approach, and compare results with other commercially available instrumentation (in this case with the PSAP, which has been compared with numerous other optical techniques). Advantages of the LDTR approach include 1) direct estimation of material absorption from temperature measurements (as opposed to resolving the difference between the measured reflection/scattering and transmission), 2) information on the filter optical properties, and 3) identification of the filter material effects on particle absorption (e.g., leading to particle absorption enhancement or shadowing). For measurements carried out under ambient conditions, the particle absorptivity is obtained with a thermocouple placed flush with the filter back surface and the laser probe beam impinging normal to the filter particle-laden surface. Thus, in principle one can employ a simple experimental arrangement to measure simultaneously both the transmissivity and absorptivity (at different discrete wavelengths) and ascertain the particle absorption coefficient. For this investigation, LDTR measurements were carried out with PSAP filters (pairs with both blank and exposed filters) from eight different days during the campaign, having relatively light but different particle loadings. The observed particles coating the filters were found to be carbonaceous (having broadband absorption characteristics). The LDTR absorption coefficient compared well with results from the PSAP. The

Comparison of Precision of Biomass Estimates in Regional Field Sample Surveys and Airborne LiDAR-Assisted Surveys in Hedmark County, Norway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naesset, Erik; Gobakken, Terje; Bollandsas, Ole Martin; Gregoire, Timothy G.; Nelson, Ross; Stahl, Goeran

2013-01-01

Airborne scanning LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) has emerged as a promising tool to provide auxiliary data for sample surveys aiming at estimation of above-ground tree biomass (AGB), with potential applications in REDD forest monitoring. For larger geographical regions such as counties, states or nations, it is not feasible to collect airborne LiDAR data continuously ("wall-to-wall") over the entire area of interest. Two-stage cluster survey designs have therefore been demonstrated by which LiDAR data are collected along selected individual flight-lines treated as clusters and with ground plots sampled along these LiDAR swaths. Recently, analytical AGB estimators and associated variance estimators that quantify the sampling variability have been proposed. Empirical studies employing these estimators have shown a seemingly equal or even larger uncertainty of the AGB estimates obtained with extensive use of LiDAR data to support the estimation as compared to pure field-based estimates employing estimators appropriate under simple random sampling (SRS). However, comparison of uncertainty estimates under SRS and sophisticated two-stage designs is complicated by large differences in the designs and assumptions. In this study, probability-based principles to estimation and inference were followed. We assumed designs of a field sample and a LiDAR-assisted survey of Hedmark County (HC) (27,390 km2), Norway, considered to be more comparable than those assumed in previous studies. The field sample consisted of 659 systematically distributed National Forest Inventory (NFI) plots and the airborne scanning LiDAR data were collected along 53 parallel flight-lines flown over the NFI plots. We compared AGB estimates based on the field survey only assuming SRS against corresponding estimates assuming two-phase (double) sampling with LiDAR and employing model-assisted estimators. We also compared AGB estimates based on the field survey only assuming two-stage sampling (the NFI

A Compute Perspective: Delivering Decision Support Products in 24 Hours from the Airborne Snow Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, P.; Mattmann, C. A.; Painter, T. H.; Seidel, F. C.; Trangsrud, A.; Hart, A. F.; Goodale, C. E.; Boardman, J. W.; Heneghan, C.; Verma, R.; Khudikyan, S.; Boustani, M.; Zimdars, P. A.; Horn, J.; Neely, S.

2013-12-01

The JPL Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) must process 100s of GB of raw data to 100s of Terabytes of derived data in 24 hour Near Real Time (NRT) latency in a geographically distributed mobile compute and data-intensive processing setting. ASO provides meaningful information to water resource managers in the Western US letting them know how much water to maintain; or release, and what the prospectus of the current snow season is in the Sierra Nevadas. Providing decision support products processed from airborne data in a 24 hour timeframe is an emergent field and required the team to develop a novel solution as this process is typically done over months. We've constructed a system that combines Apache OODT; with Apache Tika; with the Interactive Data Analysis (IDL)/ENVI programming environment to rapidly and unobtrusively generate, distribute and archive ASO data as soon as the plane lands near Mammoth Lakes, CA. Our system is flexible, underwent several redeployments and reconfigurations, and delivered this critical information to stakeholders during the recent "Snow On" campaign March 2013 - June 2013. This talk will take you through a day in the life of the compute team from data acquisition, delivery, processing, and dissemination. Within this context, we will discuss the architecture of ASO; the open source software we used; the data we stored; and how it was delivered to its users. Moreover we will discuss the logistics, system engineering, and staffing that went into the developing, deployment, and operation of the mobile compute system.

Hydrocarbon emissions in the Bakken oil field in North Dakota

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mielke-Maday, I.; Petron, G.; Miller, B.; Frost, G. J.; Peischl, J.; Kort, E. A.; Smith, M. L.; Karion, A.; Dlugokencky, E. J.; Montzka, S. A.; Sweeney, C.; Ryerson, T. B.; Tans, P. P.; Schnell, R. C.

2014-12-01

Within the past five years, the production of oil and natural gas in the United States from tight formations has increased rapidly due to advances in technology, such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. With the expansion of oil and natural gas extraction operations comes the need to better quantify their emissions and potential impacts on climate forcing and air quality. The Bakken formation within the Williston Basin in North Dakota has emerged as a large contributor to the recent growth in oil production and accounts for over 10% of domestic production. Close to 30% of associated gas co-produced with the oil is flared. Very little independent information is currently available to assess the oil and gas industry emissions and their impacts on regional air quality. In May 2014, an airborne field campaign was conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Earth System Research Laboratory and the University of Michigan to investigate hydrocarbon emissions from operations in the oil field. Here, we present results from the analysis for methane, several non-methane hydrocarbons and combustion tracers in 72 discrete air samples collected by the aircraft on nine different flights. Samples were obtained in the boundary layer upwind and downwind of the operations and in the free troposphere. We will show results of a multiple species analysis and compare them with field campaign data from other U.S. oil and gas fields, measurements from NOAA's Global Monitoring Division long-term observing network, and available bottom-up information on emissions from oil and gas operations.

Evaluation of Airborne l- Band Multi-Baseline Pol-Insar for dem Extraction Beneath Forest Canopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, W. M.; Chen, E. X.; Li, Z. Y.; Jiang, C.; Jia, Y.

2018-04-01

DEM beneath forest canopy is difficult to extract with optical stereo pairs, InSAR and Pol-InSAR techniques. Tomographic SAR (TomoSAR) based on different penetration and view angles could reflect vertical structure and ground structure. This paper aims at evaluating the possibility of TomoSAR for underlying DEM extraction. Airborne L-band repeat-pass Pol-InSAR collected in BioSAR 2008 campaign was applied to reconstruct the 3D structure of forest. And sum of kronecker product and algebraic synthesis algorithm were used to extract ground structure, and phase linking algorithm was applied to estimate ground phase. Then Goldstein cut-branch approach was used to unwrap the phases and then estimated underlying DEM. The average difference between the extracted underlying DEM and Lidar DEM is about 3.39 m in our test site. And the result indicates that it is possible for underlying DEM estimation with airborne L-band repeat-pass TomoSAR technique.

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory takes off from Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, on NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-06

NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory takes off from Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, on NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that uses an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR) which is located onboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists from many parts of the world including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are combining ground research done in several areas in Central America with NASA's AirSAR technology to improve and expand on the quality of research they are able to conduct. The radar, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, can penetrate clouds and also collect data at night. Its high-resolution sensors operate at multiple wavelengths and modes, allowing AirSAR to see beneath treetops, through thin sand, and dry snow pack. AirSAR's 2004 campaign is a collaboration of many U.S. and Central American institutions and scientists, including NASA; the National Science Foundation; the Smithsonian Institution; National Geographic; Conservation International; the Organization of Tropical Studies; the Central American Commission for Environment and Development; and the Inter-American Development Bank.

This photograph shows a stream in the La Selva region of the Costa Rican rain forest, taken during NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-05

This photograph shows a stream in the La Selva region of the Costa Rican rain forest, taken during NASA's AirSAR 2004 campaign. AirSAR 2004 Mesoamerica is a three-week expedition by an international team of scientists that uses an all-weather imaging tool, called the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AirSAR) which is located onboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists from many parts of the world including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are combining ground research done in several areas in Central America with NASA's AirSAR technology to improve and expand on the quality of research they are able to conduct. The radar, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, can penetrate clouds and also collect data at night. Its high-resolution sensors operate at multiple wavelengths and modes, allowing AirSAR to see beneath treetops, through thin sand, and dry snow pack. AirSAR's 2004 campaign is a collaboration of many U.S. and Central American institutions and scientists, including NASA; the National Science Foundation; the Smithsonian Institution; National Geographic; Conservation International; the Organization of Tropical Studies; the Central American Commission for Environment and Development; and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Characterizing Aerosol Distributions and Optical Properties Using the NASA Langley High Spectral Resolution Lidar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hostetler, Chris; Ferrare, Richard

The objective of this project was to provide vertically and horizontally resolved data on aerosol optical properties to assess and ultimately improve how models represent these aerosol properties and their impacts on atmospheric radiation. The approach was to deploy the NASA Langley Airborne High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and other synergistic remote sensors on DOE Atmospheric Science Research (ASR) sponsored airborne field campaigns and synergistic field campaigns sponsored by other agencies to remotely measure aerosol backscattering, extinction, and optical thickness profiles. Synergistic sensors included a nadir-viewing digital camera for context imagery, and, later in the project, the NASA Goddard Institutemore » for Space Studies (GISS) Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP). The information from the remote sensing instruments was used to map the horizontal and vertical distribution of aerosol properties and type. The retrieved lidar parameters include profiles of aerosol extinction, backscatter, depolarization, and optical depth. Products produced in subsequent analyses included aerosol mixed layer height, aerosol type, and the partition of aerosol optical depth by type. The lidar products provided vertical context for in situ and remote sensing measurements from other airborne and ground-based platforms employed in the field campaigns and was used to assess the predictions of transport models. Also, the measurements provide a data base for future evaluation of techniques to combine active (lidar) and passive (polarimeter) measurements in advanced retrieval schemes to remotely characterize aerosol microphysical properties. The project was initiated as a 3-year project starting 1 January 2005. It was later awarded continuation funding for another 3 years (i.e., through 31 December 2010) followed by a 1-year no-cost extension (through 31 December 2011). This project supported logistical and flight costs of the NASA sensors on a dedicated aircraft, the

SMOS L1C and L2 Validation in Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudiger, Christoph; Walker, Jeffrey P.; Kerr, Yann H.; Mialon, Arnaud; Merlin, Olivier; Kim, Edward J.

2012-01-01

Extensive airborne field campaigns (Australian Airborne Cal/val Experiments for SMOS - AACES) were undertaken during the 2010 summer and winter seasons of the southern hemisphere. The purpose of those campaigns was the validation of the Level 1c (brightness temperature) and Level 2 (soil moisture) products of the ESA-led Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. As SMOS is the first satellite to globally map L-band (1.4GHz) emissions from the Earth?s surface, and the first 2-dimensional interferometric microwave radiometer used for Earth observation, large scale and long-term validation campaigns have been conducted world-wide, of which AACES is the most extensive. AACES combined large scale medium-resolution airborne L-band and spectral observations, along with high-resolution in-situ measurements of soil moisture across a 50,000km2 area of the Murrumbidgee River catchment, located in south-eastern Australia. This paper presents a qualitative assessment of the SMOS brightness temperature and soil moisture products.

Large-Scale Oceanic Variability Associated with the Madden-Julian Oscillation during the CINDY/DYNAMO Field Campaign from Satellite Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-29

during the field campaign. For the first time, it is demonstrated that subseasonal SSS variations in the central Indian Ocean can be monitored by Aquarius...westerlies were observed in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres in the central and eastern Indian Oceans. The anomalous SSH associated with strong...it is demonstrated that subseasonal SSS variations in the central Indian Ocean can be monitored by Aquarius measurements based on the comparison

CO2 Budget and Rectification Airborne Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grainger, C. A.

2004-01-01

The main purpose of this award was to supply a platform for the airborne measurements of gases associated with the CO2 Budget and Regional Airborne Study (COBRA). The original program was to consist of three field programs: the first was to be in 1999, the second in 2000, and the third in 2001. At the end of the second field program, it was agreed that the science could better be served by making the measurements in northern Brazil, rather than in North America. The final North American program would be postponed until after two field programs in Brazil. A substantial amount of effort was diverted into making plans and preparations for the Brazil field programs. The Brazil field programs were originally scheduled to take place in the Fall of 2002 and Spring of 2003. Carrying out the field program in Brazil was going to logistically much more involved than a program in the US. Shipping of equipment, customs, and site preparations required work to begin many months prior to the actual measurement program. Permission to fly in that country was also not trivial and indeed proved to be a major obstacle. When we were not able to get permission to fly in Brazil for the 2002 portion of the experiment, the program was pushed back to 2003. When permission by the Brazilian government was not given in time for a Spring of 2003 field program, the experiment was postponed again to begin in the Fall of 2003.

Evolution of the 2011 Mississippi River Peak Flood Plume from Coincident Satellite and Airborne L-band Radiometer Surface Salinity Observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burrage, D. M.; Wesson, J. C.; Hwang, P. A.; Wang, D. W.; Wijesekera, H. W.

2016-02-01